The Prophecy of Haggai Interpreted and Applied, Exposition · Sermon 14
Sermon the Fourteenth.
Haggai 2. 13. &c.
If one beare holy fleſh in the skirt of his garment, and with the skirt do touch bread or partage, ſhall it be holy? and the Prieſts anſwered, and ſaid, No, &c. and Haggai ſaid, So is this people, &c.
TO paſſe over all coherence of thoſe words that follow with theſe (noted heretofore) and to remember you only of the drift and meaning of the ſame: The Jewes being now returned from their Babyloniſh captivity to Jeruſalem, although they went not forward with the building of the Temple as the Lord commanded them: yet becauſe they offered ſacrifice on the alter of the Lord: built long before they ſuppoſed that they were thereby ſanctified, ſo that their diſobedience in not building the Temple did not defile them. The contrary thereto, here they are taught out of the law by two reſemblances, 1 Levit. 6▪ & 2 Num. 19. for that 1 avouching every thing that touched the fleſh of the ſinne offering to be cleane, did not yet imply that the bread and wine that touched the skirt, which touched the ſinne offering ſhould be likewiſe cleane, and the 2 affirming them that touched a dead body to be uncleane: and whatſoever they touched alſo to be uncleane; did ſhew plainely that all that ſuch a party did touch, whether bread or oyle was thereby defiled and uncleane, after which points out of the law avouched by the confeſſion of the Prieſt (for God bad the Prophet aske them) the latter part of the ſecond ſimilitude followeth, ſo is this people, and ſo is this whole nation before me, &c. the force of the illation or argument, why the Jewes were not ſanctified by their ſacrifices, but count their ſacrifices defiled by their diſobedience, doth conſiſt in the myſteries repreſented by thoſe ceremonies. For Firſt Chriſt Jeſus our Saviour was ſignified by the ſinne-offering whoſe fleſh was moſt holy, here called holy fleſh, the touching of which here ſignifies the ſpirituall touching of Chriſt by faith, as the woman Luke 8. is by our Saviour ſaid only to have touched him, when as others did more then ſo; wherefore, ſince they that truly doe beleeve in God, do love him and keep his Commandements, and the Jewes did not build the Temple as he commanded them, it followeth that although the Jewes did touch that which in ſome ſort might be ſaid to touch Chriſt, viz. the ſacrifices and ſhaddowes of the law, wherein he was covered as in the skirt of a garment, yet they did not touch Chriſt himſelfe by a lively faith working by love, therefore they were not by theſe ſacrifices ſanctified and made Holy; nay contrarily all their ſacrifices were by them defiled and made uncleane, ſince the touching of a dead body did ſignifie the committing of ſinfull diſobedience, which was deadly: and whatſoever ſuch a perſon did touch did ſignify whatſoever he did, which thereby he defiled, ſo that the Jewes being themſelves defiled by their diſobedience in not building of the Temple defiled all their works; even their very offerings, ſeemed they never ſo holy before men, yet before God they were but polluted and defiled. Now to paſſe by the ground of this reproofe, the teſtimony, namely of the Prieſts out of the law, of which before ver. 12. and to proceed to other notes of inſtruction, 1 from the two ſimilitudes in generall from the ptne of their meaning applyed we may obſerve, that the ſacrifices and ceremonies of the old law were ordained by God, not to ſignify only thoſe things, which the, words barely did import unto the Jewes, but other myſter ies alſo for the comfort of the godly unto the end of the world: this the Apoſtle, Col. 2. 17. ſheweth us, that theſe were but ſhadowes 1 as it were the juſt draughts of the lineaments, as painters His name was Planus.(whence the phraſe ſeemeth to be taken) uſe firſt in a darker ſort, as with a coal or the like to ſhadow forth their portraiture as Apelles did Ptolomie his ſervant, (Plin. lib. 35. c. 10.) which after Plin. Hiſt. Nat. lib. 35. cap. 1….they make more perfect, and yet more plainely, Heb. 8. 5. where it is ſaid, that Moſes made the tabernacle, and all things therein according to the heavenly patterne which God ſhewed him in the Mount, which patterne what was it, but the myſteries of our redemption, by our Saviour Chriſt, which were ſhadowed out by the Tabernacle. To ſhew this by examples Exo. 12. there was a paſchall lambe appointed to be killed, and the bloud to be ſprinkled on the doore poſts, 1 Cor. 5. the Apoſtle applyeth this to Chriſt, ſaying, For Chriſt our ſaviour is offered, Exo. 29. 38. There was appointed in the daily ſacrifice two lambes to be offered, one in the morning, and the other in the evening: John the Baptiſt ſeeing our Saviour Chriſt (Ioh. 1.) ſaith, behold the Lambe of God that takes away the ſinnes of the world. whereof indeed the other were but ſhadowes: Numb. 21. Moſes is appointed to erect a brazen Serpent, that the people who were ſtong with the fiery ſerpents might looke thereon and be healed, in John 3. our Saviour Chriſt doth ſhew, that himſelf was ſhadowed by that ſerpent, for as Moſes lifted up the ſerpent &c. I need not to open other myſteryes hid in theſe; touching the faithfull, as that 1 Cor. 5, that when the Paſcal was eaten, they eat unleavened bread; the Apoſtle there ſeemes to ſignify, that we being by our ſaviour redeemed, are to put away all leaven of malitiouſneſſe, and to keepe a continuall feaſt all our life with the unleavened bread of ſincerity & truth, and ſo in this place, the touching of the fleſh of the ſinne-offering, which did make holy that which did immediately touch it: though not that wch did onelyonly touch that as did touch it: did ſignifie as by the Prophets application, we learne the touching of our Saviour Chriſt by a lively faith, which did ſanctifie thoſe that did ſo touch him; although not thoſe which did only touch the ſhaddowes wherein he was lapped; as contrarily the touching of a dead body which did defile whom it touched and made him alſo to defile what he touched: did ſignify the committing of deadly diſobedience which did defile the Jewes, and the very beſt workes they did.
Theſe things, beloved, may ſerve to ſtir us up to the meditation of that which the Apoſtle ſaith Heb. 5. 11. that there are in the Scriptures of God, many things hard to be uttered, and wee Tanta eſt Chriſtianarum profunditasare dull of hearing and ſuch as had need of milke and not of ſtrong meats, though we may confeſſe with Saint Auguſtine Epi. 3. ad voluſiam that even the ſtrongeſt among us may learne ſtill uterarum ut in eis quotidie proficere ſi eas ſolas ab meunto aetate &c.more, ſince ſuch a man as he, did not ſticke to ſay of himſelfe that the Scripture is ſo profound a depth that one of farre better witt and gifts then he, though he ſhould ſtudy in it alone and nothing elſe ever from a childe unto his old age, yet ſtill might profit therein non quaſi, ſaith he, caquae ſint ad ſalutem neceſſaria were not therein plainely delivered. To prevent the objection that the Papiſts make why the people ſhould not read the Scriptures) but after theſe plaine things are learned, there are ſo many darklier ſhaddowed myſteries (as are theſe, in interpreting of which many have miſſed, not only in the depth of the words, but even of the things therein contained) that the learnedſt may therein increaſe his knowledge: and this may ſerve to be noted from the two ſimilitudes in generall.
Secondly, it followes that from the firſt ſimilitude, part 13. we obſerve that by the outward ſervice of God they are not ſanctified that have not religious and beleeving harts, which being Nihil ſerè de illis obſcuritatibus cruitur quod non planiſſimè dictum alibi reperiatur Aug. de doct. Chriſt lib. 2. cap. 6.here by their ſimilitude ſhaddowed forth, is in other places of Scripture plainer ſet downe according to that with Auguſt hath. lib. 2. de doct. chriſtiana, where he ſaith that nothing is taught obſcurely in one place of the ſcripture which is not in another more plainely expounded, and for this doctrine, it is plaine: as firſt by that of Samuel unto Saul, 1 Sam 15. 22. Doth the Lord more delight in burnt offerings, than when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed; behold to obey is better then ſacrifice, &c. Iſay goeth farther, cap. 1. bringing in the Lord as accounting all their offerings no better then abominable, what have I to doe with the multitude of your oblations, &c. incenſe is an abomination unto me, but his meaning is the ſame that Samuels was, that God did regard more their obedience, the waſhing of their hands and cleanſing their hearts from ſinne, their ceaſing to doe evil, &c. then all thoſe oblations without theſe, Hoſea. 6. 6. the place which our Saviour alledgeth, Matth. 9. 12. I deſire mercies and not ſacrifice: his meaning is by way of compariſon: not ſacrifice in reſpect of mercy, (as the latter words added ſhew) and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings, ſuch knowledge namely as, 1 John 2. ſpeaketh of, which is joyned with love, when he ſaith hereby we know that we know him, if we love him and keepe his commandements, as he indeed will that doth know God as our Saviour, no marvell therefore if the Jewes diſobeying God in what He commanded touching the building of the Temple, though they were very ready and forward in their ſacrifice, as we may read. Ez…. 3. yet were not hereby ſanctified. &c. By their diſobedience, they and their ſacrifices were defiled as heereafter wee ſhall God willing heare from the ſecond type, firſt the outward ſervice of God doth not ſanctifie any in whom there is not a believing and obedient heart, our Saviour Chriſt by his coming hath (as before was foretold he ſhould, Dan. 9. vlt.) aboliſhed thoſe ſacrifices of outward ſervices of the Law: which being but ſhaddowes; were to ceaſe, the body once come. Col. 2. which elſe would ſignifie Chriſt to be as yet come: we cannot therefore now ſerve God with the ſame manner of externall ſervice as they did: but yet we have ſome ſervices even under the Goſpel like in ſome proportion unto theirs, wherein wee are by eccleſiaſticall aſſemblies to offer ſacrifice unto the Lord. The Apoſtle. Heb. 13. 15. mentioneth ſome of them exhorting them, and in them us, and all Chriſtians to offer up unto God alwayes by Chriſt the ſacrifice of praiſe even the fruite of the lips to confeſſe his name; and Rom. 15. 16. concerning ſermons, the Apoſtle ſaith he, was ordained a Miniſter of the Goſpel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles (the word in the originall is foreign) might be acceptable being ſanctified by the holy Ghoſt according as Iſay 66. 20. was foretold, that by the preaching of the Goſpel the Gentiles ſhould be ſacrificed up unto God: in the former of which ſacrifices of prayer and thankeſgiving as the people are to joyne with the Miniſter and ſay Amen. So in ſacrificing of themſelves in the later by the preaching of the Goſpel, they are to joyne alſo as the Apoſtle doth exhort, Rom. 12. 1. howbeit leaſt we ſhould herein vainely flatter our ſelves and thinke that our outward ſervice might ſanctifie us, although the Jewes could not doe them we are to underſtand that howſoever the Jewes ſtrove indeed ſpecially by blood, to make God appeaſed with them, yet had they alſo together with their ſacrifices, both prayers, and ſermons for performance of this ſpirituall duty, ergo. Pſal. 122. 4. its ſaid in commendation of Jeruſalem where were the ſacrifices, that thither the tribes go up unto the teſtimony of the Lord to praiſe the name of the Lord: and that we may know that they had prayers ſtill together with their ſacrifices, Act. 3. 1 we read that Peter, and John, went up into the temple, at the ninth houre. 1. the houre of prayer: which was the houre betwixt the two evenings when the Jewes did offer dayly, their evening ſacrifices; as alſo we may finde many Pſalmes 1. at that time ordained to be ſung; yea and beſides their prayers uſed with their ſacrifices (which only were offered in one place, viz. at Jeruſalem) they had ſtill every where throughout Jury in their Synagogues, prayers and divine ſervice and Act. 16. 13. mention is made of a place by the rivers ſide whither the Jewes uſually reſorted unto prayer, and againe ver. 16. where Paul ſaith that the mayd mett them as they Phil. Iud. Lega. ad Caium. Philo Iud. de vita Moſis lib. 3. p. 9 33. Vid. Bez. in Act. 6. 9. & Act. 16. 13.went to prayer, many thinke that by foreign, is meant the place where they uſed prayer ſo called, as Philo, who lived about that time, that ſheweth they uſed to call their Synagogues foreign of the prayers they uſed to have in them; now that together with prayer, they had alſo preaching and expounding of the word, as it appeares by that place alledged, Acts 16. where it's ſayd, that at Pauls preaching God did open the hart of Lydya to attend to that was ſpoken, ſo alſo that at Ieruſalem it was likewiſe uſed; that famous place Nehemiah 8, 9. doth ſhew ſufficiently, as alſo in other places of Jury as 2 Kings 4. 23, from that anſwer which the Shunamites husband gave unto his wife, when her childe being dead, and he not knowing thereof, and marveiling why ſhe ſadled the Aſſe (asked) why ſhe would go to the man of God that day, ſince is was neither new Moon nor Sabboth day: the learned gather that on ſuch feaſts (as the new moones & Sabboth dayes) the people that dwelled far off even in the Countries did uſe to aſſemble unto the Cities where were Prophets & Levites which they called men of God to be taught & inſtructed by them. as Acts 15. 14 it is ſayd, that Moſes had them which preached him in their Synagogues, being read every Sabboth-day, as even in our Saviours time it appeareth by that which is recorded, Lu. 5. 17, where it is ſaid, that to heare Chriſt among the reſt, there came the Phariſees and teachers of the law, out of every towne of Galilee, and Iudea and from Ieruſalem, inſomuch that when the ſcriptures were read, if there were any likely in the Congregation, to preach or make any exhortation they were requeſted therunto, as Acts 13. 15. we reade how at Antiochia after the lecture of the Law and the Prophets, the ruler of the Synagogue ſent unto Paul, ſaying, yea men and brethren if yee have any word of exhortation for the people, ſay on: which farther appeareth by that is ſtoried of our Saviour, Luke 4. 17. how, comming into the Synagogue at Nazareth the booke of the Prophets was delivered unto him, which having opened he read, and expounded a portion of 61 of Iſay unto the people Therefore ſince that to theſe ſacrifices here mentioned the Jews joyning both prayer and preaching of the word and yet were not thereby ſanctified without obedient hearts, we may learne alſo: that by our calling on the name of the Lord in prayer, and learning his will by hearing his word: we cannot at all be ſanctified without obedient and beleeving hearts. And doth not the Apoſtle teach us the very ſame things? why elſe doth he exhort, 1 Tim. 2. 8. that men ſhould pray every where lifting up pure hands, and without wrath, and without doubting if ſo be that onelyonly prayer and lifting up the hands would ſerve, without the puriry of the affections of the heart? And why doth he ſay to the Hebrewes that the goſpell was preached unto Heb 4. 2.them, aſwell as unto the old Jewes in Moſes his time: but the word that they heard did not profit them, becauſe it was not mixed with faith in thoſe that heard it; if that barely to come to heare the word, were all that were required? Or why doth he ſay concerning the Sacraments which are the viſible, as the preaching is the audible word of God, 1 Cor. 10. that the Fathers under the law did all eate of the ſame ſpirituall meate, and did all drinke of the ſame ſpirituall drinke, and yet with many of them God was not pleaſed: ſo that they fell in the wilderneſſe: and addeth that theſe are examples unto us: but to inſtruct us, that although we have ſuch graces as they and be partakers of the like Sacraments of Chriſt, yet if we be diſobedient as they were we muſt looke to taſte of the like plagues as they did, ſo evident is that doctrine which from the former ſimilitude in the beginning I obſerved: that by the outward ſervice of God none are ſanctified, but thoſe only which have faithfull and obedient hearts?
Wherefore ſince it behooveth us (reverend and beloved) to be carefull of holineſſe, without which none can ſee God. Heb. 12. 14. wee ſee how wee ſhould ſtirre up our ſelves not only to the outward, but even to the inward worſhip of the Lord: for Mat. 7. 22. Many ſhall ſay Lord, Lord (ſo that there ſhal be prayers, and have not we in thy name preached &c? they ſhall uſe preaching alſo, and yet Chriſt ſhall ſay unto them, I never knew you. Seeing then the outward ceremony will not ſerve to ſanctifie any, or bring them to ſalvation, we muſt be very careful, not only to performe this outward ſervice to God of prayer which by an excellency is called foreign Rom. 9. as all other Rom. 12. but alſo to offer up our ſoules and bodyes, even the beſt of our inward and ſpirituall ſacrifices and ſervices to Gods glory, for we are bought with a price and I am ſorry that I am prevented, by the time ſo that I muſt ſpeake breifely, which elſe I ſhould more largely.
1. How many of us are there that do not come to the outward ſervice of God, ſo as they ought? I refer it to every mans conſcience to conſider how they frequent the aſſemblies for prayer and divine ſervice in their private Collegs, but for comming at the beginning of tearmes, when as wee are by oath and conſcience bound thereto, how ſlackly is that done, if done at all? Alaſſe how far are we from the zeale, that was in the Iewes, who with weariſom journeys walked on through the wildernes till they appeared before God in Sion, Pſal. 84? how far from that foretold ſhould be in the people of God, Pſal. 110. 3.) thy people ſhall come willingly &c? how farre from that example which the people give us, Neh. 8. who were ſaid to have heard the word willingly from morning untill night. So we reade Act. 20. Paul being to depart on the morrow, the people that beleeved aſſembled themſelves together to hear him, ſo that he continued his preaching untill midnight, but alaſſe, how do we degenerate from theſe, who cannot indure but for an houre or two to frequent ſuch religious Aſſemblies, it is recorded by Zoromen l. 6. c. 18. that when Valence an Arrian Emperour had forbidden the Chriſtians to have any Aſſemblies: the Godly notwithſtanding uſed to meet together in the fields for the ſervice of the Lord. The Emperour hearing therof, was very wroth with his Cheife Captaine Modeſtus, for ſo he was called, and ſo indeed he ſhewed himſelfe, becauſe he ſuffered them ſo to do. Modeſtus therefore forewarning them that they ſhould meet ſo no more, and threatning that if they did they ſhould be puniſhed; they notwithſtanding the next day in great multitudes met againe, which Modeſtus underſtanding thought good to go out againſt them with a band, & to ſcatter them: but as he went a certaine woman with her head not throughly tired & with a little child in her hand overtaking them, brake through among the Souldiers and made haſt towards the place where the Chriſtians were aſſembled. Modeſtus cauſing her to be called to him, demanded of her, whither ſhe was going in ſuch haſt, ſhee anſwered: that ſhe was going to the place where the Chriſtians were aſſembled, to ſerve God. Why ſaid Modeſtus doſt thou not know that the Emperor hath commanded that they all that come thither ſhall be killed? yes I do, replied ſhe, and therefore I go the rather, that I may be martered among the reſt: and why ſaid he doſt thou leade with thee that little child? that he alſo (anſwered ſhee) may be partaker of the reward. I am loth to ſay that which the example of this godly woman moveth me unto, but I will onelyonly ſpeake in Latin out of the Poet, Vos etenim juvenes animum geritis muliebrem, illaque virgo virum, But
Secondly, put caſe we were without exception in this behalfe: yet let them know, that are moſt diligent in the outward ſervice of the Lord that this ſanctifieth none in whom there is not a faithfull and an obedient heart, the Prophet Iſay 1. ſpeaketh of much prayer, which yet becauſe it was done without faith. The Lord accounted no better then abomination. And Ezek. 33. 31. tells us of ſome that would come and ſtand before the Prophet as if they would learne the will of the Lord, and yet are reproved, we ſee that the Scribes and Phariſes for frequenting Sermons, and uſing long prayers, Mat. 23. could not be reproved, and yet our bleſſed Saviour telleth us, that except our righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of them, wee cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, Mat. 5. But one place Micah. 6. May ſerve to ſeale up all that I have taught. How doth the Lord expoſtulate with his people? My people what have I Mich. 6. ver. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.done unto thee, or wherein have I grieved thee: teſtifie againſt me? How we may apply all this unto our ſelves; conſider we what God hath done for us, and how hath he greeved us, hath hee not brought us out of Egypt, yea, from papiſtry, 10000 times a viler ſlavery then that of Egypt? hath hee not by a mighty hand redeemed us, when in Queene Maries time many ſuffered baniſhment, and others loſt their lives; and ſent before us Moſes even our gracious Queen Elizabeth, whoſe memory is for ever bleſſed; and for our preſervation under her, hath raiſed up unto us many Aarons and Miriams endewed with prophets, ſpirits to inſtruct us? can we be forgetfull what Balack of Spaine deviſed againſt us: or what Balaam of Rome anſwered him from Shittim: under Moſes whither the Moabite ſent their daughters to corrupt the people (a lively repreſentation of the ſending forth of the Prieſts and Jeſuits to ſeduce us) unto Gilgall, under Ioſhua: where (by circumci…ion) the ſhame of Egypt was taken away from them: as of late one branch thereof hath bin from us, by our Joſhua, His Majeſties Proclamation againſt the profanation of the Sabboth, and all this that wee may know the righteouſneſſe of the Lord? with what then ſhall we come before the Lord? ſhall we offer 10000 of prayers, or 10000 of Sermons, &c? no, he hath ſhewed us what is good and what he delighteth in more then all theſe. that wee do juſtly, and love mercy, and humble our ſelves to walke with our God, that we behave our ſelves religiouſly, as they that are indewed with an holy ſpirit and are heires of life remembring what is ſaid, Eſay 66. 2. That God regards him that is of a contrite ſpirit, and that trembleth at his Word, needfull it is for us to know the Word of God and to uſe all meanes thereto, but if we do no more, we do but draw neare to God with our lips, and not with our hearts.