Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 3
Ver. 3. God came from Teman, and the holy one from mount Paran, Selah. His glorie covered the Heavens, and the Earth was full of his praiſe. 4 And his brightneſs was as the light, he had horus coming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power. 5 Before him went the peſtilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
THe ſecond part of this Pſalm doth contein a celebration of the prayſes of God,Vid. diviſ. p. 23. which alſo doth declare upon what grounds, the Church in affliction and captivity doth put truſt in God.
The whole Section is a commemoration of the great power and glory, and power and mercy of God ſhewed in behalf of his own people, v. 3, 4, 5. ad finem, v. 15.
1 In his coming to them from Paran and Teman.
2 Of the ſame power and glory declared in giving of the poſſeſſion of the land of Canaan to Iſrael.
3 In the diſmay of the Nations, v. 7.
4 In the marvellous Water-works, 8, 9, 10.
5 In their great victories within the Land.
I begin at the firſt;
God came from Teman, and the holy one from Mount Paran. The beſt expoſition that I do finde amongſt many, of theſe words, is, that here is remembred the coming of God to Iſrael, when he gave them the Law written in two Tables of ſtone, with his own hand.
For God came then from Teman and Paran: Paran was a great mountain neer to mount Sinai, but Teman ſignified the South; ſo God came from the South, thence came God to give Iſrael his Law, wherein he did expreſs himſelf the King of this people, by coming ſo neer to them, by ſhewing himſelf ſo openly, and by revealing his wil to them ſo plainly.
This was ſo great a favour done to them, that he addeth Selah, which word is onelyonly uſed in Davids Pſalmes, and in this Pſalme, and the word in the judgments of the learned is ſometime vox optantis, the voice of one that wiſheth, aequivalent to Amen, or vox admirantis, the voice of one admiring, ſhewing ſome ſpeciall matter, or vox affirmantis, of one affirming, avouching what is ſaid, or vox meditantis, of one meditating, requiring conſideration of what is ſaid. But withall, it is a reſt in Muſique.
Jerome ſaith, it is, commutatio metri, or viciſſitudo canendi, his glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praiſe.]
And His Brightneſſe was as the Light,] he meaneth the brightneſſe of that glory wherein he appeared, when he gave the Law ſet forth. Exod. 19.16. For there were Thunders and Lightnings.
He had Horns comming out of his hands,] by Horns, in Scripture, ſtrength is ſignified, the horne of ſalvation is the ſtrength of ſalvation, the exalting of the horne is the advancing of power, and theſe are ſaid to be in his hands, becauſe the hands and arms are called the ſtrong men in the body, they are the inſtruments of power.
And there was the hiding of his power,] there in that apparition, God did hide his power from the reſt of the world, and declared it perticularly to his Church, as David ſaith. He hath not dealt ſo with any nation, and as for his judgments, Pſal. 147.20.they have not known them.
Before him went the Peſtilence,] and burning coals went forth at his feet.]
His meaning is that God then declared himſelf mighty in the puniſhment of his enemies, and the enemies of his Church, for under theſe tvvo kinds of puniſhments by peſtilence and fire, he ſhevveth that God hath the command of all the inſtruments of vvrath, of vvhichwhich theſe tvvo, by plague and fire, are the moſt licking and devouring, putting no difference where they go.
And this hath reference to the many plagues wherevvith he puniſhed the Aegyptians, vvhen he brought his people from the land of Aegypt, from the houſe of bondage.
The ſumme of all is this, that God hath declared himſelf glorious.
1 In his ſpeciall favour to his people.
2 In his juſt vengeance.
From vvhence theſe points of doctrine iſſue.
1 That the conſideration of Gods former mercies, doth ſtrengthen faith in preſent tribulations.
2 That the Church of God hath a ſpeciall intereſt in the povver and protection of God.
3 That God is armed vvith povver to puniſh evill doers.
4 That in all this God vvas glorified.
Firſt, the conſideration of former mercies doth ſtrengthen faith in preſent troubles.
Therefore do they commemorate the manner of Gods glorious comming from Teman and of Paran, vvherein he had glory in the heavens, and prayſe upon the earth.
David did make good uſe of this point often. For vvhen my diſtreſſe came, he found comfort in this remembrance.
Novv thou art farre of, and goeſt not forth with our armies.
Thou makeſt us turn back from the adverſary, Pſal. 44.9.10.and they which hate us ſpoile for themſelves, &c.
To comfort this affliction, he beginneth that Pſalme. We have heard with our ears, O God, and our fathers have told us, what thou didſt in their days, and in the times of old.
How thou didſt drive out the heathen with thy hand, and planted them, &c.
So,Pſal. 74 9. again, complaining of great afflictions. We ſee not our ſignes, there is no more any Prophet, this is his comfort. God is my King of old, working Salvation in the midſt of the Earth.
Thou didſt divide ehe Sea by thy power, &c.
So again,Pſal. 77.2. In the day of my trouble, I ſought the Lord, my ſoar ran, and ceaſed not, and in the night my ſoul refuſed comfort.
Then I conſidered the days of old, Verſe 5. Pſal. 4.1.and the years of ancient times. Thou haſt enlarged me when I was diſtreſt.
The reaſon why this doth miniſter comfort to the Church,1 Reaſ. is, becauſe we have learned that our God is conſtant in his love, whom he once loved, he ever loveth; for he is without variableneſſe, and ſhadow of changing, as the Apoſtle and the Pſalmiſt ſaith. But thou art the ſame, & thy years ſhall have no end.Pſ. 102.27.28.
The children of the ſervants ſhall continue, and their ſeed ſhall be eſtabliſhed before thee.
The goodneſs of God endureth continually.Pſal. 52.1. Reaſ. 2.
Becauſe the commemoration of former benefits is a work of thankſgiving and prayſe, and that is the higheſt ſervice that we can perform to God in his worſhip, this is, Sicut in coelo, it is heaven upon earth; For it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to ſing prayſes to the Name of the moſt High.Pſal. 92.1. Pſ. 50.23.
It is good for God, for, He that offereth me praiſe glorifieth me, and for that he made us.
It it good for us, for, with ſuch Sacrifices God is well pleaſed; there is our happineſs, for in his favor is light. Reaſ. 3
Again, the thankfull commemoration of former mercies of God to us doth draw on new benefits; for thanksgiving as it is Gods crop which he gathereth from us of the ſeed of his many favours, ſo it is our ſeed which we caſt into the ground of Gods kindneſs, and it bringeth us an harveſt of new bleſſings.
Every man thinks his ſeed well beſtowed in good ground that yeeldeth an encreaſe, and God hath ſaid;
Them that honour me I will honour.1 Sam. 2.30.
This point is of excellent uſe, Ʋſe. to ſtir us up to a wiſe conſideration of the conſtant love of God, to ſuch as fear & ſerve him.
Benefits are ſoon forgotten, therefore, as David ſaith, I called upon the Lord in my trouble, ſo he ſtirreth up himſelf to thankfulneſs; My ſoul praiſe thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits,
He found great comfort in this looking back.
When he undertook Goliah, and Saul diſcouraged him as unable for it, he looked back to the time paſt, and remembred how God had delivered him from a Lion, and a Bear, and from that experience of Gods good help, he reſolved to attempt the uncircumciſed Philiſtine.
And in his declining years, when age grew upon him, he comforted his drooping ſpirits thus, Thou art my hope, O Lord, God, Pſa. 71.5.even my truſt from my youth.
Ʋpon thee have I been ſtayed from the womb, thou art he that took me from my mothers bowels.
Caſt me not off in the time of age, forſake me not when my ſtrength faileth.
There be three ſorts of men that do even run themſelves upon the edge and point of reprehenſion, we cannot here forgive them a chiding.
1 Thoſe that, tanquam prona pecora, as groveling beaſts do look onelyonly upon the time incumbent, miſtaking St. Paul, who ſaith, I forget that which is behind.
Lyranus underſtandeth him, legalia & terrena.
Theophilact better: Praeteritarum virtutum nihil reminiſcor, nec memoria repeto, Phil. 3.13.ſed ea omnia poſt tergum relinquo.
So we muſt forget all the good we have done, as being ſhort of perfection, that we may mend our pace in the ways of Gods Commandements.
But the Apoſtle did look back to times paſt, to ſee what Chriſt had done for us, how he loved us when vve vvere his enemies, how he waſhed us in his bloud, how he forgave him his ſins, and how he obteined mercy of him, becauſe vvhat he did, he did it ignorantly through unbelief.
2 Thoſe alſo are here reproved, vvho look only to the time paſt, and ſee therein nothing but Gods temporall favours, but regard not the times preſent, and conſider not Gods ſpirituall graces
Some that lived in the time of Popery, do prayſe thoſe dais: then vvas good houſe-keeping, eaſie rents, a conſtant faſhion of apparrel; that many Gentlemen had the lands of their grandfathers in poſſeſſion, and their cloaths on their backs; then vvas no ſeeking of reverſions, or buying of offices, no market of Church-livings.
Iſrael did ſo: Remember the fiſh that we are in Aegypt for nought, the Cucumbers, and the Melons, and the Leeks, and the Onions,num. …1.5. and the Garlick.
I deny not, but when the people of this Land vvere fewer, and the vanity of the pride of other Nations, and many of their foul ſins kept home, and were not imported hither, there were better times for the belly then theſe are.
But let us ſee the ſtate of ſouls at that time, they were then in the houſe of bondage, under Pharaoh of Rome: Beef and Mutton, Wheat and Barly were cheap: but the two Teſtaments, the two breaſts of the Church, vvere like a Fountain ſealed up, and like a Garden encloſed.
But when Queen Elizabeth began to reſt in this Hemiſphere, like the Sun to run her race, ſhe turned that night into day, and maintained this light till ſhe vvas taken up into heaven; and ſhe that vvas a ſhining ſtar on earth, and bleſt the Church of God here vvith benigne aſpect and influence, vvas made a glorious ever bleſſed Saint in heaven.
In the beginning of her raign, God came from Teman: The Holy one from mount Paran; God revealed himſelf in the glorious Sun-ſhine of his Goſpel of peace.
3 They are alſo reproved, vvho out of too much fore-caſting fear of the times to come, do quite forget both the former and the preſent mercies of God, and aſtoniſh themſelves vvith repreſentations of hideous formes of enſuing dangers.
The God that gave us his light of Truth, and hath continued it ſo many happy years of peace amongſt us, hath begun, he will alſo make an end; by this light, no doubt, many faithful ſouls have found the way to the throne of grace, whoſe continuall prayers to God for the happy eſtate of his Church, are able to make this Sun ſtay his courſe, and not withdraw his light from us; their prayers and devotions know the way to heaven ſo well, and plead the cauſe of the Church ſo effectually, that we have cauſe to hope, that the goodneſs of God which endureth, yet daily will not fail us, but that we ſhall fee it, and taſt of it, in this land of the living.
Once, let us remember, under whoſe ſhadow vve live, a learned gracious King, who hath ſeen into the darkneſs of Popery, and laid it open, no Chriſtian Prince ſo much, no Chriſtian more: he hath put his hand to the Plough, and he cannot forget Lets Wife.
Let us not make our ſelves certain afflictions, out of uncertain fears, and draw upon us the evils of to morrow, For ſufficient for the day is the evil thereof.
Queen Elizabeth, brought into this Church and Land, True Religion and Peace, King James hath continued it, let us be thankfull to God for it, and let us be ever telling what the Lord hath done for our ſouls: Let not our unquiet vvranglings amongſt our ſelves provoke the God of Peace againſt us, neither let our buſie eves-dropping the counſels and intendments of State which are above us, and belong not to us make us afraid, our work is, In all things to give thanks, For what we have received already, for what we do poſſeſſe and enjoy: and pray continually for that we would have, for all men; eſpecially for our King, that under him we may lead a quiet and and peaceable life in all godlineſs and honeſtie: 1 Tim. 2.2.and then, Rejoyce evermore, Rejoyce in the Lord, and again, I ſay rejoyce.
He that came from Teman and Paran, to a people, that ſate in darkneſs and in the ſhadow of death, and gave us light, hath ever ſince ſo ſupplyed us with oile, that we may ſay, difficiunt vaſa, the want is on our part, for truly God is good to Iſrael, to all ſuch that have faithfull and true hearts.
To this end, let me ſtir you up to a remembrance of the times paſt, beginning at the Initium regni November, 17, in Anno, 1558. for ſo long hath this Sun of righteouſneſs ſhined clear upon our Church.
2 Doctr. The Church hath a ſpeciall intereſt in the power and protection of God, gathered from hence, he had hornes comming out his hands, and there was the hiding of his power.
There is a power that God openly ſheweth, and that is extended to an univerſall protection of all the works of Gods hand, but there is a power that he hideth, and that is his ſpeciall protection of his Church.
1 He protecteth them, David gives them a good inſtance in the former mercies of God to this people.
When they were yet but few, and they ſtrangers in the land.1 Ch…on. 16.19.
And when they went from nation to nation, from one Kingdome is another people.
He ſuffered no man to do them any wrong, but reproved even Kings for their ſakes, ſaying,
Touch not my anointed, and do my Prophets no harme.
And the Pſalmiſt can give no other reaſon of this ſpeciall protection, but on Gods part, becauſe he had a favour to them; and on their part, that they might keep his ſtatutes, and obſerve his lawes.
And theſe be motives that eſtabliſh Gods protection upon his Church, in all the ages thereof.
His mercy and our obedience, which leſſon if we take out vvell, vve ſhall learne thankfulneſſe to him for his favour, and holineſſe in our lives. And this is that godlineſſe, vvhichwhich hath the promiſes of this life, and that vvhichwhich is to come.
2 He hideth the horne of our Salvation.
1 From his Church, in ſome meaſure, to keep us from preſumption, ſo that vve do often rather believe then feel the loving kindneſſe of the Lord, and to ſtirre us up to prayer, for the more vve are made ſenſible of our vvants, the more are vve provoked to invocation of the name of the Lord.
2 From the vvorld, that hateth his Church, that they may fulfill their iniquity, and declare their uttermoſt malice againſt the Church, and when he had ſuffered PHAROAH and his hoaſt to follovv his people of Iſrael into the red Sea, and there taketh of their Chariot wheels, then they ſhall ſee it and ſay, we will fly from the face of Iſrael, Exod. 14.25.for the Lord fighteth for them againſt the Aegyptians.
Great is the profit of this point in the caſe of thoſe ſpirituall deſertions, Ʋſe. vvhereby God for a time ſeemeth to forſake his own children.
Well are they deſcribed by Gods ovvn mouth.
For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.Iſa. 54.7.
In a little wrath, I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlaſting kindneſſe will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord, thy Redeemer.
Which ſheweth that the hiding of Gods protecting power, is not totall, but partiall, for it is in a little anger, and it is not finall, but temporary, for a ſmall moment.
1 In outward things.
In the example in my text, God hid his hand in his boſome, & the horn of his Salvation was almoſt all out of ſight for the ſpace of 70 years, during the captivity of the Church.
So many of Gods dear Servants drink deep of the bitter cup of affliction, ſuffering the contempt and injuries of the world, in bonds, impriſonments, oppreſſions, ſcourges, ſuch as the world is not worthy of: yet do they not want a ſecret feeling of the power of Gods protection, quickning their patience, and reviving his own work in them, in the midſt of the years.
2 In ſpirituall graces.
Sometime God taketh away from his children their feeling of his love, and of the joy of the Holy Ghoſt, and that they finde with much grief.
1 In the oppreſſion of the heart with ſorrow, wherein they feel no comfort, as David; My ſoar ran, and ceaſed not; my ſoul refuſed comfort. Pſal. 77.2, 3.I did think upon God and was troubled.
In the ineffectuating the means of ſalvation for a time. For many holy zealous ſouls deſirous to do God good ſervice, do complain, that they hear the Word, & do not profit by it, they receive the Sacraments, and do not taſt how ſweet it is; they pray, but they feel not the Spirit helping their infirmities; they give thanks and praiſe to God, but they do not feel that inward dancing of the heart, and jubilation of the ſoul, and rejoycing in God, that ſhould attend his prayſe, yea, rather they perceive in themſelves a going backward from God, as the Church complaineth.
O Lord, Iſa. 63.17.why haſt thou made us to erre from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fears?
3 Sometimes when we have the zeal of Gods glory, and a ſtrong deſire to ſerve him, we feel a failing in the act of obedience, and as the Apoſtle complaineth, when we delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man: Rom. 7.22We finde another law in our members rebelling againſt the law of our minds, and leading us captive to the law of ſin, which is in our members: for,
Sometimes, when we ſet and diſpoſe our ſelves to the worſhip of God in prayer and thankſgiving, or to the hearing of the Word, either a covetous or a wanton, or an envious, or an ambitious thought thwarts us, and carries us quite away for a time, and we have much a doe to redeeme our ſelves from it.
4 Sometimes we do feel ſuch want of the Spirit of God in us, that Satan takes advantage thereat, perſwadeth that God hath forſaken us: and thus many of Gods deare children feel the bitterneſſe of deſpaire for a time, in which agony, Job cries,
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, Job. 6.4.the poiſon whereof drinketh up my ſpirit, the terrour of God do ſet themſelves in array againſt mee.
In this fit of deep agony ſome have died deſpairing and blaſpheming the name of God: ſome have done violence to themſelves, and have died of their own hand, of whom let chriſtian charity hope the beſt, ſeeing, that God hideth the horne of his ſalvation out of ſight.
Therefore David prayeth, O forſake not me utterly, Pſ. 119.8.the word is foreign, uſquè valde, as our Engliſh over-long, for the word utterly, is ſomewhat too full of fear, and the hiding of this power, giveth hope to the diſtreſſed, the light will reſt in darkneſſe.
3 Doctr. God is armed with inſtruments of vengeance to puniſh ſin, peſtilence, and burning coals.
The 10 plagues of Egypt do prove this and the deſtruction of Pharoah & his hoaſt in the red Sea. And leſt the Church ſhould preſume too far upon his favor, the ſtory of the paſſage of the children of Iſrael, from the Land of Egypt to Canaan is full of examples of terrour to evill doers, which the Apoſtle doth urge and preſſe to the Corinthians, and giveth them warning of the wrath to come.
For he ſaith,1 Cor. 10.5 firſt in generall termes, that with many of them God was not well pleaſed, for they were overthrown in the wilderneſs.
And in perticular, he nameth ſome ſharp judgment, For fornication, Verſ. 8. Num. 25.9there fell in one day twentie three thouſand.
That was the plague, and St. Paul ſpeaks within compaſſe, for we read 24000.
For tempting: Verſe 9. Num. 21.6 Verſe 20.of God, they were deſtroyed with ſerpents: theſe were the fiery ſerpents.
For murmuring they were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer, which I underſtand the plague.
Thoſe men which did bring up the evill report of the Land, num. 14.37.died by the Plague before the Lord.
David deſcribing the judgments of God in thoſe dayes, ſaith;Pſ. 106.18. Num. 16.31. A fire was kindled in their company, and burnt up the wicked: meaning the 250 that offered incenſe, who murmured againſt Moſes and Aaron.
Thus you ſee, how the peſtilence ſtill walked before him, and burning coals at his feet.
Not onelyonly without the pale amongſt the enemies of his Church, but within foul amongſt ſuch, as were reckoned with the Church.
In which courſe of powerfull juſtice,1 Reaſ. he hath ſtill gone forward to put the ſonnes of men in fear, that they may know they are but men, and that they may not dare to reſiſt the right hand of the moſt High.
For Satan doth ſtill ſuggeſt that God is mercifull, and ſo animates ſinners to do evill, by feeding their preſumption.
Therefore the children of God, who ſet God always before their eyes, do not only behold him as he is togatus in peace, or as he is rogatus eaſily entreated, but as he is oculatus to behold, and aculeatus to ſting ſinners, it is the voice of the Church.
In the way of thy judgments have we waited for thee: Iſa. 26.6.this keepeth children in awe, this ſhewing of the rod ſaves them many a ſwinging, and for the ungodly of the earth, it filleth them with the terrour of the Lord, they dare not do all that they would, for fear of the peſtilence that deſtroyeth at the noon day, and for fear of ſtirring theſe coals at the feet of God, which can ſo ſoon overtake them. So God hath theſe judgments at hand, to put men out of hope of impunity, which is the greateſt flattery to ſooth up ſin, that is;
The falſe Prophets ſeduced the people of God, ſaying, peace, peace: Ezek. 13.10and thereby,
They ſtrengthened the hands of the wicked, Verſe 22.that he ſhould not return from his wicked way, by promiſing him life.
It is ſaid of the Magiſtrates of the earth, That they do not bear the Sword in vain, and can we think that this ſupream Lord of all doth carry theſe rods of vengeance ſo near him; the Peſtilence before his face, and theſe burning coals at his feet for nothing
2 Hee nameth theſe two judgments for all,2 Reaſ. becauſe they be of ſudden diſpatch, and of quick execution: the plague we do know how ſpeedy it is in a work of deſtruction, three days peſtilence ſwept away threeſcore and 10000 in Davids time.
We cannot forget what deſolations it hath made in this our great City, and what terrour it made all the Land over.
Fire is a mercileſs Element, ſudden and cruel in conſumption of all combuſtible matter, the Apoſtle choſe that reſemblance, to expreſs God in a fury, Deus noſter ignis conſumens, Our God is a conſuming fire.
Here is not onelyonly the violence of wrath,1 Theſſ. 5. but the ſuddaineſs alſo expreſſed, the laſt fire that ſhall deſtroy the world, ſhall come as a Thief in the night, as that ſhovver of fire and Brimſtone fell upon Sodom.
This teacheth the man of earth,1 Ʋſe. vvho is but man to feare vvhen the plague commeth, to conſider that he is but ſtubble; and therefore not fit to encounter this fire, he is but man, and not fit to meet this devouring peſtilence; therefore let him not provoke the God of this povver, let him not ſtir up theſe coals, nor avvake judgement, rather let him quench this fire with the tears of true repentance.
As Chriſt ſaid to the Church of Sardis, Remember how thou haſt received and heard, R…v. 3.3.hold faſt and repent, if thou wilt not watch, I will come to thee as a thief.
It is not the vvay of peace to put avvay the evill day,Amos 6.3. rather let us put avvay the evil, and break off our ſins by repentance, that vve may obtein mercy in the time of need.
He that hath ſuch ready inſtruments of vvrath to puniſh ſin, is not to be dallied vvith, he may ſurpriſe us on the bed vvhereon vve ſtudy miſchief; he may meet us at the doore vvhen vve are going forth to act it, he may overtake us vvhen we are upon the vvay, he may cut us off in the act of ſin, and bring us from the fact to judgement.
And how ſoever his mercy hath the name above his other works, and his patience and long ſuffering be the fruits of his mercy, yet he never had mercy enough to ſwallow, or conſume either his juſtice or his truth.
He hath diverted his plague often, he hath ſometimes called it in, and long he keepeth it in, for that he expecteth repentance, but he hath never turned it out of his ſervice, but hath it always before him, he hath alſo turned his fire another way, that it might not come neer the Tabernacles of the righteous; but he hath never quenched it, it is always at his feet, if he moveth that moveth with him, the Rain-bow about his head is the joy of his Church, the coals of terrour at his fire, are the terrour of the wicked.
2. We have alſo our leſſon herein, Ʋſe 2 2 Cor. 5.11for the Apoſtle ſaith; Knowing therfore the terror of the Lord we perſwade men, but we are made manifeſt unto God, and I truſt are made manifeſt alſo in your conſciences.
We find this danger in ſin, and this ſeverity in judgement; thereupon we perſwade men to a conſcionable courſe of life, ſuch as may keep them unſpotted of the world.
If we do not acquaint you with the terrour of the Lord, and ſhew you the peſtilence that walketh before him, and the burning coals at his feet, God will right himſelf upon us, for as he told his Prophet Ezekiel, ſo he will deal with us.
Son of man I have made thee a watchman to the houſe of Iſrael, therefore hear the word from my mouth, Ezc. 3.17.and give them warning from me,
When I ſay to the wicked, thou ſhalt ſurely dye, and thou giveſt him not warning, nor ſpeakeſt to warn the wicked from his evill way, to ſave his life, the ſame wicked man ſhall dye in his iniquity, but his bloud will I require at thy hand.
This excuſeth us to you, when we preach the rod of God, even peſtilence and coales of fire, that this is not our furie and railing, as ſome call it, but it is the wrath of the Lord againſt ſin, and if we temper a bitter potion for you to drink, it is not poiſon but medicine, and it is miniſtred to you, as God himſelf ſaith, to ſave your lives, that you may not dye in your ſins, it is the therapentique phyſick to heal your ſouls, it is prophilactique to us, to prevent diſeaſe, that we periſh not for your unreproved ſins.
The arrows of vengeance are aimed at your ſins, that you may kill ſin and ſave the ſinner alive, Cry therefore, Spare us good Lord.
4. Doct. God is glorious in heaven and in earth for this: Heaven is covered with his glory, and the Earth is full of his praiſe.
This is the confeſſion of David;
O Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the Earth, Pſa. 8.1who haſt ſet thy glory above the heavens.
What need we any more reaſon to think this his due, Reaſ. 1 then theſe two;
1 His name onelyonly is excellent, his glory is above the Earth and Heaven.
Here we are ſure we cannot over-doe in matter of praiſe and glory: the Angels and Saints do him that ſervice, and cover the heaven with the praiſes of God,Pſa. 148.13. for his love ſhineth to his Church; and we pray Sicut in Coelo, as in heaven.
He alſo exalteth the horne of his people, Pſa. 14.3.the praiſe of all his Saints.
Let not us ſit out vvhen all joyn to glorifie God, Ʋſe. let not any of us like the fleece of Gideon be dry, vvhen all the floore is watered vvith the joys and jubilations of the Church. David is not content vvith a bare praiſing of the name of God, as they that ſay alway. The Lord be praiſed, but he requireth both a ſong,Pſ. 149.1. Canticum novum, a nevv ſong, and that in the congregation of the Saints.
He alſo requireth a dance,Verſe 3. he requireth alſo inſtruments of muſique, he gives reaſon.
He vvould have us delight in the ſervice that we do to God, therefore he addeth.
The Lord taketh pleaſure in his people, Verſe 4.he will beautifie the meek with Salvation.
Let the Saints be joyfull in glory, Verſe 5.let them ſing aloud upon their beds.
Let the high praiſes of God be in their mouth.Verſe 6.
This is that vvhichwhich this example requireth, not to be ſhallovv and ſleight in the promiſes of God, but to ſtrein our ſelves to the uttermoſt: the inward man of the heart, the voice, the hand playing, the feet dancing, till vve cover the heaven, and fill the earth vvith his glory.