The Prophecy of Haggai Interpreted and Applied, Exposition · Sermon 10
Sermon the Tenth, 1599.
Haggai 2. 5, 6.
For I am with you ſaith the Lord of Hoſts according to the word that I covenanted with you, when ye came forth of Egypt, ſo my ſpirit ſhall remaine among you feare not.
HOw the Lord by the miniſtry of the Prophet Haggai did often and earneſtly exhort and ſtirre forward the Jewes after their returne from the captivity of Babylon to the building up of the Temple, hath beene hitherto declared unto you: now of the promiſes or cauſes of encouragement, whereby it pleaſed God to harten them leaſt the conceit which they had, that this houſe ſhould not be ſo famous and ſo execellent as the former, ſhould diſcourage them and hinder them from that buſineſſe, this is the firſt which I have read unto you: which containeth in it a moſt gracious promiſe of his aid and aſſiſtance by his ſpirit, becauſe that fleſh and blood is ready to ſuggeſt into the minde of a man that which is in the Proverbs, It is better to be idle than to be occupied in vaine, and to make folke meaſure things by the event, ſo that unleſſe they ſee preſent meanes to effect that which they undertake, they caſt off all hope of accompliſhing their purpoſe, and ſo ceaſe from medling any further, whereon it was that Moſes Exod. 4. 10. when he ſhould be ſent to Pharaoh excuſed himſelf that he was not eloquent, that he had a ſtammering tongue, but the Lord raiſed him up from that thought, telling him that he ſhould truſt in the grace of the Almighty, ſaying, who hath given the mouth to man, or who maketh the dumbe to ſpeake &c. do not I the Lord? now therefore go and I will teach thee what to ſay, to the like effect is the meſſage ſent to Haggai, becauſe that Zerubbabel and Jehoſhua, and the reſt which ſhould have been the chief in the worke, having laid the foundation of the Temple, deſpaired of finiſhing it, and ſo deſpaired before he began it. The Lord therefore ſtirred them up to go forward by theſe words which I have now read unto you, a reaſon very forcible, and motive very pregnant to move them forward, I am with you ſaith the Lord of Hoſtes: which words the Prophet often uſeth there, by putting them in minde both of his power that ſets them forward, whoſe will all creatures as ſouldiers are ready to performe: and meaning thereby alſo, that by his favourable aſſiſtance he will bleſſe them and that by his ſpirit he will give them grace to accompliſh that which they had undertaken.
In the ſecond place the doubtfull underſtanding of the word, (word) hath cauſed interpretors diverſly to expound it, for by word in ſcripture is ſometimes ſignified the ſecond perſon in the Trinity, the Saviour of the world, the Eſſentiall and eternall word of God of which John ſpeaketh, John 1. In the beginning Iohn 1.was the word, by whom all things were made, and through whom all things are now preſerved, and ſo here ſhould be three things which the Lord ſhould novv promiſe, 1 His owne preſence. 2 The preſence of his Son. 3 The preſence of the holy Ghoſt which ſenſe the Hebrewe would beare as may be tranſlated, and then it ſhould be tranſlated thus, I am with you by my word that I covenanted with you, &c. whereto alſo the Argument agreeth becauſe he was the Angell mentioned. Exo. 23. 20. that ſpake unto Exo. 23. 20.Moſes in Mount Sinai, that gave the law unto the Iſraelites and promiſed them his favour, if they kept his covenant as Stephen ſheweth, Act. 7. 38, ſometimes it ſignifieth a promiſe made Act. 7. 38. Pſal. 105.unto any, inſomuch that David Pſal. 105. ver. 8: mentioning the covenant, that the Lord made with Abraham, ſaith thus, he hath alwayes remembred his covenant, and preſently addeth this word of promiſe made to a thouſand generations, and thus otherſome do thinke it to be taken in this place, and this indeed the text will beſt beare, and ſo much the more, ſith the Lord on the like occaſion ſaith Deut. 31. ver. 8. that he himſelfe Deut 31. v 31.would goe before them, and therefore encourageth them not to feare, or be diſcouraged, for himſelfe would be with them, and would not faile them nor forſake them, and this the ordinary conſtruction of the Hebrewes doth include, as they know that are skilled that way, eſpecially I ſay if theſe words be compared with the 8, 9. verſes of the 105 Pſal. before mentioned, beſides there is a more pregnant motive to induce me hereunto, even the authority of the Apoſtle himſelfe, who Heb. 12. 27. declareth that thoſe words which are in the next place ſet downe by Hag. were ſpoken by Chriſt himſelfe, yet once more, I will ſhake the heavens: ſo by the word in this place, Heb. 12. 27cannot be meant Chriſt, ſeeing Chriſt is ſaid to have ſpoken this. It followeth therefore that his word was not the Eſſentiall word of God, but ſome externall word, not the eternall word of God, but ſome word that had a beginning, namely when this promiſe and covenant was made, when the Lord brought the Iſraelites out of Egypt, and delivered them by his Angel, God the Father by his ſon promiſed his favour & aſſiſtance, if we follow this interpretation, the ſenſe will well agree with the former, namely, this word, this promiſe, was made by Chriſt, conſidering that in him all promiſes are yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20 and conſidering that Chriſt ſaith Joh. 14, 15, 16. that if we love him and keep his commandements, he will pray the Father and he will give us another comforter, that he may abide with us for ever, whence the latter place in the Text of the Holy Ghoſt receiveth alſo light, our Saviour there calling him the comforter, and promiſing his abiding with us, not for a ſeaſon but for ever, And this for the meaning of the words, whereby the Lord encouraged Zerubbabel and the reſt to go about the building of the Temple, aſſuring them that he will be with them, and that he will be mercifull unto them and proſper them in their endeavours, that he will ſend them his ſpirit to guide and direct them, and to releive them in all wants and doth not the Lord here likewiſe ſtirre up and exhort us to go forward with the building of the ſpirituall houſe, not only ſuch as have the place of Zerubbabel, or the office of Jehoſua, but all the faithfull alſo, that every one in his vocation ſhould doe what in him li…th to the building up of the body of Chriſt, no doubt as we have the like command, ſo to us likewiſe is given the like encouragement according to the rule of the Apoſtles. Ro. 15. ver. 4. Whatſoever is written, is written for our learning. For why have not we Temples to build as well as they? are not our Ephe. 2. 10, 21, 22. 1 Cor. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 19. 1 Cor. 39bodyes called temples of the Holy Ghoſt, Ephe. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 1 Cor 6. 19. and therefore not onelyonly the Church that is the Church univerſall aſſem…ly of the faithfull is to do this, but alſo every man and woman in particular, and albeit the Miniſters of the Word and Sacraments, Paſtors and Teachers are to be principal labourers herein, becauſe they were cheifely given to this end, Eph. 4. 12. yet all the faithfull are appointed as under-workemen for as much as the Lord exhorteth them that they exhort and edifie one another, 1 Theſ. 5. 11. and Iude commandeth them to have care to edifie one another in their moſt holy faith verſe 10. the commandement therefore that was given to them is given to us, which is ſo much the more to be regarded of us, how much more neere to God, and more precious the ſpirituall houſe, that is built on Chriſt and is to laſt for ever, is above the materiall temple built on earth which was not to continue but to be laid waſte, inſomuch that one ſtone ſhould not be left one upon another; ſo that thus you ſee that in reſpect of the like commandment, we alſo are to build up our ſpiritual tabernacle and temple to the Lord, which alſo we muſt do in reſpect of the like promiſes, that they had, which the Lord moſt graciouſly hath made unto us, as he did unto them, to the end that we ſhould caſt away all feare and diſtruſtfulnes, nay rather we have greater promiſes made unto us than ever they had to them, at leſt in meaſure greater howſoever in ſubſtance they be the ſame, for what ſaith Chriſt Mat. 28. 16. the laſt ver. Behold I am with you to the end of the world, what promiſe can be more gracious? what more comfortable? which cannot be underſtood of the Diſciples and Apoſtles only, becauſe of that circumſtance (till the end of the world, and though they did belong chiefly to the miniſters, who were to obſerve and teach all that the Lord had commanded them, yet in command they alſo reſpect all other, as many as beleeve in the Lord by their miniſtery, as Chriſt well ſheweth in his praiſe, Iob. 17. 20. where he addeth the en… alſo, that they might be all one they in him, and he in them, as the Father is in him, yea the promiſe is more graciouſly given to us then to them, inſomuch that Heb. 8. 8. the words of Jeremy that the Lord ſpake unto the Jewes are cited [I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people ſaith &c.] are appointed unto us, promiſing us that he will proſper us, he will not leave nor forſake us, that he will bleſſe us not onelyonly with heavenly bleſſings, but alſo with temporall and with earthly Gen. 15. 1. Ier. 31. 2. Cor 6. 18.treaſures, according to the meaning of the very ſame promiſe made to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. I will be thy God, and renewed to us Jer. 31. and yet with more kinde words 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a father unto you, and you ſhall be my ſons and daughters. 2ly In reſpect of like or greater promiſes we muſt build up our ſpirituall Temple, 3. We muſt do it reſpect of the like continuance of the ſpirit which we have amongſt us as they had, for Chriſt promiſeth us, Iohn 14. 16. That he will pray the Father and he will give us a comfortor and he ſhall abide with us for ever, which leaſt any ſhould thinke to be ſpoken in reſpect of the diſciples onelyonly, the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 16. telleth us that the ſpirit of God dwelleth in us alſo thereby the Metaphor of abiding in us as it may be explained, by that which Cato in Tully ſaith of the ſoule, namely, that nature hath given it an abiding place in the body, not a dwelling place, therefore it muſt go out of the body, as out of an Inne, and not out of a dwelling houſe, yea this is ſo to be underſtood of all Chriſtians, that the Apoſtle ſaith Rom. 8. after Rom. 8.he had uſed the ſame phraſe of the ſoule dwelling in us, that he that hath not the ſpirit of God dwelling in him, is none of Gods avouching, that there is no Chriſtian to whom this promiſe is not made good or verified, it is true indeed that the ſpirit being God filleth full all places, taking in it that generality, but when we ſhall talke of this dwelling amoung the faithfull, we take it after a more particular manner, that he dwelleth in them by his Eph 3. 13gifts and graces as the Apoſtle ſignifyeth, Epheſ. 3. 17, when he ſaith that he would pray that Chriſt might dwell in their hearts by faith, for ſo Chriſt dwelleth in us by communicating his ſpirit.
The Spirit I ſay ſhedding in our hearts faith and love, and then Chriſt cometh and dwelleth in them, which Auguſtine implyeth when he applyed thoſe words to the widdow that wept for her husband, why ſaith he doſt thou weepe for thy husband? thou haſt by faith a better husband in thy heart, for thou haſt Chriſt himſelfe for thy husband. A ſentence, beloved, moſt comfortable to the faithfull, and which may ſerve well to aſſure them of their ſalvation by Chriſt, and therefore the Papiſts deſiring to impair it, where Cyril uſeth the ſame words they willed them to be put out, leaſt any of their Schollers reading them in Cyrill not ſo corrected, ſhould conceive that Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts by faith: but bleſſed be God that our ſtudents may read it not only in Cyril but alſo in Gods own truth, and the unlearned may heare it preaced by others, thus 3ly. in reſpect of the continuance of the ſpirit, we are likewiſe to 4 Laſt. The ſame promiſe to encourage us as the Jewes. Re. 19. 14.build up our ſelves as well as others. Laſtly we have the ſame promiſes that they had from the ſame Lord of Hoſts Jeſus Chriſt as he is deſcribed Rev. 19. 14. where it is ſaid that the warriers or armies which were in heaven follow him, and if they ſo excellent creatures, then much more▪ we who are farre inferiour: nay he more kindly promiſeth it to us, promiſing that he will be with us by his ſpirit for ever to guide and comfort us in all our calamities, and therefore it is our duty aſwell as theirs to ſet aſide all feare, diſtruſtfulneſſe, and with all courage go forward, and with all encouragement to ſtrengthen our weak knees and lift up our feeble hands that we may be able inſome meaſure to accompliſh the worke the Lord hath enjoyned every one; for we have the like commandement that Zerubbabel had, the like promiſes yea the ſame promiſes, and the aſſiſtance of the ſame ſpirit, and he that promiſeth to be with us is the Lord of Hoſtes moſt mighty and able to do whatſoever he will, which name leaſt happily it ſhould ſomewhat affright us, let us remember that he is mighty and powerful againſt his enemies, and towards his ſonnes and ſervants mercifull, and full of compaſſion, yea he 1 Pet. 2. 25. Pſal. 23.i… the Biſhop and ſheepherd of our ſoules, 1 Pet. 2. and therefore it ought more to embolden us, than diſcourage us, as it did David Pſa. 23. My ſheepherd (ſaith he) is the living Lord, therefore will I feare no ill, and indeed he himſelf ſhewed it to be true in his owne particular, by his godly example in all his life, and firſt when there was but a ſtep betweene him and death, as he had told his friend Ionathan. 1 Sam. 20. he went forward with ſome circumſpection indeed and care, to prevent danger, but yet never 1 Sam. 20.a whit diſcouraged, becauſe he knew that the Almighty was his ſheepherd, and that he was able to keep and defend him, yea that he would defend him becauſe that he had promiſed to dedefend all ſuch as put their truſt in him, and why? for the Kings hart is in the hand of the Lord, and he turneth it whether ſoever he willl, and that as eaſily as a husbandman can turne the ſtreames of waters: And ſo the Lord did the heart of Saul to David, as appeareth by the ſequell of that ſtory, and when the Lord did not deliver him by his power, yet he preſerved him by his goodneſſe, Elias might have feared Ahab, and Ehizeus might have beene diſmaied with the taunts that were caſt on him, by Ieroboam, but they went boldly forward, ſhewing indeed that they had no cauſe to feare or be diſcouraged, for they knew well enough that the Lord was with them, The memorable example of the three children ſheweth the like courage to have been in them, when they ſaid, our God is able to deliver us, & if he do it not yet know O King, that we will not worſhip, &c. whereby they ſhewed that they were fully perſwaded, that the Lord is preſent with his ſervants, either by his power or by his goodneſſe, by his power to deliver them, or by his goodneſſe to comfort and ſtrentghen them, if to endure torments were moſt for Gods glory, yea the very example of theſe three ſheweth, how true that in the Proverbs is, when a mans wayes pleaſe the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him, ſo that not only the fury of Kings ſhall be turned away, but if need be they ſhall become ever Pro. 16.friends, and if the hearts of Princes be ſo ſubject to the Lords ordination and government, which ſeeeme to have ſome freedome, how much more are the hearts of inferiour creatures, the ſlothfull man ſaith that a Lyon is in the ſtreet, but the Lord hath Lyons at command, ſo that they ſhall not hurt his ſaints Dan. 6. he that obſerveth the winds ſhall not ſow, and he that marketh the clouds ſhall not reape, ſo that the Lyon feareth the ſlothfull man on the one ſide and the winde on the other ſide keepeth him backe, Daniel. 6.that he cannot go forward, but for the true children of God who know that both winde and weather ſea and aire are at Gods Eccl. 11. 4command, they feare neither the heat of ſummer nor the cold of winter, nor the ſtorme of perſecution; but goe boldly on in their calling, following the precept of their God and committing all other things to his providence, for they know that he is with them even in affliction as David witneſſeth, Pſal. 23. thy rod and thy ſtaffe comfort me, where we are to conſider, that the rod and the ſtaffe are tearmes uſed in reſpect of the former word ſheepherd, the word rod ſignifieth a long thing to ſtrike with, but yet uſed as ſheepherds uſe the like about their ſheep, to keep them in by threatning them, and a little tipping them, the word ſtaffe is borrowed from a word that ſignifieth to leane on, which ſheepheards uſe to leane on, and withall to keep their ſheepe, but in proper, the Prophet declareth that the Lord would not chaſten him, or if he did his chaſtiſement ſhould be but ſuch as ſhould comfort him, as he ſaith elſe where, Pſalme 119. It was good for me that I was puniſhed, and before I was ſmitten, Pſal. 119. Columella lib. 7. cap. 3I went wrong. Columella writing of the uſe of the latter word for ſtaffe, ſaith that in ſome countries the ſheeherds uſe to leane on their ſtaffes and never ſit downe, but ſtand upright to looke on their flocke leaſt that any ſheepe comming after might be entercepted of wilde beaſts, of which the country is full, in which ſence, if we take the word ſtaffe it ſheweth that the Lord is watchfull over his, & ſo regardeth them, that none of his periſh, and look what chaſtiſement he giveth them it Act. 21. 31.ſhall in the end turne to their ſalvation: and hence it was that the Apoſtle Paul when the Lord bad him, be of good courage none ſhall hurt him, he boldly and joyfully went about his calling, even then when the Lord was not with him in his power to deliver him, but yet by his goodneſſe to comfort him, as I ſaid yea, when he knew that he ſhould be delivered up, he boldly without feare went on to build up that body which he was ſent for, teaching us by his example to remember that in the Epiſtle to the Romans cap. 8. 31. 37, 38, 39. If God be on our ſide who can be againſt us? nothing can ſeparate us from his love which Rom. 8. 31 37, 38, 39.we have in Chriſt Jeſus, wherefore that this might the better be kept and performed, the Paſtours are to ſtir up the people to this boldneſſe, remembring that even in weakenes the Lord will perfect his ſtrength, and bring his will to paſſe, and that he often uſeth weake inſtruments to great purpoſes, which they ſhould do well to remember that ſeparate themſelves from us, becauſe there is not that perfection in us, which they dreame there ſhould be: In the Church of Sardis, there were but a few names left among them? was the miniſter then to leave them, becauſe it was even then decaying and declining, no he was to ſtirre them up againe to awake and ſtrengthen the things that remaine; which is not ſpoken to the Miniſters alone, but to all the reſt that remaine, as appeareth ver. 1. 4. the like charge Paul gave to Archippus, Col: 4. 14, namely that he ſhould take heed to the miniſtery, that he ſhould fulfill it, which certainely ought to ſtirre up all ſuch as have charges, that they imploy themſelves about their calling, teaching them privately & publickly as it is, Acts 20. not thinking it enough to read unto their charge once a monethmonth, for ſo Act. 20. 20they ſhall never fulfill their miniſtery, well may they indeed quite ſtarve their flocke, which Columella waiting of ſheepherds well ſheweth, and when he ſaith a few ſheepe well fed, will bring more profit to the owner then a grat many ill fed, for beſides that they bring ſmall profit, they alſo periſh and in fect others; for leanneſſe breeds ſcabbs and ſcabbs death, and therefore are Miniſters to labour and feed the Lords flocke according to their gifts, that the Lord may receive the advantage according to the quantitie of the tallent. And therefore let me beſeech them to give themſelves to reading and exhortation, if their maintenance be not ſufficient that they ſhould leave their Colledge, let them remember how the Lord fed the Iſraelites with Manna, and how the widdowes oyle was increaſed, and how Elias was fed with Ravens, and not to go to—miracles, how the Shunamites provided for the Prophet, how Paul laboured with his owne hands, nay remember, that golden Mediocritie which Paul, ſpeaketh of in Tim. If we have food and raiment, we ought therewith 1 Tim. 6. 6.to be content, and for ſuch as have charges and yet preach not, but pretend they be not eloquent, &c. Let them remember what the Lord ſaid to Moſes pretending the like, will they doe better then they can, you know what Julius Florus ſaid to Julius ſecundus, a little boy ſhould make a declamation which he had done, ſaving he wanted a fit Proem which he laboured three dayes for, and could not hitt of any to his liking, and thereby grew very heavy, Julius Florus his Vncle would needs know the cauſe, he tol… him, whereupon he ſmiling ſaid numquid tu melius vis dicere quam potes, ſo may we ſay to them, will they doe better then they can, God regardeth that they can doe, not that which they cannot, when as Socrates had bid many to dinner, his wife told him that there was but a little meat, why ſaith he, if they be honeſt men it is enough, if not too much, ſo may they thinke if their hearers be godly, be it a little that they bring it ſhall ſuffice, be they wicked it will be too much, and therefore feare not to be bold, the Lord will be with you in the preparation and in the delivery, and ſee others which are hearers, ſuch as take not that profit by the word as they hold, whoſe fleſh is alwayes rebelling againſt the ſpirit, let them endeavour and the Lord will adde a bleſſing, endeavour they muſt to reforme themſelves, and to informe others: For the more they heare the more they underſtand, the more will be looked for at their hands, let them not uſe thoſe idle excuſes of a Lion in the ſtreet, let neither the froſt in the winter, nor the heate in the ſummer hinder you from going forward, Be faithfull unto the death, and you ſhall have the Crown of life, which the Lord grant, for his Sonnes ſake Jeſus Chriſt, Amen.