The Prophecy of Haggai Interpreted and Applied, Exposition · Sermon 11
Sermon the Eeleventh.
Haggai 2. 7, 8.
Yet once againe (that is but a little) and I will ſhake the Heavens and the Earth, and I will move all nations, and the deſire of all nations ſhall come, and I will fill this Houſe with glory ſaith the Lord of Hoſtes.
OF the three moſt gratious promiſes whereby the Lord encouraged Zerubbabel, and the reſidue of the Jewes to go forward in the building of the Temple, the ſecond, (in theſe words enſuing) doth declare that our Saviour Chriſt by his preſence, and powerfull preaching to the ſalvation of them that ſhould believe, would repleniſh this houſe with glory; A bleſſing which how excellent it is, we are by St. Paul. Eph. 1. 18. and Col. 1. 17. ſufficiently taught, and this is both compared to and amplified by the benifit which the people had in their deliverance out of Egypt, mentioned in the former verſe, when he ſaith here, yet once that is ſmall, for ſo it is in the originiall, which is diverſly ſupplied by the learned interpreters, ſomethinking here a ſhort time to be meant put it thus, (after, or yet a little while) as if it had bin ſpoken to comfort the godly in the ſhortneſſe of the time as Iſay 10. Hab. 2. Heb. 10. others deeming the thing b…fore ſpoken of to be meant, which ſence I take to be more agreeable to the place, read it by aparentheſis, yet once (I that is a ſmall thing) viz. to bring them out of Egypt, Ile doe a greater matter, which kind of phraſe we have alſo. Iſay. 49. 6. But howſoever it be taken, the reſt of the words wherein theſe leanes doe extoll the benifit of the Goſpell by Chriſt brought to all nations, comparing it with the law delivered to the Jewes, as the Apoſtle inferres it, Heb. 12. 26, 27. Where having ſtirred them up to receive the Goſpell he adds that as a reaſon, that if they eſcaped not which refuſed him, that ſpake on earth, much leſſe ſhould they that refuſe him ſpeaking from heaven, whoſe voyce then ſhooke the earth, and hath now alſo declared, ſaving yet once more will I ſhake not the earth onelyonly, but alſo the heaven, to which in this place is added the ſeas and lands as parts of the earth, for greater amplification, whereby is imployed that as when the Lord gave the law on Mount Sinai, he made the earth to ſhake. Exod. 19. ſo now would he ſhake not onelyonly the earth but the heaven alſo, to authorize the Goſpell, which corporally was done as both Matth. and Luke record, when as reconciling the Gentiles by his paſſion, the earth quaked, and when the glad tidings of this, reconciliation was ſent to the Apoſtles, there came a voyce from heaven as a mighty winde and the earth eftſoones ſhaked, although taken figuratively, ſpirituall things may be thought to be intimated as ſome expound it, that the earth and the heaven may rejoyce for that whereby a new heaven and a new earth was to be made, as did the Angels in heaven as well as the men on earth, then verſe 8. There followes the efficacy of the Goſpell toward them, to whom it is ſent, wherein are noted two points, Firſt, Their moving. Secondly, Their drawing.
Their moving I will move all nations which was done partly by himſelfe when Iohn 12. many of the Gentiles deſired to ſee him, and partly more fully by his ſervants, the Apoſtles by whoſe preaching all nations were moved, as appeares, Act. 2. 13. And the Eccleſiaſticall Hyſtories report, the latter he notes when he ſaith, and the deſire of all nations ſhall come, which was performed when the deſired perſons. i. e. the Elect came unto the Temple unto Chriſt, and to the Church verifying that which began in the firſt f…uits of the Gentiles, Acts. 13. where it is ſaid that when Paul preached Chriſt unto them, as many as were ordained unto life believed, which expoſition, I take to be agreeable unto this place, eſpecially becauſe the verbe in the Heb. is of the plurall number venient deſiderium, which according to the phraſe both in the Hebrew and other languages we tranſlate, venient deſiderati, meaning thereby that the Church of God which is called Ieremi. 12. the portion of deſire, as Daniel is called a man of deſires, Eph. 1. the faithfull are called the Adopted in Chriſt according to the good pleaſure of his will. Our Saviour Chriſt, Matth. 8. when he had found in the Centurion more faith than in Iſrael, ſpeaking of his coming ſaid, that many ſhall come from the Eaſt and weſt, &c. and yet of this he ſpeaketh, Iohn 6. where he ſaith, none can come to me except the Father draw him, And Iohn 12. 23. ſhewing the meanes how the Father will draw all the Elect as Auſtin and Gregorie well expound it, againſt this is appoſed ſimply the expoſition of Ierom who reads it in the ſingular, veniet deſideratus which to countenance, Ribera a man learned, and induſtrious, if he were not ſometimes blinded or bleared with a Papiſh humor, ſaith that the originall was ſince Jeromes time corrupted, which is a great marvell that he ſhould ſay, when as the Greeke Inter…eters, the 70. long before Jerome tooke it in the plurall, tranſlating it by deſideria, the Elect as Jerome, himſelfe doth, as alſo that is ſtrange, the miracles wrought in the eſtabliſhing of the Goſpel (on which Jerome and Ambroſe ground) he ſhould take the ſence to be Alegoricall, rather of ſhaking the heavens, when as ſo nothing can be meant but the Angels, but greater then any circumſtance is that of the Apoſtles, Heb. 12. 28. that they ſhall come to Chriſt, for if he had ſpoken of his owne perſon, as they would have it, likely he would not have ſpoken in the Third perſon, having before ſpoken in the firſt, I will ſhake, I will move, and ſo after in that as followes, and I will fill this houſe with glory, when his glory after his death ſhould be publiſhed, which was done when in the Acts, by the preaching of the Apoſtles his glory was ſpread farre and neere, and ſo he became glorious who in his paſſion had bin infamous, and therefore the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 3. often repeates that the miniſtery of the goſpell was glorious, becauſe it did publiſh the glory of him, now this being done, firſt at Jeruſalem, Luke 24. and the Apoſtles abiding in the Temple, Acts. the 1. and when they weare arreſted, Act. 45. Therefore he ſaith heare that he will fill it with glory, This then is the comfort whereby the Lord ſeekes in this place to ſtirre them repeating eft ſoones, that the Lord of Hoſtes would do it, that conſidering not the earth but the heaven alſo ſhould be moved: ſo they ſhould in greater alacritie go forward in their duty, out of which that we may note ſomething concerning our duty. 1. the firſt words yet once, ſo give occaſion to note what the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 12. 17. that the things which are ſhaken as being made with hands: are removed, that the things which are not now ſhaken may remaine for ever, yet that notes a change but once, that ſheweth that we muſt expect but one change laſting for ever. Now what the things ſhaken and made with hands are, appeares in the type of the law, the parts of the Tabernacle, noteing the heaven and earth which ſhould be ſhaken, and the ceremonies taken away: when Chriſt ſhould enter not into the ſantuary made with hands, but into heaven above, as Heb, 9. 24. But thoſe things which are purchaſed by Chriſt muſt continue not ſhaken, therefore the goſpel is called foreign an everlaſting goſpel not to be altered any more but to endure for ever, I need not here Mark 1. 14.to take occaſion to refute thoſe hereticks who thinke that as Chriſt added to the law, ſo alſo there remaines to be added to the goſpel as Montanus did take upon him, the perſon of the Holy Ghoſt; But I rather note another error in ſome Churches not farre from us, if not alſo in ſome of our owne, viz. that Popiſh error which have brought in types and ceremonies which were by Chriſt aboliſhed, that the thing ſignified which cannot be ſhaken, might remaine for ever as might be ſhewed at large in reſpect of both time and place, and perſons out of their Miſſals, Decretalls, Pontificialls, but I will onelyonly note that which this preſent time brings to paſſe, out of their yeare of Jubile, we read Leviticus 25. that God commanded that the fiftieth yeare ſhould be kept holy unto the Lord, as a yeare of deliverance from ſervice, releaſe of debt, and reſtoring of Land to the owners, thereby ſhadowing the time of liberty which Chriſt was to bring from ſin. Now Pope Boniface 7 chap. in the extravagants hath ſet downe, that the 50. yeare is a yeare of pardon and freedome from all ſins whatſoever, to them that will come devoutly to viſit certaine Churches in Rome, and to abide there if they bee ſtrangers, forth ſpace of 13. daies, if Italia, 30. becauſe ſaith he, the 50. yeare is the yeare of remiſſion, and Chriſt came not to aboliſh the law, but to fulfill it. And yet the prophet Iſay 61. 2. ſheweth plainely, that that was a type, the ſubſtance whereof Iſa. 61. 2.was eſtabliſhed by Chriſt, who was anointed (as he ſaith) to preach deliverance to the captives, and the acceptable yeare of the Lord, as he expounds it of himſelfe, Luke 4. 18. the accepted yeare of Gods favour, wherein as at the Jubilee, all were ſet at liberty, and reſtored to their former eſtate; So when Chriſt came, they ſhould bee delivered from bondage, and reſtored to the liberty of the ſonnes of God, which to bee done by Chriſt to continue, as the Apoſtle witneſſeth, Corin. where hee ſaith, Now is that acceptable time, now is that day of ſalvation: Which to reſtraine to one yeare in 50. if I ſhould compare them to beggerly rudiments, I ſhould too much honour them, being rather a profane error, which I need not further to make infamous then by opening their covetouſneſſe ſhewed therein, which Polidore Virg. our owne Hiſtioriographer, Chapter 26. ſets downe, writing that the laſt great Jubilee before, this in the yeare 1500. Pope Alexander the 6. in great kindneſſe to the Engliſhmen, ſends them over a Spaniard, to ſhew them the way how to come to heaven by this Jubilee; yea, and further alſo how they might have the benefit of it, and ſtay at home. But ſaith Polidore Virgit, Ejus liberal tas non fuit gratuita; and leſt (ſaith he) the King ſhould hinder it, he was content to part ſtakes with him; but as for us, this yet once ſheweth that our Jubilee is yet perpetuall, every day, yea every houre is a yeare of Jubilee and deliveance unto us if wee ſeeke it. The time once changed, continues for ever, for therefore (ſaith the Apoſtle) was it ſaid yet once more, that thoſe things which were made with hands being aboliſhed, theſe might continue for ever.
2. Another thing, hence the Prophet here commends unto us, in that it is the Lord that ſpeakes unto us himſelfe from heaven, as here hee ſaith, I will ſhake him; that therefore with all dutifulneſſe wee are to accept the doctrine of the Goſpell, for ſo the Apoſtle concludes all that hee had ſaid of keeping faith, retaining hope, maintaining love, receiving the Kingdome unſhaken, that not deſpiſing him that ſpeaketh, we may have grace to ſerve him, with ſhamefaſtneſſe and feare, and leſt the earthlineſſe elſe ſhould abaſe the credit thereof, therefore he ſaith, the heavens which yet he purpoſed to doe, onelyonly by the Miniſtery of his ſervants, for that which they doe, hee accounteth it as that which he himſelfe doth, having ſaid Luke 10. He that heareth you, beareth mee: And therefore St. Paul ſaith that Chriſt ſpeaketh in him, in 2 Cor. 13. 1. Theſ. 2. 13. He thankes God for them, that they received the word of him: And Silvanus and Timotheus, not as the word of men, but as it was indeed the word of God. And doth not our Saviour, cite that out of John, I ſay they ſhall bee all taught of God: Now God teacheth inwardly by his ſpirit, and outwardly by his Miniſters, as from Chriſt, and Chriſt from heaven by them, for ſo the Apoſtle ſpeaketh Heb. 12. 5. Wee muſt therefore come with theſe, and ſuch like minds, to ſuch aſſemblies, that as Eli bad Samuel ſay when the Lord called him, ſpeake Lord, for thy ſervant heareth; So when the ſervants of the Lord ſpeakes the Lords meſſage unto us, we ſhould hearken as to the Lord; eſteeme of them as to the Miniſter of Chriſt, leſt God ſay of us, as of the Iſraelites to Samuel, They have not caſt away thee, but they have caſt away me; which alſo may bee a leſſon for the Miniſter, to deliver the Lords meſſage, not his owne. John and Iames are called Marke 3. Boanerges the ſonnes of thunder, but howſoever certainely they were ſo called, becauſe, by them hee uſed to ſhake the Heavens as in thunder: Now how Iames thundered may appeare, in that he was choſen as the chiefe Preacher firſt to bee put to death, Acts 3. And Iohn, though he lived longer, yet how did hee thunder in his Goſpell againſt the hereticks that denied Chriſts Deity; and in his Epiſtle againſt the great breaker of the bond of love? It were to bee wiſhed that our Preachers would thunder but as the ſonnes of thunder, to ſhake the heavens, ſo as to move all people to thoſe things which remaine and continue, Pſalme 45. by the ſharpe arrowes the people ſhall be ſubdued unto thee. It's not by bol…, but by ſharpe arrowes; therefore the Miniſters of God had need to ſharpen their arrowes by taking heed, As the Apoſtle wiſheth 1 Timothy 14 15. to learning, to wrap himſelfe as it were therein, for ſo the word ſignifies, that ſo he may ſave himſelfe, and thoſe that heare him: For though Gods providence doe caſt ſomewhat further, that all that heare are not ſaved, hereby humility and modeſty is commended to the Miniſters, as to know that they are only inſtruments, and therefore to pray, as Paul requeſted the Epheſians for himſelfe, that a doore of utterance might bee given him, and yet when they have that, all is nothing, but that God it is by whom that is performed, which followeth, that the deſire ſhall come, &c. yet all muſt be moved, for that it is an effect in all; Many are called, but few are choſen; many moved, few drawne, and none can come to Chriſt, except they be called, Matth. 21. When Chriſt came to Jeruſalem, many, even the whole Citie were moved, and what a tumult was there, and yet not many drawne: And Acts 2. many were pricked, hearing Peter, when at the firſt they jeſted. And Acts 17. When Paul preached at Athens, ſome mocked, and ſome, as Damaris clave unto the Lord; theſe were of the deſired of the nations, and ſo was Lydia, of whom it was ſaid▪ that it was God that opened her heart to attend unto that which Paul preached. The whole glory therefore is to be aſcribed unto the Lord, who of his ſpeciall mercy drawes ſome, and leaves others to their owne corruptions; For it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſheweth mercy: Hee it is that accepteth, and approveth, and maketh deſired, where by the way is a leſſon for us, how we account of them whom God makes his deſire and liking, eſpecially Pſal. 15. The prophet requires as a thing neceſſary in him that will dwell in Gods Tabernacle, and reſt in his holy mountaine, that in his eyes, a vile perſon bee contemned, but that he make much of them that feare the Lord. And Pſal. 16. All my delight is on the Saints that dwell on the earth. And Iſay 45. where God deſcribeth the ſtate of his Church, he ſaith, he will lay her ſtones with Carbuncles, and her foundation with Saphires; and make her windowes of Emerods, and her gates of ſhining ſtones, and all her borders of pleaſant ſtones, or ſtones of delight, thoſe that hee builds up his Church withall, that ſo wee may ſay with the Prophet David, all my delight is in them. But alas, too too many wayes are our delights carried, but not that way as they ſhould, valerius maximus reports, that a Gentleman of Capua, coming to Cornelius houſe ſhewed her his Jewels, and deſired to ſee hers, but ſhe having none as was likely, put him off with ſome other talke, till her ſonnes the two Grachi came in from the ſchoole, which then ſhee ſhewed ſaying, here are my Jewells, and indeed theſe are Jewells well brought up. If ſhe tooke ſuch joy in her children, how may we thinke God doth, and therefore we may delight and rejoyce in his godly children, eſpecially ſeeing he reckons of them as his chiefe treaſure and choiſe Jewes, Pſal. 135. 4. Malach. 3. 17. I will fill this houſe with glory; which commends unto us a duoble point. firſt, of wiſedome, ſecondly of comfort, firſt, to teach us, and then to ſtrengthen us.
To teach us firſt, that the glory here ſpoken of doth ſingnifie that true glory, wherewith he will fill this houſe, for other places are filled with painted glory, the want of which wiſedome draweth many to noiſome luſts and pleaſures for falſe glorie. Againe we muſt know to this glory is joyned infamie, as we ſee in the Apoſtles, who weare counted the ſcumme of the world, yea how many ſpeake contumeliouſly of Chriſt himſelf, and his fellowers, who weare voted with that ignominious name of Nazarites, Act. 24. touching which, when Paul came to Rome: Act. 28. 22. The Jewes told Paul, that it was every where ſpoken againſt, which may put us in minde of that which Simion ſpake of Chriſt, Luke 2. that Chriſt was appointed as a ſigne to be gaine-ſayed, wherefore it is to be meant true glory, which is here accompanied with unjuſt and untrue reproach and infamy which yet the godly may rejoyce in, Auſtin tractat. 100. in fol. 16. on theſe words, the holy Ghoſt ſhall gloriſie me, defining glory to be a ſpeech of many conſiſting in ones praiſe, ſaith he, when we commend or praiſe either for that things ſhould not be commended, or ſecondly, that perſon that indeed is not to be commended; as for example ſaith he, to beſtow mony on ſtage playes is a fault, and not a vertue; yet ſaith Auſtin many praiſe it, for the wicked ſaith he, citing out of the 20. Pſal. are praiſed for the luſts of their owne hearts; And ſo againe ſaith he, the wicked when hearing the face of the righteous they are praiſed, and men deceaved, this is falſe glory. But if the righteous not ſeeking praiſe of the world, are praiſed for their vertues, this is true glory: Now St. Auſtin meaning that Chriſt was glorified with true glory for the glorious workes of his function and paſſion, may teach us to avoid the occaſion of their error which miſlike the calling of the Miniſtery, and griefe at their reproach; St. Paul conſidering how this true glory was joyned with ignominie but falſe; reſolves, 2 Cor. 6. 10. to approve himſelfe by honor and diſhonour, by good report and ill report as we ſee, Act. 24. he was accuſſed as a chiefe maintainer of the ſect of the Nazarites, herein appeared his glory, ſo Athanaſius as it is in Theodorets. 1 Chap. 13. being falſly accuſed of murther and adultery, his glory appearead when the man was brought forth with both his armes whole, whoſe armes he was accuſed to have cut off, and when the woman had falſly accuſed him for being naught with her, chargeing another in his preſence, as miſtaking him, Athanaſius ſufficiently cleared him, So Calvin is accuſed in this place for receiving venient deſiderati, to applie unto others that which belongs unto Chriſt, by one in that booke called Calvinus Judaizaus, wherein Stapleton ſooths him, as glad to finde any fault, but that this and others which he brings are but falſe reproaches, David Pareas doth ſufliciently make cleare, but if Heb. 12. our Saviour himſelfe did ſo patiently endure the gaine ſayings of ſinfull men, how may theſe be content: and ſince not onelyonly Paul and Athanaſius, and Calvin, but even Chriſt himſelfe ſuffered reproach, this ſhewes that ſince Chriſt was glorified with true glory; that a Chriſtian may have true glory, though untrue ignominie and reproach do accompany it, which may ſerve in the ſecond place, for the increaſe of our comfort, ſince its ſaid, Matth. 15. bleſſed are ye that ſuffer, &c. ſo that we need not to marvaile that Act. the 5. the Apoſtles ſo rejoyce that they were thought worthy ſo to ſuffer for Chriſt, or that Philip. 1. Paul ſaith, that it was given to them to ſuffer, and that he would rejoyce in the croſſe and markes of the Lord Jeſus, which we may ſo much the more doe, if they be wicked that wrong us, but if they be godly, yet take comfort in this we may, that the cauſe is not juſt, if all were like Datinius, Milo might take comfort as Tully ſaith, but its likely that even Cato, being as to his praiſe, Plinie notes 44. times accuſed, and every time acquited, yet was ſometimes accuſed by honeſt men. But then hic murus aheneus eſto nil conſciere ſibi, conſider the example of Job, James. 5. what end the Lord made, he was charged with hypocriſie, but in the end cleared. Yea put Chriſt for example, if they have called the Maſter of the houſe Belzebub, no marvell that they uſe the ſervants ſharper, but we deare bretheren muſt heere follow Chriſt, who▪ Heb: 12. for the glory that was ſet before him, endured the croſſe, deſpiſed the ſhame. For Rom. 8. If wee will reigne with him, wee muſt alſo ſuffer with him, we muſt not thinke to goe to heaven in a horſe-litter, here wee ſhall have true glory, but hereafter more perfect glory.
O Lord inſtruct us, that we may imbrace the things that remaine, and hearken unto that thou commandeſt, that we may ſtir up our ſelves ſo to performe our duty; that here being partakers of true glory, wee may hereafter bee brought to perfect glory, even by the God of glory, Chriſt Jeſus, Amen.