Promises

made to the father belong to the children.

comfortable Lord is our God to all his people in all ages, that he will leave no doubt untaken away, that can discomfort his children; but he will satisfy all which can be said, and pull all fear from us. Therefore Zerubabel is here promised to be delivered out of all dangers of that great war, and translating of the kingdom from the Persians to the Grecians, so that he should catch no harm.

But here riseth a hard question, how this should be true, that God would deliver Zerubabel in that day of so great trouble, seeing that he lived not so long, but died within fourteen years after this prophecy. Zerubabel was the first prince of Judah, which ruled the people, after their returning home from Babylon: he came home with the people, was their captain, and had now ruled a forty years: he ruled in all but fifty-two years, as the history saith; and this destruction of the kingdom of the Persians was not fulfilled of one hundred and forty-five years afterwards, or near hand so much. How could he then be delivered in that day, and died so long afore? Unto this may be answered that which was said afore; that promises made to kings and the fathers are not to be applied to themselves only; but they be made also to their children and subjects, and shall be fulfilled in long years afterwards, rather than at that present: so will God exercise our faith in patiently looking for his coming, when his holy wisdom shall think good, and not when our foolish rashness shall wish and desire him to come. Promises made unto Abraham, Isaac, David, and Jacob, &c. were not fulfilled in their days, but to their children long afterwards. So God makes promise here to these princes and rulers, that all the subjects may know that they be contained also in the same truce and league of God, and that the promise concerns them also; and they shall be delivered in that day from all the danger of war and enemies that shall come upon them. And it is as much as though the prophet should say: Thou Zerubabel and thy kingdom, all thy people and subjects, be not afraid; for in those troublesome days I will save you and keep you as diligently as my ring and private seal.'

And that they might the more earnestly believe it, he [Second edition, that. ED.]

eth his

if they will

livery.

called him "servant :" whereby he might well assure himself, that if earthly lords and masters will defend their servants, much more he that was King of heaven and earth, and Lord of lords, most tender and loving of his subjects, would not see his servants oppressed, violently trodden under foot, nor thrown down; but he would be their mighty deliverer, and revenge their wrongs. What can be greater comfort to God deliverany people, than to hear God vouchsafe to call himself their servants, Lord God and master, and them his servants? If this be wear his thought so great a promotion, that an earthly lord will take us to his service, speak cheerfully to us, set us in some office, or let us wear his livery; it is much more to be esteemed to be servant to Jesus Christ, to bear his cross (for that is his livery), to fight under his banner, and have him for our captain. Men do commonly sue to be servants unto noblemen, and wear their liveries, that whosoever seeth their coat may fear them, and under their master's name they may rule in their country, like lords of the land, do wrong when they lust, and every man shall call it right; and though they were slaves afore, yet now they shall be every gentleman's fellow: but they which wear Christ's livery, be obedient and loving to all; do no wrong, but suffer; pray for them which persecute them, and do good for evil. This livery we must wear if we will be the Lord's servants, and partakers of his promise and deliverance in the day of trouble.

This similitude, which the prophet useth, of a ring, that God would keep him as safely as his ring, is taken of kings and princes, which among all things keep their seal, signet and ring most surely, either themselves, or betake it to some most trusty friend to keep. If the seal should be counterfeited, stolen, or blanks sealed with it; what hurt or treason might be done thereby! Their lands, offices, or treasure might be given away; the subjects stirred to rebellion; or the destruction of the whole commonwealth might follow thereon. Therefore, that they might most certainly persuade themselves, that in that troublesome time of war and destruction of the kingdom of the Persians they should be God saveth most safely kept; he saith, he will keep them as his ring in all and seal, that is to say, most safely. And as when a friend send his ring or seal for a token to his friend, it

his people

dangers.

Hosea ii.

Seal.

Rom. iv.

ture is God's indenture, and the

signifieth that he loveth him most dearly, to whom he sendeth such a pledge of love and friendship; and also teacheth him, that where he seeth his friend's ring, he should not deny him his request, nor doubt of the message that it should be counterfeited; so when he names his ring here, they should not doubt of his love towards them, nor mistrust his promise. For as with us when doctors be created, they have a ring given them, as a ceremony of honour and authority; and in marriage the husband giveth his wife a ring for a sure pledge of love: so God our Saviour under this similitude of a ring commends his honour, that he hath called us unto, to be his servants and children, the love he bears unto us, in that he hath married us unto him in his Son Christ by the wedding ring of faith; and the wedding apparel appeareth, when Osee saith, "I will marry thee to me in faith, justice, judgment, mercy, and many mercies."

Under this name of a seal he commendeth unto us also both his outward visible sacraments, and the inward grace of the Holy Ghost, working in our consciences by them. St Paul calleth circumcision (a sacrament of the old law) “the seal of the righteousness of faith:" and as that was a seal in that time to our fathers of righteousness, so be our sacraments to us in these days seals of God's promises unto The scrip- us, and all have one strength and virtue. The scripture of God is the indenture betwixt God and us, wherein is contained both the promises, grace, and mercy, that God offereth to the world in his Son Christ, and also the conditions which he requires to be fulfilled in our behalf: the sacraments are the seals set to his indenture, to strengthen our faith, that we do not doubt. For as it is not enough to write the conditions of a bargain in an indenture, except it be sealed; so God for our weakness thought it not sufficient to make us promise of his blessings in writing in his scripture; but he would seal it with his own blood, and institute his sacraments as seals of the same truth, to remain to be received of us in remembrance of him and strengthening our faith.

sacraments be seals.

Baptism is a sacrament sealed by God, and sealing our consciences that God taketh us for his children and servants; and we offer and bind ourselves to serve him only as a Lord and Father. The supper is also a sacrament, wherein he

feeds us spiritually, thus taken into his service, with his own precious body and blood; and we, reckoning with ourselves wherein we have offended him, ask mercy, nothing doubting to obtain it, and renew our bond to him which we have so often broken, and promise to do so no more. So that, when God giveth these his sacraments to us by his ministers, and we receive the same, the bargain is full made betwixt God and us, the writing sealed and delivered: we are become his people, and he our God; we to serve, love, honour, and worship him; and he to help, deliver, defend, and provide for us all necessaries.

the con

his people

Holy Ghost.

This inward sealing of the conscience, which is the second sort of sealing, is where God poureth his love so plentifully into our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us, that Rom. v. viii. he "beareth witness to our spirit that we be the children of God," and stirreth up our minds to call him "Father, Father:" we have a taste and feeling that God hath chosen and sealed God sealeth us for his people with the Holy Ghost promised, as St Paul sciences of saith. This is a sure token to a faithful heart, that he is with the the child of God, and God his Father: and of this he takes Eph. i. so great comfort, that in what trouble soever he fall, he knoweth that God doeth it not of hate, but of love; trieth his faith, that other may know the same, how earnestly he loveth his God; and that nothing can be so strong to pull him out of his God's hands,-not for his own strength, but that God which holdeth him is stronger than all. Of such as were thus sealed St John in his Revelation speaketh, when he saith, that of every tribe there were twelve thousand Rev. vii. sealed; and St Paul teacheth Timothy, that this groundwork stand strong, having this seal, "The Lord knoweth 2 Tim. ii. who be his." For as noblemen and princes bear a love to their servants, and for a witness of the same will give their outward cognizance, badge, and livery, whereby they may be known from others, and stirreth up their minds to love him again by such tokens: so God will both by his Spirit pour his love into our hearts, and let us see the care that he taketh for us; and will also by outward sacraments, as badges, mark us for his people, and by the same seal us surely to himself, and stir us up to love him again and look diligently to our duty. If earthly lords and princes will so safely defend

[PILKINGTON.]

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their servants; let them not doubt but God, that is Lord of lords, will defend his people from all dangers and wrongs, be they never so many and so great, if they would earnestly in faith call upon him in the day of their trouble, forsake their own strength, wit and policy, and trust in him only. Psal. cxlvii. David saith well: "The Lord is not delighted in the strength of an horse, nor the strong legs of man; but the Lord is well pleased with them the which fear him, and with them that trust in his mercy."

Although

we must use all lawful measures, yet trust

There is no way sooner to provoke God's anger, and make him to forsake us in trouble, than to trust to ourselves, and in our own wit, strength, and policy: for that is as much as to take the praise to ourselves from him, and mistrust God that he cannot or will not defend us. And although we must not trust in ourselves, yet we must use all means which he hath ordained for our defence. For as we must be diligent to do all good works, and not put our trust of Luke xvii. salvation in them, but say with St Luke, "When ye have done all that I commanded you, say ye be unprofitable servants;" so we must use all ways lawful to defend ourselves, Psal. cxxiv. and yet say, "Our help is from the Lord, which hath made

only in God.

us for his

both heaven and earth:" he hath ordained such means to save us by, and works by the same our deliverance when pleaseth him; and sometimes, to shew his power, he delivereth us without such ordinary means.

And why will God thus save them? for any goodness in them, which had so long forgotten him and his house? or for their good works, who had so long been so disobedient? God helpeth No; but even "because I have chosen thee, saith the Lord." own sake, This is the first and chiefest cause, why he bestoweth his goodness upon any people; even because he hath chosen them in Christ afore the world was made: and for this cause he continueth bestowing his blessing to the end upon them whom he hath once chosen.

and not for

our good

ness.

St Paul, reasoning of this matter, putteth two causes, Rom. ii. iv. wherefore God should love, justify, and choose us: either freely of grace and mercy, saith he, or for the goodness of our works. If it should be for our works, then (saith he) it cannot be of grace: and if it be of free grace, love and mercy, then is it not for our works, neither past nor to come; for