Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verses 2, 3
Verſ. 2. And the Lord anſwered me, and ſaid, Write the viſion, and make it plaine upon Tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3. For the viſion is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lye: though it tarry, wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely come, it will not tarry.
HEre begins the ſecond part of the chapt. which contains the Lords anſwer to the Prophets expoſtulation. Containing,
1. A Direction to the Prophet, ver. 2, 3.
2. A Declaration of his holy will in the general adminiſtration of Juſtice.
1. Concerning the Direction given to the Prophet.
And the Lord anſwered me and ſaid] For the manner how God maintained intelligence with his holy Prophets, we are not very particularly informed; we find inſpiration, and revelation, and iſion mentioned; he that made the light that is in us, and gave us our underſtanding can beſt make his ways known to his holy ones; and as I do not think that Habakkuks conteſtation with God was verbal and vocal, but rather a wraſtling and ſtriving of his ſpirit and inward man: neither do I think this anſwer of God was audidle, preſented to the eare, but by ſome ſecret divine illumination ſuggeſted.
And where he ſaith, The Lord anſwered and ſaid.
Theſe phraſes do expreſſe ſo plain an anſwer, as is made in conference between man and man.
Write the viſion] That is, ſet down in writing my anſwer. It is our manner for the better preſervation of ſuch things as we would not forget, to ſet them down in writing.
But becauſe this requeſt of the Prophets doth concerne others that he may inform them, God addeth, Make it plain upon Tables that he may run that readeth it.
That is, write my anſwer in a Table in great Characters, that though a man be in haſte and run by, yet he may read as he runneth, ſhewing that he was deſirous to ſatisfie all ſuch as the Prophet ſpake of before, who ſhould argue againſt him.
As out manner is to fix publike Proclamations and Edicts on wals▪ or on Poſts in ways of common paſſage, that any Paſſenger may take notice thereof ſeeing it concerneth every one: to that the Lord alludeth in this place, giving the Prophet great charge for the declaration of his holy will in this great matter; ſo to expreſſe it, that every one of his People may receive information thereof, Vult aperta eſſe verba, & apertè ſcribi, ſaith St. Hierom.
For the viſion is yet for an appointed time]
The time is not yet fulfilled for the execution of the Will of God; but it is in the holy wiſedome and purpoſe of God determined when it ſhall be fulfilled.
At the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lie] That is, in the time prefixed by Almighty God it ſhall take effect, and the counſel and decree of God ſhall be executed: For God that hath promiſed cannot lie.
The anſwer of God is full as it after will appear, and doth not only clear the Iuſtice of God in the preſent cauſe of the oppreſſed Iews againſt the Chaldaeans, but it maketh a further and more general overture of Gods decree, againſt all unrighteouſneſſe and ungodlineſſe of men, ſo that this Prophecy ſhall not only comfort that Church and thoſe times, but it is directed to the perpetual uſe of the Church in all the ages thereof. He therefore addeth, Though it tarry wait for it, do not think by any importunity to draw down the judgements of God upon the ungodly, or to haſten the deliverance of the Church; God doth all things tempore ſuo in his time, and the ſervants of God muſt tarry his leaſure.
Becauſe it will ſurely come it will not tarry] He giveth aſſurance of the complement of his Will in the proper and preſtitute ſeaſon thereof, which nothing ſhall then hinder.
The parts of this text, containing Gods direction given to his holy Prophet, are three.
1. The care that God takes for the publiſhing of his Wil to the Church, verſ. 2.
2. The aſſurance that he gives of the performance thereof in the time by him appointed;
3. The patient expectation which he commands for the performance thereof.
1. The law that he takes for publiſhing it.
The Prophet muſt not only hear God ſpeak, the Seer muſt not only behold the viſion, but he muſt write the ſame: litera ſcripta manet, the written letter abideth.
I will not ſtand to ſearch how ancient writing is, wherein ſome have loſt time and labour.
I know that many do make God the firſt immediate Author of it, and do affirm that the firſt Scripture that ever was, was Gods writing of the law in two Tables, Exod. 32.
But becauſe I find in Exod. 24 that Moſes wrote all the word of the Lord, Ʋſe 4 and Joſephus doth report a tradition of the Hebrews for writing and graving before the flood; I hold it probable that both Scripture and Sculpture are as ancient as the old world.
I will not queſtion Joſephus his Record of the two pillars, erected before the flood, engraven for the uſe of poſterity, with ſome memorable things to continue in ſucceeding ages, whereof one remained in Syria in his own time.
It is frequent in Scripture to expreſſe a perpetuity of record by writing. In the caſe of Amalek,
Write this for a memorial in a book.Ex. 17.14.
Iob. O that my words were now written, that they were printed in a book,Job. 19 23
Graven with an iron pen, Verſ. 24.in lead and in the ink for ever!
Iſay the Prophet. I heard a voice from heaven, ſaying to me write, all fleſh is graſſe.
Ioh. Audivi vocem dicentem, Beati mortui. I heard a voice from heaven ſaying, Bleſſed are the dead.
Beloved thus have we the light that ſhineth upon the Church, and guideth our feet in the ways of peace by writing; for all Scripture is given by inſpiration: holy men wrote as they were inſpired.
It was given to them by inſpiration to know the will of God, they impart it to the Church of God by writing, and that boundeth and limiteth us, foreign.
Thus hath God revealed himſelf to his Church,1. Cor, 4.6. both ſufficiently, that we need no more knowledge for eternal life, then what is contained in Scripture, and ſo clearly that the word giveth underſtanding to the ſimple.
And as this word from the immediate mouth of God, doth warrant this particular prophecy, ſo doth the Apoſtle ſay of all the body of Canonical Scripture, that all Scripture is given by inſpiration: and Gods care is double.
1. That it be written to continue.
2. That it be written plain to be read.
1. It muſt be written that it may remain.1. Written For in the old world, becauſe of the long life of the fathers, the oracles of God were committed to them, without any mention of writing, becauſe they were both wiſe and faithful in the cuſtody and tranſmiſſion of them; For Adam himſelf living nine hundred and thirty years to teach his children; had under his teaching.
Seth, Enoſh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Iarod, Henoch, Methuſalah, and Lamech the father of Noah.
And Noah lived with Abraham 57 years.
But after the flood when the Church in the poſterity of Iacob encreaſed, and no doubt had many corruptions by dwelling in Aegypt; then was Moſes appointed both to be the deliverer of the People of Iſrael from Aegypt, and to be the Penman of God, to write thoſe things which God would have to remain in the Church for all ſucceeding times, and after him ſucceſſively holy men wrote as they were inſpired.
And a better Argument we cannot give for the danger of unwritten traditions, which the Church of Rome doth ſo much commend even above Scripture, then this.
God ſaw that men had corrupted their ways, and he found the imaginations of mens hearts only evil continually, and that the Church was a very few: therefore he ſtirred up Noah to be a Preacher of righteouſneſſe in whom the light of truth was preſerved; he deſtroyed the old ſinful world, and by Noah and Sem; he began a new Church to the reſtored world.
Yet after Noahs death the worſhip of ſtrange gods were brought in; ſo that to heal this grief, and to prevent the danger of traditions, God cauſed the Word to be written by holy men, for the perpetual uſe of his Church, whoſe books were faithfully preſerved in all ages thereof.
Then came the Sonne of God, and he left his ſpirit in the Church, to lead the Church into all truth, by which ſpirit the New Teſtament was endited and written.
So that now all things neceſſary to ſalvation are ſo clearly revealed, that traditions of men have no neceſſary uſe in the Church, in the ſubſtance of true Religion: for that which is written is ſufficient.
The Church of Rome denieth the ſufficiency of Scripture. Many of their great learned men write both baſely and blaſphemouſly thereof.
But they are not agreed upon the point: for.
Scotus, Gerſon, Oecam. Cameracenſis, Waldenſis, Vincentius Lerinenſis, do all confeſſe what we teach of the ſufficiency of Scripture, as the learned Deane of Gloceſter, Dr. Field l. 3. de Eccoleſ, c. 7. hath fairly cited them.
And Dr. White in his way of the Church, addeth Tho. Aquinas, Antoninus Arch-biſhop of Florence, Durandus Alliaco a Cardinal, Conradus Clingius.
Pereſius Divinity Reader at Barcilena in Spain, and Cardinal Bellarmine: Of whom Poſſevinus writeth, that he is one of the two that have won the Garland. De verbo Dei l. 1. c. 2.
Sacra Scriptura regulae credendi certiſſima & tutiſſima est: Per corporales literas quas cerneremus & legeremus, erudire not voluit Deus.
Writing againſt Swenck field and the Libertines; this is a legal witneſſe. Pro Orthodoxo heretici teſtimonium valeat.
I know to whom I ſpeak, and therefore I forbear the Polemical bands of arguments to and fro upon this queſtion, which in print and in Engliſh is ſo fully and learnedly debated.
Our leſſon is, ſeeing Gods care of his Church, for the inſtruction thereof is here expreſt, in commanding his revealed will to be written, that
God would have his Church to be taught his ways in all the ages thereof. Doct.
1. Becauſe the ways of God, Reaſ. 1 and the ſaving health of God cannot be parted; none can have the ſaving health of God without the knowledge of his ways, no ignorant man can be ſaved: it is ſaid of Chriſt,
By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, Iſa. 53.11.per ſcientiam, qua ſcitur.
Therefore Davids Prayer is, That thy way may be known upon earth, thy ſaving health among all nations.
2. Becauſe the promiſe of God doth run in ſemine, Reaſ. 2 in the ſeed;
I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed. Our children are the Lords inheritance: his care extendeth ſo farre.
That yee may live, Deut. 5.33and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days. But that is not all.
That it may be well with them and their children for ever.Verſ. 29.
3. For his own ſake, Reaſ. 3 that his Wiſdome, Power and Iuſtice may be known to men, that they may be able to plead the cauſe of God againſt ſuch as either ignorantly through unbelief, or maliciouſly and blaſphemouſly ſhall diſpute and argue againſt God, for therefore God doth condeſcend to this Apology of himſelf, that he may inſtruct his Church how to plead the cauſe of his Iuſtice againſt all ſtrife of tongues, that the name of God be not evil-ſpoken of.
To make profit of this point. Ʋſe. 2
1. Herein let us conſider what the Lord hath done for our ſouls; for he hath given us two means to communicate to us his holy will, hearing and reading; and he hath uſed to this purpoſe both the voice and the pen of holy men; for he ſpake by the mouth of all the holy Prophets ſince the world began, and holy men wrote as his ſpirit directed them.
Let him that hath ears to heare, heare quid Spiritus,Pſ. 34.16. Mat. 24.15. and ſeek yee out the book of the Lord and read: but then adde this caution; Who ſo readeth let him underſtand. It was Philips queſtion, ſed intelligis quod legis?
Seeing God hath written to us, Ʋſe 2 and the whole body of holy Scripture may well be called Gods Epiſtle or Letter to his Church, let us beſtow the reading of Gods letter. St. Augnſtiue ſaith.
Quae de illa Civitate unde peregrinamur venerunt nobis literae, ipſae ſunt Scripturae.
It was St. Gregories complaint of Theodorus, In Pſ. 90.2that he was ſo over-buſied with ſecular cares.Regiſt. 4.84.
Et quotidie legere negligit verba redemptoris ſui; quid eſt autem Scriptura ſacra, niſi quaedam epistola Omnipotentis dei, ad venturam ſuam.
It is a queſtion in our times whether printing hath done more hurt or good; for Satan finding this a means to keep things alive in the world, hath employed the Preſſe in all ſorts of hereſies, in all ſorts of idle and laſcivious, falſe and dicterious, ſlanderous and biaſphemous books.
The remedy is to refrain ſuch readings, and as Dr. Reynold tels Hart his adverſary, that he hath no book allowed him to read but the Bible.
It is likely then that he is perfect in that book, and that Phyſitians do well when they find their Patient ſurfeited with too much variety of meat: to confine him to ſome one wholeſome dyet.
So ſhall we do well to limit our ſelves to the reading of Gods letter, and know his mind; for he is wiſeſt, and the wiſedome that we ſhall gather from thence is wiſedome from above, it is able to make us wiſe unto ſalvation, as the Apoſtle ſaith.
3. Seeing God teacheth us by Scripture, Ʋſe. 3 we muſt learne to carry a reverent opinion of Gods written Word, and to eſteem it as Gods great love to his Church, and as the means ordained by him to bring us all to him. Therefore David ſaith in one Pſalme,
In God will I praiſe his Word, Pſ. 56.4.verſ. 10. twice. He had reaſon for it: For thy Word hath quickened me.
This word is now written;Pſ. 119.50. and whatſoever things are written, they are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures,Rom. 15.4. might have hope.
It was Chriſts ſhield by which he bore off the firy darts of Satan diſcharged againſt him in the wilderneſſe, Scriptum eſt, it is written; they that know not the Scriptures know not the Power of God: this is a ſure word, becauſe it is upon record from the Spirit of God, the charter of our heavenly inheritance.
2. It muſt be written plain, ſo that not only he that comes of purpoſe may read it, but even he that comes along by it may read it as he goes.
When we come to examine this writing, we ſhall finde it to contain the ſumme and abridgment of the whole Bible, and all that is written may be referred to it.
From this no man may be excluded, none forbidden to read it, it muſt be ſet forth to publike view, & put into the common eye.
This ſheweth us that are the Miniſters of the Word what our work is, Doct. to write the Word of God in a faire and legible hand, in great characters, that is, to open to the Church of God the whole counſel of God.
Reaſ. 1 1. Becauſe this is the Lanthorne to mens feet, and faith cometh by hearing and underſtanding this; and this is the office of our miniſtry; none can be ſaved but by our Miniſtry; for this we have the great title of Saviours given us in holy Scripture.
And ſeeing the Apoſtle ſaith, God would have all men to be ſaved, and come to the knowledge of his truth; that is, ſaved by coming to that knowledge: we muſt be faithful, we muſt hide none of this light from men.
Chriſt gave a full Commiſſion to his Apoſtles, go ye into all the world, preach ye to every creature.
Saint Paul ſaith, woe is me if I preach not.
2. Becauſe there is a natural blindneſſe in man, Reaſ. 2 and the god of this world by outward temptations, & our-own inward cotruptions do caſt ſo thick a miſt of darkneſſe before our underſtandings, that the natural man doth not well diſcerne thoſe things which are of God; therefore as decaied ſight is helped by a faire and great letter; ſo by our eaſie and familiar handling of the holy Scriptures, we muſt labour to help the weak underſtandings of the ignorant.
3. We muſt conſider the true end why God gave his word, Reaſ. 3 both ſpoken and written in Scriptures.
The word was given to profit with all, for ſo ſaith God;Iſ. 55.10. as the raine cometh down, and the ſnow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth, and bud, &c.
So ſhall my word be that goeth forth from my mouth, Verſ. 11.it ſhall not returne unto me void.
It doth no good on ſtony ground, where it is not received in, nor where it is kept off from falling upon any ground.
It muſt be our care to ſee that the ſeed be good, and fit for the ground where it is ſown, that it may come up again in fruit.
And becauſe ſome have weak eyes, we muſt write very plaine characters; and becauſe ſome have runing and gadding wits, we muſt write ſo as they that run may read.
This teacheth the miniſter to have a ſpecial regard of his audience that they may profit by his miniſtry; Ʋſe. 1 for we are Embaſſadours from God to man, let us deliver our meſſage ſo as man may know what the good and perfect will of God is.
Words thus ſpoken do more good as the Apoſtle ſaith in the Church then 100 ſpoken in ſtrange tongues.
Saint Bernard ſaith, that it is better apta then alta ſapere. Chriſt our Maſter that ſet us awork, and whoſe foreign we are, told his Diſciples Multa habeo vobis dicere, Iob. 16.12ſed nunc non poteſtis portare, I have many things to ſay,Ezech. 47 3, 4 &c. but you cannot bear them now. It muſt be our diſcretion to let our preachings run like the waters in Ezekiel, which were at firſt going into them up to the ancles, then to the knees, then they roſe up to the loynes, then they grew fit only for good ſwimmers.
And it muſt be your diſcretion that are hearers of our preachings, to remember your own meaſure, and Chriſts rule, qui poteſt capere capiat; let no man foreign be over-wiſe, nor exerciſe himſelf in things too high for him; let not ſuch as be meer waders adventure to ſwim in deeps, but content themſelves in thoſe ſholes where they may have ſure footing, till God the giver of wiſdome do reveale more to them.
They preach moſt profitably to a mixt auditory conſiſting off ſeveral ſcantings of underſtanding, who ſerve them all as Joſephs brethren were ſerved in Pharaohs houſe,
The eldeſt according to his age, Gen. 43.33.and the youngeſt according to his youth.
That the weakeſt underſtanding may gain ſome light, the weak underſtanding may gain more light; the good underſtanding may better it ſelf, and the beſt may not think the time loſt. To make rough things plaine, and to write in a full hand and a legible character.
This is Gods own manner of teaching,Iſa. 48.17. as he ſaith, I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou ſhouldeſt go. 1 Cor. 7.53.And Saint Paul ſaith, This I ſpeak unto you for your own profit.
2. Ʋſe. 2 Seeing God would have his word ſo fair written, that he that runneth might read, we are taught the power and efficacie of the word plainly delivered; they that run and have ſomething elſe to do and think on, yet cannot eſcape the power of this word, they ſhall read this writing although it be in tranſitu, in paſſing by.
Belſhazzar was a runner, for being amongſt his cups, and drinking in the veſſels of Gods houſe amongſt his Princes and Concubines, and praiſing his own Idol-gods, he ſaw an handwriting upon the wall, it was ſo fairly written, that he could not but read it; and it was ſo full of terror, that though he had all the means to move delight before him,Dan. 5.6 yet The Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, ſo that the joynts of his loynes were looſed, and his knees ſmote one againſt another.
The meſſengers whom the Chief Prieſts ſent to entangle Chriſt in his words, were runners; they came with purpoſe to do Chriſt wrong, but his preaching was like a table ſo fairly written, that they could not but read; and they returned, ſaying, Never man spake like that man.
If they that run from the word may be taken thus with a glance upon it, you may ſoone conceive what effect it may work in thoſe that run to it, that are ſwift to hear, that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe; If they that hear or read the word immediately, aliud agentes, may perceive the mind of the Lord by the plain opening thereof: much more they that come of purpoſe and run to it, that come with appetite and deſire after it, with delight in it, with purpoſe to profit by it, and with due Preparation of the heart by earneſt Prayer, for the holy bleſſing of God upon the Miniſtry, and hearing of it; therefore quid Scriptum eſt? quomodo legis? what is written? how readeſt thou?
2. The aſſurance that he gives of the performance of his purpoſe in due time.
The Viſion is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lie. Next verſe.
It will ſurely come, it will not tarry.
This is Rhetorically ſet down; For
1. Here is veritas decreti, the truth of the decree: The Viſion is yet for an appointed time.
2. Here is veritas verbi, the truth of the word: it ſhall ſpeak, it ſhall not lye.
3. Here is veritas facti, the truth of the deed: It will ſurely come, it will not tarry.
1. Decretum, the Decree.
The Viſion is here put for the thing ſeen, as you have heard, and that is the declaration of Gods juſt judgment in the cauſe of his Church againſt the Chaldaeans; for he ſaith the time is appointed, meaning in his own holy and fixt decree which is unchangeable.
2. Verbum, the Word.
God will ſpeak his minde by this Viſion, and declare what he intendeth againſt the Chaldeans, and therein he will deal truely and faithfully; for he is truth, he cannot lye.
For theſe be two Premiſes or Antecedents to one concluſion, for we may conclude both wayes.
1. The Decree of God is paſt: Ergo veniet, non tardabit, he ſhall come, he will not tarrie.
2. The Word of God is paſt: Ergo.
From thence we are taught, Doctr.
That whatſoever God hath decreed or ſpoken, ſhall certainly take effect in the appointed time.
The holy word of Scripture confirmeth this: Indeed who ſhould alter Gods decrees? for he himſelf will not, I may ſay truly he cannot change them; for the Apoſtle ſaith, he worketh all things after the councell of his will.Eph. 1.11.
And the Will of God is himſelf.
And he cannot deny him ſelf.2 Tim. 2.13
Neither can he repent, as Samuel told Saul,
The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lye nor repent, 1 Sam. 15.29.for he is not a man that he ſhould repent.
And if God himſelf be without variableneſſe and ſhadow of change, his Will being eſtabliſhed by his counſell and wiſdom, we may be ſure that there is no power beneath him that can ſwerve him from his own ways: for the wiſeman ſaith;
There is no wiſdom nor underſtanding, Pro. 21.30nor counſell againſt the LORD.
One reaſon may ſerve of this Doctrine.
God is equall, infinite in his wiſdom, juſtice and merciemercy; to conceive him infinite in power to do whatſoever he will, and not infinite in wiſdom to decree whatſoever he will do, were to make him a Tyrant, not a King; but David ſaith; The Lord is King, and we do aſcribe it to him, Tuum eſt regnum & potentia, thine is the Kingdom and power: for power without equall proportion of wiſdom, muſt needs degenerate into cruelty.
This wiſdom foreſeeth all things that ſhall be, this wiſdom decreeth all things that he will do, which his power after in the times appointed, doth performe, and bring to act.
Againſt this Doctrine is Objected. Object.
1. Why then do ſo many texts of Scripture tell us that God repenteth.
Sometimes he repenteth of the good that he hath done: for to make man upon the earth was a good work, yet it is ſaid
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, Gen. 6 6.and it greived him at his heart.
So to make Saul King over Iſrael was a good work, for it was his own choiſe, yet himſelf ſaith, It repenteth me that I have ſet up Saul to be King.1 Sam. 15.11.
Sometime God is ſaid to repent of the evil that he hath done; malum poenae, the evil of puniſhment is there to be underſtood. So after the great plague when David had made a fault in numbring the people,
When the Angel ſtretched out his hand upon Jeruſalem to deſtroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil,2 Sam. 24.16. and ſaid to the Angel, It is enough, ſtay thy hand.
And concerning his Word, we have frequent examples in Scripture of events contrary to the letter of his Word. For example,
His word was to Hezekiah by Iſaiah, ſet thy houſe in order, for thou ſhalt dye, non vives.
Yet Hezekiah did live 15 years after that; his word was to Nineveh by Jonah, 40 days and Niniveh ſhall be deſtroyed; yet yet it fel not out ſo, and the ſtory ſaith, God repented of the evil that he had ſaid that he would do to them.Joh. 3.10.
To all we anſwer.Sol.
1. That the Will of God, that is, his counſell decreeing what he will do, is conſtantly the ſame and unchangeable, as we have taught.
2. Where it is in Scripture charged upon God that he doth repent, we ſay with Chryſoſt. it is verbum parvitati noſtrae accommodatum, a word accommodated to our weakneſſe.Hom. 22. in Gen.
For we are ſaid to repent when we change our mindes; now the God of wiſdom and power never changeth his minde, but ſometimes he doth change his operations; there is not mutatio mentis, but mutatio dextrae Excleſi, as St. Aug. Paenitudo dei est mutandorum immutabilis ratio; by which he without changing of his own decree, maketh alterations in the diſpoſition of things mutable.
This for want of underſtanding in us to comprehend the ways of God, is called repentance and greif in God: but as Aug. ſaith,
Non eſt perturbatio, ſed judicium quo irrogatur poena; as Saint Paul. I ſpeak after the manner of men, becauſe of the infirmity of your fleſh.
3. I approve that received diſtinction of the Will of God.
1. Voluntas ſigni, of the Signe.
2. Voluntas beneplaciti, of his good Pleaſure.
1. God doth reveal his ways to the ſons of men, and ſheweth them what he would have them do, and openeth to them the knowledge, and tendereth to them the uſe of fit means to performe that which he would have them, and ſo it is ſaid he would have all men to be ſaved, and to come to the knowledge of his Truth.
According to this revealed Will of God, he doth offer mercy to all, and he doth withall threaten judgment to ſuch as forſake their own mercy, as Jonah ſaith.
And when he ſeeth cauſe to call in either his mercy from them that abuſe it, or to ſtop the courſe of his juſtice to them whom correction doth amend, then we ſay he repenteth him of that which he hath either promiſed or threatned: for clearing whereof underſtand.
That God never changeth in promiſe, or in threatning▪ but only in things concerning this life; as in all the examples repeated, all thoſe promiſes and threatnings be uſed as motives to induce obedience, and therefore they are not abſolute but conditionall.
For it is no good argument to perſwade a man to be Religions, and to fear God, abſtaining from all the pleaſing delights of the world, to promiſe him his hearts deſire, if he know that that promiſe doth bind God, that whatſoever he do, he ſhall be partaker of the promiſe.
And it is no inducement to diſſwade ſin by the commination of judgment, if the judgment muſt of neceſſity be inflicted.
Therefore this revealed Will of God is conditionall, and hath reference to our obedience, and faith, and good life, and uſe of the means ordained by God and tendered to us.
This is the rule of life, and by this Will is the Church of God governed; for by this he doth reveal himſelf, both in his word, and in his permiſſions, and in his operations.
1. God ſignifieth his Will by his Word; for that doth declare in precepts, prohibitions and examples, what God would have to be done, what not to be done; it revealeth both rewards and puniſhments; and it uſeth both promiſes, and threatnings.
2. God ſignifieth his Will by permiſſions, becauſe he declareth thereby, that what he ſuffereth to be done that he willeth to be effected.
3. By operations; for what God doth, he doth according to his Will.
2. Voluntas beneplaciti, is the ſecret Will of God reſerved in himſelf, in wi…ch
1. There is conſilium, the wiſdom of God foreſeeing what is to be done,
2. There is decretum determining it; and herein the counſell of God is not the rule of his Will; for there is nothing in God above his Will: but wiling all things to be thus as he hath decreed, he foreſeeth in wiſdom what he willeth; and therefore the rule is not with God,
This is good, therefore I decree it; but this I decree, therefore it is good.
Now ſometimes there ſeems to be an oppoſition between theſe two Wils of God, which is thus reconciled.
The Will of God is revealed to man
1. Either for neceſſary and abſolute obedience, as in the whole morall Law of God.
2. For probation and tryall; as in the commandment given to Abraham to offer up Iſaak, wherein God concealed his ſecret Will which was to preſerve Iſaak: and concealed the purpoſe of his commandments which was to try the ſaith of Abraham.
So on the contrary; he ſent to Pharaoh commanding him to let Iſrael go, yet it was not his ſecret will that Iſrael ſhould go yet: but the commandment was given to convince Pharaoh of hardneſle of heart; and as in Abraham the commandment did cauſe him to declare his faith; ſo in Pharaoh did it convince him of rebellion to the Will of God.
So all our preaching, wherein we perſwade repentance and promiſe life eternal, it ſerveth to direct all that look for ſalvation in the way of life: and it ſerveth to convince the world of unrighteouſneſſe if they obey not.
The anſwer then is, that whatſoever God willeth and decreeth voluntate beneplaciti, by the will of good pleaſure doth take effect: What God willeth voluntate ſigni by the Will ſignified, not always.
Reply. How then ſhall I know what to do, ſeeing the ſignifying Will of God is my rule, and that ſeemeth uncertain, and not agreeable to the ſecret Will of Gods good pleaſure?
Sol. Do as Abraham did; prepare to offer thy ſon; do as thou art commanded, leave the event and the diſpoſition of thy obedience to God, who wil further reveale himſelfe unto thee.
Do as Hezechiah did, ſet thine houſe in order, yet uſe the means by repentance and Prayer to prolong thy life.
Do as the Ninivites did, faſt and repent, and call upon. the name of the Lord, and try him, as the Prophet ſaith, Whether h… will ſhew thee mercy or not.
But to bring this home to my text, when God pronounceth the Decree of Judgement againſt the enemies of the Church, and promiſe…h mercy to his Church, believe him in both; for neither can Gods enemies repent to change the courſe of his Iuſtice, neither can his Church ſinne unto death, that he ſhould take his mercy utterly from it.
So then the Argument holdeth ſtrong, God hath ſaid and decreed what he wil do againſt theſe Chaldaeans, what for his Church; therefore it ſhall come to paſſe.
Queſt. But if this be true, Queſt. what need then is there of Prayer? doth it not argue in us a kind of diſtruſt in the favour of God, when we do not take his word, but are ſtill importunate to ſollicite his favour?
To this our anſwer is, that this cannot diſcourage Prayer, becauſe the decree is paſt and unchangable; this is the proper foundation of Prayer; for the Apoſtle ſaith;
And this is the confidence that we have in him, 1 John 5.14.that if we ask any thing according to his Will, he heareth us.
So that it is a neceſſary knowledge before we undertake to pray, to know what is that good, that acceptable and perfect Will of God.
For we not only loſe our labour, but we do alſo offend God, if we ask any thing againſt or beſide his Will: therefore that we might not run into the errour of the ſons of Zebedee, Neſcitis quid petatis, you know not what you ſhould ask, Our Saviour hath ſet down a forme of Prayer ſo abſolute, as that we cannot juſtifie the asking of any thing according to the Will of God that hath not reference to one of thoſe petitions.
Reply. If then we prevail in our Prayers, Object. why do we commend Prayer, ſeeing all events do follow Gods will and decree, and not our Prayers?
Our anſwer is, that though the ſupreme agent in all operations be the Will of God, Anſw. yet the hand of operation in many things is prayer, which God hath ordained and commanded as a means to draw forth his Will to execution.
So God giveth every good gift: yet we are without any wrong to God thankful to men, by whoſe means any good cometh to us.
So that the doctrine doth remain firm; Whatſoever God hath promiſed to his Church, or threatned the perverſe enemies therof, that he will ſurely perform; for the decrees and the word of God are unchangable.
Queſt. But when God threatneth me puniſhment, and denounceth judgement againſt me; how ſhall I know whether it be voluntas ſigni, or bene placiti? is there not an hope left me, that God may repent him of the evil that he threatned?
It is a note of the evil conſcience to feare where no fear is, …e, where there is no cauſe of fear; an elect man fearing judgement threatned which ſhall not come near him, feareth where no cauſe is of fear.
Sol. To this I anſwer; let not us diſpute the Will of God, or ſearch beyond that which is revealed; if God have revealed his Will to us, that muſt be our guide.
That revealed will hath threatned nothing in us but ſin, and ſin carrieth two rods about it, ſhame and feare.
There be two things in a regenerate Elect man.
1. A Conſcience of his ſin.
2. Faith in the promiſes of God through Chriſt.
So long as we do live, we do carry about us Corpus peccati the body of ſin; and as that doth ſhake and weaken faith, ſo doth it confirme and ſtrengthen fear.
1. We are taught from hence to believe the Word of God; Ʋſe 1 the Apoſtle ſaith, He is faithful that hath promiſed.
The faithful ſervants of God have this promiſe, I will not leave thee nor forſake thee; David believes him, in convalle umbr aemortis non timebo, in the valley of the ſhadow of death I will not fear. Job believes him, Though he kill me I will truſt in him. David believes verily when he ſmarts, I ſhall ſee the goodneſſe of God in the land of the living.
It is a ſweet content of the inward man, when the conſcience pleads not guilty to the love of ſin, though our infirmities miſcarry us often, that we may ſay with Nehemiah, Remember me O Lord concerning this, and blot not out the loving kindneſſe that I ſhewed to thy houſe and to the officers thereof; Neh. 13.14.and with Ezekiah, Remember Lord now I beſeech thee how I have walked before thee in truth, Iſ. 38.3.and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy ſight. But it followeth,
And Hezekiah wept ſore. If he were ſo good a man why did he weep? if not ſo good, why did he boaſt?
Surely we carry all our good amongſt a multitude of infirmities and therefore we cannot rejoyce in our own integrity with a perfect and full joy; yet is it a ſweet repoſe to the heart, when God giveth us peace of conſcience from the dominion of ſin.
So on the other ſide believe God threatning impenitent ſinners with his judgments; for he is wiſe to ſee the ſins of the ungodly; he is holy to hate them, he is juſt to judge them, and he is Omnipotent to puniſh them.
Let me give one inſtance.
The third Commandment in the firſt Table of the law ſaith, Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; what needs any more?
1. Put theſe two one againſt another
Thou.
The Lord thy God.
2. Conſider what the law concerns, Gods name, wherein ſtandeth
His glory.
Our help.
3. What is forbidden, taking it in vaine, and we pray, Sanctificetur, let it be hallowed.
But where all this will not ſerve; yet this is murus ahenus, a brazen wall, one would think; God doth make yet another fence about his name, an hedge of thornes. The Lord will not hold him guiltleſſe that taketh his name in vaine.
The Lawes of God be unreverſible decrees; heaven and earth ſhall paſſe, ere one of theſe words ſhall ſink or loſe ſtrength.
Yet the blaſphemer feareth nothing; that is a crying ſinne in this land; not the houſes only, the ſtreets and high wayes reſound the diſhonour of Gods name; this ſin is grown incorrigible.
The Land mourneth becauſe of oaths.
Hoc dicunt omnes ante Alpha & Beta puellae. And beleeve God who cannot lye, He will not hold him guiltleſſe that taketh his name in vain.
Thus we may make uſe of this doctrine, to reſtraine, if not overcome, and to deſtroy the dominion, if not the being of ſinne in us.
2. For the better rectifying of our judgments, and reformation of our lives, Ʋſe 2 let us obſerve the conſonancy of Gods practice in the world, with the truth of his word; he hath declared himſelf an hater of evill, and do we not ſee daily examples of his judgements upon wicked men, how ill they proſper in their eſtates, what ſhame and diſgrace and loſſe of all that they have unrighteouſly gotten cometh upon them; how their poſterity ſmarteth, according to that threatning in the ſecond Commandment, God bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and viſiting it to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him; that we may ſay, Let him that thinketh he ſtandeth, take heed leſt he fall. Whence cometh all this, but from the conſtant truth of Gods unreverſible decrees, becauſe the word is gone out of his mouth? and though the ungodly do not beleeve it though it be told them.
Verily there is a reward for the righteous, doubtleſſe there is a God that judgeth in the earth.
We may ſay of our times as Hecuba did of hers,
Non unquam tulit documenta fors majora quàm fragili loco ſtarent ſuperbi: for
We live in the ſchoole of diſcipline, and the rod of correction is not only ſhewed, but uſed with a ſtrong hand, that all men may fear to be unrighteous; we have not only Vigorem verborum, the vigor of words, chiding ſin in our miniſtry of the word, but rigorem verberum, the rigor of ſtripes, in the adminiſtration of juſtice; never did any age bring both fuller examples of terror, then we have heard with our ears, and ſeen with our eyes; for the wiſdome of Gods decrees and the word of Gods truth is juſtified in our ſight; therefore ſeeing ſentence executed upon evil works, let the hearts of the ſons of men be wholly ſet in them to do evil.
3. Let us conſider the vaine confidence of the ungodly, Ʋſe. 3 and compare it with the conſtant truth of the decrees and word of God; Iſay expreſſeth it fully.
Ye have ſaid we have made a Covenant with death, Iſa. 28.15.and with hell are we at agreement; when the over-flowing ſcourge ſhall paſſe through, it ſhall not come to us; for we have made lyes our refuge, and under falſehood have we hid our ſelves.
They are anſwered and confounded.
The bed is ſhorter then a man can stretch himſelf on it, Verſ. 20.and the covering narrower then he can wrap himſelf in it.
He that is to lodge ſo uneaſily, cannot ſay I will lay me downe in peace and take my reſt.
The Chaldeans invade the Church, they kill, and take poſſeſſion, and divide the prey, they oppoſe better and more righteous men then themſelves; their truſt is in their ſtrength, and riches, and power, Nec leves metuunt Deos.
What care they who weeps, ſo they laugh; or who bleeds, ſo they ſleep in a whole skin; who dies, ſo they live. They trust in lying vanities.
Solomon ſaith.Eccl. 8.12. Though a ſinner do evill an hundred times, and his dayes his prolonged, yet ſurely I know it ſhall be well with them that feare God, Verſ. 13.which feare before him: But it ſhall not be well with the wicked, neither ſhall he prolong his dayes which are a ſhadow, becauſe he feareth not before God.
God hath made an Act againſt them, their judgment is ſealed, they have nothing but vanity and lyes to ſupport their ſtaggering and reeling eſtate of temporal felicity; God is not in all their wayes, nor the direction of God to manage them, and therefore not the protection of God to defend them; he leads them into temptation, but he doth not deliver them from evill.
But God is a Rock for foundation, and a Caſtle for defence to all ſuch as put their truſt in him.
3. The patient expectation which he requireth in the Prophet for the peformance of this promiſe;
Though it tarry, wait for it.
We muſt not not think long to tarry the Lords leaſure; Doctr. it is the Prophets rule, He that beleeveth ſhall not make haſte; Iſa. 28.16. Pſ. 37.34.and it is Davids precept, Wait on the Lord, and keep his way.
And we have Jobs example, All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait.
The promiſe of the Meſſiah was made in Paradiſe, The ſeed of the woman ſhall bruiſe the head of the Serpent.
This was the Goſpel that God himſelf preached to the Serpent, and all the ſacrifices of the old law, and all the Prophecies of former ages, and all the Types in the Old Teſtament, were Commentaries upon this text; the Fathers in all ages of the Church before Chriſt, reſted on this; the Apoſtle ſaith of them,
Theſe all died in faith, not having received the promiſes, but having ſeen them a far off and were perſwaded of them, Heb. 11.13and embraced them.
1. Becauſe this doth beſt fit the conſtant decree of God, that we do reſt in it; Reaſ. 1 for it were in vaine for us to ſerve a God whom we might not truſt, and upon whoſe word we could not build aſſurance. It is the Apoſtles reſt, Scio cui credidi, I know whom I have beleeved.
2. Becauſe this doth beſt declare our faith, Reaſ. 2 for faith being of things not ſeen in themſelves, the Apoſtle ſaith here, we ſee in a glaſſe; faith is a Chriſtian mans Proſpective, through which he beholdeth all things far off as if they were near at hand.
3. Becauſe this is an exerciſe of our patience; Reaſ 3 for ye have need of patience,Heb. 10.36 that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promiſe,
For yet a little while, Verſ. 37.and he that ſhall come, will come and will not tarry.
4. This alſo doth exerciſe our hope; Reaſ. 4 for hope is nouriſhed and fed with future objects as ſenſe is with preſent; and hope hath that wiſe forecaſt, that as ſoon as the ſeed is caſt into the ground, hope is at work to gather in the harveſt.
Rejoyce in hope.
Saint. Bernard doth teach us to make uſe of this doctrine, Ʋſe. of awaiting Gods leaſure; for firſt he layeth a good foundation.
Tua conſidero in quibus tota spes mea conſiſtit;
1. Charitatem adoptionis:
2. Veritatem promiſſionis.
3. Poteſtatem redditionis; upon this he buildeth.
Dicit fides, parata ſunt magna inexcogitabilia bona à Deo fidelibus ſuis.
Dicit ſpes, mihi illa ſervantur.
Dicit charitas, curro ego ad illa.
We muſt be very tender how we do invade the royalties of God; Chriſt ſaith, that his Father hath kept the times and ſeaſons in his own power, he will have the alone managing of them.
They that cannot tarry the Lords leaſure, do commonly fall into one of theſe two evils.
1. Either they murmure impatiently at God, and quarrel his delay, as Iſrael did when they came out of Egypt.
2. Or elſe they ſeek unlawful means to accompliſh their deſires; ſo the woman of Endor gets cuſtomers.
Againſt theſe,Jam. 1.4. Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
This work is thus perfected.
1. Let us not be too buſie to ſearch into the wayes of God, to know things to come.
It pleaſed God before the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, to reveale much of his purpoſe concerning the time to come by the miniſtry of his Prophets; and the Devill finding men taken with this deſire of the knowledg of future events, did erect his oracles, whoſe giddy and dubious predictions did ſo infatuate the world, that few did undertake any matter of moment, without conſulting the oracle; the Devill grew rich by the offerings and preſents that were given him for divination, when the ſucceſſe ſorted, and he loſt nothing of reputation or belief, when it failed, becauſe all his oracles were of ambiguous ſenſe, for to carry if need were, contrary conſtructions.
And it is a thing admirable which the wiſdome of obſervation hath recorded to the honour of Chriſt, that at his coming into the world all oracles grew ſpeechleſſe, to ſhew that he that ſhould diſſolve the works of the Devill was come.
The head of this Serpent being now by his coming bruiſed, the way to eſtabliſh our hearts, is to reſt in the Lord, and not to be too buſie with the Key of his Cloſet, and to content our ſelves with ſo much knowledge of things to come, as either
1. The wiſdome of foreſight may read in the volume of reaſonable diſcourſe.
2. Or the faith of Gods holy ones may read in the written word of holy Scripture.
3 Or the judgment of thoſe Sholars of nature may finde by ſearching the great book of the creatures; for theſe open things are for us, and here, qui poteſt capere capiat, he that can let him receive it.
It hath been the fault of many, that they have ſo anxiouſly diſcrutiated themſelves with the ſolicitous inquiſition of the future, that they have too much neglected the preſent, and deſiring to know what God would do for them hereafter, both themſelves loſe the ſenſe, and God the thanks of that good that he was then doing.
God hath his wayes and his paths where his footſteps are not ſeen.
2. Let us take the word of God for his promiſe and threatnings, whatſoever appearances do put in to counterſwade.
In the caſe of my text, The oppreſſed Church muſt tarry; they have two promiſes
One of their own deliverance and reſtauration.
Another of their enemies confuſion and ruine. God hath promiſed both; yet againſt this promiſe, the Church which hears of comfort, feels ſmart, and their threatned enemies rejoyce and divide their ſpoyle; the aſſurance is, God cannot lye, and repentance is hid from his eyes.
Why ſhould man deſire better aſſurance then the word of God to fix and eſtabliſh his heart? ſeeing al things had their being from the word, and no man now in being doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God?
3. To perfect our patience, that we may wait the Lords leiſure, we muſt beforehand conſider that the Viſion may tarry; the promiſes of God which ſhall be fulfilled in their fulneſſe of time may be foretold long before.
Chriſt was promiſed in Paradiſe, ſome do think the firſt day of the world to man, i. e. in the day of mans creation, the eve of the firſt Sabbath; but he was not borne till almoſt 4000 yeers after; yet the faithful in thoſe times waited for the coming of Chriſt, and tarried with patience till he came.
4. God himſelf waited 120 yeers for the repentance of the old world, all the while the Arke was preparing; it is the Apoſtles phraſe,
The long-ſuffering of God waited.
If God have the patience to wait on us for our good,1 Pet. 3.20 this may perfect our patience in our waiting on him for our own good.
Saint Paul calleth this The riches of his goodneſſe and forbearance and long-ſuffering, Rom. 2.4.and ſaith that The goodneſſe of God leadeth to repentance.
If we conſider his provocation, and how our daily ſins tempt him to repent that he either did make us, or do any thing for us; all which are in his ſight, and all which his ſoule abhorreth; and if we compare this his patience with our paſſionate bitterneſſe upon the leaſt provocation; and conſider how ready we are to call for fire from heaven to conſume them that anger us; we ſhall ſee that God doth wait for our repentance with much patience; and who would not wait upon ſuch a Lord?
5. Let us conſider how willingly we do attend and obſerve thoſe that can do us any good; how early we riſe to be ſure to prevent their hours; how well our hopes do ſupport us, and ſtay our ſtomacks, though many delays interpoſe their ſtop, and threaten failing: yet the ſucceſſe of expectation in things temporal depending on men is always uncertaine; for there are no bounds that can oblige humane favour, not merits, not rewards, not promiſes, not oaths; but the promiſes of God are Yea and Amen, as he ſaith
The viſion is yet for an appointed time; at the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lye: it wil ſurely come.
This aſſurance that we have from the Word doth make expectation eaſie; it is no pain to tarry for that which ſhall not faile us.
Jacob thought the ſeven years a ſhort time beſtowed for Rachel, becauſe he loved her, though he ſerved and was not his own man till he had fulfilled the time.
Neither doth that of Solomon diſcourage our tarrying the Lords leaſure, becauſe he ſaith,Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart ſick.
1. Becauſe, if that hope be of ſome things temporal, depending upon the favour of the times, or perſons of men, there may be a failing, therefore delay is a diſeaſe in ſuch caſes, and maketh the heart ſick.
2. But hope in-the promiſes of God determined to their certain time, cannot be ſaid to be delayed; for his hope is in vain, who hopeth any thing before the time.
3. And again, where hope reſteth in the Word and Promiſe of God; neither the alterations of perſons, nor the viciſſitude of times, not the intercurrence of impediments can any way croſſe the purpoſe, diſable the means, or defeat the end of Gods decree.
Further, if we underſtand Solomon of hope rightly grounded on the promiſe, and conſtrue the deferring it, not to any protraction beyond the time, but to the long expectation of it in tempore ſuo, which deſire of fruition doth make long, that that hope maketh the heart ſick, we muſt not underſtand this ſickneſſe as a diſeaſe of the heart: for when the Church ſaith,
Stay me with flagons, and comfort me with apples, for I am ſick of love. Cant. 2.5.Let no man think that this ſickneſſe was any diſeaſe in the Church; we may ſay of it as our Lord did of Lazarus his ſickneſſe, This ſikneſſe is not to death.
This is but fervour of the Spirit, and earneſtneſſe of deſire, as Bern. ſaith; it is taedium quoddam impaetientis deſideris; he means and holy impatience, quo neceſſe eſt affici mentem amatoris abſente eo quod amat, dum totus in expectatione quantamlibet feſtinationem reputat tarditatem.
This is an wholeſome ſickneſſe; it is the diſeaſe of the whole creation, and of all the Elect;
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and traveleth in pain together untill now.Rom. 8.22.
And not only they, Verſ. 23.but our ſelves alſo, which have the firſt fruits of the Spirit; even we our ſelves groan within our ſelves waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body.
This verſ. 19. is called the earneſt expectation of the creature, waiting for the manifeſtation of the ſons of God: This is not weakneſſe of the fleſh in the Elect, but fervour and ſtrength of the Spirit.
So David longed as he profeſſeth.
My ſoul longeth, Pſ. l 84.2.yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the living God.
And this deſire goeth with us to heaven; for even there the ſouls muſt wait, and they are full of this holy deſire; which proves that their happineſſe is not conſummate till the reſurrection.
For the ſoules under the Altar cry with a loud voice, ſaying, How long O Lord, holy and true, doſt thou not judge and averge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth?Rev. 6.10.
This deſire is Cos…orationis, the whetſtone of prayer; for the more our hearts are eſtabliſhed in the aſſurance of the truth of Gods promiſes, the more is the fire of this deſire kindled and enflamed in us, and then it breaketh forth into prayer, and the prayers that are fired at the Altar of zeal, aſend the next way to the throne of grace.
Chriſt himſelf kindled this heat in us when he taught us to pray to our father, fiat voluntas tua, thy Will be done: for we may tarry the leaſure of the fiat in faith, and yet deſire it with fervency; for in nothing do we more declare our concurrence with the will of God, then in our earneſtneſſe in prayer to him to fulfill his Will.
For Application of this point, let us look back to the Viſion; it is double. For God revealeth,
1. The purpoſe of his fierce wrath againſt the enemies of his Church, whom he threatneth to conſume.
2. His promiſe of mercy to his Church, that he will reſtore it to the joy of his countenance, and give it reſt from all her enemies.
This promiſe of God holdeth to the worlds end; even the whole Viſion is for appointed times.
Therefore the diſtreſſes of the Church muſt ever be comforted with thoſe comforts; for theſe the Apoſtle doth call The comforts wherewith we are comforted of God. All other comforts ſpend themſelves into breath, and vaniſh and leave the heart oppreſſed as it was; the Viſion of Gods revealed comfort eſtabliſheth the heart, for this telleth us where we may have reſt for our ſouls; namely in the decree and promiſe of God.
And needfull is this comfort now; for though our Church by the good favour of God do enjoy the liberty of the Word in peace, under the gracious government of our King, whom God hath annoynted defender of the Faith:
The Proteſtant and reformed Churches in other parts of the world do at this preſent ſmart for it; long have they lived under the rod of the Spaniſh inquiſition; long ſubject to the ſugillations of the Jeſuits their mortall enemies.
But now the ſword of maſſacre is drawn againſt them; before there were ſome attempts made upon the perſons of ſome few of the Religion, or ſome encroachment made upon their goods.
They thought it gain to loſe all for Chriſt, ſo that they might win him, and be found in him; but now the poor diſtreſſed Church heareth the voyce of the daughter of Babel crying out againſt her, Nudate, Nudate. Firſt diſcerning them, and then, but who can tell what then? the true Church lying at the mercy of Rome ſhall find her mercies cruel.
We cannot but take notice of it, that the Church of Rome is both a ſtrong and a bloody enemy; ſhe is not yet ſtupannated, nor paſt teeming; ſhe aboundeth in continuall ſucereſcence of new ſeed.
Cardinal Bellarm. under the name of Tertus doth wonder why our King ſhould fear the cruell dominion of the Pope, under whom all his Tributaries do ſo well.
And the humble Supplicants to his Majeſty for the liberty of conſcience as they call it, and for Toleration of the Romiſh Religion have urged the peaceable ſtate of our neighbours in France, where the Papiſt and Proteſtant do both exerciſe their Religion in Peace.
We now ſee they feele and ſmart for it, that there can be no peace with Jezebel of Rome, 2 Reg. 9.22.ſo long as her whoredomes and her witchcrafts are ſo many. She lieth lurking in the ſecret places, to murther the innocent; her patience is limited with no other bounds, but Donec adſint vires, till they have ſtrength. Nuni proximus ardet Ʋcalegon, They have declared themſelves here what they would have done; Our comfort is in this Viſion, and we muſt tarry and wait the Lords leaſure.
Haman the Jeſuit hath got a decree againſt the Reformed Church in France to root it out, and the ſword is now drawn againſt them: the Proteſtants in Bohemia have felt the edge of the Romiſh ſword, ſhe that cals her ſelfe mother of the Chriſtians, oſtendit ubera, verbera producit; ſhe pretendeth love. Savus amor docuit natorum ſanguine matrem commaculare manus.
And the Church makes pitiful moan, ſaying,
Shall they therefore empty their not, and not ſpare continually to ſtay the nations?Hab. 1.17
But we know that God is good to Iſrael, to ſuch as be true of heart: God hath a ſword too, and he is whetting of it; he hath a quiver, and it is full of arrows; he is bending of his bowe, and preparing his inſtruments of death, and he hath a right hand, and that ſhall find out all his enemies.
How ſhall we wear out the weary houres of time, till God come and have mercy upon Sion? we have many ways to deceive the time.
1. The idle think the time long; whilſt we have therefore time let us do good, we have work enough to work out our ſalvation with feare and trembling, to make our Calling and Election ſure, ro ſeek the Lord whilſt he may be found, to waſh us and make us clean, to put away the evil of our works, to ceaſe to do evil, to learn to do well: to get and keep faith and a good conſcience, to walk with our God.
They that well conſider what they have to do, borrow time from their natural reſt, from their meats, from their recreations, to beſtow it on the ſervice of God.
There be that overcharge themſelves with the buſineſſes of the world, with the care of gathering riches, with ambitious thoughts of riſing higher, with wanton deſires of the fleſh, with ſenſual ſurfeits in gluttony and drunkenneſſe, and the day is not long enough for theſe children of this world, to whom I ſay with the ſhepheard,
Quin tu aliquid ſaltem potius quorum indiget uſus.Virg Alexis.
Are theſe the things you look upon? non relinquetur lapis ſuper lapidem, There ſhal not be left a ſtone upon a ſtone Walk circumſpectly, not as fools but as wiſe, redeeming the time becauſe the days are evill.
Remember your Creation to good works that you ſhould walk in them, and whilst you have the light walk in the light, Ambulate in luce, Ambulate digni luce.
2. To ſweeten the delay of the viſion, and to ſhorten the time of our expectation, let us heare our Saviour ſaying Search the Scriptures. There
1. We ſhall find the promiſes of God made to his Church in all ages thereof, beginning in Paradiſe at ſemen mulieris the ſeed of the woman, and ſo continuing to the fall of the great ſtrumpet, the ruine of Babylon in the Revelation; wherein we ſhall find God to be yeſterday, and to day, and the ſame for ever.
2. We ſhall read the examples of Gods mercy to his Church, and judgement of the enemies there of all the Bible through.
It is a work for the Sabbath as appeareth in the proper Pſalm for the day, To praiſe God for this, Pſal 92.to ſing unto the name of the moſt high.
The Church profeſſeth it… …
Thou Lord haſt made me glad through thy work, Verſ. 4.I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
The works of God are theſe.
When the wicked ſpring as graſſe, and when all the workers of wickedneſſe do flouriſh, it is that they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever.
For lo thine enemies O Lord, for do thine enemies ſhall periſh; all the workers of iniquity ſhall be ſcartered.
But my horne ſhall be exalted like the horne of an Ʋnicorn; I ſhall be annointed with freſh oyl.
Mine eye ſhall ſee my deſire upon mine enemies, mine eares ſhall heare my deſire of the wicked that riſe up againſt me.
The righteous ſhall flouriſh like a palme-tree, he ſhall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon.
Thoſe that be planted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God.
They ſhall bring forth more fruit in their age, they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing. The uſe of all,
To ſhew that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteouſueſſe in him.
Theſe be meditations of a Sabbath of reſt, and the word of God giveth full examples of this truth, and daily experience in our own times offereth it.
3. The Scripture doth put into our mouths Pſalms and Hymns, and ſpiritual Songs, teaching us to ſing and to make melody to God in our hearts.
Excellent to this purpoſe are the Pſalms of the Bible, and if we ſing merrily to the God of our ſalvation, this will paſſe away the time of our waiting for the promiſe of God cheerfully; we ſhall not think it long.
For this did David deſire to live. Oh let me live, and I wil praiſe thy name.
4. The Scripture is full of heavenly conſolations to eſtabliſh the heart; that it ſhall not ſinke under the burthen of this expectation, for in the Scriptures, the Spirit of God ſpeaketh,
Let him that hath ears to hear, hear what the Spirit ſpeaks to the Churches: this Spirit Chriſt hath left in his Church to be the comforter of his Church, to abide with it for ever: we have the earneſt of this Spirit to bind the bargain of eternal ſalvation.
We have the firſt fruits of this Spirit.
We have the teſtimony of this Spirit witneſſing with our Spirits, that we are the Sons of God, and if Sons, then Heyrs, and Co heyrs with Chriſt.
3. To ſpend the time of our waiting here for the promiſe of God, we have the holy exerciſe of Prayer; this doth bring us to a familiar conference with God, and as in hearing and reading of holy Scripture, we ſay, Audiam quid loquatur Deus;
So in Prayer God ſaith, He ſhall call upon me and I will heare him, I will be with him.
In Prayer we may challenge God of his promiſe, as the Pſalmiſt, Do well O Lord unto thy ſervant according to thy Word.
Remember thy Word unto thy ſervant, Pſ. 119.49.upon which thou haſt cauſed me to hope.
Faith and feeling are not always joyned together; therefore in the want and expectation of Gods promiſes we pray, building upon the Word of God, becauſe we know,Verſ. 89. For ever O Lord thy Word is ſetled in heaven.
Saint Augustine ſaith of Prayer, it is oranti ſubſidium, and help to him that prayeth; deo ſacrificium, a ſacrifice to God; daemonibus flagellum, a ſcourge to the devils.
1. It helpeth us, for it ſetteth us in the face of God, and bringeth us into his conference; and the time can never ſeem long to us, that is ſpent in that company.
2. It is a ſacrifice to God; for it is the performance of a duty by him commanded.
3. It is a ſcourge to the devils, and to all his agents; for when we pray againſt the evil, our God heareth us and delivereth us from evil.