The prophecy of Haggai, interpreted and applied in sundry sermonsThe prophesie of Haggai, interpreted and applyed in sundry sermons

Rachel said give me children or else I die, unto whom Jacob answered, ¹am I in Gods steed who hath withholden from thee the fruit of thy womb: so that as in natural generation the fruit of the body cometh by the blessing of God, so is it in our spiritual regeneration also; if Rachel had not asked of God, God had not remembered her, ⟨p. 89⟩and if she had not used the means she had not been the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, which teacheth us, that we must use the means of the ministry; that we may be begotten and borne ²again: as many, as will be the children of God they must receive the word which is brought unto them by the Lords messengers, that they may be begotten anew by the same, and being thus begotten and borne anew, we must not stay here but be nursed up further, and brought up with the pure milk of the word, that as new borne Babes we may grow thereby: and when we be ³grown to be of riper age, in Christ; then this word will afford us strong meat also, for this is not only the sincere milk of the soul which as new borne babes we must desire, that we may grow thereby, as 1 Pet. 2. 2. but as it is also strong meat for ⁴strong men, and belongeth also to them of riper age which through long custom have their wits exercised to discern both good and evil. As Heb. 5. 14. Let us not therefore neglect the means ⁵of our so great salvation, for if he which despiseth Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses, how much more sore punishment shall he be worthy of, that neglecteth the work of reconciliation, whereby we grow up in Christ Jesus, Remember the word of the Lord, spoken by the Prophet Amos 8. Behold the days come saith the Lord