A commentarie or exposition upon the prophecie of Habakkuk together with many usefull and very seasonable observations / delivered in sundry sermons preacht in the church of St. James Garlick-hith London, many yeeres since, by Edward Marbury ...

Hab. 1.2. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear; even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save?

Here this Habakkuk, this Wrastler doth begin his wrastling: for what is this whole Chapter but a serious Expostulation and complaint? wherein the Prophet,

• 1. Contesteth with God himself. vers. 2.3, 4.
• 2. He bringeth in God denoucing his own intended judgments against Judah and Jerusalem. vers. 5.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
• 3. He returneth again to expostulate with God. vers. 12.13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

1. He contesteth with God. Wherein

• 1. He chalengeth him for not hearing his pray∣er. vers. 2.
• 2. For shewing to him the sins of the people. v. 3.4.

In the first observe.

• 1. What the Prophet did,
  • 1. He cryed,
  • 2. He cryed long,
  • 3. He cryed to him.
• 2. What cause he had. Of violence
• 3. What successe.
  • 1. Thou wilt not heare.
  • 2. Thou wilt not save.

To give some light to that which followeth, let me first admo∣nish you that it may well be gathered, by the title that is here gi∣ven to Habakkuk the Prophet, that he was sent by Almighty God to preach to the Iews to reclaim them from their evil wayes, and to still the noise of their crying sinnes: and prevail∣ing nothing with them, to bring them to repentance, he prayeth and cryeth to Almighty God for his judgement upon this Peo∣ple, to punish their many sins: and God not hearing him, nor giving way to his anger to correct them, the Prophet moved with the zeal of Gods glory, wrastleth with God, and conten∣deth with him for his rod upon them.

1. What the Prophet did.

1. I cry, he lifteth up his voice against this People his brethren; for it is twice exprest. 1. He cryeth; then he resumeth it, he saith, he cryeth out; this is a thing that God doth use to take special notice of, expectavi Justitiam & ecce clamor.

It is said of Abel, that being dead he spake; Moses saith, it was voxsanguinis, a voice of blood, & God said that voice cryed to him out of the earth for vengeance.

The Cry of a Prophet one of Gods Secretaries, to whom he revealeth his will; one of Gods Chaplains, to whom he com∣mitteth the Ministry of the Revelation of his will; one of Gods Saviours, to whom he committeth the office of saving his People; the crying, the vociferation of one of Gods Seers, who cries not out of passion or humane perturbation, but from a se∣cret inspiration illuminating him and shewing him things to come;

One of Gods holy ones whom the zeale of Gods glory doth inflame with this earnestnesse, the grief of mans rebellion doth provoke to that loudnesse. Such a cry cannot spend it self all into aire and Sunne, and perish with the noise it makes.

2. He was no Sonne of thunder to make some suddain ratling

noise, and then cease. He cryed loud, he cryed long, How long shall I cry? if the weaknesse of his voice could not penet rate the eare of God vi by force, here was saepe cadendo, by often falling. So David got an hoarsenesse in throat with crying loud and long to the Lord; and our Saviour hath commanded that kind of importunity in Prayer, and the Prophet will give God no rest till he heare and answer; for the Prayer of the just, if it be fervent, prevaileth with God: zeale is an holy fire, the flame of it ascendeth to heaven, and penetrateth all the passages till it come to God. Cold and perfunctory devotions intermitted and given over, do not prevaile with God; they please him best that use most violence, for the kingdome of heaven suffereth violence.

3. Ʋnto thee; he directeth his prayers aright; for Baals Priests may cry from morning to night, & may cut and lance their flesh, and make many signes of zeale and earnest importunity with∣out successe, because their God heareth not, his eyes see not, his ears hear not, his hands handle not, there is no breath in his mouth to give them answer.

But the cry of the Prophet went up to God, who beholdeth ungodlinesse and wrong, that he may take the matter into his own hand.

Thus farre we have seen what the Apostle did.

• 1. He cried.
• 2. He cryed loud.
• 3. To God.

2. What cause had he to cry.

For violence; this is fully and largely exprest in the second part of his contestation with God, ver. 3, 4.

I therefore only observe here two things.

1. That he complained not without great provocation, for violence was Gods own complaint and quarrel against the old world. The earth is full of violence,* 1.1 and behold I will destroy them with the earth.

It was Gods quarrel against Edom, for thy violence against thy brother Iacob, shame shall cover thee,* 1.2 and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

2. We consider where this violence was; not of Esau against Iacob, but of Iacob against Iacob, as Isaiah describeth it:

Every man eating the flesh of his own arme, Manasseh E∣phraim,

and Ephraim Manasseh,* 1.3 and both of them against Judah.

Civil and Domestick warres in the bosome of the Church, grievances and vexations one of another: these differences it is likely that the Prophets had laboured to compound, and used all meanes to settle Peace there, but it appeareth that they prevail∣ed not, therefore he complaineth.

3. With what Successe.

1. Thou wilt not hear; the Cry of the Prophet was to a∣waken the Iustice of God, to chasten his People for this vio∣lence; for so desperate was the disease of the Church, that they needed the sharpest Physick to heal it, even the rod of God to correct them.

Yet God is so slow to wrath, and so long-suffering, that he would not hearken to the voice of his Prophets as yet, to pull his hand out of his bosome, though they said with David, It is time for thee Lord to put to thine hand.

2. Thou wilt not save. 1. Thou wilt not succour them that suffer violence against the hand of their oppressours; as his not hearing is to be imputed to his mercy and patience, so his not saving is to be imputed either to his wisedome, putting his children to the trial of their faith by afflictions; or to his Justice, making one of them who have corrupted their wayes a rod to scourge the other, neither of them being as yet worth the sa∣ving, till he had humbled them.

The text thus cleared, the doctrines which grow upon this stemme and first branch of the Prophets contestation are these.

• 1. That the weapons wherewith the holy servants of God do fight against sinne are their Prayers to God.
• 2. That one necessary ingredient in our Prayers is earnest∣nesse and importunity.
• 3. That the zeal of Gods glory, and the love of Peace, can∣not dispense with tumule and combustion in the Church of God.
• 4. That God sometimes suspendeth the desired successe of the earnest Prayers of his most faithful servants, when they do pray according to his will, and doth not heare them by and by.

Of the first of these first.

1. Doctr. The weapons wherewith the holy servants of God do fight against sin, is their Prayers.

I find that this People, to whom God had sent his Prophets rising early and sending them, were grown incorrigible: and therefore even the Prophets that loved them, and wished them well, having no other way to reform them, were now put to it to pray against their violence to God. They that had wont to stand in the gap, to turn away ingruent judgements, do take such offence at their ungodlinesse, that they are put to it to pray to God against them.

Thus Ioseph carried the evil report of his brethren to his fa∣ther, and made them to be shent, wherein he did a brotherly of∣fice to seek their Reformation.

The spleen of Habakkuk is not against the Persons of his bre∣thren, they are not so much as named here: he cryeth out of violence. And so Saint Paul saith. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of men.

David did thus in a case of violence.* 1.4

They compassed me about with words of hatred, and fought against me without cause.

For my love they are mine adversaries, but I give my selfe unto Prayer: Ego oro.

Quaere. How doth it stand with the rules of charity to com∣plain to God of our brethren, and to stirre up his indignation against them?

Sol. I confesse that this asketh an especial tendernesse in the servants of God; for to begin here without using other means to reclaim our offending brother, may shake the walles of our charity, and may accuse us of want of love; therefore all those ways of charity must be first tried, as to admonish privately; or not speeding so, joyn another with thy self in the private chiding of his sinne; after failing, to communicate the matter to the Church. If all these supports which we do owe to our brother will not keep him up, then let him be as an heathen, and then is Davids Prayer in season.

Let the heathen know that they are but men.

But in my text here was the body of the Church diseased; the members & parts of the body in armes one against another, only some few of Gods holy servants lived with grief in their righte∣ous souls, to behold the ungodly conversation of men nefariously wicked and carelesse of religion; therfore what other way was left them, but that of David? I will yet pray against their wick∣ednesse; take away their ungodlinesse and thou shalt find none.

The Prophets and Seers of former times, have had speciall Revelations of the Will of God, concerning the ungodly of the earth, whereby they might as boldly use imprecation as depre∣cation or supplication.

We that come short of their measure of the spirit: must not dare to go to the farthest extent of their liberty in Prayer, to pray against our brethren; only thus farre we may with Habak∣kuk, cry out unto God and make our moan to him for violence.

1. Committing our cause, and the care of our safety unto him, as to a faithful Creator, and so the care and safety of our brethren.

2. Desiring God to bring to an end the wickednesse of the un∣godly, and to finish their sins.

This serveth,

1 To settle faith in God, and to seeke our repose only in him in all crosse opposals, because he is the sunne and shield, and there is no rest but in him; he only over-ruleth all, and evacua∣teth the counsels, and frustrateth the works of wicked men. He only shall bring it to passe.

2. This serveth to reprove the means that are in use amongst us to reforme sinne as we pretend, but they are unlawful and ungodly.

• 1. By publick blazing and detecting of offenders, to put them to open shame in the world; for the losse of a good name doth more often harden a sinner, and cause impenitency then reclaim him: for what hath he to boast that hath lost the good opinion of men? love covereth a multitude of sinnes, and therefore that is an evil tongue that is the trumpet of anothers shame. It is charity to make the best of every thing.
• 2. The same offence is committed in private whispers and se∣cret detractions, and the fault is aggravated by concealing

• our selves, as unwilling to justifie our accusations.
• 3. By cursing and bitter calling upon God for his vengeance on them that offend, if the offence touch us, or our friends; for God knoweth without us who to manage his judgments, and cursing it, returneth and smarteth at home. For the Apostle saith it twice. Blesse, Curse not.
• 4. By publike playes and interludes, to represent the vices of the time, which though it were the practice of the heathen, which knew not God but afarre off, yet in Christian-states it is no way tolerable nor justifyable; to act the parts of evil doers, since the Apostle saith it is a shame to name them, much more to act and personate them.
• 5. By private conceived libels, after divulged by secret passage from pocket to pocket, from one bosome to another, for which the devisers thereof have no warrant, and to which they have no calling.
• 6. By Satyres and Poeticall declamations; for who hath sent these into the world, to convince the world? is it not to put the spirit of God out of office, who is sent to convince the world of sinne? And who but the Lords Prophets have warrant to lift up their voyces like Trumpets, to tell the house of Jacob their sinnes? Every Emperique man may not professe and practice Physick. There is a Colledge of soule-Physicians, who have a calling to this purpose, and are sent to heale the soars of the People,
  • 1. By their diligent preaching of the World of God to them.
  • 2. By drawing against them, and exercising upon them the sword of Ecclesiastical discipline.
  • 3. By continual prayer unto God to give end to their sinnes, whereby they do trespasse God and good men.

3. This serveth to discourage men from doing evil; for fear of offending the Prophets and Ministers of the Lord, whose righ∣teous souls cannot but be vexed to see their good seed cast away upon barren, stony or thorny ground.

For howsoever basely and unworthily we be deemed, if the incorrigible iniquity of men do put us to it to move. Almighty God, by our earnest prayers against them they shall find that as Iob can do his friends good by his intercession, because he is a

Prophet, so the Lords Ministers may awake judgement against such as go on still in their wickednesse, and will not be refor∣med.

2. Doctr. Our Prayers must be importunate.

The Prophet cried, yea he cried out to the Lord. This im∣portunity is exprest two ways.

• 1. In the ardency and zeale of his Prayer, it was not oratio a Prayer, but vociferatio a crying.
• 2. In the continuance of time. How long.

Thus must we pray with fervour of spirit; our tongue is the piece of Ordnance, our Prayer is the shot, the zeale of our heart is the powder that dischargeth it; and according to the strength of the charge, such is the flight of the shot.

Niniveh cryeth mightily to God. Christ our Saviour cryed earnestly to his father,* 1.5 yea with strong crying and tears.

Salomon spred his armes abroad; the Publicane beat his breast; Christ fell on the ground; David said, My sighing is not hid from thee.* 1.6 The Israelites weeping is thus described, They drew water and poured it out before the Lord.

The Holy Ghost doth not furnish us so much with words and phrases in Prayer, as with sighs and grones which cannot be ex∣prost.

Paul prayed three times against Sathans Angel. Abraham moved God six times for Sodome. Nehemiah had so spent him∣selfe in watching and prayer for his People, that the King ob∣served his countenance changed.

Beloved, it is not Prayers by number & tale, as in the Romish Church: nor Prayers by rote, or by the ear perfunctoriously vent∣ed in the Church, and for custome said over at home.

It is not much babling and multiplicitie of Petitions, or vain repetitions that will send up our Prayers to heaven.

Though you stretch out your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you;* 1.7 and though you make many Prayers I will not heare you.

The Pharisees wanted powder to their shot, for they prayed in their Synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, but as God saith, Quis requisivit ista, Who required these things?

The soule that actuateth and animateth Prayer, is fervor spiri∣tus: the holy zeal of him that prayeth.

2. Duration of time is another testimony of zealous importuni∣ty, when our prayer is not a passion, but a deliberate and con∣stant earnestnesse, holding out as the Apostle saith, Pray conti∣nually; not as the Euchites, to do nothing else: but to entertain all occasions to conferre with God, and to prostrate our suites before him.

Christ spent a whole night together often in prayer;* 1.8 David day and night. Daniel 21, dayes together during the time that he ate no pleasant bread, and was in heavinesse.

Jonah three dayes and three nights in the belly of the Whale, made it his Oratory and Chappel from whence he prayed to the Lord.

If our soare runne, so long we can pray whilest we smart; or if our necessities do presse us to importunity, we can hold out long for our selves.

But in my Text the cause is Gods; zeal and Gods glory can∣not contain it self in the cause of God;* 1.9 the Lords people do break his Law and will not be reformed; the Prophet of the Lord can∣not stand and look on as in the next verse he doth, and see the glory of God thus suffer, but he must awake in the cause of God to bring him to correction.

So David. Rise Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, let them that hate thee flie before thee.

And thus for Gods glory sake we may with reservation of those that do belong to the election of grace, pray to God ear∣nestly for the confusion of all Sions enemies, and of all that would faine see Jerusalem the true Church of God in the dust.

Shall our servencie and heat be only for our selves? if it be the grant of our requests doth quench it, and putteth us to silence: but if the glory of God be that we seek and aime at, the more God heareth our prayers, and granteth our requests the more he enflameth our zeal, and even as it were transformes us into prayer.

and what better motive can we give of Christs so frequent so durant prayers then this: I know that thou hearest mee alwayes.

Now because long and frequent prayers are a wearynesse to the flesh, the flesh is no good friend to this exercise; and we

do find our selves in no exercise of Religion more tempted then in this; for this cause watching, and fasting are so often joyned with prayer, as the best means to disable the rebell flesh from resisting.

Doctr. God sometimes suspendeth the successe of the prayers of his servants.

There is a case wherein God will not hear at all, though Moses, Samuel, Noah, Daniel, Job do pray to him.

In some cases God will hear, but not yet; for he that keepeth the times and seasons in his own power, knoweth best when it is fittest for him to hear.

And that was the case of this prayer. God did 1. give them yet more time to repent and seek his face that he might preserve them, and sent his Prophets to them to reclaime them.

2. He did expect if not the conversion of them by fair means, then that after the full taste of the fruits of his patience, they might by the rod be brought to him, when he should change his righthand. Mutatio dexterae.

3. Or he did expect the filling up of the measure of their sins, that they might have no plea to excuse their ungraciousnesse.

4. He forbore to stirre up the Prophet so much the more to this importunity, that it might be seen that not only their sins, but the Prophets prayers had awaked vengeance.

5. To declare how acceptable a sacrifice prayer is, he will delay us that we may pray, for with such sacrifices God is plea∣sed; but if we withdraw our selves, Gods soul will have no plea∣sure in us.

Let no man think the worse of this holy service of God, be∣cause he presently feeleth not the successe thereof: but as the woman of Canaan would not be put off by the Disciples or by Christ himself;* 1.10 so that both her request was granted, and her faith commended.

If we remember our Saviours limitation, all will be well. Eather if thou wilt; let us set those bounds to our prayers?

• 1. What thou wilt:
• 2. In what measure:
• 3. When thou wilt:
• 4. In what manner, sicut tu vis; As thou wilt.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 6.13
• * 1.2

  Obad. 10.
• * 1.3

  Isa. 9. ult.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 109.3, 4.
• * 1.5

  Jou. 3.8.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 38.9
• * 1.7

  Isay 1.
• * 1.8

  Dan. 10.
• * 1.9

  3. Doctr.
• * 1.10

  Math. 15.22.