The Prophecy of Haggai Interpreted and Applied, Exposition · Sermon 9
Sermon the Ninth.
Haggai 2. 1, 2, 3, 4.
In the ſeventh monethmonth, and in the one and twentieth day of the monethmonth, came the word of the Lord by the Prophet Haggai, ſaying, ſpeake now to Zerubbabel the ſonne of Shealtiel governour of Judah, and to Joſhua the ſonne of Joſedech the high Prieſt, &c. to the end of the fourth verſe.
WHen as the Jewes had eftſoones beene exhorted by the word and after ſtirred up by the quickning power of the ſpirit to build the Temple of the Lord whoſe foundation long before was laid, the Lord here leaſt they ſhould be hindred in their worke, ſtirs them up with a new meſſage, enjoyning them to goe forward. Ezra 3. we read that when the foundation of this houſe was laid in the dayes of Cyrus, many of the antient men, which had ſeen the former temple built by Salomon wept with a loud voice conjecturing by theſe beginnings (as well they might) that this latter temple would be nothing ſo beautifull and magnificent as the former was, The cauſe wherof ſome interpretors thinke was the decree of Cyrus, Ezra 6. who commanded that the height ſhould be ſixty cubits, and the Ezra 6. 3.breadth 60 cubits, and that it ſhould be made ex lapidibus impolitis, as the vulgar latin hath it of rough and vnhewed ſtones, whereas the former as we may rather gather from 1 Kings 5. 17. and 62. and 2 Chron. 3. 35. was in breadth 20 cubits, in height an hundred and twenty cubits, and in lenght ſixty cubits, after 1 Kings 5. 17.the cubit of the ſanctuary which was as long againe, as the common cubit, and all made of broad and faire hewed ſtones, others not perſwaded that Cyrus herein differed ſo much from the former, attributed this to thir poverty and meane eſtate that built it, who coming farre ſhort of Solomon in riches and magnificence we are not able to beſtow ſo much on this as he did on the other. And indeed it agreeth with that Caldee word uſed in that place, that it was not rough ſtones as the vulgar Latin hath it, but faire and great ſtones as the ſeptuagint agree, whereof this houſe was built, wherefore though Ribera a papiſts upon this place in his commentaries give this decree of Cyrus as a reaſon thereof, yet in his ſecond booke de Templo etijs quae ad templum pertinent, he denieth the ſame, adding for the credit of their latine text, that where it is written, ex impolitie, it ſhould be, ex politus lapidibus, whatſoever was the cauſe the thing is cleare, that the ancient men had marked that this temple was no way compararable to the magnificence of the former temple, now ſeeing hope deferred maketh the heart faint, as it is in the Proverb, to faile in our deſire in any thing hindreth our reſolution to go forward with it, The Jewes whoſe cheife honour was in the glory of their temple, and therefore they would faine have ſeen it as fair as ever it was before, could not but be thereat diſmaid and diſcouraged. And therefore the Lord here by his Prophet with this thought laid before them encourageth them to goe forward in the building of the temple, adding to ſtirre them up hereunto three moſt gracious promiſes, firſt of his aſſiſtance with his word and Three promiſes to encourage the Iewes to reedefie the temple 1 2 3ſpirt in the building of the temple, ver. 4, 5. Be ſtrong and worke and I am with you: ſecondly of honouring it with Chriſts preſence in it, verſe 6, 7. Thirdly, of enriching it more then the former ſetling in it peace and all felicity, ver, 8, 9.
This meſſage he commands his ſervants to carry, ver. 1. 2. In the ſeventh monethmonth, in the one and twentieth day, &c.
The thought and cogitation that hindred them he layes before them ver. 3. who might be left, &c. And then he exhorts them with courage to goe forward verſe 5. yet now be of good courage.
After which he adderh the promiſes, verſe 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. I will be with you my ſpirit ſhall be with you, I will fill this houſe with glory, &c.
Concerning the charge given to the Prophet, we muſt call to minde that in the firſt day of the ſixth monethmonth he was ſent unto them from the Lord to exhort them to build, and after in the foure and twentieth day of the ſame monethmonth, he was ſent with a new meſſage to cauſe them to goe forward in building, with one of theſe promiſes concerning the Lords aſſiſtance, when they ſtirred up with things being conſidered and compared with that which followeth, that notwithſtanding both the former ſermons of the Prophet and the working grace of the Spirit, to meet wit this temptation hindring them, they were to be ſtirred up yet with a new meſſage, & to be encouraged with more promiſes, as they inſtruct us on the one ſide that Gods grace muſt be both prevenient to go before, and ſubſequent to follow after us in all things. Firſt to worke in us, and then together with us, firſt to ſtir us up & after to help us forward, ſo do they on the one ſide teach us, that the good graces of God even in the beſt of us will be quickly extinguiſhed and put out, if ſo be they be not quickned and repaired in us by hearing the word of life, whereupon it is that Chriſt Jeſus when he aſcended into heaven gave gifts unto men: Beſides thoſe which were to remaine for a time even Epheſ. 4. 7 8, 9.which ſhould continue for ever, for the repairing of the Saints, for the work of the miniſtery, for the edefying of the body, 1 the Church whereon was built this temple, a type of thoſe paſtours which he hath given, Paul writing to Timothy commands that they preach the word, and be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, which though they ſeeme, yet it is not diſagreeing with that of Chriſt Luke 12 where he commendeth the faithfull Seward which giveth to each ſervant his portion of meat in due ſeaſon, for men are ſo backward to come where this meat is to be received, and ſo many excuſes they make, as trying of Oxen, ſeeing a farme, marrying a wife, that the importunity which may ſeeme to them and perhaps alſo ſometime to the Miniſter to be unſeaſonable, is hereby the Apoſtle commanded to be practiſed, ſo that the Miniſters are to teach inſtantly, and as ſome thinke unſeaſonably, and common ſenſe will teach us this, if we will conſider the parable of our Saviour Chriſt, whereas he compareth the miniſter to the Steward, the people to the ſervants, the word to the food, ſo that as food ſuſtaines the body, ſo doth this word mainetaine the ſoule ſpiritually for the word he uſeth in the Greeke, foreign or ſignifieth a meaſure of Lu. 12. 42. Di…enſumcorne, ſo many pecks as was wont to be given unto ſervants for their monethly allowance, which if they ſhould not receive havingno more to live one, common ſenſe would teach us that they could not but be pined, and what may we looke for, if we regard not to receive this our allowance, when it is diſtributed but to be pined with that famine threatned Amos 8. Not a famine to bread nor thirſt for water, but of hearing of the word of God, when men ſhall wander even from ſea to ſea, and from the north to the eaſt and ſhall runne to an fro, and ſhall ſeeke the word of the Lord, and ſhall not finde it, which I would to God they would conſider better of, and for ſmall cauſes, abſent themſelves from Eccleſiaſticall exerciſes, where the ſervants of the Lord deſtribute theſe portions light of nature, ſhould (as I thinke) ſo much teach them that herein they ſo much injury themſelves as he did his ſervants, of whom the Poet Juvinall ſpeakes,Socrat. ea. Hiſt. lib. 4. cap.
Servorem ventres modio caſtigat iniquo.
And this ſhould make them herein more carefull, Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 10. writes of an unlearned monke, who living in the wilderneſſe of Egypt called Pambo, who coming to one and requeſting to be taught, he reading that in the Pſalme, I ſaid that I will take heed to my wayes, that I offend not in my tongue: Pambo would heare no more, but requeſted him to ſtay there till he had learned that, and ſo departed from the man, who meeting him ſix monethes after, and asked him why he had not come unto him againe? why ſaith Pambo, becauſe I have not as yet learned that leſſon perfectly; Socrates might well note that he was an unlearned man, or elſe he might have knowne that this was not ſufficient and have gone no further then the 34 Pſa. where it is ſaid, If any deſire life let him keepe his tongue from evill, but not that only, but let him eſchew evill, and doe good, ſeeke peace and enſhew it. And admit that nothing elſe were needfull, but the brideling of the tongue were ſufficient, yet here we learn, that to learne ſucha leſſon throughly, we muſt heare more of the word of God, Zerubbabel and Joſhua who had beene taught this leſſon, with more words then was Pambo, yet had need to be taught the ſame often viz. in the ſixt monethmonth more then once, as in the former Chap. and here in the ſeventh monethmonth, as alſo in the eight monethmonth, as we finde in Zachary: and againe, laſtly in the ninth monethmonth, as in the words after this text, ver. 10, and if they had ſtayed ſo long after the firſt leſſon in the ſixt monethmonth as Pambo did, they had ſtill lien frozen in their dreggs. Far therefore be from us, ſuch monkiſh faſhion, and though ſome in regard of their affections commend them, yet let us remember that leſſon of the Apoſtle, Heb. 10. 15. Let us conſider one another to provoke one another to love, and to good workes, not forſaking the fellowſhip that wee have among our ſelves as the manner of ſome is, meaning meeting in eccleſiaſticall ſervices, and thus much doth this meſſage, with relation to that which went before commend unto us. 1 Now the meſſage it ſelf followeth verſe 3, who is leſt among you, and laying before them their conceit and cogitation, which containeth an ingenuous and modeſt confeſſion of ſome things wanting which might ſeeme ſomewhat to touch their credit, the more by us to be obſerved, becauſe commonly we are prone to flatter our ſelves like the Church of Laodicea, who ſaid, Revel. 3. I am rich and increaſe with good, and have need of nothing, and knew not that ſhe was wretched Multi ad ſapientiam pervenire potuiſſent, niſi ſe jam perveniſſe putaſſent.and miſerable, and poore, and blinde. and naked, Seneca ſaith many might have obtained unto wiſedomt if they had not thought they had not obtained to it already, from which their ingenuous acknowledgment, we may learne to examine what is wanting, and if the ſpirit gives us thoſe eyes, which they had, we may ſee if we look on that ſanctuary built by the Apoſtle in the Acts, that that which is built ſince our return from Babylon, wants much of the former, Acts 4. we read there how the multitude of beleevers were of one heart and one minde, and had all things common, and what care they had for the poore, with us (God be thanked) the poore are cared for by good ſtatutes if the godly magiſtrates would put them in execution, but for that unity of heart which was among them, alaſſe, where is it in one towards another among us, Turtullian writes in the 38 of his Apology, that the heathen in his time gave it for a marke to Chriſtians. See how they love one another, well noted ſaith Turtullian for they hate one another, and that they will dye one for an other well marked, for they kill one another. But is it not amongſt us now, rather as among the heathen. Tertullian noted it to be in his time, as the heathen noted it to be among the Chriſtians, In our factions doe we not hate one another rather Tertul. in 38 Apol. cap. 39.then love one another, and be we not more ready to kill one another then to dye one for another. Againe Acts 14. we reade that the Apoſtles ordained by election elders in every Church. Firſt, Paſtors ſuch as Paul deſcribes, writing to Titus that they ought ſo to be qualifyed that they might exhort with wholeſome doctrine, and convince thoſe that gaineſay it, which continuance of a learned miniſtery is commended Act. 14. 23 Titus 1. 9.by Juſtin Martyr in his Apology, where he writeth that the faithfull in the primitive Church uſed on the Sunday to aſſemble themſelves together, both they that dwelt within, and thoſe that dwelt without the towne, And after certaine parts of ſcripture read, the paſtor ſtood up, and taught and expounded ſome peice of the ſcripture to the People; But now a…a…e abroad in our land, many of our Churches are deſtitute of Paſtors and have onelyonly readers, wherein leaſt we deceive our ſelves, though it be a great grace and bleſſing of God to have the Scriptures read in a vulgar tongue, yet our Saviour Chriſt Jeſus, though the Jewes had Moſes law read in their Synagogues, and the Prophets alſo as may be gathered, Act. 13. greived Mat. 9. to ſee the multitude wandering as ſheep without a ſheepherd, thereby implying Act. 15. 21. Mat 9. 36that the readers were no Paſtors, for elſe the Jewes having readers had not beene without Paſtors, as he grieved that they were, when he conſidered what was requiſite for a miniſter, namely to bring back that which was gone aſtray, to preſerve from danger, to heale the ſore to binde up the wounded, an… all the other properties which the word requireth of a good Paſtour, and therefore he ſent the Apoſtle by preaching to perform that which by reading they could not. And if that to heare the law and the Prophets beene enough, then had the Jewes knowne Chriſt, for Moſes wrote of him, and ſo likewiae did the Prophets, and amongſt them, the Prophet Iſai ſo plainely, that S. Ioh. 5. 46. 47▪ Act. 3. 24. Act. 13. 27. Act 8. 30, 31.Jerome ſticks not to call him an Evangeliſt, and yet the nobleman when he read Iſai the Prophet, could not underſtand him, but had need of Phillip to come and teach him, and preach unto him, and if this inſtruction did not need, but by reading the ignorant people might underſtand the meaning of the word, yet thoſe of greateſt knowledg may, and often be, ſo ſurpriſed with paſſions of infirmity, that they had not need of the help of others by applying of the word to heale their diſeaſes, whether Moſes were read in Davids time, we cannot certainely affirme, yet certaine it is that David, whoſe whole delight and ſtudy was in the law of God, as may appeare Pſa. 119 was well skilled therein, ſo that this knowledge could ſerve him to conclude; That he who had committed murther and adultry, as ſure as God liveth was the childe of death, and yet he had need to have Nathan, to apply this unto him and to tell him he was the man, ſo that we ſee how needfull the paſtour is to the people (as Ariſtotle in his Politicks, that they were wont to bring in ſtrange Phiſitians into the ſicke, and yet thought them not fit to heale themſelves) leaſt they be accounted in Chriſts judgement, as ſheepe without a ſheepheard. And of this modeſt acknowledgment of what was wanting, we have Paul for an example, who Titus the firſt gives a reaſon why he ſet Titus in Crete, becauſe there were many diſ obedient, whoſe mouthes muſt be ſtopped, where the Apoſtle acknowledgeth that his paines had not profited all, but untill that were brought to paſſe, that they were convinced, reproved or converted, there muſt needs be ſomething acknowledged to be wanting, and ſo muſt we ingeniouſly untill this be brought to paſſe ſomething to be wanting. I may not go further herein, and from the generall come to the particular Temple of each mans ſoule, whereof this Temple as Paul to the Corinthians ſheweth was a type; but I leave it to the godly in particular to conſider of, howbeit I do not doubt but if we examine our ſelves upon 1 Cor. 3. 16.our beds the beſt of us, and thoſe who were long ſince called and built as Temples of the Lord, may ſoone finde ſome want if we compare the preſent building with the former. It was ſaid to the Church of Epheſus that ſhe had loſt her firſt love, and would it not appeare if we were well tryed, that ſome of us had loſt our firſt love, our firſt ſincerity, our firſt ſobriety, our firſt zeale and godly vertues, acknowledg therfore your firſt buildings not to be comparable to that before, but conſider that all this acknowledgement muſt be to this end, that notwithſtanding theſe defects which we muſt modeſtly acknowledge, we muſt ſtill go forward Vetus eſt enim ubi non ſis qui fueris, non eſſe curvelis vivere Cic ep. fa. l. 7. ad marium ep. 3.and ſtrive to repaire our ruines as followeth in the third place, yet now be ſtrong, O Zirubbabel ſaith the Lord.
It was a ſaying amongſt the heathen teſtified by Tully in an epiſtle to Marius, that when a mans eſtate begun any way to be impoveriſhed, there was no cauſe why he ſhould deſire to live any longer, but that he might make himſelfe away, which ſaying was ſo approved amongſt the people, that many when their honours or riches are impared, or deſires fruſtrate, did not ſticke to diſpatch themſelves as we read of Athenienſis and Cato Ʋiticenſis and divers others, and Tully himſelfe ſo farre approveth it, that although he laied not violent hands on himſelfe, yet he ſaid he knew not why a mans eſtate was decayed he ſhould Plu. in ejus vita.wiſh to live any longer, but here we are taught another leſſon that though we finde our ſelves in particular or our Church in generall any whit impaired, yet we muſt not deſpaire, but take example by this exhortation to ſtrive to amend what we finde amiſſe, yet now be of good courage O Zerubbabel and be of good courage O Jehoſhua &c.Hag. 2. v. 4
Thus we ſee it hath pleaſed the Lord in great mercy to prevent a temptation which might elſe have been taken up, wherfore the Mat. 12. 20 Iſai 4…. 1.Prophet Iſai as Chriſt expoundeth it Mat. 12. telleth us, That he wil not quench the ſmoaking flax, nor break the bruiſed reed. Where by flax he underſtandeth the weeke of a candle, and by ſmoaking, burning darkely, that ſignifying, that ſo long as there is any light in us he will not put it out, but cheriſh and maintaine it in us, this muſt we in particular marke when we conſider any defect in our ſelves, for to him to whom it is ſaid, thou haſt loſt thy firſt love, to him alſo it was ſaid, Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the firſt workes. Whoſoever therefore feels or ſhall feel any decay in himſelf or his charge, let him ſtrive to ſtirre up the good graces of God in himſelfe, and in the place where he is ſet. Let him helpe to ſtrengthen the weake hands. Beloved, let there be no factions among you, except it be a ſpirituall and Chriſtian faction, for ſo it comes to paſſe now a dayes as it did in Tertullians time, that the religious conſent of the Godly in the beſt cauſes is malitiouſly traduced by the name of a faction, ſo that now we are driven with Tertullian to diſtinguiſh betwixt a godly and an ungodly faction, but rather let us Tertu. apol. cap 38. adverſus Gentiles. Heb. 12. 14 1 Theſ. 5. 11. Ep. Iude v 20.as much as may be to have peace with all men, without which no man ſhall ſee God, and in this peace and love let us ſeeke to edefie one another, and ſave one another, and ſo build up the ruins of this Temple of the Lord, eſpecially Tutors are to labour herein, for that they may hope that the Temple of the Lord may be repaired by them which are now under thē, as we read it was by Joaſh, being well brought up under good Jehoida, & though perhaps they that be in your charge ſome of them be not of that ability to preferre worthy men to the building of the temple, yet may they be ſo brought up by you as they be fitted to be preferred by others, and move the hearts of Patrons to preferre them that are worthy, to the building of this houſe. But thoſe which eſpecially are to be builders of this houſe, I meane the Miniſters, though as yet they are not called to any particular charge, yet I heartily beſeech you in our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, to conſider that your Colledges wherein you live are places to furniſh and prepare you againſt you goe abroad, and therefore that you labour here to fit your ſelves for imployment whereſoever God ſhall call you, remembring in the meane time to releive them by your preaching which have onelyonly reading, as the Prophet in the old time did where the Prieſt could not; do not ſtand idle all the day though no man have hired you, indeed the labourer is worthy of his hire, yet the ſame grace & providence which brought Joſeph (by telling of the Butlers dream afterwards to honour in Egypt, may after alſo by this meanes bring you to a convenient charge, wherein you may imploy your labours; As for thoſe who already are called to a particular charge, let me onelyonly commend unto them the exhortation of the Lord by the Prophet, Ezek. 3. 17. Son of man I have made thee a watcbman over the houſe of Iſrael, therefore heare the word of my mouth, and give them Ezek. 3. 17 Ezekl 33. 7warning from me, when I ſhall ſay unto the wicked thou ſhalt ſurely dye and thou giveſt him not warning nor ſpeake to admoniſh the wicked of his wickedneſſe, that he may live; the ſame wicked man ſhall dye in his wickedneſſe, but his bloud will I require at thy hand, They that are ſo called to any charge may thinke themſelves ſpoken to in Ezek. The ancient councell of Melde in the 23 Chapter reproveing the practiſe of paſtors as damnable, who do not by themſelvs but by others feed their flocke, ſaith that they are bound neceſſarily hereunto by the Prophet. The name of watchmen here uſed is drawne from the time of warre, where the watchman was ſet in a high Tower, to deſcry the enemies comming, whereof if he did not tell the people, but the enemies came and aſſaulted the people unprepared, his bloud is to anſwer it, but if he give warning he was ſafe. I am loath to mention that heavy threat of the Lord, his bloud that periſheth will I require at the watchmens hands, but it were to be wiſhed that we did conſider that if we would reape temporall things we muſt ſow ſpirituall things, and if any of us cannot performe this by reaſon of other charges which we muſt attend, and for looking to the profits and fruits which may ariſe from them, how much better were it for them to have that cogitation that David had, 1 Chro. 11. who when he had deſired to drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem; and three of his valiant men had broken through the Hoſt of the Philiſtimes, and had drawne of the water and brought it to him, would not drinke if it, but poured it out for an oblation unto the Lord, and ſaid, let not my God ſuffer me to doe this, ſhould I drinke the bloud of theſe mens lives, and is not this the blood of theſe mens lives which we drinke when we are cloathed, and fedd with that which they allow us, and yet leave them in that caſe, that they pine away for want of feeding, and as the Prophet ſaith they dye in this blindneſſe and ignorance for want of teaching. Therefore I beſeech you in Jeſus Chriſt, though perhaps you have had a longing deſire to drinke of this water, yet thinke better on it, and take Davids affection and reſolution, and ſay, let not my God ſuffer me to do this, and rather bate of that you ſpend of your raiment and faire, then take ſuch dead pay, and keep backe other faithfull watchmen, which elſe they might have.
The Lord for his mercy ſo ſanctifie our harts that by the often hearing of his holy word we may conſider and acknowledg our wants and imperfections; and hereby be ſtirred up to redreſſe what we find amiſſe in our ſelves, to the building of his Church to the comfort of our owne ſoules, to the glory of his bleſſed Name through the grace of his holy Spirit in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord and Saviour, to whom with the Father and the ſame holy Spirit be all praiſe for evermore, Amen Amen.