Chap. 3.4 where he interprets this Text shall abide many dayes without a King and without Princes and without a sacrifice and without an image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim that is without any forme of civil Government and without any exercise of true yea or of false religion What a comfort was it to good David in his banishment and after the slaughter of the Priests by Saul even fourscore and five persons that did wear a linnen Ephod 1 Sam. 22.18 that Abiathar the son of Abimelech came down to him to Keilah with an Ephod in his hand and that thereby he could enquire of God what to do as he did 1 Sam. 23.6 1 Sam. 30.7 And what a grief and misery to Saul that God had forsaken him in those visible pledges of his favour and would not be found of him Hence he lay all open and naked to his enemies who now might do what they would to him and none to hinder them This also was the case and condition of the people when Aaron by making the golden Calf at their command had made the people naked unto their shame amongst their enemies Exod. 32.25 that is destitute of Gods powerfull protection and deprived of their former priviledges A people or a person may sin away their happinesse and forfeit the favours they formerly enjoyed An hypocrite may lose his gifts and common graces as that idle and evil servant did his talent his light may be put out in obscure darknesse See Ezech. 43.11 17. with the Note and set her as in the day that she was born Not onely nudam tanquam ex matre Naked as ever she was born The Albigenses in France those old Protestants were turned out stark-naked both men and women at the taking of Carcasson by the command of the Popish Bishop and so were thousands of good Christians by the bloody Rebels in Ireland now alate but as she was born of the Amorite and Hittite her navel was not cut her birth-blot was not washed in water nay shee was cast out into the open field and no eye pitied her as the Princesse did Moses and as the shepherdesse did Romulus and Remus See all this and more most elegantly set out Ezek. 16. together with what high honour and sumptuous ornaments God did put upon her verse 11 12. What this people were in the day of their nativity Ioshuah telleth them in part Chap. 24.2 Your father 's dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time even Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor and served other gods And I took your father Abraham out of Vr of the Chaldees as a brand out of that fire c. and gave him Isaacâ— And I gave unto Isaac Iacob who together with his children went down into Egypt where they fell to the worshipping of Idols Ezek. 16.26 And although they were there held under miserable servitude yet they continued exceeding wicked and abominable The fire of their afflictions seemed to harden their hearts as much as the fire of the furnace did the bricks they made Hence as they hardened their hearts God hardened his hand and had hastened their destruction had it not been that he had seared the wrath of the enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely Deut. 32 27. and lest they should say our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this Psal 107.8 The Psalmist was sensible of all this therefore saith Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies but provoked him at the sea even at the Red sea Neverthelesse he saved them for his Names sake c. And what was it else but the respect to his own great Name and the remembrance of his holy covenant that moved the Lord to premonish this perverse people of their present danger and not to suffer his whole wrath to arise against them and to rush in upon them without a Ne forte Am. 4.12 lest I set her as in the day c. The esoâ—e thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God with intreaties of peace lest your house be left unto you desolate Luc. 21. least wraâ—h seise upon you and that without remedy And make her as a wilderness after that â— have brought her out of a wildernesse and set her in a land that floweth with milk and hony God can quickly curse our blessings and destroy us after that he hath done us good See this excellency set forth Isay 5.5 and Jer. 17.5.6 Psal 107.34 Zech. 7.14 with the Note there and take heed lest living in gods good land but not by Gods good lawes we forfeit all into his hand and he take the forfeiture For he had rather that wild beasts should devour the good of a land yea that Satyres and devils should dance there then that wicked and stubborn sinners should enjoy it If Philip of Spain could say he had rather have no subjects then Lutheran subjects And if the Councell of Tholouse out of a like blind zeale for propagating Popery did decree that the very house should be pâ—lled down in qua fuerit inventus baereticus wherein an heretick as they then called Gods true servants waâ— found How much more shall the King of heaven the righteous judg root out and pluck up a rabble of rebels that refuse to be ruled by him Idolatry is a Land-desolating sin and brings in the devouring sword Judg 5.8 1. Joh. 5.21 Psal 78.58.59.62 Jer. 22.7.8.9 Cavete ab Idolis And slay them with thirst Surgit hic oratio surgit afflictio To be slame with thirst is a grievous judgment Lysimachus parted with his kingdome for a draught of water in a dry land and made himself of a great King a miserable Captive to the King of Getes Darius slying from his enemies Plut. was glad to drink of a dirty puddle that had carrion lying in it professing that it was the sweetest draught that ever he drank in his life Dives would have given all that ever he was worth for a drop of cold water The members infeebled for want of due moisture seek to the veynes for relief the veines to the liver the Liver to the Entrals the Entials to the ventricle â—he ventricle to the orifice But these being not abâ—e to impart what they cannot receive One he cryes Father Abraham But hospitable Abraham hath it not to him Rab. Samuel fire and brimstone storme and tempest is now the portion of his cup extream thirst is a piece of Hels pains Act. Mon. fol. 1547. and one of the greatest of earths miseries A dear servant of God in Queen Maries dayes kept and pined in prison would faine have drunk his own water but for want of nour shmâ—nt could make none Inward refreshings he had even those divine consolations of the maâ—tyâ—s he drank of the
Christ and forthwith thou shalt see him play Phineas part And again if Satan should summon us saith he to answer for our sinnes or debts in that the wife is no sutable person but the husband we may well bid him enter his action against our husband Christ and he will make him a sufficient answer Thus Mr. Bradford in a certain letter of his unto a friend In righteousnesse and in judgement in loving kindnesse c. These are the gems of that ring that Christ bestoweth upon his Spouse saith Mercer These are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or love-tokens that Christ the Bridegroom giveth to his Bride the Church saith Tarnonius Here he promiseth to performe to her and to work in her all those offices and requisites due from married couples in that estate the one to the other God will both justifie her by the imputation or Chriâ—â—s righteousnesse and sanctifie her by the spirit of judgement that is or sanctification See John 16.10 11. Matth. 12.20 and the Note there And because the best have their frailties and although they be vessels of honour yet are they but earthen vessels and have their flawes their cracks therefore it is added I have betrothed thee unto me in loving-kindnesse and in mercies q. d. My heart and wayes towards you shall be full of gentlenesse and sweetnesse without moâ—osity or harshnesse My loving-kindnesse shall be great Neh. 9.17 marvellous great Psal 31.21 Excellent Psal 36.7 Everlasting Esay 54.8 Mercifull Psal 117.2 Multitudes of loving-kindnesse Psal 36.5 Esay 63.7 as for my mercies or bowels of compassion towards you they are incomprehensible as having all the dimensions Ephes 3.18 Thy mercy O God reacheth unto the heavens there 's the height of it Great is thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowermost hell there is the depth of his mercy Psal 86.13 The earth is full of thy goodnesse there is the breadth of it All the ends of the earth have seen thy salvation there is the length of it O pray to see that blessed sight Ephes 1.18 and 3.18 that beholding as in a glasse this glory of the Lord shining bright in his Attributes you may be transformed into the same image 2 Cor. 3.18 from glory to glory and as in water face answereth to face as lead answereth the mould as tally answereth tally Indenture indenture so may we resemble and expresse the Lord our Husband in righteousnesse holinesse loving-kindnesse tender mercies and faithfulnesse that as the woman is the image and glory of the man so may we be of Christ For our encouragement it must be remembred that the Covenant that Christ maketh with us is a double Covenant to performe his part as well as ours to make us such as he requiretâ— us to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse for which end also we have a â—uplicaâ— of his Law written in our hearts Jer. 31.33 a law in our mind answerable to the law of his mouth Rom. 7.23 In a word he graciously undertaketh 〈…〉 parts therefore is the Covenant everlasting and the fruits of it are sure merâ—â— compassions that fail not In foedere novo nihil potest incidere quo miniss sit â—â—â—raum quum non sit ei adjecta conditio saith Mercer upon this Text that is In the new Covenant there can nothing fall out whereby it should not be everlasting sith there is no condition required on our part That faith or faithfulnosse mentioned in the next verse God requireth not as a mutual restipulation of our part as works were in the old covenant But here it is rather a declaration of his pleasure what he would have us to do and whereto he will enable us It is not a condition to endanger the Covenant but an assurance that he will give us strength to keep it Verse 20. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse Tremellius Drusius and Tarnonius render it in fide in faith and interpret it of de fide vera et salvifica of that true justifying faith whereby we are united to Christ And for this they urge the next words as an Exposition of these And they shall shall know the Lord alledging some other texts of Scripture wherein saving knowledge is put for justifying faith as Esay 53.11 Jer. 31.33 Job 17.3 The Septuagint also render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tarnou in exer cit Biblic See Master Dugards treatise called The change Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the New Testament is oft used for saving and growing faith Tit. 1.1 Col. 2.1 and 3 10. which indeed is the bond of the spirituall marriage and is it self nothing else but a fiduciall assent presupposing knowledge For man is a rationall creature faith a prudent thing comprehending in it self these three acts 1 knowledge in the understanding 2. Assent or rather Consent in the Will 3. Trust or confidence in the heart certainty of Adherence if not of Evidence The Papists fasten faith in the will as in the adaequate subject that they may the mean while do what they will with the understanding and the heart To which purpose they exclude all knowledge detest Trust in Christs promises expunging the very name of it every where by their Indices Expurgatorij A blind belief as the Church beleeves is as much as they require of their misled and muzzled Proselytes Bellarmine saith that faith may far better be defined by ignorance then by knowledge But how shall men beleeve on him of whom they have not heard Let us leave to the Papists their implicit faith and their blind obedience and cry after Christ as that poor man did Lord that mine eyes might be opened and that I may know the Lord yea grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ These things have I written unto you saith Saint John to those that were no Babyes or Zanyes in faith or knowledge that beleeve on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternall life and that ye may yet more beleeve in the Son of God 1 John 5.13 David though he had proceeded further in the discovery of Divine truthes then those before him Psal 119.99 yet he was still to seek of that which might be known ver 96. Even as those great discoverers of the new-found lands in America were wont to confesse at their return that there was still a Plus-ultra more yet to be discovered Vers 21. And it shall come to passe in that day In that time of grace and reconciliation fitly set forth by the name of a day in regard of 1 Revelation 2 Adornation 3 Consolation 4 Distinction 5 Speedy Preterition I will hear saith the Lord of Hosts that is I that have the command of both the upper and nether springs and forces Sun Moon Stars c. Deut. 4.9 those storehouses of Gods good treasure which he openeth to our profit Deut. 28.12 and therehence makes a
bee wise and to do good hee setteth himself in a way that is not good hec abhorreth not evil Psal 36.3 4. The words may be read thus The good God hath rejected Israel the enemy shall pursue him according to that in the Psalme God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him Psal 71.11 Sure it is that the Lord is with us while we are with him and if we seek him he will be found of us But if we forsake him he will forsake us And if he forsake us wo be to us chap. 9.12 we are in danger to be caught up by every paltry enemy as young Lapwings are to be snatcht up by every buzzard If Israel cast away the thing that is good ◠Chron. 15.2 what marvell if evil hunt him to overthrow him Psal 140.11 and if he find himself in all evil in the midst of the Congregation and the assembly Prov. 5.14 Hence Cains fear when cast out by God and Sauls complaint that the Philistines were upon him and God had forsaken him Verse 4. They have set up kings but not by me c. The Septuagint and vulgar Latine render it They have reigned to themselves like as St. Paul telleth the haughty Corinthians who carried aloft by their waxen wings domineered and despised others ye have reigned as kings without us c. 1 Cor. 4.8 But our reading is according to the Originall and so they are charged with a double defection the one Civil from the house of David they have set up kings c. the other Ecclesiasticall from the sincere service of God they had made them idols For the first it was not their fault to set up kings but to do it without God without his licence and approbation They took counsel but not of God they covered with a covering but not of his spirit that they might adde sin to sin Esay 30.1 They went headlong to work in setting up Jeroboam the son of Nebat For although the thing were done by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God as was likewise Christs crucifixion Acts 2.23 See 1 King 11.31 17. and Chap. 12.15 24. yet because the people were led by their own pride and ambition to chuse a new king without either asking Gods consent or eyeing his decree they did it rashly and seditiously neithey aimed they at any thing else but at the easing of their burdens and drawing to themselves the wealth of the kingdome As for Jeroboam it is before noted that although he had it cleared to him that Gods will was he should be king over the ten Tribes yet because it was a will of Gods decree not of his command as of a duty to be done by him and because he did not as David who when he had the promise of the kingdome yea was anointed king yet invaded not the kingdom but waited till he was lawfully exalted thereunto by God therefore passeth he for an usurper And the people are here worthily reprehended sith whatsoever is not of faith is sin and it is obedience when men obey a Divine precept but not ever when they follow a Divine instinct they have made princes c. Some render it They have removed Princes R. Sal. Jark as if in the word Hasiru Sin were put for Samech they have taken liberty to make and unmake Princes at their pleasure as the Roman Army did Emperours and as that potent Earl of Warwick in Henry the sixths time who is said to have carried a king in his pocket But because the former reading is confirmed by the Chaldee Paraphrase and the sence is agreeable to what went before neither read we of any kings of Israel deposed by the people we retain it as the better Of their silver and their gold have they made them idols Of the guts and garbage of the earth had they made them terricula fray-bugs or molestations Gnatsabim terrorem enim tristitiam duntaxat afferunt suis cultoribus for they cause terrour and heavinesse onely to those that worship them Polan Their sorrow shall be multiplied that hasten after another God Psal 16.4 The Greek Churches for instance so set upon Image-worship and therefore now subjected to the Turkish tyranny a type whereof were these ten Tribes carried captive by the Assyrian without any return Idols are called griefs or sorrows saith Peter Martyr because they torment the minde and trouble the conscience neither can they quiet or pacifie it Com. in 1 Sam. 31.9 so that Idolaters must needs be alwayes in doubt and despair as Papists are whose whole religion is a doctrine of desperation Their penances and pilgrimages to such or such an Idoll might still their consciences for a while but this was a truce rather then a peace a palliate cure which would not hold long a corrupting of the sergeant but not compounding with the Creditour that they may be cut off Not their silver and gold the matter of their idols as some sence it but the whole nation Princes and people together Idolatry is a God-provoking and a land-desolating sinne as in this Prophecy Often it is not so much the enemies sword as the sin of idolatry that destroyeth cities and kingdoms through the justice and jealousie of Almighty God Verse 5. Thy calf O Samaria hath cast thee off That is it can do thee no stead nor deliver thee from the destroyer Be not afraid of such mawmets saith Jeremy for they cannot do evil neither also is it in them to do good 〈…〉 chap. 10.5 they can neither hurt nor help for an idoll is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8.4 nothing but a meer fiction it hath no god-head or power divine in it self as the following words shew that there is none other God but one How then can help be reasonably expected from it Israel had cast off the thing that is good for calf-worship ver 3. therefore is he worthily cast off by his calf called here Samaria's calf or calves because that was the chief City the Palace of the King and is therefore put for the whole Province and their idols called a calf by way of contempt as the brazen-serpent is called Nehushtan or a piece of brasse when once it was Idolized See how Rabshakeh insults over those Heathen-deities 2 King 18.33 34 35. and blasphemously applieth it to the God of Israel who never casteth off his faithfull servants but is with them in trouble to deliver them and honour them Psal 91.15 Surely the Lord will not cast off his faithfull people neither will he forsake his inheritance Psal 94.14 Behold God will not cast away a perfect man Job 8.20 But though he cause grief yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies Lam. 3.31 32. some reads it thus Thy calf O Samaria hath been carried away into a far countrey namely into Assyria as the idols of the nations which were overcome were carried away captive
is not so yet with this sinfull nation that we are not yet a Loruhamah an Acheldama that we are not already as Sodom Esa 1.9 Zeph. 2.9 and like unto Gomorrah even a place of nettles and saltpits a perpetuall desolation as another prophet hath it we may well cry out O the depth the fathomlesse depth of Gods dear love to England Certain it is that we have hitherto subsisted by a miracle of his mercy and by a prop of his extraordinary patience Certain it is that God hath not dealt with England according to his ordinary rule but according to his prerogative royall England if one may so speak with reverence is a paradox to the Bible God grant that being lifted up to heaven with Capernaum in the abundance of blessings she be not brought down to hell by the abuse of them that God set not that sad impression of Loruhamah worse then any black Theta upon her and make her know the worth of his undervalued favours by the want of them why should it be said of us as once Anglica gens est optima flens et pessima ridens why should we provoke the Lord so long till he shall resolve upon an evill an onely evill i. e. without mixture of mercy Ezek. 7.5 till the decree bring forth Zeph. 2.2 and God pronounceth that fatall sentence against us that he did once against the old world Fiat justitia ruat mundus Let justice be done though the world be thereby undone Of all Gods Attributes he can least abide an abuse in his mercy Gods mercy is precious saith one and he will not let it run out to wast he will not be prodigall of it There is a time wherein God will say now I have done I have even done with this people mercy hath had her turn c. I will not alwayes serve them for a sinning-stock but will take another course with them I will take my own and be gone and woe be unto them when I depart from them When the sun is eclipsed all creatures fade and flag here below Thou hiddest thy face Lord and I was troubled Psal 30.7 David could not live but in the light of Gods countenance he begs for mercy every where as for life never did poor prisoner at the bar beg harder for a psalm of mercy then he doth Psal 51.1 and other where Neither would common mercies content him he must have such as are proper and peculiar to Gods own people even the sure mercies of David Oh make sure of mercy what ever you go without And the rather because there are a race of Loruhamahs a sort of such amongst men as are excluded from mercy God is not mercifull to any wicked transgressours Psal 59.5 that go on in their trespasses Psal 68.21 that allow them and wallow in them That last letter in Gods name had need to be well remembred Exod. 32.7 He will by no meanes clear the guilty And that terrible text should never be forgotten by those that are obstinate in an evill course and bless themselves when God curseth them Deut. 29.19.20 See the note there Gods mercy goes oft-times in Scripture bounded by his truth and as the same fire hath burning heat and cheerfull light so hath God plagues for the obstinate and mercy for the penitent Surely as he is pater misevationum the father of mercies so he is Deus ultionum the God of vengeances as he hath vbera so he hath verbera treasures of punishments for those especially that kick at his bowels that despise his long-sufferance that argue from love to liberty which is the Divels logick Cavete a Melampygo But I will utterly take them away Tollendo tollam So Calvin renders it and further tels us that some render it Comburam I will burn them and indeed war is fitly compared to fire that cruel element and to extream famine Isaia 9.19.20 The vulgar latine translateth it Obliviscendo obliviscar I will utterly forget them and that 's punishment enough as when one carried himself insolently toward the State of Rome a grave Senator gave this counsel Let us forget him and he will soon remember himself Woe be to those to whom Christ shall say Verily I know you not I have utterly forgot you Mercer rendreth it Levabo id est projiciam I will lift them up that I may throw them down againe with the greater poise The Seventy hath I will set my self against them in battell array Now the Lord is a man of war Exod. 15.4 yea he is the Lord and Victor of wars as the Chaldee there paraphraseth But what meant the Chaldee here to render this text by Parcendo parcam eis Sparing I will spare them is not this point-blank against Loruhamah How much better Tremellius ut ullo-pacto condonem-ist is that I should any way forgive them Have I not pardoned them enough already may I not well by this time be weary of repenting I will even break off my patience and forbear to punish no longer I have long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self now will I cry like a travelling woman who bites in her paine as long as she is able I will destroy and devour at once I will I will Isa 42 1â— The ten tribes never returned out of captivity unless it were some few of them that came up with the other two tribes out of Babylon Ezr. 2. by the appointment of Cyrus and some others that fled home when Nineveh where they were held captive was destroyed But for the generality of them whether they abide in China or Tartary or West-Indies I cannot tell you Parcus rendreth it Nam tolerando toleravi eos for I have a long while born with their evill manners And surely Subito tollitur Aug. qui diu toleratur as an Ancient saith Gods patience will not alwayes hold c. Vers 7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah The Ark and the mercy seate were never separated Judah had not utterly cast off God as Israel had but worshipped God in the Temple how corruptly soever therefore they shall have mercy because they kept the right way of worship See the Churches plea for mercy to this purpose Jer. 14.9 Againe Judah was now in a very great straight having been lately beaten and plundered by Israel 2. King 4.12 therefore they shall have mercy God heard Hagars affliction and relieved her I have seen I have seen the sufferings of my people in Egypt saith God Exod. 2 and am come to ease them Because they have called thee an outcast saying This is Zion whom no man looketh after therefore I will restore health unto thee and I will heale thee of thy wounds saith the Lord Jer. 30.17 He will repent for his people when he seeth their power is gone Deut. 32.36 when there is dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose He knowes that mercy is never so
for the ingathering of his Elect. Sic Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus CHAP. II Verse 1. Say unto your brethren Ammi Besides the publike preaching of this gracious promise chap. 1.10 There it shall be said unto them c. charge is here given that this be the subject of their more private discourse also and that they that fear the Lord speak often one to another we that were not a people are now a people we that had not obtained mercy have now obtained mercy Jubet per Prophetam ne haec vox in ecclesia taceatur Mercer God commands by the prophet that these sweet words Ammi Ruhamah be tossed and talked of at every friendly meeting I will not leave you fatherlesse In me the fatherlesse findeth mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee I will not not not forsake thee so many Nots there are in the Originall for more assurance God would have such precious passages as these to be rehearsed even in the places of drawing water Judg. 5.11 where the maids met to fetch water or do other ordinary chares for mutuall incouragement and for the praise of his name O the matchless mercy of our God! O the never-enough adored depth of his free grace who would not fear thee o King of Nations Psal 92.1 who would not be telling of thy goodnesse in the morning and of thy faithfulnesse every night Read that triumphant Psal 145. per totum and be you ever chaunting out as they of old at their daily employments aliquid Davidicum so building up one another with Psalms and hymns and spirituall songs Think but on these two words in the text and you cannot want matter Is it nothing to be in covenant with God and to be under mercy O blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Psal 144.15 saith David But I obtained mercy saith Paul 1 Tim. 1.16 and that was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his confident boasting where ever he came being a constant preacher of Gods free grace as was likewise Austin which makes him hardly censured by the Semipelagian papists and Arminians as an enemy to nature because so high a friend to grace Neither is he forgetfull to tell his Ephesians and others to whom he writeth that they were once dead in sins and trespasses but now quickened together with Christ c. They were forreiners but now fellow-citizens with the Saints they were darknesse Eph. 5.8 but now light in the Lord and should therefore walk as children of light and talk of his praises who had drawn them out of dreadfull darknesse into marvelous light Come saith David and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul The Lord hath done great things for us saith the Church whereat we are glad Psal 66.19 Psal 126.3 Luke 1.49 He which is mighty hath done to me great things and holy is his name saith the blessed Virgin Say ye unto your brethren Ammi and to your sisters Ruhamah Say it say it to brethren and to sisters upon every opportunity and with the utmost importunity that it may take impression upon their spirits and not be as a scale set upon the water nor as raine falling upon a rock that leaves no signe behind it The Grecians being delivered out of servitude by Flaminius the Roman General Plutark rang out Soter Soter that is Saviour Saviour with such a courage that the very birds of the ayre astonished thereat fell to the earth The people of Israel gave such a loud shout at the return of the Ark that the earth rang againe A drowning man being pulled out of the water by Alphonsus King of Arragon and rescued from so great a death cryed out as soon as he came again to himself by way of thankfulnesse Arragon Arragon Valer. Max. Christian p. 41 1. Sam. 7.12 Psal 116.8 let us cry as loud Ammi Ruhamah hitherto God hath helped us who were lately with those Israelites in the wildernesse talking of our graves Say therefore with the Psalmist Because thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears my feet from falling I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living c. Verse 2. Plead with your mother plead Here of right begins the second chapter the former verse being not so fitly separated from the former chapter and it is nothing else but a commentary upon the first as Parcus well noteth For the Prophet here proceedeth in accusing the people of disloyality and ingratitude whereupon he denounceth a divorce and punishment and then foretelleth their repentance and return into favour with God under the kingdom of the Messiah Now the end wherefore both the accusation and the promise is here reiterated is not so much to confirm what had been before affirmed as to set forth the means whereby this off-cast people was to be at length reduced unto the Church viz. Partly by externall meanes as sharp Sermons and sore afflictions and partly by the internall grace of the Spirit of God and good affiance of his love sealed up to them by sundry spirituall and temporall favours conferred upon them as so many love-tokens Come we now to the words of this verse where Oecolampadius begins the chapter Plead with your mother plead It is verbum forense saith Mercer An expression borrowed from pleaders at the bar q.d. Be in good earnest with her rebuke her roundly and openly according to the nature of her offence that she may be sound in the faith and ashamed of her perfidiousness What though she be your mother and in that respect to be honoured by you yet she is a perverse rebellious woman as Saul once said of his son Jonathans mother how truly I enquire not malice little regards truth 1 Sam. 21.30 so it may gall or kill and therefore to be barely and boldly told her own Besides we cannot better shew our respect to Parents then by seeking their souls health and by dealing fairly but freely with them therein Not as Walter Mupes sometimes Arch-deacon of Oxford did by his mother Church of Rome For relating the grosse simony of the Pope in confirming the election of Reginald bastard son of Jocelin Bishop of Sarum into the sea of Bath he thus concludes his narration Sit tamen Domina materque nostra Roma baculus in aqua fractus absit credere quae vidimus yet let our Lady and mother Rome be as a stick put into the water which seems to be broken but is not so and far be it from us to beleeve our own eyes against her Was this charity or stupidity rather Charity may be ingenuous but not servile and blockish Levit. 19.17 It is not love but hatred if Moses may judge to suffer sin in a dearest friend to passe uncontroulled Good Asa deposed his own mother for her idolatry and our Edward the sixt would not be drawn by any perswasion of friends
fulfilled at the restitution of all things which they make to be at the time of the call of the Jewes But when I find Nebuchadnezzar and other enemies of the Church to be called Lions Leopards Wolves c. as Jerem. 5.6 and elswhere I cannot but think that these might be here meant in part at least Virg. ponentque ferocia Poeni Corda volente Deo according to Peters vision Act. 10. and that God will so meeken the spirits of his converts that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all his holy mountain Esay 11.9 The literall sense is very good I grant but yet it is still to be taken as all such promises are 1. with exception of the cross here 2. with expectation of the full accomplishment hereafter in the state of perfection And I will break the bowe and the sword and the battle out of the earth These words seem to be opposed to that threat Chap. 1.5 I will break the bowe of Israel c. And it is as if he should say After that I have broken their power and tamed their pride by the enemies forces then I will punish those enemies and so take order with them that they shall not hurt my people by any of their hostilities Lo peace is a piece of Gods Covenant and covenant-covenant-mercies are very sweet when all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 Not mercy onely but truth too that comes by vertue of a covenant Mark what God saith to Abraham Gen. 17.20 21. I have blessed Ishmael twelve Princes shall he beget but my Covenant will I establish with Isaac And in the same Chapter Divines observe that in ten verses thereof God repeateth his Covenant which he made with Abraham thirteen times to note thus much that that was the mercy indeed that must satisfie Abraham in all his troubles sorrows and afflictions For the Covenant of Gods peace shall not be removed no not when the mountains shall depart and the hils be removed Esay 54.10 The Lord will give strength to his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace Psal 29.11 and will make them to lie down safely Being gathered under my wings they shall repose themselves upon my power and providence committing themselves to me in well-doing All true and solid security whether inward or outward all true peace whether of countrey or of conscience floweth from Gods favour Psal 3. 4. Hence the Apostle wisheth grace and peace and the Angels sang Ephes 1.2 Luke 2 14. Deut. 33.16 Glory be to God on high and peace on earth even the peace of good-will toward men the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush The Lord is with me saith David I will not fear what man can do unto me I will sleep and wake and wake and sleep again Psal 3. for the Lord sustaineth me No wonder I slept so soundly and safely said King Philip when Antipater watched me Abner watched not so well when David fetcht away Sauls spear and pitcher and was barely told of it Phil. 4.7 1 Pet. 1.5 Lev. 26.5 Psal 116.7 Ishbosheth was slain whiles he slept The Saints go ever under a double guard the peace of God within them and the power of God without them and may therefore in utramque aurem dormire lie down safely See Ier. 23.6 call their souls to rest Verse 19. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever This because it could not be easily beleeved is thrice repeated We beleeve not what ever men may dream to the contrary without much ado and many conflicts When faith goes about to lay hold on Christ the devils raps her on the fingers and would beat her off Hence she is fain to take great pains for it to work hard for her living The Apostle speaks more then once of the work of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 1.3 and 2 Epist 1.11 And it is no lesse difficult say Divines to beleeve the Gospel then to fulfill the Law No man can come unto the Son except the Father draw him the soul naturally hangs back and had as lief put off its immortality as put on Christ Joh. 6. The devil also doth his utmost to hinder The contest was not so great betwixt Michael and him concerning Moses his dead Body as it is here betwixt the beleever and him concerning Christs living body And should not God mightily assist the businesse would never be done Hence faith is called the faith of Gods power Tarnan Col. 2.12 the faith of his operation and what an Almighty power God doth therein put forth is elegantly described by the Apostle in that sixfold gradation Ephes 1.19 which shews it to be more then a morall swasion Betroth thee I will I will I will saith God here and some think the Sacred Trinity is here though darkly according to the manner of those times brought in betrothing the Church in this trina repetitio And mark that he doth not say I will be reconciled unto thee and receive thee again after thy foul-playes with me for Reconciliationes ferè sunt vulpinae amicitiae inter homines Men are seldom reconciled heartily but I will espouse thee marry thee unto me and that for ever I will null the Bill of divorce love you no lesse then if you had continued true to me or were now a pure Virgin Quis hanc Dei bonitatem dignè collaudet saith Drusius Who can sufficiently set forth this goodnesse of God When God once pardoneth sin he will remember it no more he will not come with back-reckonings Discharges in justification are never repealed or called in again Peccata non redeunt is a true axiom and it is no lesse true that peccata non minuunt justificationem God can pardon sins of all sizes and assoon disperse the thick cloud as the cloud Esay 44.22 See the matchlessnesse of his mercy to a repenting adulteresse Jer. 3.5 What greater love can he shew to her then to marry her again and rejoyce over her as a bridegroom rejoyceth over his bride Esay 62.5 Yea to rest in his love and to joy over her with singing Zeph. 3.17 and to do this for ever as it is here promised so that there shall be no more breach of conjugall love and communion for ever betwixt them Ama amorem illius Oh love this love of his saith Bernard and reciprocate And as the wife will keep her bed onely for her husband saith Mr. Bradford Martyr although in other things she is content to have fellowship with others Acts Mon. fol. 1503. as to speak sit eat drink go c. so our consciences which are Christs wives must needs keep the bed that is Gods sweet promises alonely for our selves and our husband there to meet together to embrace and laugh together and to be joyfull together If sin the law the devil or any thing would creep into the bed and lie there then complain to thine husband
will be but as a drop of wrath forerunning the great storm as a crack forerunning the ruine of the whole building That is a known text If you will not yet for all this hearken unto me then I will punish you seven times more and seven times more and seven to that Levit. 26.18 28. Three severall times God raiseth his note and he raiseth it by sevens and those are discords in Musick Such saying will be heavy songs and their execution heavy pangs to the wicked Verse 15. I will go and return to my place To my palace of Heaven so the Chaldee rendereth it I will withdraw my Majestie and return into the habitation of my holinesse which is in heaven I will go from them that they may come to themselves with the Prodigal I will forget them that they may remember themselves I will trouble my self no further with them when God comes against sinners he is said to come out of his place and so to disease himself Esay 26.21 with Lam. 3.33 that they may be afflicted and weep and mourn after me Jam. 4.9 I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling place as Esay 18.4 I will hide my face from them I will see what their end shall be for they are a very froward generation c. Deut. 32.20 and they shall see that I will be as froward as they for the hearts of them Ps 18.26 I will gather them in mine anger and in my fury and I will leave them there Ezek. 22.20 that they may know the worth of my gracious presence which they have not prized by the want of it and be pricked on thereby to pray Return O Lord how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants O satisfie us early with thy mercy c. Psal 90.13 14. Thus mothers use to leave their children or at least turn their backs upon them till they mourn and make moane after them Thus the Lion seems to leave her yong ones till they have almost killed themselves with roaring and howling but at last gasp she relieves them whereby they become the more couragious God also will return to his people when they once turn short again upon themselves and see their sin-guiltinesse and seek his favour This is Gods end 1 Cor. 11.32 and the happy effect of affliction sanctified 1 King 8.47 Till they acknowledge their offence Heb. Till they become guiltie till they plead guiltie and carry themselves accordingly blushing and bleeding in my presence Thus Saint James Be afflicted or be miserable Chap. 4.9 ye are so but see your selves to be so tremble and humble at Gods feet for mercy give glory to God my Son and confesse thy sin Josh 7.19 The viper beaten casts up her poison The traytour on the rack confesseth all He that in affliction acknowledgeth not his offence and seeketh Gods face is more hard-hearted then a Jew as is to be seen here and Psal 78.34 and 1 Sam. 7.6 In the year of Grace 1556. at Weissenston in Germany a Jew for theft was in this cruell manner to be executed He was hang'd by the feet with his head downward betwixt two dogs which constantly snatcht bit at him The strangenes of the torment moved Jacob Andreas a grave Divine to go to behold it Coming thither he found the poor wretch as he hung repeating verses out of the Hebrewes Psalms wherein he cried out to God for mercy Andreas hereupon took occasion to counsell him to trust in Jesus Christ the true Saviour of mankind Melch. Adam in vit Jac. Andreae the Jew embracing the Christian faith requested but this one thing that he might be taken down and baptized though presently after he were hanged again but by the neck as Christian malefactours suffered which was accordingly granted him Lat. Serm. Latimer reports a like story of one in his time who being executed at Oxford was cut down but not quite dead And means being used to recover him he came again to himself and then confessed all his villany which before he would not be drawn to do In the life of Master Perkins also mention is made of a lusty fellow at Cambridge who being upon the ladder and affrighted with the forethought of hell-torments was called down a gain by Master Perkins who prayed with him and for him so effectually as that the beholders could not but see a blessed change thereby wrought in the prisoner Master Fuller and Mr. Clark in Mr. Perk. his life who took his death with such patience and alacritie as if he actually saw himself delivered from the hell which he feared before and heaven opened for the receiving of his soul to the great rejoycing of the beholders How well might these men say with Themistocles Periissem nisi periissem I had been undone if I had not been undone David was brought home by the weeping-crosse Psal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod lib. 1. Alsted Cbroni pag. 325. 119.67 Affliction was a better Schoolmaster to Queen Elizabeth then Master Ascham Nocumenta documenta said Craesus when he was in the hands of his enemies The Burgundians well beaten by the Hunnes fled to Christ the God of the Christians and embraced his Religion and seek my face Out of a deep sense of their sin-guiltinesse This is the work of Faith as the former of Repentance God was not so gone from his people nor so far out of their call but that if they could find a praying heart he would find a pittying heart if they would acknowledge their offence he would forgive the iniquity of their sin Psal 32.5 If they would set their Faith a work as she in the Gospel did of whom it is said that when Christ would have hid himself it could not be for a certain woman whose daughter was diseased came and fell at his feet fetcht him out of his retiring-room Mark 7.24.25 he would break the heavens and come down from his place Isai 64.1 2. he would come leaping over all lets and impediments those mountains of Bether or of division to the relief of his people See this set forth Cant. 5. with the Notes there Provided that they seek not so much their own ease and ends as his face and favour the sense of his presence and light of his countenance the fear of his name and comforts of his spirit Thus David Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and barren Land Carnall prayers in time of misery are but such as the dry earth or the hungry raven make They are the prayers of nature for ease not of the spirit for grace such as was that of Pharaoh when the rack made him roar the rod slatter See Zach. 7.5 6. with the Notes In their affliction they will seek me early Manicabunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. They will morning me so the Orginall hath it They will do it saith God
Hebrew hath it with his good help that thou shalt turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onely cry unto him Turn us Lord and we shall be turned draw us and we will run after thee c. Of turning to the Lord see the Note on Zach. 1.3 Keep mercy and judgement Those magnalia legis those weightier matters of the Law as our Saviour calleth them Matth. 23.23 which Ephraim had made light of chap. 4.1 He is therefore called upon to evidence the truth of his turning to God by bringing forth fruits meet for repentance Matth. 3.8 such as are tantamount and weigh just as much as repentance comes to Optima aptissima poenitentia est nova vita saith Luther The best and rightest repentance is a new life universall obedience to both Tables of the Law Mercy and judgement are here put by a figure for the duties of the second Table as constant waiting upon God for the duties of the first for the Prophet here observeth not the order of nature Donande Condonands but of our knowledge when he instanceth first in the second Table as doth also the Prophet Micah chap. 6.8 Mercy must be kept and exercised by 1 Giving 2 Forgiving This God prefers before sacrifice Hos 6.7 This Chrysostom saith is a more glorious work then to raise from the dead And here let those that would keep mercy and not shew it onely sometimes when they are in a good mood steep their thoughts in the mercies of God and so strive to be mercifull as their heavenly Father is Matth. 6. Judgement also must be kept and justice done Esay 56.1 after the example of God who is said to exercise loving-kindnesse but withall judgement and righteousnesse in the earth Ier. 9.24 Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is mercifull Psal 116.5 the mixture of mercy and judgement is very comely as in publike persons Psal 101.1 where we see that Davids ditty was composed of discords which made an excellent harmony so in others of all sorts Prov. 21.21 who are required to be mercifully just and justly mercifull in all their enterdealings according to that golden rule given by our Saviour Luke 6.31 Whatever ye would that men should do unto you do ye to them likewise This is the standard and wait on thy God continually First beleeve Him to be thy God by a particular individuating faith and then thou wilt be easily drawn to wait upon him who waiteth to be gracious or to draw near unto him as the Seventy here render it and come boldly to the throne of grace Heb 4.16 for as the Ark of the Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Mercy-seat were never separated to neither is the mercy of God from those that are in covenant with him and can truely call him Theirs Hope is compared to a line the same Hebrew word that signifieth the one signifieth the other and waiting on God is nothing else but Hope and Trust lengthened or drawn out Sure it is that Trust in God at length will triumph and all his dispensations will appear beautifull in their season Hold out therefore faith and patience Wait upon the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart Wait I say upon the Lord. Psal 27.14 Ponder that sweet promise Habak 2.3 not delivered only but doubled and trebled for more surety And then consider first thy distance from God in worth and degree next thy dependance upon him thine undone condition if he desert thee and then thou wilt be content to wait upon him continually to stay his leisure as David did for the kingdom and as those in Esther did for deliverance to say with those good souls in the Acts The will of the Lord be done Verse 7. He is a merchant Heb. He is Canaan that is a meer naturall man Ezek. 16.3 a money-merchant who so he may have it careth not how he comes by it he is more like a Canaanite then a Jacobite Jacob said I have enough my brother but Ephraim is sick of the plague of unsatisfiablenesse and instead of keep mercy and judgement as in the former verse he keepeth false ballances in his hand and false weights in his bag Deut. 15.13 14 15. Lev. 19.36 Prov. 11.1 and 16.11 and 20.10 See the Notes there He that hath his hands full of the ballances of deceit and will not loose them to take hold of God will not part with his fat and sweet as the Vine and Olive in Iothams Purable though it be to raigne in heaven how can it be expected that he should turne to God or that he should love to be his servant Esay 56.6 when hee loveth to oppresse To get gain if not by fraud and cunning contrivance then by force and by forged cavillation as Luke 19.9 Sic quaecunque potest arte nocere nocet And all this he loveth to do he delights in it he not onely is pleased with it but pleadeth for it and opposeth with crest and brest whatsoever standeth in the way of his own heart exercised with covetousnesse as S. Peters phrase is 2 Pet. 2.14 which he constantly followeth as the Artificer doth his trade Let such Canaanites read that flaming text 1 Thess 4.6 and take heed lest while they get all they can by wrench and wile lest while they count all good fish that comes to net they catch at length the Devil and all lest they receive no lesse summes of curses then of coyn lest screech-owls of woe cry aloud from the beams of their chambers c. See the Note on chap. 7.1 Verse 8. And Ephraim said yet I am become rich Sed mihi plande domi I have it howsoever though I hear ill for it though the Prophet inveigh against my covetousnesse yet I am rich while he and his companions are poor and indigent yea I have found me out substance An idol so the Vulgar renders it Ephes 5.5 and indeed every covetous man is an idolater and performs both outward and inward service to his Mammon of unrighteousnesse to his golden-calf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Substance hee here craekes of and rest to his soul as the Seventy render it in opposition happly to the aery notions as he accounted them of the Prophets invectives against his covetous practises and the terrours of his own conscience which he endeavoured to corrupt and bribe See to like purpose Esay 57.10 Thou hast found the life of thy hand that is a livelihood by thy labour therefore thou wast not grieved thy heart is hardened and thou art insensible of thy sin-guiltinesse thou settest the gain against the guilt and then all is hall with thee Felix scelus virtus vocatur Tul. de divin lib. 2. Prosperous wickednesse is accounted vertue Leah because fruitfull and successefull rejoyced in that whereof she had greater reason to repent So did those Idolaters Ier. 44.11 Dionysius after the spoil of an idol-Temple finding the winds favourable in
of prayer This therefore Jonah having prayed and perceiving that he was heard and by the goodnesse of God preserved safe in body and sound in mind he growes strong in faith Rom. 4. giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that he should yet walk before him againe in the land of the living out of the fishes belly where though he might seem buried alive and free among the dead yet he enjoyed Gods gracious presence and those strong consolations that made him live in the very mouth of death and say in effect as blessed Bradford did Act Mon. fol. 1476. I thank God more of this prison and of this dark dungeon then of any parlour yea then of any pleasure that ever I had For in it I find God my most sweet God alwayes Verse 2. And said I cried by reason of mine affliction His lips did not move in affliction like a creaking doore or a new cart-wheele with murmuring and mutinying against God and men Psal 73.9 he set not his mouth against heaven as the howling wolf when hunger-bit neither did his tongue walk through the earth cursing the day of his birth Lam. 3.29 and cutting deep into the sides of such as were meanes of his misery But putting his mouth in the dust if so bee there might be hope he cried by reason of his affliction The time of affliction is the time of supplication no time like that for granting of suites Zech. 13.9 Gods afflicted may have what they will of him then such are his fatherly compassions to his sick children he reserveth his best comforts for the worst times and then speaketh to the hearts of his people when he hath brought them into the wildernesse Hos 2.13 This Jonah experimented and therefore said I cried out of mine affliction unto the Lord. Ad Dominum asslicto de pectore suspirando And he heard me How else am I alive amidst so many deaths here 's a visible answer a reall return Oh blessed be God who hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me Psal 66.20 Surely as the cloud which riseth out of the earth many times in them and insensible vapours falleth down in great and abundant showers so our prayers which ascend weak and narrow return with a full and enlarged answer This was but a pittifull poore prayer that Ionas here made as appeares ver 4. and so was that of David Psal 31.22 For I said in mine hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee It would be wide with us if God should answer the best of us according to our prayers yea though well watered with teares sith Ipsae lacrymae sixt lacrymabiles c. we had need to weep over our teares sigh over our sobs mourne over our griefs c. Jonah was so taken with this kindnesse from the Lord his God that he repeates it and celebrates it a second time out of the belly of hell cried I and thou heardest my voice The whales belly he calleth hels-belly because horrid and hideous deep and dismall Thence he cried as David did De profundis and was heard and delivered Yea had hell it self closed her mouth upon a praying Jonah it could not long have held him but must have vomited him up A Mandamus from God will do it at any time Psa 44.4 and what cannot faithfull Praier have of God there is a certaine omnipotency in it said Luther Verse 3. For thou hadst cast me into the deep A graphicall description of his wofull condition which yet he remembreth now as waters that are past and is thankfull to his Almighty Deliverer See the like in David Psa 116.3 and learn of these and other Saints to acknowledge the uttermost extremity of a calamity after we are delivered out of it For hereby thy judgement will be the better instructed and the more convinced thine heart also will be the more inlarged to admire and thy mouth the wider opened to celebrate the power wisdome and mercy of God in thy deliverance As if this be not done God will be provoked either to inflict heavier judgements or else to cease to smite thee any more with the stripes of a father and to give thee up for a lost child for thou had'st cast me into the deep Not the mariners but Thou didst it and therefore there was no averting or avoyding it Thou had'st cast me with a force as a stone out of a sling or as that mighty Angel Rev. 18.21 that took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying Thus with violence c. In the middest of the seas Heb in the heart of the sea 's so Mat. 12.40 So shall the Son of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth And Deut. 4.11 we read of the heart of heaven that is the middle of it as the heart sitteth in the middest of the body as king of that Isle of Man Now if it were so grievous to be cast into the main Sea what shall it be to be hurled into hell by such an hand and with such a force into that bottomelesse gulf whence nothing was ever yet boyed up againe and the floods compassed me about Aquarum confluges The Sea whence all floods or rivers issue and whereto they return Homer calleth the Ocean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a river by the figure Miôsis Danaeus here noteth that out of that gulf of the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which of Plato is called Tartarus that is hell the waters do flow into the veines of the earth as it is Eccles 1.7 losing their saltnesse in the passage Here Jonah cried out as Psa 69.1.2 Save me O God for the waters are come in unto my soule I fink in deep mire where there is no standing I am come into the deep waters where the floods overflow me It was onely his faith that held him up by the chin and like blown bleathers bore him alost all waters all thy billowes and thy waves passed over me All so it seemed to Jonah that God had powred out all his displeasure upon him but he sufâ—ereth not his whole wrath to arise against his people neither remembreth iniquity for ever Thy billowes or surges not the seas but thine God seemed to fight against Jonah with his own hand David likewise in a desertion complaines that all Gods waves and floods were gone over him Ps 42.7 In this case for it may be any ones case let us do as Paul and his company did in that dismall tempest Act. 27. when they saw neither sun nor star for diverse dayes and nights together cast anchor of hope even beyond hope and then wait and wish for day God will appeare at length and all shall clear up he will deliver our soules from the nethermost hell Vers 4. Then I said I am cast
heritage Not of all but of those poor few that confesse and forsake their sins Pro. 28.13 and in whose spirit there is no guile Psa 32.2 that are mortified persons Rom. 11.26 with Esay 59.20 It is a priviledge proper to the Communion of Saints he retaineth not his anger for ever Angry he may be and smite in his anger Esay 57.17 yea he may take vengeance of the inventions of those whom he hath pardoned Psal 99.8 temporall vengeance I mean but it soon repenteth him concerning his servants and a little punishment serveth turn for a great offence Jer. 31.19 20 21. David no sooner said I have sinned but he heard The Lord hath taken away thy sin 2 Sam. 12. because he delighteth in mercy And hence he pardoneth iniquity of free-grace ex mero motu out of his pure and unexcited love out of his Philanthropy and undeserved favour the sole impulsive cause of pardon What a man delighteth to do he will do howsoever If the Sun delight to run his race who shall stop him If God so delight in mercy that he will save for his Names sake and come in with his Non obstante as he doth Psal 106.8 who or what shall hinder him Verse 19. He will turne again he will have compassion upon us Here 's the pith and power of faith particularly applying promises to a mans self Say that sin hath separated betwixt us and our God Esay 59.2 and made him send us farre away into captivity yet he will turn again and yern toward us he will turn again our captivity as the streams in the South His compassions are more then fatherly Psal 103.13 motherly Esay 49.15 brotherly Heb. 2.12 This the Church knows and therefore cries after him Cant. 8.14 Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart which when it fleeth looketh behind it saith the Chaldee Paraphrast there And this that he will do she is bold to beleeve He will he will and that to us saith the Prophet here Lo this is that work of faith to wrap it self in the promises as made to us in particular 1 Tim. 1.15 and unlesse faith be on this sort actuated it is as to comfort as good as no faith Compare Mat. 8.26 with Mark 4.40 He will subdue our iniquities By force and violence as the word signifieth subjugabit pessundabit conculcabit Sin is sturdy and will rebell where it cannot reigne It hath a strong heart and will not easily yeeld But yeeld it shall for God will subdue it And this is a further favour as every former is a pledge of a future To pardon of sinne God will adde power against sinne to justification by Christs merit sanctification by his Spirit he will let out the life-blood of sin and lay it adying at our feet he will tread Satan with all his black train under our feet shortly Rom. 16.20 He will not onely turn us againe but turne his hand upon us and purely purge away our drosse and take away all our tinne Esay 1.25 In fine hee will so mortifie the deeds of the body by his Spirit that sinne shall not have dominion over us Rom. 6.14 shall not play Rex in us the traveller shall not become the man of the house as Nathans parable speaketh And thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the bottom of the sea Where-hence they shall never be boyed up again This the Prophet by an insinuating Apostrophe turneth himself to God and speaketh with much confidence Such is the nature of true faith sc to grow upon God and as I may so say to encroach as Moses did Exod. 33.12 13 c. to chap. 34.10 and as David did 1 Chron. 17.23 c. See how he improves Gods promise and works upon it ver 24 25. he goes it over again and yet still encroacheth and the effect was good chap. 18. We hinder our selves of much happinesse by a sinfull shamefacednesse Let us come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4. ult so shall we see our sins as Israel did the Egyptians dead on the shore Verse 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham Heb. Thou wilt give for all is of free gift His love moved God to promise his truth binds him to performe 2 Sam. 7.18 21. For thy words sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these things Having made himself a voluntary debter to his people he will come off fairly with them and not bee worse then his word but better Hence Rev. 10.1 Christ is said to have a rainbowe upon his head to shew that he is faithfull and constant in his promises and that tempests should blow over the skie be cleared For this is as the waters of Noah unto mee saith the Lord for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountains shall depart c. Esay 54.9 10. God hath hitherto kept promise with nights and dayes Jer. 33.20 25. that one shall succeed the other therefore much more will he keep promise with his people which thou hast sworn unto our fathers And in them to us by vertue of the covenant So he spake with us when he spake with Jacob at Bethel Hos 12.4 and that the promises sworn to the Fathers of the old Testament belong also to us of the New See Luke 1.55 73 74. Now that God swore at any time to them or us hee did it for our sakes doubtlesse that by two iâ—â—â—â—table things in which it was impossible for God to lie wee might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6.17 18. See the Note there Gloria Deo in Excelsis A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of NAHUM CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE burden of Nineveh i. e. The burdenous prophesie See the Note on Malac. 1.1 It is a burden to wicked men to be told of their sinnes and foretold of their punishments To whom we may not unfitly apply that of the Civilian Perquà m durum est Vlpian sed ita lex scripta est If it be so tedious to hear of it what will they do to bear it Nineveh had fair warning before by Jonah and for present the unclean spirit seemed to be cast out of her but he returned soon after with seven worse as appears by this Prophesie and so their last state was worse then the former Mat. 12.45 Their bile half-healed breaking out again proved to be the plague of leprosie Lev. 13.18 19 20. such as shut them out of heaven God will do good to those that are good and continue so But as for those that turn aside unto their crooked wayes as all Apostates do the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity as cattle are led to the slaughter or malefactours to
execution but peace shall be upon Israel Psal 125.5 The book of the Vision Or the Epistle of the Vision Hence some collect that Nahum went not to Nineveh as Jonah had done but sent this propheticall Epistle thither to let them know what should shortly befall them So Jeremy sent an Epistle to Babylon chap. 29. and Eliah wrote a threatning letter to Iehoram king of Judah 2 Chron. 21.12 before his translation to heaven and lest it to be sent to him by Elisha or the other Prophets who durst not shew themselves in his presence such was his insolent cruelty as 't is conceived of Nahum the Elkoshite Elkosh was a small town in Galiâ—ee beyond Bethabara as say Hierom and Dorotheus Here was our Prophet born and named Nâ—hum non sine numine saith Gualther for Nahum as Noah signifieth a Comforter and so he proved by this Book of his both to the ten Tribes now newly carried captive by the Assyrian Monarch and also to the other two Tribes Epiphanius who were shortly after besieged by the same Assyrian in the reign of Hezekiah under whom Nahum prophecied See the Note on Exod. 3.1 Vers 2. God is jealous See the Note on Zech. 1.14 and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth As he is Pater miserationum to his people a father of mercies and God of consolation so to his and their enemies he is a most sure and severe revenger Deus ultionum as David calleth him Psal 94.1 A God of recompenses as Jeremy chap. 51.56 And when He comes against a people he usually takes them to do when they are at the strongest and most confident as Nineveh now was in the dayes of proud Sennacherib and is furious Heb. and is Master of hot wrath he is all on a light fire as it were with fierce indignation against the enemies of his Church Yet not so but that he is Master of his anger too and doth nothing in it but what is just and equall Hence the vials of his wrath are said to be golden vials Rev. 15.7 his anger is holy his fire is pure and without smoak And this is further declared in the following words The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries Such as seek to thrust him beside his throne that oppose his worship contemn his word persecute his people send proud messages after him saying We will not have this man to reigne over us Bring hither those mine enemies saith He and slay them before me Luk. 19.27 As for such as sin of infirmity and return to him by repentance they shall not find him furious but gracious and he reserveth wrath for his enemies Their preservation for a time is but a reservation to that wrath to come As hee precipitateth not his anger but defers the execution of it giving men space to repent as he did Jezabel Rev. 2. so they shall find that his forbearance is no quittance and that Poena venit gravior quò magè tarda venit Verse 3. The Lord is slow to anger Slack he is not as some men count slacknesse saith St. Peter but long-sufferring to us-ward c. 2 Epist 3.9 The devil stirred up the Heathen Poets to perswade people that God either knew not or cared not what was done here below that he was oft from home feasting with the Ethiopians c. The Epicures also taught the like doctrine Homer and the Sadduces among the Jews the Manichees among the primitive Christians the Libertines amongst us But they shall one day find that God is slow but sure that the higher he lifteth his hand the harder he will strike the further he draweth his bowe the deeper will bee the wound and great in power Heb. Great of power able to knock down sinners in the very act of their rebellion and to send them packing to their place in hell So that it is not for want of power that he is so patient For the Lord our God is God of gods and Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible Deut. 10.17 But what need we go further then the Text where he is called the strong God great in power And that will not at all acquit the wicked This is the last letter in his name that nomen majestativum as Tertullian calleth it Exod. 34.7 which he will in no wise forget as neither must we He will not take the wicked by the hand saith Job Job 8.20 nor wink at the workers of iniquity saith David Psal 50.21 but will render a just recompence to every transgression and disobedience saith Paul Heb. 2.2 A God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32.4 the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm The word Suphab here tendred whirlwind begins with a small Samech ad minuendum timorem piis Buxtorf Tiberias 167. ne propterea terreantur to take off the Saints from their inordinate fears and to assure the wicked that when the Lord cometh imminet inde Soph finis exitium there shall be an end of them and an utter destruction As the whirlwind passeth so is the wicked no more but the righteous is an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 Or as some read it The righteous is the foundation of the world as firm as the worlds foundation sc the earth which is unmoveable and the clouds are the dust of his feet He walketh upon them as men do upon the dust of the earth he maketh the clouds his charet and rideth upon the wings of the wind Psal 104.3 See Isa 60.8 and 19.1 The wickeds happinesse shall take its end surely and swiftly as Ezekiel tells them in his seventh chapter An end is come is come is come Ver. 4. He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry He had shewed what wonders God can do in the ayre Now he telleth what he doeth in the water and in the earth And it is well observed by an Interpreter that when the Prophets speak of God Tarnon they do for most part imitate the expressions of Moses that most severe law-giver and allude to his history to shew that by the law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 without which the stony hearts of men melt not that the promise of the gospell may relish sweetly with them Psal 19.10 11. The word here rendreth He rebuketh importeth that God rateth and rattleth the Sea verborum pedumque strepitu with such a voice and other noise as causeth fright and flight The Sea saw it and fled Iordan was driven back what ailed thee O thou Sea that thou fleddest c. Psal 114.3 5. The waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee they were afraid the depths also were troubled Psal 77.16 See Exod. 14.21 Psal 78.14 and 66.6 and 136.16 and 106.9 This is not in the power of any man to do though Xerxes vainely attempted somthing when he wafted two millions of men over the Hellespont and for battering his bridge of boates caused it to be
word Prophet be to be referred to Zechariah 2 Chr. 22.15 or to Iddo is uncertaine That there was a Prophet Iado we read and Zechary might well be of his line after many descents He is here mentioned as also Ezr. 5.1 ut nepoti suo Zachariae nomen decus conciliet for an honout to his ab-nephew Zechary according to that of Solomon The glory of children are their fathers Prov. 17.6 to wit if they be godly and religious What an honour was it to Jacob that he could sweare by the feare of his father Isaac to David that he could say Psal 116.16 2 Tim. 1.5 Truly Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant the son of thine handmaid to Timothy that he had such a mother as Lois such a grandmother as Eunice to the children of the Elect Lady to the posterity of Latimer Bradford Ioh 8.33 Mat. 3.9 Ridley and other of those men of God who suffered for the truth If the degenerate Jewes so boasted of Abraham their father how much more might Zechary no degenerate plant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no bastardly brood as they were Mat. 12.39 boast and beare himself bold on his father Berechiah the blessing of God and his grandfather Iddo Gods Witnesse Confessour or Ornament sith he trod in their holy steps and was adorned with their gifts and virtues The Papists brag much of Peter and other Apostles their founders and predecessours But this is but an empty title to talk of personall succession which yet cannot be proved unlesse they could also shew us their gifts and graces as all the world may see they cannot We read of a painter who being blamed by a Cardinall for colouring the visages of Peter and Paul too red tartly replyed that he painted them so as blushing at the lives of their successours Verse 2. The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers Heb. He hath boyled against your fathers with foaming anger with height of heate There are degrees of anger see Mat. 5.22 and Deut. 29.28 The Lord rooted them out of their land in Anger and in wrath and in great Indignation Surgit hic oratio and the last of those three words is the same here used in the text noting an higher degree then the two former even such a fervour and fiercenesse of Gods wrath as maketh him ready to kill and cut off see 2 King 6 6. and note the affinity of that word with this like as he had much adoe to forbeare killing of Moses Exod. 4. when he met him in the Inne and as Nebuchadnezzar was not only angry but very furious and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon Dan. 2.12 Now if the wrath of a king be as many messengers of death Prov. 16.14 what shall we think of the foming and frothing wrath of God which burnes unto the lowest hell and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains Deut. 32.22 After which followeth in the next verse I will heape mischiefs upon them Deut. 32.23 I will spend minc arrowes upon them c. He had done so upon the Ancestours of these refractary Jewes who had been saepius puncti repuncti minimè tamen ad resipiscentiam compuncti ost punished but could never be reclaimed so incorrigibly flagitious so shamelesly so prodigiously wicked were they till there was no remedy This their vile stubbornnesse made him sore displeased with them and put thunder-bolts into his hands to destroy them For though Fury be not in God Isay 27.5 to speak properly he is free from any such passions as we are subject to yet if briars and thornes set against him in battle if a rabble of rebels conspire to cast him out of his throne saying We will not have this man to rule over us c. I would go through them I would burn them together saith he in the same breath Abused mercy turneth into fury Nothing so cold as lead yet nothing so scalding if molten Nothing more blunt then iron yet nothing so keen if sharpened The ayre is soft tende yet out of it are ingendered thunder and lightenings The sea is calme and smooth but if tossed with tempests it is rough above measure The Lord as he is Father of mercies so he is God of recompenses and it is a fearefull thing to fall into his punishing hands If his wrath be kindled yea but a little Heb. 10. Psal 2. woe be to all those upon whom it lights how much more when he is sore displeased with a people or person as here For who knoweth the power of thine anger saith Moses even according to thy feare so is thy wrath that is let a man feare thee never so much Psal 90.11 he is sure to feel thee much more if once he fall into thy fingers And this is here urged by the Prophet as a motive to true repentance sith by their fathers example they might see there was no way to escap◠the dint of the divine displeasure but to submit to Gods Justice and to implore his mercy men must either turn or burn For even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Verse 3. Therefore say thou unto them These Jewes saith Cyrill had neither seen their fathers wickednesses nor heeded their calamities mittitur ergo ad cos Zacharias quasi paedagogus Zachary therefore is sent unto them as a schoolmaster or Monitour that by considering what had been they might prevent what otherwise would be and redeem their own sorrowes thus saith the Lord of hosts A farr greater Lord and Potentate then that great King of Persia who was now their soveraigne True it is that they had been commanded by a former King to desist from building the city Ezr. 4.12 21. But there was no one word in that letter to forbid the building of the Temple There was also now another King set up and of another family They are therefore by this Prophet and by Haggai called upon again and again to turn to the Lord and to return afresh to their work Ezra 5.1 Wherein because they were sure to meet with many enemies therefore here and elsewhere eighteen severall times in that eight chapter there is frequent mention made of the Lord of Hosts for their better encouragement See the Note on Mal. 3.17 turn ye unto me saith the Lord of Hosts This is the great Doctrine of the Old Testament as Repent ye is of the New And this He purposely prefixeth as a preface and preparative to the other Prophesies both of Mercies and Judgements whereof the whole is fitly made up Sowr and sweet make the best sauce Promises and Menaces mixt make the most fruitsull discourse and serve to keep the heart in the best temper Hence Davids ditty was composed of discords Psal 101.1 I will sing of mercy and judgment and so be both merry and wise But to the words of the Text turn ye unto me c. By sin men run away
because they did not but stood stouting it out with God which was their manner from their youth therefore were the Syrians before and the Philistines behind to devoure Israel with open mouth and for all this his anger was not turned away but his hand was stretched out still Isay 9.12 13. Besides the hinderance and hurt they did to others by standing out For ifye turn again to the Lord your brethren shall find compassion said Hezekiah to his people moving them to repent 2 Chr. 30.9 And should not we lend them this friendly help and I will turn to you saith the Lord of Hosts And should not such a favour from such a Lord melt them and make them malleable Rom. 2.4 Ioel 2. If. 55.7 Mat. 3.3 Psal 130.4 Iam. 4.4 Lukâ— 15. Should not the goodnesse of God lead them to repentance Should they not rent their hearts because God is gracious return unto him because he will multiply pardon repent because his kingdome is now at hand feare him the rather because with him there is mercy draw nigh to him who thus drawes nigh to them make hast home with the prodigall where there is bread enough Surely nothing worketh so much as kindnesse upon those that are ingenuous Those Israelites at Mizpeh drew water and powred it forth before the Lord upon the return of the Ark. There is no mention of their lamenting after the Lord while he was gone 1 Sam. 7. but when he was returned and settled in Kiriath-jearim 1 Sam 7.6 2 Cor. 5.14 Tit. 2.14 David argues from mercy to duty Psal 116.8 9. Ezra from deliverance to obedience chap. 9.13 14 The love of Christ constraineth us saith Paul his grace that bringeth salvation teacheth us to denyungodlinesse and to live up to our principles Rom. 12.1 I beseech youby ' the mercies of God saith the same Apostle as not having any more prevailing more heart-attaching attracting argument in the world to presse them with I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with mercy have I drawn thee Ier. 31.3 And againe I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love Hos 11.4 that is with reasons and motives of mercy befitting the nature of a man with rationall motives to neglect mercy is to sin against humanity not to convert by kindnesse is to receive the grace of God in vaine nay it is to heape up wrath against the day of wrath A son feeling his fathers love creepes nearer under his wing A Saul sensible of Davids curtesy in sparing him when he might have spilt his blood was strangely moâ—â—ified and melted into teares Shall God offer to turn to us and we refuse to turn to him Shall he beseech us to be reconciled and we go on in our animosities and hostilities Doth he offer to powre out his spirit even upon scorners and to make known his words unto them and all this that they may turn at his reproof Prov. 1.23 And shall they yet turn their backs upon such blessed and bleeding embracements Had God given us but one Prophet and forty dayes time only to turn unto him as he dealt by Niniveh that great city surely we should have repented long agone in sackcloth and ashes But how justly alasse may he complaine of us as he did once of Jezabel Rev. 2.21 I gave them space to repent but they repented not I have striven with them by my spirit and wooed them by my word I have heaped upon them mercies without measure and all to bring them back into mine own bosom I have also smitten them with blasting and mildew with judgements publike and personall and yet they have not turned unto me saith the Lord Am. 4.9 Ah sinfull nation c. If any ask What can we do toward the turning of our selves to God I answer First you must be sensible of your own utter inability to do any thing at all toward it Ier. 10.23 Btza Iob 15.5 Philip. 2.12 Non minus difficile est nobis velle credere quam cadaveri volare It is no lesse hard for us to be willing to beleeve then for a dead carcase to fly upwards Secondly know that yet it is possible feisable by the use of these meanes that God hath appointed who also hath promised to make it both possible and easie to us He bad Moses fetch his people out of Egypt but himself effected it He bad the Israelites go and blow down the walls of Jericho they obeyed him and it was done So here Thirdly as our liberty in externall acts is still some as to come to the publike ordinances to set our selves under the droppings of a powerfull ministery and there to lie as he did at the pool of Bethesda waiting the good houre so must our indeavours be answerable The Bereans brought their bodyes to the Assembly took the heads of St. Pauls sermon compared them with the scriptures Act. 17.11 12. and yet they were unconverted Fourthly make much of the least beginnings of Grace even those they call Repressing since they prepare the heart for conversion See Luk. 11.32 Fiftly Pray Turn us O God and we shall be turned Draw us and we shall run after thee And here remember to be earnest Ask seek knock as the importunate neighbour that came to borrow two loaves or as the widdow that came for justice Luke 18.1 and would not away without it He that heareth the young ravens that cry onely by implication will he be wanting to his weake but willing servants Lastly wait for the first act of conversion the infusion of the sap of Grace which is wholy from God our will prevents it not but followes it and whensoever the spirit imbreatheth you turn about like the mill when God hath tuned and doth touch you do you move and make melody resigning up your selves wholy to him and putting your selves out God into possession Thus if you turn to him he will turn to you The Lord is with you whiles ye be with him If ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you 2 Chron. 15.2 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh in this text with so much affection and earnestnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.25 see that ye slight him not that ye shift him not ofâ— as the word signifieth for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that thus speaketh from heaven sc by his blood Word Sacraments Mercyes motions of his spirit crosses c. When Physick that should remove the disease doth cooperate with it then death comes with the more paine and speed The stronger the conviction of sin is the deeper will be the wrath against it if it be not by repentance avoyded No surfet more dangerous then that of bread no judgment more terrible then that which growes out of mercy offered and despised Verse 4. Be ye
then with any thing that befell himself It is said of Melanâ—thon that the miseries of the Church made him almost neglect the death of his dearest children and put him upon many prayers and tears which Idem in vita Melanch like musick upon the water made a most melodious noise in the ears of God When Luther in a certain Epistle checked him and chod him for his exceeding great care of the Churches welfare calling him pertinacissimam curarum hirudinem c. he meekly replied Si nihil curarem nihil orarem If I should not care so I should not pray so God seemeth sometimes to have lost his mercy as here How long wilt thou be unmercifull to Jerusalem and then we must find it for him He seems to have forgot his people we must remind him He seems to sleep delay we must waken quicken him with How long Lord Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come saith Daniel Psal 102.13 14 who is probably held to be the Pen man of that excellent Psal 102. Confer Dan. 9.2 and he speaks it with as much confidence as if he had been in Gods blessed bosom the while This also he spake not now by a spirit of prophecy or speciall revelation but by way of argumentation or necessary demonstration For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof They pity her and melt over her therefore thou Lord much more sith all their tendernesse is but a spark of thy flame a drop of thine Ocean against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten yeers There is much ado among Interpreters about Jeremies 70 and Zacharies 70 whether one and the same or different one from another That of Scaliger is most unlikely who reckoneth these yeers of the captivity from the first year of Xerxes with his father Darius unto the fourth year of Darius Nothus Lib. 6. de Emend Temp. How much better our countreyman Lydiat whom yet Scaliger so much scorned saying Quis est ille ex ultima Britannia Canis qui Ios Scaligerum audeat allatrare who concludes it to be 70 years from the last destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldees Lyd. Emend Temp. Anno M. 3485. to this second year of Darius Hystaspes wherein Zachariah prophecyed That of A Lapide upon this Text I cannot passe by Moraliter idipsum dicamus idipsum oremus obsecremus pro Anglia c. Let us say the same pray the same for England Scotland c. that the Angel here doth for Jerusalem How long Lord wilt thou not have mercy upon England where Heresie hath prevailed now these hundred years and upwards The English fugitives beyond-seas write upon their Colledge and Church-doors in great golden letters Jesu Jesu converte Angliam Fiat Fiat Jesu convert England Amen Amen Why yet this is somewhat better then that of Pererius the Jesuite upon Genes 15.16 If any man marvell saith He why England continueth to flourish notwithstanding the over-flow of heresie and cruel persecution of Catholikes just execution of Catholikes he should have said wee answer because their iniquity is not yet full God grant it Ier. 28.6 Sed veniet tandem iniquitat is complementum But the time is not far off and forbearance is no quittance c. Vers 13. And the Lord answered the Angel How should God do otherwise then answer his welbeloved Son with good and comfortable words sith he is all in all with the Father and can do any thing with him Father saith he Joh. 12. I know thou hearest me alwayes Did God hear Abraham for Ismael nay for Sodom Did David hear Ioab interceding for Absolom Acts 12.20 Did Herod hearken to Blastus making request for those of Tyre and Sidon with whom he was highly displeased And shall not God give ear to his Son praying for his people that are as dear to him as the apple of his eye Good and comfortable words he doth surely answer him such as were once those Joh. 12.27 28. when Christ had thus prayed Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour Father glorifie thy Name Then came there a voice from heaven Bath-chol the Rabbins call it saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again So when he shall say in his daily intercession for he ever liveth to make request for us at the right hand of the Majesty on high It irketh me that the whole earth is at rest and my Church at so much unrest Return O Lord Psal 90.13 how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants Save now I beseech thee O Lord Psal 118.25 O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity How can God do less then answer as Isa 33.10 Now will I arise now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self Or as in the words next following here which indeed are all along good words and comfortable words I am jealous for Jerusalem c. The Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet chuse Jerusalem Yet for all the sorrow he shall do it Ier. 30.17 and for all that Others called her an outcast saying This is Zion whom no man seketh after and she her self concludeth her dolefull ditty with Thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth against us Lam. 4.22 Verse 14. So the Angell that communed with me See the Note on ver 10. cry thou saying q. d. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God Speake ye comfortably to Jerusalem speake ye to her heart and cry unto her saying that her appointed time is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned and so the quarrell is ended for she hath received of the Lords hands double for her sins Nothing so much as I have deserved saith she Ezra 9.13 twice so much as she hath deserved saith He. O sweet contradiction O beautifull contention The same Hebrew word signifieth to repent and to comfort 1 Sam. 15.35 Esay 40.1 Gods care is to comfort those that are cast down His command to his Prophet is to cry comfort to the penitent with an extraordiny earnestnesse from the God of all consolation I am jealous for Ierusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Love is strong as death zeal or jealousie for the same word signifieth both is hard as hell Cant. 8.6 Non amat qui non zelat saith Augustine He loves not that zeales not And Basil venturing himself very farr for his friend and by some blamed for it answered Ego aliter amare non didici I cannot love a man but I must do mine utmost for him When one desired to know what manner of man Basil was it is said there was presented in a dreame to him a pillar of fire with this motto Talis est Basilius Lo such an one is Basil It is certaine that our
land of Hadrach Better on the land of Hadrach whereby is meant Because Messiah is chad sharp to the Nations but rach gentle to the Israelites not thy land O Immanuel or O Messiah as Hierom after Rabbi Benaiah nor a countrey that is neer or lying round about another countrey as Junius and Danaeus expound the Syrian word But either a province or a city of some Note in Syria not fat from Damascus Diodate maketh it to be an Idoll of the Syrians which represented the Sunne from which the countrey took its name as Esay 8. 8. Jer. 48.46 Hos 10.5 and Damascus The Metropolis of Syria built say some in the place where Cain slew Abel and therehence called Damesech or a bag of blood a great scourge to Israel chiefly famous for Saint Pauls conversion there and his rapture into the third heaven during that three-dayes darknesse Act 9.9 with 2 Cor. 12.2 shall be the rest thereof sc of that bitter burden which shall here abide and be set upon its own base as chap. 5.11 See a like expression Joh. 3.36 the wrath of God abideth upon an unbeleever tanquam trabali clavo fixa he can neither avert nor avoid it when the eyes of man c. That is of other men the Gentiles also who as yet are carnall and walk as men shall be toward the Lord lifted up in prayer and confident expectation of mercy See Psal 122.2 Verse 2. And Hamath also shall border thereby i. e. shall share in the same punishment with Damascus and fare the worse for its neighbourhood though it be very wise and think to out-wit the enemy to be too hard for him that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Midian was for Israel by his wiles rather then by his warres Num. 25.18 God taketh these Wisards in their own craft as beasts in a toil and makes very fools of them notwithstanding their many fetches specially when they boast of their wit as Tyrus did Ezek. 28.3 4 c. and trust in it Prov. 3.5 The Phoenicians and Tyrians were wont to boast that they first found out the use of letters c. Sure it is that by much trading by Sea they were grown cunning and crafty Merchants to cosen others and this they coloured with the name of wisdome Wise they were in their generation Luke 16.8 but so is the fox the serpent and the devil who when he was but young out-witted our first parents And wee are still sensible of his slights and not ignorant of his wiles his methods and his stratagems Verse 3. And Tyrus did build her self a strong-hold Thor did build her self Matsor An Elegancy not to be Englished such as are many in the old Testament but especially in Esay It is as if it should be said A strong hold such as Tyrus which was naturally fortified did build it self a strong hold sc by the industry and diligence of men so that she might seem impregnable yet all should not do A Lapide Alexander after seven moneths siege took it and destroyed it and heaped up silver as dust Pulverizavit argentum quasi pulverem Shee had money enough by means of her long and great trade with all the world Ezek. 27. and so might hire what souldiers she pleased for her defence The sinewes of warre were not wanting to her She heaped up her hoards as it were to heaven her Magazines were full fraught The word here rendred heapt up signifieth to comport and gather in money as men do corn into barnes and granaries Exod. 8.10 Psal 39.7 But riches avail not in the day of wrath And Tyrus converted leaves laying up and treasuring and falls to feeding and cloathing Gods Saints Esay 23.18 Vers 4. Behold the Lord will cast her out Or impoverish her as some render it that 's for her money God can soon let her blood in the vena cava called Marsupium and make her nudam tanquam ex mari And then for her munitions He will smite her power in the sea She was seated in a Island upon munitions of rocks the sea was to her instead of a three-fold wall and ditch She was better fortified then Venice is which yet hath flourished above nine hundred years and was never in the enemies hands whence she hath for her Motto Intacta manet But Tyrus was taken Nebuchadnezzar as his wages and afterwards by Alexander who never held any thing impossible that he undertook how unlikely soever it were to be effected He found means to fill up the sea with stones trees and rubbish where it divided Tyrus from the Continent and made himself master of it and she shall be devoured with fire though seated in the heart of the sea Ezek. 28.2 Curt. lib. 4. Plin. lib. 5. c. 19 and had motted up her self against Gods fire Nothing shall quench the fire that he kindleth Verse 5. Ashkelon shall see it and fear for jam proximus ardet Vcalegon her next neighbours house was now on fire and she might well fear she should be dasht at least with the tail of that over-flowing storm that had swept away Tyrus The sword was now in commission it was riding circuite Ezek. 14.17 and God had given it a speciall charge against Ashkelon and against the Sea-shore there had he appointed it Jer. 47.6 7. Now Ashkelon Gaza and Ekron were scituate all along the Sea-coast Southward of Tyre and Sidon All these were bitter enemies to the Church and were therefore destroyed by Alexander the Great that man of Gods hand Gaza also shall see it and be very sorrowfull like a travailing woman as Esay 26.17 18. where the same word is used her heart shall ake and quake within her she shall have sore throwes and throbs and Ekron for her expectation shall be ashamed Her hope hath abused her her confidence is cut off her countenance is covered with confusion She looked that Tyrus should have been a bulwark to her or at least a refuge if need were But now she seeth her expectation shamed The expectation of the wicked shall perish They look out of the window with Siserah's mother and say Have they not sped have they not divided the prey c But what saith the Church So let thine enemies perish O Lord c. Judg. 5.30 31. and the king shall perish from Gaza Rex id est Regulus for there were five Princes of the Philistines each great city having a Prince over it The Prince of Gaza that is here designed to destruction may very well be that Betis whom Darius the last king of Persia had set over Gaza He having kept out Alexander for two moneths was at length taken by him together with the city and put to a cruell death as Curtius testifieth Q. Curt. l. 4 and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited It was so wasted by warre and dispeopled that it became cottages for shepherds and folds for sheep See Zeph. 2.4 ◠Howbeit after
and Iacob-like 1 Pet. 1.17 when they see nothing but visions of love and mercy as he did at Bethel yet then to cry out How dreadful is this place Psal 130.4 There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared unto you O Priests Whom I look upon as the chief of my children given me in lieu of Israels first-born the lot of mine own inheritance that stand ever before me and should by soundnesse of doctrine and holinesse of life vindicate my name from contempt and get me honour before the people Singular holinesse is required of ministers above others a double spirit they had need to wish for as Elisha Things in the sanctuary were double to those that were common as the shekel cubit c. Ministers are called Angels and they must walk as angels ne sit nomen inane crimen immane lest God renew his old complaint The leaders of his people have caused them to erre Isa 9.16 It was the complaint of Pope Pius the second In hist Austriaca that there was no notorious wickednesse committed in the Catholick Church cujus prima origo à sacerdotibus non dependeat the first beginning whereof arose not from Church-men John Hus cryes out of the priests of his time Multa quae illi ordinem dicunt c. Bel. Hussit p. 9 Many of those things that they call by the name of order have brought all things in Christendom out of order Cornelius à Lapide upon this text in his popish way bewaileth it that the ignorance and profanenesse of many of their priests had given occasion to Luthers heresie to spread the further We also have no lesse cause to complain that the insufficiency and impiety of some of our ministry hath opened the black mouth of Campian and his popish complices to bark out Ministris eorum nihil vilius Their Ministers are very base For prevention let the souls of ministers be purer then the Sun-beams as Chrysostom saith they should be and let their lives be so unblameable that no man may speak the least evil of them without a manifest lie c. that despise my name This is the crime they are directly and expresly charged with They had not honoured God as a Father feared him as a Master therefore they had despised and slighted him Not to do God right is to do him wrong not to reverence him is to rob him not to blesse him is to blaspheme him Job 1.5 That 's an excellent saying of Fulgentius Deum si quis parum metuit valde contemnit hujus qui non memorat beneficentiam anget injuriam i. e. whoso feareth God but a little slights him overmuch and he that maketh not honourable mention of his bounty doth him a great deal of injury The very not serving of God the not sacrificing to him is a crime Mal. 3.18 Eccles 9.2 How much more then a slubbered service a corrupt sacrifice There is a contempt in this latter which is worse then a bare neglect and displeasing service is double dishonour Hence the present contest with those greasie priests that despised Gods name the Septuagint hath it Ye that esteem my name at a low rate that misprise it as the French translateth it that have base and bald conceits of me and of my nomen Majestativum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Majestick Name as Tertullian termeth it that take me not into your hearts under the name and notion of an infinite Highnesse the great and mighty Maker and Monarch of the whole world Our safest eloquence concerning God is our silence saith Hooker But if we take in hand to say any thing of him Nullis vocibus tam plenè Deum significamus saith learned Scaliger quam its quae ignorantiam nostram praetendunt We can set forth God so fully by no words as by those that set forth our ignorance of his excellency The very heathens when they would swear by their Jupiter out of the meer dread and reverence of his name forbare to mention him The Jews would not pronounce the name Jehovah Suidas here used in the text The first among the Christians that pronounced Jehovah was Petrus Galatinus Psal 111. following the pronuntiation of the Syriacks and Greeks If at any time we take Gods holy and reverend Name into our thoughts and truly we should think of him almost at every breath we draw according to that Let every breath praise the Lord Remember to think of God as of One at all to be thought of Psal 150. as one whose Wisdom is his Justice whose Justice is his Power whose Power is his Mercy and all himself Good without quality great without quantity Everlasting without time Omnipresent without place containing all things without extent c. This is to magnifie God to make roomth for him in our hearts and the contrary is to despise his name And ye say wherein have we despised thy Name Loe the impudencie of these frontlesse Hypocrites They traverse their aceusation stand upon their justification and put God to his proofs How ordinary is it with people still to palliate their sinnes and plead their innocencie Hos 12.8 In all my labours they shall find none imquity in me that were sin that were a foul business But men have learned to draw a fair glosse upon a foule hand to cast a colour as the Calf-fish doth to deceive the fisher-man to hide their sinnes as Adam Job 31.33 by down right denyall as did Cain Gehezi Ananias and Sapphira or else by excusing and extenuating Gen. 4.9 2 Kin. 5.25 Acts 5.8 as Saul 1 Sam. 16.20 21. Or at least by a senselesse silence not acknowleging their sinnes or being affected with them but rather out facing as Judas John 13.21 with Mat. 2.24 Sinne and shifting came into the world together and so they continue Satan knowes there 's no way to purge the sick soul but upwards therefore he holds the lips close that the heart may not disburden itself and have ease Prov. 28.13 Verse 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar Bread that is Sacrifices and Oblations so Rabbi David expounds it out of Levit. 21.6 and Levit. 3.3 and Num. 28.2 For the Hebrews call all kind of meat by the name of bread though it be flesh of Oxe Lamb or Goat offered in sacrifice to God whom they made account that they feasted in their sacrifices Psal 50.13 Hence that of the Psalmist in the person of God will I eat the flesh of Bulls or drink the bloud of Goates Now the bread was reckoned polluted when it was neither lawfull nor acceptable but prohibited and therefore abhorred as much every whit as Ezekiels bread prepared with mans dung Cap. 4.13 of which he saith verse 14. Ah Lord God behold my soul hath not been polluted neither ever came there abominable flesh into my mouth What sacrifices God had flatly forbidden see Levit. 22.20 21 22 c. Take we heed that we despite not
sacrifices and services But more especially those that come hand over head and without due preparation to the Lords supper are guilty of polluting Gods holy things and of crucifying afresh the Lord of glory putting him to an open shame Dum enim sacramenta violantur ipse cujus sunt Sacramenta violatur saith Hierome When the Sacraments are violated he also whos 's the Sacraments are is no lesse violated And as these in the text are said to pollute God in that they offered polluted sacrifices though they never touched God himself so unworthy Receivers are guilty of the Lords body and blood 1 Cor. 11.27 although they never touched either his body or blood with their impure mouthes They are as very Kill-Christs as Judas was in a proportion And look whatsoever blasphemies irrisions scorns contumelies reproaches the miscreant Jews belched forth and practised corporally against Christ the same are spiritually repeated and iterated by the unworthy Receiver who polluteth the very outward elements that he toucheth and so offereth indignity to Christ whom they represent like as he that doth rent deface trample under foot and villanously abuse the image scal or Letters Patents of a Prince or State is guilty of high treason so is it here The Donatists that cast the holy Elements to dogs did it to the disgrace of Christ and by a just judgment from him were themselves afterward devoured of dogs Dr. Monton reports a story of his own knowledge of one Sr. Booth a Batchelor of Arts in St. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge who being Popishly affected at the time of the Communion took the consecrated bread and forbearing to eate it convei'd and kept it closely for a time and afterwards threw it over the Colledge wall But a short time after Instit of the Sacr. lib. 5. cap. 3. Sect. 5. not enduring the torment of his guilty conscience he threw himself headlong over the battlements of the chappel and some sew hours after ended his life God seemeth to say of every one that commeth to the supper of his son as sometime Solomon said of Adoniah If he will shew himself a worthy man there shall not an bair of him fall to the earth but if wickednesse shall be found in him he shall die 1 King 1.52 in that ye say The table of the Lord is contemptible God 's infinite patience in vouchsafing not only to reply to these malapert Priests but thus to rejoyne and to approve the Assumption of the last Syllogisme which they so shamelesly denyed is much to be admired How justly might he have answered them with blowes instead of arguments and have dealt with them as he did with Pharaoh that sturdy rebel that proudly asked who is the Lord Hereunto God made a large reply by a great many plagues one after another till Pharaoh was forced to answer himself The Lord is righteous but I and my people am wicked And as Gods patience appeareth in his proceeding with these Priests in the text so hiswisdome too in his thus instancing in particulars of their sins that he might the sooner evict them and bring them to a saving sense and sight thereof Thus he dealt by our first parents in paradise and afterwards by Cain Whereas without any more adoe the Lord God said unto the serpent Because thou hast done this cursed art thou c. Gen. 3. He was not so much as questioned or convinced because God meant him no mercy but presently doomed because of meer malice he had offended ye have said i. e. ye have thought as Psa 32.5 and 30.7 and as good ye might have spoken out for I hear the language of your hearts I understand your thoughts long before Psal 139.2 or at a great distance the table of the Lord that is the Altar of burnt offerings See Ezek. 41.22 which is therefore called a table because by their sacrifices God did as it were feast the Lord as is above noted And as God prepared the Israelites a table in the wildernesse so they also in a sense prepared him a table Hence Moses tells Pharaoh Exod. 5.1 that they must go to keep a feast to the Lord. And how God accepted of their kindnesse See Hos 9.10 I found Israel saith He like grapes in the wildernesse which to a wearied parehed traveller how welcome are they And how the good soule still entertaineth her Christ as Esther once did Ahashuerosh at the banquet of wine is sweetly set forth in many passages of Solomons song See cap. 1.12 with the Note is contemptible Or lightly set by Some are poor and cannot others are prophane and care not to cover Gods Altar with their sacrifices Hence the whole ministery is slighted because impoverished For ad tenuitatem beneficiorum necessario sequitur contemptus Sacerdotum Panormit Horat. R. David Lean benefices make contemptible Incumbents And Nil habet infelix paupertas c. Poverty rendreth men ridiculous Or thus The table of the Lord is contemptible so they esteemed it because the fat and blood powred upon the Altar were things but base and despicable in themselves and they considered not for what end God had appointed these sacrifices and how they were to be led to Christ by them For the ceremoniall law was or ought to have been their Gospel it was Christ in figure And this if these Buâ—zards had seen they would never have counted the Table of the Lord contemptible as holding forth the Lord Christ unto them that Pearl of Price who is better then Rubies and the Altar or Table that typified him or presented him to his people was not an oyster-board as the Papists in K. Edw. 6. Act. and Men Joseth Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 2. Cedron comp hist pag. 817. time scornfully termed our communion-table but far more precious then either that rich table sent by Ptolemy Philadelph to Eleazar the Jews high-Priest or that costly communion-table that had in it all the riches of land and sea offered up by Justinian in the temyle of Sophia in Constantinople Ver. 8. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice c. Their prophanesse in polluting Gods Altar is here further evinced and evidenced 1. By the Illegallity of their practise whiles they offered the blind and lame as good enough for such a contemptible Altar 2. By the incivility and indecency thereof whilest they presented that to the Emperour of the world that they would have been ashamed or afraid to present to some petty Prince that had any power to punish such an affcont The Law for sacrifices see Levit. 22.20 Deut. 15.21 A blind sacrifice he offereth who worshippeth he knoweth not what Ioh. 4.22 that is to seek and grope in the dark Act. 17. when they yeeld not the obedience of faith bring not to God an intelligible reasonable service Rom. 12.1 such as whereof they can render a sound reason out of the word of God who binds us not to any blind obedience as the Popish
is that the secret of the Lord is with them tha◠〈…〉 and he will yet shew them his Covenant m Psal 25 14. Such shal be both of his Court and his Councill as Abraham for instance betwixt whom and the Aâ—mighty was much mutuall correspondency and exchange of curetesy 〈…〉 was the 〈◊〉 of God n Esay 41.8 and God was the Fear of Abâ—aham for I 〈◊〉 the thus 〈◊〉 me said the oracle hooansâ— thou hist not withheld thine enely sonre from 〈◊〉 o Gen. 22 12 Now if Abraham withheld not his sonne from God his Feare shall God withhold his secret from Abraham his friend Noe but he shall snow Gods mind with the first p Gen. 18.19 when the blind Sodomits shall not see till they feele hell rame down from heaven upon their hides as a Father speakes for saile of ten such men as Aâ—raâ—â—â— in five great townships q Gen. 18.32 that feared God and thought upon his name For the froward is abomin itâ—on to the Lord but his secret is with the righteous r Prov. 3 32 And the feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fooles for want of this fear despise wisdom and instruction Å¿ Prov. 1 7 A second companion of this holy fear is sweetest complacency and all dearest delight in God and his wayes This also is an adjoynt of Gods holy fear and an indulgence granted only to his sons and daughters A good man is like a good Angell t Mat. 18 10 Timor transit in charitatem Gregor alwayes looking upon the face of God and the more he lookes the more he loves and the more he loves the more he feares he loves in sear and feares in love that like as in God mercy and truth meet together u Psal 85.10 so in the child of God love and fear do kisse each other By the first their mouth is filled with laughter and their hearts with joy w Psal 126.2 By the second they are troubled at his presence and when they consider his absence they are afraid of it x Iob 23.15 In respect of both the Psalmist saith serve the Lord with feare and reâ—oyce before him with reverence y Psal 2.11 These two concurre in the godly in their journey to heaven as they did in Jacob journying to Padan Aram. How fearfull is this place z Gen. 28.17 saith he where yet neverthelesse he saw nothing but blissefull and beatifical visions Or as they did in the good women in the gospell who departed from the sepulchre with feare and great Ioy a Mat. 28 8 A strange composition of two so different affections will you know a reason All other base-borne feare hath paine in it b 1 Ioh. 4.18 Omnis timor supplicamentum habet Tertul. but this fear that issues from love carryes meate in the mouth for it is not anxious and tormentfull but delicious and comfortable Hence feare and joy are set so close together by the psalmist Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and at same time delighteth greatly in his commandements c Psal 112.1 a practise proper to Gods free hearted people d Psal 110.3 Neh 1.11 And the churches are said to walke in the feare of god and in the comfort of the holy ghost e Act. 9.31 And here it might be easie to enumerate and reckon up many more Companions of the fear of God * Timor virtuturn omnium custos est Hierony such as are 1. Humility for by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life g Prov. 22.4 2. Care of sincerity and truth in Gods service Now therefore fear the Lord saith Joshua and serve him in sincerity and turth h Iosh 24.14 3. Hope in Gods mercy for Let them that fear the Lord trust in the Lord saith the Psalmist i Psal 115.11 4. Godly sorrow for the least sinne k 2 Cor. 7.11 Fuit Iosephi vita coelum quoddam lucidissimis virtutum stellis exornatum erga Deum quidem timoris ac pietatisierga herum c. Bucholcer p. 211. c. But it shall suffice in this hast of time and croud of matter to shaddow out unto you the lovely traine of heavenly graces that guard and attend the true fear of God in that on example of Joseph a man famous for this fear and noe lesse eminent in the attendants and companions of it as is well observed by that divine Chronologer in whose words I will relate it Josephs life saith he was a kind of heaven gayly belpangled and richly stor'd with orient starres of excellent vertues Towards his good God he shewed forth all holy fear and piety toward his loving master thankfulnesse and fidelity toward his immodest mistresse shamefast'nesse and chastity as touching himself all godly wisdome and continencie Toward his father after this tender respect and more then Storke-like affection Toward his brethren greatest mercy and tender compassion In adversity none so patient * Ferrum in carcere transiit animam ejus Psal 105. Sed peccatum non transiit vel sauciavit conscientiam ejus ib. Reas 4. in prosperity none so provident c. And all flowing from this fountaine of Gods holy feare most eminent and exemplary in Joseph if ever in any as ye all know that are any whit vers'd in his heart-melting history Lastly look a while upon the feare of God in the Opposite on either hand and you shall plainly see that none but the truely religious holdeth the meane It is he that walkes in the middle way though not without some stumbles in it and stragglings out of it otherwhiles to the right hand or to the left which yet he quickly perceives and assoone recalles and recovers These extremes are 1. In the defect a carnal security and senselesnes in sin 2. In the excesse an hellish and slavish fear of God as a judge or tyrant The first of these is nothing else but that bold venturousnes whereby gracelesse and ungodly persons presume to rush desperatly without fear l Prov 14.2 or wit into sins of all sorts flattering themselves with false hopes of impunity m Deut. 29.19 against all the judgments of God denounced in the word and executed in the world * Exemplis tragicis non caret ulla domus yea though their imiquitie be found to be hatefull n Psal 36.1.2 These the scripture tearmeth fooles to whom t is a pastime to do mischiefe o Prov. 10.23 Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur c. living as if there were neither heaven nor hell God nor devill till coming at length to that dead and dedolent disposition of such as being past feeling do work all uncleannes with greedinesse p Eph. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they work out to themselves their own damnation and be made to feele that unsupportable wrath and vengeance which they
would never be drawn to fear or stand in awe of For Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but he that in a desperate boldnesse or Cyclopicall contempt of the divine Justice hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe q Prov 28 13 yea shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy r Prov. 29.1 In executing of which dreadfull sentence though the Lord be slow yet he is sure his forbearance is no quittance But although a sinner in high contempt of Gods heavy displeasure do evill an hundred times and his dayes through Gods infinite patience be prolonged yet surely I know saith Solomon that it shall be well with them that feare that Lord which fear before him Å¿ Eccles 8.12 That is that fear him in his ministers and deputies trembling at his judgments while they hang in the threatnings t Isa 66.2 melting as Josich u 2 Chr. 34 27 at the terrour of his menaces nay by the kindnesse of his mercyes which dissolves their good hearts as weake water doth some thin substances or as the hot â—un doth the hard ice An instance hereof ye have in that solemne meeting at Mizpeh where Israel which had found the misery of Gods absence is now resolv'd into teares of contrion and thankfulnesse when he was once returned and settled in Kiriath-jearim Then they mett together at Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the Lord w 1 Sam. 7 6. In signum expiationis iniquitatum juâ—ta Iob 11.15 R. Sâ—lomon dicit quod hâ—c feâ—erunt in signum humiliationis q d sicut aqua effusa ad nihi 'um valet ultra siâ—in conspectu tuo nihil sumus aut videmur 2 â—sal 86.11 Whether 't were teares out of their eyes or water out of their vessels as a ceremony or pledge of their hearty humiliation the difference is little Sure it was to testify the tendernesse of their hearts which having hang'd loose a long time from the Lord began now to unite again unto his fear* It is certaine that the mercies of God draw more teares from his children then his judgments do from his enemies who as in prosperity bec use they have no changes therefore they fear not God y Psal 55.19 so in adversity their hearts are the more hâ—rdâ—ed thereby from his fear z Is 63.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.7 as in Pharaoh and Ahaz till at last by long trading with the devil in the wayes of sin they come to lose with him all passive power also of being wrought upon and arrive at that that height of incurable hardnesse that neither ministry nor misery nor miracle nor mercy can possibly mollify Which is the greatest plague that can befall a man out of hell and the very next step into it But the second extreame standing in as full opposition to that fear of God we are treating of is that slavish and hellish fear and terrour that evill spirits and men conceive of God whom they look upon only as an implacable sin revenging judge or tyrant rather ready to teare the very kell of their hearts in suder a Hos 13 6. Quem metunnt Oderunt Ennius Odium timerem spirat Tert and to send them packing to their place in hell Hereupon follows an exulcerate hatred of God according to that of the Poet whom men fear they hate a desperate â—unning away from God with Cam Saul Ahrzath b 2 King 1.2 Quem quisque odit pernsse expetit Ennius c. A secret rising up against God and an inward desire that there were no such thing as God that so they might never be called to an Audit and account of their wicked wayes and sinfull courses as they are sure to be in that dreadfull day This the Devill and his impes beleeve and therefore tremble c Iam. 2.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greek word seemes to imply such an excesse of fear as causeth gnashing of teeth like the clashing of armour or horrible yellings like the roaring of the sea * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est maris agnatio Hom Iâ—â—ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Eustach in locum Nullum maleficium sine formidine quia nec sine conscientia sai Tert. They have no rest day nor night Apoc. 14.11 The reason of which outrage is rendred by Terâ—uâ—iam No sinner saith he escapes fear of Gods wrath and all because he can never possibly shake off Conscience which being Mans spie and Gods overseer if it be not desperately feared or sealed up securely with a spirit of slumber against the day of slaughâ—â—r doth sting the evill-doer betwixâ— whiles d Rom. 2.15 with unquestionable conviction and horrour And thus it fares ordinarily with a wicked person But now t is otherwise with the godly when they are out of temptation for then you must know it is ego non sum ego with them they are not themselves neither can any right judgment as then be made of them But usually their hearts being purisied from an evill conscience e Heb. 10.22 through the blood of sprinkling f 1 Pet. 1.2 cast upon them by the hyssop bunch of faith g Rom 5 1 they have peace with god their reconciled father in Jesus Christ Whom therefore they love in fear and fear in love wishing nothing more then his being Let he Lord live h Psal 18.44 saith David as the principle of their well-being for it is good for me to draw neer to Jehovah i Psal 73.28 Into whose presence they therefore flee as the doves unto their windowes k Esay 69 8 I will come into thine house in the mulutude of thy mercies there 's his reverence l Psal 5.7 Loe this is the guise of a godly person whiles himself He feares and loves feares and hopes feares and prayes feares and feasts m Iude 12. feares and workes yea workes out his whole salvation with fear and trembling and all because he knowes that 't is not of himself but of God a most free agent that gives both to will and to worke and all of his own good pleasure n Philip 2.12.13 as the Apostle there enforceth it SECT III. Objections and Queries touching the Fear of God cleared and answered IF any object here that of Saint John Object Perfect love casleth out fear o 1 Joh. 4.18 That is Sol. Duo sunt timores Dei servilis amicalis Bedain Prov. 1 say we for abswer servile and base fear which love is perpetually purging upon For as for filiall and friendly fear it is never cast out no not in the state of perfection neither for the very angels cover their faces and feet before God p Esay 6.2 as knowing their distance But is the fear of Gods children here purely filiall without all mixture of that which is servile Quest No Ans nor need it be For first servile fear I
fear at large 〈◊〉 in the wicked such as were those mongrell Samaritans who feared the Lord and worshipped their own Gods after the manner of the nations h 2 Kin. 17.33 but this is rather a fright then a fear a spirit of restraint a pâ—nick terrour falling eftsoons upon the foulest hearts for the saâ—egard of the saints curbing even the rebellious from outrage that the Lord God may dwâ—ll upon earth i Psal 68.18 in his servants and subjects Which else these hard-hearted Labans and rough-handed Esatâ—'s would never suffer did not Fear of their father Isaac k Gen. 31.53 Lupus venit ad ovile quaerit invadere jugulare devorare Vigilant pastores latrant canes c. Lupus venit fremens redit tremens lupus tamen est fremens tremens Augâ—de verb. Apost serm 21. bridle them did he not put his hook into their noses and his bit into their jaws turning them back by the way they came out l Esay 37.28 This is thought to have been that hornel mentioned by Moses wherewith the Lord drave out the Hivite the Canaanite and the Hittite before the Israelite m Exod. 23.27 28 causing them by the furies of their own evil consciences wherewith they were haunted to fear their own shadows and to slre at a shaken leaf n Lev. 26.36 as a sparrow out of Egypt and as a dove out of the land of Ashur o Hos 11.11 Thus Zebul was terrified with the shadow of the mountains p Judg. 9.36 the Midianites with their own dreams and fancies q Judg. 7.13 the Syrians with an imaginary noise of charrets and horses r 2 King 7.6 French History History of the Councel of Trent Catilina non mediocriter solebat pertimescere si quid crepuisset the Burgundians about to give their enemies battle with the sight of long thistles which they thought to be launces Cardinall Crâ—sâ—â—ntius at his own conceits and phantasies For as he was writing to Rome from the Councel of Trent against the Protestants he thought verily he had seen the devil like a black dog walking in his chamber and at last couching under his table which cast the man into such a melancholy dump that he died of it This was a terrour from the Lord but this was not that fear of the Lord here mentioned in the seâ—t and wherewith few are acquainted For even of those that professe to fear the true God how very few are there found that do fear him in truth which is our second accusation and action laid against most men and comes now to be proved And first for the wicked of the earth it is most certain that they have greatest cause to fear of any men if they knew all for the direfull and dreadfull threats of Gods mouth are against them Sinne lies sculking at the door Å¿ Gen. 4.7 of their consciences like a ban-dog ready to worry them the devil stands watching to lay claim to them and to devour them t 1 Pet. 5 8 the rage of all the creatures though they little think of it is ever arm'd and addrest to seize upon them as traytours and rebels to the highest majesty and to drag them down into the bottome of hell In all which respects the sinners in Sion should be afraid fearefulnesse should surprize the Hypocrites Cause enough they have to run away with those desperate words in their mouthes who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among vs shall dwell with everlasting burnings u Esay 33.14 Or rather which indeed were more to be wisht to grow to that conclusion of the Authour to the Hebrews Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear For our God is a consuming fire w Heb. 12.28.29 But how little alasse of this reverent fear and so consequently of any other saving grace whatsoever * Timor Dei est virtus viâ—tutu n custos Bucholcer Ps 36.1 2 3 4 expounded there is in the hearts of wâ—cked and unregenerate persons appears in their practise and that the Psalmist maketh good both in respect of evill to be avoyded and of good to be performed Psal 36 1 2 3 4. For evill first my minde gives me saith the Prophet and I am verily perswaded that there 's nofear of God in such a mans heart ver 1. But what 's the ground of this perswasion may it not be a rash and uncharitable censure you passe upon him Ob. No saith he for first for evill thoughts he makes no scruple no conscionce of them for he holds that thought 's free and therefore layes the raines in the neck Sol. and lets them rove any way yea even then when his reines should teach him better things in the night season x Psal 16.7 He deviseth mischief saith he upon his bed Psâ—l 36.4 Secondly for his words as to God they are stout y Malac 3.13 so to men they are slippery so that ye cannot tell where to have him neither how to beleeve almost any thing that he speaks the words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit ver 3. Thirdly for matter of deeds he abhorrs not any evill ver 3. well he may leave some sin but he loaths it not forbear it he may for some politick respects as fear of the law shame of the world and speech of people but 't is sure he hates it not in his heart A man may withdraw himself from some particular sin give it over seeme to be divorc'd from it yet have a monthes minde to it still As Ahashuerosh when the heat of his passion was over remembred Vashti and what was decreed against her z Esth 21. and could have wishe it otherwise Or as the husband of Michal who when she was taken from him yet he came weeping after her afar off a 2 Sam. 3.16 And this way a man may be as wicked in his fearfull abstaining from sin as in his furious committing of it But usually this generation of men that have not the fear of God before their eyes are so wedded to their wicked courses that they will at no hand depart from iniquity b Prov. 3.7 Malach. 3.5 but are wise and cunning to palliate and plead for that they doe Yea against all the terrours of the Lord casting handfulls of hell-fire into their faces in the ministry of his word which should make them tremble and sin not c Psal 4.4 they contrarily sin and tremble not Yea which is worst of all and sets them farthest off from mercy they please and blesse themselves d Deut. 29.19 20. in that iniquity of theirs which God and good men descry to be hateful Psal 36.2 not only not standing in awe of his judgements as they ought while they hang in the threatenings but fleshing and slattering themselves as if the bitternesse of death were past e 1 Sa. 15.32 because sentence
Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will hear thee and 〈…〉 other side shalt glorifie me This the people of God knowing his minde 〈…〉 restipulate and ingage themselves unto by covenant on their part as Iacob in that vow of his upon the way to Padan-Aram if God saith he e Psal 50.15 will be with me and keep me c. Then shall the Lord be my God and I will build him an house and pay him tith of all f Gen. 28.20 So David in his poenitential Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation then will I teach transgressours thy way Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse so shall my tongue sing aloud of thy righteousnesse g Psal 51.14.15 4. Hence it is that the Lord so chides and blames his people for doing him no more no better service Why do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which profiteth not hearken diligently unto me h Esay 55 2 c. And again why will ye not come unto me that ye may have life i Joh. 5.40 And hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full k Joh. 16.23 5. Lastly he signifieth and sealeth up his good account and dear acceptance of our service when he can come by it by the abundant content and complacency he takes therein He delighteth not in the strength of an horse he takes not pleasure in the legs of a man the Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him in them that hope in his mercy l Psal 147.10.11 See this in two or three powerful expressions and love-breathing passages in that song of songs O my dove that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the staires 1. thou that art hid and laid up as a jewel of price in the golden cabinet of my gracious providence and so set safe out of the gunshot of hels power and policy Shew me thy sight 1. Appear often before me in holy duties le me hear thy voice viz lift up in prayer godly conference c. for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance comely m Cant. 2.14 expounded so it seemed to him that had made it so by his comelinesse put upon her and also accepting her for such all wants and weaknesses notwithstanding So in another place Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse thouhast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes that single eye of thine lift up in praier and heavenly contemplation with one chaine of thy neck n Cant. 4.9 thy profession and practise of my lawes and ordinances which is as an ornament of grace to thy head and chaines about thy neck o Prov. 1.8 9 Loe here the Lord Christ himself that was not moved one whit with the proffer of the whole world and all its glory p Mat. 4.8 Amore incompa rabili ita correptus esi ut nostrum amorem ambiat Joh. 15.9 Beza in loc is yet lost in love to a sanctified soule his heart wounded and wonne by her religious deportments So verse 11. of that same chapter Thy lips O my spouse saith he drop as the hony-comb hony and milk are under thy tongue q Cant. 4.11 Behold how sweet to Christs palat are the gracious words of his people sweeter then any hony to his mouth r psal 119.103 Nay he eateth not only of their hony but of their hony-combe too and drinkes not of their wine alone but of their milk also takes content not only in their more excellent and more exquisite performances but in their meaner services too he not only bottles up their teares and bookes up their praiers Å¿ Psal 56.8 and frutifull conferences but harkens even to the sighs of his prisoners t Psal 79.11 nay to their breathing u Lam. 3.56 also and their chatterings as of Hozekiah who was so opprest with grief and extremitie that he could not speak but chatter x Esay 38.14 only when he came to pray and yet the Lord took such delight in that he did weake though it were as he presently bad Isaiah before he was yet gone out into the middle of the court turne again with a quite contrary message Yea and yeelded him more then he asked full fifteen yeares y Esay 38 5 which we commonly call two mens lives with advantage He asked of thee life saith the Psalmist and thou gavest it him even length of dayes for ever and ever z Psal 21.4 SECT II. The Doctrine confirmed by reasons from God the father Son and Holy Ghost NOw the reason of this so gratious disposition and dealing of the Lord with his faithfull people respects either him Reas 1 or them The first Reason from God hath a threefold prospect for it lookes 1. toward the Father 2. toward the Son 3. toward the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 For the Father first It must be considered that originally 〈…〉 mercy moves him hereunto without the least concurrence or contribution of any worth or desert at all in the creatures He takes pleasure in the saints and their sacrifices only for the good pleasures sake of his own will Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth that we should be a kinde of first-fruites of the creatures a Jam. 1.18 And of the same his own will doth he take delight in the duty we do him being thus begotten that like as naturall parents delight to hear their own little ones prattle or do some small chare and think it fine and handsome when others think it foolish and troublesome So it is between God and his deare children Any good thing from them is very good takes wonderfully with him and although it were easie for his pure eyes b Habac. 1.13 to finde out many flawes in their best workes as good Nehemiah well â—aw and therefore craved pardon c Nehe. 13.2 so oft of his zealous reformations yet he seeth no sin in Jacob d Num. 23.21 Or if he do as indeed he doth yet he spares them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him e Mal. 3.17 Thiâ— is God the father Secondly it is for God the Sons sake and by meanes of his merits and mediation that our services simple as they are finde any grace or favour with the Almight whilst our wants go cover'd with Christs intercession and out suire and services are followed in heaven by his advocation f 1 Joh. 2.1 Look what ever holy duty we performe the Lord Jelus the mediatour of the new Covenant not only presents it to his father but refines it first and perfumes it wiâ—â— his odours g Rev. 5.8 And hence it is that God sinelles a sweet savour of rest and peace from our sacrifices which else would stâ—â—ck worse in his nostrils then the onions and ga lick of the Egyptian flesh-pots Hence that
is greatest gain t 1 Tim 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pietate 1 Tim. 4.8 saith the same Apostle such as wherein all losses are recompensed all wants supplied all curses removed crosses sanctified promises accomplished blessednesse procured Satan conquered Death destroyed the grave sweetned corruption abolished sanctification perfected and heaven opened for a more happy enterance What should I say more for a conclusion of this first Exhortation to those that are in their naturall condition There is no gain to that of grace no increase to that of Gods service The Usurer gaines six in the hundred but the gain of godlinesse is an hundred-fold here and eternall life hereafter Oh who would not then turne spirituall purchaser SECT VI. Vse 4. Exhortation to Saints to abide in Gods love and to abound in his work sith their labour of love is not in vain in the Lord. OUr second Exhortation is to be addressed to all those that are true of heart Use 4 whose names are written in heaven u heb 12.23 whose services are set down in Gods book of remembrance How should these first rejoyce in this priviledge more a great deal then if devils were subdued unto them x Luc. 10 what a mercy is his that God should set so highly by their poor performances as to record them in the high court of heaven to gratifie and grant them thereupon great suites on earth to glory and bost of them before the Prince of hell as he did of Iob y Iob 1.8 because he was jealous over himself and his with a godly jealousy z Iob 1.5 How should the Saints delight themselves in such a master and make their boasts of God all day long a Psal 44.8 How should they sing with David Lord thou hast dealt bountifully with thy servant according to thy word b Psal 119.17 carolling out and calendring up the noble acts of that Lord * Psal 105.5 who shall count when he writes up the people c Psal 87.6 that such a man was born there and there was faithfull in all his house as a servant d Heb. 3.5 with Moses kept his word and not denyed his name with Pergamus and Philadelphia e Rev. 2. 3 instantly served the Lord day and night with the twelvâ— tribes f Act. 26.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These things he carefully recordeth and honourably mentioneth and is it not a shame for us to be slothfull and silent to be forgetlull of him that thus remembreth us and the poor things that pass from us Of all things God cannotabide to be forgotten See how ill he takes it at the hands of his people They are a froward generation children in whom â—â—no faith saith he For of the Rock that begat them they are unmindfull and the God that formed them they have forgotten And when th Lord saw it he abhorred them because of this provoking of his sons and of his daughters g Deut. 32.18 20 And a fire was kindled in hisanger thereupon even such as burneth to the lowest hell For the wicked shall be turned into hell and who too With all them that forget God h Psal 9.17 But what shall become of them in the mean while Behold I even I will utterly forget you and so pay you home in your own coyne yea I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetuall shame which shall not be forgotten i Ier. 23. 39.40 See this exemplified in the rich glutton Luc. 16. who because he remembred not that God gave him his corne and wine and oile and multiplyed his silver and his gold k Hos 2.8 but sacrificed to his own net and burnt incense to his own yarn because by them his portion was fat and is meat plenteous l Habak 1.16 therefore is he not so much as once called by his name in holy scripture but lyes wrapt up in the sheet of infamy and buried in everlasting reproach which shall not be forgotten When as the poor beggar that set God alwayes before him m Psal 16 with David that remembred his name in the night and thereby kept his law n Ps 119.55 is thought worthy to have a name in Gods book and a nayle in Gods house o Ezra 9.8 the Lord saying unto him as once to Moses I have known thee by name p Exod. 33.12 thy memoriall shall endure to all generations q Psal 112. Nay the Lord Jesus remembreth such still now he is in his kingdome r Luc. 23.42 that bestirr themselves all they can and despatch a great deal of work in a little time as that samous theef did who therefore by a commendable thest after he bad offered violence to Gods king dome Å¿ Mat. 11.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arripiunt vel diripiunt ut citatur ab Hilario Metaph. â— castris aut arce quapiam quae irrumpentibus hostibus diripitur Beza stole heaven and supt in paradise SECT VII BUt secondly Doth God remember his Saints and their services then let us learn hence not only to reciprocate by remembring him and his mercies but also as his remembrancers to put him in minde in case he seem less forward to do us good of his ancient proceedings and gracious promises This is that the Prophet exhorts unto Ye that are the Lords remembrancers keep not silence t Esay 62.6 7 This the Psalmist constantly practised Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been for ever u Psal 25.9 And this the Lord though he needeth it not yet every where stands upon He exacts and expects it from us as a part of his service and as a condition on our part to be fulfilled in the new covenant Where after he had promised great things concerning Justification Sanctification and preservation he subjoyns Yet I will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it x Ezek. 36.37 So in another Prophet I will blot out thy transgressions and not remember thy sinnes But then Put me in remembrance lit us plead together declare that thou mayest bee justified y Isa 42.25 26 Whereby you see what 's to bee done on our part if we would be remembred with the mercies of Gods people Plead wee must the gracious promises spread them before the Lord as Hezekiah did Sennacheribs letter z Esay 37.14 Pray them over as David often and so put him in mind of the good he hath spoken concerning us He loves to be importuned in his own words to bee burdened with his own promises and to be urged with rguments taken from his old proceedings Arise as in the dayes of old and performe the mercy which thou hast sworn to our fathers from the dayes of old a Mic. 7.14 20 This Moses and Elias well understood and therefore the former as in pleading for the people he minds the
haec locutio Deo esse suam opportunitatem c. Calvin in locum Baiom in isto die Jom significat per Synechdoch tempus certum atque id praecipuè cum de juturo agitur Shindl. pentag 2 Thes 1 10. 1 Thes 5.2 2 Thes 2.2 2 Pet. 3.12 Rom 2 5.16 Guaâ—â—ber Figuter Alii 1 Tim. 5.24.25 This Lord of Hosts will not fail to finde a fit time for the making up of his jewels from the worlds misusages There is a day here specified in the text a set and solemn day a particular time a certain season wherein God will make himself glorious and to be admired in all them that beleeve in that day So speaks the Apostle of that last day called elsewhere the day of the Lord the day of Christ the day of God and the day of the declaration of the just judgement of God according to the Gospel And of this last and great day of general judgement the most interpreters understand this text And truly I beleeve it is partly if not principally intimated and mainly though I cannot think onely here intended Some mens sins are open afore-hand going before to judgement and some men they follow after Likewife also the good works of some are manifest before hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid Some sinners are here punished that we may acknowledge a providence and yet not all that we may expect a judgement But a day there will be as sure as day whether sooner or later I have not to determine wherein God will take out the precious from the vile the corn from the chaffe the sheep from the goats the good fish and good figs from the bad wherein he will set a price upon his pearls make up his jewels advante his favorites his darlings his peculiar people and put away all the wicked of the earth as drosse Psal 119.119 And albeit he delay haply to do it because his hour is not yet come yet his forbearance is no quittance to the bad Vide Calvin in loc nor deniance to the better sort God first writes things down in his book of remembrance and then afterwards executes them which requires some time between But a time he will finde and that must needs be so for these reasons some respecting God and some the saints themselves but both sorts grounded upon the text and there-hence borrowed SECT I Reason 1 From Gods providence Reas 1 FOr God Sic spectat universos quast singulos sic singulos quasi solos Aug. 1 Tim 4.10 Curiosus plenus negotij Deus Tull. de nat deor first there be many things in Him that may well infer the point in proof as his providence power Faithfulnesse Goodnesse and Justice First his good providence which like a well-drawn picture eyeth each one in the room Neither is he a bare spectatour onely but as chief Agent he wisely ordereth all the worlds disorders to the good of his children He saveth that is he preserveth all men but especially those that beleeve saith the Apostle he is curious and full of businesse saith the Heathen my father worketh hitherunto and I also work saith our Saviour And this is meant by those seven eyes of the Lord Zech. 4.10 That run to and fro thorow the whole earth causing that none shall have cause to despise the day of small things Gods jewels are little in bulk great in worth for as small as they are they shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubb bel with or by those seven And the eyes of the Lord saith another Prophet run to and fro thorow the earth to behold the evil and the good and not so only but to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him and to give them an expected end And this reason is secretly couched in that clause of our text There was a book of remembrance writâ— before him Est autem hic liber providentiae 2 Chron 16.9 Jer. 29.11 saith Polanus this is the book of Gods providence wherein as all our members are written which in continuance of time were fashioned had he left out an eye in his common-place book thou hadst wanted it so are all our services Polan in loc Psal 139.16 that they may be recompensed yea and all our sufferings too that they may be remedied and revenged when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Act. 3.19 Thou tellest my wandrings saith David put thou my tears into thy botile are they not in thy book And there-hence he rightly concludes the point in hand ver 9. Then shall mine enemies turn back in the day that I call this I know that God will be for me Psal 56.8.9 or that God will be mine as the same phrase is rendered in this text SECT II. Reason 2. From Gods power NExt there is an almighty power in God called therefore Lord of Hosts in the text exerted and exercised for the relief and rescue of his poor people trampled on by those fat buls of Basan with the foule feet of contempt and cruelty whereby he taketh course that they be not over-trod or too long held under by the insolencies and insultations of their enemies But when they shall seem to themselves and others utterly forlorn and undone so that salvation it selfe cannot save them which was good Davids case Psal 3.2 then shall the Lord be a shield for them their glory their strong tower and the lifter up of their head Ver. 3. And this he shall do with a great deal of ease and expedition as being Lord of Hosts that is of all creatures by the hands of whom he shall send from heaven and save them from the reproach of him that would swallow them up Selah God shall send forth his mercy and his truth Psal 57.3 SECT III. Reason 3. from Gods Truth ANd that passage points us to two other reasons for the point God will send forth his mercy and truth And first his truth I meane his faithfulnesse intimated also in these words of our text Saith the Lord of Hosts These things saith he that is faithfull and true they shall be mine in the day c. I will have a time to make up my Jewels in much mercy Now hath God said it and shall he not accomplish it Is not his decree his facere shall he not fulfill with his hand what he hath promised with his mouth God is not as man that he should lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mal. 3.6 neither is he unconstant as other friends that he should change no nor yet unmindfull that he should forget least of all is he unfaithfull that he should falsify God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able c. 1 Cor. 10. He will give patience under the temptation a good use of it and a good issue from out of it in the best time SECT IIII.
their souls and healing to their state for this Sunne shall arise with healing under his wings that is in his beams See Psal 60.1 2. with 2 Chron. 7.14 3. Liberty for ye shall goe forth Calvin 〈…〉 to wit out of the strait prison the little-ease of Affliction and grow up or frisk about for joy so some render it as fat calves and young cattle in the spring 4. Prosperity ye shall grow up as the Palme tree notwithstanding your oppressions Vtaër percussus non loeditur imeâ—â—ne dividitur quidÌ„e sed refundit sese spissior redit Job à Woover ye shall break out and get up as blown bladders aloft all waters as the Sunne from under a cloud as the seed from under a clod 5. Victory for ye shall tread down the wicked and they shall be as ashes under the joles of your feet which erst rode over your heads and made you passe thorow fire and water Psal 66.12 But when shall all this be In the day that I shall do this saith the Lord q. d. Not so soon as your selves would for then it should be presently you would be pulling at the fruit afore it were ripe and plucking off the plaister afore the sore were healed nor so long hence as the enemies would Hoc esset poma acerba adhuâ— decerpere Cyp. for then it should be never but in Gods good time when he seeth fit who hath kept that key of times and seasons under his own girdle Not seldome in this life as when Constantine overcame and trampled upon Dioclesian Maximian Maxentius Licinius and other persecuting Tyrants according to that of Solomon The evil bow before the good Prov. 14.19 and the wicked at the gates of the righteous But most certainly at the day of judgement which is the third particular day of deliverance we have to speak to called that day by an appellative proper Then at utmost God will make up his jewels in much mercy and of this last day the most interpret it then will he both bring to light the hidden things of darknesse Vatablus Figuier Gualther c. Psal 83.3 and also those Hidden ones of his that are all glorious within though for the outside mean and despicable together with all their secret services and mental performances even the counsels of their hearts shall be made manifest and then shall every man have praise of God 1 Cor. 4.5 That is every jewel every Jew inwardly every Israelite indeed whose praise is not of men but of God shall be graced by the judge himself Rom. 2.29 before a world of men and angels For without the least mention of their sins Ezek. 18.22 Rev. 14.13 Their good parts and practises onely and amply shall be remembred and rehearsed And those not strictly censured for he will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him but onely produced as proofs and evidences of that effectual faith of theirs wherby they have a plentiful entrance further and further into the kingdom of God 2 Pet. 1.10.11 SECT VIII Comfort under publike Calamities For application the main vse of this point and that which the holy Ghost in this text chiefly drives at is Vse 1 Singular comfort and incouragement to all and every of Gods faithful servants both in regard of the Church universal first and themselves next in their own particular First then for the labouring church what can be a greater comfort to every good child of hers then to hear that God will have his time ere long to ease her of her adverâ—aries and avenge her of those her enemies that now revel in her ruines crying down with her down with her even to the ground Psal 137. Ille dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox Ovid. Trist Cuique ferè paenam sumere paenasua est ib. Lam. 3.31.32 33. Ier. 30.7 2 Cor. 4.8 9. Niteris incassùm Christi submergere navem Cant. 2.2 This is the horrid and hideous voice of Babels brats and Edoms rufflers flesht in blood and used to the spoil as birds of prey But what saith the Oracle Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem and cry unto her that her set time is expired that her iniquity is pardoned and so the quarrel fairely ended for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sins So it hath seemed to him that waited all this while to shew her mercy and thought long of the time she was in misery as being himself afflicted in all her afflictions and bearing a part Surely it is not willingly or from his heart saith the original that he doth at any time afflict or grieve the Children of men said that church that was even then under the lash but though he cause grief such is our untowardnesse that will not else be ordered yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his merceies he will not cast off for ever This was her comfort and this may be ours when we hear how ill it fares with Gods people abroad and what preassures and grievances they groan under at home say This is the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it Troubled the Saints are on every side but not distressed doubting but not despairing persecuted but not deserted cast down but not cast off Tost the Church might be with Noahs Ark but not orewhelmed washt with Paul in the shipwrack but not drowned fired with Moses bush but not consumed pressed with Davids bay-tree but not oppressed prickt with Solomons lillie among thorns but not choaked growing in a bottom with Zacharies myrtle tree Chap. 1.8 Yet not overtopped a burdensome stone a torch of fire a cup of trembling in the hand of her enemies Zach. 12.2 3 6. who have but a time Dan. 11.24 39. The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth The Lord shall laugh at him saith the Psalmist for he seeth that his day is coming Psal 37.12 13. And thereupon afterwards he inferreth mark the upright man and behold the just for let his beginning or middle be never so troublesome the end of that man is peace God delighteth to make fools of his enemies and lets them bring their designes to the utmost and then defeats them 2 Chro. 32.21 Esther 7.10 1 Sam. 17.51 suffers them to proceed very far that they may return with the greater shame as Sennacherib that their high hopes may end in a haltar as Hamans that their own swords may be sheathed in their own throates as Goliaths When they are tumultuating and triumphing as if they day were their own and they were masters of the field with Gog and Magog then shall God come down as it were in an engin to rescue his saints and to dissolve the Gordian knots of all Antichristian power and policy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 112.4 2 Cor. 4 6 This he doth also for his
own greater glory to make himself a name in the earth when thus in a moment in the turning of a hand he turns the wheel causing light suddenly and sweetly to spring forth not onely in but out of deepest darknesse All that we have here to do is to leave the labouring Church in Gods everlasting armes Deut. 33.27 〈…〉 agens de 〈…〉 Melch. Adam Jer 8.20 Psal 90.13.14.15 Isai 45.15 as Moses speaketh crying out unto him day and night How long Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwel on the earth Lord how long shal the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long wilt thou not have mercy on Ierusalem and the cities of Iudah against which thou hast had indignation these threescore yeers Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Psal 102.13 The sight of the rubbish moved affections of prayer hence they knew the set time of help was at hand as when we bid our children ask us any thing it is because that we mean to give it them the harvest is past the summer is ended and we are not saved Return O Lord how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants O satisfie us early with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our dayes make us glad according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us and the yeers wherein we have seen evil c. This was the course that Daniel took in like case when he understood by books the number of the yeers that the set and appointed time was now past he set his face by earnest prayer to seek out that God that hideth himself and so to draw him out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their cruelty and to plead the cause of his oppressed people Isai 26.21 A time there is set we all now for the fall of Antichrist Roma diu titubans vartis erroribus acta Corruet mundiâ— desinet esse caput Luk. 18.7 9 This cannot be far by all signes and tokens well nigh fulfilled and accomplished And for the elects sake should not those dayes be shortned would they but cry day and night to him that heareth prayers though he bear long with them I tell you that he would avenge them speedily And that he doth it no sooner may we not thank our own dulnesse and slacknesse to ply the the throne of grace with faithful and fervent prayer For when the son of man cometh to destroy that wicked one with the brightnesse of his coming shall he finde faith upon earth 1 Thes 2. such a vigorous and victorious faith as would make Gods remembrancers pray and faint not which is the drift of that parable of the importunate widow to make mention of the Lord and to give him no rest till he establish and make his Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isaiah 62. 6 7 SECT IX Comfort under personal crosses and grievances NExt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas apud Socrat. hist Eccles lib. 3. cap. 14. Isai 26 Heb. 10. Hab. 2 Rev. 22. Psal 37. Hab. 2. Heb. 10.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A military word from souldiers who recoyle and leave their standing Prov. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. here 's a word of comfort and encourragement to each particular Christian as touching his personal crosses and encombrances whatsoever Let none faint or shrink under the heaviest burden of their light affliction sith it is but for a moment as Paul hath it for a few dayes onely while you would say what 's this as Jacob computed it Mourning lasteth but till morning saith David for a very little while saith Esay for a smal pittance of time saith the Author to the Hebrews after Habacuc and then he that shal come will come and will not tarry Behold I come quickly saith Christ and my reward is with me But what shall we do in the mean while Feed on faith saith David The just shall live by faith saith Habacuc yea and make a good living of it too For 1. It will rein him in that he shall not run from his colours forsake his captain to seek for help of the God of Ekron to bring it in by the back-door that he shall not make more hast out of his present presures then good speed according to that He that beleeveth maketh not hast he can be content to wait Gods leisure and not to anticipate his time 2. Faith again fetcheth comfort and support as the merchants ship doth treasure from afar it makes a man look thorough the present durance to the furure deliverance which faith saluteth afar off and resteth as confident of the accomplishment of Gods promise by hope as if it were already in hand Faith taketh and individuateth the promise applies and appropiates that to it self He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee No devoratory evil as Tertullian termeth it shall touch thee tactu qualitativo as Cajetan hath it with a deadly touch Touch thee it may to thy smart but not at all to thy hurt Touch it may thy feet as Jordan did the Priests feet that bore the Arke but sure the proud waters shall not go over thy soule Psal 124.5 Psal 94.13 Ezek. 36.11 For God will give thee rest from the dayes of adversity untill the plt be diged for the wicked Yea I will settle you after your old estates will do better unto you then at your beginnings and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Now all these and the like promises saith takes for present pay counts them sure-hold and so lives upon them and the just by it 3. Faith puts a mans head into heaven gives him to walk with God in affliction sets him as it were into the upper region above all stormes as Henoch who seing and walking with him that is invisible was taken up even before he was taken up Here below are many changes of weather but above with God there is a continuall serenity Now the way of the righteous is on high saith Solomon and as waters abide not on ground that lyes high so neither doth the sense of afflictions lye long on mindes lifted up in heavenly contemplations I will not say but such may be surprized by a common calamity by a deluge of destruction that overspreads the whole land But usually God doth either hide his Jewels then in the golden cabinet of his gracious providence that they shall not be much the worse for it as he did the Israelites in Goshen the disciples in Pella the marked mourners in the hollow of his own hand Or if they be wrapt up in a common condition with others Psal 129 3â—4 yet God will make a manifest difference in that day For either he will give them their lives for a prey Thou hast afflicted me sore saith David
seeth no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel See he doth 't is true for he is all eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 1.6 and all things are naked and open before him Yea he seeth enough in the best to provoke the eyes of his glory For though the crow think her owne bird whitest and some parents can see nothing amisse in their children as David in his Adonijah Jeb 4.18.21 25.5 6. yet he charged his Angels with felly and the starrs are not pure in his sight How much less man that is a worme c. He is neither so blinde as not to behold nor so fond as not to mislike the least fault in his best childe For he is of more pure eyes then to behold evil in whomsoever Habuc 1.13 with approbation he cannot look on iniquity and not shew his displeasure All which notwithstanding the truth of this point is irrefragable and the text alledged is no lesse firm then plain for us God seeth no sin in his children For besides that he will never throw them to hell which is the just hire of the least sin it 's often seen Rom. 6.23 that he never so much as corrects them no not with the rods of men for innumerable faylings and infirmities But winking at smal faults as we say nay passing by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage like as a father pittieth his children and pardoneth them their childishnesse so the doth lord pitty them that fear him Lo he pittieth them not punisheth them Psal 103.13 14. Or if he do proceed to correction as he must other whiles such is our frowardnesse yet amidst all he knoweth our frame he remembreth we are but dust Esay 2.22 a peace of earth neately made up that we carry our souls as a light in a paper-lanthorne that our breath in our nostrils is every moment ready to puffe out and that therefore if he should alwayes chide the spirit would fail before him we should soon faint and swoon under his hands wherefore he deals not with us after our sins nor rewards us according to our iniquities But as a man chasteneth his son saith Moses and he would have us wisely to consider of it too so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee Deut. 8.5 Break their stomackes he will but not their bones their hearts but not their heads And albeit they such is their peevishnesse under the rod give up all for lost and make desperate conclusions upon their corrections Judg 6.13 2 Tim. 2. as Gideon did yet the foundation of God remaineth sure The Lord knoweth who are his he knows their souls in adversity I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight Here was a poor prayer And yet thou heardest the voyce of my prayer poor though it were when I cryed unto thee Psal 31.22 So Zion when under the lash sud The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Esay 49.15.16 Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea she may forget and some Tigresses have done it yet I will not forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands c. Look how a natural mother turns her childe out of doors for dabbling himself or some other shrewd turn and with a thump on the back bids it be gone a begging yet when the childe begins once to make a lip whimper and set up his lure Jer. 31.20 she takes him in again and puts him in her bosom the very like dealing we may read of in God with Ephraim his dear son his pleasant childe Hos 13.1 2 3. c. Ephraim of trembling and tender conscienced became a flagicious offendour a desperate idolater Ver. 1.2 And was not it high time then to take him in hand therefore they shall be as the morning cloud as the early dew as the chaffe before the whirl-winde as the smoke out of the chimney No lesse then utter desolation is threatened against them But the Lord soon repents him concerning his servants witnesse the words following Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt I am thy sole saviour Here 's now mercy in the midst of judgement Oh but they abuse mercy forget their God and sin again Ver. 6. Why therefore God threateneth them again with a more terrible judgement Vers 7 8. Behold I will be unto them as a Lion and a leopard as a bear bereft I will rent the kell of their hearts and devour them Oh fearful condition who would ever think of such but as of deplored and desperate yet see the sequel O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Ver. 9. Thou hast done thy utmost utterly to undoe thy self but yet I have thought of a way for thy help I will be thy king where is any other that would save thee as I do in all thy cities And albeit thou art an unwise son yet I will binde up thine iniquity as a cancelled bond and hide thy sin Ver. 12. And although the travels of a sorrowful woman be upon thee such is thy dulnesse in not coming off roundly with God work with those lively Israelitish women Exod. 1.19 but staying too long in the birth which might justly be thy death as it was Racâ—els yet I will ransome thee from the power of the grave I will redeem thee from death Ver. 14. Ey but for how long might they say I shall be likely breaking out again and then thou wilt undoe me after thou hast done me good No saith God repentance shall be hid from mine eyes He will not cast away a perfect man saith Bildad Iob 8.20 The Lord will not cast off for ever saith Ieremy but though he cause grief Lam. 3.31 32. yet will he have compassion according to the multitude or the magnitude of his mercies And this was that miracle that amused so and amased the Prophet Micah chap. 7.18 who is a God saith he like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever And will ye know a reason That text supplies us with two for failing and both from God 1. He delights in mercy 2. He provides for his own glory as occasioning hereby his pardoned people to praise him for present saying as here who is a God like unto thee c. and to trust him for future He will turn again he will have compassion upon us c. Thou wilt perform thy truth to Iacob c. ver 19.20 SECT II. The reasons are of two sorts First respecting God Reas 1 FIrst God will father-like pitty and pardon his poor people Psal 19.4 Eccles 7.25 Numb 14.8 2 Sam. 15.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 2.13 because he delights in mercy Now delight will do any thing as we say If the sun delight to run his race who
shall stop him If Salomon delight to search out the secrets of wisdom what shall be hid from him If Somson delight in Daliance what will h not dare to do for it if Ahashueroh delight in Esther what may not she have of him If the Lord delight in us saith Caleb then be will bring us into this land of giants and give it us As if he hath no delight in me said David behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth good to him But now the Lord doth delight in every David and will shew him yea seal up unto him the sure mercies of day He delights in mercy saith the Prophet yea such a mercy saith the Apostle he rejoyceth against judgement and glories over it as over his adversary whom he hath subdued Hence it was that he erected himself of old not a judgment-seat but a mercy-seat in the midst of his people as one that settled himself to shew them mercy When the Judge sate him down in the gates of Israel it was to do justice Psal 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. When the scorner sits him down in the chair of pestilence he will scoff to some purpose so now that God sits in his mercy-seat he will surely shew mercy with ease yea a multitude of mercies When a man hath setled himself in his seat it 's supposed he is at ease and a small matter shall not raise him God is never more at ease as I may say and better pleased then when he is in his mercy-seat in his throne of grace Hence he is said to rise out of his place Heb. 4.16 to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity Esay 26.21 and to do his work his strange work when he is to do justice Esay 28.21 It is an act neither so proper to him for it is his strange work nor so pleasant to him for he riseth out of his place to do it which is a kinde of diseasement and a pain to him especially from whom mercie flows as freely and as naturally as light from the sun hony from the comb water from the well-spring He quits himself in it as well apaid thereof he rests in his love and will seek no farther Zeph. 3.17 This mercy-seat was the cover of the Ark where the two tables of the Law lay to note the blessednesse of those that receive mercy their iniquity is forgiven their sin is covered Again from this mercy-seate Psal 32.1 scituate not between the Seraphim those flaming executioners of justice Isa 6. but between the Cherubims as ministers of mercy the Lord shewed himself Act. 7. and gave forth the lively oracles as St. Steven stiles them Once he spake from the burning bush or smoaking mountain so terrible that Moses himself said I exceedingly fear and quake This was mount Sina in Arabia But we are come to mount Sion c. Heb. 12.21.22 and upon all the glory now there is a covering or mercy-seat Isa 4.5 The tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them Rev. 21.3 Jerusalem which is from above is now called the throne of the Lord and all nations flock unto it Jer. 3. God puts them among the children of his love and saith to each of his Thou shalt call me my father and shalt not turn away from me Jer. 17.19 Therefore are they before the throne of God answerable to the ancient mercy-seat serving him day and night in his temple Rev. 7.15 Where the Angel of his presence Jesus Christ offers their services powring in of his incense with the prayer of all Saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne Rev. 8.3 And hence it is that the good Lord pardoneth every one that prepareth his heart to seek God 2 Chr. 30.18 19. though he be not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary that he winks at small-faults shall I say and spares them as a man spares his own son that serves him nay that he pardoneth iniquity and passeth by transgression or treason he retaineth not his anger for ever seem he never so much displeased and all because mercy pleaseth him which puts the prophet to his patheticall exclamation by way of wonderment Who is a God like unto thee c. SECT III. ANd that is the rise of our second Reason from God Reas 2 who therefore spares his people as a father his childe that they may 1. praise him for present yea for ever Cretae Jovis est imago auribus carens ait Plutarchus Non enim convenit audiri ab eo quenquam qui omnium dominus sit princeps Plut. Mor. Lucianus fingit cancellos in coelo per quos Jupiter certo tempore homines respiciat quo solummodo tempore petentes exaudiantur Psal 48.10 Tollens iniquitatem peccatuÌ„ scelus sic enim exprimitur magnitudo clementiae quod non levibus tantum delictis det veniam sed graviss quibusque sceleribus Calvin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim 1.14 that he may fill their mouths with laughter and their tongues with triumph that they may say among the heathen The Lord hath done great things for them that they may say among the saints Their Rock is not as our Rock our enemies themselves being judges Oh who is God like unto thee â— The Gods of the Nations are idols And we know that an idol is nothing and that of nothing nothing comes of such dung-hill deities no mercy is to be expected they cannot work beyond the sphere of their activity But our God is in the heavens and as the heavens are high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him He is a great God and a great King above all Gods And as himself is great so is his mercy and so also is his glory For according to thy name O Lord so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth Now what is Gods name Heare it from his own mouth Iehovah Iehovah God mercifull and gracious c. forgiving iniquity transgression and sin that is all sorts of sins though never so heavy never so heinous Naturall pollution actuall transgression stifneckt presumption all sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven to the sons of men saith our Saviour how much more the involuntary slips of the saints their unavoidable infirmities their sins of daily incuâ—sion for which also there is provided a pardon of course it needs no more but suing out It is the glory of a man to pass by a transgression saith Solomon Prov. 19.11 And it makes no lesse for the glory of God that he pardons the iniquity of his people that he multiplyeth pardons as they multiply sins Esay 55.7 that where grace aboundeth then doth grace superabound or abounds to flowing over as the word there signifieth that they cannot commit more then he will remit Surely hereby the power of our Lord appears to be exceeding great and as true as he liveth
all the earth is thereby filled with the glory of the Lord as it is Num. 14.17 19 21. He maketh his wonderfull works to be remembred saith the Psalmist and that in nothing more then this that the Lord is gracious and full of compassion Psal 111.4 This makes his people sing and shout Hallelujah O praise the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever SECT IIII. NExt Reas 3 as they praise him for the present so they trust him for the future which is the greatest honour they can do him as the thistle in Ionathans parable could tell Iudg. 9.15 sith every former mercy is a pledge of a future and every old mercy draws on a new as the links do one another in a chain if we break not off their course by our unbelief and diffidence Psal 36.10 O continue thy loving kindnesse saith David It is in the Hebrew O draw out thy loving kindnesse to the full length Gods mercies to his are a continued series there is a concatenation a connexion between them Eccles 1.8 As a spring runneth after it hath run so doth God spare his after he hath spared them The eye is not weary of seeing nor the eare of hearing no more is God of shewing mercy Hence Gods servants have usually argued from what they have had to what they should have as David Paul and the church here in Micah She had praised God for his clemency in pardoning her sins and there hence confidently concludeth for power against sin If God will cover it certainly he will cure it The same mercy that moved him to pass by the transgression of his heritage will make him turne againe and have further compassion upon us say they in subduing our sins and casting them all as a stone into the mighty waters so that we shall see them no more any otherwise then the Israelites saw the Egyptians dead on the shore And all this he will do for his truth and mercies sake to Jacob and Abraham for his promise and covenants sake to our fathers of old Our father 's trusted in thee they hoped in thee and were not confounded Oh who is a God like unto thee c All nations will walk every one in the name of his God Mic. 4.5 we also will trust in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever And these are the reasons respecting God SECT V. 6. Reasons respecting the Saints themselves weo are 1. pure in heart 2. perfect in Christ A second rank of Reasons respect the Saints who are 1. Pure in heart 2. Perfect in Christ and therefore spared as a man spares his own son that serves him Reas 1 First Gods people are pure in heart they are washed they are justified 1 Cor. 6.11 Austin answered roundly when one upbraided him with the sins of his youth Quae tu reprehendis ego damnavi And when One twitted Beza with his youthly wanton poems he replied Hic homo invidet mihi gratiam Christi Iedidiah 2 Sam. 12.25 they are sanctified by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God Now Yet God is good to Israel to the pure in heart Psal 73.1 Yet for all the sorrow Yet for all their faults and frailties which forasmuch as they disallow and disclaim bewail and out-grow therefore they are not laid to their charge Iob was a patient man yea he is set forth as a pattern of patience notwithstanding all his frowardnesse notwithstanding he made so many knots and brake his thread so oft as he did God accounts of him as if he had spun an even thread of patience all the time of his temptation David had his faults as great as another and yet because he was upright in the main God testifieth of him that he had followed him with all his heart and done only that that was right in his sight 1 King 14.8 Solomon at Gibeon climbes those disallowed hills the high-places and yet loves the Lord and is loved of him God will not see weaknesses where he seeth truth so pleasing a thing to him is sincerity in his service With one breath doth God report both these The high-places were not removed that was a great fault no doubt neverthelesse Asa's heart was perfect all his dayes Such is the mercy of our Gd to the pure in heart to those that study purity that he will not suffer our well-meant weaknesses to bereave us of his favour he rather pittieth then plagueth his children for the infirmities of upright hearts 2 Chro. 15.17 A slender service a small chare though but bungled at by child is much set by of the father And a bridegroom thinks nothing the worse of his bride for a little dirt she hath got being about some foul chare it being such especially as she may wash off at pleasure Zach. 13.1 1 Ioh. 2.1 We have a fountain alwaies open where we may wash and be clean and a dayly propitiation for dayly transgression even Jesus Christ the Righteous in whom SECT VII The Saints are perfect in Christ SEcondly our wants are covered and our works perfected and refined from all the filth and flesh that cleaves unto them Reas 2 For although the Saints are not so pure in heart but that their sanctification is still spotted and imperfect yet their justification by Christs righteousnes imputed is absolute and without blemish According to that He hath made him to be sinne or sinne-offering for us who knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5.21 that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Not that essentiall righteousnesse of God as Osiander vainly dreamt but that perfect obedience both active and passive of the Son of God performed unto his Father by whom he is made unto us wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 Jer. 23.6 righteousnesse c. yea Jehovah our righteousnesse Which one Name of his would answer all our doubts and objections had we but skill to spell all the letters in it This righteousnesse of Christ made ours by imputation and acceptation is that white raiment Rev. 3.17 wherewith being clothed the shame of our nakednesse doth not appear for it is full broad large and wide enough to cover all our imperfections This is that broydered work and those bracelets wherewith the Church in Ezekiel being bedight and bedeckt became perfectly beautifull even to admiration These are those jewels of gold with studs of silver made us by the whole Trinity Cant. 6.9 that best robe of the prodigall that cloth of gold and needle-work-vesture of the royall daughter Psal 45.9 that fair mitre Zach. 3.4 5 and change of raiment of Jehoshuah the high-priest when the Lord took away his filthy garments and clothed him with better although Satan at the same time stood at his right hand had the upper hand of him because as some will have it his accusation was as true as vehement In short 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the
Iudah are they not Ierusalem God as he seeth no sinne in his children so he seeth nothing else but sinne in others Their morall vertues are with him but splendida peccata glistering sinnes their civil praises nothing set by Jer. 8.8 Sinne in such is said to be the old man as if sinne were alive and the men dead as if they were totally turn'd and transform'd into sinnes image What marvel then though the Lord be farre from the wicked when he heareth the prayer of the righteous Prov. 15.29 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifice of mine offerings and eat it but the Lord accepts it not Now even amidst their sacrifices will he remember their iniquity and visit their sinnes Hos 8.13 Where it is remarkable that in scorn He calleth their sacrifices flesh ordinary flesh such as they sell in the shambles See the like Jer. 7.21 And in a like sence Hos 9.4 Their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord that is the bread for their naturall sustenance The Prophet speaks there of that meat-offering Levit. 2.5 appointed for a spirituall use yet called the bread for their life or livelyhood because God esteemed it no other then common-meat Semblably such now-adayes as come in their sinnes to the Lords Supper they receive the bare elements and because no more a curse with them Obed-Edom was blessed for the Ark the Philistines cursed Panem Domini non panem Dominum wheresoever the Ark came amongst them there came destruction The ordinances if they be not proper to men are deadly God saith of those that frequent them as Solomon said of Adonijah 1 Kin. 1.52 if he will shew himself a worthy man there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth but if wickednesse shall be found in him he shall dye SECT VIII Reproof of such as censure hardly of God NExt here 's ground of just and sharp reproof of sundry such Use 2 as being otherwise very honest and good people are yet herein much to be blamed and censured that they censure so ill of God Luk. 19.21.22 worse of themselves and worst of all others For God first they repute and report him an austere man a strict and severe Lord a hard and rigorous task-master such as reaps where he sowed not gathers where he scattered not exacts more then he affords requires more then they are able to perform Now if they were ungodly an irreligious men that thus quarrelled their Lord as once those murmurers in the wildernesse were that esteemed Gods house a prison-house Num. 14.3 of greater bondage and basenesse then Egypt it self it were the lesse to be wondered at and the better to be born withal For such being out of Christ are yet under the rigor and coaction of the law as it requires perfect obedience and that by their own strength which because it is imposible as now Gal. 5.3 Rom. 6 they die without mercy But for a childe of God that is no longer under the law but under grace that hath Christ formed already in his heart of whose fulnesse he hath received grace for grace that hath the spirit of God for his guide Neh. 8.10 Psal 119.24 2 Cor. 12.9 the joy of God for his strength the word of God for his learned counsel and the grace if God to be sufficient for him sufficient I say to supply that which is wanting to forgive that which is committed to impute Christs righteousnesse to uphold him in his weaknesses to raise and restore him in his lapses and in all to spare him as a man spares his own son that serveth him what reason is there that such a man should complain of a hard master or cry out of an unreasonable task indeed if God would accept of no service but that which is perfect bear with no failings though never so involuntary cast out every such thing as were not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary there were no dealing with him no standing before him no encouragement to come a near him in his works and worships If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities saith the Psalmist O Lord who should stand But there is forgivenesse with thee that thou mayest be feared that is served whic else thou wouldest not And upon this ground let Israel hope in the Lord not run away from him and repine against him as Cain did for that were to add iniquity to their sin as Samuel told the terrified people 1 Sam. 12.20 21 for with the Lord there is mercy the most powerful attractive Rom. 12.1 to those that have not put off humanity whence the cords of kindnesse are called the cords of a man Hos 11.6 not to be drawn to God by them is bestial and with him is plenteous redemption a cornu copia of comfort a horn of salvation enough and enough for us all were we never so many of us He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Psal 130.3 4 7 8. Be not ye therefore murmurers against God as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer sith those thins were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come SECT IX Reproof of such saints as censure hardly of themselves and their performances SEcondly such of Gods servants as are here censurable as censure over-hardly of themselves 2 Cor. 10.10.11 as if no children because not obedient in all things as it were meet These are those over much wicked Eccles 7.17 according to some that will needs condemn themselves to die before their time think too vilely of their own persons and performances denie if not belie the work of Gods grace in their hearts not wisely distinguishing betwixt nullity of grace and imperfection weaknesse and utter want of it to their I know nor how great spiritual hurt and hinderance These consider not that the law admits of a dispensation in the gospel that the tenour of the new covenant requires no set measures of grace and that if there be a willing minde God accepts according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not takes any thing in good worth where there is a desire of doing better and for the rest spares us as a man spares his own son that serves him Away then with that male-contented sowernesse seen in some saints also Gods whinnels you may call them for they are ever crying and puling when they should rather sing at their work and rejoyce in their priviledges this would please their father best as if a man have ever a little cricket among his children that will be merry and make him merry this is the fathers darling Oh blessed are those that dwell in thine house saith David they shall be alwayes praising thee Psal 84.4 And for nothing more surely then for this fatherly and gracious disposition towards thy poor servants that desire to fear thy name Neh. 1. Heb 12.18 are
A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Upon The XII Minor Prophets Wherein the Text is explained some Controversies are discussed sundry Cases of Conscience are cleared and many remarkable matters hinted that had by former Interpreters been pretermitted Hereunto is added a Treatise called The Righteous Mans Recompence Or A true Christian characterized and encouraged out of Malachi Chap. 3. Vers 16 17 18. In all which diverse other Texts of Scripture which occasionally occurre are fully opened and the whole so intermixed with pertinent Histories as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the judicious Reader By Iohn Trapp M. A. once of Christ-Church in Oxford now Pastor of Weston upon Avon in Gloucester-shire Acts 7.42 As it is written in the Book of the Prophets The XII Minor Prophets were conjoyned in one Volume or Book lest by their littlenesse they should be scattered or perish Rivet March 1 th 1652. Imprimatur Edm Calamy LONDON Printed by R N for Philemon Stephens at the Gilded Lion in St. Pauls Church-yard 1654. Viro Eruditione juxtâ ac Pietate praestantissimo IOANNI OWENO SS Th D. Aedis Christi Decano dignissimo Academiae Oxoniensis jam secundùm Procancellario vigilantissimo Lucubrationes hasce suas quales quales in animi devotissimi testimonium ac monumentum L.M.Q.D.D.D. IOANNES TRAPPVS Ejusdem Aedis Christi annis abhinc triginta Alumnus The Preface to the Reader TRuly Light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sunne O but much more pleasant for the eye of faith to see the Sun of righteousnesse that light of life Blessed may we say are our eyes which see this Sun shine so gloriously from the Gospell and though through glasses yet such as are and will be kept from breaking by that presence of Christ promised his Ministers of the Gospel to the end of the World whom he calls the light of the world Happy art thou O England where it hath been day-light these hundred years and God-forbid that wee should expose our selves to that the condemnation in loving darknesse rather then light If we shorten this our day certainly it will be our death An evil generation therefore is that whose hellish principles prompt them utterly to extinguish all our burning and shining Lamps by draining out all their oil and so are those children of the night whose hellish practises attempt the blowing out of these lights that do discover their deeds of darknesse and because they cannot no more then becken the Sunne from the skie their breath is spent in cursing them as freely and fiercely as the Ethiopians do the Sun for scorching them If this continue sad are our fears lest our Sun be not far from setting and we take up that lamentation with Jeremy Wo unto us for the day goeth away for the shadows of the evening are stretched out Neither are the Symptomes of this onely in the professed disavowing of the Ministery by men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith and who have put away a good conscience but also in the dark lives of many of those who seem to affect Gospel-light and yet walk not honestly as in the day rejoyce in the light yet walk not as children of the light Nay amongst the best are not notions prosecuted more then practise and our light like the Moon 's without heat yea and whereas the Father of lights hath set up his Candlestick amongst us that we might do his work we rather do our own making our selves and not him our end The good Lord in mercy make all his to face about towards himself â—o face one another as the Cherubims over the Mercy-seat Reader our advice to thee is to do thy duty though many others neglect theirs Blesse God there are so many windows to let in light unto thee pray that they may be yet clearer to give in dayly new light thou knowest we speake not in a fanatick Dialect we mean fresh and fuller discoveries of Gospel-mysteries whereunto thou wilt finde this Authour hath made no small contribution by these his Annotations upon the small Prophets from before which few have drawn the curtain so far as he open therefore the Casement in reading and much light may be let into thy mind to understand things that have been hid from thine eyes or seen but dimly We need not commend the Authour all his works speak him to be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed an Interpreter one among a thousand we may say of him as Cyprian to Cald. Adeo exercitatus in Scripturis peritus ut cautè omnia consultò gerat Origen speaking of the Prophets calls them Bees and their Prophesies honey-combes this Expositor God hath made skilfull both in hiving and expressing This friend of the Spouse presents her here with more new borders of gold enameld and set out with spangles of silver wrought upon a precious part of holy Writ which he hath beautified with variety of humane Learning And lest thy heart should rise against this expression give us leave to tell thee that though many in these last and worst and wofull dayes scoffe at the learned Languages and Arts and Sciences as the Fox in the Greek Epigram disparag'd the fair and ripe grapes because they were out of his reach yet there is a necessity of them for the right dividing the word of truth which is evinced by a man approved Dr. Featly tree of sav kn who between derogating from the al-sufficiency of Scripture which is sacriledge and blasphemy on the one side and detracting from the worth of University Learning which is an Anabaptistical frenzy on the other side layes down the truth in the middle in this Aphorisme Scripture is of it self abundantly sufficient for us but we are not sufficient for it without the help of Arts and Liberall Sciences we cannot sufficiently conceive or declare the works of God without naturall Philosophy nor Law of God without morall nor his Attributes without Metaphysicks nor the dimensions of the Ark and Temple without the Mathematicks nor the songs of Sion without Musick and Poetry wee cannot Interpret the text without Grammer analize it without Logick presse and apply it without Rhetorick These it hath seemed good to the holy Ghost to use in the Penning of Scriptures to shew their usefulnesse in their opening and who can understand or expound Prophesies already fulfilled and to be accomplish't without insight into prophane History As for knowledge in the Tongues he deserves to have his tongue cut out that dares but mutter a word against it dulcius ex ipso fonte There are indeed divers Cautions and Directions given by the ancient holy Fathers in the use of humane Learning which this learned godly Writer hath exactly observed For he hath purg'd and cleans'd it cut off the bond-womans hair pared her nayles and washed her with Sope his chief care being not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is not only
a pitcht battle Here iâ— was saith Adrichomius that Gideon fought the Midianites Iudg. 6.7 Saul the Philistines 1 Sam. 31. Ahab the Syrians 1 King 20. And here Zachary the last of Jehu's line was slain and with him the kingdom of Israel received such a wound that it could never rise again Monaâ—chies have their times and their turns their rise and their ruine Junius renders it Propter Vallem Jericho I will break the bow of Israel because of the wall of Jezreel that is saith he because of the slaughter of Ahabs house there made by Jehu 2 King 10 Jehu's Tent in that execution was rewarded as an Act of Justice quoad substantiam operis and yet punished as an Act of policy quoad modum for the perverse end Finibus non officijs a vitijs discernuntur virtutes saith Augustine By the ends and not by the works done are vertues distinguished from vices Two things make a good Christian and declare him so good Actions and good Aimes And although a good aime doth not make a bad Action good as in Vzza yet a bad aime makes a good action bad as here in Jebu There may be then we see malum opus in bona materia a work materially good which yet may never prove so formally and eventually sc when there is a fail either quoad fontem or quoad finem A thing which I see in the night may shine and that shining proceed from nothing but rottenness Blazing comets though but comets as long as they keep aloft shine bright But when they begin to decline from their pitch they fall to the earth and infect the Air. So when Illuminates forsake the Lord and minde onely earthly things being all for self they lose their light and go out in a snuffe Jehu's golden calves made an end of him and his though he made an end of Ahabs house and Baals worship His rooting out of Ahabs race was but to settle the crown better upon his own head Like unto him was our Richard the third who well knowing saith the Historian it was no pollicy to play the villaine by half-deal is resolved to leave never a rub to lie in the way Daniels hist 218. that might hinder the true running of his bowle Like unto him also saith Master Calvin upon this text was our king Henry the eighth who cast off some degree of Popery so farre as would serve his own turn but there were the six Articles in force that whip with six cords as that Martyr called it for which many suffered at that time Acts Mor. And whereas like Sylla he commanded others under great penalties to be no Papists himself was either Papist or Athiest jearing at some for their old Mumpsimus and at others for their new Sumpsimus as he profanely called the Reformation hanging Papists on the one side of the hedge for denying his Supremacy and burning Protestants on the other side thereof for denying Transubstantiation c. And hence it may be thought is that dreadfull and dismall ruine that is now in these our dayes and in the fourth generation or succession befaln the royall family The house of Jehu fareth the worse for Jehu Offa king of East-Saxons lived in the time of Charles the great and was a potent Prince But the many injuries he did and the murther he committed in his house upon Ethelbert king of East-Angles coming to him under a publike faith and a suitor to his daughter were justly revenged upon his posterity which after him declining in the end lost all But to return to Jehu we shall find 2 Kin. 10.30 Daniels hist p. 111. that God said that because Jehu had shed the blood of Ahab in Jezreel that he would reward him for it and that his children to the fourth generation should sit upon the throne of Israel and govern that Kingdom And yet for miscarriage in the manner justly plagueth his posterity As Xerxes crowned his Steeresman in the morning and yet hanged him in the afternoon of the same day And as Marescal de Thermas the French Generall first Knighted a French souldier in Scotland who first mounted a besieged Fort by that means taken and then hanged him within an hour after for doing it without order See more of this in the Note upon the former verse Verse 6. And she conceived againe To shew in a continued allegory the weak and wofull estate of the ten tribes when the Assyrian took from them all the land of Gilead and Galilee together with all the land of Nepthali and carried them captive subduing in a manner five tribes of Israel to wit those without Iordan who as they had first their inheritance given them so they were now first carried captives and the tribes of Zabulon and Nepthali who were seated in the land of Galilee And this was the first captivity of Israel see 2 Kings 15.29 Esay 9.1 And bare a daughter This age is compared to a daughter because from that time forward after the bow of Israel was so broken as Verse 5. they should be no more able to defend themselves than if they were a common-wealth of women Their spirits should be so cowed out and emasculated their backs so bowed down with unsupportable burdens and bondages Vt de Ctanmerâ— Melc Ad. that there was scarcely place left of a worse condition nor hope of a better Like them were those we read of Esay 51.23 that yeelded to such as would but say to them Bow down that we may go over you Hom Jl. sic Virg Phrygiae neque enim Phryges Or as those in Nahum 3.13 Their men shall be as women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 timerous and cowardly like Issachar's Asse Gen 49.15 whose lot fell in Galilee Iosh 19.18 or those fugitives of Ephraim Iudg. 12.4 that therefore bare a brand of dishonour because they would not rather die bravely then live basely Of such it may be said as of Harts and Stags they have great horns and strength but do nothing with them quia deest animus because their spirits are imbased as the Israelites in Egypt were of old by Pharoah and as the Grecians are at this day by the Turk call her name Loruhamah When God once calls a people or a person by this name we may well write upon their dores if any place be yet left for prayer any good to be done by it Lord have mercy upon them their condition is deplorable if not desperate Vade frater in Cellam et dic Miserere mei Deus Brother go into thy Cell and say Lord have mercy upon me said Crantzius to Luther when he began to declaime against the Pope for he looked upon him as an undone man Scultet Annal. and yet he was not But those are doubly undone to whom God shall say as here to Israel I will no more have mercy Heb I will add no more to shew mercy but my so oft abused mercy shall turn into fury That it
seasonable and sweet as when misery weighs down and nothing but mercy turns the scale therefore Judah shall have mercy when Israel shall have none True it is that Judah was not at this time much better then Israel Aholibah then Aholah they were scarce free from Sodomy and many such like foul abominations But what of that if God come with a non obstante as Psal 106.8 Neverthelesse he saved them for his names sake c. who shall gainstand him If he will shew mercy for his names sake what people is there so wicked whom he may not save See Esay 57.47 Ezek. 20.8.14.22.44 Add hereunto that Israel and Syria were confederate against Judah thought to have made but a breakfast of them Isay 7.5 c. but God here promiseth Judah mercy and lets them know to their comfort that there is more mercy for them in heaven then there can be misery in earth or malice in hell against them True it is that even after this gratious promise made to Judah it went very hard with them See 2. Chron. 28.6 there 120000. of them were slâ—in in one battle and 200000. of them carried captive yea and all this by these Israelites here rejected from that mercy that Judah is promised besides abundance more misery that befell them by Edomites Ver. 17. Philistines 18. Assyrians 20. c. Ecclesia hares Crucis saith Luther The Church as she is heire of the promises so is she of the Cross and the promises are alwayes to be understood with condition of the cross The palsy-man in the Gospel healed by our Saviour heard Son be of good cheere thy sins are forgiven thee and yet he was not presently free'd of his disease till after a dispute held with the Pharises which must needs take up some time and the case cleared Jesus said Arise take up thy bed and walk and so shew thy self a sound man But to go on Judah shall be saved and not Israel that envied Judah and maliciously sought their ruine David looketh upon it as a sweet mercy that God had spred him a table in the presence and maugre the malice of his enemies Psal 23.4 Mat. 8.11 And the children of the kingdome so the Jewes are called shall gnash their teeth and be even ready to eat their nailes at the reception of the Gentiles This was it that put the men of Nazareth into an anger and our Saviour into a danger Luk. 4.25.26 By the Lord their God that i by the Lord Christ by Messiah their Prince by the word of the Lord their God saith the Chaldee here that word essentiall John 1.1 that true Zaphnath Paaneach that is Saviour of the world as Hierome interprets it whereof Joseph was but a type This horn of salvation or mighty Saviour able to save them to the uâ—â—ost that come unto God by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.25 God raised up for there unworthy Jews and even thrust him upon them whether they would or no Isay 7.13.14 that all might appear to be of free grace Well might God say 〈◊〉 have mercy upon the house of Judah matchlesse mercy indeed mercy that rejoyced against judgement Mans perversness breaketh not off the course of Gods goodness Judah shall be saved by the Lord their God who is Alius from his Father but not Alâ—â— a distinct person not a distinct thing This Angel of Gods presence saved them in hâ— love and in his pitty he redeemed them c. Isay 63.9 even the Angel that had redeemed their father Jacoh from all evill Gen. 48.16 and that soon after this prophesie destroyed so many thousands in Senacheribs army Not by bow ner by battle c. but by his own bare hand immediatly and miracul usly 2. King 19. where we may see that when Senacherib after the example of his father Salmaneser who had captivated the ten tribes came up against Judah having already devoured Jerusalem in his hopes and thinking to cut them off at a blow as if they had all had but one neck they were saved by Jehovah their God the Virgin daughter of Zion knew well the worth and valour of Christ her champion and that made her so confident Esay 37.22 She knew whom she had trusted not with her outward condition onely but with her inward and everlasting with her precious soul saying with David I am thine save me for I haue sought thy precepts Psal 119.94 I will not trust in my bow neither shall mine arme save me but thy right hand and thine arme Psal 44.3.5 and the light of thy countenance for thou hast a favour unto me See the Note on Zach. 4.6 and on 14.3.5 That 's an excellent passage Psal 21.13 Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength so will we sing and praise thy power Vers 9. Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah That is after that the patience of God had waited and long looked for their conversion but all in vaâ—ne he resolved upon their utter rejection And first he sent for his love tokens back againe Esa 66.11 he weanes them and takes them off from those breasts of consolation the holy Ordinances deprived them of those dugs better then wine Cant. 1 4. that they had despised carried them far away from that good land that abounded with milk and hony the men of the East should be sent in upon them to eat their fruit and drink their milk Ezek. 25.4 This nation saith a Divine is sick of a spirituall plurisie we begin to surfet on the bread of life the unadulterated milk of Gods word and to spill it Now when God seeth his mercies lying under table 't is just with him to call to the enemy to take away Say not here with those in the Gospell threatned with this judgment Luk. 20.16 God forbid Think it not a thing impossible that England should be thus visited The Sea is not so calme in summer but it may be troubled with a storme the mountain so fâ—me but may be moved with an earthquake We have seen as fair Suns as ours fall from the midst of heaven for our instance Lege historiam ne fias historia Surely except we repent and reforme a little better then we have done yet a removall of our Candlestick a totall eclipse of our Sun may be as certainly foreseen and foretold as if visions and letters were sent us from heaven as once to the seven Churches of Asia who sinned away their light c. And bare a sonne Not a daughter as before but a sonne because under Hosea the last King of Israel that Kingdom began a little to lift up the head and to stand it out against the Assyrian But this was but extremus nisus regni the last sprunting of that dying State For soon after Samaria the chief City was close besiegeâ— and although it held out three whole yeers with a Masculine resolution yet at length it was sacked and all the people of the land
carried captive young and old naked and barefoot even with their buttocks uncovered c. as it is said of their confederates the Egyptians Esay 20.4 and as it shall be done at length to that purple whore of Rome who shall be stript naked broil'd and eaten Revel 17.16 A cold sweat stands already upon her limbs and for a presage of her future ruine it is observed that Rome since it became Papall was never besieged by any but it was taken As for their late Masculine attempts and atchievements if any it is but as here in the Kingdom of Israel a lightning before death as the blaze of a candle a little afore it goes out the bulging of a wall that 's ready to come down or as it was said of Carthage a little afore it was taken Morientium bestiarum violentiores esse morsus dying beasts bite cruelly Verse 9. Call his name Loammi Nomen extremum deploratum saith Pareus the last and most lamentable name of all containing a most heavy but spiritual and therefore lesse sensible punishment viz. an utter abjection and abdication from the covenant from grace from God from life eternall For ye are not my people But being totally cashiered and discovenanted Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto me O children of Israel saith the Lord Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt and the Philistims from Caphtor Amos 9.7 and the Syrians from Kir q. d. True it is I have brought you up out of Egypt and therein you greatly glory but have I not done as much as all this for those profane Nations here mentioned with and amongst whom henceforward I shall reckon you for you are no people of mine but discarded and dispeopled Till the Covenant made with Abraham all Nations were suffered to walk in their own wayes as fishes passe at liberty thorow the paths of the Seas Psal 8.8 One person was no more respected then another But as soon as it was said I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee the Church became as fish cast into a Pond for peculiar use and was divided from other Nations Act. 14.16 no otherwise then light was from darknesse in the first creation or then Goshen was from Egypt in that wonderfull separation But here God seems to rescind his own act to cast off the people of his purchase and utterly to disown them as once before he also did when he fathered them upon Moses saying Thy people which thou hast brought out of Egypt c. Exod. 32.7 But this we must know is no other then mutatio rei non Dei effectus non affectus facti non consilij not a change of Gods will but onely of his works For hath God indeed cast away his people God forbid Rom. 11.1 2. God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew Thus saith the Lord God If heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. Jer. 31.37 And albeit by an angry Aposiopesis he say here I will not be your God The word God is not in the Original ab irato omittitur saith Mercer yet to shew that he is Bagnal Chemah One that can rule his wrath as Neb. 1.2 he subjoyneth here verse 10. Verse 10. Yet the number of the children of Israel i. e. of the Israel of God those Jews inwardly the Circumcision indeed which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus putting no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 Bern. but saying each for himself as that good Father did Horreo quicquid de meo est ut sim meus All my care is to be found in Christ sc when sought for by the justice of God not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the law Beza but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 Lo to such Israelites indeed and of such it is here promised the Lord in Judgement remembring Mercy that they shall be the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor numbered This was first promised to Abraham and afterwards confirmed with an oath Gen. 22.16 It began to be fulfilled when by the preaching of the Apostles so many of both Jews and Gentiles came in and were converted to the faith of the true Messiah as S. Paul expoundeth this text Rom. 9.24 25. and he had the mind of Christ It shall have its full accomplishment when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in and all Israel shall be saved Rom. 11.26 Then the Church shall be as the stone that smote the Image it shall become a great mountain and fill the whole earth Though the beginning of it be small yet the later end of it shall greatly increase Job 8.7 for all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Christ he shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth Psal 72.8 11 17 Great is the paucity of Gods people for present but let us by the help of this promise get above that stumbling block Cosmographers tell us that if we divide all the known world into thirty parts the Heathens part is as nineteen of this thirty the Mahometans as six the Christians as five only And of those five more then the one half is held by idolatrous Papists But let not this discourage us it will be otherwise one day for the Scripture cannot be broken And although God may seem utterly to have abandoned his ancient people the Jews the ten Tribes especially yet they as well as the rest shall be vouchsafed this honour to be called to the participation of Christ Ezek. 37.16 19. Jer. 3 12 13 c. Esay 11.12 13. Obad. 20. Zach. 10.6 Rom. 11.26 If God after so dreadful a threatning come in with his non-obstante as he doth likewise Psal 106.8 and elsewhere and say yet the number of the children of Israel shall be c. who shall gain say him Their interpretation is too narrow that understand this text of the increase of this people in all their dispersions until the time of their conversion And that of Rabbi Ezra is pretty though not proper that as the sand keeps the waves of the sea from breaking in and drowning the world so doth Israel preserve man-kind from perishing by the waves of Gods wrath It should have been considered by him and the rest of those refractary Rabbines that at that general conversion of the Jews here plainly foretold there shall be some stubborn spirits that will not even then stoop to Christ but will be filled with envy as those cankered Pharisees their fore-fathers were Acts 13.44 45. to see almost the whole City come together to hear Christ Yea they will be ready to say as John 12.19 perceive ye how ye
or fear of enemies to indulge his sister the Lady Mary Act. Mon. to have Masse said in her house The truth is those Ammi's and Ruhamah's that have found mercy from God they have their hearts so fired up thereby with a holy zeal for him that they cannot endure to see him dishonoured but must appear and plead for him against any in the world Again as any one is more assured of his own salvation by Christ the more he thirsteth after the salvation of others as we see evidently in Saint Paul that vessell of mercy I am perswaded saith He or I am sure that neither life nor death c. shall ever separate me from Gods love in Christ And what followes in the very next words but this I say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost Rom. 8.38 39. Rom. 9.1 2 3 4. That I have great heaviness and continuall sorrow in my heart For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh who are Israelites c. And how effectually and convincingly he pleadeth with them to draw them to Christ and hold them close to him that golden Epistle to the Hebrewes will well witness to the worlds end For she is not my wife For I have put her away by a bill of divorcement Isai 50.1 with a Habe tibi quae tua sunt which was the form of divorce among the Romanes Take thine own things and be gone Now the Jewish Synagogue had nothing she could properly call her own but sin and misery when God first took her she had not a rag to her back Ezek. 16.10 nor any kind of comeliness But what he was pleased to put upon her verse 14. But she foolish woman and unwise Deut. 32.5 trusting in her borrowed beauty plaid the harlot poured out her fornication on every one that passed by his it was verse 15. The Synagogue of Rome is such another meretrix meretricissima quae gremium claudit nemini as her own sons say of her by way of commendation Saint John calleth her the whore the great whore Rev. 17.1.15 and further telleth us that she sitteth upon her paramours in a base manner in an unseemly sort she sitteth upon their very consciences and keepes them under by force whereas Stephen King of Polony one of her sons but not altogether so obsequious was wont to say that God had required three things to himself sc ex nihilo aliquid facere scire futura dominari velle conscientijs that is to make something of nothing to know things to come and to bear rule over mens consciences How she forceth men to commit folly with her by the cruell Inquisition and how she hireth others for preferments Luther was offered a Cardinalship Bessarion of Nice was won over to her by such an offer Val. Max. Christian pag. 289. Thomas Saranzius was of a poor Shoomakers son made Bishop Cardinall and Pope all in one year and called Nicolas the fifth Alsted Chr. Pag. 378. the like might be said of Aeneas Sylvins Canon of Trent afterwards Pope Pius the second and for a price too is notoriously known to the Christian world Stratagem nunc est Pontificium ditare multos ut pijesse desinant John Baptist Gelli Dialog 5. saith a good Author It is one of the Popes Stratagems to enrich men that he may oblige them to himself and bring them into his own vassallage In divers towns of Germany as at Ausburgh c. there was a known allowance by the year for such Lutherans as would become Papists Thus this whore of Rome imitateth Her in the text of whom it is elsewhere complained Ezek. 16.33 They give gifts to all whores and so buy repentance at too dear a rate but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers and hirest them that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom Yea thou hast plaid the harlot with them Nolo tanti poenitentiam emere Dem. and yet couldst not be satisfied vers 28. It was but time therefore that God should cast her off as now no wife of his but an adulteresse of the Devil as she shewed her self notably in the Trent-Conventicle Jer. 3.3 where with a whores forehead that refused to be ashamed she not onely established by a Law their abominable Idolatry but also set forth that Heathenish decree whereby she equalleth at least the Apocrypha to the holy Canon the Vulgar puddle to the Hebrew and Greek fountains unwritten verities and traditions to the sacred Scriptures and further addeth that the holy Ghost himself is not to be hearkened unto speak he never so plainly and expressely D. Prid. Lect. nisi accedat meretricis purpuratae effâ—ons interpretatio unlesse she may have the interpreting of his meaning according to her way O monstruous impudency deserving a divorce True it is that God hateth putting away Mal. 2.16 and Isa 50.1 he tells these Jewes that he had not given their mother a bill of divorcement ut solent morosi et crudeles mariti as cruell and fâ—oâ— and husbands use to do for every light offence But what he had done this way he was meerely compell'd to it as not able to wink any longer at theiâ— flagiâ—ious practises Hear his own words Thus saith the Lord where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away or which of my creditours is to whom I have sold you Behold for your iniquities you sold your selves and for your transgressions is your mother put away And yet not so far put away neither but that if she repent she may be received again and that 's no small mercy See Jer. 3.1 They say If a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another mans shall he return unto her again shall not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast plaid the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. Lo God is above Law and his mercy is matchless he will do that for his people that none else in like case would ever be drawn to do Mic. 7.10 Who is a God like unto thee saith the Prophet by way of admiration David never came near his concubines more after that Absalom had gone in to them and Achitophel judged that act would be such an injury as David would never put up and therefore gave that pernicious counsell But Gods thoughts are not as mans thoughts neither are our wayes his wayes c. Of mercy and multiplied-pardons Isai 55.8.9 But as the heavens are higher then the earth so are his wayes higher then our ways and his thoughts then our thoughts We are not to mature things according to our own modell and to have as low thoughts of God and his goodness as those Miscreants once had of his power when they demanded Can God prepare a table for us in the
furor I care neither for the favour nor fury of Rome The Bramble thought it a brave businesse to raigne over the trees not so the vine and fig-tree We read of Pope Silvester that he gave his soul to the devil for seven yeers enjoyment of the Popedome which Luther spurn'd at One good cast of Gods loving countenance was more to David then a confluence of all outward comforts and contentments Thou hast put gladnesse in mine heart saith he more then in the time that their corn and their wine increased Psal 4.7 Their corn and their wine he calleth it because it is their portion poor souls and they are too too well apaid of it Wealth upon any tearms is welcome to them and those are their lovers that will keep them to it yea though it be the devil himself whose language also here they seem to have learned when they say my corne and my water c. All 's their own if you will beleeve them like as the devill sayd to our Saviour Luk. 4.6 All this wealth is mine and to whomsoever I will I give it But God is the true proprietary the owner of all and it is his alone to say Cui volo do illa Dan. 4.22 The devill is God of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 but t is but titular onely as a king at chesse or at best by usurpation onely as Absalom was a king and as the Pope is Lord of all the kingdomes of the world both for temporals and spirituals to dispose of them at his pleasure When he makes Cardinals he useth these big-swoln words estote confratres nostri et principes mundi Be you brethren to us and princes of the world And by such high honours bishopricks and benefices he prevaileth with very many to be wholy at his devotion One of his poore beneficiaries ingenuously confessed that he and those of his rank preached the gospel for nothing else nisi ut nos pascat vestiat then to get a poore living by it Let Saints say Non est mortale quod opto we breath after better things Rev. 12.1 we have the moon under our feet and are above corn wooll flax c. The devill shall not stop our mouthes with these palterments Balaam may run and ride after the wages of wickednesse and get a sword in his guts Ahab may make a match with mischief and sell himself to do wickedly Judas hunt after lying vanities and hastened to his own place But Moses was of another spirit Heb. 11.37 and refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter Heb. 11.24 And those Worthies in the same chapter that were tempted with offers of profit and preferment could not be won over but resisted the devill and he fled from them The world was crucified to Saint Paul and he to the world He was of too generous a spirit he was no malleable matter all was but dung and dogs-meat in his account Philip. 3.8 D. Taylor martyr was promised not onely his pardon but great promotion yea a Bishoprick but he would none of it Another D. Taylour Bishop of Lincoln Act. mon. fol. 1386. Ib. 1918. Ib. 815. Ib. 1444. Ib. 1578. was violently thrust out of the Parlament-house in his robes in Q. Maries raigne and deprived So was Hirmanius Archbishop of Colen for certain reformations done by the ayd and advice of Martin Bucer I dare say said B. Bonner to Mr. Hawkes martyr that Cranmer would recant if he might have his living so judging others by himself But Latimer and Shaxton parted with their Bishopricks in King Henry the eights time rather then to submit to the six Articles And John Knox refused a Bishoprick offered him by King Edward the sixth as having aliquid commune cum Antichristo so did Miles Coverdale in Q. Elisabeths raigne Knox his life by Mr. Clark chusing rather to continue a poore Schoolmaster Pliny saith of Cato that he took as much glory in those dignities and honours that he denyed as he did in those that he enjoyed He was wont also to say that he had rather men should question why he had no statue or monuments erected to him then why he had Plin. Nat. hist praef Certainely it is so with the Saints and upon better grounds Verse 6. Therefore behold I will hedg up thy way with thorns i. e. with difficulties and distresses So God had fenced up Jobs way that he could not pass Chap. 19.8 he had thrown the cross in his way to stop him in his career And so he had hedged the church about that she could not get out Lam. 3.7 he had enclosed her wayes with hewen stone and made her paths crooked Vers 9. A great mercy if well considered though grievous to the flesh that loveth not to be cooped or kept within compasse Man is fitly compared to a wild-asse colt used to the wildernesse Jer. 2.24 Job 11.12 snuffing up the wind at her pleasure rude and unruly untamed and untractable To be kept by hedges and fences within a pasture seemes to such no small punishment neither count they any thing liberty but licentiousnesse or a merry life unlesse they may have the devil their play-fellow But the devil plaies at no small games capite blanditur ventre oblectat caudâ ligat he playes at swoop-stake he lyes in wait for the precious life as that harlot Prov. 6.26 nothing less will content him In great wisdome therefore and no less mercy to mens souls doth God restrain and bound them by afflictions that they may not run wild as they would nor feed upon the devils commons which would fat them indeed but for the slaughter This made Job prize affliction as a speciall favour Job 7 18. Jerom prayeth Correct me O Lord Chap 10. and Luther to like purpose Feri Domine feri clementer Strike Lord strike it shall be a mercy And King Alfred prai'd God alwayes to send him some sicknesse whereby his body might be tamed and he the better affectioned to God-ward It is observed by one of our Chroniclers Dan hist fol. 14. that Affliction so held in the Saxon Kings in the Danick wars as having little out-lets or leisure for ease and luxury they were made the more pious just and carefull in their government otherwise it had been impossible so to have held out c. Sure it is that if God did not hedge us in as by his hedge of protection Is 5.5 so by his hedge of affliction as here no reason would rule us no cords of kindnesse would containe us within the bounds of obedience David himself before he was afflicted I went astray saith He But God brought him home againe by weeping crosse He once so leapt over the pale that he broke his bones and felt the paine of it to his dying day he brake Gods hedge and a Serpent bit him Eccles 10.8 his conscience flew in his face the guilt whereof is compared by Solomon to the biting of
came first from Babylon For Ninus having made an image of his father Belus this Baal in the text all that came to see it were pardoned for all their offences whence in time that image came to be woâ—shippâ—d A great promoter of this kind of Idolatry in Israel was Ahab in favour of his wife Jezebel and to ingratiate with her kindred 1 King 16.31 and this was the ruine of his house This Baal was by the Zidonians called Jupiter Thalassius or their sea Jupiter and is thought to be their chief God They had their Dij minorum gentium petty gods called in scripture the host of heaven the queen of heaven and a little further in this chapter Baalim the Greeks called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Plato are certain middle-powers or messengers betwixt God and man to carry up prayers and bring down blessings c. Quam autem haec damonum theologia conveniat cum sanctorum et Angelorum cultu apud pseudochristianos res ipsa loquitur Mede in Apoc. pag. 115. saith learned Master Mede How this doctrine of devils or heathen-deities agreeth with Saint-worship Melch. Ad. de Germ. Theol. pag. 815. and Angel-worship among he Papists is easie to be discerned A great stumbling it is to both Jewes and Turkes who know it to be contrary to the first commandment and image-worship to the second Whence the Turkes will not endure any images Lib. 4. no not upon their coynes And Paulus Jovius tells us when Sultan Solyman had taken Buda in Hungary he would not enter into the chief Temple of that city to give praise to Almighty God for the victory till all the images were first down and thrust out of the place We read also of a certain Turkish Embassadour who being demanded why the Turkes did not turn Christians he answered because the Christian Religion is against sense and reason for they worship those things that are of lesse power then themselves and the works of their own hands as these in the text that made them Baal yea as if God had hired them to be wicked they made it of the very gold and silver which he had given them though for a better purpose And this was horrible wickedness hatefull ingratitude This was to sue God with his own mony to fight against him with his own weapons as David did against Goliath as Jehu did against Jehoram and as Benhadad did against Ahab with that life that he had lately given him Zâ—naras in Annal. I read of a monster who that very night that his Prince pardoned and preferred him slew him and raigned in his stead This was Michael Balbus and he is and shall be infamous for it to all posterity Ingratitude is a monster in nature Lycurgus made no law against it quod prodigiosa res esset benesicium non rependere To render good for evil is Divine good for good is humane evil for evil is brutish but evil for good is devilish And yet alasâ—e how ordinary an evil is this amongst us to abuse to Gods great dishonour our health wealth wit prosperity plenty peace friends means day night corn wine silver gold all comforts and creatures our times our talents yea the holy Scriptures the Gospel of grace and our golden opportunities the offers of mercy and motions of the spirit turning our backs upon those blessed and bleeding embracements and pursuing our lusts those idols of our hearts those Baals that is Deut. 32.5 Lords and husbands that have us at their beck and check But is this faire dealing Do we thus requite the Lord foolish and unwise as we are Holy Ezra thinks there is so much unthankfulnesse and dis-ingenuity in such an entertainment of mercy that heaven and earth would be ashamed of it Ezra 9.13 Should we do so saith He oh God forbid us any such wickednesse Others render it which they have sacrificed or dedicated to Baal for Idolaters spare for no cost Dum Deum alienum dotant as some render that text Psal 16.4 whiles they give their goods not to the Saints as David that are on the earth but to another God They lavish gold out of the bag as we read of a certain King of this land who laid out as much as the whole crown revenues came to in a yeare upon one costly crucifix and of another that left by will a very great sum of mony for the transporting of his heart to be buried in the holy land as they called it How profuse papists are in decking their mawmets and monuments of idolatry is better known then that it needeth here to be spoken of Their Lady of Loretto that Queen of heaven as they call her stilo veteri hath her Churches so stuffed with vowed presents and memories Sands his Relat. as they are faine to hang their Cloisters and Churchyards with them Verse 9. Therefore will I returne i. e. I will alter my course change my stand change the way of mine administrations deale otherwise with them then yet I have done they shall bear their iniquities and know my breach of promise as Num. 14.34 they shall know the worth of mine abused mercyes by the want of them another while I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5.15 Finally I will cut them short of alimony and hold them to straight allowance Hos 7.14 and then I shall be sure to heare them howling upon their beds for corne and wine as dogs do that are tied up and cannot come at their meat And take away my corn and my wine those precious fruits of the earth as S. James calleth them James 5.7 the product of Gods great care from years end to years end Deut. 11.12 without which the earth could not yield her increase neither would there be a veine for the silver a mine for the gold iron taken out of the earth or brass molten out of the stone Job 28.3 All that we have is his in true account and he is the great Proprietary Mat. 20.15 who onely can say as he in the gospel May not I do what I will with mine own And what should he sooner and rather do then take away meate from his childe that marrs it If fulnesse breed forgetfulnesse as the fed hawk forgets his master and as the full Moon gets furthest off from the Sun so men when they have all things at the full forget God and wickedly depart from him what can he do lesse then forget them that so they may remember themselves and make fat Ieshurun look with leane cheeks that they may leave kicking Deut. 32.15 Isay 26.9 and learne righteousnesse Neither doth God do this till greatly provoked till there is a cause for it Therefore I will returne He may well say as that Roman Emperour did when he was to pronounce sentence of death Non nisi coactus I
of them as Jacob did Laban of his sheep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 31.10.16 as the Israelites did the Egyptians of their Jewels the same word is used there as here and it is a wonderfull significant word saith Mercer S. Paul imitateth it when he saith the creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption This God doth when he snatcheth away kingdomes from tyrants wealth fron worldlings strength from roysters spirituall common gifts from the proud and secure Zech. 11.17 See the note there when men abuse mercies they forfeit their right in them wicked men have not onely a civill title but a right before God to the things that they possesse It is their portion Psal 17.14 And what Ananias had was his own whiles he had it Act. 5. And God gave Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar as pay for his pains in taking Tyre True it is all was forfeited in Adam but wicked men have yet a right to all they do enjoy in a lawfull way by divine donation till the day of execution As when a traitour hath his life given him for a time at least he hath meate and drink also given him to maintain his life for that time God dealeth not as that cruel Duke D'alva did who starved some prisoners after that he had given them quarter saying Though I promised you your lives Hist of Netherl I promised not to finde you meate That which wicked men are charged with and shall be accountable for is not their right to use the creatures but their not right using them This makes the creature cry in its kinde and long for liberty even as birds do that thrust a long neck out of a cage so much the Apostles word importeth Rom. 8.19 And God who heareth the cry of the widdow and fatherlesse and looseth his prisoners Psal 146.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heares and frees the poor creatures groaning under mans abuse c. Given to cover her nakednesse This is the end of garments so called quasi gardmentes they arme and fence our bodies against the injury of winde and weather against heate of summer cold of winter They also cover our nakednesse and deformity those parts especially that are by an Antiphrasis called verenda pudenda here principally perhaps intended because they ought never to be laid naked but kept covered pudoris gratia for common honesty sake that the shame of thy nakednesse do not appeare Rev. 3.18 Vatab. Nature teacheth to cover our nakednesse Therefore also when a man hath commttted a sin he blusheth the blood as it were would cover the sin But nothing will do that save onely the righteousnesse of Christ the fleece of that immaculate lamb of God whom therefore we must put on Rom. 13.14 in all his offices and efficacies Our first parents indeed were born with the royall robe of originall righteousnesse on their back but the devill soon stript them of it and therehence they became sore ashamed of their bodily nakednesse but chiefly of their spirituall which therefore they sought to hide as they could their privities especially Whence some are of opinion that to look upon the nakednesse of another is a sin against nature The Prophet Habakkuk taxeth it in the Chaldees Chap. 2.15 and the Hebrewes there say It was a filthy custome amongst them common at their feasts Cloathes are the ensignes of mans sin and the cover of our shame To be proud of them is as for a thief to be proud of his halter to brag of them is as for the Lazar to brag of a plaster laid to his filthy sore the finenesse of such is their filthinesse their neatnesse nastinesse as one speaketh Verse 10. And now will I discover her lewdnesse Or her filthinesse basenesse foolishnesse saplessnesse perhaps the same with her nakednesse verse 9. See the Note there How shamelesse the Heathen Idolaters were the worshippers of Priapus especially which Ierome and Isidore say was the same with Baal-peor and made Maacha the mother of Asa guilty of that villany with their infamous Nos pudore pulsa stamus sub Jove coleis apertis c. is notoriously known how they ran about naked in their Lupercalia Bacchanalia and other beastly solemnities God threatneth to make her naked here in another manner Chaldeus reddit ignominiam ut quam velatam desiderabant apertam contemnant Hieron to her utter disgrace and ignominy He had threatned her before with poverty now with scorn and contempt these go seldome asunder but when self-procured they are very grievous See Deut. 28. Fornicatours are fools Ier. 29.23 Gen. 34.7 Shechem committed folly in Israel and is therefore called a lad or a childe ver 19. Neque distulit puer for his witlessenesse as being carried not by right reason but blind affection So Amnon was for this as one of the fools in Israel 2 Sam. 13.12 a Nabal a Nebulo one that falls below the dignity of a man below the stirrup of reason flagitious and profligate Spirituall fornicatours are all this and more They hunt after lying vanities and so forsake their own mercies Jonas 2.8 being singularly foolish as the word here used importeth and miserable by their own election The indignity and iniquity of their practise see Ier. 2.9 10 11 12 13. Satan deals by them as he did by Adam when he gave him an apple for Paradise and set him to the tree of Knowledge that he might not taste the tree of life And like unto them saith a Lapide here is every wicked person who by Satans perswasion preferreth the creature before the Creatour earth before heaven the devil before God hell before heaven sin before sanctity evil before good These are lewd persons of sordid and servile dispositions homines ad servitutem parati as Tiberius said of the Romans men of an under-spirit as those 1 Chron. 4.23 Hedge rogues Mr. Dyke calleth them In the sight of her lovers That her whom they have so desired whiles she was veiled they may deride when laid open There can nothing befall a woman more grievous then to be stript naked but especially before her sweet-hearts Lam. 3.8 All that honoured her despise her because they have seen her nakednesse yea she sigheth and turneth backward It is the paint or the dresse many times that makes the lewd woman lovely Think the same of Idolatry how pompous is it and theatricall but God will detect it and make it ridiculous every day more and more Erasmus was very instrumentall this way and did prejudice Popery by his witty jearing as much as Luther did by his stomacking and inveying saith One. Though it cannot be denied Capito but that Pruriginosa istorum hominum scabies asperiori strigali fricanda fuerat Amama Anibarb Praefat. the scabby hides of those Popelings called for a sharper curry-comb as another Learned man phraseth it and none shall deliver her out of my hand Not her idols not her confederates An idol is nothing in the
him O the never-enough adored depth of Gods free grace and fuperabundant love to his people This David well understood Psal 25.11 and therefore prayed pardon my iniquity for it is great He knew that God both could and would remit more then he could commit and that mercy rejoyceth against judgement whilest God for his own sake though not for ours blotteth out the thick cloud as well as the cloud enormities as infirmities Esay 44.22 See his Non-obstante Psa 106.8 his Resolve Gen. 8.21 and his Mandamus Psal 14.4 and then it must needs be done though no god would do it but himself Mic. 7.18 though no man could imagine how it should be done Esay 55.7 8. I will allure her that is I will effectually perswade her by the preaching of the Gospel Men may speak perswasively but God onely can perswade Gen. 9.27 they may speak to the ear but He to the heart and this He doth to his Elect not onely by a morall perswasion but by an irresistible inward attraction Act. 11.17 by a mercifull violence by making them willing to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth They kisse the Son with a kisse of love and homage having first been kissed with the kisses of his mouth whereupon immediately followes Draw me we will run after thee Cant. 1.1 4. Elisha could more with a kisse then his man could with a staffe in raising the dead child Christs works upon his people fortiter but yet suaviter powerfully Recte Calvin textum hunc reddit Inclinabo eam but yet sweetly he inclineth their hearts to his testimonies and not to covetousness Psal 119.36 and brings them to the obedience of faith monendo potius quam minando docondo quam ducendo If he do seduce them as some render the word here it is for no hurt it is but to speak in a word private with them as one friend may with another it is but to give them his loves as he speakes in the Canticles to shew them his glory as he did Moses to spread before them his beauty and so to catch them by guile as Saint Paul did Corinthians 2 Ep. 12.19 to steal away their hearts before they are awar◠according to that Cant. 6.12 that they thenceforth may be an Amminadib a willing people a free-hearted people Psal 110.3 waiting for the law Esay 42.8 and walking by the rule Gal 6.16 c. Oh it is a blessed thing to be thus allured thus inveigled thus seduced out of the wayes of sin and death into the wayes of holiness and happiness by the doctrine of the Gospel Mercer Rivet which is the true Pitho the Suadae medulla qua capiuntur homines sed bono suo the divine Rhetorike wherewith mens minds are taken but for their greatest good and I will bring her into the wilderness Look how I at first allured my people out of Egypt where they sat by the flesh-pots and enjoyed the pleasures of sin for a season out of Egypt have I called my son that I might set him higher then the Kings of the earth and brought them into the wilderness and there extraordinarily provided for them never was Prince so served in his greatest pomp and spake to their hearts giving them right judgements and true lawes good statutes and commandments Neh. 7.13 to their great comfort Ps 19.8 So will I again do for them and much more then so by Christ in the dayes of the Gospel Indeed as the people at their first setting foot upon the promised land met with trouble in the valley of Achor by the sin of Achan so shall the Saints be sure of troubles but Christ will not leave them comfortless a door of hope he will open unto them in their deepest distresses Death shall be unto them not a trap-door to hell as it is to the wicked but an inlet into life eternall where they shall sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Rev. 15.13 Let the Saints therefore rejoyce in hope be patient in tribulation Vineyards God will give them here some grapes at least of the heavenly Canaan aforehand spirituall benedictions Divine comforts to sustain them such generous wine as shall make the lips of those that are asleep to speak Cant. 7.6 Yea to sing Eph. 5.18.19 Lo such wine of the bests and such songs of joy shall the Saints have for those vines which before he threatened to destroy vers 12. and that mirth which he would cause to cease vers 11. Repentance can turn crosses into comforts and like the Philosophers stone make golden afflictions 1 Pet. 1.7 As it is the fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother viz. sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it is the mother of all mercies and benefits for it is repentance unto life Act. 11.18 yea to salvation and therefore never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 It is that rainbow which if God see shining in our hearts and lives he will not onely not drown us but do us all good and speak comfortably to her Heb. speak to her heart such things as shall chear her up and make her heart leap and even dance Levalto's Confer Gen. 34.3 Ruth 2.13 Judg. 9.3 Pastquam perauxero eam Tremell Benigne alloquar Castalio See Isai 40.1 and comparing 1 Sam. 15.35 Observe that the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nacham signifieth to repent first and then to comfort And to this purpose it is that some translate the text thus After I have brought her into the wilderness and so humbled her thoroughly as I once did her forefathers there I will speak to her heart yea I will take her alone for the purpose even into a solitary wilderness where I may more freely impart my minde to her so some fense it that having her whole desire she may come up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved Cant. 8.5 and so be brought into the bride house with all solemnity Verse 15. I will give her her vineyards from thence or from thenceforth either from that time or from that place God as out of his melting heartedness toward her he thinks she hath suffered double for all her sins Esay 40.1 though she think she hath suffered less then her sins Ezra 9.13 So he is ready upon her repentance to make her strait a plentifull amends He destroyed her vineyards and damped her mirth vers 11.12 Now she shall have all again with advantage not her corn onely for necessity but her vineyards also for delight yea an honest affluence of both She shall have reall manifestations of his love and although he take her into the wilderness yet will he not be unto her a wilderness or a Land of darkness wherefore then should his people say we are Lords we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2.31 why should they not rather reason thus with the prodigall I will go to my father for in his house is bread enough I will return to my first husband
scatter of riches upon the earth by their influence I that stop and unstop those bottles of the skie the clouds which there hang and move though waightie with their own burden I that make the earth to bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and meat to the eater Esay 55.10 c. I will hear the heavens Heb. I will answer that is I will so hear as that I will answer so will not great ones sometimes or if they do yet the poor man speakes supplications but the rich answereth him roughly Solyman 2 The grand Signior when many thousands of his poor Christian subjects Prov. 18.23 to be eased of their heavie taxations fell down before him and offered to turn Mahumetans rejected their conversion and doubled their taxations God hath here a great sort of suppliants Blunts voyage 111. Hom. The Poets fam that Litae or Supplications are alwayes about Jupiter the heaven the earth the corn c. and he heareth and speedeth them all Never any humble petitioner went sad out of his presence Never said he to the house of Israel Seek ye me in vain The Heathen-idols may do so but He scorns it Are their any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain or can the heavens give showers Surely they cannot till God have heard and answered them Jer. 14.22 The genealogie of rain of corn and wine is here resolved into Jehovah and he promiseth to endow his beloved Spouse with them as part though the least part of her joynture All are yours for you are Christs 1 Cor. 3.23 In marrying with the heir you have right to All. Here is omnium rerum ubertas ob Deisemen Christum saith Hier. plenty of all things for Christs sake who where ever he comes cometh with a Cornucopia a horn of salvation besides a largesse of outward comforts This was very necessary doctrine at all times to be taught in the Church lest pressed with miseries men should faint in their minds Christ knowes we have need of these things also and therefore not only bids us pray but promiseth to give us our daily bread by a concatenation of causes by a ladder of providences which the Heathens called Destiny but the Saints call it the harmony of the world agallant description whereof we have Ezâ— 1. far different from the Stoikes Fate or the doctrine of Plato and Aristotle and other of the worlds wizzards concerning the divine providence which they either denied or imbased and they shall hear the earth which being chapt and scorcht seemeth to sollicite showers and fattening influences by an elegant Prosopopoeia as if these insensible creatures understood what they did when men are once in covenant with God all the creatures will be serviceable to them yea greedy to do them good they wil even cry for it Vinum pendulum i.e. vuas Verse 22. And the earth shall hear That is shall bear great store of corn wine and oil new and fresh oil the word signifies newly exprest clear and shining such as is called golden oil Deut. 28.14 Zech. 4. Gods dear children shall have the best of the best Esay 55. Even the kidneyes of wheat or whatsoever dainties the earth can afford them They shall suck honey out of the Rock or if it be but water yet it shall be to them as sweet as hony because therein they taste and see the Lords goodnesse and they have meat to eat that the world wots not of and they shall hear Jezreel that is they shall answer the pains and prayers of Gods people who are here called Jezreel still though the Septuagint â—ead it Israel not to upbraid them with their former wickedness and calamities thereby procured which yet was the first reason of that name given them Ch. 1. but rather to set forth the riches of his grace imparted to such a graceless people And withall to shew that nothing could hinder them from partaking of those covenant-mercies and that happy communion with God whereto they were now restored This very name of theirs once their shame should now turn to their glory Oâ— Jezreel scattered by God which is one signification of the name they should become Jezreel a seed of God which is another that they might comfort themselves with the hope of Christ the promised seed and know that their posteritie should not to degenerate into Gentility but that many of them should embrace Christ and inherite the promises as did Araunah the Jebusite who became a samous Proselyte Zack 9.7 see the Note there and as Jether the Ismaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 〈…〉 saith and religion called an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 and as Christ â—â—â—â—eth himself 〈◊〉 of Nazareth as a title of honour which was once cast upon him as a reproach Verse 23. And I will sow her unto me in the earth Not in the â—ir as once when they were scattered into the four winds of heaven but in the earth which the heavens should hear verse 21. the inhabitants whereof should â—â— multipâ—â—ed and become as the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor numbred Chap. 1.10 See the Note there and Jer. 31.27 Ezek. 36.37 The Preaching of the Gospel iâ— a kind of sowing of seed Psal 129.7 1 Pet. 1.23 and this seeding is in the earth that they may be gathered into heaven where the mower shall fill his hand and he that bindeth sheaves his bosom And although Gods eâ—ect lie here for a time under the cloâ—s yet at length they shal fructifie and many spring from them by whom the name of Christ shall be so propagated He shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Esay 53.10 and I will have mercy upon her Her unhappy name Lorubamah shall be done away and the contrary come in place Lo this is as it were the collogue of the Sermon and it is very comfortable The Sun of righteousness loves not to set in a cloud Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is mercifull Be it that he is once righteous yet he is both gracious and mercifull for it Psal 116.5 The Jewes for their seventie years captivity in Babylon had seven seventies of yeers set forth by Daniels weeks granted for the enjoying of their own country Gods mercie bear the same proportion to his punishments when he hath to deal with his elect people which seven a complete number hath to an unity This promise here made the Apostle testifieth Rom. 9.25 to be begun to be fulfilled in his time by the conversion of some Jewes and calling of some Gentiles The full accomplishment thereof we daily expect and pray for and I will say to them that is I will make them so as when he said to Lazarus come forth of the grave he brought him forth together with his word there went forth a power and they shall say Dicere nstrum est fides et
Pekah as he had done Pekahiah Menahem killed Shallum as Shallum had done Zacharias so true is that of the Poet Ad generum Cereris sine caede sanguine pauci Descendunt Reges Juvenal siccâ morte tyranni What got most of the first Caesars by their adoption or designation to the Empire Nisi ut citius interficerentur but to be killed so much the sooner All or most of them till Constantine died unnaturall deaths As afterwards Phocas the traytour killed the good Emperour Mauritius stewing him in his own broth Heraclius slew Phocas putting him to a shamefull and tormentfull death c. Conradinus King of Germany and Duke of Sweveland was beheaded by Charles King of Naples and Sicily Balthas exner Val. Max. Christian. pag. 274. and the heads-man presently beheaded by another ne extaret qui jactaret tam generosum sanguinem à se effusum saith mine Authour that there might not be any left to boast that he had spilt so noble blood Our Richard the third Daniels hist 249. that bloody and deceitfull man is said to have used the instruments of his cruell plots his cut-throats I mean as men do their candles burn the first out to a snuffe and then having lighted another tread that under-foot Faux that fatall actor of the intended Powder-tragedy should have been thus rewarded by his brethren in evil had the plot taken effect It is that famous and never to be forgotten fifth of November 1651. wherein I writ these lines And therefore in way of thankfulnesse to our ever-gracious Deliverer I here think good to set down the relation as Mr. John Vicars in his Quintessence of cruelty or Poem of the popish Powder-plot hath declared it to the world as he had it from Mr. Clement Cotton the Composer of the English Concordance who also received it from Mr. Pickering of Titsmarsh-grove in North-hampton-shire and it is thus This Mr. Pickering being in great esteem with King Iames had an horse of speciall note on which he used to hunt with the King This horse was borrowed of him a little before the blow was to be given by his brother in law Keyes one of the Conspiratours and conveyed to London for a bloody purpose which thus was plotted Faux on the day of the fatall blow was appointed to retire himself to St. Georges-fields where this said horse was to attend him to make his escape so soon as the Parlament-house was blowen up It was likewise contrived that the said Mr. Pickering noted for a Puritan should be that very morning murthered in his bed and secretly conveyed away As also that Faux himself should have been murthered in St. Georges-fields and there so mangled and cut in pieces as that it might not be discovered who he was Whereupon it was to be bruited abroad that the Puritans had blown up the Parliament-house And the better to make the world beleeve so there was Mr. Pickering with his horse ready to make an escape but that God stirred up some who seeing the hainousnesse of the fact and he ready to escape by flight in detestation of so horrible a deed fell upon him and killed him and so had hackt him in pieces And yet to make it to be more apparant to be so indeed there was his horse found also which was of speciall speed and swiftnesse to carry him away and upon this rumour as massacre should have gone thorow the whole Kingdome upon the Puritans But when this plot thus contrived was confest by some of the Conspiratours and Faux in the Tower was made acquainted with it who had been born in hand to be bountifully rewarded for that his service in the Catholike cause when he saw how his ruine was contrived he also thereupon confessed freely all that he knew touching that horrid and hideous conspiracie which before all the torture of the rack could not force him to The truth of all this is attested by Mr. William Perkins an eminent Christian and Citizen of London who had it from the mouth of Mr. Clement Cotton which I could not but here insert as coming to my minde and Pen on the very day whereon 46. years since it should have been acted when my self was but four yeers of age and it being the utmost that I can remember but if ever I forget let my right hand forger her cunning Remember O Lord these children of Edom Psal 134.5 7 8. c. these Romish Edomites Esauites Jesuites who said Rase it Rase it even to the foundation O daughter of Babylon c. The Rabbines call the Romists Edomites they interpret the mount of Esau Obad. ver 21. to be meant of Rome and well they may for their blood-guiltinesse for which they are hated of God Psal 5.6 Who cannot but remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their sins as a cart-rope have reached up to heaven Rev 18.5 there having been a concatenation or a continued series of them as the Greek there imports and as some here interpret blood touching blood according to Esay 1.15 Your hands are full of blood And Chap. 4.4 The filth of the daughter of Zion and the blood of Jerusalem This sence the Chaldee Paraphrase maketh The Septuagint with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingle blood with blood seem to understand it of incestuous matches and mixtures forbidden Levit. 18.6 and yet avowed by David George and his disciples and practised in the Court of Spain by Papall dispensation Verse 3. Therefore shall the land mourn Here the Lord proceeds to give sentence and it is dreadfull indeed Lugebit terra languebit incola c. You will not mourn therefore your land shall the ugly face of your sin shall appear in the miserable desolation of your Countrey There is no truth mercy or knowledge of God in your land which even groans under your burden the axeltree thereof being ready to break therefore it shall be eased of you by my sore and great and strong sword which shall soon make work amongst you and lay all wast And as Gods red horse of warre is followed by the black horse of famine and that blace one by the pale horse of pestilence Rev. 6.4 5 8. so shall it be here As by swearing and lying c. you have broke out so shall my whole wrath break out upon you as mighty torrent As blood hath touched blood so punishment shall follow hard upon sin for these two are knit together with chains of Adamant saith the Poet. if thou do evil sin lies at the door saith God Gen. 4.7 that is supplicium imminet idque proximum praesentissimum saith Junius there Evil shall hunt the wicked man to destroy him his sin shall find him out as a blood-hound and haunt him as an hell-hag Where iniquity breaks-fast calamity will be sure to dine to sup where it dines and to lodge where it sups No sooner had man sinned but the earth was cursed for his sake Gen. 3.17
gapes for him where he shall rue it among reprobates Well he may flourish a while and feel no hurt as Saul did not of many years after his rejection and as the Pharisees after Christ had said of them Let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind Mat. 15. But they shall pine swelter away in their iniquities Lev. 26.39 which is the last of those dismall plagues there threatened they shall not be purged till Gods wrath hath rested upon them Ezek. 24.13 so that now they may go and serve every one his idols sith they have such a mind to it Ezek. 20.39 and sith they have made a match with mischief they may take their belly-full of it Oh let us feare lest this should be any of our cases that God should say let him alone he is resolved of his way and I of mine he will have his swinge in sin and I am bent to have my full blow at him I am fully perswaded saith a Reverend man now with God that in these dayes of grace the Lord is much more quick and peremptory in rejecting men then heretofore the time is shorter neither will he wait so long as he used to do See for ground of this Heb. 2.3 God is oft quick in the offer of his mercy Go and preach the Gospel saith Christ Go and be quick tell men what to trust to that as fooles they may not be semper victuri ever about to be better but never begin to set seriously to work He that beleeveth shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall be damned I shall not longer dally with him Destruction cometh and they shall seek peace and there shall be none Mischief shall come upon mischief and rumour upon rumour then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priest and counsel from the ancient c. Ezek. 7.25.26 when men are even dropping into hell and have an hell afore-hand in their consciences then they 'le send hastily for the minister as they did in the sweating-sicknesse here so long as the ferventnesse of the plague lasted Then the Ministers were sought for in every corner you must come to my Lord you must come to my Lady c. But what if God have said of such a one Let him alone as he reproved Samuel for mourning for Saul and as he forbad Jeremy to pray for the Jewes and his Apostles to take care for the Pharisees Oh how dreadfull is that mans condition and what can a Minister say more then what the king of Israel said to the woman that complained to him of the scarcity of Samaria If the Lord help thee not 2 King 6.27 whence shall I help thee out of the barne-floore or out of the winepresse If any dram of comfort be applied to a wicked man the truth of God is falsified and that Minister will be reckoned amongst the devils dirt-dawbers upholsters Ezek. 13.18 that dawb with untemper'd morter sow pillowes under mens elbowes Let such alone therefore and let God alone to deale with them Verse 18. Their drink is sowre That is they are past grace and it is now past time a day to do them good for thou seest how the matter mends with them even as sowre alemends in summer and how they even stink above ground as Psal 14.2 Vina probantur odore colore sapore c. but their wine hath neither good colour smell nor favour or tast it 's dead and gone and they are as trees twice dead and rotten Jude and therefore pulled up by the roots such as the Latines call vappae that is past the best and now good for nothing See Esay 1.22 what life or sweetnesse can be in Apostates yea how sowre and unsavoury to such are all fleshly comforts They use to drink away their terrours and drive away their melancholy dumps with merry company But will that hold what are such plasters better then the devils Anodynes then his whistle to call men off from better practises there is a cup in the hands of the Lord it is full of mixture but extreme sowre and the very dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them up Psal 75.8 though it be eternity to the bottom they have committed whoredome continually Here they are taxed for whoredome as before for drunkennesse so some carry it and afterwards for covetousnesse This is that flagitiorum triga whereby the Prophet perswadeth Judah to shake off Israel as not fit to be conversed with He had charged them before with fornication of both sorts here he sheweth how unwearied they were in their wickednesse and withall how intense for fornicando fornicati sunt they have done wickedly as they could they have eeked out their idolatries and adulteries and though wearied and even wasted with the multitude of their wickednesses yet they have not given over but are unsatisfiable and would sin in perpetuum as that filthy fornicatour who said he would desire no other heaven but to live for ever on earth and to be carried from one brothel-house to another She hath wearied her self with lies and yet her great scum went not forth out of her Therefore shall it be in the fire Ezek 24.12 Therefore shall gracelesse wretches be tormented for ever because they would sin for ever and therefore suffer all extreamity Mic. 7. because they do wickedly with both hands earnestly wofully wasting the marrow of their time the flower of their age the strength of their bodies the vigour of their spirits in the persuit of their lusts in the froth and filth whereof is bred that worme that never dieth which is nothing else but the furious reflection of the soul upon its own once wilfull folly and now wofull misery her rulers with shame do love Give ye Her shields o shamefull do love Give ye where there is in the originall an elegant Agnomination that cannot be englished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahabhu hibhu Dilexerunt Afferte not Afferre as the Vulgar corruptly readeth it The Dorick dialect the horsleaches language Give Give they are perfectly skilled in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gift-greedinesse is all their delight like the ravens of Arabia that full gorged have a tuneable sweet record but empty screech horribly Plerique offictarij saith One Very many rulers do as Plutarch reporteth of Stratocles and Dromoclites a couple of corrupt officers Plutarch in politic qui sese mutuo ad messem auream invitare solebant who were wont to invite one another to the golden harvest thereby meaning the Court and the judgment-seate These follow the administration of justice as a trade onely with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gaine which iustifieth the common resemblance of the Courts of iustice to the Bush whereunto while the sheep flieth for defence in weather he is sure to lose part of his fleece Now are these Sheilds are they not
for I will give them to do it both to will it and to work it for otherwise afflictions Gods hammers do but beat cold iron wicked men grow worse for corrections as water is more cold after a beat as naughty boyes are more stubborn or more stupid after a whipping These also may cry to God as prisoners at the bar or malefactours upon the rack yea seek him early after a sort and yet not finde him Prov. 1.27 no though they seek him with their herds and flocks Hos 5.6 because they seek him not early and earnestly or diligently as Prov. 7.15 inflamedly as Baruch Nehe. 3.20 and Jabez 1 Chro. 4.10 accurately and anxiously as the Church sought her beloved Cant. 5.1 as the Virgin Mary sought her lost Son Luke 2. they seek him not for himself but for his corn wine and oil Hos 7.14 they seek not him but his they seek him not till they have nothing else to seek to Most justly therefore may God reject their suits and regest upon them Judg. 10. Depart from me ye wicked Get ye to the gods whom ye have chosen c. Justly may he say to them as once Jephta did to his country men Do ye now come to me in your distresse who in your prosperity said unto me Depart from us we will none of the knowledge of thy wayes Those that will finde God must seek him early O satisfie us early with thy mercies Psal 90.14 They must seek him early and late too Esay 26.9 alwayes and by all means as the Apostle speaketh in another case but especially in affliction as here for he lookes for it Our Saviour being in an agony prayed more intensively so did David out of the deep Jonah out of the whales belly the Church when she was in danger as she thought of losing God then she set up her note and cryed Thou art put in the midst of us Jer. 14.9 leave us not Extingui lucem nec patiare tuam Thus afliction exciteth devotion in the Saints and although they seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore yet especially In their distresse they cryed unto the Lord and he heareth them Psal 120.1 in the night of affliction they take the light of a lively faith and seek him early And that they may not fail to finde him they call in help of others as here in the next chapter Come and let us return c. CHAP. VI. Verse 1. COme and let us return unto the Lord c. So sweetly was Gods expectation answered as likewise it was in David Psal 27.8 No sooner could God say Seek ye my face but his holy heart answered as it were by an eccho Thy face Lord will I seek Look what God aimeth at in his administration to his elect he will have it He will have out the price of his Sons blood who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity c. Tit. 2.14 and that he might give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins Act. 5.31 See the proof and practice hereof in these Jewish converts Come and let us return to the Lord c. See how in those dayes and at that time the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together going and weeping they shall go and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Jer. 54 5. Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Judah and Israel could not agree at other times but when they are in a weeping condition then they could when they passed through the valley of Bara Psal 84. and made it a Bochim with their penitent tears even they could go from strength to strength or from company to company one company coming this way and another that and not rest untill every one of them in Zion appeareth before God Psal 84.6 â— This was fulfilled partly when the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion out of Babylon and those that had sown in tears reaped in joy those that went forth weeping and bearing precious seed came again with rejoycing and brought their sheaves with them Psal 126.5.6 confer Jer. 29.13 partly under their captivity and oppression by the Romanes which was when Christ came and by his Apostles converted thousands to the faith so that multitudes of them were â—aily added to the Church Acts 2. and 3. And lastly at that long looked for calling of the Jewes when they shall flie to Christ crucified as the doves unto their windows Isai 60.20 when they shall bring their brethren as an offering to the Lord upon horses in chaerets and in litters that is though sick weakly and unfit for travell yet rather in litters then not at all every one exciting other and saying Come and let us return unto the Lord. c. Return unto him from whom we children of Israel have deeply revolted Isai 31.6 Let us not pine away in our transgressions aa those Ezek. 33.10 for yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 we have done all this wickednesse yet let us not turn aside from following the Lord for this were to adde rebellion to sin 1 Sam. 12.20 this were worse then all the rest Come let us return unto the Lord By our sins we have run from him by repentance let us return unto him See for this the Note on Zach. 1.2 If the wicked have their Come Prov. 1.11 Esay 56. ult should not the Saints have theirs as Esay 2.3 Zech. 13.21 See the Note Should not Andrew call Philip and Philip Nathaneel as one linke in a chain doth another c. True grace is communicative charity is no churle the Saints like not to go to heaven alone For he hath torn Rapuit not cepit as the vulgar by a foul mistake of capio for rapio in the Hebrew Lexicons Here these converts confesse that their affliction neither came forth of the dust Job 5.6 nor without their desert they acknowledge God to be the Lion that tore them Chap. 5.14 and not without cause for that they had wickedly departed from him This is is one property of true repentance still to justifie God and to say as Mauritius the Emperour did after David when he saw his wife and children slain by the traytour Phocas c. Righteous art thou O Lord in all thy wayes and just in all thy proceedings Another property of it is Psa 119.137 to bring a man to God with some assurance of healing He will heal us For he is Iehovah the Physician Exod. 15.26 Now Omnipotenti medico nullus insanabilis occurrit morbus saith Isidore To an Almighty Physician no disease can be uncurable Ephraim went to the Assyrian upon sight of his disease but he could not heal him Chap. 5.13 But God both can and will Here he is compared both to a Physician he will heal and
shall break his clods Judah doth the worst of the work and suffers more hardship in the wayes of my worship and is held under by Israel as appeareth in the second book of Kings chap. 10.16 c. Jacob that is the ten Tribes did onely break the clods or harrow which is the lighter work and should therefore have been done with more delight But they love to take their ease and onely follow after their pleasure and profit and though taught to plow yet like it not because laborious no though they have Judah for an example of better Verse 12. Sowe to your selves in righteousnesse reap in mercy Righteousnesse is a sure seed a precious grain which those that sowe and every action of our life is a sowing shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing and bring their sheaves with them Psal 126.6 Onely they must not look to sowe and reap all in one day as one saith of the Hyperborean people far North that they sowe shortly after the Sun-rising with them and reap before the Sun-set that is because the whole half year is one continuall day with them The Church is Gods husbandry Heresbach de re rust 1 Cor. 3.9 the seed is the Word of God Luke 8.11 Ministers are Gods husband-men harvest-men Matth. 9.37 38. the plough Luke 9.62 plough-staff Luke 13.8 axe Mat. 3.10 are the Lawes threatnings the fruit-causing rain are the promises of the Gospel Esay 55.10 11. faith that works by love are the fruits the last day the harvest Mat. 13.39 40 41. Then at utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that sowe bountifully or in blessings as the Greek hath it shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 He that soweth seemeth to cast away his seed but if he sowe in locis irriguis as Eccles 11. 1. Ezek. 34.26 upon fat and fertile places he knowes he shall receive his own with usury In some parts of Egypt where the river Nilus overfloweth they do but throw in their seed and they have four rich harvests in lesse then four moneths S. H. Blounts voyag 77. Oh sowe bountifully the seeds of piety and charity into Gods blessed bosome and then be sure to reap plentifull mercy in thy greatest necessity reap in the month of mercy as the Originall here hath it that is according to the measure of divine mercy see Levit. 27.16 Exod. 16.16 proportionably to the infinitenesse of Gods mercy Now the Scripture hath three notable words to expresse the fulnesse of Gods mercy in Christ to those that sowe in righteousnesse Ephes 2.7 the abundant riches of his grace that are cast in over and above Rom. 5.20 The grace of God hath been more then exceeding there 's a second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.14 The grace of God was exceeding abundant It had a pleonasme before yea but here 's a superpleonasme here 's good measure pressed down Luk. 6.38 shaken together and running over shall God give into mens bosomes Like as when a poor man asked Mr. Fox for an alms he finding him religious gave him his horse Or as Alexander gave one that craved some small courtesie of him a whole citie And when the poor man said It was too much for him to receive yea Non quaero quid te accipere deceat sed quid me dare Sen. de benef l. 2. c. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not for me to give said he So God giveth liberally and like himself Jam. 1.5 He doth not shift off his suiters as once a great Prince did a bold begging Philosopher He asked a groat of him and the king told him it was too little for a king to give He requested the king then to give him a talent the king replied It was too much for a begger to crave Certain it is that God in his spirituall blessings and mercies to us is wont to regard not so much what is fit for his to ask or expect as what standeth with his goodnesse and greatnesse to bestow If Israel had a hundred-fold increase of his seed those that sowe to themselves in righteousnesse Gen. 26 1◠by doing and suffering Gods will shall have much more Even an hundred-fold here and eternall life hereafter Matth. 19.29 so great a gain is godlinesse so sure a grain is righteousnesse who would not then turn spirituall seeds-man break up your fallow ground sc of your hearts that ye sowe not among the thornes Jee 4.3 The breaking up of sinfull hearts is a singular meanes to prevent the breaking down of a sinfull nation Hence the Prophet though almost out of hope of any good to be done upon his desperate countreymen resolves to try one more exhortation to them and as in the morning he had sowed his seed Eccles 11.6 so in the evening he with-holdeth not his hand for who can tell whether it may not prosper and whether in the midst of threats they might not suffer a word of exhortation Heb. 13.22 and whether it might not leave some impression being delivered in few words Sowe therefore saith he to your selves in righteousnesse c. but first break up your fallow ground Innovate vobis novale Repent and be renued in the spirit of your mindes in spirit and speech in mindes and manners in constitution and conversation in the purpose of your hearts and practise of your lives Old things are past 2 Cor. 5.17 let all things become new turn up the turf stock up and stub up the roots and weeds get into Christ and become a new creature Till this be done men are in an undone condition though they should spend their whole time in gathering up pearls and jewels for it is time to seek the Lord High time sith your souls lie upon it Plowmen we know are carefull to take their time so are all others wise enough in their generation The wayfaring-man travelleth while it is light The Seafaring-man takes his opportunity of winde and tide The Smith smites whiles the iron is hot The Lawyer takes his terme-time to entertaine Clients dispatch suits The men of Issachar were in great account with David because they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do 1 Chron. 12.32 so are they with God that regard and use the seasons of grace that seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Esay 55.6 that put in the plough set upon the practise of repentance after a showre when the heart is best affected after God by his Word and Spirit hath taught so some render the Text or rained righteousnesse upon them Rain comes from heaven so doth every good and perfect giving Rain poures down plentifully Psal 68.9 thou didst send a plentifull rain on thine inheritance so do the showres of righeousnesse on good hearts Not a drop of rain falls in vain or in a wrong place but by a divine decree Job 28.26 so here Seek it in time and we shall not fail
shall be upon such as it was upon Balaam Satans spelman they shall be a portion for foxes Psal 63.10 as those that Astutam vapido servant sub pectore vulpem because of their own counsels He that goeth to school to his own carnall reason is sure to have a fool to his master an ignis fatuus that will bring him into the bogges and briers The wisdome of the fiesh is enmitie to God Nemo laeditur nisi à seipso See the Note on chap. 10. vers 6. Vers 7. My people are bent to backsliding from me they have a principle of Apostacie in them as those Galathians had of whom the Apostle I marvaile that you are so soon removed unto another Gospell Gal. 1.6 and as those old Apostates in the wildernesse who so soon as Moses his back was turned almost cryed out to Aaron Make us golden Gods This people was before accused to be acted by a spirit of fornication a certain violent impetus a strong inclination to whoredome and to be apt to backslide with a perpetuall backsliding all their recidivations and revolts were but a fruit of the bent of their spirits which were false and unsettled not resolved whether yet to turne to God though they were beset with so many mischiefs they hangd in suspence and rather inclined to the negative then else Suspensi sunt so Calvin Pareus and others read this text My people are in suspence or in a mamering whether to turne to me or not they hang in doubt as the same word is rendred Deut 28.66 God liketh not that his people should stand doubtfull as Sâ—â—pticks and adhere to nothing certainly to be in religion as idle beggars are in their way ready to goe which way soever the staffe falleth but that they should strive to a full assurance in what they beleeve Luk. 1.4 to be fully perswaded as ver 1. and to a firm purpose of heart in what they should practise Act. 11.23 Irresolution against sin or for God can hardly consist with the power of Godlinesse be not off and on with him halt not hang not in doubt what to do but follow God fully as Caleb did come off freely as David who had chosen Gods precepts when he was solicited to have done otherwise Psal 119.173 And again I have chosen the way of truth thy judgements have I laid before me ver 30. I have waighed them and am resolved to keep them I am come to a full determination Mr. Deodate senseth the words thus They desire and expect that I should turn in favour to them and relieve them whereas they should turn to me by repentance which they will not do and herein he followeth Arias Montanus Thus those stiffnecked Jewes in Jeremy expected that God should still deale with them however they dealt with him according to all his wondrous works chap. 21.2 presuming and promising themselves impunity and thus Judas also had the face to ask Mat. 26.25 as the rest did Is it I as resting upon Christs accustomed gentlenesse and that he would conceale him still as he had done certain daies before though they called them to the most High They that is the Prophets as vers 2. called them with great importunity upon every opportunity to the most High to God in opposition to those Dii minutuli petty deities whom they doted on See chap. 7.16 to come up to him to have high and honourable conceptions of Him not casting him in a base mould as those miscreants did Psal 50.21 but saying as David and with a David-like spirit Thous Lord art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all Gods and there-hence inferring Ye that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97.9.10 I am God Almighty walk before me and be upright Gen. 17.1 The God of glory appeared to Abraham Act. 7.2 he so conceived of God and hence his unchangeable resolutions for God none at all would exalt him Heb. together he exalted not scarce a Hee a single man that would do it that would lift up his head to listen to such good counsel so some sence it or that would exalt and extol the most High who though he be high above all praise as Neh. 9.5 and cannot be praised according to his excellent greatnesse Yet is he pleased to account himself exalted and magnified by us when considering the infinite distance and disproportion that is betwixt him and us we lay our selves low at his feet for mercy we set him up in our hearts for our sole Soveraign 2 Sam. 18.3 we esteem him as the people did David more worth then ten thousand we give him room in our soules and with highest apprehensions most vigorous affections and utmost endeavours wee bestow our selves upon him as the only Worthy Now this is done but of a very Few and well done but of fewer yet so drossy and drowsy are mens spirits and so little is the Lord liâ—ted up by the sons of men See the Prophet Esay his complaint chap. 64.7 Vers 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim Here beginneth the second part of this chapter full of many sweet Evangelicall promises and here if ever Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cervix or treadeth on the very neck of it as St. James his word importeth chap. 2.13 The Lord seemeth here to be at a stand or at strife with himself about the destruction of this people fore-threatened which well might have been a gulf to swallow them up and a grave to bury them in for ever being most worthy to perish as were the Cities which God destroyed in his wrath Gen. 19. Howbeit God in the bowels of his mercy earning and taking pitty of his Elect amongst them for he had reserved 7000. hidden ones that had not bowed their knees to Baal spareth to lay upon them the extremity of his wrath and is ready to save them for his mercies sake Heare how father-like he melts over them how should I expose thee O Ephraim how should I deliver thee up O Israel How should I dispose the as Admah how should I set thee as Zeboim q. d. Justice requires that I should lay thee utterly wast and even rain down hell from heaven upon thee as once upon Sodom and her sisters But Mercy interposeth her four several How 's in the Originall two onely expressed but the other 2. necessarily understood and by Interpreters fitly supplied foure such patheticall Interrogations as the like are not to be found in the whole book of God and not to be answered by any but God himself as indeed he doth to each particular in the following words My heart is turned within me that is the first answer The second My repentings are kindied together The third I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath The fourth I wil not return to destroy Ephraim And why First I am God and not Man Secondly the Holy One in the middest of thee My heart is turned or
to have a fool to their Master That 's a good saying of Solomon Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto thine own understanding in matters of Gods worship especially for there Deus damnat quicquid arridet judicio hominum vel rationi Calv. in loc that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16.15 all of it the work of the craftsmen And should men worship the work of their own hands what can be imagined more irrationall and sottish But it is a most righteous recompence of their errour See Esay 29.13 14. God doth blinde and blast such Rom. 1.27 causing their madnesse to appear to all and that they are men compact of meer incongruities solaecising in opinion speeches actions all nothing is more irrationall then irreligion they say of it Let the men that sacrifice kisse the calves They that is the king and his counsellours or the idolatrous priests by their appointment These were active to invite and incite men to partake of those idolatrons services Should we be lesse diligent in calling upon others to kisse the Son with a kisse of love and homage should we not be as serious and sedulous in building stair-cases for heaven as the wicked are in digging dâ—â—â—nts to hell kisse the calves That the custome of kissing in divine worship was used in all Nations is evident They kissed either the idols mouth or their own hand where the idoll stood on high so that they could not come at it in token of homage See 1 King 19.8 Job 31.27 Aderare est quasi applicare manum ad os So after the example of Dioclesian the Pope holds forth his foot to be kissed by the greatest Potentates whiles he sitteth as God in the Temple of God c. Verse 3. Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud They shall vanish and come to nothing the morning cloud irradiated by the Sun seems very gay at first but is soon dispelled by it the dew lies very lovely upon the grasse and seems to impearl it but is soon dried up See chap. 6.4 The chaff lies hollow and high but is soon disperst before a whirl-wind See Psal 35.5 Dan. 2.35 Psal 1.5 The smoke rowls out of the chimney as if it were some solid substance and would muâ—â—e the whole heavens but is presently scattered Evaporat evanescit the higher it ascendeth the sooner it vanisheth See here how that is verified chap. 12.10 I have used similitudes by the ministery of my Prophets four in a breath wee have here and be hereby advertised 1. Of mans weaknesse 2. Of Gods power 3. Of the swiftnesse of Ephraims ensuing misery 4. The severity of Gods deaâ—ing with Idolaters he will leave no signe nor remaine of them he will utterly remove them as a man takes away dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till it be gone 1 King 14.19 Sic transit gloria mundi Life it self is but a shadow a dream yea a dream of a shadow Psal 144.4 profit an uncertainty 1 Tim. 6.17 pleasure a spirt honour a blast pomp a phancy Act. 25.23 the whole world a scheme or notion that hath nothing in it of any firmnesse or solid consistency Why then should wicked worldlings brag 1 Cor 7.31 and look so big Why should the Saints be affected either with it's allurements or affrightments and not cry out with that heroicall Luther Contemptus est a me Romanus favor furor I care neither for Romes favour nor fury I am neither fond of the one nor afraid of the other for all is but fumus aut funus vanity and vexation Verse 4. Yet I am the Lord thy God c. Yet for all the sorrow and though I thus threaten thee for since I spake against thee I do earnestly remember thee still c. Jer. 31.20 It is easie to observe all along this Chapter an interchange of menaces and mercies as in the preceding verse and this so verse 8. and 9. verse 13. and 14. verse 16. and chap. 14.1 to shew how soon the Lord repents him of the evil and how ready to shew mercy to the worst that return If men could but finde a penitent heart he would easily finde a pitying heart like as David would have been friends with Absalom after all the unkindnesse would he have been but better at last To reduce Ephraim it was that this Chapter like checquer-work is made up of promises and threatnings that the tartnesse of the one might make him the better to taste the sweetnesse of the other Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt See the Note on Chap. 12.9 He was their God before Gen. 17.7 but then he mainly manifested himself so to be when he brought them thence with a strong hand and so declared himself to be Jehovah Exod. 6.2 yea I am ready to shew thee the like mercy still for I remember saith he the kindnesse of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the wildernesse in a land that was not sowen Ier. 2.2 and thou shalt know no God but me i. e. Effectually acknowledge worship serve love none save me Deut. 13.2 Gal. 4.9 Thou shalt experience none other it is a blessed thing to be ignorant of false-worship and not to be insighted into or versed in the depths of Satan Rev. 2.24 Thou shalt not enquire how these Nations worshipped their gods Deut. 12.30 Ahaz got hurt by seeing the Altar at Damascus Many that will needs see the Popish-service are ensnared thereby for there is no Saviour beside me This is a Title that God much glorieth in See Esay 60.16 and 63.1 Act. 5.31 and we should go oft to him in this Name as Ier. 14.8 sith he is able to save them to the utmost that come unto him Heb. 7.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save them perpetually and perfectly He is a sole Saviour a thorow Saviour a Saviour in solidum and doth not his work to the halves as Papists make it How blasphemous is that direction of theirs to dying men to say Joyn Lord mine obedience with those things which Christ suffered for me c. Verse 5. I knew thee in the wildernesse in a place of great drought In terra torridissima where I gave thee pluviam escatilem petram aquatilem as Tertullian phraseth it where I gave thee bread from heaven set the flint abroach Tert. de patientiae Psal 78.20 24 kept thy clothes whole and fit kept back thine enemies led thee by a pillar of cloud sent thee in flesh at Even and bread in the Morning served thee as never Prince was served in his greatest pomp And wilt thou yet kisse the calf qui te nec servat nec satiat ut ego who neither saveth thee nor satisfieth thee as I have done not suffering thee to lack any thing Deut. 2.7 but crowning thee with loving kindnesse
Covenant shall come up from the wildernesse where the winds blow most fiercely because they meet with no resistance and his spring shall become dry c. This is a description of extreme desolation and it is explained and amplified in the next words he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels He that is the Assyrian not Christ as Hierom Mercer and Ribera will have it who shall take away from Death and Hell all matter of glorying Not the fire of the last day as Lyra. No nor Ephraim as Pareus and Tarnouius carry it as if it were a promise of their conquest in Christ over all their enemies corporall and spirituall dividing the spoil of the converted Gentiles who shall come in to them with all their desireable things as some read that Text Hag. 2.7 Confer Am. 9.11 12. Obad. 18. Zech. 14.14 16 20 21. That this whole verse containeth a promise of Ephraim's reduction to the Church of God I could easily yeeld reading it especially as many good Interpreters do For he shall fructifie among his brethren after that an East-wind coming a wind of Jehovah coming up from the desert his spring shall become dry and his fountain shall dry up the same shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels This is a similitude say they from a piece of ground all dried up and parched that nothing is able to grow notably expressing the miserable and distressed estate of this people that as an easterly wind and a tempestuous storm hath dried them quite and spoiled all their delightfull treasures made them the vilest and most contemptible of the earth Marcellinus tells of an Emperour Am. Marcel lib. 2. that meeting with some of this Nation and annoyed with the sight and stench of them cryed out ô Marcommani ô Quadi ô Sarmatae c. O Marcoman's Quades and Sarmatians I have found at length a more loathsome and sordid people then you All which notwithstanding Ephraim shall flourish again and hold up their head among their brethren sc by the merit and spirit of Him who ransometh them from the power of the grave from the dint of death This sence of the words is confirmed by that which followes in the next Chapter vers 5 6 7. Verse 16. Samaria shall become desolate Here many begin the fourteenth Chapter but not so well for this verse evidently cohereth with the former and sheweth that Ephraim shall not onely be plundered rea peragetur but butchered by the Assyrian by their own default Samaria shall become desolate or be found guilty as the Chaldee hath it and the words may bear How can she be otherwise when as she hath rebelled against her God she hath imbittered him or bitterly provoked him to wrath as chap. 12.15 See the Note there who therefore sent in the Assyrian to desolate her that bitter and hasty Nation to march thorow the breadth of the land to possesse the dwelling places that were not theirs Hab. 1.6 This was a bitter affliction but behold a worse they shall fall by the sword they shall lose not their land onely and the treasures of all their pleasant vessels as verse 15. but their dearest lives which to save a man will gladly part with all that he hath Job 2.4 or submit to any servile employment as the Gibeonites in Ioshuah's dayes did who were willing to take hard on as slaves and underlings rather then to be cut off with the rest of the Canaanites their infants shall be dashed in pieces Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their sucklings that are ordinarily spared for their innocencie ignoscency c. See chap. 10.14 with the Note and consider that infants are not so innocent though they have yet done neither good nor evil but that God may justly inflict upon them all torments here and tortures in hell for the guilt of originall sinne that cleaveth to their natures Howbeit this excuseth not the barbarous cruelty of his executioners who shall be surely and suitably punished Psal 137.8 and their women with childe shall be ript up Of this kinde of savage inhumanity see Am. 1.13 2 King 8.11 15.16 where you shall finde that the tyrant Menahem ript the infants of Tiphsah out of their mothers bellies because their fathers opened not the gates unto him The like cruelty was exercised in the Sicilian Vespers and Parisian Massacre by those Romish Edomites maugre whose malice Ephraim is yet fruitfull the Church flourisheth Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia sanguine crescit CHAP. XIV Verse 1. OIsrael return unto the Lord Vsque ad Dominum as far as to the Lord give not the half but the whole turn and take it for a mercy that you are yet called upon to return and may be received that yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing All the former part of the Prophesie had been most-what Comminatory this last Chapter is wholly Consolatory the Sun of righteousnesse loves not to set in a cloud Ezr. 10.2 return unto the Lord thy God He is yet thy God no such argument for our turning to God as his turning to us Zach. 1.3 See the Note there Tantùm velis Deus tibi praeoccurret If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat c. The Fathers plenty brought home the Prodigall he had but a purpose to return and his father met him Esay 65.24 See Joel 2.12 13. Esay 55.6 7. Jer. 31.18 Hos 3.5 Acts 2.38 This is the use we should make of mercy Say not He is my God therefore I may presume upon him but He is mine therefore I must return unto him Argue from mercy to duty and not to liberty for that 's the Devils Logick which the Apostle holds unreasonable yea to a good heart impossible Rom. 6.1 2. His mercy is bounded with his truth with which it therefore goes commonly coupled in Scripture It is a sanctuary for the penitent but not for the presumptuous for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity i. e. Consumption is decreed yet a remnant reserved Esay 10.22 23. Thou hast fallen into great calamity and that by thine iniquity which puts a sting into thy misery This it is fit thou shouldst be sensible of for conviction is the first step to conversion But if thou art fallen wilt thou there lie and not rise again by repentance and return to him that smiteth thee wilt thou not submit to his justice and implore his mercy Here then is another motive to conversion as indeed this verse abounds with arguments to that purpose as Pareus well observeth First thou art Israel a Prince of God who hath greatly graced thee above all people Return to him therefore 2 Thou hast run away from him by thine iniquity ad turned upon him the back and not the face Return therefore 3. He is Iehovah the Authour of thy being and well-being 4 He is God to whom thou must either turn or burn for ever aut poenitendum aut pereundum he can fetch in his
all these fruits the fruits of Lebanon a most sertile mountain the valleys whereof were most rich grounds for pasture corn and vineyards as the dew unto Israel he shall blossom as the lilly Quot verba tot lumina imo flumina orationis This Prophet aboundeth with similitudes as is before noted See chap. 12.10 with the Note there He beginneth here with a Simile drawn from the dew of heaven a mercy very much set by in those hotter countreys especially where from May to October they had no rain The Chaldee Paraphrase and Hebrew Doctours understand this Text concerning Christ and his benefits Psal 73.1 Gal. 6.16 Ephes 1.3 Truely He is good to Israel to the pure in heart Peace and mercy sanctity and safety all spirituall benedictions in heavenly things in Christ shall be upon the Israel of God What the dew is to the herbs fields fruits that is Christ to his Israel 1. The dew comes when the air is clear so doth Christ by his blessing Aristot lib. 1. meteor cap. 10. Plin lib. 2. cap. 60. lib. 18. cap. 29. when the light of his countenance is lift up upon us 2. As the dew refresheth and cherisheth the dry and fady fields hence it is called the dew of herbs Esay 26.19 which thereby recover life and beauty so doth Christ our hearts scorcht with the sense of sinne and fear of wrath 3. As the dew allayeth great heats and moisteneth and mollifieth the earth that it may fructifie so Christ cooleth the Devils fiery darts and filleth his people with the fruits of righteousnesse He is unto them as a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest Esay 18.4 and maketh their souls as so many watered gardens Jer. 31.12 4. As the dew falls in a narrow compasse without noise and is felt onely by those in the force of it on whom it descends so the grace of Christ watereth his faithfull onely secretly and sweetly insinuating into their hearts the stranger medleth not with their comforts See Joh. 14.17 The cock on the dunghill knows them not he shall grow as the lilly which hath its name in the Hebrew from its six leaves and serves here and elsewhere to set forth the great comelinesse Cant. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet odour and true humility of the Church for the lilly groweth in vallies as Theophylact upon this Text noteth sweet it is but not great and the more it blossometh the more it shooteth upwards to teach us heavenly-mindednesse It is also of a perfect whitenesse to mind us of innocency Her Nazarites were purer then snow whiter then milk Lib. 21. cap. 5. Lam. 4.7 Lastly Lilio nihil est foecundius saith Pliny nothing is more fruitfull then the lillie Et lachrymâ suâ seritur saith the same Authour it is sown in its own tears Weeping Christians grow amain c. and cast forth his roots as Lebanon i. e. As the Cedars of Lebanon as the Chaldee Paraphrast interpreteth it or as the frankincense-tree which taketh very deep rooting so Cyril senceth it The lilly with its six white leaves and seven golden-coloured grains within it soon fadeth and loseth both beauty and sweetnesse Rom. 6.10 but so doth not Christ and his People He can as well die at the right hand of his Father as in the hearts of his Elect where he dwels by faith whereby they are rooted and grounded in love strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Ephes 3.16 17. so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against them Immoâ—a manet is the Churches Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur which is the Venetian Motto They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Psal 125. Winds and storms move neither Libanus nor the well-rooted Cedars thereof which the more they are assaulted the better they are rooted So fareth it with the Saints Plato compareth man to a tree inverted The Scripture oft compareth a good man to a tree planted by the rivers of waters that taketh root downward and beareth fruit upward 2 King 19.30 quae quantum vertice ad auras Virg. Aeneid lib. 4. Aethereas tantum radice ad tartara tendit Let us cast forth our roots as Lebanon stand fast rooted in the truth being stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and with full purpose of heart cleaving close unto him 1 Cor. 15. ult being established by his grace Col. 1.11 Heb. 12.28 and 13.9 In the Civil Law till a tree hath taken root it doth not belong to the soil whereon it is planted It is not enough to be in the Church except like the Cedars of Lebanon we cast forth our roots and are so planted that we flourish in the Courts of our God and bring forth fruit in our old age Psal 92.12 13 14. Verse 6. His branches shall spread Heb. shall walk or expatiate shall reach out and stretch themselves all abroad so shall the Church be propagated all the earth over She shall flourish as the Palm-tree which though it have many weights hung on the top and many snakes hissing at the root yet it still saith Nec premor nec perimor I am insuperable I am like a green Olive-tree in the house of God I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal 52.8 and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree that goodly tree Lev. 23 40. that retaineth her greennesse in the depth of Winter yea in that Universall deluge Noahs Dove met with an olive-leaf The Lord hath called thy name saith the Prophet to the Church Jer. 11.16 A green olive-tree fair and of goodly fruit The Cypresse is fair but not fruitfull the fig-tree fruitfull but not fair and flourishing But the olive-tree is both fair and fruitfull her fruit also is of singular use to mankind both for food and physick and light for the lamp Exod. 29.20 Lev. 6.15 16. In one respect it is an emblem of peace it maketh the face shine Psal 104.15 and in the other it is an emblem of grace and spiritual gifts 1 Iob. 2.20 of increasing with the increase of God by the Spirit and of reigning with him in eternall glory and his smell as Lebanon Whereby is meant the sweet savour of the Gospel which spreadeth it self abroad in the ministery of the Word and in the lives of belcevers 2 Cor. 2.14 15. who besides their continuall offering up to God spirituall incense and services in prayers thanksgivings alms and good-works they perfume the very air they breath upon by their gracious and savoury communication Ephes 4.29 yea the very company they come into as a man cannot come where sweet spices and odours are beaten to the smell but he shall carry away the scent thereof in his cloathes Nihil nisi foetidain â—â— foedum exhalavit River When the spirit of Christ blowes upon them and grace is poured into their hearts then their
sacrifice ceased and all good hearts were thereby sadded See vers 9 with the Note Verse 17 The seed is rotten under their clods It lieth buried or drowned with excessive rain and moisture corrupting the seed soon after it was sown and that which was not so marred was afterwards when it came to be corn dried up with excessive heat The corn is withered So that the garners were desolated the barnes broken down for want of stuffing and for that there was no use of them sith they sowed but reaped not Mic. 6.15 The husbandman was called to mourning Amos 5.16 for a three-fold calamity that lay upon his tillage First Immoderate rain in or about seeding Secondly Locusts and other vermine at spring Thirdly extreme drought after all verse 19 20. Thus God followeth sinners with one plague in the neck of another as he did Pharaoh that sturdy rebell till he have made his foes his footstools To multiply sin is to multiply sorrow Psal 16.4 to heap up wickednesse is to heap up wrath Rom 2.5 I will heap mischiefs upon them Si quoties peccent homines sua fulmina mittat Jupiter exiguo tempora inermis erâ—â— Ovid. saith God I will spend mine arrows upon them Deut. 32.23 which yet cannot be all spent up as the Poet feared of his Jupiter that if he should punish men for every offence his store of thunder-bolts would be soon spent and exhausted Verse 18. How do the beasts groun The wilde beasts groan in their kinde The herds of cattell home and tame beasts as oxen c. are perplexed as not knowing what to do 't is the same word with that Esth 3.15 God had hid his face withdrawn his hand and they were troubled he taketh away their breath for lack of pasture they die and return to their dust as David telleth us in his Physicks Psal 104.29 Epiphaxius his Physiologer reporteth of the bird called Charadius that being brought where a sick man lieth if he look upon the sick with a fixed and unremoved eye there is hopes of recovery but if he look another way the disease is deadly Sure it is that if God look in mercy upon man and beast they are cared and catered for Psal 36.7 and 104.27 and 145.15 16 c. and the contrary yea the flocks of sheep c. which yet can bite upon the bare live with a little and get pasture where the bigger creatures cannot come Verse 19. O Lord to thee will I cry I will though others will not I have called upon others to cry mightily unto thee and to meet thee by repentance but they ranquam monstra marina as so many Sea-monsters passe by my words with a deaff ear they refuse to return thy hand is lifted up in threatning and will fall down in punishing but they will not see Esay 26.11 they will not search they will not have their eyes like the windowes in Solomons Temple broad inward the eyes of their mindes are as ill set for this matter as the eyes of their bodies they see not what 's within But whatever they do 1 King 6.4 my soul shall weep in secret for their pride and mine eyes shall weep sore c. Jer. 13.17 for their insensiblenesse of their misery For the fire hath devoured the pastures that is the immoderate scorching heat of the season See Psal 83.14 Jer. 17.6 Or the blasting winde as Lyra expounds it or the locusts as Drusius or God who is a consuming fire by any or all these instruments of his wrath as Tarnouius And the flame hath burnt all the arees of the field This was dreadfull but yet nothing to that conflagratio mundi spoken of by St. Peter 2 Epist 3.12 when the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements melt with fervent heat on the heads of the wicked who shall give a terrible account with the world all on alight fire about their ears Verse 20. The beasts of the field cry also unto thee Glocitant a term taken from Deer they cry as they can they cry by implication imploring thine help each for himself See Psal 149.9 Job 39.3 Psal 104.27 And should men be silent For the rivers of the waters are dried up This maketh the Hart bray after the water-brooks yea shed tears as hunters say the Hart will when hot and hard-bestead for water Hereto David seems to allude Psal 42.5 My tears have been my meat c. And the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse This had been said before verse 19. The reason of such repetitions see above in the Notes on verses 11 12. Neither let this last exaggeration of the common calamity by that which befell the bruit beasts seem superfluous For whereas the security and obstinacy of most men is such that they take little notice of present pressures but promise themselves peace and safety whatsoever God by his servants shall say to the contrary it is but needfull surely that their danger should be inculcated and their calamity set out and set on with utmost importunity and vehemency CHAP. II. Verse 1. BLow ye the trumpet in Zion Idem aliis verbis repetit saith Mercer here The Prophet repeateth the same as in the former Chapter onely in other words more at large and after another manner pressing the people further to the practise of repentance by many sweet promises of the blessings of this and a better life Our Prophet may seem to bee of the same mind with Tertullian who said that he was nulli rei natus nisi poenitentiae born for no other end but to repent and to call upon others so to do Tot autem verbis figuris ntitur saith Luther he useth so many words figures because he had to do with a people that were harder then rocks Jer. 5.3 as also because there is an absolute necessity of repentance Aut poenitendum aut pereundum as our Saviour tells his Disciples twice in a breath Luke 13.2 5. The Prophet had urged them hereunto from the evils they felt or feared chap. 1. Pain and penitency are words of one derivation God plagueth men that he may make them cry Peccavi not Perij onely I am undone as Cain but peccavi I have done very foolishly as David The seventeen first verses of this Chapter are Hortatory the rest Consolatory The day of the Lord cometh therefore Repent This is the summe of the exhortation It cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod and that instantly Give warning therefore God loveth to foresignifie saith the Heathen Historian and to premonish before he punish He dealt so with Cain to whom he read the first lecture of Repentance Gen. 4. as he had done of Faith to his father Adam in the Chapter before He dealt so with the old world with the Sodomites Ninevites c. Sound an alarm in my holy Mountain Ring the bels backwards as amongst us they do the house is on fire the enemy is at hand Let all
unlesse we mend also to bewail our wickednesse but we must embrace better courses Jer. 26 13. Esa 1.16 Mat. 3.8 Rom. 12.9 13 11. Eph. 4.22 God for this cause gives us the light of Nature and Scripture besides other meanes and time enough Had he given us but one Prophet onely and but forty dayes as he dealt by Nineveh we should have done it as they did How much more now that we abound with leisure read Jezebels sin and sentence Rev. 2.21 and have so many Prophets rising up early and speaking to us Iob. 13.4 Turn ye again now every one from his evill way Jer. 25.4 5. what will become of us if we refuse to be reclaimed hate to be healed This one Prophet here fills his mouth with arguments First it is not to a tyrant or a stranger that you are exhorted to turn but to the Lord your God to him that is your head husband father who hates putting away having once betrothed you to himself in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in tender mercies Hos 2.19 Next This Lord our God is for his sweet and patient nature here set forth to be Gratious and will therefore love you freely Hos 14.4 Merciful and will therefore pitty your misery Slow to anger or not apt to snuff but a master of his wrath Nah. 1.2 and one that can bear more then any other whatsoever Mic. 7.17 And Bagnal Chemah of great kindnesse or Much in goodnesse doing good to the evill and unthankful as our Saviour yokes them and repenteth him of the evil A little punishment being enough to a father for a great fault Pro peccato magno paululum supplicâ—i satis esto patri Terent. Where note that Gods repentance is not a change of his will but of his work only and so he repents for his people when he seeth their power is gone Deut. 32.36 when there is dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose when the enemies are ready to devour the church or Satan to swallow down Gods child in despair his bowels work he can hold no longer but cries Save my child save my church c Jer. 31.20 then he sends out his Mandamus for deliverance Psal 44.4 then he comes with his Non obstante as Psal 106.8 Isay 57.15 Now who would not return to such a God and what heart can resist such powerfull Rhetorick An heape of words we have here taken for most part out of Exod. 34.6 and all to draw out faith and encourage those that have any mind to look toward God It is no such easie thing to beleeve as fond folk conceit and to comfort a conscience cast down in the sense of sin and fear of wrath is no lesse difficult saith Luther then to raise the dead from the grave If men fear they shall fail of mercy upon their return to God Either they will fall into dedolency or despair But perswade them once of the goodnesse of God and it will lead them to repentance Rom. 2.4 Let them see that in their fathers house is bread enough and they will home immediatly that God will abundantly pardon and he shall have suitors great store Esa 55.7 The sweet and gratious nature of God should be as a perpetuall picture in our hearts and an effectual motive to make men turn unto him Verse 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent c. Hitherto the Prophet had argued from Gods gratious disposition now here from his curteous and bounteous dealing with his converts who knoweth if c. This is not the speech of one that doubteth and is uncertain as was that of Dâ—vid 1 Sam. 12.22 who can tell whether God will have mercy on me that the child may live but of one earnestly affirming and avouching as was that of Mordecai Esth 4.14 And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time as this q. d. 'T is sure thou art And it is no lesse sure that if men Turn to God he will turn to them Zach. 1.3 and that whithersoever he comes â—e leaves a blessing behind him His favour is no empty favour it is not like the winter-Sun that casts a goodly countenance on the earth but gives little heat and comfort God ever comes with his Cornu-copia in his hand and his steps drop fatnesse Then shall the earth yield her increase and God even our own God shall bless us saith the church Psal 67.6 He will do it the rather saith our Prophet that his people may the more cherefully serve him when they shall have a meat-offering and a drink offering â—alvin et sic maneat in t ger cultus ipsius and so he may have his dayly service duely performed for of this the saints are most solicitous it is their desire that God should be glorified rather then that themselves should be gratified and their own turns served Verse 15. Blâ—w the trumpet in Zion that all may hear and convene those of Jerusalem in the Temple and the rest in their severall Synagogues Lev. 23.31 for that yearly fast was standard to the rest kept upon extraordinary and emergent occasions as here for the preventing of the fore threatened judgment Papists appoint set fasting-dayes as Lent and Friday in every week Eves of hollydayes c. whether the times be clear or cloudy A Lapide in loc A Lapide also the Jesuite keepes a coyle against Luther and the Centurists for decrying their Popish processions and publike Letanies which he thinks to be here and elsewhere authorised A discourse he giveth us here too about the use and original of bells among christians answerable to trumpets amongst the Jewes A Symmist of his Cenalis Bishop of Auranches to prove their Pope-holy Church the true Church maketh no mention at all either of Preaching or Sacraments but produceth bells for a sufficient mark of the Catholke true church we have bells saith he whereby our Assemblies are ordinarily called together but the Lutherans have claps of harquebuzes and pistolets for signes whereby they congregate Act. Mon. fol. 828. betwixt which and bells he maketh a long Antithesis and therehence inferreth that the church of Rome is the true church A proper argument and yet the man pleaseth himself as much in it as the second-Councell of Nice did in their profound proofs for idolatry Prideaux which as One well saith of them were such as that the Images themselves if they were sensible would blush to hear repeated Sanctify a fast See the Note on chap. 1.14 Proclaime a religious abstinence from all kind of sustenance 2 Sam. 12.17 Iohn 3. for a season either from morning till evening as Judg. 20.26 2 Sam. 3.35 or from evening till evening Lev. 23.32 or longer as Esth 4.16 Act. 9.9 as the hand and wrath of God is more or lesse felt or feared But the least time that may be is a whole day there is
for their dignity they are the Lords Ministers as likewise the good Angels are and their fellow-servants so according to their duty they must be first in holy exercises going in and out before Gods people in the perforâ—â—nce of their trust and that worthy work of theirs 1 Tim. 3.1 for the which 〈◊〉 are to be very highly esteemed in love 1 Thess 5.13 Let Ministers therefore pray hard for their people as did Aaron Samuel Paul c. Let their prayers at â—asts especially be well watered with teares those effectuall Oratours that cry to God for mercy Psal 39.12 as blood doth for vengeance Gen. 4.16 as theirs were Judg. 20.23 and Judges 2.5 and 1 Sam. 7.6 and as Ezra chap. 10.1 and â—remy chap. 9.1 and 13.17 and why but for corruption in Magistrates Ministers All sorts a generall defection drawing on a generall desolation Oh let Gods two faithfull witnesses be clothed in sack-cloth Rev. 11.3 teaching Gods people with many tears and temptations Act. 20.19 20 31. both publikely and from house to house yea not ceasing to warn them night and day with tears to redeem their own sorrows by sound repentance It is said of Athanasius that by his tears as by the bleeding of a chast Vine he cured the leprosie of that tainted Age. And of Luther that by his prayers and tears he had prevailed with God that Popery should not over-run his countrey Act. Mon. In vita Luth. during his dayes When I am dead said He let those pray that can pray Melancton his Colleague writeth that he constantly prayed with abundance of tears for he knew that as Musick upon the waters sounds farther and more harmoniously then upon the land so prayers joyn'd with tears finde much respect with Christ who could not but look back upon the weeping women and comfort them though he was then going to his death between the porch and the altar This was that void place where the Priests prayed after the sacrifices were offered Ezek. 8.16 As in man there is Body Soul and Spirit 1 Thess 5.23 so in the Temple at Jerusalem 1. between Solomons Porch Act. 3.11 and the Altar of burnt-offering was the outer great Court 2. Chron. 4.9 where the people met for preaching and prayer Next there was the second Court for the Priests onely and here was the Altar of incense Luke 1.9 10. Thirdly the most Holy place for the High-priest to enter once a year Num. 17.10 The first is here spoken of the outer Court where the priests might bee best heard to pray and seen to weep and the people might comport and say Amen the want whereof St. Paul counts no small losse 1 Cor. 14.16 and let them say Spare thy people O Lord c. Other exercises there were usually performed at publike fasts as Reading the Scriptures Jer. 36.5 27. expounding and preaching Neh. 8.4 8. examining censuring and punishing such sinnes as then most raigned Neh. 9.2 Ezr. 9.2 Josh 7. and 22. Binding themselves to God by a Covenant of better obedience Nehem. 10.18 29 30. Contributing to good uses Esay 58.7 and 2 Chron. 31.3 4. But the chief businesse and duty of the day was as here Prayer to God for pardon of sinne and removall of shame and other punishment whence also it was called A day of Atonement or Expiation Spare thy people O Lord c. Brevis oratio sed tota affectibus ardens saith Mercer A short prayer but very affectionate So are all Scripture-forms they have fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words Quam multa quam paucis How much in a little as Tully said of Brutus his Laconicall Epistle See Numb 6.24 25 26. Hos 14.2 Luke 18.13 Matt. 6.9 10 c. which is both a prayer and a pattern as the standard is the exactest measure Why then should any man fall out with forms and call them idols odious as swines-flesh c Why should they say that the use of the Lords Prayer is the Note of a formalist Is not this to speak evil of good c. and give not thine heritage to reproach Suffer us not for our sinnes to be forced by famine to beg bread of our enemies the Ammonites and Moabites for that will reflect upon thee Lord and turn to thy dishonour as if thou hadst no care of thine heritage couldst not maintain thy servants See a like prayer to this Num. 14.11.12 16 17 c. and Deut. 9.26 27 28. and learn to deprecate shame and reproach as a fruit of sinne and a piece of the curse Deut. 28. Lev. 26. 1 Sam. 2.30 Beg of God 1. To keep thee from reproachfull courses such as may expose thee to the scandall of the weak and scorn of the wicked David is much in this petition 2. To hide thee in a pavilion from the strife of tongues Psal 31.20 either to preserve thee from aspersions or so to oil thy name that they may not stick 3 To give thee good repute and report among the best 'T was God gave Solomon honour and he promiseth it to all his as a reward of religion Prov. 22.4 that the heathen should rule over them It is an heavy hand of God upon his people when Pagans or Papagans have dominion over them Neh. 9.9 10 27 c. Psal 79.1 c. and 80.1 2 c. and 137.1 2 c. Lam. 1.2 4 5. They are bloody in their positions and dispositions See Rom. 1.31 their government is tyrannicall such as the Spaniards is over the poor Indians the Turks over Greece the Rebels over the English in Ireland c. The Saints also are 1. Consciencious and cannot yeeld to their unlawfull commands as the three children 2. Zealous and cannot but contest as Steven Paul at Athens the Martyrs 3. Friendlesse and destitute Matt. 10.16 as Paul afore Nero Christ afore Pilate forsaken of all Pray therefore as here and prevent such a mischief by shunning Ierusalems sinnes of ignorance ingratitude incorrigiblenesse formallity c. and by putting our necks under the yoke of Christs obedience observing from the heart that form of doctrine which he hath delivered unto us Rom. 6.17 wherefore should they say among the people Where is their God q. d. Why should they cast our religion in our dish why should they twit us with thy neglect of us why should thy name be blasphemed and thy power traduced as it were on a publike theatre This was that which most galled these good souls as it had oft done David before them that God with whom they quartered armes should be reproached for their sakes and thorow their sides and his glory defaced This was as a murthering-knife in Davids bones Psal 42.10 and worse to him then all the evill that he had suffered from his youth up Our nature is most impatient of reproach for there is none so mean but thinks himself worthy of some regard and a reproachfull scorne shewes an utter disrespect which flowes from the very superfluity of malice You
off from them The former sense is the better Verse 9. Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them It is not usuall with God to hit men in the teeth with what he hath done for them Jam. 1.5 unlesse in case of unthankfulnesse as here Then indeed people shall hear of what they have had and be taught the worth of good turns by the want of them Good turns aggravate unkindnesses and our offences are not a little increased by our obligations Hence this approbation and it is as if God should say This people hath not only done the evills afore-mentioned but also after the receipt of mercies without measure and many miraculous deliverances as if I had even hired them to be wicked and as if that were to pass for truth which the snake in the fable said to the country man that had shewed it kindness Summum praemium pro summo beneficio est Ingratitudo Speed 622. ex Parisien In the yeere 1245. the Pope was denied entrance into England it being said that the Pope was but like a mouse in a fachell or a snake in ones bosome who did but ill repay their hostess for their lodging God had done exceeding much for this perverse people and this they now heare of with stomack enough as well they deserved At Athens if a servant proved ungratefull for his manumission his master had an action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against him Val. Max. lib. 2. cap. 1 and might recover him again into bondage Lycurgus the Lacedemonian law-giver would not make a law against Ingratitude as holding it monstrous not to requite a kindness not to acknowledge a good turn The old Romanes decreed that such as were found guilty of this fault should be cast alive to the Cormorant to be pulled in peeces and devoured Our Saviour fâ—â—ly yokes together the evill and the unthankfull Luk. 6.35 and God here summs up all this peoples sins in this One as the Epitome of all the rest yet I destroyed the Amorite when once his iniquity was full Gen. 15. when he had filled the land from corner to corner with his uncleannesse Ezrh. 9.11 then sent I my hornets before them which drove them out before them But not with their sword nor with their bow Iosh 24.12 See this thankfully acknowledged by this Church after she had payed for her learning Psal 44.2 3. with 9.10 whose height was like the height of the Cedars c. For stature and strength they seemed insuperable Num. 13.28 c. But God soon topt them and tamed them he took them a link lower and made them know themselves to bee but men Psal 9.20 or if trees cedars oakes as Plato saith of man that he is but arbor inversa yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his root from beneath I left him little enough to be proud of lesse then Nebuchadnezzar who had a stump left and was reserved for royall State againe Dan. 4.15 God cut off these Amorites that is all the seven nations head and tayle root and branch old and young together Deut. 7.2 Iosh 6.21 Behold the severity of God as if he had forgotten that forepart of his back-parts Jehovah Jehovah gracious mercifull c. and had taken up that Emperours Motto Fiat justitia pereat mundus Let Justice be done though never so many be undone Verse 10. Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt which lies lower then Judaea as doth also mysticall Egypt then Ierusalem which is above which is the mother of us all To what great preferments and priviledges Gods people are now brought up by Christ See Heb. 12.22 23 24. and cry out with that noble Athenian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how great miseries to what great mercies are we advanced Act. 26.18 Even from darknesse to light from the power of Satan to God that we may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among the Saints c. And shall we then againe break Gods commandements Ezra 9.14 Or say We are delivered to do all these abominations Ier. 7.10 Would not the heaven sweat over us and the earth cleave under us yea hell gape for us upon such an entertainement of divine bounty and led you forty yeares through the wildernesse led you all along in my hand as an horse in the wildernesse that ye should not stumble Isay 63.13 Led you and fed you dayly and daintily sending you in Angels food and then setting the flint abroach that you might not pine and perish in that vast howling wildernesse Deut. 32.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besides that I there bore with your evill manners Act. 13.18 as a mother beares with her childs frowardness or as an husband beares with his wives crossenesse which he knowes he must either tollere or tolerare cure or cover to possesse the land of the Amorite to fit you for such a mercy to humble you to prove you and to do you good at the latter end Deut. 8.16 God knowes the height of our spirits and the naughtinesse of our natures c. how ill able mens braines are to beare a cup of prosperity and how soon their hearts are lifted up with their estates as a boat that riseth with the rising of the water God therefore usually brings his people into the wildernesse and there speaketh to their hearts he holds them first to hard meate Hos 2.14 and then puts them into full possession Verse 11. And I raised up your sons for Prophets The Ministery is worthily instanced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a singular mercy Psal 147.19 20. Other nations had their Prophets such as they were Tit. 1.12 Tragedians and Comedians were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour in teaching the people and were highly esteemed of the Athenians insomuch as that after their discomfit in Sicily they were relieved out of the publike stock Rous his Archaen 90. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.21 who could repeate somewhat of Euripides But what were these to Israels Prophets those holy men of God who spake as they were moved acted and as it were carried out of themselves by the holy Ghost to say and to do what God would have them yea those holy children such as Samuel and Jeremy for of them especially the Rabbines understand this text who devoted themselves to the work betimes being more forwardly then either Athanasius the boybishop or Cornelius Mus who if we may beleeve Sixtus Senensis was a Preacher at twelve yeare old and such one an as with whome all Italy was in admiration and of your young men for Nazarites The Chalde hath it Doctours or Teachers it being the office of these holy Votaries to teach the people Heathens also had a kind of Nazarites as Lucian setteth forth in his Dea Syria Habent vespae favos simiae imitaâ—tur homines and the Turks at this day have their Dermislars Turk hist fol. 473. and their Imailers whom they call the religious
the Prophet Our forefathers were unweariable in making out after the meanes which we vilipend and make no reckoning of c. to drink water raine-water for in those countries as Hierome testifieth who lived there many yeares and therefore knew the scituation and nature thereof they have but few springs Mercer in verse 7. and no considerable rivers but only lordan and are therefore glad to keep raine-water in cisterns for all uses being much afflicted with thirst and drought if it raine not but they were not satisfied either because there was not enough to be had or by a singular curse of unsatisfiablenesse See Hag. 1.6 with the Note yet have ye not returned unto me usque ad me so far as me You have made some faint overtures and essayes of returning but they have not reacht out unto me they have not amounted to the full measure of a sound conversion Plectimur may you well say Salvian nec tamen flectimur corripimur sed non corrigimur c. God rained not upon us that we might return unto him and learn righteousnesse Esay 26.10 that we might powre out a prayer when his chastening was upon us verse 16.18 But we alasse have done nothing lesse we have turned every one to his own way and done what in us lies to defeat God and undo our selves by our incorrigiblenesse and uncureablenesse Verse 9. I have smitten you with blasting and mildews c. This by immoderate raine that by drought caused by an East-wind that ventus vrens exsiccans God cannot possibly want a weapon to tame a rebell when your gardens and your vineyards increased Or were trimmed and tricked up Taxat nimium eorum studium saith Mercer The Prophet here taxeth their overmuch paines taken and cost cast away in multiplying and dressing their hort-yards and Vineyards when in the meane while they neglected the sincere service of God and suffered their own hearts to lie like the sluggards field that was all grown over with thornes and briars Prov. 24.31 that is with lusts and sins under which lurketh that old serpent the palmer-worme which is worse then the locust as Hierom noteth for the locust feeds only on the tops of the eares of corne as he flies and thence hath his name in Greek but palmer-wormes stick close to the fruits or flowers they light on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will not off till all be consumed It is the last and worst of evils saith He and leaves nothing behind it omnia corradit converrit makes cleane work See Ioel. 1.3 10 11 12. c. with the Notes yet have ye not returned unto me No not yet but have rejected the remedy of your recovery see verse 8. Verse 10. I have sent among you the pestilence that evill angell Psal 78.49 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eminent hand of God as Hippocrates calleth it that destruction that walketh in darknesse and wasteth at noon day as the Psalmist stileth it In prognost Psal 91.6 This God sent for it is a messenger of his sending an arrow of his shooting 2 Sam. 24.15 and may better be called morbus sacer then the falling sicknesse as being an extraordinary hand of God such as was that Sudor Anglicus in the dayes of Edward the sixth Sennert de febrib l. 4. c. 15. the sweating sicknesse that raged very violently for forty yeares together here in England as Sennertus testifieth and slew so many that strangers wondred how this Island could be so populous as to beare and bury such incredible multitudes No stranger in England was touched with this disease and yet the English were chased therewith not only here but in other countries abroad Life of Ed. by Sr. Io. Heyw. pag. 126. which made them like tyrants both feared and avoyded where ever they came So long as the ferventnesse of this plague lasted there was crying Peccavi Peccavi and some pretences of turning to the Lord. The Ministers were sought for in every corner saith Mr. Bradford oh you must come to my Lord you must come to my Lady c. Thus when he slew them then they sought him Psal 78.34.36 and they returned and enquired earely after God Neverthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and lied unto him with their tongues As the fox when taken in a snare lookes pittifully but 't is only that he may get out as Ice melts in the day and hardeneth againe in the night or as Iron is very soft and malleable whiles in the fire but soon after returneth to its former hardnesse after the manner of Egypt In the way to Egypt so some reade it as you were trudging down to Egypt for help against enemies or for corn in time of famine for Egypt was the worlds granary I have stretcht my net over you Egypt hath gathered you up Memphis hath buried you Hos 9.6 But taking the words as we translate them After the manner of Egypt i. e. so as I plagued the Egyptians when you were amongst them See Exod. 12.29 Exod. 9.15 with mortality of men and murraine of cattel The plague of Athens is graphically described by Thucydides Lib. 2. bell Pelopon Metam l. 7. Georg. l. 3. whence Ovid and Virgil are thought to have borrowed their descriptions of the pestilence The plague of Italy is set forth in lively colours by Dionys Halycarnass lib. 11. Antiq. That of Constantinople by Nicephorus and Sigebertus your young men have I slaine with the sword Juvenes à juvando saith Varro because they are able and apt by armes to defend the commonwealth and to help it at a dead lift In Hebrew they have their name à delectu because they are chosen to fight and do businesse as fittest for the purpose Exod. 17.9 2 Sam. 6.1 These God had slaine with the sword which cutteth its way thorough a wood of men and heweth down the youngest and strongest spareth neither Lord nor loscll as they say is dispatched with confused noise and garments rolled in blood Esay 9.5 and I have made the stink of your campes by meanes of the slaine both men and horses that lye unburied and poyson the ayre See Ioel. 2.20 Esay 34.3 and yet have ye not returned Nec sic tamen Vide contumaciam saith Mercer here Obstinate men will sooner break then bend Monoceros interimi potest non capi Verse 11. I have overthrown some of you Some and not all thus in the midst of judgement he remembred mercy he did not stir up all his wrath Psal 78.38 he let fall some drops but would not shed the whole showre of it for he remembred that they were but flesh c. Some he hang'd up in gibbets as it were for example to the rest as St. Jude saith he dealt by Sodome and Gomorrah and the cities about them thrown forth for an instance of divine vengeance to all succeeding ages Jude 7. and as Herodotus telleth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 that the sparkles and ashes of burnt Troy served for a lasting monument of Gods great displeasure against great sinners See the like threatened to Babylon Esay 13.19.20 as God overthrew Sodom As Jehovah from Jehovah rained hell out of heaven upon them Gen. 14.24 De praepar Evang. l. 5. c 23. Vide Socrat. hist Eccles l. 2. c. 30. that is God the Son from God the Father and so Eusâ—bius observeth that the Father here saith of the Son that he overthrew Sodome and Gomorrah he condemned them with an overthrow 2 Pet. 2.6 he overthrew them and repented not Jer. 20.16 he overthrew them in a moment and no hand stayed on them Lam. 4.6 And yet worse shall be the condition of those that despise the grace of the Gospell which is the great sin of these last times Mat. 11.24 yea the devils will keep holy-day as it were in hell in respect of such sinners against their own soules and ye were as a sire brand Ambustus fumigans titio smutchy and smoaky and scarcely escaping with the skin of your teeth Iob. 19.20 as Lot out of Sodom as the man of Benjamine out of the army 1 Sam. 2.12 as the young man that fled naked away at Christs attachment Mar. 14.52 or as Hunniades narrowly escaping with his life from the battel of Varna where he had like to have fallen with that perjured Popish king as good Jehosaphat had for joyning with Ahab It is as if God should say There are not many of you that are left and have your lives for a prey howbeit they are ill bestowed upon you for any good use you have made of my forbearance Let favour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learne righteousnesse Esay 26.10 and if thou deliver him once yet thou must do it againe and when all 's done that can be done A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment Prov. 19.19 and so to be sure of it shall a man of great stomach and stubbornnesse that refuseth to return as these of whom the fifth time it is here complained and yet ye have not returned c. O prorsus obstinati saith Tarnovius here Act. 7.51 Prorsus indurati et contumaces saith Mercer Ye stifnecked and uncircumcised in heart and eares do ye thus alwayes resist the holy Ghost will ye needs be like horse and mule uncounsellable untractable will ye after conviction needes run away with the bit in your mouths and take your swinge in sin c. If so resolved yet stay saith the Psalmist Psal 32.9.10 and take this along with you Many sorrowes shall be to the wicked your preservation from one evill shall be but a reservation to seven worse Lev. 26. as it fared with Pharaoh Senacherib and others God will surely subdue or subvert you Verse 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee o Israel Thus how Non nominat mala ut omnia timeant saith Ribera He tells them not how that they may feare the worst even all that is written and unwritten It was the very policy of Julius Caesar never to extenuate or deny to his souldiers the danger of an enemy but rather to raise up thoughts of valour by aggravating the contrary forces and this way he did not seldome hyperbolically rhetoricate saith the story Now the Lord need not do so sith his judgements are a great deep neither can any man know the power of his anger Psal 90.11 let a man feare it never so much he is sure to feel it a great deale more if he once fall into his fingers Is it nothing to drink the dregs of Gods displeasure when it is eternity unto the bottome Is it nothing to launch into an infinite Ocean of scalding leade and to swim naked in it for ever Oh do any thing rather then be damned and as Lewis King of France cast the Popes bulls into the fire saying Speed 496. he had rather they should burn then himself fry in hell for obeying them Or as Mary Q. of England restored againe all the Ecclesiasticall livings assumed to the crown Idem saying that she set more by the salvation of her own soule then she did by ten kingdomes So let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord that he may have mercy upon him and to our God that he may multiply pardon Esay 55.7 and because I will do this unto thee which had I not wished thee well I would never have told thee Ideo minatur ut non puniat But God loves to fore-signifie and therefore threateneth evill that he may not inflict it he would gladly be prevented by our humble addresses unto him and by our entreaties of peace Heare him else prepare to meet thy God O Israel Turn and try thou canst not likely lose thy labour or if thou should'st yet thou hast lost many a worse Let Ephraim but bemoane himself and God will soon melt over him Ier. 31.20 Let Gods prodigals return to their mercifull father and he will meet them halfe-way and receive them with all sweetnesse Tantum velis Deus tibi praeoccurret Do as those Jer. 3.17 Alexanders Macedenonians being sensible of his displeasure laid by their armes put on their mourning attire Plut. in Alexandro came trooping to his tent where for almost three dayes they remained with loud cryes and abunance of teares testifying their remorse for offending him beseeching his pardon which at last they gained And Guicciardin tells us that Lewis 12. of France when he entred Genoa in his triumphant charret with his sword naked resolved to make a prey of their riches Guice lib. 7. and an example of many of the chief amongst them and to leave the rest to his souldiers mercies But beeing met first by the chief afterward by the multitude Parel Med. hist prof 754. making great lamentation for their folly with abundance of teares and cryes his wrath was appeased toward them The like we read of Henry 7. Emperour toward the citizens of Cremona of our Edward the third Daniel hist 240. toward the Inhabitants of Callice And in Cades conspiracy here after that 26. of the chief rebels were executed the multitude naked in their shirts met the king on Black-heath Speed 851. humbly praying mercy which they obtained Verse 13. For â—o He that formeth the mountaines c. q. d. If my mercy move thee not to an humble submission let my Majesty and for that end consider and tremble at my Nomen Majestativum my transcendent excellencies as they are here displayed descried and described for thy learning with a great deale of solemnity and state to the end that thou mai'st not expect evils but prevent them as Demosthenes counselled his countrymen He that formeth the mountaines At first doubtlesse with the rest of the Universe though some held they were cast up by Noahs flood see Psal 90.1 2. by his mere
that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 14.18 This severing of night from day and day from night this mutuall and orderly succession and course of the night after the day and the day after the night the lengthening and shortening of the dayes in summer and winter the wonderfull eclipses and other occurrents of that nature are works of Gods power and providence not to be slighted but improved to true repentance We are to mark the countenance of the skie and to discerne the face of heaven that every day and night winketh at us and beckneth to us to remember the wisdome power justice and mercy of God lined out unto us in the browes of the firmament The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work Psal 19.1 The creatures are Regij professores saith One Catholike preachers saith Another real Postills of the Divinity saith a third Clemens Alexandrinus saith that the World is Dei scriptura the first Bible that God made for the instruction of man Antonius Eremita told a Philosopher who objected to him his want of bookes that the Universe was to him instead of a well-furnisht library Aug. de doct christ l. 1. Niceph. l. 8. cap. 40. Lib. 2. de Arca cap. 3. every where ready at hand Hugo affirmeth that every thing uttereth these three words Accipe Redde Fuge Receive mercy Return duty Shun sin together with that hell that it hales at the heeles of it Much a man may learn out of the book of Nature with its three leaves Heaven Earth and Sea but there he must not rest For as where the Naturalist ends the Physician begins so where Nature failes and can go no further there Scripture succeeds and gives more grace Iam. 4.6 Psal 19.1 2 7 8. The Caldee Paraphrast takes this text allegorically as if the sense were God changeth his hand towards the sons of men at his pleasure prospering them one while crossing them another so that they walk in darknesse and have no light Esay 50.10 yea they walk through the vale of the shadow of death Psal 23.4 Not through a dark entry or church-yard in the night time but a vally a large long vast place not of darknesse onely but of death and not bare death but the shadow of death that is the darkest and most dismall side of death in its most hideous and horrid representations And yet if God be with his Davids in this sad condition no hurt shall befall them butmuch good Flebile principium melior fortuna sequetur That calleth for the waters of the sea that is for great armyes saith the Chaldee But better take it litterally of the generation of raine the chief author whereof is God the materiall cause is the sea sending up vapours The Instrumentall cause is the Sun by the beames whereof God drawes the vapours upwards sends for them as it were into the middle region of the ayre there thickeneth them into clouds and then resolveth them into raine This Kimchi illustrateth by the simile of a boyling pot whereout vapours and fumes ascending to the colder pot-lid are turned into drops of water See Gen. 2.6 The waters of the sea 1 King 18.44 A little cloud arose out of the sea like a mans hand And presently the Prophet said to Ahab Prepare thy charet and get thee down that the raine stop thee not And it came to passe in the meane while that the heaven was black with cloudes c. Humorem magnâ— tollunt aequore ponti Nubes qui in toto terrarum spargitur orbe Lucret. lib. 6. Cum pluit in terris The Naturalists observe that it snowes not in the sea because it sends up hot vapours which presently dissolve the snow the Lord is his name His memoriall Hos 12.5 See the Note there He is not an idol to be dallied with and deluded Verse 9. That strengtheneth the spoyled against the strong Victorem à victo superari saepe videmus God can quickly change the scene turn the scales Ier. 37.10 though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up every man in his tent and burn this city with fire In a bloody fight between Amurath the third King of Turks and Lazarus Despot of Servia many thousands fell on both sides In conclusion the Turks had the victory and Lazarus was slaine Amurath after that great victory with some few of his chief captaines taking view of the dead bodyes which without number lay on heapes in the field like mountaines a Christian souldier sore wounded and all blood seeing him in staggering manner arose as if it had been from death out of an heape of slaine men and making toward him for want of strength fell down diverse times by the way as he came as if he had been a drunken man At length drawing nigh unto him when they which guarded the kings person would have stayed him he was by Amurath himself commanded to come neerer supposing that he would have craved his life of him Thus this half-dead Christian pressing neerer unto him as if he would for honour sake have kissed his feet suddenly stabbed him in the bottome of his belly with a short dagger which he had under his coat of which wound that great king and conqueror presently died The name of this man was Miles Cobelite who Turk hist fol. 200. before sore wounded was shortly after in the presence of Bajazet Amuraths son cut into small peeces So in that memorable fight between the Swissers and the Dolphâ—n neare to Basile when Burcardus monk a noble-man and a great souldier Lavat in Prov. 27.14 grew proud of the victory and put up his helmet that he might behold what a â—laughter they had made one of the half-dead Swissers rising up upon his knees threw a stone at him which hitting right gave him his deaths-wound At the battle of Agincourt where our Henry 5. won the day Speed 795. ex hypod Nerstr the French were so confident of a victory that they sent to king Henry to know what ransome he would give and c. Henry comforting his army with a speech resolved to open his way over the enemies bosome or else to die After which such was the courage of the English notwithstanding their great wants as he that ere while could scarcely bend his bow is able now to draw his yard-long arrow to the very head so that the spoyled or spoyle shall come against the fortresse And take it by assault Deus loca quantumvis valida vasta facit Prov. 21.30 There is no strength against the Lord. Verse 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate In domo judicij saith the Chalde for the gate was the place of judgement verse 12.15 Deut. 17.5 12 15. Those then that did not approve and applaud the oppressions and wrong-dealings of the Judges and rich bribers but cryed out
people as they partake of the Divine nature so they live the life of God Ephes 4. and have the same both sympathies and antipathies as I may so speak abhorring that which is evil cleaving to that which is good Rom. 12.9 God they know hateth evil worse then he hateth the devil for he hateth the devil for sinnes sake and not sinne for the devils sake so do they looking upon sinne as the most loathsome thing in the world the very vomit of the devil which so farre as they are regenerate they do infinitely loath to lick up And for that which is good whether things or persons these they heartily love not onely with a love of Desire as Psal 42.1 2. but also of Complacencie as Psal 73.25 26. herein resembling Almighty God not as an image doth a man in outward lineaments onely but as a sonne doth his father in nature and disposition being daily more and more conformed to the heavenly pattern and transformed into the same image from glory to glory by his Spirit and establish judgement in the gate which hitherto ye have not done vers 10 12. Perform the duties of your own particular places be good Justicers as well as good men It is said of Galba and of our Rich. 3. that they were bad men but good Princes but I hardly think it Some good parts they might have and some good acts they might do but good Princes they could not be unlesse they did hate the evil and love the good but so doth not any bad man for want of better principles Make the tree good and the fruits will be good and the contrary Evil men may be some way usefull to the Publike and do good offices for the Church and yet perish because not in a good manner upon a good motive and for a good end Rev. 12.16 the earth helped the Woman and yet chap. 16.1 the vials of Gods wrath were poured out upon the earth A good Magistrate as he sits in Gods place the judgement-seat is called the Holy place Eccles 8.10 so hee loving what God loveth and hating where God hateth can boldly write over it that Distich that is said to bee written over the Tribunall in Zant in letters of gold Hic locus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina jura bonos It may be that the Lord. Or out of doubt the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious c. He is surely ready were men but ripe and right for mercy it sticks onely on their part and not on his he waiteth to be gracious Esay 30.18 Oh unworthy we that cause him so to do Currat poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia They are but a remnant that shall have mercy Chrysolog a few that shall finde favour Oh labour to be of those few that shall enter into life Luke 13.24 Verse 16. Therefore the Lord God of Hosts the Lord saith thus Therefore wherefore because neither promises of mercy nor menaces of misery will work upon you stand forth and hear your doom your sentence of condemnation and it beginneth Acts Mon. as is usuall In nomine Dei neither can you say as that Martyr did when wrongfully sentenced ye begin in a wrong name To assure the matter the Prophet here heapeth up three Majesticall names of God that they might tremble and turn considering the greatnesse of Him with whom they here have to do being glorious in holinesse fearefull in prayses doing wonders Exod. 15.11 wailing shall be in all streets c. A generall outcry as once in Egypt when in every house there was a dead corps or as at the taking and sacking of Troy there was Luctus ubique pavor plurima mortis imago Virg. And they shall say in all the high-wayes Alas Alas Man is a creature apt to over-grieve for crosses and to fill the ayre with moanes and complaints of his misery The latine word Aeger for a sick person is judged to come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dolefull expression of his grief The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not ever We are soon weary of suffering and would faine see an end of it and therefore cry out for help The Hebrew word here used Ho Ho is the same with our Oh Oh it is dolentis particula it is ejulantis the broken speech of one in great dolour and durance Nature need not to be taught to tell her own tale when in distresse then men are apt to be eloquent even beyond truth they add they multiply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristoph 1 Cor. 10.13 they rise in their discourse like him in the Poet I am thrice miserable nay ten times nay an hundred ten hundred times whereas they should correct their excessive complaint with that other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alas Alas but why Alas Nothing hath befaln us but what is humane common to men and our betters and they shall call the husbandman to mourning For the marring of his corn by the enemy or by the vermine Others read it thus Jarchi Livelejus The husbandmen shall send for those that are skilfull in lamentation to mourning and wayling and such as are skilfull of lamentation An ordinary practise in those Easterne parts as now also in Jreland to hire artificiall mourners at funerals to sing dolefull ditties Vt qui conducti plorant in funere See Jer. 9.17 Mat. 9.23 Horat. de arte Poet. Sic Homer de Hectore sepulte Gellius lib. 2. cap. 20. with the Note Of the lawfulnesse of this custome the Prophet speaketh not Many things are mentioned in scripture and made use of but not approved as Usury Mat. 25.27 dancing Mat. 11.17 Theft 1 Thess 5.2 injustice Luk. 16.1 the Isthmian games 1 Cor. 9.24 c. Verse 17. And in all vineyards shall be wayling where used to be great jollity and revell-riot in time of vintage Psal 4.8 The calamity shall be common the scourge over-flowing and all sorts shall have their share See Ioel. 1.5 11 13. for I will pass through thee saith the Lord as a fire in a thick wood Iam. 3.5 or dry stubble Ioel. 2.5 Nah. 1.10 I will go thorough them I will burn them together Esay 27.4 make a short work with them Rom. 9.28 So fearefull a thing it is to fall into the punishing hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 to stand in his way when his sword is in commission and He saith to it Sword go thorough the land cut off man and beast from it Ezek. 14.17 Let this be thought on by those secure ones that live as if they were out of the reach of Gods rod Ezech. 21.13 for what if the sword contemne even the rod and be drenched in the gall of these sturdy rebels what then Verse 18. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord The day of his visitation when he will go thorough us as you Prophets would
make beleeve Where is the promise of his comming Let him make speed and hasten his work Esay 5.19 Jer. 17.15 that we may see it Let him increase his army and come down Judg. 9.29 Such jearing and daring spirits there are still abroad But do they provoke the Lord to anger are they stronger then he The great and terrible day of the Lord will come time enough to their cost they need not accelerate it Can they stand to his triall Job 26.14 or abide the thunder of his power to what end is it for you when God shall answer you as he did a far better man out of the whirlewind and say Job 38.2 3. 1 Pet. 4.18 Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Gird up now thy loynes like a man c. Where then shall the ungodly and the wicked appeare what hils will they call upon to fall on them when the elements shall fall upon them like scalding lead or burning bell-mettall and yet all this be but the beginning of their sorrowes Now therefore be not ye mockers lest your bands be made strong Esay 28.22 God can easily hamper you if he once take you in hand the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light No interchange of light an evill an onely evill without mixture of mercy Ezech. 7.5 a black and dismal day of one mischief upon another in a continued series Affliction shall not rise up the second time Nah. 1.9 but ye shall totally and finally be destroyed wrath shall come upon you to the utmost 2 Thes 2. This is illustrated in the next verse by an apt Similitude Verse 19. As if a man did sly from a lion c. And so by running from his death should run to it by seeking to shun the shelves should split against a rock Incidit in Scyllam c. Alsted Chronol pag. 480. as Nicodemus Frischline that famous Poet Orator and Philosopher endevouring to escape out of close prison by casting himself out at a window the rope broke and he perished by falling headlong upon a rock So fareth it with those that feare not God Aliud ex alio malum One mischief treadeth on the heeles of another as Iobs messengers The clouds returne after the raine Eccle. 12.2 as in April-weather one showre is unburthened another is brewed and deep calleth upon deep at the noise of the water-spouts Psal 42.7 Evill shall hunt the violent man to destroy him Psal 140.11 your sins shall find out out as a blood-hound Num. 32.23 as it did that Popish Priest in London who having escaped the fall of Black-friers Anno. 1623. where Drury had his braines knockt out of his head together with his sermon and taking water with a purpose to saile into Flanders was cast away together with some others under London-bridge Jac. Revius de vit Pontif. 312. the boat being overturned And as Philip the second King of Spaine who going from the Low-countries into Spaine by sea fell into a storme in which almost all the Fleet was wracked his housholdstuff of very great valve lost and himself hardly escaped Hist of Counc of Trent 417. He said he was delivered by the singular providence of God to root out Lutheranisme which he presently began to do But the hand of God was upon him in an extraordinary manner Caros Scribonde inflit Princ. cap. 20. for beside the invincible Armado here defeated to his great heart-break for his pretended patience was but as the fever called Epialis wherein men are cold without but hot as fire within he fell into that most lothsome lowsy disease called Phthiriasis whereof at length he dyed and a Beare met him A Beare robbed of her whelpes which she licketh into forme and loveth above measure is a very fierce and fell creature To meet her in such a rage is to meet death in the very face and yet that danger may be sooner shifted and shunned then the heavy wrath of God avoyded or averted without true and timely repentance there is no way to run from him but by running penitently to him as in a tempest at Sea it is very dangerous to strike to the shore the safest way is to have sea-room and to keep in the Maine still or went into the house To shelter himself from the Beare as every creature in danger runneth to its harbour Prov. 30.26 Psal 104.18 and leaned his hand on the walles As being breathlesse in running and glad to stay himself on what he can next lay hold on Man like the vine must have somewhat to leane on if it be but a broken reed or bulging wall Psal 62.3 he shifts and sharks in every by-corner for comfort as the Papists stung by the Friers sermons do by pardons and pennances Prov. 23.32 which are but palliate cures for a serpent bites them the guilt of sin abiding biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder Verse 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse c. q. d. How say ye now when thus beset with mischief on all hands such as ye can neither avoyd nor abide must ye not needes subscribe to the truth of what I said verse 18. and do here againe repeate that you may the better observe it with greater emphasis and earnestnesse you shall not have the least glimmering of comfort ease direction or good counsel To what end then should you desire this dreadfull day of the Lord Are you in hast to be undone Verse 21. I hate I despise your feast-dayes wherewith ye think to stop my mouth and to make me your debter saying as that Romane Emperour when his enemy came against him Non sic Deos coluimus ut ille nos vinceret we have not so served the Gods that they should serve us no better then to give the enemy the better of us The feast-dayes Antonin Philosoph refer Vulcat Gallic in Avidio Cassio Jer. 32.35 and solemne assemblies you so much bind upon are yours and not mine I never commanded them viz as you now use them neither came they ever into my mind So farr am I therefore from accepting your sacrifices as that I hate I despise I will not smell an elegant Asyndeton importing Gods utter distaste of what they did The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind Prov. 21.27 and assuring a sudden vengeance as in that quick and smart passage Go preach baptise He that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Will-worship and out-sidenesse in religion is very odious to the Almighty and stinks worse in his nostrils then any ill vapour from the vilest dunghill doth in ours or as those poisonous smels that ascended up once from the five cities of the plaine and brought down from him a counterpoyson of fire and brimstone Rome also that spirituall Sodom shall be destroyed in like sort with a terrible fire Rev. 17.16 and 18 8 9. for her
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
tremend employment my call thereto was extraordinary The Prophets scholars were called their sons 2 King 2.3 5 7 15. Esa 8.18 Mar. 10.24 1 Cor. 4.14 17. but I was an heardman and a gatherer of Sicomore fruit Of meane condition and hardly bred so that I could live with a little and needed not to turn Prophet ventris causâ for food sake When one said to the Philosopher If you will but please Dionysius you need not feed upon green herbs he presently replied And if you can feed upon green herbes Melch. Adam you need not please Dionysius Nature is content with a little grace with lesse It is not for a servant of God to be a slave to his palate Luther made many a meale of a herring Verse 15. And the Lord took me as I followed the flock As he took Elisha from the plow-taile the Apostles from casting and mending their nets c. Asinos elegit Christus idiotas sed â—culdvit in prudentes simulque dona dedit ministeria he called them to the office and withall he gifted them He called also learned Nathaneel and Nicodemus a Master in Israel lest if he had called none but such as were simple saith Ioh. de Turrecremata it should have been thought they had been deceived through their simplicity But it is Gods way to chuse the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. and the Lord said unto me He often inculcates the Name of the Lord to shew that there was a necessity of his prophesying for who can safely disobey such a commander See chap. 3.8 Aut faciendum aut patiendum The Philosopher could tell the Emperour who challenged him to dispute that there was no contesting with Him that had twenty Legions at his command Go prophesie unto my people Israel Keep within my precincts and thou shalt bee sure of my protection be true to thy trust and I will see to thy safety If thou have not fine manchet as Bucer said to Bradford encouraging him to bestow his talent in preaching yet give the poor people barley-bread or what ever else the Lord hath committed unto thee Having therefore such a call from heaven to this work Act. Mon. 1454. with what face canst thou hinder me therein with what countenance will ye appear before the judgement-seat of Christ said Dr. Taylour Martyr to Stephen Gardiner Lord Chancellour who had thus saluted him Art thou come thou villain how darest thou look me in the face for shame knowest thou not who I am c How dare ye for shame look any Christian man in the face seeing you have forsaken the truth denied our Saviour Christ and his word Ibid. 1387. and done contrary to your own oath and writing And if I should be afraid of your Lordly looks why fear you not God the Lord of us all who hath sent us on his errand which we must deliver and truth be spoken however it be taken 1 Cor. 9.16 Verse 16. Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord Hear thou despiser and wonder and perish for I work a work in thy dayes a work which thou wilt in no wise beleeve though a man declare it unto thee Acts 13.41 But whether thou wilt hear or forbear beleeve or otherwise thy doom is determined and shall bee pronounced Hear therefore and give ear be not proud Ezek. 3.27 for the Lord hath spoken it Oh that thou wouldst give glory to the Lord and confesse thy sinne Oh that thou wouldst submit to Divine justice implore his mercy Jer. 13.15 16. and putting thy mouth in the dust say as once that good man did Veniat veniat verbum Domini Melc Ad. submittemus ei sexcenta si nobis essent eolla Let the Lord speak for his servant heareth But because there is little hopes of that stand forth and hear thy sentence and the evil that shall befall thee as sure as the coat is on thy back or the heart in thy body For hath the Lord spoken and shall he not do it Thou sayest prophesie not By a bold countermand to that of God in the former vers Go prophesie c. But wee to him that striveth with his maker Esay 45.9 let the potsherd strive with the pâ—tsherds of the earth let men meddle with their matches Eccles 6.10 and not with him that is mightier then they and drop not thy word which is as sharp as vineger and nitre Or though it were as sweet as honey yet it would cause pain to exulcerate parts when dropped upon them against the house of Isaac though commanded so to do verse 9. Toothlesse truths would be better disgested Verse 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord Thy wife c. Thou shalt bee sure of thy share in the common calamity which thou wilt not hear of but thou shalt hear and be ashamed c. Esay 26.11 So little is gotten by thwarting with God and seeking to frustrate his counsell With these froward pieces God will shew himself froward and if they walk contrary to him he will also walk as crosse to them he will tame such sturdy rebels as he did Pharaoh Psal 16. Lev. 26. and that way raise him a name all they shall get by him is but more weight of punishment as when Jeboiakim had burnt Jeremies roul of curses all that he gained was that the roul was renewed and there were added besides thereunto many like words Jer. 36.32 See the like Ier. 20.2 1 King 13.4 and 22.25 Acts 5.38 39. Dum devitâ—tur impletur The counsel of God saith Gregory whiles shunned is executed the wisdom of man may wriggle but cannot escape Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city a common strumpet Kimchi for a punishment of thy spirituall harlotry Rev. 2.20 together with thy seducing my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols Or Per vim stuprabitur thy wife shall be an harlot that is she shall be ravished by the enemy before thy face so Theodoret Calvin Mercer c. See Esay 13.16 Lam. 5.11 The Irish rebels bound the husband to the bed-post whiles they abused his wife before his face And thy sonnes and thy daughters shall fall by the sword because thou hast taken my sonnes and my daughters and these hast thou sacrificed unto devils to be devoured Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter that thou hast slain my children and brought them forth to the murtherer Ezek. 16.20 21. that thou hast sent so many souls to hell Peremptores potius quam parentes Bern. and nuzled up thine own sons and daughters in ignorance and superstition being therein rather a parricide then a parent Thy land shall be divided by line thy purchases shall be parted among the enemies Virg. Eclog. thine ill-gotten
3.56 thou heldest not thy peace at my tears Psal 39.12 quando fletu agerem non afflatu yea thou heardest the voice of mine affliction Gen. 16.11 Into thine holy Temple Whether we take it of the Temple at Jerusalem a type of Christ Jonah's prayer was accepted for Christs-sake and proved to no lesse purpose though made in the Whales belly then if he had been pouring it out in Gods holy Temple Or if we understand it of Heaven the habitation of Gods holinesse and of his glory his orisons were come up thither for a memorial before the Almighty Act. 10.4 and like pillars of incense pierced into his presence Can. 3.6 neither would they away without their errand but lay at Gods feet til he should cōmand deliverance out of Zion Verse 8. They that observe lying vanities That listen to sense and reason in matters of God and make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof as Ionah had done to his cost till having payed for his learning he descried them all to bee but lying vanities or most vain vanities emptie Nothings forsake their own mercy Are miserable by their own election because sinners in a speciall manner against their own souls as were Corab and his complices Num. 16.38 as was Pope Silvester who gave his soul to the Devil for seven years enjoyment of the Popedome and as are all those wilfull wicked persons that refusing to be reformed and hating to be healed chuse to spend the span of this life after the wayes of their own hearts though they thereby perish for ever These are those fools of the people that preferre an apple before Paradise a messe of pottage before the inheritance of heaven their swine before their Saviour turning their backs upon those blessed and bleeding embracements of his and cruelly cutting the throats of their own poor souls by an impenitent continuance in sinne so losing for a few bitter-sweet pleasures or paltry profits in this vale of tears for an inch of time that fulnesse of felicity at Gods right hand thorough all eternity It is written of them who tame the Tyger that when they have taken away the young one knowing that presently they shall be pursued by the old Tygresse they set looking-glasses in the way by which they flee whereunto when she cometh and seeth some representation of her self she lingreth about them a good space deceived by the shadow and detained in a vain hope to recover the young againe Mean-while the hunter most speedily posteth away with his prey Semblably dealeth Satan with the men of this world saith mine Authour He casts before them the deceitfull lusts of profit pleasure and preferment the worldlings Trinity those lying vanities being none other then shadows and semblances of good yet are men so delighted with these that they dote about them having no care to pursue the enemy for recovery of that image of God the Divine nature that Satan hath beguiled them of He setteth them to the tree of knowledge that they may not taste of the tree of life He putteth out their eyes with the dust of covetousnesse and shutteth their ears against the instructions of life lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their hearts and should be converted and God should heal them Mat. 13.15 In all which there is not any thing more to be lamented then this that people should love to have it so Jer. 6.31 be active in their own utter undoing Hos 13.9 wittingly and willingly forsake God the fountain of living waters their own mercies as he is here called and elsewhere Psal 144.2 and hew themselves out cisternes broken cisternes that can hold no water Jer. 2.13 Verse 9. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving q. d. Let others do as they think good let them make a match with mischief till they have enough of it Let them walk till they have wearied themselves in the wayes of their hearts and in the sight of their eyes but let them know I speak it by wofull experience that for all these things God will bring them to judgement Eccles 11.9 The best that can come of sinne is Repentance and that 's not in mans power but in Gods gift 2 Tim. 2.25 If he had not melted mine hard heart and brought me back to himself with a strong hand I had pined away in mine iniquities and perished for ever But now having been so miraculously delivered from so great a death I will sacrifice unto the Lord with the voice of thanksgiving I will set up my note and sing aloud unto God my Saviour who hath thus beyond all desert delivered such a miserable wretch rebell and runagate as my self I will sacrifice Heb. I will slay sc those birds and beasts in use for feasts and sacrifices at Jerusalem with the voice of thanksgiving Heb. of confession that is I will confesse and acknowledge God to be what he is to do what he doth and to give what he giveth Now to offer a sacrifice at such a confession or thanksgiving added much to the solemnity thereof and made it more honourable in it self and more acceptable to God To these gratulatory sacrifices the word slaying is attributed as here to shew that even in gratulation expiation must bee made and that by the blood and sacrifice of Christ all our offerings are accepted in heaven I will pay that I have vowed Not my generall vow onely as a Covenanter to devote my self to his fear and service all my dayes but those particular personall voluntary vowes made in my distresse such as was that of Jacob Gen. 28.20 Hannah 1 Sam. 1.11 David Psal 132.1 2 c. In affliction men are wondrous apt to promise great matters if they may but be delivered See Psal 78.36 Pliny in an Epistle to one of his friends that desired rules from him how to order his life aright I will saith he give you one rule that shall be instead of a thousand Vt tales esse perseveremus sani quales nos futuros esse profitemur infirmi That you be sure to be the same when well that you vowed to be when you were sick But this is few mens care See Jer. 34.10 11. Sonnes of Belial break these bonds as Sampson did the green withes and cast away those cords from them if they could at least being worse herein then those Mariners chap. 1 then Saul that made great conscience of violating his vow 1 Sam. 14. then Turks and Papists who are superstitiously strict this way Jonah knew it to be as bad if not worse then perjury to vow and not to performe Num. 30.3 and that God is the avenger of all such Deut. 23.21 He therefore not merely for fear of punishment but chiefly for hatred of that sinne saith I will pay that I have vowed The Hebrew word Ashallemah seemeth to imply two things First that his vow till paid was
holy violence as Tertullian saith the good people of his time did The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much but then it must be the working stirring labourfull prayer as the word signifieth that strives and struggles and straines every veine in the heart as Elias seemed to do by that posture in prayer of putting his head betwixt his leggs 1 King 18.42 that sets awork all the faculties of the soule and all the graces of the spirit that stirrs up dust as Jacob did maketh a man sweat as our Saviour who being in an agonie prayed the more earnestly Luk. 22.44 not without strong crying and teares and was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 For such a prayer when a man cryes to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mightily or with all his strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it availeth much it can do any thing as Paul using the same words saith I can do all things through Christ who streng theneth me Philip. 4.13 Yea let them turn every one from his evill way c. For else Prayer profits not Humiliation is to no purpose without Reformation Repentance for sin without repentance from sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be fruits meet for repentance answerable to amendment of life tantamount as repentance and that weigh just as much as it for Optima aptissima poenitentia est nova vita saith Luther the best and truest repentance is a new life and if gods people will humble themselves and pray and seek his face and withall turn from their evill wayes then he will do much for them 2 Chron. 7.14 and from the violence that is in their hands Heb. In the hollow of their hands where it lay hid as it were but not from God who here bids them turn from their wrong-dealing and rapacity This was their speciall sin ut in magnis imperijs emporiis magnae sunt rapinae therefore are they charged to relinquish it It is a speech saith Mercer like to that of our Saviour Go tell my Disciples and Peter c. Tell them all but be sure you tell Peter So here turn from all your evill wayes but especially from the violence that is in your hands See Es 59.6 Ezech. 23.27 Psal 7.4 The Hebrewes understand this text of restitution to be made of evill-gotten goods or wrongfully deteined from the right owners This say they must be done or the party can be no more renewed by repentance then a man could be legally purified by the washing of water when he continued to hold in his hand an unclean thing That of Austin is well known The sin is not remitted till that which hath bin ill-gotten from another be restored And that of Father Latimer Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum Aug. Restore or else you will cough in hell and the Devils will laugh at you Gravell in the kidneys will not grate so upon you as a little guiltinesse in this kind will do upon your consciences The same Latimer tells us in a sermon of his afore K. Edw 6. that the first day that he preached about Restitution there came one and gave him twenty pounds to restore the next time another and brought him in thirty pounds another time another gave him two hundred pounds ten shillings The Law for restitution see Num. 5.6 7. the party must not only confesse but restore or he is not a true convert And this will well appeare when death comes to draw the curtaine and looke in upon a man Hence our Henry the 7. in his last will and testament after the disposition of his soul and body Speed 995. Turk hist fol. 767. he willed restitution should be made of all such monies as had unjustly been levied by his officers And the like we read of Selymus the grand Signiour in the Turkish history Verse 9. Who can tell if God will turn and repent This is the speech of one that doubteth and yet despaireth not like that of David praying for his sick child Who can tell whether God will be gratious to me that the child may live 2 Sam. 12.22 We are staggering saith Saint Paul but not wholy sticking 2 Cor. 4.8 They that go down to the pit of despaire as well as of the grave Es 38.18 cannot hope for thy truth but are hurried headlong into hell as the Gergesites swine were into the sea The Prophet Jonah was peremptory that by such a day Niniveh should be destroyed These men therefore had good reason to doubt if not of the pardon of their sins yet of the saving of their city All their hope is that this that Jonah denounced was not Gods absolute decree but onely his threatening and that conditionall too viz. except they repented This if they could do and heartily they knew not but that mercy might be yet had Keep hope in heart or the work will go on heavily Psal 43. ult Hope is the daughter of Faith but such as is a staff to her aged mother See the Note on Ioel. 2.14 Of God repenting I have spoken elsewhere Verse 10. And God saw their works i. e. He noted and noticed them to others Or he saw them that is he approved of them Videre Dei est approbare Let God but see Repentance as a rainbow appearing in our hearts and lives and he will never drown us in destruction But unlesse God sees turning he sees no work in a fast saith One upon this very Text. God may say to impenitent fasters saith Another as Isaac did to his father Behold the fire and wood but where is the lamb Or as Jacob did concerning Joseph Here 's the coat but where 's the child Get thee behind said Jehu to the messengers what hast thou to do with peace Confessions and humiliations are our messengers but if the heart be not broken if the life be not amended what peace The Talmudists note here that God is not said to have seen their sack-cloth and ashes but their repentance and works those fruits of their faith truth in the inward parts which God eyeth with singular delight Ier. 5.3 as the work of his own spirit Eph. 8.9 August Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed ille facit ut facimus and he is pleased to call his grace in us our works for our incouragement in well-doing and freely to crown it in us without any merit on our part That they turned from their evill way To which they were by nature and ill custome so wedded and wedged that they could never have been loosened but by an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven The conversion of a sinner from the evill of his way is Gods own handy-work Jer. 31.18 2 Tim. 2.25 Ezech. 6.9 Plato went three times into Sicily to convert Dionysius the tyrant and could do no good on him Polemo of a drunkard by hearing Xenocrates is said to have become a Philosopher But what saith Ambrose to
prayer of his chap. 6.8 9. See also Jer. 20.7 8. I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying c. that is my thought for whether he worded it thus with God till now it appeareth not but God heareth the language of mens hearts and their silence to him is a speaking evidence when I was yet in my countrey And had Jonah so soon forgotten what God had done for him since he came thence Oh what a grave is oblivion and what a strange passage is that and yet how common Then beleeved they his words they sang his praise They soon forgat his works they waited not for his counsel Psal 106.12 13. Jonah did not surely wait for Gods counsel but anteverted it Idcirco anteverti saith he in the next words Therefore I fled before and thought hee had said well spoke very good reason It is the property of lust and passion so to blear the understanding of a man that he shall think he hath reason to be mad and that there is great sence in sinning Dogs in a chafe bark at their owne masters so do people in their passions let flie at their best friends They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh thorow the earth Psal 73.9 Ionah in his heat here justifieth his former flight which he had so sorely smarted for Et quasi quidam Aristarchus he taketh upon him to censure God for his superabundant goodnesse which is above all praise For I knew that thou art a gracious God and mercifull c. This He knew to be Gods name Exod. 34.6 7. but withall he should have remembred what was the last letter in that Name viz. that he will by no means clear the guilty See Nahum 1.2 3. The same fire hath burning heat and chearfull light Gracious is the Lord but yet righteous saith David Psal 116.5 his mercy goes ever bounded by his truth This Jonah should have considered and therefore trembled thus to have upbraided God with that mercy by which himself subsisted and but for which he had been long since in hell for his tergiversation and peevishnesse But mercy rejoyceth against judgement and runneth as a spring without ceasing Jam. 2. It is not like those pools about Jerusalem that might be dried up with the tramplings of horse and horse-men The grace of God was exceeding abundant 1 Tim. 1.14 It hath abounded to flowing-over as the Sea doth above the hugest rocks See this in the present instance Jonah addeth sinne to sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doth enough to undo himself for ever so that a man would wonder how God could forbear killing him as hee had like to have done Moses when he met him in the Inne But He is God and not man he contents himself to admonish Jonah of his fault as a friend and familiar velut cum eo colludens jesting with him as it were and by an outward signe shewing him how grievously he had offended Mercer Concerning these Attributes of God here recited see the Note on Joel 2.13 and say with Austin Laudent alij pietatem Dei ego misericordium Let no spider suck poison out of this sweetest flower nor out of a blind zeal make ill use of it as Jonah doth for a cloke of his rebellion lest abused mercy turn into fury Verse 3. Threfore now O Lord take I beseech thee my life from me A pitifull peevish prayer such as was that of Job and that of Jeremy above noted to which may be added Sarah's hasty wish for God to arbitrate betwixt her and her husband Moses his quibling with God till at length he was angry Exod. 4.10 14. Eliah's desire to die out of discontent c. What a deal of filth and of flesh clogs and cleaves to our best performances Hence David so prayes for his prayers and Nehemiah for pardon of his reformations Anger is ever an evil counsellour but when it creeps into our prayes it corrupts them worse then vinegar doth the vessel wherin it standeth Submit your selves therefore to God as Ionah should have done resist this devil of pride and passion and he will flee from you Jam. 4.7 as by giving place to impatiency ye give place to the Devil Eph. 4.26 who else by his vile injections or at least by his vain impertinencies will so flie-blow and marre our duties that we may well wonder they are not cast back as dirt into our faces Sure it is that if the holy Ghost had not his hand in our prayers there would not be the least goodnesse in them no not uprightnesse and truth without which Christ would never present them or the Father accept them for it is better for me to die then to live sc in that disgrace that I shall now undergo of being a false prophet not henceforth to be believed Lo this was it that troubled the man so much as it did likewise Moses Exod. 4.1 They will not believe me for they will say The Lord hath not appeared unto thee But God should have been trusted by them for that and his call obeyed howsoever without consults or disputes carelesse of their own credit so that God might be exalted True it is that a man had better die with honour then live in disgrace truly so called It were better for me to die 1 Cor. 9.15 saith holy Paul then that any man should make my glorying void Provident we must be but not over-tender to preserve our reputation learning of the unjust steward by lawfull though he did by unlawfull means to do it for our Saviour noted this defect in the children of light that herein they were not oft so wise as they should be Luke 16.8 But Ionah was too heady and hasty in this wish of his death because his credit as he thought was crackt and he shoulld be lookt upon as a lyar But was the Euge of a good conscience nothing to him was Gods approbation of no value nor the good esteem of his faithful people It was enough for Demetrius that he had a good report of the truth 3 Iohn 12. what ever the world held or said of him What is the honour of the world but a puffe of stinking breath and why should any Jonah be so ambitious of it as that without it he cannot find in his heart to live Life is better then honour Joseph is yet alive saith Jacob. To have heard that Joseph lived a servant would have joyed him D. Hall Cont. more then to heare that he died honourably The greater blessing obscureth the less He is not worthy of honour that is not thankfull for life St. Pauls desire to be dissolved that he might be with Christ which is farr farr the better Phil. 1.3 was much different from this of Jonah Vers 4. Doest thou do well to be angry Or what art thou very angry Nunquid rectè Summon the sobriety of thy senses before thine own judgement and see whether there be a cause
afore Queen Elizabeth speaking of the disorders of the times These things are so saith He and you sit still and do nothing And again May we not well say with the Prophet saith He It 's the Lords mercy that we are not consumed seeing there is so much disobedience both in subjects and Prince Once it was Tanquam ovis as a sheep before the sheerer Act. Mon. but now it is Tanquam â—uvenca petulca as an untamed heifer c. In our dayes Reverend Mr. Stock had this commendation given him by a faithfull witnesse that hee could speak his minde fitly and that he durst speak it freely I will go to the Bishop Steven Gardiner then Lord Chancellour and tell him to his beard that he doth naught said Dr. Taylour Martyr and hee did so though his friends disswaded him Truth must be spoken however it bee taken And if Gods Messengers must be mannerly in the forme yet in the matter of their message they must be resolute and plain-dealing It is probable that Joseph used some kind of preface to Pharaohs Baker in reading him that hard destiny Gen. 40.19 such haply as was that of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar chap. 4.19 or as Phile brings him in with a Vtinam tale somnium non vidisses c. But for the matter he gives him a sound though a sharp interpretation So dealeth Micah by these corrupt Princes to whom neverthelesse he giveth their due Titles and of whom hee fairly begs audience Hear I pray you yee heads of Jacob c. Or hear yee now who formerly have refused to hearken It was in Hezekiah's dayes that this Sermon was preached as appeareth Jer. 26.18 not long before Sennacherib invaded the land Mic. 5. And although the King himself were religious and righteous yet many of his Princes and Courtiers who in the reigne of his father Ahaz had been habituated in rapine and wrong-dealing still played their pranks and are here as barely told their own Is it not for you to know judgement To know it and do it as it is said of our Saviour that he knew no sinne that is he did none And have the workers of iniquity no knowledge they eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon God Psal 14.4 Of all men Magistrates should be knowing men fearing God hating covetousnesse and cruelty Exod. 18.21 They are the eyes of their Countrey and if they be dark how great is that darknesse They are the common looking-glasses by which other men use to dresse themselves Judges they are to discern and decide controversies fit it is therefore and necessary that they know â—udgement how else shall they execute it Tully complaineth of the Roman Priests in his dayes that there were many things in their own lawes that themselves understood not I will get me to the great men saith Jeremy when hee found things farre amisse among the vulgar and will speak unto them for they have known the way of the Lord and the judgement of their God but these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Jer. 5.5 Verse 2. Who hate the good and love the evil q.d. That you know not judgement but are men ignorant of the truth which is according to godlinesse appeareth by your wicked practises For you stand acrosse to what God requireth Homo est inversus decalogus hating what you should love and loving where you should hate Goodnesse is in it self amiable and attractive but you are perfect strangers to it and therefore hate it and those that professe it Evil is of the Devil and must therefore needs be loathsome and yet you love it allow it and wallow in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas you should abhorre that which is evil hate it as hell and cleave or bee fast glued to that which is good Rom. 12.9 You are direct Antipodes to the godly Psal 15.4 and have nothing in you of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 or of the spot of Gods children but are a perverse and crooked generation Deut. 32.3 Who pluck off their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones Like so many carnivorous Canibals or truculent wild-beasts As the Ossiâ—â—age or Breakbone pursueth the prey tears off the flesh breaks the bones and sucks out the marrow such were these griping tyrants their furious rapacity surmounted all bounds of humanity Such an one was Verres among the Romans as Tully describeth him that Tigre Tiberius those Romish Usurers in King Johns time here called Caursini quasi capienâ—es Vrsi quoth Paris devouring Bears who left not so much money in the whole Kingdom as they either carried with them or sent to Rome before them Money and lands are here called mens skin flesh and bones and a poor mans substance is his life See Mark 12. ult and Luke 8.43 Hence oppression is called a bony sinne Amos 5.12 13. and Oppressours Men-eaters Psal 14.4 and murtherers Hab. 2.12 Cyprian cries out Fâ—rae parcunt Danieli Aves pascunt Eliam homines saeviunt Lions spare Daniel ravens feed Elias but men rage and are worse then both Melancthon maketh mention of a certain Prince some few years before his time who to get money out of his subjects would send for them and by knocking out first one tooth and then another threatning to leave them toothlesse else would extort from them what summes soever he pleased Our King Johns exactours received from his subjects no lesse summes of curses then of coin Joh. Manl. loc com pag. 636. Speed 568. Ibid. 1012. saith the Chronicler And so did Cardinal Wolsey under Henry 8. by his importable Subsidies which caused Suffolk to rise up in arms making poverty their Captain Verse 3. Who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin c. He stills proceeds in the Allegory the better to argue and aggravate their extreme cruelty Money saith the Heathen is a mans flesh blood life all Of this when the people were pilled and polled by their cruel princes who are here compared to butchers and cooks they are looked upon as not onely excoriated but excaâ—â—iâ—ied and even exossaâ—ed and laid for dead for mortis habet viâ—es quae trahitur viâ—a gemitibus It is a lifelesse life that many poor people live for want of necessaries Such savage Shepherds Ezekiel inveighes against that not onely sheer their sheep Ezek. 34. Tiber. ap Sueton. but held them and suck their blood Atqui pastoris est pecus tondere non deglâ—bere non carnem ossa concidere c. Chop them in peeces as for the pot c. Making no more bones of undoing them and their families then to eat a meals-meat when hungry yea nourishing their hearts therewith as in a day of slaughter or good cheer Jam. 5.3 Verse 4. Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not hear them Then sc when God shall have changed their cheer pulled the fat morsell from between their
could not outlast the Temple as may be gathered from Mat. 24.3 But they some of them lived to see themselves confuted and our Saviours words verified There shal not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Vers 2. and the mountain of the house that famous house that was worthily reckoned one of the seven wonders of the world and stood upon mount Moriah As the high places of the forrest As wooddy and desert places fit onely for wild beasts Lege Luge saith one speaking of Jerusalems desolation CHAP. IV. Vers 1. BVt in the last dayes it shall come to passe God reserveth his best comforts till the last as that Ruler of the feast did his best wine Ioh. 2.10 and as the sweetest of the honey lieth at the bottome These last dayes are Gospel-dayes Heb. 1.2 times of Reformation Heb. 9.19 of Restitution Act. 3.21 called the World to come Heb. 2.5 that new heaven and earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 that new Jerusalem that is all of gold Rev. 2.1 Ezekiels new Temple bigger then all the old Jerusalem and his new Ierusalem bigger then all the land of Canaan chap. 40.41.42 c. Let Popish buzzars blaspheme that description of the Temple and City Sanct. Argum. cap. 40. calling it as Sanctius doth once and again insulsam descriptionem a senselesse description so speaking evil of the things that they know not Jude 10. We beleeve and are sure Joh. 6.69 that God hath provided some better thing for us then for those under the law Heb. 11.40 viz. that great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 who should again restore the kingdom to Israel the spiritual kingdom to the Israel of God as is here foretold in the self-same words with those of Esay chap. 2.1 2. whence he is not ashamed to take it That the mountain of the house of the Lord The Church 1 Tim. 3.15 called elsewhere the mountain of the Lord and his holy hill Psal 15.1 and 24.3 and 48.2 Esay 30.17 both for its sublimity Gal. 4.26 and firmnesse Psal 46.3 and 125.1 winde and stormes move it not no more can all the power and policy of hell combin'd prevail against the Church Mat. 16.18 She is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kingdom that cannot be shaken and may better then the city of Venice take for her Posie Immota manet Shall be established in the top of the mountains Constituetur firmiter shall bee strongly set upon a sure bottom upon munitions of Rocks yea upon the Rock of Ages Mat. 16.18 Jer 31.35 Esay 33.20 Some by the house of the Lord here understand the Church and by the mountain of this house Christ whereon it is built and whom Daniel describeth by that great mountain that filled the whole earth Chap. 2.35 that stone cut out without hands that smot in pieces the four Monarchies ibid. And hence it is that this mountain of the Lords house is exalted above the hils the Church must needs be above all earthly eminencies whatsoever because founded upon Christ who therefore cannot be exalted but shee must be lifted up aloft together with him God who is rich in mercy saith that great Apostle hath quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.5 6. The Church is mysticall Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 she is his wife and wheresoever hee is Caius she is Caia she shineth with his beams and partaketh of his honours union being the ground of communion and people shall flow unto it As waters roul and run toward the Sea but that these waters should flow upward flow to the mountain as here is as wonderfull as that the Sun should send his beams downward to the earth when as it is the property of all fire to aspire and flie upwards This is the Lords own work and it is marvellous in our eyes Chrysost Hom 8. ad Hop Antioch The metaphor of flowing importeth the coming of people to Christ by the preaching of the Gospel 1. Freely Psal 110.3 2. Swiftly as the waters of the river Tigris swift as an arrow out of a bowe See Esay 60.8 3. Plentifully by whole Nations turned to the faith and giving up their names to Christ 4. Joyntly as verse 2. and Zach. 8.21 5. Zealously bearing down all obstacles that would damme up their way 6. Constantly and continually as rivers run perpetually by reason of the perennity of their fountains and are never dried up though sometimes fuller then some quin ut fluvij repentinis imbribus augentur saith Gualther as rivers swell oft with sudden showres and overflow the banks so beyond all expectation many times doth God take away tyrants and propagates his truth enlarging the bounds of his Church with new confluxes of Converts Verse 2. And many nations shall come and say The conversion of the Gentiles is here foretold a piece of that mystery of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 The Jews usually call Christians in contempt Gozin the word here used and Mamzer Goi Bastard-Gentiles But either they must come under this name themselves or deny that they are the posterity of Abraham Gen. 12.2 Where God saith I will make of thee a great Nation Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord The wicked have their Come Prov. 1.11 and would not go to hell alone Should not the Saints have theirs should they not get what company they can toward heaven The Greeks call goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it doth as it were invite and call others to it and every man is willingly to run after it and to the house of the God of Jacob to the publike ordinances where wee may hear and beleeve and be sealed with that holy spirit of promise as those Ephesians were chap. 1.13 We read that Marcellinus Secundanus and some others were converted to Christianity by reading Sibylla's oracles of Christs birth and that by Chaucers Book some were brought to the knowledge of the truth But either this was not so or not ordinary for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word preached which therefore the people of God do so prize as Luther did who said Acts Mon. 767. He would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible and that without the preaching of the word he could not live comfortably in Paradise as with it hee could live and enjoy himself though it were in hell and he will teach us of his wayes Cathedram in coelis habet qui corda docet saith Austin All true Converts are taught of God Joh. 6. and then quà m citò discitur quod docetur saith the same Father how soon are men discipled how soon learn they the wayes of God whereby to serve him here and be saved by him hereafter For it
cause before he proceedes to judgment this deserves admiration and acknowledgement in the highest degree O the depth Verse 4. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt Here God twits them with his former favours which he never doth but in case of brutish unthankfulnesse Now there was brutish and worse To render good for evill is divine good for good is humane evill for evill is brutish but evill for good devilish This makes God contrary to his custome upbraid people with what he hath done for them and angrily call for his love-tokens back againe as Hos 2.9 For their deliverance out of the Egyptian servitude how great a mercy it was see the Note on Hos 11.1 such as they were againe and againe charged never to forget Deut. 6.12 and 5.15 and 26.5 to 12. How much more bound are we to God for our Redemption by Christ for what 's Pharaoh to Satan Egypt to this present evill world Egyptian bondage to fins slavery Seeing then that our God hath given us such deliverance as this should we againe break his commandements c. Well might the hills and mountaines testify against such a monstrous unthankfullnesse and disingenuity and redeemed thee out of the house of servants Gradatim progreditur saith Calvin It was somthing to be brought out of the land of Egypt a most superstitious place where they turned the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man for they defiled their king Osiris and of birds for they worshipped the hawk and Ibis and of foure-footed beasts for they worshipped an ox Rom. 1.23 a dog a cat a swine and of creeping things for they worshipped the Crocodile Ichneumon c. yea they worshipped plants and pot-herbs Hence the Poet Felices gentes Iuven. quibus haec nascuntur in hortis Numina To be brought out therefore from amongst such hatefull Idolaters was no small favour lest they should smell of their superstitions as Mica's mother did after all that ayring sin in the desert Judg. 17.3 and Jeroboam by being there awhile had learned calf-worship hence that strickt charge never to make leagne with them But to be redeemed out of the house of servants was more out of the iron furnace Deut. 4.20 Ier. 11.4 where they wrought night and day in latere luto Exod. 1. in setting up those famous Pyramids and treasure-cities for Pharaoh where they served with rigour Exod. 1.13 their lives were made bitter with hard bondage ver 14. till God withdrew their shoulders from the burden and their hands did leave the pots Psal 81.6 till they saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved-work of a Saphire-stone Exod. 24.10 to shew that God had now changed their condition their bricks made in their bondage to Saphirs Confer Esay 54.11 and consider what God hath done for us by bringing us into the glorious liberty of his own children who were once the devils drudges and dromedaries serving diverse lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 which gave lawes to our members Rom. 7. and held us under in a brutish bondage much worse then the Heathens mil-house the Turks gallies Bajazets iron-cage the Indian mines or Egyptian furnace For there if they did their task they escaped stripes but here let men do the devill never such doughty service they are sure of scourges and scorpions after all armies and changes of sorrowes and sufferings terrours and torments without any the least hope of ever either mending or ending This should make us lift up many an humble joyfull and thankfull heart to our most powerfull Redeemer saying with St. Paul Now to the King eternal immortal invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.17 and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam As three principall guides and Miriam for one who did her part among the women Exod. 15.20 and having a prophetick spirit became a singular instrument in the hand of God who spake by her Num. 12.2 But her weak head was not able to bear such a cup of honour without being intoxicated which caused her father to spit in her face Num. 12.2 14. Her death is recorded in scripture Num 20.1 but not her age as is Sarahs Gen. 23.1 Some have observed that God thought not fit to tell us of the length of the life of any woman in Scripture but Sarah to humble that sex But as soules have no sexes so of some women such as were Miriam Deborah the Virgin Mary Priscilla Blandina the Lady Jane Gray Q. Elizabeth c. it may be said that in them besides their sex there was nothing woman-like or weak as if what Philosophy saith the soules of these noble creatures had followed the temperament of their bodies which consist of a frame of rarer roomes of a more exact composition then mans doth It is possible that Miriam might till that matter of emulation betwixt her and Moses his wife fell out be as helpfull to Moses and Aaron as Nazianzens mother was to his father Non solum adjutricem in pietate sed etiam doctricem gubernatricem Nazian Epitap pat not a help-fellow only but a doctresse and governesse Verse 5. O my people remember now what Balak There must be a Recognition of Gods mercies or else there will neither follow Estimation nor Retribution Else we that should be as temples of his praises shall be as graves of his benefits Our soules are naturally like filthy ponds wherein fish die soon and frogs live long rotten stuff is remembred memorable mercies are forgotten whereas the soul should be as an holy Ark the memory like the pot of Manna preserving holy truths as the Law and speciall blessings as Aarons rod fresh and flourishing This Israel did not and are therefore justly blamed Psal 106.7 13 21. and here againe reminded of one signall mercy among many that they might take notice of the enemies malignity Gods benignity and their own indignity and ingratitude that parching wind that drieth up the fountaine of divine favours Ventus urens exsiccans what Balack king of Moab consulted Joshua saith that he arose and fought against Israel chap. 24.9 that is he had a good mind to have fought but he did not because he durst not So Esth 8.7 Haman is said to have laid his hand upon the Jewes because he intended and attempted such a matter They that is the Sortilegi or Lot-sorcerers with whom Balack-like he consulted cast Pur that is the lot before Haman from day to day and from month to month viz. Esth 3.7 to find out what month or day would be lucky for the accomplishment of his intended massacre of the Iewes but before that black-day came Mordecai was advanced and Haman hanged Now as there by the speciall providence of God over-ruling the superstition of that wicked wreth way was made for the preservation of Gods people So
was it here Balack consulted and Balaam answered him that is he was as willing to curse as the other would have had him but might not for God would not harken unto him but blessed his people still and delivered them out of his hand Iosh 24.10 Yea though at length he was resolved to curse howsoever and therefore went not forth as at other times to seek for inchantments but set his face toward the wildernesse as if he would do the deed whatever came of it Num. 24.1 Yet his indevour was fruitlesse and frustrate So shall the malicious attempts of Rome and Hell be against the Reformed religion and the Professors thereof whom the Romish Balaam banns and curses with bell book and candle at the instigation of the Spanish Balak with his factours the Jesuits so long as they adhere to him and pray as Psal 109.26 27 28 29. Help me O Lord my God O save me according to thy mercy That they may know that this is thy hand that thou Lord hast done it Let them curse but blesse thou When they arise let them be ashamed but let thy servants rejoyce c. Salvation is of the Lord his blessing is upon his people from Shittim unto Gilgal Oratio elliptica q. d. Remember what I did for you at Shittim in the wildernesse and so all the way untill you came into the promised land even to Gilgal where you first pitched tent Iosh 5.8 9 10. At Shittim it was where by the pestilent counsel of Balaam the devils spelman the Midianites out-witted them by setting faire women before them as a stumbling-block Num. 25.1 18. to draw them to those two sister-sins adultery and idoaltry Then and there Digni qui fuâ—ditus delerentur Gualth the heades of the people were hanged up before the Lord against the Sun and some others when as God might justly have cut them all off and cast them away from being a people before him Nonne illic refulsit admirabilis Dei gratia saith Calvin was not this a miracle of Gods mercy that ye may know the righteousnesse of the Lord i. e. the faithfulnesse and goodnesse of God in keeping promise with your fathers notwithstanding your provocations Or my righteous dealings with those fornicatours and adulterers whom I there judged preserving the innocent or penitent till they came to Gilgal and onwards Or that thou maist know how just my complaint is of thee and mine action against thee So Vatablus expounds it Verse 6. Wherewith shall I came before the Lord This is vox populi the voice of the people now convinced in part or at least of some one for them Praestat herbam dare quà m turpiter pugnare Better yeeld then disgracefully hold out the contest God say they hath the better of us neither need he now call upon heaven and earth to arbitrate nor on the mountaines and strong foundations to heare the quarrell for we are self-condemned Tit. 3.11 Our own consciences reade the sentence against us we have deserved to be destroyed but oh what may we do to avert and avoid his wrath what shall we do that we might work the works of God Ioh. 6.28 Loe this is the guise of gracelesse men faine they would pacifie God and work themselves into his grace and favour by ceremonies and frivolous businesses yea they offer largely for a dispensation to live in their sins which they had as liefe be knockt o' th' head as part with Intere à per flexuosos circuitus fing unt se ad Deum accedere In loc à quo tamen semper cupiant esse remoti saith Calvin they fetch a compasse about God but care not to come near him Heaven they would either steale if they could or buy at any hand if they might faine they would passe è coeno ad coelum à deliciis ad delicias from Dalilab's lap to Abrahams bosome faine they would as One saith dance with the devill all day and then sup with Christ at night They seem here very inquisitive and solicitous about their soules health they give the half-turn sed ad Deum usque non revertuntur but they return not even to God like a horse in a mill they move much but remove not at all like those silly women 2 Tim. 3.6 7. or as ants that run to and fro about a mole-hill but grow not greater and how my self before the high God Or shall I bow my self c. will that or any like bodily exercise please him or pacisy him if cringing or crouching will do it if sack-cloth and ashes if hanging down the head and going softly if pennances and pilgrimagts c. hypocrites do usually herein out-do the upright Doth the Publican look with his eyes on the ground the hypocriticall Jewes will hang down their heads like bulrushes Doth Timothy weaken his constitution by abstinence the Pharisees will never give over till his complexion be wholy withered and wanzed Doth Paul correct his body with milder correction as it were a blow on the cheek the Jesuite will martyr his sides with the severe discipline of scorpions But although God must be glorified with our bodies also 1 Cor. 6.20 and externall service is required what ever the Swenkfeldians say to the contrary yet Bodily exercise of it self profiteth little 1 Tim. 4.8 and let those that brag off or bind upon their outward worship of Christ consider that the devill himself in the demoniack of Gadara fell down and worshipped him What comfort can there be in that which is common to us with devils who as they beleeve and tremble so they tremble and worship The outward bowing is the body of the action the disposition of the soule is the soule of it shall I come before him with burnt-offerings c. shall I prevent him and propiciate him with holocausts shall I meet him marching against me and thus make my peace with him The Jewes were much in sacrifices till they wearied Gods soule therewith and all his senses Esay 1.13 14 15. but they were sacrificing Sodomites ver 10. they stuck in the bark they pleased themselves in the work done not attending the manner which either makes or marres every action and is mainely eyed by God their devotions were placed more in the massy materiality then inward purity and hence rejected David could tell through these Questionists could not that God desired not sacrifice further then as thereby men were led to Christ and that the sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit Psal 51.16.17 that no burnt offering is acceptable not calf of a yeare old unlesse laid on the low altar of a broken heat which sanctifieth the sacrifice Verse 7. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of ramms It was taken for a maxime among all nations that no man was to come before God empty-handed nor to serve him of free-cost And although Lycurgus the Lacedemonian made a law that no man should be at very great charge for a sacrifice lest he
make them run noting her readinesse and speedinesse in giving her goods unto the saints The tender mercies of the Almighty shed forth abundantly upon His leave a compassionate frame upon their hearts and do dye their thoughts as the die-fat doth the cloth And to walk humbly with thy God Or Bashfully with an holy shamefacednesse and sollicitosnesse of doing any thing that may offend the eyes of Gods glory Yea what care faith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.11 sc of walking worthy of the Lord unto all-pleasing Colos 1.10 as proving your hearts and lives to him in every part and point of obedience This the Lord in a mystery taught his people Deut. 23.13 14. when commanding them to cover their excrements with a paddle hee giveth this reason thereof For the Lord thy God walketh in the middest of thy camp c therefore shall thy camp be holy that he seen no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee They that stand in the presence of Princes must be every way exact and give them all due respect Now a good man like a good Angel is ever in Gods presence and must therefore walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called with all lowlinesse and meeknesse Ephes 4.1 2. with all modesty and demission of mind and of demeanour as the word here signifieth and especially when he draweth night to God in holy duties 1 Chro. 29.14 Then it must be his care to exercise a three-fold humility First precedent before he sets upon Gods service he must in heart devote and dedicate all that he is and hath as a due debt to the Almighty saying with David Justinian It is of thine own Lord that I give thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that good Emperour said The second is concomitant when in the performance of good duties he hath grace this lovely grace of humility especially whereby hee may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear which is nothing else but an awfull respect to the divine Majesty Heb. 12.28 with whom wee have to do Heb. 4.13 The third is subsequent when after hee hath done his best he is dejected in the sense of his many failings in the manner and looking on his plumes he looketh also on his black feet and is abashed and abased before the Lord. Lo this is to humble himself to walk with his God And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Verse 9. The Lords voice crieth unto the city Or shall cry viz. by his Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodet said the Heathen God loves to fore-signifie to warn before he woundeth to foretell a judgement before he inflicteth it He had shewed his people what was good and what he required of them but to little purpose through their unteachablenesse and stubbornnesse He thereatneth therefore here to take another course with them And the man of wisdome shall see thy name Gualther rendreth it And the man of Essence c. that is qui revera vir est non caudex aut truncus hee that is a man indeed or not a stock or trunck such an one as was that saplesse fellow Nabal in whom all true reason was decayed and faded will easily see Gods name that is the divine majesty of the word working powerfully upon his heart as the Sun-beams beat upon Jonas his head and disquieted him Danaeus rendreth it And wisdom seeth thy name that is wisdoms children as Luke 7.35 which will justifie her when others are either so froward that nothing can please them neither John fasting nor Christ eating Mat. 11.16 c. or so dull that nothing can affect them as these here the word of God was worse then spilt upon them Sure it is that wisdoms children are not many Who is wise and he shall understand these things saith Hosea chap. 14.9 the very question imports a paucity See the Note there Though a gunne be discharged at a whole flight of birds there are but a few killed though the net be spread over the whole pond but a few fishes are taken Rari sunt qui philosophantur saith Vlpian It is with our hearers as it was with Jonathans signal arrows two fell short and but one beyond the mark So where one shoots home to the mark of the high-calling in Christ Jesus many fall short Three sorts of four of those that heard our Saviour were naught Mat. 13. And of those that heard Paul at Athens some derided others doubted and but a very few beleeved as Dennis and Damaris and some others with them Act. 17.34 Hear ye the rod Sith ye would not hear the word and so redeem your own sorrows All Gods rods are vocall they are speaking as well as smiting they are not mute but mingled with instructions They are his Free-school-master curst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and crabbed but such as whereby he openeth mens ears till then uncircumcised and stopt with the superfluity of naughtinesse to discipline and commandeth them to return from iniquity Job 36.8 9. By chastening men God teacheth them out of his Law Psal 64.12 Hence Luther calleth Affliction Theologiam Christianorum the Christian mans Divinity and Another saith that Schola crucis est schola lucis There shall be onely fear to make you understand the hearing Esay 28.19 As God is said to hold his peace when he punisheth not Psal 50.21 Esay 41.14 so to preach and teach when he doth And look how Gideon by threshing the men of Succoth with thorns and briars of the wildernesse taught them Judg. 8.7.16 so here I have a message from God unto thee O King said Ehud Judg. 3.20 Lo his ponyard was Gods message Whence One well observeth that not onely the vocall admonitions but the reall judgements of God are his errands and instructions to the world For when thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Esay 26.9 Smart makes wit and Vexation giveth understanding and who hath appointed it God who hath not onely a permissive but an active hand in all our afflictions Others render the text Quis sit qui accersatistud who it is that hath procured it or sent for it Who but your selves according to Hos 13.9 See the Note there Nemo laeditur nisi à seipso Men may thank themselves for all their sufferings for God afflicteth not willingly Lam. 3.35 He cometh forth of his place to do it Esay 16.21 and counteth it his work his strange work Esay 28.21 He doth justice when there is no other remedy but hee loveth mercy and so requireth us to do in the verse next afore-going Vers 10. Are there yet the treasures of wickednesse What yet for all that ever I can say or do to the contrary Though I cry out unto you by my word and have set it on with my rod that it might stick the better Oh do not this abominable thing
to rise from earthly things to heavenly from corporalls to spiritualls See Rom. 10.15 Esay 52.7 O Iudah keep thy solemn feasts c. which hitherto hindered by the enemy thou hast intermitted Perform thy vows made in the day of thy distresse bring presents to him that ought to be feared Psal 76.11 2 Chro. 32.23 for the wicked Heb. Belial that stigmaticall Belialist Sennacherib that lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse monster that merum scelus that is so portentously so peerlesly vitious He is utterly cut off His Army by the Angel himself by his sonnes his Monarchy by the Babylonians See Esay 27.1 2. CHAP. II. Verse 1. HE that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face Nebuchadnezzar the elder that maul of the whole earth Jer. 50.23 that brake and dispersed the Nations as a Maul or great Hammer doth the hardest stones See how like a right Pyrgopolynicis he vaunteth of his valour and victories Esay 10.8 9 10 11 c. So Demetrius was sirnamed Poliorcletes the Destroyer of cities Attilas called himself Orbis flagellum the scourge of the World Julius Caesar was Fulmen belli The thunderbolt of warre he had taken in his time a thousand Towns conquered three hundred Nations took prisoner one million of men and slain as many These were Dtssipatores indeed and dashers in pieces rods of Gods wrath and this they took to be a main piece of theit silly glory How much more honour was it to Augustine M. Cottons pref to Hilder on Joh. 4. to be stiled Haereticorum malleus the hammer of Heretikes and to Mr. Hildersam to bee Schismaticorum malleus the maul of Schismatikes and lastly to Luther that he could thus say of himself Pestis eram vivus moriens ero mors tua Papa I living stopt Romes breath And dead will be Romes death Is come up before thy face Nineveh lay high and those that went thither were said to go up Hos 8.9 Nebuchadnezzar is said here to be come up to it long before he did which sets forth Gods omniscience Known to him are all his works from the beginning of the world Act. 15.18 Psal 139.2 and present to him are all things both past and future and to come up before Nineveh's face who thought none durst have been so bold as to look her in the face But though she had been a terrour yet now shee is a scorn as was likewise Ephraim when he offended in Baal Hos 13.1 See the Note there Keep the munition watch the way c. Ironicè omnia q.d. Do all this if you think it will do any good But 't is all to no purpose you are an undone people your enemies are above fear and you below hope you have hitherto delighted in warre you shall now have enough of it you have troubled the world with your armes and Armies now you shall meet with your match a people terrible from the beginning Up therefore and do your utmost Neglect nothing that may serve for your necessary defence but it will not be for except the Lord keep the city the watch-man waketh but in vain Psal 127.1 Verse 2. For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel Both the ten tribes carried captive already and the other two vexed by Sennacheribs invasion have taken their turnes and have had their part of bitter affliction and shalt thou O Niniveh altogether escape unpunished Never think it Especially sith thou hast exceeded thy commission and exercised an unheard of cruelty upon Gods people for he was but a little displeased but ye have helped forward the affliction Zach. 1.15 See the Note there for the emptiers have emptied them out The Assyrians have spoyled and pillaged till they have left neither men nor meanes behind them such clean work they have made sweeping all before them like a sweeping raine that leaveth no sood Prov. 28.3 Omnia corradunt converrunt and marred their vine-branches that is their sons and their daughters saith Lyra their cities and villages say others like a malicious vinedresser that not only cuts off the luxurious or barren branches but pulls up the yong sprouts by the rootes and so marrs the vineyard The Assyrians endeavoured utterly to destroy the whole seed of Abraham without any mercy or compassion and this undid them The jealous and just God cannot beare with such boares out of the wood that wast his vines Psal 80.13 Ver. 3. The shield of his mighty men is made red Panoplia terrorens auget All was red a colour much affected by the Medes Persians and Caldees to shew that they were a sanguinary nation and not more gold thirsty Esai 13. Herodot Diod. Sic. Xenophon Curtius then blood-thirsty the valiant men are in scarlet A colour affected by martiall men that would seem to feare no colours The Lacedemonians used it much when they went to fight that if they should be wounded their blood might not appeare upon their apparrell for the discouragement of themselves and encouragement of the enemy by such a sight The Romish Cardinals are clothed in scarlet and are created by a red hat which the Pope giveth them in a token that they should be ready to shed their blood for the Catholike faith which if they should do as never any of them yet did they would be no better then the Devils Martyrs sith it is the cause and not the punishment that maketh a true martyr A Tiburn-tippet as plain Mr. Latimer was wont to speake would well become those scarlet-Fathers who like bels will be never well tuned till well hanged for their blood-guiltinesse and soule-murther especially In the kingdome of Naples there were two notable theeves the one named Pater-noster Reinold de idol Rom. prafet the other Ave-Maria who at severall times had murthered one hundred and sixteen men and were therefore deservedly put to a cruel death But nothing so cruel as the Pope and his Conclave deserve for their sending of so many soules daily to that great red dragon red with the blood of soules which he hath swallowed as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 5.8 Rev. 12.3 the charrets shall be with flaming torches Those currus falcati charrets armed with sithes and hookes with and in which they were wont to fight these shall be with flaming torches carried along in them either to light them fighting by night or else to fire the enemies houses and to terrify their hearts and the firr trees shall be terribly shaken with the rattling of the charrets and clattering of the armour In a bloody fight between Amurath the third king of Turks and Lazarus Despot of Servia the noise of warlike weapons the neighing of horses and outcries of men were so terrible and great that the wild beasts in the woods stood astonied therewith the trees seemed to be shaken and the Turkish histories to expresse the terrour of the day vainely say Turk Hist that the Angels in heaven amazed with that hideous
be in the Prophet Esays sense chap. 53.1 but thy preceding discourse in answer to my disceptation I have heard that the Babylonians will come and that my people must into captivity This was no pleasant hearing for we all naturally shrink in the shoulder when call'd to carry the crosse but those that do what they should not must look to hear and feel too what they would not and was afraid Fear is constrictio cordis exsensu mali instantis a passion of the soule shrinking in it self from some imminent evill The wicked heare and jeere or their feare driveth them from God as it did guilty Adam Contrarily the godly tremble at Gods judgements whiles they hang in the threatenings and draw nigh to him with intreaties of peace In this feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children have a place of refuge Prov. 14.26 O Lord reviue thy work in the middest of the yeares i. e. Preserve alive thine Israel that work of thine hands Esay 45.11 together with thy work of grace in their hearts keep that spark alive upon the sea of tribulations and temptations The Angels saith a Reverend man are kept with much lesse care charge and power then we because they have no biasse no weights of sin hung upon them c. There is not so much of the glory of God saith Another in all his works of Creation and Providence as in one gracious action that a Christian performeth in the middest of the yeares make known sc thy power in perfecting thy glory and not forsaking the work of thine own hands Psal 138.8 It was Luthers usuall prayer Act. Mon. Confirm O God in us that thou hast wrought and perfect the work that thou hast begun in us to thy glory So be it So Q. Elisabeth when prisoner at Woodstock pray'd thus Look Lord upon the wounds of thine hands and despise not the work of thine hands Thou hast written me down in thy book of preservation with thine own hand O read thine own hand-writing Engl. Elis pag. 134. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and save me c. But what meant the Seventy here to translate In the middest of two beasts which whiles Ribera striveth to defend he tells us a tale of the babe of Bethlehem born in a stable and laid in a manger betwixt two beasts an oxe and an asse It may very well be that the Church here prayeth for Gods grace and favour during the time of her captivity In wrath remember mercy In commotione irae when thou art most moved against us and hast as much adoe to forbear killing of us as thou hadst to forbear Moses when thou mettest him in the Inne then remember to shew mercy call to mind thy compassions which fail not Look then upon us and be mercifull unto us as thou usest to doe unto those that love thy name Psal 119.132 The wicked are threatned with an evill an onely evil without any mixture of mercy Ezek. 7.5 this the Prophet here deprecateth and beggeth mercy Per miserere mei tollitur iradei Verse 3. God came from Teman The Prophet alludeth to that of Moses in his Swan-like song Deut. 33.2 and alledgeth Gods benefits of old for his own and their present confirmation of faith without which prayer would be to no purpose hence effectuall prayer is called the prayer of faith Jam. 5.15 Faith is the foundation of prayer and prayer is the fervency of faith Whatsoever ye ask beleeving Mar. 7. Psal 55. yee shall receive saith our Saviour Cast thy burthen or thy request upon the Lord saith David To help us so to doe it is of singular use to consider what God hath done heretofore for thou hast thou wilt is an ordinary medium of Scripture Logick see Psal 85.1 2 3 4. There be six Hasts drawing in the next Turn us again c. ver 4. See also 2 Cor. 1.10 Gods Majesty might when he gave the Law in Sinai is here set forth to shew how easily he can if he please Psal 126.4 turn again the captivity of his people as the Streams in the south And the holy One from mount Paran Selah He that is Holinesse it self a title farre too good for that man of sinne that Merum Scelus the Pope Philip the Faire of France did him right in writing to him thus Sciat tua maxima Fatuitas c. Be it known to your Foolishnesse not to your Holinesse and that must be sanctified in righteousnesse Esay 5.16 mount Paran was contiguous to the mountains Sinai and Teman otherwise called Seir for its roughnesse Deut. 33.2 Selah This the Seventy make to be a musical notion rendring it Diapsalma It seemeth to import an asseveration of a thing so to be and an admiration thereat The Iews at this day use it in their prayers for Legnolam i. e. For ever or Amen It is probable that the Singers of the Temple came to a Selah which word is used 92 times in Scripture and onely in Psalmes and Songs they made a pause that the hearers might stay their thoughts awhile upon the preceding matter worthy of more then ordinary observation Hence Tremellius and Iunius expresse Selah by the adverbs Summe Maximè Vehementissimè Excellenter It was doubtlesse a singular mercy of God to his people of Israel that he came from Teman c. to speak with them from heaven and there to give them right Iudgements and true Lawes good Statutes and Commandements Neh. 9.13.14 This when he did His glory covered the Heavens and the Earth was full of his praise The Law was given in a most majestick manner see Exod. 19. partly to procure reverence to the doctrine of it partly to set forth the nature and office of it which is to terrify Offenders and to drive them to Christ and partly also to shew that God hath power and weapons enow to defend those that keep his Law and to punish such as would draw them off from their obedience thereunto That 's a pious meditation of a Reverend Writer if the Law were thus given how shall it be required Dr. Hall If such were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes what shall the Sessions bee I see and tremble at the resemblance c. Verse 4. And his brightnesse was as the light The glory of the Lord was as a devouring fire on the top of the mountain Exod. 24.17 the noon-day light the Sun in his strength was nothing to this incomparable brightnesse which was as the light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Sun sâ—e Iob 31.26 and 37.20 Hence the Heathens called Apollo or the Sun Orus which is the word here used Hence also the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see He had 〈◊〉 coming out of his hand Or bright beams out of his side as the Sun hath The 〈◊〉 the Lord are in every place Prov. 15.3 Rev. 4.6 and every man before him is all 〈◊〉 Iob 34.22 the whole world is
to him as a Sea of glasse a clear transparent body he shines and sees throw it Gods hand or side is said to be horned in the sense that Moses his face was Exod. 34.30 And there was the hiding of his power Not the revealing of it but velamen symbolum integumentum the veil the cover such as God put over him when he shewed Moses his glory He could see but his back parts and live we need see no more that we may live God is invisible incomprehensible and dwelleth in light unapproachable How little a thing doth man here understand of God Iob 26.14 the greatest part of that he knoweth is but the least part of that he knoweth not Surely as a weak eye is not able to behold the Sun no nor the strongest eye without being dazled we cannot look upon it in rota but only in radiis so here we cannot see God in his Essence but onely in his effects in his works and in his Word where also we have but a shew but a shadow of him we see but his train in the Temple as Esay the holy Angels cover their faces with their wings as with a double scarfe before Gods brightnesse which would put out their eyes else â—s 6.3 see Psal 104.2.1 Tim. 6.16 Verse 5. Before him went the pestilence Dever the word signifieth such a disease as cometh by a divine decree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Hypocrits call the pestilence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because sext by God in a spiritual manner a stroke of his own bare hand as it were Here it is made one of his Apparitours or pursivants sent before him to destroy the Canaanites as it had done the Egyptians And burning coals went out at his feet Or the carbuncle burning bile Deut. 32.24 The Vulgar translateth it the devil Others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a deadly inflammation whereof good Oecolampadius died and was lamented by Melancthon But Luther very uncharitably the best have their failings wrote that he beleeved Oecolampadixm ignitis Satanae telis hastis confossum Lib. de Missae privat subitanea morte periâ—sse that Oecolampadius died suddenly being stabb'd to death with the fiery darts of the devill Verse 6. He stood and measured the earth Not Joshuah but God brought his people into the promised land and divided it amongst them Psal 78.55 Like as also he had divided the whole earth by bounds and borders to the several Nations Psal 74.17 and doth still appoint men the bounds of their habitations Act. 17.26 He beheld and drove asunder the Nations He did it with his looks as it were that is with very little adoe Let the Lord but arise onely and his enemies shall be scattered Camd. Elis let him but frown and they fall before him If Augustus could frown to death Asinius Pollio and Queen Elizabeth her chancellour Hatton what shall we think of Gods bended browes And the everlasting mountains were scattered i. e. those kingdomes of the Canâ—anites that were held firm and unmoveable as the mountains yea rivetted as it were upon eternity see Num. 13.21.31 22. These were scattered dissilierunt fell in peeces and leapt this way and that way as stones broken with a great hammer God threshed these mountains and beat them small he made the hills as chasse Isay 41.15 No worldly height could stand before him By mountains here some understand Kings and Princes as by hills those of inferiour rank His wayes are everlasting Heb. his walks or journies that is his government of the world by his power and wisedome is perpetual he never casteth off the care thereof There are that referre the word his to the Canaanites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who had of old possessed the land without disturbance But the former sense is the better Verse 7. I saw the Tents of Cushan King of Mesopotamia who tyrannized over Israel eight years after Joshua's death God selling his people to him for naught and not increasing his wealth by their price Psal 44.12 Judg. 3.8 But delivering them in the end by that valiant Othniel who brought the tents of Cushan under affliction or vanity Some render it propter iniquitatem because of iniquity and set this sense upon it It was for sinne that God sold his people into the hands of Cushan Riskathaijm and yet afterwards sent them a Saviour why then should they now despair of a seasonable return out of captivity though by their sinnes they have provoked the Lord to wrath sith if they returne unto him and seek his favour there is yet mercy with the Lord that he may be feared Loe this is the right use of histories and this is our duty to make observations to our selves as did the Prophet here I saw the tents of Cushan I considered the thing that hath been it is the same which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done c. Eccles 1.9 Historiae fidae monitrices Dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble Cortinae vel pelles c. When by the sword of the Lord and of Gideon they were cut off and discomfited Judg. 7.7 c. Verse 8. Was the Lord displeased against the Rivers As Xerxes that brutish man was against the Hellespont for battering his bridge of boates beating it and casting a pair of fetters into it Was God thus angry against Jordan and against the red-Sea No such matter If God seem angry at any time against the reasonlesse or livelesse creatures it is for a punishment of mans sin But here his end and purpose was to shew that he did ride upon those horses and charets the rivers and sea for the salvation of his people He did so when time was and that he will do so again when time shall serve this question in the text shews that there is no question to be made of it Verse 9. Thy bowe was made quite naked sc Out of the case He meaneth thy power was clearly manifested and powerfully exerted against the nations above mentioned so that all men might see plainly that thou wert that man of warre Exod. 15.3 which shootest thine arrowes at a certainty and never missest thine enemies thy but-mark See Job 16.12 according to the oathes of the tribes even thy word i. e. according to thy promises to thy people confirmed with oathes even those sure mercies of David or assured to David Some render it according to the oathes those props of thy word His word is sure and sufficient of it self but for our better settlement and as a prop to our faith He hath bound it with oathes that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation Heb. 6.18 For now we may say with Solomon For thy words sake nay more For thine oathes sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all this 2 Sam. 7.18 21. Thy love moved thee to make
promise yea to give oath and now thy truth bindeth thee to performe All thy pathes to thy people now are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 not mercy onely but mercy and truth not by a providence onely but by vertue of a promise ratified with an oath This is sweet indeed this deserves a Selah to be set to it thou didst cleave the earth with rivers Exod. 17.6 Psal 78.15 16. Deut. 8.15 Neh. 9.15 This cleaving the hard Rock and setting it abroach this turning of the flint into a fountain Psal 114.8 was a work of Omnipotency and is therefore so much celebrated It maketh much to the miracle that the earth was cleft with rivers this importeth both the plenty and the perennity thereof for the Rock that is the river out of the rock followed them 1 Cor. 10.4 lest in that dry and barren wildernesse they should perish for want of water The same God also who had given his people petram aquatilem gave them pluviam escatilem Tertul. de patientia as Tertullian phraseth it Manna from heaven Quails in great abundance and never was Prince better served in his greatest pomp He also defended them from the fiery serpents and delivered them from a thousand other deaths and dangers all which mercies are here implied though one onely be instanced and all to ascertain the Saints how much God setteth by them and what he will yet do for them as occasion requireth As he made the world at first that he might communicate and impart himself to his Elect so for their sakes doth he still preserve and govern it ordering the worlds disorders by an over-ruling power for his own glory and their eternall good Verse 10. The mountains saw thee and they trembled sc At the promulgation of the Law Exod. 19.17 Psal 114.4 6. when God came with ten thousand of his Saints Deut. 33.2 and so terrible was the earth-quake that it wrought an heart-quake even in Moses himself Heb. 12.21 It is the office of the Law to do so and happy is he who terrified and thunder-struck by the threats thereof runnes to Christ for refuge as to One who is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him Heb. 9.25 Some take mountains metaphorically for the Mighties of the earth and read it thus The mountains saw thee and they grieved See Num. 22.3 Josh 2.9 10 11 The over-flowing of the water passed by the inundation of Jordan passed into the dead-sea the lower part of it I mean like as the upper stood and rose up upon an heap Gualth Josh 3.16 being bounded and barred up by the Almighty power of God the deep uttered his voice and lifted up his hands on high i. e. summo consensis suffragatus est c. It voiced and voted for Gods judgements helping forward the execution thereof Verse 11. The Sun and Moon stood still in their habitation viz. In the dayes of Joshuah and upon his prayer chap. 10.12 13. whereupon One crieth out O admirabilem piarum precum vim ac potentiam quibus etiam coelestia cedunt c. O the admirable power of prayer Buchol that worketh wonders in heaven and oh the heroicall faith of Joshuah the trophees whereof hee set in the very orbes of heaven at the light of thine arrowes they went By these shining arrowes and glittering spears some understand that terrible lightening mixt with that horrible hail Josh 10.11 with Exod. 9.23 and then it is figura planè poetica a Poeticall expression for the poets call lightening 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the sword of the Lord and of Gideon Judg. 7. 18. Joves arrow See the like Psal 18.14 The huge hail-stones were Gods glittering spears wherewith he slaughtered his enemies Others suppose that these things are meant of the arms and weapons of the Israelites called Gods arrowes and spears because used at his command and ordered by him This sence Gualther liketh better as most comfortable to Christian warriours who fight the Lords battels Verse 12. Thou didst march thorow the land in indignation Heb. Thou didst walk in pomp as a Conquerour thorow the land sc of Canaan in contempt of the opposite forces treading upon the neeks of thine enemies Josh 10.24 thou didst thresh the heathen in anger See Amos 1.3 Mic. 4.13 God by the hands of Joshuah did all this The most of the old inhabitants were destroyed Some few fled into Africk and left written upon a pillar for a monument to posterity We are Phoenicians that fled from the face of Joshuah the son of Nave Verse 13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people q. d. Thou wast Generalissimo in â—our expeditions in the dayes of the Judges who therefore were so successefull How could they be otherwise when God came with them into the field Camd. Elisab If Q. Elizabeth could take for her Motto Cui adhaereo praest He to whom I adhere prevaileth how much more may Almighty God say as much even for salvation with thine anointed i. e. with David 1 Sam. 16.12 13. 2 Sam. 5.3 16. and 19.22 and 22.51 Psal 20.7 a lively type of Christ that Messiah the Prince the mystery of which promised Saviour the ancient Jew-Doctours confessed to be contained in this text It is not altogether unlikely that the Prophet might intend here to point at Jesus Christ when he saith for salvation Jeshang whence Jesus for thine anointed or thy Christ There are that read the words in the Future-tense thus Thou shalt go forth for the salvation of thy people sc when Messiah that great Sospitator cometh thou shalt wound the head of the wicked sc of the Devil Rom. 16.20 Thou shalt make naked the foundation of his kingdom unto the neck Selah thou shalt utterly destroy sin death and hell A remarkable mercy indeed a mystery of greatest concernment and most worthy to be considered Gualther carries the sence this way and yet addeth that if any please to refer the words to the history of the old Testament they must be understood of those tyrants that persecuted the true Church and whom God for Christs sake subdued and subverted together with their kingdomes Verse 14. Thou didst strike thorow with his staves the heads of his villages Heb. thou didst pierce or bore thorow as with an awger with his staves a Metaphor from shepherdy according to that Psal 23.3 thy rod and thy staffe c. or with his tribes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that entred the land of promise Acts 26.7 with these men or with these weapons though never so unlikely thou diddest by the hand of David wound the hairy scalp of thine enemies those Pagans and persecutours and much more wiâ—â— by the Son of David subdue Satan and his Complices they came out as a whirl-winde to scatter me Heb. they tempested they raised an hurly-burly being turbulent spirits as the devil is to disperse me as the dust of the mountains is scattered before a whirle-winde their
David they might disarm his indignation Saving a little pains in this case doubleth it and the best that can come of negligence is repentance It is better that we should try our selves then that he should try us in his furnace of temptation or other affliction Do it therefore before the day passe as the chaffe or before the chaffe or stubble passe in that day passe before the wind wherewith God shall winnow you who would not winnow your selves The scholer that will not scan his own verses shall find that his master will scan them to his cost And the tradesman that will not cast up his books shall have his books to cast up him at length Before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you As a mighty torrent of fire such as you are never able to avoid or abide Abused mercy turneth into fury neither will God suffer his patience to stand still for a sinning stock Twice in a breath these hypocrites are here told what to trust unto for more suretie Verse 3. seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth Here the prophet turneth himselfe to the better sort for upon those hypocritical halters afore mentioned he had but lost his sweet words he did but wash a blackmore We read not in Scripture of any hypocrites conversion and what wonder for whereas after sinne conversion is left as a means to cure all other sinners what means to recover him who hath converted conversion it selfe into sinne This made our Saviour say to his Disciples concerning the Pharisees those cankered hypocrites Let them alone Mat. 15.14 and himselfe weary of wasting words upon them called to the multitude and said here ye and understand verse 10. In like sort this Prophet here Seek ye the Lord for it is past time of day with them to seek him therefore they shall goe with their flocks and their herds to seek the Lord but they shall not find him he hath withdrawn himselfe from them Hos 5.6 Concerning seeking the Lord see the Note on Am. 5.6.8 All ye meek of the earth This is the character the distinctive note of a true Christian who as he is sure to be afflicted affliction and meeknesse grow both upon the same root in the holy tongue so by affliction hee is meekened and mortified his flesh is crucified with the affections and lusts and so he is fitted to seek the Lord to lie at his feet and say speak Lord for thy servant heareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag The e meek and lowly ones are they whom God will teach Psal 25.9 beautifie Psal 149.4 solace Isai 29.19 and 61.1 save God will save the humble person Job 22.29 Now meeknesse and humility are a pair of twin-sisters never asunder Sorores collactanea See how they goe coupled Mat. 11.29 and the Seventy render this text all the lowly of the earth that are as low as th earth in your own eyes and esteeme Which have wrought his judgement i.e. have been doing at it qui fecistis praecepta etsi non perfecistis who aime at perfection though ye cannot attain to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solo aquatus Psal 103.18 who think upon his Commandements to doe them having respect to them all and wishing well to the worke Psal 118.5 6. which God graciously accepteth as a working his judgement and yet would have you to abound more and more Wherefore Seeke righteousnesse seek meeknesse i. e. further measures of holinesse and degrees of grace Let him that is holy be holy still let him persevere grow and advance forward toward the high prize proposed unto him taking for his motto that of Charles 5. Plus ultra further yet perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. So 1. Tim. 6.11 But thou O man of God that is O godly man as the life of God is put for a godly life Eph. 4.18 see 2 Kings 4.9 fly these things what things heterodoxies ver 3 4 5. and love of money ver 9 10. And follow after Gr. persecute pursue alacriter acriter righteousnesse this is the totum hominis Ecles 12.13 the bonum hominis Mic. 7.8 and by way of distribution comprehendeth as to God godlinesse and faith as to men love patience meeknesse It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords wrath possibly ye may probably ye shall be pardon of sinne ye shall be sure of mitigation also of sorrow if not prevention saved ye shall be or more gently handled or so inwardly calmed that ye shall be able to call your souls to rest when others are at their wits ends You shall be safe under the covert of Gods wings and in the hollow of his hand when others that are without God in the world shall be as a naked man in a storm an unarmed man in the field or as a ship at Sea without anchor subject to dash and split against rocks and quick sands Verse 4. For Gaza shall be forsaken and Askelon c. Here is dainty Rhetoricke in the Originall This Prophet was as Quintilian saith a good Oratour ought to be Vir bonus dicendi peritus a good man and a master of speech The Hebrew tongue seemeth to have bin in the prime and flourish when Esay Micah and Zephany prophecied like as the Latine was about Tullies time The Philistines are here threatened for a terrour to the impenitent Jews who should tast of the same whip and for the comfort of the Godly who should be hid when these their enemies should be utterly destroyed Gaza was so forsaken according to its Prophesie that it was therehence called Gaza the desart Askelon according to its name became ignis ignominia the reproach of the fire that wasted it and as a mercilesse element laid it desolate Act. 8.26 Ashdod called in the New Testament Azotus Act. 8. shall also according to its Etymon be wasted with fire and her inhabitants driven into a far country as Captives at high noon when the Sun in those hot climates especially is most parching and scorching they shall be driven out with all the disadvantage that may be And Ekron shall be rooted out Ekron was the place where Beelzebub the Prince of Devils had his throne Virg. The Poets put it for hell Flectere si nequeo superos Acheronta movebo Threatened it is therefore here not without an elegancy that cannot be englished with utter extirpation The grand-devill had nested and nestled himselfe as near the holy land as might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but he shall not long rest there the Hebrew child will disquiet the great Pan e. Verse 5. Woe to the Inhabitants of the sea coast These were the Philistines they lay between the Jewes and the Sea God having so disposed of it that his people might not have much commerce with forreign nations nor learn their manners Into havens and maritime towns there is
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
not as your fathers Man is a creature apt to imitate to be led more by his eyes then by his eares and children think they may lawfully Be as their fathers St. Peters converts had received their vaine conversation from their fathers as it were ex traduce or by tradition 1 Pet. 1.18 And St. Steven tells his perverse hearers that they were as good at resisting the Holy Ghost as their fathers had been before them Act. 7.51 They used to boast much of their Ancestours Ioh. 8.33 and to bind much upon their example and authority Ier. 44. 17. Mat. 5.21 They thought they were not much to be blamed because they did but as their fathers had done before them The Prophet therefore dehorts or rather deterrs them from that folly serting forth both the crime and doome of their forefathers whom they so much admired and so stifly imitated and this he ost repeateth that they might once consider it and be wrought upon by thosé domestick examples have cryed Loudly and lustily Es 58.1 according to that Cry aloud spare not Lift up thy voice like a trumpet sic clames ut stentora vincas A minister should be a Simon Zelotes a son of thunder as Basil was said to thunder in his preaching lighten in his life as Hierome for his vehemency was called Fulmen Ecclesiasticum the Churches light-bolt as Harding before his shamefull Apostasy wished he could cry out against Popery as loud as the belles of Oseney and as Farellus that notable French Preacher whose voice when the envious Monks sought to drown by ringing the bells as he was preaching at Metis he lifted up his voyce adravim usque and would not suffer himselfe to be outroared The Saints-bell as they called it Pierius useth for an hieroglyphick of a preacher who must not speak the word onely but sound it out into all the earth Rom. 10.18 not preach it onely but cry it as the Apostles word signifieth 2 Tim. 4.2 clangite clamate Jer. 4.5 Boâte vociferate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boantis Vociferantis Mat. 3.3 Ministers have to doe with deafe men dead men living carcasses walking sepulchers of themselves Now therefore as our Saviour lifted up his voice when he said Lazarus come forth so must they stand over men and cry aloud awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead that Christ may give thee light Eph. 5.14 turne you now from your evil wayes c. This was the constant cry of the Prophets as here and Apostles as Acts 26.18 to open mens eyes naturally closed up that they cannot see the evill of their wayes Ier 2.35 Rev. 3.15 to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God and from your evill doings Heb. Designes gests or exercises enterprized advisedly and prosecuted studiously of natural disposition and inclination as Prov. 20.11 and 1 Sam. 25.3 This St. Iohn usually calleth committing of sinne 1 Epist 3.4 8 9. Iohn 8.34 this is to adde rebellion to sinne Iob 34.37 impudence to impotence browes of brasse to iron sinewes Isa 48.4 This is wickednesse with a witnesse which if men could but see in its native colours and cursed consequents they would soon be perswaded to turn from it As the eye cannot but be offended with a lothsome object so neither can the understanding Take rats-bane it looketh not evil bu◠when a man feeles it boyle burn torture him c. he hates it extremely So he should doe sinne he will doe else at length when it is too late For prevention take the counsell of a Martyr get thee Gods law as a glasse to look in So shal you see your faces foul-arrayed and so shamefull mangy pocky and scabbed Bradfords serm of Repent p. 20.26 27. that you cannot but be sory at the contemplation thereof and seek out for cure Especially if you look to the tag tied to Gods law the malediction which is such as cannot but make us to cast our currish tailes between our legs if we beleeve it But O faithlesse hard hearts O Iezabels guests rocked and laid asleep in her bed O wicked wretches c. but they did not hear Though the Prophets cryed and spake loud enough to bee heard and heeded An heavie eare is a singular judgement Isa 6.10 An hearing eare a precious mercy Prov. 20.12 God must bee intreated to boare our eare Psal 40.6 and to make the boare so big that the word may enter to say as Isa 42.18 Hear ye deaf and looke ye blind that ye may see Verse 5. Your fathers where are they Is not the grave their house have they not made their beds in the dark are not they gone down to the Congregation house of all living Iob 30.23 Every man should die the same day he is born as being born a child of death the wages of sinne is death and this wages should bee paid him down presently But Christ beggs their lives for a season 1 Tim. 4.10 he is the Saviour of all men not of eternal preservation but of temporal reservation But what a sad thing is it for men to dye in their sinnes as these in the Text and their Nephews did Iohn 8.21 24. How may such men on their death-beds say to their sins as Charles the fifth did of his honours victories riches Abite hinc abite longè Go Mornaeus go get you out of my sight or as Cornelius Agrippa the conjurer did to his familiar that used to accompany him in the shape of a dog Abi à me perdit a bestia Joh. Manl. loc com 136. P. Sut. de vit Caribusian quae me perdidisti Be gone thou wretched beast that hast wrought my ruine Petrus Sutorius speaks of one that preaching a funeral sermon on a religious man as he calles him and giving him large commendations heard at the same time a voice in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mortuus sum judicat us sum damnat us sum I am dead judged and damned The Devill preached Sauls funeral 1 Sam. 28.19 though David made his Epitaph 2 Sam. 1. And do the Prophets live for ever Those false Prophets so Hierome senseth it that cryed peace peace to your fathers and made all fair weather before them when the fierce wrath of God was even ready to burst out upon them as an overflowing scourge But they doe better that understand it of Gods true Prophets who are dead indeed for wise men dye as well as fooles Psal 4◠10 Good men dye as well as bad Ezech. 21.4 yea good men oft before the bad Esay 57.1 but their words dyed not with them the truth of their prophesies not onely lived for ever for ever O Lord thy word is stablished in heaven Psal 119.89 but struck in the hearts and flesh of their perverse hearers like the envenomed arrowes of the Almighty throughout all eternity Haeret lateri lethalis arundo Wicked men may as the wounded Hart frisk and skip
three-hours darknesse especially but he delivering himself as a mighty Conquerour their horns stick fast as it were in his crosse as Abrahams ramme by his horns stuck fast in the brier c. and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom Myrrhe-trees some render it Here Christ that horseman and head of his Church keepeth himself as touched with the feeling of our infiunities Heb. 4.15 as suffering and sorrowing with his people who are fitly compared to myrtles that grow in a shady grove in vallies and bottoms and by waters sides amantes littorae myrtos Virg. Georg. Blessed are ye that sowe beside all waters Esay 32.20 Myrtles also are odoriferous and precious Esay 41.19 and 55.13 so are the Saints Esay 43.4 Colos 4.6 they cast a good scent where-ever they go by the grace of God that is in them as Alexander the Great is said to do by the excellent temperament of his body Lastly Levit. 23.40 with Neh 8.15 the Jews at their joyfull feast of Tabernacles used myrtle-branches among others to testifie their thankfulnesse for a settlement in the promised land after so long wandring in the wildernesse The Gentiles also in their solemn feasts enterludes and cingebant tempora myrto wore garlands made of Myrtle Virg. Georg Let us keep the feast Let us keep holy-day saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who himself did over-abound exceedingly with joy had an exuberancy of it at that constant feast of a good conscience Diogenes could say that a good man keeps holy-day 2 Cor 7.4 all the yeer about Christ crowneth the Kalendar of his peoples lives with continuall festivals here how much more in heaven Pliny tells us Plin. lib. 15. cap. 29. that ex myrto facta est ovantium corona subinde triumphantium of Myrtle was made among the Romans the crown or garland of those that did shout for victory or ride in triumph and behind him were there red horses i. e. horse-men Nam nimis crassum est illud commentum fuisse locutos equos saith Calvin here These horse men are Angels as verse 10. deputed to severall offices and executions for judgement foâ—mercy or both shadowed by the divers colours of their horses Verse 9. â—alvin Then said I O my Lord what are these Thus the Prophets enquired and searched diligently as saith Saint Peter 11 Epist 1.11 for the truth of things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hunters seek for game and as men seek for gold in the very mines of the earth who not content with the first oar that offereth it self to their view dig deeper and deeper till they are owners of the whole treasure See Prov. 2.4 and rest not till ye see that blissefull sight Ephes 1.18 19. and the Angel that talked with me Or in me as the Vulgar rendreth it This was some created Angel who might reveal things to the Prophet by working on the phantasie and spirit by way of information and instruction as Dan. 9.21 Luk. 1.11 Apoc. 1.1 I will shew thee what these be How ready are the holy Angels to serve the Saints Heb. 1.14 rejoycing more in their names of office then of honour of employment then preferment to be called Angels that is Messengers or Internuntio's then Principalities Thrones Dominions Ephes 1.20 accounting it better to do good then to be great to dispense Gods benefits then to enjoy them Hence they are with and about the Saints as their companions guides protectours monitours and rulers of their actions as here Verse 10. And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees The man Christ Jesus that is ever with his Church and in the midst of his people that feedeth among the lillâ—es and walketh in the middest of the seven golden candlesticks He being asked by the foresaid Angel answered him in Zacharies hearing for he is Palmoni hammedabber that excellent Speaker as Daniel calleth him and therefore asketh him of the vision Dan. 8.13 These are they whom the Lord hath sent As his Epoptai or Overseers and Intelligencers Not that God needeth them as Princes need the counsell and aid of their subjects The holy Angels receive möre from God then they performe or bring to him But he maketh use of their service about us 1. For the honour of his Majesty and comfort of our infirmity 2. To make out his love unto us by employing such noble creatures for our good 3. To make and maintain love and correspondency between us and Angels till we come to walk arm in arm with Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Zach. 3.7 and to be like unto them yea their equals Luke 20.36 if not more Ephes 1.23 Verse 11. We have walked to and fro thorow the earth Itavimus we have coursed up and down with incredible swiftnesse Hence they are called the charrets of God Psal 68.17 Heb. Gods-charret to note out their joynt-service as of one as here his horsemen ready prest to do his pleasure and behold all the earth sitteth still and is at rest excepting the Church alone which like Noah's Ark is ever tossed up and down till it rest at last on the everlasting mountain then she shall have her happy Halcyons then she shall see her enemies afar off as Lazarus did Dives or as the Israelites at the red-sea did their persecutours dead upon the shore Mean-while she must not expect to be calm and quiet for any continuance Joh. 16.33 Joh. 16.20 Esth 3.15 Esay 21.10 1 Cor. 3.9 In the world ye shall have trouble And ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce they shall revel and laugh themselves fat The king and Haman sat down to drink but the city Shushan was perplexed The Church is called Gods threshing-floor because threshed with continuall crosses and Gods-husbandry because he will be sure to plow his own ground and to make long furrows upon their backs whatsoever become of the waste and to weed his own garden though the rest of the world be let alone and grow wild Moab is not poured from vessell to vessell Jer. 48. Job 10.10 â— but setleth upon the lees when the Israel of God is poured out as milk and crudled like cheese as Job speaketh in another case Verse 12. Then the Angel of the Lord That Advocate with the Father Jesus the Juft One 1 John 2.2 who appeareth for his afflicted people and feelingly pleads for them as being afflicted in all their afflictions even the Angel of his presence that saveth them Esay 63.9 It much moved him to hear that Gods enemies were in better case then his people and this put him upon the following passionate expostulation O Lord of Hosts How long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem c. Vsquequo Domine Calvin had these words much in his mouth thereby breathing out his holy desires in the behalf of the afflicted Churches Melch. Adam in vita with whose sufferings hee was more affected
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
igne ereptus newly snatcht out of the Babylonish furnace Psal 68.12 where they have long lain among the pots where they have been not only sullied but scorched and half-burnt should they then be cruelly cast again into the flames which they have strangely scaped like as the barbarous Persecutours ran Polycarp through the bowels with a sword when the beasts would not devour him nor the fire burn him Or as the bloody Papists in Queen Maries dayes Act. Mon. fol. 1392. cast the woman of Garneseys babe again into the fire that sprang and sprawled out of his mothers womb as she was in burning This was clean contrary to that Apostolical precept Of some have compassion pulling them out of the fire Jude 21. Ean 3.30 And far short of Nebuchadnezzars practises who taking the three worthies out of the burning fiery furnace promoted them to great honour and offices Verse 3. Now Joshuah was clothed with filthy garments The tottered rags of the old Adam the nasty filthynesse and superfluity of naughtinesse that yet remained in him though in part regenerate and intermingled with his best works Sin is the Devils excrement it defiles the soul worse then any jakes can do the body as the Hebrew word here signifieth and as our Saviour shews Mar. 7.20 or then the Sanies of a plague-sore doth a garment Hence that of the Church We are all as an unclean thing Esay 64.6 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags And that of Job If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own cloathes shall make me to be abhorred Job 9.30.31 1 Cor. 4.5 this is the same in effect with that of Paul I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby â—ustified but he that judgeth me is the Lord who when he coms to turn up the bottom of the bag as the steward did Benâ—amins he will manifest the hidden things of darknesse finde out our thefts that we dreamt not of open all fardles on that great fair-day Saccâ— soluto 〈◊〉 argentum Ambr. the day of judgement As in the meanwhile should Lord but break open that filthy sink of sin that is in the very best of us we should not onely be lothsome to God Zach. 11.8 and to good men Prov. 29.27 but even to our own selves also as Job was hap 42.6 Judas was not able to abide is own stench Mat. 27.4 5. Yea and some holy men as Mr. Lever for one when they have desired to see their utmost uncleannesse their corruptions in the most ugly colours God hath heard them But yet his hand therewith was so heavy upon them that they went alwayes mourning to their graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdom to give them a sight of their sins and to mingle the the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers See that excellent text Iob 15.14 15 16. And then stand aloof with the Leper and say I am unclean I am unclean yet Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and stood before the Angel His filthy garments notwithstanding Though we cannot say our hearts are pure and our performances perfect yer if we wallow not in sin allow it not if with the daughters of Zion we look upon our former neatnesse as nastinesse and finenesse as filthinesse if we be in any measure purged from the love and liking of sin by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burnning Isai 4.4 Christ will neither abhor our presence nor reject our services Aaron was to bear the iniquity of the holy offerings Exod. 28.38 Christ is this Aaron c. And though there be an inequality of expressions in duty quoad nos in us yet there is a constancy of intercession by Christ propter nos for us Verse 4. And he answered and spake to those that stood before him i. e. to the Angels that waited upon him Est autem hoc humanitùs dictum saith Iunius This is â—â—â—ken after the manner of men for properly men are washed justified and sanctified by the Merit and Spirit of Christ alone 1 Cor. 6.11 But the Lord Christ speaketh thus to the created Angels his Ministers to shew that He who onely hath power to for give sins doth yet therein imploy the holy ministery for an instrument See 2 Cor. 9.18 and Iob 33.33 24. take away the filthy garments Those symbols of his sinfulnesse see the Note on verse 3. so his sins were pardoned in heaven But because it is small comfort to a condemned person to have a pardon granted him unlesse he know it and be assured of it therefore it followeth and unto him he said behold By whatthou hast seen in the Angels stripping of thee I have caused thine iniquities to passe from thee Transtuli peccatum as he once said to David I have taken away thy sin I have tranferred it upon my self speaking to my Father for thee as once Paul did to Philemon for his son Onesimus Philem. 18 19. if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account I will repay it This is the greatest happinesse that can befal a man in this world Psal 32.1 2 and could not but be a singular comfort to these poor Jews priest and people amidst their manifold afflictions A man that hath got his pardon is not troubled though he lose his glove or hankercheife nor though it should prove a rainy day Being â—ustified by faith we glory in tribulation Rom. 5.1.3 Feri domino eri nam a peccatis absolutus sum saith Luther Strike Lord strike while thou wilt my sins are pardoned I thank thee O Lord said Another in his great extremity for all my pain and I beseech thee if thou think good to adde to it an hundred-fold But behold a further honour as mercies seldom come single and I will cloath thee with change of raiment i. e. I will change thy rags into robes thy stained clouts into clean cloathing Thou shalt be arraied with the righteousnesse of the saints Rev. 19.8 that twofold righteousnesse imputed and imparted that of justification and this other of sanctification that as an undercoat this as an upper that clean and pure this white and bright both must be had from Christ who is made unto us of God not onely wisdom but righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor 1.30 2 Cor. 5.19 Surely as our apparrel is not bred of us neither grows out of our bodies so neither doth this change of raiment in the Text. But the blessed Lamb of God cloatheth us with his own fleece which is long enough and large enough to cover all our defects and deformities and to set us forth to the admiration of Angels As he taketh upon him our sins so he putteth upon us his righteousnesse This is a blessed exchange indeed a sure pledge of our peace with him and with God by
had collected an elected Church 1 Epist 5.13 and thence he writeth his Epistle to the sojourning Jews scattered thorow those Eastern parts chap. 1.10 from whence also those kings of the East Rev. 16.12 the converted Jews as some expound it are expected And who can tell whether this land of Shinar be not the same with that land of Sinim Esay 49.12 Confer Esay 11.16 Zach. 10.11 Or by the land of Shinar here may be meant exilium totius orbis their generall rejection by all nations the whole world being to them a Shinar that is a land of excussion and it shall be established c. This denoteth the diuturnity or perpetuity of their punishment CHAP. VI. Verse 1. ANd I turned and lift up mine eyes i. e. I passed on to another vision and 1 lifted up the eyes of my mind higher to heaven saith Hierom to receive a further revelation from God And whereas he saith I turned he declareth that God from on every side giveth his Church clear testimonies of his care of her so that she will give heed unto them and lift up her eyes there came four chariots out i.e. four squadrons of Angels Gods Warriours and Ministers of his manifold decrees which are here set forth by the name of brazen mountains 2 King 2.11 2 King 6.17 So Hab. 3.8 See chap. 1.8 with the Note Chariots the Angels are called in many places but especially Psal 68.17 The chariots of God in the Hebrew it is chariot in the singular to note the joynt service of all the Angels are twenty thousand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even thousands of Angels of chearfull ones so the Septuagint of such as serve the Lord readily and freely with joy and tranquillity and so do quiet his spirit Deut. 33.26 God rideth upon the heavens for Isra els help i.e. upon the Angels Heb. as it is said here vorse 8 give him full satisfaction The Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place that is the Angels by their swiftnesse and warlike prowesse make Sion the Church as dreadfull to all her enemies did not one of them so to Sennacherib as those Angels made Sinai at the delivery of the Law which was given in fire Deut. 33.2 The word rendred Angels in the above-cited Psal 68.17 and so the Chaldee plainly expresseth it is by some who derive it of Shaan to sharpen referred to chariots to note a kinde of chariots armed with sharp hooks used in warres as many humane Writers record And so it maketh something to the confirmation of this Interpretation Statius Macrob. Vegetius concerning Angels rather then the four Monarchies But the Angel himself is our best Interpreter verse 5. where being asked by Zachary what these chariots were he answereth These are the four spirits of the heavens which go sorth from standing before the Lord of all the earth a plain Periphrasis of the Angels chap. 1.10 See the Note there from between two mountains tanquam è carceribus as designed by Gods all disposing providence and power and ready prest at his appointment and pleasure to run their race do their office execute Gods judgements which are both unsearchable and inevitable and this the Poets hammer'd at in their ineluctabile Fatum as they called it Gods decrees lie hid under mountains of brasse as it were till they come to execution they run as a river under ground till they break out and shew themselves When he hath once signified his will then we understand it which before lay hid from us that is when these chariots come out from between the mountains of brasse when the event declareth what was the immutable decrce of God Hence the Psalmist Thy right cousnesse is like the great mountains thy judgements are a great deep this for the decree And for the execution Thou preservest man and beast Psal 36.6 but by such means and in such manner as to thee seemeth best It is our part to say Amen to his Amen and to put our Fâ—at and Placet to his The will of the Lord be done said those primitive Christians Act. 21.14 Here am I send me Esay 6.8 Verse 2. In the first chariot were red horses c. These severall colours seem to set forth the diverse ministrations of the Angels deputed to severall employments The black colour betokeneth sorrowfull occurrences and revolutions The white joyfull The red bloody The grisled sundry and mixt matters partly joyfull and partly sorrowfull But I easily subscribe to Him that said We must be content to be ignorant of the full meaning of this vision Tanta est profunditas Christianarum literarum saith Austin so great is the depth of divine learning that there is no fathoming of it Prophecy is pictured like a Matrone with her eyes covered for the difficulty For which cause Paulinus Nolanus would never be drawn to write Commentaries and Psellus in Theodoret asketh pardon for expounding the Canticles of Solomon Verse 4. What are these my Lord Difficulty doth but whet desire in Heroick spirites the harder the vision the more earnest was the Prophets inquisition he was restlesse till better resolved and therefore applieth himself again to his Angel Tutour rather then Tutelar whom for honour sake he calleth My Lord. See the Note on chap. 4.5 and take notice of the truth of Saint Peters Assertion concerning the Prophetick scrutiny 1 Pet. 1.11 with greatest sagacity and sedulity Verse 5. These are the four spirits of the heavens Angels are spirits Heb. 1.7 14. and spirits of heaven Mat. 24.36 Gal. 1.8 resembling their Creatour as children do their Father both in their substance which is incorporeall Hence they are called sons of God Job 1.6 and 38.7 and in their excellent properties Life and Immortality Blessednesse and Glory a part whereof is their just Lordship and command over inferiour creatures For like as ministring spirits they stand before the Lord of the whole earth who sends them out at his pleasure to serve his providence so they have as his Agents and Instruments no small stroke in the ordering and managing of naturall and civill affairs as may be seen in the first of Ezechiel The wheels that is the events of things have eyes that is something that might shew the reason of their turnings if we could see it And they are stirred but as the living creatures that is the Angels stirred them And both the wheels and living creatures were acted and guided by Gods spirit as the principall and supream Cause of all the Lord of the whole earth as he is here called that stand before c. As waiting his commands and ready to runne on his errand Mat. 18 10. Dan. 7.10 Jacob at Bethel saw them 1. ascending sc to contemplate and praise God and to minister to him 2. descending sc to execute Gods will upon men for mercy or for judgement Psal 103.20 For which purpose Ezekiel tells us that they have four faces to look every way when as
of 240000. Dio in Tra. thousand and as they still do Christians where they can without danger of being discovered whom also they curse in their daily prayers with a Maledic Domine Nazaraeis and by whom they are every where so contemned and hated that they are exiled out of the world cast out of many countries and where they are suffered as in Turkey they are at every Easter in danger of death For Biddulph telleth us that if they stirr out of doors between Maundy-Thursday at noon and Easter-eve at night the Christians among whom they dwell will stone them because at that time they crucified our Saviour derided and buffeted him for I set all men every one against his neighbour And I set emisi or commisi not permisi or dimisi as the Vulgar hath it I set on or sent out not I let or suffered all men Gods holy hand hath a speciall stroke in the Churches afflictions whosoever be the instrument Herehin his all-disposing Providence is not only permissive but active Esay 45.7 I make peace and create evill that is warr and contention which is called evill by a specialty as including all evills Omega nostrorum Mars est Mars Alpha malorum But is there evill in a city and I have not done it Am. 3.6 for a punishment sent an evill spirit of division and discord between Abimelech and the men of Shechem Iudg. 9.23 not by instilling any evill motions into their minds but in a way of just revenge for their treachery and cruelty to Gideons family This God doth 1. by letting loose Satan upon them that great kindle-coale and make-bate of the world to raise jealousies heart-burnings and discontents between them 2. By giving them up to the lusts and corruptions of their own wicked hearts 3. By giving occasions of enraging them more and more one against another And here the wickednesse of these factions and fallings out is wholy from their lusts that warr in their members Iam. 4.1 and not at all of God though his providence do concurr like as the stench of the dung hill riseth not from the Sun though the Sun-shine upon it be the occasion of it every one against his neighbour A sad case that common misery should not breed unity amongst them that necessity had not made them lay down their private enmities that being vexed so by the common adversary they should yet vex and interteare one another Blowes enough were not dealt by the Samaritans Ammonites and other Malignants but their own must add to the violence Still Satan is thus busy and Christians are thus malicious that they must needs fall out by the way home and give bloody-noses too sometimes St. Iames calls upon such to resist the devil that is their unruly passions of rage and revenge Iam. 4.1 â— wherewith the devill empestereth and embroileth their spirits and like your cockmasters sets one to kill another that at night he may feed upon both Verse 11. But now I will not be unto the residue c. Now that the Temple is well-nigh perfected and so the cause of my displeasure removed the matter you see is already well amended and shall be yet better for there is a series a concatenation of Gods mercies like the links in a chaine every former drawes on a future if we break not the chaine by our unthankfullnesse Psal 11â— 16 The right hand of the Lord shall change all this saith Hope when it is at worst Flebile principium melior fortuna sequetur As when t is in better case it saith Return to thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee It is well for the present and yet it will be better hereafter Fury is not in God or if at any time it seem to be Psal 103.9 yet he will not alwaies chide neither will he keep his anger for ever It is with God in some sort as it was with David whose soule longed to go forth unto Absalom 2 Sam. 13.39 for he was comforted concerning Amnon seeing he was dead Let the Lord but see the rainbow of repentance appearing in our hearts and he will presently be pacified well he may wash us but he will never drown us Verse 12. For the seed shall be prosperous Or full and perfect as the Chaldee hath it it shall be fruitfull and yeeld a plentifull crop such as shall every way answer the desire of the husbandman Instead of your late scarcity whereof See Hag. 1.9 with the Notes you shall abound with plenty of all things Act. 14.17 feeding of the fat and drinking of the sweet and having your heart filled with food and gladnesse more particularly the vine shall give her fruit so that ye shall swim in wine and the ground shall give her encrease her full burden of the best so that your floors shall swell and your tables sweat with sweetest varieties and the heavens shall give their dew that womb of the morning wherein the fruits are conceived and I will cause the remnant of this people to possesse all these things whereas people are apt to attribute too much to meanes and second causes of plenty and prosperity God assumes the honour of all to himself Raine and fruitfull seasons are his gift Act. 14.17 And Hos 2.22 he resolveth the genealogie of corn and wine into himself I will heare the heaven and the heaven shall heare the earth c. And both here and elsewhere he giveth us to know that the reward of religion is abundance of outward blessings which yet are not alwayes entailed to godlinesse whatever Iesuites tell us of the Churches prosperity and plenty fetching her mark from the market to the end that it may be admired for it self and not for these transitory trappings Verse 13. As ye were a curse among the heathen The people of Gods wrath and of his curse Esay 34.5 ahhorred and accursed by all nations Ier. 24.9 lastly a proverb and a pattern for any fearfull imprecation Ezek. 14.8 as those that had the bloody wailes of Gods visible vengeance on their backs and Cain-like had his manifest mark upon their persons and proceedings The Turks at this day so hate the Jews for crucifying Christ that they use to say in detestation of thing I would I might dâ—e a â—ew then Let me be a Jew if I cozen thee c. Such a taunt and a curse this wretched people are still As they curse Christ and his followers continually every day so it comes into their bowels like water and like oyl into their bones Psal 10â— 18 O house of Judah and house of Israel i. e. Besides the two tribes of Judah and Benâ—amin diverse of the ten tribes that revolted for religion sake unto Judah were carried captive with them and afterwards returned out of captivity also in their company To them therefore as well as to the house of Judah is made the promise Twelve thousand of these ten tribes
Esay 56.11 which could never have enough they were sick of the bulimy or appetitus caninus yea they were as so many yong lions ramping and ravening as it is here and Ezek. 19.2 3. Psal 78.72 Both Princes and Priests were turned tyrants and instead of feeding the people in the integrity of their hearts and guiding them with the skilfulnesse of their hands prey'd upon them and pluckt the skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones Mio 3.2 for the pride of Iordan is spoiled the swelling of Iordan dryed up by the Romans as Hierome interprets it Or the proud and stately palaces and possessions that the great Ones had gotten upon the banks of Iordan for fruitfulnesse and pleasance as à Lapide Or the numerous and proud nation of the Iews likned to the yearly overflowing of Iordan whereof see Iosh 3.15 Ier. 49.19 as Diodate Verse 4. Thus saith the Lord my God Feed the flock of slaughter so lately pulled out of the jawes of those lions ver 3. with Am. 3.12 and yet destined to destruction by the Romans those Raptores Orbis their former preservation being but a reservation to future mischief for their desperate obstinacy and incorrigiblenesse feed them saith God to the Prophets for their ordinary shepheards have cast off all care of their good Tell them what evill will betide them unlesse they repent forewarn them to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3. Luke 21.36 to take course that they may escape all these things that shall come to passe O the goodnesse of God to a nation so shamelesly so lawlesly wicked Besides himself the Shepheard of Israel that led Ioseph like a flock Psal 80.1 and neglected no good office of seeking and feeding them of handling and healing them of washing them and watching over them c. how carefull was he ever to raise them up seven shepheards and eight principal men Mic. 5.5 till at length he sent the man Christ Iesus who is the chief of ten thousand the chief Shepheard as St. Peter calls him 1 Epist 5.4 that One and only Shepheard as Solomon Eccles 12.11 that gteat Shepheard of the sheep as Paul Heb. 13.20 who came to look up the lost sheep of the house of Israel whom to move compassion and affection here calleth the sheep of slaughter untill the time prefixed for their totall dispersion by reason of their ingratitude Verse 5. Whose Possessours stay them flaying their skin from off them eating their flesh breaking their bones c. Mic. 3.3 feeding themselves and not the flock of God Ezek. 34.2 as if they had been Lords over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 Owners and Possessours as here vel precio vel praemio and as the Pope and his Curia Romana quae non vult ovem sine lana as the old Proverb was and hold themselve not guilty Non peccant They fault not themselves they are not found guilty by others Such an illimited power over Gods people they have usurped as if they might use them at their pleasure and never be once questioned or punished for the same but scape scotfree This was the extremity of tyranny such as the cruell Spaniards exercise over the poor Indians they suppose they shew the wretches great favour when they do not for their pleasures whip them with cords and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon which is one of the least cruelties they inflict upon them World encompassed by S. F. Drake 53. and they that sell them Sell them for slaves whom they ought to redeem rather with their own blood and grow rich by them being greedy of filthy lucre not without foule blasphemy against God whom they entitle to their riches sacrilegiously and most theevishly gotten whilest they say blessed be the Lord for I am rich Deo gratias Blessed be God is a very good saying and was much in Austins mouth But as the fountain of goodnesse will not be laden at with unwashen hands so fair words from a foul mouth are infinitely displeasing to him that inhabiteth the praises of Israel Psal 22.3 Hypocrites are not unfitly compared to Monkies that have the gravest countenances of all creatures but are uncessantly doing mischief or to the Harpies that are said to have Virgins faces Vultures tallons Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde fraus in factis Pharisees under pretence of long prayers devoured widdows houses Mat. 23.14 whiles their lips seemed to pray or praise God they were but chewing and champing some sweet morsel snatcht from the flock but sawced with the wrath of God Job 20.15 See how our Saviour sets them out in their colours Mat. 23.15 16 23. c. Such fair professours but foul sinners were their predecessours Esay 66.5 who when they had done evil as they could thought to salve all by saying Let the Lord be glorified And such also are their Successours The Pope and his followers Verba tua Dei planè sunt facta verò diaboli said one once to Pope Innocent the third preaching peace but sowing discord you speak like a God but do like a divel wherefore you shall receive the greater damnation When one of our persecuting Bishops read the sentence of excommunication against a certain Martyr and began as the usual form was Act. and Mon. In the name of God Amen the Martyr cryed out you begin in a wrong name And it grew to a common proverb In nomine Dei incipit omne malum All mischief begins on that maner Gentilis that impious Anti-Trinitarian gave out that he suffered for the glory of the most High God Becket the Arch-traitour pretended to submit to his Soveraign but with this false reserve Salv◠honore Dei The Swenckfeldians entituled themselves the confessours of the glory of Christ And Conradus Vorstius his late monster hath De Deo in the front and Atheisme and blasphemy in the text and their own shepheards pitty them not Which yet they ought to have done had they had never so much right and reason to destroy them A shepheard hath his name from friendly feeding in Greek from earnest desire and love to the sheep David when he was hunted from Samuel the Prophet he fleeth to Abimelech the Priest as one that knew Justice and Compassion should dwell in those breasts that are consecrated to God and his people But these shepheards through want of Gods holy fear Iob. 6.14 had brawny breasts horny heart-strings their hearts first turned into earth and mud did afterwards freeze into steel and adamant cursed children they were 2 Pet. 2.24 having their hearts exercised with covetousnesse and cruelty Verse 6. For I will no more pitty the inhabitants of the land Or surely I will no more c. A feareful sentence written in blood and breathing out nothing but utter destruction David knew what he did when he chose rather to fall into the hand of the Lord then of men For his mercies are many
the Angell of Gods presence and that went before the people in the wildernesse Such were those of the blood-royall and that succeeded David in the government but especially such were the Apostles Christs Mighties who should be endued with so many graces in majesty Authority Strength and truth that men should receive them Cornelius like as so many Angels of God yea even as Christ Jesus Gal. 4.14 Verse 9. I will seek to destroy I will make inquisition and diligent scrutiny I will draw them out of their lurking-places to execution as Saâ—l went to seek David upon the rocks of the wild-goats those high steep and craggy rocks 1 Sam. 24.2 which could not but be very tedious both to himself and to his souldiers to march in But he was set upon 't and would leave no place unsearched See his charge to the Ziphites to take knowledge of all the lurking-holes where he hid himself and to bring him word that he might seek him thorough all the thousands of Judah 1 Sam. 23.23 The Lord need not do so to find out his enemies for in him they live move and subsist Col. 1.17 they are everunder his view and within his reach He sitteth upon the circle of the earth Is 40.22 and can easily shake them out of it as by a canvasse Yea he sits in the height of heaven and wherein they deale proudly he is above them Exod. 18.11 disclosing their cabinet-counsels as he did Benhadads and blasting their designes to destroy all nations God stands not upon multitudes he takes not the tenth man but destroyes all nations be they never so many of them that come against Ierusalem that oppose or affront his people either with their virulent tongues or violent hands When a rabble of rebels shall set themselves against the Lord and against his Christ his mysticall Christ the Church he will utterly destroy them Mercer the word signifieth he will destroy them ut nihil reliquum maneat that there shall be no remainder of them Woe therefore to the Churches enemies for their destruction ever goes with the saints salvation Philip. 1.28 29. Esay 8 9. Prov. 11.8 Gods jealousie Zach. 1.14 and justice 2 Thess 1.6 will effect it surely severely suddely Verse 10. And I will pour upon the house of David Pour as by whole paile-fuls God is no penny-father no small gifts sall from so great a hand he gives liberally Iam. 1.15 and is rich to all that call upon his name Rom. 10.12 abundant in kindnesse Exod. 34.6 plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ hath over-abounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath overflowed all the banks 1 Tim. 1.14 indeed it hath neither bank nor bottom Oh pray for that blisse-full sight Eph. 1.18 and 3.18 19. that Spirit of wisdome and revelation of grace and of supplications Or deprecations of that utter destruction that shall befall other nations God will save his people but so as by prayer Psal 32.6 2 Chron. 7.14 Zach. 13.9 he will grace his own ordinance draw many suitours and derive many prayses to himself See Ezek. 36.37 Psal 50.15 and 116.2 Some render it a spirit of grace and of lamentations sc before the Lord when they felt the nailes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where with they had pierced Christ pricking their own hearts Act. 2.37 punctually pricking and piercing them and they shall look upon the whom they haue pierced Dacaru whom they have dâ—ggered or digged as Psal 22.16 him they shall look upon and lament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 1.7 Lam. 3. their eye shall affect their heart for the eye is the instrument both of sight and of sorrow and what the eye never sees the heart never rues The Sun looketh upon the earth draweth up vapours thence and distilleth them down again so doth the Sun of the understanding which till it be convinced the heart cannot be compuncted Sight of sin must precede sorrow for sin The The prodigall came to himself ere he repented of his loose practises men must bethink themselves or bring back to their hearts as the Hebrew hath it 1 King 8.47 ere they will say We have sinned and dealt perversely we have committed wickednesse See Ier. 8.6 Psal 38.18 An infant in the womb cryes not because he sees not but as soon as it comes into the light he sets up his note Get therefore your eyes anointed with eye-salve with this spirit of grace and supplications so shall you soon see saith Mr. Bradford martyr your face foull arrayed and so shamefull saucy mangy pocky and scabbed that you cannot but be sorry at the contemplation thereof It is the spirit that convinceth the world of sin neither can the waters till his wind bloweth Psal 147.18 A sigh is not breathed out for sin till the spirit imbreach the same into us and they shall mourn for him Or for it viz. for their crucifying the Lord of glory in their forefathers and having a great hand in it themselves sith their and our sins were thorns and nails that pierced him the lance that let out his heart-blood c. We bound him with cords we beat him with rods buffetted him with fists reviled him with our mouths nodded at him with our heads c. We were the chief actours and principal causes that set awork Judas Pilat c. Oh stand a while with the devout women and see him bleeding groaning dying by the wounds that we gave him and mourn affectionatly over him as here they shall mourn with such outward pomp and rites as are used at fune ralls as wringing the hands beating the breasts shaking the head and the like externall gestures and expressions of heavinesse and shall be in bitternesse by inwardnesse of extream grief as when Davids heart was leavened with it Psal 73.21 it was sowred with goodly sorrow and sowced in the teares of true repentance So Peter went forth and wept bitterly Mat. 26.15 waters of Marah flowed from Mary Magdalens eyes which were as a fountain for Christs feet here sorrow was deep and down-right producing repentance never to be repented of The sorrow we conceive for an unkindnesse offered to Christ must not be slight and sudden but sad and soaking like that of the Israelites met at Mizpeh when they drew water before the Lord 1 Sam. 7.6 whereunto the Prophet Jeremy seemeth to allude when he seriously wisheth that his head were waters c. Ier. 9.1 and David with his rivers of teares Psa 119.136 His heart was soft and soluble now softnesse of heart discovers sin as the blots run abroad and seem biggest in wet paper and as when the Cockatrice egge is crushed it breakes forth into a viper Isa 59.5 Now to make and keep the heart soft and tender the consideration of Christs dolorous passion must needs be of singular use and efficacy as the sight of Câ—sars bloody robes brought forth greatly affected the people of Rome and edged them to revenge The
saith David Psal 51.4 Lo there lay this pinch of his grief that he had offended so good a God It was the Myrrhe and its scent that Christ had dropped on the bars of the door that waked the drousy Spouse and made her bowels fret Cant. 5. This made her first weep in secret and then seek out after him whom her soul loved She first went to enquire of the Lord as Rebecca did Gen. 25.22 and then she hears from him those sweet words Cant. 2.14 Oh my dove that art in the clefts of the rocks that hast wrought thy self a burrough a receptacle of rest in the Rock of ages in the secret places of the stars whither thou art retired as for security so for secrecy to mourn as a dove and to pray for pardon Shew me thy face which now appeareth most orientally beautiful because most instampt with sorrow for sin Let me hear thy voice which never sounds so melodiously as when thy heart is broken most penitentially for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance comly and their wives apart Sarah had her peculiar tent Ge. 24.65 wherein she dwelt Ge. 18.6 died Ge. 23.2 Rebecca likewise had her retiring-room whither she went to enquire of the Lord Ge. 25.22 Rachel Leah had their several tents apart from Iacobs Ge. 31.33 Miriam and her women do apart by themselves praise God for deliverance Exo. 15.20 Esth 4.16 I and my maidens will fast likewise saith Esther In a time of solemn humiliation let the bride-groom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet Ioel 2.16 See 1 Cor. 7.5 Amongst both Jews Greeks and Romans the women were separated from the men in publike acts and assemblies in times of common calamity especially as may be gathered out of Plutarch Athenaeus Virgil Livy ad templum non aequae Palladis ibant Iliades Stratae passim Matres crinibus Templa verrentes veniam irarum coelestium exposcant saith He The men by themselves and the women by themselves sought to appease the angry Gods Here they are severed to shew that they wept not for company sed sponte proprio affectu as Calvin hath it but of their own accord and out of pure affection they freely lamented not so much for Christs dolorous death as for that themselves had a chief hand in it and were the principal causes of it The best kinde of humiliation is to love and weep as that woman did Luk. 7. who made her eyes a fountain to wash Christs feet in and had his side opened for a fountain to wash her soul in as it is Chap. 13.1 A remnant according to the election of grace Rom. 11.5 all the families that remain Out of every family of this people God will have some converts A thing so incredible that to perswade it the Prophet may here seem to some prophane person to use more words then needeth CHAP. XIII Verse 1. IN that day there shall be a fountain opened Nunc fructum poenitentiae adiungit sath Calvin here This is the fruit of their repentance No sooner mourn they over Christ but they are received to mercy I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and or ever I can do it thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin that is both the sting and stain of it the guilt and the filth Psal 32.5 the crime and the curse Repent and your sins shall be blotted out saith Peter to those nefarious Kill-Christs Act. 3.9 God will crosse the black lines of your sins with the red lines of his sons blood 1 Ioh. 1.6 A fountain shall be opened not a cistern but a spring a pool better then that of Siloam which is by interpretation Sent Iohn 9.7 and so a type of Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins with his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen To seal up this matchlesse mercy to us Rev. 1.5.6 he sent first by the hand of his forerunner and baptized those that repented for the remission of sins Mat. 3.2 Act. 2.38 And afterwards he set wide open this blessed fountain this laver of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 Saying by his Ministers to every beleever as once to Paul Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord. Act. 22.16 whereunto salvation is promised Rom. 10.13 Ioel 2.22 Baptisme also is said to save us 1 Pet. 3.21 sc sacramentally for it sealeth up salvation to the beleever Mar. 16.16 and is of perpetual and permanent use to him for that purpose his whole life thorowout ut scaturigo semper ebulliens as a fountain bubbling up to eternal life Here then the Sacrament of Baptisme is prophecied of and promised And hence haply the Baptisme of Iohn is said to have been from heaven Mat. 21.25 All the Levitical purifications pointed to this Kings-Bath of Christs meritorious blood this ever-flowing overflowing fountain for the grace of our Lord Jesus hath abounded to flowing over as S. Pauls expression is with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither can it ever be dried up as was the river Cherith the brooks of Tema c. but is an inexhausted fountain a fresh-running spring for all that have but a minde to make toward it Tam recens mihi nunc Christus est ac si hac horâ fudisset sanguinem saith Luther Christ is still as fresh and soveraign to me as if this very hour he had shed his blood He was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world and shall be so to the end thereof Cruci haeremus sanguinem sugimus intra ipsa Redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam saith Cyprian of the Lords Supper i. e. We cleave to the crosse at this holy ordinance we suck Christ's blood we thrust our tongues into the very wounds of our Redeemer and are hereby purged from all pollutions of flesh and spirit to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem i. e. To all sorts and sexes of penitents be they noble or ignoble strong Christians or weak see Zach. 12.8 none shall be secluded from this fountain thus opened or exposed to all not sealed and shut up as that Cant. 4.12 God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him Act. 10.34 35. and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him for sin and for uncleannesse i. e For all sorts of sinnes though they be such as in their desert do separate us from communion with God and company of men See Levit. 12. and 15. render us worthy to be excommunicated proscribed and banished out of the world as pists and botches of humane society by a common consent of nations as the obstinate Iews are at this day for their inexpiable guilt in crucifying Christ The vulgar here
and at length return them up again to his heavenly Father without losse of any one He is also called the Man by an excellency that matchlesse man the chief of ten thousand as his mother is called hagnalma that famous Virgin whom all generations are bound to call blessed He is Man-God both in one and is therefore also called Gods-fellow or Mate as being Consubstantiall to the Father according to the Godhead and very neer akinne to him according to the Man-hood by reason of the hypostaticall union of both natures into one person the Man Christ Jesus Smite the shepheard that that blessed Fountcin of his Bloud mentioned verse 1. may be opened and the flock of God washed and healed and satiated as the people were when the Rock was smitten and so set abroach and as when God clave a hollow place in the jaw-bone of the Asse so that there came water thereout Sampson drank and was revived And as when the Alabaster-box of ointment was broke all the house was filled with a sweet savour Judg. 15.19 And the sheep shall be scattered scattered and scattered shifting for themselves and leaving Christ to the mercy of his enemies who seized upon him as so many Carrion Kites upon a silly Dove Thomas who once said come let us go dye with him disappeares and is lost Peter followes aloof off but better he had heen farther off John if at least it were he flies away stark naked for hast Iudas comes nearer to him but to betray him with a kisse But is this thy kindnesse to thy friend Christ had indented with the enemie aforehand for their securitie Joh. 18.8 so that they needed not have retreated so disorderly and scattered as they did But the fear of man bringeth a snare Prov. 29.25 Howbeit mans badnesse cannot break off the course of Christs goodnesse For though they thus unworthily forsake him and leave him at the worst as they say yet I will turn my hand saith he upon the little ones i.e. I will recollect my dispersed flock how little soever either for number or respect in the world and bring back my banished So soon doth it repent the good Lord concerning his servants Mich. 7.18 Psal 136 23. He remembreth not iniquity for ever saith the Prophet because mercy pleaseth him and again He remembreth us in our low estates for his mercy endureth for ever He looked back upon Peter when his mouth was now big swoln with oathes and execrations and set him a weeping bitterly He called for Thomas after his resurrection and confirmed his weak faith by a wonderfull condescention He sealed up his love to them all again restoring them to their ministeriall imployment and not so much as once upbraiding them with their base dereliction but only with their unbelief Lyra and others sence the Text thus I will turn my hand upon the little ones that is I will so smite the Shepheard Christ that not only the sheep shall be scattered but the little lambs also even the least and lowest Christians shall have their share of sufferings shall feel the weight of my hand shall pledge the Lord Christ in that cup of afflictions that I have put into his hand shall be conformed to the Image of Gods Son as his co-sufferers that he may be the first born among many brethren Rom. 8.29 And this was fulfilled in the persecutions that followed soon after our Saviours death Ecclesia haeres crucis saith Luther and Persecutio ect Evangelij genius saith Calvin Persecution is the black Angel that dogges the Church the red horse that â—ollows the white at the heels All the comfort is that Gods holy hand hath a speciall stroke in all those afflictions that are laid upon his faithfull people I will turn mine hand c. Verse 8. Two parts therein shall be cut off and die q.d. they shall they shall how strange or incredible soever this sad tidings seem to you it shall be even so take my word for it Behold the severity of God Rom. 11.22 In the Greek it is the Resection or Cutting off as a Chirurgion cutteth off proud and dead flesh The Just Lord is in the middest thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will not do iniquity c. Zeph. 3.5 Fiat justitia ruat coelum may seem to be his Motto In point of justice he stands not upon multitudes Psal 9.17 It is all one to him whether against a Nation or against a man only Job 34.29 National sins bring national plagues heinous sinnes heavy punishments In the universal deluge God swept away all as if he had blotted out that part of his title The Lord the Lord gracious merciful c. and had taken up that of Attilas Orbis flagellum The worlds scourge Sodoms sinnes were multiplyed above measure therefore God took them away as he saw good Ezek. 16.49 50 and hath thrown them out as St. Jude speaketh for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 7. Herodotus a Heathen Historian saith the very same of the destruction of Troy viz. that the ruines and rubbish thereof are set forth for an example of that noted Rule that God greatly punisheth great offences and that hainous sinnes bring hideous plagues Here we have two parts of three cut off in the land of Judea as it fell out at the last destruction thereof by the Romans at which time more then a million of men perished see Matth. 24.21 with the Note And what think we shall become of Babylon the great Her sinnes reach up to heaven whereunto they are even glewed and fastened as the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 18.5 therefore she shall be brought down to hell with Capernaum for flagitium flagellum sicuâ— acus filum therefore shall her plagues come in one day to confute their fond conceit of an eternal Empire death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly overthrown with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her full able to effect it Rev. 18.18 seem it to Babels brats never so improbable or impossible It was never besieged since it became Papal but it was taken whereas before it was held invincible Sinne that lyeth at the bottom will easily undermine and overturn the walis though never so strong built as the voice from heaven told Phocas the Murtherer The bloud of that innocent Lamb of God lyes heavy upon the whole Nation of the Jews to this day Their last devastation and present dismal dispersion is such as that one of their own Rabines concludes from thence that their Mesliah must needs be come and they must needs suffer so much for killing him but the third shall be left therein A holy remnant kept for a reserve Good husbands cast not all their corn into the oven but keep some for seed Esa 6.13 But yet in it shall be a tenth saith another Prophet Es 17.6 there shall
after setting and as lovers are never greater friends then after a falling out so is it betwixt God and his people Affliction exciteth devotion as the bellows doth the fire and excited devotion prevaileth much Iam. 5.16 I will say It is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God by a gracious complyance they shall with highest estimations most vigorous affections and utmost endeavours bestow themselves upon that God that hath so farr owned and honoured them as tost rike a covenant with them the fruits whereof are sure mercies compassions that faile not all the blessings of this and a better life A covenant is the collection of many promises as a constellation is the collection of many starrs and though it be in summ but one promise I will be thy God yet it is such an one as comprehends all and is therefore fifteen times at least mentioned in scripture It is the substance of the Covenant of grace saith Junius the soule of it saith Pareus the head or top of it saith Musculus Deus meus omnia saith Luther God is mine all 's therefore mine But then as God must be our All-sufficient so we must be his Altogether and when he cryes out Who is on my side who One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel Esay 44.5 O it is ablessed signe that God hath chosen us first 1 Ioh. 4.19 when we chuse God as Psal 73.25 sincerely avouching him for our God Sincerity or Evangelicall perfection is the only absolute condition of the Covenant of grace Gen. 17.1 God and the Saints have ever judged of men by this Judge me O Lord according to mine integrity saith David The promises are made to it Psal 119.1 Mat. 5.8 Gods eye is upon it as in David the man after Gods own heart He blesseth the little that such have as in Nathanael Cornelius the Eunuch He passeth by their infirmities as in Asa 1 King 15.14 and accepteth their services neverthelesse as 2 Chron. 30.19 20. CHAP. XIV Verse 1. BEhold the day of the Lord commeth Jerusalem had her day and knew it not Luke 19.42 Jerusalem was not Jerusalem the vision of peace saw not the things that belong'd to her peace God therefore will have his day of vengeance as she had of visitation He hath his season his harvest for judgment Mat. 13.30 and when wickednesse is ripe in the field he will suffer it to grow no longer lest it shed and spread but cuts it up by a just and seasonable vengeance These Jews were by their own confession the children of them which had killed the Prophets Act. 2 23. and by killing the Lord Christ with wicked hands they had filled up the measure of their fathers Mat. 23.31 32. what could therefore the Lord do lesse to a nation so incorrigibly flagitious then bring wrath upon them to the utmost 1 Thess 2.16 then send forth his armies and destroy those murtherers and burn up their cities When God did this execution here mentioned is hard to say Mat. 22.7 Whether by Antiochus Epiphanes or rather Epimanes as some truly called him Act. 26.11 Gal. 1.13 for that being exceedingly mad against the Jews he persecuted the Church of God and wasted it Or by the Roman spoilers at that last devastation under the command of Titus Or by Cosroes the Persian and Homar the Arabian who successively harased and rased Jerusalem rifling the houses ravishing the women killing whom they pleased and making the rest pay deare for the very heads they wore which servitude lasted till Godfrey of Bullin set them at liberty so the Glosse here senseth it Or lastly by Gog and Magog that is by the great Turk for Magog is the Scythian nation from whom came the Turks Lords of Meshec and Tubal that is of Cappadocia and Iberia where they first began to raigne as is before hinted I take not upon me to determine The most understand it of the last overthrow of the Romans The Spirit might have an eye to the Antichristian persecutions of the Orthodox Professours of the Romish Edomites and the spoile shall be divided in the middest of thee Freely and fearelesly none rising up to make them afraid the vanquished shall be so disabled and dispirited Thus the silly doves are glad to save themselves by flight not fight sometimes they sit in their deve-coats and see their nests destroyed and yong ones killed not daring once to rescue or revenge Verse 2. For I will gather all nations The Romans that stiled and held themselves Lords of all nations and who had levied a mighty army out of all nations to fight against Ierusalem See Joseph lib. 3. belli Iud. chap. 1. and 3. Or Gog and Magog with all his armies and aslociates Ezek. 37.4 5 6. shall compasse the beloved city Rev. 20.8 9. See Verse 1. with the Note Would any man take the Churches picture Lec com then let him saith Luther paint a silly poor maid sitting in a wood or wildernesse and compassed about with hungry lions wolves boares and beares c. and in the middest of a great many surious men assaulting her every moment Let him give her say I that of Martial for her Motto In me omnis terraeque aviumque marisque rapina est and the city shall be taken Non tamen ad exitium sed ad exercitium I have forsaken mine house I have lest mine heritage saith the Lord Ier. 12.7 I have given the dearely beloved of my soule into the hand of her enemies At which times there is usually as at Athens when taken by Sylla 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bloody butchery and the houses risled As at the sack of Constantinople by the Turks where the souldiers are said to have divided money among themselves by whole hat-fuls and were therewith so enriched that 't is a proverb amongst them at this day if any grow suddenly rich to say he hath been at the sacking of Constantinople Turk bist 347 The Emperour had in vaine many times with teares requested to have borrowed money of his covetous subjects to have been employed in the defence of the city Hid. 345. but they would still sweare that they had it not as men grown poor for want of trade Which in few dayes after their enemies found in such abundance that they wondred at their wealth and derided their folly that possessing so much they would bestow so little in the defence of themselves and their countrey and the women ravished These are the common calamities of war in the in the lawlesse violence whereof those three commandements Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale as they are ranked together in the law so they are usually violated together Hence Isa 13.16 Their children also shall be dashed to peeces before their
eyes their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished The Irish rebels bound the husband to the bed-post whiles they abused his wife before his face In the time of K. Edward the third Donec mulier fatigata spiritum exhalare◠Walsing the French souldiers at Winchelsey in Sussex took their lustfull turns upon a beautifull woman in the Church and at the time of divine service untill they had turned her out of the world as a learned man phraseth it and half of the city shall go forth into captivity An evill an onely evill threatened Deut. 28. and sulfilled to the utmost upon this nation so shamelesly so lawlesly wicked as can hardly be peered or parallelled I have noted before that this their last captivity and dispersion is such as that one of their own Rabbines concludeth from thence that their Messiah must needs be come and they must needs suffer so much for killing him They use to say that there is still an ounce of the golden calf in all their publike calamities There is another thing lieth more heavily upon them to this day were they but sensible of it Let us be sending up and sighing out for them that of the Psalmist O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad Psa 14.7 and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city A remnant shall be reserved as it were for royall use whether a third part as chap. 13.8 or an half as here 't is not much materiall in numeris non est anxiè laborandum saith Calvin here for the direct number it is neither here nor there as we say God shall reserve unto himself a set and select number He who comforteth those that are cast down speaketh this to his for encouragement The Church may be shaken not shivered persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 2 Cor. 4.9 Verse 3. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations Some read it Among those nations He shall be the Archistrategus the Commander in chief of those Armies which he hath brought together against Ierusalem to revenge upon her the quarrel of his Covenant But I like the other way better because it is purposely spoken for the comfort of Saints in evill times When therefore there is dignus vindice nodus periculum par animo Alexandri as he was wont to say when it is time for God to arise that his enemies may be scattered and those that hate him fly before him he will arise and have mercy upon Zion he will awake as in the dayes of old he will come forth from his holy place to the relcue of his praying people There brake he the arrowes of the bow the shield and the sword and the battel Selab Psal 76.3 4. There he appeared more glorious and excellent then the mountaines of prey There he did and there he will for this is a common and currant Scripture-medium Esay 10. God shall fight against those nations the very rod of his wrath which after he hath worn to the stump he will cast it into the fire The wicked are called Gods sword Psal 17.13 But it will fall out with them as with that sword which Hector gave Ajax which so long as he used against his enemies served for help and defence but after he began to abuse it to the hurt of hurtlesse beasts it turned into his own bowels as when he fought in the day of battel with his own bare hand as it were Esay 52.10 and in a miraculous manner as he did for Israel at the red sea for Ioshua Iehoshaphat Hezekiah c. and as he shall do at that last great battle against Antichrist and his Adherents Rev. 20.8 9 10. which is here haply pointed at Let the Lord but arise only and his enemies shall be scattered but if he once take hold of shield and buckler for defence he draw out the spear and sword those weapons of offence and appear as a man of warr Exod. 15.3 or as a Lord and Victour of warrs so the Chaldee there hath it he will charge thorough and thorough he will burn them together Esay 27.4 and in the same place 2 Sam. 23.7 Verse 4. And his fcet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives that is he shall so put forth his power for defence of his people as if he did visibly appear amongst them and beheld the fight from the top of a mountain like as Zerxes used to pitch his tent on high and stand looking on his army when in fight to encourage them and to send out orders From this Mount it was that God departed after many former removes from Ierusalem Ezech. 11.23 And what wonder when as Har Hamischa the mount of Unction was become Har Hamaschith the mount of Corruption 2 King 23.13 the bold lews having let up their Idol in this mount Olivet even in the sight of the Lord so that he never looked out of the Sanctuary Iohn 18. Mat. 26.30 but he beheld that vile hill of abominations From this mount it was that our Lord Christ ascended into heaven Act. 1.11 There he was apprehended by the Jews there therefore it is prophecied that he shall stand against them by the Romans say some out of Josep de Bello Jud. lib. 6. cap. 3. And that when these things should come to pasle the Jews might know that their utter destruction was neer at hand So God shewed unto the Ninivites on what side their city should be taken and what at that time should be the power and the attempts of the enemy against them Nah. 2. and 3. and yet neither of these repented for all this Others more probably hold that here is promised such a powerfull presence of God for the relief of his people as shall farr exceed the glory that appeared at the promulgation of the law when the mountains skipped like rams and the little hills like lambs Psal 114.6 Heb. 12.21 so terrible also was the sight that Moscs said I exceedingly fear and quake I also see and tremble at the resemblance said an holy man betwixt that giving of the law and the requiring of it at the last day In the one Mount Sinai only was on a flame all the world shall be so in the other To the One Moses that climbed up that hill and alone saw it sayes God came with ten thousand of his Saints In the other thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him Hereunto some refer that obscure passage in the next verse The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee and that at the day of judgement Christ shall descend with all his Angels into mount Olivet which hangs over the valley of Jehoshaphar that there he may plead with all nations for his people
Bradsord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3.3 Job 41.27 shall be crusht in pieces in feeling as that Martyr said and let all those scoffers that make childrens play of Gods dreadfull menaces as St. Peters word importeth that Leviathan-like esteem Gods iron as straw that read his Propheticke burdens as they do the old stories of forraine warres or as they behold the wounds and bloud in a picture or piece of Arras which never makes them smart or feare Let all these I say read and ruminate that flaming place Jer. 23.33 37. and let them know that if they belong to God Am. 5.12 he will cripple their iron sinews by the sense of their many and massy or bony sinnes As if otherwise he will fall upon them with his full weight and grind them to powder Mat. 21.44 Cavete cavebitis autem si pavebitis to 〈◊〉 The two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin with those few of the ten Tribes that returned amongst them from the Babylonish captivity These though we never find them again going a whoring after Idols the sinne that they had paid so dear for and had now bought their wit yet forgetfull of former both beatings and benefits as children are they soon returned to their old flagitions practises of Polygamy blasphemy sacriledge defilement of Divine Worship unlawfull marriages c. and so had lost in a manner the fruit of their sufferings putting God to his old complaint why should ye be smitten any more c. and causing him to sigh out as even sick of them Ah sinfull nation c. Reprobate silver shall men call them c. by Malachi Heb. by the hand of Malachi i. e. by his mouth and Ministery Isai â—â— Jer. 6. Hand is put for Mouth by a Catachresis because the hand is the Instrument of Instruments as saith the Philosopher See the like Exod. 9.35 Numb 4.37 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 8.11 One Expositor noteth here that this expression by the hand is used to teach us that Prophets and Ministers must preach not with their Tongues only but with their hands too lest they be found in number of those Pharisees that say but doe not that bind heavy burdens and hard to be born upon other mâ—ns shoulders but they themselves touch them not with one of their fingers Mat. 23.3 4. Let our hands also preach as well as our tongues nè dicta factis deficientibus erubescant as Tertullian speaketh lest talking by the Talent and working by the the Ounce our hands give our tongues the lye by Malachi i. e. Mine Angel or an Angelicall man Not an heavenly Angel as Origen held Litera Jod in fine format nomen adjectivum ut in Nochri alienus Chopshi liber nor as told and taught by an Angel how to deliver and deport himself in his office like as when that Bathâ—gol or voice from heaven came to Christ Joh. 12.28 the people that stood by and heard it said that it thundered others said an Angel spake to him ver 29. But either he was so called by his parents at his birth and circumcision as Angelus Politianus and others or else so sirnamed by the good people of those times as whose disposition communication conversation countenance and whole carriage were Angelicall Chrysostom for like cause calleth Paul Angelum terrestrem an earthly Angel And the Authour to the Hebrewes speaking of those faithfull Martyrs that lived and suffered soon after Malachi's time he saith Of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11.38 Meaning that they were fitter to be set as Angels in heaven to be fixed in the region of happinesse to shine sull fair upon the Coelestial shelf as that Martyr said then to abide here among sinners Act. and Mon. Chrysostom in his 55. Homily upon Matthew calleth certain religious men of his time Angels for their sanctimony and celestiall conversation And Dr. Tailor Martyr blessed God that ever he came in company with that Angell of God John Bradford Verse 2. I have loved you saith the Lord Thou hast loved us might they reply whilest we were willing and obedient Thou lovest them that love thee Prov. 8.17 and shewest mercy to thousands of them that love thee and keep thy commandements Lam. 5.22 Exod. 20. But now thou hast utterly re ecled us thou art very wroth against us Nay saith God I do love you so Tremelline renders this Text I am Jehovahs I change not Chap. 3.6 I do rest in my love and will seek no further Zeph. 3.17 Surely Israel hath not been forsaken nor Judah of his God of the Lord of Hosts though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel Jer. 51.5 Thus it was before the captivitie But how after See Zach. 1.17 The Lord had professed before that he had been sore displeased with their Fathers verse 2. and it appears ver 3 4. they were no better then their Fathers all which notwithstanding see a sweet promise ver 17. Cry yet saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet chuse Jerusalem There are four Yets in the Text and all very gracious ones to shew that the fulnesse sinne in us doth not abate the fulnesse of love in God toward his people And the same in effect is thankfully acknowledged by those holy Levites at their solemn fast held much about the time of our Prophet Malachy Nehem. 9. where they make a catalogue of the many fruits and expressions of Gods love to themselves and their fathers Besides extraordinary favours not a few he gave them good Lawes verse 13. good Sabbaths verse 14. his good spirit to instruct them 20. He forsook them not when they dealt proudly against him 16 17. but crowned them with outward comforts 21 25. afflicted them when they provoked him 26 27. sent them Saviours when they cryed to him 27. after often revolts was often intreated 28. with held his worst and consuming judgements for a long time 30 31. And was there not love in all this Might not God well say I have loved you Ribera thinks there is an Aposiopesis in the words as if God would have said more but very grief breaks off his speech out of a deep sense of their detestable ingratitude David hath such an abrupt expression Psal 116.1 I love because the Lord hath heard my voice Such a pang such a passion he felt that he was not able to say I love the Lord but I love and soâ—breakes off abruptly The like whereunto may here be conceived of God who cannot endure to have his love lost his grace undervalued as it was by these obstreperous Questionists who put him to his proof as those did Jer. 2.25 yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us Their late captivity and calamity so stuck still in their stomacks that they could not see wherein he had shewed them any love But
sicknesse the choler within and not the waves without So the frowardnesse of men that quarrell with reformation and not the work it self which is Gods commandement as here the Prophet calls it Verse 2. If ye will not hear that your souls may live Isa 55.3 but forbear and so shew your selves a rebellious house Ezek. 2.8 so adding rebellion to your sinne If you will needs resemble the deaf adder which although by spitting out his poyson he might renew his age stoppeth his ears by applying one to the earth and covering the other with his tail lest he should hear the voyce of the charmer Or if ye do hear with that gristle that growes upon your head onely and will not lay it to heart Heb. upon your heart as a weight to keep it down from rising in rebellion against the Lord. If you esteem my command a light matter and instead of pondering it in your hearts with Mary cast it behind your backs Psal 50.17 or suffer it to run thorow you as water runs thorow a riven vessell Heb. 2.4 If thirdly you will not give glory unto my Name by confessing your sinnes Iosh 7.19 so submitting to my justice and imploring my mercy which will make much to my glory and redresling your wayes Psal 50.23 by breaking off your sinnes and bearing much fruit Ioh. 15.8 studying mine ends more then your own and drowning all self-respects in my glory If you will not observe and fulfill these three fore-mentioned conditions of exemption I will even send a curse upon you that evill Angel of mine that shall bring with him fiercenesse of anger wrath indignation and trouble Psa 78.49 The Vulgar Interpreter renders it I will even send poverty upon you a curse well suting with their covetousnesse and agreeable to that threatened by another Prophet As the Partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth riches and not by right as these Priests had done shall leave them in the midst of his dayes Jer. 17.12 and at his end be a fool A poor fool God will soon make of the covetous caitiff and reduce him to extream want than the which he knowes no greater hell no curse comparable But the Originall is more generall I will execrate you or pronounce a curse against you Howbeit Non nist coactus No otherwise then as compelled to it as that Emperour said laying his hand upon his mouth for a good while before he would pronounce sentence of death upon one that had deserved it Histories tell us of Augustus that it went as much against the heart with him as it did against the hair with the malefactour when he adjudged him to condigne punishment Vespasian wept over those he sentenced Nero in his first five years being to signe a warrant for execution of certain Malefactours said Act. Mon. O utinam literas nescirem O that I could not write Our King Edw. 6. could not be perswaded by all his Councill to put his hand to a warrant for the burning of one Ione Butcher that had well deserved it Our gracious God might well say As I live I delight not in the death of sinners but rather would they should convert and live Ezek. 33.11 why else doth he here in threatening a curse interpose condition of repentance why doth he warn before he wounds and premonish before he punish Well might the Heathen Historian say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H redot God loves to foresig nisie Well might that Father say Minatur Deus ut non puniat God therefore menaceth misery that he may not inflict it And another Ideo prolata est sententia ut non fiat The sentence is therefore pronounced that it may not be executed Witnesse that we read Am. 4.12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee Thus how He nameth not how that they may fear the utmost as Ribera noteth and yet he addeth Because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Surely as a woman brings not forth without pain And as a bee usually stings not till much provoked so neither doth God curse his creature till there be no other remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 And then Patientia laesa fit furor abused mercy turns into fury If men will not accept of conditions of peace though never so fair and reasonable as here but pervert his mercies to wantonnesse his patience to presumption he will not alwaies bear with their evill manners but repenting him of his kindnesse so cast away upon those that prized it not as David repented of the good he had done unworthy Nabal 1 Sam. 25.21 he will make them know the worth of his blessings by the want of them I will curse your blessings saith He here I will recover mine own and be gone as Hos 2.9 I will cut off the meat from their mouths and blast all your hopes of abundance and destroy you after that I had done you good Iosh 24.20 Thus God dealt by his unfruitfull vineyard Esay 5.5 he puld up the hedges and let in the wild-bore Thus also he dealt by the unprefitable servant he took away his talent and turned him over to the tormentour And thus he deales by diverse now adayes in whom it is no hard matter to observe a waine and decay of their gifts and abilities upon their disuse or misuse thereof How many have we that are wofully fallen from the affections of prayer they were wont to find and expresse how many idle and therefore evil ministers rejected by God and laid aside as so many broken vessels whiles he causeth the night to come upon their divination puts out their right eyes and dryes up their right aermes Zach. 11.17 till at length they may say with Zedekiah When did the spirit depart from me Woe to me for I am spoiled Ier. 4.13 And in very deed what should a Prince do but take away a sword from a rebel what should a mother do but snatch away the meat from the child that marrs it And what can God do lesse then take away his corn Hos 2.5 9. wine and wooll from those that not only own him to it but go after other sweet-hearts with it yea I have cursed them already for a pledge of more malediction For as in blessings every former is a pledge of a future so in curses As one cloud followes another till the Sun disperse them so doth one curse succeed another till Repentance remove them No sooner doth that rain-bow appear in our hearts but God remembring his covenant clears up our coasts and lifteth up the light of his countenance upon us Take the bark from the tree and the sap can never find its way to the branches Take sin from the soule and God will soon be reconciled But if ye walk contrary unto me I will punish you yet seven times more and seven times Lev. 26. and seven to that till I have dashed you in pieces as Dagon never
remarkable that God calleth the solemn feasts their solemn-feasts as if they had been none of his he would not own them So Ier. 7.21 in scorn he calles their sacrifices flesh ordinary flesh such as was bought and sold in the shambles And Hos 9.4 he calleth the same sacrifices their bread for their soule or for their naturall sustenance and saith it shall not come into his house And yet he speaks there of that meat-offering Lev. 2.5 appointed by God himself for a spirituall use which is neverthelesse called the bread for their life or livelyhood because God esteemed it no other then common meat In a like sense it was that after the people of Israel had set up the golden calf God would own them no longer but fathers them upon Moses Behold thy people saith He to Moses whom thou broughtest out of Egypt c. Exod. 32.7 David also when he had sinned in numbring the people was counted and called but plain David Go and say to David c. 2 Sam. 24.12 whereas before that when he purposed to build the Lord a Temple c. 2 Sam. 7. then it was Go tell my servant David c. The Saints themselves when they sin against God are in a sort suspended from the covenant Therefore it is usuall with them when they seek the Lord for any speciall mercy to begin with humbling themselves and taking pains with their own hearts as David Daniel Ezra c. Verse 4. And ye shall know that I have sent c. That is ye shall know by wofull experience your punishment shall advertise you the curse appendent to the commandement shall teach you as Gideon taught the men of Succoth so with thorns and and briers of the wildernesse Jud. 8.16 and as David taught the children of Ammon better behaviour by making them passe thorough the brick-kilne 2 Sam. 12.31 and as the Phrygians wax not wise unlesse they be beaten to it when Gods judgments are in the earth Judg. 3.20 the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Isai 26.9 Smart makes wit and vexation giveth understanding Ehuds ponyard was a message from God who as he is said to hold his peace when he punisheth not Psal 50.21 Esay 42.14 so to preach and teach when he doth Esay 28.19 his scourges are mens school-masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One calls them Gods free-school-masters curstand crabbed enough but such as whereby he openeth mens ears to discipline and commandeth them to return from iniquity Iob 36.8 9 10. Then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded that they have slighted the commandement which he had sent them and that now he would plead with them another way so with patience and with blood Ezek. 38.22 and so would cause them to passe under the rod that thereby he might bring them into the bond of the covenant purging out the rebels and them that transgress Ezek. 20.37 38. God should have no tribute from men as those Malignants suggested against the returned captives Ezra 4.13 if he did not make them know his breach of promise Num. 14.34 if he did not break covenant with them that first play false with him and keep no condition on their part required See 2 Chron. 15.2 and when thou art making a covenant with sin say to thy soul as Boaz said to his kinsman Ruth 4.4 At what time thou buyest it thom must have Ruth with it If thou wilt have the pleasure of sin the wages of wickednesse thou must also have the curse c. and let thy soul answer as he there doth No I may not do it I shall mar and spoil a better inheritance Polanus and others dislike the reading of this text in the future tense ye shall know that I haue sent this commandment and tell us that the scope of the Prophecy requires that it be read in the present tense thus Nam citis For ye do know that I have sent c. You know your dignity and duty as Priests Vos probe cognitum habetis c. Polan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet ye wilfully crosse your own knowledge and conscience Knowledge is a divine gift it is the great talent of all other there is a much set upon it Lak 12.48 there is a special dâ—pâ—suum in it as the word there used importeth To know heavenly things is to scend into heaven saith Agur Prov. 30.4 But as the devil that knowing creature that hath his name in Greek from the largnesse of his objective knowledge was once an Angel of light till he fell from his dignity Jud. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so those that corrupt themselves in that they know Jude 10. Rom. 1.18 that imprison the light they have as a prophet from God in unrighteousnesse that know the commandment sent from God as here and yet after that they have known the way of righteousnesse do turn from the holy commundement delivered unto them the latter end will be worse with those men then the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 21. they have but aspired to an higher pitch that their fall might be the more desperate Neronis illud Quantus artifex perco quadrabi tâ—in te peritum periturum saith One. Thou doest but carry Uri h's letters about thee to thine own utter destruction Thou maist go to hell with much knowledge in thy head as a bull with a coronet and garland goes to the slaughter Thou mayest also for this one fault meet with an hell aforehand in thine own conscience as Spira did crying out to those about him to learn of him to take heed of severing knowledge and practise What else was it that brought such â—o â—ring and troubles both inward and outward on those Esay 59.11 12. and that when salvation was looked for Our iniquities say they testifie to our faces and we know them All sins offend conscience but sins against knowledge waste and destroy it A dangerous degree drawing neer that sin to which sacrifice is denyed For sins against the law though against knowledge there was an attonement Levit. 6.1 to the 8. and he instanceth in perjury But to persecute the known truth with malice Heb. 19 26. for this ther 's no sacrifice that my covenant might be with Levi Levi did not thrust himself into the Priesthood but was taken by God into special covenant See Num. 8.13 14. 1 Sam. 2.28 Heb. 5.4 No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Or if he do he shall smoke and smart for it as Saul Vzziah and others no man might come uncalled to the king of Persia upon pain of death much lesse to the King of heaven as Kore and his complices whom God hath hanged up in gibbets as it were for example to all bold intruders upon that tremend function of the Ministery Men out of office are not sent of God therefore they may
not preach though gifted men Rom. 10.15 with Esay 52.8 All that are in office to preach are Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastours or Teachers Eph. 4.11 Elders onely my preach Tit. 1.5 And the contrary would prevent the Apostle willeth that in the Church all things be done decent'y and in order 1 Cor. 14.4 which could not be if all were teachers for then there would be no distinction of Ministers and people But Are all teachers saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.29 And he answers himself No but onely those whom God did set verse 13. like as he set apart the tribe of Levi to execute the Priests office which whiles Corah Dathan and Abiram sought to impugne and level they went quick into the pit Num. 16.30 Meddle not therfore without a calling that in the day of Gods displeasure you may appeal unto him with Jeremy and say As for me I have not hastened or thrust in my self for a Pastour after thee neither have I desired the woful day thou knowest that which came out of my lipps was right before thee Jer. 17.16 And being able safely to say this thou mayest binde upon it that God who is in covenant with all his Levi's his faithful Ministers will be their shield and their exceeding great reward how ever the world deal with them Verse 5. My covenant was with him of life and peace Now Gods covenant saith an expositour here is of four sorts 1. General made with all creatures Gen 9.2 2. With the Church in general Gen. 17. 3. With the Church of the Elect Jer. 31.33 4. With some particulars of some special graces as here with Levi of life and peace So then to ministers above others hath the Lord bound himself by special covenant to be their mighty Protectour and rewarder to give them life and peace that is long life and prosperous See Num. 25.12 13. Life of it self though pestered with many miseries is a sweet mercy and highly to be prized Better is a living dog then a dead lion Eccles 9.4 And why is the living man sorrowful a man for the punishment of his sins Lam. 3.39 As who should say let a man suffer never so much yet if he be suffered to live he hath cause to be contented It is the Lords mercy he is not consismed When Baruc sought great things for himself Jeremy tels him he may be glad in those dear years of life Jer. 45.5 Gen. 45.26 when the arrows of death came so thick whisking by him that he had his life for a prey Jacob took more comfort of his son Josephs life then of his honour Joseph is yet alive c. Quis vitam non vult saith Austin who is it that desires not life When David moveth the question what man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Austin brings in every man answering I do and I do Long life and happy dayes is every mans desire If God give these blessings to those that are gracelesse it is by vertue of a providence onely and not of a promise and that 's nothing so comfortable life in Gods displeasure is worse then death said that Martyr if wicked men live long it is that they may make up the measure of their sins and by heaping up sin increase their torment If godly men die soon God taketh them away from the evil to come as when there is a fire in an house or town men secure their Jewels And though they fall in wars yet they die in peace 2 Chron. 34.28 Hieren as good Josiah did who also in brevi vitae spacio tempora virâ—utum multareplevit lived quickly lived apace lived long in a little time For life consists in action Esay 38.15 16. The Hebrews call running water living water Now Gods faithful Ministers if they work hard and so wear out themselves to do good to others as a lamp wasteth it self to give light or as that herb mentioned by Plâ—y that cures the patient but rots the hand that administreth it if like clouds they sweat themselves to death to bring souls to God yet shall they be sure to finde it a blessed way of dying they shall mori vitaliter die to live for ever God will not send any of his to bed till they have done their work The two witnesses could not be slain till their testimony was finished No malice of man can antedate their ends a minute The dayes of mourning for my father will come said Esae and then Hekâ—ll my brother Jacob Gen. 27.41 Here Esâ—uâ— that rough reprobate threateneth his father also as Luther conceiveth For it is as if he should have said I will be avenged by being the death of my brother though it be to the breaking of my fathers heart But what 's the proverb Threatened falk live long for even Isaac who died soonest lived above forty yeers beyond this My times are in thy hands saith David and that 's a safe hand And blessed be God that Christ liveth and reigneth alioqui tot us desperassem or else I had been in ill case said Miconius in a letter of his to Calvin Ren. 1. Ministers are stars in Christs right hand and it will be hard pulling them thence They must carry their lives in their hands and be ready to lay them down when it may be for the glory of their Master but they shall be sure not to dye whether by a natural or by a violent death till the best time not till that time when if they were but rightly informed they would desire to die But whether their death be a burnt-offering of Martyrdome or a peace-offering whether they die in their beds as Elisha or be carried to heaven in a fiery chariot as Elijah let it be a free-will-offering and then it shall be a sweet sacrifice to him who hath covenanted with them for life and peace They shall by death as by a door of hope Esay 56.2 Eccles 5.12 enter into peace they shall rest in their beds yea in Abrahams bosome and as the sleep of the labouring man is sweet unto him whether he eat little or much so heaven shall be so much the more heaven to such as have here had their purgatory Mark the upright man Psal 37.37 saith holy David and behold the just for how troublesome soever his beginning and middle is the end of that man is peace and I gave them to him Here 's the performance of Gods covenant to Levi and his posterity God doth not pay his promises with fair words onely as Sertorius is said to do Neither is he like Amigonus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignominiously so called because forward in promising slack in performing But as he hath hitherto kept promise with nights and dayes Jer. 33.20 25. that one should succeed the other so much more doth he keep promise with his people for as his love moved him to promise so his truth bindeth him to perform
But they do better that expound it by that of Solomon Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4.23 and by that of the Apostle Mortific therefore your members which are upon earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evil concupiscence c. Col. 3.5 These are those that defile the man Mat. 15.19 20. These make his heart a filthy dunghill of all abominable lusts and his life a long chain of sinfull actions a very continued web of wickednesse therefore take head to your spirits that is to your affections keep those pure and chaste abstain from fleshly lusts that fight against the soul Take heed where you set gunpowder sith fire is in your heart Austin thanks God that the heart and temptation did not meet together Look well to the affections for by those maids Satan woes the mistresse Look to the cinque-ports the five senses shut those windows that death enter not in thereby Take heed to thy fancy we allow an horse to praunce and skip in a pasture which if he doth when backt by the rider we count him an unruly and unbroken jade So howsoever in other creatures we deny them not liberty of fancy yet wee may not allow it in our selves to frisk and rove at pleasure but by reason bridle them and set them their bounds that they shall not passe The Lord quieteth the sea and turns the storme into a calme Psal 107.29 If then the voluptuous humours in our body which is but as a cup made of the husk of an acorne in respect of the Sea will not be pacified when the Lord saith unto them Be still every drop of water in the sea will witnesse of our rebellion and disobedience and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth He had convinced them of this sinne before verse 14. Now he admonisheth them to abrenounce and abandon it Lo this is the true method and manner of proceeding in administring admonitions The judgement must be convinced ere the affections can be wrought to any thing like as in the law the lamps were first lighted before the incense was burned First know thine iniquity and then turn from it Jer. 3.13 14. Exhortation is the end of doctrine science of conscience reformation of information conversion of conviction and wo be to those that being convinced or reproved for their faults get the bit between the teeth as it were and run away with their rider When I would have healed Ephraim then his iniquity brake out as if it were to crosse me like the leprosie in his forehead Hos 7.1 what can such sturdy rebels expect better then that God should resolve as Ezek. 24.13 as if he should say Thou shalt have thy will but then I will have mine too I shall take another course with thee sith thou refusest to be reformed hatest to be healed thou shalt pine away in thine iniquities Levit. 26.39 O fearfull Verse 16. For the Lord the God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away Heb. Put away q. d. God hates that Put her away Put her away that is so much in your mouthes For because you are justly reproved for Polygamy for keeping two wives you think to mend that fault by putting away your old ones and plead you may do it by a law licensing divorces But the Lord would ye should know that he hates such your practises and the rather because you maliciously abuse his law as a cloke of your wickednesse Divorce is a thing that Gods soul hateth unlesse it bee in case of adultery which breaks the marriage knot and malicious perpetuall desertion This last was the case of that noble Italian convert 1 Cor. 7.15 Galeacius Caracciolus Marquesse of Vico as is to be seen in his life written by my much honoured brother Mr. Samâ—el Clark in the second part of his Marrow of Ecclesiasticall history pag. 101. who by the consent of Mr. Calvin Peter Martyr and other learned Divines who met and seriously debated the case sued out a divorce against his former wife who had first maliciously deserted him and had it legally by the Magistrate at Geneva granted unto him after which he married another Anno 1560. The Civill Law of the Empire permitted divorce for diverse other causes And these Jews for every light cause if but a blemish in the body or crookednesse of manners pretending to hate their wives would write them a Bill of divorce and turn them off Our Saviour deals against this matth 5. and 18. See the Notes there This sinne was also rife among both the Athenians who were wont to put away their wives upon discontent Archcol Attic. 140. or hope of greater portions c. and the Romans whose Abscessionale or Writ of divorce was this onely Res tuas tibi habeto Take what is thine and be gone It is ordinary also among the Mahometans But the Lord God of Israel saith here that he hateth it and it appeareth so by his practise to his Spouse the Church See Jer. 3.1 Joh. 13.1 and then say that Gods mercy is matehlesse and that he takes not advantages against his revolting people but follows them with his favour no otherwise then as when a man goes from the Sun yet the Sun-beams follow him shine upon him warm him c. Zanchy and some others reads the text thus If thou hatest her put her away in that discourse of divorces which he wrote upon occasion of Andreas Pixzardus his divorce as indeed agreeing best with the matter he undertook to defend But in another book of his he utterly disliketh the doings of Luther and some other Dutch Divines who advised Philip Lantgrave of Hesse to marry alteram hoc est Zanch. Misc Epist dedit adulieram his former lawfull wife being yet alive Archbishop Grindall by cunning practises of his adversaries Leicester and others lost Queen Elizabeths favour Camb. Elizab. Arslibishop Abbots also died in disgrace for opposing Semmersets abhorred match with the Countesse of Essex Figuier as if he favoured Prophecyings c. but in truth because he had condemned an unlawfull marriage of Julio an Italian Physician with another mans wife whilest Leicester in vain opposed against his proceedings therein for one covereth violence with his garment This Text had been easie had not Commentatours the Hebrew Doctours especially made it knotty Rabbi David in opening of it obscurior videtur quam ipsa verba quae explicare conatur seems to be more obscure then the words themselves which he undertaketh to open saith Figueir who also reciteth the expositions of severall Rabbines Concerning which I may say as One did once when being asked by another whether he should read such a Comment upon Aristotle answered Yes when Aristotle is understood then read the Comment The plain sence is this These wicked Jews pretended the Law of God as a cloke and cover of their sinne that it might be no sinne to them And though the Lord had protested to hate their divorces
Latimer tells them they shall cough in hell the widow A calamitous name she is called in Hebrew from her dumbnesse Almanan because death having cut off her head she hath lost her tongue and hath none to speak for her A vine whose root is uncovered thrives not so a widow the covering of whose eyes is taken away joyes not God therefore pleads for such as his clients and takes special care for them the Deacons were anciently ordained specially for their sakes Act. 6.1 1 Tim 5.3 and Pharisees doomed to a deeper damnation for devouring widows houses Mat. 23.14 and Magistrates charged to plead for the widow Isai 1.17 as judge Job did Chap. 31.16 and all sorts to make much of her and communicate to her Deut. 24.19 20 â—â— and the fatherlesse We are Orphans and fatherlesse saith the Church Lam. 5.3 And we are all Orphans said Queen Elizabeth in her speech to the children of Christs Hospital let me have your prayers and you shall have my protection That Hospital was founded by her brother King Edward the sixth for the relief of father lesse children after the example of the ancient Church which had her Orphanotroph Orphan-breeders With God the fatherlesse findeth mercy Hos 14.3 and all his vice-gods are commanded the like Psal 82.1 2 3 4. unlesse they will consult shame and misery to their own houses and Joab-like leave the leprosy to their little ones for a legacy Better leave them a wallet to beg from door to door then a cursed hoard of Orphans goods and that turn aside the stranger The right of strangers is so holy saith Master Fox that there was never nation so barbarous that would violate the same When Steven Gardiner had in his power the renowned Peter Martyr then teaching at Oxford Act. and Mon. fol. 1783. he would not keep him to punish him but when he should go his way gave him wherewith to bear his charges and fear not me This is set last as the source of all the former evils See the like Rom. 3.18 and Psal 14.1 where Atheisme and irreligion is made the root of all the sin in the world Gods holy fear is to the soul as the banks are to the sea or the bridle to the horse it was so to Isaac who reigned in the reverend fear of God when he saw that he had done unwilling justice durst not reverse Jacobs blessing though prompted to it by natural affection and Esaus howlings Gen. 27.33 It was so to Job Joseph Nehemiah Daniel c. who could easily have born out their oppressions by their greatnesse And indeed whereas other men have other bits and restraints great men if they fear not God have nothing else to fear but dare obtrude and justifie to the world the most malepart misdemenours because it is facinus major is abollae Juvenal the fact of a great one who do many times as easily break through the lattice of the laws as the bigger flies do through a spider-web as Anacharsis was wont to say of his Scythians Exod. 18. Hence Jethro would have his Justice of peace to be a man fearing God And this qualification he fitly placeth in the midst of the other graces requisit to him as the heart in the body for conveying life to all the parts or as a dram of musk perfuming the whole box of oyntment Exod. 18.21 Nothing makes a man so good a patriot as the true fear of Gods blessed name and a zealous forwardnesse for his glory goodnesse and good causes This this alone is it that can truly beautifie and adorn all other personal sufficiencies and indeed sanctifie and blesse all publick imployments and services of state Whereas on the contrary sublat à pietate sides tollitur take away piety and fidelity is gone as we see in the unjust judge Luk. 18.2 in Abrahams judgement of the Philistines Gen. 20.11 and in Constantinus Chlorus his experiment of his Councellours and Courtiers whence that famous Maxime of his recorded by Eusebius He cannot be faithful to me that is unfaithful to God religion being the ground of all true fidelity and loyaltie to king and Countrey Hence that close connexion Fear God honour the king And that again of Solomon My son fear thou the Lord and the king and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24.21 Verse 6. For I am the Lord I change not I am Jehovah This is Gods proper and incommunicable name It imports three things 1. That God is of himself This Plato acknowledged calling God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julius Scaliger by a wonderful word calleth God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One that hath his being or existence of himself before the world was Esay 44 6. 2. That he giveth being to all things else for in him they both are and consist He sustains all both in respect of being excellencies and operations Heb. 1.3 The greatest excellencies in us do as much depend upon God as the essigies in the giasse upon the presence of the face that causeth it 3. That he giveth being to his word effecting whatsoever he speaketh Hence when either some special mercy is promised or some extraordinary judgment threatened the name of Iehovah is affixed See Exod. 6.3 Esay 45.2 3. Ezek. 5.17 The Ancient Jew-Doctours make this distinction between Elohim and Iehovah By Elohim say they is signified Middath dir a quality or property of judgment By Iehovah middath Rachamim a quality or property of mercy And here unto they apply that text Psal 56.11 In God Elohim I will praise the word in Iehovah I will praise the word that is five â—ure agat mecum five ex aequo bono whether he deal strictly with me or graciously I will praise him howsoever But this distinction as it holds not alwayes so not here For to shew the certainty of the judgement denounced verse 5. is this subjoyned I am Iehovah c. And if Iehovah come of Hovah which signifies Contrition or destruction as Heronymus ab Oleastro will have it what can be more sutable to the Prophets purpose it is somewhat like that in Esay chap. 13.6 Shod shall come from Shaddai destruction from the Almighty or from the Destroyer as some interpret Gods Name Shaddai I change not I am neither false nor fickle to say and unsay to alter my minde or to eat my word Psalm 89.34 The eternity of Israel cannot he nor repent said Samuel to Saul and it was heavy tidings to him as Ahi ah said to Ieroboams wife 1 Sam. 15.29 I come unto thee with heavy tidings For he is not a man that he should repent Men are mutable and ther 's no hold to be taken of what they say Of many it may be said as Tertullian of the Peacock all in changeable colours as often changed as moved Italians all as Eneas Sylvius said of Italy Novitate quadam nihil habet stabile ther 's no taking their words Of
God Levite had one man Iudg. 19.11 Augâ—â—stin lived neither like a Lord for he cate his meat in woodden and marble dishes neither lived he like a begger for he used to eat with silver spoons Possidon in vit Aug. What pitty was it that Luther was forced to cry out in his Comment on Gen. 47. Nisi superesser spolium Egypti quod rapuimus Papae omnibus ministris verbi fame percundum osset Quod si sustentandi essent die contributione populi miserc profectò dâ—â—iter viverent If it were not for the spoil of Egypt which we have snatcht from the Pope all the Ministers of the word must have been affamished For if they should be put to live upon the free contribution of the people they would certainly have a miserable hard living of it Alimar ergo c. We are maintained then as I said of the spoiles of Egypt and yet that little that we have is prey'd upon by the Magistrate for the parishes and Schooles are so spoyled and peeled as if they meant to starve us all Thus Luther Melancthon comes after him and complaines in the year 1559. Principes favebant Luthero sed jam iterum vi letis ing ratitudinem mundi orga ministros c. The Princes did at first favour Luther but now ye see again the unkindnesse of the world to the Ministers of the word Calvia was so ill dealt with at Geneva together with other faithfull Ministers there that he was forced once to say Certè si hominibus servivissem c. Truly if I had served men in my Ministry I had been very ill requited Melch. Adam in vita But it s well that I have served Him who never failes his but faithfully performeth with the better who sever he hath promised them Our Doctour Stoughton observed that the manner of very many in the City was to deal with their minister as Carriers doe with their horses viz. to lay heavy burthens upon them and then to hang bels about their necks they shall have hard work and great commendations Serm. â—n 1 Sam. 2.30 but easy commons be applauded for excellent preachers have good words but slight wages Thus in the City but what measure meet men with in the Countrey Hear it from a Countrey-Minister mouth How many thousands in this land faith He stand obnexious in an high-degree to the judgements of God for this sin of sacriledge which is the bane of our people and blemish of our Church Some there are who rob God of his main tythes yet are content to leave him still the lesses they pluck our fleeces and leave us the taglocks poor Vicarage tithes whilest themselves and children are kept warme in our wooll the Parsonage And and others yet more injurious who think that too much would the law but allow them a pair of sheers they would clip the very taglocks off Mr. Reg. his Strange Vin. in Valest pag. 303. These with the deceitfull taylour are not content to shrink the whole and fair broad-cloth to a dozen of buttons but they must likewise take part of them away and nimme the very shreds which only we have left After they have full gorged themselves with the Parsonage grains they can sinde means either by uncoscionable leases or compositions to pick the Vicaridge-bones c. Thus He and much more to the like purpose Our blessings faith Another eminent Divine are more then those of old our burthen lesse And yet how unwilling comes even a little to the painsullest Minister And those that upon a kind of conscience pay other duties think all lost that goes to the maintenance of the Ministery D. Sclaiter and that wish such repining as if that were mony of all other worst bestowed c. and prove me now herewith Dignatio stupenda A wonderful condescension that God should call upon man to take experiment of him to make but a triall to put it to the proof whether he will not prosper the penitent This is somewhat like that other passage Psal 34. O tast and see that the Lord is good c. or that Come and let us reason together O the never-enough adored depth of Gods goodnesse that he should stoop so low to us clay and dirt dung and wormes-meat 1 He is so high Psal 113.6 that he is said to humble himself to behold things done in heaven If he look at all out of himself to see but what the Angels do he doth therein abase himself That he will deal so familiarly with us who are no better then so many walking-dunghils as to bid us prove him what he will do for us this deserves acknowledgement and admiration in the highest degree Should he have used martiall law with these malapert miscreants in the text that had robbed him of his rights and not only have reproved them and cursed them wit a curse of penury but have Draco-like written his lawes in blood upon them he might have justified his proceedings But thus to commune with them and not only to prescribe them a remedy for removall of the curse Bring ye all the Tythes c. but thus to perswade with them Suhest jurandi spectes Figuier and to permit them to prove his bountifulnesse in giving and his faithfulnesse in keeping promise with them and that with an oath as some conceive if I will not open the windowes of heaven then never beleeve me more what a wonderfull goodnesse was this Surely we may well say of it as Chrysostom doth of the happinesse of heaven Sermo non valet exprimere experimento opus est We can never sufficiently praise it but must take the counsell he gives us and prove it Prove me c. There is an unlawfull and damnable proving or rather provoking of God when men separate the means from the end holinesse from happinesse will needs live as they lift and yet presume they shall be saved by the unknown mercies of God Such were those that tempted and provoked he most high God and kept not his testimonies Psal 78.56 like as before they had lusted exceedingly in the wildernesse Psal 106.14 and tempted God in the desert whilest bearing themselves over-bold upon their external priviledges they refused to observe his statutes and keep his lawes This sin in the new Testament is called tempting the Spirit of the Lord Act. 5.9 Ananias and Sapphira did so when by a cunning concrivance they would needs prove and make triall whether God could deicry and would punish their hypocrisy So did Judas the traytour when he boldly demanded Is it I Lord. So do all gross hypocrites that present unto God acarcase of holinesse like Cham or that cursed Cozener Mal. 1.14 Such also as refuse Christs offers of grace and when he bids them as here Prove him if upon their obedience to the lawes of his kingdome he will not open the windowes of heaven and rain down righteousnesse upon them even mercies without measure and
charge The sunshine of prosperity ripens their sin apace and so fits them for destruction Let God therefore be justified and every mouth stopped Verse 16. Then they that feared the Lord c. Then Gen 6.12 Hos 4.1 when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and the whole world turned Atheists Then when there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land none to speak of but that it was even darkened with profanenesse as Egypt was with those very grievous locusts that covered the eye thereof Exod. 10.14 15. Then when the faithfull city was become an harlot Esay 1.21 22. her silver turned into drosse her wine mixt with water her people not dilute onely but dissolute her self exaurea facta est argentea ex argented ferred ex serred terrea as One once said of Rome of gold become 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 iron of iron earth or rather muck 〈…〉 the Lord Those few names that had not desiled their garments in so 〈◊〉 a season Rev. 2.4 1 Jch. 5.18 but had kept themselves unspotted of the world undefiled in the way so as that that wicked One had not touched them had not thrust his deadly sting into them had not transformed them into sins image These stood up to stickle for God to stop the mouth of blasphemy and to stablish one another in perswasion of Gods holy truth and constant care of his dear children spake often one to another Montanus renders it Tune vastati sunt timentes Deminum sc ab impijs Atheis impune cos invadentibus That is Then were those that seared the Lord Wasted and destroyed viz. by those wicked Atheists who fell from fierce words to bloody blows so the word is used 2 Chron. 22.10 Psal 2.5 But this is far set and nothing so agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost here as our English after other approved Translations It is the same word that is used verse 13. Those spoke not so much against God as these did for him and about him to each other Heb. 12.13 for mutuall confirmation that that which was halting haply might not be turned out of the way but healed rather Great is the benefit of Chrillian conference for strengthening the weak knees and comforting the feeble minded Job 6.25 How Forcible are right words One seasenable truth falling upon a prepared heart hath oft a strong and sweet operation as some speeches of Staupicius had upon Luther Lise of Lâ—â—k by Mr Clack pag 85. Of whom it is also storted that he was much cheared up by conference with an old Priest discoursing about 〈…〉 by faith and explaining the Articles of the Creed to him Latimer likewise was much furthered by hearing Bilneys confession and having frequent conference with him at Heretikes-Lill as the place where they most used to walk in the fields at Cambridge Acts Mon. fol. 1574. was called long after Surely as a little boat may land a man into a large Continent so may a sew good words suggest matter sâ—â—â—â—ient for a whole lives meditation This 〈◊〉 well knows and therefore as he did what he could to keep God and Daniel asunder Dan. 6.7 So he doth still to keep the saints one from another that they may not build up themselves in their most Loly faith pray in the holy Chost pull one another out of the fire c. How were the Apâ—â—ies persecuted for their Christian meetings the primitive Christians banished and confined to Hes and Mines Jude 2â— 23. where they could not have accesse one to another as Cyprias complains the poor faints here in times of Popery 〈…〉 meeting as they could for mutuall edification and therefore accused of sedition for prevention whereof it was ordained that if 〈◊〉 should flock secretly together above the number of six they should be attached of treason 〈…〉 so the Protestants at Milcenburg in Cermany were forbidden upon pain of death to speak together of Scripture-matters And at Nola the Jesuites straitly charged the people not to talk of God 〈…〉 either in good sort or in bad See more of this in my Treatise on these words called The kighteous mans Recomponse Chap. 4. Docl. 3. annexed to this Commentary and the Lord hearkened and heard He not onely heard but hearkened or lisiened Gist us hit est diligenter auscultantis Esay 32.3 It imports not onely attention of body but intention of minde as when a man listeneth as for life and makes hard shift to hear all and retention of memory For which purpose also a booke of remembrance is here said to be written before him or by his appointment Liber monnmemi A book of Acts and Monuments in allusion to the custome of Kings See Esth 2.23 Tamerlan that warlike Scythian had alwayes by him a catalogue of the names and good deserts of his servants Turk hist sol 227. which he daily perused and whom he duely rewarded not needing by them or any others in their behalf to be put in remembrance Much lesse doth the Lord who bottles up the tears of his people files up their prayers puts all their holy speeches and practises on record that he may make all honourable mention of them at the last day in that great Amphitheatre that generall Assembly not once remembring any of their misdeeds Mat. 25.35 Heb. 8.12 See more of this in the Righteous mans Recompense Chap. 5. 6. and that thought upon his Name That had God before their eyes Psal 10.8 that minded his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 that thought upon his commandements to do them Psal 103.18 that can truly say with the Psalmist How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them Psal 139.17 See more of this verse in my Righteous mans Recompense Chap. 7. Doct. 16. Verse 17. And they shall be mine by peculiar right Et suum cuique pulchrum we all affect and admire our own things most God chuseth them for his love and loves them for his choice I will be a Father unto them and they shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.18 which is all one with that here They shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts Concerning all which see my Righteous mans Recompense Part 2. Chap. 1. and 3. In the day when I make up my jewels viz. from the worlds malignities and misusages They shall not plunder him of his Jewels rob him of his chief treasure None shall take or pluck them out of Christs hands Job 10.29 they that attempt it shall find it a work not seisable When one desired to see Great Alexanders treasure he bade one of his servants shew him not his gold and silver but his friends Liban progâ—â— Chria 1. Henceforth I call you not servants but I have called you friends Joh. 15.15 And a friend is as a mans own soul Deut. 13.6 The Church is the dearly beloved of Gods soul Jer. 12.7 yea his dearly
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Deliverer It was the thankfull acknowledgement of Generall Captaines and souldiers at Edge-hill-fight that the Lord was seen in the Mount Never lesse of man in such a businesse never more of God But what shall it prosit a man to conquer countries 2 Tim. 2.26 and yet be vanquished of vices to tread upon his enemies and yet be taken captive by the devill at his pleasure to command the whole world as those Persian kings and yet were commanded by their concubines so by their base lusts by yeelding whereunto they give place unto the very devill and receive him into their very bosomes Eph. 4.26 who therehence leads them away naked and barefoot as the Assyrian did the Egyptians Isa 29.2 How much better Valentinian the Emperour who said upon his deathbed that among all his victories over his enemies this one only comforted him viz. that by the grace and power of Christ Jesus he had got the better of his corruptions and was now more then a Couquerour even a Triumpher for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet Even the ashes of that stubble burnt in Christs oven Verse 1. This shewes their utter and ignominious destruction And the like is foretold of mysticall Babylon Rev. 18. Tota eris in cineres quasi nunquam Roma fuisses sang Sibylla of old Fiat Fiat Our corruptions also shall one day be incinerated they are already buried Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 the fiery spirit of Christ will do with the body of sin as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom Am. 2.1 burn its bones into lime In the day that I shall do this sc partly here but perfectly at the last day Mean while sinne may rebel in Gods people but it cannot raigne Satan may nibble at their heele but he cannot come at their head the world may kill them but cannot hurt them Re of good chear saith Christ I have overcome the world Joh. 16.33 All evils and enemies shall cooperate for their good Rom. 8.28 saith the Lord of Hosts Who hath also said Heaven and earth shall passe but not one jot or tittle of my word c. Verse 4. Remember ye the law of Moses viz. Now henceforth in the fail of Prophecy for Malachy knew that after him untill the dayes of John Baptist no Prophet should arise Hence this exhortation to read and remember the Law as leading them to Christ the Law I say in all the parts of it not excluding the Prophets those Interpreters of the Law and most excellent Commentaries thereupon with like reverence to be read and received The Jews at this day read in their Synagogues two lessons One out of the Law by some chief person another out of the Prophets correspondent to the former in argument but is read by some boy or mean companion for they will in no sort do that honour neither attribute they that authority to any part of the Bible that they do to their Law But this their way is their folly Psal 49.13 yet their posterity opprove their sayings as the Psalmist speaketh in another case Two things offer themselves to our observation from these first words First the little coherence that this verse hath with the former the Prophet chusing rather to fall abruptly upon this most needfull but too too much neglected duty of remembring the Law then not at all to mention it See the like Rom. 16.17 where the Apostle breaks off his salutations to warne them of their danger by seducers and that done returns thereto again Secondly In the Hebrew word rendred Remember Buxtorf in Comment Mafor c. 14. there is in many Bibles a great Zain to shew as some think the necessity and excellency of this duty of remembring the law of Moses It is well enough known that since the fall mans soul is like a filthy pond wherein fish die soon and frogs live long profane matters are remembred pious passages forgotten Our memories are like sieves or nets that retain chaffe and palterment let go the good grain or clear water Gods word â—uns thorough us as water runs thorough a riven vessell And as hour-glasses which no sooner turned up and filled but are presently running out again to the last sand so is it here And yet the promise of salvation is limitted to the condition of keeping in memory what we have read or heard 1 Cor. 15.2 And Davids character of a blessed man is that he meditateth in the Law day and night Psal 1.2 Hoc primum reâ—etens opus Nor. ep 6. hoc postremus omittens Bishop Babington had a little Book containing three leaves onely which he turned over night and morning The first leaf was black to inminde him of hell and Gods judgements due to him for sinne The second rod to minde him of Christ and his passion The third white to set forth Gods mercy to him through the merits of his Son in his Justification and sanctification The Law of the Lord as it is perfect in it self so it is right for all holy purposes Psal 19. â— 8 It serves to discover sinne Rom. 3.20 and 7.9 shews the punishment due to sinne Gal. 3.10 scourgeth men to Christ Gal. 3.24 And is a perfect rule of obedience it being so penned that every man maythink it speaks de se in re sâ—a as â—thanesivs saith of the book of Psalms and must therefore be of all acknowledged to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods own invention Demost Moses was but the Pen-man onely though it be here called his Law because God gave him the Morall Law written with his own hand Deut. 10.2 adding it to the promise made to Abraham that thereby guilt being discovered c. men might acknowledge the riches of free-grace and mercy and that they might walk as Luther hath it in the heaven of the promise Gal. 3.19 but in the earth of the law that in respect of beleeving this of obeying that they might live as though there were no Gospel die as though there were no Law passe the time of this life in the wildernesse of this world under the conduct of Moses but let none but Joshuah Jesus bring them over to Canaan the promised land This the generality of the Jews could not skill of though the Morall-law drove them to the Ceremoniall which was then Christ in figure as it doth now drive us to Christ in truth they would needs have Moses for a Saviour and being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse wilfully ignorant they go about to establish their own Rom. 10.3 and so lose all They jear at an imputed righteousnesse and say That every fox must pay his own skin to the fleare They blaspheme Jesus Christ and curse him in a close abbreviature of his name and call those among them that convert to Christianity Mtshumadim that is lost or undone Buxtorf syn Jud. cap. 5. Schicard de jure reg Jiebr Moses Law they extoll without meature It
more then a Prophet a Math. 11.9 may not unfitly be applyed to Malachy the last of Prophets b Prophetarum ultimum veluti sigillum c. Petrus à Figuiero proaem in Mal. Judaei in hujus prophaeta obitum collocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id esi obfignationem proplietrae In ejus locum successisse aixnt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filam vociâ— id est oraculum divinum quo post prophetarwn tempo a dicunt suisse revelata futura Alsted Chron. that he is the boundary c Malachias à Terrulliano limes in tervetus novum Testam vocatur ad quem desineret Judaismus à que inciperet christianismus and buckle d Ioh Baptista fuit ut ita dicam legis gratiae fibula Chrysol of the Law and Gospel the golden girdle that knitsup and ties together those two brests of Consolation e If. 66.11 the old and new Testament between the which he seemes to lie as a bundle of Myrrhe or cluster of Camphire the sweet scent whereof fills the whole house of God f 1 Tim. 3. 15. and greatly affects all such as have their senses habitually exercised to discern both good and evill g Heb. 5.1 Summa libri est quòd cùm Judaei nuper reversi essent in patriam statim simul redieruâ—â— ad ingenium immemores gratiae dei ita se dediderant multis corruptelis ut nihilo melior esseâ—status eorum quam patrum antè suerat quasi Deus operam lusisset castigando corum scclera Calvin in Malach. proem Such were these good soules the subject of our text Reserv'd they were to those last and losest times of the Jewish Church after the return from Babylon where it seemes their seventy years captivity had not much mended the most of them h such alasse is the hardnesse of mens hearts that till the Spirit mollify and make them mallcable Afflictions Gods hammers do but beat cold iron Little good is done nay much hurt by accident for unsanctified persons grow worse with afflictions as water more cold after a heat witnesse these proud misereants that gave the occasion of this text Gods correcting hand had laine long time sore upon them to turn them from their enterprizes and to hide pride from their hearts i Iob. 33.17 But he had not his end upon this untoward generation Cohaerence nor they the best use of this affliction Witnesse their words above the text where they stand stouting it out with the Lord of Hosts ver ver 13. 13. and stick not to charge him with deep oscitancy and forlorne neglect of his best servants ver 14. yea with flat iniquity and most unequall administation of his earthly kingdome 14. For now we call the proud happy say they and those that work wickednesse are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered As who should say 15. Surely there is no reward for the rightcous verily there is not a God that doth judge in the earth Either things are not ordered by a divine providence but left at randome and let run at sixes and sevens as it happens or else there is not an equall hand held over the sons of men but partiality and unrig hteousnesse found with the judge of all the earth k Gen. 18.25 whiles the proud thus tempt God and trample upon his people and are not only not punisht but even preferr'd for their labour Thus they in their madnesse set their mouthes against heaven l Psal 73.9 and spare not despitefully to spit their venome in the face of God himself At the bearing of which abhorred blasphemies ‖ Mirum videtur coelum hoc dicto non sudare terram hiare mare non conuno veri c Cart. Hist Xpti I wonder if the heavens did not swear the Sun blush the Earth wax weary of her burthen and Hell gape wide and enlarge her self m Esay 5.14 for these prodigious Atheists these Gyants ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5.39 23 9. these monstrous men of condition I am sure the Godly of these times were much affected with it and met often about it not without a great deal of good conference and much holy duty perform'd on all hands to that God with whom they found all best audience and acceptance for the present together with a promise of fuller and further reward for the future to the comsort of his people and consusion of his enemies 16. The they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord harkened and heard it and there was a booke of remembrance written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name 17. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts c. The words present unto us 1. aduty performed set forth 1. in the circumstances 1. of time Then 2. of persons they that feared the Lord. thought upon his Name 2. in the substance they spake often one to another 2. A mercy returned and that 's double 1. Gods grcious acceptation in that for present he regards what they did the Lord harkened and heard is future he records it And a booke of remembrance was written c. 2. his righteous retribution of 1. Mercy to his people respecting 1. their persons which 1. own they shall be mine c. 2. honour in the day when I make up my Jewels he will 2. their performances I will spare them as a man spareth his owne son that sorveth him 2. Judgment to his enemies ver 18. Then shall ye return and discern c. CHAP. I. Doctr. I. Saints must be best in worst times THem men were arrived at this height of impudency and prophanenes as to say T was to no purpose to serve God even then when their black mouths were now big swolne with such like blasphemies n Illis de Dei judicio blasphemantibus Hieron Tunc cum blasphemi talia loquerentur Pet à Figuiero in locum Doct. then they that fcared the Lord were thus busied as in the text Note hence That Gods servants must labour to shew themselves best in the worst times and then most bestirr them in his businesle when others are most carelesse of it and contrary to it SECT 1. The Point consirmed â— by precept 2 by practise THis you shall see confirm'd and commended to us 1. by precept from Gods mouth 2. by the constant practise of his best children in allages For precept first what can be more direct and expresse then those common texts Thou shalt not follow a multitâ—ide to do evill o Exod. 23.2 Save your selves from this untoward generation p Act. 2.40 Come out from among them my people and be ye separate q 2 Cor 6.17 Be not ye conform'd to this world but be ye transform'd by the rencwing of your mind r Rom 12.2 Have no fillowship with the unfruitfull works of
be set in the front and to lead the ring-dance of such rehrohates as shall be hurl'd into hell The Lord holds all such white-liver'd souldâ—ers in such speciall detestation that he will not employ them so far as to break a pitcher or to bear a torch in his service a Judg 7.3 And for as many as are ashamed of Christ asore men he will one day be as shie every whit and as much ashamed of them before his Father and the blessed Angels b Mark 8.38 at what time he will make most ample relation and all honourable mention of every such Oaesiphorus as was not ashamed of his chaine c 2 â—nn 1 10 17 18 but fed him hungry cloathed him nakâ—d visited him imprisoned d Mar. 25.53 c. the good Lord will grant them to fiade mercy nay glory and honour and immortality in that day e Rom 2.7 And lastly for all luke-warm Laodiceanâ— prosligate professours and temporizing Gospellers that can tune their siddles to the base of the times resolving to play nothing but what the company calls for the Lord will spew such parasiâ—es out of his mouth f Rev. 3.16 Nâ—hil Salvator medium amat tepidos evemiit Hieron as too loathsome a morsell for his nice stomach to brooke or beare with Now when a man spues he gets him into a corner so will Almighty God rid his slomack of such into Hell Ab saith he I will ease me of mine enemies g Esay 1. I will lay up this loathsome stuff that lies so hard upon my stomach which done the devill as a dog stands ready waiting to lick up Gods vomit he works up and down saith St. Peter for the nonce seeking whom be may swallow down h 1 Pet. 5.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence also he is eliewhere called thegreat red dragon i Rev. 12 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 câ—uentur â—gnâ—us insernalis Use 2. a dragon for his cruelty and a greatred dragon for the blood of soules he hath suckt and wherein he hath drencht and even dyed himselt red again SECT 4. Vse 2. A sortable Exhortation to courage for Christ with foure helps 〈◊〉 WHose madnesse let us all learn to enjoy * Optimum est al ena sâ—ui insâ—ia and for a second use be exhorted to sett seriously in hand with the practne of thâ— most 〈◊〉 but much neglected duty labouring to shine forth in these evill time k Ephes 5.16 like the Lam that shined out in the smoakie surnace l Gen. 15.17 like the bright Harr that sheweâ— it 〈◊〉 in the midst of darknesse m Marthew 2 nay like God himself who then 〈◊〉 best works when men are at worst n 1 Pet. 1 5 with 2 Tim. 3 1 2 Pet. 3 3 overcomming our evill with his good and not sufrring our perversenesse to inte rupt the course of his kiednesse o Hos 2 13. Beye 〈◊〉 herem of God as dear children p â—pheâ— 5 1 As 〈◊〉 sâ—â—rred up his sheng 〈◊〉 when he heard the Philiâ—â—ns were upon him let your piety and patience then most appear when impiety and violence do most prevail Let your zeal by an holy 〈◊〉 ristasis then slame out and break thorough all impedimants when most oppos'd and oppugned like lime which is kâ—ndled with water like gold that gâ—â—stâ—rs most in the fire like the rose that smels sweeter in the still then upon the stalk Sauls malice serves but to enhance Davids zâ—â—l the more outragiou was the one the more couragious was the other As the colder the ayre the more the fire scorcheth and as the harder the weather the more the baâ—h scaldâ—th And what though David here traytor q 1 Sam. 22.8 from Saul and runnagate r 1 Sav 25 10 from Naâ—al and all that naught is from the abjects and base companims that came round about him and made mouthes at him s Vsal 35.15 It is a brave thing to do well and hâ—ar ill t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mog in Plut. Apaph 〈◊〉 his Martyr said that Heathen-Prmce And Doe well and hear ill is written upon heaven gate said that Martyr u once that was hasting thither Elias-like in a fiery charret Gods way was ever evill-spoken of and such a trodd it as little favoured of the world as David was of the Philistin-Princes w 1 〈◊〉 29.9 But what saith the son of Dâ—vid who himself also was called traitour and Beelzebub and had trâ—â—ll of cruâ—li mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonmâ—nt x Heb. 11.36 〈◊〉 are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evill against you for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven y Mat. 5 11.12 Gentiles chrisitanos dixerunt hemicidas sacrilegos incestos hojies publicos adoraiores asini c Teâ—â—ull Take up the reproach of the mad multitude that speak 〈◊〉 of that good 〈◊〉 know not * 2 Pet. 2.12 having hearts as barren of grace as Michols womb was of children and say It was before the Lord z 2 Saru 6.22 Ego Datitem plu 〈…〉 cit Grâ—g lib. 27. cap 26. who hath done such and such great thing for me and therefore if this be to be vile I le be yet more vile to you that I may be more preciously esteemed of God What though you finde few or none that will set in or side with you in this important worke in this one thing neccssary a Lake 10.42 what though all men forsake you as they did st Paul at his first answer b 2 Tia 4.16 17 18 and epperance before Neroes tribunall yet the Lord will stand with thee and strengthen thee as he did him yea preserve thee safe and entire to his heavenly kingdom Lift up the hands therefore that hang down and the feeble knees c Heb. 12.12 yea list up your eyes and see heaven open over your heads with Steven d Act. 7.55.56 Agnotheae dicebantur qui sacris certamimbus praeerant erantqâ—decem viri Jul Polie God and his holy Angels looking on and applauding him yea see Christ himself that heavenly Agonotheta standing over thee as there c Heb. 12.12 and holding out unto thee an immarcescâ—bl crown with this inscription VINCENTI DAEO To him that overcommith will Lgrant to sit with me in my throne even as Lalso overcume and am sett down with my father in his throne f Rev. 3 21. In confidence of which high prize let the saints be encouraged Ioshua-like to advance forward in a holy singularity with all sweet content and undauntednesse of spirit toward that incorruptible and unfadeable g 1 Pet. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea like pearles which though they grow in the sea yet retain the colour and brightens of heaven Chrrs. crown above not swimming down the stream of the times nor being
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
of the Apostle By him let us offer the sacrifice of praise and so any other spirituall service that shall finde acceptance to God continually h Heb. 13.15 And by him we have accesse by one spirit unto the father i Eph. 2.18 This was shadowed out of old by the door of the tabernacle which as it never was or any hard or debarring matter but of a veile easily penetrable so at the passion of our â—avâ—our it did of its own accord rend in sunder to shew our easie accosse unto and high acceptance with God in any holy duty through Christ the peace-maker k Eph. 2.14 This also was not obscurely typified by the high Priest's plate wherein was fairly engraven Holinesse to the Lord which was to be upon his forehead the forefront of his miter that he might beare the iniquitie of the offerings which the children of Israel should offer in all their holy offerings and it should be alway on his forehead to make them acceptable before the Lord l Exo. 28.36 38. But thirdly as it is by the mercy of the father and the me it of the son so is it also by the hand of the holy ghost upon them that God is so greatly pleased with the suite and services of his people the Apâ—stie instancet in â—ne religious duty we may safely extend it to all the rest Likewise saith he the spirit helpeth our infirmities m Rom 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sets his shoulder to the work together with us as th word there imports For we silly soules know not what we should pray for as we ought we neither know what for the matter nor as we ought for the manner But the spirit it self against all the roarings and repinings of the flesh maketh loud and shâ—ill intercessions for us in this case with groanings which cannot be uttered * Excitat vehemens desiderium liberationis accendit quoque alios affectus ammi ut gaudium et amorem adeò ut ardeant supra modum eâ— naturam communem longè exaperent Rolloc and that thus 1. He lets us see our want of God which nature studiously covereth 2. He sets before us the excellency and worth of finding favour with God the thought whereof never entereth the naturall mans heart n 1 Cor. 2 9. 3. He stirreth up and kindleth in us strong affections in prayer dictating words and expressions answerable to those affections In short he workes all our workes in us o Esa 26.12 Quoties video te susphâ—rtem non dubito spiritum aspirantem â—yprian as the prophet saith for we cannot so much a suspirare unlesse he do first inspirare breath out a sigh for sin except the spirit do first breath it into us Much lesse can we make an effectuall and comfortable prayer or do any thing else that 's truely good without him Sith prayer think the same still of any other holy duty is the breath of the spirit the pulse of the spirit without whom what is prayer else but an empty ring a tinkling Cymball Pray saith St. Iude in the holy ghost p Iede 20. set 1 Cer 14.15 Eph 5 18. And then he that searech the heart will easily know the minde of the spirit that he intercedeth for us according to God q Bom. 8.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or worthy of God and to his greatest liking Such another phrase the Apostle hath of Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. where he calleth it A sorrow according to God r 2 Cor. 7.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Luke 6.12 he continued all night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the prayer of God that is a spirituall god-like sorrow and such as issueth from the spirit of God For the wind must blow ere the waters flow Å¿ Psa 147.18 Dike saith the Prophet And it is the fire of the spirit saith a Divine in our hearts as in a still that sendeth up those dews of repenting tears into our heads that drop forth of our eyes Think the like of christian watchfulnesse Even Peter James and John those pillars t Gal 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be ready to sleep and buckle yea and that in the houre of remptation u Mat 26.41 too if the spirit do not quicken them and as it were hold up with forks their heavy eye-lids And for reading of the Scriptures look how the Philistines could never understand Sampsons riddle till they plow'd with Sampsons heifer x Judg 14.18 so neither can we conceive or relish the deep things of God without the ayde and assistance of the spirit of God y 1 Cor 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As on the other side With his holy spirit and by it we are sanctified unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus z 1 Pet. 1.2 purified in obeying the truth unto unfained love of the brethren a 1 Pet. 1.22 quickened unto all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth b Eph. 5.9 caused to keep Gods commandements c Ezek. 36.27 himself setting us to work * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working all our works for us d Esay 26.12 sanctifying all the works of our hands yea sanctifying the offering up both of our selves and our services to God as the Altar sanctifies the gift e Rom. 15 16. and opening us a welcome accesse to to God in all our performances f Eph. 2.18 who as he knowes the meaning and minde of his spirit g Rom. 8.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he cannot but accept that sacrifice that is kindled by the fire of his own spirit upon the true Altar Christ his own son This is the first Reason taken from the three persons in the Godhead SECT III. The Doctrine further confirmed by reasons from the Saints THe next respecteth the saints themselves whose persons first are elect holy and beloved Colos 3.12 whose performances in the second place have a true and reall goodnesse in them and are therefore dearly accepted and highly accounted of in the sight of God For the first It cannot be denied but that by nature all are alike hatefull to the Almighty Reas 2 Neither is it for any goodnesse he discerns in one more then another that he puts any difference He loves his people merely because he loves them h Deut. 7.7 the ground of his love being only in himself He adopts them according to the good-pleasure of his will i Eph. 1.4 without the least defect in himself or desert in the creature It is otherwise with us then it was with those maids in Ahâ—shueâ—osh his time they were first perfumed and purified afore he chose one for himself k Esth 2.10 God found us in our blood when he said unto us live l Ezek. 16.6 and Christ gave himself for his people that he might sanctifie and present them to himself a glorious church m Eph. 5 26 What was
hearts nothing will work or take impression till out of the bottom of hell they roar and bewail their own madnesse with desperate and bootlesse teares SECT V. Use 2. admonition Let the wicked break off their sins that they lose not their services VVHich to prevent come we now to a second use of Exhortation Vse 2 And this we addresse unto two sorts of men 1. To all unregenerate and wicked people 2. To those truly religious that are thus highly accepted and favoured with Daniel c Dan. 9.23 in the court of heaven To the wicked first God saith what hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth so long as thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee d Psal 50.16 17 even the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination saith Solomon how much more when he bringeth it with an evil heart e Prov. 21.27 As who should say though such a man have never so good a meaning to serve God in his sacrifice yet he doth worse then lose his labour when he doth his best for he committeth that which is abomination before the Lord and so in seeking to shun hell he doth but take pains to go to hell And to the same purpose another Prophet He that killeth an oxe saith he unlesse withall he kill his corruptions is as well-pleasing to God as if he slew a man He that sacrificeth a lamb unlesse he sacrifice his lusts too is as if he cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation unlesse he present also his body a living oblation holy acceptable to God e Rom. 12.1 is as if he offered swines blood he that burneth incense if it stink of the hand that burneth it is as if he blessed an idol f Isai 66.3 Even your incense is abomination g Isai 1.13 saith the Lord to those sacrificing Sodomites h Isai 1.10 Lo there that precious perfume made up with so many sweet spices and fragrant odours stanck odiously in Gods nostrils he could not abide the scent of it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay not his smelling faculty onely is offended by the sinful mans services but the rest of his senses also For his taste their burnt-offerings of rams and fat of lambs he could not relish i ver 11. they delighted him not but were sowre to his palate For his feeling their new moons and appointed feasts were a burden to him he was weary to bear them And for his sight he tells them though they spread forth their hands he will hide his eyes And for his hearing when they make many prayers he will not hear 15.16.12 And for their whole service he demands who required this at your hands to tread in my courts As if he should say it were fitter a fair deal for you to be in your shops or in the alehouse or any where else then here unlesse ye were better This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shall enter into it k Psal 118.20 As for others thus saith the Lord will ye steal and commit adultery and swear and then come and stand goodly before me in this house l Jer. 7.10.11 Do ye think to expiate your sins by your prayers and set off with God by your good deeds for your bad No that 's not the way to get in with God and to be enfeoffed into his favour But what is may some say Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ease to do evil learn to do well c. Come now and let us reason together as friends when this is once well done to purpose saith the Lord. For then though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow m Isai 16 17 18. c. as till then it boots not to bow your selves before the most high with thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oyl no not to offer your first born for your transgression the fruit of your bodies for the sins of your souls n Micah 6.7 Away therefore will the love and liking of every lust cast away all your transgressions throw all your sins out of service your beloved sin especially be it as an hand for ptofit off with it be it as an eye for pleasure out with it be it what it will and never so neer or natural to us if a sin say of it as Haman did of Mordecai what availeth me any thing if he yet live All that are Christs and none but such may appear before God in holy duties have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts o Gal. 5.24 David would not presume to compasse Gods altar till he had washed his hands in inocency p Psal 26.6 nor could he conclude that God would shew him mercy or receive his prayer till he had brought his heart to an utter disregard of whatsoever iniquity q Psal 66.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Achilis Homericus The lepers lips were to be covered according to the law and our Saviour would not admit of a fair word from a foul mouth r Mar. 1.25 The lip of excellency saith Solomon becometh not a fool ſ Prov. 17.7 and the best dish though never so well cookt is extreamly loathed if presented by a leper or brought to table by a nasty sloven so is any holy duty whether of piety or charity displeasing to the Almighty if performed by one that is yet in his pure naturals a stranger to the power of grace and unacquainted with the daily practise of mortification Hence that of Saint Iames Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you t Iam. 4.8.9 10. expounded ob Oh but we dare not come near the Lord neither can we serve him for he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive our transgressions nor our sinnes u Josh 24.19 Sol. No be sure of that except ye confesse and forsake them x Prov. 28.13 Therefore wash your hands ye sinners saith the Apostle there neither so onely for Pilate washed his hands as if all the guilt had stuck in his fingers ends but cleanse your hearts ye double minded Yea Ob. but how must that be done for though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much sope yet thy iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord God y Jer. 2.22 Sol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miseri estote Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pas Curaeleves c. Afflict your selves saith the Apostle or as the word there signifies be miserable you are so but see your selves such and be sensible even unto godly sorrow and the tears of true repentance weep saith he or if ye cannot do that as some constitutions are naturally dry and do not yeeld tears and some sorrow is bigger then tears and above them yet mourn at least and that ye may not
mourn a little for so great sins as ye are guilty of let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heavinesse Vse al good means to work your hearts to a through humiliation turning al the streams of your affections into this one channel that serves to drive the mil for the grinding of the heart Thus humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shal lift you up yea thou shalt lift up thy face unto God and have delight in the Almighty Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy vows z Job 22.26 27. He shal remember all thine offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice He shal grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsel a Psal 20.3 4 In the time of the Levitical service there were two several altars one without the tabernacle to slay the beasts on and another within to offer incense upon To teach us that if we would be the temples and tabernacles of the living God and have him pleased with our sacrifices of righteousnesse with our offerings and whole burnt-offerings b Psal 51. vlt. we must slay our bullocks on the outer altar mortifie our beastly sins I mean that raigne in the outward man the deeds of the body by the spirit c Rom. 8 1â— before we kindle our incense of devotion in the inward man So shall God smell a sweet savour of rest from us and we interchangably of life and peace from him But thus much be spoken to them SECT VI. Vse 3. Exhortation to the best to be humbled for their 1. not prizing their priviledge 2. not praising God for it 3. not improving it to the utmost NExt to all such as are already in favour with God and can tell as much by his good acceptance of their services mine exhortation from this point is double First to reflect with Pharaohs butler and calling to minde their sins this day be humbled for a threefold evill First for not prizing this priviledge to the worth of having Gods eye alwayes upon us his eare open unto us his presence with us his providence over us the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush round about us d Deut. 33.16 his goodnesse and mercy to follow us all the dayes of our lives we dwelling in the house of the Lord for ever e Psal 23. ult Secondly for not praising God as we ought for this inestimable benefit So David held it and celebrated it often Blessed be God saith he which hath heard the voice of my supplication f Psal 28.6 Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me g Psal 66. ult Who am I and what is my people that we should offer so willingly after this sort Now therefore O our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name h 1 Chro. 29.13 14. c. O look upon this thankfull man and chide your selves soundly for your unthankfulnesse or at least for your few and feeble prayses for so many services well taken at your hands Hath God enlarged himself to us and are we thus straitened in our own bowels i 2 Chr. 6.12 Hath God harkened to Hezekiah's chattering and shall he not render according to what he had received k 2 Chr. 32.25 especially having vowed better things so deeply as he did l Es 38.19.20 'T is possible then ye see that the best should forget themselves in this kinde and twenty to one but we have also Oh see it by your selves and be humbled for this shamefull unthankfulnes Thirdly for not improving this indulgence by making our best of it falling into that sin by supine negligence that Ahaz did of stubborn wilfulnesse Ask thee a signe saith the Prophet of the Lord thy God Ask it either in the depth or heighth above m Es 7.11.12 Expounded Here was a fair offer to a gracelesse caitiff that where sin abounded grace might superabound But Ahaz said I will not ask neither will I try the Lord as if he should have said I l'e ask no askes I know a trick worth two of that let God keep his signes to himself I crave no such curtesy at his hands c. This is that Ahaz a stiff Stigmatick an unworthy churl a prophane bedlam Now as in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of a man to a man n Prov. 27.19 As there were many Merij in one Caefurt so there are many Cains and Ahaz's in the best of us all T is certain ther 's none of us but have within that which may send forth as great a wickednesse as his and 't is well if the best of us have not coasted upon his unkind usage of his God by rejecting his sweet offers or at least by not making often triall of his gracious acceptance after manifold experience Oh how should we abound in Gods work o 2 Cor. 9.8 1 Cor. 15. ult yea abound more and more p 1 Thess 4â—1 as the Apostle would have it sith he harkens and heareth and ever looketh upon our labour of love with an eye of delight so that if we would but do him eye-service it were sufficient How should we be dayly and hourly serving such a Master that giveth such large incouragement by his both assistance and acceptance how should we be continually sowing more good performances into his bosome the fruit whereof we should be sure to reap in our greatest need for as sin lies at our door to do us hurt q Gen. 4.7 so doth every christian service lye at Gods door to do us good It is certain that he is so farr taken with them that of his kingly munificence he bids us ask what we will and it shall be given us r Iosh 15.17 And surely he is deservedly miserable that will not make himself happy by asking a better condition Oh that ever any beloved Esther any faithfull soul I mean should sit feasting and banquetting with God her Ahashuerosh in the ordinances of life feeding on the fat and drinking of the sweet and not bethink her selfe then what suites she hath to commence what boones to beg what Hamans to hang up what Mordecaies to preferr what grace I mean to get what corruption to quell what friend to speak for what child to prefer c. How should she be sure of her request even to the whole of Gods kingdome why art thou thus lean from day to day said Jonadab to Amnon Art not thou the kings son Å¿ 2 Sam. 13.4 and so maist have any thing for asking why is thy countenance sad sith thou art not sick t Neh. 2.2 said the king to Nehemiah How sensible saith a great Divine thereupon do we think the father of mercies is of all our pensive thoughts when a heathen master is so tender of a servants grief How ready should our tongues
be to lay open our cases and cares to the God of all comfort when we see Nehemiah again so quick in the expression of his grief to an uncertain eare That we have come off so heavily with our good God and done so little heretofore in his work upon so great incouragement let it heartily humble us SECT VII Vse 4. Exhortation to the Saints 1. To admire this mercy Helpes thereunto respecting God and themselves ANd for the future that I may speak forward here is a threefold duty to be commended from the point in hand to your christian care and practise First Use 4 doth the Lord of heaven and earth so abase himself as to take the least notice of our poor performances Yea as the bridegroom is glad of the bride doth our God so rejoyce over us u Isa 62.5 doth he delight to see our faces to hear our voyces to smell our odours to taste our fruits to be handled and embraced x Heb. 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by our faith Is he so farr taken by the poor things that passe from us that he rests in his love and will seek no further Yea that he joyes over us with singing y Zeph. 3.17 Oh how should the due appehension of this dear love of his ravish and affect our hearts with deepest admiration and how should we even stand amazed at the never-enough-adored depth of his love unto us in this behalf To help you herein the wonder will appear the greater if we first look up to God and there see 1. what he is 2. how little either need he hath of us or gain he makes of our services and then secondly look down again to our selves and consider 1. who we are 2. what are our best works in themselves For God first he is the high and mighty Monarch of heaven and earth of transcendent perfection and excellency even above all degrees of comparison for he is great z Psa 77.17 greater a Iob 33.12 greatest of all b Psal 95.3 greatnesse it self c Psal 145.3 Again he is good d Psal 106.1 better e Psal 108 9 best f Phil. 1.23 goodnesse it self g Mat. 19.17 So that if men should attempt to serve God and do sacrifice to him according to his excellent greatnesse h Psal 150.2 and goodnesse all the wood of Lebanon would not serve to burn nor all the beasts that be in it suffice for sacrifice i Esa 40.15 16 Yea little enough would all the wood in the world be and all the cattle therein to make up but some one sacrifice Next see how little this mighty and All-sufficieut God either needs us or gets by us For the first hear what he saith Psal 50. from the seventh to the sixteenth Hear O my people and I will speak O Israel and I will testifie against thee I am God even thy God I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings c. For every beast of the forrest is mine and the cattel upon a thousand hills c. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me k Psal 50.6 7 8 9 10 11 12 c. Lo this is all he looks for at our hands Not but that he could well enough be without that too sith his glory being eternall and infinite as himself is no way capable of any our addition or detraction For as the Sunne would shine though all the world were blinde so should God be glorified though we were all condemned Yea he could glorifie his justice by our eternall damnation There 's all the need he hath of us And for matter of profit If thou be wise thou art wise for thy self l Prov. 9.12 saith Solomon what shall the Lord gain by it And if thou be righteous what givest thou to him saith Elihu and what receiveth he at thy hands m Job 37.5 And yet we see how highly he esteems and how greatly he respcts that little Nothing of our endeavours of doing him the least service and bringing honour to his Name Secondly take notice what we are and what the best of our works To the first Abraham answereth I am but dust and ashes n Gen. 18.27 then when he stood before the Lord to mediate for Sodom Jacob answereth I am losse then the least of thy loving-kindnesses o Gen. 32.10 then when he wrestled with excellent wrestlings and prevailed with God p Gen. 30.8 David answers I am a worm and no man q Psal 22.6 Esay answers I am a man of polluted lips r Esay 6.5 Peter answers Depart from me for I am a sinfull man or a man a sinner ſ Luk. 5.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a very mixture and hodgpodge of dirt and sinne for ever since the fall whole evil is in man and whole man is evil Lastly the whole Church answers It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed t Lam. 3 22 that hee plungeth us not in the ditch and that our own clothes abhor us not u Job 9.31 Especially since all our righteousnesses which is an answer to that second demand what are the best of our works are but as filthy clouts x Esay 64.6 such as a man would be afraid to touch and asham'd to take up The best we can present God withall passeth from us no otherwise then as pure water thorow a muddy sink or sweet wine thorow a sowre cask See it in Jonas's prayer or rather brawl y Jon. 4.1 Jobs request or rather curse z Job 6.8 9 Sarah's heat and hast to send for God by a post to arbitrate a Gen. 16.5 Moses his carnall expostulation his former tergiversation and at last cast when he had nothing else to reply his flat and peremptory refusall to go upon Gods errand to the King of Egypt b Exod. 4.1 13. 5.22 23 The conscience of which weaknesse or rather wickednesse in himself drives holy David so often to pray for his prayers c Psal 119.169 170 and good Nehemiah to crave pardon for his best performances d Nehem 13.2 c. Horreo quicquid de meo est ut sim meus Bern. In any of which if the Holy Ghost had not his hand there would not be as from us the least goodnesse no not so much as truth and uprightnesse without which the Lord Jesus would never present them for us to his Father nor the Father once vouchsafe to look upon or hearken after such refuse stuffe which yet he doth such is the de-delight he taketh in the exercise of his own graces in the fruits of his own Spirit And this is that that may justly drive us into a deep extacie of admiration at his incomparable love and more then fatherly affection SECT VIII 2. To retain it and if lost to recover it and how With
answer to some Queries and Objections made by a misgiving heart SEcondly you that are possest of this priviledge to be ever at Gods elbow as his favourites and to have the royalty of the kings ear as you must admire at this mercy so labour and learn in the next place how to retain and keep your selves in this love of God e Jude 21. as Saint Jude exhorteth And that is done by keeping close and constant communion with this God All-sufficient walking before him continually as Abraham and being upright f Gen. 17.1 The Lord is with you saith that Prophet in the Chronicles while ye be wiâ—h him g 2 Chro. 15 2 He is with you in mercy so long as ye are with him in duty If ye seâ—k him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you The Lord is not so fond of his own children but if they forget him he may and sometimes doth forsake them in part h Psal 119.8 without breach of covenant If they prove unconstant and start aside from their station he can quickly and doth otherwhiles withdraw his grace to their thinking and the powerfull operation thereof in very deed for a time at least as in David relapsed and for a while deserted i Psal 51.11 12 He also seemes to frown upon their suites and shuts out their prayersifight against them with his own hand meets them as the angell did Balaam with a maked sword in his hand as if he meant to dispatch them out of hand and send them packing to hell Thus it fared sometime with David I thought upon God saithhe and was troubled k Psal 77.3 with Ethan thou compassest me about with terrours l Psal 88.16 17 with Jeremy I shout and he shuts out my prayer m Lam. 3.8 God turnes his back upon his Absoloms his Josephs when they grow proud presumptuous secure slothfull nay he turnes them into Bedlam when he findes them frantick and to all other their afflictions addes this that he will not once come at them call they never so long never so loud after him At such a time he seemes to have lesse good remembrance of his deare children then the Ostrich of her egges which she leaes loose in the sand n Job 39.14 15 or than the sea-monster of her young which resuseth not though cruell enough o draw forth her brests unto them o Lam. 3.3 He puts his Sion sometimes to that sorrowfull complaint the Lord hath forsaken me my Lord hath orgotten me p Esay 49.14 yea to that desperate conclusion of the church in the Lamentations First she prayes Turne thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old But as if she had lst her labour in such a bootelesse suit she subjoynes this for a perclose of all But thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth with us q Lam. 5.21 22. Now in such a pittifull strait in such a forelorne condition as this what can a poor soule do for the regayning of his God more then 1. make mone 2 make out in the use of the meanes and then 3. wait his return with patience First you must bewaile the want of Gods gratious presence and acceptance make like moane as Rouben for Ioseph r Gen. 37.30 Heu quid agam perijt puer ille puer puer ille as David for his Absolom Å¿ 2 Sam. 18.33 as Rachel for her children t Jer. 31.15 Sing no new song u Psal 137.4 till thou hast recovered him Do in this case of spirituall desertion as Mephibosheth in the absence and exile of his Soveraigne he neither dressed his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes from the day the King departed untill the day he came againe in peace x 2 Sam. 19.24 Secondly set up a loud cry after him as Iacob after his Ioseph Elish a after Eliah Micah after his lost gods y Judg. 18.24 Say i th Absolom when out of savour Let me see the Kings face and if there be iniquity in me let me die z 2 Sam. 14.32 Returne O Lord How long and let it repent thee concerning thy servant a Psal 6.4 90.13 I had rather be thy door-keeper then of Sathans privie-chamber O Lord other lords besides thee have had dominion over vs but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name b Esay 26.13 Encline thine eares O Lord and hear open tine eyes O Lord and see c Esay 37.17 O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do defer not for thine own sake O my God d Dan. 9 19 c. And then thirdly if God please to hold off longer refuse not to wait his leisure sustayning your selves in the meane with those two cordiall places who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant though he walketh in darknesse and have no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God e Esay 50.10 Again sine the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him f Esay 64.4 In which waiting estate shouldst thou be taken away by death which seldome falles out saith one if thy heart be still set against sin and linger after the light of Gods countenance thou shalt be certainly saved because the spirit of truth faith blessed are all they that wait for him g Esay 30.18 Thirdly let such as have part and portion in this glorious priviledge of having open accesse and all assured acceptance with the most high in all their holy performances learn to improve this happy opportunitie by apprehending and making all best use of it for their everlasting advantage Is any among you afflicted saith St. Iames Let him pray Is any merry Let him sing plalmes h Jam. 5.13 Feare we any evill want we any good In nothing be carefull but in all things by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God i Phil. 1.6 Note that he bids us come with supplication and thanksgiving at once as intimating that we need not once doubt of good speed but have our thanks ready in our hand as sure of a gratious answer to our prayers After which the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall guard your hearts set them in as much safety as if they were in a tower of brasse or town of war Thus Esther after she had been with God took boldnesse to go to the king uncalled for without fear of death k Est 4.16 And thus our Saviour though at first afraid yet when he had conferred with his father by prayer arise let us go saih he behold he is at hand that betrayes me l Math 26.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
a Psal 77.9 and that Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me b Esay 49.14 The Butler may forget Ioseph and Ioseph his former toyl and fathers house c Gen. 41.51 but God cannot forget his people whom he hath chosen d Rom. 11.1 Can a woman forget her sucking childe e Esay 49.15 possibly she may some tigresses have proved unnatural to their own birth and bowels f Rom. 1.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so cannot God He is not unjust to forget your labour of love g Heb. 6.10 or if he should as I abhor to imagine beold there is a book of remembrance written before him for them that fear the Lord and that think upon his name A borrowed speech for our better apprehension from kings and great personages who use for memories sake to keep a catalogue a calendar of such as whom they minde to reward for some special service as Ahasuerosh did Mordecai when he had read his name in the roll of those that had deserved well of the king h Est 6.3 So Tamerlane had alwayes by him a catalogue of the names and good deserts of his servants which he daily pernsed Knol Tu r hist p. 227. Those stout rebels above my text were grown so bold and bedlam as to give out that Gods service was nothing worth and that it was a course of no profit to keep his ordinances i Mal. 3.13 14 15. The contrary whereunto is here vouched and the truth vindicated God saith our prophet both hearkened and heard the holy language of his people and so sealed up his dear respect unto them for present and also caused a book of remembrance to be written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and so setled it in his heart to requite them for the future That like as in the work of creation there went with Gods dixit his benedixit and with his ordinavit his ornavit so in the administration of all things especially in that which is special and proper to the elect with his remembrane there goes a recompence and with his regard a reward Note hence That God doth perfectly remember Doctr that he may plentifully requite all the good srvices done him by his saints and people SECT I. The truth confirmed by Scripture HE not only harkened and heard what good things passed between them here but registred up and ingrossed the same in his book of remembrance called elsewhere the book by a specialty k Dan. 12.1 the writing of the house of Israel l Ezek 13.9 the writing to life in Jerusalem m Isa 4.3 the book of life n Philip. 4.3 the book of life of the lamb o Rev. 21.27 wherein he records and where-out he will relate at last day all the good works of his children p Mat. 25. not once mentioning their sins and infirmties which he hath promised to remember no more q Heb. 8. Our labour of love he will not forget but be ever mindfull of his covenant r Psal 115.5 The Lord hath been mindfull of us saith the Church and as an effect thereof he will blesse us He will blesse the house o Israel He will blesse the house of Aaron He will blesse them that fear the Lord both small and great ſ Ps 115.11 12 Cornelius for instance he feared God winh all his bouseholde and he made good proof thereof for he gave much almes to the people and pray'd to God alway and therefore both his prayers and his almes came up for a memoriall before God t Act. 10.1 2 4 Thus God remembred his Noah u Gen. 8.1 Abraham x Gen. 19.20 Rachel y Gen. 30.22 Joseph z Psa 105.20 whose fetters he changed into a chain of gold his rags into fine linnen his stocks into a charret his goal into a palace Potiphars captive into his Masters Lord the noyse of his chains into Abrech and all because heremembred his Creatour in the dayes of his youth a Eccles 12.1 and thereby kept himself pure from the great Transgression b Psal 19.13 SECT II. The truth confirmed by six Reasons THe ground of which gracious dealing in God is first his incomprehensible wisdome Reas 1 and fore-knowledge The Lord hath the Idoea the perfect platforme and paern within himself of all persons and things together with the severall occurrences of either Hence it is that he knowes all things Simul semel together and at once not successively or by discourse collecting one thing from another as we do but in one simple and eternall act knowing and comprehending all things He need but reflect upon himself and there he seeth all things before him as in a glasse So that to speak properly there is neither foreknowledge nor remembrance in the Almighty all things both past and future being ever present with him Tine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book were all my members written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them c Ps 139.16 In this fore-knowledge of God so we call it for teaching sake as in a book are recorded the persons birth quality and death of every man and woman together with their severall deeds and practises that they may receive according to what they have done in the flesh whether good or evill d 2 Gor. 5 And this is our first ground of this point Known to the Lord are all his works from the begining e Act. 15 18 The Lord knoweth them that be his f 2 Tim. 2.19 Yea he knowes the whole way of the righteous g Psal 1. ult And this his knowledge of them and their good works is a knowledge of singular apprbation yea of infinite delight and complacency which makes him wait to shew them mercy h Esay 30.18 Heremembreth saith the Psalmist when he writes up the people when he makes up his jewels i Mal 3.17 that such a man was born k Psal 87.5 6 there and that being born by a second birth and having followed him in the regeneration l Mat. 19.28 they shall not lose the things they have wrought but receive a full reward m 2 Ich. 8. Secondly Reas 2 God is just and faithfull hence his remembrances and remunerations of his peoples services Not of duty I must tell you but of mercy it being a mercy in God even to reward men according to their works n Psal 62.12 were they better then they be or can be To thee O Lord belongeth merey for thou rewardest every one according to his works n Psal 62.12 But this by the way We were drawing a second reason for the point from Gods justice and faithfulnesse And this we borrow fom the Apostle Heb. 6.10 God saith he is not unrighteous to forget your works and
Lord often of his covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob b Exod. 32.13 and treats with him to that purpose by his Name Jehovah that emphaticall and comfortable Name c Exod. 6.3 so when he had foretold a plague to the Aegyptians or the remove of it yet he omitted not to pray the accomplishment And the later when he had by warrant from heaven promised rain to Ahab after three yeers draught yet he went afterward to the top of Carmel and prayed earnestly d Jam. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. James he prayed toughly lustily laboriously he strained every vein of his heart as it were in prayer for he stoopt and stretcht and put his face between his knees saith the story and this for a great while together till at length a cloud and after this a cataelysme of raine and waters came of it when once he had prayed to purpose e 1 Kin. 18.42 and not till then For the Lord though he be liberall yet he is not prodigall and although he reject not our weak services yet he throwes not away his mercyes upon such as hold them not worth whistling after as they say Be his children never so deare unto him yet they shall know their distance and their duty and although he love to be acquainted with them in the walkes of their obedience yet he taketh state upon him in his ordinances and wil be sought unto for his mercies Seek the Lord saith the Prophet and then will he raine righteousnesse upon you f Hos 10.12 For like as the Sun drawes up vapours from the earth not to retaine them but to return them to the moistening and so fattening of the same so doth the Lord draw from us our devotions and other duties not for any benefit of his own but to raine them down againe upon us in so many blessings SECT VIII LAstly this me thinks should mightily encourage good peoples hearts and strengthen their hands in well-doing to consider that the Lord doth perfectly remember plentifully to requite whatsoever service The pains cannot be cast away that we resolve to lay out nay to lose for Christ Master saith Peter we have laboured all night and have taken nothing Neverthelesse at thy word wee will let down the net g Luk. 5.5 6 And he sped accordingly for he enclosed a great draught of fishes even to the breaking of the Net c. So true is that of the Apostle Heâ— that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him h Rom. 10.12 He gives exceeding abundantly even above all that we ask or think i Ephes 3.20 Thus David asked life of the Lord and he gave him length of dayes for ever and ever k Psal 21.4 Solomon asked wisdome not wealth and he had wisdome and wealth too Hezekiah asked one life and God gave him two added fifteen yeers to his dayes which we count two mens lives and a yeer over The palsie man seeking health at Christs hands had health and heaven to boot Zacheus striving to see Christ not onely seeth him but heareth him spealâ—ing salvation to him and his Yea may some say God may crown his people with salvation Ob. John Baptist was without any law right or reason beheaded in Prison as though God had known nothing at all of him George Marsh Martyr Act. Mon. fol. 1423. Sol. but they are hardly put to 't in the mean while many of them and sorely vexed by the oppressions of their enemies who make pitifull havock of them and God regards it not First this is not for their diligence but negligence rather in the work of the Lord lazy servants must be quickned Secondly God hereby tryeth the truth and soundnesse of their graces makes it appear that they serve him for himself and not meerly for provender or for a whole skin as the Devil accused Job l Iob. 2.4 Thirdly God in humbling them remembreth them for his mercy endureth for ever m Psa 136.23 Is Ephraim my dear sonne is he a pleasant child for since 1 spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord n â—er 31.20 Lastly heaven will pay for all and the lesle they take up of their wages before hand the more they shall receive at the quarter day It we suffer together with him we shal be glorified together o Rom. 8.17 This made Abraham content to dwell in tents because he looked for a more enduring city p Heb. 11.9.10 Moses chose the repreach of Christ the worst part of him before the honour of Pharaoh's court this when he was no baby neither but at mans estate q Heb. 11.24 c. and therfore knew well what he did and all because he had respect to the recompence of Reward This made the beleeving Hebrewes suffer with joy the spoiling of their goods as knowing that they had in heaven abetter and more enduring substance r Heb. 10.34 Nudus opum sed cui coelum terraeque paterent De Archimede suo Silius lib. 14. Ezekiel willing to deliver an unpleasing message and suffer for it too because God took him up and let him heare the noise of a great rushing saying Blessed be the glory of the Lord Å¿ Ezek. 3 12 Nay our Saviour Christ helped himself over the hardship of his crosse by casting his eye upon the Crown leaving us an example to follow a copie t â— Pet. 2.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to write after And indeed it is a matter passing difficult to obey God when carnall reason suggesteth likely hood or damage or other danger But if it were a sufficient reason to move Jacob to neglect his stuffe in the land of Canaan because Pharaoh promised him the best things of Egypt u Gen. 45.20 How much more should the assurance of heaven that true treasure make us carelesse of this earthly trash How should the very fore-thought of that exceeding exceeding weight of glory x 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There ye have an elegant treble Antithefis double hyperbole beyond englishing A superlative transcendent phrase saith one such as is not to be found in all the Rhetorike of the Heathens because they never wrote of such a theme nor with such a spirit make us plentifull in Gods worke cause and even compell us to hear much pray much live holily deale uprightly be constant and abundant in well-doing what ever come of it Not standing upon the worlds censure who are apt enough to call thee foole for thy forwardnesse and two fooles for thy foole-hardinesse so they usually call and count the care of good conscience and courage in a good cause let them work on and spare not but scare thou God and against all their * Nigro carbone notandus Juven black coles comfort thy self with bis white
such as hath no part in Christ nor portion in his kingdome b Gal. 5.23 Nay he passeth in Gods Book for a Pagan c Rom. 1.21 such as hath no blood of a Cristian in him for an Epicure d Phil. 3.19 20 the worst of Pagans for an Atheist the worst of Epicures e Psal 10.4 for an hypocrite f Acts 8.22.23 the worst of Atheists for an open rebell g Esay 65.2 the worst of hypocrites lastly for a reprobate h Phil. 3.23 the most desperate of rebels such as being enemies to the crosse of Christ have destruction for their end whereunto also of old they were appointed i Jude 4. I know what such kinde of people the ruder sort especially are apt enough to object They will never beleeve they say that the matter is so hainous ob the danger so great as the ministers would make of it for first they have as good hearts as the best and although they be not so strait-laced as to make such a businesse about idle and evil thoughts as some would seem to do yet so long as none can tax them for external outrages and reproachful offences they shall think never awhit the worse of themselves for all that Hereunto we answer sol that this very brag of the goodnesse of their loose and lewd hearts speaks them at once 1. Ignorant 2. Proud 3. Impenitent person First I say Ignorant of God and his will of themselves and their duties as if they were not bound to love the Lord their God with all their thoughts also k Math. 22.37 Now without knowledge the minde is not good saith Solomon and he that hood-winkt with such blinde conceits hasteneth with his feet in away good enough as he fondly imagineth sinneth l Prov. 19.2 Secondly they are stuft up with pride and self-conceitednesse as the Laodiceans who not knowing their own spiritual beggery and blindnesse gave out themselves for great rich men and in as good case as the best m Rev. 3.16 The pure in heart are withal poor in spirit n Math. 5.3 8. humbled for nothing more then their inward impurities those vain thoughts deceitful dreams carnal fears worldly cares endlesse and needlesse plodding upon earthly things that haunt their hearts and passe the forge of their fancies every day in despite of whatsoever endeavours to the contrary Together with those innumerable bythoughts and distractions that will needs throng in upon them even in the interim of divine duties when they would be most free and reserv'd to God These be the things that most gall and grieve the godly man and bring him ful often upon his knees for pardon of inward failings in those duties for the outward well-performance whereof other godly people do many times both approve and applaud him But now it is otherwise with the wicked if he can wash his hands with Pilate keep his fingers from picking and stealing and his tongue from evil speaking curb and keep in his inordinate lusts from budging and breaking forth in his outward practise he eares not how fowl his inwards are how irregular and enormous the motions of his minde be thinks though he never lay lawes upon those but suffer them to run riot at pleasure upon whatsoever vanities or villenies yet he shall speed well enough and perhaps step into heaven before the purest of them all Here 's a heart as full of pride as empty of goodnesse◠for he that lifteth up himself his minde is not upright in him o Hab. 2.4 Thirdly They are impenitent and so out of the state of salvation till they bethink themselves of a more thorough reformation p Luke 13.3 For repentance where it is sound begins at the heart It is not a cleansing onely of the outside of the platter but a changing of the inward thoughts affections and purposes according to that of the Prophet Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him c. q Esay 55.7 not else And that of Peter to Simon Magus Thy heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee r Act. 8.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 postulat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that lastly of the Prophet to the people Oh Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved no heaven to be had you see where the heart is not washed how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee ſ Jer. 4.14 No surer signe of a foul and wicked heart then the residence and raign of vain and vile thoughts Let no man therefore bear himself in hand or boast hereafter of the goodnesse of his heart if his thoughts be habitually and allowedly evil Oh but we have many good and holy thoughts in our hearts ob God and his name is much in our mindes and mouthes and we think frequently upon his word we hear and his works we see c. You have many good thoughts you say 't is well sol a reprobate also may have good motions in his minde and not be a buton the better for any of them Try your good thoughts therefore before you trust too much to them and 1. By the causes 2. By the effects For the causes first wee 'l suppose them for the matter good and religious but for their efficient cause first whence be they let me ask Are they inbre'd and native to your sanctified hearts or are they onely injected from without and meerly adventitions cast in by God who now affects thine heart by a good motion thy self no way concurring but being meerly passive in the whole business If so Nebuchadnezzar might have as much comfort and hope here-hence as you God put into his heart a good thought viz. to turn his course against Israel the people of Gods wrath and to revenge the quarel of his covenant upon an hypocritical nation Howbeit he meant not so saith the Prophet neither did his heart think so but it was in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few c t Isai 10.7 Secondly for the form and fashion of your better sort of thought are they set and solemn some times with choice of fit matter time and place Do ye sit in the door of your hearts on set purpose to entertain good motions as Abraham was wont in the door of his tenr to entertain strangers Or are they not onely occasional and accidental falling in by the by and besides your intention by reason of some sudden occurrence c. These holy men in the text did not onely think upon Gods name as a thing that fell into their thoughts by chance but sollicitously throughly studiously serously they set themselves to work in good earnest and in Gods fear to consider of his
fatherly providence and most righteous proceedings damnably depraved and maligned by the wicked of those times and stayed up their hearts against all discouragements with that wholesome meditaion u Mal. 3.16 Thirdly see to the end of your good thoughts both that of intention and the other of duration For your drift and intention first Do ye in taking up some holy thoughts ayme at God and the advancement of those main ends the setting forth of his glory in your own and other mens salvation ordo ye not rather therefore think of holy things 1. That ye may set off with God and make him some manner of amends for your other infinite worldly ploddings and wicked imaginations or 2. Is it not to collogue with the Lord and curry favour to get off the sooner and easier when you are smarting and it may be bleeding under his hand Thus the false Israelites served him in the wildernesse when he slew them then they sought him apace Vexatio dat intellectum they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their redeemer These were good thoughts had they been as well intended But alas their project and device was onely to ease themselves of God and to get from under his hand for they flattered him with their mouthes and lied unto him with their lips Their heart was not right with him that is their aymes and respects were sinister neither were they stedfast in his covenant x Psal 78.34 35.36 37. and so they failed in the end of continuance also 3. Is it not to still and stifle the noise of your conscience and to give it some sorry satisfaction when it shall tell us from the Pulpit or when we are all alone that God is to be thought upon and his name to be had in remembrance of all that love him that such onely as do so can be comfortably assured of their gracious estate c. For if we do this or any other holy duty not out of any delight we taken in it but merely to stop consciences mouth and to ease our selves of that unrest and disquietment that we feel within till the thing be done our good thoughts are defective in the end of intention and can yeeld us little comfort Next for the end of duration and continuance Are those good thoughts you bind upon fixt and setled Principium fervet medium tepet exitus alget constant and parmanent Or are they not rather flitting and fugitive transient and temporary assoon gone as come almost like a flash of lightning in the aire like a dive-dapper upon the water like a post that passeth swiftly by the door or to speak with the scripture like the morning dew that melt-away y Hos 6.4 such were Sauls resolves z 1 Sam. 26.21 and Balaams wishes a Num. 23.10 Ephraims goodnesse b Hos 6.4 and the stony-grounds fruit The seed started up straight and straitway also withered That is saith our Saviour â— man heare 's the word and anon with â—oy he receives it c Luc. 8.6 Math. 13.20 where by one affection of joy ye are to understand any other even that of grief if the nature of the discourse call for it let comfortable matter be handled in his hearing he is wonderfully taken and ravished therewith for he doubts not with Haman but himself is the man whom the king wil honour d Esther 6.6 As if terrible or mornful his thoughts are sutable being affrighted affected enlarged distressed disposed as the matter requireth O this is a passing fine temper of soul and thus it should be with us all when we come to heare * Vide August lib. 4 de doct Christ cap. 12. But how long wil this hold think you with the Temporary so long only as he is in the church or not many hours after This motion towards heaven is too violent to be lasting with him The good ground therefore is said to be such as brings forth fruit with patience e Luc. 8.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de qua Heb 10.38 The word signifies with continuance or tarriance untill the fit time of fruit bearing in opposition doubtlesseto that straight way * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the stony ground whose fruit was no sooner ripe then rotten much like the Psalmists grasse upon the house top which withereth afore it groweth up f Psal 129.6 Like Charles 8. of whose expedition to Naples Guicciardine saith that he came into the field like thunder and lightning bt went out like a snuffe more then a man at first and lesse then a woman at last Lo such are the good thoughts of ungodly men they take them wings are gone they dye before they see the light an untimly birth is better then they Secondly having thus lookt upon thy good thoughts in the causes see next what effect they work in thee Doth the thought of Gods presence and purity make thee tremble and sin not g Psal 4.4 of his mercy and patience lead thee to repentance h Rom. 2.4 of his power and All-sufficiencie worke thee to an even-walking and integrity i Gen. 17.1 Do thy thoughts of heaven weane thee from earth of the vanity of life fit thee for death of the uncertainty of things temporall edge thy desires after things eternall Davids holy meditations were driven all to this issue His thoughts of God and his Name made him turne his feet to Gods testimonies k Psal 119.59 The lively remembrance of Gods benefits made him take the cup of salvation l Psal 116.12 c. Apprehensions of mercy in God wrought resolutions of obedience in him m Psal 23. ult The consideration of his own present indisposition to do God service made him chide himself out of that distemper with why art thou so sad my soule n Psal 43. ult c. I thought saith he I would confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and I did confesse them o Psal 32.5 I will meditate on thy precepts and what upshot will you drive it to I will have respect saith he to thy wayes p Psal 119.15 16 Thus David and very Godly person And thus if you can approve your thougts truly good by the causes and have improved them thus good to such holy effects and purposes you may safely thence conclude your good estate and comfortable condition SECT VII Vse 3. Exhortation Settle the soundnesse of your Sanctification by the goodnesse of your thoughts motives thereunto THirdly this point serves for Exhortation and so it calls upon us all to make our sanctification sure to our selves by this infallible signe Vse 3 to approve out selver men truely fearing God by this character of a Christian this thinking upon Gods Name Motives A subject if you look for motives for the excellency of it first wo thy of your best thoughts and such as will perfect
eyes end as it were the main waight of our thoughts must be laid upon God and the advancing of his Name It is affirmed to his singular commendation of a worthy Divine of Scotland that he did eate and drink and sleep eternall life Whom that you may expresse and imitate harken lastly to the means of thinking fruitfully upon Gods Name These are two 1. Shun the hinderance 2. Use the helps to this duty SECT XI Directions to the means of fruitfull thinking on Gods holy Name where 4. hindrances to be avoided and 7. helps to be use THe hinderances are 1. pride and conceitednesse of a sufficiency in our selves to conceive of God or think of any thing else that 's good to good purpose a 2 Cor. 3.5 God imparts his secrets to none such b Psal 25.9 but leaves them commonly to dote and busy their brains about questions or vain disputations that tend to nothing but strife and ostentation c 1 Tim. 6.4 5 2. Passion He that is hasty of spirit well he may exalt folly d Prov. 14.26 saith Solomon but he shal not lift up many holy thoughts ' I le give him that gift For these require a heart meek and at rest from the confused hurry of troublesome passions 3. Impenitency a wilfull continuance in any known wickednesse For the pure in heart only see God e Mat. 5.7 sith there must be some proportion between the eye and the object so between our minds and God the object of our minds Of all the body the eye only receiveth the light and that because it is like the light so he that hath any sound hope of sceing God one day as he is in the mean time as we may must purify himself as God is pure f 1 Ioh. 3.3 But as black can take no other dye so an impenitent heart is uncapable of divine contemplation g 2 Tim. 3.6 4. Lastly Earthly-mindednesse this distracts and divides the heart and indisposeth it to thinking upon God and goodnesse h 1 Cor. 7.31 32. Indeed it eateth out the very heart of goodnesse by eating all goodnesse out of the heart It causeth that a man cannot care for the thing of the Lord i lb. minde and affect the things above k Colos 3.1 2 have our conversation in heaven attend upon the Lord without distraction for who can serve two masters c Remove the hinderances first rid thy heart of these evill guests And this done make use of the following helps Fist Accustome your selves to awak with God and forget not to begin the day with thoughts of him and his mercyes renewed upon you ever morning l Lam. 3.23 every moment This will sweetly season and supply the soul putting it into an happy and hevenly temper for the whole day following as it did Davids m Ps 108.1 2 3 And here remember to close up your heart at your down-lying at night and if possibly you can to fall asleep out of some heavenly meditation so shall your sleep be the more sweet n Prov. 3.21 24 25 and secure o Pro 6.21 22 Christian courseau Ars artium est regimen animarum Greg in Pastor and your heart in better plight whensoever you awake He that thus raketh up his fire ore-night shall finde fire in the morning Secondly keep your hearts with all custody the whole day thorowout 1. Countergard them continually from corruption within from infection without especially that which is drawn from those three poisonous objects mentioned by St. Iohn The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life p 1 Ioh. 2.16 that is pleasure profit and preferment the worldly mans Trinity as one fitly stiles them A heart scatered up and down with these vanities will be as far to seek when it should wait upon God as a wild horse turn'd up in a wide field tat cannot be taken when he should be sadled 2. Be often elevating and winding up your hearts as the weights of a clock that bear downwards naturaly and are yet drawn lower by the sin that doth so easily surround q Heb. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begirteth us and oppresse us as a talent of lead r Zach. 5.8 Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul saith David ſ Psal 25.1 and Nehemiah was often darting up some good desire to God whatsoever his emplyment was And our civill conversation also is in heaven t Philip. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 15.24 The godly ma◠goeth an higher way then his neighbour even in the common businesse of this life Quicquid judet dicere pudet et cogitare Est tutissimum perjecium ut assuescat animus sollicita semper pervigili custodia discernere cogitationes suas ad primum animi motum vel probare vel reprobare quod cogitat vel bonas cogitationes a lat vel statim malas extinguat Hier in Epist ad Demetriad mens non cessat parere cogitationes tu autem malas evelle bonas excole Chrysost Dum in cogitatione voluptas non reprimitur etiam in actione dominatur saith Paul we exercise our generall callings in our particular and go about our earthly businesses with heavenly minds using common things as a stirrop to mount us up to things of an higher straine and exacting by a divine Alchymy heavenly meditaions out of earthly objects and occasions Thirdly examine your thoughts often and let not an idle motion flying fancy or sinfull dream pass without a sharp check a censure of the word There is a sharp eye to be set and a strict hand to be held over a mans thoughts if ever he will have good of them they being so infinite nimble slippery and in so secret a place free from the worlds censure Call them therefore often to a domesticall Audit cherish the good check the bad let them have the law if they be extravagants Remember that an evill thought uncontrolled may vex thee on thy death-bed as little and as light a matter as many make thereof Fourthly get a sound and clear judgment able to discern of things that be excellent and to prefer God and the things of God incomparably before all other things whatsoever Make those things above your treasure once and then your heart will be chiefly set and your thoughts will chiefly run on them u Mat. 6.21 Fiftly greaten your love to God and goodnesse for strong affections make strong impressions and cause great thoughts of heart A man cannot but think much of that he loves Oh how I love thy law saith David and as an effect of that love it is my meditation day and night x Ps 119.97 But especially love to be Gods servants on the sabbath day y Esay 56.6 let the entire concurrence of the whole man be his alone that day as much as may be so shall ye be the better able to think
Reason the 4. from Gods goodnesse BUt besides God will send forth his mercy as well as his truth for the â—alvation of his people This mercy moved him at first to make a sure covenant with them and to marke them out for his own and doth still to shew himselfe as he did oft for Moses seasonably and sweetly for their support and succour For they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts c. So they were ever may some say Ob. Sol. Yea but then they shall be mighty and mercifully declared to be the children of God by a kinde of resurrection from the dead as the Apostle speaketh of the head and it holds as true of the members Rom. 1.3 Thus God left his people in Egypt and afterwards in in Babylon till their civill estate was dead and buried as it were As after the captivitie these good soules in our text seemed so far given up and cast off by God as if he had had no further care of them or part in them But they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the day c. That is the time is at hand when it shall well appeare by my mercies to the one and judgments on the other who are mine who not which are pearles which are pibbles which precious Jewels which reprobate silver which are sons which bastards though all things now seeme to tend to a confusion and no such difference be yet discerned and acknowledged And the sooner shall this day come because the proud adversary lookes upon my people as outcasts my servants as abjects my children as fatherlesse For in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy Hos 14.3 And because they called thee an outcast saying This is Sion whom no man seekes after therefore I will heal thee of thy wounds c. Jer. 30.17 The righteous shall see this and rejoyce but all iniquitie shall stop her mouth Whoso is wise and will observe these things even he shall understand that it is of the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Psal 107. ult SECT V. Reason 5. from Gods Justice LAstly I might easily not unfitly argue out of ver 18. of this chapter from the Justice of God ingaged for his oppressed people For being judge of the whole earth Gen. 18.25 as Abraham once urged it for his Nephew Lot he must needs deal righteously between man and man rendring to every one according to his works Now who seeth not for present that dayly verified that above was wickedly objected Behold we call the proud happy yea they that work wickednesse are set up c. ver 15. when godly men o'tother side are usually held under hatches being destitute afflicted tormented even such of Gods worthies as the world is not worthy of yet such unworthy usage they mostly meet withall Now that Gods Justice may be cleared and every mouth stopped what more requisite then that God should set forth a fit time to set all to rights among the sons of men and to rectifie those things which even to godly men other-whiles seem less equally carried that Gods dear children being propitiously pardoned preciously esteemed and graciously recompensed the wicked may self-condemned return and discern between the righteous and themselves between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not It is even â— righteous thing with God to render tributional to them that trouble you but to you who are troubled rest with us if not before yet certainly when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels c. 2 Thes 1.6 7. SECT VI. Reasons from the Saints themselves SEcondly from God Reas 2 turne your eyes to the people of God and so they come here commended and described unto us 1. by their near relation to God they are his Sub persecutione Ariana Basillo Magno ista aliquando injecta est cogitatio An Ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit Dominus an novissima hora est Psal 34.19 21 his Jewels his sons his servants his serviceable sons his righteous servants and can such be alwayes unremembred So some have feared but time hath confuted them 2. By their rare qualifications For 1. habitually they are men fearing God religious and godly persons and therefore heires of the promises of good things for both lives 1 Tim. 4.8 And for evills be they never so many or great he that feareth God shall come forth of them all Eccles 7.18 Many saith David the father are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all but one affliction slayeth the wicked because his shadow is departed from him And of the same minde is Solomon his son Though the righteous man fall seven times into misery yet he hath time to rise again but the wicked at one evill fall downright Prov. 24.16 2. They actually expresse this holy habit of Gods true fear in their hearts 1. by setting their thoughts awork to chew upon Gods holy name and to roll it as sugar under their tongues that thence as Sampsons out of his hony-comb they might suck out strong consolations For the Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run to it and are safe And In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his children have a place of refuge Prov. 10. Prov. 14.26 Now shall the saints think upon Gods name and he not think upon their needs Yea I know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill and all to give you an expected end Jer. 29.10 11 For after 70. yeers be accomplished at Babylon loe they must have their time of suffering as he hath his of saving I will visit you and performe my good word toward you to cause you to returne to this place 2. By setting their tongues a work to vent those holy thoughts of theirs as opportunity was offered And first for the vindicating of Gods glory so much opposed and obscured by those above-said Belialists moved with a great zeal for the Lord of hosts as Elias once was against the pleaders for Baals service and saying as some will have this text to be read Verily the Lord whom you blasphemously charge with deep oscitancy or foul iniquity doth harken and hear both your detestable contumelies and his peoples pious performances and there is a book of remembrance written before him c. Next they spake often one to another as often as they met and might for mutuall help and incouragement stirring up themselves among themselves to take better hold of God and not by a shamefull recidivation or comporting with the times to lose those things that they had wrought but that they might receive a full reward a Ioh. Thus were those ancient Christians occupied both within dores and without at home in their own hearts and houses and abroad also among their foes on the one hand and their friends on the other and what their practise was then is
doest fret Why doest faint Hope in God for I shall yet praise him c. Should I conclude that it will never be better with me either I should deny that I am Gods child and one of his Jewels which were to bely my self and deny the work of Gods grace in my soul or basely and blasphemously to joyne with those ranke Atheists above-mentioned that charge him with heedlesnes and improvidence as one that laid his Jewels at his heels and cared not what became of them Which were to set my mouth against heaven and like a breathing-devill to bely the Almighty whose secret is upon my tabernacle Iob 29.4 that is his secret and singular providence who ordereth my down-sitting and mine uprising Psal 139.2 who cutteth out my whole condition and not only keepeth my bones not one of them is broke but numbreth all my haires not one of them is missing Things are therefore numbred that none of them may be diminished Lo the hairs of our heads are numbred as the three childrens were in the Babylonish furnace not one of them can fall to the ground without your heavenly father And if not a hair much less the head it self Mat. 10.29 Zion may say The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lordâ—hath forgotten me But that was but her mistake and misprision of the matter Esay 49.14 Psal 94.14 For the Lord will not utterly cast off his people nor forsake his inheritance for ever For a small moment he may forsake them to their thinking but with great mercy will he gather them In a little wrath he may hide his face from them for a moment Esay 54.7 8 Esay 57.16 but with everlasting kindnesse will he have mercy on them He will not contend for ever nor be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before him When the childe swouns in the whipping God le ts fall the rod and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it again In some diseases blood must be let usque ad deliquium till the patient faint again Yet it is a rule in Physick still to maintain nature so doth God uphold the spirits of his children by cordials of consolation in their deepest affliction This we should never doubt of but constantly shame and shent our selves in Gods presence for our forwardnesse and faintheartednesse SECT XI Exhortation to diligence in duty THe last use we shall put this point to for present Use 3 is an Exhortation to a double duty 1. Diligence in doing Gods will 2. Patience in suffering it For the first It 's encouragement enough to shew all good Conscience and fidelity in our generall and particular callings to consider that sooner or later God will not sail to requite our labour of love even to a cup of cold water or a bit of bread cast upon the waters and so cast away as a man would think but after many dayes thou shalt finde it Give a portion to seven and also to eight Eccles. 11.1 for he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he giveth will he pay him again Not down upon the naile it may be Prov. 19.17 but he is a sure and a liberall paymaster he gives double interest Mat. 19.29 nay a hundred fold here as Isaac had a hundred sold increase of the seed he sowed in the land of Canaan and eternall life hereafter When we have laid our grain in the ground we look not to see it the same day in the barne or garner as he saith of the Hyperborean people farr North that they sow shortly after fun-rising and reap before sun-set Heresbach de re rustica Spes alit agricolas spes sulcis credit aratis Semina quae magno foenore reddit ager Tibull for with them the whole half-yeer is but one continuall day but we are content to wait for a crop till the yeer be run about living in hope mean-while and therewith sustaining our selves And shall we not shew like patience in waiting Gods good leisure without being dismayed or dishartened though not presently requited light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Lo it is but seed-time with the saints while here and that 's commonly a wet time and dropping But they that sow in tears shall reape in joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing Psal 126.5 6 Ob. Sol. Rev. 22.12 Act. 13.36 Act. 13.25 2 Tim. 4.7 8 Gal. 6.9 1 Cor. 15. ulc bringing his sheaves with him Ey but when Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give unto every man according to his works David served out his time and it entred into his masters joy Iohn Baptist did up his work and is gone to take up his wages St. Paul finished his course and hath received his crown Wherefore let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall surely reap if we faint not Yea be ye stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. SECT XII Exhortation to patience in misery NExt let this Doctrine of gods day of delivering and doing good to his people patient our hearts and quietly compose our spirits in an humble submission to Gods holy hand and a hopefull expectation of the day of grace walking and waiting in the midst of our houses till he come unto us Psal 101.2 It is but a little while that we have to wait that he futures us yet and comes no sooner it is for the more effectuall triall of our faith and patience and for the better exercise of our hope and prayerfulnesse When that 's once done He will send his Mandamus as Psal 44.4 by some swift Gabriel who brought an answer to Daniels prayers with wearinesse of flight Dan. Esay 64.1 9.21 Yea he himself will break the heavens and come down he will come riding upon the wings of the wind he will come leaping as a hind over the mountains of Bether all lets and impediments to our relief and release In the Courts of Princes there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 8 delayes and discardings But God is quick to help and constant in his care even when he seems to cast off hee hates putting away Jam. 5.7 whatever he makes shew of Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord saith St. James and sweeten your present tears yea though God should make you a diet-drink of them with the hope of future comforts Look upon the husband-man saith he who although his barn bee empty and his seed cast into the earth not yet appearing above ground yet hee waiteth for the crop and hath long patience for it untill he receive the former and latter rain Verse 8 And what of all this Be ye also patient therefore and stablish your hearts for the comming of
long looking after his coming Now the God of all grace who hath called us to his twofold kingdom of power and of patience by Jesus Christ Regnum Patientiae Potentiae Rev. 1.9 1 Pet. 5.10 after ye have suffered awhile for so you must make you perfect settle strengthen stablish you To him be glory and power for ever and ever Amen CHAP. III. God will owne and honour his Saints And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the day when I make up my Jewels c. OF the three points gathered out of the former part of the 17. Verse Two are already dispatcht The third now followes Doct That Gods faithfull people shall be graciously owned and acknowledged Nota quod ipst futuri sint Deo inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo die suum peculium sit confecturus Polan yea preciously esteemed and accounted of in that day They shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts there he ownes them And I will make them up as my Iewels there he honours them I know the words are by some somwhat otherwise read and rendered as thus They shall be to me in the day that I shall do this or that I shall make or set out for a flock So the Geneva Translaters after the vulgar Vatablus Pagnine Calvin and the whole streame of Interpreters Our last most accurate Translation after Tremellius Polanus and Shindler hath it better and nearer to the naturall genuine grammaticall sense of the Originall thus And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts In die quo confecturus sum peculium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.14 Deut. 32.9 Iob 22.25 Psal 148.14 Psal 125.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Deut. 26.17 18 19. 1 Pet. 2.9 Heb. 13.15 in the day that I make up my Jewels or peculiar treasure my proper goods and most precious substance my silver and my gold my gemmes and my Jewels the people of my purchase as St. Peter after the Septuagint renders it and those that comprehend as it were all my gettings they are as it were all he hath that he makes any account of The Lords portion is his people saith Moses and Iacob the the lot of his inheritance God is their portion and they are his They his glory and gold and He theirs they are round about him and he interchangably round about them as the mountaines are round about Jerusalem They make their boast of God and God boasts as fast of them Hast thou considered my servant Iob that there is not such a man in all the earth He avoucheth them for his people high above all nations in praise in name and in honour And they o'tother side such a sweet correspondency there is avouch him for their God to walk in his waies and to keep his statutes to shew forth his vertues as examples of the Rule and as a kingdome of Priests to cover Gods altar with the calves of their lips and to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ in whom he hath chosen them as vessels of honour before the foundation of the world c. Eph. 1.4 SECT I. Reason 1. Reas 1 ANd that 's indeed sith we are here fallen upon it the first and chief ground of the point Greevinchomius Tales nos amat Deus quales futuri sumus ipsius done non quales sumus nostro merito Concil Arausican sec canon 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic Beza testatur in vetustis suo cedice nec non in comment Chrysost Origenis plurimis locis legi In hominibus beneplaciti Sic Vulgata In hominibus bonae voluntatis The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a speciall people or a Jewell to himself above all people his mere mercy making the difference Thou canst not say as that proud heretick did in answer to the Apostles quere who made thee to differ Ego meipsum discerno For lest any should dreame of foreseen faith or previous merits the Lord saith Moses did not love or chuse you because ye were more or better then others but he loved you because he loved you And out of this preventing love he chose you for a peculiar treasure to himself above all people Exod. 19.5 The Originall word there used is the same with that in our text and the Chalde Paraphrast expounds it by another word that signifies beloved ones For as his love first moved him to make us his own so being now his own he cannot but love us He chose whom he would love and now loves for his choise For ownenesse makes love Having loved his own to the end he loved them Ioh. 13.1 and therefore loved them because his own because the people of his good pleasure as the Angels call them Luc. 2.14 and as Gabriel had before called Daniel a man of desires or greatly beloved of God Dan. 9.23 SECT II. Reason 2. Reas 2 2. A She hath elected us to this high honour of old so he created us to it in his own due time by a new and wonderfull creation Eph. 2 10â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ut quando quis aliquid opus producit secundum praecepta artis propriè dictae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Factura Valla. Rev. 3.14 Esay 51.16 Eph. 1.19 For we are his workmanship his artificiall curious exquisite workmanship whereon he bestowed like skill and industry as he did in making mans body Psal 139.15 or the third heaven whereof he is called the Artificer Heb. 11.10 and it is called not the work of his hands but of his fingers Psal 8.4 Lo thus are we his facture or workmanship created unto good works in Christ Jesus who is not ashamed to stile himself the beginning of this creation and to say that he planted the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth that he might say to Zion Thou art my people St. Paul also testifieth that God putteth forth the same almighty power in the working of saith in us as he did in making the world for us that being as great a wonder as this and the analogy is very excellent The first God creates here also is light of knowledge next as on the second day the firmament of faith 3. seas and trees repentant tears and worthy fruites 4. the sun heat of zeal with light of knowledge 5. fishes to play and fouls to fly so to live and rejoyce in a sea of troubles and to fly heaven-ward by prayer and contemplation 6. And these things performed man is made a new creature advanced to a dominion over all the works of Gods hands yea to a blessed fellowship with Gods only son who rejoyceth in this habitable part of Gods earth and his delights are with the sons of men Prov. 8.31 SECT III. Reason 3. 3. HE hath bought us with a price the church is an Acheldama a field of blood a field purchased with blood Reas 3 not with that goodly price
Christo Calvin in loc He looks upon such as serve him in sincerity as upon sons and daughters 2. That he will surely shew like mercies and mildnesse to his children in their faults and failings in their wants and weaknesses as the kindest father would do to his dearest son that serveth him For the former point The promise of pardon is here fitly made sub patris parabola saith Gualther under the similitude of a father Figuier in loc And the sense is thus much saith another Interpreter although I seem for a time to the blinde moles of the world to be negligent of those that are diligent about me of my best and busiest servants yet I think upon them still as my dearest children and when I may be thought most carelesse and cruel towards them then am I a most propitious and sin-pardoning father fully reconciled unto them in Christ for there comes in the kinred according to that of our Saviour in his message by Mary to his distressed disciples after his resurrection I ascend unto your father Iohn 20.17 and my father mine and yours and therefore yours because mine For as many as received him saith St. Iohn to them he gave priviledge to become the sons of God Ioh. 1.12 And again when the fulnesse of time was come saith another Apostle God sent forth his son his natural onely begotten son made of a woman and so by personal union of the two natures in one Christ his son by a new relation Gal. 4.4 according to that This day have I begotten thee and all to the end that we may receive the adoption of sons That we which by nature were children of wrath and by practise children of the devil might by divine acceptation and grace be made the children of God who had predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will Ephe. 1.4 5. to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved One. SECT I. Reasons hereof drawn from the causes IN which heavenly Text Reas 1 we have the first and chief ground of this doctrine drawn from the causes of our spiritual sonship 1. The fundamental and original cause Gods decree of election by grace we have an act for it in Gods eternal counsel According as he hath chosen us in Christ before the soundation of the world c. For which cause also the predestinate are called the Church of the first-born who are written in heaven Heb. 12.23 And whom he did foreknow saith Saint Paul them he did predestinate also to be conformed to the image of his son like him in glory as well as in sufferings like in being sons as he is a son that he might be even according to his humanity the first-born among many brethren Rom. 8.29 2. The meritorious and procuring or working cause of our adoption is here set forth to be the Lord Christ in whom he as a father hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things Ephe. 1.3 but all in Christ and all in this order A christian by the Gospel is made a beleever Now faith afteran unspeakable manner engrafteth him into the body of Christ the natural son and hence we become the adopted sons of God it being the property of faith to adopt as well as to justifie ratione objecti by means of the object Christ up whom faith layeth hold For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 Children I say not by creation as Adam is called the son of God Luk. 3. because he was produced in the similitude of God but by marriage and mystical union with Christ the fecond Adam the heir of all who hath 1. Laid down the price of that great priviledge Heb. 9.15 even his own most precious blood redeeming us thereby that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons Gal. 45. 2. He hath sealed it up to us by his spirit that earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1.13 called therefore the spirit of adoption and the spirit of Gods son as springing out of his death Rom. 8.15 Joh. 16.14 Gal 4.6 and procured by his intercession For because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba father 3. Here is the motive and impulsive cause and that is the good pleasure of his will Joh. 1.12 1 John 3.1 2 Tim. 1. vlt. his absolute independent grace and mercy was the sole inductive He giveth us this dignity saith St Iohn in his Gospel And what more free then gift he sheweth us this love saith he in his epistle because it was the time of love that we should be called the sons of God So that our Adoption is not a priviledge purchased by contract of justice Rom. 8.23 Prov. 16.4 but an inheritance cast upon us of free grace and goodnesse The Lord shew mercy to Onesiphorus in that day when our adoption shal be crowned with its ful accomplishment Lastly here we have the final cause of our adoption â—heprâ—â—ise of the glory of his grace This is the end God propounds to himself in this as in all other his works as having none higher then himself to whom to have respect for he is the most highest God hath made all things for himself yea the wicked also for the day of evil viz. for the glory of his Justice and power as he told Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 but especially of his grace sith all that his justice doth in the Reprobation of some tendeth to this ultimate end of all that the riches of his grace may be the more displayed in the election of others SECT II. Reasons from the effects of his father-hood A Second reason followeth from the effects and those are no lesse demonstrative of the point then the causes Reas 2 These are 1. Gods fatherly affections 2. His expressions both which speake him a father to all his For his affection first to his people Albeit they be but his Adopted children yet he loves them more then any naturall father doth his own bowels Jam. 1. ult Hence he is called the father by an eminency as if there were no father to him none like him none besides him as indeed there is not originally and properly Called he is the father of all mercies Eph. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paternitas paerentela Math. 23.9 the fountaine of all that mercy that is found in any father all is but a spark of his flame a drop of his ocean Yea he is stiled the father of all the fatherhoods in heaven and earth Whence also our Saviour Call no man saith He your father on earth for one is your father even God To enter comparison in some few particulars First a father loves freely not so much for that his child is witty or wealthy Patriam amat quisque nonquia
kings as Iosephus relates it He was faithfull in all Gods house as a servant Joh. 8.35 but that was not all For the servant abideth not in the house for ever as the son doth Moreover the kings of the earth take tribute of their servants and subjects but their children go free Mat. 17.26 Behold Gods children are all manumitted by Christ and possessed of a twofold freedome 1. Multò plures sunt gratiae privativae quam positivae Gerson Privative from the dominion and damnation of sin from the rigour and irritation of the law from the captivity and cruelty of the devill from the danger of death and horrour of hell c. This is a priviledge far beyond that of a citizen of Rome which yet might neither be suffered to beg nor be bound with thongs Act. 22.29 Rom. 8. And this is that the Apostle calls the glorious liberty of the sons of God as elsewhere he couples Adoption with glory Rom. 9.4 includes it in glory Rom. 8.30 and puts it for glory Rom. 8.23 Freed Gods children are not I confesse of crosses and corrections for then were they bastards and not sons He scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Joh. 14.18 but he never leaveth them orphans helpelesse comfortlesse In the midst of desertion the sorest kinde of affliction they may nay they must call him Father and ask him blessing Esay 64.7 8 9. and he knowes not how to say them nay coming unto him in that name and under that notion Should a parent see his sick childe pant and look pittifully cry out as once the Shunamites son to his father O my head my head my heart is sick my head is heavy I am weary with paines what shall I do where shall I rest c. He could not turn his back upon him and neglect his moans much lesse could he continue to strike him lifting up his feeble hands for mercy and looking upon him with watery eyes but would rather set himself to seek out and to do him all possible ease and comfort Hic cum triste aliquid staruit fit tristis ipsa Cuique ferè poenam sumere poena fua est Ovid. 2 de Pont eleg 2. To say God hath cast you off because he hath hid his face is a fallacy fetcht out of the Devils Topicks And shall not the God of all mercy and the Father of all consolation pity his poor children that are distressed or diseased and send deliverance Will he not melt over his childe and burn his rod Will he not hold him up with one hand as he did Iacob when he beats him down with the other will he not look through the chinkers to see how we do when he hath shut us up close prisoners will he not deal by us as the mother deals by her little-one makes him beleeve she will cast him away to the puttock or pitch him headlong into the pool when yet she keeps fast hold on him 2. Positive and so he is made a free-denison of Jerusalem that is above and possessed of all the priviledges of that supernall citty See a brief extract of them in that 1 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All things are yours A very large charter All illuminations inspirations gifts and graces of the spirit gifts of Gods ministers and the abler sort of Christians all these are not more their own then yours to use you have title to them and interest in them and may claime them for your own Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world you are heirs of it together with faithfull Abraham Or life grace to spend it well or death to the wicked a trap-dore to hell Janua vita porta coeli Bern. but to the saints an inlet into eternall happines or things present all occurrences are sanctified to you or things to come heaven waits for you hell hath nothing to do with you Thus all is yours as the Apostle there reiterates it though not in possession unlesse it be in our Head yet in use in right or by way of reduction as we say the worst things are Gods childrens they are heirs of the kingdome saith Iames heads destinated to the diadem Jam. 2.5 Serms non valet exprimere experimento opus est Chrys Lati simus non securi gaudentes in spiritu sancto scd tamen caventes à recidivo Bern. saith Tertullian Their priviledges as sons are fitter to be beleeved then possible to be discoursed And this should make them hold up their heads but not too high and be cheerfull but not withall scornefull CHAP. V. God will pity and pardon his people their wants and weaknesses And I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serves him HOw graciously God will deal with his dear children in respect of their pious performances is here sweetly set forth by an exquisite simile Shindler Pentag miserebor misericordia commovebor Figuier Clementiâutar Trem. polan. In quo duplex est aemoris ratio c. Figuier De Cartulone filio à patre Machaeo ob contemptum cruci affixo lege Just lib. 18. Heb. 13.18 from the dealing of an indulgent father with his obsequious childe I will spare them saith he nay that 's not full enough I will pardon and pity them I will commiserate and compassionate them as Pharaohs daughter once did the forlorne infant she found among the flags I will use clemency and shew kindnesse unto them And how As a man doth to his own son that serves him In which comfortable expression there is a double declaration saith an Interpreter of Gods fatherly affection as thus We cannot but shew love even to a stranger that observes us As o' tother side we dislike and detest even a son that slights us But a son and a serviceable son what father can chuse but love and like well of And shall God the father of all the father-hoods in heaven and earth shew lesse love to his obedient children that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willing at least to keep a good conscience and are faithfull in weaknesse though weak in faith No but he will kindly accept of what they are able and remit the rest He will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serves him Than the which I know not what the good Lord could have spoken more effectually for the setting forth of his own fatherly compassion or for the setting of our hearts in sound consolation Take it thus God will surely shew like mercy and mildenesse to his obedient children in Doct their faults and faculties in their wants and weaknesses as the kindest father would do to his dearest son that serves him SECT 1.2.3.4 Reasons from God out of Micah 7.18 19. THis is no new doctrine for besides that the Text is for us in so many words almost the man whose eyes are open hath said it He hath said Num. 23.21 who heard the words of God who saw the visions of the Almighty God
As he is gracious Exod. 22.27 and quickly repenteth him of the evil Joel 2.13 Redire nos non perire desiderat I said Chryselog I would scatter them into corners c. Deut. 32.26 27. Mercy could not behold such strange wrath and cruelty and not weep her self even sick as it were this also shall not be saith the Lord. So ready is he to yeeld himself overcome by the suits of his servants Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus See verse 3. Verse 7. This he shewed me and behold See verse 4. The Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb-line c. Here he was set or stood firme as the word signifieth as not to be removed from his purpose by any intreaties he was fully resolved upon their ruine and it should be done exactly ad amussim by line and by rule as it were and with so much justice and most exquisite diligence that against it should lie no manner of exception It is said of the Areopagites in Athens that their sentence was so upright that none could ever say he was unjustly condemned of them How much more true is this of the righteous judgement of God who must needes therefore be justified and every mouth stopped Mat. 22.12 And he was speechlesse because self-condemned Tit. 3.11 and had not what to request with a plumb-line in his hand To shew that he would accurately examine their actions and punish their pravities See Lam. 2.8 and 2 King 21.13 not sparing them as heretofore A heavy sentence surely Psal 130.3 Verse 8. Behold I will set a plumb-line I will call them to a strict account and shew them no favour Jer 16.13 I will now actually execute my justice which I have hitherto suspended and pay them home for the new and the old bringing upon them an evill an onely evill without mixture of mercy Ezech. 7.5 I will not againe pass by them any more A metaphor from men that passe by such things as they slight and count inconsiderable winking at small faults as not worthy to be reckoned upon Hence Mic. 7.18 God is said to pardon iniquity and passe by transgression as elsewhere he is said to bind them up in a bundle to seale them up in a bag to cast them behind his back to remove them as far as the East is from the West Psal 103. so that he beholdeth no sin in Jacob nor perversenesse in Israel Num. 23.21 The Church privy to her own infirmities calleth her self black Cant. 1.5 but Christ calleth her faire all over chap. 4.7 She saith God hath punisht us lesse then our sins Ezra 9.13 He saith She hath received double for her sins Isa 40.1 Too much saith God too little saith She. O beautifull contention But this is a priviledge proper to the communion of Saints with whom God will not deale according to the rigour of his law as he doth with the wicked but according to his prerogative Verse 9. And the high-places of Isaac shall be desolate The Edomites also came of Isaac but by a Synechdoche the Israelites only are here and ver 16. to be understood Like as elsewhere Heber is put for the Israelites only Num. 24.24 and Ioseph for Ephraim Rev. 7.8 Some think that the high places of Isaac are here mentioned to shew that they were erected by the people in an apish imitation either of Beersheba where Isaac worshipped or of mount Moriah where Isaac should have been offered And that Isaac is here written with Sin and not tsadi to shew that God held himself not adored but derided by those high-places of irrision or those ridiculous ultars which therefore he threateneth to desolate and lay wast and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword as a prelude to the utter extermination of all by the Assyrians See this fullfilled 2 King 15.10 and chap. 17. Jeroboam was very prosperous and victorious yet designed to destruction Aug. Mat. 6.30 It is said of wicked men that foeneâ quadam felicitate temporaliter floreant they flourish to day as grass and to morrow are cast into the oven and as the mettle whereof men make glass is nearest melting when it shineth brightest so are gracelesse persons nearest destruction when at greatest lustre The Turks observing that few of their Visiers die in their beds Grand Sig. Serag have this proverbe amongst them that the greatest man is but as a statue of glasse Verse 10. Then Amaziah the Priest of Beth-el Observing that the prophet had foretold a desolation and not prayed as before that it might be averted because he saw God was fully resolved and their destruction determined Amos hath conspired against thee in the land Thus Eliah was the Troubler of Israel Jeremy a feedsman of sedition Christ an enemy to Caesar Luther a trumpet of rebellion all Contra-remonstrants antimagistraticall As Athaliah cryed Treason Treason when her self was the greatest traytour and as in Nero's dayes Sedition was unicum crimen corum qui crimine vacabunt Lipsiu◠laid ordinarily to the charge of those that were most free from it so was it here Amos bath conspired c. whereas Amos might well have said as Latimer did 3 Serm. bef K. Ed. 6. As for sedition for ought that I know methinks I should not need Christ if I might so say Religion is an utter enemy to rebellion and as there are few conscionable Christians Prophets especially that have not passed under this calumniation so he cannot be rightly esteemed such an one that deserveth it But Amazia's honour and incomes were now at stake as he well perceived when he heard Amos say Go not up to Bethe-el c. the high-places of Isaac shall be destroyed and hence his zeale against the Prophet like as Erasmus told the Electour of Saxony that the Pope and his shavelings were therefore so sharp set against Luther because he lifted at the triple crown and sought to bring down the monks fat paunches the land is not able to beare all his words his burdensome prophesies See Mal. 1.1 with the Note much lesse can I endure them or any faithfull servant of thine true to his trust Such a lying accusation we read of Esth 3.8 made by haughty Haman against the innocent Jewes that they kept not the kings lawes and that therefore it were good policy to weed them out as not to be longer endured So Francis King of France desiring to excuse to the Protestant-Princes of Germany his cruell persecution of the Lutherans in his Kingdome wrot to them that he looked upon them all as Anabaptists and as enemies to civil government and therefore used such severity against them This gave occasion to Calvin to write his admirable Institutions to vindicate our religion from that soule aspersion Saultet Annal 454. the like divelish policy was afterwards used to blanch over that horrid French massacre For it was given out that the Protestants had conspired against the King the Queen-mother