An Exposition of Hosea 1-3, Chapter 1 · Lecture 7
The Seventh Lecture
HOSEA 1. 11. the latter part of the verſe
And appoint themſelves one Head,Lect. 7. and they ſhall come up out of the Land for great ſhall be the day of Jezreel.
They ſhall [appoint] themſelves one Head.
EPheſ. 1. 11. It is ſaid, God gave Chriſt to be Head over all things to the Chnrch. How then it is ſaid here that they ſhall [appoint] to themſelves one Head?
It is true, God the Father hath advanced his Son, and extolled him above all things, and hath given him to be Head over all: but yet when the Church, when the Saints ſhall chooſe this Chriſt to be their Head, when they ſhall come in freely, and willingly ſubmit themſelves unto Chriſt, lifting him up above all, honoring his ordinances, laws, inſtitutions, depending upon him for light; They are ſaid to appoint Chriſt to be their Head.
As, though Gods eternal Decree hath made himſelf to be the God of his Saints, yet when the Saints do chooſe God to be their God, God doth account himſelfe to be made their God by them: they make God to be their God in chooſing of him. So though Chriſt by the Father be appointed to be the Head over all, yet the act of the Church in chooſing Chriſt, and comming to him freely, and ſubmitting unto him as to the Head, is accounted even an appointing of Chriſt to be Head.
This is that happy work which the Saints have been doing, and which we are to doe, and they will doe to the end of the world, appointing Chriſt a Head. Though there be ſome ſpeciall time that this Text hath reference unto (of which by and by) yet in all Ages of the Church, when the Saints doe chooſe Chriſt to be their Head, they are ſaid to appoint him.
Let us joyne in this bleſſed work, an honourable work for creatures to appoint the Lord JESUS to be Head over them. Let us ſay as Huſhai did in another caſe, 2 Sam. 19. 18. Him whom the Lord, and this people, & all men of Iſrael chooſe for King, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
So, He whom God the Father ſhall give to be Head over all things, him whom the Saints have in all times choſen for their Head, it is he that ſhall be our Head and our King, his will we be, and with him will we abide.
Let us give Chriſt the preheminence above all, prizing his government, his ordinances above all the comforts we have in this world, Pſa. 137 6.foreign If I prefer not Jeruſalem above my chiefe joy, The words are in the O…nal, If I make not Jeruſa… … …end above the head of my joy;
Whatſoever is high in our thoughts, as a head, let Chriſt be above it;
Chriſt in his ordinances muſt be above the head of our joy. For otherwiſe he is not a Head unto us. If you invite a man of quality to your table, though you provide never ſuch chear for him, yet if you ſhould ſet any people of meane quality above him, he would not regard all your courteſies. When you tender up any thing unto Chriſt, when you ſeeme to entertaine him with the greateſt reſpect, yet if there be any thing you ſet above him, eſpecially if a vile luſt be ſet above him, he cares not for all your entertainment.
We read in that Col. 2. 19. (the place we made uſe of in opening the former point) that there were ſome blamed for not holding of the Head; What is that? becauſe they gave more honour to Angels then was due unto them.
It is ſpoken about the worſhipping of Angels, though never ſuch glorious creatures, yet by over-prizing they come, not to hold of the Head. What, is the giving undue honour to Angels enough to take us off from Chriſt the Head? Certainly then the proſtrating our ſelves before our vile and baſe luſts, doth much more take us off from holding Chriſt to be the Head.
Let us look at all the offices and ordinances of Chriſt, as holding upon him the Head (as you heard before) that ſo we may have a more reverent eſteem of them. Let us depend upon him for influence of life, and not depend upon means. Let us manifeſt in our converſation the ſpirit and life that wee have received from ſuch a Head as Chriſt is, that we may not be a diſhonour to this our head.
I remember Chryſoſtome in his Comment upon that firſt of the Epheſians, We muſt not dishouour Head. foreignſayes, in this regard wee muſt be better then Angels, yea greater then Arch-angels, and he hath three moſt excellent expreſſions about this, that Chriſtians ſhould take heed of diſhonouring Chriſt their Head.
Firſt, ſaith he, ſuppoſe a man had a precious Diadem upon his head, or a crown of gold, that would be ſome argument unto him to make him take heed of doing things unworthy of that ornament that is upon his head: and we (ſaith he) have not a Diadem, wee have not a crowne of gold upon our heads, we have Chriſt himſelf to be our Head, therefore let us doe nothing unworthy of this our head.
Secondly, he hath this expreſſion. O the honour (ſaith he) that God affordeth unto us in this! the thought of this were enough to terrifie us from ſin, more then the ſetting of hell it ſelf before our eyes. And indeed ſo it is.
The right underſtanding of Chriſt to be our Head, and we having ſo neer an union with him, is of power to terrifie us from ſin more then the ſight of hell, if it were before us.
Thirdly, he goes on further. Saith he, What, is Chriſt your head? doe you know next unto whom this your head doth ſit in heaven? Is he not placed at the right hand of the Father above all principalities and powers? And ſhal the members of this head be trampled upon by the Devil? God forbid.
And yet ſo honour the head as to give the honor likewiſe to all that are unto him, to thoſe that he hath placed for the adminiſtration of any ordinance of his unto us.
We muſt not under pretence of giving Chriſt all the honour, diſhonour thoſe that are ſet over us by Chriſt. We have a notable expreſſion of the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Cor. 1. 12. where reproving the diſſentions of the Church of Corinth: There are ſome (ſaith he) that ſay we are of Paul, and others wee are of Apollo, and others ſaid, we are of Cephas, & others we are of Chriſt. Why, are theſe all blamed? how could thoſe that ſaid that they held of Chriſt be blarned? It is apparent that the Apoſtle blames them all, as well thoſe that ſaid they did hold of Chriſt, as thoſe that ſaid they did hold of Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas. How is that?
Thus. Among the Corinths there were ſome that made diviſions, ſome were for ſome officer, others for others; we are for Paul ſaid ſome, we for Apollo ſaid others, and we for Cephas, and for our parts (ſaid others) wee are for none of them all, we are neither for Paul, nor for Apollo, nor for Cephas, but we are for Chriſt, what are men? what are officers? what are Ordinances? what are all thoſe to us? Chriſt is all in all unto us, he is our head, and we are compleat in him, and we hold upon him, we are for neither of all the other. Theſe are blamed as well as the other. We muſt ſo hold upon Chriſt, as yet to give all due honour to the Ordinances, to the Inſtitutions, to the Officers and Offices of Chriſt. Yet I confeſſe when any that are in Chriſts ſtead to diſpence his ordinances unto us, if they prove to be wicked, of all people in the world they are the moſt contemptible, and a juſt judgement of God …t is upon them. Eſay, 9. 15. The ancient and honourable, he is the head, and the Prophet that teacher… lyes, he is the taile,
Mark, The Prophet there ſpeakes againſt thoſe that were in place and power, though they were naught, yet ſtill they retained the name of ancient and honourable, but the Prophet that teacheth lyes, a contemptiblename is put upon him, he is the taile, no generation in the world more contemptible then thoſe when once they degenerate.
But you will ſay, though they ſhould be vile in their lives, yet the wickedneſſe of them that are in office doth not hinder the virtue and efficacy of the Ordinances, it depends not upon them. True, the efficacy of no Ordinance depends upon men, and it is not either becauſe the Miniſter is vile, or Communicants are vile that communicate with you that can hinder the vertue of an Ordinance. If the Church contract no guilt upon themſelves by retaining ſuch in place, and by not caſting out ſuch as doe come into communion with them. Take but that for granted that there is no guilt contracted.
It is not the wickedneſſe then of the Miniſter or of the people that hinders the efficacy of any Ordinance at all. But if it prove that there be guilt contracted upon the Church through the negligence of their duty this way, then the caſe is the ſame with thoſe of Corinth, 1 Cor. 5. 6. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, what is that whole lump but their Communion?
But was not Chriſt the Head before becauſe now it is ſaid,Queſt. They ſhall appoint themſelves one Head? It is ſpoken of a glorious time when the Jews ſhall he called again, and … and Judah ſhall joyne together.
Now they ſhall appoint themſelves one Head, Chriſt to be their Head.
Chriſt was the head to the Fathers under the Law, how now is he appointed their head?Anſ. Chriſt indeed was a head to the fore-fathers, but now in the times of the Goſpel, eſpecially at theſe times that are ſpoken of here, at the calling of the Jewes, and that glorious time that ſhall be then, Chriſt will appeare to be a Head in another manner, to governe in another way, farre more gloriouſly then now he doth, and far more influence of grace & light will come from him unto his members then now. Though Chriſt hath alwayes been a head to his Church, yet there is a time comming when the ſeventh Trumpet ſhall be ſounded (ſpoken of Revel. 11. 15.) when that voyce ſhall be heard that yet was never heard, The Kingdomes of the earth are the Lords, and his Chriſts, and he ſhall reigne for evermore. A time comming wherein Chriſt ſhall ſay unto his people;Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to ſit with me in my Throne, even as I alſo overcame and am ſet downe with my Father in his Throne. The Throne that Chriſt ſits upon now, is his Fathers Throne; hee doth not call it his, and at the day of judgement the Scripture tells us that he ſhall give up the Kingdom unto his Father. There is a time therefore for the Throne of Chriſt to be here further then it hath beene,Rev. 19. 6. which Chriſt hath promiſed to thoſe that doe overcome. A time comming when there ſhall be heard the neiſe, not onelyonly of many waters, but as a mighty thunder, ſaying, Allelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. He ſhall be a head another way.
Now if it bee true that Chriſt himſelf is appointed by the Church to be head, then the officers and Miniſters of the Church ſhould not think much to be appointed in their places by the Church too. It is true, their offices hold on Chriſt the head, but the deſignation of perſons it muſt be from ſome Church worke or other. Who of the Church, ſhould do it, we do not now liſt to enter into any ſuch controverſie, but that there muſt be more then a civill act to make any man that was not before in the place of a Paſtor or teacher of a Church, now to be ſo, ſomewhat to make my conſcience to yeeld and ſubmit unto him as an officer that JESUS CHRIST hath placed over me, ſome Church-work certainly there muſt be in this: Chriſt himſelf would be appointed a head by his people, that they might ſubmit to him the more chearfully, and give glory to him with the more freedome of ſpirit. And as for all ſuch as ſhall thruſt themſelves upon a people, no marvaile though they complain of want of reſpect from them, or of their going away from them.Igna charitatis combucenrendi, s… at ha…etiti Luther. They never did any thing towards the appointing them officers over them. They ſholl appoint themſelves a head.
Not force Chriſt upon others by fire and ſword. Heritiques are to be burnt with fire (ſaith Luther) but with what fire? the fire of charity.
They ſhall appoint to themſelves. Let others do what they will, let others chooſe what head they pleaſe, yet the Saints will appoint to themſelves the Lord Chriſt to be their head, they will bleſſe themſelves in Chriſt, he ſhall be a head unto us, whatſoever he be unto others.
Others it may be will chooſe unto themſelves other heads, but the Saints ſay as they in Micah. 4. 5. All people will walke every one in th… name of his God, and we will walke in the name of our God for ever & ever
Other people they will walke in their wayes, and chooſe to themſelves ſuch as they may have moſt liberty under, they perhaps thinke the government of Chriſt to be too ſtrick for them, but for us we will bleſſe our ſelves in our Chriſt, we will never proſtitute our conſciences ſo to men, to luſts and humors as we have done, it is Chriſt ſhall be our head and we will ſubmit unto him, it is he that is our Law-giver. Secret a mea mecum (it is an Hebrew proverb) my ſecret is with my ſelfe, what good we finde in Chriſt it is to our ſelves; Let Chriſt be a ſtumbling-block and a rock of offence to others, to us he is precious, Cant 5. laſt.he is one of ten thouſand, he is altogether lovely.
They ſhall appoint to themſelves one Head. But one; The Church is not a Monſter or divers heads, It hath but one head.
There cannot be a miniſteriall head of the Church, Chriſt is alwayes preſent, and hath left his laws with his people. If we conſider the difference between Eccleſiaſticall power and Civill power, wee ſhall ſee it cleare that there cannot be a miniſteriall head of the Church (indeed there is a contradiction in the very mention of it:There can not be univerſall officer in the Church as in the State and why; a miniſteriall head? it is abſurd to ſpeake it) It is true in the civill power, it is not againſt any inſtitution of Chriſt that there ſhould be one head over all the world, nor againſt any law: But for to have one head over the Church, yea to have any general officers over all the Churches (to challengde a head-ſhip) it cannot be. The reaſon is, becauſe there can be no delegation of power that belongs to the Church. There may be a delegation of a civill power, one man may be King over many Countreys, and he may appoint ſubſtitutes under him, and delegate them that they ſhall officate under him. There is no ſuch matter in the Church, there is no delegation of power from one to another. Grant but once delegation of the teaching power here you ſtabliſh Non-reſidency; grant but delegation of the ruling power and you preſently eſtabliſh a Papacy. There is no ſuch thing therefore.
Again, the civill power is by way of coaction, a Magiſtrate is not alwayes bound to give a reaſon of his injunctions, he may by way of compulſion require obedience, But Church power is to deale with conſcience; and therefore every one that hath any power muſt officiat himſelf, and deale with the conſciences of men to perſwade and to inſtruct.
Theſe two things being granted it is impoſſible that there can be a head over all the Churches, yea or over many. But one; We muſt joyne nothing with JESUS CHRIST, in the way of his head-ſhip. As Alexander ſaid to Darius, when he ſent unto him that he would be willing to divide the Kingdom; No, ſaith Alexander, there is but one Sun in the firmament, and there can be but one King in a Kingdom. So ſaith Chriſt, but one head He head alone or no head at all; nothing muſt be joyned with him as head;
Indeed the heathen gods … to divide their honours, and to. have but ſome, and other to have ſome other: and hence the Senate of Rome rejected Chriſt from taking in him to be a God, after they conſulted about it, for ſaid they, if Chriſt come to be acknowledged a God he will not ſhare with the reſt, he will have all himſelf, and ſo upon this reaſon they refuſed him, Thus do many reject Chriſt for a head, and for a God, becauſe Chriſt will not ſhare with others; he muſt be but one. And a ſpeciall help is here to our faith in looking up to Chriſt for help and protection when all meanes faile (I beſeech you obſerve it) What, doth Chriſt require of us that wee ſhould make him head alone and joyne nothing with him as head? Then we may well expect from him in all our wants, a protection, and that he alone ſhould help us; or otherwiſe, the condition of a Chriſtian were the worſt condition in the world, were worſe then the condition of a heathen: For the gods of a heathen would be content to have but part of the honour of the heart and life becauſe they could help but in part. If a heathen god ſhould require the whole ſoulto be lifted up above all, and he alone to be honoured and worſhipped as a God, and yet when it comes to a matter of helpe and protection, he could doe nothing without ſome other joyned with him, a heathen might well reaſon the eaſe with him as doing him wrong, certainly Chriſt will never wrong his people, ſo as to challenge from them, that they ſhould lift up him alone, and joyne no other with him, and yet when it comes to their help and ſuccour that there ſhould be need to call in others beſides himſelfe to their help. Therefore as Chriſt doth challenge it from us to make him our head alone, ſo we may challenge it from Chriſt to helpe us alone when there is no other helpe for us.
Thus we have finiſhed both the head-ſhip of Chriſt, and the Churches appointing him to be that head. Now followes the next mercy, the next bleſſing, and that but in a word, and then we come to the concluſion of this Chapter. They ſhall come up out of the land.
Aterrenis affectibus, So Jerome, he makes it a comming up from their earthly ſenſes, earthly affections. A vita miſerabili, ſo Luther upon the place, makes it a comming up from their miſerable life and condition.
But rather thus, Come up out of the land, that is, out of their captivity.
Judah and Iſrael they ſhall joyne together in comming to Jeruſalem, and ſo joyne in the ſame kinde of worſhip, as they were wont to come out of all parts of the countrey to worſhip at Jeruſalem, and there were united in one kinde of worſhip, ſo they ſhall now come from all parts of the world where they are ſcattered, and joyne in the ſame way of worſhip, yea and it is very probable in their own land. There was a time when the people of God did ſing ſongs of praiſe in the wilderneſſe, Exod, 15. But the time ſhall come when they ſhall do it in their own land; and this ſhall be a bleſſing of God upon them. Iſa. 26. 1. In that day ſhall this ſong be ſung in the land of Judah, VVe have a ſtrong City, ſalvation will God appoint for walls and bulworkes. It ſhall be ſung in the land of Judah,
Ezek. 20. 40. In the mountaines of the height of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord God, there ſhall all the houſe of Iſrael, all of them in the land ſerve me, there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firſt fruites of your oblations, with all your holy things.
Ezekiel. 37. 21. I will take the children of Iſrael from among the heathen whether they begone, and will gather them on every ſide, and bring them into their own land. This bleſſing hath God granted unto many of his ſervants this day; who never thought to have ſeen their owne land, their own good land: but God hath bin pleaſed to gather them up that they are come not onelyonly into their own land, but they finde the armes and hearts of the Saints open to imbrace them, and call them to publicke imployments.
It was not long ſince that the land could not beare them; we hope that the time may come ere long that the Lord Chriſt may ſo rule and that in our land, that it will as hardly beare wicked and ungodly men as it hath borne the Saints, though it were hard to ſay that there ſhould be ſo much violence uſed even to keep them from ſome ſins, as hath been uſed here againſt the Saints to keep them from their God, yet time may come ere long that wicked men may be glad to flye (though not forced unto it) out of their owne choyce, into another land, becauſe they cannot have the enjoyment of their luſts ſo freely here: As the Saints have been forced to flye out of their land that they might ſerve the Lord and keep their conſciences cleare.
But we let this paſſe, and come now to the cloſe of the Chapter to the Epiphonema of it all. For great ſhall be the day of Jezreel.
They ſhall appoint themſelves one head, and come up out of the land, for great, Licet, ſo Tremelius turnes it, although the day of Jezreel be great: & indeed the Hebrew particle foreign ſignifieth quamvis as well as quia, Obſerv.It may be tranſlated [although] as well as [for] And he tranſlating it ſo, although the day of Iezreel be great, he takes it in this ſenſe, that is, although the people of Iſrael ſhall be brought into great affliction, yet God will be ſo mercifull then when his time comes, as they ſhall be gathered together again, and appoint themſelves one head, and come up out of the land. And from ſuch an interpretation of the words there might be an excellent meditation raiſed, and that is this. That the greatneſſe of the miſery of the Church is no hinderance to the courſe of the freeneſſe and abundance of Gods mercy to it.
Although the day of Iezreel, their day be never ſo calamitous, never ſo afflictive, never ſo grievous, yet they ſhall come up out of the land and appoint themſelves one head. The greatneſſe of the Churches miſery is no hinderance unto the Churches delivery: Why? becauſe their deliverance dependeth upon a God who doth delight not onelyonly to manifeſt ſome power, but the excellency, and the glory, and the choyce of his power in their deliverance. For that take this Scripture, Iſa. 62. 8. Where ſpeaking of theſe very times that we ſhall heare of afterward, of Gods being mercifull unto his people, he ſaith, The Lord hath ſworne by his right hand: and we have not onelyonly mention thereof Gods right hand and ſwearing by it, but the arme of God too; Marke that, The arme of God and the arme of his ſtrength:
There is Gods hand, Gods arme,Lect. 6. the arme of his ſtrength, & God ſweareth by it.The greatneſs of the Churches affliction is no hinderance to the deliverance of it. Surely when God delighteth to put forth ſuch power for the deliverance of his Church, it is no great matter whether the afflicted eſtate be great or ſmall. It makes no great matter for the hinderance of the Churches delivery, no more then if you ſhould ſee two bubbles of water riſe up, & one hath a little thicker skin then the other. Now there is as much difference in the difficulty that the thick skin bubble makes when a mighty Cannon or peece of Ordnance ſhal be ſhot off with a mighty Bullet to reſiſt it, from the thinner skin bubble, as the greateſt and foreſt affliction that the people of God were ever under in this world makes a difference in the difficulty of their deliverance (when they have to deale with an infinite God) from the leaſt affliction that ever the Church was in. The difference is no more. If a childe indeed ſhould ſee the thicker skin bubble, he might thinke tis harder to be broke then the thinner skin, but if a Cannon ſhould be ſhot off, nay if it be but a Fillip, it makes no difference. Now the afflictions of Gods people they are to this right hand of Gods power, and the arme of his ſtrength, but as a bubble of water before a mighty Cannon. Yea if there be not help at all to deliver Gods people in time of affliction yet God can create helpe, He will create Jeruſalem a rejoycing, and their people a joy. Yea ſuppoſe their condition be ſuch as yet never was the like ſince the beginning of the world, yet Iſa, 64. 4. Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the care, …either hath the eye ſeene what God hath prepared for them that waite for him. And as the greatneſſe of the Churches deliverance is no hinderance of Gods power in delivering them, ſo it ſhould be no hinderance to the work of our faith. Common prudence and reaſon will go a great way to uphold us under ſome affliction, but when the affliction comes to be ſore, and grievous, and long; prudence & reaſon then ſinketh under the burthen; but then ſhould faith lift up it ſelfe, and caſt an eye upon this right hand of Gods power, this arme of his ſtrength that he hath ſworne by, and exerciſe it ſelf in the glorious acts of it. For certainly faith is appointed for ſuch a time as this, when the Church is under grievous extremities. The ordinary afflictions of the Church do not call for ſuch a work of faith, but when they come to extraordinary that requires ſuch a power of God for their deliverance, then there is called for a worke of faith proportionable, as Alexander when he was in great danger, Now (ſaith he) there is a danger fit for the ſpirit of Alexander to incounter withall.Iam periculu… pa… animo Alexitiri. So when the Church comes to be in any great danger, all the members of it ſhould ſay, here is a danger, here is a trouble fit for the ſpirit of Chriſtians, fit for the ſpirits of thoſe that are able to exerciſe the moſt noble and glorious acts of faith.
This glorious exerciſe of faith, I may even ſay we are ſcarce yet for the preſent put to it, for reaſon and ſenſe ſees much help, they ſee that the cauſe of God at this day hath the better of the adverſary; reaſon I ſay and prudence may ſee far this way. Let us not look upon every difficulty as a thing that calleth for ſuch a mighty glorious worke of faith, whereas men by reaſon and prudence, and may carry themſelves under ſuch difficulties much better then moſt of us doe. But we do not know but the Lord may call us unto ſuch difficulties and dangers as requires ſuch a faith as hath ſuch a kinde of work as I have ſpoken of. Let us therefore lay up this Inſtruction for the time to come. Again, for great ſhall be the day of Jezreel,
If the words be read thus (as they are in your Bibles) and yet have reference to the calamitous time, and grievous extremities of the day of Jezreel, then there will be theſe two excellent meditations from thence. The firſt is,
That Gods bowels of compaſſion do work toward his Church becauſe of the greatneſſe of their affliction.Obſer. When their afflictions ſhall be very great, and the greater they are, the more do Gods bowels of compaſſion work toward them. We know the miſery of Gods people in Exo. 3. was a marvailous quickning argument to the compaſſion of God (as I may ſo ſpeake) I have ſeene, I have ſeene (ſaith he) the affliction of my people, and their ſorrowes, and therefore am come down to deliver them.
If the greatneſs of the affliction of the Church move the bowels of Gods compaſſion, then let not the greatneſſe of affliction hinder our faith. Let not the greatneſſe of trouble reaſon down our faith, but rather let it reaſon up our faith, for ſo indeed it ſhould; and ſo the Saints of God heretofore have done, by the greatneſs of the trouble we muſt reaſon up our faith as thus: It is …me for thee O Lord to work, for men have almoſt deſtroyed thy law; yea the high time is come for thee to have mercy upon Zion, Afflictions should raiſe our hearts.for thy people begin to favour the duſt thereof. What, was this a good argument, Have mercy upon me, and pardon my ſin for it is very great, to move God withall? Surely then this is a good argument, Deliver us in our afflictions, for they are very great: for ſin makes a great deale more diſtance betweene God and us then afflictions: yet if the greatneſs of ſin ſhall come to be put as an argument for Gods mercy and compaſſion to work, much more the greatneſs of afflictions. Yet this is the grace of God in the ſecond Covenant that even the ſins that before made the creature the object of hatred, thoſe ſins come now to make it an object of compaſſion. So afflictions that before were part of the curſe, they come now to be arguments for the moving of the bowels of Gods tender compaſſion toward his people. Another note (if you read it ſo, for great is their affliction) is this, the promiſe is the only ſupport of the ſoul,Obſer. and that which carrieth it thorow the greateſt affliction.
Afflictions are as leade to the net, the promiſe is as the corke, the promiſe keepes above water when the lead pulls down. But I leave theſe meditations, though I finde many interpreters run this way. And I rather take it as a further expresſion of Gods wonderfull mercy unto his Church.
For great ſhall be the day of Jezreel, That is, God hath a great day of mercy for Jezreel. That is the meaning, they ſhall appoint themſelves one head, they ſhall be gathered together and be made one, they ſhall come up out of the land, why? for God hath yet to come a great day of mercy to his pepole, A gr… day of Jezreel.
And herein therefore God makes uſe of the name of Jezreel in a good ſenſe. They that carry it the other way would carry the ſignification of the name thus, for great is the day of ſcattering, of the ſcattered people, ſo Iezreel ſignifieth (as you heard in the beginning of the Chapter) But Jezreel ſignifieth likewiſe the ſeed of God. Before God made uſe of their name in the worſe ſenſe, that he would ſcatter them according to their name; now he makes uſe of their name in the beſt ſenſe, they are the ſeed of God, and there is great mercy from God for them.
When God is reconciled unto a people,Obſer. he takes all in the beſt ſenſe and makes the beſt acception of every thing, as he doth here of the name Jezreel.
We have onelyonly theſe two things to conſider of in this expreſſion.
1. That the Saints of God, and the Church, they are Gods Jezreel. That is, they are the ſeed of God.
2. That there is for this ſeed of God a great day.
1. They are the ſeed of God. The ſeed of the bleſſed, and there is a bleſſing in them. They are the precious ſeed that God preſerves in the world, & hath done ever ſince the beginning of the world. They are that ſeed that preſerveth the glory of God in the world. Were it not for a few gracious, holy people in the world, where would the glory of God be? What would become of it? Thoſe that are godly, however contemptible in the world, they are the precious ſeed that God reſerves in the world for great and glorious ends. They are the ſeed to preſerve the continuation of the Doctrine of the Goſpell, and the bleſſed truths of God; as Iſa. 6. 13. The holy ſeed ſhall be the ſubſtance thereof. Though they ſhall be under great afflictions, yet there ſhall be a holy ſeed that ſhall be the ſubſtance thereof, and there ſhall be his bleſſing.The godly are pretious ſeed. Filibatur nomen ejus. Pſal. 72. 17. His name ſhall endure from generation to generation: the words are read by Montanus, His name ſhall be childed, that is, ſo continued as families are continued, one generation after another, one begetteth another: and ſo ſhall the name of Chriſt continue in the world, and ſo it hath done. And though ſeed be but a handfull in compariſon of the harveſt, ſo the Saints of God then were, and yet are but as a handfull in compariſon of the glorious harveſt that ſhall be, yet they are very precious before God, and God will make the world hereafter know that they are the precious ones of God, Iſa. 61. 9. All that ſee them ſhall acknowledge them that they are the ſeed which the Lord hath bleſſed.
Seed (you know) a man will be carefull of that what ever becomes of his other corne. In the time of dearth the husbandman wil rather pinch his own belly, then have his ſeed-corne to be ſpent. So in times of common calamity, of common dearth, yet Gods care is over his ſeed; the Saints are (as I may ſay) Gods ſeed-corne to preſerve his name in the world, to other generations that are to come, he will not therefore have them deſtroyed.
Seed is the moſt precious of the corne, which is moſt winnowed and made cleane, and ſo are the Saints, the cleane ones and the moſt precious ones.
God perhaps doth winnow them and fanne them more than he doth others by the fannes and winnows of afflictions, why? becauſe they are his ſeed.
Perhaps other corne that hath droſſe in it, the husband-man will give the fowles and the cattell that, he beſtoweth not much winnowing upon it, but the corne that is for ſeed he winnows that, he would not willingly have a dernell amongſt it. It may be thou complaineſt thou art more winnowed, more fanned then other men, perhaps thou art more precious in Gods eyes, thou art to be reſerved as ſeed, as the ſeed of the bleſſed.
The wicked indeed they are ſeed too, but a corrupt ſeed, a ſeede of evill deers, Eſay, 1. the grand-father was an enemy unto God, yea the great grand-father, and the father, and the children after him continue enemies to God. And God in mercy unto his Church doth many times cut downe the wicked before they do ſeed too much. As you that have gardens, if they have weeds in them, and you ſee the weeds come up and grow to ſeed, you think then that it is time to pull them up, you will not ſuffer them to ſeed. God lookes upon many families and ſees wretched and ſinfull men as a ſeed of evil doers, and ſees they are ready to ſeed, and if they be not cut down ſuddenly there will be a wretched brood of wicked ones in ſuch a family.The wicked are corrupt ſeed. This is the reaſon of Gods ſuddain cutting down of many wicked families.
But to come to the point that is chiefly intended, that is, That this ſeed of the Lord ſhall have a great day. Great ſhall be the day of Jezreel.
The men of the world they have their day in which they ruffle it out, and they have all the doings. Saint Paul ſeemes to ſpeake of this in 1 Cor. 4. 3. he ſaith there that he did not paſſe for mans judgement, the word is, foreign, for mans day. Now men have the day, they have all the bravery in the world, well ſaith Saint Paul, I doe not paſſe formans day, I expect another day, beſides mans day. I know not how it commeth to paſſe to be otherwiſe tranſlated, you tranſlate it judgement in your books, but in the Originall it is day, Man hath a day.
As men have a day, ſo ſhall Gods Saints have a day too. Wee uſe to ſay many times when we ſee the Malignant party jocund and merry, ſurely they hope to have a day. My brethren be joyfull in the Lord, God hath a day for you, and a great day too, Great ſhall be the day of Jezreel. The beginning of Gods mercy to his people is called a day of ſmall things, Zach. 4. 10. and that muſt not be deſpiſed, Let no man deſpiſe the day of ſmall things. It was the beginning of the reformation and deliverance of the people of Judah from their captivity.1. But God hath a day of great things, and certainly that day ſhall be honorable. A day firſt in which the glory of God ſhall exceedingly appear, wherein God ſhal be (as I may ſo ſpeak with holy reverence) as it were in his robes: As we know Princes upon great dayes put on their robes, ſo the King of glory ſhall have a day for his people, wherein even he himſelf will put on his robes, Pſ. 102. 16. When the Lord ſhall build up Zion he ſhall appear in his glory. It ſeemeth while the Church is in affliction, while the witneſſes propheſie in ſack-cloath, God is as it were cloathed in ſack-cloath, In all their afflictions he is afflicted, but becauſe God hath a day, a great day to his Churches, he will reſerve his robes till then, and when that day commeth he will put on his robes, for when he ſhall build up Zion (ſaith the Text) then the Lord ſhall appeare in his glory. A great day it ſhall be for Jezreel, for the ſeed of the Lord.
Secondly,2, It ſhall be a great day, for this day ſhall be the riches of the world. Marke that place in Rom. 11. 12, ſpeaking of the Jews, If their fall (ſaith he) be the riches of the world, and their diminishing the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulneſs? It was a rich mercy to the Gentiles when they were brought out of darkneſſe, and called into the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, here was riches to the world of the Gentiles: But God hath a greater day then that, for it is ſpoken here of a day that is to come, that is, their fall was the riches of the Gentiles, much more their calling in again.
So then there is ſuch a day of calling home the people of God, as ſhall be the riches of the Gentiles, the riches of all the world.
Yea Thirdly,3. That place Dan. 12. 2. opened, not underſtood of the generall reſurrection at the laſt day and why. Great ſhall be this day, for it ſhall be as a day of reſurrection from death to life: ſo Dan. 12. 2. Many of them that ſleepe in the duſt ſhall awake, &c. It is not ſpoken of the great reſurrection at the laſt day of judgement, for Firſt, It is ſpoken but of ſome that ſhall ariſe:
Secondly, The greateſt glory that is here put upon the juſt, is but to ſhine as the ſtars in the firmament, but at the laſt day the Saints ſhall ſhine as the ſunne in the firmament, more and above the ſtarres. Yea,
Thirdly, This that is here revealed to Daniel muſt be ſealed up as a great ſecret till the appointed time come; but for the Reſurrection at the laſt day that is no great ſecret, that they knew well enough, it is not as a ſecret to be ſhut up and ſealed from men till the time appointed come. But this Reſurrection here ſpoken of, it is to be ſealed up as a great ſecret that was not knowne in the world, nor ſhould be much knowne till the appointed time ſhould come. And then Laſtly, It was promiſed to Daniel in the 13. ver. that he ſhould ſtand up in his lot, as a peculiar and ſpeciall favour that God ſtould beſtow upon him. Now it is not ſuch a peculiar and ſpecial favour for a Saint to ſtand up at the great day, at the laſt day, this was a favour to Daniel as an eminent Saint, that he ſhould ſtand up thus in his lot. Therefore this Reſurrection is the ſame with this great day of Jezreel, wherein there ſhall be ſuch a glorious work of God in calling Iſrael and Judah together & the fulneſs of the Gentiles, that it ſhall be as the Reſurrection from death to life; ſo the Apoſtle calls it likewiſe in that Rom. 11. 15. What ſhall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?
4. Great ſhall be the day of Iezreel, for this ſhall bring refreſhing to all the Saints, this is the time of the refreſhing, Act. 3. 19. There ſhall be ſuch things then as will refreſh and revive the ſpirits of all the Saints. Yea,
5. It ſhall be the day of reſtitution of all things. Acts 3. 21. Vntill the times of reſt it … of all things come, which God hath ſpoken by the mouth of all his Prop… ſince the world began. I know it is ordinary carryed by many another way, concerning the laſt day; but that it cannot be ſo, it appears, becauſe that then there ſhall not be the reſtitution of all things, but the annihilation of many things. Further, this ſpeakes of a reſtitution of all things, that was ſpoken of by the mouth of all the holy Prophets. Now the holy Prophets ſpake but very little concerning the day of Judgment, of another life to come, we reade but little of it in the Prophets; and therefore the Apoſtle in 2 Tim. 1. 10. ſaith, that life and immortality was brought to light through the Goſpel. Not but that it was known ſomewhat before, but it was very darkly known, there was very little ſpoken of life and immortality in the Prophets; But this ſpeaks of a time that all the holy Prophets ſpake of as an argument that was the general theame of them all. And indeed there is no argument whatſoever that is more general among the Prophets, then this great argument of this great day of Jezreel.
Again, 6. A great day, for it ſhall be a new creation; a new heaven and a new earth ſhall be made when this great day of Iezreel ſhall come.6. Eſay, 66. 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth: And in ver. 18. if you obſerve it, you ſhall ſee what this new heaven and this new earth is: But be glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create, for behold I create Ieruſalem are joycing, and her people a joy. Thoſe are the new heavens & the new earth that are to be created: and this is meant of the Church plainly, for the Text, ver. 21. ſpeakes of building houſes, and inhabiting them, and of planting vineyards, and eating the fruit of them, upon theſe new heavens & this new earths creation. And 2 Pet. 3. 13. Nevertheleſſe according to this promiſe, we looke for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe. Now where is this promiſe? This is uſually taken for the Kingdom of heaven hereafter. But where is this promiſe? We do not finde it any where but in that place I named before, Eſay, 65. Now it is apparent that promiſe doth ſpeak of an eſtate of the Church here in this world; and there is ſpoken of a new earth, as well as of a new heaven; if it were onelyonly ſpoken of new heavens, it had bin another matter, but it ſpeaks of a new earth likewiſe, therefore meant of an eſtate in this world, a new creation of a new heaven and earth, that is, there ſhall be ſuch glorious things done by God, as ſhall manifeſt a creating power, as if God did now make new heavens and a new earth. 7.7. Great ſhal be the day of Iezreel, for it ſhall be as another world, when this day cometh. Heb. 2. 5. 6. 7. 8. VntoUnto the Angels hath he not put in ſubjection the world to come, whereof we ſpeak. But one in a certain place teſtified, (this certain place is in Pſa. 104.) ſaying: What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the ſon of man that thou viſiteſt him? Thou haſt made him little lower then the Angels, thou crownedſt him with glory and honour, and didſt ſet him over the works of thy hands, thou haſt put all things in ſubjection under his feet. This is clearly interpreted of Chriſt, (as verſ. 9. and ſo on) that all things muſt be ſubjected to hi… man, What is man that thou ſhouldſt regard him? That is, that thou … advance the nature of man ſo far as to unite it even to thy Son, and pi… things in ſubjection under his feet. This the Apoſtle interpreteth of Chriſt.
But ſaith he, wee ſee not yet all things put under him, that time is yet to come, for, ſaith he, We ſpeak of things that concerne the world to come.
Therefore (mark my brethren) there muſt be ſuch a time wherein all things, all creatures muſt be put under ſubjection to Chriſt, and this is in the world to come. Not in that world to come where the Saints ſhall raign gloriouſly in heaven, it cannot be meant of that, for the heavens muſt depart as a ſcroll, and many things ſhall then rather be annihilated, and the Kingdome muſt then be given up by Chriſt to God the Father, ſo the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor 15. that is, when the Saints ſhall reigne gloriouſly with Chriſt in heaven.
But here this place ſpeaks of a time when all creatures muſt come under ſubjection to Chriſt, and it is called the world to come, why? becauſe of the great change there ſhall be of things, it ſhall be (as it were) a new world. As we call this world from Noahs time a new world, and when we ſpeak of the other world we call it the old world; ſo the Scripture calls it, 2 Pet. 2. 5. God ſpared not the old world: And Chap. 3. 6. The world that then was being overflowed with water, periſhed. So this world that we live in is as the old world, and there is this day of Jezreel, in which there ſhall be ſuch a glorious change, all things being put in ſubjection under Chriſt, that it ſhall be as it were a new world, God hath made an excellent world in which there is much beauty and glory, and yet his enemies have the rule here; what then will that world be that God intends for his Saints?
8. Great ſhall be the day of Jezreel.8. It ſhall be ſuch a great day that all former things ſhall be even forgotten becauſe of the luſtre and glory of that great day. As Iſa. 65. 17. The former heavens and the former earth ſhall not be remembred nor come into mind; And ſo Jer. 3. 16. In thoſe dayes ſaith the Lord, they ſhall ſay no more the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord, neither ſhall it come to minde, neither ſhal they remember it; at that time they ſhal call Jeruſalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the nations ſhal be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jeruſalem, neither ſhal they walk any more after the imagination of their evil hearts (mark my brethren) In thoſe dayes the houſe of Judah ſhall walke together, ver. 18. It is apparent that it is ſpoken of this great day of Iezreel; for now God ſaith he will gather Iudah and Iſrael together, and here he ſaith that they ſhall walke together, and that then former things ſhall be forgotten; they ſhall call Jeruſalem the Throne of the Lord; heretofore even the Temple it ſelf the glory of Jeruſalem was but as the place of Gods feet, and the Arke of God was but Gods footſtool. 1 Chron. 28. 2. It was in mine heart (ſaith David) to build a houſe of reſt for the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord, and for the footſtoole of our God; and Iſa. 60. 13. I will make Zion the place of my feet glorious. But now in this great day, Jeruſalem that was but Gods foot ſtool, the place of his feet, ſhall be Gods Throue; a great day certainly this ſhall be when all things ſhall be thus forgotten.
In the laſt place, a great day, becauſe it ſhall be a day after which there ſhal be no night. And that you will ſay will be a great day indeed, after which the Saints ſhall be raiſed to ſuch a ſtate of proſperity and happineſs that ſhall never fall again, that ſhall never come to be darkened any more. The Churches here many times have had ſome little releaſe, they have had their dayes of peace for a while, but it hath ſoone grown to be night, and a diſmall night of darkneſs. But when this great day ſhall come it ſhall be a day that ſhall never have night, for ſo God promiſeth here to his Jezreel, to make it to be an eternal excellency, and to make Jeruſalem an everlaſting joy, and Dan. 2. 44. God ſhall in the dayes of thoſe Kings ſet up a Kingdom that ſhall never be deſtroyed, that is, the great day of Jezreel.
The firſt thing that ſhall be done in this great day of Iezreel, ſhall be the deliverance of the Churches from wofull affliction which they ſhal be found to be in a little before. For ſo the Scripture tells us, Dan. 12. 1. that before this day there ſhall be a time of trouble ſuch as never was ſince there was a nation even to that ſame time, and at that time thy people ſhall be delivered. I might tell you much how ſome of the Ancients have ſpoken of this, that though it be a point that ſeemes to be ſomewhat ſtrange to us,Ego autem & qui ſunt per omnia orthodoxae ſententiae Chriſtiani, &c. yet it was one of the moſt ordinarieſt things that was known in the primitive times. It was then ſo generally acknowledged, that I remember Juſt in Martyr (who was but 30. years after Saint John) hath ſuch an expreſſion as this, There is no man (ſaith he) that is of the Orthodox faith in all things, but he doth acknowledge it. And Lactantius in his 7. book, cap. 15. 24. 28. and divers other chapters he ſpends in ſhewing the glory of this great day of Iezreel, but withall he ſhewes that a little before there ſhall be moſt grievous times that ſhal fall out, ſuch times ſaith he, as that all right ſhall be confounded,Vt jam noſtra haec tempora quibus iniquitas & malitia uſque ad ſummum gradi…m crevit, ſoe licia, & prope aurea posſint judicari. Si tum forte ſu…rint boni, undeque practae ſint ſcel…ratis, ac divexentur, ſoli autem mali opulenti ſint, boni vero in omnibus contumeliis atqùe in egestate, confundetur omne jus & leges peribunt, nihiltunc quiſpiam habebit, vi omnia posſialebunt. Lactant. l. 7. c. 15. the law ſhall periſh, no body ſhall know what is his own, the wicked they ſhal have the preheminence, & the Saints they ſhall be perſecuted, ſo that (ſaith he) though in this our time wickedneſſe is grown to ſuch a height, that a man would think it could increaſe no higher, yet in compariſon of the time a little before that great day, theſe times may be called Golden ages.
Theſe expreſſions he hath, So that great times of affliction will be before that great day; and it is therefore called a great day, becauſe God appearing ſo gloriouſly in the deliverance of his Church at that day. The Scripture ſpeakes of wonderfull thing that God will do, and ſhew himſelf marvaylous as he did in the people of Iſraels comming out of Eg…t. Who knowes but that God now ſendeth abroad ſo much of the light of his Goſpel, and is ſo working in the hearts of men, and giveth us ſuch a time of reviving, and calleth home ſo many young ones as he doth purpoſely becauſe this great day is at hand, and becauſe before this day wee may have a day of diſmall darkeneſſe? and by this he will prepare people for thoſe times, God will have a great ſeed that he intends to be in the world, therefore ſo many young people are converted and are ſo forward, becauſe I ſay God meanes to prepare them by this light that we now have, for this ſeed, for this great day. And you that are young may expect to go thorow ſome difficulties & hardſhip before this great day comes, but be of good comfort, you may hope to live to ſee all the glory of this great day, and God gives you now time that you may lay up, and be fit ſeed for ſuch a glorious day as this, that you may not when ſufferings come, be found among the number of the fearfull ones, ſpoken of in Rev. 21. 8. that ſhal have their part in the lake which burneth with fire & brimſtone; Thoſe that through baſe cowardlineſs and complyance ſhall yeeld to baſe vile ſuperſtitious vanities ſhall be caſt out amongſt dogs when that great day comes. God now gives you a day that you may ſee the evil of ſuperſtitious vanities, that you may have truths revealed to you with more freedom then formerly, I ſay who knowes but this may be to prepare you for that darkneſſe that may come a little before this great day of Jezreel.
Secondly,2. a great day in ſubduing the adverſaries of the Church. Though they ſhall come to have a great deale of power a little before; yet when that great day of Iezreel ſhall come, they ſhal be cert…inly all ſubdued & brought under. Rev. 19. 13. Chriſt when he ſhall come in this great day he ſhal have his garments dipt in blood, in deſtroying the wicked and ungodly, and Rev, 15. the Saints when they ſee the wicked deſtroyed as the Egyptians were in the ſea, the Text ſaith that they ſung the ſong of Moſes. What was this ſong of Moſes, but the prayſing of God for the deſtruction of their adverſaries in the Sea? God hath another Sea to deſtroy the wicked, and God hath a day for his Saints to ſing over the ſong of Moſes again, and eſpecially for the deſtruction of Popery. My brethren be not troubled to ſee Papiſts make a concourſe and flock together,Romannm nomen horet animus dict re, ſed dicamq…ia futurum eſt toll… tur de terra. Lactant. l. 7. c. 15 be not troubled at it, for when this day ſhall come, God will ſo order things that his adverſaries ſhall come and flock together, but it ſhall be that they may be deſtroyed, for God hath a great feaſt and a great Sacrifice, and he will ſacrifice them eſpecially. And therefore Lactantius that I ſpoke of before, and is one that lived 1300. yeares ſince, ſaith he (ſpeaking then of this day) I have a thing to ſay, but I even tremble to ſpeake it, but I muſt ſpeake it, and what was it? Romanum nomen (ſaith he) de terra tolletur; thoſe are his words, the Roman name ſhall be taken off from the earth. He in thoſe primitive times proph…ſied of the deſtruction of Rome. Perhaps though he did not ſee it ſo clearly, yet God might ſo order it, as though hee underſtood it not, God might intend it for theſe times. God will deſtroy the enemies of his Churches then. Yea. Ezek. 28. 24. there is a promiſe to the Saints that there ſhall beno more a pricking bryar, nor any grieving thorne of any that are round about them that deſpiſe them, & in another place God ſaith that he will take away the Canaanite out of the Land.
Further,.3 the third thing that ſhall be done in this great day, is the glorious preſence of Chriſt among the Saints, let it be perſonall or what it will, wee determine not, but thus far we may confidently affirme that there ſhall be a more glorious preſence of Jeſus Chriſt among his people,Lect. 7, then ever yet was ſince the beginning of the world. Rev. 21. 22. The Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, ſhall be the Temple of it: and Chap. 22. 3. 4. The Throne of God and of the Lamb ſhal be in it, and his ſervants ſhall ſerve him, & they ſhall ſee his face, and Ezek. 48. the laſt words of the Chapter, The name of that place ſhall be Jehovah-ſhammah, that is, the Lord is there.
Fourthly, the glory that ſhall be put upon the Saints at that day, ſhewes it to be a great day. Glory ſhall be put upon them, firſt in regard of their admirable gifts & graces they ſhall be heightned and inlarged, the weake ſhall be as David, and they that are as David ſhall be as the Angel of God at that day. The bowing down of their adverſaries before them, The high eſteeme that they ſhall have, even in the thoughts and judgments of many great ones of the world, they ſhall be called up to heaven, that is, thoſe that are in higheſt place and dignity, ſhall call them up and honour them in that day, yea the Text ſaith, The Kings of the earth in that day ſhall came in, and bring their glory to the Church. Therefore it is apparent, that place Rev. 21. 24. cannot be underſtood of heaven, for it is ſaid, the Kings of the earth ſhal bring their glory, they ſhall not bring their glory to the Church, when the Church ſhall be in heaven. And fiftly, a great day it ſhall be in regard of the wonderfull change of all creatures,Terra aperiet f…cunditat…m ſuam, & ub…rrimas fruges ſua ſpont… generabit, rupes montium me…e ſudabunt, perrivos vina decurrent, f…umina lacte inundabunt, ominù natura Letabitur; erepta & liberata a dominio mali, & impietatis, & eroris; non heſtia per hoc tempus ſanguine alentur, non aves praeda ſed quieta & placid a crunt omnia. Lactant. l. 7. c. 4. glorious, fruitfull times, ſo I remember Lactantius ſpeaks of that time, that the rocks them ſelves ſhould iſſue forth honey and precious things; but that we cannot ſay, yet that there ſhall bee a wonderfull change of all things, and all creatures brought to a further happineſs (even the ſenſitive creatures as well as others) then they had before, the Scriptures are cleare euough in it. And literally we are to underſtand many Scriptures that tend this way concerning the fruitfulneſſe of the earth, and the outward external glory that there ſhall be in the creatures. As upon a great marriage feaſt or Coronation day, all the ſervants of the Prince are in their beſt array; ſo when Chriſt his Bridegroome ſhall come and meet with his wife, with his Spouſe, all creatures ſhall be put into a new creſſe, ſhall have further glory. And laſtly, that which we have here in the Text, the multitudes of all nations and people that ſhall flock to the Church,Tun… qui erunt in corporibus vivi, non morientur, ſed per mille annes infinitam multitudinem generabunt, & evit ſ…boles eorum ſancta, & Deo charre. Lactant. ibid. that they ſhall be as the ſand of the ſea. But this I have ſpoken of before at large. Now put all theſe things together, and Great ſhall be the day of Jezreel.
Yea, but ſhall theſe things be ſo? ſhall they be ſo?
Though fleſh and blood may reaſon againſt theſe things, yet I may apply that place, Zach. 2. 13. Be ſilent, O all fleſh, before the Lord, for he is raiſed up out of his holy ha…tion. Fleſh may ſay, How can theſe things be?
But let all fleſh be ſilent, for God hath made known in his Word, the great things that he intends to bring to paſſe. And Zach. 8. 6. Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, if it be marvaylous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in theſe dayes, ſhould it alſo be marvaylous in mine eyes? ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.
It may be applyed to this as well as the other. Theſe things may ſeeme marveilous to your eyes, eſpecially becauſe we have been but little acquainted with them, but they are not marveilons in the eyes of God. Yea we find it out of the Word that theſe things were to be kept hidden till the appointed time ſhould come, till we draw neerer to that great day; we are not to wonder why theſe things have not been opened unto us, for God tells us Dan. 12 that they were to be ſealed up even to the time appointed, and Rev. 10. 11. God telleth Iohn that he muſt prophe ſie again before the Kings of the earth, that is, before the time of the fulfilling of all things, that booke of the Revelation ſhall be made out as cleere as if Iohn were come to propheſie again before men. And we hope it is comming, becauſe God beginneth to let in light that way, and the morning ſtar ſeemeth to begin to ariſe.
In Zach. 14. 6. you have mention of a day, that we may apply to the preſent day that we have now. And it ſhall come to paſſe (ſaith the Text there) that the light ſhall not be cleere nor darke, but it ſhall be one day which ſhall be known to the Lord, not day nor night, but it ſhall come to paſſe that at evening time it ſhall be light. Mark what ſhall be in that day, ver. 8. And it ſhall be in that day that living waters ſhall go out from Jeruſalem; & ver. 9, In that day ſhall there be but one Lord, and his name one; and then ver. 20. In that day ſhal there be upon the bels of the horſes holineſs to the Lord; and ver. 21. In that day there ſhall be no more the Canaanite in the houſe of the Lord of Hoſts. Certainly my brethren theſe Scriptures ſpeakes of a glorious day that is a comming, but yet in the beginning of it is juſt like ſuch a day as we have now for the preſent, wherein the light is neither cleere nor darke: It is true, not long ſince it was darke, now this darkeneſſe beginneth to be a little diſpelled, but it is not cleere yet, many things for the preſent darken the light, and there is oppoſition and many dampes upon the hearts of Gods people, and things go not o…s we deſire; but bleſſed be God it is not night with us, though it be not … day it is not darke as it was, though it be not as cleere as we deſire; therfore this is now a day which is neither cleer nor darke, but even as it were twilight. Well but it ſhall be one day that is one ſpecial day, and indeed it is our day now, it is the greateſt day that ever yet England had. It ſhall be one day which ſhall be knowne to the Lord, a day wherein the Lord hath great thoughts and purpoſes to do great things, and certainly this our day is known to the Lord, great things God is about to do for his Churches, & laying a foundation of glorious things for the good of his people. And then mark, though it be neither day nor night, yet at the evening time it ſhall be light. What a ſtrange expreſſion is here? It ſhall be a duskie cloudy day all day, and then a man would thinke that at evening it ſhould be quite dark, what to be cloudy at noone and to be darkiſh at three or foure of the clock in the afternoone, what then will it be in the evening? ſurely then it muſt needes be more darke: No, though it be not cleere now, though it be a cloudy day and part of it darke,In the evening time it shal be light. yet at the evening time it ſhall be light: When it ſhall be leaſt expected to have light, and when we ſhall moſt feare darkneſſe, when wee ſhall be ready to conclude, O our day is gone, once indeed God did bring a day to England, a comfortable day though it was a little darke, yet there was a glorious light in compariſon of what we had before, but now it is grown towards evening, the evening begins to ſhut upon us, we looked for light but behold darkneſſe. Perhaps many will be complaining, if they ſee things go on with any difficulty and oppoſition they will be ready to have their hearts ſink within them, and to cry out, now our day is gone and the evening is comming, & we muſt look for darkneſs, yea and feare a diſmall darkneſſe. Now my brethren, be of good comfort, for at evening time it ſhall be light; when we think it ſhall be evening, when it is moſt unlikely to be light, then ſhall the light of the Lord breake forth moſt gloriouſly: For whenſoever this day of Iezreel commeth, there muſt be ſuch a glorious work of God as may magnify his name before the eyes of all men, and therefore at evening it ſhall be light.
And in that day living waters ſhall go out from Jeruſalem: We have had ſome drops of living waters in this our day, but there is a day a comming wherein living waters ſhall even flow out of Jeruſalem.
Now to winde up all. There is a day for the Saints, a reſt for the people of God, a day wherein God will deliver them from all afflictions. I have met with one, that ſpeaking of the Sabbath, that the Jewes might kindle no fire upon their Sabbath, becauſe that reſt was to ſignifie the reſt of the Saints, he applyeth it thus: That was (ſaith he) a type that there is ſuch a time of reſt for the Saints, that they ſhall be delivered from all fiery tryals, all their afflictions ſhall be gone and taken away: Great ſhall be the day of Iezreel.
The conſideration of this (me thinks) might be a ſtrong argument to draw in all people to the wayes,Exhor…at. to come in to embrace godlineſs, to joy…e with the Saints. to the love of godlineſſe and Religion; to come and joyne with the Churches in appointing Chriſt head over them.
All you wicked ones that hath forſaken the Lord hitherto, come in & joyn now, and ſubmit unto Jeſus Chriſt as your Head, for great ſhall be the day of Iezreel. There is a great day for the Church of God, a day of glory, a day of abundance of wonderfull mercy of God to the Churches. They ſhall have their day; come you in and embrace Religion, that you may partake of their glory. Certainly the Saints of God ſhall have the better of it: ſhall have the day of all the world, let the world ſtrive againſt them what they can. Every man deſires to follow the ſtronger party and to cleave to that: would you cleave to the ſtronger part? Cleave to the Saints of God, to the Church, for certainly it is the ſtronger part; It is a going up, it is riſing, and will riſe more and more till it be riſen unto the heighth. Though there be ſome oppoſition, yet it is ſuch as ſhall make the glory of the day ſo much the more.
Thoſe men that … ſhall ſtand to pleade for Antichriſt, and to oppoſe the work that God is about, certainly they are men borne out of time, borne in an ill hour. Your Papiſts and ſuperſtitious people that heretofore ſtood for that way, they proſpered in their way, becauſe the day of God was not ſo neare, but the day of his patience in permitting Antichriſt to continue, was then. But doeſt thou come now? what ſuperſtitious now? what oppoſing the work of God now? when God is comming out to fight againſt Popery and ſuperſtition, when God is about to do ſuch great things for his Churches as he certainly is, Thou fighteſt againſt God, and God will fight againſt thee, and thou ſhalt be throwen upon thy backe, Thou art borne in the worſt time that poſſibly could be, worſe then all the adverſaries of the truth in former times. And if there be ſuch a day, let us be willing to ſuffer for a while, let us be willing to mourne for the Churches a while in that way of mourning that God calls us unto, for there is a recompence comming, glory enough comming even in this world. There is a time of triumphing, let us be content with our warfare here for a while.
Thirdly, Let us ſtudy theſe things. Theſe things are uſefull for people in theſe times to look into, to ſearch into theſe truths of God, that ſo they may be the better prepared to meet Chriſt their Bride-groom when he cometh.
Marke that place, Ezek. 40. 4. It is ſpoken of the glorious times of the Goſpel, eſpecially of theſe times I am ſpeaking of; where God ſaith to the Prophet, Behold with thine eyes, and heare with thine eares, and ſet thine heart upon all that I ſhal ſhew thee. And what did God ſhew him? hee ſhewed him the meaſure of the Temple and all the glorious things that there ſhould be in the Church in future times. So I ſay to you my brethren concerning that I have ſpoken of the great day of Jezreel; behold with your eyes, look into Gods book and ſee what is ſaid there (for I have named but little) and heare with your eares, and ſet your hearts upon what hath been ſet before you. So in Iſa. 41. 20. You have a place ſomewhat like this, ſpeaking of the mercies of God to his Church in latter times, ſaith the Text, That they may ſee, & know, and conſider, and underſtand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Iſrael hath created it.
Mark how one word is heaped upon another, that they may ſee, & know, and conſider, & underſtand what God would do for his people. And when God came to reveale the glorious things he intended for his Churches in future times in the book of the Revelation (which is the ſpecial book that declareth this unto us.) Mark how the Lord beginneth; It is ſaid that God gave this firſt to Chriſt; ſecondly Chriſt to the Angel, thirdly the Angel to Iohn, and then there is pronounced a blesſing to him that reads and hears the words of this propheſie and underſtands it. What a ſolemne way of bleſſing is here! There is not ſuch an expreſſion in all the book of God: where have you a bleſſing ſo ſolemnly proclaimed to the reading and hearing of any of the bookes of God as to that book? Therefore though they are things that ſeeme to be above us, yet certainly God would have us to inquire into theſe things. It is the fruit of the purchaſe of the blood of Chriſt to open theſe ſeales.
Rev. 5. 9. we reade that there was no man in heaven nor in earth that was able to open the book and to looſe the ſeales thereof, only the Lambe that was ſlaine and that hath redeemed us unto God by his blood, he was onelyonly worthy to open the ſeales. It is a fruit I ſay of the ſlaughter of Chriſt & of his blood, and therefore cry to him for the opening theſe things to thee. And though thou beeſt very weake in regard of parts, and thinkeſt with thy ſelf, How can I underſtand ſuch things as theſe? know that it is Chriſt that through his blood comes to open theſe ſeales, and ſeeing it is a fruite of his blood, it is no matter whether thou art weake or ſtrong if he come to open them to thee: as Ier. 13. 2. ſaith God to the Prophet. Call unto me and I will ſhew thee great and mighty things which thou knoweſt not; ſo I ſay to you, be a praying people, call upon God and he will cauſe you to underſtand great and excellent things that you have not known.
And (my brethren) ſeeing theſe things ſhall be thus, O what manner of perſons ought wee to be? how heavenly? our hearts ſhould riſe up from the earth, ſeeing God intendeth to do ſuch great things for his people. As it is Iſa. 60. Ariſe, ariſe, ſhake off thy duſt, for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee, So I may ſay to the Churches now, Ariſe ariſe ſhake of the duſt of your earthly affections, for the light of God is now ready to ariſe upon you; Now ſur ſum corda, now lift up your hearts above the things of the world.
VVee reade in Rev. 4. of the foure living creatures that appeared unto John, the firſt was like a Lyon, and the ſecond like an Oxe, and the third had a face as a Man, and the fourth was like a flying Eagle. They are (according to the interpreta…ion that reverend Brightman gives) to ſet out unto us the foure ſtates & conditions of the Church. The Primitive times were Lyon-like for their valour: the ſecond age like an Oxe to beare the burthens of Antichriſt, the third had a face as a man, that ſtood for their liberties and would not be under ſuch ſlavery, and they are but times: and then the fourth as an Eagle that ſored aloft: In the ſtate of the Church hereafter they ſhall be like an Eagle, have heavenly hearts, no ſuch droſſy, baſe, earthly hearts as we have now. Labour we even now to be ſo that we may be fit for that day.
And let us all prepare for the Bride groome againſt his comming. How ſhall we prepare? The cloathing that then ſhall be, ſhall be white linnen, which is the righteouſneſſe of the Saints. That great Doctrine of our juſtification by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt ſhall be the great buſineſſe of that day, in which the glory of the Saints ſhall much conſiſt, and they ſhall be clothed with that, it ſhall be clearly underſtood of all men, they ſhall be aſhamed to reſt upon duties and ordinances as now they do. Let us ſtudy the Doctrine of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt afore-hand, for that is like to be our clothing at that day, that is the white linnen of the Saints which ſhall be their glory. Let us prepare our Lamps and keepe them all burning and ſhining, the oyle not onelyonly of ju…cation, but ſanctification, active, ſtirring in our hearts, that ſo we may … to entertaine the Bride-groom whenſoever … ….
And all of you labour now to inſtruct your children in the knowledge of God and of Chriſt, bring them up in the feare of the Lord that they may be ſeed for that day. Acquaint them with theſe things, for though perhaps you may be dead and gone before this great day, yet they may live to ſee it; therefore catechize them, and inſtruct them, and drop into them thoſe Principles that may fit them for the meeting of JESUS CHRIST their Bridegroome,
To conclude all. Let us be all praying Chriſtians. It is that which is charged upon us in Iſa. 62. 6. All you that make mention of the Lord, keep not ſilence and give him no reſt, till he eſtabliſh, till he make Jeruſalem apraiſe in the earth. God hath a day to ſet up Jeruſalem as the praiſe of the whole earth, Oh be praying, praying Chriſtians every one of you, and give God no reſt till he effect this. And remember God of all his promiſes, ſearch the Prophets, ſearch the book of God, and urge God with his promiſes to the Church in this way. And you that are the weakeſt, be not diſcouraged in your prayers, and you may be a meanes to further and haſten this great day of Jezreel. Pſal. 102. 17. The Pſalmiſt had ſpoken before of Gods building up Zion, and certainly that Pſalme is a Propheſie of the glorious times of the Church that ſhall be, marke what the Text ſaith, The Lord ſhall regard the prayer of the deſtitute, and ſhall not deſpiſe their prayer; ſpeaking of thoſe that ſhall live in thoſe times a little before this day of Iezreel ſhall be, The Lord ſhall regard the prayer of the deſtitute: the word that is tranſlated deſtitute, foreignit ſignifieth in the Hebrew, a poor ſhrub in the wilderneſſe, a poor ſhrub that the foot of every beaſt is ready to tread downe, and that poore ſhrub that perhaps is deſpicable in the eyes of the world, and deſpicable in his own eyes, yet ſaith the Text, the Lord ſhal regard the prayer of that poor ſhrub. Is there ever a poor ſhrub though never ſo deſtitute, ſo deſpicable in the eyes of the world or in thine owne eyes? yet be thou a praying Chriſtian, a praying ſoul, praying for thoſe things, and God will regard thy prayer, he will not deſpiſe thy prayer. Perhaps thou art ready to deſpiſe thy prayers thy ſelf, but God will not deſpiſe them, let all our hearts be lifted up, and let us all cry with the Church, Come Lord Jeſus, Come quickly. O let this day come, for great ſhall be the day of Jezreel.