Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verses 9-14
Verſ. 9. Woe to him that coveteth an evill Covetouſneſſe to his houſe, that he may ſet his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil. 10. Thou haſt conſulted ſhame to thy houſe by cutting off many people, and haſt ſinned againſt thy ſoul. 11. For the ſtone ſhall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber ſhall anſwer it. 12. Woe to him that buildeth a towne with blood, and ſtabliſheth a city by iniquity. 13. Behold, is it not of the Lord of hoaſts, that the people ſhall labour in the very fire, & the people ſhal weary themſelves for very vanity. 14. For the earth ſhal be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the Waters cover the ſea.
Theſe words do taxe the Chaldaeans with another ſin, and denounce a puniſhment againſt it. Concerning the words,
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetouſneſſe to his houſe;
THere is a good covetouſneſſe, which engroſſeth the treaſure of ſpiritual graces, of which the Apoſtle, foreign, Covet the beſt gifts.1 Cor. 12.31. Here is deſire with intenſion; it muſt be zeal, and zeal with aemulation, ſtriving to be before others, that no man get precedence of us therein, but the things deſired be foreign, that is, ſuch gifts are given of free grace.
But that covetouſneſſe is evil to a mans houſe, that is, to his eſtate and family, and poſterity, which is joyned with ambition of height,
That he may ſet his neſt on high to be above others.
Which is joyned with diſtruſt in God, and truſt in things temporal, that he may be delivered from the power of evil.
Believing that honour and high place will ſet him out of the reach of miſery.
Thou haſt conſulted ſhame to thy houſe in cutting off much People.Verſ. 10.
Here is another ſin added to covetouſneſſe and ambition, cruelty and ſhedding of blood to make their own portion fat; and whereas they have ſtudied honour and greatneſſe, all turns to ſhame abroad in the world, and to the burthen of a guilty conſcience within them. Thou haſt ſinned against thy ſoul.
For the ſtone ſhall cry out of the wall, Verſ. 11.the beame out of the timber ſhall anſwer it.
Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, Verſ. 12.and ſtabliſheth a city by iniquity.
Here God bringeth in inanimate and ſenſeleſſe things accuſing and upbraiding them; they cannot look upon either the ſtone-work of the wals, or the timber-work on the floors, and roofs of their buildings, but they ſhall hear the voice of their upbraidings, ſpeaking to their conſciences that theſe are ill gotten: rapine and cruelty put them together, and married them in that frame without a licenſe.
The voyce of their clamour is woe to him that hath done ſo.
Behold, Verſ. 13.is it not of the Lord of Hoſts, that the People ſhall labour in the very fire, and the People ſhall weary themſelves for very vanity?
I underſtand him thus, it is Gods own hand againſt them that they ſhall endure hard and extreme labour as it were in the fire, to compaſſe their own ends, and when they have crowned themſelves they ſhall reap a crop of vanity; as David, Man diſquieteth himſelf in vain.
For the earth ſhall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, Verſ. 14.as the Waters cover the ſea.
That is God, who by his long forbearance and remiſſeneſſe is forgotten in the world, ſhall now declare himſelf in the execution of juſtice, that he ſhall be known: as David ſaith, God is known by executing judgement; ut aquae, as the waters, i. e. ſine menſura, that is, without meaſure.
The Summe of this ſection is the denunciation of that judgment of God againſt the Chaldeans, wherein we conſider
1. Peccatum, the Sinne.
2. Poenam, the Puniſhment.
3. Effectum, the Effect.
1. Peccatum, here is a Chaine. For.
1. Here is Infidelity; he would be delivered from the power of evil, but he will not truſt God with protecting him from it.
2. Here is Ambition, deſire of high place to build his neſt on high, for more ſecurity.
3. Here is Covetouſneſſe, to get the means of this high riſing.
4. Here is cruelty, to break through all impediments that ſtand in the way.
2. Poena.
1. Shame to his houſe.
2. Sin againſt his ſoul.
3. Loſſe of labour.
3. Effectus.
The earth ſhall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, &c.
1. De peccato.
One obſervation I gather from this whole point concerning the ſin of the Chaldeans; it is St. Auguſtines Peccatum nunquam eſt ſolitarium, ſins grow in cluſters; it is a ſtream that runneth in the channel of nature, and the further it runnes, the more corruptions ſend in their currents into it; and as rivers the further they runne the wider they grow, ſo doth ſin, vireſque acquirit eundo.
When luſt hath conceived, it bringeth forth ſin; and luſt may ſay of that birth as Leah did when Zilpah alſo bare Jacob a ſon, A troop cometh, Gen. 30.11and ſhe called his name Gad. For ſinne is ſociable.
In the temptation which corrupted Evah, 1. Satan ſuggeſted infidelity, ſhaking her faith in the truth of Gods word. 2. He gave a touch upon the Iuſtice of God, that it was ſcarce equal, that God ſhould except any tree, and not give Adam unlimited power.
3. He ſuggeſted a titillation of pride, making her believe that they might be like God.
4. Wherewith is joyned a ſuggeſtion of diſcontent with their preſent ſtate.
5. There went with this a tang of gluttonous deſire.
So in Gehezies ſinne,2 Reg. 5.20. who was Eliſha's ſervant;
1. He grudged that Naaman the Syrian ſhould go away with ſuch a favour done him, and carry away the whole preſent that he rendred to his Maſter.
2. He had a covetous deſire to have ſome of it.
3. He went after, and told Naaman a lye, my Maſter hath ſent me.
4. Another lye followed. There be two young men of the Sons of the Prophets.
5. He was ſent to demand a talent of ſilver, and two changes of raiment for them.
6. He diſſembled. He muſt be urged to take two talents.
7. He made a cunning conveyance. He beſtowed them in the houſe, and let the young men go ſecretly.
8. He ſhut up all with another lie. Thy ſervant went no Whether.
Davids ſin had many ſins in it.
1. A ſin againſt God in the diſobedience of his law.
2. Sin againſt his own body in defiling it.
3. A ſin againſt the body of his neighbours wife.
4. A ſin againſt the Religion which was ſo ſcandalized.
5. A ſin againſt his neighbours life,
1. Inebriavit eum.
2. Juſſit occidi.
6. Which followed all theſe, a neglect of Gods ſervice for ten moneths together, in which he continued impenitent.
St. James ſaith, Whoſoever ſhall keep the whole law, Jam. 2.10.and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all.
How can a man keep the whole, and yet break the whole Law of God?Sol.
He is called here a keeper of the whole Law, Queſt. either
1. By ſuppoſition, and ſo it is but a caſe put thus. Put the caſe a man could keep the whole law, ſave only in ſome one thing.
2. Or by his own opinion of himſelf.
3. Or by his indeavour to keep all.
Yet this man offending in one, breaketh the whole law.
1. Becauſe there is ſuch a concatenation of the Duties of Religion and Juſtice, that he which offendeth in one breaketh the chaine.
2. Becauſe any one ſinne unrepented, violateth love and obedience, which if it be not full, it is no love, no obedience at all.
For the breach of one Commandment doth diſtaſte all the reſt of our obedience, as a little leaven ſowreth the whole lump, therefore though we cannot ſay that he which breaketh the Sabbath committeth adultery, or that he that ſtealeth is a murtherer; yet we may ſay that he that doth break the leaſt Commandment of the law, is guilty of the breach of the whole law in omiſſion, though not in Commiſſion, ſeeing the obedience that the law requireth, failing in one duty corrupteth all that we do, ſay or think.
Let us now behold the concurrence of ſins in the Chaldaean, and begin
1. At his incredulity, for he would be delivered from evil, but he truſteth not God with it, but goeth his own way to it.
This is the mother ſinne of all evil ways and means unlawfully uſed to accompliſh mens ends here on earth; diſtruſt in God.
For when we uſe fraud, and lying, and diſſembling and concealing of the truth, and bind untruths with oaths, to gain credit to what we ſay untruly; when we make no conſcience of injury which may be hidden with cunning, or born out with violence, all this proceeds from diſtruſt in God.
And ſo we grow guilty of the two great evils of which God himſelf complaineth;
For my People have committed two evils, they have forſaken me the fountain of living waters, Jer. 2.13.and hewed them out ciſterns, broken ciſterns that can hold no water.
Again this, Take heed leaſt there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.Heb. 3.12
The heart that diſtruſteth in God, departeth from him; therefore he ſaith, it is a People that do erre in their hearts, becauſe they have not known my ways.
The corruption then is in the heart; for if that did love truly, it would truſt God wholly; for where we love faithfully we truſt boldly.
But the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.2 Cor. 4.4.
That anſwereth his queſtion, Who hath bewitched you that you ſhould not obey the truth?
Infidelity is the root of all evils in us; for we cannot fear any threatning, where we do not believe any danger.
We cannot hope for any benefit where we do not believe any promiſe; for infidelity doth take away all wiſe do me from us.
This makes us to withdraw our ſelves from the Lord, and it is a note of the wicked man, neither is God in all his wayes.
Thus ſaith the Lord,Jer. 17.5. Curſed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme, and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord.
For he ſhall be like the heath in the deſert, Verſ. 6.and ſhall not ſee when good cometh, but ſhall inhabit the parched places in the wilderneſſe in a ſalt land and not inhabited.
Bleſſed is the man that truſteth in the Lord, Verſ. 7.and whoſe hope the Lord is;
For he ſhall be a tree planted by the waters, Verſ. 8.and that ſpreadeth out her roots by the river, and ſhall not ſee when heat cometh, but her leafe ſhall be green, and ſhall not be careful in the year of drought, neither ſhall ceaſe from yeilding fruit.
I need not ſay more of this Argument. Here is reaſon enough given why you ſhould commit your way to the Lord, why you ſhould caſt your care upon him, why you ſhould not leave him, to truſt to your ſelves, David ſaith,
He made us, and not we our ſelves: he ſaw us imperfect in the wombe: he faſhioned us. Thy hands have made me and faſhioned me; he took me from the Wombe.
He addeth, Ʋpon thee have I depended ever ſince I hung upon the breaſts of my mother.
When we are hungry, he giveth bread that ſtrengthneth mans heart.
When we had not wit and underſtanding to ſhift for our ſelves, who fed and cloathed and preſerved us then? ſurely his hand is not ſhortned, but his arme is ſtretched out ſtill.
Suppoſe that without him we could get bread; Man liveth not by bread only.
Suppoſe that without him we could ſowe much ſeed; It is only he that giveth increaſe.
Let us obſerve the examples of Gods judgments upon ſuch as forſake God, and truſt their money, or their friends, or corrupt means to preſerve them: One day telleth another.
The Chaldaeans truſt not in God: their own net is their god, their own yarn is their idol, they kiſſe their own hands.
But fear yee the Lord all his Saints, and truſt in him, for he never faileth them that truſt in him.
I have blamed ſome for buying and ſelling on the Sabbah; They have anſwered that they are poor and are forced to it, to help to feed them.
Is not this infidelity? they dare not truſt God for their meat, they dare truſt to their own ways againſt the preciſe Commandment of God.
Unlawful recreations on the Sabbath are ſo defended; poor labouring men that work all the ſix days, muſt have ſome time to refreſh themſelves.
But I would fain know by what indulgence they may diſpenſe with the law of the Sabbath. God hath bidden thee to remember to keep the whole day holy: if thy recreations be holy, thou keepeſt the law; if unholy, thou breakeſt it.
When ſome are detected of fraud and theft, their plea is their neceſſity. Here is a root of infidelity: for doth God lay a neceſſity upon any man to break his law?
He hath laid on thee a neceſſity of labour; if that will not do, he hath given the rich charge of thee.
The truth is, that this root of infidelity doth yet remain in the hearts of moſt of us, and is the cauſe of all the ſins that are committed.
For the light of the Goſpel doth ſhine much more clear now then ever it did in this land, and the knowledge of the truth is more ſpred then ever before here.
Yet never was there greater corruption of manners, nor more cunning ſhifts deviſed for the advancing of mens particulars.
The crying ſins of the Jews,
Injuries done between man and man.
Corruption and contempt of Religion.
Corruption of Juſtice. To all theſe our land doth plead guilty. Where's the fault?
Have you not heard? have you not been taught the ways of the Lord? have you not been admoniſh't of your duty? have you not been chidden, and threatned for theſe things? hath not the ſeal of Gods judgments written within and without with lamentations, mourning and wo, been opened and read to you?
Hath not God rained examples thick of his juſtice and judgment againſt high and low for theſe things? why then is not this amended?
There is a root of infidelity, we do not, we dare not truſt God; and from hence comes
1. In ſome Atheiſme, they live without God in the world.
2. In others Epicuriſme, they live all to delight.
3. In others temporizing, and following and ſerving men.
4. In others hereſie, embracing their own opinions.
5. In others Apoſtacy from religion and faith.
6. In others hypocriſie, ſeeming what they are not.
7. In moſt carnal ſecurity, not caring for threatnings.
8. In many wilful ignorance, not caring for the knowledge of God.
But thou man and woman of God, fly theſe things, & know the Lord; the more thou knoweſt him, the more thou loveſt him; the more thou ſerveſt him, the more thou truſteſt him, and the more he bleſſeth thee.
2. Ambition, that he may ſet his neſt on high.
Ambition is a limbe of pride, and it is well ſet forth in my text, it is a building of a neſt on high; it is but a neſt that the ambitious man doth ſet up, but he would have it high to overlook all; yet that doth not make it ſafe; for there be clouds that can carry fire from below to conſume it, and there is lightning from above to inflame it, and there is tempeſts and ſtrong winds to ſhake it.
And the axe is laid to the root of the tree in which the neſt is built, and with the fall of that tree the neſt comes to the ground.
The higheſt tree for a ſubject to build his neſt in, is the favour of the Prince; yet David ſaith,
Truſt not in Princes; for there is no help in them, their breath departeth, they return to the earth, and their thoughts periſh. It may be that he that fitteth next in the chair of ſoveraignty, will be no tree for the ſame birds to build in.
Ambition is an inordinate deſire of honour.
Saint Gregory hath a rule which would ſtop the mouth of ſuitors and competitors for honour. Locus regiminis deſiderantibus …egandus eſt, fugientibus offerendus. Virtu…ibus ergo pollens coactus ad regimen veniat.
Naturally the love that every man beareth to himſelf, and the good opinion that pride putteth into him of himſelf, doth make him deſire to ſet his neſt high, and therefore every man obſerveth the courſe of the times, in which he liveth to ſee which is the readieſt way to riſe.
The king is called the fountain of honour; for from the Ruler of the People all ſubordinations of rule derive themſelves; and therefore
Many ſeek the face of the ruler.Pro. 29.26
The way of preferment is ſoon found, and ambition hath a foot for it: The Prophets phraſe, Pes ſuperbiae, the foot of pride.
If only vertue were the way, only vertue would be ſtudied.
But I look not ſo low as the Throne of earthly Princes for the fountain of honour. I hear the Pſalmiſt ſay,
For promotion cometh neither from the Eaſt, Pſal. 75.6nor from the West, nor from the South.
But God is judge, Verſ. 7.he putteth down one, and ſetteth up another.
Many are ambitious of high places, who have both friends and means, and yet cannot climbe; Many more unlikely ſpeed before them, and I can aſcribe this to nothing but the ſupream hand of God, from whom all promotion cometh, he will have his Will done.
Some he raiſeth to their own ruine, others to the puniſhment and correction of the ſins of the time in his anger: Others for the good of men in favour of his Church, and the Commonwealth.
It becomes not us to cenſure the Powers that are ordained of God, as the Apoſtle teacheth, or to envy their high neſts; but let every ſoul be ſubject to the ordinance of God, and reſt in his will by whom Princes reign, and by whom they advance where he pleaſeth to ſet up.
But ambition of high neſts is the theme of our diſcourſe, which is an inordinate deſire of honour, and that is a ſin.
It corrupted the Angels which fell, and they impo…ſoned our Parents with it in Paradiſe; both deſired to be like God, neither ſtood content with the glory of their Creation.
Concerning which, underſtand that the ſtate of Creation did give man no further dominion then this;
Repleniſh the earth, Gen. 1.28.and ſubdue it, and have dominion over the fiſh of the ſea, and over the fowls of the ayre, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Here is no dominion given to man over man. But all mankind is endowed with equal dominion over all theſe things, and man is to acknowledge no ſoveraign lord but God his Maker. But preſently after the fall
For the puniſhment of the woman, who had brought the deſire of her husband ſubject to her, by tempting him to eat of the forbidden fruit, God ſaid to her, Thy deſire ſhall be ſubject to thy husband, Gen. 3.16and he ſhall rule over thee.
Yea when God ſaw Cains countenance caſt down, he called him to account for it, and knowing his diſcontent to be againſt Abel, he ſaid to Cain, Ʋnto thee his deſire ſhall be ſubject, Gen. 4.7.and thou ſhalt rule over him;
Which Saint Chryſoſtome doth expound de Priviledgio Primogeniturae.
But as ſin brought in the law, for Justo non eſt poſita lex: ſo ſin brought in Magiſtracy for execution of the law, and brought down the ſword of God amongſt men: and the equal condition of mankind in his Creation by ſinne was changed into male and female: not in ſexe, but in ſubjection, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free.
So that this ambition of an higher neſt came in with ſinne; and being ſo brought in at firſt, it cannot be without ſin.
Saint Hierome ſpeaks bugs words.
Cave honores quos ſine culpa tenere non potes; ſublimitas honorum magnitudo ſcelerum.
And Saint Auguſtine complains of nothing more then that he was made a Biſhop; He was an holy man, but a man, and his paſſion tranſported him.
In nullo ſentio Deum ita iratum mihi quam in hoc, quod cum indignus eſſem pont ad remum, poſitus ſum ad ampluſtre, ſive gubernaculum Eccleſiae.
But howſoever his humility unworthied him to himſelf, it was Gods great bleſſing to his Church not only then, but in all ſucceeding ages that God ſo promoted him.
One thing amongſt the reſt maketh ambition an unmanly ſin: for two contraries meet in the ambitious, that is, pride and a baſe mind. Pride ſtriving to climb high, and a baſe mind ſervilely attending the means of riſing, waiting and obſerving ſuch as may help him up, as one that climbeth, embraceth every bough, & huggeth in his armes what he ſhortly treadeth under his foot.
But Seneca ſaves me a labour, for he doth deſcribe ſuch a man to the life; Ambitioſus ſemper eſt pavidus. Timet quod dicat vel faciat, quid oculis hominum diſpliceat; honeſtatem mentitur, humilitatem ſimulat, cunctis adulatur, cunctis inclinat, omnium eſt ſervus & tributarius, gravem habet in ſe pugnam.
The end of the Chaldeans ambition to ſet his neſt ſo high, is that he may be delivered from the power of evil.
Herein is a great fallacy; for be high neſts the ſafeſt? and is greatneſſe ſecurity? may not we that have lived to ſee in few years great changes, ſay that high preferments be giddy and ſlippery, feriuntque ſumos fulmina montes?
The reaſons why ambition maketh men unhappy.
1. The ground of it is pride, which is an over weening our ſelves and our own worth, and this robbeth God of glory; for quid habes quod non accepiſti? therefore God reſiſteth the proud.
2. The whole operation of ambition is by the wiſed ome of this world, and that is folly. Petrus Ravenna doth ſet it out well;
Ambitio eſt quaedam ſimia charitatis: charitas patiens eſt pro aternis: ambitio patitur omnia pro caducis: charitas benigna eſt pauperibus, ambitio divitibus: charitas omnia ſuffert pro veritate, Ambitiopro vanitate; utraque omnia credit, omnia ſperat, ſed diſſimili modo.
3. It is altogether uncharitable; for charitas ut teipſum: It is Jobs phraſe of the fatherleſſe, he was brought up with me as with a father, ſo doth charity bring up inferiours, and equals grow together: but ambition doth not, cannot affect magnitudinem ſuam, ſine parvitate aliena.
4. It is before expreſt to be inſatiable; quis enim modus adſit honori?
A man deſireth firſt to be eminent in the ſtreet wherein he lives, and then in the city; and yet having attained his deſire, as Seneca ſaith,
Navis quae in flamine magna est, in mari parvula eſt. One that is high and great in the city, in the country where he lives, in the Univerſity, let him come to the Court, and he ſhall ſee how many Spheres of greatneſſe do move above him. Here is more work for ambition; if we remember the law, proximum ut teipſum, thy neighbour as thy ſelf, we will no more deſire to exceed one the other in the ſtate wherein we live, then a man deſireth one hand or one leg, in proportion of ſtrength and bigneſſe to exceed the other in his body.
5. We have a fair example in our elder brother, for though he was ſuch as to whom it was ſaid, Adorent eum omnes Angeli ejus, Heb. 2.17Worſhip him all ye Angels; yet to become our brother, In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren,
He could not do this without humiliation; there was no power above him to humble him, and he thought it no robbery to be equal with God; the power that did it was in himſelf, humiliavit ſemet ipſum, he humbled himſelf.
Ambition therefore putteth us out of the way of life. Chriſt humbled himſelfe; Et qui vult eſſe diſcipulus meus ſequatur me, He that will be my diſciple muſt follow me.
The doctrine of contentedneſſe doth ſtill offer it ſelf to us commanded in the laſt of the ten: for non concupiſces aliena, faith, ſortè tua contentus, be contented with thy lot; this alſo ſerveth for the next point.
3. They are charged with covetouſneſſe;
Of which Chriſt ſaith, Take heed and beware of Covetouſneſſe, giving us a double caution againſt it.
The Apoſtle giveth a reaſon, becauſe it is the root of all evill but that reaſon doth not draw blood;1 Tim. 6.10 for where the conſcience is not tender malum culpae, the evil of puniſhment is not feared. But it followeth.
Which while ſome have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themſelves through with many ſorrows.
Ambition hath this handmaid to attend it, this factour to negotiate for it; for ambition is not ſupported without great charge; our own times tell us ſo; and Ambition cannot be a great ſpender, if covetouſneſſe be not a great getter.
Covetouſneſſe is an inordinate deſire of the wealth of this world, and is many ways culpable.
1. Becauſe God hath given man dominion of the earth, and hath put all things under his feet; let not us remove them, and as David ſaith, let us not Cor opponere, ſet our heart upon them.
Gold and ſilver are lower put under us then the ſurface of the earth; for they grow within the bowels of the earth nearer to hell, to ſhew the danger that is in them.
Therefore the Apoſtles had theſe things not put into their boſomes, or into their hands, but laid at their feet.
2. Becauſe the Scripture hath expreſled the woe of God belonging to the covetous, as you have heard, Vae homini qui congregat non ſua, wo to the man which gathereth not his own.
They that are covetous,Oſe. 12.7. do carry ſtateram doloſam, a deceitful ballance; for lay the conſcience in one ſcale, and the leaſt gain that is in the other, the conſcience is found too light, as Saint Auguſtine,
Lucrum in arcâ, damnum in conſcientiâ.
For Saint Paul calleth covetouſneſſe Idolatry;Eph. 5. and Chriſt calleth Mammon the god of the covetous; ye cannot ſerve God and Mammon.
This is clear; for where doth the covetous man beſtow and place his faith, hope and love, but in his wealth, which we do owe to God?
The rich man ſang a Requiem to his ſoule,Luc. 12. Now my ſoule make merry, for thou haſt goods enough laid up for many years.
3. Becauſe covetouſneſſe is a fruitful ſin; the daughters thereof are commonly
1. Uſury,
2. Rapine,
3. Fraud,
4. Bribes,
5. Simony.
1. Concerning Uſury, let me out of the word ſay only to you, that he ſhall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle, that is, ſhall reſt under Gods Protection on earth, and he ſhall dwell in the holy hill, that is,Pſ. 15. poſſeſſions in heaven, Who putteth not his mony out to uſury: Where he ſhall dwell that doth ſo, you may eaſily conclude.
If you wil hear the judgement of a Parliament, the Statute concerning the forbidding of uſury doth begin thus,
Foraſmuch as all uſury by the laws of God is ſinne and deteſtable, An. 14. Elizab.Be it therefore enacted, &c.
If thou wilt know the judgment of learned Divines, fathers both of the Eaſtern and Weſtern Churches, Councels, later Divines have written againſt it, and detected it unlawful, ſo that it is of all learned evil ſpoken of.
But the covetouſneſſe of the Chaldeans was not of this ſort; therefore not of purpoſe to be handled, but incidently to be remembred, yet non ſine morſu in tranſitu, yet not without a laſh in the way.
Fraud is another of the daughters of covetouſneſſe; when we by any wit, or the art of ſeeming, do over-reach one another in matter of negotiation; of which the Apoſtle, That no man go beyond, or defraud his brother in any matter, becauſe the Lord is the avenger of all ſuch, 1 Theſ. 4.6as we alſo have forewarned you, and teſtified.
Bribes is another daughter of covetouſneſſe. It was part of Samuels purgation of himſelf, Of whom have I received bribes, 1 Sam. 12.3.to blinde mine eyes there with? for Solomon ſaith, A wicked man taketh the gift out of the boſome, to pervert the Wayes of judgment.Pro. 17.23.
Micah deſcribeth more then his own times.
The heads of Sion judge for reward, Mica 3.11.and the Prieſts thereof teach for hire; and the Prophets thereof divine for money; yet will they leane upon the Lord, and ſay, is not the Lord among us? no evil can come upon us. Read on.
Symony is another daughter of covetouſneſſe. I ſay no more of it, but leave it with St. Peters bleſſings, Pereat argentum tuum tecum, let their money periſh with thee.
But rapine was the proper and natural daughter of the covetouſneſſe of the Chaldeans; they had their Angle, and their Net, and their Dragge; nothing could eſcape them.
The great fiſh did eate up the little ones; oppreſſion was the crying ſinne of Babylon, all their neighbours did groan under it.
1. This ſin doth deſtroy jus naturale, natural right, which is quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris, do as thou wouldſt be done to; out of which principle theſe two do ariſe.
1. Ne cui noceas, hurt none.
2. Ʋt communi bono deſervias, ſerve the common good.
2. It offendeth the written law, which doth not only reſtraine actum rapinae, non furaberis, the act of rapine, thouſhalt not ſteal; but voluntatem rapinae, non concupiſces, but the will, thou ſhalt not covet.
Agur the ſon of Jakeh ſaith,
There is a generation whoſe teeth are as ſwords, Pro. 30.14.and their jawteeth as knives, to devoure the poore from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
This generation is not yet grown barren; Chriſt ſaith, Pauperes ſemper habebitis vobiſcum, you ſhall have alwayes the poor with you; and this generation of oppreſſors will be ever teeming, ſo long as they have ſuch matterto work; upon for the rich and mighty will ſhift for themſelves.
3. It incurreth the ſevere cenſure of Gods juſtice; for if God ſay, Go ye curſed to them that did not dare ſua, give their owne: quid faciet eis qui rapuerunt aliena? woe to them that take that which is none of theirs.
4. This ſin of rapine doth incurre the curſes of them that are robbed; for every man crieth, woe to ſuch as congeſt that which is not their own.
5. This ſin doth hinder the aſcent of the prayers of them that commit it; God will not admit them to his preſence; for ſo God ſaith.
Relieve the oppreſſed, judge the fatherleſſe, plead for the widow; Iſa. 1. 18.Come now and let us reaſon together.
6. The time ſhall come when thoſe that ſuffer wrong, ſhall judge their oppreſſours, for the Saints ſhall judge the world.
Therefore let every man make conſcience of doing violence; doubtleſſe there is a God that judgeth in the world; let us value men as our brethren, and ſeek their good; let us direct our intentions & ſubventions to that only end that he that loveth God may declare it by loving his brother alſo; let our brethren grow up with us, and let us joy in their proſperity.
4. Cruelty is charged upon them.
For they build in blood, and cruelty is alſo one of the companions of ambition and covetouſneſſe. If Ahab have a deſire to Naboths Vineyard, either Naboth muſt part with his Vineyard or his life.
They are not all innocent of this great offence that keep themſelves from ſhedding of blood: they that invade the meanes of the maintenance of life, that pinch the labourer in his wages, or that make the hireling work for nothing, or that let their hire ſleep in their cuſtody, whilſt he pineth for want of things neceſſary, are all guilty of this accuſation of blood.
It was the provocation wherewith God was provoked againſt the old world, for which he brought upon them the great floud that deſtroyed them all; This was Edoms ſin in Obadiah.
There is a manifold cruelty as you then heard.
1. Cruelty of combination, when we make our ſelves ſtrong in a faction, to oppreſſe all that oppoſe us, and go not out way.
2. Cruelty of the eye, when we can be content to look on to ſee injures done to our brethren, without any compaſſion, or ſubvention.
3. Cruelty of heart, when we rejoyce againſt them that ſuffer wrong, and make our ſelves merry with their afflictions.
4. Cruelty of the tongue, when we inſult over them and brand them with taunts.
5. Cruelty of the hands, when we
1. Either perſecute their perſons with moleſtation.
2. Or touch their liberty with unjuſt reſtraint.
3. Or rob them of their goods by cruel direptions.
4. Or hinder the courſe of juſtice that ſhould do them right.
5. Or procure their death, becauſe they do ſtand in our light, and hinder our riſing; of all theſe I have ſpoken heretofore. We now haſten to the declaration of Gods juſt vengeance againſt this ambition.
2. The puniſhment.
1. They conſult ſhame to their own houſe.
2. They ſin against their own ſouls.
3. They labour in vaine, and without ſucceſſe.
1. They conſult ſhame to their own houſe.
Ambition doth affect to build up an houſe, to eſtabliſh a name that may continue in the blood and poſterity, in ſucceeding generations with glory and honour.
David hath a croſſe prayer which is in the hearts and mouths of many that hate ſuch pride; let not their wicked imagination proſper, least they grow too proud,
Theſe words do ſhew that ambitious pride ſhall not proſper, and whereas they ſtudy honour, and conſult glory, in their aime and intention, God turneth it all to ſhame in the event.
The words of my text are the words of God; he knoweth what he meaneth to do; and he ſaith, they conſult their own ſhame, becauſe he purpoſeth to turne all their glory into ſhame.
Shame is the thing that an ambitious man doth deſire to decline above all things, all his ſtudies bend their ſtrength againſt it, and purſue glory which is the contrary to it. To this purpoſe covetous men gather riches, and then with mony purchaſe great offices and great titles to make great houſes, and nominous families upon earth to ſurvive them.
But where this greatneſſe is begun by ambition, maintained and ſupported by rapine, and crueſty, pride will have a fall; he that meaneth to give it the fall, ſaith ſo, God whoſe power none hath ever reſiſted, he will turne that glory into ſhame.
The wiſeman ſaith, He that is greedy of gaine troubleth his own houſe. Pro. 15.27For
The houſe of the wicked ſhall be overthrown; he doth not mean domus, Pro 14.11.the houſe, but familia, the family, the whole name and poſterity, the glory, all ſhall periſh and come to ſhame.
And Prov. 15.25. Solomon tels us who ſhall do it. The Lord will deſtroy the houſe of the proud; Pro 15.25.this is their ſhame to come down again; when men have been aſpiring and ſetled their neſt on high, and made themſelves beleeve that their honour ſhall be eſtabliſhed upon their houſe; for then,
1. God ſhall laugh them to ſcorne, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion, ſaying, Behold the man is become as one of us.
2. Men ſhall laugh at them, and ſay,
Lo, Pſal. 52.7.this is the man that made not God his ſtrength, but truſted in the abundance of his riches, and ſtrengthned himſelfe in his wickedneſſe: for Solomon ſaith,
When the wicked periſh there is ſhouting.Pro 11.10.
3. The Lord ſhall be glorified in the ſhame of the proud, covetous, cruel man; for every man ſhall ſay, ſtrong is the Lord God who judgeth them, Rev. 18.8. Verſ. 20.as over Babel; thus is God praiſed.
Rejoyce over her thou heaven, and ye holy Apoſtles and Prophets, for God hath avenged you on her.
This point is of excellent uſe.
1. For Doctrine,Pro. 10 24. it teacheth us that which Solomon hath ſaid, The feare of the wicked ſhall come upon him; the proud man feareth nothing ſo much as ſhame; the covetous man feareth nothing ſo much as want; the cruell man nothing ſo much as revenge; the glutton nothing ſo much as hard fare; the drunkard nothing ſo much as a cup of cold water: and God hath threatned theſe offenders with all theſe judgments.
2. It commendeth to us wiſdome, and righteouſneſſe, and humility, and all holy vertues, for they be all builders, and raiſe up houſes, and lay the foundation ſure. Ab auditione mali non timebit. Pſal. 112.7. Pro. 28.2.The juſt man is hold as a Lyon; as Solomon, The wicked are overthrown and are not: but the houſe of the righteous ſhall ſtand.Prov. 12.7
Humility layeth the foundation of it low.
Faith worketh by love to furniſh it.
Honour and much glory are the roofe of it; peace is the fence about it, and proſperity the demeſnes belonging to it.
And the guard of Angels pitch their ten ts round about it.
This houſe is built upon a rock, yet it muſt endure the winds and waves.
3. This hath deceived many; for they have thought unrighteouſneſſe the better and ſafer way; becauſe they have ſeen the wicked flouriſhing, and ſpreading like to a green bay-tree.
Job diſturbeth them in their ruffe, and glory, and fulneſſe and fatneſſe.
Their houſes are ſafe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. It goeth pleaſantly for two or three Verſes, but verſ. 13. in a moment they go down to the grave.Job. 20.9.
It is an admirable wiſdom, that Job hath recorded to direct, our obſervation of ſuch,
Lo their good is not in their hand. They are not maſters of their happy eſtate; which he proveth;Verſ. 16.
How oft is the candle of the wicked put out; it is but a candle, and it is put out; often for God distributeth ſorrowes in his anger. God is angry; he doth not cover them over with ſorrows, and and overwhelme them with woe here, but he diſtributes ſorrow, giving them ſome lucida intervalla.
This varniſh and paint, and guilding;Verſ. 17. of unrighteouſneſſe with temporal happineſſe, doth make it deceive many.
A brutiſh man knoweth not, Pſal. 92.6neither doth a fool underſtand this.
When the wicked ſpring as the graſſe, and all the workers of iniquity flouriſh: it is that they ſhall be destroyed for ever.
Who would have thought it? every man ſaith, when he ſeeth pride have a fall: no, for the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Thy thought are very deep.
Here God himſelf declareth, that ambition ſhall end in ſhame; and the candle of the wicked when it is put out, will end in a foule and ſtinking ſmoak.
4. This admiſheth and exhorteth all that love their houſes, and ſtudy their own honour, to ſeek it in the way of piety and charity; let ſuch ſerve God, let them not neglect the Lords houſe the Lords day, the Lords Table; let them ſuffer their brethren to dwell in peace by them, and to grow up with them, and to be the better for them.
It is not the riches that we leave behind us to our heirs that doth build our houſe, but that we beſtow well to the honour of God, and the good of our brethren where we live.
You ſhall ſee it in our Saviours ſentence, I was hungry and you fed me; Matth. 25.35.I was naked, and ye cloathed me, &c. Not the meat that we do eat our ſelves, nor the cloathes that we do wear out ſelves, nor the mony and land that we demiſe to our poſterity, maketh us friends in the day of the Lord, but what we diſpoſe.
A worthy Citizen of our City that had been his own ſteward of his goods, and diſpoſed them to many charitable uſes, was his own Poet for his Epitaph, and cauſed this line among others to be inſculped on his grave,
That I gave, that I have.
Which calls to my remembrance a ſtory that I read in Peraldus, Biſhop of Lyons in France: How a great Lord thinking his tenant ſomewhat too rich, and meaning to ſhare with him, required of him a true inventory of his eſtate, and what his wealth was;
He anſwered it was in all 600 crowns; it was objected that he diſſembled his eſtate; ſuch a grange, ſuch a houſe, ſuch a farm, and many other things of good value belonging to him were not named; he anſwered.
Illa non ſunt mea ſed Domini mei, qui quando voluerit poteſt ea accipere; ſed quod dedi pro Deo in manus pauperum in ſalvâ cuſtodiâ poſui, it a quod nullus poteſt mihi illud auferre. Theſe are not mine but my Lords, who when he pleaſe may take them from me; but what I have for God given to the poor, I have laid that in ſafe cuſtody, ſo as none is able to take that from me.
The riches wherewith we honour God, do build our houſe; always provided that they be riches well gotten; for if charity have been violated in the getting of wealth, the charity of giving it away to the poor, will not redeem the breach of juſtice.
Juſtice muſt ever go before charity; in the diſpenſation of our goods. Firſt, Suum cuique, to every one his own; then Tuum, thy own; ſo Zachaeus, He beganne at reddo, I reſtore: and from thence went to do, I give.
2. Puniſhment. And haſt ſinned againſt thy ſoul.
The meaning as I take it, is, that all this evil ſhall one day ſmart upon the ſoul of the Chaldeans. The doctrine is; Doctr.
All ſins committed againſt the law of God, are done againſt the ſouls of them that commit them.
The committers of ſin are of two ſorts.
1. The Elect:
2. The Reprobate.
The Elect ſin againſt their ſouls
1. Culpa, In the fault.
2. Poena, In the puniſhment.
1. Propter culpam, In regard of the fault.
1. Becauſe every ſin that a man committeth doth defile the ſoul, and polluteth the temple where the holy Ghoſt ſhould dwel; ſo that Chriſt ſaith to every ſoul, except I waſh thee thou haſt no part with me.
2. Becauſe every ſin that a man committeth, doth hinder the influence of grace, and maketh the ſoul the more uncapable of light and heat from the Son of righteouſneſſe. For every ſin is an eclipſe of that Sun: which is thus proved.
1. In our hearing of the word; if we be either like the high way where the ſeed is loſt quite,Mat. 13.3. or like the ſtony ground where the ſeed cannot take root, or like the thorny ground, where it may take root and ſpring up, but is choaked in the growth, the good ſeed never cometh to an harveſt.
Our ſins muſt be removed, to make the ſoil good and fruitful.
2. In our prayer; If I regard wickedneſſe in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.Pſa. 66.18
3. In our receiving the Sacrament;1 Cor. ii. 29. If I eat and drink unworthily, I eat and drink damnation.
4. In almes; If I do it to be ſeen of men, I loſe my reward. Mat. 6.1.For I have it here.
Sin is leaven, it corrupteth the whole ſoul of man; and maketh it a treſpaſſer in all that it doth: ſo that the elect man in reſpect of his fault, doth ſinne againſt his own ſoul, and defileth it.
2. Propter poenam, In reſpect of the puniſhment.
1. Becauſe it bringeth forth guilt of conſcience, which maketh us confounded and aſhamed in our ſelves, ſo that we dare not lift up our eyes to heaven, nor look our God in the face, whoſe mercy we have abuſed, whoſe anger we have provoked, whoſe goodneſſe we have offended.
2. Becauſe ſin maketh matter of ſorrow in the ſoul of the offendor; and a godly ſorrow troubleth and diſquieteth the ſoul within us.
In that caſe was Job, Peccavi, quid faciam tibi? quòd feci? I have ſinned,Job. 7.20. what ſhall I do unto thee?
3. Becauſe the ſoul hath no peace till it hath wrought a revenge upon it ſelf, and upon the body too in which it committed ſin.
Davids Humiliavi animam meam, and St. Pauls Caſtigo corpus meum,Pſ. 35.13. 1 Cor. 9.27 Iſa. 38.17
There muſt be afflictio and amaritudo animae; we carry rods about us for the nonce; even our own hearts will ſmite us as Davids did; this brings God home to us again; For I dwell with the humble and contrite, and then ſalvation is come home to our houſe once again.Iſa. 57.15
2. Impii autem non ſic. Not ſo with the wicked.
They ſin againſt their ſouls, becauſe all the evils of their whole life are written in the book of Gods remembrance, and foulded up in the rowle of their own conſcience, which ſhall be opened againſt them in the laſt day, and they ſhall be judged according to all that is writen in thoſe books; and there ſhall be judgment without mercy to them that ſhewed no mercy.Jam. 2.13.
This doth not exclude temporall puniſhments: for ſo ſhall they ſmart alſo; they ſhall have no peace in this life for ever and anon, as Job ſait their candle ſhall be put out, and God ſhall diſtribute his ſorrows amongſt them.
They ſhall have many great ſhames, many great fears, many ſad affronts of care and diſcontent, though commedled with ſome faire weather, good chear, eaſe, delights, and ſuch ſweetnings as the flattery of the world and the favour of the times ſhall yeeld them:
Yet in the end, all the evil that they have ſtudyed and intended againſt others, ſhall fall upon their own heads.
But ſtill the worſt is behind; their ſouls and bodyes ſhall ſmart for it in the laſt day, and the hand of God ſhall then pay home.
For them I take no care; be it unto them as they have deſerved, and the Lord requite it at their hands, and requite it upon them.
But for ſo many as follow righteonſneſſe and fear God, and would walk in his ways; let us ſtirre up one another in the fear of God, to ſeek the Lord whilſt he may be found, and to tender our ſouls.
The ſins that we commit with ſuch delight, will coſt us many an heart-breaking ſigh, many floods of ſalt water, tears of bitterneſſe, which are ſanguis animae, the blood of the ſoul, hanging down of the head, beating of the breſt, faſting from our full fare, and ſtripping our bodies out of their ſoft raiment into ſackcloth, and changing our ſweet powders into aſhes.
There is no ſuch diſeaſe incident to man as this Tremor cordis, the trembling of the heart for ſinne; this Anima dolet, the learning of the Phyſitian, the art of the Apothecary have no receipt for it.
As Saint Paul ſaith of the law, that is the ſtrength of ſinne: ſo I may ſay, that at firſt in the beginning of the cure, the very remedy is the ſtrength of the diſeaſe, and makes the diſeaſe double the diſtreſſe thereof, as in David.
1. The Pophet came to heal him, and he ſaith,
I ſaid in my haſte all men are lyars, Prophets and all, if they ſpeak of any comfort to me.Pſ. 116.21
2. God himſelf preſented himſelf to his thought, and that would not do; I thought upon God and I was troubled, my fear came and ceaſed not, my ſoul refuſed comfort.
Yea there is ſuch a ſweetneſſe in revenge, that a penitent man doth take upon himſelf, that he hath a kind of delight in his own ſelf-puniſhment, as in Jeremiahs example,
Look away from me, Iſa. 22.4.I will weepe bitterly, labour not to comfort me.
There is nothing that makes us ſinne with ſo much appetite and ſo little feare as this; we have baniſhed Confeſſion which bringeth ſhame upon us, and penance which bringeth ſmart; we have taken the matter into our own hands, and no man hateth his own fleſh.
Repentance is rather matter of diſcourſe and contemplation, then of practice and paſſion, and ſo we ſin and our ſouls are not much troubled at it.
But whoſoever is toucht in conſcience throughly with the remorſe of ſin, will ſay, there is no diſeaſe to a wounded Spirit, and the coſtlieſt ſacrifice that a man can offer to God, is a contrite ſpirit and a broken heart.
3. Puniſhment, labour in vain.
Is it not of the Lord of Hoſts, that this People ſhall labour in the very fire, and weary themſelves with very vanity?
1. Here is labour, it is labor improbus, that uſeth to carry all before it; it is amplified, For here is labour in the fire; Multa tulit fecit que puer, ſudavit & alſit; labour even to wearines.
2. Here is much ado about nothing: For all this is for vanity, very vanity.
3. Who croſſes them? Is it not of the Lord of Hosts?
Annon ecce à Jehova exercituum? Calv. Nonne ecce à cum Domino? Interlin.
From the firſt, here is labour. This ſinne is very painful.
Covetouſneſſe to gather wealth together, Doct. and cruelty to deſtroy ſo many to ſtrip them, and ambition to purchaſe high place hereby; we may truly ſay, Hic labor, hoc opus eſt.
Is it not ſtrange? the way to hell is all down the hill, yet it is very uneaſie and very weary travelling thither.
Chriſt calleth to him all that are weary and heavy laden,Mat. 11.28. and promiſeth to refreſh them.
And God ſheweth his People a reſt, ſaying,
This is the reſt wherewith you may cauſe the weary to reſt, and this is the refreſhing.Iſa. 28.12.
But this reſt is not promiſed to them that weary themſelves, and work in the fire, riſing early, and going late to bed to work ſhame for their own houſes, and to ſin againſt their own ſouls; ſuch ſhall one day complain,
We have wearied our ſelves in the ways of wickedneſſe and deſtruction, Wiſdom. 5yea we have gone through deſerts where there was no way, but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it.
foreign which ſignifieth a wicked man, cometh of foreign which ſignifieth labour, for it is a great deal of labour that they take that live in purſuit of honour, in the oppreſſion and moleſtation of their brethren, in the racking vexation of covetous congeſtions of wealth. Cain vexeth himſelf, Nimrod muſt be a mighty hunter before the Lord, Lamech muſt kill a man, the earth muſt be full of cruelty, to have their own will, this is labour in the very fire to do miſchief.
The head of wickedneſſe muſt be always plotting and projecting: they imagine wickedneſſe upon their bed; it will not ſuffer them to ſleep.
The hand of wickedneſſe muſt be always working.
The foot of Pride muſt be always climbing.
The eye of envy is ever waking.
Shall I give you a full deſcription of the labour of the unrighteous,Deut. 28.65. drawn to the life?
The Lord ſhall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and ſorrow of mind.
And thy life ſhall hang in doubt before thee, and thou ſhalt feare day and night, and thou ſhalt have none aſſurance of thy life.
In the morning thou ſhalt ſay would God it were even, and at even thou ſhalt ſay would God it were morning: for the fear of thine heart which thou ſhalt fear, and for the ſight of thine eyes which thou ſhalt ſee.
Here is unquietneſſe even upon the bed of reſt; the reaſon is given.Iſa. 28.20 For the bed is ſhorter then a man can ſtretch himſelf on it, and the Covering narrower then he can wrap himſelf in it.
For there is no Peace to the wicked man.
It is one of Satans ſuggeſtions that the way of righteouſneſſe is painful, and denieth a man the content of his heart.
And from hence ariſe theſe flattering temptations, Shall I labour and travel all my days to ſuſtain my life with mine own pains, when a little violence will ſtrip my neighbour out of all that he hath gotten together, and make it mine own?
Shall I make conſcience of an oath or a lye, when it may get me more wealth in an houre, then my labour ſhall earne in a year?
Shall I work my ſelf when I may make prize of the labours of other men, and drink down merrily the ſweat of others brows?
Shall I ſit low and be deſpiſed in the world, when I may lay my neighbours on heaps under me, and raiſe up my ſelf upon their ruines?
Shall I undergo the charge of a family, and the care of poſterity, when rich gifts and fair words may ſubdue change of beauties to my welcome deſires and luſts of the fleſh?
Shall I expect a ſlow and lingring advancement by the worth of vertue in the ſervice of God, when I ſee the ſervants of Mammon carry all honours and preferments before them?
Shall I be humble when I ſee the proud happy?Mal. 3.15 ſhall I live a godly life, when they that work wickedneſſe are built?
Let us here obſerve how theſe wicked ones do work to compaſſe their ends; they labour in the very fire, the fire of hell. The Way of Peace they have not known.
2. The next point caſteth up the account of their gettings, and it is anoughts, a meer Cypher in Arithmetick; Vanity, very Vanity.
Is it riches? then is it a thing corruptible, it is a thing uncertain, and little of it is for uſe, and what profit hath the Poſſeſſor thereof in the ſurpluſage, but the beholding thereof with his eye?
When a man conſiders his wealth gotten by oppreſſion and injury, how can he but think it may be ſo loſt as it was gotten?
Is it the favour of Princes and great men? True, they be gods upon earth, but they die like men at laſt: and they change their minds often before they die.
One day Haman rides about in Pompe, he is foreign: and Mordecay waiteth at the lane gate; another day Mordecay is ſet upon the Kings beaſt, and Haman leadeth the horſe, and proclaimeth him honourable, and the next day Haman is hanged, and Mordecai rules all under the King.
Is it honour that thou laboureſt for? that alſo is vanity: Honour is in honorante, as Ariſtotle ſaith, it is very unhappy for a man to have his honour without himſelf, his pride within him, and his happineſſe without him.
Wiſe Salomon that had all temporal felicitie in the fulleſt meaſure, and all of the gift of God, yet called all thoſe things Vanity of Vanities!
I will ſhut up this point in the words of David,
Doubtleſſe man walketh in a ſhadow, and diſquieteth himſelf in vain.Pſ. 39.6.
3. Is it not of the Lord?
Many croſſe betydings befall the ungodly, and they never obſerve who oppoſeth them. It is the Lord that bringeth all the labours of the ungodly to loſſe and vanity; that when they come to thraſh their crop of travel in the world, they find nothing but ſtrawe and chaffe.
To expreſſe his power to do this, he is here called the God of Hoſts; for all things ſerve him, and he reſiſteth the proud, he and his Hoſts.
He layeth their honours in the duſt, he diſperſeth their riches, and giveth them to the poor: he ſpoiled them of all their treaſures, he that exalted them made them low, he that gave to them taketh away.
They had need be made to ſee this, therefore he ſaith, Nonne ecce à Domino hoc, is it not of the Lord?
In the time of the Perſecutions under the bloody Emperours, if at any time they ſucceeded not in their wars, they cried, Chriſtiani ad furcas, ad leones, Chriſtians to the gallows, to the lyons; they ſaw not the hand of God againſt them; this makes Balaam ſmite his Aſſe; he ſeeth not Gods Angel.
In the proceſſe of humane affairs, they that go on in theſe ſins, which God himſelf threatneth with woe, though they find theſe ſins profitable, and to afford them large revenews, that they live plentifully upon the wages of unrighteouſneſſe, yet have they many croſſes in their ways, many great loſſes they ſuſtain; theſe they impute to ſecond cauſes, and lay great blame upon thoſe whom they do oppreſſe, becauſe they ſtand not to it whilſt oppreſſion grindeth them; they obſerve not the hand of God againſt them, yet ſaith God, Is it not of the Lord of Hoſts that they weary themſelves for very vanity?
It is a great matter to know who it is that protecteth his ſervants, that croſſeth the deſignes of their enemies.
David prayeth for Gods ſaving help to them, and That they may know that this is thy hand, Pſ. 109 27that thou Lord hast done it.
For let all offenders in this kind of oppreſſion, and indeed in all kinds of bold and preſumptuous ſins, know, that they ſin with an high hand. They are a People that provoke God to anger continually to his face.Iſa. 65.3.
if you obſerve the text well, you will find two things in it; and they are two great judgments, and both of the Lord.
1. Is it not of the Lord of Hoſtes that the People ſhall labour in the very fire, and ſhall weary themſelves?
2. Is it not of the Lord of Hoſts, that the People ſhall labour for very vanity?
For the hand of God is in both for their puniſhment, both in putting them to extreme labour, and in turning all their labour into vanity.
He asketh the queſtion, as if he ſhould ſay Come now and let us reaſon together, to what do you impute it, that this People take ſuch pains and proſper ſo ill? do you not perceive that Gods hand is in it, and that I the Lord do undo all that they do?
1. It is of the Lord that they labour in the fire.
For God ſaith, Ego creo malum; labour and travel is the curſe of man, the wages of ſin: In labore veſceris, in ſudore vultus: Here is fire that melteth and diſſolveth us into water.
All the pains that is taken here on earth to do evil, is of the Lord.
1. In reſpect of the ſtrength and wit uſed therein; for in him we live and move; he planted the eare, &c.
2. In reſpect of his permiſſion; for he hath chains to bind up Satan and his inſtruments, and he can carry ſnares when he will to catch ſinners. This is not approbation but toleration for a time.
3. It is of the Lord in reſpect of his will; for he ſcourgeth a man with his own ſins in juſt judgement, and letteth the wicked wear out themſelves with extreme labours for their puniſhment. Whereas if he have a favour to any he cals upon them;
It is vain for you to riſe up early, Pſ. 127.2.to ſit up late, to eat the bread of ſorrows; for he giveth his beloved ſleep.
And our Saviour ſaith, Nolite ſollicitieſſe, Be ye not careful.
But the Aegyptians ſhall gather Jewels of ſilver, Ex. 14.25.and Jewels of gold together: it is of the Lord; and they ſhall purſue Iſrael into the ſea; and to make them work he took off their charet wheels that they drave them heavily.
2. It is of the Lord that all their labour is loſt.
For the Jewels of Gold and Jewels of ſilver which the Aegyptians have gathered, the Iſraelites ſhall carry away. And they and their chariots which they have driven long, ſhall all be covered with the ſea.
The Prophet putteth them together.
Thou ſhalt ſow, but thou ſhalt not reap: Mic. 6.15.thou ſhalt tread the Olives, but ſhalt not annoint thee with the oyle; and ſweet wine, but thou ſhalt not drink wine.
For God profeſſeth it, I will walk contrary unto you, Lev. 26 24and puniſh you ſeven times for your ſins.
It is a great wiſedome in our labour to conſider whither God be with us, and walk with us, or walk contrary to us.Iſa. 57.2. For if we fear God, and walk in his ways, we are ſaid to walk with God. But if we do that which is evil in his ſight, and covet an evil covetouſneſſe to build our neſts, and to gather riches by unlawful means, ſuch as God in his word hath forbidden, we ſhall ſee and find that God will walk contrary to us.
To proud man ſhall find that when he is at the higheſt, God can caſt him down: The extortioner ſhall find that no bonds nor ſtatutes will hold his debtors, they will ſay we will break theſe bonds, and caſt away theſe cords from us.
The wanton ſhall find that the ſins of his youth ſhall ake in the bones of his age; and they that ſow in wickedneſſe ſhall reap in ſhame.
There be many that meet with grievous inconveniencies in their life manifold croſſes in their health, in their friends, in their children, in the affairs of life, eſpecially ſuch as concern their eſtate, and they do not obſerve two things moſt of all to be heeded.
1. That God walketh contrary to them and croſſeth them.
2. The cauſe why God doth ſo.
Here it is plain, that theſe croſſes are of the Lord, and the Lord himſelf revealeth the cauſe, and giveth account of his judgments, for pride and covetouſneſſe, &c. Obſerve how the Prince of darkneſſe hath blinded our eyes.
1. The ſins that bring in profit and make the pot ſeeth,1. Suggeſt. though Moſes and his Prophets, Chriſt and his Apoſtles do tell them that they are ſins, and ſuch as lead the offenders to hell, they will not believe them all againſt their profit, but cry as the Epheſians did for Diana. Great is Mammon; this is called The deceitfulneſſe of Riches.Mat. 13.22
O Who hath bewitched the heart of man, that he ſhould value his ſoul for which Chriſt died, at ſo low a rate, that he will ſell it for corruptible things?
So St. Peter cals and ſilver;
Foraſmuch as yee know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold and ſilver.1 Pet. 1.18.
2. Theſe ſins be thought little ſins where they be confeſt,2 Suggeſt. becauſe they make a man able to make God ſome part of amends in almes and good works; ſo the oppreſſour of his brethren turneth his oppreſſions into ſacrifices, as if oppreſſions of injury could be ſacrifices of righteouſneſſe.
This ſuggeſtion ſeemeth ſupported by the words of Chriſt, Give almes of ſuch things as you have, Luc. 11.41and behold all things are clean to you.
So that he which hath congeſted wealth by oppreſſion, ſhall purifie all his goods by giving almes of part thereof.
They miſtake our Saviour there; obſerve him well, he found the Phariſees faulty in this ſinne here threatned with judgment: for their outſide was a fair Profeſſion of Religion, their inſide was full of rapine and wickedneſſe.
1. Our Saviour oppoſeth almes againſt rapine: rapine corrupteth all the goods that we poſſeſſe, even the fruits of our honeſt labours in our callings, the fruits of our inheritance from our Parents; goods unlawfully gotten from our brethren, againſt the law and word of God, do make all unclean, they defile all, and bring a ruſt and canker upon our treaſure; but charity by diſtribution of almes doth purifie and keep clean all our wealth.
2. This charity muſt have matter to work upon, and that is foreign, that is, ſuch things as are in our power; we may give no almes de alieno, of what is anothers; and there is nothing in our power to diſpoſe of but what we may rightly call our own; this utterly deſpaireth the hope of the oppreſſor, that he may make a ſacrifice of his rapines.
And farther, whereas the cuſtome of gathering wealth by injury, which robbeth our brethren, doth paſſe it over lightly as a ſmall ſinne; let me tell you, that ill-gotten goods do bring ſuch a ſin upon a man as cannot be purged but with two Pills,
1. Unfained repentance.
2. Juſt reſtitution.
Obſerve it in Zachaeus, he joyned charity and reſtitution; his charity was of his own goods, Dimidium bonorum meorum. Luk. 19.8.It is theft what ſoever is not Gods gift, and nothing is the gift of God but what is warrantable by the law and word of God.
For this, a man that feareth God, will rather be Gods Lazarus and beg crumbs, then the Devils Dives, and fair deliciouſly.
3. The oppreſſors of their brethren that live at eaſe,3 Suggeſt. and reſt in plenty, and ſurfet drinking the ſweat of their brethrens faces, and to uſe the phraſe of David, drinking the blood of their brethren, when any croſſe or loſſe betideth them, becauſe they obſerve ſome formal cuſtomary profeſſion and practice of Religion, they ſmooth it over with this comfort, that God doth exerciſe the patience of his ſervants in this life with ſome tryals.
To whom I ſay, take heed, be not deceived, take not that for an exerciſe of thy patience, which is a puniſhment of thy ſin.
1. Thou miſtakeſt God, he is not thy friend, but is contrary to thee.
2. Thou miſtakeſt thy ſelf: thou calleſt thee the ſervant of God; no, Mammon is thy God; for thou goeſt againſt the word of God to gather wealth: It is but a falſe worſhip that thou giveſt to God, God loves no divided hearts.
3. Thou miſtakeſt the cauſe of thy diſeaſe, and thy Phyſitian; for thou thinkeſt it to be ſome propenſion in thee to ſin, which needeth ſome preventing phyſick, wheras it is a coroding plaiſter to eat out dead fleſh: yet fleſh and blood hath many inventions; we uſe to ſhoot another arrow after the firſt; and like Balak, try in anoth place, and ſee if it will proſper there.