Commentary on Obadiah, Verse and commentary 15, 16
VERSE. 15, 16.
For the day of the Lord is neere upon all the heathen: as thou haſt done it ſhall be done to thee, thy reward ſhall return upon thine own head.
16. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain: ſo ſhall all the heathen drink continually, yea they ſhall drinke, and they ſhall ſwallow down, and they ſhall be as though they had not been.
This is the fourth part of this Section containing Gods revenge upon Edom which is before threatned, particularly againſt Edom.
Ver. 2. Behold I have made thee ſmall among the heathen, thou art greatly deſpiſed.
And after further declared it, deſpeiring all the hopes of Edom.
1. The pride of their heart,
2. The ſtrength of their confederacie,
3. The ſtrength of their ſituation,
4. The hope of their wiſe men,
5. They hope in their own ſtrong men.
Yet further, Ver. 10. He ſaith, Shame ſhall cover thee, and thou ſhalt be cut off for ever.
But now as Edom was not alone in that ſin, but joyned with others, ſo are they all joyned together in the puniſhment.
The words are ſomewhat obſcure,
For the day of the Lord, he meaneth the day of vengeance, to repay the violence done to his own people, called the day of the Lord, becauſe God will ſhew himſelf, who hath lyen concealed as it were all this while, and been a looker on, whileſt his people did ſuffer puniſhment for their ſins.
The time of Ieruſalems chaſtiſement was called the day of Ieruſalem, becauſe their ſins deſerved that day to come upon them; but the day of the heathen is here called the day of the Lord, becauſe now God doth, awake, as one out of ſleepe, and ſheweth himſelfe cleerly to his enemies.
This day the Prophet telleth them is now at hand, and neere to them.
This is neere upon all the heathen.
Not only upon Edom, but upon all thoſe with whom Edom joyned himſelfe againſt the people of God.
The Prophet Ieremie foretelling this day,Jer. 25. nameth the heathen upon whom the wrath of the Lord was to come.
And the judgement is, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Lex talionis, wherein he telleth her, As thou haſt done, it ſhall be done to thee, &c.
And after Metaphorically he expreſſeth the retaliation.
As thou haſt drunk upon my holy mountain; hereof we obſerve, the change of the manner of ſpeech that is here uſed; we ſhall cleere the Text from that difficulty that hath diſtracted interpreters, ſo that they have failed in the right meaning of theſe words.
For whereas before the Prophet ſpeaketh to Edom, here he bringeth in God himſelfe ſpeaking to Ieruſalem, comforting them, in the declaration of his juſt judgement againſt her enemies; for he ſaith to Iacob,
As thou haſt drunk upon my holy mountains, ſo ſhall all the heathen drink continually.
By the Metaphor of drinking, which is referred to that which is called the cup of the Lords indignation, of which David ſaith,
In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, the Wine is red, &c.
By this figure then, the cup of affliction is underſtood: the phraſe was uſed after by our Saviour, Let this cup paſſe from me; again, If thou wilt not let it paſſe but that I muſt drink thereof, thy will be done.
We uſe that phraſe to drink of the cup of God. So the threatning runneth in this ſenſe that as the people of God upon Gods holy mountaine have drunk of the cup of Gods wrath, and have had their draught thereof, which was but for a time: So ſhall all the heathen drinke, and their judgement ſhall not have end: they ſhall drink continually, there ſhall be no end of their affliction: they ſhall ſwallow down the wrath of the Lord, untill they be utterly deſtroyed, for they ſhall be as though they had not been.
In which words is contained,
1. A judgement againſt the Heathen.
2. A conſolation to the Church.
In the judgement obſerve,
1. The certainty thereof, the day is ſet.
2. The propinquity of it, it is neere.
3. The extent of it, to all the heathen.
4. The equity of it, as thou haſt done.
5. The certainty of it, they ſhall drinke, &c.
6. The duration of it, continually.
In the comfort note,
1. He ſpeaketh of it as of a judgement paſt and gone, at ye have drunk thereof.
2. He calleth their dwelling, though thus puniſhed, My Holy Mountain.
3. He revealeth to them his ſevere vengeance againſt their enemies.
1. Of the judgement,
2. Of the certainty.
The Lord hath ſet down and decreed a day for vengeance; threatnings of woe at large do move but little, but when the puniſhment is denounced, and the day ſet for the execution thereof, this cannot but pierce and draw blood. And being here called the day of the Lord, that is, a day deſigned by the Lord for this execution, it is more quick and penetrating.
There is no ſin which is committed on earth, but God hath both made a Law againſt it to forbid the doing of it, and he hath declared his judgement againſt it; yet hath he given us the light of his word, or the light of the Law, which his finger wrote in our hearts, to declare it to us, and he hath given us time alſo to repent and amend it, and he is patient and long-ſuffering in his expectation of our amendment.
But where it is not amended, he doth ſet down a day for the execution of his juſt judgement, for he will not, he cannot ſuffer his truth to faile,
His patience and mercy will take their day firſt, and his juſtice will alſo have her day.
Saint Iames advertizeth us,
Let patience have her perfect work.Jer. 1.….
We have a faire example of God for this; For he will not let the work of his patience be unperfect, he will forbear us till the very day of his juſtice deſigned for puniſhment.
Though all the maſters of Aſſemblies, all the Miniſters of the word be continually ſtriking at this naile, we cannot drive it into the head; to make men beleeve that God hath ſet a day for puniſhment of all our ſins.
The promiſe of grace to the penitent doth ſo comfort us generally, that we hope we ſhall have time enough to put off that day by our repentance; and then again we often take that for repentance which is not it. For it is not enough to remember our ſins with a God forgive me; Repentance is a putting off of ſinne, an hatred of it, and a change of life and manners; every ſorrow is not ſuch.
But were it that this day were thought upon with that feare and trembling that is due to it; it would put ſin out of countenance, and the ſinner out of hope.
The ſinner that beleeves not this, doth make God a lyar, whoſe word of truth hath revealed the certainty of this day to us.
2. It armeth the luſts of the fleſh againſt the ſoule; for who is he that liveth without fear, that will bridle his affections, or ſtop the ſwift current of nature in himſelf, but runneth into ſinne as an horſe ruſheth into the battaile.
But when we do conſider upon every ſin that we commit, that the day of the Lord ſhall declare it, the day of the Lord ſhall puniſh it; this maketh us afraid of our ſecret ſins for feare of ſhame, and of all ſins for feare of puniſhment.
The certainty that this day will come, the uncertainty when it will come, is the greateſt motive to haſten repentance, that may be.
2. The Propinquity, it is neere.
If our Conſciences be convinced of the certainty of this day, and the judgement thereof; Sathans next alluſion is to flatter us that it is afarre off, and ſhall not come yet, and there will be time enough to repent us of our ſin.
If we tell you indefinitely that it is neere, yet you may hope not ſo neere but that we may prevent it.
For the Apoſtle hath told his brethren long-agoe, of the laſt day, The end of all things is at hand. But it is 1600 yeers ſince,1 Pet. 4.7. and where is the promiſe of his coming?
But let not that comfort thee in ſin; for even that day is neer, ſeeing time is nothing to eternity; but thy day wherein God ſhall viſit thy ſinnes with his judgements, may be much ſooner.
If we had Commiſſion to tell you it is but forty dayes, and the next day is the day of the Lord as Jonah did; peradventure it would warn you; but we have no Commiſſion to ſay it is ſo; it is a good proofe that it is neere, when none can promiſe that this very day ſhall not be it.
Yet we ſee there were ſome that took the day of their death neere themſelves, cras moriemur: yet they made evil uſe of it, Edamus, bibamus, as the Epicure Dum vivimus, …rvamus.
For the ſenſuall and carnall man maketh that evil uſe of his neere end, to live more ſenſually. Poſt mortem nulla voluptas.
In every particular mans caſe St. John doth admoniſh us all well; Now alſo is the Axe layed to the root of the Tree.
I learn a parable of Chriſt.
Do but conſider thine own field, and ſee the Com that grows upon it, and obſerve if it be not white, and ready for the fickle; obſerve thine own wayes and works, and ſee if they do not tell that the day of the Lord cannot be farre off.
There be that put this day far off from them, that is by flattering themſelves in their ſins; they make themſelves beleeve that they ſhall not yet come to puniſhment.
Repentance only lengtheneth this day, and ſuffereth it not to approach to us.
Such an one feareth not in die malo, in the evil day.
3. The extent of this judgement, over all the Heathen.
Meaning he…e all thoſe that have joyned together in warre againſt the Jewes, See Jer. 25.
Here is a Quaerie.
Did not God ſtirre them up againſt Jeruſalem? In this Prophecy he declareth, how Jeruſalem was chaſtened by the Heathen; and doth not the Holy ſtory ſay, Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Iudah.2 King. 24.3.
Iudah well deſerved this puniſhment, and God juſtly inflicted it, and the heathen were the rod of God, wherewith he chaſtened Iudah; yet this execution done upon Iudah by the heathen, was impious in them; for they made warre againſt Gods Church, and ſought the ruine of Religion; it was covetous, they robbed Ieruſalem, it was cruel, they delighted in the blood of the Lords people, it was proud they inſulted over them.
It is true that theſe heathen do not go without God to invade Iudah; true, that he ſent them to puniſh the tranſgreſſions of his people; true, that they are the rod and ſword of God; for ſo David confeſt, that God bade Shimei to curſe him.
The Lord hath ſayed unto him curſe David.2 Sam. 16.10.
As in the Creation God ſeparated the waters from the face of the earth, and called the gathering together of the waters. Seas; yet David ſayes, God hath ſet them their bounds, which they cannot paſſe nor return to cover the earth; Yet they would cover the earth.
Surely the wicked are reſembled to the Sea, in every conſideration: the Church may be compared to the dry land, God holdeth the wicked in, that they cannot droune this dry land; yet this they would do, for there is a naturall antipathy in the heathen to the Church of God.
When the Church ſinneth, God openeth a gap and letteth his Sea break in; he ſuffereth the wicked to ſcourge the Church when it defaulteth; for both their ſakes, that he may execute his judgement upon both; and as Auguſtine ſaith, Ʋtitur Deus malis b….
In the ſtory of the Iudges, we read how the Concubine of Micah the Levite was abuſed to death in Gibeah, which being complained of to the reſt of the Tribes by the Levite; they ſent unto Benjamin to deliver up to them thoſe men of Belial that had done the villany,Jud. 20.13. that they might put away the evil from Iſrael, But Benjamin would not heare their Brethren, but prepared to put themſelves in Armes; and to go out to battail againſt the children of Iſrael.
The children of Iſrael aroſe and went to the houſe of God, ver. 18.and asked counſel of God and ſaid, which of us ſhall go up firſt to the battaile againſt the children of Benjamin?
And the Lord ſaid, Iudah ſhall go up firſt. They went, and Benjamin deſtroyed that day two and twenty thouſand men.
The children of Iſrael went up and wept before the Lord untill even, and asked counſell of the Lord, ſaying, ver. 23.Shall I go up in battaile againſt the children of Benjamin my brother?
And the Lord ſaid, go up againſt him.
They did ſo the ſecond day, and the children of Benjamin deſtroyed of Iſrael eighteen thouſand men.
Here was nothing done without conſulting of God, God bade them go, and yet they proſpered not; yea they loſt in all forty thouſand men.
There is no cleere expreſſion in this ſtory to declare why God puniſhed Iſrael with this great effuſion of blood.
Plain it is that Gods. purpoſe was to puniſh Iſrael, and firſt the Tribe of Iudah; but the Text ſheweth,
1. That the cauſe of this warre was a juſt provocation; there was villany done in Iſrael.
2. That the end of this war was godly, for it was to remove evil from Iſrael.
3. That they did nothing herein without Gods expreſſe warrant; for they began to take counſell of the Lord.
Yet before God would revenge the fault of the Benjamites upon them, by Benjamin he puniſhed the Tribe of Iudah firſt, and then the reſt of the Tribes with loſſe of ſo many men, and effuſion of ſo much blood.
And I muſt tell you that I find not the reaſon thereof expreſt.
It may be that the Holy Ghoſt hath ſuppreſſed it, that we might reſt in the feare of God, and not ſearch further: it is enough for us to know what God doth, and not why? for as Auguſtine ſaith, Iudicia Dei occulta eſſe poſſunt, injuſta non poſſunt eſſe, Gods judgements may be ſecret, but never unjuſt,
And we muſt be very tender how we call God to accompt for what he doth; for God is whatſoever his will is, of which we muſt not ſeek to know more then is revealed; for that is prying into the Arke, and coſteth death, God is accomptable to none for what he doth.
The third day he gave Iſrael a full victory againſt Benjamin; by Benjamin He firſt ſcourged Iſrael, and by Iſrael he after deſtroyed Benjamin, and left of them but ſix hundred men.
So may we ſay of this example in my Text, God uſeth the heathen to ſcourge his Church, and after deſtroyeth the heathen in his juſt, but ſecret judgement.
Yet let me tell you what ſome learned judgements have conceived of that great example of juſtice in that ſtory of Iſrael and Benjamin.
Rabbi Levi ſaith that Iſrael might provoke God at firſt, becauſe they came to God to aske who ſhould go firſt againſt Benjamin, and did truſt to their own ſtrength; and did not beſeech God to give them victory.
Rabbi Kimchi ſaith it was becauſe that Iſrael had ſuffered Idolatry in Dan, and had never taken the cauſe of God to heart, to aske counſell of God againſt them i… but now in a private injury done to a Levite they were provoked and ſought revenge.
3. Others conceive that this was the cauſe, They came too ſlightly to God at firſt, for they did only bluntly enquire who ſhould go firſt againſt Benjamin? Not whether they ſhould go or not? Not enquiring by what way he meant to puniſh their brother.
But the ſecond time they went up to the Lord, they wept till even, and then they asked counſell. Shall I go up again in battaile againſt my brother. Yet even then being commanded to go, they loſt eighteen thouſand men.
True, but they came not the ſecond time with that preparation which became them, that would ſight the Lords battails, to remove evil out of Iſrael; for the third day they mended all; Then all the children of Iſrael and all the people went up, and came unto the houſe of God and wept, ver. 26.and ſate there before the Lord, and faſted that day untill even, and offered burat offerings, and peace offerings before the Lord.
Then they enquired of the Lord, for there was the Arke, and there was Phineas the ſonne of Eleazer the ſ…nne of Aar…n ſtanding.
And they ſaid, ſhall I yet go again to battaile againſt the children of Benjamin my brother, or ſhall I ceaſe? And then God promiſed them victory.
It may be that they offended in the two firſt dayes in their preparation; they were not enough humbled before the Lord, or in the manner of their conſultation with God.
But I muſt tell you plainely, all theſe are the conjectures of ſome learned judgements concerning this queſtion, God hath left no accompt to us of his proceedings therein.
Neither hath he done the like in the example in my Text, why he puniſheth all the heathen for ſmiting Ieruſalem, ſeeing himſelfe ſet them a worke.
Ʋſe. Therefore let not our prevailings againſt our brethren ſwell us up with pride, making us preſume that we have God our friend, becauſe we have had the upper hand of our enemies, for God may puniſh our brethen, and make us his rod to whip others, and he may burne the rod when he hath done with it.
This is one of Gods ſtrange workes that he doth upon earth; he foretelleth one of them by his Prophet Habakuk and ſaith;
Behold ye among the beathen, and wonder marvellouſly; for I will worke a worke in your dayes, Hab. 1.5.which you will not beleeve though it be told you, and what is that?
For lo, I raiſe up the Caldeans that bitter and haſty Nation, which ſhall march through the breadth of the Land, to poſſeſſe the dwelling places that are not theirs.
They are terrible and dreadfull; their judgement and their diguity ſhall proceed of themſelves.
Their horſes alſo are ſwifter then the Leopards, and are more fierce then the evening wolves, &c.
Theſe are ſent of God, and they prevaile, and when they have done, they thanke their owne god for the victory.
But the Church is comforted againſt them.
O Lord, thou haſt ordained them for judgement, thou haſt eſtabliſhed them for correction. Therefore the example of Iſrael having overcome Benjamin in the former ſtory is excellent; for when they had conquered their brother, they did not ſay in triumph, we have prevailed, nor bragged of their victory; But the people having fulfilled the will of God in that warre;
Came to the houſe of God, Jud. 21.2.and abode there till even before God, and lift up their voyces and wept ſore.
They were ſorry that God had uſed their ſword and arme to their brother.
4 The equity of this judgement.
As thou haſt done, it ſhall be done to thee: thy reward ſhall returne upon thine owne head.ver. 15.
The law of nature written in our hearts, is, Do as thou wouldeſt be done to.
For Ariſtotles abraſa tabula is not true Divinity.
Seeing the heathen will not do this, the juſtice of God putteth it upon them.
They ſhall be done to as they doe.
Of this point ſee before,
5 The Contents of this judgement.
They ſhall drinke; yea, they ſhall drinke and ſwallow downe, and they ſhall be as though they had not been.
The old heathen had a faſhion of capitall puniſhment by death, to give the offender a potion of poiſon to drinke.
The Prophet here ſpeaketh of the puniſhment of Edom, and the Heathen in that very phraſe, alluding to that of David;
Ʋpon the wicked he ſhall raine ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and an horrible tempeſt; Pſa. 11.6. Pſa. 63.that ſhall be the portion of their cup.
And, Thou haſt ſhewed thy people hard things: thou haſt made us to drinke of the wine of aſtoniſhment; this is the Cup that David ſpeaketh of.
For in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup, and the wine i… red: it is full of mixture, Pſa. 75.8.and he poureth out of the ſame; but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth ſhall wring them out, and drinke them.
Wine immoderately drunken, doth ſet the body on fire, it infatuateth the braine, it maketh the parts of the body uſeleſſe, that neither head, nor hand, nor foot can doe their ſeverall offices.
Drunkenneſſe is ſuch a diſabling to man, that God hath choſen to expreſſe the ſeverity of his wrath, in the ſimilitude of drunkenneſſe; and the Prophet Jeremie hath uſed the very phraſes thereof upon like occaſion.
Take the wine of this cup of my fury at my hand, and cauſe all the Nations to whom I ſend thee, to drink it.Jer. 25.15.
16. And they ſhall drinke and be moved and be mad. Yet more fully;
27. Drinke ye and be drunken, and ſpue and fall, and riſe no more.
Let drunkards behold themſelves in this glaſſe, and ſee how loathſome and how dangerous a ſin they ſin.
Every cup they drink immoderately, is a cup of Gods wrath: every Health they drink drunkenly is a diſeaſe even unto death; drunkenneſſe maketh men the emblems of Gods indignation; the very Images and pictures of divine vengeance.
In this phraſe God often in Scripture doth expreſſe his judgement, and his fury and vengeance againſt evil doers. Therefore,
Be not drunke with wine, wherein is exceſſe.
I beſeech you brethren by the mercies of God that you would do no more ſo; if any of you have by occaſion been overtaken with that Epidemicall and popular fault, do no more ſo wickedly, ſin not againſt your own bodies; Morbus eſt; its a diſeaſe, ſin not againſt your good name, it is a foule blemiſh to be called a drunkard; they that are ſo, are very impatient of that name.
Sin not againſt Gods creatures, they were given us for uſe and ſervice: not that we abuſing them, ſhould become ſervants to them, and be overcome of them.
Sinne not againſt your brethren by evil example, or by tempting them to this ſin.
Above all, God forbid that you ſhould do this great wickedneſſe and ſo ſin againſt your God.
You ſee he can and and will ſet you a drinking off his cup, and he will make you doffe it as you call it; and do him right to drink all, even to the bottom till you fall and riſe no more, till as my Text ſaith,
You be as though you had not been.
The phraſe of my Text hath carryed me thus far out of my way, but I muſt do ſo, if I will meet with drunkards, for they are ſo brain-craſed, that they cannot keep the right way.
I return to the contents of this judgement, thus expreſt in the phraſe of drinking.
Th…ſe Nations have filled the cup of affliction full for Jeruſalem, and Jeruſalem hath drunk deep thereof; now God will change the object of his fury, he will take away his cup from the Church, and he will give it to her enemies, as Iſaiah hath ſweetly and fully declared it to the great griefe of the Nations, the great joy of the Church.
21, Heare thou afflicted and drunken but not with wine.
22. Thus ſaith the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cauſe of his people: Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou ſhalt no more drinke it againe.
23. But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee, which have ſaid to thy ſoule, bow down that we may go over, and thou haſt laid thy body as the ground, and as the ſtreet to them that went over.
This calleth to my remembrance the word of the Apoſtle St. Peter;
For the time is come that judgement muſt begin at the houſe of God; 1 Pe…, 4.17.and if it firſt begin at us, what ſhall the end be of them that obey not the Goſpell of God?
When God ſent deſtroyers into Ieruſalem, their commiſſion was,Ezek. 9.6.
Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women. It followeth,
And begin at my Sanctuary.
The firſt cruelty that was executed on earth, that is upon record, was upon juſt Abel, and the firſt death we read of, was a violent death.
The firſt that ſuffered in Sodom any notable affliction, was righteous Lot.
For he lived in much tribulation, vexed with the filthy converſation of the wicked.… Pet. 2.7.
For that righteous man dwelling among them, in ſeeing, and hearing, vexed his righteous ſoule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds.
After that cruell execution done upon our Saviour Chriſt by the Jewes and Romanes, God ſent his judgements abroad into the world, but he began at his own Sanctuary; the firſt that ſuffered was Steven, then Iames the brother of Iohn; the Apoſtles all but one ſuffered martyrdome; the Church lived in perſecution, then God puniſhed the Jewes by the Romanes, and after that the Romanes loſt their Monarchy.
The difference of their drinking was:
1. The Church drinketh firſt, and taſteth of the cup of wrath, as Chriſt ſaid to the ſons of Zebedee;
Ye ſhall drink of the cup whereof I drink, and be baptized with the Baptiſme that I am baptized withall.
They drink ſome of the uppermoſt of the cup.
2. God puniſhed them for a time, but he took not his mercy utterly from them.
The Church have an end of their afflictions; but the next point declareth the ſeverity of God againſt the enemy Nations.
5. The duration: Continually.
This ſometimes holdeth in temporall afflictions; if Gods curſe be upon Canaan, Iſrael ſhall have their Land, and they ſhall have charge to root them out, and to deſtroy them utterly.
God remembreth what Amalek did to Iſrael The Lord hath ſworne that he will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
The face of the Lord is againſt them that do evill, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
Theſe carry their deſtruction about them; for evill ſhall ſlay the wicked; malum culpae, the evill of ſin, that infecteth them, ſhall be malum poenae, to puniſh and torment them.
The reaſon hereof is, for where God once hateth, he ever hateth.
He hath once ſaid, I have hated Eſau: let the bleſſing of his father feed him with the fat of the earth, let his habitation be in the rock, let his neighbour Nations make leagues and confederation with him, let him have all the purchaſe of his ſword for a time; the right hand of God ſhall finde him out, and not leave ſmiting him till he be utterly deſtroyed; ſo he is threatned before.
His very hidden things ſhall be ſought out, the decrees of God be like himſelf without variableneſſe or ſhadow of change.
God hath ever given great way to the interceſſions of his Saints; they have ſo farre prevailed, that Abraham praying for Sodom, gave over asking before God gave over yeelding to his Petition.
God hath ſhewed much favour to evill places for ſome few righteou… perſons ſakes, that have been there.
But when he cometh to execute judgment once upon a place, he ſaith three times in one chapt Though Noah,Ezech. 14. Daniel and Job were in that place, they ſhould deliver but their own ſoules by their righteouſneſſe, but they ſhould deliver neither ſon nor daughter.
Therefore the word of God is not ſent in the Miniſtry of his ſervants to convert reprobates; that cannot be, they cannot be converted; and if God had revealed to us whom he hateth, we might ſave a labour of preaching to them in hope of their converſion.
But the uſe of preaching and prayer is, for ſuch as are already in the Church, to confirme the brethren, and to build them up further for thoſe ſheep which are without, to bring them to the fold; for Chriſt ſaith, he hath other ſheep which are not yet of his fold, and them he muſt bring to it.
And when you read of ſo many added to the Church, it was not out of the number of reprobates, but out of the number of Gods choſen, who were before uncalled.
This is a ſecret which God concealeth within the cloſet of his own wiſdome; The Lord knoweth who are his.
Let the elect of God reſt in this: if the wicked of the earth that live in all kind of ungodlineſſe be in the decree of his election, they cannot miſcarry, though they hold out as the thiefe did, till they come to the croſſe to die.
Therefore let us deſpaire of no mans ſalvation amongſt us.
But if the decree of Gods hatred be ſetled upon them, there is no hope; for Chriſt the remedy of ſin undertaketh for no more then the Father hath given to him.
Theſe howſoever they proſper on earth in things temporall, they have drank a draught of deadly wine, that ever riſeth up in them, and upbraideth them; for God hath ſpoken, it. Nulla pax impio, there is no peace to the wicked.
But he is like the raging of the unquiet ſea, ever foming out mire and dirt, for a reprobate man dare not truſt God.
2. But if we come to the after reckoning in the day of judgement, there can be no end of the woe of them whom God hateth; their worm of conſcience never dieth, their fire of torment never is quenched.
There have been ſome whom Saint Auguſtine doth call Miſericordes illos, that have beleeved and affirmed,
1. Some of them that the damned Devils, and all after ſome long time of ſharp puniſhment, ſhall be received into favour;De civ. 21.17. theſe make hell but a Purgatory.
2. Others ſay, True, that they ſhall be damned to everlaſting pains but Donabit eas Deus precibus & interceſſionibus ſanctorum ſuorum.Cap. 18.
The illuſion that deceiveth them is this:
Non credendum eſt tunc amiſſuros ſanctos viſcera miſericordiae, cum fuerint pleniſſimae ac perfectiſſimae ſanctitatis: at qui tunc orabant pro inimicis, quando ipſi ſine peccato non erant, tunc non orent pro ſupplicibus ſuis, quando nullum caeperint habere peccatum.
And ſuppoſing that the Saints will pray to God for them, he inferreth.
An vero Deus tunc eos non exaudiet, tot & tales filios ſuos, quando in tanta eorum ſanctitate, nullum inveniet orationis impedimentum?
This is further urged,
For when we ſay the Scripture doth tell us that God will everlaſtingly puniſh the wicked; and David ſaith, He will not ſuffer his truth to faile;
They anſwer, that all thoſe threatnings of Scripture are to be underſtood in veritate ſeveritatis, in reſpect of the evill deſert of the wicked but not in veritate miſerationis; for that muſt at laſt have honour above all his works.
Further they plead.
God hath never more plainly and poſitively declared his will concerning the eternall deſtruction of the reprobate then he did by his Prophet Ionah, declare the deſtruction of Niniveh; it is but forty dayes, and without any condition, Ninive deſtruetur.
Except we allow mentall reſervation, mendacem non poſſumus dicere Deum, & tamen non factum eſt.
The truth was in this, pronunciavit eos dignos haec pati.
Their inference is, Si tunc pepercit eis Deus quando Prophetam ſuum contriſtaturus erat parcendo; quanto magis tunc parcet miſerabilius ſupplicantibus quando, ut parcat omnes ſancti ejus orabunt?
They adde the ſaying of the Apoſtle: God hath concluded all under ſin that he might ſhew mercy unto all.
To the firſt, and therein to both Saint Auguſtine doth fully anſwer, that if we deny everlaſting death, we may as well deny life everlaſting; for we have the ſame ground for both, the ſame direct word of God.
Aut utrumque cum fine diuturnum, Cap. 23.aut utrumque ſine fine perpetuum.
To the ſecond, he denyeth that which is preſumed, that the Saints will pray for the damned; here we pray for all, becauſe we know not who be elect, who be reprobate; but when God hath revealed his will concerning theſe, ceſſat oratio, praying ceaſeth, and the voice of the elect is, fiat voluntas tua, thy will be done.
Yea, the Saints ſhall judge the world then; and thoſe bowels of humane commiſeration which they had on earth, are put off; they now hate where God hateth, and judge where God judgeth, and rejoyce againſt them whom God condemneth.
And for the example of Niniveh, his anſwer is full, and ſappie, Evertuntur peccatores duobus modis.
1. Sicut Sodomitae, ut pro peccatis ſuis homines punian…ur.
2. Sicut Ninivitae, ut ipſa horum peccata poenitendo deſtruantur; there was the miſtake of Jonah, for that was the City which God threatned and deſtroyed.
Everſa eſt Ninive quae mala erat, & bona aedificata eſt quae non erat. Stantibus maenibus, perditis moribus.
To the laſt Argument from the words of the Apoſtle, he hath concluded all under ſin, that he might have mercy on all.
He bids them there read the whole text, they ſhall there ſee quos omnes intelligit, nempe eos omnes de quibus loquebatur; that is, both Jews and Gentiles, not comprehending the whole of both: but on…ly vaſa miſericordiae in both, the veſſels of mercy; and the very courſe of the Text cleereth it to be ſo meant.
Therefore the revealed will of God hath ſetled this perpetuity of woe upon the ungodly: They ſhall drinke, and they ſhall drinke continually.
The juſtice of this proceeding againſt the ungodly is taken from the merit of ſinne, which being committed againſt an infinite Majeſtie, muſt needs be alſo infinite: now the perſon guilty being finite, cannot beare a puniſhment infinite in the weight of it, and therefore it muſt be infinite in durance to eternity.
Againe, the hater of God repaieth vengeance which is deſerved, at leaſt with the ſame meaſure wherewith his love giveth rewards undeſerved; but the love of God giveth eternall life, therefore the ha…red of God cannot give leſſe then eternal death. This ſheweth you the reaſon of thoſe earneſt exhortations, To worke out your ſalvation, to make your calling and election ſure; he meaneth in your owne faith, for ſo long as a man liveth in feare of this eternall judgement, and ſeeth no way to eſcape it; his ſoule is among Lyons, even the roaring Lyon and all his whelpes: it is in the keeping of the ſpirit of bondage, his ſins lye ſo heavie upon him that he cannot look up.
2 The comfort implyed and expreſt;
1. He ſpeaketh of the judgement on Iſrael, as already paſt and over; as ye have drunk.
2. He calleth Ieruſalem, though thus waſted and made deſolate, My holy Mountaine.
3. He graciouſly revealeth to his Church his juſt revenge upon his enemies.
1. As ye have drunk, that is when as ye have drunk of this Cup of affliction, then God ſhall take it from you; which doth yeeld this comfortable Doctrine,
That though the Church of God do live for a time under the Croſſe, God will not leave it ſo for ever.
Doctr. Afflictions are ſome part of that Phyſick which God doth miniſter to his Church, to heale the ſoares and diſeaſes thereof.
Time i… in Plutarch, Apoph.ſeeing the people very diſorderly foreign.
But Phyſick is not given perpetually, it ceaſeth when the diſeaſe is removed; God knoweth the uſe of the rod to be neceſſary for a time; ſo the Church confeſſeth;
For when thy judgements are in the Earth, Iſa. 26.9.the inhabitants of the world will learne righteouſneſſe.
When they have taken out that leſſon God ceaſeth to afflict.
God is ſharpe in theſe viſitations; Ioh hath not leaſure to ſwallow his ſpittle.Job 7.19. Pſa. 30.5.
Yet he endureth but a while in his anger; Weeping may abide for the evening, but joy cometh in the morning.
For a little time have I forſaken thee, but with great compaſſion will I gather thee; for a moment in mine anger I bid my face from thee, for a little ſeaſon, but with everlaſting mercy, have I had compaſſion on thee;
1. The cauſe of Gods favour eftſoons ſhining on the Church, after affliction, is to let them ſee that his quarrell is not to the perſons, but the ſinnes of men; for no ſooner do men repent of their ſinnes, but God alſo repenteth of his judgements.
He is a father; and a tender father doth not love the ſmart, but ſeeketh the amendment of his ſonne; and God himſelfe in the ſmiting of his Church, is firſt weary, and he complains firſt.
Why ſhould you be ſtricken any more? ye will revolt more and more, the whole head is ſick, and the whole heart faint.
From the ſoule of the foot, even to the head, there is no ſoundneſſe in it, but wounds, and bruiſes, and putrifying ſoares, &cl
Thus God ſuffereth in the paſſions of his children, and all our ſtripes ake upon him.
Yet he is a God that loveth not iniquity, and therefore when he layed upon his dea…ely beloved ſonne the iniquity of us all, the Apoſtle ſaid, He ſpared not his own Sonne, but gave hin unto death.
2. He will not ſuffer his Church to live alwayes forſaken under the Croſſe, in reſpect of his ſervants, and that for foure reaſons;
1. Afflictions do worke upon them ſo, that it breedeth in them contrition and ſorrow for their ſinne: and a broken and contrite ſpirit God cannot refuſe, he will not diſcourage the contrite and ſorrowfull, but will have them to know that their groanings and ſighes, come up even into his eares; He putteth all their teares in his bottle.
2. Afflictions do turne the children of God into prayers and ſupplications, and he will not neglect them that pray to him, that they may ſee the power and vertue of prayer, that upon all occaſions they may proſtrate their hearts before God in prayer.
God hath ſaid of the juſt man: He ſhall call upon me in trouble, Pſa. 91.15 Hoſ 5.15.and I will heare him; yes, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and glorifie him; in their afflictions they will ſeek me diligently.
In the houſe of bondage he heard Iſrael.Exo. 3.7.
Then the Lord ſaid I have ſurely ſeen the trouble of my people, which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry; St Iames ſaith,
If any man among you be afflicted, let him pray.
If that were not our comfort when all remedies faile us, we were moſt unhappy: for we can never be ſhut up ſo, but we may ſend our prayers from us to heaven, to plead our cauſe in the name of Ieſus Chriſt.
3 Sharp afflictions may be a ſtrong temptation to make the children of God doubt of the love of God; It was not lawfull for them in the judiciall Law to be immoderate in correction.
A treſpaſſer might have forty ſtripes given him, but not more, leſt if he ſhould exceed, and beat him above theſe with many ſtripes, Deu. 25.3then thy brother ſhould ſeem vile unto thee.
God will not overdoe in his chaſtenings of his Church, to prevent this danger, leſt his ſervant ſhould think himſelfe loſt in the favour of God; We ſee how David was put to it in this kind.
When his ſoar ran, and ceaſed not, his ſoule refuſed comfort: yea, once he complained.
My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? yea, he thought upon God, and was troubled.
Therefore God doth carry a favourable hand in his afflictions, to prevent the deſpaire of his children; for he knoweth whereof we be made.
4. Sharp afflictions may be an occaſion to harden the heart of man, and make himful away from God to ſinne; and that reaſon is given by the holy Pſalmiſt.
For the rod of the wicked: ſhall not reſt upon the lot of the righteous, Pſa. 125.2.leſt the righteous put forth their bands to iniquity.
Indeed ſome that have been well taught, and do underſtand well, and have lived in ſome meaſure of good life, and walked conſcionably, when God hath tryed them with wants, have fallen into ſnares, and embraced temptations.
Magnum pauperies opprobrium jubes quidvis & facere, & pati, vircutiſqu…; vi…m deſerit arduae.
Shifts, fraudes, ſecret ſtealths, borrowings without meanes, or hope of repayment, &c.
The wiſe ſon of Iakeh prayed to God; Give me not poverty, leſt I be poor and ſteale, Pro. 30.9.and take the name of my God in vaine.
Extremity of paine in ſickneſſe and ſoareneſſe, is a great temptation: two great lights in the Church of God were ecclipſed by it; Iob the example of patience, fell into bitter curſings of the do of his birth: ſo did holy Jeremy the Lords Prophet.
To theſe reſpects God is tender, and ſuffereth not his choſen to be temp…d above their ſtrength, but doth give iſſue to their temptations.
Yet ſometimes he ſuffereth his Elect to ſee their owne weakneſſe, by ſome fall, that when he putteth to his helping hand, they may be more wary to keep a better watch upon their hearts.
Reaſon. 3 3. God doth not ſuffer his Church to be forſaken in afflictions, leſt the enemies thereof ſhould too much inſult over them.
It is Davids ſuite to God; Let them not ſay we have prevailed.
When Saul and Ionathan were dead, David lamented them with great lamentation.
The beauty of Iſrael is ſlaine upon the high places, how are the mighty f…llon.2 Sam. 1.19, 20.
T…ll is not in Gath, publiſh it not in the ſtreets of Aſhkelon, leſt the daughters of the Philiſtines rejoyce: leſt the daughters of the uncir…tiſed triumph.
For this addeth to the ungodlineſſe of the wicked, they grow proud upon it.
Let not their wicked imagination proſper, leſ… they grow too proud.
Reaſon. 4 4. The afflictions of the Church when they do grow ſharpe, and ſmarting cauſe the ungodly of the earth to blaſpheme the name of God. It is not for nothing that David doth pray ſo earneſtly;
Quicken me O Lord for thy names ſake; Pſ. 143.11.for thy righteouſneſſe ſake bring my ſoule out of trouble.
The ungodly Iewes and Romanes, ſtanding by the Croſſe of Chriſt, did ſpeake contemptibly of God, and took his name in vaine in deriſion of his ſon.
It is the manner of the ungodly to blaſpheme, if once they prevaile againſt the Church; then the God they ſerve is thought unable to protect them, and the Religion that they profeſſe is ſcandalized for untruth.
Theſe be great reaſons why God doth not forſake his Church in affliction, but giveth them a heavenly iſſue out of them.
This point teacheth its own uſe; for it ſerveth both to;
1. Informe;
2 Convince;
3 Exhort;
4 Rebuke.
1 Information.
This is a ſure and infallible rule, That whom God once loveth he ever loveth, as he ſaith, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee; for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance; his love is himſelfe, and he cannot deny himſelfe, he hath given us to his ſon;Rom. 8, 35 and of them that thou haſt given me, ſaith he, I have loſt none: and no man can take them out of my hand. What ſhall ſeparate us from the love of God in Chriſt Ieſus? he nameth the greateſt miſeries of life.
Shall tribulation, or diſtreſſe, or perſecution, or famine, or nakedneſſe, or perill, or ſword?
Nay, in all theſe things we are more then conquerors, Cant. 2.4.through him that loved us.
The love of God to his Church is a banner over it.
2 Conviction.
This Doctrine convinceth the Heathen, who deny that there is a any Providence; becauſe the beſt men drinke deepeſt of the cup of affliction, which maketh the profane ſay, It is in vaine to ſerve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoſts? Mal. 3.14.True, that they who make conſcience of their wayes, are deſpiſed, their ſoule is filled with the ſcorne of the proud.
True, Ver. 25.that they that worke wickedneſſe are ſet up, and they that tempt God are delivered; but the Elect ſay, for thy ſake we are killed all the day long.
Yet the comfort that the juſt have in their affliction, doth aſſure that verily there is a reward for the righteous, doubtleſſe there is a God that judgeth the earth.
And though for a time the wicked inſult over the juſt, the day will come when they ſhall ſee their ruine.
3. Exhortation.
1. This doth admoniſh us to truſt in the Lord; for he never faileth them that put their truſt in him; truſt is beſt expreſt in a ſtorme, when the waves rage horribly, when the ſorrows of death compaſſe, and the floods goe over our ſoule. In faire weather when health, and youth, and plenty, and power, and pleaſure, make a calme in our life, and we have the deſire of our hearts, it is no tryall of us to ſay, ſurely God is good to Iſrael.
But in the furnace ſeven times heated, in the den of Lions, in the belly of the Whale, in the vally of the ſhadow of death, they that then truſt in the Lord, they declare their faith more then victorious.
In ſickneſſe and ſmart, and paines of the body, in want and miſery, thoſe that then ſay to God, Thou art my Rock and my Fortreſſe, my ſtrong hold, and the God of my Salvation: though thou kill me, I will truſt in thee;
Theſe are more then conquerors by faith; for they do not only conquer feare, and all the temptations to deſpaire, but they do advance inſtead thereof, joy in the Holy Ghoſt, rejoycing in tribulations, and giving thanks to God for all their ſorrows.
2. This teacheth us patience; for tribulation bri…geth forth patience, and patience muſt have a perfect worke to hold out to the end; by our patience we poſſeſſe our ſoules; for the impatient man is not his own man; impatience is like drunkenneſſe, it ſo ſtaggereth our reaſon, and drowneth our underſtanding in the deluge of paſſion and perturbation, that our tongue ſpeaketh, our heart thinketh, our hand worketh things that in the next caſme we have cauſe to repent.
3. Affliction is Cos orationis, the whetſtone of prayer, it turneth us all into; …rayer, as I have taught, and maketh us call upon him who is, Deus liberator, God our deliverer.
4 Affliction is Cos obedientia, the whetſtone of obedience; ſo now I keep thy Commandements ſaith David, Quia bonum eſt me affligi, becauſe it is good for me to have been afflicted, I have gotten that good by it.
5. It teacheth us commiſeration of the ſorrows of our brethren, and filleth us with comforts wherewith we comfort them, according as we have received comfort our ſelves in our ſorrows.
So when we viſite one another in ſickneſſe, if we have had either ſome other, or ſome like paines our ſelves, we tell them how we found eaſe; ſo the Apoſtle ſaith,
Bleſſed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of mercy, and God of comfort, 2 Cor. 1.2.who comforteth us in all tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our ſelves are comforted of God.
For as the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt.
4. Rebuke.
This doctrine chideth thoſe that can, receive good at the hands of God, and not evill, who upon every affliction, fall out with God, and murmure at his viſitations, and doubt of his favour as if temporall eaſe and proſperity were the meaſure of his love.
There is a root of bitterneſſe in us and the beſt of Gods Saints have declared themſelves to be but men in this tryall; afflictions are too ſtrong for us, we cannot well endure paine, we cry to our Chirurgeon, Tolle quia urit, take it away, it paineth me, the plaiſter paineth us; he telleth us, Non tollam quia ſanat, I will not, becauſe I would cure you: we ſee that this paine is ſoon over; God continueth but a while in his anger; this is the only Purgatory of the Elect and this ſire is but for our droſſe, and this medicine is but for our diſeaſe.
2. He calleth Jeruſalem though thus waſted and overthrown, My Holy Mountaine David ſaith, He loved the Gates of Sion more then ill the habitations of Jacob.
God ſayed of it, Here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.
The former doctrine declareth that God did not meane to caſt off his people for ever; and the next words, ver. 17. promiſe reſtauration.
Two things had met on this Mountain, to corrupt it and unſanctifie it.
1. The grievous and crying ſinnes of the people of God, provoking wrath.
2. The barbarous cruelty of the enemies of the Church, executing wrath.
Theſe made no difference, betweene holy and unholy, but firſt robbed and pillaged the Sanctuary, and carryed away the treaſures and utenſils, the ornaments of the Temple, and all that might yeeld them any profit, and then put fire to that admirable pile of the curiouſeſt ſtructure for art and coſt that ever the bright eye of heaven look't upon.
I cannot but ſtay your thoughts upon the way, to conſider with me what deſolations ſin may make upon the earth.
Here is blood ſpilt in Ieruſalem the holy City, no reſpect of the gray haires, no compaſſion of the faireſt Virgins, no tenderneſſe either to new-borne, or unborne children.
Here is deportation of others in numerous multitudes into Captivity, to become Vaſſals to thy proud Conqueror the Aſſyrian Monarch.
Here is the City of God demoliſht, the very ring and jewel of the jewel of the world, the Pſalmiſt calleth it; The joy of the whole earth; here is the Temple, the rich Diamond of that ring, the place wherein God was ſerved, & offerings were burnt therin to his name, that now made an Holocuſt and Burnt-offering it ſelfe, and ſending forth lambentes ſydera flammas, flames aſcerding to the ſtars.
The ſpecious, ſpacious Courts of that houſe, Gods owne encloſure, and all the holy mountain, the glebe-land of the Church, layd common.
The land emptied of her native inhabitants, ſave ſome few reſerved to be the drudges of the Caldeans, to plough their grounds, and to dreſſe their vines.
Beloved, a greater example of the provocation of ſin, or the execution of juſtice no time, not all the Bookes of time have ever ſhewed.
And what ſhall we ſay? hath ſinne loſt the ſting that it had wont to carry, or hath God loſt his ſeeling, that we ſhould equall that City in ſins, and not expect equall vengeance?
Every man ſhunnes it, to be a Prophet of ill news, and men had rather exhort, then correct: If we come with the rod which Paul threatned, we may chance banſel it our ſelves.
Sinners be too bold to be under the check of Gods Miniſters, but there is one a loft, that ſayeth, But I will reprove thee, and ſet in order before thee the things that thou haſt done.
The comfort yet is, that this Mountaine of Sion, though thus puniſhed, is called Gods mountaine ſtill; God vouchſafeth to owne it, and call it his; the enemies thereof have gotten the poſſeſſion of it, yet God will not loſe the right of his inheritance there, for he meaneth to build up againe what the enemy hath deſtroyed, and returne againe thoſe whom the enemy hath carried away captives, as the next Section declares fully.
Let the brethren of Schiſme and Separation lay this to heart, who full from the communion of the Church of England, pretending the great corruptions that be, ſome in the doctrine, but moſt in the Diſcipline thereof.
Is Sion the Mountaine of the Lord ſtill, although both ſinne and vengeance have left it deſolate? Did Chriſt call the Temple his fathers houſe, when the ungodly prophaners of it had made it a den of theeves?
I dare not ſay now, though that Mountaine of the Lord, and the place whre Gods honour did ſometimes dwell, and wherein God tooke delight, hath almoſt endured ſixteen hundred yeeres deſolation, and is now the cage of uncleane birds, inhabited by Turks and Saracens, and for the profit of both, by Popiſh Idolators, which make prize of Pilgrims reſorting to viſite the places ſometimes hallowed by the preſence of Chriſt and his Mother, and his holy ſervants; I dare not ſay that God hath loſt his intereſt therein, or reſigned all his right thereto.
Nullum tempus occurrit regi.
I remember the Prophecy of Zacharie.
But it ſhall be one day,Zac. 4.7, 8 which ſhall be knowne to the Lord, nor day, nor night, but it ſhall come to paſſe, that at evening time it ſhall be light.
And it ſhall be in that day that living waters ſhall go out from Ieruſalem.
A Prophecy not yet fulfilled; for though Interpreters doe commonly attribute this to the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, and the light of the Goſpel, beginning at Ieruſalem, and ſhining over all the world, the words of the Text do directly confute that expoſition: for this prophecy is determined to the evening time, that is to the latter end of the world, and Chriſt came in the fulneſſe of time.
And at the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, it was not as here is ſaid, Nor day, nor night, for then Lux magna orta eſt: the ſunne of righteouſneſſe aroſe in our hemiſphere, the very night was lighted to the ſhepherds with an extraordinary clarity.
And ſuch a light ſhone in Ieruſalem, as not only lighted them, but it was a light to lighten the Gentiles, it ſhone to the Eaſt upon the Magi there, and all the ends of the world ſoon ſaw the ſalvation of their God.
Therefore, I conclude that this prophecy is to be fulfilled towards the end of the world, when God ſhall call againe his people from far, and his diſperſed from the ends of the earth.
When the fulneſſe of the Gentiles is come in, then ſhall God call again his people, and remember the oath that he ſware unto Abraham, and the ſure mercies of David. Then ſhall he ſet his name again in Ieruſalem, and diſplant the intruders upon his poſſeſſion, and ſettle his habitation once again upon the Holy mountain at the end of the world.
Yet I do not affirm that there ſhall be again a Commonwealth of the Jewes, or a diſtinction of Tribes, as heretofore, that wall of partition is taken down, and the bond of Chriſtian Religion ſhall be the bond of peace, and God hath ſaid it. Tros Tyrius ve, mihi nullo diſcrimine agetur. Both Jew and Gentile, all ſhall be alike.
But God hath layed ſuch claime to this mountain, and profeſſed ſo much love to it, that I dare not beleeve that he can forget it for ever, but that when the time, the appointed time ſhall come, he will have mercy upon Sion, and will pitty the ruines and dust thereof….
But when here Sion is called Mons ſanctus meus, my Holy mountain: here is a quaere how any place can be called Holy, and what kind of holineſſe it is, which is aſcribed to any place.
Surely if it be Sanctus quia meus, what place is it where God is not, he is in the valley of the ſhadow of death: he is preſent over men in the nethermoſt hell.
But God is ſaid to ſanctifie ſome places here on earth, becauſe he is preſent there.
1. Secundum ſpecialem curam, in reſpect of his ſpeciall care and protection.
2. Secundum ſpecialem cultum, in reſpect of his ſpeciall Worſhip.
Ieruſalem was the place which God took into his ſpeciall protection, and where he placed his ſpeciall worſhip; for the Lord God was well known in Sion; at Salem was his Tabernacle, and his dwelling in Sion.
1. And for the ſpeciall care that he had of that place, He loved the gates of Sion more, &c.
And though the earth was the Lords, and all that therein is, yet of Sion he ſaid, here do I dwell: I have a delight herein.
And this Spiritualis cura, Spiritual care, ſo ſanctified that place that when Iſrael had polluted the worſhip of God, and Heathen came in upon Gods inheritance, and defiled his Sanctuary, yet ceaſed not that place to be Holy; not by any inherent holineſſe as the Roman Church ſuggeſteth, but only ſecundum ſpecialem curam, becauſe it was not yet out of Gods ſpeciall protection; and only thus it is holy at this day.
2. Propter ſpecialem cultum, for his ſpeciall worſhip; when any place is dedicate to Gods worſhip, and ſeparate from common uſe, it is an holy place, and God vouchſafeth there ſpecialem praeſentiam, a ſpecial preſence. For I am not of Mr. Calvins mind who ſaith, Templa non ſunt propria Dei habitacula, unde aurem propius admoveat. For God hath a ſpeciall intereſt in thoſe places which are ſeparate to his ſpecial worſhip, and the very place is fearful to them that have any ſenſe of Religion; and as Damaſcen ſaith, plus participat gratiae & operationis Dei, they partake more of the powerfull operation of God.
For why is Heaven the Throne of God more then the earth, but becauſe God doth there more expreſſe his glory, then he doth here.
And for the intereſt that God hath in thoſe conſecrated places, conſider Gods challenge in my Text, Sion though in the Land of the Chaldeans, is the Mount of God.
Churches and Lands once given to God, do remain his for ever; for unleſſe God ſhall manifeſtly reveale his reſignation to man, what man on earth hath any aſſignment from him of his right.
Beloved, we have power to give to God of his own, but we have no power on earth for revocation, when it is once Sacred, and God hath encloſed it, no man can lay it common.
But the fat of the Church hath fed ſo many of all degrees in this Land to that grouth and ſtrength, that this Doctrine is a Paradox, and we are but laught at when we plead the right of God to things ſacred.
For if Sacriledge be a ſinne, what rank of men in this or our neighbour kingdome doth not live in ſin and by ſin?
The Mount of Sion is challenged here to be the holy Mountain of God, in whoſe hand ſoever the poſſeſſion thereof be, and all that invade the right of God in things ſacred ſhall heare him complain,Prov. 20.25. Ye have robbed me; and though they make it ſtrange, and aske wherin have we robbed thee? Solomon will tell them, It is a ſnare for a man to devoure that which is Sanctified, and after the vowes to enquire.
3. It is a great favour of God to his Church to reveal to them his will concerning both their own ſhort puniſhment, and the long affliction of their enemies.
For themſelves, they ſhall ſee in this revelation, that God wil not give then over utterly; and affliction doth never ſhew intolerable when we can look beyond it, and ſee faire weather after it.
This had need be preached to the Church of God, to keep them from fainting in their patience, from falling into ſin.
David confeſt,Pſ 27.13. I had fainted unleſſe I had beleeved to ſee the goodnes of the Lord in the Land of the living.
The Prophet having given us his own example, doth alſo give us his good counſell;
Wait on the Lord, the of good courage, Ver. 14.and he ſhall ſtrengthen thy heart; wait I ſay on the Lord.
You ſee the uſe of this doctrine is to put mettle into us that we be not caſt down with the preſent ſenſe of Gods judgement, but that we couragiouſly do beare them, and patiently expect our deliverance from them. Of this before.
2. It is a comfort and joy, to the Church to know that God will execute their judgements upon their enemies, and paſſe the cup of his wrath from them to thoſe that hate them.
1. Becauſe it ſtoppeth the way to an high and grievous ſinne, which is murmuring againſt God; let every man ſuſpect himſelf for this; for Gods own Iſrael did often fall this way; But when God revealeth to us his purpoſe we cannot find fault: though we feel where judgment beginneth we know where it ſhall end.
2. It allayeth all thoughts of revenge on them that trouble and perſecute us; for to what purpoſe ſhould we fret our ſelves at the inſtruments of Gods vengeance, when we know the end of theſe men, how God hath ſet them in ſlippery places, and that he will take the matter into his own hand to revenge it?
And this is a neceſſary Doctrine for us, becauſe the purſuit of private revenge is one of the crying ſins of the time. We have poore men that to moleſt a neighbour will ſwear the peace againſt them to put them in bonds; when it is to be feared that it is rather revenge then feare that makes them ſweare, and this upon a little cooling of blood appears cleerly.
Juſt Laws are made to do men right againſt wrongs; we muſt go to Judges as children to their Father, to ſeeke Juſtice in charity, not in the ſpirit of revenge. God hath declared himſelfe to be Deus ultionum a God of revenge, and hath promiſed to judge our cauſe; let us commit the matter to him, and give our ſouls reſt poſſeſſing them with patience.
Iſrael ſhall ſee their cup that they have but taſted, drunk up and ſwallowed down of their enemies: the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it.
Mine eye ſhall ſee my deſire upon mine enemies.Pſ 92.11.
David maketh this uſe of this point,
By this I know that thou favoureſt me, Pſ. 41.12.becauſe mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
For it is a good ſigne of Gods love to his Church, that he ſuffereth not the ungodly to inſult over them.
And for the enemies of the Church, they may have victory, they cannot have a triumph; for the cup of wrath is no ſooner taken from the Church, but it is preſently given to her enemies to pledge them, as the Prophet ſaith:
When thou haſt done ſpoyling, thou ſhalt be ſpoyled, the drinke ſhall not pall in the cup.
You ſee that David made that uſe of the fall and puniſhment of his enemy, only to rejoyce in the Lord, and his favour, and not to inſult over his enemy; for the wiſe man adviſeth,
Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth, Prov. 24.17, 18.and let not thine heart be glad when he ſtumbleth:
Leſt the Lord ſee it, and it diſpleaſe him, and he turne away his wrath from him.
Thy patience doth heap coales of fire on the head of thine enemy; and thy favourable forbearance of him, in triumphing over him, holdeth the cup ſtill to his mouth.
We cannot do our enemy a greater pleaſure, then to be glad at his afflictions, for God ſeeth it and abateth his diſpleaſure againſt him, but we may rejoyce ſafely and boldly in the love and favour of God to us.