the Patient with the parties punished Now a word or two of the cause of their punishment which is the last circumstance in these words For all your iniquites I will punish you for all your iniquities for all your sins for all not onely originall but also actuall and for all actuall not onely of commission but also of omission not onely of knowledge but also of ignorance not onely of presumption but also of infirmity I will punish you for all your sinnes For all The obseruation is The Lord will not suffer any sinne to escape vnpunished Sinne It is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the impulsiue cause of punishment It plucks downe vengeance from the Maiestie of Heauen It s true of euery sinne euen of the least sinne Cognatum immo innatum omni sceleri scelaris supplicium The wages of sinne is death As the worke is ready so the pay is present Nec aufertur nec differtur If impiety no impunity It s impossible any sinne should be without punishment Impossibl The reasons are two One is taken from the iustice of God It is a part of Gods iustice to punish sinne and therefore he cannot but punish it The other is taken from the truth of God God who is euer true hath threatned to punish sinne and therefore he will not leaue any sinne vnpunished The consideration of this point Beloued should be vnto vs a barre to keepe vs in that we be not too secure too presumptuous of our owne estate We cannot bee ignorant for we haue learned it out of Gods Word that wee haue whole armies of enemies to encounter withall not only out of vs in the world abroad but also within vs lurking within our owne flesh euen our sinnes These sinnes of ours are our cruelest enemies They are euer hurring vs on to punishment Wherefore let vs be at vtter defiance with them and vse wee all holy meanes to get the victory ouer them by the daily exercises of prayer and repentance and by a continuall practise of new obedience to Gods most holy Will according to that measure of grace which wee haue receiued So shall our sinnes all our sinnes lye drowned in the most precious bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ as in a bottomlesse Sea from which they shall neuer be able to rise vp against vs for our hurt THE Third Lecture AMOS 3.3 Can two walke together except they be agreed Will a Lion roare in the Forrest when hee hath no prey Will a young Lion cry out of his dâ—â— If he haue taken nothing Can a bird fall in a snaâ—e vpon the earth where no gin is for him Shall one take vp a snare from the earth and haue taken nothing at all Shall a Trumpet be blowne in the City and the people not be afraid Shall there be euill in a Citie and the Lord hath not done it OF the three parts which heretofore I haue obserued in this third Chapter and second Sermon of Amos concerning the kingdome of the ten Tribes this is the third and is continued from this third verse to the end of this Chapter I termed it an Enarration a Declaration an Exposition an Expolition Call you it as you will Here shall you finde the Proposition whereof you heard in my last Lecture powerfully and elegantly made good The substance of the Proposition was God hauing beene good and gracious to a people if he be repaid with vnthankfulnesse will assuredly visit that people and punish them for all their iniquities For the polishing and adorning hereof we haue here diuers similitudes by diuers Interpreters diuersly expounded I finde among them fiue different expositions Some will haue all these similitudes all six to be brought to proue one and the same thing namely That no euill can befall any citie except the Lord command it Of this exposition Saint Hierome makes mention It is the exposition of Theodoret and Remigius and may runne thus As it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed or that a Lion should roare in the forrest when he hath no prey or that a Lions whelpe should cry out of his den if he haue gotten nothing or that a bird should fall in a snare vpon the earth where no gin is for him or that a Fowler should take vp his snare from the ground before he haue taken somewhat or that the Trumpet should sound an Alarum in the City and the people not feare so it cannot be that there should be any euill any euill of punishment any plague in a Citie except the Lord command it so to be Some there are that expound these similitudes of Gods agreement with his Prophets for the denouncing of some euill that is eminent and neare at hand Lyra Hugo and Dionysius doe so expound them Their exposition runnes thus As it cannot be that two should walke together for the dispatch of a businesse except they be first agreed or that a Lion should roare in the forrest when he hath no prey and so forth of the rest So it cannot be that Gods Prophets should forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them This exposition Christophorus à Castro takes for good because it is said vers 7. of this Chapter Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets By his seruants the Prophets the Lord roareth as a Lion he layeth his snares as a Fowler he soundeth an alarum as with a trumpet and proclaimeth euill to a Citie Others there are that referre these similitudes to the disagreement that is betweene God and Israel Albertus Rupertus and Isidore doe so referre them Their exposition may runne thus as it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed so it cannot be that God should walke with Israel The time indeed was when God walked with his people Israel and Israel with God It was then when they of Israel were desirous to please God to doe his holy will and to depend vpon him But afterward when they forsooke God and betooke themselues to the seruice of strange gods Idoll-gods Deuils it could not be that God should walke any longer with them or they with God No maruell then if vpon this disagreement the Lord by his Prophets doe roare at Israel as a Lion roareth at his prey nor maruell if he lay a snare for them as a Fowler doth for birds no maruell if he sound an alarum as with a Trumpet and proclaime against them There is yet a fourth exposition the exposition of Arias Montanus He vnderstands these similitudes of the disagreement that was betweene the two peoples of Israel and Iudah Notorious was the reuolt of Israel from Iudah notorious the rent of the ten Tribes from the other two By this reuolt or rent of one kingdome were made two the kingdome of Israel and the kingdome of Iudah Here was much a
of actuall sinne Sometimes it s so Then it is so when a man for some particular offence is more and more blinded and depriued of the knowledge of God and his truth So God punished the Gentiles with ignorance Rom. 1.24 Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God therefore God gaue them vp to vncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts to dishonour their owne bodies betweene themselues So they became vaine in their imaginations and professing themselues wise they became fooles And so God punished the wicked among the Thessalonians 2 Thes 2.10 Because they receiued not the truth that they might be saued therefore God did send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies Thus is ignorance the punishment also of actuall sin And now is the first branch of my position cleare Ignorance is a punishment of sinne euermore of Originall and sometimes of Actuall sinne The next branch is Our ignorance of God and his truth is a cause of sinne Aquin. 1. 2. q. 76. art 1. Ignorance is a cause of sinne For whosoeuer knoweth not God he cannot worship God he cannot but serue strange Gods We see that in the Galatians chap. 4.8 who therefore did seruice to them who by nature were not Gods because they knew not the true God Rom. 3.11 The like collection is made from some words in the fourteenth Psalme that therefore men seeke not God because they know him not There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God In both places Saint Paul makes Ignorance to be the mother of superstition and idolatry Men know not God therefore they seeke not God â—quin 1. 2. qu. 84. art 1. 2. but serue strange Gods Thus is ignorance a cause of sinne I say a cause of sinne as one sinne may bee a cause of another And one sinne may be a cause of another diuers waies 1 One sinne is the cause of another in as much as for a sinne committed the grace and presence of the Holy Spirit leaueth and forsaketh vs. It being departed we cannot but runne into foule and filthy sinnes If our stay by which alone we are supported in the way of godlinesse be taken from vs how shall we stand 2 One sinne is the cause of another in as much as God punisheth sinne with sinne as when God gaue vp the Gentiles to their owne hearts lusts to vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues Rom. 1.24 as euen now you heard 3 One sinne is the cause of another in as much as by committing of any sinne we are drawne on againe to doe the like and to ingeminate and double action vpon action vntill at length we make the sinne habituall vnto vs. 4 One sinne is the cause of another in as much as it cannot be that a sinne should be committed without attendants In which sense the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.10 saith of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that Couetousnesse or the loue of money is the root of all euill They that will be rich saith he fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish and noisome lusts which draw men into perdition and destruction for the loue of money is the root of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselues thorow with many sorrowes 5 One sinne is the cause of another in as much as for one the other is committed Pilat for ambition condemned Christ Iudas for money betrayed his Master and Balaam for a like reward cursed Gods people So many waies may one sinne be said to be the cause of another Now our ignorance of God is a cause of sinne the fourth way namely as it is not without attendants You heard euen now that Paul makes it to be the mother of superstition and idolatry I may say it is the mother of all heresies and errors To this purpose Saint Hierome in a proeme of his to the Virgin Eustochium before his Commentaries vpon Esay saith that the ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of Christ If 1 Cor. 1.24 saith he according to the Apostle Paul Christ be the power of God and the wisdome of God and hee that knoweth not the Scriptures knoweth not the power of God nor his wisdome Ignoratio Scripturarum ignoratio Christi est the ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of Christ It is so worthy a saying that it is put into the body of the Canon Law Dist 38. C. Si iuxta Thus much for the second branch of my position wherein I affirmed that Ignorance is a cause of sinne The third branch is Our ignorance of God and his truth is in it selfe sinne Here the Schoolemen doe distinguish Aquin. 1. 2. qu. 76. Art 2. Lombard Sent. lib. 2. dist 22. c. est autem There is one kinde of ignorance in such men as may know and will not another in such as may know and care not a third in such as would know but cannot The first is an ignorance by wilfulnesse the second by negligence the third by necessity The first and second they hold for sinnes the third they excuse yea they deny it to be a sinne To their iudgement concerning the two former kinds we giue our assent It is a malicious sinne a sinne of commission a very heynous sinne when men may know and will not It is a negligent sinne a sinne of omission yet a grieuous sinne when men may know and care not But their opinion touching the third kinde we allow not What if a man would know and cannot is he therefore simply and absolutely excused No he is not It s a truth and all the powers of Hell shall not be able to preuaile against it whosoeuer knoweth not what he ought to know by the Law of God he is holden in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he transgresseth the Law of God And euery transgression of the Law of God is sinne This truth is sealed by the holy Spirit in the mouth of Saint Iohn 1 Epist chap. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euery transgression of the Law is sin The Text of Scripture which they alleage for their opinion is Ioh. 15.22 There saith Christ If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne My answer is These words make nothing for them For Christ by saying so doth not absolutely excuse the Iewes from sinne vpon the condition that they had not beene able to haue heard Christ The excuse which Christ fitteth to them serues onely to excuse them from the greatnesse and grieuousnesse of sinne as if he had thus said If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sin sin that is so grieuous sinne as now they haue since they haue heard me and yet doe continue in their obstinacy refusing to giue assent to the truth which I haue told them from my
may be angry and not sin Christian religion doth not make men to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It makes them not void of passion and senslesse You may be angry But your anger must lie down by and wait vpon reason and vertue as a shepherds dog lyeth by and waiteth vpon his master the comparison is Great * Serm. de Ira Basils As the dog doth so must your anger doe your anger commanded by vertue and reason must accuse barke at and bite vice and all vicious wolues in mans shape Well said the heathen Philosopher in his fourth Academicke that Anger is the whetstone of fortitude if it be tempered and ruled by reason To this purpose speaketh mellifluous Bernard * Ad Guidonem Abbatem de tribus sentibus Ep. 69. Not to be angry when there is a iust cause of anger is to be vnwilling to mend or correct sin This good anger whereof I now speak you may call Indignation or zeale which is nothing else but a iust commotion of anger for the breach of some of Gods commandements as when God his holy Name is reproached or our harmlesse neighbours are vniustly wronged when some grieuous iniury is done either against God or against our innocent neighbours To iustifie you in this anger there are many examples in holy Writ I will make bold to commend a few vnto you Moses a very meeke man b Numb 12.3 aboue all that were vpon the earth was possessed with this indignation and zeale The c Exod. 32.9 stiffe-necked Israelites vpon Moses his long absence from them for he was absent d Exod. 24.18 forty daies and forty nights they made themselues a molten calfe for their God This Idoll they worshipped they offered sacrifice vnto it Hereat Moses his wrath waxed hot In this his wrath the two tables of the testimony which were e Exod. 32.16 Gods worke and Gods own writing were broken in peeces and he caused to be slaine of the people in one day about three thousand men Exod. 32.28 Elias was possessed with this indignation and zeale when he slew of Baals Prophets to the number f 1 King 18.19 of foure hundred and fifty 1 King 18.40 Elizeus was possessed with this indignation and zeale when he cursed the two and forty children torne in peeces by Beares 2 King 2.24 Paul was possessed with this indignation and zeale when he strooke Elimas the Sorcerer with blindnesse Act. 13.11 In a word Christ himselfe was possessed with this indignation and zeale when with a scourge of small cords he draue out of the Temple buyers and sellers with their sheepe and oxen and the mony-changers Ioh. 2.13 You haue seene Moses Elias Elizeus Paul and Christ himselfe angry their anger was a good anger I thus describe it A good anger is a godly and reasonable desire of iust reuenge stirred vp in vs by a true zeale of iustice whereby being displeased as well with our owne sinnes as with other mens wee couet after a lawfull reuenge that thâ— persons may be saued that Gods wrath may be appeased that the Kingdome of Christ and his glory may be promoted My description I thus explicate A good anger is a godly and reasonable desire of iust reuenge stirred vp in vs by a true zeale of iustice I say a true zeale because there is also a false zeale when some men doe pretend Gods glory and indeed intend nothing lesse This true zeale directeth our anger against mens vices not their persons wee must loue the man but be angry at his sinne not at his sinne only but at our owne also wee must detest our owne sinnes as well as other mens and lawfully vindicate as well other mens sinnes as our owne and all this that our selues and others may be saued that Gods wrath may be pacified that the Kingdome of Christ and his glory may be aduanced I will not now examine whether this good anger hath at any time affected your hearts to the beating downe of sin Whether you haue with conniuency patience and silence endured Gods Commandements to be violated his holy Name by vaine and fearefull oathes to be blasphemed the Sabbath to be prophaned parents to be dishonoured murders adulteries or thefts to be committed your neighbours to be wronged and other like sins to be acted whether you haue with conniuency patience and silence endured such foule demeanours which you should in indignation anger and zeale haue reproued and taxed I leaue to the priuate examination of your own hearts Only let me tell you there is a Iudge in Heauen that will one day call you to account for these things My Text now admonisheth me to speak somewhat of euill anger whereof Edom is here accused by the suffrage of Almighty God In his anger he spoiled his brother euermore My doctrine was Euery child of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger My proposition is to be vnderstood of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger Which the Austen of our time learned g Comment in Ephes 4 Zanchites thus describeth Euill anger is an vniust and vnreasonable desire of reuenge stirred vp in vs by a sense of some iniury done vs or through the vice of impatience in vs whereby being displeased at men rather than at their vices we wish vengeance to betide them respecting our owne wilfull lusts only and not at all either the safety of our neighbours or any publike good or the glory of God These species or kinds of this anger according to h Orthodox fid lâ—b 2. c. 16. Damascene are three The first he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you may call it choler it is a hasty anger and of short continuance The second he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you may call it angrinesse it is a more permanent anger of more continuance The third he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you may call it wrath it is a setled anger watching opportunity to worke reuenge These three kinds of anger S. Paul condemneth for euill vnder the names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anger bitternesse and wrath Ephes 4.31 Let all bitternesse anger and wrath be put away from you Our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5.22 admonisheth his Disciples if not of three kinds yet of three degrees of anger 1 Whosoeuer is angry with his brother without cause vnaduisedly he shall be culpable of iudgement 2 Whosoeuer saith vnto his brother Raca he shall be worthy to be punished by the Councell 3 Whosoeuer shall say foole he shall be worthy to be punished with Hell fire The first condenmeth the anger in the heart when a man is inwardly moued and concealeth it The second condemneth the anger in the countenance when a man by his face and gesture is discouered to be angrie The third condemneth the anger in speech when a man by foule and bitter speaking manifesteth himselfe to be angrie You see diuers kindes of
vnto him all laud and praise for suffring vs notwithstanding our manifold sins euery man to dwell d 1 King 4.25 vnder his vine and vnder his fig-tree to liue in our owne land in peace free from all feare of being led into captiuity Thus much of my first vse A second followeth My Doctrine was When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King Will you haue a reason hereof Heare then what Elihu saith Iob 34.19 God accepteth not the persons of Princes he regardeth not the rich more than the poore Hee accepteth no mans person saith S. Paul Gal. 2.6 No mans person Then neither the person of the Priest nor of the King If these sinne like others of the people these shall be punished as well as others and if others bee carried into captiuity these must into captiuity also The vse of this Doctrine is to admonish the great and mighty ones of this world that they presume not to sinne against the Lord as if they were priuiledged by their greatnesse and might No priuiledge can serue their turnes when they must e Iob 21.20 drinke of the wrath of the Almighty Then shall they be as f Iob 21.18 stubble before the wind and as the chaffe that the storme carrieth away Consider this all yee who take your selues to bee mighty among your neighbours ye whom God hath blessed with this worlds good aboue your neighbours Thinke not your wealth or authority can protect you when Gods sore displeasure shall breake out against you for your sinnes but rather let it euer be written in your hearts what is written Wisd 6.6 The mighty shall be mightily tormented And remember what is added in that place He that is Lord ouer all will spare no person neither shall he feare any greatnesse for hee hath made the small and the great and careth for all alike But for the mighty abideth the sorer triall And hence ariseth a third vse It is to minister a word of comfort to the inferiour and poorer sort of people If the mighty shall g Amos 2.6 sell the righteous among you for siluer and the poore for shooes if they h Amos 2.7 gape ouer your heads in the dust of the earth if they i Esa 3.15 grinde your faces if by violence and oppression they k Habak 1.4 compasse you about yet be ye of good comfort God the Iudge of all accepteth no persons He in his good time will auenge your causes be your oppressors neuer so mighty for when he punisheth a land for the sinnes of a people he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King There is a fourth vse of this Doctrine It is to warne vs not to set our hearts vpon the outward things of this world for as much as God will not respect vs for them Neither Priest nor Prince nor King can stand before the displeasure of Almighty God And shall a mighty man shall a rich man stand No. l Psal 68.2 As the smoke vanisheth so shall he be driuen away and as the wax melteth before the fire so shal he perish at the presence of God Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord let vs onely and earnestly seeke after such things as may make vs accepted with God as righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost For whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ hee is acceptable to God saith Saint Paul Rom. 14.18 Thus farre by occasion of my first doctrine which was When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither priest nor prince nor king And it was grounded vpon the first reading of the words of my text â—fter the Hebrew thus Their King shall go into captiuity he and his princes together after the Septuagint thus Their King shall goe into captiuity their priests and Princes likewise I commended vnto you another reading out of the Vulgar Latine Melchom shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together and I told you in the beginning of this exercise what Melchom was I said it was the same with Milchom or Molech or Moloch an abomination of the Ammonites their Idoll their God to whom they yeelded diuine worship and consecrated their children through fire All this I made plaine vnto you out of the sacred Scriptures The Doctrine 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 First they cannot saue themselues Secondly nor them that put their trust in them They cannot saue themselues For what is become of Succoth-benoth the God of Babel of Nergal the God of Cuth of Ashima the God of Hamath of Nibhaz and Tartack the God of the Auins of Adrammelech and Anammelech the God of Sepharvaim Their names indeed remaine vpon record 2 King 17.30 31. but themselues are vanished they are come to nought Hezekiah King of Iudah he who brake in peeces the brazen Serpent which Moses made because his people offered incense to it he put downe those Idoll Gods he tooke away their high places hee brake their images hee cut downe their groues 2 King 18.4 What is become of Ashtoreth the Idoll of the Zidonians of Chemosh the Idoll of the Moabites of Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon Their names indeed remaine vpon record 2 King 23.13 but themselues are vanished they are come to nought Iosiah King of Iudah that good King he put downe those Idoll Gods he brake their images in peeces he cut downe their groues and filled their places with the bones of men 2 King 23.14 I could here repeat vnto you many other Idols and Idoll Gods whose names are particularly recorded in the register of Gods holy Word which also are vanished and come to nought But the time will not suffer me Let it suffice what is spoken in a generality of the Kings of Assyria 2 King 19.18 that they did set on fire the Gods of the Nations Gods And yet set on fire True But they were but Idoll Gods and therefore could not helpe themselues Not helpe themselues Why not The reason is giuen in the same place For they were no Gods an Idoll God is no God they were no Gods but the worke of mans hands euen wood and stone therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them The very same reason is deliuered in the very same words by the Prophet Esay Chap. 37.19 They were no Gods but the worke of mens hands euen wood and stone therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them The holy Prophets are very zealous in Gods cause against those Idols Esay Chap. 41.29 saith They are all vanity their worke is of nothing they are wind they are confusion Ier. Chap. 10.15 saith They are vanity they are the worke of errors in the time of their visitation they shall perish I should weary my selfe and your attention would
32.41 that hee will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance for sinne His soule hateth and abhorreth sinne his law curseth and condemneth sinne his hand smiteth and scourgeth sinne Sinne was his motiue to cast Angels out of Heauen to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne Cities into ashes to ruinate Nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinnefull flesh Sinne made him heretofore to drowne the olde world and sinne will make him hereafter to burne this So true is my doctrine Many sinnes doe prouoke Almighty God to lay his punishments vpon vs. Let vs now make some vse of this doctrine Doe many sinnes cause Almighty God to punish vs First we are hence taught at what time soeuer God shall lay his rod vpon vs to seeke the true cause thereof in our selues Malorum omnium nostrorum causa peccatum est saith S. Austin Serm. 139. de Tempore The cause of all euill is within vs it is sinne within vs. It is impiety to imagine that God will punish vs without a cause Non pateremur nisi mereremur saith that good Father We should not vndergoe any crosse or disturbance vnlesse wee deserued it Wherefore let vs euery one of vs in particular when God commeth neere to vs in iudgement to touch either our estates with want or our callings with disgrace or our bodies with sicknes or our soules with heauines let vs haue recourse to the sinnes within vs which haue deserued this and turne we to the Lord our God Water teares sorrow repentance will better satisfie him pacifie him mooue him alter him then whatsoeuer vengeance or plagues or bloud or death Let vs enter into a due consideration of our corruptions our transgressions our sinnes wherewith as with a heauy burden wee are laden and returne wee to the Lord our God adulterers murtherers idolaters the sacrilegious the ambitious the couetous drunkards railers lyars the blasphemous swearers forswearers all who by any their euill wayes prouoke God to the execution of his iustice must take part in this conuersion Let no man draw backe let not the heinousnesse of our fore-passed sinnes deterre vs or keepe vs from so holy a course I dare affirme with S. Austin Serm. 181. de Tempore Non nocent peccata praeterita si non placent praesentia Sinnes past hurt not if sins present please not Let vs euen now at this present in detestation of sinne resolue to sinne willingly no more and our sinnes past shall neuer hurt vs. O let not this vse slip out of our minds When God his heauy hand is vpon vs in any crosse or tribulation seeke wee out the cause of it in our selues in our sinnes A second vse followeth and it is to stirre vs vp to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did so graciously forbeare those inhabitants of Iudah till by their three transgressions and by their foure they had prouoked God vnto displeasure The holy Scriptures are frequent in proclaiming God to be mercifull and gracious and long-suffering and of great goodnesse Hee cryeth to the foolish Prou. 1.22 O ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnesse He cryeth to the faithlesse Math. 17.17 O generation faithlesse and crooked how long now shall I suffer you He cryeth to Ierusalem Matth. 23.37 O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often What could the Lord haue done more vnto his vineyard then he had done vnto it He dressed it with the best and kindliest husbandry that his heart could inuent as appeareth Esa 5.2 Such carefull dressing could not but deserue fruit This fruit he required not at the first houre but tarried for it the full time euen till the autumne and time of vintage if then it failed did it not deserue to be eaten vp Looke into the 13. of Luke vers 6. There shall you see the Lord wayting three yeeres for the fruit of his fig-tree yea and content that digging and dunging and expectation a fourth yeere may bee bestowed vpon it Doubtlesse God is mercifull and gracious and long suffering and of great goodnesse Heereof Beloued we haue great experience We haue our three transgressions and our foure too as Iudah had Our manifold sinnes our sins of omission and our sinnes of commission our sinnes of ignorance and our sinnes of wilfulnesse our sinnes of infirmity and our sinnes of presumption doe they not day by day impudently and sawcily presse into the presence of Gods Maiesty to procure his vengeance against vs And yet wee must needes confesse it God is good and patient towards vs. Beloued let vs not abuse so great goodnes and patience of our God Though some fall seauen times a day and rise againe though to some sinners it pleaseth God to iterate his sufferance as vpon vs hither to he hath done yet should not we herevpon presume to iterate our misdoings For we well know that Almighty God punished his p Ioh. 8.44 Iâ—d 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 Angels in heauen for one breach q Gen. 3.17 Adam for one morsell r Num. 12.10 Miriam for one slander Å¿ Deut. 32.52 Moses for one angry word t Iosh 7.24 25. Achan for one sacrilege u Esai 35.2 Ezechias for once shewing his treasures to the Embassadors of Babel x 2. ChroÌ„ 35.22 Iosias for once going to warre without asking counsell of the Lord and y Act. 5.5 c. Ananias and Saphira for once lying to the Holy Ghost God is now as able as euer he was euen for one transgression to cut vs of but if he patiently forbeare vs till by three and foure transgressions by our many sinnes we grieue the Holy Spirit of that Sacred Maiestie shall we thinke as some impiously doe that God takes no notice of the sinnes which we commit or cares not for them Far let all such conceit be from any Christian heart Let vs rather confesse the truth that God by such his forbearance doth lead vs to repentance for as much as it is impossible that God should be and not see should see and not regard should regard and not punish should punish and not proportion his punishments to our sinnes I grant that the iustice of God goeth on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slowly and in order but for the most part it recompenseth the slacknes of iudgement with the heauinesse thereof It keepes the rule full well to render for ripe sinnes ripe plagues for great sinnes great plagues for grieuous sins grieuous plagues The rule in the Scholes is thus deliuered Culpam poena sequitur euery sinne hath a due punishment attending it God is without exception iust and therefore Grauitas supplicij grauitatem peccati denotat grieuous punishments wheresoeuer God shall lay them doe argue grieuous sins of those places and persons Let no man then that groaneth vnder any crosse affliction or tribulation complaine of his hard hap or ill fortune all such visitations are from God and for our
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
wayne he is charged with hay Now for him Sub feni onere stridere to skreeke out vnder a load of hay it is nothing else but pondera iniquitates peccantium cum querelâ tolerare with complaint to tolerate the burdens and iniquities of sinfull men This his construction seemes probable to Ribera Probable to him but it is good with Brentius good with Gualter good with Drusius good with Winckelman good with others with Remigius with Albertus with Hugo with Lyra with Dionysius as Castrus hath obserued According to whom the true meaning of my text is as if the Lord should thus haue said Behold O yee Israelites a Aâ—â—s 3.2 you whom onely of all the families of the earth I haue knowne you whom I haue borne b Deut. 1.31 as a man doth beare his sonne you whom I haue carryed in my bosome c Num. 11.12 as a nursing father beareth the sucking Child You once my d Deâ—â— 9.26.29 people and mine inheritance whom I brought forth out of Egypt by my mightie power and by my stretched out arme Behold Behold such hath beene and is your e Deut. 9.29 stubbornnesse such your wickednesse such the multitude of your sinnes that I am f Isa 1.14 weary to beare them Behold I am pressed vnder you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues As many sheaues as much hay or stubble is vnto a cart so are you to me in regard of your sinnes you are so to me so troublesome so grieuous that I euen faint vnder you and am not able any longer to beare you It s a very grieuous complaint and may teach vs thus much that our sinnes are sometimes burdensome and grieuous vnto God It is my doctrine Our sinnes are sometimes burdensome and grieuous vnto God Such were the sinnes of the old world we know it by Gen. 6.5 6. For God saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that euery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely euill continually And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieued him at his heart It repented him and grieued him at his heart Such were the sinnes of Iudah We know it by the first Chapter of the Prophecie of Esai The complaints which God maketh there doe prooue it vers 21. How is the faithfull Citie become an Harlot It was full of iudgement righteousnesse lodged in it but now murtherers Thy siluer is become drosse thy wine is mixt with water Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeues Euery one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards they iudge not the fatherlesse neither doth the cause of the widow come vnto them And verse 14. Your new moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble vnto me I am weary to beare them You see the sins of Iudah were a trouble vnto God he was weary to beare them They were burdensome and grieuous vnto him Such were the sinnes of Israel we know it by the 43. chap. of Esai There verse 24. thus saith the Lord to Israel Thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities What! Was God made to serue with the sinnes of Israel Was he wearied with their iniquities It s more then euident the sonnes of Israel were burdensome and grieuous vnto God Are not the sinnes of the whole world such Are not our sinnes such Sweet Iesus thou knowest they are such The labours the troubles the miseries the griefes the torments which in the dayes of thy flesh from the first houre of thy Natiuitie to the last moment of thy suffering vpon the Crosse thou hast endured for vs are so many demonstrations that our sinnes are such that they are burdensome and grieuous vnto thee Dearely beloued behold we Christ Iesus in the g Phil. 2.7 forme of a seruant laid in a h Luk 2.7 manger exiled i Matth. 2.14 from his countrey k Mat. 13.55 reputed for a Carpenters sonne yea for a l Mark 6.3 carpenter m Mat. 4.2 hungering n Iâ—b 4.7 19.28 thirsting o Iâ—â— 8.23 c. reuiled rayled vpon p 〈◊〉 22.63 shamefully abused and in an agonie q â—eâ—s 44. sweating great drops of bloud we must confesse our sinnes to haue beene the cause of all Behold we his glorious head crowned r Mat. 27.29 with thornes behold we his sweete face Å¿ Mat. 26 67 Mark 14 65. buffetted and spit vpon behold we his harmelesse t Iâ—h 20.20 25 hands distilling forth goare bloud behold we his naked side u â—â—h 19 34 37 pearced through with a sharpe speare behold we his vndefiled feet which neuer stood in the way of sinners dented through with cruell nayles wee must confesse our sinnes to haue beene the cause of all Our sinnes the cause of all â— Esay confesseth it chap. 53.4 Surely He Christ Iesus hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes he was wounded x Esa 53.5 for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed S. Matthew repeats it chap. 8.17 Himselfe tooke our infirmities and bare our sicknesses So doth S Peter 1. Epist chap. 2.24 Christ his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne bodie on the tree by his stripes are we healed S. Paul speakes as plainely Rom. 4.25 Christ was deliuered for our offences and 1. Cor. 15.3 Christ died for our sinnes Our sinnes are the cause of all Christs sufferings Our sinnes the cause of all Christs sufferings It s euen so S. Augustin Meditat. cap. 7. doth thus elegantly deliuer it The sinner offendeth the iust is punished the guiltie transgresseth the innocent is beaten the wicked sinneth the godly is condemned that which the euill deserueth the good suffereth the seruant doth amisse the master maketh amends man committeth sinne and God beareth the punishment So true is my doctrine Our sinnes are sometimes burdensome and grieuous vnto God So burdensome so grieuous as that he is inforced to complaine as here he doth against Israel I am pressed vnder you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues Stands it thus Beloued May our sins be burdensome and grieuous vnto God May they presse him as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues Make we hereof this vse to hate sinne to detest it to flie from it as from the Deuill who is the Author of it Syracides in his Ecclesiasticus chap. 21. to incite vs to the hatred of sinne to the detestation of it and to flie from it compareth sinne to a Serpent to a Lyon to a two edged sword To a Serpent vers 2. Flee from sinne as from the face of a Serpent for it thou commest too neere it it will bite thee To a Lyon in the same verse Flee from sinne as from a Lyon the teeth thereof are as the teeth
are likewise vanished But may he not be accounted of for somewhat that is about him for his riches for his munition and weapons of defence for his honour and the reputation he holdeth in the state wherein thou liuest No no. For what cares the Almightie for these The Psalmist was not ill aduised Psal 146.3 Where he thus aduiseth vs Put not your trust in Princes nor in any sonne of man in whom there is no helpe his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish See man here pictured and drawne forth in liuely colours Put not your trust in Princes not in Princes Why Is not their authoritie and pre-eminence here exceeding great Yes But they are sonnes of men Well Be it so The sonnes of men are creatures not farre inferiour to the Angels True But there is no helpe in them no helpe in them Why so Their breath goeth forth They dye What if they dye Is there no place for them in Heauen among the starres No they returne to their earth there to participate with rottennesse and corruption What if corruption be in their flesh may not their intendments and deuises be canonized and kept for eternitie No they may not For in that very day their thoughts perish their thoughts are as transitorie as their bodies and come to nought And therefore put not your trust in them not in Princes nor in any son of man Wherein then shall we put our trust Euen in the Lord our God To this trust in the Lord we are inuited Psal 118.8 9. It is botter to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in Princes Is one better then the other Why then both may be good and it may be good to put confidence in man Not so You may not take the word better in this place to be so spoken For if you put any confidence in man you rob God of his glory which to doe can neuer be good I therefore thus expound the words It is better by infinite degrees absolutely and simply better to trust in the Lord to trust stedfastly in him alone then to put any confidence any manner of trust or confidence in man of what estate or dignity soeuer he be though he be of the rancke of Princes who haue all the power and authoritie in the world It s euery way better to trust in the Lord then to trust in such euer good to trust in the Lord but neuer good to trust in man Trust we in the Lord and blessed shall we be but cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme the Lord himselfe hath said it Ierem. 17.5 Now therefore O Lord since thou hast from hence taught vs that from the ayd of man there is no safetie to be expected neither from him that is of an expedite and agile bodie nor from the strong man nor from the mightie man nor from the bow-man nor from the swift of foote nor from the horseman nor from the couragious among the mightie nor from any thing else that is in man or about him giue vs grace we beseech thee that in thee alone wee may place all our hope and confidence In thee alone our God and Father of mercies doe we trust and doe thou according to the multitude of thy compassions looke vpon vs. Heare the supplications of vs thy poore seruants liuing far as banished men in a sauage Countrey Protect wee beseech thee and keepe our soules among the many dangers of this mortall life and bring vs by the conduct of thy gracious fauour into that thy sacred habitation and seate of eternall glory Grant this vnto vs most deare Father for thy best beloued Sonne Iesus Christ his sake FINIS A Table of such particulars as are contained in this Commentarie A Abraham his mild speech to Lot 29 Accesse to God 347 No accident in God 114 Adam 287. 360 Adulterie 148 Adulterers 148 Naturall Affection 28 Affliction 254 Alexander the sixth 157 An Altar of earth 169 of stone of Holocausts ibid. There was but one Altar 169 The Altar a tipe of Christ 170 Popish Altars 171 none such in the Primitiue Church ibid. Our Altar now not materiall 172 It is our heart 177 The Ammonites enemies to the people of God 18 Excluded from that Church 18 The Amorite 214 Destroied ibid. Amorites they were tale and strong 226 They were destroied 236 Amos. 307 Amos why he first prophecied against Forreine nations 2. 47 Antaeus 226 Antiochus 149 Antonius Caracalla ibid. Arias 344 Asaphel 343 Aspasia 149 Assurance of our faith 7. Atalanta 343 Atheists denying God and his truth 12 B Men of Base estate comforted 45 Beast worshipped for Gods 247 Beautie 229 Behold 322 Benefits the order of Gods Benefits Not obserued 242 We must remember Gods Benefits 252 The Bible the greatest treasure 54 The Bible must be had ibid. The Bible to be read ibid. Men Blaspheme God 152 Gods name Blasphemed 150 Our Bodies a sacrifice 174 The goods of our Bodies must be offered ibid. The Bond of bloud 28 of christianity ibid The greatest Bond betweene men ibid A Broken spirit 176 D. Bucknham 89 The Buriall of the dead 27 C Cain 360. 361 Camilla 343 A Calumniator 138 A Calumnie ibid. Carioth 33 Cedars 223 They grow high ibid. Cerijoth 33 We haue beene Chastised of God 42 Christ our altar 170 His benefits towards vs. ibid His death and passion ibid A Christian in name 106 A Christian who ibid The Church of God 253 A Citie not safe against God by munition c. 35 Consanguinitie 27 Contempt 64 Contempt of the law of the Lord. 67 Contempt may be a sinne and not 65 Couetousnesse 133 The causes of our Crosses is sinne 60 Crueltie 23. 133 Crueltie against the dead 25 Crueltie displeaseth God 23. 37 D Darius 98. 149 The naturall man in Darknesse 86 Dauid chosen king 230 Dauid George 89 The Day of the Lord. 134. 371 Crueltie towards the Dead 25 Buriall of the Dead 27 Death of 4. sorts 36 Death terrible 37 Death considered in a double respect 38 Death to be feared of whom 39 Death welcome to the penitent 38. 40 Of three things no Definition 112 The Denying of a contrary is somtime an affirmation 70 All must once Die 36. 37 Disobedience 74. 77. 289. 292 Dispensations Popish 155 Doggs thankfull 207 Draw nigh to God 347 A Drunkard 182. 286 described 182 Drunkennes the effects of it ibid c. Our Dwelling houses a blessing vnto vs. 35 E Eagle swifter then Eagles 224 The Edomites descended from Abraham 22 Egypt 345. 250 Where situate 245. The Egyptians superstitious 246 Their Gods ibid. Their crueltie 251 The Israelites brought vp from the land of Egypt 244. 245 Eliab Iesse his eldest sonne 228 liked by Samuell 229. 230 faire of countenance and of goodly stature 229 refused 230 No Escaping from God 342 Etham 255
No Euasion from God 342 The cause of Euill is sinne 60 Extortion 133 God wholy an Eye 105 The Eyes of the Lord behold all things 104 F Faith the power of it 260 Assurance of our Faith 7 Perseuerance in our Faith 8 Faithfull their stedfastnesse and stability 368 Our first parents Fall 10 The Famine of Ierusalem 100 Fathers 83 Our Father 's not simply to be followed in matters of religion 92 The Papists follow their Fathers in religion 93 Fire 34. 97 No Fleeing from God 342. 360 Flee to God 346 The father of a Foole reioyceth not 70 Fornication 149 152 abstaine from fornication 152 name not Fornication ibid. Fornication vnlawfull by the law of nature 153. Fornicators 149 Freedome 253 Fridericke the fourth 94 Fruite 237 G Gentiles their calling 254 Their Gods 247 Giants 234 Glorie only in the Lord. 231 God his counsells 238 all power is his 239 the honour of victories is his 239 is present euery where 344 seeth all things 104. 345 is all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies 218 and in the vpholding his children 218. 219 faithfull in his promises 260 a present helpe 261 What God is 113 No accident in God 114. Gods attributes negatiue 113 Affirmatiue 114 God is vnpartiall 103 Goods externall we must offer vp in sacrifice 173 Goods of the body must be offered 174 Goods of the mind to be offered 176 Goods vnlawfully gotten not fit to be employed in Gods seruice 200 nor in the seruice of Idols ibid. The Gospell of Christ 272 it s the word of saluation ibid the doctrine of peace ibid the doctrine of good things 275 Great personages punished by God 44 Grubenheimer 88 H Haile 295 Hanani 308 Hearers of the word must be attentiue 16 50 A faithfull Heart 178 Our Hearts must not be set on the outward things of this world 45 Heauen 139 Hell 210 Hercules the print of his foot 227 A Horse a vaine thing 366 A Horse described 365 The Horseman 364 Hyperbole 224. 225 I K. Iames. 94 Idoles 80 Idolaters It s a blessing to be freed from them 249 Iehouah 5. 49. 112 Ieremie 307 Iewes their captiuitie 98 their returne from captiuitie ibid The Iewes a stifnecked people 83 The destruction of the Iewes foretold 97 Ierusalem ibid. 107 had faire appellations 99. 107 Afflicted with famine 100 The destruction of Ierusalem 101. 102 the desolation foretold 100 Impiety taken for Impiety by God wheresoeuer he findeth it 104 Like Impieties like punishment 105 Incest 148 Incestuous persons ibid Incestuous mariages 149. 155 Incestuous mariages among the heathen 149 Incontinen 153 Iohn of Leyden 88 Iohn the thirteenth 156 Iohn the three and twentieth 157 Iohannes de Casa ibid. Ionah 360. 362 Iphictus 343 Israel 150 their sinnes 161 their prerogatiues 150 Israels vnthankfulnesse 207. 209 The people of Israel their number when they went out of Egypt 254 Iudah 55 80. 111 The kingdome of Iudah 55. 97 Iudas 2â—â— Iudges admonished 19â— Iudgement beginneth with God children 108 The Iudgement of God exercised vpon great ones 44 The last Iudgement 296 Iulia. 149 Gods Iustice goeth on slowly 62 Iustices admonished 195 K Kerioth 33 Kinred 29 148 L The Law of the Lord. 66 The Law of the Lord not to be contemned 67 It surpasseth all other Lawes 66 A Lie in words 81 in manners ibid in things ibid Lies 81 in the worship of God ibid of two sorts ibid in commerce with men of three sorts ibid An exhortation to Loue. 30 The prayses of christian Loue. ibid Lying downe at meat 162 Lyons thankefull 208 stronger then Lyons 234 Carnall Lusts 159 Fleshly Lusts ibid M Magistrats 195 their dutie ibid Man should be curteous 24 Men of two sorts 39 Martirdome 174 in peace ibid. Martin of Polonia 171 Meanes vsed by God 238 Ministers of the Gospell 272 Their dutie 276. 286 The Ministerie of the word 271 Micaiah 308 Mirraim 246 Moab 18. 32. 36 The Moabites 22 there inhumanitie 19 their pride ibid their crueltie 22 A cruel Mother 101 Munition 35 N Naked 370 The Names of God 4. 114 how prophaned 146 how sanctified 147 Nazarene 268 Nazarites ibid their law 270 284 Nazirites 268 Nazirites 268 O Obedience 76 Obedience better then sacrifice 73. 74 Obedience to the commandements of the Lord. 73 Og K. of Bashan 226. 236 height and strength 226 his bedsteed 227 Oke strong as the Okes 225 Oppression 133 187. 188 vnlawfull ibid Oppressions of this age 187 188 Oppressours hated 194 Oppressors of the poore God seeth 197 One poore man may not oppresse another ibid The Order of Gods benefits inuerted 242 Orion 343 P Paine the companion of a fault 105 A Painter of Prussia 88 The Paradise of Heauen 139 The Patience of God 21 42 45 61 Paulus the third 157 Taking of Pannes 165 We enioy Peace 45 Perseuerance in faith 8 Persons 103 Persons not respected by God ibid Pharaoh 366 Pius the third 157 Pledges 165 A Poore mans Pledge not to be taken 166 Poore God pleadeth their cause 130. 135 doe good to them 138 they will cary thee to heauen 139 For the Poore oppressed consolation 135 The Poore not to be turned out of his way 138 The Poore that are wicked 136 Popes wicked 156 incestuous ibid Popes dispensations 155 Powder treason 219 Promises of God 260 Preachers must deliuer the word of God 15 50 God Present euery where Prophets 265 303 how instructed 266 True Prophets two sorts 306 False Prophets two sorts 305 Lying Prophets 303 Punishment followeth wickednes 103 R To Raise vp 264 Rechabites 76 Rehoboam 56 Repent 46 Repentance 46 78 202 Restitution 201 The Rider 364 Roote 235 S Sacrifices vnder the law 172 of two sorts 172 Propiciatorie Expiatorie or Satisfactorie 172 Eucharisticall or gratulatorie 172 Eucharisticall of three sorts 173 Euangelicall 177 The Sacrifices of God 176 Gods Sacrifice must be the fattest 175 Salmanasser 372 Saul 288 Saul a good man of person 228 reiected by the Lord. ibid. God the author of Holy Scriptures 14 50 Speaketh in the Scriptures 13 The holy Scriptures of no priuate motion 13 The Scriptures vilified by Papists 14 51. magnified 54. 55 Easie 90 had free passage in old time ibid diuersly resembled 91 In the Scriptures Christians generally had knowledge 94 The red Sea 255 Sheepe in England cruel 193 A Shouting 40 Shur 255 Sihon K. of the Amorites 236 Sinne a greiuous burden 1 punished by God in the Angels 21 The cause of our crosses 60 to be punished 104 resembled 106 the effects of it 124 Grieuous Sinnes haue grieuous punishments 62 Elee from Sinne 106 God will punish Sinne in his deerest children 107 s a part of Gods iustice to punish It sinne 108 The filthinesse of Sinne. 150 An exhortation against Sinne. 60 Our Sinnes presse into Gods presence 42 God punisheth for one Sinne. 62 Euery Sinne is to be punished ibid Our state of Sinne and death 10 Sinnes procure Gods wrath 20 Sinnes hated of God 20.
haud dubiè Out of doubt the young Lion or Lions whelpe vseth not as he lieth in his den to giue forth his voice to cry or roare except hee haue gotten somewhat Hee vseth not so to doe Some Expositors there are that will haue these two branches of the Lion and the Lions whelpe to be all one and the latter to be but a repetition of the former mutatis verbis in other words So R. Dauid and Lyranus But Saint Cyril is of opinion they are not all one but are different So is Saint Hierome So R. Abraham So Albertus Rupertus Carthusian and others and with these accordeth our present exposition The exposition thus giuen descend we to the application that we may vnderstand what this Lion is and what the Lions whelpe Will a Lion roare in the forest when he hath no prey The Lion is God the forest the world the prey of the Lion the people of the world the roaring of the Lion Gods threatnings by his Prophets You may thus apply it As a Lion will not roare in the forest vnlesse he haue a prey So neither will God by his Prophets threaten any euill vnlesse he bee thereunto vrged by the sinnes of the people Such commonly is the application of this second similitude With Rupertus likewise this Lion is God but the Lions prey is omnis electus euery one of the Elect who wheresoeuer he be because he is predestinate vnto life ab ipso Deo requiritur is sought for of God himselfe that at his voice whether it be vttered by an Angell or by a Prophet or by the Scriptures he may tremble may be humbled may repent him of his sinnes and be saued The application which he maketh is after this manner Nunquid rugiet Leo in saltu nisi habuerit praedam Will a Lion roare in the forest vnlesse he hath a prey Idem est ac si dicet It is as if he said Is it worthy of God there to speake or thither to send a Prophet where he knoweth there is none worthy of eternall life Is it seemely is it any way fit that God should there vtter his voice or send his Messengers thither where hee knoweth there is not any one ordained vnto saluation By all congruity of reason the answer must be negatiue No it s altogether vnseemly it s not any way fit The Lion in the forest roares not vnlesse he haue his prey This exposition of Rupertus is by Ribera mentioned with some approbation but Petrus à Figueiro saith it is nimis violenta too violent too far fetched And well may it be so Arias Montanus by this Lion and Lions whelpe vnderstandeth Sennacherib and Nabuchodonozor two Assyrian Kings two mighty enemies to the state of the Kingdome of Iudah According to him thus must the application be As a prey that is betweene the Lions teeth or within his pawes cannot escape away so shall not the people of Iudah escape from out the hands of Sennacherib or Nabuchodonozor But this application of his is not so fit for this place because whatsoeuer is here spoken it is spoken not to the people of Iudah but to the people of the ten Tribes If great Albert must be followed this Lion must be vel Deus comminans vel meliùs inimi us inuadens vel homo vel Diabolus This Lion must be either God threatning or rather some enemy inuading be he man or Deuill The Deuill must be this Lion in the construction of diuers as Carthusian hath obserued for as much as the Deuill like a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure Semperque sitit animarum damnationem rugit vt eas deglutiat and euer thirsteth of the damnation of the soules of men and roareth that he may swallow them vp I may not deny but that the Deuill for his extreme fiercenesse and cruelty ioyned with force and hurt to annoy mankind is by Saint Peter likened to a Lion to a roaring Lion yet I cannot thinke that he is the Lion in my Text no though this in my Text be a roaring Lion But may not some man an enemy a tyrant an oppressor one or more be meant by this Lion this roaring Lion in my Text It s not to be doubted but that such are diuers times in the holy Scriptures compared to Lions The wicked man who is euermore an enemy to the godly is likened to a Lion Psal 10.9 He lieth in wait secretly as a Lion in his den he lieth in wait to catch the poore Dauids enemies are as Lions He so speakes of them Psal 22.13 They gaped vpon mee with their mouthes as a rauening and a roaring Lion Tyrants and oppressors of the Church are as Lions Such a one was Nero Saint Paul calls him a Lion 2 Tim. 4.17 I was saith hee deliuered out of the mouth of the Lion The Lion not the Deuill as Ambrose saith nor Festus the President of Iudaea as Primasius affirmeth but Nero proud and cruell Nero persecuting Nero as it s expounded by Chrysostome Theodoret Theophylact Oecumenius Aquinas and Eusebius Hist Eccles lib. 2. cap. 22. Be it then granted that Men enemies to the godly Tyrants and oppressors are in holy Scripture sometimes compared to Lions yet can it not thence be inferred that therefore by this roaring Lion in my Text Men are to be vnderstood It remaineth then that God either solely or principally be here intended Sic communiter omnes intelligunt saith Christophorus à Castre So doe all Expositors commonly vnderstand this Text that God should be this Lion And not only the old Lion but the young one too God is compared to both as wel to the young Lion as to the old To both he is compared Hos 5.14 There thus saith the Lord I will be vnto Ephraim as a Lion and as a young Lion to the house of Iudah I euen I will teare and goe away I will take away and none shall rescue him So likewise Esay 31.4 Thus hath the Lord spoken Like as the Lion and the young Lion roaring on his prey when a multitude of Shepherds is called forth against him hee will not be afraid of their voice nor abase himselfe for the noise of them so shall the Lord of hosts come downe to fight for mount Sion and for the hill thereof In both places you see God is compared not onely to the old Lion but to the young one too to the Lions whelpe So is he here in this Text of mine Now the meaning is As a Lion will not roare in the forest except hee hath a prey nor the young Lion cry out of his denne except he hath gotten somewhat No more will Almighty God roare from Sion or vtter his voice from Ierusalem except there be a prey ready for him He will not by his Prophets and Ministers giue forth his threatnings except there be iust cause for him to be auenged vpon a people for their sinnes My obseruation is If by our sinnes we prouoke
Gods wrath against vs wee shall finde that his threatning of vs will not be in vaine The threatnings of God they are not vana dunt axat puerorum simplicisque rusticitatis terricula as Quadratus hath well noted they are not onely as scar-crowes or bugs for the terrifying of little children and the ruder sort of people but are certaine euidences of Gods resolution for the punishment of sinne Neuer are they in vaine Of two sorts they are for either they concerne a spirituall and eternall punishment or a punishment that is temporary and corporall Of the first sort is that commination Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them The punishment there threatned is spirituall it is eternall Saint Paul so expounds it Gal. 3.10 where he saith As many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them The curse there spoken of is no temporall no corporall matter it is spirituall it is eternall The reason is because the curse is opposed to the blessing Now to bee blessed with faithfull Abraham is to be iustified to bee absolued from sinne and death to be in fauour with God to obtaine eternall saluation and therefore to be accursed is to be condemned for sinne to be cast out from God to be adiudged to euerlasting death and Hell The blessing is spirituall and eternall and therefore must the curse also be spirituall and eternall Comminations of the second sort are in holy Writ more frequent and obuious If you will not hearken to the Lord your God to doe his Commandements but will despight his statutes and abhorre his iudgements then will the Lord doe thus and thus vnto you In the 26. of Leuit. vers 16. he will visit you with vexations consumptions and burning agues that shall consume your eyes and cause you sorrow of heart Vers 17. he will set his face against you and ye shall bee slaine before your enemies they that hate you shall reigne ouer you and ye shall flee when none pursueth you Vers 19. Hee will breake the pride of your power and will make your Heauen as iron and your Earth as brasse and your strength shall be spent in vaine for neither shall your land yeeld her encrease nor your trees their fruits Vers 22. Hee will send wilde beasts among you which shall rob you of your children and destroy your cattell and make you few in number These and other like threatnings against the wilfull contemners of Gods holy Will you may better read of in the now alleaged 26. Chapter of Leuiticus and 28. Chapter of Deuteronomy and other places of holy Scripture than I can at this time stand vpon to relate them They are many they are fearefull Many and fearefull are the punishments though but temporary and corporall which the Lord threatneth to the wilfull contemners of his holy Will Thus you see Gods threatnings are of two sorts either of spirituall and eternall punishments or punishments that are temporary and corporall These threatnings of punishments corporall or spirituall temporary or eternall are by the Lord himselfe accomplished at times certaine and vnchangeable When the old world in the daies of Noah had growne to much impiety and wickednesse the Lord appointed a certaine space the space of 120. yeeres for their repentance and conuersion Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwaies striue with man for that he also is flesh yet his daies shall be an hundred and twenty yeeres Though he saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that euery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was euill was onely euill was euill continually so that with great iustice he might forthwith haue swallowed them vp with a floud yet would hee not but would yet forbeare longer and looke for their amendment A hundred and twenty yeeres yet would he giue them to see if they would returne and auoid his wrath But they would not returne and therefore at the very end and terme of those hundred and twenty yeeres he brought the floud vpon them Then then and not before he brought the floud vpon them For compare we the particular circumstances of time noted Gen. 7.3 6 11. with that which Saint Peter writeth in his first Epistle chap. 3.20 we shall finde that the inundation of waters came vpon the earth at the very point of time before determined Memorable is that commination of the Lord against the Iewes Ierem. 25.11 Because you haue not heard my voice behold I will take from you the voice of mirth and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegroome and the voice of the bride the sound of the Milstones and the light of the candle you shall be a desolation and an astonishment shall serue the King of Babylon seuenty yeeres The summe of the Commination is that the Iewes for their sins should be led captiue serue the King of Babylon seuenty yeeres Now if we take the iust computation of time it will appeare that so soone as those yeeres those seuenty yeeres were expired the foresaid threat was accomplished And therefore Daniel alluding to this prophesie of Ieremie exactly setteth it downe Chap. 5.30 saying The same night was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slaine the same night the very night wherein those seuenty yeeres came to their full period was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slaine To these fearefull examples of Noahs floud and the carrying away of the Iewes into Babylon may be added the burning of Sodome by fire and brimstone the destruction of the ten Tribes the ruine of Ierusalem and the Kingdome of Iudah the desolation of the seuen Churches of Asia all which besides many other calamities vpon many other places and persons accomplished and come to passe according to the threatnings of the Lord may well assure vs that whatsoeuer he hath threatned will certainly take effect And certainly if we by serious and true repentance doe not preuent the execution of his threats he will not faile to preuent vs and take vs away suddenly Thus is my obseruation made good If by our sinnes we prouoke Gods wrath against vs wee shall finde that his threatning of vs will not be in vaine No it will not If God threaten and no repentance followeth then certainly the threatnings pronounced will come to passe Hee threatens not in vaine hee terrifies not without cause no more than the Lion roareth when he hath no prey or the Lions whelpe cryeth out of his denne if he haue gotten nothing Is it thus Beloued Shall we finde that Gods threatnings will be effectuall and powerfull against vs if we by our sinnes goe on still to prouoke him to displeasure It seemes then that if we repent vs of our sinnes and cease any further to grieue Gods holy Spirit his threatnings will bee vaine and without
effect Vnderstand wee therefore that the threatnings and denuntiations of Gods iudgements are either absolute or conditionall If absolute then are they irreuocable and must take effect but if conditionall then vpon humiliation and repentance they will bee changed they will bee altered Absolute was the denunciation that concerned the eating of the forbidden fruit Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die This threatning was absolute and peremptory not to be reuoked If Adam had prayed all his life long that he might not die but returne to his former condition yet the sentence of God had not beene reuersed Peremptory and absolute was that threatning of the Lord against Moses and Aaron Numb 20.12 Because yee beleeue me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I haue giuen them Moses and Aaron both are threatned that they shall neuer enter into the land of Canaan Moses vnderstanding the threat conditionally besought the Lord that hee might goe ouer Iordan into that good land But the Lord was wroth with him and would not heare him but said vnto him Deut. 3.26 Let it suffice thee speake no more vnto me of this matter Speake no more the sentence was peremptory and might not be reuersed As absolute and peremptory was that threatning by Nathan from the Lord vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 12.14 Because by thine adultery thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe also that is borne vnto thee shall surely dye The childe shall surely die Dauids hope was that this threat was but conditionall and therefore with fasting weeping and prayer he besought God for the child and said Who can tell whether God will be gracious vnto mee that the child may liue Yet as the Prophet had denounced the child died So peremptory was the sentence and not to be reuersed So then its euident that some of Gods iudgements denounced against the sonnes of men are absolute and peremptory not to be reuersed Oâ—hers are conditionall to be vnderstood with this exception except they repent and amend The condition is sometimes expressed sometimes it is not The condition is expressed Ierem. 18.7 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a Kingdome to plucke vp and to pull downe and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their euill I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vnto them It is likewise expressed Ezech. 33.14 15. When I say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turne from his sinne and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue he shall not die Each of these Comminations is with an expresse condition The first was Such a Nation such a Kingdome I will plucke vp I will pull downe I will destroy The Nation the Kingdome performes the condition repenteth and turnes from euill and God reuerseth his sentence I will not plucke vp I will not pull downe I will not destroy it The second was The wicked man shall surely die The wicked man performes the condition repenteth and turnes from euill and God reuerseth his sentence He shall surely liue he shall not diâ— Sometimes the condition is not expressed but onely to be vnderstood So is it Ierem. 26.18 There we reade of Micah the Morushite that he in the daies of Hezekiah King of Iudah prophesied and spake to all the people of Iudah saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts Zion shall be plowed like a field and Ierusalem shall become heapes and the mountaine of the house the high places of a forest Fearefull is the Commination it threatens ruine to their Temple desolation to their City the vtter ouerthrow of their whole Kingdome How did the King and his people hereupon behaue themselues Did they fall into desperation No they did not Did they conclude an impossibility of obtaining pardon Nor did they so How then They conceiuing aright of the commination as fearefull as it was that it was vnto them a Sermon of repentance they feared the Lord they besought the Lord and the Lord repented him of the euill which hee had pronounced against them So was the Commination conditionall though the condition was not expressed The like we meet with Esay 38.1 There is a comminatory message from the Lord vnto the but-now-named Hezekiah Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue The good King conceiues aright of the message that it was no otherwise vnto him than as a Sermon of repentance and therefore he turnes his face vnto the wall prayes and weepes sorely and the Lord repented him of the message he had sent and sends him a new message vers 5. Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares behold I will adde vnto thy daies fifteene yeeres And so was the commination conditionall though the condition was not expressed And such is that in the Prophesie of Ionah Chap. 3.4 Yet forty daies and Nineueh shall be ouerthrowne The King of Nineueh though an heathen and an idolatrous King yet conceiues aright of this threat that it was to him and his people no otherwise than a Sermon of repentance The King therefore touched with repentance vnseateth himselfe vnthroneth himselfe commeth as low as the meanest strips himselfe of his kingly robes puts on sack-cloth sits in ashes causeth it to be proclaimed and published through Niniueh that there be a generall fast kept by man and beast that man and beast be couered with sack-cloth and cry mightily vnto God and turne euery one from his euill way and from the violence that is in their hands for saith the King Who can tell if God will turne and repent and turne away from his fierce anger that we perish not Who can tell And God saw their workes that they turned from their euill way and God repented of the euill that he had said that he would doe vnto them and he did it not So also was this commination conditionall though the condition was not expressed But why are these and many other threatnings of the Lord against sinners conditionall Why are they with condition of amendment Why is the condition either expressed or suppressed and only inclusiuely vnderstood It s thus First because Repentance if it follow after Gods comminatory sentence pronounced against sinners it procureth forgiuenesse of sin and taketh away the cause of punishment The cause of punishment is sinne remoue the cause and the effect must cease Let sinne be washed away with the teares of vnfained repentance and punishment shall neuer hurt vs. This is it which but euen now you heard out of Ezech. chap. 33.14.15 They were the words of the Lord When I say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turne from his sinne and doe that which is lawfull and right
goodnesse extends it selfe to all his creatures not onely to such as haue continued in that goodnesse wherein they were created but also to such as haue fallen away from their primigeniall goodnesse euen to euill Angels and to wicked men Of this goodnesse I vnderstand that Psal 33.5 The earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. His speciall goodnesse I call that by which he doth good to the holy Angels confirmed in grace and to his elect children among the sonnes of men Such is that whereof wee reade Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel euen to such as are of a cleane heart He is good that is hee is gracious fauourable and full of compassion to Israel to his elect and holy people his holy Church yet militant vpon the earth deliuering her from euill and bestowing good vpon her Now if hony of its owne nature and essence sweet hath no bitternesse in it if the Sunne of its owne nature and essence light hath no darknesse in it then out of doubt it cannot be that our God the Lord Iehouah who is euer good good in se and good extra se good of his owne nature and essence and good towards all his creatures should haue any euill in him No Lord Wee confesse before thee with thy holy seruant Dauid Psal 5.4 Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee Thus you see Quis who this Agent is He is our God the Lord Iâ—houah He who is his owne being and giueth a reall being to all things else He who is absolutely good good of his owne essence and good to all his creatures He in whom there is no staine of euill This is He the Agent Now followeth his Action which seemeth to be a doing of euill and is my second circumstance For my Text is Shall there be euill in a City and the Lord hath not done it Mat. 7.18 It is an obseruation in Nature that a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit And there is an axiome in Philosophy Omne agens agit sibi simile Euery Agent produceth the like vnto it selfe God the Agent here being absolutely good good in se good extra se good in himselfe good to all his creatures cannot but produce a like action euen very good How then is it that here he is said to doe euill For the vntying of this knot I will produce a few distinctions from them I will gather some conclusions and the doubt will bee cleered My first distinction is Things may bee termed euill two manner of waies some are euill indeed and of their owne nature in this ranke we must place our sins some are euill not indeed and in their owne nature but in regard of our sense apprehension and estimation and in this ranke we must place whatsoeuer affliction God layeth vpon vs in this life for our sinnes This distinction is Saint Basils in his Homily wherein he proueth that God is not the Author of euils The next distinction is out of Saint Augustine chap. 26. against Adimantus the Manichee There are two sorts of euils there is malum quod facit homo and there is malum quod patitur There is an euill which the wicked man doth and there is an euill which he suffereth That is sinne this the punishment of sinne In that the wicked are Agents in this they are Patients that is done by them this is done vpon them They offend Gods Iustice and God in his Iustice offends them This is otherwise deliuered by the same Father De fide ad Petrum cap. 21. Geminum esse constat naturae rationalis malum vnum quo voluntariè ipsa deficit à summo Bono creatore suo Alterum quo iuuita punietur ignis aeterni supplicio illud passura iustè quia hoc admisit iniustè It is saith he manifest that there is a two-fold euill of the reasonable nature that is of man One whereby man voluntarily forsaketh the chiefest good God his Creator the other whereby he shall against his will be punished in the flames of euerlasting fire So shall he iustly suffer that vniustly offended In his first Disputation against Fortunatus the Manichee he speaketh yet more plainly Sith saith he there are two kinds of euill Peccatum poena peccati Sinne and the punishment of sinne the one namely sinne pertaines not vnto God the other the punishment of sinne belongs vnto him Tertullian lib. 2. contra Marcionem cap. 14. more than a hundred yeeres before Saint Augustines time deliuers this distinction with much perspicuity There is malum delicti and malum supplicij or there is malum culpae and malum poenae There is an euill of sinne and an euill of punishment and of each part he nominateth the Author Malorum quidem peccati culpae Diabolum malorum verò supplicij poenae Deum creatorem Of the euils of sinne or default the Deuill is the Author but of the euills of paine and punishment hee acknowledgeth the hand of God the Creator This second distinction of euills Rupertus well expresseth in other termes There is malum quod est iniquitas and there is malum quod est Afflictio propter iniquitatem There is an euill of Iniquity and an euill of Affliction So he agreeth with the ancient Fathers My third distinction is of the euills of punishment Of these there are two sorts Some are onely the punishments of sinne either eternall in Hell or temporall in this world and some are so the punishments of sinne that they are also sinnes and causes of sinnes My fourth distinction is De malo culpae it concernes the euill of sinne The euill of sinne may bee considered three manner of waies First as it is a sinne repugnant to the Law of God and so onely is it malum culpae the euill of sinne Secondly as it is a punishment of some precedent sinne for God vseth to punish sinne with sinne So did he punish it in the Gentiles when hee gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 to vncleannesse to the lusts of their owne hearts to doe such things as were not conuenient because when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1.12 Thirdly as it is a cause of some subsequent sinne such as was excoecatio in Iudaeis whereof we reade Esay 6.10 Excoeca cor populi huius Make thou the heart of this people blind or make it fat make their eares heauy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and be healed This same excoecation or blindnesse in the Iewes was the punishment of a prâ—cedent sinne namely of their infidelity towards Christ and it was a sinne because euery ignorance of God is a sinne and it was the cause of other sinnes so Saint Augustine teacheth lib. 5. cap. 3. contra Iulianum And this distinction is found in Saint Greg. Moral lib. 25.
cap. 9. My fifth distinction concerneth also the euill of sinne In sinne there are two things to be obserued there is Ens and there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is Actio and there is Actionis malitia or there is Actio and there is Actionis irrectitudo which is declinatio à rectitudine voluntatis Dei in lege reuelatae In euery sinne there is an entitie being or action and there is of that entitie being or action a crookednesse obliquity or naughtinesse Euery entity being or action as such is good from a good author Act. 17.28 God Almighty in whom we liue moue and haue our being But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the crookednesse obliquity and naughtinesse of our Actions the swaruing of them from the line of Gods reuealed will as such is wicked from a wicked Author Gen. 6.5 mans decayed nature All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are onely euill continually Thus haue you my distinctions I promised to draw from them some conclusions The first is God is the Author of euery euill of punishment Euery such euill God willeth The will of God is the primarie efficient cause thereof It may thus be proued Euery good thing is of God Now euery euill of punishment euery punishment is a good thing for it is a worke of iustice by which sinnes are punished and so a iust worke and therefore euery punishment is of God and God willeth it The second conclusion The euill of sinne as it is a punishment of some former sinne God willeth and inflicteth This is that same receiued and much vsed axiome in Diuinty God punisheth sinnes with sinnes In so doing hee doth no more then what becommeth a iust Iudge to doe Hereof Saint Augustâ—ne Contra aduersarium legis Prophetarum lib. 1. cap. 24. thus speaketh It is a fearefull iudgement when God takes course Vt crimina criminibus vindicantur supplicia peccantium non sunt tormenta sed incrementa vitiorum Fearefull is the iudgement when God taketh course that sinnes be reuenged with sinnes and the punishment of euill doers bee no torment to them but additions to their euill doings O this is a fearefull iudgement which Saint Gregory Moral lib. 25. cap. 9. expresseth after this manner Hoc quippe agitur vt culpae culpis feriantur quatenus suplicia fiant peccantium ipsa incrementa vitiorum It is the most admirable iudgement of God and most dreadfull of all other when he taketh course that sinne be stricken with sinne so as that the increase of sinne is the punishment of the sinner it being ordered by disposition aboue but yet by reason of the confusion of iniquity beneath both that the former sinne is the cause of the latter and the latter is the punishment of the former This of all the iudgements of God is the most admirable the most dreadfull My third conclusion The euill of sinne as it is an Action God willeth he worketh it he doth it For whatsoeuer God properly willeth the same he worketh he doth it either immediatly by himselfe or Sua virtute through his power by others Now if Quaecunque voluit fecit as it is Psal 115.3 if God hath done whatsoeuer he hath willed then surely Quaecunque fecit vult whatsoeuer he doth that hee willeth And the truth is not in Philosophy onely also in the holy Scriptures that God is the primary cause of all actions whatsoeuer they are as farre forth as they are actions This is that which Saint Paul affirmeth 1 Cor. 12.6 God worketh all in all For though he speaketh concerning the gifts of the holy Ghost yet is his proposition generall God worketh all in all like to that Rom. 11.36 God is he of whom are all things through whom are all things and to whom are all things All things He meaneth not onely all substances but also all the actions of all things For as all actions are gouerned by him and doe tend vnto him so also are they all of him as of the first mouer according to that Act. 17.28 In him we liue and moue and haue our being The fourth Conclusion The euill of sinne as it is sinne God properly willeth not neither indeed can he will it For Sinne as it is sinne is that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof I spake in my fifth distinction it is the crookednesse the obliquity the naughtinesse of an action it is the swaruing of an action from the line of the will of God reuealed in his holy Word whereof to make God a doer or author is execrable and blasphemous impiety Non Deus volens iniquitatem tu es Psal 5.4 is a description of God according to his proper nature God is not a God that willeth iniquity It is proper vnto him Nolle inquitatem Not to will iniquity Habbakkuk auoucheth it Chap. 1.13 O Lord my God mine holy one thou art of purer eyes than to behold euill and canst not looke on iniquity Mundi sunt oculi tui thine eyes are pure free from all spot and vncleannesse that thou canst not behold euill to approue it nor canst looke on iniquity to allow it So true is my fourth Conclusion The euill of sinne as it is sinne God properly willeth not neither indeed can he will it Now out of these conclusions and the fore-alleaged distinctions I frame the resolution to the doubt propounded The doubt was How is it that God absolutely good good in Se and good Extra se good in himselfe and good to all his creatures is here in my Text said to doe euill The resolution is The euill in my Text is not malum culpae delicti aut iniquitatis it is not the euill of default the euill of sinne or the euill of iniquity but it is malum poenae supplicij sine afflictionis It is the euill of paine the euill of punishment the euill of affliction Not of that but of this is my Text to be vnderstood Shall there be euill in a City and the Lord hath not done it No there shall be no euill in a City no euill of paine punishment or affliction but the Lord hath done it And thus you are to vnderstand that Esay 45.7 I the Lord create euill And that Ierem. 18.11 I the Lord frame euill against you I create euill I frame euill By euill in both places Tertullian against Marcion lib. 2 cap. 24. vnderstandeth mala non peccatoria sed vltâ—ria he vnderstandeth euill not of sinne but of reuengement So likewise are we to vnderstand by the name of euill in all those places of holy Scripture in which God either a 1 King 9.9 Iudg. 9.56 1 Sam. 6.9 Dan. 9.13 bringeth or b 1 King 14.10 1 King 21.21 2 King 21.12 2 King 22.16 threatneth to bring euill vpon any By euill in all such places as here in my Text we are to vnderstand the euill of reuengement the euill of paine punishment or affliction The euill of reuengement The euill of paine
what God hath done for them God hath tried them as gold and made them worthy for himselfe It s ignorance that makes you heauy because you know not what is become of the dead Be ye not ignorant concerning them and your heauinesse will be turned into ioy And let this suffice to haue beene spoken to shew that in respect of the Commandement Ignorance of God and his holy Will is damnable and to be auoided So is it in regard that God hath expresly reproued it There is a sharpe reproofe of it Esay 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Quid stolidius boue quid stupidius asino What is more foolish than the Oxe what more stupid than the Asse Yet those bruit beasts doe know them by whom they are fed and nourished but Israel the Lords owne people know not the Lord their God Not much vnlike is that Ierem. 8.7 The Storke in the aire knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. My people Israel is more ignorant of my iudgements than those birds are of their appointed seasons Both these reproofes are comparatiue In the first is Israel compared vnto beasts in the second to birds Beasts and birds haue more knowledge than Israel But the reproofe is absolute Ierem. 4.22 My people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children and haue no vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge As absolute is that Ierem. 9.3 They proceed from euill to worse and haue not knowne me saith the Lord. They haue no vnderstanding they haue no knowledge they haue not knowne me saith the Lord. These and the like reproofes of the ignorance of God from Gods owne mouth may serue for my second proofe that the ignorance of God is damnable and to be auoided My third proofe I take from the foulenesse of this ignorance The foulenesse thereof I discouer in one position The position is The ignorance of God and of the things reuealed in his holy Word is a punishment of sinne a cause of sinne and sinne in it selfe The position hath three branches I shall endeuour to speake of each in their order The first branch is Our ignorance of God and of things reuealed in his holy Word is a punishment of sinne It is a punishment of that sinne which by the default of our first Father Adam was from him deriued downe to vs and that is originall sinne by reason whereof we are all borne blind blind in our vnderstanding blind in our will and blind in our affections There is no faculty of our soule which is not disabled by this sinne The chiefest faculties of our soule are three Mens Voluntas Affectiones the Vnderstanding the Will and the Affections Mens Our vnderstanding is by this sinne disabled For it labours with a defect or want of light or knowledge and with a want of sanctitie or holinesse that quality by which light or knowledge in the vnderstanding should be seasoned as indeed it was at mans first creation That in the often repetition of the names of light and knowledge I seeme not tedious may it please you to take what I shal speak of the one as spokē of the other also For between light knowledge in the vnderstanding I put no essentiall difference Now I note in the vnderstanding a twofold light the one naturall the other Spirituall The Naturall is defectiue and wanting not vniuersally but in part only For notwithstanding our first fathers fall there doe yet remaine in the vnregenerate man certaine generall notions of good and euill things commanded or forbidden in the Law of God And these notions are such that they make man vnexcusable sith they are both maimed and corrupted The defect or want of this Naturall light is proued Rom. 1.21 When they knew God they glorified him not as God They knew God there is the light of their vnderstanding they glorified him not as God there is the defect and want of that light the maime the corruption of it The spirituall light of the vnderstanding that is likewise defectiue and wanting not as the naturall light in part only but vniuersally This is proued 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The natural man man of himselfe in his pure naturals ruled only by nature reason and sense without grace without the Spirit of God man vnregenerate is altogether destitute of the spirituall light of the vnderstanding Besides this want of light in the vnderstanding whether naturall or spirituall there is also carentia sanctitatis a want of holinesse wherewith the forenamed light ought now to be as once it was seasoned The want of this holinesse is manifested Rom. 8.7 where you shall find that whatsoeuer light or knowledge is in man it is all vncleane impure and prophane the Apostles words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be Not subiect to the Law of God nor can be subiect to it What! Can man exempt himselfe from subiection vnto God No be he neuer so rebellious he must abide vnder Gods dominion But the meaning of the Apostle is to note such a rebellion of mans corrupt nature as is not subiect according vnto order as giues not orderly subiection vnto God Thus there is in man a want of that holinesse wherewith the light of his vnderstanding should bee seasoned What I haue now deliuered de mente concerning the minde or vnderstanding which is a speculatiue facultie of the soule the same may be spoken De voluntate affectionibus of the will and affections which are practicall faculties of the same And therefore as in the vnderstanding there is a defect of light and sanctitie so is there in the will and affections euen the absence of created holinesse Nor is there in these faculties of the soule only an absence of light knowledge and sanctitie but also the presence of their contrary qualities as darknesse ignorance and sinfulnesse If the light be put out darknesse comes in place if knowledge be departed ignorance succeeds if holinesse be lost sinfulnesse will domineere Proofes hereof there are many in holy Scripture But in this sunshine I need not light a candle I haue said enough to shew that ignorance of God and his will is in all the powers and faculties of the soule of man a punishment of sinne of originall sinne But this punishment of sinne is generall its common to all men for as much as all men haue sinned in Adam I adde further that Ignorance is also a punishment
Father They should not haue had sinne Sinne in comparison they should not haue had Their sinne of ignorance should haue beene none in respect of their sinne which now they haue The place may receiue light from Christs owne mouth Luk. 12.47 Our Sauiour there affirmeth that the seruant which knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes with more stripes than he shall that knoweth not his masters will and therefore doth it not Where we are put in minde of two sorts of sinners Some there are that know the will of their Lord and some that know it not Both are sinners and are to be beaten for their sinnes they with more stripes these with fewer And these to whom fewer stripes are assigned are of three sorts For either they know not their Lords will because they will not know it or they know it not because they care not to know it or they know it not because they cannot know it They which know not their Lords will because they will not know it their ignorance is as the Schoolemen call it Biel. Sent. 2. Dist 22. qu. 2. Ignorantia affectata an affected ignorance These shut their eares when God calleth and being housed in their security will not step to the doore to see if the Sunne shine This ignorance resideth rather in their will and affections than in their vnderstanding part These are wilfully ignorant saith Peter 2 Ep. 3.5 They know but will not know and they run with broad eyes vnto destruction They which know not their Lords will because they care not to know it their ignorance is Ignorantia crassa vel supina a grosse idle wretchlesse and negligent ignorance And they that are thus ignorant doe also trace the high way to the pit of destruction and there shall they be sure to be beaten with many stripes They which know not their Lords will because they cannot know it their ignorance is called Ignorantia inuincibilis an inuincible ignorance and it s called inuincible saith Biel Sent. 2. Dist 22. not because it is simply so but because it remaineth after a man hath done all he can to remoue it and this ignorance saith he doth simply excuse a man from sinne Non solùm in tanto Conclus 1. sed in toto it excuseth wholly from sinne So he and the rest of the schoole But by their leaues it is their errour and stands conuicted by that laying of our Sauiour already produced The seruant that doth not his Masters will by reason he knowes it not shall be beaten with stripes though fewer But say an ignorance is inuincible an ignorance of necessity an ignorance that a man would but cannot remoue shall not such an ignorance excuse No it shall not For all men are bound by the Commandement to know God That some men know him not nor can know him it is not Gods fault but the fault of their owne parents and consequently their owne fault Adam had the perfect knowledge of God imprinted in his nature but through his owne default he lost the same for himselfe and his posterity A man may not for this complaine against Gods iustice since that our first sinne hath deserued a greater punishment I say then that this inuincible ignorance cannot excuse à toto it may à tanto It may be some excuse for the degree and measure of the sinne but not for the sinne it selfe And this may serue for the illustration of the third part of my position wherein I affirmed that our ignorance of God and his truth is of it selfe sinne Now the whole together stands good Our ignorance of God and of the things reuealed in his holy word whether it be an affected and a wilfull ignorance or a negligent and carelesse ignorance or an inuincible and a necessary ignorance is an effect and punishment of sinne it is a cause of sinne and is in it selfe sinne It was bred by transgression it doth breed transgression and is no lesse than transgression of its owne nature So foule a thing is ignorance And therefore in this respect also its true that Ignorance of God and his reuealed will is a sinne that is damnable and to be auoided My obseruation thus established Let vs now see what profit may from hence redound vnto vs. First this may serue to warne all Ministers of the Word that they be carefull to root out ignorance out of the mindes of the people and to plant the knowledge of God among them The Minister that neglects his duty and either through insufficiency or idlenesse suffereth the people to goe on in the waies of darknesse to their perdition he becommeth accessary yea a principall cause of their destruction Secondly this may teach vs all to detest this ignorance of God and his reuealed will and to seeke by all meanes to know God They that content themselues to liue in their ignorance and voluntarily submit themselues to be led by blind guides such as cannot enforme them in the waies of the Lord their estate is lamentable Beloued it is euery mans duty to haue care of his owne soule though others should neglect it You shall do well to account this one thing necessary to be instructed in the knowledge of Gods truth and preferre it before your worldly affaires Should you want this precious pearle of Gods Word you would rather sell all you haue to purchase it than content your selues to be without it Now you haue it brought home vnto you will you not make the best of it Thirdly it may serue to reproue a Popish practise by which they endeuour by all meanes possible to keepe the people in blindnesse and ignorance by taking away from them the light of Gods Word both read and preached that so keeping them blind-folded they may doe with them at their pleasure and like carrion Crowes hauing picked out their eyes may make a prey of them What else meane they when they teach that Ignorance is the mother of deuotion Pag. 18. I know that N. D. in his Wardword denieth this to be taught by any Catholique Hee saith it is forged by some Minister of ours and laid vpon them But he seemeth to haue beene past shame in denying that which is so openly knowne A Deane of Pauls Doctor Cole by name one chosen not onely to maintaine the assertions of the Papists against the Protestants in a disputation at Westminster but appointed by the Bishops and other his Collegues to be the mouth for them all whose speech in the end they all being asked did auow to be the minde and saying of them all euen he in that honourable assembly of the Councell and Nobles and frequent concourse of the Commons did with great vehemency maintaine this position in these words I say Ignorance is the mother of deuotion See this Popish Doctor appointed by the consent of Popish Bishops and other his Collegues to be their mouth and auouched to haue spoken nothing but
Cruelty and Couetousnesse are amplified from two Topickes à genere à specie from the Genus thus They know not to doe right From the Species thus They store vp violence and robbery in their palaces That so it is God is produced for witnesse for Neum Iehouah The Lord hath said it These particulars yeelded materialls for my two former Sermons Now from the Accusation I proceed to the Commination vers 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled The words are a denunciation of punishment concerning which we may obserue The Cause The Author The Punishment it selfe The Cause is implied in the particle Therefore The Author is the Lord God The Punishment is a conquest by warre and is described 1 By the Siege 2 By the Victory 3 By the Spoile An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land there is the Siege the whole Land beset round about And he shall bring downe thy strength from thee there is the Victory the ouerthrow of their strong men And thy palaces shall be spoiled The Spoile is at the lust of the conquerour An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled I haue shewed you the limits and bounds of my future discourse I will handle them as they lye in order beginning with the cause of the punishment implied in this particle Therefore Therefore It is a particle befitting a Commination It hath relation to the former verses and pointeth to the sinnes there touched to the great tumults in the middest of Samaria and the oppressions there vers 9. to the ignorance of God and his will to their violence and robbery stored vp in their palaces vers 10. The relation that this particle hath to those sinnes sheweth that those sinnes are the cause of the punishment here denounced as if our Prophet had thus spoken Because you that are the Princes and Potentates of Samaria doe oppresse the poore and needie Therefore will I bring against you mightier than your selues that shall oppresse and spoile you Therefore The obseruation is Sin is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life In this my Thesis by euill I vnderstand malum poenae the euill of punishment or the euill of affliction Affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is two fold internall or externall either inward or outward The inward pertaineth to the minde the outward to the body For the punishment of sinne is to be measured and defined not only by the torments of the body or by the mortality of this life but also by the most grieuous affliction of the soule as by the crookednesse obliquitie and blemish of the soule by an euill conscience by the wrath of God which is importable by the guilt of sinne whereby wee are obliged to punishment by vitious habits whereby we are inclined to a multitude of sinnes Foecundum est peccatum non ibi definit vbi incipit Sin is fruitfull if it once begin it leaues not there the worst thing of it is behinde euen the extreme anguish and horrour of the soule Againe affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is either publike or priuate Pubike afflictions I call such wherof many men at once haue a sense and feeling Such are the flouds of great waters the ruine of Cities by earth-quakes the waste done in them by fire warre euill beasts pestilence famine tyrannie persecution the death of good Princes heresie schisme euery common misery All these are publike Priuate afflictions are such as priuate men in their owne particular doe suffer as sicknesse griefe infamie pouerty imprisonment death Of all these afflictions or punishments whether publike or priuate or outward or inward sinne is the cause Sinne It is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is efficiens impellenâ— it is the impulsiue cause of all afflictions or punishments it fetcheth downe vengeance from the Maiestie of Heauen It brought that same vniuersall deluge vpon the whole world Gen. 7.17 It brought downe fire and brimstone vpon Sodome and Gomorrah Gen. 19.24 It caused the Land of Canaan to spue out her inhabitants Leuit. 18.25 It will make any Land sit mourning like a desolate widow or a distressed mother robbed of her children and spoiled of all her comforts It is auouched by the Psalmist Psal 107.34 A fruitfull Land God turneth into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein It is that whereof the Prophet Ieremie complaineth Chap. 12.4 How long shall the Land mourne and the herbes of euery field wither for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Turne to the Prophecie of Micah Chap. 1.4 Behold there the mountaines melting as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred downe a steepe place for no other cause but for the transgression of Iacob and for the sinnes of the house of Israel Thus farre for the confirmation of my doctrine Sinne is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life Saint Augustine Serm. 139. de tempore thus deliuers it Malorum omnium nostrorum causa peccatum est Sinne is the cause of all our euills Non enim sine causâ homines mala ista patiuntur It is not to be imagined that men suffer affliction without cause God is iust he is omnipotent Nullo modo ista pateremur si non mereremur Surely no euill could befall vs if we deserued it not There is not a man that sinneth not and the least sinne that he committeth deserueth all the misery that can be laid vpon him This truth may teach vs First in time of affliction to acknowledge our sins to be the cause thereof and to profit thereby vnto amendment Secondly it may teach vs to iustifie God whensoeuer hee shall â—fflict vs and to beare his visitation with patience Wherefore doth a liuing man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes Lament 3.39 A man for the punishment of his sinnes wherefore doth he complaine Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord we haue transgressed and rebelled against him and therefore he afflicteth vs. My resolution shall be in the words of Micah the Prophet Chap. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of my first generall the cause of the punishment here denounced implied in this particle Therefore I proceed to my next generall the Author of this punishment the Lord God Therefore thus saith the Lord God Thus saith the Lord It is a note wherewith the Prophets for the most part doe begin their preachings and prophecyings to shew that they deliuer nothing but what is of diuine credit and authority Thus saith the Lord Dicit Dominus saith the Lord. Dicere with the
it is the first in order The words are An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land The old Interpreter translates it Tribulabitur circuietur terra the Land shall be troubled and compassed about Brentius Obsidebitur circumdabitur terra the Land shall be besieged and beset round about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsar in the originall is rendred Arctator by Montanus Tribulator by Oecolampadius Aduersarius by Caluin and Drusius Hostis by Tremelius Piscator and Gualter It is Tribulatio with Vatablus and Mercer but Angustiae with Ionathan Well be it either Arctatoâ— or Tribulator or an Aduersary or an Enemie or be it Tribulation or be it Anguish it is not in a little part or corner of the Land but in circuitu terra it is in the circuit of the Land it enuironeth the whole Land The Septuagint haue a reading by themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tyre shall be made desolate round about shall thy Land be wasted Saint Cyril will haue them thus to be vnderstood From Tyre and the Land thereabout the whole countrey shall by the incursions of robbers be brought to desolation Tyrus is in Hebrew Tzor so is it in the first Chapter of this prophecie vers 9 It seemes the S ptuagint did in this place reade Tzor Hieron as also Aquila once did reade But now the common reading of this place is Tzar and Tzar is an enemie or aduersary and hath other significations whereof euen now you heard Thus our English translation is cleared it is good An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land This aduersary is the Assyrian the King of Assyria Salmanassar He with his armies is to come against the Citie and Kingdome of Samaria he shall so beset and beleaguer the whole countrey round about that there shall be no escaping for any of the inhabitants According to this prediction it came to passe some sixty fiue yeares after Esâ—y 7.8 2 King 18.10 in the ninth yeare of the reigne of Hoshea son of Elah King of Israel as it is 2 King 17.6 An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land Now from this circumstance of the Siege of Samaria so long before threatned ariseth this obseruation Gods threatning to punish long before he punisheth are inuitations to repentance Origen lib. 4. contra Celsum saith God punisheth no man but whom he doth first warne terrifie and aduertise of the perill And surely herein appeareth Gods mercy that he threatneth before hee punisheth that by his threatning men might learne to amend He threatneth saith S. Chrysostome Hom. 12. in Genes Vt nobis correctis minas ad opus minimè perducat that we being amended his menacing need not take effect If this were not the end of Gods threatnings why doth Zephaniah Chap. 2.1 2. thus exhort the Iewes Gather your selues together yea gather together O Nation not desired Before the decree bring forth before the day passe as the chaffe before the fierce anger of the Lord come vpon you before the day of the Lords anger come vpon you Seeke yee the Lord seeke righteousnesse seeke meekenesse it may be yee shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger He calleth vpon the Iewish Nation to returne from their euill waies by true repentance Where behold saith Saint Hierome the clemencie of God Quia non vult inferre supplicia sed tantum terrere passuros ipse ad poenitentiam prouocat ne faciat quod minatus est Because Gods will is rather to terrifie them than to lay punishments vpon them he incites them to repentance that he be not driuen to doe as he hath threatned This is that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the goodnesse the forbearance the long suffering of God whereof Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou O man the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance It leadeth to repentance It is vouchsafed vnto vs to the amendment of life And thus is my obseruation established Gods threatnings to punish long before he punisheth are inuitations to repentance One reason hereof is because if after threatning repentance follow it procureth the forgiuenesse of sinne and taketh away the cause of the punishment Sinne is the cause of Gods iudgements this wee heard euen now If the cause bee remoued the effect will cease For so saith the Lord Ezâ—ch 33.14 15. When I say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if hee turne from his sinne and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue he shall not die A second reason I take from the end of Gods threatnings The end whereat he aimeth when he threatneth is not the destruction of them that are threatned but their amendment For thus saith the Lord Ezech. 18.23 Haue I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die and not that he should returne from his wayes and liue This by way of interrogation But it is by way of assertion Ezech. 33.11 and is backed with an oath As I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue As I liue it is so Here may wee say as Augustine some-where said of Christ Felices nos propter quos ipse Deus iurat Happie are we for whom God himselfe sweareth But infoelices si ne iuranti quidem credimus Wretched are we if wee beleeue him not vpon his oath I shall but point at the vses of this doctrine because I haue handled them at large in my fourth Sermon vpon this Chapter The first is to teach vs that in the greatest and most fearefull threatnings of Gods iudgements there is comfort remaining hope of grace and mercy to be found health in sicknesse and life in death The second is a warrant for vs of the Ministery to propound vnto you the threatnings of God with condition of repentance and thus we offer vnto you grace and mercy to as many of you as shall be of humble and contrite hearts The third is a warning vnto you to all that haue this grace and fauour with God to be hearers of his holy word It is your parts whensoeuer you shall heare of the threatnings of Gods iudgements against sinners to stirre vp your selues vnto repentance thereby to preuent the wrath of God and to stay his iudgements The fourth is to assure vs that if God threaten and no repentance follow then certainly the threatnings pronounced will come to passe God threatneth not in vaine nor doth he terrifie vs without cause If we preuent not his threatnings by true repentance his threatnings will preuent vs by iust execution And so much be spoken of the first doctrine arising from this circumstance of the siege of Samaria foretold so long before it tooke effect A second doctrine arising from the same is Hâ—stes diuinitùs à Deo excitari ad regum populorum peccata punienda
there to visit is taken in the worse part for to visit in iudgement in anger or displeasure for as much as it bringeth a rod and stripes with it It is to correct it is to punish There is Esay 10.12 a commination against the King of Assyria that same rod of hypocrites that his pride should be broken It is thus deliuered I will visit vpon the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Ashur and the glory of his high lookes And there also to visit is in the worse part for to visit in iudgement in ire anger or displeasure It is to correct it is to punish As in the now alleaged places to visit signifieth in the worse part to visit in iudgement in ire anger or displeasure and by a consequent to correct or punish so doth it in my Text. And therefore for Visitabo Iunius hath animaduertam This same visiting is with him a punishing In the day that I shall visit or punish What Prauaricationes Israel saith the Vulgar Latine The preuarications of Israel The preuarications of Israel are his swaruings from truth reason and honesty Iunius translates them Defectiones the reuoltings or slippings of Israel Our English hath the transgressions of Israel by which name sinnes are called because they exceed the bounds and markes which God by his Law hath appointed vnto vs Drusius Caluin Oâ—aller Breâ—tiâ—s for the moderating of our desires and affections Some here haue Scelera Israel the wickednesse lewdnesse or naughtinesse of Israel These generall appellations doe direct vs to particular sins to couetousnesse to pride to cruelty to vniust exactions to robbing and spoiling of the poore these were the sinnes that reigned and raged in Israel in the Kingdome of the Ten tribes or the Kingdome of Israel called in the precedent verse The house of Iacob and these were the sinnes for which the Lord was resolued to punish Israel as it is also signified in the second verse of this Chapter There is a Visitabo as well as here Visitabo super vos omnes iniquitates vestras I will visit vpon you or I will punish you for all your iniquities Visitabo I will doe it I will visit I will punish I the Lord God the God of Hosts will visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him Whence ariseth this obseruation Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure The Visitabo in my Text doth warrant this truth A day there shall be wherein Visitabo I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I shall doe it When the world was growne so foule with sinne that it deserued to be washed with a floud God himselfe vndertooke the visitation Gen. 6.7 I will destroy man whom I haue created from the face of the earth And vers 17. Behold I euen I doe bring a floud of waters vpon the earth to destroy all flesh Concerning the sinne of the people that great and grieuous sinne when they made them Gods of gold the Lord saith vnto Moses Exod. 32.34 In the day when I visit then will I visit their sinne vpon them When I see good to punish them I my selfe will punish them For the disobedient and despisers of the will of the Lord the Lord hath a Visitabo too Leuit. 26.16 Visitabo vos velociter I will visit you quickly with terrours with consumptions with burning agues that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart with the sword with famine and with pestilence Visitabo vos velociter I will quickly visit you I will doe it Monstrous and grieuous were the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah that were to be reuenged by so fearefull a iudgement as is a raine of brimstone and fire But how fell that raine vpon them The Text is Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained vpon Sodome and vpon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heauen The Lord rained saith the Text. Then not man not deuill not necromancy not any thing in nature was the cause that this befell those Cities but the very power and wrath of God of a displeased God at so great abomination as was there committed sent downe that raine vpon them The Lord was he that gaue that raine Prodigious were the plagues wherewith the land of Aegypt was visited I looke into the Sacred story and there I see aboue them a Exod. 9.23 thunder haile lightning tempests one while b Exod. 10.22 no light at all another while such fearefull flashes as had more terrour than the darknesse I see vnder them c 7.20 the waters changed into bloud the earth swarming with d 8.6 frogs and e 10.13 grashoppers I see about them f 8.24 swarmes of flies by which the land was corrupted I see their g 9.23.10.15 fruits destroyed their h 9.6 cattell dying their i 12.30 children dead Turning mine eyes vnto themselues I see them very loathsome with k 8.17 lice and deformed with l 8.10 scabs boiles and botches Grieuous indeed were these visitations but who was he that wrought them It was the Lord. For so the Text runneth Exod. 7.5 The Aegyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch forth mine hand vpon Aegypt Who was it but the Lord that smote Nabal that he died 1 Sam. 25.38 Aske of Esay who it is that formeth the light and createth darknesse that maketh peace and createth euill he will tell you it is the Lord that doth all these things Chap. 45.7 It is the Lord doth all Light and peace are the symbols of prosperity darknesse and euill of aduersity so the meaning of the place will be that the Lord is a doer not only in the prosperity but also in the aduersity wherewith this life is seasoned Thus haue you the confirmation of my obseruation which was that Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure One reason hereof is because nothing is done in this world but the Lord is the principall doer of it Nothing is done without him no not in the carriage of a lottery which in mans iudgement seemeth of all things to be the most casuall yet therein doth Gods hand appeare Salomon auoucheth it Prou. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Let Lots be cast into the lap some hat or cap or pot or box some secret and close place from whence the drawing of them forth may seeme to be meerely accidentall yet it is nothing so For God by his infinite and eternall prouidence doth both generally and particularly wholly and altogether direct and order them Now if Gods hand be found in the disposing of Lots shall it not be found in the ordering of the visitations and punishments that are incident to vs in this life for our
euill deeds Another reason hereof may be because all power is of God and from him alone There is no creature in the world deuill man or other that hath power any way to hurt or molest vs but from the Lord. All power is his Hee alone makes the earth to open her mouth and a Exod. 15.12 Numb 16.32 swallow vp his aduersaries He alone b Iob 9.5 remoueth mountaines and ouerturneth them He it is that saith to the North c Esa 43.6 Giue vp and to the South Keepe not backe and to the Deepe d 44.27 Be dry He diuideth the e 51.15 roaring Sea measureth the f Iob 28.25 winds and waters g Dan. 4.25 ruleth in the kingdomes of men Whatsoeuer he is pleased to doe h Psal 135.6 that doth He in Heauen and in Earth in the Seas and all deepe places There is no power but from him And therefore for this reason also it is true that Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure From the reasons of this obseruation proceed we to see what profit we may reape from hence for the bettering and amendment of our sinfull liues First from hence we learne in all our troubles and calamities to looke vp to God as the chiefe and principall Author of them from whom they come and vpon our selues and our sinnes the sole procurers of them and for whose sake they are sent Eliphar among his aduertisements giuen vnto Iob hath this for one Misery commeth not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground Iob 5.6 Warning Iob thereby to haue an eye to God as the Author of his affliction It s very true affliction comes not vpon vs at all aduentures it proceedeth not from the Earth or the Aire or the Heauen it is the hand of God that is heauy vpon vs for our sinnes Great is our folly that we gaze about here and there wandring vp and downe in our owne imaginations and searching all the corners of our wits to finde out the causes of our calamities without vs whereas indeed the true and right cause of them is within vs. Wee are euermore accusing either heat or cold or drought or moisture or the aire or the ground one thing or other to be the cause of our miseries but we will not be brought to acknowledge their true and proper cause euen the sinne that reigneth in vs. I deny not but the Lord hath secret causes whereof wee know not either the manifestation of his owne workes or the triall of our faith yet the reuealed and originall cause of all our miseries hath his beginning and spring-head from within vs from our iniquities The Prophet Ieremy Lament 3.39 makes this enquiry Wherefore should a liuing man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinne wherefore should he complaine Whereunto he fits this answer man suffereth for his sinnes implying thus much that it is meere folly for a man to vex his soule in mis-iudging of his estate and seeking by-paths to winde himselfe out of miseries sith miseries befall no man but for his sinnes Whereupon sweetly Pellican Non murmuret afflictus contra Dominum Let not the man that is in affliction murmure against the Lord for the Lord doth all things well Sed si quid patitur imputet peccatis suis quae Deus impunita non sinit But if he suffer any thing let him lay the blame thereof vpon his sinnes which God leaueth not vnpunished Our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hauing cured the man that had beene diseased eight and thirty yeeres and finding him in the Temple aduised him to consider the cause of his so long and lamentable a visitation saying vnto him Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee Ioh. 5.14 intimating that his disease of so long continuance was laid vpon him for his sinnes Out of doubt this diseased man thought himselfe happy when hee was restored to health yet lest he should rest therein our Sauiour telleth him he must change his heart and sinne no more lest a worse thing should befall him Sciebat Dominus ei quem salvum fecerat meritis peccatorum illum etiam carnis accidisse languorem Augustine de fide operibus cap. 20. The Lord knew that that same infirmity of body vpon the man whom he had healed befell him for his sinnes sake I need not presse other instances of holy Writ for the further illustration of the point in hand sith my Text is plaine for it By my Text its plaine that the visitation which the Lord was resolued to lay vpon the house of Iacob was for the preuarications thereof it was for their reuoltings and transgressions and wickednesse it was for the sinnes of Israel The sinnes of Israel were the cause of Gods visitation vpon them Wherefore Beloued let euery visitation of God vpon vs be vnto vs a Sermon of repentance to put vs in remembrance of our sinnes and to admonish vs not to sow any more vpon the furrowes of vnrighteousnesse lest we reape a more plentifull haruest of affliction and whensoeuer any visitation shall be vpon vs let vs desire God to sanctifie the crosse vnto vs that it may consume sinne in vs and prouoke vs to a more holy conuersation Thus haue you your first vse Now in the second place the consideration of this truth that whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God may teach vs to haue patience in our troubles not to repine or grudge when we are vnder the rod of affliction Sith it is the hand of God that doth visit vs we are to take it patiently as a dutifull child beareth the chastisements of his louing father This was the practise of holy Dauid Psal 39.9 where he saith Obmutui non aperui os meum quoniam tu fecisti Lord I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Quoniam tu fecisti because thou didst it this was the fountaine whence he drew his patience To the reuilings of the wicked to their reproaches to their malicious detractions to their scoffings to their iniurious speeches Obmutuit he answered not a word but was as the man that is dumbe as he that hath no tongue as he whose mouth is shut he excused not himselfe he returned no euill language but he held his peace and bore it patiently The fountaine of this his patience was Quoniam tu fecisti because thou didst it Lord thou didst it But thou art a Father I am thy sonne therefore what thou didst thou didst it for my good and therefore I hold my peace Out of this fountaine Iob drew his patience When he had lost his children and was depriued of all his goods he murmured not nor charged he God foolishly All he said was Dominus