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

It followeth therefore that his word was not the Essential word of God, but some external word, not the eternal word of God, but some word that had a beginning, namely when this promise and covenant was made, when the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and delivered them by his Angel, God the Father by his son promised his favour & assistance, if we follow this interpretation, the sense will well agree with the former, namely, this word, this promise, was made by Christ, considering that in him all promises are yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20 and considering that Christ saith Joh. 14, 15, 16. that if we love him and keep his commandments, he will pray the Father and he will give us another comforter, that he may abide with us for ever, whence the latter place in the Text of the Holy Ghost receiveth also light, our Saviour there calling him the comforter, and promising his abiding with us, not for a season but for ever, And this for the meaning of the words, whereby the Lord encouraged Zerubbabel and the rest to go about the building of the Temple, assuring them that he will be with them, and that he will be merciful unto them and ⟨p. 110⟩prosper them in their endeavours, that he will send them his spirit to guide and direct them, and to relieve them in all wants and doth not the Lord here likewise stir up and exhort us to go forward with the building of the spiritual house, not only such as have the place of Zerubbabel, or the office of Joshua, but all the faithful also, that every one in his vocation should do what in him lieth to the building up of the body of Christ, no doubt as we have the like command, so to us likewise is given the like encouragement according to the rule of the Apostles. Ro. 15. ver. 4. Whatsoever is written, is written for our learning. For why have not we Temples to build as well as they? are not our ¹bodies called temples of the Holy Ghost, Ephe. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 1 Cor 6. 19. and therefore not only the Church that is the Church universal assembly of the faithful is to do this, but also every man and woman in particular, and albeit the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments, Pastors and Teachers are to be principal labourers herein, because they were chiefly given to this end,