but that he would be with them and defend them against the rulers which hated them, nor fearing his power but that he was able to perform his promise unto them. If we mistrust either his good will towards us that he will not, or his power that he cannot, deliver us, we provoke his anger to devour us, and cannot look for help at his hands to save as: for nothing offends his majesty more than mistrust, unfaithfulness, or doubting, as St James saith, "He that James i. doubts is like a wave of water driven with wind to and fro; and that man which so doubts, can look to obtain nothing at God's hands." He gives all his gifts to them that be faithful, and believe that he is both a true God, performing all that he promises, merciful and willing to help all which in their need call upon him, and able to fulfil all that he saith. They that either doubt or deny his offered mercy or power to help, deny him to be a God. Therefore fear not, but believe me to be your God, and I will deliver you and defend you, as I did your fathers; and ye shall finish this temple by my protection, as I did bring them into the land which I promised them, drove out their enemies, and gave them the land to dwell in. So according to this promise it came to pass to this people now; for in four years' space next following they finished that temple, as Esdras teaches. So good speed had they after Ezra vi. that they believed his promise, and that he would be with them. the fathers said to be dren's. But here may be moved a great question, how this is true that God saith by this prophet here, that he brought them out of Egypt, when this people never came there, but about a thousand years before Moses brought out their fathers That which through the Red Sea, where Pharao was drowned, after that had is also he would not believe the great wonders wrought in his sight, the chilnor fear the Lord, that had so often and grievously plagued him for handling his people so cruelly. The scripture uses oft to give that which was done to the fathers, as though it were done to the children: as, when Melchisedec took tithes Heb. vii. of Abraham, he is said also to have taken tithes of Levi, which was not born of many years after, because he was contained in the loins of Abraham, and afterward born of his stock and seed. So likewise saith St Paul: "By one Rom. v. man sin entered into the world, and by sin death, and hath gone through all, in whom all have sinned." So we all, that now live or hereafter shall do, and all before us, have sinned in Adam, and broken God's commandment, as well as Adam did, because we were contained in his loins and as it were part of him, and took our sinful nature of him in his seed and posterity. As we see those rivers, which spring out of little wells, are of the same nature that the head and spring is whereof they come, though they run two or three hundred miles off through divers countries; and as those crabs are sour this day, that grow on the crab-tree which is two or three hundred years old, because the first root and plant was sour: so we all be sinful that be born of Adam, and as sour as he was, because he the first tree was such a one, and the spring whereof we come was corrupt and filthy. So likewise God saith, he brought this people out of Egypt, which never had been there, because he delivered their fathers thence, in whose loins they were contained, and should have been born there and subject to the same slavery that their fathers were, if God of his great mercy and mighty power had not delivered their fathers thence, and brought them into the land which he promised them. And as the mercy which hath been received in times aforetime is past is a token and argument of like mercy and grace, to of like to be be shewed whensoever we stand in the like need and distress; so here, that they should look for a sure help at God's hand now in these dangers that they were in, he putteth them in remembrance of that great deliverance, which not their fathers only, but they also had before out of Egypt, that they should not be afraid now, but look for sure help. The danger was greater before, out of which they were delivered, and yet they escaped it: so now, God's power and good will being no less toward them than before, they should look for the like help of God as before. Mercy received an argument shewed in trouble to come or present. He promises them here, that his Spirit should dwell with them, and therefore they should not be afraid. For as before he sent his angel to guide them in the wilderness; so now he would send his Holy Spirit unto them to dwell with them, which should teach them all things that they doubted of, or were ignorant in; should comfort them in all dangers and distress, and deliver them from all perils that were toward them, and therefore they should not fear. Ghost is But as the other part of the promise concerns Christ, which should come to deliver them out of spiritual bondage and slavery of sin and the spiritual Egypt; so this part here concerns the sending of the Holy Ghost, whom Christ said he would send to dwell with us and be our Comforter to the end. And as the building of this second temple betokens the church of Christ builded by the preaching of the gospel; so here is the Holy Ghost promised, which he said should not The Holy come, except he went away from them. This Spirit is called a promised Comforter, because he strengthens us in all our trouble: he builders. is the Spirit of truth, because he leads us into all truth, and putteth us in remembrance of all things which Christ himself John xiv. taught before, but no new doctrine he brings of his own. And because our Saviour Christ is taken from us in his bodily presence, he promises us that this Spirit shall dwell with us, not for a time, but to the end, and therefore we should not fear. to the John xvi. But is this a sufficient cause to persuade a man that he should not fear the power of kings or worldly trouble, because the Spirit of God dwells with him? Yea, truly; for what spirit can prevail against the Holy Spirit, which is the power of God? It is written of Gedeon, when he enterprised that venturous act to fight against God's enemies, that the Spirit of the Lord did clothe and defend Gedeon, as our clothes do Judg. vi. us; and so he obtained that noble victory, with so few against so many. And not to be afraid in such trouble is the work of the Holy Ghost, as Esay called him the Spirit of boldness, Isai. xi. strength and wisdom. Peter, when he denied his Master for the words of an handmaid, after he received the Holy Ghost, did and durst confess him to the death before princes and rulers. So said our Saviour Christ to his apostles: "When ye shall stand before kings and rulers, take no Matt. x. thought what or how ye shall speak; for in that hour it shall be given unto you what you shall speak: For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." 2 Tim. i. And although to worldly wisdom this Spirit seems but a small thing, yet it is most true that St Paul saith: That 1 Cor. i. which is foolishness before God is wiser than men, and that Rom. viii. Psal. civ. The Text. which is weak before God is stronger than men." And he that hath this Spirit dwelling in him needs not to fear any power, be it never so great: for "if God be for us, who shall be against us?" and if he take his breath and spirit from the mightiest princes, they are troubled and vade away. v. 6. For thus saith the Lord of hosts: Yet one little time shall be, and I will trouble the heavens and the earth, the sea and the land. 7. And I will trouble all people, and the Desire of all people shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The prophet goeth on forth with this comfort to all people, and promises not only that God would be with them in this building, which they should finish in few years following; but into the temple also, which they did now build, God would send his Son Christ Jesus to preach his Father's will, whom all people looked for and desired his coming; and he would fill that house with glory, that they should not need to care for the smallness of it: if they would only with courage work, God would fulfil the rest. And that they should know him to be able to fulfil his promise, he calls himself by the glorious name of the Lord of hosts so often here in these verses, that they may understand all creatures to be at his commandment, and that none could prevail against that which he would have done, as is said before. But this is a strange kind of comfort to tell them of such a trouble, as should trouble heaven and earth, sea, land, and all people; and yet they should be glad of it, and that it should come not long after. The time when this trouble chanced was about five hundred years after that this prophet had thus spoken; and yet he calls it but "one little time.” And this may well be called a little time in respect of God, with whom all things are present before his sight without time, and a thousand years with him is as yesterday which is past, and he himself is before all times, not contained in time, but living for ever without time. Or else it is called a little time in respect of that long time, wherein their fathers had so long looked for the coming of Christ, and so much desired trouble for to the good, it be long him, and yet see him not. It was now above three thousand Great year since he was promised to Adam; about two thousand Christ is joy since he was so often spoken of to Abraham; and one thou- and though sand since it was renewed to Moses, and after to all the it seems prophets from time to time: in respect of which five hundred the evil be may well be called a little time. short; but vexed sore at it. Isai. i. This trouble which he saith should trouble heaven, earth, sea, land, and all people, is described by these mighty words, to set out the greatness of the trouble by the figure called hyperbole; and not that the trouble was such that heaven, earth, sea, and land, should feel it and be troubled therewith, which are insensible creatures, and can feel nothing that troubles them; but thus by these words the scripture uses to tell the greatness of anything that it speaks of. Moses Deut. xxxii. and Esay, because the people were hard-hearted and would not hear their saying, to set forth their hardness of heart, and the greatness of that message which they had from God to speak, say thus: "Hear, ye heavens, and give ear, thou earth, &c." St Paul saith by the like figure, "Every Rom. viii. creature groans and travails, looking for the last day, wherein they shall be delivered from this vain corruption wherein they serve;" not because dead creatures can groan or travail, but for the great desire that they have to see that day of our redemption fulfilled, as the woman which travails groans, and desires to be delivered out of her pain, and to be restored to her former quietness: or else it may be taken, that all creatures in all these places should be troubled. Who can be merry to hear But if this trouble should be so great, how can it be a promise of joy and comfort? tell of such a great trouble? to the evil, but to the good. Christ saith, speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem and the latter end of the world, "Woe be to them that be with child, and give suck in Luke xxi. those days! and the wicked shall wish the hills to fall on them and hide them; they should seek for death, and it should flee from them :" so he saith to the good in the midst of all that desperate sorrow, wherein the evil man cannot tell what to do, "Lift ye up your heads and be merry, for Matt. xxiv. your redemption and deliverance is at hand." So after this |