our heads to the trickling of Å¿ Psal 56.8 teares downe our cheekes Why then are wee troubled with the vaine conceits of lucke fortune or chance Why will any man say this fell vnto me by good lucke or by ill lucke by good fortune or by misfortune by good chance or by mischance We may and should know that in the course of Gods prouidence all things are determined and regular This is a sure ground we may build vpon it The fish that came to deuoure Ionas may seeme to haue arriued in that place by chance yet the scripture saith the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Ionas Ion. 1.17 The storme it selfe which droue the pilots to his streight may likewise seeme contingent to the glimse of carnall eyes yet the Prophet saith I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Ion. 1.12 The fish which Peter tooke might seeme to haue come to the angle by chance yet he brought in his mouth the tribute which Peter paid for his Lord and for himselfe Mat. 17.27 By the diuersity of the opinions among the brethren touching the manner of dispatching Ioseph out of the way wee may gather that the selling of him into Egypt was but accidentall and only agreed vpon by reason of the fit ariuall of the merchants while they were disputing and debating what they were best to doe yet saith Ioseph vnto his brethren you sent me not hither but God Gen. 45.8 What may seeme more contingent in our eies than by the glancing of an arrow from the common marke to strike a traueller that passeth by the way yet God himselfe is said to haue deliuered the man into the hand of the shooter Exod. 21.13 Some may thinke it hard fortune that Achab was so strangely made away because a certaine man hauing bent his bow and let slip his arrow at hap hazard without aime at any certaine marke t 1 King 22 34. strooke the King but here we finde no lucke nor chance at all otherwise than in respect of vs for that the shootâ—â— did no more than was denounced to the King by Micheas froâ— Gods owne mouth before the battell was begun 1 King 22.17 What in the world can be more casuall than lottery lyet Salomon teacheth that when the lots are cast into the lap the prouidence of God disposeth them Prou. 16.33 See now and acknowledge with mee the large extent of Gods good prouidence Though his dwelling be on high yet abaseth he himselfe to behold vs below From his good prouidence it is that this day we are here met together I to preach the word of God you to heare it and some of vs to bee made partakers of the blessed body and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Let vs powre out our soules in thankfulnesse before God for his blessing You are now inuited to the marriage supper of the lambe euery one that will approach vnto it let him put on his wedding garment A garment nothing like the old ragges of the Gibeonites which deceiued Ioshua Ios 9.5 A garment nothing like the suit of apparrell which Micah gaue once a yeare to his Leuite Iud. 17.10 A garment nothing like the soft clothing worne in kings courts Mat. 11.8 But a garment something like the garment of the high priest which had all the names of the tribes of Israel written vpon his brest Exod. 28.21 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on in whose brest and booke of merits are written and registred all the names of the faithfull but a garment something like Elias Mantle which diuided the waters 2 King 2.8 For this your garment is nothing â—lse but Christ put on who diuideth your sinnes and punishments that so you may escape from your enemies sin and death but a garment something like the garments of the Israelites in the wildernesse which did not weare 40. yeares together they wandered in the desart and yet saith Moses neither their clothes nor their shooes waxed old Deut. 29.5 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on whose righteousnesse lasteth for euer and his mercies cannot be worne out Hauing put on this your wedding garment doubt not of your welcome to this great feast-maker If any that heareth me this day hath not yet put on his wedding garment but is desirous to learne how to doe it let him following S Paâ—â— his counsell Rom. 13.12 cast away the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light let him walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying let him take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it so shall he put on the Lord Iesus u Psal 24.7 Lift vp your heads you gates and be you lift vp ye euerlasting doores that a guest so richly apparelled may come in and sup with the King of glory And the King of glory vouchsafe so to clothe vs all that those gates and euerlasting doores may lie open to vs all So at our departure from this vally of mourning we shall haue free and easie passage into the citie of God where our corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall be swallowed vp of life Euen so be it blessed Father for thy welbeloued son Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee in the vnity of the holy spirit bee all praise and power might and Maiesty dignity and dominion for euermore Amen THE Second Lecture AMOS 1.2 And he said the Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither IN my former Sermon vpon the first verse of this chapter beloued in the Lord I commended to your religious considerations fiue circumstances 1 Touching the Prophets name It was Amos not Amos Esaies father but another Amos. 2 Concerning his former condition of life He was among the heardmen that is he was a heardman or shepherd 3 Of the place of his vsuall abode At Tekoa a little village in the confines of the Kingdome of Iuda beyond which there was not so much as a little cottage onely there was a great wildernesse called 2 Chron 20.20 the wildernesse of Tekoa a fit place for a shepherds walke 4 About the matter or argument of this prophecie implied in these words The words which he saw vpon Israel Then you heard that Amos was by the holy spirit deputed and directed with his message peculiarly and properly to the 10. reuolted tribes the kingdome of Israel 5 Of the time of the prophecie which I told you was set downe in that verse generally and specially 1 Generally In the dayes of Vzziah king of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash king of Israel 2 Specially Two yeares before the earthquakâ— After my exposition giuen vpon those fiue parts of that text I recald to
against Iudah These might haue serued Israel in stead of so many mirrours or looking glasses wherein they might haue beheld the iudgements that hung ouer their heads also From the iudgements of God denounced to forreine nations the people of Israel might thus within themselues haue reasoned Our God! All his a Deut. 32.4 wayes are iudgement he is a God of truth without iniquitie iust and right is he The Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites must they for their misdoings be punished How then shall we escape They sillie people neuer knew the holy will of God and yet must they be measured with the line of desolation What then shall be the portion of our cup who knowing Gods holy will haue not regarded it Againe from the iudgements of God pronounced against Iudah the people of Israel might thus within themselues haue argued God b Psal 9.7 ministreth his iudgements in vprightnesse He threatneth destruction to our brethren the people of Iudah that people whom all that saw them acknowledged to be the c Esa 61.9 blessed seed of the Lord that people that was the d Esa 5.7 plant of the Lords pleasures that people with whom God placed his e Psal 114.2 sanctuarie vpon that people will the Lord send a fire to deuoure them What then shall be the end of vs They our brethren of Iudah haue preserued among them Religion the worship and feare of the Lord in greater puritie then we haue done and yet will the Lord send a fire vpon them to deuoure them Certainly our iudgement cannot be farre off Amos hauing thus prepared his auditors the Israelites to attention maketh no longer delay but beginneth to deliuer his message to them in the words which I haue now read vnto you For three transgressions of Israell and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof c. Herein for our more direct proceeding may it please you to obserue with me 1. Autoritatem sermonis The authoritie of this Prophecie Thus sayth the Lord. 2. Sermonem ipsum The Prophecie it selfe For three transgressions of Israel c. In the Prophecie as farre as this Chapter leadeth vs we haue 1. Reprehensionem A reproofe of Israel for sinne vers 6 7 8. 2. Enumerationem A recitall of the Benefits which God had heaped vpon Israel vers 9.10.11 3. Exprobrationem A twitting of Israel with their vnthankefulnesse vers 12. 4. Comminationem A threatning of punishment to befall Israel for their sinnes ver 13. to the end of the Chapter The Reprehension is first and first by vs to be considered In it we may note 1. A generall accusation of Israel For three transgressions of Israel and for foure 2. A protestation of Almightie God against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof 3. A rehearsall of some grieuous sinnes which made a separation betweene God and Israel Because they sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes and so forward to the end of the eyghth verse You haue the deuision of my Text. Now followeth the exposition The first thing we meete with is Autoritas sermonis the authoritie of this prophecie Thus saith the Lord Iehovah Now the thirteenth time is this great Name of God Iehovah offered to our deuoutest meditations We met with it in the first chapter of this book nine times and thrise before in this and yet by this name Iehovah is not God knowne to vs. We know him by the name of a strong omnipotent and All-sufficient God but by his Name Iehovah we know him not Abraham Isaac Iacob by this Name knew him not it is so recorded Exod. 6.3 Nor can we by this Name know him For this Name is a Name of Essence It designeth God vnto vs not by any effect of his but by his Essence and who euer knew the Essence of God who was euer able to define it The f Pet. Galatinus de arcanis Cathol verit lib. 2. cap. 1. schoole-men say there are three things whereof they can giue no definition One is that first matter out of which all things were produced The second is Sinne that hath destroyed all The third is God who preserueth all The first which is the Philosophers Materia prima they define not obsummam informitatem because it is without all forme The second which is mans bane Sinne they define not ob summam deformitatem for its exceeding deformitie The third euen God the prime cause of all his creatures they define not ob summam formositatem for his transcendeÌ„t beautie It pleaseth the Schoolmen sometimes thus to play with words For the matter they are in the right It is true g Aquin. par 1. qu 1. art 7. ad â—â— De deo non possumus scire Quid est We cannot attaine to so great a measure of the knowledge of God as to define what he is When the Poet h Cic. de Nat. Deorum lib. 1. Simonides was asked of K. Hiero what God is He wisely for answere desired one dayes respite after that two then foure still he doubled his number at last of his delay he gaue this for a reason Quanto diutiùs considero tanto mihi res videtur obscurior the more I consider of this matter the more obscure it seemeth vnto me Cotta in i Ibid. Tullie said not amisse Quid non sit Deus citiùs quà m quid sit dixerim I can with more ease tell what God is not then what he is This goeth for a truth in the schooles k Aquin. par 1. qu 3. in principio De Deo scire non possumus quid sit sed quid non sit we cannot know of God what he is but what he is not So saith Saint l In psal 85. Augustine Facilius dicimus quid non sit quam quid sit Deus We can more easily say what God is not then what he is And what is he not The same father in his 23. Tract vpon the Gospell of S. Iohn will tell you Non est Deus corpus non terra non coelum non luna non Sol non Stellae non corporalia ista God is not a bodie he is not the earth he is not the Heauen he is not the Moone he is not the Sunne he is not the Starres he is not any of these corporall things From hence sprang those Negatiue attributes of God which we meete with either in the sacred volumes of the New Testament or in the writings of the ancient Fathers from hence is God said to be m 1. Tim. 1.17 immortall invisible n Rom. 1.23 vncorruptible o Bernard serm 6. Supra Cantica incorporeall p Aug. de verb. Apostoli Serm. 1. ineffable inestimable incomprehensible infinite q Bernard paruorum sermonum serm 51. immense vndiuided vnuariable vnchangeable All these shew vnto vs not what God is but what he is not And
ordinarily without feare or shame commit filthinesse with the same young woman and so doing doe prophane my holy name they cause my name to bee blasphemed and ill spoken of Two things are heerein remarkable One is the sinne heere obiected to the Israelites the other is the consequent of this sinne The sinne is poynted at in these words A man and his father will goe in vnto the same mayde the consequent in these to prophane my holy name The sinne is vnlawfull pleasure taken either in incest or in adultery or in fornication or in any other vncleannesse the consequent is the prophaning of the holy name of God The doctrine arising from both I deliuer in this one position Incestuous persons adulterers fornicators otherwise shamelesse sinners are oftentimes the cause of prophaning the holy name of God Incestuous persons adulterers and fornicators all are starke naught but the first are the worst Incest adultery and fornication each of them is a sinne that throweth the sinner into the euer-burning lake yet the most greeuous of them is incest Incest It is one of the grossest vices of lust Euery mixture of man and woman of the same kinred within the degrees forbidden by the law of God is Incest It is forbidden in the seuenth Commandement wherein although adulterie be onely mentioned yet vnder that kinde of vncleannesse are comprehended and noted Sodomitrie incest rape simple fornication all the rest together with their causes occasions effects antecedents and consequents But more precisely is incest forbidden in the eighteenth of Leuiticus from the sixth verse to the eighteenth In the sixth verse the inhibition is generall None of you shall approach to any that is neere of kinne to him to vncouer their nakednesse I am the Lord. It is then the Lord that speaketh to you None of you shall come neere to any of your kinne to vncouer their shame But what kinred meaneth hee There is a kinred by society of bloud it is called consanguinity there is also a kinred by marriage it is called Affinitie And to both these kinreds will the Lord haue his inhibition to extend You shall not approch to any that is neere of kinne to you to vncouer their nakednesse that is you may not marry with or otherwise lustfully abuse any of your kinred be they of your kinred either by Consanguinity or by Affinity Now to treat of all these degrees that are in the eighteenth of Leuiticus forbidden were needlesse at this time One aboue the rest will fit my text It s that in the eighth verse The nakednesse of thy fathers wife thou shalt not vncouer Thy fathers wife that is thy step-mother not thine owne mother Her nakednesse though shee bee but thy mothâ—r in law thou shalt not vncouer This might haue beene the sin of these Israelites in my text Heere you see A sonne and his father went in vnto the same maide If this maide were wife vnto the father then was shee stepmother to the sonne and the sonne was incestuous This vncleannesse the very Heathen haue detested S. Paul acknowledgeth as much 1. Cor. 5.1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles that one should haue his fathers wife Not so much as named amongst the Gentiles What doe not Heathen histories yeeld examples of this vncleannesse They doe They giue vs to vnderstand of n Plutarch in Demetrio Antiochus sonne of Seleucus how he burning with the incestuous loue of his mother in law Stratonice got her by his Fathers assent to be his wife They tell vs of o Plutarch in Artaxerxes Darius sonne of Artaxerxes how he obtained of his father by request that he might take to wife his mother in law Aspasia They relate vnto vs how p Aelius Spartianus in Antonino Caracalla Peretius in Mellificio historico parte 2. pag. 202. Antoninus Caracalla Emperour tooke to wife his mother in law Iulia. Antoninus bewitched with her beautie and desiring to marrie her with sighes said vnto her Vellem si liceret Mother if it were lawfull I would make you my wife Shee monster as she was shamefully replyed Si libet licet An nescis te Imperatorem esse leges dare non accipere Sonne you haue called me mother if you list to make me your wife you may Know you not that you are Emperour you giue lawes you take none With this her answere Antoninus inflamed matrem duxit vxorem he married his mother Other examples of this vncleannesse Heathen histories haue affoorded vs. How then is it that S. Paul in the but now-alledged place saith that this vncleannesse is such as is not so much as named among the Gentiles We need not fly to an Hyperbole to excuse the Apostles assertion His meaning is that though such vncleannesse were sometime practised among the Gentiles yet that among the very Gentiles lawes were made against it and that the better sort of the Gentiles did detest it as a filthie strange and monstrous villanie Was this vncleannesse held in such detestation by the Gentiles who were guided onely by natures light No maruaile then is it if the Lord here in my text do so sharply reproue Israel for this vncleannesse among them Israel They were the people of the Lord they were his inheritance they had the lampe of the word of God to be their guide Yet Israel rebellious and disobedient Israel hath played the harlot A man and his father went in vnto the same maide Vnder this one kinde of incest are comprehended all the rest And not incest onely but adulterie also yea and fornication too So that indeed the Israelites are here reproued in generall for their filthie lusts They were so inordinately vicious and so disolute that they blushed not once to pollute themselues with fornication with adulterie with incest with all manner of filthinesse and hereby was the holy name of God prophaned It is true Peccatorum turpitudine violatur nomen Dei sanctum such is the filthinesse of sinne that through it the holy name of God is often violated It was violated by Dauids sinne Dauid the man after Gods owne heart yet conuicted of murther and adultery Of murther for q 2. Sam. 12.9 killing Vriah the Hittite with the sword and of adulterie for taking to wife the wife of Vriah is by the Prophet Nathan reprooued for prophaning the name of the Lord. In 2. Sam. 12.14 they are the expresse words of Nathan vnto Dauid By this deed thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Dauid you see was the sinner others thereby tooke occasion to blaspheme the name of God The name of God was likewise blasphemed for the sinnes of the Israelites The Israelites r Ezech. 37.23 defiling themselues with the Idols of the Heathen with their abhominations with their iniquities are in the Bookes of the Prophets reprooued for prophaning the name of
except they be agreed Hitherto you haue had the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proposition of this first similitude now followeth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reddition of it Hitherto hath beene rei extrariae consideratio now followeth rei praesentis accommodatio hitherto the explication of the former part now the application of the latter Thus As it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed so it cannot be that the Prophets of the Lord should forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them This is the second of those fiue expositions wherof you heard in the beginning of this exercise It was the exposition of Lyra Hugo and Dionysius and is embraced by later Expositors by Paulus de Palatio Marthurinus Quadratus and Christophorus à Castro by Brentius and Winckleman by Caluin and Mercer The obseruation is The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them This truth Saint Peter expresly deliuereth Ep. 2. Chap. 1. vers 20 21. No prophecie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation for the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost The Prophets of the Lord spake not of their owne heads God spake in them Prophets They are criers and criers speake nothing but what is put into their mouthes Esay is a cryer He makes a noise after the manner of a cryer Esay 55.1 Hoe euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters The Lord bids him cry Esay 40.6 and he saith What shall I cry Then are the words put into his mouth All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field Iohn Baptist is a cryer So he stiles himselfe Ioh. 1.23 I am the voice of a cryer in the wildernesse And how crieth he Euen as the words are put into his mouth Prepare yee the way of the Lord make his pathes strait Prophets They are Trumpetors Their voice is like a Trumpet Esay 58.1 Crie aloud spare not Lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes They must set the trumpet to their mouthes Hos 8.1 They must blow the trumpet Ioel 2.1 But they must blow it with the breath of the Lord Otherwise it giueth but an vncertaine sound and a false alarum Prophets They are Watch-men Their office is to heare the Word at the Lords mouth and then to warne the people The charge is giuen them Ezech. 3.17 Sonne of man I haue made thee a watch-man vnto the house of Israel therefore heare the Word at my mouth and giue them warning from me This their charge is reiterated Ezech. 33.7 O sonne of man I haue set thee a watch-man vnto the house of Israel therefore thou shalt heare the Word at my mouth and warne them from me You see they are not to speake a word but they haue it from the Lord and accordingly must they warne the people Ieremie a Prophet He eats the words of the Lord Chap. 15.16 and is thereby fitted to his function Ezechiel a Prophet A hand is sent vnto him and loe a roule of a booke therein The roule is spread before him and is written within and without Within is written Lamentations and mournings and woe This roule he is commanded to eat He eats it So he goes and speakes vnto the house of Israel Ezech. 3.3 Saint Iohn the Diuine a Prophet too He sees an Angell with a little booke in his hand and begs the booke The Angell giues it him and bids him eat it He takes it and eats it Then is he fit to prophesie before many peoples and nations and Kings and tongues Reuel 10 11. The Prophets professe of themselues that they speake nothing besides the pure word of God Ioshua he saith to the children of Israel Come hither and heare the Word of the Lord your God Chap. 3.9 The words which I shall deliuer vnto you concerning what shall come to passe hereafter they are not my words they are the words of the Lord your God Esay calls vpon Heauen and Earth to heare Chap. 1.2 Heare O Heauens and giue eare O Earth for the Lord hath spoken The words which I now speake vnto you they are not my words they are the words of the Lord. Amos our Prophet he likewise calleth vpon the children of Israel in the beginning of this Chapter Heare this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel Heare it It is not my word it is the word of the Lord the Lord hath spoken it What more familiar in the writings of the Prophets than these formes of speech Thus saith the Lord Saith the Lord the burthen of the Word of the Lord the Word of the Lord came vnto me They all make for the authority of the Prophets of old and their prophesies From hence as also from that they are Eaters of the Word of God and are Watchmen and are Trumpeters and are Cryers its euident their prophesies were not of their owne wils they spake not of their owne heads God spake in them Thus the truth of my Doctrine stands inuiolable The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them Here first is a lesson for vs who succeed the Prophets in the Ministery of the Church We may not deliuer any thing vnto you but what wee haue gathered out of the Word of God Euery Minister of the New Testament should bee as Moses was of the Old Moses his charge was not to conceale any thing but to speake all Exod. 7.2 Thou shalt speake all that I command thee It is our part to doe the like It is our part to speake in the Name of God and in his Name alone to feed the flocke of Christ with his pure word and with his word alone and to doe it as learnedly as faithfully as sincerely as constantly as we may leauing the successe of all to him that hath sent vs and disposeth of all mens hearts at his pleasure So running our race we shall one day be at rest in eternall comfort fully deliuered from this vile world from wicked men from euill natures from such who are euer ready to take our best endeuours in the worst sense and to require our honest affections with their foule disgraces Here secondly is a lesson for you For you Beloued for all such as are the Auditors and hearers of the Word of God This duty of hearing is to be put in practice not dully but with diligence not heauily but with chearefulnesse as to the Lord. There is a generation of hearers that would seeme desirous to heare the Word preached but they would haue it of free
of buildings How then is it that our dwelling houses doe yet stand and flourish Our sinnes and iniquities are exceeding impudent and sawcie they are ascended into the presence of God and doe stand like Sathan among his children before his face Yet for all this impudencie and sawcinesse of our sinnes and iniquities God is pleased to suffer our dwelling houses to be in safetie The consideration of this point may stirre vs vp to a gratefull agnition and acknowledgment of Gods singular bountie and longanimitie It is out of the bountie of the Lord that the earth since the time it first was cursed for the fall of man doth to this day yeeld fâ—uit in abundance for the vse of man That our possessions habitations dwelling houses and Churches are not laid waste and made desolate it is to be ascribed to Gods long sufferance and long animitie Of which I shall God willing anon speake more fully when I shall haue considered the words of the second sequel or consequent of Gods speech which are The top of Carmel shall wither The top of Carmel There were two hils of this name as St Hierome teacheth both in Iudea the one in the southerne climate of that country where on Nabal the husband of Abigail did dwell 1 Sam. 25.2 the other neere vnto Ptolemais towards the sea coast vpon which Elias prayed for raine 1 Kings 8.42 St Hierome seemeth to doubt which of these two Carmels our prophet here intendeth But Ribera resolueth for that Carmel which was neere vnto Ptolemais because it did appertaine to the lot of the ten tribes against whom Amos in this booke prophecieth This Carmel was a hill of much fatnesse and fertilitie whervpon it may as proverbially be taken for any such place St Hierome writing vpon Esay 16. saith it is the Scriptures idiome and proper forme of speech euermore to compare the rich hill Carmel to fertilitie and abundance One of the Hebrew d R. Dâ—uid apud Draâ—uâ—â— Doctors saith that Carmel is a generall name for all fruitfull arable fields and vineyards A great e Pagnin Hebrician saith that because the hill Carmel had by it a valley of exceeding feracitie and fruitfulnesse therefore Carmel is appellatiuely taken for any place set with corne trees or vines and specially withstanding corne with new fat wheat while it is in eare though another f Marinus in Arca Noe. Hebrician of like note affirmeth that because Carmel collectiuely signifieth standing corne or new wheat yet in the eare therfore a certaine region in the prouince of Canaan of extraordinary fertility as also a hill city there was called after this name Carmel Whatsoeuer Carmel be in this place whether a proper name or an appellatiue out of doubt it betokeneth a place of much fruitfulnes Following the streame of expositors I am of opinion that Carmel in my text is that same fruitfull mountaine of Iudea by Ptolemais The top of Carmel A place fit by reason of the woodes there to lurke and lie hid in as is plaine by Amos 9.3 Though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence The top of Carmel In the Hebrew it is the head of Carmel The head or top of Carmel is the Scripture phrase to expresse whatsoeuer is best in Carmel By the like phrase we say Caput vnguenti the head or the top of the ointment to signifie the best of the ointment The top of Carmel Pagnine thus translateth it vertex loci fertilis the top of the fruitfull place And Iunius thus prostantissimum aruorum the best of the fields Both Pagnine and Iunius doe take Carmel here for an appellatiue and not for a propper name The top of Carmel shall wither shall wax dry or be dried vp That is where most fruitfull fields and pastures are there shall be a defect and want of necessaries for mans life Thus haue you the exposition of this last clause Now bee patient I pray you while from hence I commend one lesson vnto you It is this For the sinnes of a people God will make the top of their Carmel to wither I speake it more plainly For the sinnes of a people God will make their best grounds to yeeld them little or no profit For proofe of this point you will bee pleased to heare the euidence of the holy Spirit giuen in the word of life Deut. 28.20 Thus saith the Lord because of the wickednesse of thy workes whereby thou hast forsaken mee the Lord shall smite thee with blasting and with mildew the Heauen which is ouer thy head shall bee brasse and the earth that is vnder thee shall bee iron in stead of raine the Lord shall giue thee dust and ashes euen from heauen shall it come downe vpon thee vntill thou be destroyed In the 2 chapter of Hosea and the 5 verse because Israel had plaid the harlot and done shamefully departing from the Lord thus saith the Lord I will take away from Israel my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof wil recouer my wooll my flax which I lent her to couer her shame Marke I beseech you the manner of the Lords speech my corne my wine my wooll my flax they are none of ours they are all the Lords The Lord hath lent them vs to serue our turnes and necessitâ—es if we abuse them to idolatrie or prophanes he will take them from vs recouer them againe vnto himselfe In the 4. Chapter of Hosea and the 3. verse because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land but euery on breaketh out by swearing by lying by killing by stealing by whoring and blood toucheth blood thus saith the Lord the land shall mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of heauen and also the fishes of the sea shal be taken away If so what good then comes to you from Carmel from your best most fruitfull grounds In the 8. chapter of Hosea and the 7. verse because Israel transgressing the couenant of the Lord and trespassing against his law had sowen the wind thus saith the Lord they shall reape the whirlewind it hath no stalke the bud shall bring forth no meale if so be it bring forth the strangers shal deuoure it If so what profit then can we matching Israel in their most grieuous transgressions trespasses expect from Carmel our most fruitfull and pleasant fields The wisest King that euer sacred writ made mention of hath this saying Prou. 13.25 The belly of the wicked shall want True great Solomon The belly of the wicked man shall be emptie His Carmel the very best of his possessions shal yeeld him little profit To make an end of this discourse I would I could write it in your harts what the sweetest singer Psa 107.34 deliuereth vnto you touching this point it is worthy your best remembrance A
wanderer to thine house If thou seest him naked couer him hee is thine owne flesh hide not thy selfe from him Thy liberality will bring thee great aduantage whereof thou wilt not doubt if thou consider the next verse Thy light shall breake forth as the morning thy health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee Seest thou not an heape of blessings one vpon another Looke into the booke of Psalmes In the beginning of the 41. Psalme many a sweet promise is made thee conditionally that thou tender the poore mans case The Lord shall deliuer thee in the time of trouble he shall keepe thee and preserue thee aliue he shall blesse thee vpon the earth he will not deliuer thee to the will of thine enemies he will strengthen thee vpon thy bed of sorrow and will make thy bed all the time of thy sicknesse I might weary you and my selfe in the pursuit of this point Here I stop my course with recommendation of one onely place and that a very remarkable one Prou. 19.17 Hee that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Behold and see how gracious and good the Lord is If you shew pity and compassion vpon the poore God will recompence you to the full yea in the largenesse of his mercies hee will reward you plentifully It was a graue exhortation of a f Tobit to his sonne Tobias cap. 4.7 father to his sonne Giue almes of thy substance and when thou giuest almes let not thine eye be ennious neither turne thy face from any poore lest that God turne his face from thee Giue almes according to thy substance if thou haue but a little be not afraid to giue a little So shalt thou lay vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessity Almes will deliuer thee from death and will not suffer thee to come into the place of darknesse Almes is a good gift before the most high to all them which vse it Vse it I beseech you in the bowels of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Be ye not like Edom in my Text Corrupt not your compassions cast not off all pity suffer ye one with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous doe ye good to all men and faint not great shall be your reward in Heauen This your seruice will be acceptable vnto God God for it will giue you his blessing God will blesse you for the time of your being here and when the day of your dissolution shall be that you must leaue your earthly Tabernacles then will the Sonne of man sitting vpon the throne of his glory welcome you with a Venite Benedicti Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was hungry and ye gaue me meat I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited mee I was in prison and ye came vnto me In as much as ye haue done these things to the needy and distressed ye haue done them vnto me Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world THE Seuenteenth Lecture AMOS 1.11 12. And his anger spoiled him euermore and his wrath watched him alway Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah IN my last Lecture I began the exposition of the third part of this Prophecie which is a declaration of Edoms sins in foure branches The two first I passed ouer the last time The first branch was Hee did pursue his brother with the sword Thereon I grounded this doctrine It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues One vse of this doctrine was a iust reproofe of the want of brotherly loue in these our daies A second vse was an exhortation to brotherly kindnesse The second branch was He did cast off all pity Thereon I grounded this doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God The vse I made of it was to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanity and mercy Which meditation ended I ended that Lecture Now come I to the third branch in the declaration of Edoms sinnes His anger spoiled him euermore or In his anger he spoiled him continually The preposition is not expressed in the originall but is well vnderstood and supplied by some Expositors to this sense Edom furious and angry Edom doth euermore vi apertâ with open violence attempt the spoile of Israel and if open violence preuaile not iâ—tùs simultatem alit within him he fostereth and cherisheth priuy and secret malice such as of old was harboured and setled in old a Gen. 27 41. Esaus heart Edom in his anger spoiled him continually Spoiled him The word in the originall is from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Mercer ferarum proprium est is proper and peculiar to wild beasts and it signifieth Rapere discerpere to spoile rauenously to rent or teare in peeces Thus is Edom compared to some truculent or sauage beast some deuouring Lion some rauenous Wolfe some fierce Beare or the like that hunteth greedily after their prey The comparison is As a Lion a Wolfe a Beare or some other cruell beast hunteth greedily after his prey and when he hath gotten it teareth it in peeces and so deuoureth it so doth Edom he hunteth for his brother as with a snare or net and hauing once enclosed him he throwes him headlong into vtter desolation and this he doth in the bitternesse of his anger In his anger he spoiled him euermore This clause is otherwise rendred by the old Latine Interpreter Et tenuerit vltrà furorem suum Hee possessed his fury beyond measure longer than was meet he should An exposition followed by many of the learned and of late Writers by Brentius and Mercer In Matthews Bible it is well expressed He bore hatred very long the meaning is Hee constantly eagerly obstinately persisted in his anger and held it fast as a sauage beast holdeth fast his prey Both readings this and the former this Hee bore hatred very long and the former In his anger he spoiled his brother euermore both doe appeach and accuse Edom of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger The doctrine which hence I would commend to your Christian considerations is this Euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger I say of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger For there is a good kind of anger an anger praise worthy an anger to be embraced of euery one of you Whereto the Prophet Dauid exhorted the faithfull of his time Psal 4.4 Be angry and sin not And S. Paul his Ephesians Chap. 4.26 Be angry but sin not You
I produce whatsoeuer the Prophets of the Lord haue spoken to the vilifying debasing of Idols This which I haue already deliuered out of Esay and Ieremy and from out the second booke of Kings doth make good the former part of my propounded Doctrine namely that neither Melchom of the Ammonites nor any other Idoll of any other people can saue themselues in the day of captiuity Can they not saue themselues in the day of captiuity Much lesse can they saue the people that doe trust in them and worship them which was the second part of my Doctrine And it is pregnantly confirmed out of the 46. Chapter of the Prophecy of Esay vers 7. where the Prophet out of his zeale for the Lord of Hosts against Idols and Images assureth all people that though they cry vnto Idols and Images yet can they not answer them nor deliuer them out of their tribulations Ieremy likewise Chap. 11.12 le ts the Cities of Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem to vnderstand that though they cry vnto their Idols and Images yet they shall not be able to helpe them in time of their trouble Adde hereto what S. Austine saith in his soliloquies or heauenly meditations Chap. 5. An Idoll or an Image its m 1 Cor. 8.4 nothing it hath n Psal 135.16 17. Psal 115.5 6 7. eares and heareth not a nose and smelleth not eyes and seeth not a mouth and speaketh not hands and feeleth not feet and walketh not and all the proportion of members and yet liueth not and what helpe can be expected from such an Idoll such a Nothing My Doctrine stands firme Neither Melchom of the Ammonites nor any other Idoll of any other people can saue themselues in the day of captiuity much lesse can they saue the people that doe trust in them and worship them Now let vs see what vse we may make hereof for our further instruction and benefit First this doctrine serueth to reproue all Papists for their blind superstition in worshipping their Idolls and Images For what doe they make of their Images but meere Idols while they fall downe before them and doe them reuerence with capping with kneeling with knocking with creeping with crossing with kissing with lighting of candles and with other like beggarly trash and trumpery as is yet this day in vse in the Church of Rome with great obseruation The time was when this Church of England subiected it selfe to that of Rome and was drunken with the wine of her fornication Then were the people of this land defiled with Idols No Parish Church but was polluted with Images Then was Gods prouidence and due honour neglected For the cure of diseases not God but Saints were inuocated and sought vnto For the plague o Rainold Idol 1. 6. 7. S. Sebastian for the Pox p Homilies Tom. 2. Serm. 3. against perill of Idolatry F. 8. b. S. Roch for the falling euill S. Cornelius for sore eyes S. Raphael for the toothach S. Apolonia for other crosses and afflictions S. Hippolitus S. Christopher S. Catherine Euery artificer and profession had a speciall Saint as a peculiar God Schollers had S. Nicholas yea and S. Gregory Painters S. Luke Shipmen S. Mary Souldiers wanted not their Mars nor Louers their Venus euen among vs Christians Yea our beasts and cattell had their Gods too S. Loy was the horseleech and S. Anthony the swineheard If sometimes we remembred God yet as if we doubted of his ability and will to helpe we vsed to ioyne to him another helper The young Scholler was wont to begin his learning with God and S. Nicholas be my speed For such as neezed the prayer was God helpe and S. Iohn And for the stumbling horse God and S. Loy saue thee May not now a godly man iustly for zealous indignation cry out O heauen O earth O seas what madnesse and wickednesse against God were our fore-fathers fallen into They tooke delight in the seruice of stocks and stones the workes of their owne hands they worshipped and serued the creature aboue the Creator which is blessed for euer But what profit had they of such their worship Found they any helpe in the day of visitation No Those Images themselues could not helpe themselues and how then could they helpe their worshippers Themselues were broken downe and remoued from out our Churches and their worshippers are remoued with them In their stead the light of the glorious Gospell of God now shineth in our Churches now is superstition exiled and the true seruice of God is come in place and Christ for his mercies sake touch vs and giue vs feeling and make vs thankfull for this so great a blessing Thus haue you the first vse A second followeth It serueth for a reproofe to vs also For though we haue cast off the yoke of Romish superstition and haue kept our selues vnspotted of the adoration and worship of Images yet are wee not free from Idolatry but are many waies stained therewith Whatsoeuer this world hath visible or inuisible outward or inward if it displace God of his right by carrying our heart and hope after it it is our Idoll Thus is gold siluer or our money an Idoll if we make it our hope or say to the wedge thou art my confidence Iob 31.24 In this sense S. Paul Coloss 3.5 calleth couetousnesse Idolatry and Eph. 5.5 he calleth the couetous person an Idolater Thus is our substance an Idoll if as Iob speaketh Chap. 31.25 We reioyce because it is great or because our hand hath gotten much Like those Habak 1.16 Who did sacrifice to their nets and burne Incense to their flues where all they are taxed for Idolaters who because their portion is increased and their meale plenteous by such instruments and helps as they vse in their trades of life doe forget the right author of their wealth and arrogate all to themselues and their seruiceable meanes Thus is our wit and vnderstanding an Idoll when we ascribe vnto them our getting of riches of gold and siluer into our treasures like the Prince of Tyrus Ezech. 28.2 who with this conceit exalted in heart brake out into that most blasphemous challenge I am a God and I sit in the seat of God in the middest of the Sea Such is the Idoll of the Polititians shall I call them or Atheists of this age who take themselues to be wiser than Daniel as the Prince of Tyrus did and are perswaded that Moses and the Prophets are not so able to instruct them as they themselues Thus is our strength an Idoll if we boast of it as Sennacherib did Esay 37.24 who bragged what great matters hee had done by the multitude of his chariots but touching the true Lord of Hosts as if he were lesse than nothing he vaunteth to Hezekiah King of Iudah vers 10. Let not thy God deceiue thee Thus is our belly our God when walking after the lusts of our flesh we serue not the Lord Iesus
whosoeuer thus thinketh of God as he is set forth in these his Negatiue appellations though hereby he cannot altogether find out what God is piè tamen cauet quantum potest aliquid de eo sentire quod non sit saith S. Austine de Trin lib. 3. cap. 1. yet his religious care is to conceiue somewhat of God that he is not You see it is easier for vs to say what God is not then what he is easier for vs to conceiue of him by his Negatiue attributes then by his affirmatiue Yet by his affirmatiue attributes are we brought to some knowledge of God For hereby we know that he is the r Gen. 21.33 euerlasting God the Å¿ Psal 83.18 most high God the t Rom 16.27 onely wise God that he is u Gen. 17.1 omnipotent and x Apoc. 15.4 holy and y Deut. 32.4 iust and z Exod. 34.6 mercifull and gracious and long-suffering and good and true Whatsoeuer is verified of God in either sort of his Attributes Affirmatiue or Negatiue it is all comprised in this one name of God in my text his name Iehovah For this name Iehovah is the name of the Essence of God and whatsoeuer is in God it is his Essence It was one of a De Deo Not. ad Disp 3. p. 209 Vorstius his foule errours to deny the truth of that vulgarly receiued Axiome Nullum omnino in Deo accidens esse It is simply and euery way true There is no accident at all in God God he is primum ens his being is from all eternity he is forma simplex a pure forme no subiect there is nothing in God which is not God there is nothing in God really diuerse from the essence of God there is nothing in God obnoxious to imperfection separation or change therefore it followeth against Vorstius there is no accident at all in God God he iâ— Iehouah hee is absolutely and totally essence Thus saith Iehouah By this name Iehouah we are taught three things First that God of himselfe and through himselfe hath alwayes beene now is and euer shall be So is this name by a Periphrasis expounded Reuel 1.4 Grace be vnto you and peace from him which is which was and which is to come And Reuel 16.5 Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be This exposition of this name Iehouâ—â—h is giuen by b Strâ—mat lib. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus and c In Exod. qu. 15 Epist Diuinorum dogmatum Theodoretus Cyraâ—sis that Iehouah for its signification is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is Secondly we are taught by this name Iehouah that the essence or being of all things created is from God according to that Acts 17.28 In him we liue and moue and haue our being and that Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things Thirdly we are taught by this name Iehouah that God doth giue Esse reale a reall being to his promises threatnings that he is veracissimus and constantissimus most true and most constant in doing whatsoeuer he hath promised or threatned This consideration of this great Name Iehouah may yeeld much comfort to all the Elect of God and his faithfull ones Though they seeme to d Esa 51.17 drinke the dregs of the cup of trembling a Rom. 8.35 36 and to be euen swallowed vp of c tribulation of distresse of persecution of famine of nakednesse of perill of the sword though they be as killed all the day long and accounted as sheepe for the slaughter yet heereby they may be well assured that all the good things promised to them in the holy word of God shall in their due time be accomplished For God who hath promised hee is the Lord he is Iehouah Againe this consideration of this great name Iehouah may strike a terror into the hearts of the reprobate and vnbeleeuers They f Psal 73.12 prosper in this world they encrease inriches they haue more then heart can wish their eyes stand out with fatnesse they are clothed with violence as with a garment they are compassed with pride as with a chaine they are not in trouble they are not plagued like other men yet may they heereby bee assured that all the euill threatned to them in the holy word of God shall in due time ouertake them For God who hath threatned hee is the Lord hee is Iehouah Thus saith the Lord Iehouah Sundry other obseruations vpon these very words in so many syllables deliuered fiue times in the first chapter of this book and twice before in this second chapter haue heeretofore been commended to your Christian considerations They are in part published to your view therefore I neede not spend time in repetition of them By this which hath this time beene spoken you see whence this prophesie against Israel hath its authority The authority of it is from the Lord Iehouah whom once to name vnto you should bee enough to procure your most religious attentions Proceede wee therefore to the prophesie it selfe The first thing therein is the Accusation of Israel in a generality For three transgressions of Israel and for foure By Israel heere we are to vnderstand those ten tribes of Israel who after King Salomons death forsooke the Kings sonne Râ—hoboam and subiected themselues to the rule of Iereboam sonne of Nebat Those ten tribes from the time of that rent were commonly called the Kingdome of Israel These in Holy Scripture are called sometime g Hos 10.15 Bethel sometime h Hâ—s 10.5 Bethauen sometime i Amos 3.9 Samaria sometime k Hos 2.22 Iesreel sometime l Amos 5.6 Ioseph sometime m Hos 10.11 Ephraim sometime n Hos 12 2. Iacob sometime o Hos 10.1 Israel Israel is their most common name and their name in my text For three transgressions of Israel and for foure Diuerse are the opinions concerning these foure transgressions of Israel Nicolaus de Lyra saith their first transgression was their p Gen. 37.26 selling of Ioseph the second their q Exod. 32.4 worshipping of the Calfe the third their r 1 King 12.16 forsaking of Dauid the fourth their selling of Christ Paulus de Palatio saith the first transgression was their defection from the house of Dauid and the King of Iudah the second their defection from the worship of God to the worship of Idols the third their defection from the law of Moses which was Gods law the fourth their defection from the law of nature which is the light of Gods countenance sealed in our hearts Å¿ Domini 8. post Trin. Con. 1. Abraham Bronius saith the first of these transgressions was their idolatry the second the slaughter of the Prophets the third the murther of Christ the fourth their contempt They made a trade of transgressing These expositions seeme to bee farre fetched Albertus Magnus findes them neerer hand in the letter of my text
as from a well drawne bow shall they flie to the marke They shall flie to the marke as from a bow therefore are they called the Lords arrowes Psal 18.14 The Lord thundred in the Heauens and the highest gaue his voyce he sent out his arrowes and she shot out lightnings so did shee scatter and discomfit the wicked The like sentence you haue Iob 27.2 where the thunder is called the noyse of this voyce of the Lord and the sound that goeth out of his mouth a Iob 37.4 the voyce of his excellencie the voyce wherwith he thundreth b Vers 5. marueilously This his voyce the thunder he c Vers 3. directeth vnder the whole Heauen and his lightning vnto the ends of the earth The thunder the Creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient So is the Haile so is the water so is the wind These also fight with the Lord against the disobedient Their fight is described Wisd 5.22 Haile-stones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone-bow against the wicked and the water of the sea shall rage against them and the flouds shall cruelly drowne them Yea a mightie wind shall stand vp against them like a storme shall blow them away Haile It was one of the great plagues of Egypt Exod. 9.23 Haile with Thunder and fire mingled with haile a very grieuous haile was vpon the land of Egypt it smote all that was in the field d Exod. 9.25 both man and beast it smote euery herbe of the field and brake euâ—ry tree thereof With Haile stones the Lord fought for Iosuah when he went vp to the rescue of Gibeon against the fiue Kings of the Amorites Iosh 10.11 The enemies were discomfited and a great slaughter was made of them yet more died with e Ecclus 46.6 hailestones then were slaine with the sword The Lord hath a treasurie of Haile for the time of his battailes You may read of it in the Booke of Iob chap. 38.22 There the Lord thus questioneth with Iob Hast thou seene the treasures of the haile which I haue reserued against the time of trouble against the day of battaile and warre I could yet farâ—her tell you out of the Reuelation of S. Iohn chap. 16.21 of a Haile a great Haile that fell from out of Heauen vpon men euery stone thereof was about the weight of a Talent and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the Haile for the plague thereof was exceeding great But I haue said enough to proue that the Haile the creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient From the Haile come we to the Water Of the fifteene signes that shall be before the last Iudgement and are by f Jâ— 4. Sent. Dâ—â— 48. Dub. 3. Bonauenture Holkot g In â—undem Dâ—â—â— qu. 3. Richardus de Mediâ Villâ and h â—orinus câ—m in Sup. 5.23 others cited out of S. Hierome though Eusebius Emissenus in his Sermon vpon the second Dominical of Advent citeth them out of the Annales of the Iewes the first is that the Sea shall swell fifteene Cubites high aboue the tops of mountaines and shall not runne backe but there consist like vnto walles For the truth whereof I can say nothing But thus much Christ telleth vs Luk. 21.25 that before that great day the Sea and waues shall roare Granatensis in his exercises thus meditateth vpon the words Most of all other elements the Sea shall at that time shew greatest rage and fury and the waues thereof shall be so high and so furious that many shall thinke they will vtterly ouerwhelme the whole earth Such as dwell by the Sea-side shall be in great dread and terror for the incredible and vnusuall swelling and eleuation of the waters and such as dwell farther off shall bee wonderfully affrayd and euen astonished at the horrible roaring and noyse of the waues which shall be so extreamely outragious that they shall be heard for many a myle off But what speake I now of waters that shall be hereafter There was a floud of waters in the dayes of Noah that preuailed vpon the earth for an hundred and fiftie dayes together you all know it Gen. 7.24 The Waters then preuailed against man for the sinne of man the fruit of his disobedience And they shall againe preuaile if Gods pleasure be such and the disobedience of man shall so require For the Almightie he who shut vp the Sea with dores when it brake forth as a child issueth forth of his mothers wombe as Iob speaketh chap. 38.8 and made the clouds to be a couering for it and swadled it with a band of thicke darknesse and established his decree vpon it and set barres and dores vnto it and said Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud Waues be stayed he the Almightie can easily vnbarre those dores and let the waters loose to fight his battells Hereof we haue had a late woefull and lamentable experience i See my twentith Lecture vpon Amos 2.14 pag. 241. The woefull newes and report of flouds in this Countrey of ours nine yeares since may hereof be your remembrancers It shall euer stand for good that the water the creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient The wind is next The wind The Lord bloweth it out of his mouth Iob 37.10 it is called the breath of his mouth Iob 15.30 he bringeth them out of his k Ierem. 10.13 treasuries Psal 135.7 He flyeth vpon the wings thereof Psal 18.10 and walketh vpon the wings thereof Psal 104.3 He weigheth the windes Iob 28.25 He l Mark 4.39 Luk. 8.24 rebuketh the winds Matth. 8.26 he commandeth the winds and they obey him Luk. 8.25 Memorable was the victorie of the Emperour Theodosius against the traytor and rebell Eugenius Eugenius was like to haue had the vpper hand It pleased the Almightie vpon the prayers which the Emperour made vnto him for ayde and assistance to worke a strange act He sent a Wind to take part with the Emperour It was a most vnusuall and mightie Winde It blew with such force and violence that it brake the array of Eugenius his souldiers did beate back their arrowes their darts and their iauelings vpon themselues did strike their targets out of their hands did bring vpon them incredible abundance of dust and filth and dâ—d driue the arrowes of the Emperours side with such forcible flight against them that they soone gaue the field for lost The storie is Ecclesiasticall written by Socrates lib. 5. cap. 24. by Theodorite lib. 5. cap. 24. by Sozomene lib 7. cap. 24. by Nicephorus lib. 12. cap. 39. and recounted by Cassiodore in his Tripartite lib. 9. cap. 45. and by Claudian the Poet in his Panegyricke to Honorius I could here tell you how the windes fought for vs
properly signifieth to forbid as vpon this place the learned Parisian Professor of the Hebrew tongue Mercer hath obserued So shall the words sound thus You vnthankfull Iâ—raelites you to whom I haue raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets you haue taken vpon you authoritie ouer my Prophets to forbid them to prophesie in my name and to threaten them if they obey you not that it shall fare the worse with them With this exposition agreeth that of Calvin whose note is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in my text signifieth Praecipere vel iubere to giue in charge to will or to command vel statuere quùm intercedit publica autoritas to appoint or to ordaine by publike autoritie Hereto assenteth Petrus Lusitanus By the word mandabatis or praecipiebatis which in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee vnderstandeth edicta publica publike edicts or proclamations against such as should dare to preach true doctrine vnto the people So shall the words sound thus You vnthankfull Israelites you to whom I haue raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets you haue not onely in secret corners in your priuate conventicles murmured against repined at or cryed out vpon my Prophets but also by publike order and proclamation you haue enioyned them silence Yee commanded the Prophets saying Prophesie not The Prophets What Prophets We are to distinguish betwixt the Priests of the Sanctuarie and Ieroboams priests betweene Starres in the right hand of Christ fixed in their stations and planets of an vncertaine motion betweene shepheards and hirelings There was an Aaron and there was an Abiram there was a Simon Peter and there was a Simon Magus there was a Iude and there was a Iudas Not euery one that calls himselfe a Prophet is by and by a Prophet for euen the woman Iezebel calleth herselfe a Prophetessâ— Revel 2.20 Baal had his foure hundred and fiftie Prophets not one of them a true Prophet all of them against Elias the Prophet of the Lord 1. Kin. 18.22 Ahab had his foure hundred Prophets not one of them a true Prophet all of them against Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord 1. King 22 6. Against such intruders seducers and lying Prophets we are armed with an admonition from the Lord Ierem. 23.16 There thus saith the Lord of Hosts Hearken not vnto the words of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you they make you vaine they speake a vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. In this ranke of seducers and lying Prophets I place those vpholders of the man of sinne Priests Iesuites who from the Seminaries beyond the Seas come ouer hither into this our Country here to sowe the seeds of disloyaltie and blinde superstition in the hearts of the people God hath not sent them yet they runne God hath not spoken to them yet they prophecie as Ieremie speaketh of the false Prophets in his dayes chap. 23.21 They prophecie lyes in the Lords name and cry I haue dreamed I haue dreamed vers 25. Dreames they haue but what truth what true vision I answer in the words of Ieremie chap. 14.14 They prophecie vnto you a false vision a divination a thing of naught and the deceit of their owne hearts Their sweet tongues vtter vnto you as deadly poyson as is a Deut. 32.33 the poyson of Dragons or the venome of Aspes They will allure you with plausible notes of Peace Peace But take heede you can expect no peace from them No peace either to the weale publicke or to the priuate conscience of any man Not to the weale publicke for their conspiracies are nefarious and bloody Not to the priuate conscience of any man for to be reconciled to that vnsound Church of theirs the Church of Rome to partake of their formall and counterfeit absolution of sinnes to heare and see their histrionicall Masses to visit the shrines reliques of the dead to say a number of Pater-Nosters or Ave-Maries vpon beads to invocate Saints to adore Images can these or any such forgeries yeeld any peace to a distressed conscience No they cannot Yet care not these false teachers and seducers so they may with such their vntempered morter of vnwritten traditions dawbe vp the walls of their Antichristian synagogue Now will you know what shall be the portion of such intruders seducers and lying Prophets Ieremie will tell you chap. 23. that the Lord is b Ierem. 23.30 31 32. against them that the c v rs 19. whirlewinde of the Lord is gone forth against them in a furie euen a grieuous whiâ—lewinde which shall fall vpon them grieuously that the d vers 20. anger of the Lord shall not returne vntill it haue executed his will vpon them that the Lord will bring vpon them an e vers 40. euerlasting reproch and a perpetuall shame Their cup is tempered with no lesse gall and bitternesse by the Prophet Ezechiel chap. 13. There for following f Ezech. 13.3 their own spirit for resembling g vers 4. the foxes in the deserts for neglecting h vers 5. to goe vp into the gap to make vp the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battel in the day of the Lord for seeing i vers 6 7. vaine visions for speaking lying diuinations for building and k vers 10. dawbing vp walls with vntempered morter they are accursed Their curse what for the head thereof and for the foote is full of vnhappinesse It entreth with a Vae prophâ—tis insipientibus woe vnto the foolish Prophets vers 3. and it bids farewell with an Anathema with a cursed excommunication vers 8 9. I am against you saith the Lord God Mine hand shall be vpon you yee shall not be in the assembly of my people yee shall not be written in the writing of the house of Israel ye shall not enter into the land of Israel A heauy sentence Will you haue the plaine meaning of it It s thus The Lord is against all false Prophets He will come vnto battell and will fight against the wicked crue euen with that sharpe two edged sword which proceedeth out of his mouth His hand shall be vpon them for their destruction and ruine They shall not be of the number of Gods elect They shall l Psal 69.28 be blotted out of the booke of the liuing and not be written with the righteous They shall neuer enter into that Celestiall Hierusalem which is aboue and is the habitation of the blessed You haue heard in generall of Prophets true and false I should now speake somewhat more distinctly There are two sorts of false Prophets Some haue no calling at all some haue a calling but without efficacie Of the first sort were these Priests in Iudah who were neither chosen by man nor called of God of whom the Lord complaineth Ierem. 14 14. m Ierem. 14.15 27.15 29.8 9. I sent them not neither haue I commanded them neither
spake I vnto them yet they prophecie and chap. 23.21 I sent them not yet they ranne I spake not to them yet they prophecied Of the second sort were those Prophets in Israel whom men chose but God called not Of such some would haue these words Hos 9.8 to be vnderstood The Prophet is the snare of a fowler in all his wayes and hatred in the house of his God In opposition to these there are of true Prophets two sorts also Both of them are lawfully called to their holy function some by God alone some by God and man The holy Prophets in the Old Testament and the blessed Apostles in the New had their calling from God alone but Timothie Titus and the seauen Deacons and the residue of religious and godly Doctors and Pastors of the Church had and haue their calling both from God and man This distinction thus giuen it is now easie to define who the Prophets are that are meant in my text They are true Prophets such as had their calling immediatly from God and from him alone euen those holy men of God who liued in the time of the old Testament some of which had the honour to be the blessed pen-men thereof Such were the Prophets whom the Israelites commanded saying Prophecie not Prophecie not Speake not any more vnto vs in the name of the Lord. What No more Can there be any one so execrably audacious as vtterly to forbid the passage of the word of God any forhead so brasen as simply and precisely to reiect it It s not to be imagined The most wicked dare not doe it Yet would they by their wills haue lesse libertie of speach permitted to Gods Prophets Ministers and seruants they would haue their tongues somewhat tied that they might not by their crying out against sins vex and gall their seared consciences Hitherto we haue taken a view of the words It followeth that we examine the matter conteined in them Yee commanded the Prophets saying Prophecie not Hoc nimirum erat saith Rupertus non solum loqui sed etiam agere contra Spiritum Sanctum qui loquebatur per os Prophetarum This indeed were not onely to speake against but also to doe against the holy Ghost who spake by the mouth of the Prophets He noteth the disordered and franticke humour that was in the people of Israel to vilitie and neglect those Prophets and teachers which the Lord out of the abundance of his mercie had sent vnto them to be their guides and directors in the way of true pietie and religion The lesson we are to take from hence I giue in this proposition The wicked are euermore in a readinesse to doe all the disgrace and despite they can to the true Prophets of the Lord and his Ministers This truth grounded vpon my text and thereby sufficiently warranted may further be illustrated by other places of this volume of the Booke of God In the seauenth Chapter of this Prophecie we see what course entertainment our Prophet Amos receiueth from Amaziah a Priest of Bethel He there forbids Amos to prophecie any more in the kingdome of the tenne Tribes and aduiseth him to get him away by flight to the kingdome of Iudah where the Lords prophets were better welcome and more regarded and tells him that in Israel they needed no such Prophets nor cared for them nor would suffer them to preach so plainely to their King Ieroboam Will you haue Amaziahâ— owne words vnto Amos They are in the twelfth and thirteenth verses O thou Seer for he that is now n 1. Sam 9 9. called a Prophet was before time called a Seer O thou Seer goe flee thee away into the land of Iudah and there eate bread and Prophecie there But Prophecie not againe any more at Bethel For it is the Kings Chappell and it is the kings Court Was the entertainement of the Prophet Ieremie found in Ierusalem any whit better Not a whit In the 18. chapter of his Prophecie vers 18 I find the men of Iudah plotting against him Come say they let vs deuise deuises against Ieremiah Come and let vs smite him with the tongue and let vs not giue heed to any of his words In the 30. Chapter ver 2. I find him smitten and put in the stockes by Pashur the chiefe gouernor of the Lords house In the 26. Chapter vers 8. I see him againe apprehended threatned with death and arraigned In the 33. chapter vers 1. I see him shut vp in the Court of the prison In the 38. Chapter vers 6. I find him let downe with cords into a miry and dirtie dungeon And all this befell him because he prophecied in the name of the Lord. The vsage of Micaiah the Prophet is likewise memorable King Ahab K. of Israell o 2. Chro. 18.7 hateth him 1. King 22.8 Zedekiah p Vers 23. smiteth him on the cheeke vers 24. and Amon the gouernour of the Citie is commanded to put him q Vers 26. in prison and to feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction vers 27. There was a Seer a Prophet called r 2. Chro. 16.7 Anani He had a message from the Lord to Asa King of Iudah and did faithfully deliuer it But for so doing the King was in a rage with him and put him in a prison-house 2. Chron. 16.10 As ill affected to the Prophets of the Lord were the people of Iudah for the most part of them And therefore is Esay chapter 30.8 commanded to write it in a table and to note it in a Booke that it might be for the time to come for euer and euer an euidence against that people that they were a rebellious people lying children children that would not heare the Law of the Lord such as blushed not to say to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophecie not vnto vs right things but if you will needs be Seeing or Prophecying or Preaching or speaking vnto vs then speake vnto vs smooth things Prophecie deceits Get you out of the way turne aside out of the path cause the Holy one of Israel to cease from before vs. Strange that there should be in the people of the Lord such contempt such a detestation of the Prophets of the Lord But you see the lot of Gods Prophets vnder the old Testament Were they more regarded in the time of the New It seemes not For it could not but fall out with them according to that prediction of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 23.34 Behold saith he I send vnto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and some of them yee shall kill and Crucifie and some of them shall yee scourge in your Synagogues and persecute them from citie to citie According to this prediction it came to passe Some they killed They killed Å¿ Euseb Histor Eccles lib. 2. ca. 9 Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword Act. 12.2 Some they crucified They crucified Christ himselfe the Lord of
after time as Esay speaketh Chap. 42.23 It is to marke and vnderstand and remember and beleeue and follow that which you heare This duty of hearing as we should we shall the better performe if as Moses at the commandement of the Lord did put off his shoâ—es the shooes from off his feet because the place wherein be stood was h ly ground Exod. 3.5 so shall we as oft as we come to this or the like holy place the House of God to heare his Word read and preached vnto vs put off our shooes too not our shooes from off our feet but our much fouler shooes our lusts our thoughts our cares our fancies our businesses euen all that corruption and sinne wherewith in this life we are clogged which as the dust to the shooe and the sh oe to the foot cleaues fast to vs. If thus prepared we come to heare the Word of God wee shall be sure of a blessing When the woman said to Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Christ replyed Luk. 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it By this his reply he sheweth that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him than his Mother for bearing him Yet hereby hee denieth not his Mother to haue beene blessed euen for bearing him but insinuates onely that she was more blessed in being his childe than in being his Mother Saint Austine De Sancta Virginitate cap. 3. well expresseth it Beatior percipiende fidem Christi quà m concipiendo carnem Christi The blessed Virgin the Mother of Christ was more blessed by receiuing the faith of Christ then by conceiuing the flesh of Christ Christ said vnto his Disciples Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your eares for you heare shewing that they were more blessed than all the world besides because they had this one blessing to heare the truth This is the blessing which you come hither for God in the abundance of his goodnesse brings it home vnto you And well may you call it a blessing For the word which we bring vnto you is verbum regni Mat. 13.19 The word of a Kingdome it brings a Kingdome with it It is verbum vitae Ioh. 6.68 the word of life it brings life with it It is not onely a word of authority to command and bind the conscience nor onely a word of wisdome to direct you nor onely a word of power to conuert you nor onely a word of grace to comfort and vphold you but the word of a neuer-fading Kingdome and of eternall life to make you perfectly and for euer blessed Thus farre hath my first Doctrine carried mee The Doctrine was deliuered in these words The word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkened vnto It was grounded vpon the first branch of my Text wherein is contained the first perswasory argument of attention drawne from the authority of the word to be hearkned vnto Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you The next argument of perswasion to enforce attention in the hearer is drawne from the persons of them who are here inuited to giue eare They are Filty Israel the children the sonnes the posterity of Israel a people descended from the holy Patriarke Iacob chosen aboue all other nations to bee Gods peculiar people with whom God had made a couenant and had on his part most absolutely performed it preseruing them from their enemies and multiplying vpon them all his benefits So graciously did God deale with these sonnes of Israel not onely whilst they loued him kept their coniugall faith with him and serued him according to his word but euen then too when they had despised him and forsaken him had violated their faith with him and committed spirituall whoredome with false gods Yet when those their impieties disobediences and rebellions were growne to the height God was resolued to come against them in iudgement and to punish them This his resolution appeareth in the many menaces and threats which from time to time the Lord sent vnto them by his holy Prophets One of which is in my Text Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel Against you to punish you O children of Israel euen you My obseruation here is God will not spare to smite his dearest children when they sinne against him One reason hereof may bee that the Lord may declare himselfe an aduersary to sinne in all men without partiality A second is that the Lord may reduce his children from running on headlong to perdition with the wicked And the vses may be two One to teach vs to magnifie the righteousnesse of God as generally in all his workes so particularly in the afflictions of his people The other to admonish vs that we looke not for any certaine earthly peace though we are by faith the children of Israel but that we prepare our selues for a continuall succession of crosses and calamities The third argument of perswasion to moue attention in these children of Israel is taken from the commemoration of their greatest deliuerance their deliuerance out of Aegypt Heare this w rd that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt My obseruation is The temporall benefits and manifold deliuerances which the Lord bestoweth vpon his people are euer to be had in remembrance and in thankefull acknowledgement This very doctrine for the substance of it I haue heretofore in your hearing propounded and proued in my fifteenth Lecture vpon the second chapter of this booke occasioned thereunto by the tenth verse wherein this great deliuerance out of Aegypt is mentioned I will not therefore at this time stand to inlarge it Onely let me now tell you that this deliuery of the Israelites out of Aegypt is not appropriate onely vnto them but that in some sort it appertaineth to the Church of God in all ages for as much as it was a type of a more surpassing deliuery from that fearefull Kingdome of sinne and darknesse It appertaineth euen vnto vs whom God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy through the precious bloud of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus hath deliuered from this spirituall Aegypt the Kingdome of sinne and darknesse and will in his good time giue vs safe passage from hence to that heauenly Canaan the true Country and Inheritance of all Saints Whither most gracious God vouchsafe to bring vs all Amen THE Second Lecture AMOS 3.2 You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities THis second verse is the second part of Amos his second Sermon concerning the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It is the proposition and containeth the very substance of the whole Sermon which is to let the Israelites vnderstand that for as much as the Lord hath beene good vnto them aboue all the Nations of the
all that passed by The Pirat freely and stoutly replyed Quid tibi vt orbem terrarum Nay what meane you Alexander to be so troublesome to rob all the world What I doe I doe it but with one ship Et latro vocor and must be called a theefe you doe the like with a fleet with a number of ships and you must be called Emperour The onely difference betweene vs is I rob out of necessity to supply my wants you out of your vnmeasurable couetousnesse Of Magistrates in Courts of Iustice if they be corrupt Saint Cyprian Ep. 2. ad Donatum giues this censure Qui sedet crimina vindicaturus admittit vt reus innocens pereat fit nocens judex It is significantly Englished by Democritus Iunior See a Lambe executed and a Wolfe pronounce sentence Latro arraigned and Fur sit on the bench the Iudge seuerely punish others and doe worse himselfe Such Iudges may iustly be noted for men of violence and robbery But my speech is not to such for they heare me not It is to you beloued Shall I say that among you there are men of violence and robbery I auow it not yet flatter not your selues He that filcheth or pilfereth the least pinne Mark 10.19 point or sticke of wood from his neighbour Prou. 22.18 he that moueth ancient bounds the ancient bounds which his fathers haue made with a purpose to encroach vpon his neighbours land hee that stealeth another mans wife childe or seruant 1 Tim. 1.10 Ios 7.19 hee that committeth sacrilege in detaining the rights of the Church he that transgresseth thus or thus he may goe for a man of violence and robbery Dearely beloued if any of you hath beene ouertaken with these or the like transgressions looke into your owne hearts examine your selues in what measure you haue or doe transgresse For we must not feare to tell you you doe offend And if your conscience tell you your offence is great runne not headlong into Hell without returning De Conuers cap. 1. Vita non est nisi in Conuersione saith Saint Bernard There is no hope of life but by turning to the Lord. And your turning to the Lord must bee by true and vnfained repentance So turne vnto him and if thou be a Publican thou maist become an Euangelist if a blasphemer an Apostle if a theefe and robber a possessor of Paradise And so much be spoken of my second part the speciall amplification of cruelty and couetousnesse the sinnes of Samaria taken from their violence and robberies treasured vp in their palaces My third part is the ratification of the whole accusation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neum Iehouah the Lord hath said it They know not to doe right saith the Lord who store vp violence and robbery in their palaceâ— Saith the Lord. See the Lord â—s not idle in the Heauens as some imagine but takes notice of what is done here below He beholdeth the great tumults that are in Samaria and the oppressions there their violence and robberies he beholdeth My obseruation here shall be that Iob 34.21 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the waies of man and he seeth all his goings He seeth all He seeth our sinnes in the booke of Eternity before our owne hearts conceiued them He seeth our sinnes in our hearts as soone as our inuentions haue giuen them forme He sâ—eth our sinnes in action on the Theater of this earth quite through the scene of our liues and hee seeth them to our paine when his wrathful eye takes notice of them and his hand is lift vp to punish them He seeth them all There is nothing so secret nothing so abstracted from the senses of men Vt creatoris aut lateat cognitionem aut effugiat potestatem that it may either lurke from the eye or escape the hand of God August de Ciuit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 20. As plaine is that Iob 34 22. There is no darknesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues The Powder-traitors in the mine and Celler were not vnseene to the reuenging eye of God The villaines of the cloisters were all naked vnto him As darke as their Vaults were his all-seeing eye descried their filthinesse and laid waste their habitations The obscurity of their Cells and Dorters the thicknesse of their walls the closenesse of their Windowes with the cloake of a strict profession couering all could not hide their sinnes from the eye of Heauen Nor can our sins be hid though done with greatest secrecy Sinne as closely as thou canst there will bee witnesses of thy sinne Videt te angelus malus videt te angelus bonus videt bonis malis major angelis Deus Bernard de conuers ad Clericos cap. 16. The bad angell sees thee and the good sees thee and he that is better than the Angels farre aboue all principalities and powers God Almighty he sees thee Wherefore dearely beloued let our conuersation with men be as in the sight of God And sith in this mortality we cannot but sinne let vs endeuour to see our sinnes to know them to confesse them to bewaile them and cry we to God to giue vs grace to lay hold vpon Iesus Christ his Sonne that beleeuing we may be saued by his righteousnesse Good God pardon our sinnes giue vs faith change our liues to the better for thy blessed name and mercies sake euen for Iesus Christ his sake Amen THE Thirteenth Lecture AMOS 3.11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and hee shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled THis third part of this third Chapter but second Sermon of Amos to the kingdome of the ten Tribes I stiled an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Exornation pertaining to the proposition deliuered in the second verse It amplifieth the iniquitie of the Israelites from the testification of forren nations as thus You you of Israel your sinnes are so notorious so grosse so palpable that very strangers Philistines and Aegyptians may take notice of them Sith you of your selues are not touched with a conscience of your euill deeds them the Philistines and Aegyptians I call as witnesses and Iudges of your impurity and vncleannesse It is the scope of this passage The passage consisteth of two parts An Accusation vers 9 10. A Commination vers 11. In the ninth verse a part of the Accusation two things haue beene obserued An Iniunction for a Proclamation Publish in the palaces at Ashdod and in the palaces in the Land of Aegypt and say The Proclamation it selfe Assemble your selues vpon the Mountaines of Samaria and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof and the oppressed in the midst thereof In the Proclamation two sinnes were controuled Cruelty and Couetousnesse Their Cruelty in their great tumults their Couetousnesse in their oppressions In the tenth verse the other part of the Accusation those two enormities
the children of Israel be taken out of the hands of Salmanassar The things compared are First a Lion and Salmanassar King of Assyria Secondly a Sheepe and the Children of Israel Thirdly some fragments of a deuoured sheepe two legs or a peece of an eare and the small number of the Israelites that should escape These Israelites are here described ab ipsorum securitate from their security or lacke of care They liue nicely aâ—d delicately in all pleasure and delight full of confidence that no euill shall at any time touch them They dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch Samaria and Damascus Cities of strength and fortification were vnto the Israelites as their beds of repose and rest They thought themselues safe and out of danger by the aid and succour of Ciâ—ies so well fenced but were deceiued For thus saith the Lord As the Shepheard taketh out of the mouth of the Lion two legs or a peece of an eare so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch Such is the diuision of this Text. I now descend to a speciall handling of the parts The first is the Introduction to the Similitude Thus saith the Lord. This Introduction I heretofore copiously handled I met with it in the first Chapter of this booke fiue times Vers 3 6 9 11 13. Vers 1 4 6. in the second thrice and once before in this and therefore the lesse need is there that now I insist vpon it Yet may I not leaue it vnsaluted sith our Prophet here repeateth it And he repeateth it to iustifie his calling to shew that albeit he formerly liued the life of a Shepheard yet now he haâ—h his calling to be a Prophet from the Lord Iehouah Whence my obseruation is It is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him ministeriall function in the Church without assurance of calling from God This truth is by the Apostle Hebr. 5.4 thus deliuered No man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was Now that Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated to the Priests office by the authority and appointment of God it is plaine by the eighth Chapter of Leuiticus wherein are set downe the sacrifices and ceremonies vsed at the Consecration together with the place and time thereof Thereby it appeareth that the office of holy Priest-hood was not of man nor from man but God Almighty did first institute and ordaine it by his owne expresse commandement Then being ordained he confirmed the honour and reputation of it by that great miracle of the budding of Aarons rod Num. 17.8 The rod of Aaron for the house of Leui brought forth buds and bloomed blossomes and yeelded Almonds Thus was the institution of holy Priesthood from God alone This honour the holy men of God of old time tooke not to themselues Nor Esay nor Ieremy nor Ezechiel nor any of the residue tooke this honour to themselues but were all called of God and in the name of God they declared vnto the people his visions and his words which is intimated by those passages very obuious in the writings of the Prophets as a â—say 1.1 the vision of Esaiah b Cap. 1.1 the vision of Obadiah the burden of Nineueh in the booke of the vision of c Cap. 1.1 Nahum the burden which Habakkuk the Prophet did see the burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachy the word of the Lord which came to Hosea to Ioel to Ionah to Micah to Zephaniah to Haggai to Zachariah d Esay 1.2 The Lord hath spoken e Ierem. 10.1 Heare yee the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord Saith the Lord. By these and the like passages they shew their calling to haue beene from God Not one of them tooke this honour to himselfe Nor did Christ himselfe take this honour to himselfe but with warrant of his Fathers calling For so I reade Heb. 5.5 Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an High Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne to day haue I begotten thee He euen God the Father gaue him this honour And hereunto doth Christ himselfe beare witnesse in all those places of the holy Euangelists wherein he acknowledged himselfe to be * Matth. 10.40 Mark 9.37 Luk. 4.18 43. Ioh. 3.17 34 c. sent of God The holy Apostles of Christ whence had they their calling were they not all openly ordained by Christ himselfe Neuer did any of them execute that office but with protestation that they had their calling from God and therefore their writings beginne Rom. 1.1 Paul a seruant of Iesus Christ called to bee an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father Iames a seruant of God Gal. 1.1 and of the Lord Iesus Christ Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ Cap. 1.1 Iude the seruant of Iesus Christ the reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him to shew vnto his seruant Iohn Thus had Christs Apostles the assurance of their calling from God So had the blessed Euangelists So all those whom Christ gaue vnto his Church for the instruction thereof Ephes 4.11 He gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers It is true that Christ himselfe is the chiefe builder for so he saith Matth. 16.18 Super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam vpon this rocke will I build my Church and he builds it through his holy Spirit yet he doth vse Prophets and Apostles and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers as vnderwork men for this building euen vnto the end of the world And all these haue the assurance of their calling from God Who so hath it not he is not to be vouchsafed the name of Prophet or Apostle or Euangelist or Pastor or Teacher for he is an Intruder And great is the danger of Intrusion Euery Intruder was to be put to death The Law for it is Num. 1.51 Euery stranger that commeth nigh vnto the Tabernacle shall be put to death The stranger any one that is not of the tribe and family of Leui that breaketh into the Leuites function and medleth with holy things beyond his calling he is to bee put to death An example hereof we haue in the Beth-shemites 1 Sam. 6.19 who because they had looked into the Arke of the Lord contrary to the Law were smitten with a great slaughter to the number of fifty thousand and threescore and ten men The like we haue in Vzzah sonne of Abinadab 2 Sam. 6.6 who because he touched the Arke of God contrary to the Law was punished with sudden death and stricken with the immediate hand of God that fell vpon him to the terrour of others and to worke reuerence in the hearts of all men toward the sacred things of his seruice Adde hereto the
made In domo Iacob In the house of Iacob Heare yee and testifie in the house of Iacob saith the Lord God the God of Hosts Vers 13. In the other part which is of the matter to be testified wee may obserue 1. That God is fully resolued to punish Israel for sinne A day there is wherein the Lord will visit the transgression of Israel vpon him Vers 14. 2. That this punishment so resolued vpon by the Lord shall reach vnto their holiest places to their houses of Religion to their Altars in Bethel the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground vers 14. 3. That this punishment shall extend to the palaces the chiefest places of their habitation euen to their demolition and ruine The winter-house shall be smitten so shall the summer-house the houses of Iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end vers 15. 4. The seale and assurance of all and that we haue in the end of this Chapter in two words saith the Lord. In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house and the houses of Iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end Saith the Lord. Thus haue you the diuision of this text the branches are many all obseruable and worthy your attention Order requireth that I begin with the first part which was the mandate for the testification the first branch whereof was of the giuer thereof and that was Hee that might best doe it euen the Lord called here Dominus Iehouih Deus exercituum The Lord God the God of Hosts These names of God haue no small weight They serue to seale the truth of this Prophecie Amos might haue said in briefe Saith the Lord or the Lord God as he had said oft before but not content therewith he now addeth a third title or appellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohei hatzebaoth the God of Sabaoth He is called also Iehouatzebaoth 1 Sam. 4.4 the Lord of Sabaoth In your Te Deum that excellent Canticle of Ambrose and Augustine he is stiled the Lord God of Sabaoth Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth This name of Sabaoth is retained by Saint Paul Rom. 9.29 and he hath it from Esay 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left vs a seed we had beene as Sodoma and made like vnto Gomorrah Saint Iames hath it in his Epistle Chap. 5.4 Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped downe your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth and their cry is entered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the cares of the Lord of Sabaoth There are of the Ancient who haue taken this name Sabaoth for one of the names of God Saint Hierome Epist 136. writing to Marcella of the ten Hebrew names of God saith the fourth is Sabaoth Quartum nomen Dei est Sabaoth quod Septuaginta virtutum Aquila exercituum transtulerunt The fourth name of God in Hebrew is Sabaoth which is by the LXX translated Virtutum by Aquila Exercituum Both words Virtutes and Exercitus signifie the same thing military forces an host or band of armed souldiers Isiodore Bishop of Hispalis Orig. lib. 7. cap. 1. agreeth with Saint Hierome Quartum nomen Dei dicitur Sabaoth Psal 24.10 quod vertitur in Latinum exercituum siue virtutum de quo in Psalmo ab Angelis dicitur Quis est iste Rex gloriae Dominus virtutum The fourth name of God is Sabaoth turne it into Latine it will be Exercitus or Virtutes hosts or bands of armed souldiers whereof the Angels in the Psalme doe speake Who is this King of glory Dominus virtutum the Lord of Hosts he is this King of glory The Author of the Looking-glasse in the ninth Tome of Saint Augustines workes the tenth Chapter of that booke speaketh thus vnto the Lord Tu mitis benigne fortis zelotes Sabaoth inuictissime O thou meeke and gracious strong and iealous and most inuincible Sabaoth Origen Hom. 4. in Esaiam vpon those words of the Song of the Seraphins Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth saith Sabaoth is by Aquila's interpretation Dominus militiarum the Lord of Hosts But in this place he seemeth to be maimed and vnperfect Drusius in his 23. Epist corrects him by adding Adonai vnto Sabaoth thus Adonai Sabaoth is by Aquila's interpretation Dominus exercituum the Lord of Hosts So the meaning is good and is confirmed by Epiphanius lib. 1. haeres 26. Aquila euery where in the old Testament for Adonai Sabaoth hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is Dominus exercituum the Lord of Hosts As for Saint Hierome and Isidore and the Author of the Looking-glasse Drusius is of opinion they were deceiued in taking Sabaoth for a name of God Beleeue me saith he Sabaoth is neuer said of God but it is either Deus Sabaoth or Dominus Sabaoth either the God of Sabaoth or the Lord of Sabaoth And he is in the right For indeed Sabaoth is no name of God nor is it euer found alone if it be spoken of God Elegantly to this purpose saith Epiphanius lib. 1. Haeres 40. against the Archontici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of Sabaoth hath the interpretation of Hosts and therefore the Lord of Sabaoth is the Lord of Hosts It is well knowne to euery one that is conuersant in holy Scripture that the Scripture where it vseth the name of Sabaoth speaketh not after this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabaoth hath said vnto me or Sabaoth hath spoken but thus Dicit Dominus Sabaoth saith the Lord of Sabaoth and that is if you will interpret the Lord of Hosts Saint Ambrose his interpretation of this name Sabaoth I may not well passe by It is Lib. 4. de fide ad Gratianum cap. 1. There vpon those words of the 24. Psalme Dominus Sabaoth ipse est Rex gloriae the Lord of the Sabaoth he is the King of glorie he saith Sabaoth interpretes alicubi Dominum virtutum alicubi Regem alicubi Omnipotentem interpretata sunt Interpreters haue rendred the name of Sabaoth sometime by the Lord of Hosts sometime by the name of King sometime by the name of Almighty But the place is manifestly vicious For Sabaoth no where signifieth a King nor haue Interpreters any where so rendered it To correct that errour Drusius for Regem readeth exercituum and he proues his correction out of Eucherius whose words are Sabaoth exercituum siue virtutum an t vt aliqui volunt omnipotens Sabaoth is for signification as you would say of armies or of hosts or omnipotent Sabaoth is rendred Omnipotent or Almighty by the Septuagint as in other places so in this text of mine