Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 14
Verſ. 14. For the earth ſhall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the ſea.
3. The effect. Vide ſura pag.
IT is plaine, that Gods remiſſeneſſe in the execution of his juſt judgments upon the proud and cruel Babylonians, and the miſerable face of the Church disfigured with tears, her voyce hoarſe with roaring for help, her throat dry, her heart aking, and no relief appearing: all this had not only made the ungodly and profane confident that there was no ſuch thing as Providence; but it appeareth by this Prophet that the faith of Gods children was ſtaggered hereby.
But when God ſhall declare his juſtice againſt theſe his enemies, then he ſhall recover his glory; then ſhall they both know that Chriſt is the Lord, both the oppreſſour ſhall know it, and the delivered ſhall know it, and they that are no parties to the cauſe of any ſide ſhall all underſtand.
The words of God in this text are full of marrow and fatneſs; for God is rich in mercy, aper it manum & implet, ſo he dilateth his favours.
1. In the latitude, all the earth over.
2. In the plenitude, the earth ſhall be filled.
3. In the magnitude, the knowledge of Gods glory.
4. In the profundity, as the waters cover the ſea.
We are taught from hence, Doctr. 1 that the delivery of Gods Church from the power of the enemies, and his vengeance upon them doth give honour to the name of God upon earth; ſo David, we are in great miſery.
Help us O God of our ſalvation, Bſ. 79 9for the glory of thy name, and deliver us.
1. Becauſe if the wicked overcome the Church, Reaſ. 1 they will triumph againſt God. So Moſes,
Wherefore ſhall the Egyptians speak and ſay, Ex. 32.12.he hath brought them out maliciouſly to ſlay them?
Rabſhakeh the General of Senacheribs forces proudly inſulteth, Who is he among all the gods of theſe lands, Iſ. 36 20.that hath delivered their Country out of my hands?
But God delivering his Church and puniſhing the enemies thereof is magnified thereby,Iſa. 37.20. as Ezechias did pray: Now therefore O Lord our God ſave thou us out of his hand, that all the Kingdomes of the earth may know that thou only art the Lord.
2. Becauſe as the Schoole ſaith, Reaſ 2 gloria eſt clara notitia cum laude; and what doth more make the name of God known with praiſe then his preſent help to his Church, his quick vengeance upon the enemies thereof? The Heathen ſhall ſay, the Lord hath done for them great things.
3. Becauſe this declareth the juſtice of God; Reaſ. 3 for
Firſt, He is juſt and faithful in performing the gracious promiſes that he hath made to his Church.
Secondly, He is juſt in the puniſhment of oppreſſion and iniquity, which his ſoul abhorreth.
Ʋſe The uſe of the point is to teach us that whenſoever we ſee the Church or any part thereof delivered from the hands of their enemies, and ſo the righteous God taking vengeance upon them, that we aſcribe glory to God for the ſame.
Moſes ſong is a good example of this duty; for when the Egytians that purſued Iſrael into the red ſea, were covered and deſtroyed by the returne of the waters of the ſea upon them,
Then ſang Moſes and the children of Iſrael this ſong unto the Lord, and ſpake, ſaying, I will ſing unto the Lord, Exod. 15.1.for he hath triumphed gloriouſly; the horſe and his rider hath he throwne into the Sea.
This deliverance was a type of the final deliverance of the Church from all her enemies; and therefore in Johns Viſion it is ſaid
They ſang the ſong of Moſes the ſervant of God, Rev. 15.3.and the ſong of the Lamb, ſaying, great and marvailous are thy works Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints.
Who ſhall not fear thee O Lord, and glorifie thy name; for thou only art holy; for all Nations ſhall come and worſhip before thee, Verſe 4.for thy judgments are made manifeſt.
We have great and gracious examples at home of this; our bleſſed Queen of happy memory, Queen Elizabeth Anno 1588, after defeat of the Spaniſh Armado, came in perſon to the chief Church in her Kingdom, where having upon her knees devoutly given the glory of that deliverance to God, ſhe heard the Sermon at Pauls croſſe, and taught her people by her godly example to know the glory of God; for in thoſe dayes Spaniards loved us not, and we thought it a great favour of God to be delivered from them.
The like publike declaration did our Soveraign that now is, make of the glory of God, for the deliverance of his royal perſon, Crown and poſterity, the Religion and peace of the Kingdom, in the laſt ſeſſion of that firſt Parliament, delivered by the hand of God from the bloody deſigne of the Papiſts, whoſe Religion was alſo in thoſe times thought dangerous to this Common-wealth; his ſpeech and recognition of the protection of God is extant in print.
And as States and great Common-wealths have their dangers and deliverances, wherein as every one that is a member thereof, hath their ſhare of benefit, ſo from every one is growing a debt of duty,Iſa. 38.19. to acknowledge the ſame: ſo that as Ezechiah faith, The father to the children ſhall make known the truth of God.
So in our particular eſtates, we have many taſtes of the ſweetneſſe of God, in our deliverances from dangers at ſea, on ſhoare from ſickneſſe, impriſonment, infamy, and many other evils which annoy our life; in all which God revealeth to us the knowledge of his glory, and we ſhall do him but right, to give him as David faith, the glory due to his name; and to invite our brethren as David did, I will tell you quid Deus fecil animae meae, what God hath done to my ſoul.
Seeing God promiſeth to fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of God, Doctr, 2 we are taught that God is glorious, and ſo we ought to conceive of him: our Saviour hath taught us ſo, to acknowledge in the cloſe of the Lords Prayer, Tua eſt gloria, thine is the glory. St. Stephen ſaith, The God of glory appeared to our fathers. Act. 7.2.And of this God is ſo jealous, that he ſaith, My glory will I not give it another. Hold this faſt; the Devill when he tempteth us to ſin,Iſa. 42 8. Reaſ. 1. doth not finde an eaſier way to fetch us about, then to blemiſh the glory of God, and to dim that to our ſights and opinions.
As in the firſt temptation, he told the woman, ye ſhall not ſurely dye, for God doth know that when ye eate thereof ye ſhall be as gods;
Bringing the woman into divers diſhonourable thoughts of God, as concerning his truth, his juſtice, his love to man. For in tempting her to eate againſt the preſſe and preciſe commandment of God,
1. She muſt think that God would not bring death upon her for her fault, as he had threatned, which toucheth the truth of God.
2. She muſt ſuppoſe that the offence of eating taken at the worſt, is a ſmall offence, and ſo not likely to be avenged and mulcted with any ſuch puniſhment, which toucheth the juſtice of God.
3. She muſt ſuppoſe, that God who ſhewed ſo much favour to man to give him all the fruit for his meate but that, had he loved man as he made ſhew, would not have left that fruit for a ſnare to catch him, and bring him to ruine, or if he did ſo, he was too loving to man to work upon the advantage,
Yet in this very ſuggeſtion, wherein he infuſeth ſo many diſhonourable thoughts into the heart of the woman to dim the brightneſſe of Gods excellent glory; obſerve how he doth ſecretly confeſſe that God is jealous of his glory, for faith,Gen. 3.5. he doth know that in the day that you eate thereof you ſhall be as gods.
That is to ſay, as well; as he loves you, he would not admit you into the ſociety of his glory, for man was created in the likeneſs of Gods holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, but not in the ſimilitude of his glory.
That Satan knew well; and therefore ſuggeſted that ambition which he knew would ruine mankind; for that had caſt him out of heaven.
Here by the way, let me ſhew you the ſting of the firſt ſinne; God had ſaid to Adam, Thou ſhalt not eate. 2. Qua die comederis morte morieris, what day thou eateſt thou ſhalt die.
1. In the eating the forbidden fruit, the Commandment of God was broken, therein man rebelled.
2. In the eating, being threatned with death for puniſhment of their eating, there muſt either be
1. Preſumption upon the goodneſſe of God, which ſhould make him merciful againſt his truth and juſtice; or
2. Unbeleife of his power to inflict that puniſhment; or
3. Contempt of his power; or
4. A careleſneſſe. I will taſte come of it what will.
And in all theſe the glory of God is much defaced.
3. In the eating to be as gods, that moſt nearly touched the glory of God; for it was a baſe opinion of God in the heart of the woman, to conceive him ſuch as ſhe might come to be as wiſe as he; this layd home upon the crown of Gods glory.
In which paſſage let me commend one obſervation of mine own upon the Text, to your judgments.
S…than tempted the woman only, not the man; and he ſugard his temptation with theſe two arguments only.
1. Non moriemini, ye ſhall not dye.
2. Eritis ſicut dii, ye ſhall be as gods.
There was aculeus in cauda, a ſting in the tayl; for that laſt ſtung her to the quick.
When ſhe came after to tempt her husband, it ſeemeth that her inducements were three.
1. It was good for food.
2. Pleaſant to the eye.
3. To be deſired to make one wiſe.
Here is no mention of this temptation to be like God.
Which makes me think that Adams ſin did not violate the glory of God ſo much as the womans did, and that the refore the Apoſtle faith.I Tim. 2 …4 Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived, and was in the tranſgreſſion. For though I cannot clear Adam from doing injury that ways, yet as the ſchool faith, he that cannot be excuſed a toto, may be excuſed a tanto.
But the point which I wiſh terrible in your remembrance, is that ſuggeſtions to ſin do lay their foundation in ſome unworthy opinion of God, which treſpaſſeth his glory here ſpoken of.
God himſelf declares as much to the ungodly; When thou ſawest a theif, thou conſentedſt with him, &c.
Theſe things thou haſt done, and I kept ſilence; then thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf.Pſ. 50.21.
The fool ſaith in his heart,Pſal. 14.1 Non eſt Deus; there is no God, that he may ſin the more ſecurely.
David ſtirreth up God the avenger againſt the ungodly; that boaſt themſelves in evil, that break in pieces Gods people, Pſal. 94.5and afflict his heritage.
That ſlay the widow and the ſtranger, Verſ. 6.that murther the fatherleſſe. How dare they do all this?
Yet they ſay the Lord ſhall not ſee, Verſ. 7.neither ſhall the God of of Jacob regard it.
Auguſtine to ſuch: In foelix homo, ut eſſes curavit Deus, non curat ut bene eſſes? Is not this a great treſpaſſe againſt the honour of God to deny his providence?
There be preſumptuous ſinners that go on in very great ſins, ſins which Gods word detecteth. and reproveth, and threatneth; yet as the Prophet ſaith,
They will lean upon the Lord, and ſay, is not the Lord among us? no evil ſhall come upon us.
Thus they diſhonour God that make him the patrone of their perſons and their ſins.Mich. 3.11.
But they that have true knowledge of the glory of God, they behold him in Majeſty, and that not only opening his hand, and giving and filling, but ſtretching out his arme and ſtriking; and ſo in that one ſight they behold both, Ecce quantam charitatem, and ſcientes terrorem Domini behold how great love, and knowing the terrour of the Lord.
In the due conſideration of his juſtice and mercy, both governed with wiſdom, to moderate exuberancie, conſiſteth the knowledge of Gods glory.
This point ſerveth to good uſe.
For firſt it aſſureth us,I. Ʋſe. that the God whom we ſerve is the true God, becauſe he is ſo jealous of his glory, that he will have none to ſhare with him therein: For the gods of the Heathen were ſuch good-fellows, as they would admit ſociety. Baal and Melchom, and Moloch, and Rempham, the god of Eckron, Dagon, the Devil and all; I do not hear of any great jealouſie between them, but the true God is impatient of corrivall in glory.
2. Becauſe God claimeth glory in ſuch extent all the earth over, which none of the god of the heathen did, but were content with their territories, and knowing him to be the true God;
We are taught, Ʋſe. 2 that there ought nothing be ſo dear to us as the glory of God.
Do but obſerve what remembrancers we have, to put us in mind of this.
The law begins: I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt. That implyes, who brought thee into the land of Egypt.
The Lords Prayer: Our Father which art in heaven; and the firſt Petition; Sanctificetur, nomen tuum; then adveniat regnum; then fiat voluntas; all glory.
The Creed: Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem. All beginning to ſeaſon us with a reverend eſtimation of God, and to infuſe into us the knowledge of his glory; therefore do all to the glory of God.
This alſo ſerveth to ſhew how excellent a knowledge it is to know the glory of God, Doct. 3 ſeeing God maketh ſuch account of it, that he will have it ſpread all the earth over,
To animate us ſo much the more earneſtly, and with appetite to ſeek it; and indeed there is no knowledge to be compared to it.
1. In regard of this life: for if man know no better nature then that of the creatures beneath him, though that ſerve to ſhew him how great a lord he is, and how much is ſubject to him: yet in them he beholdeth a ſociety that he hath with them, in much evil, in all weakneſſe, and in a certain mortality, which can be no great comfort to him, if he ſtay there.
But if he look up to heaven above him, and behold Meliorem naturam, a better nature; that of the Angels, and himſelf but a little lower: and above them, naturam naturantem the naturating nature, the glorious Author of all being, this puts mettall into him, and teacheth him how to preſerve the Image of his maker in him, which advanceth him above humaine frailty.
Hence are thoſe ejaculations; that of Paul, Cupio diſſolvi, I deſire to be diſſolved; our converſation is in heaven; Veni cito; we walk by faith and not by ſight.
2. In the life to come, this is the happineſſe of the bleſſed ſouls, they ſhall ſee God; Reaſ. 2 for this Chriſt deſired that the Elect might be where he was, that they might ſee his glory.
And this maketh all thoſe that wiſely apprehend this joy in the glory of God, to love the very earthy houſe which we call the Church of God, becauſe it is The place where his honour dwelleth, becauſe every whit of it ſpeaketh of his honour.
Becauſe thither the Tribes go up to teſtify to Iſrael, to give teſtimony of their faith and zeal.
Becauſe there the voice of Gods promiſe is heard, and the whole houſe is filled with his glory.
It was the bleſſing of God given in the conſecration of Solomons temple, The glory of the Lord filled the houſe of God. 2 Chro. 5.14.But it was gloria in nube, glory in a cloud: that cloud is much removed in our Church, ſince the veil of the temple rent; for Chriſt hath made all things more clear, and removed the veil. Let us therefore love the Church well, for the glory of God revealed therein.
Much more do ſuch long after the houſe of Gods clear glory in heaven, wherein one day in thoſe courts is better then a thouſand otherwhere, and where they ſhall behold a full revelation of the glory of God.
Let us all labour for this knowledge of the glory of God, Ʋſe for the purchaſe whereof we muſt ſtudy both the creatures of God and the word of God.
For in theſe two books the wiſdom of God is ſet forth to the ſoul, that we may ſay, if we be ſtudents in theſe books, vidimus gloriam ejus, we have ſeen his glory: for the heavens declare the glory of God to the eye, and God is glorious in the leaſt of his creatures, Magnus in minimis, ſo that every part of his work doth declare him a wiſe Omnipotent Creator, a wiſe and faithful preſerver of all things.
And for the book of God; he that ſaith, this is life eternall to know thee, and ſaith that he came to give life eternall, ſaith alſo: Dedieis verbum tuum; I have given them thy word.
There is no labour that better rewardeth it ſelf, then the purſuit of the knowledge of the glory of God.
For there is Libertas gloriae, the liberty of glory,Rom. 8.2. which the creature doth even long after, and travaileth with the burthen of corruption, deſiring to be quit of it.
There be divitiae gloriae, Rom. 9.23riches of glory made known upon the veſſels of mercy; for God wil declare his glory in ſhowing mercy.
There is alſo aeternum pondus gloriae, 2 Cor. 4.17.an eternal weight of glory.
There is ſplendor gloriae dei patris, the brightneſſe of the glory of God the Father; and this is the true light that enlighteneth all that come into the world; that lights us the way to this glory.
But to know the glory of God here on earth, we muſt obſerve the courſe of his judgments and we ſhall therein ſee both his favour to his Church, howſoever it be diſtreſſed, which though it be gloria in nube, glory in a cloud, the faithful will ſee through the cloud.
We ſhall alſo ſee this certain truth and juſtice in his hatred of ſin, and in the ſharp revenge that he taketh upon thoſe that diſeaſe his Church, which though it be ſlow, for God is ſlow to wrath; yet he that believeth will not make haſte.2 Cor. 4.6
God giveth this light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt.
1. Mercy. Crucifixus, mortuus, ſepultus, Crucified, dead and buried.
2. Juſtice; venit judicare vivos, He cometh to judge the live and dead.