The Prophecy of Haggai Interpreted and Applied, Exposition · Sermon 7
Sermon the Seventh.
Haggai Chap. 1. verſe 12, 13.
Verſ. 12. Then Zerubbabel the ſon of Shealtiel, and Joſhua the ſonne ver. 12.of Joſedech the high prieſt, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet (as the Lord their God had ſent him) and the people did feare before the Lord.
Verſ. 13. Then ſpake Haggai the Lords meſſenger in the Lords meſſage unto the people, ſaying; I am with you ſaith the Lord.ver. 13.
WHen the Prophet Haggai had delivered his meſſage from the Lord of Hoſts, unto Zerubbabel, Joſhua and the remnant of the people; the fruit of this meſſage from the Lord is here ſet downe, what effect it wrought in the hearts of the hearers, not only of Zerubbabel, and Joſhua, but even of the people alſo. The principall effects that followed upon the Prophets Sermon are here noted to be two, one of Obedience. They all obeyed the voice of the Lord, Another of reverence, And the people did feare before the Lord.
The word of the Lord by the meſſenger of the Lord, had brought ſome feare and reverence upon them, to cauſe them to ſtoope unto the will of God, and this feare had wrought ſome deſire in their hearts to yeeld themſelves in obedience, to do the worke of the Lord in the building of the Temple alſo. It is ſaid of Chriſt Iſai. 11 Chapter That the feare of the Lord ſhould reſt upon Iſa. cap. 112.him! and ſo it may be likewiſe of all true Chriſtians, that the feare of the Lord is before them, not that fear which John ſpeaks of, which is a feare that hath painfulneſſe wherewith the wicked are vexed, dreading puniſhment, that being a ſlaviſh and a 1 Ioh. 4. 18.ſervile feare: but ſuch a feare as Abraham had, when he would have offered his deare ſonne for a ſacrifice to the Lord, feare ariſing from faith and love, and drawing us on to obedience. Gen. 22.That fear of the Lord, which Joh. ſaith continueth with love for ever: herein is love perfect that we ſhould have boldnes in the day of judgement. This feare is a token of grace in the children of God, that they tremble and feare at the word of the Lord, ſo ſaith the Lord by the Prophet Iſai, Iſ. 66. c. v. 2. To this man I looked even to him, that is poor and of a contrite ſpirit, and trembleth at my Iſa. 66. 2,word, and againe v. 5 hear the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his word. Such a…are did the Lord himſelfe approve and commend in the heart of goo… … fiah 2 Kings 22. chap. 19. ver. Becauſe thine heart was tender, and thou haſt humbled thy ſelfe before the Lord, when thou heardeſt what I ſpake againſt this place, and againſt the inhabitants 2 Kin. 22. 19.thereof that they ſhould become a deſolation and a curſe, and haſt rent thy clothes and wept before me, I alſo have heard thee ſaith the Lord. And ſuch a feare joyned with obedience the Lord requireth in all his ſervants.
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his ſervant, that walketh in darkeneſſe and hate no light, let him truſt in Iſa, 50, cap 10, ver,the name of the Lord, and ſtay upon his God. Thus did Zerubbabel, Joſhua, with the remnant of the people, they obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the Prophet, as the Lord their God had ſent him, and the people did before feare the Lord.
A leſſon of no ſmall importance both to us that preach the word, and to you that heare it alſo.
For us that preach, that we do the worke, and preach the word of the Lord not onelyonly faithfully, but plainely alſo, that the people that heare us may be effectually moved to reverence and obedience there withall
To you that heare: that you receive the meſſage not as from men, but as from God, as did the Theſſalonians to whom the Apoſtle gives teſtimony with thankſgiving and that without ceaſing, for that 1 Theſ. 2. 13.when they receaved the word which they heard of him, and others of Gods Miniſters, they receaved it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh in them that beleeve. And let us here conſider what the Apoſtle ſaith, follow after charity, and deſire ſpirituall gifts, but rather that yee may prophecy.
All preachers of the word after a ſort are Prophets, not becauſe they foretell things to come, but becauſe they open and reveale the word of the Lord, and apply it alſo unto Gods people For he that prophecieth ſpeaketh from God unto men, to edefication, exhortation, and comfort, and ſo is he ſaid to edefie the Church of God according to that of the Apoſtle, he that ſpeaketh a ſtrange 1 Cor. 14. 6.language edefieth himſelfe, but he that propheſieth edefieth the Church.
The Church is ſaid to be edefied by a Metaphor, when they that are believers are layd as living ſtones one up… another, being edefied, that is built as a ſpirituall … is by Gods Miniſters, who are therefore called Gods build…s, as the people are Gods building, 1 Cor. 3. 9. and ſo it it is ſaid, Acts 9. 31. That 1 Pet. 2. 5.the Church had reſt throughout all Judea, and Galile, and Samaria, and were edefied, and walking in the feare of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghoſt, were multiplyed. To preach or prophecy therefore is not to ſpeake ſtrange language, if we will ever have the people edefied, but we muſt Prophecy as the Prophets and Apoſtles did in plaine evidence of ſpirit and ſpeech, rather to profit, than to pleaſe, either our ſelves, or thoſe whom we ſpeake unto, which if either we would follow the Apoſtles judgement, or did minde ſo much the peoples profit as he did, we would be much more willing to do ſo our ſelves alſo. For though he could ſpeake as many and more languages than any of them all, yet had he rather (ſaid 1 Cor. 14. 19.he) ſpeake five words plainly and profitably to inſtruct others, than ten thouſand in a ſtrange tongue. And it is well worth the obſerving, that which the Apoſtle hath noted already, that when God ſpake in a ſtrange language, he did it becauſe of the peoples infidelity, 1 Cor 14. 22. and it was no mercy but a judgment, that the Lord would ſpeake with other tongues to that people, Iſai. 28, 11. For all that, will they not heare me ſaith the Lo
The Fathers of the Greek Church, never preached in the learned Hebrew, but in their vulgar tongue, neither any Church till Papiſtry came in. The Apoſtles themſelves being filled with the Acts 2. 4. 8Holy Ghoſt, began to ſpeake with other tongues, as the ſpirit gave them utterance, and although the multitude which heard them were of divers languages, yet did they heare what the Apoſtles ſpake every man in their owne tongue wherein they were borne. They ſpake not in Greeke to the Arabians, nor in Latine to the Egyptians, nor in the Parthian tongue to the Phrygians, nor in the Act. 2. 11.Hebrew tongue to the Grecians: but the people heard them ſpeakeing in their owne tongues the wonderfull things of God. What the true language and learning is, which Preachers ſhould labour for, and ſo preſent unto Gods people: we may underſtand and finde by the Prophet Iſai, ſpeaking in the perſon of Chriſt the cheife Preacher Eſa. 5. 4.of the Goſpel, The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I ſhould know how to ſpeake a word in ſeaſon to him that is weary, which alſo we may take from his owne bleſſed mouth in his owne perſon to the ſame purpoſe, Matth. 11. 28. when that of the Prophet was accompliſhed, Come unto me ſaith he, all yee that are weary and laden, and I will give you reſt. Take my yoke upon you, and learne of me, for I am meeke and lowly in heart, and you ſhall finde reſt unto your ſoules, and yet more effectually, when that Scripture Eſai 61. 1, 2 by his owne teſtimony was fulfilled in him, and by him. Luk. 4. 18. The ſpirit of the Lord is upon me, becauſe the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke, he hath ſent me to binde up the broken hearted, to proclame liberty to the captives, and the opening of the priſon to them that are bound, &c. And began to ſay unto them, this day is the ſcripture fullfilled in your eares, and in the pening and applying of which words, he did ſo wonderfully affect the minds and harts of his hearers, that as the Evangeliſt ſaith they all bearim witneſſe, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. Here then may we ſee indeed what true learning is, and who hath the tongue of the learned, who he is that is beſt able to preach the Goſpel with moſt power and beſt fruit even he that hath the ſpirit of God upon him in ſome meaſure, as Chriſt had above meaſure, and ſo delivering the word of grace cauſeth thoſe that heare it to wonder at the gratious words that proceeded out of his mouth. That preaching then is moſt warrantable, which is moſt profitable, and that moſt profitable which is moſt powerfull, and that moſt powerfull which beſt informeth the minde, enlightneth the judgement, affecteth the ſoule aright, and warmeth the heart with the comforts and contentments of it. As it fell out with the two diſciples going to Emaus. Did not our hearts ſay they burne within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the ſcriptures? which no doubt he did, not in any ſtrange language to procure the credit of a learned tongue, but in plaine evidence of ſpeech and ſpirit for the helpe of their underſtandings and affections in their Vulgar language well knowne unto them. Saint Paul exhorteth to prophecy in words of underſtanding, and not to uſe a ſtrange language; Learning doubtleſſe is fallen to a low ebb, if men cannot underſtand us, nor will acknowledge any learning in us, except we conſtrue greek or hebrew, and ſtuffe our ſermons with allegations of divers languages, which may indeed pleaſe our ſelves, and humor others, but tendeth nothing to the profit and edification of them that heare us, and albeit the ſcripture ſeemeth ſometimes to uſe ſome words of a ſtrange language, yet muſt we wiſely conſider upon what juſt occaſion ſuch words were ſo uttered, and then ſo recorded, by the penmen of the Holy-Ghoſt, it was not for any vaine oſtentation, nor purpoſely for our imitation, but either for the explication of ſome myſtery, or expoſition of ſome prophecy. When Chriſt raiſed up the daughter of Jairus Ruler of the Synagogue from the death to life, he ſaid, uſing theſe words of the Syrian language Tabitha-cumi: to put them in minde of the Scripture, that was now performed which Iſai prophecyed, Iſai 16. 1. Send ye the Lambe to the Ruler of the land, from the Rocke of the deſert to the mount of the daughter of Sion, when the eares of the deafe were opened, Mat. 7. 34. he ſaid Ephatha a word of the Syrian tongue, which the Evangeliſt preſently expounded (be opened) that ſo that might be knowne to be performed which was ſpoken by the Prophet Iſay. 35. 5. Then ſhall the eyes of the blinde be enlightned, and the eares of the Mat. 27 v. 46. Mar. 15. 34.deafe be opened, when he was crucified in his greivous agony upon the Croſſe, he cryed out with a loud voice in theſe words, Eli, Eli, Lamma-ſaba…thani, the former of which words being Hebrew, and the latter beings words of the Syrian language which Chriſt uttered and the Evangeliſt interpreted (My God, my God, why haſt thouforſaken me, and this was done to ſhew both the accompliſhing of the prophecy of David Pſal. 22, concerning his perſon and bitter paſſion, whence theſe words were taken, and alſo the bitter mocking of the Jewes, who hearing him call Eli, Eli, ſaid in a ſcoffing manner he calleth upon Elias, and let him alone, let us ſee whether Elias will come to take him downe, and ſo we finde that both Chriſt and his Apoſtles did divers times in the New Teſtament uſe the Syrian word Abba Father, when they called upon God or ſpake of the voice of the ſpirit of Adoption in our hearts, whereby we cry unto God as unto our Father; a probable argument, as ſome do conceive that uſually they did both preach and pray, in a knowne language, even in the vulgar tongue: all which being duely weighed and conſidered, we may eaſily perceive that it is much ſafer and better both for preachers, and hearers, that the word be delivered, not in words and ſentences of a ſtrange language, but to the beſt capacity of the hearers in a knowne tongue, for as we muſt not ſo preach, that we may ſeeme to be learned, ſo neither may the hearers deſire to hear otherwiſe our other things, then ſuch as whereby they may goe away better inſtructed and edefied in the Faith and feare of God. And then if thus we ſpeake and thus we heare, and if thus we deliver, and thus we receive the Lords meſſage from the Lords meſſengers, as the people of God did in this place, we ſhall receive the patterne of wholſome words, and be better acquainted with the forme of true godlineſſe, we ſhall ſpeake as the words of God, and receive the word that is brought us, not as the word of man, but as indeed it is, the word and Oracles of the living God. Such was the effect and fruit▪ of Peters Sermon, Act. 2. Act. 2. capwhen he ſpake not onelyonly ſo plainely to their eares and underſtanding, but alſo powerfully, and peirceingly to their very heartes and affections, concerning Chriſt the ſon of God, whom with their wicked hands they had crucified, for they upon the hearing thereof they were pricked in their hearts, perplexed in their ſpirits, they repented of their ſins, beleeved the Apoſtles, wer… baptized, ver. 41.and received the Holy Ghoſt, and the ſame day there were added unto them about three hundred ſoules: And albeit the word of God though powerfully and plainely preached, have not alwayes the ſame or the like gracious effect and fruit, ye ſhall it alwayes more or leſſe accompliſh the worke and will of him that ſends it. It ſhall not only ſhake and move the weake and ſlender reed, but cauſe alſo the ſtouteſt and ſtrongeſt Caedar to quake and tremble, ſo did it prevaile with Faelix, when he heard Paul preaching, and diſputing of righteouſneſſe, and temperance, and of the judgement to come, for the text ſaith he trembled; and anſwered, go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient ſeaſon, I will call for thee.
It hath been ever, and is yet ſtill the uſe and cuſtome of froward and profane people, when either their miniſters or their friends did rebuke and reprove them, not ſo much to be grieved that they had offended, as to be angry and moved that their faults were tould them. It was an affection of an naughty Tyrant to caſt Iohn Baptiſt into priſon, for reproving his inceſt in retaining and maintaining his brother Phillips wife.
When Alippins a young man of great hope, and of Auſtines acquaintance, was too much tranſported, with an inordinate deſire and delight, in and after the games and ſpectacles at Carthage, eſpecially thoſe which they called the Circences ludi Auſtine much deſired and endeavoured out of the love he bare unto him, by the beſt meanes he could to reclame him, but could not for the thife prevaile with him. Not long after the ſame Alppins hearing Auſtin in his Rhethoricke lector at Carthage, drawing a ſimilitude from the ſame playes to make the matter he had in hand more plaine, and pleaſing with a kinde of biting deriſion, of thoſe who were captivated too much with the madneſſe of thoſe ſports, Alippins tooke the whole matter unto himſelfe, and was perſwaded ſaith Auſtin, that I had not ſpoken ſo much but even for his ſake, and that which another would have taken as an occaſion to be angry with me, the honeſt young man, made an occaſion to be angry with himſelf, and to love me more fervently. For thou haſt ſaid it O Lord, and ſet downe in thy writings, Rebuke the wiſe man and he will love thee. Thus was Alipins both healed of his error, and reclaimed from his vaine ſports, by the good providence and power of God in the hand of Auſtine never thinking of Alippins nor intending his curing or healing, as he himſelfe ſaith at that time. For after thoſe words the filthineſſe of all thoſe ſports and delights, did ſo recoyle and vaniſh from his mind and heart, that he never after came amongſt them any more. Now let us well conſider my brethren, that if Alippins profited ſo well in hearing a rhethorick lecture, both for the informing of his judgement, and reformation of his life, and all by the bleſſing of God, as Auſtine himſelfe doth acknowledge in that place, why may not, why ought not we to looke for the like good fruit and effect of our deſires, and labours in hearing of divine lectures, and godly ſermons, ſuch as may be more able having a better promiſe, to convince the judgement, convert a ſinner, ſave a ſoule and cover a multitude of finnes. And this we ſhall yet the more effectually finde and feele, if we reverently and obediently (as it now followeth in this ſcripture) hearken to the meſſenger of the Lord in the Lords meſſage: Then ſpake Haggai the Lords meſſenger in the Lords meſſage unto the people, ſaying I am with you ſaith the Lord. Theſe words comprehend another ſermon of the Prophet Haggai, and do ſignify thus much in effect unto us, that after the people were moved a little, at the firſt ſermon to reverence and obey the word of the Lord ſent unto them: yet notwitſtanding they ſtayed a little, and then the Prophet came againe unto them, both to take ſome feare out of their hearts, which was upon them, and alſo to make them a promiſe of Gods gratious preſence, and aſſiſtance in this great buſineſſe, feare not I am with you ſaith the Lord of hoſts.
By the words of the Prophet it doth evidently appeare that in this worke of the building of the Temple, they much feared the Perſian King, leſt he ſhould moleſt or hinder them in the ſame, therfore the Lord ſendeth them this word that they ſhould not feare, for he would be with them to incourage and ſtrenthen them, and cauſe the worke to proſper in their hands: and leaſt they ſhould think he ſpake this of himſelf and not from the Lord, the Prophet addeth thus. Then ſpake Haggai the Lords meſſenger, in the Lords meſſage unto the people, ſaying, I am with you ſaith the Lord, ſhewing therby that he came unto them, not only as the meſſenger of the Lord, but that the thing which he brought was the Lords meſſage alſo. When David being troubled in his minde that he ſhould dwel in a houſe of Caedar trees, & the Ark of God, remain under curtaines, he purpoſed in his thoughts to build a houſe unto the Lord, Nathan the Prophet ſpake unto him ſaying, Go, do all that is in thy heart, for the Lord is with thee. Nathan that ſpake this was the meſſenger of the Lord, becauſe he was a holy Prophet of the Lord, but that which he ſpake was his own and not any meſſage from the Lord; for the fame night the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, to let David underſtand that not he, but his ſon that ſhould proceed out of his loynes, ſhould build a houſe unto the Lord. A good leſſon for ſuch as preach, or prophecy unto Gods people, to hold nothing backe from them, which the Lord by them hath ſent unto them, but to open unto them the whole councell of God, as Saint Paul did, that they may ſay with more comfort, even as he ſayed, that which we have received deliver we unto you as the Meſſage of the Lord, and the Lords meſſenger. Which alſo juſtly condemneth ſuch of our Prophets and Preachers, as refuſing to ſtand in the councell of the Lord, and to deliver his word unto his people, do utter the dreames and deceipt of their owne hearts, and put upon them the fancies and viſions of their owne heads, of whom the Lord may juſtly ſay now as he ſaid of ſome ſuch Prophets in Jeremiahs time. I have not ſent theſe Prophets yet they ran, I have not ſpoken unto them, yet they propheſied: and this may well ſerve alſo for a chriſtian admonition unto all ſuch as are hearers of the Lords Prophets, to looke as carefully to the Meſſage as to the meſſenger, to the matter as to the man, and to try the ſpirits, and proving all things take hold of that which is good, like the men of Berea who are ſaid to be more noble than they of Theſſalonica in that they received the word with all readineſſe of minde, and ſearched the ſcriptures dayly whether, thoſe things which Paul had taught them were ſo.
We may heare alſo well and worthily obſerve how neceſſary often preaching is to Gods people, if ever we will draw them to walke in his feare, the ſpirit may be willing but the fleſh is weake as our Saviour ſaith, and when we are at the beſt, our beſt dutyes are full of many wants, and mingled with much imperfection, inſomuch that we have need continually to be ſtirred up quickned and ſtrengthened unto every good worke by the preaching of the word. It is not enough for Paul to plant unleſſe Apollos doth water alſo, there muſt be precept upon precept, line upon Lſai 28.line, here a little and there a little, neither muſt the Philippians be weary of hearing the ſame things often, ſeing it is not grievous unto Paul to write them, and for them it is a ſafe thing: when Moſes and the Prophets ſpake of preaching, they called it Deut 32. 1, 2. Ezek. 206 46.a dropping, My doctrine ſhall droppe as the raine and my ſpeech ſhall diſtill as the dew. Sonne of man ſet thy face toward the South, and drop thy word toward the South, and prophecy againſt the forreſt of the Southfield, for as the raine by often dropping and falling upon the earth doth ſoften it and make it fruitfull, ſo doth the word by often preaching make the hearts of men like good ground to bring forth their good fruit in due ſeaſon, It was the councell and charge of Paul to Timothy to preach the word in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, not only ordinarily in a conſtant courſe, but extraordinary alſo if any juſt occaſion ſhould ſo require; and if 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2.we well conſider the good ſucceſſe which Haggais often preaching found with this people it may be an incouragement unto us to take the like courſe to procure the like bleſſing: his firſt Sermon was delivered in the firſt day of the ſixt month, and therein their finnes diſcovered and reproved, Gods judgements opened and applyed, for their neglect in building the Lords houſe, and themſelves exhorted to go up to the mountaine to bring timber to undertake the worke, and to build the houſe, had not this been thus ſpoken, the worke had not beene ſo thought upon, nor taken into due conſideration. His ſecond ſermon was preached unto them in the foure and twentieth day of the ſame month ſomewhat about three weekes afterwards, and had not this been added unto the former, the worke in all likelihood had been neglected ſtill; this made the Prophet to ſtrike once and againe, while the iron was hot, leaſt the ſparks which were kindled by the firſt Sermon, ſhould have beene either quenched, or cooled for want of another to ſecond and abett the ſame, unto this the Lord himſelfe giveth teſtimony, when he telleth us Ezra 6. 14 that the elders of the Jews having now taken the work in Ezra 6. 14hand builded the houſe of the Lord and proſpered through the prophecying of Haggai the Prophet, and of Zachary the ſonne of Iddo: and thus doth the Lord make his owne word by faithfull and frequent preaching, either as a hammer to bruſe us, or a fire to melt us, that ſo he may accompliſh his owne worke which he requireth at our hands.