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A93917 A learned and very usefull commentary upon the whole prophesie of Malachy, by that late Reverend, Godly and Learned Divine, Mr. Richard Stock, sometime Rector of Alhallowes Breadstreet, London, and now according to the originall copy left by him, published for the common good. Whereunto is added, An exercitation vpon the same prophesie of Malachy / by Samuel Torshell. Stock, Richard, 1569?-1626.; Torshell, Samuel, 1604-1650. Exercitation upon the prophecie of Malachy. 1641 (1641) Wing S5692A; ESTC R184700 652,388 677

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not mention it An observation that offers unto our thoughts The very great necessity of acquainting our selves with Gods Law the benefit of which I referre the Reader to find commended unto him in a learned and very fruitfull Treatise of Mr. H. Mason Hearing and Doing chap. 5. This point hath beene much beat upon by the Fathers in their Sermons or Homilies to the people in their Exhortations and Epistles to their private and deare friends Many of our men in handling the controversie about permitting the reading of the Scripture to the people have collected many and plentifull instances I spare them Only I would note the piety of some persons in their assiduous study of Gods Law It is a known History which they relate of Alphonsus King of Arragon Let mee adde what Herebert Rosweyd the Iesuit reports of Thomas a Kempis the devout Author of those books which are and deserve to be in every ones hand De Imitatione Christi That as he spent his houres in reading the holy Scripture so hee wrote out the whole Bible divided into foure Tomes fairely and legibly with his own hand And yet a great scholler too he was a man wedded to his book so much that this was his usuall saying and that which hee was wont to write in the beginning of his books In omnibus requiem quaesivi nusquam inveni nisi in angelo cum libello In een hoexken met een boexken I have sought content in all things but never found it unlesse with a booke in a nooke But his most delight was in the booke of God How much was his zeale beyond the temper of these times when many think it would hinder their schollership to read much or oft in the Bible which perhaps also is not to bee found in some well furnished studies The neglect of which and preferring the handmaids which yet are beautiful and they blind that doe not confesse so before the Mistresse hath been much complained of by many pious and learned men Who can be large or full enough in the praise of the Booke of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The soules food as Saint Athanasius calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Invariable rule of truth as Saint Iraeneus The Aphorismes of Christ The library of the Holy Ghost The circle of all divine arts The Divine Pandects The wisdome of the Crosse The cubit of the Sanctuary The touchstone of errour But I will take my selfe off lest it be said to me Who ever dispraised Hercules Only let me insert another instance for other kind of people for lay people for women Not the example of any of those glorious women found and mentioned in S. Hieroms Epistles famous and renowned for their piety this way but a moderne example of Maudlin the wife of D. Pareus of whom writing to Iohn Newerus Pastor of Saint Peters Church in Heidleburg to preach her funerall Sermon hee reports that after shee was married and more than forty yeares of age out of love to the holy Scriptures shee learnt to reade and tooke such delight in it and specially in the Psalmes that she got them almost all by heart So much for this point the necessity of which some think the Spirit of God would teach us by the great Zain in the word Zicru Recordamini in the Text in many Bibles See Iohn Buxtorf in Comment Masor cap. 14. 2. Hee takes occasion to prepare their expectation by prophecying againe of his forerunner the Baptist vers 5.6 we have 1. His comming vers 5. 2. His work or office vers 6. I. His comming vers 5. Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. The interpretation of this place hath very much divided the Expositors Saint Hierom took it once for all the Prophets that should come but hee goes almost alone A farre greater party understand it of Eliah the Thisbite For so the Lxx. reade the very Text The Vatican and ordinary copies of the Lxx but not that which is in the King of Spaines Bible and so also the Arab. which usually followes the Lxx and some of the Fathers but not all whom Bellarmine alleageth for Origen Lactunt Hilary Hierom who are produced by him are examined by Dan. Chamier Panstrat Tom. 2. lib. 17. cap. 5. sect 17.18 and found to bring him no proofes Saint Chrys Theod. Saint Aug. and haply others of the Ancients being misled by the corrupt reading of the Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I send unto you Eliah the Thisbit But this is not in the Hebr. Text which the learned Popish Expositors know and yet they follow that of the Lxx for another purpose than the Ancients were aware of as it is sufficiently knowne to Divines in the Question of Antichrist Benedict Pererius De Antichristo Disput 10. against Ioh. Annius makes it one of his demonstrations that Mahomet is not Antichrist and so doth Bellarmine that the Bishop of Rome is not because Enoch and Eliah are not yet come and are to come in his time Doctor Sharp a learned man of ours De Antichrist part 1. cap. 31. doth hereupon take occasion to compare Bellarmine to a frantick woman whom he saith he knew that pretended great acquaintance with the Angell Gabriel and tells us That surely Elias was the carrier Mee thinks too lightly I reade nothing with pleasure that puts off a learned adversary with a scoffe but not without offence him who through his weaknesse doth magnifie all Bellarmines Arguments as surely the Suffolk Author of the Five Discourses Ann. 1635. did who in his Treatise of Antichrist useth no other I will not take this Text as a sufficient occasion to enter into the Question who That Antichrist should be Let the characters used by Saint Iohn and Saint Paul be impartially applyed and without ends and I suppose there will bee lesse controversie especially that of Saint Paul 2 Thess 2. For light unto which I referre the Reader unto Quirinus Reuterus his Supply to Zanchy who here through age and dimnesse of sight broke off which Reuterus undertooke at the request of Zanchy's Executors and said much to this point and with much approbation But to passe by the question it selfe whether the Pope be Antichrist which the interpretation of this place however it bee doth not conclude The Cardinals arguments that the Thisbite is prophecied of are not unanswerable Object 1. This day before which this Eliah is to come is the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. Therefore the day of the second comming of Christ for his first comming was an acceptable time and a day of salvation Answ 1. The Hebr may be rendred Before the day of the great and dreadfull Lord come And so the Chald. reades it 2. But granting it as wee reade it yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not properly Terribile but Timendum to bee feared or dreaded Now feare is either from Terror or from Reverence so it is
as a faithfull dispenser giving to every one his portion where and to whom the Spirit of God hath set them downe to Priest and people to old and to young to married and unmarried to the good and prophane without feare and flattery or any other sinister affections remembring that this in the first is in the whole and to every verse it is the word of the Lord fearing to corrupt as well as to adde lest that I heare as 't is Prov. 30.6 Adde not to his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lyer remembring that of Luke 12.42 that I may be a faithfull and wise Steward that I may obtaine that Vers 43 44. which how soone it may be generall or to me in particular whether before I have gone through the whole or this Chapter or this verse I know not This teacheth all to whom I am to speake Vse 2 first they must heare for it is the word of the Lord and never withdraw themselves negligently or carelesly preferring vaine pleasure and profit of no value before it If any withdraw himselfe the soule of God shall have no pleasure in him to use the words rather than the full sence as Israel said to Sihon King of the Amorites Judg. 7.24 so wouldst not thou heare that thy Prince Father or Master saith unto thee nay will not Idolaters heare that which their gods say unto them how much more you that the Lord shall speake to This is the word that we shall speake is but the delivering of it in moe words which is here set downe in fewer pressing it at large which is here set downe more briefly this as a clew of thread wound up by us it is but drawn out at length yea and it must be heard as the word of God with all reverence received with humility believed by faith obeyed with care for the Lord having spoken it it was not for the time and persons present onely but for all successive ages and people As the Lawes of Princes and Decrees of Parliaments are not onely for them that live then but for whosoever shall afterwards be borne subjects to the same Soveraignes therefore not any sinne is here reproved but it is reproved in whomsoever it is found nor is there any judgment threatened but menaced against the men of our time that heare it not any duty commanded but it is appertaining to us as to them because it is the word of the Lord who is our Lord as well as theirs of the Gentiles as of the Jewes I cannot say as Daniel 4.19 fine so the Prophecy is for others and the interpretation of it is for others and judgments to your enemies but as Peter Act. 2.39 It is to you and to your children so these things here commanded and reproved are for you and your children But why should I speake thus sharpely unto you Verily because God will neverthelesse bring these if I should hold my peace and by speaking I may prevent he should not if so be my exhortations this day may finde place in your hearts and hereafter in your lives But shall I come unto you not with a rod but in love and the spirit of meeknesse 1 Cor. 4.21 then as Chrysostome ad pop Antioch Hom. 27. by our mutuall love yours and mine by all the travell I have felt for you till Christ be formed in you fully Gal. 4.19 give me that wherein I may glory before men and devils and in the presence of God And what is my glory but your progresse and increase in piety here and your salvation in the life to come Believe me beloved Si fieri potest me pro vobis certamen bene gerere vos autem bene gestae rei praemia ferre nunquam profectò vobis tantum turbationis ingererem sed non licet boc nobis non licet inquam Chrysostom de virtut vitiis sermo If it were possible for me to undergoe the Combate and you to beare the Trophies of the victory I would not put you to so much trouble But this may not be this may not be for every one must live by his owne faith and passe to heaven by his owne piety and obedience It is neither bought nor borrowed oyle in our Lamps will serve to enter in with the Bridegroome To Israel The second person to whom as the Subject to Israel that is to the whole people who were lately delivered out of Captivity and now enjoyed their Land and the liberty of Religion and as men not sufficiently instructed under the rod and crosse or forgetting their former calamities returned to their former corruptions and sinnes whose sinnes were the worse by that they had received and made the more inexcusable when they should have beene bettered by his mercies they grew worse By Israel he understands the whole company both Priest and people calling it Israel which for distinction was before called Judah after the rent happened betwixt the ten and two Tribes Judah and Benjamin and some of Levi to the house of David and the rest to Jeroboam for the ten tribes by Salmanassor were so led into Captivity that they never returned he now called these two Tribes by the old and wonted name To Israel then his owne people chosen out of the world yea reserved to himselfe from those ten Tribes thus specially beloved he sends though with griefe thus threatning God will punish his Doctrine even his owne for their sinnes and offences how deare soever they be unto him it is indeed his love unto them that he will passe by many infirmities and weaknesse in them as Matth. 7.18 but yet sinnes of greater nature habit and custome he will not passe by unpunished 2 Sam. 7.14.18 not onely the threatnings but the execution of many afflictions and plagues recorded in the Word upon the whole Church of Israel upon particular persons on Moses Numb 20. on Miriam Numb 1. David often and other the good Kings who were punished proves this manifestly Because hee loves his owne Reas 1 therefore will hee correct and punish them for the sparing of the rod is hatred not love Nulla ira magna ira the fondnesse of affection not the favour of judgment Prov. 13.24 It is love because of that 1 Cor. 11.32 when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Because he would be justified Reas 2 not as wisdome of her children onely but even of wicked and enemies for if he should spare his owne then would they say God were wicked like them as the wicked when he spares themselves say Psal 50.21 hence was the death of Davids child denounced and performed to prevent or to stay the blasphemy of the wicked 2 Sam. 12.14 as he insinuates in his Psalme of Repentance Psalme 51.4 Because he may manifest his hatred of sinne Reas 3 when he punisheth it not in those that are wicked onely whose persons he may seeme to hate but in
he to hold them to himselfe they to draw them from the Gospell Because saith Chrys the people of Israel who were brought up in Aegypt had polluted themselves with Idolatry would have sacrifices ceremonies so that if they were not permitted unto them they were ready against to fall to Idolatry though God desired a people to worship him in spirit truth yet he granted them unto them dealing as a wise Physitian who having a patient sick of a feaver by reason of heat desiring earnestly cold water and unlesse it be given him he is ready to seek a halter to strangle himselfe or some waies to destroy himself there the Physitian compelled by necessity gives him a cup of water prepared by himselfe and commands him to drinke but forbids him to drinke of any other but that so God gave the Jewes goodly ceremonies but so as it was not lawfull for them to use any other And then were they grieved saith he when he shewed his wrath upon them for making a calfe of their ear-rings c. So in cunning and mischievous policy hath the Church of Rome when they saw how the nature of man was affected with holy things because of the outward meanes when simple and base because the Gospell is such they little regarded them but glorious things were those that affected them therefore have they fallen from the simplicity of the Gospell to that whorish Babylonish pride they are now in when it was with her as Boniface the Bishop and Martyr said to one that asked whether it was lawfull to administer the Sacrament in woodden cups he answered In times past they had golden Priests and woodden Chalices then would they bragge of nothing such a multitude as now when they have woodden Priests and golden Chalices since Pope Vrban hath made all the ministring attire golden and gay and so because they are led by their sences therefore they are violently carried after this superstition This teacheth us Vse 2 why in the Church the meanes of Gods worship his word and table are so little esteemed or regarded because men are so led by their sences and when the meanes are base and simple they thinke so of the worship it selfe as Hierome said putabant altari deesse religionis sanctimoniam quia deerat aedificationis ambitio they thought the Altar was not to be so religiously regarded because it was not richly bedecked and adorned such are they as give no respect to the word because the Minister is of no great respect but a meane plaine man who have not learned more to esteem the earthen vessels for the treasure but lesse to account of the treasure for the earthen vessels Hence many set light by the holy Table because they see nothing here but bare bread and wine very base and meane elements such as they use ordinarily to feed on else where and so as a foole or a naturall if he light on an obligation or a deed he maketh no more reckoning of it then of a piece of parchment a little wax because he understandeth not the contents and end of it So in these things not considering the end and use of them by whom they were appointed As there are some who overvalue these mysteries specially the Sacraments that tye the grace of God inseparably to them and make the opus operatum a matter of sufficient vertue that ascribe some divine power to the very outward elements and so bring a divine adoration of them that of holy mysteries make magicall miracles as the Church of Rome doth so againe are there many in the Church of England that undervalue them that make no other reckoning of them then as of ordinary elements and repaire unto them as to the bodily food because they are in nature and substance the same the Doctrine here being the ground of it they being so dull sighted they can look no further then that which is object to the sence of them they can see no end nor use of them more no secret grace nor vertue in them and that which is worse will not submit themselves to be taught or if taught not believe when oportet discentem credere To teach every one in these actions sursum corda habere Vse 3 and to lift the eyes of his minde upwards as with his bodily eyes he seeth the outward elements here so with the eye of faith to apprehend the matter of it that which these outward things represent to the minde The word of God for letters and syllables is but the same with other humane writings but it hath another manner of worke with it in regard of the spirit and grace of God accompanying it unto those that heare it with a sanctified eare As we see that ordinary water and aqua vitae in a viall or glasse look both alike but they differ much in work and effect because there is a kind of Spirit in the one which is not in the other so the Word and the Sacrament though the same in substance with ordinary Bread and Wine yet they have a farre divers worke and effect with them unto those who receive them with a holy heart and a faithfull in regard of Gods covenant whose seales they are in regard of the mercy of God of which they more assure us in regard of Christs Death that they represent unto us and put us in minde of and in regard of the grace of Gods Spirit that accompaineth them in those that so receive them for the effecting of these former matters VERSE VIII And if yee offer the blind for sacrifice it is not evill and if yee offer the lame and sicke it is not evill offer it now unto thy Prince will he be content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hostes ANd if you offer the blinde for sacrifice The Lord proceedeth to prove that they despise him and his table shewing how they have erred both against his law and the rule of honesty and comelinesse Levit. 22.21 22. And if you offer the blinde for sacrifice it is not evill These words are read of some by way of interrogation When yee offer the blinde is it not evill Now a negative interrogation ever affirmeth strongly q. d. it is very evill and yet yee doe it Hierom Junius others read these words by way of affirmation God continuing to tax their thoughts you think it not evill you think it is good enough for God you make it no fault and this is the common reading which is more agreable to the context but the matter is not great how we take it both tend to one end and one effect both a disliking disallowing of such sacrifice For the sacrifice here spoken of some understand it only of the sacrifice the Priests offered for themselves Levit. 4.3 Heb. 5.3 Others for the sacrifice the people brought which when they were burnt offerings which were all consumed upon the Altar the Priests nothing regarded but the
of it in Priest and people hee forsakes not their assemblies but cōmmunicates with them in their service sacrifices Men ought not to separate themselves from a visible congregation or assembly a visible Church for the abuse of it Doctrine and the corruption of it it being not in fundamentalls As here the Prophet did not neither read we of any Prophet who left the Church but in most corrupt ages remained there reproving and threatening them praying and mourning for them but not forsaking them It is that Ezek. 9.4 they are noted as St. Augustine Observeth that mourne for the corruptions of the time not who separate themselves from the Church In the New Testament we find not Christ nor his Apostles to forsake the Church but remaine in it though marvellous corrupt teaching reproving correcting mourning for it So of the Pastors of the six Churches of Asia their corruptions noted and their Angels biding with them To this purpose is that Hebr. 10.24 25 38 39. Because no man ought to separate himselfe from the true Church of Christ Reas 1 Now such is an assembly professing the true saith notwithstanding other coruption for as holinesse if it might be supposed without true saith cānot make a true Church but false doctrine and errour in the foundation overthrows it for being a Church So è contrà corruptions in manners cannot make it no Church when true faith is taught and maintained Because separation and excommunication from a particular Church is the most heavy and greatest censure of the Church Reas 2 which as no man should incurre by his evill behaviour so no man ought to inflict upon himselfe for the corruptions of others who happily deserve to be separated themselves To condemne all those who withdraw themselves from our assemblies because of corruptions amongst us Vse 1 crying out of those who will remaine among them to the benefit of the good that is there to be had But to such an one I say as Augustine answered Petilian That he did not well to leave Christs heape of Corne Non habes quod objicias fiument is Dominicis paleam usque ad ventilationem ultimam sustinentibus à quibus tu nunquam recessisses nisi levior palea vento tentationis ante adventum ventilatoris avolasses Aug. cantr Petilian Cap. 1.18 because the chaffe was in it till the great winnowing day and that he shewed himselfe to be lighter chaffe driven out by the wind of temptation that flew out before the comming of Christ the winnower What folly is it for a man to leave the Jewells and Plate in the Cold-finers shop because to the Iron tongs and black coals What warrant have they when as Noah left not the Arke for all the uncleane beasts To teach every man not to be so offended for the corruption of the times Vse 2 as to separate himselfe from the Church for them * Si amarent pacem non discinderēt unit atem Aug. contr lit Petiliani lib. 24. broken unity saith August And in another place A vessell of honour ought to tolerate those things that are vile * Vas in honere sanctificatum debuit tolerare ea quae sunt in contumelia nec propter hoc relinquere domum claritatis Dei ne vel vas in contumeliam vel stercus projectum de domo sit Aug. contr epist Parm. lib. 3.5 and not therefore to forsake the house of God lest himselfe be cast out as a vessell of dishonour or as dung That certainly which is 1 Cor. 5.13 Put away from your selves the wicked person is to be understood of those who have authority which if they exercise not is their sinne not mine or thine Shall I forsake the good and the Church where I may be safe for their evill Nec quisquam sine consensu cordis sui ex ore vulneratur alieno Let no man then separate himselfe for why should a good pure and sound member separate it selfe from those that are corrupt and cut it selfe off both to make the whole worse and to lose to it selfe the good it might have by abiding For us The Prophet who had the least hand in the sinnes and was the least cause of the burden he feares and as it were mournes and seeketh how to avoid it when the Priests who were the cause of it are secue and carelesse It often falls out Doctr. that the faithfull mourne and feare the plagues they foresee when they who have deserved them sleep securely and rather provoke God still Mich. 1.8 Therefore will I mourne This hath beene by your meanes Here is the reason why God will not accept their prayers because they are authors and principall causes of the evill and sinnes amongst them The prayers of hypocrites and wicked men Doctrine whether Ministers or Magistrates or private men whether superiours or inferiours cannot be profitable to the Church nor others for whom they pray nor accepted of God This is manifest here as also by that where the prayers of the wicked are rejected with divers such places This the Lord taught when in his Law he commanded that the Priest should first offer for himselfe Levit. 4.3 and Heb. 5.3 Because they are not profitable for themselves Reas 1 neither shall be accepted much lesse for others Not for themselves Isaiah 1. and 66. Because they are in Gods sight abhominable Reas 2 Prov. 15.8 such cannot prevaile with him Balaam prayed for the people of God Object and was heard for them and yet he was a wicked man Numb 23.19 20. A truth it is Answ St. August so answereth Parmen contr Epist Parm. lib. 2. cap. 8. proving they ought not to separate themselves as they taught because men are pollured But for the example I think we may say Balaam was not heard saving his judgment because he certainly never prayed hee did prophesie indeed in a certaine former of prayer therefore that speech of his is accounted a blessing because he did ominate and foretell happy things which would befall to the people of God But he never prayed indeed for his heart went against it it was utterly against his will who for the wages of Balac would rather have desired to curse onely hee was compelled to it by the Spirit of God Therefore he was not heard which prayed not but the Spirit of God which in the good worketh the affections and suggesteth words did onely put such words into his mouth for any good that should come by them to the people of God as for the terrour and destruction of Balac who had set himselfe against the people of God to shew him tha not they before him but he should fall before them This sheweth the folly and the vancity of the reason of some Popish and Popishly affected who plead for lenity Vse 1 connivence and impunity because the King and his Children the Realms and Dominions may enjoy so man prayers from them unto the Lord their Jesuites and Priests and all would pray
A LEARNED AND VERY USEFVLL COMMENTARY VPON THE WHOLE PROPHESIE OF MALACHY BY That late Reverend Godly and Learned Divine Mr. RICHARD STOCK sometime Rector of Alhallowes Breadstreet London and now according to the Originall Copy left by him published for the common good Whereunto is added AN EXERCITATION VPON THE SAME PROPHESIE OF MALACHY By SAMUEL TORSHELL LONDON Printed by T.H. and R. H. for Samuel Enderbey and are to be sold at the Starre in Popes head alley 1641 Reador if euer Fame did fill thy eare withe name of Reuerent Stock behold him heere Not in this Shaddow onely but turne ore the Booke and venve this Stockès improued store There shalt find mix't with Graue Diuinitie a Prophets depe mysterious Prophecy then thanke his care whose goodness doth unlocke and publish to the world 〈◊〉 Rich a Stocke TO The ancient Friends and Hearers of the Author especially to the Right Worshipfull EDWARD RUDGE Alderman To the Worshipfull Captaine JOHN VEN Mr. WILLIAM KENDALL Mr. RICHARD ELLIS with the rest of the Inhabitants of the parrish of Alhallowes Breadstreet LONDON MY owne occasions together with some other difficulties and impediments have hitherto hindred a purpose that I had from the very first time that the papers of this worthy man were intrusted to me to communicate them to the World and to you But I have now done it and I hope it is not too late either to revive his memorie or your remembrance of those things you have heard from him I will not beleeve that you have forgotten or can forget a Pastor whom you did so much love and reverence For he was a burning and shining light John 5.35 and yee rejoiced in his light I have taken this paines to peruse his notes Heb. 11.4 that he againe though dead might still speake unto you and I doe endeavour that now after his decease you may have these things alwaies in your remembrance 2 Pet. 1.15 God was pleased to send you a rich treasure by his Ministerie 2 Cor. 4.7 but this treasure was brought unto you in an Earthen vessell and least haplie when that earthen vessell was broke by sicknesse and death and the shards throwne into the Earth you saved not the treasure I have now gathered some of it and kowing to whom it did belong have brought it back to Restore it unto you Now what remains Ephe. 4.21 but that you enjoy it use it let that be your care to be answerable to the Doctrine you have received to walke so as yee have learned Christ If so bee that yee have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in JESUS This is the onely thing that I have to say unto you that your conversation may tell the world you doe remember him Let him live in your lives That so even they who never knew him nor ever heard him preach a Sermon may see by your practise what and how hee preached And as yee have made a Monument for him in your Church set up one also in every one of your lives you shall thereby doe him a greater honor then that stone-work though otherwise a Commendable Testimonie of your love and respect can doe him Be yee your selves his Monument his Statue Phil. 4.1 his Trophee 1 Thes 2.19 and as the Philippians and Thessalonians were to St. Paul 2 Cor. 3.2 his Crown of glorying Be yee his Epistle known and read of all men Let all men see what he writ in you What precepts of Holinesse of Righteousnesse of Temperance Psal 45.1 hee wrote downe in your hearts when his tongue was the pen of a readie writer so long among you He was a Father I suppose unto manie of you I have heard some of you professe it 1 Cor. 4.15 though yee have ten thousand instructers in Christ yet have yee not many Fathers If in Jesus Christ hee hath begotten you through the Gospell bee followers of him imitate him so as that men may say of you when they see the grave and sober and godlie carriage of any of you he hath his fathers Counteinance he hath his fathers Gate He set a most faire Copy doe yee imitate the hand He did as his great Master Iohn 10.3.4 1 Tim. 4.12 he went before his flocke And was an example of beleivers in word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in faith in purity In all things he shewed himselfe a patterne a stampe Tit. 2.7 that is the Apostles word such a stampe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as makes an Image of it in Coine or such a stamp as Printers use which leaves an Impression on the Paper be yee his Impression be yee his printed worke be yee the Commentary your selves and then yee need not buy it at the shops He was Typus Gregis be yee Antitypon Pastoris Goe through the world like good and current Coine with the right stampe Mat 22.20 Shew whose Superscription and Image you beare on one side Gods on the other side Cesars and both stampt upon you by your Pastor who was wont to Preach unto you those two points Holinesse and Obedience Shew that you suffered him while you sate under his Pulpit to enter deep into your hearts A deep stamp is long before it is worne out let it appeare that these fifteene yeeres since he dyed you have not forgotten the word of his exhortation They heare best Luke 11.28 that practice best If any of you be prophane and unholy if deceitfull and dishonest in your dealings if intemperate voluptuous and wanton yee might happily bee his Hearers and in the throng but none of his Disciples but such as listned with the other eare to your lusts But I am perswaded better things of you Heb. 6.9 and things that accompany salvation though I thus speake for I know your husbandman was skilfull and the seed good Math. 13.3 1 Pet. 1.23 Beare not therefore thorns and briars for such ground is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned but rather shew your selves to be the earth that hath drunk in the raine that came oft upon you and bring forth fruit that so you may receive a further blessing from God Unto whose blessing and most gracious protection I commend you and remaine Your servant in the Lord SAM TORSHELL To the READER THE holy Scriptures that had so many praises given unto them by the Antients were by them much read and studied who used also many waies of interpreting them wee finde their Commentaries that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writings in which they set downe-heads for remembrances Interpretations that is Enarrations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they called them or Examinations of the words Significations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scholies that is Glosses which they writ at their leisures in their ordinary reading Metaphrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delivering the text in other words Paraphrases a
The Table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof even his meate is not to be regarded 13 Ye said also Behold it is a wearinesse and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of Hostes and ye offered that which was torne and the lame and the sick thus ye offered an offering should I accept this at your hand saith the Lord 14 But cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am agreat King saith the Lord of Hostes and my Name is terrible among the Heathen The parts of this Chapter are two 1. A Preface or Inscription 2. The Oracle or Prophecy 1. The Preface in the first verse generall to the whole 2. The Prophecy in the rest 1. An expostulation with the people and Priest for their ingratitude and corrupting of his worship from verse 2. to the 9. 2. A Commination of judgment deserved by it or a Commination of divers judgments from vers 9. to the end In the Preface or Inscription we conceive two things The substance and circumstance of it 1. The substance being the subject or matter of the whole is in that it is called a Burden 2. The Circumstance of the person which is three-fold 1. From whom as the Efficient 2. To whom as the Object 3. By whom as the Instrument VERSE I. The burden of the Word of the Lord to Israel by the ministery of Malachy THE Burden Here is the matter or subject of this Booke or Prophecy He calleth it a burden usuall with Prophets in their writings all almost in some place or other But Nahum Habakkuk and Malachy thus begin their prophecies It signifies as Hierome a woefull and sorrowfull prophecy full of threats and judgments called therefore a Burden because it presseth those against whom it is spoken the hearts and spirits of them as a burden the body and suffers them not to lift up their heads and themselves as in former times Some thinke it signifies not onely this but also the Commandement of the Lord by which the Prophet was burdened as from the Lord that he should declare it in so many words unto Israel which they thinke follows thence because it is to Israel not against but I feare this is somewhat nice for it was so to them as it was against them for their sinnes and that which is against is as much as a burden to the Prophet but this must be understood Tropicè here being a Synecdoche for the whole Prophecy is not a burden or threatning of punishment but part onely of it and so the whole is denominated of the part The punishment of sinne Doctrine the affliction God inflicts upon men for their sinnes and transgressions is a burden not a light one not such as are the feathers of a bird onus sine onere but as a talent of Lead spoken of Zach. 5.7 heavy and grievous so is it here and in many places of the Prophets as Nah. 1.1 Hab. 1.1 Jerem. 23.33 fine he shewes what is the burden I will cast you off and send you into Babel captives vers 36. that is whosoever shall say The burden he shall for that word beare his burden that is be punished of the Lord it is proved further by Matth. 7.9 Galat. 6.8 Hence is the complaint of David Psal 32.4 Thy hand was heavy upon me Because sinne the deserving and procuring cause Reas 1 is a very grievous burden Psal 38.4 Matth. 27.38 that is to living men and such as have the use of their sences not to dead and benummed men then the punishment is grievous Because the wrath and displeasure of God Reas 2 which is the efficient cause of it is very heavy and grievous The displeasure of a Prince is heavy the Kings wrath is as the roaring of a Lion Prov. 19.12 Now hence are afflictions heavy and burdensome Because none can give ease in it or deliver from it Reas 3 save God onely Hos 1.6 1 Sam. 2.25 2 King 6.26 27. The wound that is had by the biting of a Scorpion is grievous when nothing can cure it but the ashes of that Scorpion much more this This may teach us what to judge of those men who are in some affliction under a judgment and yet finde no burden Vse 1 but goe as light under them as a bird doth under her feathers and sometimes make advantage of them as beggers doe make gaine of their sores they are senselesse they are benummed they are dead men In common sence if any have halfe an hundreth weight laid upon his hand or foot and pressing him sore and he feele it not what judgment is to be given of it but to be a mortified and a dead member so alas how many dead men are in our times and daies The burden not of the Word onely but of the rod of the Lord not threatned but executed hath beene upon our Land and Church by the fearefull Plague now well towards three yeares wee have walked in the land of the dead we have beene in the house of mourning Indeed the living hath laid it to his heart but so few have done it that the dead are more than the living not onely our wanton women and voluptuous men to whom that 1 Tim. 5.6 They are dead while they live but our worldly men our ambitious and others all dead for this they have not felt We sorrowed for fifty odde thousands that dyed in the former yeare we have as much need to sorrow for so many thousands yet living and dead amongst us they never indeed felt nor yet doe feele this burden Their irreligious carriage when it was here amongst us both at home abroad in the City and abroad their small conformity since to the Law of God little reforming of their corruptions nay their monstrous deformity in themselves wives and children perswades my heart as 't is Psal 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart there is no feare of God before my eyes so that they had no feeling of this at all for they who truely felt it would grow somewhat better if not altogether reformed If an heathenish people who knew not God at the burden of the Word of the Lord did so humble themselves that the Lord said Jonah 8.10 He repented of the evill he said he would doe to you and did it not what shall be thought of Christian men by profession living in the Church of God if at the burden of his Word they repent not nor depart from their evill wayes but Isaiah 8.8 Though they be stricken revolt more and more it is because they are dead men and cannot feele it Oh then weepe not for me but for your selves and children as those not for the departed but for the living dead for if it be true The beginning of the remedy is the sence and acknowledgment of the malady how farre are they from cure that have not yet the feeling
nothing so currantly with God neither when we looke for so much from God Man will not give God so much give him our selves and that we have received one will give him his heart another his body not his heart another will part both with him as if he created not both as one as if his title be not as great to one as to another or to the whole as to part He is the Father of our spirits and the Father of our bodies or if thou wilt give one and not the other thou condemnest thy selfe by the one for with-holding the other for his right is in this respect to both and must have both and be honoured in the whole But why pay they as much because they would receive more and have not yet enough So in this no man is perfect though he have received much And why hath not God made him perfect Verily it was as one said not because he was covetous and niggard but because he was loving and bountifull knowing that it was good for him to be such an one not that he should be poore but humble not as alwayes needy but as alwayes looking up to him and remembring to honour him with that he hath given him that he may receive that he wants and further perfection pay then thy debt and pay it to receive more that thou mayest be perfect and thinke he speakes to every one If I be thy Father honour me remember me thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth and thy age even as one saith so often as thou breathest so often thou oughtest to remember God And seeing thy being is ever in one so thy thankfulnesse should be ever both for thy ever being And as Chrysostome thou wilt say Lord keepe me as the Apple of thine Eye he will answer thee againe Keepe my Commandements as the Apple of thine eye so thou wilt come to God and say Lord keepe me for thou hast made me I am thine and the workes of thy hands God will answer thee then Keepe the words of my mouth and so honour me for thou art the workes of my hands The election of God Doctr. by which he hath freely chosen men to be his sonnes and to be heires of eternall life binds them to obedience service and honouring of him so the Lord reasoneth here if I be a father if I have adopted and chosen you for sonnes where is my honour He challengeth but that he hath title To this purpose is that Ephe. 1.4 1 Pet. 1.17 Math. 5.16 Because his choise and adoption is so free Reas for it is without any merits of deserts of man of his owne free will and pleasure Ephe. 1.5 long before there was any merit of man for it was before he was it is ancienter then the world it is coeternall with God himselfe for as he is from all eternities so he hath loved his from all eternity then free and most franke is this choice of men to be sonnes Now benefits the more free undeserved the more they bind men to performe thankfulnesse for them So in this And this is that God would have for it Honour him Because it is so rare a benefit not all not many Reas 2 but few of many Math. 20.16 few chosen Benefits that are rare are pretious rara chara and so deserve and exact more when as then God amongst so many Nations of barbarous men and in such a multitude of condemned men hath called a man to so happy a condition that he should be in the number of those who are chosen his sons and to inherit eternall life the benefit being so much the greater as the number is smaller must needs binde to this duty This may serve to stop the mouth of desperate wretches Vse 1 that make the doctrine of Gods decree an occasion of carelesnesse and from it take liberty to dishonour God that reason if they be elected they are sure to be saved whether they live well or ill and so è contra whence they give all liberty to themselves and live licentiously and dishonour God of these I would demand whether they thinke the former testimonies and this particular preface was written by the spirit of Christ If they say no they shew themselves in the state of reprobation what soever God hath decreed of them If they say it is then let them compare the spirit they speake with and this spirit by which these are written and see themselves not to be led with the spirit of Christ which can not so contradict it selfe It requireth duty and reverence service and honour because thou art his thou wilt give none because if perhaps thou beest thou needest not if not it is bootlesse and doubtfull in this thou determinest not to honour God but to dishonour him Tell me this thou thou art a father and disposest of all thy goods in secret before ever thy sonne knows how or hath enquired and used means to know how if he should set light by thee and carry himself undutifully towards thee as if he would give thee an occasion to give all away from him if thou hast not done it already wouldest thou not thinke it a marvellous preposterous and impious course and yet this is that which thou wilt doe with God like a desperate miscreant not knowing whether God hath purposed thee salvation and heaven which he had disposed and made his will of in secret yea not taking so much paines to search and enquire by the booke of God and the notes in it whether thou be in the number but yer ever thou seeke after it to know whether thou be in his booke so wilfully behavest thy selfe as if thou meantst to make him alter his will if it were possible if he were purposed to deale well with thee before But know thou if he were purposed to disinherit thee yet thou oughtest to honor him because he is the father And this without all consideration of Heaven and Hell much more if he have elected thee and thou be his sonne this way too oughtst thou to honour him And know that if thou beest his no such thought can possesse thy heart long lesse allow thy mouth to speake it boastingly in a secure and carelesse course of life what may come from a man of a troubled minde and in a temptation that is not to this purpose but the other can never bee Nay know that God disposeth all things sweetly and orderly to bring a man to this end if he have once chosen him As a father that aymes at some state of life for his sonne as to make him a Lawyer or a Divine he traines him up so and brings him up in learning and studies and directions This should admonish every one who by a divine search findeth himselfe the son of God by adoption or election Vse 2 or thinks himselfe is one to remember what he is and what it requires of him even to honour God as a father The former bindes
and trade of sinne Vse 2 and that neither the pleasures nor displeasures of the world the delights nor the dreads of it shall draw him to be enticed and openly sinne to labour for this feare by which he shall be able to overcome temptations on all sides For if he have this feare a man would never sell himselfe to eternall torments for a draught of pleasure or for a Million of Gold when it might be said to him as Joshua 22.18 Ye also are turned away this day from the Lord and seeing yee rebell to day against the Lord even to morrow he will be wroth with all the congregation of Israel Loe to day he offendeth and to morrow God will be wroth and he shall perish in his wrath surely no profit or pleasure tendered unto him would make him incurre this danger And for the other temptation hee would easily overcome it by this even the feare of mens feare with the feare of Gods punishments and say happily as David though he spoke it more sanctifiedly Psal 119.161 Princes have persecuted me without cause but mine heart stood in awe of thy words If he have this feare hardly such temptations will assault him For as Chrysost Hom. 15. ad pop Ant. If it be once knowne and heard that an armed Souldier stands watching in a house for the defence of it there is neither thiefe nor robber nor any that practiseth such evill will come neere it So when feare is the keeper of mans heart there is neither the temptation of pleasure or profit or worldly feare will set upon a man but will fly away or be easily expelled subdued as it were by the command of feare God hath set two Schoole-masters over us Pudor Timor shame and feare that should lead an ingenuous nature but if not that yet this should unlesse we will be worse than beasts The second effect of this feare is that it is tanquam acus ad filum the needle or the bristle to the threed that is that as they goe before and make way for the threed but abide not there when it is once come but goes out againe So this feare first entereth the heart of man and makes way for love or the Child-like feare that loving feare first when he is converted and it entereth in for this end to bring or draw in love after it and love when it is once entered casteth feare out of doores that made entrance before 1 John 4.18 This is further manifest by the example of Paul Acts 9.3 6. and Josiah 2 Chron. 34.19 27. so Act. 2.37 38. and 16.30 Rom. 7.10 Because God respects and accepts men to give them grace when they are troubled Reas 1 and are smitten with this feare Isaiah 66.2 and it is spoken exclusivè none but them this then must needs goe before Because mans heart is not capable of grace without this first Reas 2 without this it is not fit to receive the impression of Gods Spirit It gives no grace but it makes capable of grace as we see fire though it give the metall no fashion yet it maketh it liquid and fit to be cast in any mould it maketh the waxe fit to receive any impression of the Seale So this feare though it worke no grace in the heart but leaveth it as corrupt as it findeth it yet it mollifieth it and maketh it plyable for Gods Spirit to worke upon which before could not take the stamp of Gods grace This manifesteth that many men must needs be without grace Vse 1 because many have not had this feare which is ever before grace wheresoever it comes and grace never comes any where where this Usher hath not beene before it is the forerunner of grace as John Baptist was of Christ As God appeared to Elias so he approacheth to the soule 2 Kings 19 12 13 14. he was neither in the winde nor earthquake which rended the earth and clave the rockes nor in the fire that devoureth all before it nor he went not before them but he was in a soft voyce which came afterwards So is the spirit and grace of God it goes not before the servile feare it is not with it when it rends the hard hearts of men and when it melts and mollifies them with the fire of Gods wrath but it cometh after and speaketh peace and rest to the soule whereas many never tasted of this feare and shew it by their lives they have no feare of God nay in words brag they had never no such rentings and meltings of heart nay jest at those which have they shew themselves voyd of grace of true grace yea many who are not so outragious but civill or rather secure who indeed never felt any such trouble and fight in them any such feare or terror but all things is and ever was at peace within they are men voyd of true grace and saving grace they may have the shaddow and similitudes of grace but no substance and truth of it This may teach every man that hath this feare in him Vse 2 to make much of it and nourish it it being the forerunner of grace and as it were the harbinger of it without which it never appeares as God never comes with grace unlesse this apparitor go before as men therefore who desire the Prince and joy in his comming will rejoyce at the comming of his Harbinger and make much of him so ought they of this feare yea and the greater this feare is the more rejoyce at it aswell as men may rejoyce in feare for the greater grace follows after for in the examples of the Scriptures those who have had most feare and conflicts in their conversion have been the best men and women most full of grace God saith Bernard hath two feet the one of feare the other of love and when he would enter a mans Soule he is wont to send afore or step first in with his foot of feare then after his foot of love and the greater the feare is which went before the greater the love is which follows after The third effect of this feare is to make the party it possesseth credulous apprehending every surmise against him making him encline to the worst and forecast the utmost of the evill As in that feare which the Goaler was possest with Acts 16.27 he apprehended the worst and utmost In Samuel and Josiah so in the Ninevites Ion. 3.5 therefore it made them apprehend the worst and beleeve it would be so Because feare brings to minde a mans sinnes and deserts Reas 1 even those which were long before committed and for them makes him apprehend danger and deeper then indeed it is As in the brethren of Joseph Gen. 42.21 no marvell then if it make them easily beleeve that such things may fall upon them Because they know by themselves Reas 2 that those who are injured and offended doe hate the offenders and where hatred is joyned with power and might there must needs be
quality yea and of a step or a degree higher Hay or stubble or any combustible matter dryed and heated by the Sunne soone takes fire the resisting of humidity is taken away So in this For when temptation is offered to some or other sinne that the conscience shall at first seeme to make nice of the corruption of the heart will be ready to make answer and suggest that he may as well and as safely doe this as the former there is no more danger in the one then in the other and therefore that it is to no end to make dainty of the one seeing he is so farre ingaged in the other Therefore hee that would be free from greater when the lesse hath seased upon him let him haste and by true repentance as by an ejectione firmae cast him out of possession Take the foxes when they are little and if not at first yet as they come in by little and little cast them out by little and little and go back againe by degrees as the sunne went backe in the Diall of Ahaz Vse 3 This may teach every man to account it a mercy and goodnesse of God to him when he gives a meanes to prevent his entrance into a sinne or his continuance in it when he hath slipped aside to any though but a little one St. Aug. saith that Omne peccatum c. Every sinne that God prevented in him and kept him from committing of it he accounted no lesse mercy than if he had pardoned him And doubtlesse in this respect the mercy is more for while that sinne was prevented more and perhaps greater sinnes were prevented in him Men are nothing so sensible in this but it is their corruption as they are not so sensible of the benefit being kept from transgressing the Law as getting a pardon after nor in preventing a disease as in removing it after But the merecy is great whether it be by the voice of a Minister if he open his heart to it or the voyce of a judgment or the voice of his conscience or the voice of the Spirit Es 30.21 It is a benefit when a man is setled or secure in his sinne by any of these meanes to be admonished as David was by Nathan after he had sinned in numbring the people and Peter was by Christ after the third deniall though it had beene greater if the admonition and prevention had beene at the first or second step So should men esteeme it when they are turned or turning to the right hand or to the left by pleasure or profit It is good that God will so admonish them and prevent this by whom or howsoever by publikc or private meanes by good or bad And let them hearken and obey and be thankfull to the Authour and the meanes Nec ullus omnino sermo qui adificat ad pietatem ad virtutes ad mores optimos negligenter est audiendus quoniam illic iter quo ostenditur Salutare De i. Bern. in Cant. serm 57. Si corripuerit me justus in misericordia id ipsum sentiam sciens quia aemulatio justi benevolentia iter faciunt ei qui ascendit super occasum Bonus occasus cum ad correptionem justi stat homo corruit vitium Dominus ascendit super illud conculcans hoc pedibus conte●ens ne resurgat Non ergo contemnenda increpatio justi quae ruina peccati cordis sanitas est nec non Dei ad animam via Bern. Ibid. Vnusquisque pro modulo suo audiat sicut sibi conscius fuerit ita vel doleat corrigendus vel gaudeat approbandus Si se deviâsse invenerit redeat ut in via ambulet Si se in via invenerit ambulet ut perveniat Nemo sit superbus extra viam nemo piger in via Aug. in Psal 31. praefat As St. Bernard speakes No word that edifies to godlinesse to vertue and good manners is to be heard negligently because there is the way in which is shewed the salvation of God And a little before in the same Sermon saith he The admonition of the righteous is not to be contemned which is sinnes ruine the hearts health and Gods way to the Soule And as S. Aug. to the same purpose of publick hearing and admonition Let every one heare as he can and as he is conscious to himselfe so let him either grieve being to be corrected or rejoyce being to be approved If he finde that he hath gone astray let him returne that he may walke in the way If he find himselfe in Gods way let him walke on to the end let no man be proud out of the way nor slothfull in it In that you say That is thus thinke in your hearts and this is known to God 'T is not likely they were so impious to utter their prophane conceits of Gods service but as it is Ps 14.1 Psal 30.6 Not onely workes and words Doctrine but even the thoughts are known to God The very hearts of men have eares to heare God and mouths to speake to God Corda Deo aures os gerunt saith St. Aug. As God said to Moses in another case Exod. 14.15 so to the wicked Why cryest thou against me when haply they speak no word but onely blaspheme God in their hearts as it is Psal 10.13 The Table of the Lord is not to be regarded They aske wherein they have despised and polluted God In that they think basely of his service they pollute him in polluting his Altar They who thinke basely of Gods board they contemne and pollute God whose board it is By Table is understood not that of the Shew-bread but the Altar of burnt-offerings And so is Ezek. 41.22 Whatsoever abuse is committed in the worship of God or against the meanes of his worship Doctrine it is held to be done against God himselfe Thus answereth God this people In polluting my Altar you pollute me the meanes of Gods worship with us are the Word Sacraments and Prayer as the Law Sacrifices and Sacrament were with them Now then as the contemning of these were the contemning of him so is it with us It is that which is 1 Cor. 11.27 to be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord that is of a heinous offence committed against his person he is absent so was God from the sacrifices yet he was polluted in them because they were offered unto him So is it in these Sacraments of ours because he offereth them unto us as signes of himselfe Hence it is Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And wherefore they more than other men but for this because they were the Candlesticks that held forth the light they were they who brought the Word to them and that was it not for their persons Because he that denies God all worship and honour must needs contemne and
sinne-offering to be eaten by the Priests for those they were marvellous carefull they might be of the best and some expound them of the peoples offerings in generall whether they were burnt offerings sinne offerings or peace offerings or whatsoever and those words it is not evill some take for the Peoples words it is good enough for the Priests or it is good enough to be burnt to ashes others make the Priest heartening the people in that practise which is very probable God before directing his speech to the Priests In summe it is like to be both as both are here accused The Prophet had told them of their base thought of Gods Table to this they might happily reply or object you take too much upon you to see into our hearts and to censure our thoughts to this the Prophet makes by insinuation in an answer though closely that he need not to dive so deepe their life and practice taught as much a man might easily read the prophanenesse of their hearts in the uncleanenesse of their gifts and their contempt of God in their carriage The thoughts of men are knowne either immediately and directly by God alone Jer. 17.10 Matth. 9.4 or mediately and indirectly and so man may know them either as God revealeth them Ezek. 14.1 2 3. or as men discover them by their actions looks or speeches First Matth. 7.16 Ye shall know them by their fruts doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles Secondly Isaiah 3.9 The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them Thirdly Luke 6.45 In this place the first is understood Now this people are not reproved for bringing no sacrifice but faulty sacrifice faulty for quality contrary to the Law Levit. 22.21 22. Now what is spoken of their sacrifice may be spiritually applyed to ours that we may make some benefit out of this The Sacrifice of the Church in the New Testament are First men themselves and that first in life soules and bodies consecrated unto Gods service both in their generall callings their particular places Rom. 12.1 Present your bodies a living sacrifice not to slaughter them but the corruption of them Rom. 6.6 13. Now the mortifying of the affection killeth not the man Psal 51.17 As the Ram not Isaac was slaine though hee was offered Read Gen. 22. Mar. 12.33 1 Sam. 15.22 Secondly in death in offering their soules to Gods hand Luk. 23.46 Acts 7.59 and their bodies for testimony of the truth being called to it Phil. 2.17 2 Tim. 4.6 Secondly the Sacrifices of the New Testament are some thing from themselves immediately to God as praises and prayer compared to Sacrifice Psal 50.14 15. Drinke offering Psal 116.31 Incense Psal 141.2 Hosea 14.3 Apocal. 5.8 and 8.3 4. Secondly to man for God as Almes Heb. 13.16 Psal 4.18 Matth. 12.7 Now as their Sacrifices signified ours so their imperfection noteth out ours The first is blindnesse which in the Scripture signifieth ignorance as Rev. 3.2 1 Pet. 5.9 shewing that he detested such service as was done of ignorance without knowledge By lame he may meane when things are done without minde and heart with the outward man not inward for fashion feare praise c. By sick when it is without spirit and affection the spirit is gone when it is without zeale fervency affection Offer it now unto thy Prince The second reason they have offended against nature and civility He that offereth the Lord of Hosts such things as he would not offer unto a man which the Prince will not accept saith that the Table of the Lord is not to be regarded ye offer such c. Offer now unto thy Prince Captaine or Ruler there was then no King in Israel for the kingly dignity was extinct in Jechoniah Jer. 22. but they onely had Captaines over them appointed by the Persian King to whom they were in bondage As Zerubbabel is called the Captaine of Israel Haggai 1.1 and so it is made more offensive that they used God as they would not doe a meane man not a King but a Captaine and it is as if God had said Now make tryall of the good will of your Captaine towards you which is more familiar to you being a man and inferiour to a King whom if thou labourest thus to reconcile unto thy selfe thou shalt more offend and excite against thee What an indignity is this then against me that I should be no more or not so much accounted of as a meane Captaine how should not this in stead of reconciling me more displease and provoke me And what can you looke for from me so mighty a God to defend and vindicate my glory and service from such indignities but wrath and displeasure Will he be content with thee or will it please him as if hee said undoubtedly it will marvellously displease him Or accept thy person or accept thy face That is will he kindly and lovingly looke upon thee and grant thee the things thou desirest as Gen. 19.21 Job 42.8 9. so here Will he friendly respect you and grant your request No he will be more offended with you In the whole he answereth that they might object that he tooke too much upon him to pry into their thoughts hearts when he did no otherwise than ordinarily he might doe judge their lives by their practices The point then is The wickednesse of the life proclaimeth and preacheth to men the prophanenesse of the heart as Psal 14.1 Doctrine The foole hath said in his heart there is no God they hve corrupted and done an abominable worke there is none that doth good Was not this enough to convince them of impiety and Atheisme before God which searcheth the heart So there is another way for man to know Titus 1.16 They professe that they know God but by works they deny him and are abominable and disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate And this is enough to condemne them of impiety and prophanenesse of contempt of God want of the feare of God before man that seeth the outward man onely and must by it judge of the inward Matth. 7.16 17 18. Ye shall know them by their fruits Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles So every good tree bringeth forth good fruit and a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit A good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit * Non ex foliis non ex floribus sed ex fructu arbor bona mal●ive dignoscitur Bern. Epist 107. A good or evill tree is knowne not by the leaves or flowers but by the fruits 1 John 3.10 In this are the children of God known and the children of the devill whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother Because the tongue will bewray the irreligiousnesse of the heart when it speaketh folly Reas 1 as Jan. 1.26 If any man among you seeme religious and refraineth not his tongue but
be not against them Because this is a speciall meanes Reas as to shew a mans deresting of such things so to draw them to the disliking of such things as they are affected with or dote upon such speeches often more prevaile then greater matters men being more impatient of ascoffe then many serious reproofes This refelleth their conceit who deny any use of these things Vse 1 they deny there are any such things in the Scripture they say they are lyes they say that the Apostle forbids them Object Ephe. 5.4 neither jesting I answer that there is an use of them and that in the Scripture as the former examples prove Answ Neither are they supposed unfitting the Majesty of the Scripture For though it be true that a man speakes one thing and thinkes another yet the manner of his words and speech doth bewray his minde and that indeed there is no contrariety for the hearer may easily discern his minde As in that of Michaiah 1 Kings 22.15 for verse 16. Ahab discerned well his meaning that he did but scoffe at him and his false Prophets so that he speakes as he thinkes not for the very words but for the matter of the words Neither makes the place in the Ephesians against this because it forbids scurrility when men scoffe and reproach others rashly when there can be no edifying of others or good to the party but their malice and disdaine shewed and as well the modest and temperate hearers as the sufferers are offended which is that which differeth farre from these things we can not bring these within compasse of a lye unlesse we make the Spirit of truth a lying Spirit And in these a man hath no intent to have his words otherwise taken then he meaneth them This warranteth the use of them Vse 2 as sometimes our men have done in deriding and scoffing at the folly of Papists at their Idols and Idolatrous service and foolish superstitions and ever are lawfull to be used when a man doth it not for revenge or to wreck his anger wrath upon some person that is his particular enemie but to reprove and condemn impious and idolatrous worship and such like Now for the matter and first for that which is general here in the whole God will not accept their prayers that is the thing threatened It is a heavy thing Doctr. and fearefull judgement that men should pray and not be heard that they make long prayers to God but he will be as though he heard not but reject their supplications and they be as men beating the ayre It is threatned here So Isaiah 1.15 And when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare for your hand are full of blood Proverb 1.28 Then shall they call on me but I will not answer they shall seeke me earely but they shall not finde mee Hosea 8.13 The contrary is promised as a blessing and performed as a blessing and acknowledged as a blessing Isaiah 30.19 Surely a people shall dwell in Lion and in Jerusalem thou shalt weep'no more he will certainly have mercy upon thee at the voyce of thy cry when hee speaketh he will answer thee 2 Chron 7.14 Psal 116.1 2. Because it is a manifest signe that the persons are out of favor and he is dispeased with them Reas 1 for the accepting of their prayer is a proofe of the acceptation of person because he first looks to the person In sacrificiis quae Abel Cain primi obtulerunt non munera corum Deus sed corda intuebatur ut ille placeret in munere qui placebat in corde Cypr. de Orat Dom. 11. then the prayer as first Abel was accepted then his sacrifice And what can bee more fearefull though it is not alwaies felt then to live out of favor with God If in the displeasure of a Prince there be danger more of Gods to carry Gods marke about with him as Cain that he is out of favor Because this is the meanes by which all blessings are obtained Reas 2 the key that opens and shuts Heaven Oratio justi clavis est coeli ascendit precatio descendit Dei miseratio Aug. ut nihil sanctū nisi illo sanctificante nihil potens nisi illo roborante Prayer the wall of the City Ita nihil faelix nihil anspicatum nisi illo prosper ante Cipr. as Elijah it opens the right hand of God for blessings shuts the left hand from cursings Now when a man can receive no blessing neither escape any curse hath no meanes for it because as good be without the meanes as when they are not regarded must it not be a heavy thing Many things befall many men without prayer if that be no prayer which is without understanding and affection yet are they but common blessings such as are common to them and other men yea creatures unreasonable and senselesse Because as one saith verè novit rectè vivere Reas 3 qui rectè novit orare so he can only live well who can pray well For as St. Augustine out of Saint Cyprian Quae implenda jubentur in lege in oratione poscenda sunt but if they can not or shall not be heard in praying where shall they have strength to performe This noteth the senselessenes of many men Vse 1 who though they pray often and prevaile seldome or never yet never mourne under it as under a judgement sorrow not much for it It may be they can mourne that they have not that they desire for want of the thing it self but not that their prayers are not heard It is that they grieve for because they receive not from God but never that their prayers are not received of God like him that puts up a Petition to the Prince and is little or not at all troubled that he reads it not but gives it over to another that will smother it but his griefe is that he relieves him not and this appeares because their hearts desire any meanes else though never so unlawfull to supply that they want and to give that which God will not grant and if the opportunity be offered they will not stick to use them as Saul did the witches things condemned by him before Secondly because if those meanes be of force and by them they prevaile their hearts are cheared up well enough little or not at all sorrowing that he heard them not not much caring though he did not Thirdly if they prevaile not by those meanes yet never will they returne again to God nor seeke from him if not the things yet patience and comfort in the want of them To teach the whole Church and particulars of it Vse 2 to groane under this as under a judgement of God that their prayers are not heard they aske and receive not they seeke and find not they knock and it is not opened unto them And yet they asked things
stony conduits God conveyeth the water of life as a Gardener doth water to his plants but it is not better in regard of them who doe it for it maketh their condemnation more grievous Judas preached condemnation to himselfe and yet no doubt converted some as the rest did Noah was glad he could get some to build his Arke himselfe and his sonnes being no workmen fit for it but it profited them not a whit that built it as good never have done it This may teach us what to judge of our Church-Papists Vse 1 who for feare of law avoiding of losse for escaping of imprisonment doe resort to our congregations without conscience and care they are worse than those who doe refuse to come than open recusants for if to come to Church for a shew to prophane Gods worship and to doe it rashly for sinister respects and in hypocrisie be worse than not doing then they are greater offenders in comming than others in abstaining The Shechemites were greater sinners with Hamor and Shechem his sonne in taking the Sacrament of Circumcision for profit and satisfying their pleasure and to make a prey as they thought of Israel Gen. 34. than the other Gentiles who refused it So in this they come to Church for advantage or profit or saving of that they have then is it better they should not come at all Nay not so but it is lesse e vill not more good The goodnesse is that they labour to be instructed in that they ought and to know how they ought and to endeavour to come with care and conscience as is required In the meane time hee that abstaines and comes not is lesse evill than he that doth come carelesly c. Why then should Magistrates compell men to the service of God Object when he shall make them sinne and sinne more than if they abstaine The Magistrate may not compell any man to doe evill Answ that is a thing simply forbidden of God but hee may compell a man to doe that which he may sinne in doing of it Things that men doe are of three sorts good and commanded evill and forbidden indifferent and neither commanded nor forbidden of God In this last the Magistrate ought to have a speciall and tender respect to the conscience of his subject though it be erronious specially when they are things of no moment the doing of them little profits the Church or Common-wealth and the omitting of them doth prejudice it nothing at all For the other Ad fidem unllus est cogendus invitus sed per severitatem into per misericordiam Dei tribulationum flagellis perfidia castigari August contr lit Petil. lib. 2 cap. 38. And againe Si quae igitur adversus vos leges constitutae sunt non bene facere cogimini sed malè facere prohibemini Ibid. he is not to respect the erronious consciences of men as not to suffer them unpunished for evill doing though they should pretend conscience in it so is hee not to abstaine from compelling them to that which is good for that evill is adjoyned to it it is not his fact that commandeth but comes from their infidelity and corruption who are commanded of which he cannot be accused when he hath carefully endeavoured that they be duely and rightly instructed and informed for when he may say the things I require are commanded in the Scriptures I have done my best endeavour that you may know the truth and not perish and I will not cease for hereafter to perswade and exhort and command you doe you need the Scriptures conferre with the Ministers pray God to open your eyes he hath then done his part This teacheth the fearefull condition of such as onely doe and performe the service of God Vse 2 but marvellous carelesly and corruptly they heare the Word they make prayers they receive the Sacrament but they are no more acceptable unto God than if they did them notat all God saith unto them as a Father to his Child and a Master to his servant seeing them scambling over their duties and businesse without care and respect I had as leese you did them nor at all Now what would we think of him that should never pray never heare the Word never receive Sacrament would not every one thinke hee is an odious man to God verily such and more odious if it may be is every one that doth these but without care of course without conscience they heare the Word but without profit God had rather have them away than come to Church to deride his Word to sleepe or talke there to prophane his worship So they pray but not with their hearts but with their lips their hearts are taken away with their pleasures profits and delights As Hosea 4.11 he esteemes of them as well when they pray not they receive the Sacrament but without preparation without understanding what they doe most unworthily they intrude themselves to the Table of the Lord God had as liefe have them away their roome were as acceptable to him as their thronging as his without the wedding-garment at the feast of the King Matth. 22. This is their fearefull condition he that heares is as though he heard not he that prayes as though he prayed not he that receiveth the Sacrament as though he did not and so of all the service of God he is as acceptable to God in not doing them as he is in doing and è contra as odious Then a man had as good not doe at all Object and so while you reprove one thing you open the gap to another from carelessenesse to prophanenesse If any man doe gather so Answ it is his collection not my assertion he like a Spider or Toad gathered venome and poyson from sweet flowers and wholesome herbs If a Master should tell his servant doing his businesse negligently that he had as lieve he did it not Will he reply then he will not if he doe shall he not for such contempt be beaten with more stripes Nay a servant that would avoid that and receive any wages and reward will seeke to correct his errour and reforme his corruption so in this This ought to instruct us that have any desire to be accepted in our service of God Vse 3 and not to be rejected as if we did neglect it altogether to doe it with all care and diligence and in the best manner that may be doe we must And then not to lose our labour and have no respect nor reward we must endeavour to doe them as they ought to be done heare with an honest heart to profit pray with a fervent spirit to prevaile use the Sacraments in knowledge and due preparation for them these and all other parts of his service as he requireth else we are in a strait as the Lepers were 2 King 7.3 4. without the walls of Samaria if they enter the City there is death if they sit still there is death also So we if we
endure the words of reproofe from the mouth of the Minister if he deale more sharply with their sinnes covetousnesse usury envy quarrellings pride and vanities and particularly for the sinne in hand for their cold prayers carelesse hearing sleepy attending negligent or late comming the omission and remission of their care publiquely but specially privately in the worship and service of God they must not grudge and goe away discontented saying He knowes me well he might well have forborne this I have been an old professor and an old disciple hast thou then is thy sinne the greater and God is more displeased with it and so ought his Ministers lesse to spare thee and thou the rather to take it from them As Moses said See Israel will not heare then how will Pharaoh I wonder not many times to see common Christians and carnall men to distaste reproofes when I find professors so disliking them but as their sinnes are the greater sinne compared with sinne their reproofes should be the sharper as in diseases To teach every man to consider of his profession which he makes of Gods service and feare Vse 3 and thereby to know he is more bound to procure Gods name to be honored and in himselfe and his to be most carefull for his service and worship His profession requireth he be more devout in prayer more watchfull and diligent in hearing and in every duty whereby God is immediately worshipped and glorified more carefull This his profession requires of him which if he performe not he must know that as every sinne he committeth is more hainous so his carelessenes and corruption in the service of God is much more intolerable and hainous in the sight of God then his who makes no profession Thou seest a man who is but a state-Christian and professor withdraw himselfe and be negligent to come to the place of Gods worship thou dislikest and yet occasion of friends pleasure or profit will sometime draw thee aside from it thy sinne is farre more intolerable then his So of sleeping thy nod is worse then his halfe houres nap for to thee Christ saith as to Peter Marke 14.37 Ideo Ethnicis deteriores sumus quia meliores esse debemus quia pugnamus professionem nostram moribus nostris nec sumus id quod profitemur Salv. sleepest thou and so in every duty of Gods worship We are then farre worse then Ethnicks because we ought to be better because our profession and manners are repugnant and we are not what we professe our selves to be Then better not professe at all Object Answ Admit thy conceit but what is gained by it Paul saith Rom. 2.12 For as many as have sinned with out the law shall perish also without the law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law and Christ Luke 12.47 48. That servant that knew his Masters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes but he that knew it not and yet did commit things worthy of stripes shal be beaten with few stipes for unto whomsoever much is given of him shal be much required and to whom men commit much the more of him will they aske There was one had two sonnes Math. 21.28 he that said he would not and did was commendable doe thou like and it shal be well with thee but otherwise thy not profession shall also condemn thee and if it be lesse yet if thou perish thou hast gained little The best is to professe and also perform with all care the service of God then thou shalt be blessed in thy deed Have polluted it The act of these persons the Israelites the polluting and corrupting of the worship of God And here is the cause why God will take his worship and word from them they polluted and corrupted it and made no account of it The prophaning of Gods name Doctrine that is the corrupting and contemning of Gods word and worship is that which procures God to take it away and remove it from a people and land as here and Isaiah 29.10 ad 14. Jer. 7.13 14. Therefore now because ye have done all these workes saith the Lord and I rose up early and spake unto you but when I spake yee would not heare mee neither when I called would yee answer Therefore will I doe unto this house whereupon my name is called wherein also yee trust even unto the place that I gave unto you and your fathers as I have done unto Shilo This teacheth us to behold Gods just judgment upon the Church of Rome Vse 1 which once was a famous light and a flourishing Church but it grew both to contemn the word of God and to corrupt his worship It preferred the Church above it yea the Pope holding he might dispence with the word of God so Gratian speciall the new Testament so Panormitan the Church can make morall precepts mutable so Gratian with infinite such like The worship it hath corrupted by unwritten and lying traditions by such a burden of ceremonies as never any superstition had by the precepts of men and such like That God hath dealt justly he hath taken from them his word and left them in palpable darknes more then Aegypt 2 Thessal 2.11 And now are they as a man out of his way and yet thinks he is right the further he goes the more he is out of his way and no hope of returning because he perswadeth himselfe he is in the right way This may make us feare that the day of the mourning for the Gospell is not farre Vse 2 at least in Gods justice and his dealing with others because though corruption hath not seased upon his worship yet contempt of the word is every where The Church and the chiefe in it the Magistrates are here admonished Vse 3 if they desire that the Gospell and his worship should abide amongst us that they take heed it be not corrupted nor contemned which is the very life and breath of the Church the vitall spirits which being corrupted bring death to the whole they ought to make lawes against error and heresie superstition other corruptions and severely to execute them against whosoever dare privately or publiquely secretly or openly sowe any cockle with the pure wheat of Gods word and labor to keep it in as much sincerity and simplicity as may bee labouring to keep the fire upon the Lords Altar the Lampes burning in the Temple and the Levites unforsaken labouring for the mainteynance of the faith which was given unto the Saints Jude verse 3. correcting and punishing all contemners of it who or howsoever lest God doe remove it from us To teach every man as he desireth there should be peace and truth in his dayes so to repent of his corrupting Vse 4 polluting or contemning of this whether before or since his calling and now to labor for his part to keep it in integrity and purity to have it
to God if they were preserved and if God would returne in mercy to the City that they might in safety follow their callings againe for I cannot thinke but that most men specially when God came any thing nigh them were affected and touched for the present which usually brings forth such thoughts and such motions If any were not I think their case is marvellous fearefull to be in the fire and no relenting Then you that did remember your vowes and see where is the performance of them it may be sought for but not early seene or seen in a very few And what is to be expected but these curses and more heavy than we have had If your children or servants all the time you are correcting of them and holding the rod over them promise to learne their books better and doe their worke more diligently whereupon you spare them if they after deale deceitfully with you will not your displeasure be doubled and your anger be increased and you thinke lawfully too thinke Gods waies are more equall and just If thou wouldest avoid this then doe as David said and did Psal 66.13 14. I will goe into thine house with burnt offerings and I will pay my vowes which my lips have promised and my mouth hath spoken in my affliction If a man vow when he is in custody or restraint that when he getteth liberty he will goe and dwell in a place where the Word is if the Word goe from thence he is not bound Ruth 1.16 17. Againe in cases of necessity as a man bound to abstaine from Wine yet if Physitians counsell it for his health he may use it as Jer. 35.11 yet so as hee have a speciall eye to the maine end for which his vow was made as suppose Timothy 1 Tim. 5.23 to abstaine yet for his often infirmities he may drinke For I am a great King saith the Lord of Hostes There is Gods first reason why they ought not to corrupt his worship and deale thus deceitfully with him his greatnesse and power who is able to punish them for evill doing Men ought to obey God Doctr. and to avoid evill and corruption as generally and in all things so in his worship for feare of his power and justice Vide vers 6. where is my feare And a great King It is the Kingdome of power not grace he by his power is absolute King great and the greatest The Lord he is the absolute King of all men and Angells Doctr. and all creatures in the world they are all his subjects so is he here called a King and that 2 Chron. 20.6 Dan. 2.21 This his commanding of all creatures sheweth and their obeying Psal 104.4 Isaiah 37. Joshua 10.12 13. Exod. 14.21 Matth. 8.26 Dan. 3.6 Because he hath created and doth sustaine all Reas 1 it is reason he should be their King and they his subjects Because else there would be no order Reas 2 but all confusion Lactantius de falsa religione lib. 1. cap. 3. hee gives this as a reason for the order of things because there is but one God that governes all For as in an Army if there were as many Generalls as there are Bands Companies and Wings of the Battell it could neither be instructed nor governed because every one would stand upon his owne wisedome and counsell and such dissention would rather hurt than profit So in this world if there were multitudes of Governours if God were not the sole King and Governour there would be nothing but confusion and disorder Uses of this we have before Vse vers 4. The Lord of Hosts FINIS THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE PROPHET MALACHY AND now Oye Priests this commandement is for you 2 If ye will not he are it nor consider it in your heart to give glory unto my Name sayth the Lord of hostes I will even send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye doe not consider it in your heart 3 Behold I will corrupt your seede and cast dung upon your faces even the dung of your solemne feasts and you shall be like unto it 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandement unto you that my covenant which I made with Ley● might stand saith the Lord of hostes 5 My covenant was with him of life and peace and I gave him feare and he feared me and was afrayde before my Name 6 The law of truth was in his mouth and there was no iniquity found in his lippes he walked with me in peace and equity and did turne many away from iniquity 7 For the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts 8 But ye are gone out of the way ye have caused many to fall by the Law ye have broken the covenant of Levi sayth the Lord of hosts 9 Therefore have I also made you to be despised and vile before all the people because ye kept not my wayes but have beene partiall in the Law 10 Have we not all one father hath not one God made us why do 〈◊〉 transgresse every one against his brother and breake the covenant of our fathers 11 Judah hath transgressed and an abomination is commited in Israel and in Jerusalem for Judah hath defiled the holinesse of the Lord which he loved and hath married the daughter of a strange god 12 The Lord will cut off the man that doth 〈◊〉 both the master and the servant out of the Tabernacle of Jaacob and him that offere● 〈◊〉 o●●ering unto the Lord of hostes 13 And this have ye done againe and covered the altar of the Lord with teares with weeping and with mourning because the offering is no more regarded neither received acceptably at your hands 14 Yet yee 〈◊〉 Wherein Because the Lord hath beene witnesse betweene thee and the wife of thy 〈◊〉 against whom 〈◊〉 hast transgressed yet she is thy companion and the wi●● of thy covenant 15 And did not 〈◊〉 take one yet had he abundance of spirit and wherefore one because he sought a godly seede therefore keep your selves in your spirit and let none trespasse against the wife of his youth 16 If thou hatest her put her away sayth the Lord God of Israel yet he covereth the injury under his garment sayth the Lord of hosts therefore keep your selves in your spirit and transgresse not 17 Ye have wearied the Lord with your words yet ye say wherein have we wearied him When ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them Or where is the God of judgement VERS I. And now O yee Priests this commandment is for you THE parts of this Chapter are Curses and Judgements threatned against 1. the Priests 2. the People In the first verse is noted the preface to the Priests He applieth his doctrine to the Priests It is the dutie of the
hosts FOr the Priests lips In this verse is the reason of the precedent duties required in others and commended in those with whom God made his covenant at first generally commanding a duty of the Priest or a double dutie because by knowledge and law some understand two severall things It depends upon the former thus These things he ought to do for he ought to be a man of knowledge c. Some read them Doth preserve in the present tense but commonly it is read in the future Not to note out a promise as if the Priests lips should never erre but should be so kept that he might not erre But it is a commandement shewing how he ought to be qualified Shall keep It is not saith S. Hierom shall bring forth or produce for that was spoken before but shall keep that he may speak it and produce it in time and may give his fellow servants their portion in due time Some take knowledge here for the understanding of the spirituall and heavenly mysteries as the Law after for the rule of the composing of their manners and actions And these are said to be the Priests because they must study the bookes of divine wisedome by which they become more wise and more learned then the rest of the people And they should seek the Law at his mouth That is they ought to require from his mouth who ought to teach it them Levit. 10.9.10.11 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. The Law saith Bernard lib. 2. de Con. sid Non nugas profecto vel fabulas Not toyes and fables S. Cyril Ait nomine legis contineri omnium ad bene vivendum necessariorum cognitionem For he is the Messenger of the Lord. This is a reason for confirmation of the former he must be a man of wisedome and knowledge because he is one God hath made choyce of to be his messenger to carry and declare his will unto his people He is called Angelus not that he was so by nature but by office In the verse we observe two things two duties and one reason inforcing both The first is the Ministers duty he must be a man of knowledge learning and understanding The Minister of God Doctrine he that is to go in and out before Gods people ought to be a man of learning knowledge and understanding in the word of God and of the mysteries there delivered It is so here commanded This Elisha knew well therefore 2 King 2.9 he asked a double portion of Elijahs spirit Matth. 13.52 Every Scribe which is taught unto the kingdome of heaven is like unto an housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things both new and old Therefore are they compared to starres Rev. 2.1 Made the light of the world Matth. 5.14 To prove that starres should have light that the eye should have sight were needlesse for all know and will confesse it Tit. 1.9 Gods stewards of whom as they must be faithfull 1 Cor. 4.2 so also skilfull seeing he hath the keyes of the kingdome of heaven Haggai 1.13 he is the Lords messenger 2 Cor. 5.20 in Gods stead Because he is Gods messenger Reason 1 as Paul 1 Cor. 5.20 Gods Embassadour now necessarily it followes that the Messenger and Embassadour of a Prince should know and understand his Masters will what he is to speake and to deliver in the name of him that sent to those to whom he was sent so in this Because he ought to instruct the ignorant Reason 2 to strengthen the weake to exhort and excite the slow and cold to confirme the truth to confute errour and improve them that speake against the truth being every way both able and apt to teach as the tenor of the Epistles to Timothy and Titus do run But this cannot be done except he be a man of knowledge and understanding of the word This admonisheth all those Vse 1 who are by God and Man God and his Church put in trust and credited with the choyce and election of fit men for this calling and function that they impose not hands upon any neither admit any to this place but such as are able men such as after triall examination are found fit and sufficient for it If they lay their hands suddenly and foolishly upon any they shall be partakers of their sinnes and not be pure as 1 Tim. 5.22 And where sinne cleaves to the hand the rod and judgement will be upon the backe The Generall that for his proper gaine or private respects shall admit Captaines and Colonels and Marshals for the leading of severall Bands Multo fuisse satius manus suas in spinas imposuisse quam earum impositiono Sabbatium ad gradium designasse Presbiterii Marcianus which have no skill in Warre and Marshall affaires that when the field is to be fought are not able to lead their bands to go in and out before them can never answer it to their Prince if it be known that this is the cause why the Battel succeeds so badly why so many perished and the enemy gathered ground upon him So in this I thinke too many may say of those whom they have ordained as Marcianus said when he heard how Sabbatius demeaned himselfe whom he had ordained a Presbyter It had been better he had layd his hands upon thornes then by the imposition of his hands to have designed Sabbatius to the degree of a Presbyter This reproveth those who thinke any body sufficient for the Ministery As corrupt Patrons and Parents and such like ungodly Patrons to enrich themselves and better their state and portion thinke any body sufficient to discharge if he can change Peters voyce Acts 3.6 Silver and gold have I store or if he want that if he can part stakes and divide it take thirds or stand to his courtesie though he have not a whit of Elisha's spirit nor any knowledge in his lips such a one if they may be judges there is none to him as David said of Goliahs sword and more fit then one that hath Elisha's double spirit doubled upon him and will looke as he may to have that which God hath given him If we will make them judges either the Apostle Paul forgot himselfe or the Printer by negligence left out a word 2 Corinth 2.16 for it should be Who is not sufficient for these things But these Ieroboams which bring in Ministers of the lower sort of the people because they fill the hand shall have Ieroboams punishment 1 Kings 13.33.34 Qui potestatem facit volenti Ecclesi●m corrumpere is certè author fuerit corū omnium quae perdita illius audacia turbaverit Chrysost de Sacerd. 3. Like to these are carnall parents who bring up their children onely so farre as they may be capable by the law of a living but care not for other sufficiencie onely perhaps for credit and complement sake that they be able now and then to make a Sermon in some place of honour and fame And they will
To convince of sinne all such Vse as though they heare yet seeke not nor desire it have no fervent affection to it The Law That is the simple and plaine words of God not trifles and fables and other vanities of wit but the whole Law whatsoever he is bound to deliver The people ought to heare and receive Doctrine to seeke and desire the Law the pure Law and the whole Law from the Ministers As before the Minister ought to deliver all so here they must affect and receive all So is it here and to the same purpose is that Isai 1.3 For the whole Law is his way This is proved Deut. 5.27 Matth. 28.20 1 Thess 5.20.21 Heb. 6.1.2 This by the contrary Matth. 2.11.2 Tim. 3.4 Because they are his people Reason 1 servants children spouse all which requires they should heare and affect his words his lawes his will and his precepts and them all Because the whole is either concerning God or themselves Reason 2 God as it setteth forth his wisedome power justice mercie and so forth Themselves as it offers mercy or threatneth judgement as it reproveth evill or promiseth good This will serve to reprove many Vse 1 and to convince severall men of severall corruptions some in one sinne and some in another who will heare and seeme to desire the Law out of the Ministers mouth but not the whole There are some who think many things needlesse to be knowne and heard many things not fit to be taught as before v. 6. Besides that was then sayd I say let them see if this be not to check the wisedome of God who hath written both and preserved the whole to the Church and if pride did not transport them beyond themselves it could not be they should be so affected As wisedome would teach them that many things are necessary though not the present profit of them appeare For as in instruments onely the strings sound yet are there other things in the whole body as that whereunto they are tied the bridge the pinnes which help the musicke so in the Prophets though all be not prophesies yet they are things to which these are tied and illustrated Aug de Civ D. lib. 16.2 And sometimes for those things which signifie something are those things which signifie nothing added As the ground is onely plowed and rent up by the plow share yet that this may be other parts of the plow are necessary And humility if they had any would teach to suspect their owne wisedome in not seeing the use and end the profit and fitnesse of things rather then questioning and reasoning against God Others can be content to heare all pleasant things as the promises and mercies of God but judgements and reprooses threats and checks that they cannot brooke like unto those who in medicines affect onely the smell or trimnesse or gaynesse of them as pills rouled in gold but cannot away with the force of purging and preserving And see not that a great company more go to hell by presuming in their lives then by despairing at their deaths Some can willingly heare that which concernes other men and their sinnes their lives and manners but nothing touching themselves at all and their owne sinnes As men can willingly abide to heare of other mens deaths but cannot abide to heare of their owne Oftentimes they will make the Minister to beleeve as they did Jerem. 42.5.6.7 Then they said to Ieremiah The Lord be a witnesse of truth and faith between us if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us whether it be good or evill we will obey the voyce of the Lord God to whom we send thee that it may be well with us when we obey the voyce of the Lord our God But when he shall declare unto them the will of God that crosseth their affections they will entertaine him and answer as Chap. 43.2 Thou speakest falsly the Lord hath not sent thee to say thus These and such like are here reproved and convinced of the breach of this duty that they receive not nor desire the Law of God To admonish every one to labour for hearts willing and desirous to receive the whole law and word of God Vse 2 as he shall put it into the mouthes of the Ministers to dispose it unto them whatsoever it may be whether it be pleasant or crossing For if men deale so with their Physitians submit themselves to their prescripts though often they be unpleasant because they are perswaded of their wisedome and that they worke all by Art and yet may they sometimes erre how much more unto all that which God hath spoken and prescribed when they may well know they cannot erre judging of such thoughts as esteemeth any thing superflous or unfit any thing difficult or too deep for them to looke into as suggestions of Satan and their owne corruption and not rising from Gods Spirit condemning in themselves all such thoughts as gain-say the Word and any part of it delivered unto them as unloyall to their Prince and Master Father and Husband yea censuring all such affections as gain-say and repine at the Word which toucheth them to the quicke and their particular sinnes and corruptions as fearfull fore-runners of some dangerous fall and back-sliding specially when in former times they could endure as much as that and happily more to be spoken unto them or were such as condemned other men for spurning when they were touched And indeed it is fearfull for it argues he was either an hypocrite before or else by reason of some security and carelesnesse over his own spirituall estate he is fallen into a spirituall disease and some sins he had not before and refusing the remedies or the bitter potion which should recover him he must needs putrifie more The body that is sicke and the part that is wounded if either the remedy be rejected or the salve be pulled off when it is applied will doubtlesse grow worse As he that is sore sicke and grievously wounded gives hope of his recovery while he will submit himselfe to his Physitian and take whatsoever he prescribes him but he that is but a little ill and refuseth to hearken or receive any thing gives no hope at all though his hurt be the lesse So in this Therefore men who would save themselves must receive the whole They who will shew themselves dutifull and loyall either his spouse or children must be content to be reproved and chid when they have given cause and never love the lesse as well as cherished And it is a good signe of a good heart that likes his Ministery best which will reprove and chide him and not his that will sooth and flatter him For he is the Messenger of the Lord. The reason of the former The Priest is Gods Messenger therefore must he be such and such The Lord he useth the ministery of man in revealing his will to
please themselves but one another The good things that are in her he must cherish for as in children or servants so in the wife nothing incourageth her more in any good thing then that her husband observeth and approveth those good things are in her The evill things ordinary infirmities he must rather intreat God for them then reprove her but if either he must take his fittest time for it as with Physitians observe her nature as they their patients and do it in love not passion with a grave yet cheerfull countenance letting her see her fault out of the Word rather then from his will and dislike And though he be master Bee and have a sting yet must he seldome or never use it unlesse extremity drive him and that by her peevishnesse rather then his passion or folly in handling of the matter And so may he have comfort by her and fruit of her for shee is therefore compared to a vine which by the care and diligence of the Gardiner in carefull pruning and underpropping it and dressing of it brings forth fruit even grapes whence comes wine which rejoyceth the heart otherwise it will but wallow on the ground and remaine fruitlesse But to conclude provided alwayes that she be dutifull and kinde loving and obedient unto him or else she forfeits her right and then if he be bitter and unkinde to her I do not warrant him but I lesse blame him If she be to him not a turtle Dove but a chattering Pye full of brawlings and contentions because every thing must not be as she would have it I lesse blame him if he delight abroad seeing Salomon hath said Prov. 21.9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top then with a contentious woman in a wide house Prov. 19.13 The contentions of a wife are as a continuall dropping If she be as one saith like a vine that were planted in the flowing sea which prospereth least when the water is lowest so his fellowship sweetest when he is furthest off If as many women who tell us they make themselves fine and trim to please their husbands and yet are least trim when they onely enjoy them but onely when they are to shew themselves abroad which in many is rather to please others then their husbands I censure not all so they have no cheerfulnesse and loving carriage in them when they and their husbands are alone never so merry as when he is absent never so solemne and drooping as with him as if his company were a burden and his presence a clog unto them who can to any body else put on cheerfull lookes have lively spirits and finde talke enough but with their husbands can finde none but sit heavie a whole dinner and supper while and not a word from her no token of her joying in his company And upon every discontent be strange a day two or three looking he should seeke to her I say by such dealings she hath forfeited her right and though it bee Summum jus and so summa iujuria to take it such a forfeiture or rather it is indeed injustice yet if het do take it it is but just upon her and though he be not fit to do it yet she hath deserved to suffer it And covered the Altar of the Lord with teares The generall of these words we have heard the particulars we must examine These women though heavie in heart and full of grief yet would they not desist from praying to God and performing their service and offerings to him neither doth he for that reject them and their offerings though he be their husbands afterwards who were the cause of their griefe Though men cannot performe the service and worship of God with that cheerfulnesse and perfection which he requireth Doctrine who loves a cheerfull giver and so a cheerfull worshipper and being Perfection it selfe would have things in perfection yet must they performe them as they are able and he will accept them in their imperfection Manifest as here so by that reproofe of Moses to Aaron Levit. 10.16 The practise of Nehemiah Nehem. 1.4 of David Psal 42.5.6 of Zacharie Luke 1.22 of Christ who might stand for all Matth. 26.38.39 Because many so have obtained a blessing Reason and God hath given it them as Psa 126.5 They that sow in teares shall reap in joy as the Goaler Acts 16.29 came trembling to Paul and Silas but departed with joy of heart vers 34. Vse 1 Not let our infirmities hinder us from prayer Vse 2 To come confidently to God And covered the Altar of the Lord. These did not seeke to revenge themselves they resisted not by giving injury for injury dealing with their husbands as they had dealt with them but patiently bore it and committed it to the Lord. Men who re injured Doctrine oppressed and hardly dealt withall by others ought to beare it patiently and not to revenge themselves and to resist by force and violence To teach every man to beare patiently the injuries done unto him Vse if he have received them do not require them but rather with well-doing let him go to Gods Altar and with Hezekiah spread the letter of the King of Ashur before God with Ioseph carry the hard speeches of his brethren to his father If he have the same spirit he must have the same minde which was in the Lord Jesus and leave vengeance and recompence to him to whom it belongs Thou art injured deprived of thy goods beaten reproached and greatly hurt this way expect the sentence of the Judge If another mans servant shall reproach thee thou wilt not beat him thy selfe but complaine to his master how much more ought thou to do this in respect of God who hath said Vengeance is mine and I will repay it Chrysost hom 22. ad pop Antioch But thou art desirous to be revenged that is the way not to revenge for that is a true though a strange position and speech That they are onely hurt and injured who hurt others and injure them And the injury which is done to others hurts none but those who do it so those who suffer do not repay or be brought to sinne For example what was more unhappy then Cain The death he brought upon Abel hath made him that suffered it to be accounted just in all ages and him that did it a parricide and murtherer What was more miserable then Herodias who desired Iohn Baptists head in a dish and so plunged her owne head in the eternall fire and flames of hell What worse then the Divell who by his malice made Iob more famous that as his glory increased so did the others torments So now And if men be not brought to commit sinne and this in particular what hurt have they by it It is another truth that there is no man hurt but of himselfe for admit a man have his goods taken from him Nemo laditur nisi aseipso Chrys or other injuries done to him
principally this The other a man may well have and have a lawfull marriage but without this it can be nothing so holy a marriage seeing it wanteth the principall and the most holiest end which was the end of it even in mans innocency when he was without sinne Therefore ought every one principally to aime at this and indeed to have it and therefore ought they to chuse so or give consent that this may follow not with those who have a false religion or no religon because it hardly will be that the Church should be increased by them for children will ever follow the worse part though it be the weaker for a little strength drawes downward it must be a great strength that must pull upward Corruption is downeward and with the tyde Religion is upward and against it And having a fit match children ought to be desired of them and to account it their honour Psal 128.3 Not for cost or paines avoid it or feare it and having them to give all care and diligence for their education to bring them up in the feare and instruction of the Lord to instruct them in knowledge of God and his true worship and to edifie them by example For parentum exempla decere possunt magis quam vox St. Hierem. That when they are gone they may praise them as Augustine did his mother Majore solicitudine me parturiebat spiritu quam carne pepererat Confess 5.9 Their care was more to bring them up religiously then their paines was to bring them into the world they loved their soules better then their bodies and they desired more that they might be Gods sons and daughters then theirs by which they shall increase their glory for they who beget many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever Dan. 12.3 And they who shall increase Gods Church here he shall increase their glory as they his worship Vse 3 Then are not they bound who have the gift of continency not to marry for though marriage be a remedy yet is it not onely nor principally for both this is an end and more principall They who can preserve their chastity in virginity may desire it but not absolutely but in respect of some troubles and incumbrances which for the most part accompany marriage yet they may marry for this end which is the more excellent I doe not say they are bound to marry for this end because marriage is of those things which are indifferent as Bernard speakes of virginity It is not commanded but advised and onely they who cannot containe are commanded to marry yet as there is more necessity in marrying for that end so there is more religion in this end In that a man principally respects himselfe in this God the increase of the Church and the inlarging of the kingdome of Christ that which Saint Augustine speaketh de bono conjugali Cap. 15. may be applyed here Iustus qu indò cupit dissolvi esse cum Christo tamen sumit alimentum non cupiditate vivendi sed officio consulendi ut maneat quod necessarium est propter alios Sic misteri foemin is in re nuptiarum officiosum fuit sanctis non libidinosum Quid enim sit eibus ad salutem hominis hoc est concubitus ad salutem humani generis And so specially for the Church and increase of Gods Kingdome for though he can make children of stones yet hath he ordained this meanes Therefore little reason and lesse religion hath the Church of Rome to preferre virginity before holy marriage for besides that may be said to them it were better they would approve virginity by their deeds then praise it by their words And as Hierom adfuriam why doth the tongue sound out chastity and the whole body shew forth uncleannesse Or as Epiphanius of the Origenists You refuse marriage but not lust It is not holinesse but hypocrisie that is in honour amongst you Besides this virginity is never save onely in some respect better then marriage but marriage is oftentimes absolutely better then virginity and by no reason more then this because this may increase the Church and bring forth sonnes and daughters to God not that Neither is it against this that some object that Christ saith That after this life there is no marrying at all and that 1 Cor. 7.38 He that giveth her to marriage doth well but he that giveth her not to marriage doth better For the first it is not against us seeing we speake of the state of this life onely after which as there shall be no marriages so no vowes of virginity And as for S. Paul Better with him is as much as fit or more commodious For if it were simply better it were never lawfull to do otherwise which he alloweth Therefore he thus spake not for the nature of the thing but in respect of circumstances as you may see verse 26.28.32.35 Finally if virginity be the more holy why have they made marriage a sacrament rather then it Sure if it were more holy it should rather be a sacrament then marriage Therefore keep your selves in your spirit The dehortation of the Prophet from this vice and the better that they may doe it and not transgresse he perswades them to labour for sober mindes and chaste affections from thence riseth this sinning against their wives which would easily be avoided if their mindes were sober and chaste The way for a man to keep himselfe from actuall and outward sinne and the practise of it is to labour to keep his heart pure Doctrine and to take heed to that On the contrary if he neglect his heart he shall be sure to be corrupt in the outward man and to fall into outward sinnes against God and man He may happily in some sinister respect and by some circumstances of time place or person for want of opportunity ability and meanes refraine them but those things befalling him he will easily fall into that So much this exhortation sheweth So much also that sheweth Prov. 4.23.24.25 Keep thine heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life Put away from thee a froward mouth and put wicked lips farre from thee Let thine eyes behold the right and let thine eye lids direct the way before thee Matth. 15.19 Out of the heart proceed evill thoughts adulteries c. and Jam. 1.13.14 1 Pet. 2.11.12 Because the heart and spirit is the fountaine of actions Reason 1 whence they all spring the other parts are but the chanels and it is a flowing fountaine not a standing water which ever sends out such water as it hath if then the fountaine be clean and sweet so will the chanels be and è contra Because it is the commander of the whole man the whole life Reason 2 Now such as the Commander such is the Subject such as the Captaine such are the Souldiers Much more here for the conjunction is neerer and when they are subject to it as the weapon is to him
that useth it Rom. 6.13 So that it commanding any thing that they all doe more then the Centurions servants Luke 7. Rom. 7.25 Then the flesh and outward parts follow not the minde and the heart Quest There is no opposition there betwixt the inward and outward Answ the heart and the body but betwixt the part regenerate and the unregenerate for by flesh it is usuall with the Apostle not to understand the body but the unregenerate part as in that place Gal. 5.17 not any opposition betwixt soule and body but the fight of the unregenerate with the regenerate and vers 24. not the crucifying of the body but of the unregenerate part For the heart and inward parts as farre as they are unregenerate are flesh also and understood under the outward by the Apostle Then may a man certainly judge a man to have a corrupt heart when hee hath a polluted outward man Vse 1 life and conversation Vide Malach. 1.8 Doctrine 1. Use 2. To reprove such as judge men to have corrupt hearts for the care and uprightnesse of their lives Vse 2 Vide ibid. ex Use 1. To teach men Vse 3 who desire any outward holinesse or to be free from externall corruption or pollution to looke well to the heart to keep sinne or to kill it within for this is the best and the first to purge the heart and the other will be so And let none transgresse The dehortation from the evill and the outward practice of it Of the particular hath been spoken in the former verses yet somwhat hence It may be that some may think this speech hangs that way that it may seem to favour free-will to call upon them to abstaine from evill which if it were not in their power it were in vaine thus to speake to them I answer this is no more then other precepts and exhortations in the word which doe but teach us what we ought to do not what we are able which is but to make us assay and when we finde not power then to seeke it elsewhere Lege opern̄ dicit Deus Jae quod in bee Jege fidci dicitur Deo da quod iubes Aug. de spirit lit In the law of workes God saith to us Do what I command thee In the law of faith wee say to God What thou commandest us inable us to doe God therefore thus speakes to man to make him speake againe to him commanding that he may require and obtaine to doe seeing Phil. 2.13 It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed even of his good pleasure Bernard in the audience of some commending the grace of God as that which he acknowledged in God did prevent him and he found did make him to profit and he hoped would perfect it in him Bernard de gratia lib. Arbit initie giving all to grace and taking nothing to himselfe One replied what then hast thou done or what reward can thou looke for if God worke all To whom he answered What counsell then doest thou give me or how wouldst thou advise me Give glory saith he to God who hath prevented thee excited thee and begun this good in thee and for that is to come live worthily that thou mayest approve thy selfe not unthankfull for those thou hast received and fit to receive more Bernard replies You give good counsell but that is but if you could make me able to obey and doe it For it is not so easie a thing to doe as to know what ought to be done for these are divers things to lead a blinde man and to give strength to the weary * Nec quivis doctor statim dator erit boni quodcunque docuerit Duo mihs sunt necessaria doceri juvari Tu quidem homo rectè consulis ignorantiae sed si verum sentit Apostolus spiritus adjuv at infirmitatem nostram Rom. 8. Inso vero qui mihi per os tuum ministrat consilium ipse mihi necesse est ministrat per spiritum tuum adjut erium quo valeant implere quod consulis Ecce enim ex ejus munere velle adjacet mihi perficere autem non invenio nisi qui dedit velle det perficere pro bena voluntate For whosoever is a teacher whatsoever he teacheth cannot bestow goodnesse Two things are needfull to me to be taught and to be helpt thou being a man doest well instruct my ignorance but the spirit helps our infirmities Rom. 8. yea he that gave me counsell by thy mouth must also send me helpe by his owne spirit that I may be able to doe what thou advisest by his grace I am willing but cannot performe unlesse he that wrought the will doe also worke the deed of his good pleasure And when to this he replied * Vbi ergo sunt merita nostra an t ubi est spes nostra Where then are our rewards or where is our hope He answereth with that Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost Hence I gather and upon this inferre that God that calls upon us by his word to do must give us also power to do then therefore he calleth because he would have us cry to him for helpe And as S. Augustine O man acknowledge in every precept * O home in praeceptione cognosce quid debeas habere in cerreptione tuo te vitio non habere in oratione unde accipias quid vis habere De corrept gratia c. 3. what strength thou shouldest have in every reproofe what strength by thy own fault thou wantest in every prayer whence thou mayest have what thou wantest The hands must be purged as well as the heart the outward man as the inward VERS XVI If thou hatest her put her away saith the Lord God of Israel yet he covereth the injury under his garment saith the Lord of bostes therefore keep your selves in your spirit and transgresse not I Hate putting away saith the Lord God of Israel In this verse the Prophet proceeded to the third maine sinne here reproved in this people Divorces not simply condemning divorce as if in no case it were lawfull but for every vaine cause and light dislike when they hated or disliked them for that to put them away is that he reproves In the verse we observe two things First the reproofe of this sinne secondly an admonition generall including the particular In the first which is the sinne we observe the amplifications of it which is first from Gods hatred Secondly from an effect of those husbands who used and practised divorces that they made the law of God a covert to cover with it that violent injury and indignity they did to their wives as men cover the body and defaults of it with their garment If thou hatest her put her away Some thinke this dependeth
their unlike and that which is so contrary to them The more righteous the Judge is the more he hates iniquity and sinne he is righteousnesse it selfe The sunne is the greatest enemy to darkenes because it hath light of it selfe and as it were is light it selfe Because it workes the destruction of the creature Reason 3 which he loves Jam. 1.15 Now then loving his creature he must needs dislike and hates this parents hate and dislike those creatures men or beasts who worke the ruine of their children the fruit of their bodies and generally whatsoever a man loves he hates that which worketh the ruine of it For sinnes past which a man hath commited Vse 1 he must be grieved and displeased with himselfe that ever he committed any such things by which he hath grieved and vexed so holy and righteous a God And this ought he to do if either he have love to God or to himselfe Semper in amore cautel la est nemò melius diligit quam qui maxime veretur offendere Sal. Ep. To God because where men love they are loath to offend and grieved when they have displeased them so that it is a note of a gracelesse child one without any love to his father that is never grieved when he sees his father grieved and vexed with his leudnesse and evill carriage he may be a child but he is a prodigall sonne and shall never be accepted till he returne and shew himselfe grieved that he hath grieved him True love seekes to please the beloved rather then it selfe and is more grieved that it hath displeased such one As Salvia Qui satis ailigunt non citò offendūtur sed si nō facilè offendunt then if it had offended it selfe And whereas men are more displeased of the losse of their owne pleasure then to the displeasure of God how can it be but that selfe love is above Gods love As Salvia saith whom a man is loathest to offend he most loves of himselfe or God but where Gods love raigneth as it ought there this dislike and griefe will be And if this should not make them dislike and grieve yet if any man indeed love himselfe he will dislike and grieve for them because if he doe it not voluntarily As Chry. of man quifuerit sub vinculis bonus nunquā erit profectò bonus simulac enim vi nullacogitur liber ipse ad ingentum subito conversus iterum descesset So I of this griefe he shall doe it by force and constraint for if he judge not himselfe and so take revenge of himselfe for his offending of God the Lord will and make him grieve though oftentimes not as he ought * because such griefe in judgements is not alwaies true griefe yet he shall grieve as he would not for God will bring upon him that which will make him grieve some judgement or other to shew that as he loves them who love him so will he grieve those who grieve him which if it be come upon them they shall finde that true that a disease is not so soone removed as it is easily prevented So here And that it will grieve them as in diseases not the disease but that they neglected the meanes by which they might have prevented it For the time to come men ought to put away their sinnes Vse 2 and keepe themselves from committing new sinnes or renewing the old for it is that which is a griefe unto the Lord and his Spirit and should not men avoid the grieving of God not words and workes which are against God and doe displease him If sinne were a thing which God regardeth not and he were no waies affected or moved with it to griefe or displeasure lesse matter were to be made of it it were no great matter though men satisfied themselves and pleased themselves but being as it is so displeasing to the Lord such a grief unto him It is not only to be sorrowed for cōmitted but carefully to be avoided If he be a foolish son that is an heavnesse to his mother Prov. 10.1 What is he that is a grief to God his father how foolish and wicked is he One asked this question to one about to sinne Tell me what thou thinkest will he pardon thee or no whatsoever thou answer it shall be against thy selfe Ablatus erat à peccatoribus timor nè posset esse cautela And tanta animorum vel potius peccatorum caecitas fuit ut cum absque dubio nullus perire vellet nullus tamen id agcret ne periret Salvia if thou thinke he will not pardon thee what folly and desperatenesse is that to offend a mighty Prince without hope of pardon if thou thinke he will what ingratitude and impiety is it to offend so gracious and good a God so when thou art about to commit any evill or dost omit some good formerly practised and as thou wouldest be thought to have done it of conscience and so it may be though now asleepe Tell me I say what thinkest thou dost thou grieve and displease God or is it liking to him Answer what thou wilt thou shalt not avoyde but be taken If thou say or thinke it doth not displease him thou thinkest wickedly and shalt know it Psal 50.21 but if thou thinke it displease him what a desperatenesse is this to provoke such a great God so mighty a Prince And though thy sinnes bring thee in never so much pleasure and profit for a time never so much contentment and satisfaction yet while God is displeased and offended yea grieved with it thinke the end will be worse for thee For doe they provoke me to anger saith God and not themselves to the confusion of their faces As if he said As Cyprian de lapsis Plus imò delinquit qui secundū hominem Deū cogitans evadere se poenā criminis credit si non palam crimē admisit sun̄ doe they imagine I will long beare my griefe and goe mourning away and not pay them home and ease my selfe yes they shall finde that I have said Isaiah 1.24 Therefore saith the Lord God of Hoasts the mighty one of Israel ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Therefore let men put away their iniquities cease of firming and not grieve the Lord. Let no man imagine that this he will not part with but yet doe something which may please God As prophane Esau with his father Gen. 28.8.9 for if they doe it shall be with them as with him though his father meant to blesse him yet God would not have it so though men and the worke blesse them yet shall it not be so For imitation if God be grieved at the sinnes of others Vse 3 then ought they to be so too vide Mal. 1.6 in properties of filiall feare And if it doe grieve them indeed then will they not use familiarity with those whose words and workes are bitter and sharpe
them we are now lesse fortunate then in former times because we suffer the Christians and because we do not with that religion and devotion worship Iupiter and other of the Gods as we did before therefore are the Gods angry with us so the Papists from a temporal felicity measure piety and gather that God doth favour them because he gives them these outward things by it would condemne us and al other Churches But if the Heathen reasoned absurdly they conclude not well but very impudently but if the conclusion would follow it would be on our sides rather then theirs who have for these 48. yeares not been inferiour to any Kingdome in the world for peace plenty and prosperity and specially when we have beene most severe not in persecuting but correcting of their impieties Idolatries For projustitiâ persequentes persecutores sunt propter flagitium correctores August contra lit Petil. lib. 21. ca. 84. And for victory in warre which is the principallest they stand of we have given them more foiles then ever they us and have often carried the day and triumph both by sea and land blessed be our God for it Therefore must they let this argument this weapon goe or else we will sheath it in their owne sides If this be a blessing Vse 3 then have we cause to stirre up our selves and soules to God to give him thankes for that he hath performed to us which he promised to this land and people that we have had such peace plenty and prosperity as we have beene accounted of all blessed and happy and of our enemies mightily maligned and envied That we use that of August de Civit. D. l. 1. c 7. Quisquis non videt caecus quisquis nec laudat ingratus quisquis laudanti reluctatis in sanus est And yet seeing it is no perpetuall blessing but such as the Church is often deprived of and hath beene let us see we walke worthy of it lest he pull us downe as low as he lifted us up high and make us as vile as he hath made us honourable As he did divers times with his people Deuter. 29.22.24.25 which was then and shall be when they are worse and walke unworthy of this and we be as Salvian ad Catholicum Ecclesiam lib. 1. * Ac sic nescio quomodo c. I know not how but thy felicity flights against thy selfe so much as thou art encreased in people thou art almost as much encreast in vices by how much thou hast more abounded thou hast lost in discipline and thy prosperity hath brought with it a great encrease of evills for the professors of the faith being multiplyed the faith it selfe is lessened and her children encreasing the mother is sicke and thou O Church of God! art made weaker by thy fruitfulnesse and the more children the lesse strength for thou hast spread through the whole world the professors of thy religious name but not having the power of religion as if thou wert rich in men poore in faith wealthy in multitude needy in devotion enlarged in body strengthned in spirit c. VERS XIII Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord yet yee say What have we spoken against thee Your wards have been slout against me Your words have been stout against me faith the Lord of Hosts The Prophet proceedeth to reprove this people of another sinne and to expostulate the thing with them The sinne of it is the denying of Gods providence both over the evill and good not punishing the one and not providing for the other This people afflicted of God with penury and want for other of their sinnes but especially for spoiling God his Levits and Church they thought and spoke blasphemously against God but accusing his providence as not regarding those who worship and professe him but such as dishonoured him and were wicked and never would they accuse themselves of their sinnes which is that he saith their words have been great against him they spoke hard and odious things of him as the words following shew that these were they Yet yee say What have we spoken against thee They answer for themselves not denying simply that they had spoken any such thing but putting God to his proofe as thinking that he did not know nor understand as those who had oftentimes said among themselves that God regarded not the things here below neither tooke notice of what men did Therefore this question of theirs tendeth not to any deniall of the deed but to the tempting of God For if hee could not or did not answer directly and shew them what they had said then would they conclude as before they had that he did not regard nor understand the things that were said and done by men which if he did then could he tell in particular what words they had spoken against him and not thus insist in the generall Your words have been stout Observe Doctrine God takes notice of the words of men as well as their actions and will reprove them for them and call them to an account and judge them Jam. 2.12 Your words have been stout against me They deny the providence of God and his wise disposing of things upon earth among men as the verses following shew and so are accused to have spoken against God himselfe though they have not denied him or blasphemed him They who deny the providence of God Doctrine and his governing of things here below do speak proudly and wickedly against God specially if they deny his providence and government in disposing the states and affaires of men This is the sinne these are chalenged withall Such was that which we have Psal 73.11 And they say How doth Bod know it or is there knowledge in the most High If it be referred to the tenth verse it is the infirmitie of Gods people if to the ninth it is the pride of the wicked In either it is a sinne against God And that Psal 94.4.5.6.7 They prate and speake fiercely all the workers of iniquitie vaunt themselves they smite downe thy people O Lord and trouble thine heritage they slay the widow and the stranger and murther the fatherlesse yet they say The Lord shall not see neither will the God of I cob regard it Such were they Zeph. 1.12 And at that time will I search Jerusalem with lights and visit the men that are frozen in their dregges and say in their hearts The Lord will neither do good nor do evill Job 22.13.14 But thou sayest How should God know Can he judge through the darke cloud The clouds hide him that he cannot see and hee walketh in the circle of heaven Ezek. 9.9 Then said he unto me the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great so that the land is full of bloud and the citie full of corrupt judgement For they say The Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth us not Because God doth chalenge these things unto himselfe
to discourage the forward and shew themselves in the number of the former wicked rather then in these who feare the Lord. I say to say nothing of these the other shew themselves to have little or not such care and zeale for the worship and service of God as sonnes should have for their fathers honour and little love or care of others goods as fellow members and brethren should have one for another And doe they not give just suspition they are neither sonnes nor members or but dead and rotten members of the body not of the soule of the Church as Saint August As that member which hath no feeling of the weakenesse and fainting of another and seeks not to support it may be materially but not formally of the body so in this Or if they be yet can they not avoide to be guilty of their falling away and perishing as he that sees his neighbour fainting or perishing and hee able to sustaine him and both knowes and hath that might helpe him and doth not is guilty of his perishing To teach every one to practice this duty and to shew that he is possessed with the feare of God by exciting and exhorting others Vse 3 by strengthening and confirming others according to the grace he hath received which as it will testifie they are Gods and manifest their love unto their members so will it be gainefull unto them the gaine of it should incite them As S. Chrys of converting I of keeping and confirming When non minor virtus quam quaerere parta tueri If one should promise thee a piece of gold for every man whom thou reformest thou wouldest use all thy study endeavour perswading and exhorting But now God promiseth thee not one piece nor ten nor twenty nor an hundred thousand nor the whole world but that that is more the Kingdome of Heaven as a recompence of thy labour in this kinde What excuse can we have after such a promise if we neglect the salvation of our brethren If Physitians for a piece of gold will come to strengthen the body If Lawyers will defend a mans title how ought we the soule for so much and that we may doe it we must take but the Apostles lesson Heb. 10.24 to observe one another not to triumph over their weakenesse and infirmities but as Physitians that enquire into the state of their Parients bodies and into their carriage and diet to cure them We had neede of others helpe because the gift we have is apt to decay 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in minde that thou stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands Thes 5.19.20 Zach. 4.1 And the Angell that talked with me came againe and waked me as a man that is raised out of his sleepe And the profit of this duty will be great for as Prov. 27.17 Iron sharpeneth Iron so doth man sharpen the face of his friend And the Lord hearkened and heard So they arme themselves against those instances given with assurance that the Lord did regard things done The Lord he taketh notice and knoweth all things that are done and spoken by men Doctrine whether good or evill as his eyes are every where Prov. 15.3 so his eares Isaiah 22.14 and Psal 94.9 He that planted the eare shall he not heare or he that formed the eye shall he not see And Psal 139.4 for there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it wholly O Lord To teach us to keepe a watch over our mouth and lips not let them runne at randome Vse 1 i. for quantity let our words be few be not talkative let them be like Gods Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words as the silver tryed in a furnace of earth fined seaven fold Prov. 10.20 the tongue of the just man is as fined silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth Eccles 5.2.3.6.7 For as a dreame commeth by the multitude of businesse so the voyce of a foole is in the multitude of words When thou hast vowed a vow to God deferre not to pay it for he delighteth not in fooles pay therefore that thou hast vowed for in the multitude of dreames and vanities are also many words but feare thou God If in a countrey thou seest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of judgement and justice be not astonied at the matter for he that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they The wicked talke boldly their tongue walketh against heaven Psal 73. but God in heaven heareth what is spoken in earth therefore consider that of Solomon Prov. 10.19 In many words there cannot want iniquity but he that refraineth his lips is wise Secondly for quality looke to the matter of speech that it be godly and religious Ephes 5. Let not foolish talking be once heard amongst you as becommeth Saints but let it be savoury Collos 4.6 Let your speech be gracious alwaies and powdered with salts that ye may know how to answer every man If a great man overheard us or one we stood in awe of we would be carefull of our speech An encouragement for Gods children Vse 2 that are talking together of good things a strong motive to move them to conferre together of good things as Psal 82.1 God standeth in the assembly of Gods he judgeth among Gods So in the assembly of Saints servants if they perceive that their masters overheare them talking of any thing or oversee them doing of any thing speake and doe well this is eye service or eare service yet God would be served with eye and eare service and he that seeth in secret will reward openly And the words are Attendit Iehovah audit He hearkened and heard he so heares that he also attends or regards it A man may overheare a thing and not regard it and so as good as he heard it not Eccles 7.22 But God as he heares so he regardeth Contrary to that the wicked say Psa 10. That God regardeth it not Zeph. 1.12 But God doth regard the words of the tongue because he hath made a law as wel for the words as deeds God made the tongue and therefore will have the fruit 1 Cor. 6.20 For ye are bought for a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods so with tongue as well as hand and therefore we must looke to give account of words as well as of our actions Matth. 12.36 But I say unto you that of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement Jude verses 14.15 And Enoch also the seaventh from Adam prophesied of such saying behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to give judgement against all men and to rebuke all the ungodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners have
a common phrase in Scripture when Gods wrath and mans power to resist are compared Gods wrath is as fire which consumes any dry matter it lights upon for so it followes All the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as slubble Which words answer their blasphemy Cap. 3.15 shewing they were in a grosse error to call the proud happy and God will spare them but the event should shew the contrary The day that commeth shall burne them up i. The time that I have appointed in whose power all times and seasons are not when men shall think fit or prescribe mee And shall leave them neither root nor branch An expression noting their utter destruction The Lord will destroy and burn up all proud and wicked men Doctr. 1 As the Lord will destroy all wicked men Doctr. 2 so specially such as the world takes notice of for jolly and happy fellowes such as grow and increase by their wickednesse and unjust dealing It is Davids observation Psal 37.35.36 and Iob's Iob 24.23.24 and Solomons Pro. 3.35 Because this will more magnifie both his justice and power that he respects not persons in judgement Reason 1 and that he is able to abase every one that is lifted up Because this will make him more generally and throughly feared then if he smote others Reason 2 upon whom there is lesse observation Because it will more plainely prove his providence and government Reason 3 when as in those from whose prosperous estate then made a reason to deny he manifesteth his providence So men come to change their judgement as Act. 28.4.6 This may instruct us when we see wicked men to grow great in wealth and honor by iniquity yet not to envie them Vse 1 for God will destroy them and the rather because they are great We can pitty poor snakes in misery and poverty when they have no knowledge nor feare of God because they must go out of one misery to a greater yet we are ready to envie the prosperity of others as wicked as they who sure have as much need of our pitty as the other being rather nearer and surer of punishment and of sorer as a rebel or traytor the greater his wealth and advancement hath been the greater is his fact and shall be his punishment To admonish the rich and renowned among men Vse 2 that they make not those things they injoy an occasion to harden or harten them in sin if they love their owne safety the higher they are the more holy they ought to be It were a madnes in men who have wealth therefore to presume to transgres the law without feare when as that may sooner bring their lives and states in question So it is in this case The proud shall be Stuble Wicked men whatsoever they be great honorable rich powerfull Doctr. 3 yet have no power to resist Gods So much this similitude sheweth which is more full in Esa 27.4 Who would set the briers and thornes against me in battell I would goe through them I would burne them together See also Psal 37.20 Es 1.31 Nah. 1.10 We have many examples of this in Pharaoh Ahab Sennacherab Herod and notably in him that was both an example of the point and one that taught it namely Nebuchadnezar Dan. 4.30.32 Because God is most powerfull the Lord of hosts Reason 1 and hath all Creatures at command to doe with them as he list Because all men are weake compared with him they are but gras-hoppers Es 40.22 and reputed as nothing Dan. 4.35 Reason 2 To teach great men not to sin and promise safety to themselves for their greatnesse Esa 9.14 Vse 1 To admonish the meaner sort to take heed of provoking God Vse 2 for if the other cannot resist him how shall they escape As he feares not the others power he will not pittie the meannesse of these The firre tree must howle if the Ceader be fallen if the mighty or the Gallants as the word is be spoyled Zach. 11.2 Then as the third Captaine who was of equall strength with the other two when he saw them perish entreated humbly for his life 2. Kin. 1.13 How much more are such to entreat the Lord who see him abasing more mighty then themselves To instruct meane men Vse 3 retainers and followers of others not to commit evill at their command not to be their bauds and pandars their instruments for blood and uncleannes for though they may bearethem out sometime against the law of man and the execution of humane justice yet not against God They cannot defend themselves how should they defend them If they command as Absolon did his servants to kill Ammon upon the confidence of his greatnesse 2. Sam. 13.28 Yet consider Absolon could not save himselfe but was hanged and striken through with darts VERS II. But unto you that feare my Name shall the sunne of righteousnes arise and health shall be under his wings and ye shall goe forth and grow up as fat calves BVt unto you that feare my Name shall the sunne of righteousnes arise Here is a second prediction or prophecie which is touching the godly and of good things of a spirituall nature And to them doth he turne his speech that he did not denounce this terrible day to afflict the minds of the good but to terrifie the wicked who shall perish being contemners of God but when that shall come you that feare God lift up your heads in peace and hope for to you shall arise The sunne of righteousnes Thus the Prophet calls Christ after the manner of the Prophets who in diverse places have given him this name Esa 60.1.2.19 Ioh. 8.12 Luc. 1.78 And he is sayd to arise unto them because he doth enlighten them by his word and spirit And he is called the Sun of righteousnes being so himselfe and making them so regenerating purging them from their corruptions renewing in them the image of God which things are more particularly expressed by that which follows With healing in his wings Keeping the same metaphor he calleth the sunne beames wings that as by the beames of the sun the aire is purged and health procured to men so Christ should by his grace and spirit purge them whom he enlightens And you shall goe forth That is be set at liberty from bondage and slavery from sin the divel and death And grow up as the calves of the stall That is you shall have an encrease and augmentation of grace and of the spirit more and more as fat calves an homely similitude to make it clearer Some reade you shall leape but this other the words will well beare and is as fit All men are in themselves darknesse and have no light Doctrine 1 that is the estate of every man by nature The point is only implied Christ is risen a sunne to as many as are truly called Doctr. 2 and they have light and not darknesse they have the knowledge of God and of his will
it as S. Jer. All Nations shall desire to live in your Land a fruite of that reputation they should have if they honored God with their substance And to this sense the Lxx and our following comment Yee shall be as a pleasant land praised and commended by all that passe by you Thus much of the seventh Contestation VIII The eighth and last Contestation Lastly hee contests with them for their blaspheming of Gods providence for their Atheism and stubborn perverse contempt of Gods worship and of repentance verse 13. to the end of the Prophecy We have 1. Their blasphemous Atheisme proposed verse 13.14 15. 2. Answered verse 16 c. ad fin 1. Their blasphemous Atheisme is proposed and set downe 1. In generall verse 13. 2. In particular verse 14 15. First Verse 13 in generall verse 13. Your words have beene stout against mee saith the Lord yet yee say what have we spoken so much against thee They thought and spake proudly of and against God Your words have beene stout Lxx troublesome Vulg. they have prevailed over me 1 against me Chazku your words are strong confirmed or as the French hath it enforced against me You persist stoutly and clamorously in your blasphemy so Lyr● your words are troublesome and presse me as a load stone so S. Hier. Remig. c. Your words overcome me and mine you pervert more then my Prophets can prevaile with to the contrary by your saying It is in vaine to serve the Lord c. so the Tigurine Yet yee say what have we spoken so much against thee They deny the accusation The Geneva what have wee spoken against thee But there is more in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Niphal signifies a continuall speech as our translators have well exprest what have we spoken so much against thee And so the Targum or Childe paraphrase in what have we multiplyed speech against thee Secondly in particular verse 14 15. Yee have said Verse 14,15 It is vaine to serve God and what profit is it that wee have kept his ordinance and that wee have walked mournefully before the Lord of hosts And now wee call the proud happy yea they that worke wickednesse are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered This is the proofe of the accusation against them These were their stout words against God Yee have said It is vaine to serve God Vulg. He is vaine who serveth God There is nothing got by it A profane atheisticall conceit now adayes also entertained of many And what profit is it that wee have kept his ordinance or his observation sayth our margin The Geneva his Commandement The Hebr. is Shamarnu mishmartò That wee kept his custody or his ward that is the office imposed by him upon us So Esay 21.8 I am set Mishmarti in my ward whole nights 1 Chron. 9.23 They had oversight by wards Mishmaroth The priests were divided in 24 Mishmaroth Custodies or Wards which they entred upon by their turnes every Sabbath To which here seemes to bee an allusion And that we have walked mournfully or in blacke before the Lord Pagn and the Geneva that we have walked humbly The Lxx suppliant The Chald. With a spirit cast downe Piscat Mournfully before that is for feare of Iehova that we might reconcile him unto us The French that wee have walked in poore estate The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obscurely in mourning or in black We have the word 1 Kings 18.45 The Heavens Hithkadderu were black with Clouds And Ps 35.14 Koder I bowed downe heavily as one that mourneth for his mother Black is the colour of mourning Our comment gives this sense What profit have we that we have walked humbly that is that wee have not resisted nor revenged our selves but referred all to God what have wee got by it Now then or Therefore we call the proud happy They who tread upon modest men and rayse themselves high and worke their own ends confidently and daringly they thrive and therefore them wee call that is count happy Hierom here calls them arrogant men Boyling raging men swelling and presumptuous Zedim comes of a roote that hath all these significations Yea they that worke wickednesse are set up or built up that is They have children houses lands and honors c. Chald. They are established The Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are reedified They prosper and have all things well about them As the word is Iob 22 23. If thou returne to the Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt be built up that is Thou shalt prosper Yea they that Tempt God are even delivered The grudging and blasphemous speeches of these wicked men are still continued those that continue in sinning and ad sinne to sinne and as it were dare God to try what he will doe or how hee will deale yet they are delivered we see them to bee safe secure bold and prosperous See Ps 95.9 2. This blasphemy of theirs thus discovered is answered First by opposing the contrary discourse of the godly verse 16. Secondly by shewing Gods taking notice of both ver 16. latter part Thirdly by declaring gods gracious promise to deale well with the godly ver 17. Fourthly by warning the blasphemers that Gods dealings shall be manifest even in their eyes ver 18. Fifthly by a further amplification of that point of Gods manifest dealing chap. 4. ver 1. ad fin First Verse 16 their Atheisme and blasphemy is answered by opposing to these blasphemous conceits and words of wicked men the contrary opinion and discourse of the godly ver 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another In the greatest apparent Ataxy and disorder and in the time of the stoutest language and behaviour of ungodly men They that feared the Lord being acquainted with his wayes and manner of working spake often for their mutuall encouragement and otherwise to one another that there would come a day or that God is righteous or that he only deferres or such like things they spake whereby they defended the cause of God against wicked Atheists This I conceive to be the sense of these words but for the manner of the Prophets bringing them into his discourse interpreters have not satisfied me I conceive him in the midst of his discourse wherein in the person of God he bends and directs his speech all this while to them that were before him the wicked whom hee laboured to convince Now hee breakes off and turnes his speech to God or to his owne scule or to the godly yet with an intention in a fine and insinuating way to instruct the wicked blasphemers that heard him In this manner your words have bin stout yee have said t is in vaine to serve God That men thrive most by wicked courses but oh my God thou knowest or oh thou my soule thou knowest or oh yee that feare God yee know whatever these blind and profane men use to thinke and