Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Text divided.
GODS gracious acceptation of his people and their holy ſervices, hath been hitherto deſcribed, and diſcovered. Followes now his righteous remuneration, and rich reſpects to their perſons, which he highly prizeth; for They ſhalbe mine, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, in that day when I make up my Jewels. 2. To their performances which he bountifully rewardeth. And I will ſpare them, as a man ſpareth his own ſonne that ſerveth him. Then ſhall ye return and diſcern &c.
The former, without forcing points us to theſe three poſitions.
1. That God is the Lord of Hoſts.
2. That this Lord of Hoſts will have his day to do good to his people: and to make them up as his Jewels from the worlds miſuſages.
3. That this people of his ſhall be gratiouſly owned, and greatly honoured in that day.
SECT. I. That God is Lord of Hoſts. What theſe Hoſts are, why called Hoſts: what it is to be Lord of Hoſts.
FIrſt, God is the Lord of Hoſts. So he is frequently ſtiled in the old Teſtament, Doct 1 Lord of Sabaoth (which is all one) in the New; thought this more ſeldome, becauſe the old Law was given in fear, the new in love, as Hugo will have it.
Now touching this title here, and elſwhere given to God, let us ſee, 1. What theſe Hoſts, or Armies are, whereof he is Lord. 2. Why they are called his Hoſts. 3. What it is to be Lord of theſe Hoſts, and what honour accrues, and is a ſcribed to God by this Attribute. In treating whereof, I muſt intreat my Reader, the ſame that the Oratour did His, (when he ſpake of Socrates, Ʋt majus quidd…m de …is, quàm quae …ripta ſunt, ſuſpicarentur: Cic. 3. de Oratore. Loquimur de Deo non quantum debemus ſed quantum poſſumus. Gratian. Imperatorand Lucius Craſſus) that they ſhould imagine ſome greater matter then here they finde written: foraſmuch as in ſpeaking of God we ſpeak not what we ought, but what wee are able, as that Emperour hath well obſerved in his Epiſtle to Ambroſe.
Firſt then, theſe Hoſts whereof God is ſaid to be Lord Soveraigne are all creatures heaven, in earth, and under earth. 1. In heaven there are. 1. Angels, which are cal…ed, The Hoſt of heaven, 1 King. 22.19. An heavenly Army, or the multi…ude of the heavenly Hoſt, Luke 2.13. the armies that are in heaven, following the Lord Chriſt upon white horſes, &c. Rev. 19.13. The Authour to the Hebrews calles them the heavens (as ſome conceive it) Chap. 7.26. Not becauſe they were coworkers with God in the creation of the world, as the Rabbins will have it:Goodw. Child. of Light, &c. 102. for though Angels are called Elohim, Pſal. 8.5. yet it was Jehovah Elohim onelyonly that made all things of nothing, Gen 2.4. Eſay 45.24. Neither yet, becauſe they move the heavens, and governe the whole world, as the Jews (after the Platoniſts) beleeved, and thereupon fell into the ſinne of Angel worſhip,Ratione pluralis Elohim, ex Hebrais aliqui exiſtimant ſo iarchum Deo Angelos in opere creationis, &c. Pareus in Gen. 1.1. Hebrai Platonicis imbuti opinionibus Angelos coelorum motores t…tiuſque mundi gubernatores eſſe putabant, &c. Pareus in Heb. 2.5. intruding into thoſe things that they had not ſeen, Coloſ. 2.18. and curiouſly prying into thoſe ſecrets whereof there is neither proof, nor profit. Howbeit, that they have, under God, a main ſtroke in ordering the courſe of naturall and civil affairs, it may be proved out of Ezekiel, Chap. 1. where the beaſts are ſaid to ſtir the wheels, as themſelves are ſtirred by the Spirit of God. And for the manner of their motion, every one of them is ſaid to have four faces, that is, they can look every way at once; and to have calves feet round, that is, they are apt to go every way: and this with the greateſt facility that can be.
Next below the Angels in Gods hoſts, are the Sunne, Moon, and Stars thoſe Coeleſtial bodies, 1 Cor. 15.40 the glorious furniture of the viſible heavens,The Queen of heaven, Jre 44 17. called alſo, the Hoſt of heaven, Deut. 4.19. Act 7.42. Zeph. 1.5. Theſe fought in their courſes againſt Siſera, Gods enemy, Judg. 5.20. And ſo they do ſtill by their light,Vidore licebat in eodem loco aquam ignemque ſimul de coelo cadere. Ignis non attingebat Romanos, neque imber juvabat barbaros, ſed eos non. ſecus inflammabat, ac oleum, &c. Dio Caſſ. in vita M. Antonin. Philoſ. heat, and influence: cauſing ſtormy, tempeſtuous, and unſeaſonable weather, to the annoyance of the Adverſary, as once of the Quades, and Marcomans, upon the prayers of the thundering Legion (as they were afterwards called) in the dayes of Marcus Antoninus the Phiſoſopher, Emperour. And as in the Battle between Edward the third of England, and Philip of France (who being enraged with a former defeat, marched with fury into the field, elevated with a falſe hope of triumphant victory) there fell at the inſtant ſuch a piercing ſhower of rain, as diſſolved their ſtrings, and mae their bowes unuſefull. And at the breaking up of the ſhowre,Daniels Hiſt. of Eng. fol. 237. the Sunne ſhone full in the face of the French, dazeling their ſight, &c. and on the backs of the Engliſh, as it all made for them.Mili…es nobis, qui a…ant, retulerunt, extorta ſibi eſſe de manibus quaecun que jaculibantur, cùm à Theodoſij partibus in adverſarios vehemens ventus iret, qui & ipſorum tela in eorum corpora retorqueret. Aug. de civ. dei. lib. 5. cap. 26. Rupertus ventos nominat ſcopas mundi, qued Deus ill…s everrat, & expurget aeris corruptionem. Job 38.23. Hence the ſuperſtitious Heathens, and ſome degenerate Jews in ſeremies time worſhiped this … of heaven (as they called it) ſet up the conſtellations of heaven for gods. …opoſition to which petty Gods, he is called Lord of Hoſts, God of theſe gods, maker and maſter of them all. And theſe are his heavenly hoſts, his cavalry, his high-land forces: not to mention here the meteors (whether fiery, as thunder and lightning, or aiery, as winde and earthquakes, or watery, as rain, hail &c. All which God is ſaid to keep by him in his treaſury, and to bring them fort in the day of battle.
Secondly Gods armies in the earth are al terreſtiall bodies 1 Cor. 15.40. Rabbi Kimchi well obſ… eth, that God hath magnleh chelo b, and matteh cheloth his upper …nd lower troops, as his horſe and ſoot ready preſt. Mark 16.15 foreign. Eurip. foreign. X…noph. Ejus conciliis militant etiam qu… ejus conci his repugnant. Greg Agunt quod vult Deus, ſed non volunt quod vu… Deus Bern The Turks bear no weapons but in travel, then ſome of them ſeem like a wal king armory. Blounts voyage p. 79. D Willet on Rom. Gorran in Rom. 9.29. 1 Tim. 1, 20. expounded.both lifeleſs and living creatures. All which continue and keep their ſtation this day according to hiae ordin…nce, ſaith David: for they are all thy ſervants: Pſal. 119.91. and at thy beck and check Eſay 45.12. Plato was wont to ſay, that the earth was a kinde of living creature, having ſtones for bones, rivers for veines, trees for haire &c. Put Philo better ſayth, that the world is after a ſort, a great man, and a man little world. In the Goſpel man is called every creature. Go forth into all the world ſaith our Saviour, and preach the Goſpel to every creature, that is, to man the Model of the whole creation, the maſter-piece of Gods handy-work. A wiſe Philoſopher could ſay that man is the end of all things in a ſemicircle: that is, All things elſe were made for him, and he imſelf is made for God. His ſervant he is, and ſworn ſouldier, as Nebuchadnezzar is called and Cyrus: and Aſhur, the rod in his hand. For even the wicked alſo do the will of God, though unwittingly: partly beſides, and partly againſt their own wils. And in this ſenſe, one nation may be Gods hoſt to puniſh another, or to ſheath their own ſwords in their own bowels, as Midian. But eſpecially this holds true of the Church militant, which is terrible as an army with banners, and every member thereof is a ſpiritual warriour, harneſſed, like a travelling Turk, capapee, with that heavenly Panophe Eph. 6.13. reſiſting the devil, who fleeth from him, J…m. 4.7. The Iſraelites marching out of Egypt are called the Lords hoſts Exod. 12.41 In relation whereunto, ſome have thought that God aſſumed to himſelf this title; becauſe the Ark, (that teſtimony of his ſpecial preſence) marched in good aray, and all comly equipage, in the midſt of the camp. But to ſpeak forwards.
Thirdly, under the earth, beſides thoſe creatures that paſſe thorough the pathes of the ſea, Pſal. 8.8. Whales and whirl-pooles, Dragons and Leviathans, that ſerve to ſwallow up Gods Jonaſſes, and afterwards to ſhip them to land again. The very Devils alſo are at Gods command, and appointment: as is intimated (according to ſome) in that Angelical …riſagion Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hoſts, that is ſaith Gorran, of Angels, men, and devils. True it is, he is called Prince of the air but that is by divine permiſſion for a ſeaſon. And God of this world: but no otherwiſe then Abſalom was once called the king, viz. by uſurpation. Take him in his greateſt power, what is the Devil elſe but Gods officer or executioner, to blinde the reprobate, and to teach others that belong to God, not to blaſpheme: that is by afflicting their bodies, and buffeting their conſciences, to warn them not to walk unchriſtianly, to the ſcandal of the weak, and the ſcorne of the wicked.
Theſe then are Gods hoſts. Hoſts they are called (and ſo we deſcend to the ſecond quaere.)
1. Reaſ. 1 For the huge number, and mighty multitude, infinitely ſurpaſſing thoſe numerous armies of Xerxes, Tamerlane, 2 Cor. 14.9.the Ethiopians in Aſa's time, that brought a thouſand thouſand into the field, the biggeſt army that I remember to have read of in holy Writ: but no way comparable unto the Lords hoſts who (beſides all other creatures innumerable attendant) hath thouſand thouſands of Angels miniſtring unto him,Dan. 7.10. and ten thouſand times ten thouſand ſtanding before him, as waiting an errand, and that would be glad of an office. He bringeth them out by number, and calleth them all by their names Eſay 40.20. which no earthly Generall can do.
Reaſ 2 2 They are called hoſts for their Eutaxie, quaſi milites in ſtatione … collocati ſunt. Shindler Pentag. Acceperunt pro tſebi jucundites decus ornamentum. Ib. Reaſ. 3. Math. 8.the comly and lovely order of them, keeping their ſtations, as it were in martial manner, and battel-ray. Whence the Septuagaint commonly render this word uſed for Hoſts by foreign and Hierome, Ornatus; for order makes an army beautiful.
3. For their obedience which is no leſſe admirable, then their order amiable. No ſouldier is ſo obſequious, ſo active, ſo ready preſt at the command of his captain, as all creatures are at the command of God: So well diſciplined are they and trained to it, (not by rules of art, but by inſtinct of nature, Pſal. 119.91.) that if he ſay but to any go, he goeth: if come, he cometh, if do this, he doeth it. Never was any Emperour ſo obſerved as he is, even to a nod or beck. Pſal 123.2.
Fiftly, therefore is he ſtiled ſomtimes Lord of Hoſts, and other times Lord God of Hoſts, to denote and ſet forth his infinite and irreſiſtible power, and that there is no ſtanding before him (thus armed and appointed) if his wrath be kindled, yea though never ſo little: which is an anſwer to the third quaere.Beza in Rom. 9.29. exauditi ſunt & domino multo potentiore quam ipſi ſitis. Ad infinitas ipſius vtres & copias explicandas. Beza. in loc. foreign ſets forth his abſolute power and ſoveraignty over all creatures whence he is called the one or onelyonly Lord. Ephe. 4.5. foreign eſt diſſipare, perdere, quod victori con…enit imprimis. foreign. Hoc epitheto ſumma tribuitur Deo potentia, ſaith a grave and learned interpreter, Chiefeſt power and ſoveraign authority is given and aſcribed to God by this attribute. For this, it is often uſed, and urged in the old Teſtament; as in the new, the very Hebrew word Sabaoth is retained for more Emphaſis, Iam. 5.4. The cryes of them that have reaped your fields, and yet received no wages, are entred into the eares of the Lord of ſabaoth: that is, they are graciouſly heard by a Lord far more mighty then you are any, ſaith the ſame interpreter. And in his larger Annotations, this ſaith he, is added to ſhew his infinite forces, and matchleſſe might. The like may eaſily be collected from Rev. 4.8. compared with Eſay 6.3. Where the holy Ghoſt rendereth Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hoſts, by Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, foreign, not foreign onelyonly, ſuch a one as hath not the ſole command alone, but the whole command of all the creatures. In heaven he hath good ſervants; in hell bad: in earth both. The other Apoſtles call him Lord (it is Gorrans obſervation) Iudas calls him not ſo, but Rabbi Mat. 26.22, 25. becauſe he had ſhaken off the yoke of obedience, but they that will not bend muſt break, as he did, when ſhortly after he became his own deathſman, after that he had delivered up his maſter, and all by the determinate counſel of God, the might ſtrong God, as he is ſtiled Eſay 9.6. the Al-ſufficient God Gen. 17.1. Aben Ezra renders it The conquerour: and the Lord Chriſt is ſaid to go forth riding on his white horſe conquering, and to conquer. Rev. 6.2. The Septuagint render it Self-ſufficient able to do all without help of any; how much more when having ſuch hoſts at command. Aquila renders it foreign ſtrong: luſty; valiant. Pagnine and Iunius, Omnipotent. Now, dicitur Omnipotens, quia omnium tenet poteſtatem, ſaith Iſidore. And this David the King acknowledgeth in all ample manner (yea Nebuchadnezzar the tyrant Dan. 4.37.) Thine O Lord is the greatneſſe, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majeſty. For all that is in the heaven is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all &c. 1 Chron. 29.11.12.
SECT. II. The Pope will needs be Lord of Hoſts
Vſe 1 VVHat meaneth then that man of ſin, that mouth of blaſphemy (that I may apply) to ſpeak ſo great things of himſelf Rev. 13.5. 2 Theſ. 2. Pſal 100. Fran. Zabar. Bellar. lib. 4. de. Po…t. Roquia in omnibus admirabilis, ſtuper mundi.to boaſt himſelf ſo much in miſchief Pſal. 52.1. to lift up himſelf above all that is called God, ſitting in Gods temple, and ſhewing himſelf there as if he were Lord of Hoſts? For although he hath but ſome angle, and not all the corners of the earth, though he is but a fox in a hole, yet his diſcreet doctors ſay of him, that he can do all that Chriſt can do: that God hath put all things in ſubjection under his feet; the beaſts of the field, that is men living on the earth, the fiſhes in the ſea, that is ſouls, in purgatory the fouls of the aire, that is the ſouls of the bleſſed.
It ſufficeth not Moſconius, to derive Pape of Papae the interjection of admiring, becauſe the Pope is the worlds wonderment:Rev. 13 3 Admiratio peperit philoſophiam, ſic et Antichriſtianiſmum. habens in toto mundo utrunqe g…adium &c. Dulia adorandus. De miniſtr. milit. Eccleſ. l. 1. cap. 1. Os papae e…t eulus diaboli in eodem ſunt praedicamento. Jgnatij Con. clavs. pag. 139. vide Pareum in Apoc. 13.3. Orâclis vocis mundi moderaris habenas. et merito in ter ris diceris eſſe Deu…. Super Angelos eleuatier papa, adeo ut eos excommunicare poſſit, ait Joh. 23. in extravag Luk. 4.6 Dr. Featly his Tranſub. exploded. (that beaſt, he ſhould have ſaid, in the Revelation, that all the world wondered after) and Pontifex, becauſe he makes men a bridg to bleſſedneſſe, but he will have him to be King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, having the power of both ſwords throughout the world; yea command over all reaſonable creatures. Boniface the 8. wrote to Philip K. of France, that he was Lord of all, both temporals and ſpirituals, in all countries, which is one of the divels titles. Math. 4. Ʋalladerius ſhames not to ſay of Pope Paul 5. that he was a god, lived familiarly with the Godhead, heard Predeſtination it ſelf whiſpering to him, had a place to ſit in councel with the moſt divine Trinitie. And another of the ſame Popes paraſites, dedicates a book to him thus: To Paul the 5. Vice-God, the moſt invincible Monarch of the Chriſtian common-wealth, the moſt mighty defender of the Pontifician omnipotency. Our Lord God the Pope, ſaith a certaine Canoniſt: And, to thee is given all power in heaven and earth, ſaid the Councel of Lateran, the very year before Luther ſtood up againſt that Romiſh Antichriſt; who weares a triple crowne, in token that he is Lord of heaven, where he may canonize ſaints, of hell, where he may free ſoules out of purgatory, of earth where he ſaith, as once the divel did: All power is delivered unto me, and unto whomſoever I will, I give it. But how haps it then that he gives no more to many of his beſt ſervants? To inſtance in ſome of our own fugitives: Allin had a Cardinals hat, but with ſo thin lining (meanes to ſupport his ſtate) that he was commonly called the ſtarveling Cardinall. Stapleton was made profeſſour of a petty univerſitie, ſcarce ſo good as one of our free-ſchooles in England. Sanders was ſtarved. Will. Raynolds was nominated to a poore vicarage under value. On Harden his Holineſſe beſtow'd a prebend of Gaunt, or to ſpeak more properly (ſaith mine Authour) a Gaunt prebend &c. But this by the by onelyonly.
SECT. III. Wo to Rebells againſt the Lord of Hoaſts.
FOr a ſecond Uſe. Uſe 2 Is God the Lord of Hoſts? and doth he with them whatſoever he will in heaven and earth? Wo then to rebels and refractaryes, to traitours and tranſgreſſours,Job. 21. ſons of Belial, children of diſodedience, that ſay to the King Apoſtata, that break his bands, and ſend meſſages after him, ſaying, we will not have this man to rule over us: that refuſe to be reclaimed, and ſtick not to oppoſe with creſt and breſt, whatſoever ſtands in the way of their ſins and luſts. God (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) ſhall wound the head of his enemies. But are there any ſuch, may ſome ſay?Pſal. 68.21. ſo deſperatly mad, as to bear armes againſt heaven? yes, ſaith the prophet, and ye ſhall know who they are too. He ſhall wound the hairy ſcalp of ſuch a one as goeth on in his treſpaſſes. All thoſe then that lye ſucking at the botches of carnall pleaſures, grinding in the mill of worldly luſts, liſtning … the ſuggeſtions of Satan the Lord profeſt adverſary,—caeſariem intonſam et capita alta ferentes. foreign. Lacones coammnutriebant ad terrorem. and principall Counter-factioniſt. All that againſt the rich offers of Gods free grace, the menaces of his mouth, the ſtrokes of his hand, chuſe to go on ſtill in their lewd and lawleſſe courſes, refuſing to be reformed, hating to be healed, all theſe are to be reputed Gods enenies. And although their ſcalps be never ſo hairy, their lockes never ſo buſhy, their lookes never ſo lofty and haughty, fierce and furious: though they have marrow in their bones, and milk in their breaſts, though their natural moiſture be no whit decayed, through age or unbealthineſſe, with Moſes, much leſſe turned into the drought of ſummer, with David, which might occaſion baldneſſe (as in elderly people) but that being young and youthy, yea ſtrong and ſappy, they had haire by weight,Cruent…bit caput inimicorum ſuorum. Beza. as Abſolom, yea were rough all over with Eſau, which which makes them look grim and terrible with the Caldeans, that people of fierce countenance, yet that ſhall little availe them, when God ſhall take them in hand Hee'le crack their crownes, hee'le cleave their ſculs, hee'le wound through the hairy ſcalpes of all ſuch, as obſtinating themſelves in an evill courſe, will needs on in their treſpaſſes, whatſever it ſtand them in. In the doing of which fearfull execution upon his enemies, the Lord of hoſts will not much trouble himſelf neither. For he needs no more but ariſe, and his enemies ſhall be ſcattered: yea all that hate him ſhall flee before him, as it is in this ſame Pſalme, ver. 1. He needs not arme himſelf, as David, againſt this giant-like generation, with weapons offenſive or defenſive: for with his bare hand only he can beat the proudeſt of them, yea make a puny-boy and a very baby of him.
Thou haſt ſmitten all thine enemies ſaith David upon the cheek-bone; Pſal. 3.7thou haſt broken the teeth of the ungodly. As if he ſhould have ſaid,Dio. Thoſe that think themſelves tall fellowes, and dare challenge the very devill to a duell (as Caligula once did his Jupiter) are as children in thy great hands, and fare accordingly, For thou boxeſt them about the ears, clappeſt them on the cheeks with the palms of thy hands, buffeteſt the about the lips with thy clutch-fiſt, till they ſpit blood again, and be made to look their teeth in their throats, thou haſt broken the teeth of the ungodly. But if yet they will not yeeld, but wreſtle with thee, with the froward thou wilt wreſtle Pſal. 18.26. Thou wilt be as froward as they for the hearts of them. If they will needs try a fall with thee, thou wilt fell them,Act. 9.4 Joh. 18.6 and quell them, thou wilt lay them at thy feet, (as the Lord Chriſt did Saul, and the ſouliers that came to ſurprize him) yea thou wilt ſmite them in the hinder-parts (where we uſe to whip unruly boyes) and ſo put them to a perpetuall reproach. Pſal. 78.66. But what need the Lord (as I was ſaying) be at all this pains with himſelf, or once ſo much as foul his fingers with them, who hath ſuch mighty armies, and ſo many Hoſts afoot to chaſtiſe his rebels?Pomp. Mag. noſtrâ miſeria tu es magnus. Pub. Minus. ſo that if he do but once wag his little finger, or ſtamp with his foot only upon the ground (as that Roman vainly vaunted) he can preſently command and call for legions of Angels to ſubdue Senacherib, millions of ſtarrs to fight againſt Siſera, vollyes of thunder and lightning to blaſt and burn up the Philiſtins, cart-loads of maſſy hailſtones to brain the kings of Canaan. Theſe are Gods hoſts in heaven. Neither is he to ſeek of ſufficient forces here beneath, both by ſea and land. There he hath whales and dragons to devour his enemies: here he hath, beſides armies of diſeaſes within them (Phyſitians reckon 2000. ſeverall ſorts, 200. whereof belong to the eye) that lye in wait for the precious life: let him but ſay with Jehu, who is on my ſide? who? and all beaſts, fouls, and exeeping things innumerable will ſtraight looke out at their windowes, and tender him their ſervice. God cannot poſſibly want a ſtaff to beat his dogs with; a weapon to wound his rebels with.Facile eſt invenire baculum quo canem caedas. If He ſet againſt a world-full of wicked doers, the water will take his part: If againſt Sodom, fire: If againſt murmurers, earth: If againſt blaſphemers, fiery ſerpents: If againſt Idolaters, lions: Dan. 6. If againſt mockers, bears: If againſt Herod, wormes:2 King. 2.24 Act. 12. Hatto Bonoſus Praeſul Moguntinus, à muribus devoratus An. Dom. 969. ut ait Wilderogus epiſcopus Argentinenſis A. D. 997. Alſted Chron. Fit cruor ex undis, conſpurcant omnia ranae. Dat pulvit cimices, poſtea muſca venit. De in peſtis poſt ulcera, grando, locuſta, tenebrae. Tandem prototocos ultima plaga necat. If againſt Hatto, mice: If againſt Pharaoh, all. Now a hoſt of frogs diſtreſſe him, now of flies, now of lice, now of Caterpillers, now of graſhoppers &c. God made the earth fight againſt him, the ayre fight againſt him, the fire fight againſt him, the water fight againſt him: he left him not till he had beaten the very breath out of his body with ſtroke after ſtroke, and ſo made good with his hand, what he hath alſo ſaid with his mouth. The Lord knoweth how to reſerve the unjuſt to the day of puniſhment: And, In the thing wherein they deal proudly, he is above them. 2 Pet. 3, 9. Exod. 18.11. He hath an eye to follow them, a goard to look to them, and a goaler to bring them forth, whenſoever he ſhall call for them. In caſe they ſhould make eſcape (as they cannot) he hath armies above them, armies below them, armies about them, armies upon them, yea armies within them, to bring them back to execution. For a wicked perſon is not ſafe from his own tongue to peach him, from his own hands to diſpatch him, from his own phantaſy to diſquiet him, from his own conſcience to affright him, from his own friends to betray him, from his own beaſts to gore him, from his own fire to burn him, from his own houſe to brain him. Thus it is with him, whiles at home: as if he look abroad, to every creature he meets he may ſay as Ahab once ſaid to the Prophet, Haſt thou found me O mine enemy? For as every good ſouldier will fight for his Generall; and as a Noble-mans ſervants will ſoon draw, if their Lord be ſet upon; ſo there is not a creature in all the world, that is not ready preſt to fight Gods battles, and revenge his quarrell upon an ungodly perſon.Gen 4.14 What Cain ſometimes ſaid he hath good cauſe to take up and ſecond;Job 18.15 Every thing that findeth me ſhall ſlay me. Brimſtone is ſtrawed upn the houſe of the wicked, ſaith Iob, ſo that if the fire of Gods wrath do but lightly touch upon it,Job 9 5 Eccleſ. 6.13 Neceſſe eſt ut eum omnibus doct…orem agnoſcam qui triginta habet legiones Phavorm: de Adriano …mp: apud Spartian. they are ſuddenly conſumed: they walk all day long upon a mine of Gunpowder, either by force or ſtratageme they are ſure to be ſurpriſed. Had Zimri peace that ſlew his maſter? Hath ever any waxed fierce againſt God and proſpered? Oh that theſe graceleſſe men would once learn to meddle with their match, and (according to the wiſe-mans counſell) beware of contending with one that is mightier then they, this Lord of Hoſts, I mean, the Lord mighty in battle, Pſal. 24.8. this man of warr as Moſes calls him whoſe name is Jehovah ſabaoth: before whoſe dreadfull preſence, and unreſiſtible puiſſance they are no more able to ſtand, then is a glaſſe-bottle before a cannon-ſhot.
SECT. IIII. Tremble before this mighty Lord of Hoſts.
THirdly, Uſe 3 Is he the Lord of Hoſts with whom we have to deal? be we all hence exhorted and excited to the praciſe of divers duties.
And firſt to tremble before this mighty God: who having ſo many millions at his beck and obedience, can with as much eaſe, and in as little time undo us as bid it be done. So Caeſar once threatened Metellus in a bravado; but ſo, God only and eaſily can do indeed to ſuch as ſet againſt him. If the breath of God blow men to deſtruction Iob 4.9. for we are but duſt-heaps: if he can frown us to death with the rebuke of his countenance, Pſal. 80.16. what is the waight of his hand (that mighty hand as James calls it) wherewith he ſpans the heavens,Jam 4.1… Iſay 40.22 and weigheth the earth in a ballance? He ſits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants are as graſhoppers: he ſhakes them out of it, at pleaſure, as it were by a canvaſs, or as out of ones lap, ſo much the Hebrew word imports Iob 38.13. Who would not therefore fear thee O King of Nations? Jer. 10.6, 7 Mat 22.21 foreign.for to thee doth it appertain; foraſmuch as thowart great, and thy Name is great in might. Give unto Caeſar the things that are Caeſars, ſaith Chriſt, and unto God the things that are Gods. Where it is remarkable that the Article in the Originall is twice repeated when he ſpeaks of God, more then when he ſpeaks of Caeſar, to ſhew, ſaith a Divine, that our ſpeciall care ſhould be to give God his due: Now ſhall we f…ar to break the penall lawes of a King,Prov. 19 12 Prov. 16.14 Prov. 20.2 becauſe his wrath is as the roaring of a lion, and as the meſſengers of death, ſo that whoſo provoketh him to anger, ſinneth againſt his own ſoul? And ſhall we not fear this King of Nations, who hath Armies of creatures to do us to death, and after that, legions of devils to torment us in hell? ſhall we fear fire, water, lions, leopards; bulls, bears, and other common ſouldiers, yea the wrath of a fool, becauſe it is heavier then the ſand of the ſea Prov. foreign. Mat. 10.28. Philip. 3. ult.27.3, 4. An ſhall we not fear the great Emperour of all theſe, that hath them all at his beck and obeiſance? Theſe may kill us, but they cannot hurt us, as he once told the tyrant deſtroy they may the body, but neither keep the good ſoul from heavents nor the body from a glorious reſurrection. But God can do all this, yea more then this: and ſhall we not fear his heavy diſpleaſure? Eſpecially ſince according to his fear, ſo is his wrath, Pſal. 90.11. That is (according to ſome) as any one doth more or leſs fear Gods indignation, in the ſame degree and meaſure ſhal the feel it: as he trembles at it, he ſhall taſt of it. Or as others, (and perhaps better) Let a man ſtand in never ſo great awe of thy wrath, yet his fear ſhall not prove proportionall, or ever be able to match it: he ſhall never fear thee ſo much as thy wrath amounts to, let him fear his utmoſt. For there is a fire kindled in his anger, and it burns unto the loweſt hell Deut. 32.22. Now Bellarmine is of opinion that one glimps of hell, were enough to make a man not only turn Chriſtian and ſober, but Anchorite and Monke, to live after the ſtricteſt rule that can be. I conclude with the Apoſtle, Wherefore let us have grace, whereby we may ſerve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a conſuming fire Heb. 12.28, 29.
SECT. V. Truſt in his power for fulfilling his promiſes.
SEcondly, is He the Lord of Hoſts? This ſhould teach us to reſt confidently upon his power, for the fulfilling of his promiſes: For what ſhould hinder? Firſt, God is not as Man that he ſhould lie; he payes not what he hath promiſed,Plutarch. as Sirtorius is ſaid to do, with fair words. Secondly, hee is not off and on with us, he doth not ſay and unſay,Mal. 3. he is Jehovah that changeth not.
Thirdly he is the Lord of Hoſts, and cannot be reſiſted, or interrupted in his courſe. Nature may be, and was, when the fire burnt not, the water drown'd not, the Lions devoured not, &c. Men may be withſtood though never ſo mighty, as the potent Prince of Perſia was, Daniel 10.20. And as Aſa was, who although he brought five hundred thouſand men into the field, yet was he encountred and overmatcht by an Army of a thouſand thouſand and upward, ſo that he was fain to flee to the old Rock for refuge. Devils may want of their will, though never ſo many,Eſay 26.4. as that Legion in the Goſpel, and though never ſo well united, as they there were: for though many,Squama Leviathan ita cohaerent, ut quaſi loricatus incedat Satan & cataphractus. Luther. D. Preſton. yet they ſay, My name, not Our name, they ſpeak and act as One in that poſſeſſion. But God doth whatſoever he will in heaven and earth, without controll or contradiction.
In the creatures, (ſaith One) there is an eſſence, and a faculty whereby they work; as in fire, the ſubſtance, and the quality of heat: between theſe God can …inder, and ſo hinder their working, as in the Babyloniſh fire, Dan. 3. In the A …geis there is an Eſſence, and an executive power. God comes between theſe, o…te…, and hinders them from doing what they would. But now its otherwiſe in God: he is moſt ſimple, and entire, without mixture or compoſition. Hence his Almightineſſe is his Eſſence, and his whole Eſſence is Almighty. Hee is not mighty in reſpect of ſome part, or faculty, as the creature is, but all in God is mighty. He is not dependent upon another for new ſupplies, as the creature, whoſe power will ceaſe and determine, if not renewed and confirmed by God, Jer. 32.18, 19. He is El-ſhaddai, abſolutely ſelf-ſufficient, not needing any ſubſidiary help from without, though he pleaſe otherwhiles to make uſe of the creatures, as his Hoſts, to tame his enemies, and performe his word to his people.Tamen tantum effecit ut tota Aegyptus deficiens exclamare …geretur hunc eſſe digitum Dei Philo. Quid ciniphe v…lius? ſaith Philo. What's more baſe then a lowſe? yet all Aegypt could not ſtand before this poor creature, but was forced to acknowledge it the finger of God. If any Pharaoh oppoſe to him, he can ſoon ſubdue the ſtrongeſt Rebell by the weakeſt inſtrument. As if any Gideon build and bind upon his promiſe, of weak he ſhall become ſtrong, Heb. 11.34. Deo confici nunquam confuſi. He that beleeveth ſhall not be aſhamed, he need no more but ſtand and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord.
The Lord ſhall fight for you,Exod. 14.14 ſaith Moſes to Iſrael, namely by his red-ſea, that ſhall cover your enemies, (as it did ours in 88.) but ye ſhall hold your peace. Commit your wayes therefore unto the Lord, truſt alſo in him, Pſal. 37.5and hee ſhall bring it to paſſe. Stand not upon theſe and theſe dangers, and difficulties that ſtand in the way. Found your faith faſt upon the infallible promiſes of God All-ſufficient; put them alſo in ſuit by faithfull and fervent prayer, and then though you ſee not how, or which way ſuch a mercy ſhould be attained, or deliverance compaſſed; yet give glory to Gods power with Abraham, Rom. 4.18. and buy the field at Gods bidding with Jeremy, Chap. 32.17-27. thought the captivity were then foretold unavoydable. What talke wee of any thing impoſſible, or improbable to the Lord of Hoſts? This is to limit the Holy One of Iſrael, with thoſe Rebels, that asked, Can the Lord provide a table for us in the wilderneſſe? or with that Infidell Lord of Samaria: Behold, if the Lord ſhould make windowes in heaven, might this thing be? Can the Lord? and, Might this be? Why? what a queſtions that? He can give bread from heaven, and drink out of a rock: He can command the ravens to feed Elias, and the moſt hurtfull creatures to be uſefull to us, as poyſon in Phyſick. He can do more then ever he will, as he could have reſcued his Sonne Chriſt by a legion of Angels, Mat. 26.23. Some things God can do, but will not,2 Tim. 2.13. Heb. 6.18. Mat. 3.9. Some things he neither will, nor can; as he cannot lie, die, deny himſelf, break his promiſe, &c. But whatſoever God willeth, that without impediment he effecteth, Eſay 46.10. For who hath reſiſted his will? And yet I know not how, 'tis natural and uſuall with us in an exigence, to queſtion Gods power one while, (If thou canſt do any thing, help us) his will another while, (Maſter, if thou wilt thou canſt make me clean) and to tie him ſo to the means, that if they fail, he cannot help. When the bottle was ſpent, Hagar falls a crying as utterly undone. Whence ſhall we have bread to feed ſo many thouſands? Whence ſhould I have fleſh to give unto all this people?Ioh. 6 Num. 11.13.22. Ver. 23. Dei dicere eſt facere. ſhall the flocks be all ſlain, and all the fiſh of the Sea gathered together for them to ſuffice them, ſaid Moſes? But what ſaid the Lord to it? Is the Lords hand waxed ſhort? thou ſhalt ſee now whether my word ſhall come to paſſe unto thee, or not. Gods word is his deed, his promiſe ſure-hold: never any yet miſcarried that could produce and plead it: ſith he wants neither power nor will to make it good. Peter had a good will to deliver Chriſt out of the Jews hands, but wanted power. Pilate had power enough to do it, but wanted will. God wants neither, but will put forth both forthe ſafety and ſalvation of his faithful people. Hence holy Job, having ſpoken of Gods power ſpeaketh of his thoughts, (as Calvin obſerveth) to tell us that his power and will are things inſeparable, his minde and hand agree together, the one to determine, the other to execute. Job. 42.2. All his ſhall have whatſoever heart can wiſh, or their condition require, 2 Sam. 22.2.3. even marvellous loving kindneſs from God in a ſtrong city above all that can be uttered: The prophet is fain to expreſſe himſelf above it, by an exlamation Pſal. 31.19, 20, 21. The Lord of Hoſts is for them, the God of Iacob is their refuge. He hath entred into a covenant with them both defenſive and offenſive, ſo that all his is theirs, as Iehoſaphat that told his confederate King of Iſrael. 1 King. 22.4.
SECT. VI. Stoop his power, and ſubmit to his Soveraignty.
THirdly, is he the Lord of Hoſts? what then ſhould we rather and ſooner do then ſtoop to his power, and ſubmit to his ſoveraignty? And ſith we muſt be either his ſervnts, or his ſlaves, his ſubjects or his foot-ſtool, chuſe the former condition, that we may eſcape the latter? for certain it is, he will fetch us in by one Purſivant or another (and he hath enow ready) if we make not haſt with Shimci, to come down, and meet the Lord with intreaties of peace, that he may embrace us, and take us in to his princely favour. Do not ask me here, (as Pharaoh once did Moſes) who is the Lord that I ſhould ſerve him? God Attributes are of two kinds, which either ſhew what he is? or who he is? to the queſtion of Moſes what he is; God gave a ſhort anſwer: I am. To the ſecond of Pharaoh, who he is, he made a large reply by his armies of lice, flies, hail, locuſts &c. Till Pharaoh was compelled to anſwer for him, The Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked, This was a faire confeſſion, but extorted: for he was no ſooner off the rack, but he bit it in again, and became more hard and hardy, as water grows more cold after a heat. And ſuch, for all the world, was the forced and fained obedience of thoſe Iſraelites im the wilderneſſe while God ſlew them (by fiery ſerpents, and others his warriors) then they ſought him, yea they returned, and enquired after God,Pſal. 78.34.36 as if they would have done the deed. Nevertheleſſe they flattered him with their mouthes, and lied unto him with their lips. So muſt not we do, if ever we mean to do well: but throwing away our weapons, lay our ſelves low before his foot-ſtool, unfainedly ſubmitting to the ſcepter of his kingdom, obeying from the heart that form of doctrine whereunto we have been delivered. For, what a ſhame is it for us not to do that homage to God,Rom. 6.17. that all other creatures ſo gladly pay & perform? what a monſtrous thing that man amidſt al Gods handy-works that revere the Almighty, and readily do his will, that he I ſay, ſhould prove a great Heteroclite, an open rebel, a profeſt adverſary to God his ſoveraign Lord, his crown and dignity? Oh ſend a lamb (in token of homage and fealty) to the ruler of the world Vow and pray to the Lord your God, bring preſents unto Fear, that is, to him that ought to be feared. And for as much as with your ten thouſand you are not able to encounter this great King, that comes againſt you with twenty thouſand times twenty thouſand; ſend an embaſſage quickly of prayers and tears, whiles he is yet on the way,Irent propè, ne remorando iram victores exaſperarint. Tacit hiſt. lib. 2 Mittamus preces & lacrymas cordis legatos Cyprian 1 Kin. 20.32. The Britiſh Embaſſadours came in torne garments with ſand on their heads, in the time of Valentinian the third. Daniels hiſt. of Eng. The Callice men came to Ed. 3 bare headed, bare-footed in their ſhirts with halters about their necks &c. lib. p. 240. Pſal. 27. and deſire conditions of peace. Luk. 14.32. You know how Jacob diſarmed that rough man Eſau that came againſt him with 400. cutthroats at his heels: how Abigail appeaſed that enraged man David, that had deſperately vowed the death of ſo many innocents: how the Syrians prevailed with that non-ſuch Ahab, for the life of their Lord Benhadad. Having heard that the kings of Iſrael were merciful men, they put ſackcloth upon their loines and ropes upon their heads, and in this form of humble ſuppliants they came to the King, and ſaid, Thy ſervant Benadad ſaith, I pray thee let me live. And a like addreſſe we read of in our own hiſtories of the old Brittones to Aetius the Roman Governour, and of the Calice-men to one of our Edwards; Oh let their practiſe be our pattern. We have heard abundantly that there is a matchleſſe mercy in God for all penitent perſons, above that ever was found in the beſt king of Iſrael: this mercy we have a promiſe of, if we ſubmit to the condition, (in thee the fatherleſſe findeth mercy Hoſ. 14 3.) So had not the Syrians: their beſt encouragement was a general hear ſay. This condition is no more then what every man will yeeld to be reaſonable, viz. that we lay down the bucklers firſt: that we come before him in lowlieſt manner, with aſhes on our heads (ſo they of old) as unworthy to be above ground, with ſack-cloth on our loyns, as unworthy the courſeſt cloathing, with ropes about our heads, as deſerving to be deſtroyed: yet humbly begging that we may live in his ſight with Iſmael, yea that we may ſerve in his preſence with Moſes, and dwell in his houſe with David all the dayes of our lives, to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. This is all that God requires, and this was that one thing that David beg'd ſo dearly at Gods hands Pſal. 27.4. and accordingly obtained it. Hence he ſo confidently calls his ſoul to reſt amidſt a multitude of moleſtations and incumbrances. Hear him elſe, Pſal. 3. I will not be afraid of ten thouſands of people that have ſet themſelves againſt me round about. I laid me down and ſlept, I awaked &c. He never brake his ſleep for Abſalom and all his forces, the up in arms againſt him. For why? ſalvation, ſaith he, is of the Lord, his bleſſing is upon his people. (Ver. 5, 6, 8.) whereof I am one, and ſhall therefore be in ſafety. Behold I have bleſſed him, and he ſhall be bleſſed, ſaid Iſaac of Iacob: ſaith the God of Iacob, of all thoſe that reſt confidently upon his power for their preſervation, that hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto them, at the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt. 1 Pet. 1.13 At deſtruction and famine thou ſhalt laugh, ſaith Eliphaz, neither ſhalt thou be afraid of the beaſts of the earth. For thou ſhalt be in league with the ſtones of the field, and the beaſts of the field ſhall be at peace with thee. Iob. 5.22, 23.
SECT. VII. Set his power awork, by prayer. The power of prayer.
LAſtly, is God Lord of Hoſts? how ſhould this conſideration quicken and call us up to a conſtant inſtancy in prayer to that God,Eph. 3.21. 2 Cor. 8 Phillip. 4 Oratio fidelis omnipotens eſt. Luther. Eſt quaedam omnipotentia precum. Alſted ſyſt. Theol. lib. 4. cap. 2. Luk. 18.6. who is able to do for us above that we are able to ask or think, that we having all ſufficiency alwayes in all good things, may abound unto every good work through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth us. Many and glorious things are ſpoken of the power of prayer in the book of God. Indeed there is a kinde of Omnipotency aſcribed unto it, and not without cauſe. For certainly whatſoever God can do, prayer can do: ſith prayer ſets God awork, God ſets his power awork, and Gods power ſets the creature awork (as at Peters "enlarge ment) and then what wonder the thing come on an end, though never ſo difficult. For ſhal any thing be too hard for God? or ſhal not God avenge his praying people that cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them ſpeedily. Aſa and Iehoſaphat prayed down their enemies, ſo did the Jewes in Eſthers time, the Saints in the acts, the thundering legion. The death of Arrius, Acts 4. Secrat. lib. 1. cap. 15.was precationis opus non morbi. He was brought to confuſion by the prayers of Alexander the good Biſhop of Conſtantinople. Luther had obtained of God, that whilſt he lived the enemie ſhould not plunder his countrey: when I am gone ſaid he,Acts & Mon. let thoſe pray that can. So, when the ſtates of Germany were once aſſembled to conſult about points of Religion then in controverſy, he, though thirty miles diſtant, at the very houſe wherein it was concluded, that the reformation ſhould be eſtabliſhed, came leaping out of his cloſet, (where he had been tugging with God by prayer) with Vicimus, Vicimus in his mouth, we have overcome, we have overcome.Spec. belli ſacri Dr. Powell in Cambr. hiſtor. Non diſputationibus ſed rogationibus, ſaith Bodine. The buſines of religion is more diſpatcht by prayers then diſputes, yea or then by force of armes. A great Queen is reported to have ſaid, that ſhe more feared the faſting & prayers of John Knox and his diſciples, then an army of thirty thouſand men. Leoline Prince of Wales, when by ſome about him he was moved to make war upon our third Henry; I am more afraid, ſad he, of his prayers and almes, then of his preparations and armies.Alius inſaniat utibellum inferat ei qui c…nſ…itſe deum defenſorem habiturum. Bucholc. Index Chron. Idem in Cron. Cruciger. Ber medi. devotiſ. cap. 5. The like we read of a cor am Duke of Saxony, that having raiſed forces to fight againſt the Biſhop of Magdeburg, and underſtanding by his Intelligencers, that the Biſhop made no kinde of Warlike proviſion, but ſaid that he would wholly commit his cauſe to God, who would not faile to fight for him. God bleſſe me ſaid the Duke, from waging war with him that truſts in God for defence and deliverance. Numa (a Heathen) repoſed ſo much confidence in his gods, that when he heard the enemies were at hand, he laughed and ſaid, At Ego rem divinam facio. But I am about the ſervice of the gods; and ſo long I can not but be in ſafety. Jacob wreſtled with God by prayer, and had the better of him. Of Luther it is ſaid, that …e could have what he would of God. St. Bernard in his meditations giving diverſe rules of ſtrictneſſe, purity of heart, humilitie and holineſſe: Et cum talis fueris, ſaith he, memento mei, when thou art thus fitted for prayer, thou maiſt have any thing, pray for me. God requires no more of us but to bring before him lawfull petitions, and honeſt hearts, and then doubt not, but if the thing be feaſable, prayer can effect it; Eſpecially, if in prayer we reſt upon Gods infinit power ingaged for our reliefe, and plead it, he cannot ſay us nay.
It was a notable and an imitable piece of policy in the ancient church, Pſal. 80. to found her prayers upon Gods Power. Stir up thy ſtrength, and come and ſave us. Verſe 2. And in ſuing for her liberty, to preſſe God with this prevayling argument, Thou art the Lord of hoſts: yea by waving her wings often, to gather that winde under them, that might mount and beare her up to the preſence of the Almighty with more facility and efficacy, growing every time in fervency by her threefold iteration and repetition; of the ſelf ſame petition in prayer. Turne us agine O God, Cumin colloquium deſcendimus cum Dee, replicemus licet, duplicemus, triplicemus, et quadruplicemus Alſted, in Gen. foreign Tantus fulminator ad Jeſabelis minas … trepidat fachis ſeipſo imbecillior Buch … foreign cognationem habet cum verbo foreign, attendere, intendere. Novarin.ſaith ſhe (ver. 3.) and cauſe thy face to ſhine, and we ſhall be ſaved. This was a good prayer, but ſomwhat flag: therefore ſhe ſtirres up her ſelf againe, and takes better hold of God, by this title in my text: Turne us againe, O God of hoſts, and cauſe thy face to ſhine, and we ſhall be ſaved; ver. 7. Here …he is ſomwhat thriven in her devotion. Before 'twas O God onelyonly, without any further attribution. Now tis O God of hoſts, Thou that haſt all power in thine hands, do it for us. But laſtly, as if that were too little, ſhe trebbles her forces (as Abraham did for Sodom) and by a new addition, Turne us again, ſaith ſhe. O Lord God of beſts, cauſe thy face to ſhine, and we ſhall be ſaved. And having thus ſaid, ſhe reſts ſatisfied; ſo doſing up her prayers, as not doubting in Gods due time, of a gratious anſwer. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man, ſaith St. James, availeth much, or is greatly powerfull. And this he exemolifies in Elias; a man (ſaith the Apoſtle) as other men are, and therefore had originall ſin in him, mixing with his prayers. And a paſſionat man too, ſubject to like paſſions as other men are: for we read how on a time, when he ſate under the Juniper: he would have died in a paſſion: and yet he prayed, and prayed that it might not raine; and at his prayer, it rained not on the earth by the ſpace of three yeares and ſix moneths. And he prayed againe, and the heaven gave raine, and the earth gave her fruits, not without a miracle of Gods mercy. For raine in an ordinary courſe had come too late to a land that had laine ſo long parcht and ſcorcht: the very roots of herbes and trees being now decayd and dryed up, and all in a manner paſt recovery.foreign. But faithfull and fervent prayer never comes too late, and that becauſe God never comes too late. Prayer is a great wonder-work in heaven and earth. No good thing can match it, nor evill overmatch it.
The flood could not drown the old world, till praying Methuſelah was laid up in peace. The fire could not conſume ſinfull Sodom, till praying Lot was provided for. It is not in the power of Labans hand to hurt Iacob, becauſe,Quaſi manu facta, Deum ambiunt orantes. Tertull. Preces ſunt bombardae & inſtrumenta bellica chriſtiano…um Luth. Ligatum habent Sancti Deum, ut non puniat, niſi permiſerint ipſi. Bern in Cant. ſerm. 30. upon his yeſter-nights prayer, God had rebuked him. Nor could Eſau touch him, becauſe Iacob had wreſtled with God all night, and would not away without a bleſſing of deliverance, and a guard of Angels. The plague cannot faſten upon the people, for Moſes will not yeeld to it: nor Amalec prevail in the vale, becauſe he held up his hands on the hill. If ever the enemy ſhall do good on't, and God have decreed it ſo, he firſt takes order for the ſilencing of his prophets, whoſe prayers would, as it were, tranfuſe a dead palſy into his hands, that he could not ſmite, Ier. 7.16. pray not ſaith he for this people, neither lift up cry, nor prayer for them, neither make interceſſion to me, for I will not hear. As if the Lord ſhould have ſaid thus: Had there been any good to be done in this caſe, prayer would have done it. But I am fully bent: and therefore though Moſes and Samuel (thoſe men of prayer) ſtood before me, yet my minde could not-be toward this people. I am inexorable Ier. 15.1. what then? ſhall Gods ſervants loſe their prayers? No, this they ſhall have of my hand, they ſhall deliver their own ſouls, they ſhall have their own lives for a prey. Something there is that God will yeeld to prayer then,Cartwr, in loc. when he is moſt bitterly bent againſt a people or perſon Mat. 24.20. Pray ſaith our Saviour (after he had foretold ſuch an affliction as never had been, nor ſhould be the like) pray ſaith he, that your flight be not in the winter, for that will be tedious, nor on the ſabbath, for that will be grievous. Whereupon a learned Interpreter makes this note. In maxima ſeveritate aliquid permittit precibus. Something God will graciouſly yeeld to prayers, in his greateſt ſeverity. Admirable is that, and for the preſent purpoſe moſt apt and appoſite, that Polanus reports of a terrible earth-quake in the territories of Berne in Swiſſerland: by means whereof, a certain high mountain carried violently over other mountains, 'ore-whelmed and covered a whole townſhip, that had ninety families in it, one half houſe only excepted, wherein the maſter of the family with his wife and children were with bended knees calling earneſtly upon God. This fell out no longer ago then in the year 1584.Polan. Syntag. Theolog tom …. lib. 5. cap. 21. de terr aemotu mortuus eſt Polan: Anno. 1610 Mat. 21.21 and is related by Amandus Polanus a famous Divine, who lived not many yeers ſince at Baſill, not many miles diſtant from the place where the thing fell out. In which notable example who ſeeth not, as in a mirrour, the marvelous force and efficacy of faithfull prayer, ſtanding, (Aaron-like) with his incenſe, betwixt the living and the dead, and verifying that of our Saviour: Verily I ſay unto you, if ye have faith and doubt not, ye ſhall ſay unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it ſhall remove: yea be thou removed and caſt into the ſea, and it ſhall be done? And, All things whatſoever ye ſhall aske in prayer, beleeving; ye ſhall receive? Oh bleſſed Saviour!Eph. 1.19 what could have fallen from that ſweet mouth of thine more for the glory of thy free grace and our greateſt encouragement to ply the throne of grace with dayly ſuites, that God would open our eyes to ſee the exceeding greatneſſe of his power towards us that beleeve, according to the working of his mighty power. There is in the Originall a ſixfold gradation, and all too little. Words are too weak to utter it.
SECT. VIII. Be comforted in the conſideration of his power: where diverſe objections of weak Chriſtians are anſwered.
SIngular comfort to all that belong to the Lord of Hoſts, Uſe 4 to conſider that God hath a power alwayes prepared, an army ever in readineſſe 1. to preſerve them. 2. to provide for them.
For their preſervation,Dan. 3.17 firſt, Our God is able to deliver us, either from the fire, or in it: this was the ſupport of thoſe three brave Worthies in Daniel, and may be ours, that lean on the Lord and the power of his might. Shall the Philiſtins rely upon their Goliath, Papiſts an their he-ſaints and ſhe-ſaints, Turks on their Mahomet, Heathens on their Tutelaries, and not we encourage our ſelves in the Lord our God as David? not cheer up our hearts in this man of warr, whoſe name is the Lord of Hoſts, the Lord mighty in battle? Oh ſay with the church in Micah,Micah. 4.5. All people will walk, every one, in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. For their rock is not as our Rock,Deut. 32.31 our enemies themſelves being Judges. Contemno minutos iſtos Deos, modo Jovem propitium habeam, ſaid that Heathen, If God be for us, what need we fear what man or devill can do unto us?Rom. 8 31 Ob. Sol.
Oh but mine enemies are many, and mighty.
Yea but thy champion is the Lord of hoſts, with whom it's nothing to ſave whether with many or with no power. I his ſtaid up Aſa's heart againſt a thouſand thouſand enemies.2 Chron. 14 22
But they are fierce and furious.Ob. Sol.
What of that? I know whom I have truſted, ſaith Paul, and I am ſure that he is able to keep that I have committed to him againſt that day 2 Tim. 1.12. I have been delivered out of the mouth of the lion; And the Lord ſhall deliver me from all evill &c. 2 Tim. 4.17, 18. Did not the Lord appear to Joſhuah with a naked ſword in his hand,Nudatum nimirum enſem ſuum nunquam depoſuit, ſed inde uſ que ab Adae lapſu eum in Eccleſiae ſuae defenſ. &c. Bucholc. as captain of the Hoſt? Did not the Angels fight for Hezekiaeh, and environ Iacob at Mahanaim, Eliſha in the mount &c? and hath not the Lord charged them ſtill to pitch their tents round about the righteous. They appear not unto us, (it's true) now as of old, becauſe the church now needs not ſuch confirmations, and Chriſt being aſcended, and the ſpirit plentifully beſtowed, God would that our converſation ſhould be in heaven, and not that the Angls ſhould converſe ſo viſibly with us on earth. But they ſtill pitty our humane frailty, and ſecretly ſuggeſt both counſell, and comfort: they alſo keep us from perils and dangers of body and ſoul, who elſe could not ſubſiſt, no not an hour.
Next for proviſion of neceſſaries, God hath taken and bound over the beſt of the creatures to purvey for his people, and to bring them in maintenance, the heaven,Pro. 20.30, 31 Rex ferarum Iſidor. lib. 10. c. 2. foreign the earth the corne, the wine, the oyle, the beſt of the beſt is for them. Hoſ. 2.20, 21. The Lions ſaith the Pſalmiſt (and the Lion is the king of beaſts) or, the ricb among the people (as the Septuagint have it) ſhall hunger and ſtarve, thoſe that will be ſure to have it, if it be to be had: wicked rich men not only rob but raviſh the poor,Pſal. 10.9, 10 when they have gotten them into their nets, that is, their debts, bonds, mortgages, as Chryſoſtom expounds it. Hence they are called men-eaters, Cannibals Pſal. 14.4. Loe theſe Cormorants, theſe yong Lions, ſhall lack and ſuffer hunger, but thoſe that ſeek the Lord ſhall want nothing that is good.Pſal. 78.14 Pluviam eſcatilem petram aquatilem. Tertull. Vix unquam major fuit gloria illius populi in terra Canaan quàm in deſerto. Buchol. He will rain down bread from heaven, and ſet the flint-ſtone abroach, and turn the wilderneſſe into a Paradiſe, before his people ſhall pine and periſh. Never was Prince ſo ſerved in his greateſt pomp, as the rebellious Iſraelites in the deſert. How good ſhall we finde him then to thoſe that pleaſe him? Elias is fed one while by an Angell, another while by a Raven. But if both ſhould have failed him, as the brook Cherith did, yet he that took away his meat, could have taken away his ſtomack, as he did alſo, for 40. dayes together in the mount of God. In a word, the Lord of hoſts hath a thouſand means ready and at hand to provide for his people: his ſtrength and wiſdome ever buſieth and beſtirreth it ſelf for their comfort. The Lord (ſaith Peter who had tried it) knowes how to preſerve his own,2 Pet 2.9 Phil. 4.12.13 1 King. 22. Heb. 11. Act. 7. and to deliver the godly out of temptation. And I can do all through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me, ſaith Paul, whether it be to be full or to be hungry, to abound or to be abaſed. A beleever walks about the world like a Conquerour, as Michaiah did after he had ſeen the Lord on his throne, with all the hoſt of heaven about him: So Moſes after he had by faith ſeen him that is inviſible: and Steven after he had ſeen the ſon of man on the right hand of God, Angels, authorities and powers being made ſubject unto him. 1 Pet. 3.22,
And as in temporall ſo in ſpirituall regards alſo, this holds true for the ſoul and inward man of the heart, much diſtreſſed many times by wicked ſpirits in high places Ephe. 6.12.foreign about our intereſt in heavenly priviledges. foreign. De Xerxis exercitu, Ariſti. foreign. Phil. 1.19.2 Cor. 12 9 Luke 22.31 Rev. 12.8, 11 foreign. Rom 8 37 They have the upper ground of us (which is no ſmall advantage) they aſſault us out of the air, and there-hence buffet and batter us with their fiery darts (ſo called for the dolour and diſtemper they work in us, like a fire in the fleſh, and the likeſt hell of any thing) with the haile-ſhot, hell-ſhot of their temptations. But God ſuccours us by the ſupplies of his ſpirit, and by the viſible miniſtry of his angels, as he did our Saviour in his agony, and after his great temptations. His grace is ſufficient for us, his ſtrength made perfect in our weakneſſe. The ſerpents head is broke, his work diſſolved; his trenches thrown down, and himſelf driven out of the field, by the Captain of our ſalvation, the author and finiſher of our faith, who hath alſo prayed that our faith fail not, even at ſuch times as Satan deſires to have us, as a challenger Goliath-like, deſires to have one of the other ſide to combate with. Michael and his angels, have diſarmed and driven out the dragon and his angels, they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb: yea, the ſaints do overcome, or are more then conquerours, becauſe through faith in Chriſt they overcome before they fight, they are ſure of victory aforehand. And although Satan is ſaid to make warre upon the Saints, and to overcome them, Revel. 13.7. yet this is but ſpoken according to humane conceit, and in regard of outward perſecutions. But thanks be to God, who maketh us alwayes to triumph through Chriſt, 2 Cor. 2.14. The gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt us: that is,Mat. 16.18 all the power and policy of hell combined: for in the gates ſate the Elders to conſult in time of peace; and at the gates was planted the beſt munition in time of warre. Impoſtours ſhould deceive, if it were poſſible, the very Elect (as that third part of the ſtars of heaven) but that cannot be.
Object not here, that Satan with a full mouth (as a fell Lion) roars upon you, Obj and threatens to ruin you.
It is a Spaniſh Proverb, The Lion is not ſo fierce as he is painted: Sol. Satan in ſidiis tanquam Leo foreign, 1 Pet. 5 8. Chriſtus inſub. ſidiis tanquam Leo foreign 1 Theſ. 1.10 Obj. Rev. 12.15 Draco multis foreign; Scaligero foreign Quia animal venenatum & homini infeſtū. Sol. Rom. 16.20 Coloſ. 2.15 1 Cor. 15.55 1 Joh. 4nor is the Devil ſo powerfull, … he makes himſelf: well he may ſhake his chain at us, but he cannot ſet his fangs in us: well he may nibble at the heel, but he cannot hurt us in the head. He that is born of God keepeth himſelf, and that wicked One toucheth him not, that is, Tactu qualitative, ſaith Cajetan, with a deadly touch. Beſides, Chriſt is a Lion alſo, even the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (the victorious Tribe) that can out-roar Satan, and eaſily over-maſter him. As for thee that humbleſt thy ſelf at his feet for mercy, aſſure thy ſelf he will never trample on the yeelding prey.
Oh but Satan is not onelyonly a Lion, but a dragon: hee not onelyonly roars, but ſpets poyſon, yea ſpews out of his mouth floods of venemous and violent temptations: yea he is a great red dragon, colour'd and died red, as it were, with the blood of ſouls he hath ſwallowed; and beſides he hath ſeven heads to plot, and ten horns to puſh me into the pit of perdition, Rev. 12.3.
True all this: but Mi-ca-el? who is as the ſtrong God? Chriſt, our onelyonly Michael, hath with his ſore, and great, and terrible ſword, puniſhed Leviathan, that crooked piercing ſerpent, and ſlain the dragon that is in the ſea, Eſay 27.1. Under our feet he will tread him ſhortly, as he hath done already under his own: triumphing over him on the croſſe, with Death, where's thy ſting! hell, where's thy victory! To be brief: The Lamb with his two horns can do more, then the dragon with his ten. Stronger is he that is in you, then he that is in the world. Chriſt is that ſtronger man, that caſts out the ſtrong man armed out of his caſtle, and ſpoils his goods.
Oh, but he hath ſo ſtrongly entrenched himſelf in my heart, Obj by a herd of baſe luſts, and a frame of evil thoughts, that he will hardly ever out, if at all.
The weapons of our warfare are not carnall,Sol. but mighty through God to the pulling down of ſtrong-holds (or trenches) caſting down imaginations, and every thing that exalts it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity, every thought to the obedience of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. Chriſts Miniſters are called his white horſes, whereon he rides about the world, conquering, Rev. 6.2and to conquer. And although for their perſons, they be mean and contemptible, yet their meſſage and miniſtery is that power of God to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16 Luk. 10which the Devil cannot ſtand before. Our Saviour ſaw Satan falling as lightning from the heaven of mens hearts, when the Apoſtles were abroad preaching the Goſpel. We preach Chriſt crucified, ſaith St. Paul, unto the Jews a ſtumbling-block, and to the Gentiles fooliſhneſſe. But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chriſt the power of God, and the wiſdome of God, 1 Cor. 1.22, 23. And a verſe or two before. It pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſs of preaching, to ſave them that beleeve.
As unlikely a means in the worlds eye, to do ſuch a feat, as the blowing of rams horns, to over-turn the walls of Jericho. But what matter is it, how unlikely the means are, if in the hands of Omnipotency? An Ox-goad in the hand of a Shamgar, an Aſſe-bone in the hand of a Sampſon may do much: ſo here. The Devil muſt needs down, if God once ſend forth his Pauls, to open mens eyes, to turn them from darkneſſe to light,Acts 26.18 and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveneſſe of ſins, and inheritance among them that are ſanctified by faith that is in Chriſt.
Oh, Obj but the Devil tells me, I ſhall never inherit, for I am not ſanctified by faith.
Settle that firſt (be ſure) by ſound and infallible evidences:Sol. See that thy faith and other graces be of the right ſtamp, effectuall faith, laborious love, patient hope, &c. 1 Theſ. 1.3. and then ſing a Requiem to thy ſelf, as Luther once did (after a grievous conflict) the Pſalm De profundis, Joh Manly. loc com:in contemptum Diaboli, in defiance to the Devil. OnelyOnly be adviſed, not to pore over-much upon thy ſanctification, which in the beſt is unperfect, but to take comfort of thy Juſtification, which is compleat, and abſolute. In confident conſideration whereof, St. Paul triumphantly cries out;Rom. 8.33, 34 Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choſen? ſo long as it is God that juſtifieth? Or, as Auſtin reads it, Shall God that juſtifies us? Who is he that condemneth? Do Angels? No, they rejoyce in our converſion, and call us their fellow-ſervants. But who then? Do the inſenſible or unreaſonable creatures? They, in their kind are in covenant with us, Hoſ. 2.18. and in earneſt expectation groan, nay travell together with us, waiting (and, as it were lying bed-ridden the while) for our full manifeſtation, …en the redemption of our bodies, Rom. 8.19, &c. But who is it then? Do our own hearts condemn us? No neither, if not bemiſted, and abuſed by Satan: for being juſtified by faith, we have ſo farre peace with God, that we glory in tribulation by the confident intergatory of a good conſcience toward God.Rom. 5.1.3 foreign. 1 Pet. 3.21 1 Joh. 3.20 But ſay our own hearts do wrongfully accuſe us, yet God is greater then our hearts, as well for good as for evil; to do us right, notwithſtanding a miſgiving, or miſguided heart of our own. But ſay then: who is he that condemneth us? Is it the Devil and his wicked imps? Let them do their worſt.foreign. Rev. 12. He is indeed the accuſer of the brethren: but Chriſt our Advocate is ever ready to non-ſuit and caſt out all his accuſations. The Spirit alſo is in direct and full oppoſition to this Accuſer, called foreign, the Comforter, or Pleader for us,Yea, what apology, or clearing of your ſelves. Rev. 12.10 pleading our evidences to our ſpirits, and helping us upon true repentance, to make apology for our ſelves, 2 Cor. 7.11. ſuch as God admits of and accepts. As for that old Serpent (the Accuſer of the brethren) he is caſt down already, and all his limbs ſhall bee caſt after him ere long, into the burning lake. In the mean while, what cares the priſoner at the barre, though the gaoler and his fellow-priſoners paſſe ſentence of death upon him in the gaole, ſo long as the Judge acquits him from the bench. And as little need any ſervant of the Lord of Hoſts ſtand upon the cenſurs of earth, and hell, ſo long as God thinks well of him, and all the Hoſts of God combine for his comfort.
Oh, Obj but I have hoſts within me, that do me all the deſpite and diſpleaſure. The fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and other-whiles gets the better of it. Beſides, there be bands of fleſhly luſts,1 Pet. 2.11 which like armed ſouldiers, lie billetted in my boſome, and ever and anon fight againſt my ſoul.
Yet bee of good comfort, the ſpirit alſo luſteth againſt the fleſh, ſo that thou canſt not do what thou (naturally) wouldeſt,Sol. Gal. 5.17 thy new nature will not ſuffer thee: as Paul would have gone to a certain place, but the Spirit forbade him. As for thy luſts (be they never ſo lordly) God can eaſily cut the combes, nay the throats of them, and let out their life-blood. My Father is ſtronger then all, and None can take you out of his hands. The weak brother ſhall be holden up (amidſt a world of ſcandals without,Joh. 10 Rom. 14.4 and ſtaggerings within) for God is able to make him ſtand. He can preſerve a fire alive upon the face of the Ocean, a ſpark of the ſpirit, amidſt a world of wickedneſſe within. He can cauſe weak and worthleſſe graſhoppers to become a great nation Ioel 1.6. a mighty people chap. 2.2. a huge army ib.Eſay. 30.22. Pſal. 19.5. He can make the houſe of Iſrael pollute the idols, which they had once perfumed with incenſe, and to ſay to their familiar devils, get thee hence. He can ſtop or ſtrike back the courſe of the Sun, though it rejoyce as a ſtrong man to run his race. Naturally and freely it giveth light, but he can turn it into darkneſſe and blood. The mountains of themſelves are ponderous and preſſing, yet at Gods command they skip like lambs.
Think the ſame of our dull and undutiful hearts. God can quickly oyl them and nimble them, drawing us by his free ſpirit, ſo as we ſhall run after him: as a baldder of it ſelf is a heavy ſubſtance, and unapt for motion, but being filled with winde, it will ſcarce 'bide in a place. So we being filled with the holy Ghoſt ſhall finde our feet as hinds feet upon the everlaſting mountains: no longer ſhackled by corruption,Pſal. 119. but at very good liberty to run the wayes of Gods commandments.
Its moſt ſure we are not ſtrained at all in God, but in our own bowels. He is both able and ready both to cover and cure our ſins and ſickneſſes. In the dayes of his fleſh, he offered himſelf to his patients, and was found of them that ſought him not. He heal'd them alſo of diſeaſes hereditary, and ſuch as all the Phyſitians in the countrey might have caſt their caps at. Now he hath loſt nothing by heaven, you may be ſure, neither of his will nor skill to do the ſame cures upon mens ſouls, as once he did upon their bodies: nay he cured their bodies onelyonly in reference to their ſouls, and ſtill hangs out his table of cures,Math. 8.17.18 to draw cuſtome Rev. 3.18. Lo thus we have ſearched, and ſo it is, Hear it and know it for thy good. Iob. 5.27.