Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verses 12-17

Commentary on Habakkuk · Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verses 12-17

p. 94Verſ. 12. Art thou not from everlaſting, O Lord, my God, my holy one? we ſhall not dye O Lord my God, thou haſt ordained them for judgement, and O mighty God, thou haſt eſtabliſted them for correction, 13. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evill, and canſt not look on iniquity; wherefore lookeſt thou upon them that deal treacherouſly? and holdeſt thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he? 14. And makest men as the fiſhes of the ſea, and as the creeping things that have no ruler over them. p. 9515. They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their dragge, therefore they rejoyce and are glad. 16. Therefore they ſacrifice unto their net, and burn incenſe unto their dragge, becauſe by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. 17. Shall they therefore empty their net, and not ſpare continually to ſlay the nations?

AFter God hath denounced his judgment upon the Jews, contained in the former Section, now the Prophet beginneth a new wraſtling with God, in the behalf of the afflicted members of his Church.

The Prophets ſpeech is addreſſed to God himſelf, wherein he firſt aſcribeth to God Eternity, Art not thou from everlaſting O Lord my God? He aſcribeth to him Holineſſe, My holy One.

And this Pronoune poſſeſſive My, doth lay hold upon a ſpecial intereſt that Habakkuk by faith claimeth in God.

From which conſideration he draweth this cheerful Concluſion: We ſhall not die O Lord, ſpeaking of himſelfe and of the afflicted in the Church of the Jews, that though God had threatned ſuch an invaſion by the hand and power of the Chaldaeans, yet ſhall it not proceed to their ruine. God will keep his Church; there is a remnant that God will ſave from the ſtormy winde, and the tempeſt, as David ſaith, the flood of many waters ſhall not come neare them. This faith he builds upon a good foundation; For

1. From the eternity of God, he may conclude, that the love wherewith he loveth his Church is an eternal love, and therfore not to be ſubject to the power of time.

2. From the holineſſe of God, he may conclude that all the faithful Jews being an holy ſeed ſhall have his favour.

Againſt this it may be objected that God hath revealed himſelf to the contrary, for he hath before threatned to raiſe up the Chaldaeans, a fierce and terrible nation, that ſhall go through the bredth of the land, and ſhall run like an Eagle and an evening wolfe only for prey.

What hope then can there be againſt theſe?

p. 96The Prophet anſwereth that objection.

Thou hast ordained them for judgement; and mighty God, thou hast eſtabliſhed them for correction.

That is, God by his might hath armed them againſt the Jews to execute his judgement on them, and for caſtigation and correction of them,Verſ. 13. not for eradication.

He proceedeth then to expoſtulate and diſpute with God concerning this judgement to be executed upon the Jews by the Chaldaeans;

Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity]

This is a further Confeſſion of the holineſſe of God, to whom he attributeth pure eyes, ſuch as cannot behold evil, and look upon iniquity, becauſe that holineſſe cannot approve ill, and that juſtice cannot wink at it and leave it unpuniſhed.

Otherwiſe, videre malum non eſt malum, to ſee evil is not evil; Gods general view of all things, doth ſet his eye upon the good and evil.

So the Sun ſhineth upon the juſt and the unjuſt, but God is a God that loveth not iniquity, neither ſhall evil dwel with him: he abhorreth all them that work wickedneſſe; David ſaith, His ſoule abhorreth them. So that the Prophet here acquitteth God from any hand in the evil of theſe Chaldaeans, although he ſtirreth them up againſt the Jews; he is wiſe to uſe them as inſtruments of correction: but he is too pure and holy to be Partaker in their ſins.

From hence groweth the Expoſtulation following, Seeing thou art ſo pure and holy that thou abhorreſt evil, and hateſt all the workers of iniquity;

Why doſt thou look upon them that deale treacherouſly?

Why doſt thou O holy and juſt God, look on, whilſt the Chadaean betrayeth thy People? Mr. Calvin reads Tranſgreſſores. Montanus Praevaricatores. Jun. Perfidos, whom the Kings Bible followeth.

This the Prophet Iſaiah calleth a grievous viſion. The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherouſly, Iſa. 21.2.Isa 21:2and the ſpoiler ſpoileth.

For the Chaldaean did invade the Jew, both cunningly by treaſon, and violently by force.

p. 97He urgeth God further, Why holdeſt thou thy tongue when the wicked man, that is, the Chaldaean, an idolater and a bloody man, devoureth the man that is more righteous then he: that is, devoureth the Jew, who as bad as he is, is a better man and more righteous then the Chaldaean.

He wondreth at the ſoftneſſe and forbearance of God, that can ſee and be ſilent to behold ſo much iniquity.

He proceedeth in his complaint:Verſ. 14. Thou makeſt man as the fiſhes in the ſea, where the great ones do prey upon the ſmall ones, and as the creeping things that have no ruler over them, and therefore feed upon one another, who have no law to awe them, but quo quis eſt valentior, eo violentior, ſo the Jews are to the Chaldaeans a prey.

But the words following do ſhew another thing intended, not a reference of theſe creatures one to another, but all of them to the fiſherman; ſo the ſenſe is, thou ſeemeſt to eſteem the Jew no more then thou doſt the fiſhes on the ſea, or the creeping things on the earth. For it followeth,

They take up all of them with the angle, Verſ. 15.they catch them in their net, and gather them in their dragge.

The Chaldaeans are the Fiſhermen, the Jews the fiſhes; and for theſe they have,

1, The Angle, whereby is meant their fiſhing for a ſingle Perſon.

2. Their net, let fall to catch more.

3. Their dragge for whole ſholes of fiſh; ſo that here is no evaſion; he that eſcapeth the angle ſhall fall into the net; or if he eſcape the net, the drag ſhall ſweep him away and bring him to the ſhore.

So that he reby all way of evaſion ſeemeth ſtopped againſt the Jew, he is put into the hand and power of the Chaldaean, as a draught of fiſh into the hand of the Fiſherman.

And all this while the Fiſherman thinketh he doth no man wrong, as the Poet ſaith,

Nec patitur Tyrrhenum creſcere piſcem.

For the fiſh of the ſea is eſteemed his that can catch him: ſo ſhall the Chaldaean fiſh Jud…a, as if the Jews were fiſhes, not men, and as if there were no Providence to take care of them, no owner to call them his.

p. 98Therefore they rejoyce and are glad.

There is no compaſſion in them of chaldaea toward the Jew, but as the Fiſherman rejoyceth in his draught of fiſhes, and never looketh upon them▪ with any pity of their lives, but is glad that he hath gotten them: So ſhall the Chaldaean be glad when the Jews are in his net, that he may carry them into captivity.

This victory doth not only make the Chaldaean glad, but he is proud too and boaſteth in his own ſtrength, and attributeth his prevailings to his own power, as it followeth.

Therefore they ſacrifice unto their net, Verſ. 16.and burn incenſe unto their dragge: that is, they do thank their own arme, and armies for their victories, and as Iob ſaith, They kiſſe their own hands, becauſe thereby they come to have a fat portion and plenty of meat, ſo that they give no glory to God; yea, before the Prophet ſaith from the mouth of God, that they would aſcribe the proſperity of their warres to their god; i.e. to their idol, now they will grow ſo proud, that they will thank their own wit and power for all.

The Prophet concludeth with a paſſionate expoſtulation: Shall they therefore empty their net and not ſpare continually to ſlay the Nations?Verſ. 17.

Seeing they are a People ſo lawleſſe, ſo mercileſſe, ſo proud, O Lord wilt thou give way to them ſtill, and ſhall they poſſeſſe all that they catch, which he calleth, emptying of their net, and ſhall they not ſpare continually to ſlay the nations? Shall they paſſe thus from nation to nation, and ſhall they ſtill conquer? is all fiſh that comes into their net?

De verborum interpretatione bactenus.

In the further handling of this ſection, I obſerve as in the former, two things.

1. The ſumme and contents of the whole ſection.

2. The parts thereof.

1. The ſumme hereof is this: whereas the Prophet at firſt beholding the ſins of the Jews, was moved with an holy indignation againſt them, and with zeal of Gods glory which turned him into a chiding expoſtulation with God, for bearing ſo much with them, and therefore did ſtirre up God to judgement to p. 99chaſten them in the firſt ſection of this chapter.

Now that God hath anſwered him in the ſecond, with declaration of his purpoſe to puniſh the iniquities of the Jews by the Chaldaeans, whom God would ſtirre up to fight againſt them, and to prevail: Now in this third ſection, the Prophet is as much troubled and grieved at their puniſhment, as he was before at their ſin.

Now he chides as faſt, and diſputes as hotly againſt the remiſſeneſſe and patience of God toward the Chaldaean, as he did before toward the Jew.

Before he pleaded the cauſe of the glory of Gods Iuſtice, in puniſhing the iniquity of the Iews; now he pleads the glory of Gods mercy in ſparing them.

The firſt part was imprecation, this deprecation. And herein the Prophet doth declare his mixt affection to the Jews; for out of his hatred to their ſins he deſired their correction; but now out of his love to their Perſons, he prayeth againſt their puniſhment, ſo farre that it may be moderate, as in Ieremies Prayer.

Correct us O Lord, yet in thy judgement, not in thy fury leſt we be conſumed and brought to nothing. Which teacheth us that.

Religion hath the bowels of compaſſion; Doctr. Truly they have no true religion that have no mercy.

This is given us in precept with a ſicut: Reaſon. 1 Luk. 6.36Luke 6:36Be yee merciful as your heavenly father is mercifull: there is nothing wherein the image of our God doth more ſhine in man, then his mercy, becauſe that is the heavenly nature; the wiſedome of God is too high for us, the power of God too great for us, the juſtice of God too ſtrict for us; all theſe vertues of the Godhead be out of the reach of our imitation.

The furtheſt that our Saviour goeth in the patterne and preſident of wiſedome, is eſt ote prudentes ut ſerpentes, Wiſedom.Be yee wiſe as ſerpents. In innocency, Innocentes ut columba be ye innocent as doves, it is not eſtote prudentes ut pater vester, Be yee wiſe as your heavenly father.

Concerning fortitude. The mother of Samuel ſaith,Fortitude. Non est fortis ſicut deus. Sicut leo, Salomon hath it: ſiout quorcus, Amos hath it.

Concerning Iuſtice, let us take the righteous men at their beſt,Juſtice. p. 100& then Iustus fulgebunt ut ſol, the righteous ſhal ſhine as the Sun; but to miſericordes ut pater vester. We muſt ſtrive to imitate him in mercy, that is, the divine nature, becauſe it is ſuper omni… operadei above all the works of God, and that is the humane nature alſo, becauſe it is called Humanity, and therefore wel-becometh the man of God.

2. There is nothing that every one of us doth more ſtand in need of then mercy, Reaſon 2, without which all the frame of nature would ſhake and diſſolve; it is anima mundi, the ſoul of the world, it is the juncture of every limb thereof: it is the garment that hideth our nakedneſſe; it is the grave, the ſea, that burieth, that ſwalloweth all our reputed ſinnes; it is the taylour to our backs, the cater to our bellies, the ſoule that quickneth us, the ſtrength that ſupporteth us, the grace that ſaveth us, the power that raiſeth us, the glory that crowneth us.

And they that ſhew no mercy, ſhall have none.

3. The conſideration of our own infirmities doth plead for our mercy to our delinquent brother, Reaſ. 3 not to make the moſt of their faults, and ſcrue their puniſhment to the uttermoſt; rather to ſave our brethren,Ga. 6.1. and to pull them out of the fire leaſt we alſo be tempted: for we have many ſuits to God for pardon of our own ſinnes; and therefore by the law of Juſtice let us do as we would be done to, that is, ſollicite the favour of God for our brethren; and although the zeale of Gods glory do put us to it to pray for their correction; that they may be amended, yet conſidering how bitter the medicine is that healeth ſinne, let us entreat the Phyſitian to look but on the corrupt humours in the body of the Church to purge them, to take no more blood from the body thereof then may ſtand with the health of the body.

4. It is a more eaſie ſuit to obtain the mercy of God, Reaſ. 4 then to ſtirre up his anger; for as he is ſlow to wrath, and long-ſuffering, and when he doth begin to chide, he will not keep his anger continually: ſo he is rich in mercy, abundant in goodneſſe; oleum ſupernatat vino, the oyle ſwims above the wine. Chriſt his ſonne the character of his fathers glory, of his mercy, the true coppie of that ſicut Pater veſter qui eſt incaelis, as Our father which is in heaven;

p. 101Of whom Saint Auguſtine ſweetly commenting upon his pater ignoſce eis, father forgive them, ſaith,De utilet. paen▪ l. 1. he left them not quojuſque ejus jam ſanguinem poſſent bibere credentes quem fuderant ſaevientes, they know how to drink believing, the blood which they ſhed raging, which is called in the Pſalmiſt Multitudo dulcedinis.

Saint Hilary upon the Parable of the parable in the vineyard ſaith,

Ad ſpem omne tempus eſt liberum, In Pſ. 129Ps 129& mercedem non operis ſed miſericor diae undecimae horae operarii conſequuntur.

God loves to be ſollicited for mercy.

4. Becauſe in the contrary Ionah had a chiding from God himſelfe, Reaſ. 4 that he ſtood more upon the credit of his office, then he did upon the honour of his God that ſent him, being ſo angry at Gods ſparing of Niniveh.

Wherein God himſelf pleaded the cauſe of his own mercy, and juſtified his ſuſpenſe of the threatned judgement againſt Iohan, &c.

David had good cauſe to chooſe to fall into the hands of God, rather then into the hands of men, for with God there is mercy. And had Niniveh been in the hand of Jonah, their faſting with ſackcloth and repenting, ſhould not have cleared nor calmed the ſtorme threatned.

God ſaid, in Niniveh there were more then ſix ſcore thouſand Perſons that knew not the right hand from the left: there were a great many more in the nation of the Jews, many alſo that ſerved God with a true heart, many that was not yet com to the height of ſinning, of whom there was hope: many that had drunk deep already to the Cup of affliction by the ſins of others who had thereby provoked God.

Therefore Habakkuk could do no leſſe then ſtand in the gap now, and keep out ſome of this wrath.

To make uſe of this doctrine, Ʋſe. and of the holy example of this Prophet, let me uſe the words of the Apoſtle to you.

Put on therfore (as the Elect of God, holy and beloved. Col. 3.12▪Col 3:12) bowels of mercies, kindneſſe, humbleneſſe of mind, meekneſſe, long-ſuffering.

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, 13if any man have aquarrell againſt any man, even as Chriſt forgave you, ſo alſo do ye.

p. 102And above all things put on charity with the bond of perfectneſſe.

As it is a welcome ſuit to God, when out of a zeal to his glory you do call upon him for his judgments, to chaſten the overgrown ſinnes of the time in which ye live: ſo it is a pleaſing interceſſion which ſolliciteth for mercy in Juſtice: for the pure juſtice of God will endure an allay of mercy, and we ſhall have the better intereſt in his favour, by how much the more we deſire more ſharers in it.

There be good Authours of opinion, that the Prayer of Stephen, Father forgive them, was no weak means of the Converſion of Saul, who was one of his Perſecutors.

The point is moderation, that neither we ſhould ſo favour high-grown ſinners as not to complain to God of them, nor yet ſo delight in their puniſhment, as not to pray againſt the whole and full diſpleaſure of God: that neither the zeal of Gods glory do extinguiſh Chriſtian compaſſion, nor the tendernes of pity quench the zeal of Gods glory, but that at once we do ſhew our obedience to the whole law, that he that loveth God may love his neighbour alſo.

God himſelf directed Abimilech to Abraham to pray for him, and the friends of Job to uſe Jobs interceſſion, becauſe he loves to be entreated to ſhew mercy.

And the rich man in hell would not have his brethren come to that place of torment.

Complain then, that is holy paſſion; but begge eaſie puniſhment, that is charitable compaſſion: the children of God have as many tears to ſhed for the puniſhment of their brethren, as for their ſinnes.

2. The Parts are two,

1. The Prophets reſolution concerning the Church and Common-wealth of the Jews.

2. The Prophets diſpute with God.

The firſt containeth an argument.

1. The Antecedent: Thou art from everlaſting O Lord, my God, my holy One.

2. The Concluſion; Therefore we ſhall not die O Lord: thou haſt ordained them for judgement, O mighty God, thou haſt eſtabliſhed them for correction.

p. 103The Propoſition: That God is eternal and holy, needs no proof to ſuch as know God; both are clearly maintained through the whole body of Scripture.

1. The Eternity of God.

And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-ſheba,Gen. 21.33. Pſ. 90.2.Gen 21:33Ps 90:2 and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlaſting God.

Moſes, Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadſt formed the earth and the world: even from everlaſting to everlaſting thou art our God.

Saint Paul, Rom. 16.26.Rom 16:26ſpeaking of the myſtery of the Goſpel long kept ſecret; but now is made manifeſt, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the Commandment of the everlaſting God made known to all nations.

Haſt thou not known? Iſa. 40.28.Isa 40:28haſt thou not heard that the everlaſting God the Lord; the Creator of the end of the earth, fainteth not? &c.

Plato defined God to be aeterna mens ſibi ad omnem felicitatem ſufficiens, ſumme bona, & omnis boni efficient in natura.

Neither can we reſt in the ſearch of cauſes, till we come to one ſupreme eternal cauſe of all things, the Alpha and Omega of other things, of himſelf without Alpha or Omega.

2. The Concluſion from hence iſſuing, is: Therefore we ſhall not die, ſaith Habakkuk.

For as God is eternal in himſelf, ſo is he to his Church, and from the eternity of God doth the eternity of Angels and men derive it ſelf, for eternity cannot flow from any thing that is not it ſelfe eternal; and we know that the nature of Angels and men is eternal, both of them being by the eternal God created to abide for ever: the elect Angels and men in eternal glory, the reprobate Angels and men in eternal ſhame and pain.

Yet is the judgement of the reprobate in Scripture called by the names of Death, Deſtruction, Periſhing, becauſe theſe be titles of the greateſt horrour and diſmay, that the heart of man can conceive.

Now we have two hopes built upon this foundation of Gods eternity, non moriemur.

1. Temporal, that God will ſtill reſerve a remnant of the Jews to return again to the poſſeſſion of their fathers, and to build again the City and the temple, and to renew the face of a p. 104Church and Common-wealth: ſo, non moriemur hoc est omnes, we ſhall not die, that is not all.

2. Eternal, That God will not utterly caſt off his People from his favour, but that although he ſcourge them with the rods of men, even to a temporal loſſe of their land, their liberty, and their lives, yet non moriemur, we ſhall not loſe our intereſt in his promiſe of a better life.

So that the Prophet doth teach us the right uſe of the doctrine of Gods eternity, to aſſure us againſt all temporal and eternal evils.

And this doth Moſes conclude for this Antecedent, Before the mountains were brought forth, Pſ. 90.2.Ps 90:2or ever thou hadſt formed the earth, and the world: even from everlaſting to everlaſting thou art our God.

Thou turneſt man to deſtruction, Verſ. 3.again thou ſayſt return ye ſonnes of Adam.

From the power of Gods Eternity, there is a return for the ſons of Adam, as David ſaith, Thou renueſt the face of the earth. Non moriemur, death our laſt enemy ſhall be deſtroyed and periſh, we ſhal be tranſlated from death to life; this is clear: becauſe God hath in eternal wiſedom, appointed an eternal redemption for ſome to an eternal inheritance of eternal glory.

This eternity of God is two fold.

1. Eternitas eſſentiae, Eternity of Eſſence in himſelf.

1. Eternitas Providentiae, Eternity of Providence, in reſpect of his creatures.

From the firſt we conclude the ſecond for if God be in his own nature eternal, he hath alſo an eternal Providence, by which he governeth all things: his word by which he governeth is alſo eternal in the heavens.

Saint Auguſtine proveth this point of Gods eternity thus,Quaeſt. 83 l. c. 19. Quod incommutabile aeternum eſt.

That he proveth; Quod ſempereſt ejuſdem modi eſt incommutabile.

Such is our God without variableneſſe or ſhadow of change, and therefore eternal.

And whereas from this eternity our Prophet doth conclude Non moriemur, Saint Auguſtine doth therefore call our eternity immortalitatem, rather then aeternitatem.

p. 105Anteced-Conſequent.2. Another Argument is here inforced,

Thou art holy. Therefore this puniſhment of the Jews by the Chaldaeans, is for their correction only.

Of the Antecedent.

God is holy. The Quiriſters of heaven do attribute it to God three times; in ſome Greek Copies we read it three times three; nine times foreign holy,

The ſong of Moſes is ſung in heaven, and that ſaith, Who ſhall not feare thee O Lord, and glorifie thy name? Rev. 15.4Rev 15:4for thou only art holy?

The Seraphims ſay each one to another.Iſa. 6.3.Isa 6:3

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hoſts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

It was his law.

1. For his Godhead, that none other but he ſhould be called God or eſteemed.

2. For his Worſhip, not to be given to creatures.

3. For his name, not to be taken in vain.

4. For his Sabbath to be kept holy.

And it is our firſt petition ſanctificetur nomen, Hallowed be thy name, and for our conformity with him.

For I am the Lord your God, ye ſhall therfore ſanctifie your ſelvs, Levit. 11.44.Lev 11:44and yee ſhall be holy, for I am holy. So there is 1. Sanctitas increata, an increate holineſſe in God.

2. Creata, Created in man, as a beam of that heavenly light, a ſtream of that full fountain in our God.

This uncreated holineſſe which is the attribute of God, is the abſolute perfection of Gods nature and attributes, his full goodneſſe, not only that wherein he is good in himſelf, but in his operations alſo.

2. The Conſequent.

From hence the Prophet concludeth, that God cannot do more to his Church then correct it; he cannot utterly deſtroy it, becauſe he is holy, ſo is his Church; his correction of the Elect is only a fire to purge out their droſſe, which will go out of it ſelfe, when the combuſtible matter is ſpent. Hear God himſelfe.

I am the Lord, the Holy One, the Creator of Iſrael, your King;Iſa. 43.15.Isa 43:15

This People have I formed for my ſelf, Verſ. 21.they ſhall ſhew forth my praiſe.

p. 106I but our ſinnes ſpoile all. He addeth,

I, Verſ. 25.even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins.

The Church of God is ſemen ſanctum, an holy ſeed; God cannot forſake it, he is Sanctus Creator an holy Creator, and he is Sanctus Redemptor, an holy Redeemer of it, as the holy text ſtileth him.

You ſee here,Applicat. that as Chriſt ſaith, This is life eternal to know thee.

Let us ſtudy God and his attributes; for from thence we derive whatſoever we are or have, they are our light of direction, our ſtaffe of ſupportation.

From the wiſedome of God we have all intellectual illumination.

From the Iuſtice of God, all our integrity.

From the Holineſſe of God, all our Sanctification.

From the Eternity of God, our immortality.

From the Omnipotency of God, our ſtrength.

And as by our faith we cleave to him, ſo we are made Partakers of the divine nature.

The juice of this text, is the Prophets faith, which from the Holineſſe and Eternity of God doth reſolve

That this judgement of God, Doct. threatned againſt the Jews, is no more then a temporal chaſtiſement, according to the doctrine taught out of Obadiah.

Though God afflicteth his Church, yet he loveth her ſtill.

This perſwaſion of deliverance from evils is found in natural men, but either it is grounded upon an opinion that they have of fortune ſuch; make chance their God; or it is built upon the conſideration of the viciſſitude of things which maketh ſundry mutations.

Informes hyems reducit

Jupiter; Hor. Car. 2. Od. 10.idem,

Summovet; non ſe malè nunc, & olim ſic erit. God ſendeth fowl weather and faire, if it be ill now with us, it will not be ſo hereafter.

This is but cold comfort, to hope only in the change of times, and ſo to look for better days.

p. 107Some acknowledge a Deity and aſcribe all alterations to that, not knowing the true God, as Aeneas comforted his company,

Durate & veſmet rebus ſervate ſecundis.

Continue and reſerve your ſelves for better times.

Dabit Deus his quoque finem, God will put an end to theſe your ſufferings,

But that which comforteth the Saints of God in afflictions is their faith in the Eternity and Holineſſe of God, from whence they gather aſſurance that they ſhall not miſcarry under the rod of God; he is eternal; therefore they ſhall not periſh; he is holy, therefore he will but correct, not deſtroy; and hereof they make this uſe;

1. They do not limit God to a ſet time when he ſhall deliver them: ſo Daniel waited for the deliverance of Iſrael from Babylon ſeventy years: The Church waited till the fulneſſe of time for the promiſed Meſſiah.

2. They do not limit God to any ſet means of deliverance. Mordecai did ſee that the preferment of Heſter was a likely means to ſave the Iews from the fury of the decree which Haman had procured againſt them, and he putteth her to it, to uſe her mediation with the King for it, but he builded not his hopes in that means; for he ſaid to her,

If thou altogether hold thy Peace at this time, Eſth. 4.14.Esth 4:14then ſhall there enlargement and deliverance ariſe to the Iews from another place.

The promiſe made to Abraham, concerning his ſeed was in nature deſpaired by the old age of Abraham & Sarah, yet was not Abraham out of hope: but when Iſaac the ſonne of Promiſe was come, God afterward commanded him to be offered in ſacrifice, yet did not that weaken the faith of Abraham; for he built upon the word of the promiſe, and not upon the poſſibility of the means. For he that promiſed was faithful.

3. They do not limit God to the meaſure of affliction; for they know that whatſoever the judgement be which God inflicteth upon his Church, it cannot exceed a fatherly correction. So Job, Though he kill me yet will I truſt in him.Job 13.15.Job 13:15

4. They are not diſcouraged in the faith of Gods mercy, though they feel the contrary, and therefore being in one contrary p. 108they do believe another.

Thus even when they feel the burthen of their ſinnes, they believe their juſtification; for the heavy-laden ſeeke Chriſt for caſe.

When they feel miſery, they believe bleſſedneeſſe, for they know, Bleſſed are they that mourne.

When they feel correction they believe, for he chaſteneth every ſonne whom he receiveth.

When they feel themſelves forſaken of God, they believe themſelves intereſted in his favour, as David and Chriſt: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me; Both forſaken in reſpect of their feeling, neither in reſpect of their faith.

5. They by faith are ever in the Preſence of God:Pſ. 16.8.Ps 16:8 ſo David, I have ſet God always before me, for he is at my right hand, therefore I ſhall not be moved.

So it is ſaid of Moſes being in danger in Aegypt, Heb. 1….27.Heb 1:27By faith he forſook Aegypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured as ſeeing him who is inviſible.

Thus ſtrongly do they build, whoſe foundation is not laid it any poſſibility of their own merits to deſerve deliverance, and of their own wit and cunning to decline evils, or of their own ſtrength and power to reſiſt them, or evade them, or the viciſſitude of things to change them, but truſt in the living God, and make him their hiding place.

Whereas the Prophet ſaith, Doct. 2 that God had ordained the Chaldeans for judgement, that is, for the execution of his judgement, and hath eſtabliſhed them for correction, Docemur we are taught, That God is the Author of puniſhment, God himſelf aſſumeth it to himſelf.

Shall there be evil in a city, Amos. 3.6.Amos 3:6and the Lord hath not done it? Malum poenae the evil of puniſhment.

So Moſes, Pſ. 90.7.Ps 90:7For we are conſumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

So David. Pſ. 39.11Ps 39:11When thou with rebuke doſt correct man for iniquity, thou makeſt his beauty to conſume away like a moth.

1. Becauſe every ſinne is a treſpaſſe againſt God, as David, Tibi, Reaſ. 1 tibi, ſoli peccavi, Againſt thee only have I ſinned; for every ſin is foreign a tranſgreſſion of the Law, and therein God is offended p. 109and he is a jealous God, viſiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children.

The treſpaſſes againſt our brethren in the breach of the ſecond Table, be immediate ſins againſt God. For as when the plate is not cut for the mint, to clippe it is no breach of the law, but when it hath the ſtamp impreſſed, and is coine, then to clippe or waſh, it is treaſon, not for the matter, but becauſe of the ſtampe.

So the matter of our brethren is but earth, and the violation of it is but the defacing of earth: but bearing the image of God in it, it is a treſpaſſe againſt him whoſe image is therein inſculped, to wrong it.

2. Becauſe every puniſhment, as it is poena a puniſhment, Reaſon. 2, ſo it is vindicta a revenge, and God layeth claim to that by Prerogative, vindicta mea my revenge; no man can take the ſword out of his hand: it is virga tua, ſaith David, thy rod.

3. Becauſe none but God can ſearch the heart where ſinne breedeth, Reaſ. 3 and knoweth how to proportion puniſhment to the ſinne. Puniſhment is the Phyſick of the Church; as Auguſtine, Quod pateris medicina eſt, non paena, that thou ſuffereſt is thy medicine, not thy puniſhment. He only knoweth how to temper the medicine for the health of the Patient, for he knoweth wherof we be made, he only can work good out of evil.

4. Becauſe there is none but God that doth whatſoever he will, none but he can ordain or eſtabliſh judgement: Reaſ. 4 the judgements are called Iudicia dei the Judgements of God; in that cruel execution done upon Chriſt in our fleſh,Acts 2.23.Acts 2:23 as there were the wicked hands of the Jews and the Romanes, ſo there was the determinate counſel and fore-knowledge of God.

1. Let us not therefore ſinne againſt God, Ʋſe 1 and make an idol of him, by making him all mercy; for though we call him father, doubtleſſe there is a God that judgeth the world, who upon the wicked will rain ſnares, ſtormes and tempeſt, this ſhall be their portion to drink, rather meet a temptation with Ioſeph, and ſay, How then ſhall I do this great wickedneſſe and ſo ſin againſt God? For our God is a conſuming fire, And

It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

2. Let us not fret at the means ordained by God for our correction Ʋſe. 2 p. 110remembring that God hath eſtabliſhed them for our chaſtiſement:Pſal. 39 9.Ps 39:9 but let us rather ſay with David, obmutui & non aperii os meum quia tu domine feciſti: I was dumb, &c. becauſe thou Lord haſt done it: let us know and confeſſe who it is that ſmiteth us, and ſay, Thou hast ſmitten me and thou wilt heale me.

3. Let us remember when God taketh off his hand and reſtoreth us again to the chearful light of his countenance, Ʋſe. 3 to acknowledge his mercy to us, and as Chriſt ſaith, to ſinne no more, leaſt ſome more heavy judgement fall upon us.

Let us with David remember the vows which we made to God in our affliction, and ſpend the time of our ſo journing here in feare.

4. Laſtly, Ʋſe. 4 Seeing God hath comforted us, let us alſo comfort our brethren,2 Cor. 1.9.2 Cor 1:9 as the Apoſtle ſaith; for God comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which be in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith our ſelves are comforted of God: ſo as Chriſt ſaid to Peter, when we our ſelves are converted we ſhall ſtrengthen the brethren, and the God of Peace and all Conſolation ſhall give unto us the bleſſing of his Peace.

2. The Prophets diſpute with God.

The Prophet ſeemeth amazed at the courſe of Gods proceeding againſt the Jews by the Chaldaeans. And the remain of this chapter doth contain his expoſtulation with God; wherein

1. He layeth a ground of this Argument, The eyes of God are pure.

2. He queſtioneth God how theſe inconveniences following are born withal by him, which are theſe.

Grievances.

1. How God ſhould look on whilſt men deal treacherouſly v. 13.

2. How God ſhould hold his tongue whilſt the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he, verſ. 13.

3. How God can expoſe the Jews his People as a prey to the Chaldaeans, ver. 14. And thou makeſt men as the fiſhes of the ſea, and as the creeping things that have no Ruler, From which liberty given to them. They break forth into all extremes of cruelty, ver. 15. They take p. 111up all with their Angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their dragge.

4. They inſult over the conquered, ver. 15. They rejoyce and are glad. They commit ſelf-idolatry, ver. 16. Therefore they ſacrifice to their net, and burn incenſe to their dragge, becauſe by them their portion is made fat, and their meat plenteous.

5. How God can ſo long diſpenſe with the enemies of his Church, and whether he will ſo forſake them, ver. 17. Shall they therefore empty their net, and not ſpare continually to ſlay the nations?

1. Of the ground of his conteſtation, Thou art of pure eyes, This phraſe is according to the capacity of humane underſtanding, and it is doubly figurative,

1. In that eyes are attributed to God.

2. In that they are ſaid to be pure.

1. It is a thing frequent in Scripture to give the parts of a mans body to God, the eye, the eare, the hand, the heart, the foot, the bowels, the arme, the face, the back-parts; whereupon certain hereticks literally underſtanding thoſe phraſes, have believed and taught that God is like to man in ſhape of bodie, and that the image wherein God made man, was corporeal. Theſe hereticks are called Anthropomorphites, becauſe they aſcribed to God the image and corporeal likeneſſe of man.

Whom ſome ignorant Perſons have uſed to point in the repreſentation of a grave old man, againſt the clear text of Scripture and warrant of truth.

Of this I will only tell you what Saint. Auguſtine writing to Fortunatianus a biſhop concerning the judgment of another Biſhop,Epl. 1.11. who maintained this hereſie, ſaith,

The text of Scripture attributing the parts of humane bodies to God, must not be literally underſtood; for then we muſt allow God alſo to have bodily wings, for we read alſo often of the wings and feathers of God.

But ſaith he, as by the wings of God, we do understand divine Protection: ſic cum audimus manus operationem: pedes praeſentiam: oculos viſionem: faciem juſtitiam: brachium potentiam: p. 112So by hands divine operation, by feet Preſence, by eye viſion, by face Iuſtice, by hands divine Power.

And to ſhew that neque ſolus, neither alone, nec prior, nor firſt he is of this opinion, he citeth Saint Hierome, Saint Gregory, Nazianzen, St. Ambroſe, St. Athanaſius, all of the ſame judgment.

And ſurely becauſe this errour is yet in the minds of many ſimple and ignorant people of the world, it will be fit that you do learn that when you do either give thanks to God, or pray, or think on God, you do not conceive him in your thoughts in any ſuch manner, but as he hath revealed himſelf to us in his word; God is a ſpirit eternal, immortal, inviſible, infinite in Wiſedome, Juſtice, Holineſſe, Power, Mercy, Goodneſſe, Seeing and foreſeeing all things, doing whatſoever he will in heaven and in earth, and in all deep places, governing all things by the word of his power.

Moſes who ſearched as deep into this ſacred and ſecret myſtery of God, found that the face of God, that is, his heavenly nature could not be ſeen, only his back-parts, that is, the effects of his attributes might be ſeen.

No doubt God took that occaſion in Moſes to teach the Church, how they ſhould conceive him in their thoughts.

Thou ſhalt ſee my back-parts.Ex 33.23.Exod 33:23

Gregor. Nyſlene. We muſt follow after God, for he goeth before us, and guideth us, as David. He teacheth the way that we ſhould chuſe.

Qui autem ſequitur, non faciem ſed tergum aſpicit, Procopius. Inviſibilia dei videntur ex creatione.

For we muſt remember how tender God was of appearing in any forme, which might have been repreſented in picture or ſculpture for fear of idolatry.

Take yee therefore good heed unto your ſelves, (for yee ſaw no manner of ſimilitude on the day that the Lord ſpake unto you in Hored,Deut. 4.15.Deut 4:15 out of the midſt of the fire.)

Leaſt ye corrupt your ſelves, Verſ. 16.and make you a graven image the ſimilitude of any figure, &c.

Neither is it neceſſary for adoration, that we do aſſigne any ſet figure to God in our thoughts, ſeeing every one of us doth believe that he hath a living ſoule in him, whereby all the parts p. 113of the body are both directed and enabled in their ſeveral offices, yet no man can conceive any ſet forme or ſimilitude wherunto it may be reſembled.

2. Another figurative ſpeech here is, where the Prophet calleth theſe eyes of God pure eyes; for wickednes and evil cannot defile the ſight: it is ſaid of the fair eye of heaven, that it ſhineth upon the juſt and unjuſt.

And David ſaith; that God ſeeth all the thoughts of mans heart, why he then ſeeth much vanity and much iniquity.

But thoſe are called pure eyes which do behold nothing that is evil, to approve it in it ſelfe, to abet it in our brother, to imitate it in our ſelves, and in this ſenſe the eyes of God are ſaid to be pure, that is, abhorring ſin.

Again, the Purity of Gods eyes doth import the clear judgment of God, which is of ſuch penetration as nothing can conceal it ſelf from him, in which ſenſe David ſaith,

The Lord is in his holy Temple, the Lords Throne is in heaven: Pſ. 11.14.Ps 11:14his eyes behold, his eye lids try the children of men; upon which words Saint Auguſtine ſaith, that there is apertio and opertio oculorum dei, an opening and a covering of Gods eyes.

He is ſaid to ſee with his eyes, when he declareth himſelf to ſee and take notice of any thing: but he doth try with his eye-lids, when he maketh as though he ſlept and conſidered not, winking for a time at the iniquities of men.

Our leſſon from this double figure of ſpeech, is,

That God is a ſevere ſearcher and puniſher of ſinne; Doct. for ſearch, he trieth the hearts & r…ins: for puniſhment, judgment begins at his own houſe: this certain rule of truth we muſt lay hold & beleive, that the Juſtice & truth of God can't fail, the whole courſe of Scripture, the experience of all times doth make this good.

The ſin of the Angels that kept not their firſt eſtate, was ſoon found out and puniſhed; the firſt news we hear of them was that one of them was a tempter, and deceived our firſt Parents.

There was a light ſhining in darkneſſe, which the darkneſſe comprehended not. The Manichees ſeeing the devil went ſo early againſt God, thought and taught that there were two principia, two beginnings, one good God the Author of all good, another evil God the Author of all evil, not knowing the fall of p. 114the Angels, and the miſchief that they attempted againſt God after their fall.

But they were the firſt example of the ſevere vengeance of God. Of whom Saint Iude ſaith,

And the Angels which kept not their firſt eſtate, but left their own habitation, Jude 6.Jude 1:6he hath reſerved in everlaſting chains under darkneſſe, unto the judgement of the laſt day.

And for our firſt Parents, the pure eyes of God ſaw their nakedneſſe after their fall, and came himſelf into the garden in the coole of the day and convinced the Delinquents, and examined the fault, and gave judgment againſt them all, and preſently executed that judgment.

The Cain when his ſin was yet but in the bud, at the firſt putting forth thereof, in the caſting down of his countenance, was called to account for it, God diſputing the matter with him, and after when he came to the execution of his abominable wickedneſſe, God again well examined the evidence, convicted the Priſoner, and brought him to confeſſion of his fault, and baniſhed him from his preſence.

In all theſe examples God was a ſpeedy and a ſevere Judge, as was fit for terrour in the beginning; but after he grew more remiſſe, and as the Apoſtle ſaith,

The long-ſuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was a preparing; 1 Pet. 3.201 Pet 3:20So that God declared himſelf patient and long-ſuffering, who had before ſhewed and revealed his ſevere Juſtice, that the terrour of his righteouſneſſe might diſcourage ſin, and yet his gentle forbearance might invite to repentance.

Therefore throughout the whole courſe of holy Scripture, we have examples of both ſorts, both of quick vengeance and of favourable ſufferance, that God may be known both to be juſt and merciful. The reaſon whereof is,

1. That the danger might breed terrour; for who can promiſe himſelf mercy, when our juſt God may and doth take ſuch quick vengeance? Remember Lots wife, that ſhe was Lots wife whom God favoured, that the Angel pulled her out of Sodom to haſten her from their judgment, that her offence was no more then looking back, whether out of curioſity to ſee what God would do to Sodome, or out of unbelief doubting the truth of the threatning, p. 115or out of love to the place, or to ſome perſons left behind to the wo, ſhe was made an example of preſent calamity and turned into a pillar of ſalt.

Therefore remember Lots wife for terrour, to ſtrike fear in thee that thou ſin not, leaſt thou be ſmitten ſo ſoon as thou haſt offended; this to prevent ſin.

2. That ſuch as ſin and find not the preſent wrath of God avenging ſin, may make uſe of that patience of God to repent, leaſt a lingring judgment be but the whetting of a ſword to a ſharper cutting when it cometh.

For the remiſſeneſſe of God doth not proceed from any reſpect of Perſons, nor from a liking of any kind of ſin, but out of free and undeſerved favour, and for the glory of his own mercy, that he may be feared.

Who knoweth the mind of the Lord, Ʋſe. or who hath been of his Counſel? who can tell when he is tempted to any ſin, and embraceth the temptation, and committeth the ſin, whether God will make him an example of his patience and mercy, & long-ſuffering, by giving him both the time and grace of repentance, and open to him the fountain for ſin and for uncleanneſſe, to waſh him and cleanſe himſelf from his ſin: or whether he will make him an example of his ſevere juſtice in chaſtening his treſpaſſe with ſome ſpeedy vengeance, as he did the rebellion of Corah, or the lying of Ananias and Saphirah.

Therfore our care muſt be to keep our heart with all diligence from conceiving ſin, to take heed to our ways that we offend not in our tongue, to take heed to our foot, to our hand that they act not ſin, ever remembring that God is a jealous God, and that loveth not iniquity, and that he hath pure eyes which cannot behold evil to allow thereof.

Herein the example of Chriſt is good,Pſ. 16.8ſPs 16:8 I have ſet the Lord always before me; for godly feare doth put God always in ſight of us, and of all our ways.

Let us ſet our ſelves always in the ſight of God, and anſwer every temptation to ſin with this anſwer, Thou O Lord art of purer eyes then to behold evil.

For therefore hath God ſo clearly revealed his Majeſty, Power and Juſtice to the ſons of men,Ex. 20.20Exod 20:20 That his feare may be p. 116before your eyes that you ſin not.

The King on earth chaſeth away all evil with his eye, becauſe men feare the wrath of a King as the roaring of a lion: and ſhall the pure eyes of God, ſeeing all our ways, being about our path, and about our bed, underſtanding our thoughts long before nothing awe us! Chriſt ſaith, Fear not them that can kill the body, and can do nothing more, but feare him that can caſt both body and ſoul into hell fire.

This God that hath this power over the work of his own hands, as he hath pure eyes from whoſe ſight nothing can hide or conceal it ſelf: ſo he hath a right hand, inveniet dextra ejus inimicos ejus, his right hand will find out his enemies, yea ſtrong is his arme, and the ſword that he wieldeth is ſharp; for David ſaith, he hath whetted it of purpoſe to cut off from the earth the ungodly thereof: he hath alſo a bowe and that is bent, he hath a quiver and that is full of deadly arrows; and howſoever we ſhall ſlight him, our God is a conſuming fire; to the Elect he is ignis in rubo, a fire in the buſh, burning but not conſuming; but to the ungodly that make no conſcience of ſin, he is ignis devorans, a fire devouring, as David ſaith.

The flame ſhall burn up the ungodly.

The crying ſins of our times, injuſtice in the Courts of judgement, contempt of Religion, oppreſſion of the poore, breach of the Sabbath, profane ſwearing, beaſtly drunkenneſſe, abom… nable wantonneſſe, contentions and ſuch like, do give evidence againſt us, that there is no fear of God before our eyes, that we fear not the Preſence of God, we regard not his pure eyes.

We would have cured Babel of thoſe diſeaſes, and ſhe is not healed; the Word which is the proper Phyſick for theſe maladies is either not heard with attention, or not kept with retention; we mingle it not with faith, when we hear it, ſo that we heap up wrath againſt the day of wrath: my brethren, do not ſo wickedly, ſin not againſt God, ſin not againſt your own ſouls, for ſo Moſes cals Korah & his company,Num. 16.38.Num 16:38 he cals them ſinners againſt their own ſouls, & that are enſamples recorded for the perpetual uſe of the Church, even for them upon whom the ends of the world ſhall come.

When the judgement of Korah and his company was in ſight, it is ſaid,

p. 117All Iſrael that were round about them fled at the cry of them: Num. 16.34.Num 16:34for they ſaid, leaſt the earth ſwallow us up alſo.

Theſe Records of former times are kept for us that we might always have them in ſight, that we might make it our own caſe, and feare before the Lord, and fly from the tents of ſuch wicked perſons, who make no conſcience of the pure eyes of God beholding all their ways, leaſt we periſh with them.

2. Upon this ground he doth diſpute; for ſeeing he reſolveth that God is moſt juſt, and there can be no ſhadow of changing in him, he enquireth of him how it comes to paſſe, that ſo many evils be ſuffered in the world, in the eye and ſight of God.

From whence we are taught that in all our conſiderations of the carriage of things under the government of Gods Providence, Doct. howſoever ſtrange the effects may ſeem to us, yet we muſt take heed that we never queſtion either the Wiſedome, Juſtice, or Goodneſſe of God.

Let us reſolve on that, and we may ſafely ſit down and wonder at the effects of his will; for David ſaith, Tu facis mirabilia ſolus, Thou alone doſt wonders. And Auguſtine ſaith, that God doth manage things Judicio ſaepe arcano ſed ſemper juſto, often by ſecret, but always by juſt judgment.

And upon this holy reſolution of the Prophet, which giveth God his due and no way doth tax him, but pronounceth him to be himſelf,

I dare not receive the judgment of Mr. Calvin upon this paſſage, becauſe I am perſwaded that he is too harſh in his cenſure of this Prophet, and yet I find it ſo much againſt his will to find fault, that he doth what he can again, when he hath wounded him to heal him again.

I honour the memory of Mr. Calvin, as of a clear light ſet up in the Church of God, and am as unwilling to tax him, as I find him unwilling to tax the Prophet, and therefore I wiſh his Reader to read him out upon this place, and he ſhall find that it is not motus violentus, but trepidationis, not a violent, but a trembling motion that carries him. For

1. He ſaith, deſcendit ad humanos affect us he deſcendeth to humane affections, ſo he may do and yet not offend.

2. He addeth, oſtendit ſe quodammodo vacillare, he ſhews himſelf p. 118ſomwhat wavering; that cannot be defended; for the motto of a juſt man is ſemper idem, always the ſame; and it is the ungodly man who is unſtable in all his ways; his heart is not eſtabliſhed.

3. But he ſmiteth home when he ſaith, verum quidem eſt, ſecundam partem verſus affinem eſſe blaſphemiae, the ſecond part of the verſe to be near a kinne to blaſphemy; quia obmurmurat & inſimulat deum unimiae tarditatis, becauſe he murmured and accuſed God of too much ſlackneſſe.

Yet Mr. Calvin healeth him again; pardon him in this; for he was in Angusto in a ſtrait, jealous of having the honour of God touched by the Prophet, and yet tender of any touch of the charity that he did owe to the Prophet, and therefore having delared his holy love to God, he doth his beſt to excuſe the Prophet, ſaying of him, fraenum ſibi injicit & occurrit mature. Se temperat ut praeveniat nimium fervorem, he tempers himſelf that he might allay this too great heat.

And in the end he confeſſeth, quia non poteſt ſe expedire rebus tam confuſis, diſceptat potius ſecum quàm cum deo, becauſe he could not get out of this maze, that he reaſoned with himſelf rather then God.

For my opinion I acquit the Prophet from any ſuſpicion of inordinate affection in this his complaint, ſo long as he doth do God the right to acknowledge him both eternall and equal; I wonder not if he, and all that conſider him aright in his ways, be ſwallowed up in the depth of admiration of them.

Let any man obſerve that which followeth in the Prophets complaint, and he ſhall ſee great cauſe of wonder; but whenſoever ſuch occaſion is offered to us to behold the like, let us do our God the right to confeſſe him holy and juſt, and to reſolve that which way ſoever things go, there can be no fault in him: therefore let us ſay with David,

Domine, tu justus es, & juſta ſunt judicia tua, thou art juſt, and thy judgements are juſt.

It is a good ſaying of old Eli the Prieſt,Pſ. 3.18.Ps 3:18 when Samuel told him of the judgments of God upon his houſe, It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good.

Yet is it not unlawful for the children of God reverently to conſider the ways of God; yea it is a work for the Sabbath, to p. 119take the works of God into regard.

O Lord, how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep.Pſ. 92.5.Ps 92:5

A bruitiſh man knoweth not, neither doth a fool underſtand this.

It argueth a great defect in judgement, when we ſhall think a thought which may derogate any thing from the glory of our God; for it is true, fecit quicquid voluit, he hath done whatever he would; ſo it is true omnia bene fecit, he hath done all things well, and we ſay truly of him, He hath done all things for the beſt; for ſo he doth even then when his ways do croſſe ours, and when thoſe things that he doth do ſeem to us and to our reaſon as moſt oppoſite.

To help which our weakneſſe we are taught to pray, fiat voluntas tua, thy will be done.

Let us come then to a view of the particulars which the Prophet recounteth, which God doth behold and not yet puniſh.

And herein we ſhall find the Prophet an Orator ſetting forth the iniquity of the times, and the miſeries of the Church then, ſo as we may ſay his heart hath indited a good matter, and his tongue is the Pen of a ready Writer.

Here be the Prophets grievances.

1. The firſt is treaſon, Wherefore lookeſt thou upon them that deal treacherouſly? Mr. Calvin renders it, quare aſpicis tranſgreſſores? and ſo doth the Geneva tranſlation render it: Why lookeſt thou upon the tranſgreſſors?

But that is ſomewhat too large, for that includeth all ſorts of ſinners.

Jun. Cur intuereris perfidos? ſo the Chaldaeans, of whom the Prophet complaineth, here are ſet forth as you heard by the Prophet Iſay.

Dolus an virtus, quis in hoste requirat?Iſa. 12.2.Isa 12:2

Treaſon is not wrought by a profeſt enemy in times of open warre, and proclaimed defiance, neither do we call the ſecret practices of enemies working underhand by the name of treaſon, they are military ſtratagems; but it is called treaſon, when by corrupting ſome of the oppoſite ſide, the enemie doth take advantage.

And this is commonly one of the mines which is carried under the ſtates of great Kingdomes, to deſtroy them and blow them up.

p. 120And the Author and Finiſher of our ſalvation, though he was aſſaulted by profeſt warre of the chief Prieſts, Scribes and Phariſees, yet he was put into their hand at laſt by treaſon; one of his own twelve betrayed him.

And it is the chief uſe of the new order of Jeſuits in forrein States to corrupt the affections of ſubjects, ut prodant, that they may betray.

This is a great grievance; for treaſons be commonly carried with great ſecreſie; yet the Prophet ſaith, that God looketh on, he beholden all the conveyances both of Projection and Execution; and that is it which amazeth the Prophet, that God who loveth not treaſon, ſhould look on and behold it in all the ingreſſe and progreſſe of it, and not ſtop it.

Beloved, we have a leſſon from hence.

The Lord ſeeth treaſon. Doct.

Not only the great treaſons wrought againſt States and Kingdomes, but the particular falſhoods in common friendſhip: the private inſidiations for the goods, the chaſtity, the good name, the life of our neighbours.

It is not any negligence in Gods government of the world or any over-ſight, or any forgetfulneſſe, or any approbation of evil, that doth keep God ſo quiet, that he ſitteth in heaven, he keepeth Iſrael, and he neither ſlumbreth nor ſleepeth.

Yet he looketh on, while thieves come in the night, and break open a way into mens houſes, gather together and rifle, and carry away their goods.

He ſeeth whilſt the ſecret enemy watcheth his brother upon the way, or goeth forth with him as Abel did with Cain: God knew that Abel was to be killed that day.

When Joab and Amaſa met, God ſaw it a death, he knew that embracing would prove a ſtab.

Sometimes God doth detect and defeat theſe treaſons betimes, ſometimes he letteth them go on to the very moment of execution, yet then he diſappointeth them: but ſometimes he looketh on, and ſeeth them performed and hindreth them not.

This is that which the Prophet would fain know why God that loveth no evil, and hath power at hand to prevent it, doth look on and ſee it done; for amongſt us, quinon vetat peccare cum p. 121licet jubet: he that when he may, hindreth not a fault, commands it; and for man it is a true rule, that all the evil which we might have hindred and did not, ſhall be put upon our account.

This rule holds indeed with us, but God is not ſo limited; he maketh both evil creatures, that is devils and wicked men, to be his ſervants to do his will, and he maketh the very ſins of men rods to ſcourge both themſelves that commit them and others.

2. The ſecond grievance of the Prophet.

The wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he, and God holdeth his tongue. That is, the Chaldaean who worſhippeth ſtrange gods, devoureth the Iews the Poſterity of Abraham, who though they be much too blame, yet they are more righteous then Chaldaeans, and God ſeeth and ſaith nothing whilſt the Chaldaeans doth ſpoil Iſrael.

This indeed is a great grievance to behold the afflictions of the Church, and the power of the wicked againſt them; it was that which put David into an extreme extaſie for the time, and till he went to the houſe of God, and was there taught the end of ſuch men as hurt their betters, his foot had well nigh ſlipt.

Our experience ſhoweth us much more for the wicked ſons of Belial, the moths of our Common-wealth, the ruſt of our peace, how have they fed upon the far of the land, and by fair pretexts of common good, even devoured the Common-wealth, and made more righteous men then they their prey, aſſaulting their goods, their liberty, and peace of life, diſturbing their honeſt callings with inhoneſt encroachments, to the great prejudice of the State?

And God held his tongue, many years although he ſaw it; but now he hath ſet open the eyes of the politick body to detect them, and he hath opened the mouth of that body to accuſe and to condemn them.

David ſaith, It is a Proverb of the Ancients,1 Sam. 24.13.1 Sam 24:13 Wickedneſſe proceedeth from the wicked.

This is wickedneſſe in a grown degree; for the godly be the holy ones of God, and God ſaith, nolite tangere, touch not, they do not only tangere, but angere, yea devorare juſtiores ſe, devour juſter then they.

There is a natural antipathy between the ſeed of the woman p. 122and the ſeed of the ſerpent; ſinners cannot abide them that carry any face or ſhew of Religion, or the worſhip of God; hating and touching and biting will not ſerve nor ſatisfie they muſt devour and deſtroy.

Salomon ſaith, The tender mercies of the wicked are cruell, viſcera crudelia, Prov. 12.10.Prov 12:10cruel bowels:

The wicked is ever the devourer; obſerve it as a fure rule; that Church or that Common-wealth which devoureth and maintaineth ſlaughter and effuſion of blood, is the Synagogue of the wicked.

The true Church is no ſmiter, no traytor, no plotter, no abettor of invaſions; it was ever true Arma Eccleſiae preces & lachrymae, the weapons of the Church are prayers and tears.

The Church of Rome, the mother of murthers, and neſt wherein treaſons breed, the nurſe of Ieſuites, the incendiaries of Chriſtendome, the mint of facinerous Machinations, the Cathedral and dogmatical defenders of the lawfulneſſe of any thing that is done for their own good, hath diſcovered her ſelf to be Antichriſtian by this infallible mark of cruelty; She is a devourer.

It is the Religion of Rome that armed the Spaniards againſt Queen Elizabeth and her land in 88. the bleſſing of the Pope, and the curſe of God was upon that enterpriſe.

For they came to devoure them that were then more righteous then they.

It is the Religion of Rome that digged the vault, that hired, that fraighted the Cellar under the Parliament houſe to blow up all; os ſepulchri, the mouth of the grave, os inferni, the mouth of hell; the mouth of Rome ſhall gape and ſwallow with the beſt of them.

Surely this is a great grievance and vexation of ſpirit here on earth, to ſee the worſt ſort of men prevailing, and better then they ſwallowed up.

This is alſo aggravated in the manner of it, which is fully and rhetorically amplified by the Prophet.

3. The next grievance amplified by a compariſon, which is double, verſ. 14.

1. They are compared to the fiſh of the ſea.

p. 1232. To creeping things which have no Governour.

In the firſt reſemblance he inſiſteth, ver. 15.

The Chaldaeans are the Fiſhermen, the Jews the Fiſh as you have heard: and theſe Fiſhermen uſe

1. The Angle,

2. The net,

3. The dragge, which ſheweth a full devouring, as in Iſay,

I will ſweep it with the beſome of destruction ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.Iſ. 14.22.Isa 14:22

Compare this text with that of Joel.

That which the Palmer-worm hath left, hath the Locuſt eaten; Joel 2.4.Joel 2:4and that which the Locuſt hath left, hath the Canker-worm eaten; and that which the Canker-worm hath left, the Gaterpillar hath eaten. For what the Angle leaveth, the net taketh; and what eſcapeth the net, the drag doth ſweep it up. Obſerve here with me

1. This manner of teaching by familiar reſemblances is much uſed in both Teſtaments, Note. 1 and it is a ſmooth and eaſie kind of teaching, which doth bring things to the underſtanding by ſome ſenſible demonſtrations.

And may we not juſtly charge the Church of Rome with cruelty to her children, that when the ſpirit of God hath ſo laboured in both the Teſtaments to open himſelf to the underſtanding of the ſimple; the Oracle of Trent ſhall put out the candle, and turn men to ſeek the way of life darkling, without the light of the Word, which they ſhall not be ſuffered to read, for fear of underſtanding by it their impoſtures.

It can be no good Religion, wherein they that know the leaſt, and believe the moſt, are made to believe they are in the beſt caſe.

2. I find here that there is a wiſedome of God to be learned out of the natural and moral ways of life; Note. 2 as the ſtorke for naturall affection: the Ant, for Providence: the Spider for induſtry: the Bee for art, induſtry and providence.

When we ſee dogs purſuing an Hare, or a Deer, thus do the projectures of our time hunt the Common-wealth.

When we ſee Fiſhermen caſt in their nets; thus do the oppreſſors of their brethren; all is fiſh that comes into their net.

A wiſe and ſober judgement may make good uſe of all that his eye ſeeth, to behold therin either the goodnes of God to man or p. 124or the good or evil that cometh from one man to another.

3. In that he doth uſe two compariſons and reſemblances to fiſhes on the ſea, Note. 3 and to creeping things on earth, we ſee that both ſea and land do afford examples.

And the Prophet is very near touched with the calamities of his brethren, that which way ſoever he looketh, he beholdeth ſome repreſentation of their woe.

It is the manner of grief to take all occaſions to figure and repreſent to it ſelf its own ſorrow.

4. Where he reſembleth them to creeping things which have no ruler over them, Note. 4

Two things do aggravate the calamity repreſented thereby.

1. That which God brought upon Edom, I have made thee ſmall; for theſe creeping things of the earth are of ſmall ſtrength, and are ſubject to the foot of man and beaſt to tread on them: thus God hath made the Jews the very earth for their enemies to go over them; and this is the puniſhment of their pride; for Pride muſt have a fall and theſe towring fouls of the ayre muſt be turned into creeping worms of the earth.

2. They have no ruler over them, this is here ſet forth as a point of eſpecial note to expreſſe the unhapineſſe of a People to be without a ruler; and therefore Anabaptiſts are wiſe polititians, that would have no Magiſtrate, but the puniſhment of the Iews is juſt that they ſhould be without a ruler;

Becauſe they did ſo much abuſe Authority and rule, that the very Seat of judgement were corrupted; the wicked is Plaintiffe, and the godly defendant. The wicked compaſſeth about the righteous, therefore wrong judgement proceedeth.

Better no rulers at all then ſuch as David deſcribeth, Thou ſeeſt a thief and thou conſenteſt with him: a Companion of thieves whoſe Iuſtice is like that on Sarisbury plain, Deliver thy purſe. Perchance on both ſides.

But rule and Magiſtracy is the ordinance of God, as St. Paul teacheth, and God by his ſubordinate rulers on earth, carrieth a ſword, and not in vain, without this, as when there was no King in Iſrael, every man doth what ſeemeth good in his own eyes; Which doth utterly deſtroy the body, not only disfigure the face of a Common-wealth.

p. 1255. Obſerve alſo here the outrage of the ungodly when they finde any way open for their violence; Note. 5 for they come in like a floud that hath made it ſelf way through the weak banks, and deluge all.

Here is Angle and Net and Dragge, as before, The wicked compaſſeth about the righteous; which way ſhall the righteous eſcape? As if aman did fly from a Lyon, and a Beare met him, or went into an houſe and leaned his hand on a wall and a Serpent bit him: Amos 5 19Amos 5:19This made David ſo earneſt with God not to fall into the hands of man.

There is nothing more cruel then a multitude of ungodly men that have no fear of God before their eyes.

Certum eſt inſilvis inter ſpelaea ferarum malle pati; the teeth of theſe dogs, the hornes of theſe buls of Baſan, the hornes of theſe Unicornes, the tusks of theſe wild Boars, the pawes of theſe Lyons and Bears are mentioned in Scripture often to expreſſe the the fury and outrage of the wicked,

As Edom cried in the day of Jeruſalem, Raſe it. Pſ. 11.3.Ps 11:3If the foundation be deſtroyed, what can the righteous do?

Judge now is it not a great grievance to ſee and feel the force and fury of the wicked carry all before them, and neither their own conſcience, nor the lawes of men reſtrain them, and God ſit ſtill, look on and hold his peace; this is that which grieves the Prophet to the heart. But God that ſeeth it hath pure eyes, and hath a right hand that will finde out all his enemies.

Amos will tell us that God hath his Angle too, and his Net, and his Dragge.

I ſaw the Lord ſtanding upon the Altar, Amos 9.1.Amos 9:1and he ſaid,

I will ſlay the laſt of them with the ſword: he that fleeth of them ſhall not fly away; and he that eſcapeth of them ſhall not be delivered.

Though they dig into hell, there ſhall my hand take them, though they climb up into heaven, thence will I bring them down.

And though they hide themſelves in the top of Carmel, I will ſearch, and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my ſight in the bottome of the ſea, thence will I command the Serpent and he ſhall bite them.

And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence p. 127will I command the ſword and it ſhall ſlay them: I will ſet mine eyes upon them for evill and not for good.

Let us not be diſcouraged; for the Wiſeman ſaith comfortably to us;

If thou ſeeſt the oppreſſion of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and juſtice in a Province, Eccl. 5.8.Eccl 5:8marvel not at the matter; for he that is higher then the higheſt regardeth, and there be higher then they.

Our Common-wealth grew foul, the hand of the oppreſſor was ſtretched out, and they that pretended to be the Phyſitians of the diſeaſes of this State, gave it a potion of deadly wine, that it grew ſick and drawing on even to death, the hearts of true Patriots failed them.

The poor cried out; the rich could not ſay of that which he poſſeſſed Haec mea ſunt, theſe are mine; ſeats of juſtice, inſtead of judgment yeelded wormwood, & ecce clamor, and behold a cry, even the loud voyce of grievances.

But God awaked as one out of ſleep; and what the angle of the Magiſtrate and the net of the King could not take, the drag of the Parliament is now caſt out to fetch it in; and we have gracious promiſes that we ſhall ſee Religion better eſtabliſhed, and Juſtice better adminiſtred, the moths that fretted our garments deſtroyed, the Caterpillar, the Canker-worm, and the Palmerworme, the Projectors of our times that devoured the fruits of the earth, and drew the breaſts of the Common-wealth dry into their own veſſels, both detected and puniſhed; yea that we ſhall ſee Ieruſalem in proſperity all our days; it is the muſick of the voyces of both Houſes of the Parliament, and he that is rector Chori, the Mr. of the Quire, doth ſet for them both,

Let Peace be within thy wals, and plenteouſneſſe within thy Palaces.

This fils our mouths with laughter, and our tongues with ſinging. The Keeper of Iſrael is awake, and hath not been an idle Spectator of thoſe tragedies that have been acted here amongſt us; he hath but tarried a time, till the abominable wickedneſſe of the ſons of Belial was found worthy to be puniſhed.

One note more remaineth. The Prophet doth find that all this evil doth not come upon the Jews by chance, Note. 6 by the malice of p. 126Satan, or the proud covertous cruelty of the Chaldaeans; for he faith to God,

Thou makeſt men as the fiſhes of the ſea.

Here is the hand of God, and the counſell of God in all this.

And God taketh it upon himſelf, as you have heard before.

Behold yee among the heathen, Verſ. 5.and regard and wonder marveilouſly, For I will work a work in your days which you will not believe.

Lo, I raiſe up the Chaldaeans, &c.

For though ſin brought in puniſhment,Verſ. 6. yet Gods Juſtice is the Author of all evils of this kind, and the inflicter of puniſhment.

Tu domine feciſti, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Thou Lord haſt done it,

And I have taught you that the wiſedome and goodneſſe of God can make uſe of evil men for the correction of his Church;

They be ingredients in the doſe, that God giveth to his diſeaſed People to purge them.

Therefore let not our hearts fret at thoſe rods which have no ſtrength to uſe themſelves, but rather ſtoop to the right hand of God, who manageth them for our caſtigation.

We have no fence againſt theſe judgments, but a good conſcience endeavouring to ſerve God ſincerely; for that either diverteth the judgment, that the Sun ſhall not ſmite us by day, nor the Moon by night; or it maketh us able to bear it, as from the hand of a Father that cannot finde in his heart to hurt us.

You heard the faith of this Prophet concerning this point: we ſhall not die.

Thou haſt ordained them for judgment, thou haſt eſtabliſhed them for correction.

Only let not us be incorrigible, nor faint when we are rebuked; for he chaſteneth every ſon that he receiveth.

The fourth grievance is the pride and vain-glory of the proud Chaldeans, expreſt in two things

1. In the joy of their victories, They rejoyce and are glad

2. In their attribution of this glory to themſelves, which is ſelf-idolatry.

1. They rejoyce and are glad.

p. 128The enemies of the Church have their time to laugh, the Wiſeman calleth it the candle of the wicked, it lighteth them for a time; it is unius diei hilariis inſania, they dance to the pipe, and drink their wine in bowles, they eate of the fat, and they remember not the affliction of Joſeph to pity it, they remember it to reſult over Joſeph.

The King and Haman ſate drinking together when the Edict was gone forth for the deſtruction of the Jewes,Heſt. 3.15. and then the City Shuſhan was perplexed.

The grief of the Church is the joy of the ungodly. It is Davids complaint, Yea they opened their mouth wide againſt me, and ſaid, Pſ. 35.21.Ps 35:21Aha, our eye hath ſeen it.

They have Davids deprecation. Let them not ſay in their hearts, Verſ. 25.Ah, ſo would we have it; let them not ſay we have ſwallowed them up.

They have Davids imprecation.

Let them be aſhamed and brought to confuſion that rejoyce at mine hurt; Verſ. 26.let them be clothed with ſhame and diſhonour, that magnifie themſelves againſt me.

He was in the very paſſion of this Prophet for this. Lord, how long wilt thou look on?

Saint Auguſtine upon theſe words ſaith,Verſ. 17. Quod capiti, hoc corpori, what was to the head, that to the body; for thus did the Jewes rejoyce in the Croſſe of Chriſt, they had their will of him: it is vox capitis, the voyce of the head,

But in mine adverſity they rejoyced, and gathered themſelves together againſt me.Verſ. 15.

Saint Auguſtines comfort againſt this calamity is,

Quicquid faciunt, Christus in caelo eſt; honoravit ille p…nam ſuam, jam crucem ſuam in omnium frontibus fixit, which hath reference to the ſigning with the ſigne of the Croſſe in the Baptiſme of Chriſtians then in the uſe of the Church.

The reaſon of this joy in the wicked at the ſorrowes of the Church is, Reaſon 1 becauſe the wicked do want the knowledge and feare of God; they do not know that God is the protector of the Church; but becauſe they ſee them in outward things moſt neglected, they judge them given over of God and forſaken, Davids complaint,

p. 129For mine enemies speak againſt me, Pſ. 71.10.Ps 71:10and they that lay wait for my ſoul take counſel together,

Saying, God hath forſaken him, perſecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him

For they meaſure the light of Gods countenance according to the ſcantling of outward proſperity.

2. The wicked want the unity of the ſpirit, Reaſ. 3 which is the bond of peace; for the God of peace is not in their wayes, they love not, they call not upon God; Charity is a Theological virtue; where there is not true Religion, there can be no true love.

I am ſure this is a true Rule in Divinity, whatſoever humane policie have to ſay againſt it.

Chriſt foretold his Diſciples, in the world ye ſhall have affliction.

Theſe things I command you that ye love one another.Joh. 15.17. Verſ. 18. Verſ. 19.John 15:17

If the world hate you, ye know it hated me before it hated you.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own.

Charity is the bond of peace only to the children of peace; and they that in Religion do ſtand in termes of contradiction, it is not poſſible to fit them with a girdle.

This point is thus made profitable to us.

1. For our ſelves, ſeeing Religion is the beſt bond of brotherhood, Ʋſe. and where no Religion is, there can be no ſincere love; let us labour to grow up more and more in the knowledge and love and obedience of the truth, that we may be fortified throughout both in our bodies and in our ſouls and ſpirits, for this maketh us all one body, and we can no more fall out then the members of our natural bodyes can diſagree one with another; the Orator ſpake ignorantly of the union of affections by the ſame Country. Patria omnes in ſe charitates complexa eſt. the love of charity comprehends all love; for we know that we have had many unnatural fugitives which have abandoned their Country, and plotted treaſons abroad againſt it, and have returned full of forraine venome and poyſon to corrupt the affections of the natural ſubjects of their Soveraign with hatred of Religion and peace.

That is only true of Religion, for that ſo ſweetneth the affections of men, that as they are content to do any thing they can one for another; ſo they can be content to endure any thing one for another, to beare for one anothers ſakes, and to put up at one p. 130anothers hands many things; to forgive not ſeven times, but ſeventy times ſeven times.

For the true Church, as Bernard ſaith, doth ſuſpendere verbera, producere ubera, hide the rod, and lay forth the breaſts.

2. For our children we muſt inſtruct them betimes in the knowledge and fear of God, that they may learn the doctrines of piety & charity, and may be taught to be members one of another.

3. This fetteth a mark upon the enemies of God; becauſe where there is ſtrife and envying, where there is hatred and malice, are not they carnal?

If it be our duty to rejoyce with them that rejoyce, and to weep with them that weep; they belong not to the fold of Chriſt, that rejoyce at the weeping, or weep at the rejoycing of their brethren.

4. This declareth the vanity of the joy of the world; for ſeeing their rejoycing is evill, it cannot be long lived; and therefore it is ſaid, that the candle of the wicked ſhall be put out; but the joy of the elect ſhall no man take from them.

Therefore wo to them that laugh here for their Harp ſhall be turned into mourning, and their Organs into the voyce of them that weep, but bleſſed are they that mourn, for they ſhall be comforted▪ and the time ſhall come when they ſhall rejoyce over them who have joyed at their paines; and rejoyce over her O heaven, and ye holy Apoſtles and Prophets, Pro. 18.20Prov 18:20for God hath avenged you on her.

2. They attribute the glory of the conqueſt to themſelves, they underſtand not who raiſed them up againſt the Jewes who gave them ſtrength to fight, and who gave them victory; therefore they burne incenſe to their own nets, and kiſſe their own hands, and thank themſelves for all.

Here is the growth of iniquity; for firſt they exerciſe all cruel inhumanity againſt the Jewes, then they rejoyce over them, and then doth their ſin grow out of meaſure ſinful; for they forbear not to provoke God himſelf by their pride of heart, robbing him of the glory of his own work, and aſcribing it to themſelves.

This even the light of nature hath detected to be moſt injurious to God, and moſt dangerous to men, for they that have any natural notion of the Deity, know that the whole glory of all atchievements belongs to that ſupreme power which ruleth all.

p. 131In the great conſultation wherein Xerxes made a Propoſition of warre againſt Greece, having a ſpecial grudge at the Athenians,Herod. 1.7. Polyrrima

Mardonius was an earneſt perſwader to the attempt; but Artabanus the ſon of Hiſtaſpes, the Uncle of Xerxes the King, a grave, aged man, diſſwaded it.

His great argument was drawn from a conſideration of the danger of greatneſſe to which the King his Nephew aſpired to be Lord of all, and urgeth that old obſervation which Horace the Poet ſince uſed, Feriuntque ſummos fulmina montes, the ligtning ſtrikes the higheſt tops his rule is

Gaudet Deus eminentiſſima quaeque de primere, quia Deus neminem alium quam ſeipſum ſinit magnifice de ſe ſentire.

The point here noteable, is,

The proſperity of this world doth fill the hearts of men with pride and vaine eſtimation of themſelves. Doct.

At the firſt when things ſucceeded well with the Chaldean, he gave the honour thereof to his Idol god, as you have heard; but now he taketh it all upon himſelf; his own net, that is, his wit and ſtrength hath done all, and he is now his own god.

The Wiſeman ſaith, The proſperity of fools ſhall deſtroy them.Prov. 1.42Prov 1:42

They that worſhip ſtrange gods, and do aſcribe all their faire betydings to them, do commit Idolatry, and ſin grievouſly; yet theſe do confeſſe a Deity, and acknowledge the power, though not the perſon of God in ſupreme agencie; but they that aſſume all to themſelves, deny a Deity, or diſable it, ſo as that they may work without any borrowed help from thence.

So that the greateſt Idolatry that is, or can be committed, is that pride of heart which aſſumeth to it ſelfe the glory of proſperous ſucceſſe.

And let men take heed of this temptation,Prov 30.8 9.Prov 30:8 for it is flattering and fair-ſpoken, and our corrupt nature is very prone to give it entertainment; this is one of the two things that Agur the ſon of Jakeh did pray againſt;

Remove far from me vanity and lies: this opinion of our ſelves is well termed vanity; for nothing can be more empty and voyd then it is; and it is as well called lyes; for nothing can be more untrue then that we ſhould be able as of our ſelves to do any thing for our ſelves.

The danger, Leaſt if I be full, I deny thee, and ſay, who is the Lord?

p. 132Here be two things in the Chaldaeans, which Iob doth proteſt againſt, and imprecate himſelf if he be guilty of either of them.

The former evil,Job 31.29Job 31:29 If I rejoyced at the deſtruction of them that hated me.

And this,Verſ 27. If my heart hath been ſecretly enticed, or my mouth hath kiſſed my hand

This alſo were an iniquity to be puniſhed by the judge, Verſ. 28.for I ſhould have denied that God that is above.

It is Saint Gregories note upon that text. Per manum operatio, per os locutio deſignatur; manum ergo oſculatur ore ſuo, qui laudat quod facit, & teſtimonio propriae locutionis ſoli virtutem tribuit operis.

Let us remember our Sicut in coelo, as in heaven. For in heaven the twenty foure Ellers caſt their Crowns before the Throne; Rev. 4.10.Rev 4:10which as Saint Gregory ſaith, is,

Certaminum ſuorum victorias non ſibi tribuere, ſed authori, ut ad illum referant gloriam laudis, à quo ſe ſciunt accepiſſe vires certaminis.

To arrogate to our ſelves Gods glory, this is Jobs judgment is iniquitas maxima, the greateſt iniquity: for peccatum ex infirmitate ſpem non perdit, ſin of infirmity loſeth not hope, but preſumption deſtroyeth hope utterly, and ſo faith alſo, for faith is the ground of things hoped for.

Againſt this let us heare the Apoſtle: Let us not be deſirous of vain-glory.Gal. 5.26.Gal 5:26

This is that dangerous ſinne of pride, which doth put our ſelves into the place and roome of God, and uſurpeth his rights.

Our Saviour hath ſufficiently diſcouraged this ſin in a few words to ſuch as do rightly underſtand him; for when the diſciples returned to him,Luk. 10 17Luke 10:17 and ſaid, Lord, the devils are ſubject to us through thy name, Chriſt anſwered,

I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Greg. Ʋt in diſcipulis ſuis elationem premeret: Verſ. 18.judicium ruinae retulit, quod ipſe magiſter elationis accepit.

The very way to begin the true worſhip and ſervice of God in us, is to put off our ſelves by an humble and true Confeſſion, that of our ſelves we areable for no good work; I do not ſay to demerit God, but not to do our ſelves any good; the wiſedome p. 133that guideth us is from above, the ſtrength that enableth, us is dextra excelſi, the right hand of the moſt High; this ſhews which way the glory and praiſe of all muſt go.

Conſidering then the fault of theſe Chaldaeans in this vanity of boaſting themſelves:

1. Let us come to decline it as a diſeaſe.

2. Let us embrace the remedies thereof.

1. Decline it. Ʋſe.

1. Becauſe it treſpaſſeth that ſame primum & magnum mandatum, the firſt and great Commandment; for it robbeth God of his glory, and aſſumeth it to our ſelves; and God hath ſworn that he will not admit any Partner or ſharer with him in glory.

2. It connumerateth us with the children of Satan, for he is the father of all the ſons of Pride.

3. It exterminates charity; for it maketh a mans own wil the rule of his actions, and not the wil of God: which maketh us the Praevaricators of the ſecond like Commandment to the firſt, diliges proximum ſicut teipſum, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf.

4. It maketh us liable to the ſevereſt vengeance of God, for God reſiſteth the proud; and if they periſh whom God doth not aſſiſt, what hope can they have whom God doth reſiſt?

5. It ſtrippeth us out of all thoſe graces and common favours of the Holy Ghoſt which we have; for when God ſeeth that we employ his talent to our own advantage, he will ſurely take it from us, ſeeing he took from him that employed not his talent to his advantage; for it is a greater ſin to be a falſe then to be an idle ſervant.

6. There is no vice that becomes a man worſer then ſelf-opinion; we eſteem one poor and proud very odious, and ſuch are they that aſcribe any thing to themſelves; becauſe we are not able of our ſelves, to think, to move, to live, to ſubſiſt, without our God.

7. There is no vice that pleaſeth Satan better then ſelf-confidence; for that quitteth Gods part in us, and ſeparateth us from God, which is all that Satan ſeeks; for then he hath ſure poſſeſſion, and all that he holdeth is in peace.

8. A proud man that aſcribeth all to himſelf muſt needs be unthankful. I may ſtirre up all the inconveniences of ſelf-opinion, p. 134with this; for it is an old truth, Ingratum ſidixeris, omnia dixeris, Say he is unthankful and you have ſaid all: this is a full imputation, and Saint Bernard ſaith Ingratitudo est ventus urens, ſiccans, ſibirorem miſericordiae, fluenta gratiae.

2. The Remedies.

Theſe we may reduce to theſe few.

1. A frequent and ſerious conſideration of our ſelves, what we were by Creation what we are by our ſal, for ſo we ſhall find how poor and impotent we are in our ſelvs, how we have no ſtrength to do any thing, but we are debters to God for all, all that we have is borrowings; quid habes o homo quod non accepiſti? We have loſt the freedom of our Will to any thing that is good: we do carry about us legem membrorum, corpus peccati, ſo that our ſtrength is weakneſſe, our wiſedom is folly, our friendſhip with the world enmity with God.

2. The cleareſt mirrour to behold our ſelves in, is the Holy Word of God, which reporteth to us the ſtory of our Creation, and of our Fall; which openeth and revealeth God to us, in his Juſtice, and Holineſſe, and Wiſedome, and Power, and Mercy.

3. Let us ſet God always before us, and the nearer we approach to him, the more ſhall we perceive whereof we are made, and we ſhall then remember that we are but duſt. We ſhal perceiv wherfore we are made, namely to live in the obedience and ſervice of our Maker, to beſtow all our time conſtantly therein, even to the end, to glorifie God in our bodies and in our ſouls. We ſhal ſee how unable we are to perform any part of this duty without God & how we ſtand obnoxious to the curſe of the law, for either omitting the duties which we ſhould perform or committing any thing againſt that juſt law. What have we then to be proud of, ſeeing, in him, and for him, and by him are all things?

4. Let us often revolve and recount the good favours of God to us, and remember all his benefits, and conſider what he hath done for us and we ſhall find that there is a full ſtream of favour coming towards us, whether we ſleep or awake, whether we drink of that brook in the way or not,

The Apoſtle joyneth two Precepts together, which do ſweetly ſerve to exerciſe a Godly and Chriſtian life. Pray continually: p. 135in all things give thanks; which do ſhew that all good gifts come from above to us, and therefore all our holy duties muſt direct themſelves that way; and as our help cometh from thoſe hils, ſo our eyes muſt be ever to thoſe hils.

It is not bread that man doth live by, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God: it is not the letter of the Word that quickeneth us, but the ſpirit.

Our whole help is in the name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth; Hallowed be that name: we are his People and the Sheep of his Paſture.

Let us go into his gates with Thanksgiving, and into his Courts with praiſe; let us be thankful to him and ſpeak good of his name. Let us do this faithfully, and we ſhall ſee it is no thank to our own net, or drag, that our portion is fat and our meat plenteous.

For none but he filleth the hungry with good things; Peter and his company, though they had their nets, and fiſhed all night, yet they caught nothing: when at Chriſts word they let fall their net and made a great draught, they knew whom to thank for it.

A domino factum eſt hoc, this is the Lords doing. Is the voice of the Church; therefore non nobis, non nobis, twice he putteth it from our ſelves, ſed nomini tuo da gloriam. Not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory.

5. Grievance. Ver. 17.

Shall they therefore empty their net, and not ſpare continually to ſlay the nations?

He continueth his former figurative manner of ſpeech, and preſſeth his grievance, ſhall thoſe fiſhing Chaldaeans when they have filled their net with fiſh, empty it, and return to another fiſhing? will it hold out, that they ſhall go from nation to nation, and make all theirs as they go?

The grievance is, that the Prophet doth not ſee any end of their cruel perfecutions as yet; for the lingring afflictions which gather increaſe of ſtrength by time, do threaten final ruine, whereas violent extremities ſpend themſelves into vanity and nothing.

2. Things are here feared.

1. The hurt that they may do, if they may fill and empty, and fill again their net as often as they will.

2. The pride of heart, that they may gather by the vain-glory of their Conqueſts. The point here confiderable, is, Doct. that

p. 136The ungodly man hath no bowels.

Cain muſt kill Abel his own natural brother, and Judas muſt betray innocent blood.

They that be once fleſh't in the blood of men, can make no ſpare thereof: there is oculus in ſceptro, but not oculus in gladio, an eye in the Scepter, not in the ſword.

Agags ſword made many women childleſſe.

The growing Monarchies ruined all before them as they went, and overflowed all as a deluge; nations and kingdomes that prevented not ſacking and deſtruction with timely dedition, periſhed before them.

But it is a ſigne of an uneſtabliſh't ſtate, when the foundation thereof is laid in blood: and ſuch as muſt be watered in blood to make them grow, ſhall have an informer againſt them; vox ſanguinis fratris tui clamat de terrâ, the voice of thy brother cryeth from the earth.

This makes all that love the gates of Sion, and take pleaſure in the proſperity of our Ieruſalem, to give God no reſt in their earneſt devotions, praying him not to deliver our Church into the hands of Papiſts, becauſe it is a bloody Religion, ſuch as doth hazard Princes more then common men; which doth bear them out in murthers, and legitimateth Maſſacres for the ſafety and increaſe of their Church.

2. It is wiſedome out of the preſent ſtate of things to forecaſt what may come hereafter, as the Prophet doth; the Chaldaeans muſt come and invade the land, they ſhall fill their net with fiſh. God hath ſpoken it, it is like to be a merry time with them, they ſhall rejoyce and be glad.

They are like to grow very proud upon it, ſacrificabunt lagenae ſuae, &c. They ſhall ſacrifice to their net.

But ſhall this conqueſt ſo fleſh them, that they ſhall empty their nets, and fiſh again amongſt the nations, and not ceaſe to ſhed bloud.

Ezcchiah hath the name of a good King; he prayed to God, Let there be Peace, or as the Kings Pible reads; is it not not good that there be Peace and Truth in my days?

But careful Princes will look beyond their own days, and fit their deſignes to the good of Poſterity.

p. 137Preſent evils being in their growth threaten furture dangers, and we ſay of them as our Saviour doth, Theſe are but the beginnings of ſorrows, and there is fear that there will be ſemper deterior poſterior dies, the latter times will be the worſer. The beſt remedy is to awake the tender love of God to his Church, with an expoſtulation; Shall they do this O Lord? Thy will be done.

Shall they do it continually? wilt thou ſuffer it? when the time is come he will have mercy.

CHAP. II.