Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 2
Ver. 2. O Lord, I have heard thy ſpeech and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the middeſt of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
THis vvhole Pſalme as it is in the compoſition of a mixt kind of verſe, ſo in the matter of it mixt, for it conſiſteth;
1 Of ſupplication and petition, ver. 2.
2 Of celebration of the prayſes of God, 3 & 15.
3 Conſternation before God, ver. 16, 17.
4 Conſolation in God.
1 Of the ſupplication.
O Lord, I have heard thy ſpeech; that is, all that thou haſt ſaid in the former Chapter, in defence of thy juſtice, and in propheticall revelation of thy holy will, both concerning thy Church how that ſhall be afflicted, and concerning the enemies of thy Church how they ſhall be puniſhed in the end.
And I was afraid] fear came upon me when I heard thee recompt thy judgements.
O Lord revive thy work in the middeſt of the years] here be three quaeries;
1 What he meaneth by the vvork.
2 What by the middeſt of the years.
3 How this work ſhould be revived.
1 Thy work] Lyranus ſaith, Opus tuum in punitione Chaldaeorum, qued fiet virtute tua magis quàm humana.
2 Beza, by the work of God, here underſtandeth the Church of God, the people of Iſrael.
So do Tremelius and Junius, for they parellel this place vvith thoſe vvords of God in the Prophet Iſa, Ask me of things to come concerning my ſons, Iſa. 45.11.and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. Where he calleth his Church opus manum, my work.
Thus doth Maſter Calvin here underſtand ſtatum Eccleſiae, the ſtate of the Church, vvhichwhich is called, The vvork of God, foreign, as being the moſt excellenteſt part of his work, wherein he is moſt glorified.
So David prayeth for the Church under that appellation:Pſa. 138.8. Forſake not the works of thine own hands. So doth Iſaiah name them.
Thy people alſo ſhall be all righteous, Iſa. 60.21.they ſhall inherit the Land, for ever, the branch of my planting: the work of my hands that I may be glorified. Iſa. 61.3.So in the next Chapter Chriſt is anointed for the good of his Church;Iſa. 61.3. that they may be called the trees of righteouſneſs, the planting of the Lord.
3 Novv there is ſuch a correſpondence betvven the head and the body, betvveen Chriſt and his Church, that ſometimes that vvhichwhich is literally ſpoken of the Church, is myſtically applyed to Chriſt.
Jeremie expreſſing the great miſery of the Church,Lam. 1.12. bringeth her in thus complaining; Have ye no regard all ye that paſs by the way, conſider, and behold, if ever there were ſorrow like my ſorrow.
Yet this complaint of the body is ſo fit for the head, the grief ſo ſurmounting, that the uniform judgments of the Ancients of the Church have applyed them to Chriſt, either in his Agony in the Garden, or on the Croſs, where alſo hee ſed Davids bewailing and paſſionate moan, My God, my God, Why haſt thou forſaken me?
So the wonder of God in Hoſea, ſpoken of Iſrael literally, Ex Aegypto vocavi filium meum, Verſe 11.1.that God by mighty hand brought Iſrael out of Aegypt, are applyed and verified in him, by the Evangeliſt St. Matthew.Mat. 2.15.
From hence the myſticall ſenſe of thoſe words doth expreſs the head of this body of the Church, that is Jeſus Chriſt, for his Incarnation was the work of God. He was made of a woman, and vvas made under the Law. So that this is a prayer to God to ſend his Son into the world.
This agreeth vvell with the comfort before given to them, The juſt ſhall live by Faith.
That faith is in the promiſed Meſſiah, and that is it to which the ancient Fathers do apply this place, as being the moſt excellent work of God, for the good and comfort of his Church.
St. Auguſtine maketh this whole Pſalme a prophecy of Chriſt. Conſideravi opus tuum, ſaith he;
Quid hoc eſt, Revel. Dei, 18.32.niſi novae & recognitae ſalutis hominum ineffabilis admiratio? Idem in Oratione contra Judaeos Arrianos, & Paganos, Cap. 13.
St. Jerome paraphraſeth this petition thus.
Deprecor Domine, ut quod promiſiſti expleas, & finito tempore reddas Chriſt…m tuum.
Ribera, a learned Jeſuite, ſaith, that this Expoſition doth paſſe moſt currant with the ancients, he nameth Euſebius, Euthenius, Rupertus, Theophilact: all of reverend antiquity, and one ſaith, for the moſt part ſeniores, ſaniores, the elder, the ſounder.
Arias Montanus, one that hath taken as much pains in the Bible, as ever any one man did in latter days, ſaith, this Note, this Song, doth begin at the name of God, which of all other in holy Scripture; Divinam naturam maximè ſignificant, doth eſpecially ſignifie the divine nature. foreign; a note which God revealed unto Moſes, a name for the moſt part uſed in the old Teſtament, ſaith he, Ʋbi negotium Meſſiae agitur, where the buſineſſe of the Meſſiah is handled.
2 What is ment by in medio annorum, in the midſt of years: here I muſt give you to underſtand, that the 70 Interpreters do render this part of the text in other words, and in another ſenſe, yet agreeing well with the myſtery of godlineſſe, that is, the Incarnation of Chriſt.
They read, foreign. Saint Auguſtine doth receive that interpretation, ſo do many more, for great is the authority of the 70. And we find often in the new Teſtament, that their tranſlation is cited by the Apoſtles, and not the originall in the old Teſtament.
I will not quite paſſe over this reading of the 70, as neglecting it, though in the end, I do not mean to follow it, becauſe many great judgments have embraced it.
This is obſerved in theſe Interpreters, that often in their tranſlations, they do not ſtrictly obſerve the words of the originall, but rather expound the ſenſe of the place: often they do adde ſomething, eſpecially in the prophecies, which they think do point at the Meſſiah, whereby they declare, that that prophecy is to be referred to Chriſt.
So do they in this place, and to ſhew that they underſtand this place of the Meſſiah, they adde, foreign.
Which St. Auguſtine doth underſtand either figuratively, in medio duorum Teſtamentorum, or literally, in medio Moſis & Eliae, with whom he ſpake in the mountaine when he was transfigured: or, in medio duorum latronum, between whom he was hanged, when he was crucified.
Others of late following the tradition that lay in the manger between an Oxe and an Aſſe, that were feeding there, underſtand theſe two living creatures, in the midſt of whom the Wiſemen that came from the Eaſt, found Chriſt.
Yet Euſebius and Theophilact read not foreign, with an acute accent in the firſt ſyllable, which ſignifieth living creatures, but with a circumflexe in the laſt foreign, which doth ſignifie lives, in medio duarum vitarum quia venit in mundum, habens duas vitas, alteram mortalem & humanam, alteram immortalem & divinam.
I onelyonly make this uſe of theſe expoſition to ſhew you how of this old place hath paſſed for a teſtimonie of the Prophets fore-ſight and prophecying of Chriſt.
But reading as we do in medio annorum, here alſo ſundry interpretations are given: for ſome do referre this to that time which St. Paul ſpeaketh of.
But when the fulneſſe of time came, Gal. 4.God ſent his Sonne.
So the Prophets prayer is, that God would remember to perform his promiſe of the Meſſiah, in medio annorum, that is, in the fulneſſe of time; for it is certain, that from Chriſt to the end of the world, the world is in a ſtate of declination.
Lyranus ſaith, that theſe years here meant, are from the deſtruction of the temple at Jeruſalem, to the rebuilding thereof finiſhed, for he ſaith, there were 52 years from the deſtruction of the temple to the firſt year of the reigne of Cyrus, from thence to the ſixt year of the reigne of Darius, vvere 46 years, for ſo long it is ſaid the temple vvas in building.
In the midſt, not in medio Geometrico, but Arithmetico, the Prophet prayeth God to revive his vvork of reſtoring the people to their liberty and poſſeſſions.
But I chuſe to follovv the Expoſition of the 70 Interpreters, foreign, cum temporis opportunitas fuerit, when there ſhall be a fit time, vvhichwhich leaveth it at large to God to take his ovvn time, and that ſeemeth to have been the judgment of Tremelius and Junius, vvho render it interea temporis, as vve in Engliſh, in the mean time. So Beza.
Maſter Calvin doth goe vvith the former expoſition of the fulneſs of time, for he ſaith, the Church vvas but grovving and coming on till Ieſus Chriſt came in the fleſh; but then it grevv up to a ripeneſs, ſo that the coming of Chriſt was the grovving up of the Church, ad aetatem virilem, to the age of a man.
3 Vivifica, revive, the margent readeth, preſerve thy work, that is, maintain thy Church, and keep it from the povver of her enemies, till thou ſendeſt a Redeemer to recover it from the injuries of time, and the violence of the ungodly; for the time of the Church under perſecution, is the vvinter of it, in vvhichwhich it ſeemeth dead, and prayeth God to quicken and revive it by the ſending of his Son.
In the midſt of the years make knovvn, he re-inforceth his former petition, novv deſiring that God vvould reveale his gracious purpoſe of ſuccouring his Church, and triumphing over the enemies thereof.
In the mean time, vvhile thy Church is groaning under the burthen of their exile, make thy vvill knovvn to them.
This favour of God vvil ſvveeten the adverſity of their baniſhment, vuhen they ſhall knovv the loving purpoſe of God tovvard them.
In wrath remember mercy.
They confeſſe, that they have given God cauſe of diſpleaſure, and have provoked him to vvrath, they feel the ſmart thereof in a ſtrange land, and they have no plea but mercy, they dare not make ſo bold vvith him, as to entreat him to turn avvay all his vvrath from them, becauſe they are ſo guilty to themſelves, that they have provoked him, and deſerved his indignation.
OnelyOnly they deſire that in the midſt of his vvrath, he vvould remember mercy.
By vvrath in this place is not meant any ſuch affection in God, vvhereof his unchangeable and conſtant nature is not capable, for God is ſemper idem, ever the ſame, vvhom hee loveth, he loveth vvith an everlaſting love, and he cannot at any time be angry vvith them. But vvhom he loveth, upon occaſion, he rebuketh, and chaſteneth every ſon, vvhom he receiveth, and this love ſometimes bringing forth the effects of that vvhichwhich in man is called vvrath, vve ſpeak after the manner of men, and avouch it of God.
Thus then the text is literally to be underſtood, O Lord, I have heard vvhat thou haſt ſpoken in the defence of thy upright juſtice, I have heard vvhat thou purpoſeſt in the puniſhing, and in the avenging of thy Church, in the mean time preſerve it, and make it knovv thy love tovvards it, and vvhilſt thou art puniſhing of it, remember mercy.
The parts of this are tvvo.
1 The preparation to prayer.
2 The prayer it ſelf.
1 In the preparation, I obſerve
Motum the motive.
Metum fear.
2 In the prayer, I obſerve
1 Subjectum the ſubject.
2 Petitiones the petitions.
The petitions are three.
1 O Lord, revive thy Work in the middle of the years.
2 O Lord, in the middle of the years make knovvn.
3 In wrath, remember mercy.
Firſt, of the preparation, 1 of the Motus.
O Lord, I have heard thy Speech.
The Word of God is vvell beſtovved on them that vvill hear it vvith reverence, and receive it vvith humility, here vvas a maze, the Prophet and the Faithfull of the land had loſt themſelves, they knevv not vvhat to think, till they had put the matter to God himſelf. Cap. 1. and God having made a ful anſvver. novv the Prophet ſaith in his ovvn name, and in the name for whom he conſulted God, I have heard thy ſpeech. All the Scripture is full of examples, of the Children of God, hearkening to his word of precepts, and admonitions to us to hearken: of promiſes to them that do hearken.
The reaſon is, becauſe it is a ſpeciall note of Gods children to heare his Word, even as our Saviour himſelf ſaith.
He that is of God, heareth Gods Word: ye therefore hear them not, Joh. 8.47.becauſe ye are not of God.
And now ſeeing God hath given over ſpeaking by miracles extraordinarily to his Church. St. John ſaith: We are of God, 1 Joh. 4.he that knoweth God, heareth us, he that is not of God, heareth not us, hereby we know the Spirit of Truth, and the ſpirit of errour.
The Spirit of truth is left in the Church by our Saviour, and he ſpeaketh in ſuch; who by the Ordinance of Chriſt, are the Prieſts of the new Teſtament, of whom Chriſt ſaith. Qui vos recipit, me recipit: & qui recipit me, recipit eum qui miſit me: he that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that ſent me: we muſt hear him, before he hear us, for St. Paul telleth us true,Rom. 8.26. We know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought. The art of prayer, is not ſo quickly learned as ſome forward proofeſſours make themſelves believe. John beſides his continuall preaching to his Diſciples, taught them alſo to pray.
And never had any Diſciples a better Maſter, then the Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt, yet they living in the eare of his Doctrine, and in the eye of his holy example, were glad to come to him to be taught to pray, & he taught them the Lords prayer privately, which after he taught the whole multitude in a Sermon openly.
My obſervation is that his Word muſt miniſter matter to our prayers, Doct. and all our petitions muſt be grounded thereupon.
The reaſon is, becauſe God heareth not ſinners,John 9.31. and David ſaith: If I regard wickedneſſe in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. But the prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much, Jam. 5.16.if it be fervent.
Againſt ſin we have no ſuch remedy as the word. So David, Thy word have I hid in my heart, Pſal. 119.11.that I might not ſin againſt thee.
Our Leſſons from hence are;
1 We muſt take it for a great favour of God to us, that he giveth us his word, for that is a lanthorne to our feet, that is, our counſalor, as David calleth it.
This word is given us to profit withall, and it is depoſited.
1 In the Books of the Canonical Scripture, which we have not, as the Church of Rome ſhut up in an unknown language, but tranſlated faithfully into our own tongue, that all of us may be partakers of it.
2 As in the time of the law, the Prieſts lips did preſerve knowledge, and men were to require the law at their lips, ſo in the time of the Goſpel, St. Paul ſaith, of the Apoſtles, and of all the Miniſters, that ſhould ſucceed them in their office in the Church,1 Cor. 5.19. God hath committed to us the word of reconciliation, he hath ſo committed it to his Son firſt, as he gave him power to tranſmit it in the Prieſthood of the New Teſtament; to all ages of the Church till his ſecond coming.
The ſpirit which Chriſt left to comfort and inſtruct his Church, was not given at large to all men, but in perticular ordinance to them whom he ſent, to teach all Nations, as the Apoſtle ſaith,2 Cor. 3.6. Our ſufficiency is of God, who hath made us able Miniſters of the New Teſtament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit; for the Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
So we are the Miniſters of the word that giveth life, and there is no life to be had but by our Miniſtry. This gives us intereſt in your affections, in your underſtandings, in your goods, in your prayers.
2 Now we know where we may hear God, we are taught alſo not to neglect him ſpeaking to us, for as the Author to the Hebrews ſaith,Heb. 12.25. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh: for if they eſcaped not who refuſed him that ſpake on earth, much more ſhall not we eſcape, if we turn away from him that ſpeaketh from heaven.
And the Miniſters of the Goſpel do ſpeak even as if Chriſt himſelf ſpake in us,2 Cor. 5.10. we ſpeak in Chriſts ſtead.
But as in the time of the Law God ſent his Prophets ſometimes to ſuch as would not give them the hearing: ſo doth he now in the time of the Goſpel, but that muſt not diſcourage our Miniſtry, at their peril be it, Gods Word will ever be Gods wiſdom, though the prophane count it fooliſhneſs, and it will be Gods truth though hereſie and ſchiſme pick quarrels.
Therefore, if you would learn to pray, and be prepared for that holy worſhip? hear Gods ſpeech firſt, and that will teach you what to ask as you ou ought. Hear the word from us as the Theſſalonians did.1 Theſ. 2.13. When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the Word of God, which effectually worketh alſo in you that believe.
2 Here is metus. I was afraid, the Seventy read; foreign I was in an extaſie, as St. John ſaith, when he ſaw the viſion of the Son of man,Rev. 1.17. I fell at his feet as dead.
There were two things to ſtrike the Prophet vvith aſtoniſhment;
1 The Majeſtie of the Speaker.
2 The matter of the ſpeech.
And both theſe muſt both meet in our underſtandings, and in our affections, to enlighten and to move them, that vve may know what vve have to do, and vvith vvhom, vvhen vve pray; that vve may come before him vvith fear and holy reverence.
1 The great glory and Majeſty of God to vvhom vve reſort in prayer, is ſuch, as no creature can endure the ſight thereof. The Angels ſtanding before him, Iſa. 6.2.cover their faces with their wings.
2 The matter of his ſpeech conteined in his vvord to the Prophet, is the ſumme of the Bible. Juſtice puniſhing ſin in his Church: Vengeance deſtroying the enemies of his Church: and Grace redeeming his Church from the povver of Satan, by the glorious Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt.
Quae. Why ſhould the Prophet be afraid at this? here vvas matter of comfort, the heavineſs of the night; is promiſed the joy of the morning: The Church though it muſt ſuffer for a time for ſin, hath here a promiſe of tvvo main conſolations.
1 Their ovvn deliverance from dangers, into a reſtitution of them into Gods favour.
2 Their eye ſhall have their deſire alſo upon their enemies, they ſhall ſee the vvheel of vvrath go over them, and the Lord ſhall let out of their throats the bloud of his people, vvith vvhichwhich they have made themſelves drunk: all this is matter of joy, and vvhat needeth this fear?
Sol. Who can come without fear before him, that can and will do all this? for if he be angry, yea but a little, they are bleſſed that truſt in him, fear is a proper paſſion of a true believer, and is inſeparably joyned with ſaving faith.
For ſeeing the bond of our union with Chriſt by faith, whereby he dwelleth in us is.
Partly, the hold that he hath of us by his Spirit:
Partly the hold that we have of him by faith.
The firſt is firme,Joh. 10.27. There ſhall not any one pluck them out of my hand, he giveth a ſtrong reaſon for it, for my Father who gave them me is greater then all, and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand. we are his gifts, and his gifts and calling are without repentance.
But the fleſh doth put the Spirit to it ſo hard ſome times, even in the elect of God, that the hold on our part is weak, which breedeth fear, and that fear makes us hold ſo much the faſter.
From hence it comes, that all the intelligence between God and man doth begin at fear in us.
This is not the fear of an evill conſcience, as it was in Adam, when he hid himſelf from God, but the fear of reverence of God, and the good conſcience of our unworthineſſe being fallen from our originall righteouſneſſe.
The Shepheards that were keeping watch by night, becauſe of their flocks were ſore afraid, when they ſaw the light ſhining at that time of night, that the Angel began with, Nolite timere, fear not, yet were they in the lawfull buſineſſe of their calling. The bleſſed Virgin, no doubt, wel and holily employed, Zecharie the Prieſt in the Church about the occaſions of his office, yet all afraid.
This is the ſeaſoning and preparing of the heart for God to be caſt down before him, it is humbling our ſelves under the mighty hand of God, and we cannot pray as we ought without it.
When the Apoſtle ſaith, we cannot pray as we ought, and that the ſpirit helpeth our infirmities, he ſheweth that ſuch as he have infirmities and they feel them, when they come to appear before God; and where infirmities are, there muſt needs be fear, if they that have them be ſenſible of them.
Yea, I dare ſay, that they that come to prayer without fear, come without faith, and all their prayers are turned into ſin.
Ob. We read of comming with boldneſſe to God. Becauſe we have an high Prieſt which is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Heb. 4.15, 16.in all points tempted like as wee are yet without ſin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that wee may obtein mercy, and finde grace to help in time of need.
Sol. this is cleered by the ſame Authour in the ſame Epiſtle, declaring how many conſiderations muſt concurre, as ingrediences in this our ſpirituall boldneſs.
1 Let us draw neer with a true heart.Heb. 10.22.
2 In full aſſurance of Faith.
3 Having our hearts ſprinkled from an evill Conſciences.
4 Our bodies waſhed with pure water.
5 Let us hold faſt the profeſſion of our Faith without wavering.
6 Let us conſider one another, to provoke to love and good works.
7 Not forſaking the aſſembling of our ſelves together, &c.
8 Exhorting one another.
Let a man before he pray try his vvayes and examine his ſoul, upon thoſe interrogatories, and I dare ſay the beſt of us (if we ſin not alſo in preſumption) vvill finde himſelf ſhort in every one of theſe perticulars of that perfection that ſhould accompliſh boldneſſe.
But having thoſe things in ſome meaſure, and more in deſire and endeavour, our boldneſs muſt needs be as much ſhaken with fear as theſe graces in us are ſhaken with infirmity.
And upon this fear our Church teacheth us to pray to God in theſe words.
Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving us thoſe things whereof our conſcience is afraid, 12 Dom. poſt Trinit.and giving unto us that which our prayers dare not preſume to ask, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
And this ſome of our brethren have quarrelled, as a contradiction in our prayers, becauſe we ſay, we pray for tha we dare not pray for.
To whom, I anſwer, in theſe words of my Text; O Lord, I heard thy voice and was afraid: In thy word, I ſee how corrupt I am, for that ſheweth me what thou requireſt: my conſcience feareth thoſe ſins of which it is guilty, for which I come to thee for mercy.
O give me through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, that which my prayer without him dare not preſume to ask. Here is ſpirituall boldneſs through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, here is fear in reſpect of our ſelves; for we muſt ſerve the Lord in fear, and rejoyce in trembling: it is vvell that that is not branded vvith a mark of contradiction.
We have to do vvith three ſorts of perſons.
1 The prophane and carnall.
2 The generation the Wiſe man nameth, of ſuch as are wiſe in their own eyes, yet want waſhing.
3 The truly zealous faithfull ones that do worſhip God with fear and trembling.
Firſt, concerning the prophane and carnall.
Theſe do not pray at all, the reaſon is, becauſe they do not fear,Pſa. 9.20. of ſuch David ſaith, Put them in fear, O Lord, that they may know they are but men: for when they know that, they will ſee and confeſſe, that they have need of help.
Thus was Saul converted, there ſuddenly ſhoon a light from heaven upon him, a voyce ſpake to him, he was caſt down to the earth.
Then trembling and aſtoniſhed he ſaid, Lord, Act. 9.6.what wilt thou have mee do? then was hee fit to be wrought. To ſuch wee muſt preach as Paul did to Felix of righteouſneſſe, Act. 24.25.temperance, and the judgment to come: to put them into trembling, better to put them between the two mil-ſtones of the law of Moſes, and the lavv vvritten in their hearts, and to grind them as ſmall as the duſt of the earth, then to let them make ſinne out of meaſure ſinfull, by holding out to be abominable, and to every good vvork reprobate.
We cannot open the gates of hell too vvide for ſuch to ſhevv them the anger to come, a fit text for a generation of Vipers, vve cannot lift up our voyces too loud in the deaf ears of ſuch, to tell them their tranſgreſſions, and to put them in fear.
David vvept rivers of vvaters for ſuch, and that is a good remedie, let the faithfull vveep for them, for foreign vvhichwhich ſignifieth to vveep, comes of foreign, frango.
So vvhen the man of God looked on Hazael, 2 Reg. 8.11.and fore-ſavv the cruell butcheries, vvhichwhich his bloody hand ſhould perform, he vvept, this vveeping of the Prophet brake the heart of Hazael for the time, and he ſaid, Is thy Servant a dog, that he ſhould do theſe things?
So St. Paul putteth them together. What mean you to weep, and to break my heart, Act. 21.13.their vveping brake his heart.
The hearts of the prophane are hardened with the cuſtome of ſinning. St. Bernard.
Aperiatur vena ferro compunctionis, vve muſt dravv bloud of them, by the preaching of the terrour of the Lord to them.
This bloud is the tears of compunction, of vvhichwhich David, My ſoul melteth, or drippeth for heavineſs. St. Auguſtine ſaith, that Lachrymae compunctionis be ſanguis vulnerati cordis, Epiſt. 199.vvhen the remembrance and conſideration of their ſins hath vvounded them, and left them half dead, then the good Samaritan vvill come vvith his Wine and Oile, even the Oile of gladneſſe, and the poor patient vvill ſay, Thou haſt put gladneſſe into my heart.
This was Sauls hard heart broken in pieces firſt, and he that before did carry the croſſe of Chriſt to torment others, now rejoyced in nothing but the croſſe of Chriſt himſelf, whereby the world was crucified to him, and he to the world.
Thus vvhen the lavv hath humbled the prophane under the mighty hand of God, he turneth all into tears full of the fear of God, and vovveth vvith himſelfe as he did in the Poet, In fontem frontem, atque in flumina lumina vertam, then is he fit to pray, and to call upon the name of the Lord, ſaying, Sana animan mean, quia peccavi contrate, heal my ſoul, O Lord, for I have ſinned againſt thee.
2 Wee have to doe vvith that generation, vvho are vviſe in their ovvn eyes, theſe have a good opinion of themſelves that they knovv more then others, and they are not in converſation like to the Publican, and therefore they look God in the face, they dravv neer to him, they ſtand and pray, theſe are ſo ful of the ſpirit, that they need no help in their prayers, they can pen their ovvn petitions, their hearts endite good matters, their tongues are the pens of ready vvriters, they can talk vvith God Almighty ex tempore Dabitur illa hora.
Self-opinion is a kind of ſpirituall drunkeneſſe, and therein of like effect, it maketh men daring and fool-hardy, the prophane care not for God, there is no fear of God before their eyes, theſe make tvvo bold vvith him, they alſo muſt take a little phyſick to purge the exuberancy of their preſumption, vve muſt give them a doze of fear, and teach them to drink of the cup of trembling next their hearts, there is no ſuch antidote againſt tumor, as timor: ſwelling, as fear.
It is the Wiſe mans counſell.
Be not raſh with thy mouth, Eccle. 5.2.and let not thy heart be haſty to utter any thing before the Lord, for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few.
He addeth,Verſ. 3. a fools voice is known by multitude of words, that is further urged.
In the multitude of words there wanteth not ſin.Prov. 10.19.
For this Chriſt teaching us to pray, beginneth at Our Father which art in heaven, that we upon earth, might conſider that he to whom we pray, is in Heaven: that we might compoſe our ſelves with fear and reverence to come before him, and to preſent him with our prayers.
And again, he comprehendeth all that we may aske of God in a very ſhort prayer, to teach us that our words muſt be few.
And to that purpoſe, in his Sermon he taught;Mat. 6 7. But when ye pray, uſe not vain repititions, as the heathen do, for they think they ſhall be heard for their much ſpeaking.
They that come in preſence of great perſons, ſpeak their words by number and by weight, the very preſence doth ſtamp in them an impreſſion of reverence and fear: now ſeeing God to whom we pray is inviſible, our faith muſt behold him before us in glorious majeſty, as hee ſaith, I have ſet God always before mee, and like Abraham, the neerer we come to his preſence, and the more that we ſolicite him, the more ſhall vve be ſhaken vvith this holy fear; conſidering him vvho dwelleth in the light, that no man can attein unto, and conſidering our ſelves that we are but duſt and aſhes: the heathen could teach, deos caſte adeunto, let men go reverently, and inwardly cleave before their gods.
3 There are yet another ſort of them vvhom their ſins do oppreſs as a burthen too heavie for them to bear, vvhoſe hearts do ſmite them, and vvhoſe conſciences do accuſe them, that though the zeal of Gods houſe do bring them to Church, yet the fear of their unvvorthineſs doth make them ſtand a far off, beating their breaſts, and not daring to lift up their eyes to heaven.
Theſe had need of comfort, we muſt labour to put metall into ſuch, by telling them that he whoſe face they ſeek is, God the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3.and the God of all comfort.
David, is a full example of a diſtreſſed man,Pſal. 119.107. fearing and yet praying, for he confeſſeth, I am very ſore afflicted, yet he prayeth God to quicken him, he ſaith, My ſoul is continually in my hand, he was even ready to yield it up, yet the comfort that he had in God eſtabliſhed his heart.
And herein God is moſt gratious, for when our ſins come in our ſight, and we are horribly afraid of Gods judgments, even then God ſendeth his Spirit to us, not to take away our infirmities quite, but to help them, not to turne our ſorrow into joy, but to ſanctifie our ſorrow, and to ſupply it with ſighs and groanes, and this addition of fear and grief doth alſo mend devotion.
To ſuch we muſt ſay, that though he to whom we pray be in Heaven, yet he is our Father, and though great and glorious be his Majeſty, yet he is the preſerver of men.
David calleth him our Sun and Shield, the brightneſſe of this Sun may dazle our weak ſight, but the protection of this ſhield will ſave us from danger.
Be ſtrong then, and God ſhall eſtabliſh your hearts, he ſhall anoint you with the oile of gladneſſe, and he ſhall ſay to your ſoul, I am thy Salvation.
2 Subjectum, Vide diviſ. ſupr. Pag. 29.
This prayer is for the Church, that is, for all thoſe that then were the viſible ſociety of ſuch as worſhiped the onelyonly true God.
It is the duty of every child of God, Doct. and member of the Church to pray to God for the whole body of the Church.
The Church at this time was within a pale, and confined to the houſe of Abraham, not in his whole bloud, for Iſhmael was excluded, in Iſaac was the promiſe, not in his whole bloud; for Eſay was excluded, Jacob was Iſrael, and prevailed with God, of him came the Fathers, and in his ſeed was the Church continued.
This Church was now threatned with deportation, and ſundry great judgments, the Prophet teacheth them how to pray one for another.
To this there are great motives.
1 The direction of Chriſt in the Lords Prayer, which calleth God, our Father, and in the proceſſe of it, ſheweth that the Church of God, is ſtill included, Give us, forgive us, lead us not.
2 The content that we give to God, in theſe generall prayers, which the Apoſtle doth well expreſſe. I exhort that firſt of all prayers, &c. be made for all men: For this is good and acceptable in the ſight of God our Saviour, 1 Tim. 2.1 3.4.who will have all men to be ſaved. All are or may be members of the Church of God, for ought we know.
3 The benefit that we reap hereby is great, for thus we come to have our portion in the charitable prayers of others. Ambroſe, Si prote rogas tantum, prote ſolus rogabis, H…xam 1.ſi autem pro omnibus rogas, omnes pro te rogabunt.
4. It is a true rule, that extra Eccleſiam non eſt ſalus, without the Church there is no ſalvation:Acts 2.47. it is ſaid that God added to the Church daily ſuch as ſhould be ſaved: the reaſon hereof is, becauſe Chriſt is no where to be found as a Saviour but in his Church, and the meanes of ſalvation, Preaching, Prayer, and Sacraments, they are only found in the Church.
Without are dogs, enchanters, Revel. 22.15.&c.
Chriſt is the good Shepheard, and he hath his fold, all the ſheep that are without, muſt be brought to that fold, as himſelf ſaith, alias oves habeo, quae non ſunt de ovili hoc, illas oportet adducere. I have other ſheep, &c. they ſhall hear my voice,Joh. 10.16 and there ſhall be one fold, and one Shepheard.
Therefore there is no ſafety in ſingularity, they that forſake the Church, forſake the fold, the unity of ſpirit, not the ſingularity, is the bond of peace.
We are members one of another, the common ſafety of the body communicateth perticular ſafety to all the members of the body.
In the temporall ſtate, the peace of perticular perſons is included in the peace of the whole kingdome, therefore Jeremiah ſaith to the Church then in deportation.
Seek the peace of the City, Jer. 29.7.whether I have cauſed you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it, for in the peace thereof ſhall ye have peace.
Much more ſhall we have peace in the peace of the Church, ſeeing Chriſt bequeathed his legacy of peace, not to ſome parts and members of his Church, but to the whole body thereof.Joh. 14.27. Pacem meam do vobis, I give unto you my peace. It muſt be ſo underſtood, for as he left his Spirit the Comforter, ſo he left his peace the comfort, not to his Diſciples onelyonly, but to all the Church, therefore pray all that it may be well with thee, in communi bono, in the common good.
This teacheth us to incorporate our ſelvs in the communion of Saints, per communionem pietatis et charitatis, by the communion of piety and charity, to be one anothers Orators, but eſpecially to ſtudy and pray for the peace and welfare of the Church, let us conſider it is the Spouſe of Chriſt, it is a Lilly among thorns, it is a flower in the field, not only open to all weathers, but to the tooth and foot of the beaſts of the field, Satan going about ſeeking to devoure it.
Let our prayers to God reſiſt Satan, and fight the Lords battail againſt him.
We heare of the troubles of the Church in other countreys, we heare of the tyranny of Popery, and the oppreſſions of faithfull profeſſours, if we give them no other help, yet let our prayers give God no reſt, till he have mercy on them, and give them deliverance.
This teacheth us to maintain truth and peace amongſt our ſelves, let not the wounds and ſoars of a Church, that is hereſie, and ſchiſme, and ſeparation, be ſo much as named amongſt us, as it becommeth the Saints of God, let not the common enemy of our Religion hope to build upon our ruines, and to raiſe up himſelf by our fall, to ſtrengthen his peace by our contentions, to be-night our clear and glorious Sun-ſhine of the Goſpel, ſo many happy years crowned with peace, and the fruits of peace propagation, with his Egyptian and Cymmerian darkneſſe.
Let us be of good comfort, their darkneſſe dare not come ſo near our light, for our light will diſcover it, their errour dare not come ſo neer our truth, our truth will confute it; and the God of Truth wil not ſuffer his truth to fail.
Yet if our unthankfulneſs to God for his light ſo long ſhining in our Church: if our evil lives ſo unanſwerable to our outward profeſſion: if our contentions ſo diſpleaſing to the God of peace: our want of zeal and devotion in prayer, do turn away the face of God from us, we may thank our ſelves: and his juſtice may ſay, Perditio tua ex te, Thy deſtruction is of thy ſelf.
2 The Petitions; theſe are three, vide p. 29.
1 Revive thy work in the middeſt of the years; that is, as we have expounded it literally, in the mean time, preſerve thy Church.
In which Petition we are taught:
That the Church of God is the work of God;1 Doct. ye have heard it ſo acknowledged by God himſelf.
Ask me concerning my ſons, and concerning the work of my hands, Iſa. 45.11.command ye me.
Wherein God confeſſeth his Church to be his own work; and therefore ſo comprehended in his care, that they may challenge his protection.
Again, He calleth his Church thus: The Branch of my planting, the work of my hands, Iſa. 60.21.that I may be glorified.
And David upon this prayeth, Forſake not the works of thy own hands.Pſal. 138.8
The reaſons why the Church is thus called.
Becauſe the Church is not an Aſſembly that doth gather themſelves together: as we ſay, That Birds of a feather do fly together: but it is foreign, it is a congregation of ſuch as the free election of grace hath called out of the world by the miniſtery of the Word of God, and the Sacraments.
The firſt Church of God, in whom God was glorified, conſiſted of Angels, intellectuall ſpirits, whereof many kept not their firſt eſtate, but were excōmunicated never to be redeemed.
The firſt Church of God on earth, were our firſt Parents, whom God created in his image.
The Creation miſcarried by the fall of our Parents, who might have ſtood if they would.
The election of grace remained unchangeable and continued a Church in Adam, in Abel, in Seth, which ſeparated from Cain and his iſſue: in Noah and Sem, and in Japhet, perſwaded to the tents of Shem, in the calling of the Gentiles, ſo that all that have the election of grace, do come to be members of the Church by vertue of an effectuall calling: election deſigneth them, vocation declareth them to be the members of the Church, and both theſe are the work of God.
Will you take it from Gods own mouth? who ſaith,Levit. 20.26. Ye ſhall be holy unto me, for I the Lord am holy, and have ſevered you from other people that you ſhould be mine.
The Church is called the work of God, in reſpect of his perpetuall preſence with it, and preſervation of it, both by his own ſpeciall providence, which is the priviledge of the Church, & alſo by the ſubordinate miniſtery of his holy Angels.
1 For his own providence, he hath declared it in a promiſe, I will not ſail thee, Joſh. 1.5.nor forſake thee, in which promiſe, what intereſt the Church hath, and every member thereof, the Authour to the Hebrews ſhevveth.
Let your converſation be without covetouſneſſe, and be content with ſuch things as you have, Heb. 13.5.for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee.
So that we may boldly ſay, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man ſhall do unto me.
For which gratious protection,1 Pet. 4.19 St. Peter willeth us to commit our ſouls to him in wel-doing, as to a faithfull Creatour, ſo called, ſaith Lyranus, quia ſecure conſervat, & gloriose coronat; non relinquit opus.
He not onelyonly buildeth, but ſtandeth to reparations.
2 For the miniſtry and ſubvention of Angels, the Pſalmiſt ſaith;Pſal. 91.11 12. He hath given his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy wayes. They ſhall bear thee up in their hands.
Are they not all miniſtring Spirits? ſent forth to miniſter for them, Heb. 1.14.who ſhall be heirs of Salvation?
The Church of God is called the Work of God, to honour God, for God is not ſo glorious in any thing that he hath wrought, as in his Church, for therein mercy and truth met together, righteouſneſſe and peace kiſſed each other, our election adoption is to the praiſe of the glory of his grace. Epheſ. 1.6 Iſ. 60.21.You heard himſelf ſay of his Church. The work of my hands, that I may be glorified. For God is more glorified in thoſe things, which he hath wrought by Jeſus Chriſt in our fleſh, and in thoſe things which he doth for his ſake, then in all the other works of his hands.
This will one day appear, it is revealed already in part to us, for whatſoever God did work ſine verbo incarnato, without the word incarnate, it all ſhall fail, and come to diſſolution, or to a worſe condition, that is, an eternall being in wo.
For example, the heavens and the eath ſhall all periſh, and new ſhall be made in their place, a nevv heaven, and a nevv earth, vvherein God vvill plant righteouſneſſe.
The Angels that fell, and the reprobate, ſhall ſuffer eternall flames.
What remains now but Angels and juſt men, the elect Angels and the holy Church of God; the one ſort elected in Chriſt, eſtabliſhed in bliſſe by Chriſt: the other redeemed by Chriſt, theſe are reſerved to glory, the juſt ſhall be as the Angels of God in heaven.
In this Church then God is moſt glorified.
The Church is called the Work of God, to give honour to it here on earth, for God would have the World knovv, that he owns his Church, and that they are a peculiar people, a choſen generation, a royall Prieſthood, that he delighteth in in them. And again, the faithfull delight in nothing, but what he hath vvrought in them and from them. So Auguſtine bringeth in the Church, ſaying;
Opus tuum in me Domine, vide, non meum nam meum ſi videris damnum, tuum ſi videris Coronas. Behold, thy work in mee, &c.
It is Davids glory, I am thine,
All things elſe have the ſame maker, that have any being, but the Church hath the honour of curious and coſtly vvork, all the reſt of the vvorks of God are not vvorth the coſt that he beſtovved in the vvhite vvaſhing of this vvork.
To turn this point into profit.
1 Seeing vve are the vvork of God in regard of election of grace, of creation and protection, this teacheth us to live godlily, righteouſly and ſoberly, in this preſent vvorld, and to keep our ſelves unſpotted of the vvorld.
1 For election,Epheſ. 1.4. He hath choſen us that we ſhould be holy, and without blame before him in love.
2 For creation,Ephe. 2.10. We are his workmanſhip created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, that we ſhould walk in them.
3 For all his other favours, as that we are a royall prieſthood, an holy nation, a purchaſed people, it is, that we ſhould ſhew forth the praiſes of him, 1 Pet. 2.9.who hath called us out of darkneſſe into his marvellous light.
Survey thy ſoul, peruſe thy vvhole converſation vvithout, ſearch thy heart vvithin, ſuffer not the Work of the Lord in thee to be defaced, and defouled vvith the uncleanneſſe of groſſe and foul ſins. If Satan have been too ſtrong for thee, that he holdeth thee captive, and bindeth thee, and maketh thee go vvhere thou vvouldeſt not, and do vvhat thou abhorreſt, yet declare it by thy reſiſting of him that he hath uſurped, thou haſt not yielded him poſſeſſion, let not ſin ſet up a ſtool of vvickedneſſe vvithin thee, let it not reign in thy mortall body.
Do thy Maker ſo much right, to preſerve and keep his vvork, as clean as thou canſt from the defiling of the vvorld.
2 Gather boldneſſe from this conſideration, to ſolicite God in prayers, for ſo it is uſed as an effectuall argument, Vivifica opus tuum, revive thy Work, as David, I am thine, O ſave.
So Solomon enforceth his ſuit to God for Iſrael, for thou didſt ſeperate them from all the people of the earth to be thine inheritance.
Therefore,1 Reg. 8.52, 53. he prayeth, that the eyes of God would be open to their ſupplications, and that he would hearken to them in all that they pray for.
2 In the petition that God vvould revive and quicken his Church, in the mean time, that is, during the affliction and vexation of it, vve are taught.
That afflictions and the withdrawing of the light of Gods countenance from his Church for a time,2 Doct. is ſuch a deading of it, that except it be quickened with ſome beams of grace and light, and have ſome lucida intervalla, it is a burthen more then they can bear.
Satan is a cunning Serpent, a roaring Lion, when he can get leave to aſſault, he putteth his whole ſtrength to it, as in the ſifting of Peter, and in the buffering of Paul, and in the afflicting of Job. If Peter, had not he had Chriſts ego oravi pro te, I have prayed for thee, and Paul had not heard his ſufficit tibi gratia mea, thy grace is ſufficient for me, and Job had not had the preſerver of men to friend, how had it gone with them?
And great reaſon there is for this, why the Church ſhould faint under the croſſe, if it were not ſtrongly ſupported by grace.
For there is no leſſon ſo hard for a child of God, to take out as to take up the croſſe of Chriſt, and to follow him, to ſuffer the ſmart of affliction with patience and thankſgiving.
For in the very regenerate man, the fleſh is both ſtrong and unruly, and nothing ſo contrary to the fleſh, as affliction and tribulation is.
Therefore doth God meaſure to his Children their portion and draught of this cup, becauſe he knowes whereof we be made.
So the Pſalmiſt ſaith,Pſal. 125.3. The rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt upon the lot of the righteous, leſt the righteous put forth their hand unto iniquity.
And for this St. Paul ſaith, God is faithfull, 1 Cor. 10.13.who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation alſo make away to eſcape that ye may be able to bear it.
Wherein note for comfort in tribulation.
1 That though Satan have no ſtay of his fury and malice in our temptations, yet God will not ſuffer us to be tempted further, than he thinks fit. For there is good uſe to be made of ſome temptations, as St. James ſaith, My brethren, Jam. 1.2.count it all joy, when you fall into divers temptations, he meaneth temptations of tryall, by which we do approve our faith and our patience, St. Peter ſaith.
That the triall of your faith being much more precious than gold that periſheth (though it be tried with fire) might be found unto praiſe, 1 Pet. 1.7.and honour, and glory, at the appearing of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
2 We ſee that all the elect children of God have a meaſure of ſtrength to bear temptation, and he that gave them their meaſure, and knoweth what it contains, will not ſuffer them to be tempted further then they are able.
Herein many miſtake themſelves, and think their ability to bear affliction, leſſe then it is, for indeed till God put us to it, we do not know how much we are able to ſuffer, and many great examples in Church ſtory we finde of thoſe Chriſtians, young men and aged, tender Virgines that have feared their own weakneſſe much, who have filled the catalogue of Gods confeſſours and martyrs with invincible conſtancy.
3 We ſee that when God openeth a way out of tribulation that the faithfull ſee an iſſue, though for the time the temptation be more then our ſtrength, yet the iſſue in-ſight, doth put mettle into us to bear it.
Howſoever, the fleſh will be more then a looker on in this conflict,Heb. 12.11 becauſe no chaſtning for the time ſeemeth to be joyous but grievous.
For many fears ariſe in the hearts of the afflicted, and Satan is ſtill ſuggeſting, that God hath forſaken him that is afflicted.
Eſpecially ſuch a great affliction as this that was now threatned to the Church, the ſword of the Chaldaeans, depopulation of their Cities and Towns, deſtruction of the temple, deportation into the land of their enemies, and ſeventy years captivity: this ſhaketh their faith in the promiſe of God made to his Church, and maketh them to doubt that God hath forgotten to be gratious, and will ſhew no more mercy.
Let us learne of the Prophet what uſe we muſt make of afflictions in this kind, even prayer: O Lord, revive thy work, let us comfort our ſelves in all tribulations that we are the work of Gods hand, and let us commend our ſelves to his fatherly love.
Prayer is fidelis nuncius, a faithfull meſſenger, we may diſpatch away this meſſenger from Babylon, from the Lions den, from the belly of the whale, from the fiery furnace of heaven, and it will do our errand to God faithfully and effectually.
It is St. Auguſtines comfort.In Pſal. 65. Cum videris non à te amotam deprecationem tuam, ſecurus eſto, quia non eſt amota miſrecordia ejus.
2 Petition. In the midſt of the years make known.
That is in the mean time, whilſt thy Church is in captivity, reveal to thē thy gratious purpoſe of reſtoring & avenging them.
The true comfort in afflictions groweth out of a right underſtanding of the will and purpoſe of God therein, that is, Doctr. that he beareth a conſtant love to his Church, however he puniſh them.
1 This maketh them able to bear affliction, Reaſ. 1 1 Cor. 10.13.when we ſee that God maketh a way to eſcape, as you heard from St. Paul.
And this is very cleer in this people, for God made known to them his purpoſe concerning their bondage in Aegypt, his vvill vvas thus revealed to Abraham. Gen. 15.13Know that thy ſeed of a ſurety ſhall be a ſtranger in a Land that is not theirs, and ſhall ſerve them, and they ſhall afflict them four hundred Years. And alſo that nation whom they ſhall ſerve, will I judg: Verſ. 14.and afterward ſhall they come out with great ſubſtance.
This, as St. Auguſtine vvell underſtandeth, doth include all the time that paſſed between the birth of Iſaac, and the entring of the people of Iſrael into the land of promiſe, during vvhichwhich time, they had no land of their ovvn, and in a diſ-junct reading, they vvere either ſtrangers, as during their firſt abode in Canaan, and after in Aegypt, or they ſerved, as after Joſephs death, and vvere afflicted.
Four hundred years are a long time, yet they ſavv an end of their travails, and afflictions, and they knevv that their poſterity ſhould have reſt at laſt, and they knevv that God vvould judg their oppreſſours, this made them able to bear the affliction.
Here is a picture dravvn to the life of a chriſtian mans life here on earth, for he muſt be a ſtranger and pilgrime here, and muſt ſerve and ſuffer before he can come to Jeruſalem, which is viſio pacis, the viſion of peace, before he can come to reſt from his labours.
This captivity in Babylon, was a great puniſhment to this people, but God made his vvill known to them, as the Prophet here teacheth them to pray, for he gave them vvarning of it long before,2 Reg. 20.17. but ſomwhat obſcurely, he came to a more cleer diſcovery of his purpoſe to Hezechiah. All ſhall be carried into Babylon, nothing ſhall be left. The Lord alſo by Jeremie his Prophet gave them warning of it.Jer. 16.13. I will caſt you out of this land, into a land that ye know not. He threateneth to ſend Fiſhers to fiſh them, compare that with Habakkuks prophecy. Thou makeſt them as the fiſhes of the Sea, Hab. 1.14.there you heard of their angle, net, and dragge.
Jeremy is yet more plain in this prediction.Jer. 20.6. I will deliver all the ſtrength of the city, and all the labours thereof, and all the pretious things thereof, Jer. 25.11.&c. to be carried into Babylon. But moſt fully begin at the 9 verſe. And this whole Land ſhall bee a Deſolation, Verſ. 12.and an Aſtoniſhment, and theſe Nations ſhall ſerve the King of Babylon 70 years. And it ſhall come to paſſe when 70 years are accompliſhed that I will puniſh the King of Babylon, Jer. 30.2.and that nation, ſaith the Lord.
There is ſome better news, ſic dicit Dominus; The days come, faith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Iſrael and Judah, ſaith the Lord, and I will cauſe them to returne to the land that I gave to their Fathers, and they ſhall poſſeſs it.
The miſeries that ſmart upon afflicted men do make them forget the comforts that ſhould heal their wounded ſpirits: David expreſſeth his vexation ſo: My ſoul refuſed comfort, therefore, O Lord, make it known. Make thy people ſenſible of that comfort, which thou haſt gratiouſly reſerved for them.
And indeed, the people were not quite out of heart, all the time that they lived in that captivity they ſtil remembred Jeruſalem, and thought upon Sion, and expected their deliverance.
But the diſperſion of the Jews that hath now continued almoſt 1600 years that hath laſted long, and the time of their reſtitution is not perticularly revealed, this maketh them hang the head, God in juſtice for the cruelty which they did execute upon his Son, would not let them know the time of their deliverance, as in their former afflictions he did, which, no doubt, is a great ſigne of Gods heavy indignation.
Seeing then that the knowledge of the will of God and his purpoſe revealed in his Word,1 Ʋſe. is ſo great a comfort in afflictions, we are taught to ſtudy and ſearch the Book of Gods Will, and therein to exerciſe our ſelves, for he is the ſame God that he was, and his wil is the ſame, the juſt have the ſame promiſes that they had, the unjuſt ſhall have the ſame judgments, hear read the Book of God, and apply it as thou goeſt, for there thou ſhalt have thy portion.
Labour for newneſſe of life, and that ſhall bring thee to the proof and tryal, to the diſcerning and experience of the will of God, as the Apoſtle ſaith, And be not conformed to the World, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, Rom. 12.2.that you may prove what is that good, that acceptable, and perfect will of God. For God will not reveale himſelf to the ungodly, but the ſecrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, and he will ſhew them his Covenant.
We muſt reſt in this wil of God, with a fiat voluntas tua, thy will be done, we muſt not reſiſt it, we muſt not murmure at it, we muſt not make haſte, but we muſt live by faith, and tarry the Lords leaſure and in the mean time, gather ſtrength from his promiſe, to eſtabliſh our hearts that they faint not, and fail us in our tribulations.
3 Petition. In wrath remember mercy.
The plea of the true Church in afflictions is mercy, Doct. 1 Reaſ. God taught us this himſelf, for when our firſt Parents had ſinned, they were afraid and aſhamed, and hid themſelves from God, there was no mercy yet revealed.
Hovv vvould they ſolicite God, Jeſus Chriſt vvas not yet known to them, therefore they fled from God, for there is no drawing neer to God, for ſinners without Chriſt, then God came and ſought out Adam, he arraigned the offenders, and finding the Serpent guilty of the temptation, he curſed him; and there he promiſed Chriſt.
When mercy was revealed to man, then he called the man firſt, and then the woman. And ever ſince, that mercy was made known to the Church, the true Church hath had no other plea but mercy.
There is miſericordia condonans, a pardoning mercy, he forgiveth all our iniquities, an article of faith, remiſſio peccatorum, remiſſion of ſins, there is miſericordia donans, a giving mercy, he giveth medicine to heal all our infirmities.
The Church knoweth that they have given God cauſe to be angry,2 Reaſ. they know that if his wrath be kindled but a little, he is a conſuming fire, and it is a fearfull thing to fall into his hands, they know that in his favour is life, and at his right hand there are pleaſures for evermore.
We have nothing to keep us from the anger to come but mercy.Lam. 3.22. Pſal. 51.1. It is of the Lords mercies, that we are not all conſumed, for his compaſſions fail not. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, according to thy loving kindneſſe, &c.
We have nothing to bring us again in favour with God, whom we provoke every day, but his mercy. But as for me I will come into thy houſe in the multitude of thy mercies.Pſal. 5.7.
The Church knoweth that God is more glorious in his mercy,3 Reaſ. then in all his other attributes, for his mercy is above all his works; the juſtice of God is againſt us, becauſe we are unrighteous: the wiſedom of God is againſt us, becauſe we have walked as fools, and not as wiſe men.
The holineſs of God is againſt us, becauſe we are unclean, conceived in ſin, and born in iniquity.
The truth of God is againſt us; for omnis homo mendax, every man is a lyer; The power of God is againſt us, becauſe we have forſaken him the fountain of living water, &c.
The Patience of God is againſt us, becauſe he is a God that loveth not iniquity, neither ſhall evill dwell vvith him; he hateth all thoſe that work wickedneſs.
OnelyOnly Mercy is our friend, that maketh Chriſt our juſtice, our wiſedom, our ſanctification and redemption; that maketh truth perform gratious promiſes, and his power becometh our protection, his patience our peace; Divitiae miſericordiae, riches of mercy.
This ſeemeth to excellent uſe;
1 To aſſure to us the favour of God,1 Ʋſe. becauſe it is built upon the foundation of Gods mercies, of which Dauid ſaith, The mercy of God endureth for ever, his mercy is euerlaſting.
The knowledge of ſalvation given by the remiſſion of our ſins is, Through the tender mercy of our God, Luk. 1.77, 78.whereby the day-ſpring from on high hath viſited us.
So that if God be angry with us for our ſin, yet his vvrath doth not burn like fire; but as he ſayd of Solomon, I will chaſten him with the rods of men, but my mercy will I not take utterly from him.
2 It ſeemeth to rebuke thoſe that put their truſt in humane merits, or works of the Law, they that come to God for wages, forſake their own mercy; nothing ſo contrary to Divine mercy, as humane condignity.
3 Becauſe here is anger and mercy together,2 Cor. 1.3. Na…u. 1 2. this killeth all preſumption, for he that is called The God of mercies, is called a jealous God, and a furious Avenger.
And the rods of men well laid on will ſmart, and draw bloud.
4 This inviteth to new life, becauſe, The goodneſs and mercy of God leadeth to repentance, and the Crown of it.Rom. 2.6.
5 Seing we have ſo much need of mercy our ſelvs, let us ſhew mercy unto others. Eſtote miſericordes, ut pater veſter coeleſtis, be ye mercifull, as your heavenly father; for there ſhall be judgement vvithout mercy to him that ſheweth no mercy
Chriſt abideth yet naked, and ſick and impriſoned, and hungry and thirſty, in our poor brethren, as his mercy embraceth us, ſo let our mercy embrace him, that he may ſay, eſurivi & paviſtis, I was hungry, and ye fed me.