Ioshua and the elders of Israel to testifie their griefe for the ouerthrow giuen them by the men of Ai rent their clothes fell to the earth vpon their faces and put dust vpon their heads They put dust vpon their heads So 1. Sam. 4.12 the Beniamite that brought the heauy newes of the Arke of the Lord taken by the Philistines and of the death of Hophni Phinehas the two sons of Eli in tokeÌ„ of his griefe came to Shiloh with his clothes rent and with earth vpon his head He came with earth vpon his head The like we read 2. Sam. 13.19 Tamar the sister of Absolon because she was hated of Amnon by whom shee had bin rauished to signifie her griefe she rent her garment and put ashes vpon her head Shee put ashes on her head Other like c Iob 2.12 Ezech. 27.30 Apoc. 18.19 places of holy writ I might produce yet further to shew that the aspersion or sprinkling of earth dust or ashes vpon the head was a ceremonie in vse with such as had in themselues iust cause of griefe heauinesse mourning or lamentation But this is by the places already alleaged sufficiently declared vnto you If to this ceremonie of besmering the head with earth dust or ashes our Prophet here alludeth then are the rulers of Israel and the rich among them here taxed for their hard-heartednesse towards the poore for their couetousnes and cruelty whereby they oppressed the poore to this sense They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore They the rulers of Israel and the rich men there They pant after the dust of the earth they greedily desire to see the dust of the earth sprinckled on the head of the poore they make it their pleasure to giue the honest poore man iust cause of griefe and mourning They pant after the dust of the earth The dust sometime it betokeneth a low and base estate 1. Sam. 2.8 Hannah in her song of thankfulnes praising the Lord for his beneficence towards the humble despised saith He raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill So in so many words saith the Psalmist Ps 113.7 He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill In both places the latter phrase is a repetition or exposition of the former The Lord raiseth vp the poore out of the dust that is the Lord lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill The meaning is The Lord through his Almighty power and of his goodnes exalteth the poore and abiect amongst men from their vile contemptible estate to some degree of honour Hitherto may we adde that of Dauid Psal 7.5 Let him lay mine honor in the dust Let him lay mine honor in the dust What 's that If saith Dauid I haue rewarded euill to him that was at peace with me let the enemie lay mine honor in the dust that is let mine honor be so put out that there may be no more remembrance of it in the posteritie to come let me euer be held for a base vile and contemptible wretch If to this signification of Dust our Prophet here alludeth then are the rulers of Israel and the rich among them here censured for their cruell and vnsatiable desire to grind the faces of the poore Thus They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore That is though the poore doe already sit vpon the dust of the earth and are thereby in the eyes of the world base vile and contemptible yet do the rulers of Israel and the rich among them still pant after the dust of the earth vpon their heads their delight is to behold them euer wallowing in the dust of the earth to see them yet more base more vile more contemptible Yea they can bee contented that the dust whereof Dauid speaketh Psal 22.15 The dust of death be vpon their heads that the d Psal 49.15 graue haue power ouer them that the e Psal 69.15 pit shut her mouth vpon them Hitherto dearely beloued you haue had variety of interpretations Which will you admit You cannot chuse amisse They are all agreable to the analogie of faith They all checke Israel the heads of Israel the Magistrates Rulers and Gouernors of Israel the rich of Israel for their cruelty their couetousnes and their oppression of the poore of Israel and they yeeld vnto vs this lesson God pleadeth the cause of the poore against the cruell the couetous and oppressors By the poore in this proposition I vnderstand all that be in any need necessitie or want widdowes also fatherlesse children that haue lost their head strangers likewise and exiles out of their country for religion and good causes All these if they behaue themselues meekly and seeke to liue peaceably with all men and put themselues wholy into the hands of God God receiueth into his protection and pleadeth their cause Concerning strangers the commandement is Exod. 2â— 21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppresse him It is repeated Levit. 19.33 If a stranger sâ—iourne with thee ye shall not vexe him he shall be as one borne amongst you and thou shalt loue him as thy selfe Such is the commandement Doe men regard it Doe they not rather with their churlish and vnkinde words and deeds torment the a king heart of the stranger If they doe so the Lord is ready to auenge the strangers cause and to execute vengeance vpon his oppressors For so much the Lord vndertaketh Exod. 22.23 If thou afflict the stranger in any wise and he cry at all vnto me I will surely heare his cry and my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the sword You see God pleadeth the strangers cause Againe God pleadeth the cause of the widowes and fatherlâ—sse children The commandement concerning them is Exod. 22.22 Yee shall not afflict any widow or fatherlesse childe It is repeated Zach. 7.10 Oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse Such is the commandment Do men regard it Doe they not rather adde affliction to the afflicted fatherlâ—sse and widow Doe they not oppresse wrong vexe and grieue them If they doe so God is ready to right their cause and to lay vengeance vpon their oppressors For so much God vndertaketh Exod. 22.23 If you afflict the widow or fatherlesse childe in any wise and they cry at all vnto me I will surely heare their cry my wrath shall waxe hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse This protection ouer the fatherlesse and widowes is also ascribed vnto the Lord Deut. 10 18. The Lord doth execute the iudgement of the fatherlesse and widow It is very comfortably deliuered Psal 68.5 God in his holy habitation is a father of the fatherlesse and a iudge of the widowes You see God pleadeth the cause of the widowes and the fatherlesse So also he pleadeth the cause of
spake I vnto them yet they prophecie and chap. 23.21 I sent them not yet they ranne I spake not to them yet they prophecied Of the second sort were those Prophets in Israel whom men chose but God called not Of such some would haue these words Hos 9.8 to be vnderstood The Prophet is the snare of a fowler in all his wayes and hatred in the house of his God In opposition to these there are of true Prophets two sorts also Both of them are lawfully called to their holy function some by God alone some by God and man The holy Prophets in the Old Testament and the blessed Apostles in the New had their calling from God alone but Timothie Titus and the seauen Deacons and the residue of religious and godly Doctors and Pastors of the Church had and haue their calling both from God and man This distinction thus giuen it is now easie to define who the Prophets are that are meant in my text They are true Prophets such as had their calling immediatly from God and from him alone euen those holy men of God who liued in the time of the old Testament some of which had the honour to be the blessed pen-men thereof Such were the Prophets whom the Israelites commanded saying Prophecie not Prophecie not Speake not any more vnto vs in the name of the Lord. What No more Can there be any one so execrably audacious as vtterly to forbid the passage of the word of God any forhead so brasen as simply and precisely to reiect it It s not to be imagined The most wicked dare not doe it Yet would they by their wills haue lesse libertie of speach permitted to Gods Prophets Ministers and seruants they would haue their tongues somewhat tied that they might not by their crying out against sins vex and gall their seared consciences Hitherto we haue taken a view of the words It followeth that we examine the matter conteined in them Yee commanded the Prophets saying Prophecie not Hoc nimirum erat saith Rupertus non solum loqui sed etiam agere contra Spiritum Sanctum qui loquebatur per os Prophetarum This indeed were not onely to speake against but also to doe against the holy Ghost who spake by the mouth of the Prophets He noteth the disordered and franticke humour that was in the people of Israel to vilitie and neglect those Prophets and teachers which the Lord out of the abundance of his mercie had sent vnto them to be their guides and directors in the way of true pietie and religion The lesson we are to take from hence I giue in this proposition The wicked are euermore in a readinesse to doe all the disgrace and despite they can to the true Prophets of the Lord and his Ministers This truth grounded vpon my text and thereby sufficiently warranted may further be illustrated by other places of this volume of the Booke of God In the seauenth Chapter of this Prophecie we see what course entertainment our Prophet Amos receiueth from Amaziah a Priest of Bethel He there forbids Amos to prophecie any more in the kingdome of the tenne Tribes and aduiseth him to get him away by flight to the kingdome of Iudah where the Lords prophets were better welcome and more regarded and tells him that in Israel they needed no such Prophets nor cared for them nor would suffer them to preach so plainely to their King Ieroboam Will you haue Amaziahâ— owne words vnto Amos They are in the twelfth and thirteenth verses O thou Seer for he that is now n 1. Sam 9 9. called a Prophet was before time called a Seer O thou Seer goe flee thee away into the land of Iudah and there eate bread and Prophecie there But Prophecie not againe any more at Bethel For it is the Kings Chappell and it is the kings Court Was the entertainement of the Prophet Ieremie found in Ierusalem any whit better Not a whit In the 18. chapter of his Prophecie vers 18 I find the men of Iudah plotting against him Come say they let vs deuise deuises against Ieremiah Come and let vs smite him with the tongue and let vs not giue heed to any of his words In the 30. Chapter ver 2. I find him smitten and put in the stockes by Pashur the chiefe gouernor of the Lords house In the 26. Chapter vers 8. I see him againe apprehended threatned with death and arraigned In the 33. chapter vers 1. I see him shut vp in the Court of the prison In the 38. Chapter vers 6. I find him let downe with cords into a miry and dirtie dungeon And all this befell him because he prophecied in the name of the Lord. The vsage of Micaiah the Prophet is likewise memorable King Ahab K. of Israell o 2. Chro. 18.7 hateth him 1. King 22.8 Zedekiah p Vers 23. smiteth him on the cheeke vers 24. and Amon the gouernour of the Citie is commanded to put him q Vers 26. in prison and to feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction vers 27. There was a Seer a Prophet called r 2. Chro. 16.7 Anani He had a message from the Lord to Asa King of Iudah and did faithfully deliuer it But for so doing the King was in a rage with him and put him in a prison-house 2. Chron. 16.10 As ill affected to the Prophets of the Lord were the people of Iudah for the most part of them And therefore is Esay chapter 30.8 commanded to write it in a table and to note it in a Booke that it might be for the time to come for euer and euer an euidence against that people that they were a rebellious people lying children children that would not heare the Law of the Lord such as blushed not to say to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophecie not vnto vs right things but if you will needs be Seeing or Prophecying or Preaching or speaking vnto vs then speake vnto vs smooth things Prophecie deceits Get you out of the way turne aside out of the path cause the Holy one of Israel to cease from before vs. Strange that there should be in the people of the Lord such contempt such a detestation of the Prophets of the Lord But you see the lot of Gods Prophets vnder the old Testament Were they more regarded in the time of the New It seemes not For it could not but fall out with them according to that prediction of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 23.34 Behold saith he I send vnto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and some of them yee shall kill and Crucifie and some of them shall yee scourge in your Synagogues and persecute them from citie to citie According to this prediction it came to passe Some they killed They killed Å¿ Euseb Histor Eccles lib. 2. ca. 9 Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword Act. 12.2 Some they crucified They crucified Christ himselfe the Lord of
against the day of wrath Let vs rather euen now while it is now cast away all workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light let vs take no further thought for our flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Let vs walke no more as formerly we haue done in gluttony in drunkennes in chambering in wantonnesse in strife in enuying in deceit in falshood in vanitie but let vs walke honestly as in the day and put we on the Lord Iesus Whatsoeuer things are true honest and iust and pure and doe pertaine to loue and are of good report if there be any vertue or praise thinke we on these things Thinke we on these things to doe them and we shal not need to feare any de olation to our houses or barrennesse to our grounds our dwelling houses shall not mourne or perish the top of our Carmel shall not wither our fields shall bring forth increase vnto vs. For God euen our owne God shall giue vs his blessing God will blesse vs to passe the time of our pilgrimage here in peace and plentie and when the day of our separation shall be that we must leaue the earth a vale of teares and miseriâ— he will translate vs to Jerusalem aboue the place of eternal 〈◊〉 and felicitie where this corrupâ—ible shal put on incorruption and our mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life So be it THE Sixth Lecture AMOS 1.3 4 5. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure I will not turne to it because they haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of yron Therefore will I send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shal deuoure the palaces of Benhadad I will breake also the barres of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captiuitie vnto Kir saith the Lord. THough in this prophecie there be mention made of Iudah yet was Amos by the holy spirit deputed and directed with his message peculiarly and properly to the ten reuolted Tribes the kingdome of Israel The mention that is made of Iudah is made but incidently and by the way The scope of the prophecie is Israel as I shewed in my * Pag. 7. first Lecture If Israel be the scope of this prophecie how commeth it to passe that the Prophet bestoweth the residue of this chapter and a part of the next in making rehearsall of foraine nations their transgressions and punishments Why doth he acquaint Israel with his burdensome prophecies against the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites why doth he not rather discharge his function and duty laid vpon him and checke the Israelites terrifie them and reproue them for their euill deeds The reasons why Amos sent of purpose with a message to the Israelites doth first prophecie against the Syrians other forraine nations are three 1 That he might be the more patiently heard of his country-men the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enemies could not but with more quiet heare him when he should prophesie against them also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici some comfort it is to a distressed naturall man to see his enemy in distresse likewise 2 That they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against them in vengeance seeing that God would not spare the Syrians and other their neighbour Countries though they were destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will 3 That they might the more feare at the words of this prophecie when they should see the Syrians and other nations afflicted and tormented accordingly Here might they thus haue argued Wil not God spare our neighbours the Syrians the rest Then out of doubt he wil not spare vs. They silly people neuer knew the holy will of God and yet shal they be so seuerely punished How then shal we escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it From the reasons why Amos first prophecieth against forraine nations then against the Lords people Israel I come now to treat particularly of his prophecy against the Syrians vers 3 4 5. Wherein I commend to your christian considerations three parts 1 A preface proeme or entrance vers 3. Thus saith the Lord. 2 A Prophecie in the 3 4 5. verses For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure c. 3 A conclusion in the end of the 5. verse Saith the Lord. The preface and the conclusion do make for the authoritie of the prophecie verse 3. and 5. In the prophesie these parts may be obserued 1 A generall accusation of the Syrians verse the 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure 2 A protestation of almighty God against them I will not turne to it 3 The great sinne by which they so offended God their extreme cruelty verse 3. They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of yron 4 The punishments to bee laid vpon them for such cruelty These punishments are here set downe generally and specially Generally vers â—he 4. I wil send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ben-hadad Specially vers the 5. I wil break also the barres of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-auen him that holdeth the scâ—pter out of Beth-eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captiuitie vnto Kir Thus saith the Lord It is a very vsuall thing with the Prophets so to begin their special Prophecies to let the world vnderstand that they feigne nothing out of their owne braines but that whatsoeuer they speake they haue receiued it from the spirit of the Lord. Thus saith not Amos but in Amos the Lord. The Lord the powerfull Iehouah of whom you heard at large out of my third lecture vpon this chapter Thus saith the Lord the powerfull Iehouah * See Zect 3. who made the heauens and a Psal 104 2. spread them out like a curtaine to cloath himselfe with light as with a garment can againe b Esai 50.3 cloath the heauens with darknesse and make a sacke their couering who made the sea to c Psal 1â— 4.3 lay the beames of his chamber therein d Jerem. 5.22 placed the sands for bounds vnto it neuer to be passed ouer howsoeuer the waues thereof shall rage and roare and can with a word smite the pride thereof at his rebuke e Esay 50.2 the flouds shall be turned into a wildernesse the sea shall be dried vp the fish shall rot for want of water and die for thirst who mad the dry land and so f Psal 10 4.5 set it vpon foundations that it should neuer moue and can g Pâ—al 104.6 couer her againe with the deepe as with a garment and so h Psal 24.20 rocke her that shee shall reele to and fro
Christ but our owne bellies as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 16.18 Of such speaketh the same Apostle Phil. 3.19 Many doe walke as enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things Whose God is their belly Thus beloued you see what Idols are yet remaining among vs and how we are defiled with them What remaineth but that we suffer our selues to be exhorted in the words of Barnabas and Paul to the men of Lystra Act. 14.15 that we would turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from those vaine Idols to serue the liuing God Thus farre of my second Doctrine which was 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 Which doctrine I grounded vpon the second reading of my Text Melchom shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together Now followeth the third generall part of this prophecy against the children of Ammâ—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith the Lord. This is the conclusion of this Prophecie and it redoubleth its authority and credit Authority and credit sufficient it hath from its very front and preface vers 13. Thus saith the Lord. It is here redoubled Saith the Lord. Hath the Lord said it and shall he not doe it Hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it The Lord Iehouah the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the tittles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heauen and earth shal passe before one iot or one tittle of Gods Word shall scape vnfulfilled Iehouah the Lord saith whatsoeuer our Prophet Amos hath here denounced against the Ammonites It is the Lord that saith it Amos is but the Lords Minister the Words are the Lords Whence we may take this Doctrine The Author of holy Scripture is neither man nor Angell nor any otber creature how excellent soeuer but only the liuing and immortall God This truth may likewise be grounded vpon the Preface to the ensuing Prophecy And therefore sith my houre is almost spent and your attention well nigh tired I put off the handling of this doctrine till God giue me opportunity to speake againe vnto you Meane time let this which hath beene deliuered vnto you Non meis viribus sed Christi misericordiâ not by any strength of mine but by the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ serue for the exposition of this first Chapter 1 Tim. 1.17 Vnto the King eternall immortall inuisible the only wise God three persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be honour and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS A COMMENTARIE OR EXPOSITION VPON THE SECOND Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS Deliuered In XXI Sermons in the Parish Church of MEYSEY-HAMPTON in the Diocesse of GLOCESTER BY Sebastian Benefield Doctor of Diuinitie and Professor for the Lady MARGARET in the Uniuersitie of OXFORD IAMES 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you LONDON Printed by EDWARD GRIFFIN for IOHN PARKER and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the three Pigeons 1629. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God and my very good Lord IOHN by the diuine prouidence L. Bishop of London Right Reuerend Honourable ONce more I make bold to present vnto your HONOR a testimonie of my most humble observance It is an Exposition of the second Chapter of the Prophecie of Amos. My labours vpon the first it pleased your Lordship heretofore fauourably to accept and patronize If these vpon the second may find the like entertainement they haue their end The beames of that splendour of goodnesse in you which long since haue shined vpon many in this Vniuersitie and me among the rest methinkes J still behold How can J then but in memorie thereof offer vp to your Honourable Name some Sacrifice of thankesgiuing This is the best I haue at this time Receiue it my good Lord such as it is the sincere token of a thankefull heart God Almightie who hath made you an eminent and an honourable pillar here in his Church militant for the comfort of his people giue you herein many dayes full of honour and comfort and reward you with a Crowne of neuer-fading glory in his Church triumphant From my studie in Christ Church in Oxford Februarie 14. 1619. Your Lordships in all dutie and seruice SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD A COMMENTARIE VPON THE SECOND Chapter of AMOS deliuered in XXI Lectures THE FIRST LECTVRE AMOS 2.1 2 3. 1. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for foure I will not turne to it because it burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime 2. Therefore will I send a fire vpon Moab and it shall devoure the pallaces of Kirioth and Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet 3. And I will cut off the Iudge out of the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him saith the Lord. HOw grieuous a burden sinne is you may well perceiue by the heauy punishments which God layeth vpon the committers of sinne Good store of examples the first chapter of this prophecie hath yeelded vnto you The Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites and the Ammonites haue for their sinnes bin seuerally repayed with vengeance from Heauen the fire of the wrath of God hath seized vpon them and deuoured them their Cities are become desolate their memorie is perished from off the earth As it is befallen them so it befalleth the Moabites also against whom Amos in the beginning of this second chapter directeth his prophecie and to the same purpose whereto the prophecies of the former Chapter were directed The a See my sixth Lecture vpon Amos 1. reasons why Amos sent of purpose with a message to the Israelites doth first prophecie against the Syrians the Philistins the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites all forreine nations are three 1. That he might be the more patiently heard of his countrymen the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enemies could not but with more quiet heare him when he should prophecie against them also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici Some comfort it is to a distressed naturall man to see his enemie in distresse likewise 2. That they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against them in vengeance seeing that he would not spare the Syrians and other their neighbor countries though they were destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will 3. That they might the more tremble at the words of this prophecie when they should see the Syrians and other Nations afflâ—cted and tormented according to the heinousnes of their iniqâ—ities Here might the Israelites
chap. 5.18 Be yee not drunke with wine wherein is excesse It is as if he had said Take heed of wine be not ouercome of it In vino luxus Consider the man that is giuen ouer to drunkennesse His life its profuse its dissolute its vncleane its luxurious its vnworthy a Christian Take heed of wine Salomon Prouerb 20.1 saith Wine is a mocker It is so wine taken immoderately deceiues him that takes it He takes it to be sweet and pleasant but will finde it in the effect exceeding bitter What more bitter then drunkennes and what causeth drunkennesse more then wine Aufert memoriam dissipat sensum confundit intellectum incitat libidinem omnia membra debilitat vitamque exterminat It is b Drusius Prou. Class 2. li. 1. 257. said to be S. Austines Drunkennesse it takes away the memorie it consumes the senses it confounds the vnderstanding it prouoketh lust it weakneth the bodie it driues life away The drunkard is notably deciphered by the same Father in his booke de poenitentiâ Quùm absorbet vinum absorbetur à vino the drunkard while he deuoureth his wine is deuoured of his wine abominatur à Deo despicitur ab Angelis deridetur ab hominibus destituitur virtutibus confunditur à daemonibus conculcatur ab omnibus God detesteth him the Angels despise him men deride him virtues forsake him the Diuels doe confound him all doe spurne him The ancient Fathers generally are eloquent in beating downe this sinne of drunkennesse c Hom. 14. in ebrietatem Basil calls it a voluntarie Diuell the mother of naughtinesse the enemie of vertue Chrysostome Homil. 57. ad populum Antiochenum saith where drunkennesse is there is the Deuill Drunkennesse it s a disease remedilesse a ruine without excuse the common reproch of mankinde The drunken man he is a voluntarie Diuell a dead-liuing man d Chrys st Hom. 58. in Math. worse then an Asse worse then a dogge worse then any brute beast The brute beast cannot be compelled to drinke when he hath no thirst but this drunkard is so intemperate that when he is replete euen to the mouth yet will he powre in more He will verifie the saying of the Prophet Esay 28.8 Your tables are full of filthy vomitings no place is cleane S. Ambrose in his booke de Elia Ieiunio cap. 17. to worke in vs a detestation of this sinne saith Ebrietas fomentum libidinis ebrietas incentivum insaniae ebrietas venenum insipientiae Drunkennesse it s a cherisher of lust a prouoker of madnesse the poyson of folly Hereby are men strangely affected Vocem amittunt colore variantur oculis ignescunt ore anhelant fremunt naribus in furore ardescunt sensu excidunt They loose their voyce their colour is changed their eyes are fiery at the mouth they fetch breath a pace in the nosthrils they snore aloud they are fierce in their furie they are depriued of their sense They haue for their attendants dangerous frensies grieuous paines of the stone deadly crudities frequent castings Mentior saith Ambrose I lye if the Lord hath not said as much by his Prophet Ieremie chap. 25.27 Drinke yee and be drunken and spew and fall and rise no more I may not passe by S. Hierome He in an Epistle of his which he wrote to that noble virgin Eustochium to perswade her still to continue a Virgin warneth and exhorteth her to flie from wine as from poyson He tels her the Diuels haue not a better weapon wherewith to conquer or corrupt youth Youth Couetousnesse may shake it pride may puffe it vp ambition may delight it but drunkennesse will ouerthrow it Other vices we may in time forsake hic hostis nobis inclusus est If this enemie once get possession of vs it will along with vs whither soeuer we goe Wine and youth ech of them is incendium voluptatis fit to set lust on fire yong men and yong women flie from wine Quid oleum flammae why cast we oyle vpon the flame Quid ardenti corpusculo fomenta ignium why bring we tinder why touchwood to a fire already kindled So discourseth that good Father to perswade the Virgin Eustachium to hate wine as poyson The discommodities of wine he briefly toucheth in his Comment vpon Galat. 5. Vino hominis sensus evertitur pedes corruunt mens vacillat libido succenditur by wine a mans sense and feeling is impaired his feete doe faile him his vnderstanding is abolished his lust is inflamed It were infinite to relate how e Super Genesin Homil. 6. cap. 19. super Levit. hom 7. cap. 0. Origen how f Pet. Rauennus in Serm. quodam Chrysologus how g De modo bene viuendi Ser 25. Bernard how h Hilarius in Psal 125. Hugo de S. Victore Clemens Alex. Paedag. l. 2. c. 2. others haue painted out this vice with the mischiefes which it bringeth But what neede any such relation Why heare we the Fathers speake when the Scripture is plaine Salomon Prou. 23. propoundeth a question It is verse 29. Who hath wee who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath babling who hath wounds without a cause who hath rednesse of eyes His answer is vers 30. They that tarry long at the wine You see a troupe of mischiefes at the heeles of a drunkard Salomon well weighing this in the next verse in the 31. he prescribeth a remedie against drunkennesse Looke not thou vpon the wine when it is red when it giueth his colour in the cup when it moueth it selfe aright Let not the pleasant colour of the wine glorious and faire to thine eye let it not deceiue thee If it do what then Then as it is vers 32. it will bite thee like a serpent it will sting thee like an adder like a cockatrice like a viper And as it is vers 33. Thine eyes shall behold strange women thou wilt become shamelesse and vnchast or Thine eyes shall behold strange visions Bina pro singulis putabis te videre Euery thing will seeme double to thee Thou wilt thinke thou seest two candles when there is but one in the roome And thine heart shall vtter peruerse things Out of the abundance of thine heart openly in the presence of others thou shalt speake things filthy and vnseemly out will thy greatest secrets Yea saith he vers 34. Thou shalt be as he that lyeth downe in the middest of the Sea or as he that lyeth vpon the top of a mast carelesse and secure in greatest danger It followeth vers 35. Though thou be striken though beaten grieuously yet wilt thou not feele it so dead thou art in the sleepe of thy drunkennesse and which is to be admired when thou awakest thou wilt to thy wine againe So excellently doth Salomon giue the picture of a Drunkard Beloued in the Lord I hope there is none of you that heareth me this day giuen ouer to this vile sinne If any one hath at any time through infirmitie bin ouertaken
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.
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
earth euermore a remnant that shall be saued as it 's intimated by the Prophet Esay Chap. 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant we shouâ—d haue beene as Sodom and like vnto Gomorah You see a remnant reserued though a small one Yea sometimes there is a reseruation of so small a remnant as is scarcely visible As in the daies of Eliah who knew of none but himselfe I only am left saith he 1 King 19.14 Yet God tells him in the 18. verse of seuen thousand in Israel which neuer bowed their knees to Baal Hitherto belongeth that Ioel 2.32 In mount Sion and in Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call t Ierem. 25.34 Howle yee wicked and cry and wallow your selues in the ashes for your dayes of dispersion and slaughter are accomplished and yee shall fall like the Philistines euery mothers childe of you the u Ierem. 46.10 sword shall deuoure you it shall be satiate and made drunke with your bloud there shall not be a remnant of you left But you the elect and chosen children of God your Father take vnto you x Esay 61.3 beauty for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse reioyce yee and be glad together Let the prince of darknesse and all the powers of hell assisted with the innumerable company of his wicked vassals vpon the earth ioyne together to worke your ouerthrow they shall not effect it For God euen your God will reserue vnto himselfe a remnant This remnant is the chaste Spouse of Christ the Holy Catholike Church enriched from aboue with all manner of benedictions Extra eam nulla est salus whosoeuer hath not her for his Mother shall neuer haue God for his Father Of this remnant and Catholike Church notwithstanding the challenge of Romish Idolaters we beloued are sound and liuely members Happy are the eyes which see that we see and enioy the presence of him whom we adore happy are the eares that heare what we heare and the hearts which are partakers of our instructions No Nation vnder Heauen hath a God so potent so louing so neere to them which worship him as we of this Iland haue The many and bloudy practices of that great Antichrist of Rome so often set on foot against vs and still defeated are so many euidences that our soules are most precious in the sight of God He he alone hath deliuered vs out of the Lions iaw to be a holy remnant vnto himselfe Now what shall wee render vnto the Lord for so great a blessing We will take vp the cup of saluation and call vpon his Name THE Fifteenth Lecture AMOS 1.9 10. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure I will not turne to it because they shut the whole captiuity in Edom and haue not remembred the brotherly couenant Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof THis blessed Prophet Amos sent from God in Embassage to the ten reuolted Tribes doth first thunder out Gods iudgements against neighbour countries the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites Which he doth for certaine reasons giuen in my Sixt Lecture that he might be the more patiently heard of his country-men the Israelites that they might haue no cause to thinke much if God should at any time lay his rod vpon them and that they might the more stand in awe of the words of this prophecie When they should heare of such heauy iudgements to light vpon their neighbours they could not but enter into a consideration of their owne estate and thus reason within themselues Is it true which this Amos saith Will the Lord bring such heauy iudgements vpon the Syrians Philistines Tyrians and other of our neighbours In what a fearefull estate are we then They seely people neuer knew the will of God and yet must they be so seuerely punished How then shall wee escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it Of the iudgements denounced against the Syrians and Philistines you haue heard at large in former Lectures Now in the third place doe follow the Tyrians vers 9 and 10. For three transgressions of Tyrus c. These words containing a burdensome prophecie against Tyrus I diuide into two parts 1 A preface Thus saith the Lord. 2 A prophecies For three transgressions of Tyrus c. In the prophecie I obserue foure parts 1 A generall accusation of the Tyrians For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them I will not turne to it 3 The declaration of that grieuous sinne by which they so highly offended This sinne was the sin of vnmercifulnesse and crueltie expressed in two branches 1 They shut the whole captiuitie in Edom. 2 They remembred not the brotherly couenant 4 The description of the punishment to befall them for their sinne in the tenth verse Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof The preface giues credit vnto the prophecie and is a warrant for the truth of it Thus saith the Lord The Lord Iehouah whose Throne is the Heauen of heauens and the Sea his floore to walke in and the Earth his foot-stoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man and possesseth his most secret reines and diuideth betwixt the flesh and the skin and shaketh his inmost powers as the thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades This Lord Iehouah so mighty so powerfull shall he say a thing and shall he not doe it Shall hee speake it and shall hee not accomplish it The Lord Iehouah the strength of Israel is not as man that hee should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the tittles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of his Word shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lord Out of doubt then must it come to passe And because it is the Lord that speaketh it is required of vs that we hearken to him with reuerence Thus briefly of the Preface whereof I haue more largely spoken in two former Lectures my sixth and twelfth Lectures vpon the third and sixt verses of this Chapter In which these very words are prefixed for a Preface to two prophecies the one against the Syrians the other against the Philistines I proceed to the present prophecie against the Tyrians It is much like the two former both for words and matter In regard whereof I shall be short in many of my notes For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure Here is nothing new but the name of Tyrus This Tyrus is called in the Hebrew text * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tzor whence came the name
longer to presume vpon his patience It is true Dominus patiens the Lord is slow to anger but the Prophet Nahum Chap. 1.3 addeth also that he is great in power and surely will not cleare the wicked This long for bearance of God towards vs patientia est non negligentia you must call it patience it is not negligence Non ille potentiam perdidit sed nos ad poenitentiam reseruauit saith St Austine serm 102. de Tempore God hath not lost his power but hath reserued vs for repentance and quanto diuâ—ius Deus expectat tanto grauius vindicat How much the longer God expects and waits for our conuersion so much the more grieuously will he be auenged vpon vs if we repent not I shut vp all with that exhortation of Ecclesiasticus chap. 5.7 Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day To moue vs to this speedie conuersion he addes this reason for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance What remaineth but that we pray with Ieremie Chap. 31.18 Conuert thou vs O Lord and we shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord our God THE IIII. LECTVRE AMOS 2.4 5. Thus sayth the Lord For three trangressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they haue despised the Law of the Lord and haue not kept his commaundements and their lies caused them to erre after the which their Fathers haue walked But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem OVr Prophet Amos hath hitherto dealt with forraine Nations with the Syrians with the Philistines with the Tyrians with the Edomites with the Ammonites and with the Moabites Six in number All borderers vpon and professed enemies vnto the people of the Lord the type of the Church To each of these you haue heard the iudgements of God menaced his punishments threatned all which are accordingly fallen out Was not Amos his message from the Lord to the Israelites Why then doth he first foretell forraine nations their iudgements The reasons are three First that he might be the more patiently heard of his Countrymen friend and allies the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enemies could not but the more quietly heare him when he should prophecie against them also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici It is some comfort to a naturall distressed man to see his enemie in distresse also Secondly that they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against them in vengeance sith he would not spare the Syrians and other Nations though destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will Thirdly that they might the more stand in awe at the words of this prophecie when they should behold the Syrians and other their neighbours afflicted and tormented according to the haynousnesse of their iniquities Scitum est ex alijs periculum facere tibi quod ex vsu fiet It is a principle in Natures Schoole that we take example from other mens harmes how to order our wayes From this natures principle the people of Israell might thus haue argued Will not the Lord spare the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites How then can we presume that he will spare vs They silly people neuer knew the holy will of God yet shall they drinke of the cup of Gods wrath How then shal we escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it You see now good reason our Prophet had though sent with a message to the ten tribes of Israel first to let forraine Nations vnderstand Gods pleasure towards them in respect of their sinnes From them he commeth to Gods owne peculiar people diuided after the death of King Salomon into two families or kingdomes Iudah and Israel First he prophecieth against Iudah in the 4. and 5. verses Thus sayth the Lord For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure c. Wherein I obserue two parts 1. A Preface Thus sayth the Lord. 2. A Prophecie For three transgressions of Iudah c. In the Prophecie we may obserue foure parts 1. A generall accusation of Iudah For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure 2. The Lords protestation against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof 3. An enumeration of some particular sinnes by which the Iewes prouoked God vnto displeasure Because they haue despised the Law of the Lord c. 4. A commination or denuntiation of iudgement against them vers the 5. But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem First of the Preface Thus saith the Lord It is like that gate of the Temple in a Act. 3.11 And 5.12 Salomons poarch which for the goodly structure thereof was called beautifull Act. 3.2 So is this enterance to my text very beautifull We haue alreadie beheld it six seuerall times fiue times as wee passed through the former Chapter and once at our first footing in this There is engrauen in it that same Tetragrammaton that great and ineffable name of God Iehovah Iohovah Curious haue the b See Lect. 1. Cabalists and Rabbins bin in their inuentions about this name They will not haue it to be pronounced nor taken within polluted lips They note that it is nomen tetragrammaton a name of foure letters of foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the name of God in all tongues and languages for the most part consisteth of foure letters and they adde that these foure letters in the Hebrew tongue are literae quiescentes letters of rest whence they picke this mystery that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all the creatures in the world is in God alone They further say that this name is powerfull for the working of myracles and that by it Moses and Christ haue done great wonders These their inuentions are partly superstitious partly blasphemus but all braine sicke and idle Yet must we needs acknowledge some secret in this name We are driuen to it by Exod. 6.3 There the Lord thus speaketh vnto Moses I appeared vnto Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob by the name of a strong omnipotent and all-sufficient God but by my name Iehovah was I not knowne vnto them The secret is thus vnfolded Iehovah this great name Iehovah importeth the eternitie of Gods essence in himselfe that he is c Heb. 13.8 yesterday and to day and the same for euer d Apoc. 1.8 which was which is and which is to come Againe it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God as from whom all creatures in the world haue their e Act. 17.28 life their motion and their being God is the being of all his creatures not that they are the same that he is but because
Propheticall Bookes is true also of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall what he affirmeth of the old testament is true also of the new The new and the old differ not in substance In veteri Testamento est occultatio novi in novo Testamento est manifestatio veteris So saith St Austin lib. de Catechizandis rudibus cap. 4. In the old Testament the new is trid and in the new the olde is manifested The like the same good Father hath Qu. 37. super Exodum In vetere novum latet in novo vetus patet in the old the new is couered and in the new the old is opened Old and new both doe agree in substance Now make we our collection The whole Scripture conteining both Testaments olde and new is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most sure word to it we must take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts and this we must know that no Scripture in eyther of the Testaments old or new is of any priuate motion and that neither old nor new Testament came to vs by the will of man but that holy men of God haue conueyed them vnto vs as they were mooued by the holy Ghost And yet must this holy Scripture be noted for a great Booke of Heresie for conteining erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of Heresie The first pillars of the Primitiue Church the auncient Fathers thought much otherwise Because I cannot stand long vpon this poynt one shall serue for all Sweete Saint Chrysostome in his ninth Sermon vpon the Epistle to the Colossians thus speaketh to his hearers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee my secular and lay auditors heare me I beseech you Get you Bibles your soules physicke if you be vnwilling to be at charge for the whole yet at least buy the new Testament the Euangelists and Apostles will be your daily and diligent teachers If any griefe befall you make your repaire hither as to an Apothecaries shop here shall you haue varietie of medicines fit to cure you If any damage if losse of friends if death come here may you finde comfort In a word the cause of all euill is not to know the Scripture You see how far this good Father is from calling the Bible a Booke of heresies as some late Papists haue done He holds it to be the greatest treasure this world hath and thinkes it for you very expedient to haue one of them in your houses that at euery opportunitie you may be reading in it If any shall here obiect I am towards the Law I am employed about publike affaires I am a tradesman I am a marryed man I haue children to maintaine I haue a Familie to care for I haue worldly businesses to looke vnto it is not my part to read the Scriptures this office belongs to them rather who haue bidden the world farewell to such St Chrysostome shall answer Homil. 3. de Lazaro Quid aâ— homo What sayst thou man Is it not a part of thy businesse to turne ouer the Scriptures because thou art distracted with many cares Immo tuum est magis quam illâ—rum Yea the reading of the Scripture belongeth to thee rather then to them who haue bidden the world farewell because they need not so much the helpe of Scripture as you doe who are as it were tossed in the waues of troubles To conclude this poynt Let Papists set light by the Sacred Scriptures let them debase vilifie and disgrace them to their owne vtter confusion and perdition wee through Gods goodnesse haue learned a better lesson that the word of God which we call Scripture is o Chrysost hom 7. de poenitentia a hauen free from raging surges a well fortified bulwarke a toâ—re not staggering an aduancement not to bee taken from vs by violence no not any way to bee diminished a stable blissefulnesse at no time languishing a neuer-failing pleasure whatsoeuer good a man can speake of Sacrâ comperiet in Scripturâ he shall finde it in the Holy Scripture So saith sweet Chrysostome Homil. 7. De poenitentia In my first Sermon before you vpon this chapter I deliuered vnto you the same effect thus The word of God which we call Scripture it is his most royall and Celestiall Testament it is the Oracle of his heauenly Sanctuary it is the onely Key vnto vs of his reuealed counsels it is Milke from his sacred brests the Earnest and Pledge of his fauour to the Church the Light of our feet the Ioy of our hearts the Breath of our nostrils the Pillar of our faith the Anchor of our hope the ground of our loue the Euidence of our future blessednesse Now therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloued let this word of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisdome frequent this place to heare it read and expounded vnto you and at home teach and admonish your owne selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs My exhortation is the same that S. Paul made vnto the Colossians Chap. 3.16 Thus much of the preface The prophesie followeth The first part thereof is a generall accusation of Iudah For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure Wherein we are first to consider who are the accused in the name Iudah Secondly whereof they are accused For three trasgressions and for foure First of the accused The accused are the inhabitants of the Kingdome of Iudah The Kingdome of Iudah is taken sometimes latè sometimes strictè sometimes in a large sometimes in a strict sense In the large it betokeneth all the twelue tribes of Israel in the strict sense it betokeneth onely two tribes Iudah and Beniamin Iudah and Israel at first were but one kingdome which afteward was diuided into two the Kingdome of Iudah and the kingdome of Israel When and how this was done it is expressely deliuered in 1 Kings 12. in 2 Chro. 10. It was after the death of King Salomon and thus Rehoboam King Salomons sonne censured by Ecclesiasticus chap. 47 23. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foolishnesse of the people and one that had no vnderstanding succeeding in his fathers throne did vpon aduise giuen him by his young counsellours promise sharpe vsage and hard measure vnto his people My least part my little finger shall be bigger then my fathers loynes whereas my father did burden you with a grieuous yoke I will make it heauier my father hath chastized you with rods but I will correct you with scourges This his vnkinde and euill entreating of a people which of late in King Salomons time saw good and peaceable daies did cause a rebellion and reuolt Ten of the twelue tribes much discontented brake forth into speeches of impatiency What portion haue we in Dauid We haue no inheritance in the sonne of Ischai to your tents O Israel now see to thine owne house Dauid So they forsooke Rehoboam their rightfull Lord and set vp
the poore whatsoeuer he be The commandement concerning him is Levit. 25.35 If thy brother be waxen poore and fallen into decay with thee then thou shalt relieue him yea though he be a stranger or a soiourner It is repeated Deut. 15.7 If there be among you a poore man thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from him But f Deut. 15.11 Matth. 5.42 Luc. 6.34 thou shalt open thine hand wide vnto him and shalt lend him g vers 8. sufficient for his neede Such is the commandement Doe men regard it Doe they not rather harden their hearts and shut their hands against the poore Do they not h Prou. 22.22 rob them i Ezech. 22.29 vexe them k Amos 4.1 oppresse them crush them Doe they not euen now as bad as the Israeliâ—es in my text did Do they not sell the poore for siluer for shoes for a trifle Doe they not euen now pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore If they doe so the Lord is ready to doe them right and to punish such as oppresse them For so much God vndertaketh Amos 4.2 where to such as oppresse the poore and crush the needie the Lord God hath sworne by his holinesse that loe the dayes shall come vpon them wherein he will take them away with hookes and their posteritie with fish-hookes This Salomon by the spirit full well knew and therefore Prou. 22.22 aduising vs not to robbe the poore brings this for a motiue vers 23. The Lord will plead the cause of the poore and will spoyle the soule of those that spoyle them And chap. 23.11 disswading vs from wronging of the poore he brings the like motiue Their redeemer is mighty hee shall plead their cause with you You see now God pleadeth the cause of the poore whatsoeuer he be But against whom doth he plead it My doctrine saith the Cruell the Couetous and Oppressors These are they whom the holy Spirit in this place taxeth Their cruelty and couetousnes were touched vers the 6. They sold the righteous the poore This was Cruelty They sold them for siluer and for shoes this was Couetousnesse Those two Cruelty and Couetousnes ioyned togither make Oppression which is the sinne reproued in the beginning of this 7. verse They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore With these the Cruell the Couetous and Oppressors the Lord hath a l Hos 4.1 controuersie against these hee m Micah 6.2 pleadeth First He pleadeth against the Cruell Against the Chaldeans Esai 47.5 6. Sit thou silent and get thee into darknes O daughter of the Chaldeans thou shalt be no more called the Lady of kingdomes For thou didst shew my people no mercy thou hast very heauily laid the yoke vpon them Secondly He pleadeth against the Couetous Against the men of Iudah Esai 3.14 15. Yee haue eaten vp the vineyard the spoyle of the poore is in your houses What meane ye that ye beat my people to peeces and grinde the faces of the poore Thirdly He pleadeth against the Oppressors Against the heads of Israel Micah 3.3 Ye eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from off them yee breake their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot as flesh within the cauldron Thus far of the doctrine God pleadeth the cause of the poore against the cruell the couetous and oppressors Now let vs see what benefit we may make hereof vnto our selues for our further instruction and the amendment of our liues First Doth God plead the cause of the poore against the cruell the couetous oppressors This may serue to reproue the cruel the couetous the oppressors of this age With vs now it is as once it was with the state of Israel Cruelty and Couetousnesse much worse then nettles and brambles haue ouer-run our land These two Cruelty and Couetousnesse that boundlesse this vnsatiable like the two daughters of the horsleech Prov. 30.15 haue bin so long vsed to cry Giue Giue that they will neuer be brought to say It is enough The first borne of these two Cruelty and Couetousnes is Oppression that loud-crying sinne vnder which this our land in euery corner almost groneth and shee hath her mates too Vsurie and Extortion All these Crueltie Couetousnesse Oppression Vsurie and Extortion walke hand in hand and seeke about like that n 1. Pet. 5.8 roaring Lyon the Deuill of whom they are begotten whom they may deuoure Many God knowes they haue deuoured already but that contents them not Dearely beloued how shall I worke in you a loathing a detestation of these foule sins Can I do it better then by setting before your eyes the deformitie and vglines of the men in whom they raigne And who are they will you haue their character and picture It is drawne by Salomon Prou. 30.14 There is saith he a generation a generation of men whose teeth are as swords and their o Iob 29.17 iawes as kniues to deuoure the poore from off the earth and the needie from among men They are as Dauids Lyons Psal 57.4 Their teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword They are as the kine of Bashan Amos 4.1 Oppressors of the poore crushers of the needy See you not in the shape of men Monsters Kine Lyons with teeth like speares and arrowes with iawes like kniues with tongues like swords Will you yet conuerse with them will you haue any further fellowship any further acquaintance with them You will say How shall we shun them vnlesse we more particularly know who they are Behold therefore a Catalogue of them out of a p Râ—inold vpon Obadiah pag. 84. learned and iudicious Diuine They are such as eat and deuoure vs vp with Vsurie such as spoile vs by monopolies by engrossing by false wares by subtile bargainâ—s such as wrong vs by enclosing of Commons such as wring vs by enhaunsing of rents such as rob the Church in pulling away the maintenance of the Ministers thereof in possessing their right in appropriating or deteining their tithes such as thrust husbandmen out of their liuings in their steed place a shepheard with his dog such as ioyne q Esa 5.8 house to house land to land liuing to liuing as though they meant aloâ—e to liue vpon the earth These are they whose character and picture I but now shewed vnto you men will you call them men nay monsters of men kine of Bashan Lyons whose teeth iawes and tongues are as speares and arrowes and kniues and swords to eate deuoure the needy and the poore These are they whom you commonly call deuouring Caterpillers greedie Cormâ—rants cruell Cambals and not amisse So vnsatiable are they and such merci-lesse man-eaters hated of all good people and r Psal 5.6 abhorred of God What can be the end of these men Shall not the day come wherein dogs shall licke their bloud as once
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
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
not broach or publish any vâ—in imaginations of their own but those things onely which God g ueth them in charge They must heare what God saith and that alone must be their message Againe they must remember they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 15.27 and Act. 1.8 they are witnesses for Christ They are to beare witnesse to the truth of Christs person to his threefold office his Priestly Princely and Propheticall office and to the benefits that doe flow from thence for the edification of the Church All this they are to heare from the mouth of God speaking in his holy Word and thereof to make their contestation in the house of Iacob to beare witnesse thereof to Gods people not by their preaching only but if need be by their dying too The other vse is for hearers For if the Preacher be first to heare what God speaketh and then to testifie the truth thereof to the house of Iacob the people of God then are the people of God all the house of Iacob to giue attentiue care to the Preachers message Hearers in hearing are to know that they are to deale with God and are to receiue the Word deliuered by the Minister not as the Ministers word but as the Word of God Such Hearers were those Thessalonians commended by S. Paul Epist 1. Chap. 2.13 For this cause saith he thanke we God without ceasing because when ye receiued the word of God which ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeue The example is well worthy our imitation Beloued if an earthly Prince speake or send a message to vs we giue all shew of reuerence and heare him with diligence This Word whereof we now entreat is not of flesh and bloud it proceedeth not from Kings or Emperours or Parliament or from Councels of men but from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ When this Word is read Princes and Emperours stand vp and lay downe their sword and vncouer their head and bow their body in token of reuerence because they know it to be the word of God which God himselfe hath vttered that it should be as the a Deut. 32.2 dew of Heauen to moisten our drie soules as a b Ioh. 4.14 Well of water springing vp to euerlasting life as a c 2 Cor. 2.16 sauour of life vnto life and the very d Rom. 1.16 power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Without this Word we are vndone we perish we receiue no comfort we see not the light we grow not in faith we abide not in the Church of God Wherefore suffer yee a word of exhortation It shall be in S. Peters words 1 Epist 2.2 As new borne babes desire yee the sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby Be yee so affected to the word of God as new borne infants are to their mothers milk You know well how that is A little infant euen by the instinct of nature almost as soone as it is borne seeketh that nourishment it is not long well without it when nothing else will that will stil it So euen so be ye affected long ye after the word of God as your spiritual nourishment reioice in it place your happinesse in the vse of it let it be your chiefest comfort This indeed hath beene euermore the right disposition of Gods holy ones O how great was the felicity that Dauid felt in this word of God In one Psalme Psal 119. He preferreth it before profit before pleasure before glory Before profit V. 127. I loue thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue fine gold Before pleasure vers 103. How sweet are thy words vnto my taste yea sweeter than hony vnto my mouth Before glory vers 57. Thou art my portion O Lord I haue determined to keepe thy words and vers 111. Thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the reioycing of my heart Now because in a spoile all those things doe meet together Profit in the treasure Pleasure in the ouerthrow and Glory in the conquest or triumph he addeth vers 162. I reioyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoile Thus was holy Dauid determined and resolued to content himselfe with the word of God in stead of all profit pleasure and glory For his profit was his support in trouble and aduersitie his pleasure was the peace of a good conscience his glory was to be in the fauour of God All which is wrought by the precious and vnvaluable word of God This word of God was vnto Ieremy Chap. 15.16 the ioy and reioycing of his heart And Ezechiels roll the symbole of this word was in his mouth as hony for sweetnesse Chap. 3.3 And Iohns little book which he receiued from the Angell the badge of this word was in his mouth sweet as hony Reu. 10.10 When Philip was gone downe to the Citie of Samaria and had preached Christ vnto them the text saith there was great ioy in that city Act. 8.8 When the same Philip had taught the mystery of Christ to the Eunuch the Eunuch went on his way reioycing in the same Chapter vers 39. The Angell relating to the shepherds the Natiuity of Christ said vnto them Feare not for behold I bring vnto you good tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people Luk. 2.10 Good tidings of great ioy Happy shepherds to heare so good tidings from an Angell Princes would haue been glad to haue heard it but they heard it not Yet to Princes as well as to others this good tidings of great ioy belongeth Good tidings of great ioy Great ioy it is first in respect of the matter thereof which is very great euen our reconciliation with God Secondly it is great ioy for the diuturnity and stability thereof it abideth and continueth constant for euer Thirdly it is great ioy for the vniuersality of it it reacheth vnto all generibus singulorum to all kinds of people though not singulis generum to all particulars of all kinds but only to such as shall receiue it by a true faith Last of all it is great ioy quia spirituale because it is spirituall and belongeth to the saluation of the whole man body and soule And the good tidings of this great ioy is deriued vnto vs in these our dayes through the ministery of the word of God Wherefore dearly beloued let me againe put you in minde of your Christian duty concerning this word of God that as new borne infants ye desire the sincere milk thereof to grow therby Long ye after it it is your spirituall nourishment reioyce in it place your happinesse in the vse of it Let it be your chiefest comfort Whensoeuer you shall heare this word of God read or preached remember whose Word it is you heare and thinke yee thus euery man with himselfe Surely this is the