Sarah and Hagar, Sermon 17
THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON.
GEN. 16.12, 13. And he ſhall dwel in the preſence of all his Brethren.
Verſ. 13. And ſhe called the Name of the Lord, &c.
THis clauſe is diverſly interpreted; Some underſtand it thus; for all he ſhall be ſo ſavage, and fierce a man; and his hand againſt every man; yet, even amongſt his enemies, he ſhall have ſome friends, and other ſome that will affect him, and commend him:Obſerv. 1. None ſo deſperately wicked, but ever found Abettours. And it is true, there were never any ſo deſperately wicked, but they found ſome to favour them, and applaud them. David ſpeaketh of thoſe that bleſs the covetous, whom God abhorreth; there were thoſe men among the Iews, that ſpoke well of Tobiah their common enemy, and reported his good deeds,Nehe. 6.10. Suetonius, Epiphanius, & S. Auguſtin. Nehemiah 6. The Perſians honoured Nero, that was the hatred of God and man: and as Suetonius reports; though all men thought him unworthy of common burial, yet they ſent ſome yearly with flowers and odours, to adorn his Sepulchre: And both Epiphanius and Saint Auſtin tels us, of a certain brood of Hereticks, called Caiani; that honoured Cain, affirming that he was a worthy man, conceived by ſome powerfull nature; That therefore ſhewed it ſelf mightyin him. The ſame Hereticks alſo, honoured Corah, Dathan and Abiram, as men of courage and reſolution: yea they adored Iudas the traytor, being perſwaded that ſome divine operation, and propheticallinſtinct did direct, that, by his delivering his maſter to the Iewes, all men might be delivered from the divell. And did not Sixtus Quintus in the conclave of Cardinals, make a Panegyrick in the commendation of that Iacobin, Applicationthat killed Henry the third of France? Adams eating of the forbidden fruit, hath put the judgment of his poſterity, out of taſte; inſomuch that they often think well, and ſpeak well, and are affected to ſuch as hate God, and are hatefull to men; and are not only foreign, but foreign; not only diſorderly, but abſurd; men that do things,S. Ierom. lib. Epiſt. repugnant to right reaſon: as Saint Ierom ſaith of writers, non eſt tam ineptus ſcriptor, qui non ſui ſimilem inveniet lectorem: there can be no ſuch impertinent a writer, but he ſhall finde a reader fit for him; ſo it may be ſaid of ill men, be they never ſo bad, there will be ſome that favour them. But Iſaiah hath a woe in his 5. Chapter, at the 20. Verſe To thoſe that call evil good; and Solomon ſaith, ſuch are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 17.15. And we know how Iehoſophat ſmarted, for loving him that hated the Lord; wrath was upon him from the Lord. 2 Chron. 19.2 Chron. 19.2. But this ſenſe doth doth not ſo well agree with the words that went before; that his hand ſhould be againſt every man, and every mans hand againſt him: there be others therefore, that expound it of his cruelty, and that he ſhould not ſpare, to afflict even his brethren; and certain it is, that (ſuch as was Iſhmael) cruel, fierce, and bloody minds put little difference; regard neither humane ſociety, nor civility, nor yet affinity, no nor conſanguinity;Obſerv. 2. No reſpect or relation, can reſtrain cruel diſpoſitions that are back'd with power. and that the neareſt relation will not reſtrain them from violence; for the Son riſeth up againſt the father, (as we ſee in Abſolon; and the father againſt the ſon; Saul throweth a ſpear at Ionathan; the brother againſt the brother, Eſau reſolveth to kill Iacob: and Cain doth not only reſolve it, but act it: he ſlew his brother Abel. They tell of Herod, that in that Maſſacre which he appointed to paſs upon the Infants, two of his own ſons were ſlain; inſomuch that it was a by-word, better be Herods hogg then his childe: and what unnatural monſters have theſe laſt and worſt times brought forth, that have embrued their hands in the blood of their own children! Theſe be thoſe foreign that Saint Paul foretold, 2 Tim. 3.2 Tim. 3.3. Thoſe difficult and perilous times, wherein people ſhould be foreign, without natural affection; and therefore (as I ſaid the laſt day,) let us take heed of bloody-mindedneſs, and cruelty of diſpoſition; for we ſhall be apt to break all bonds, for the ſatisfaction of our revenge. This interpretation may paſs, if we add another thing, which Expoſitors do think is here intended: and that is, he ſhall dwel in the preſence of his brethren, he ſhall be of that power and ſtrength, that though he be oppoſed by all men, yet he ſhal be able to make his party good, and to dwel by them, and in ſpight of them; and through his power, ſhall be injurious unto them; and enlarge his coaſts by taking from them, maugre all their oppoſition: and certainly, there is nothing doth ſo animate, and more encourage men to violence and oppreſſion, of thoſe that be neer unto them, then a preſumption of their power and ſtrength. Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord, Gen. 10.9. That is, being of power, he practiſed all manner of tyranny and cruelty, inſomuch that it grew into a proverb, to call a cruel tyrant and oppreſſor, a Nimrod: Iezabel ſerves to make this an argument to Ahab, to take Nabaoths vineyard from him; Tune regnum Iſraelis? Doeſt thou now govern the kingdome of Iſrael? 1 Kings 21. Thy power is great enough,1 Kings 21.7. to make thee Lord over his, or any other mans vineyard; if he will not ſell or exchange; extort it by power: the conceit that Senacherib had of his great ſtrength, as appeareth in that ſpeech of railing Rabſekah; made him forward to oppreſs the people of God. Micah ch. 2.1. Speaketh of thoſe that deviſe iniquity, and work evil upon their beds; when the morning is light, they practiſe it, becauſe it is in the power of their hand: What hath been the ground of thoſe unjuſt, of thoſe bloody warrs, that have been in the world, among Princes; among the race of Iſhmael, the Turks great oppreſſions but confidence of power? and of latter times, even in the Breaſt of Chriſtendom, but only ambition back'd with power? People have thought they have wanted elbowroom, and preſuming on the ſtrength they were able to make, (and making power and not juſtice, the rule of their actions,) they have invaded the Territories, and rights of each other; and have ſhewed themſelves none other, then King Iames of bleſſed memory calleth them, Splendid Robbers; what hath been the ground of that oppreſſion, that hath been uſed by thoſe, in favour to Princes, againſt others? but only that they have built upon their place and ſtrength; and conceived, that others durſt not ſtir againſt them; or if they did, it ſhould be to no purpoſe: the rich man, that took the poor mans ſheep, to make a feaſt for his friends, thought the poor man durſt not reſiſt him, being rich and potent: foreign, (ſaith the Poet) oppreſſion dwelleth next door to Poverty: the oppreſſions of former times were but a counterpain of ours. And as Ambroſe ſaith,S. Ambroſe. in his book of Nabaoth the Jezreelite; hiſtoria vetus, uſus quotidianus, ancient Hiſtory is of preſent use, and daily application.
But now for Application of this
ApplicationFirſt, Let thoſe that be of great power, and ſtrength, and wealth, uſe it well; let it be for protection of others, not for their deſtruction: Let it be to defend, not to offend; Let them be ſanctuaries to others, but not ſhambles: Let them ſtand up in the cauſe of thoſe that ſuffer, and not themſelves lay hands upon them; Let them not be blown up with a conceit of their own might, and take advantage of others weakneſs, to oppreſs them; for God will meet with them: oftentimes he doth it here; as we ſee in Ahab and Iezabel, they paide dear for Nabaoths vineyard; but if not here, becauſe they can carry it out, with their might and power: yet elſewhere there is tribunal, before which they muſt appear; Qui praedo praeda, (ſaith Saint Auguſtin: S. Auguſtine. Iſai. 33.1.) He that preyed upon others, ſhall himſelf be a prey to death and hell: Woe unto thee, (ſaith Iſaiah) that ſpoileſt and waſt not ſpoiled; when thou ſhalt ceaſe to ſpoile, thou ſhalt be ſpoiled: God may defer his wrath for a time, but it will come; & quanto tardius venit, S. Gregory.ſeverius percutit (ſaith Saint Gregory,) and the ſlower it commeth, the heavilyer it falleth: the ſin of oppreſſion, ſure enough, will be payed home, either here, or in hell, or in both.
Secondly, Let it be an item to thoſe, that are oppreſſed by their waſpiſ… neighbours, and can injoy nothing quietly, that they have a minde to; Let them poſſeſs their ſouls in patience: there is a God that will right thoſe that ſuffer wrong, Pſal. 146.7. If thou ſeeſt in a country, (ſaith Solomon, Eccleſ. 5.) the poor oppreſſed, wonder not at it; that is, be not too much diſcouraged in that regard. There is one, higher then the higheſt of them, that regardeth it; and he will judge both the juſt and the wicked. A man that in ſome Court is overſwayed, (againſt right) yet is not out of heart, while he hath an higher Court to appeal unto, of the equity whereof he is perſwaded: and ſo hath the oppreſſed; they have a Court of heaven to appeal to, and there we ſhall be ſure to have juſtice for us, according to the equity of our cauſe. I know this is difficult, and puts a man to it: but we muſt bear: ſaith the Apoſtle, Be ye patient, till the coming of our Lord.
But now, before we leave this verſe, curioſi quaerunt, A Queſtion touching Gods Permiſsion.(ſaith Jerome) the curious ſtart a Queſtion here, Why God, foreſeeing and foreknowing what kinde of perſons Iſhmael and his poſterity would be, would ſuffer ſuch to be brought forth into the world; or did not, as ſoon as they were born, daſh theſe children of Babylon againſt the ſtones, Obſerv. 3. Gods permiſsion of evil, both perſons and actions, vindicated (by manifold good ends and reaſons) from being any ways occaſion of them.or prevent theſe Cockatrice eggs, from growing to be fiery flying ſerpents. He is the God of peace, and love, and mercy; and he loveth a ſweet correſpondence of men, in their ſeveral ſocieties. Nay, to ſuffer ſuch as ſhould be cobling-ſtones in a wall, that would neither head nor bed well? nay, ſuch fire-brands of the world, as Hecuba dreamed ſhe went withal? men whoſe hands ſhould be againſt every man, and every mans hand againſt them! ſuch as ſhould be the peſt of the place, and the calamity of the times wherein they lived! ſuch diſorderly ones as would ſpoil that comely method and order into which God had digeſted things! nay, may not a man think that God is the author and cauſe of the ſins of ſuch men, when, foreſeeing them, he doth not prevent them?
Oh, in the fear of God, firſt, let us take heed of this conceit: Better (ſaith Saint Chryſoſtome) an hundred to be ſlain,Chryſoſt. 23 Hom. ſuper Acta Apoſt. then that our God ſhould hear ſuch a word from us: That he is the cauſe of ſin to us! Saint Auguſtine calleth it, deteſtandam & abominandam opinionem; a deteſtable and abominable opinion: for, (ſaith he) Fieri non poteſt, S. Auguſtine.ut per quem á talibus ſurgitur, per eum in talia decidatur; it is impoſſible, that he by whom men riſe from ſins, ſhould be the occaſion of their falling into them. And Fulgentius ſaith, Far be it from us to think,Fulgentius. that God is autor quorum eſt ultor, author of thoſe ſins whereof he is revenger: His Preſcience and foreſight of ſin, doth not make him the cauſe of it. Non ideò peccat homo, quia Deus eum peccaturum praeſcivit, (ſaith Saint Jerome;) a man doth not therefore ſin,S. Jerome. becauſe God foreknoweth his intention to ſin; no more then the Aſtronomer is the cauſe of the Eclipſe which he foretelleth, or a Phyſitian of the diſeaſe which he foreſeeth a man will fall into; or the Prophets, of the calamities which they foretold; or a wiſe man, of the ruine of another, which he foreſees in his wicked courſes. No, our deſtruction is from our ſelves, (as God told Iſrael, Hoſ. 13.Hoſ. 13.9.) and the leaſt aſperſion may not be caſt upon God, whoſe pure eyes can behold none iniquity.
But then for the Quare, Why God doth permit ſuch wicked men to be born,Eccleſ. 7.10. and to live in the world: I might ſay, (as Solomon, Eccl. 7. in another caſe) Thou doſt not enquire wiſely concerning this: or I might anſwer, as my Author doth, in the words of the Apoſtle. Rom. 9.Rom. 9.20. O man, who art thou, that replieſt againſt God! hath not the potter power over the clay? may not God do as he pleaſeth? And dare any man ſay unto him, Why doſt thou ſo? His will may be ſecret, but it cannot be unjuſt. But yet, to give ſome ſatisfaction in this Point, it is a true ſpeech of Saint Augustine; Auguſt. in 11 of his Enchirid.Deus non ſineret aliquid mali, niſi uſque adeo eſſet omnipotens & bonus, ut benè faceret etiam de malo: God would not ſuffer any evil to be done in the world, but that he is ſo good and omnipotent, as that he can bring good alſo out of that evil, and make all things work for the beſt, &c. Now God ſuffereth wicked men to be born into the world, and to live in the world,
Firſt, to let the world ſee, how much mans nature is depraved and corrupted by his fall. God made him upright; but he tranſgreſſing, fell in the dirt,S. Bernard. (ſaith Saint Bernard;) and not onelyonly defiled himſelf, but wounded himſelf; ſo that he became, from the crown of the head, to the ſole of the foot, nothing but ſwellings, and putrified ſores. This firſt ſin was the Trojan-horſe, the fruitful womb of all thoſe miſchiefs that have infected the world; of all thoſe murthers, and cruelties, & oppreſſions, that have ſtained the ſouls of men; of all thoſe judgments with which God hath juſtly plagued the ſons of men: This corrupt nature of man is fierce, and driveth furiouſly, like Jehu the ſon of Nimſhi: it breaks out deſperately it is like the raging ſea, that caſteth out nothing but mire and dirt: it ruſheth into ſin, as the horſe into the battel, and committeth ſin with greedineſs. Now all this ſheweth, (in the practice of wicked men) as in a glaſs, the woful condition of our Nature. 'Tis intended, for mens humiliation, and that they ſhould bethink themſelves from whence they are fallen; and ſeek the repairing of Gods image in them.
Secondly, God ſuffers ſuch fierce and cruel ones to be in the world, for the exerciſe of the graces of his children as firſt, their thankfulneſs to God, that he is pleaſed to reſtrain that corruption in them, which ſo breaks out in others. When thou ſeeſt a man wallow like a beaſt in his own vomit, dart out blaſphemies againſt heaven, revile the Goſpel of ſalvation, tear the bleſſed Name of God in pieces, with horrid and hideous oathes: when thou heareſt of Cain murdering his brother, Judas betraying of his maſter, Ananias lying to the holy Ghoſt, Lucian mocking the Lord Jeſus as a crucified impoſtor, Julian darting of his blood againſt heaven in hatred of Chriſt, the Scribes and Phariſees blaſpheming the Spirit of God: when thou obſerveſt men of an unquiet and turbulent ſpirit, that, like Salamanders, cannot live out of the fire; that are of a provoking carriage, and apt, at every turn, to be injurious unto their brethren, yea, even thirſting after their blood, and ſhedding it: Then thank God, that his grace keeps thee from theſe precipices: for thou haſt the ſame root of bitterneſs in thee, that thoſe monſters have;Prov. 27.19. as face anſwereth to face in the water, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 27. ſo the heart of man to man: Every man may ſee in another, the compleat image, deformity, and unrighteouſneſs of his own heart; and may truly ſay, ſuch an one ſhould I be, if Gods grace did not prevent it: 2. Hereby God will exerciſe the grace of wiſdome, and circumſpection; for when ſuch wicked ones be in the world, the children of God (according to the counſel of their Lord,) muſt be wiſe as ſerpents, and innocent as doves; i. e. they muſt carry themſelves ſo,1 Cor. 10.32. that they do not provoke thoſe malitious ones againſt them; give none offence (ſaith the Apoſtle) neither to Jews, nor Gentiles, 1 Cor. 10. they muſt do nothing to irritate them: it may be, they may be offended at their profeſſion, and practice of religion; but that is Scandalum acceptum, non datum; and offence taken, but not given: and in that caſe, melius eſt ut ſcandalum oriatur, quàm ut veritas relinquatur; better it is, that ſuch an offence ſhould ariſe, then that the truth ſhould fall, and be forſaken: but elſe they muſt be ſo wiſe, as to carry themſelves harmleſly, and give them none offence,Tertul. in Apol. whereby their ſtill glowing wrath, (that fire on Satans Altar) may be ſtirred againſt them: and thus wiſe were thoſe Chriſtians, Tertullian ſpeaks of in his Apology; They lived peaceably and quietly, in the midſt of their enemies; and they were ready to do all offices of humanity for them; but it could not be juſtly laid to their charge, that they were injurious unto them, inſomuch that they could ſay, bonus vir ſanus, ſed malus quia Chriſtianus. Such an one is a good man, but evill only, in that he is a Chriſtian.
Thirdly, God by ſuffering ſuch men, will exerciſe the patience of his children; for being apt to be wronged by thoſe violent men, (though they offer no wrong,) there is an imployment of their patience; as likewiſe of their cofidence in God, who is an harbour to put into, in all ſtorms.
Fourthly, Of their love to God; for by a kinde of foreign, and contrariant operation, the coldneſs of the charity of men, maketh their love more intenſe towards God; it doth alſo ſtirr up in them, the Spirit of prayer and ſupplication, and make them more earneſt with God, for the protecting of them: for the girding up and reſtraining of the fury of wicked men; yea further, it is the ſtirring up of their compaſſion towards thoſe wicked men; for we are even bound to pitty them, who are ſo miſerably enthralled, under the power of ſin and Satan; and to pray for them, that their eyes may be opened, that they ſleep not in death: and the rather, becauſe we ſee, this is the effect of corrupt nature, which would break out in us, as well as in them, if God did not reſtrain it:Titus 3.3. The Apoſtle maketh this an argument, to provoke meekneſs. Tit. 3. We our ſelves were in times paſt unwiſe, diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, hateful, and hating one another.
Laſtly, God ſuffers ſuch wilde and fierce men, and ſuch cruel people in the world, for the puniſhment of men: while they take liberty to ſin againſt him; He maketh a rod of the malice and cruelty of the wicked, to ſcourge them withall: God gave his people into the hands of ſuch as oppreſſed them, becauſe they had provoked him, by their foul ſins: and though it is true, that afterwards he threw thoſe rods into the fire; (as we ſee in the King of Aſſyria, and others;) yet for the preſent, he doth uſe them to chaſtiſe his own people withal; and they are very fierce againſt them.
Give me leave to adde one word more, concerning this inſtance in our Text. The ferity, and fierceneſs, and ſavage dipoſition of Iſhmael and his poſterity, was a part of the puniſhment which God laid upon Sarah for adviſing, and Abraham for yeelding to take Hagar to wife.Gal, 4. They lived in part to ſee it: for Iſhmael mocked, yea perſecuted Iſaac, (ſaith Saint Paul, Gal. 4.) and therefore was eaſt out, with his mother;Pſal. 83.6. but after their death it fell out, that the Hagarens were reckoned among the enemies of Sarahs ſeed. Pſal. 83. They were amongſt thoſe, that ſought to cut them off, from being a nation; and that the name of Iſrael might be no more in remembrance: unwarrantable courſes treaſure up puniſhment for after time.Obſerv. 5. The meſſages of Gods faithful miniſters are his own word, and Embaſſages. I have made it good heretofore, in manifold examples, and given ſufficient Reaſon for it; for how ſhould a bleſſing be expected upon any project, wherein God is not adviſed withall? Nay, how juſt is it with him, to render ſuch actions, vexatious unto the parties that have undertaken them? And therefore, let us ever ask counſell of God, and look that the grounds of our actions, be juſtifiable. And amongſt other wayes, let people take heed of unlawfull mixture, ſuch as was Abrahams with Hagar; a puniſhment of that fault, may lye in the iſſue, and they may grow up, to be an hearts grief to thoſe from whom they are ſprung; beſides, their being ſtanding monuments,3. Part of his Hiſto. c. 18. Tit. 6. as it were, of their ſin and ſhame: if they ſhall prove good, (as Iephtah, and divers others have done, and not fly out, as Iſhmael;) yet that ought to be matter of humiliation, as long as they live: Antonine telleth of the mother of thoſe three famous men, Petrus Comeſtor the Author of the Scholaſtical Hiſtory, Peter Lombard the Maſter of the Sentences: and Gratian the Compiler of the decrees, (having had them all, in an unlawfull way:) that ſhe told her Confeſſour, that ſhe could not be ſo ſorry for her ſin, as ſhe ſhould, becauſe they proved ſuch eminent men: but he bad her to bewaile alſo her want of ſorrow: Though ſuch children prove never ſo excellent, yet the fault is to be mourned for; and the judgment: if it lye not in the childe, to be a grief to the parents, while they are living; or a ſhame, when they are dead; (as is ſaid of Dioniſius, poenas quas vivus effugit, mortuus in filio exolvit, the puniſhments which he eſcaped living, he ſuffered in his Son, after his deceaſe:) it may lye in ſome other thing; for certainly God will puniſh it, one time or other; as he did in Auguſtine himſelf, for his Adeodatus. Let us take heed of this, or any other unlawful courſe, which, though it ſeem never ſo pleaſurable or profitable, in the contriving or acting, yet will have a ſting in it, and vex as much as ever it contented: for God muſt be juſt, and men muſt reap the fruits of their own way. And ſo I have done with this verſe.
I come now to the next,Verſe 13. where beginneth the third part of this Chapter, and it containeth the thankfulneſs, and obedience of Hagar; her thankfulneſs in the 13. and 14. verſes; acknowledging the Lords mercy to her, and giving the fountain a new name: and her obedience, in that which is ſupplyed, in that in her miſtreſs houſe ſhe brought forth her ſon; ſhe returned therefore thither again, according to the direction of the Angell: and in the laſt verſe, is ſet down the age of Abraham, when Iſhmael was born.
For the firſt of theſe, her thankfulneſs, in this 13 verſe; ſhe giveth God a title: and ſecondly, ſhe giveth a reaſon of it.
For the former: ſhe calleth the name of him that ſpake unto her, the Lord. Why, may ſome man ſay, It was the Angel of the Lord that ſpake unto her; and ſo he is ſtiled four ſeveral times; verſ. 7, 9, 10, 11. And mark, (ſaith my Author) though it were an Angel that ſpake unto her, ipſa autem non ut ab Angelo, ſed ut à Deo dicta accipit; yet ſhe entertains it not as from the Angel, but as ſpoken to her from the Lord himſelf: Et ſic audiendum eſt verbum Dei; Obſerv. 5. The meſſages of Gods faithful Miniſters are his own words and embaſſages.and ſo (ſaith he) is the Word ſtill to be received: that which Gods Miniſters faithfully deliver, (by vertue of their Office) is to be taken as the Word of God himſelf. Zacharias, in his ſong, ſpeaking of Gods Word, Luke ….70. ſaith, As he ſpake by the mouth of his holy prophets: God ſpeaketh by their mouth: that which they delivered, was no leſs to be reputed Gods Word, then if the Lord himſelf had uttered it, in ſome ſuch ſort as he ſpake to ſome of old. Hence is that ordinary phraſe in the Prophets, The word of the Lord which came to ſuch a Prophet; and, according to the word of the Lord which ſuch or ſuch an one ſpake. God told Jeremiah, (Chap. 1.Jer. 1.9.) I have put my words into thy mouth. Daniel ſaith, (Chap. 9.Dan. 9.10.) We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, by the miniſtery of his ſervants the prophets: He calleth it the Lords voice, which came unto the people by the Prophets miniſtery. He that heareth you, heareth me, ſaith Chriſt to his diſciples, when he ſent them forth to preach, Luke 10.16. God doth beſeech you through us, (ſaith Saint Paul) and we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, 2 Cor. 5.2 Cor. 5.20. and he telleth the Theſſalinians, (1 Theſſ. 2.13.) that his word was indeed the word of God. And that this opinion is to be held, of thoſe that faithfully believe, even to this hour, may be gathered from that promiſe of Chriſt, Lo, I am with you to the end of the world, Matth. 28.Matth. 18.20. It cannot be reſtrained to the Apoſtles, who, having ſerved their time are now at r…ſt; but belongeth to thoſe Preachers to whom the Lord giveth gifts, for the gathering together of his Saints, until the end of the world. How is Chriſt with them, but by teaching, and enabling them what to ſay, and by revealing, by them, his minde unto his Church? Hence it is, that as Chriſt is termed the ſun of righteouſneſs, Mal. 4.3. Rev. 1.20.Mal. 4. ſo his Miniſters are called ſtars, Rev. 1. and therefore, as the light of the ſtars is (by way of reflection) the very light of the ſun, which they receive from thence; ſo the doctrine of Chriſts Miniſters is the doctrine of Chriſt: The words of an Ambaſſadour, are reputed his from whom he cometh: And Miniſters are Gods Ambaſſadours; therefore, what they faithfully deliver, is not mans, but Gods.
For the Uſe of this:
ApplicationIt teacheth people with what reſpect to entertain that which Gods Miniſters faithfully teach, even as it were immediately delivered by God himſelf: Neither is it poſſible men ſhould profit by hearing, till this perſwaſion be graffed in them. This was that which made Saint Pauls miniſtery among the Theſſalonians, to be, not onelyonly in word, but in power: they did receive it, not as the word of man, but as it was indeed, 1 Theſſ. 2.13.the word of God, 1 Theſſ. 2. When the doctrine is believed to be the Lords, then it confirmeth faith, and buildeth up in ſaving knowledge. When threatnings are received as his, they ſtrike an awe into the conſcience, and awaken unto repentance. When the comforts are taken as his, then they are balm to the navil, and marrow to the bones. David made account Nathans words were Gods, and therefore they humbled his ſoul; and again, his afterwards did comfort him.
Numb. 16.When this is urged, it may be ſome will ſay, (as Corah and his companions, Numb. 16. to Moſes and Aaron) You take too much upon you: What do you make your ſelves? Muſt your words be taken as Gods own words; and your ſayings; as the Oracles of the moſt High? Who can endure that you ſhould be ſo preſumptuous?
But it is anſwered, It is no arrogancy, or preſumption, to ſpeak as the Spirit of God doth in the Scripture. David, and Hezekiah, and Eli, and others, have taken the words of the Prophets as Gods own words.
Why, but then they will ſay, Muſt every word that is delivered in a Pulpit, be taken as Gods words?
No: but that which is faithfully delivered, by vertue of their Office, is to be received as Gods own Word. And this is our comfort, in the midſt of the worlds contempt, that he that deſpiſeth us, deſpiſeth him that ſent us; that is, God himſelf. And this ſhall be the condemnation of the ſcorners of the Word, that their diſdain hath made war againſt Heaven: Your murmurings are not againſt us, but againſt the Lord, Exod. 16.7.Exod. 16. Contemnis praeconem, ſed hunc judicem; thou contemneſt not onelyonly the Preacher, but thy Judge.
She called the name of the Lord that ſpake to her, foreign, Thou God ſeeſt me. Her Naming is, that God did ſee her affliction, and would look upon her in mercy: for God is ſaid to ſee the affliction of men: Exod. 3. I have ſeen, I have ſeen the affliction of my people. Exod. 3.7. Pſal. 25.18.And David prayeth to God to look upon his affliction, Pſal. 25. that is, not barely to eye it, but to caſe it. In oculis Dei eſt pietas & indulgentia, S. Ambroſe.(ſaith Saint Ambroſe;) in the eyes of the Lord are mercy and compaſſion. This ſeeing here, is no more then the Angel had ſaid before to her, verſ. 11.Obſerv. 6. 'Tis both a Conſolation and a caution, that God beholdeth all, both our doings and ſufferings. The Lord hath heard thine affliction. What a ground of conſolation it is unto a man or woman, when they are afflicted either inwardly or outwardly; to finde God look upon them, and to ſpeak comfort unto them, no tongue is able to expreſs.
The ſubſtance of what ſhould now be obſerved, was ſpoken upon the eleventh verſe; and therefore I diſmiſs it, and conclude with this:
This name of God, God ſeeth, as it is a ground of conſolation in affliction,Application ſo it ought to be the ground of our cautelous and circumſpect walking in our whole converſation. It was that which kept Joſeph in awe, when he was ſollicited by his laſcivious miſtreſs: How can I do this great wickedneſs, and ſin againſt God! Gen. 39.It kept David in awe: I have ſet the Lord always before mine eyes, Pſal. 16.8. and Pſal. 119.168. I have kept thy precepts and thy teſtimonies: for all my ways are in thy ſight. And by this would Elihu deter men from wicked practices, Job 34. Gods eyes are upon the ways of man, Job 34.21.and he eyeth every ſtep he taketh. And I wiſh this might be ever in our minde, in all places, and at all times, foreign, God ſeeth me. He is in all places, and (like a well-drawn picture) eyeth me in every part of the room.Nazianzen. 'Tis Nazianzen's compariſon. Seneca gave advice, Sic facias quaecunque feceris, tanquam ſpectet Cato, aut Scipio, aut Lucius aliquis: So do whatſoever thou doſt, as if Cato, or Scipio, or ſome grave Lucius looked upon thee. And much more force ſhould there be in Gods preſence; who looks upon us, not onelyonly when we are faſting, but feaſting; not onelyonly when we are praying, but playing; not onelyonly in the fields, but in the houſe; and not onelyonly in the parlour, but in the bed-chamber; yea, in the cloſet. Are not they Atheiſtical, that are conceited that God ſees them not? And little better are they, that, being perſwaded God ſeeth them, yet dare, by their ill courſes, provoke the eyes of his glory. They that would be afraid of a grave perſon, yea of an ordinary man, yea of a childe; yet are not afraid of the preſence of God. I ſay again, Were this conſideration ſtill in us, foreign, God ſeeth me; what temptation could prevail againſt us! It is ſaid of a Reverend and religious man, that he had this written before his eyes in his ſtudy, and I make it my cloſe; Sin not thou: though never ſo ſecret, God ſeeth thee, and the Angels ſtand by thee; the devil is ready to accuſe thee, thine own conſcience to give evidence againſt thee, and hell fire to torment thee.
Preached, Ian. 19. 1641.