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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
to keepe out of their sight But if the way here be figuratiuely taken as well it may by a metaphor for their cause their right their businesse their trade or course of life then are we here to vnderstand that the richer sort of the Israelites did peruert the right of the poore did hinder their purposes did disturbe their courses and did so confound them that they were not able to make any prouision for themselues This metaphoricall signification of a way we meet with Exod. 18.20 There Moses is counselled by Iethro to shew his people the way wherein they were to walke We meet with it also in the Booke of Iob Chap. 17.9 There Iob sayth the righteous shall hold on his way We meete with it in many other places of holy writ which I must now let passe in all which as in this place the way betokeneth the cause of a man his right his busines his trade or course of life Aâ—ter this figuratiue signification some doe thus expound these words They turne aside the way of the meeke or They peruert the way of the poore that is the Israelites their rulers and gouernours the rich among them doe take in ill part what so euer the poore say or doe All their words all their deeds are found fault with Some malicious inuention or surmise is euer at hand to lay the blame vpon them This I take to be the fittest exposition for this place Here then we haue the fourth sinne wherewith the Israelites are here charged It is Caluninia their false accusing of the poore a sinne that euermore attendeth vpon Oppression For the cruell and couetous wretch who is perswaded that his greatnesse chiefly consisteth in the oppression of the poore will be sure so to prouide to keepe the poore vnder that they shall neuer be able to reuenge the wrongs done vnto them Let the poore man slip but vnaduisedly or ignorantly the lawes must by and by take hold on him whereas the Rich man the lawes are but as Cobwebs he breakes throw them all Hence is that common saying the poore man doth nothing well the rich man nothing ill Yea let the poore man doe all things well yet will some rich calumniator euer be ready to giue an ill construction of his best wayes or as the phrase in my text is to turne aside the way of the meeke or to peruert the way of the poore The lesson which we are to take from hence for our instruction is this The poore man which vseth any honest trade or course of life is not to be turned out of his way his words and actions are not to be mis-interpreted The reason of this doctrine is plaine in the sixth verse of this Chapter The Lord will not turne away his punishments from the offenders in this kind from such as turne aside or peruert the way of the meeke and the poore The vse of this doctrine concerneth all those whom God hath blessed with the wealth of this world It is their dutie not to be carelesse of the poore not to grieue them not to hinder them in their honest courses not to turne them aside out of their lawfull wayes You that haue wherewith to maintaine your selues abundantly you may not exempt your selues from doing seruice vnto God with your abundance Yea you must straine yourselues to the vttermost of your powers to relieue and succour such as are in scarcitie and in want This is a sacrifice that God requireth at your hands Offer it willingly and you shall haue a reward Your reward it shall not be a corruptible Crowne It shall be a Crowne of eternitie It shall be the possession of Heauen it selfe The poore shall carry you thither There is to this purpose a sweete meditation of S. Austin Serm. 245. de Tempore There hee bâ—ingeth in God thus speaking to the rich man Te diuitem feci tibi quod dares dedi laturarios tibi pauperes feci I haue made thee rich I haue giuen to thee that thou mightest giue to others I haue made the poore to be thy porters to be the Cariers of thine almes and thee into Heauen To this sense doth the same S. Austine Serm. 25. de verbis Domini call the poore man viam Coeli the way to Heauen Via Coeli est pauper per quam venitur ad Patrem The poore man is the way to heauen by which we come vnto the Father Incipe ergo erogare si non vis errare Begin therefore to errogate to distribute to lay out vpon the poore if thou wilt not wander or stray from the way to Heauen Loose thou the fetters of thy patrimony in this life that hereafter thou mayest haue free accesse into Heauen Cast away the burthen of thy riches cast away thy voluntarie bonds cast away thy anxieties thy irkesomnesse wherewith for many yeares thou hast beene disquieted Da pâ—tenti vt possis ipse accipere Giue to him that asketh of thee an almes that thou maist thy selfe receiue mercy Tribue pauperi si non vis flammis exuri Giue vnto the poore if thou wilt not be burnt in the flames of Hell fire Da in terrâ Christo quae tibi reddat in Coelo Giue to Christ on earth and Christ will repay thee in Heauen The like hath the same good father Serm. 227. de Tempore Si aperueris pauperibus manus tuas Christus tibi aperiet januas suas vt Paradisi possessor introeas If thou wilt open thy hand vnto the poore Christ will open his gates vnto thee that thou maist enter the possession of Paradise the Paradise of Heauen It is a Paradise for pleasure but a Citie for beautie and a Kingdome for state There is God in his fulnesse of glorie and raignes in iustice The companie there are all triumphant they are all invested with glorie crowned in maiestie clothed in sinceritie Their faces shine with beautie their hearts are filled with pietie their tongues extoll the Lord with spirituall alacritie in their hands they beare palmes in token of victorie No tongue can vtter no heart can conceiue the boundlesse and endlesse happinesse that shal be enioyed there This we know that our corruption shall there put on incorruption and our mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life Euen so be it THE X. LECTVRE AMOS 2.7 And a man and his father will goe in vnto the same maid to prophane my holy name THey who haue begun to goe beyond the lines and the limits prefined vnto them in the word of God doe by little and little proceed from euill to worse from one wickednesse to another This you haue seene verified in these Israelites You haue seene their crueltie their couetousnesse their oppressions their calumnies They were cruell they sold the righteous they sold the poore ver 6. They were couetous they sold the righteous for siluer they sold the poore for a paire of shoes in the same verse They were oppressours they panted after the dust of the earth
the Lord. It is the complaint of the Lord himselfe Esai 52.5 My name continually euery day is blasphemed and Ezech. 36.20.22.23 The Israelites liuing among the Heathen haue prophaned my Holy name The Heathen there could say Hi populus Iehovae these are the people of the Lord these are come out of the land of the Lord. A holy people sure The Israelites you see sinned the Heathen thereby tooke occasion to blaspheme the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord was likewise blasphemed through the sinnes of the Iewes in S. Paules time The then-Iewes notwithstanding they made their Å¿ Rom. 2.17 boast of God and t Vers 18. knew his will and were u Vers 19. confident that they were guides of the blind the light of them which were in darkenesse x Vers 20. instructors of the foolish teachers of babes that they had the forme of knowledge and of the truth in the law yet forasmuch as they were spotted with theft with adultery with sacriledge with other enormities they are by S. Paul reprooued for prophaning the name of the Lord. The reproofe is Rom. 2.21 c. Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Thou that preachest a man should not steale doest thou steale Thou that sayest a man should not commit adulterie doest thou commit adulterie Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit sacriledge Thou that makest thy boast of the law through breaking of the law dishonourest thou God It followeth vers 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you The Iewes you see were the sinners The Gentiles thereby tooke occasion to blaspheme the name of God Thus is my doctrine confirmed vnto you Incestuous persons adulterers fornicators and other vncleane sinners are oftentimes the cause of prophaning the holy Name of God Let vs now a while consider what Vse wee may make hereof vnto our selues Is it true Incestuous persons adulterers fornicators and other vncleane sinners are they oftentimes the cause of prophaning the holy name of God Then dearely beloued let vs from hence be admonished so to spend the remainder of our pilgrimage in this present world in all holy conuersation that no boyling inordinate or vnruly motions no vicious or vnchast affections no act of vncleannesse may so far haue dominion ouer vs as to cause the holy name of GOD through vs to be prophaned S. Austine Enarrat in Psal 146. speaketh plainely Cum blasphematur Deus de malo opere tuo opere tuo blasphemas Deum that is When God for any euill worke is blasphemed thou by thine euill worke blasphemest God To the same purpose sayth the same Father Tract 27. in Iohan. Rarò iam inuenivntur qui linguâ blasphemant Deum sed multi qui vitâ Seldome now adayes doe we finde any that with their tongue blaspheme God but many that blaspheme him with their life Such were they in S. Pauls time of whom the blessed Apostle Tit. 1.16 sayth They professe that they know God but in workes they denie him And will we be such Farre be it from vs. We professe that we know God we professe our selues his seruants walke we therefore worthie of our profession as it becommeth the seruants of God And how shall wee so walke We so walke if we walke in holinesse For as St Paul speaketh this is the will of God euen your sanctification that yee should absteine from fornication that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honor not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles which know not God For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse And therefore as the same Apostle aduiseth the Ephesians Chap. 5.3 so aduise I you Fornication and vncleannesse let them not be once named amongst you as it becommeth Saints Not once named How then is it that the Apostle nameth them How is it that in this exercise I haue named vnto you incest adultery fornication and other sinnes of vncleannesse Yes beloued you may name them but it must be out of detestation to shunne them and not out of delight to nourish them From hence may you make this Collection If I may not once name fornication but with detestation then may I not commit it If I may not commit fornication much lesse may I commit adulterie much lesse incest much lesse some other sinnes of vncleannesse sinnes against nature monstrous and prodigious sinnes Now that we may not commit fornication it is euident by these reasons First it is vnlawfull by the law of Nature The very Heathen who hold no other light for their guide but the glimmering light of Nature haue so accounted of it Memorable is the saying of Demosthenes concerning the y Dimidium talentum vnius pretium noctis great price that was set him by the notorious strumpet Lais z Macrâ—b Saturnal lib. 2. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I like not to buy Repentance so deare Doth he not thereby intimate that dishonest pleasure the vnbridled desires of the flesh haue euermore for their companion Repentance Diogenes the Cynicke resembled a Laertius lib. 6. in vitâ Diogenis beautifull harlots to sweete wine tempered with deadly poyson What else doth he thereby intimate but that vnchast lusts howsoeuer to a carnall man they may at first seeme sweete they are notwithstanding full of bitternesse and are attended with perpetuall sorrow Crates the Philosopher beholding at Delphi the golden image of the harlot Phryne brake forth into this exclamation b Plutarch de fortuna Alexandri lib. 2. The like Laertius reporteth of Diogenes lib. 6. vit Diog. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is the trophie the monument of the loose liues of the Greekes Doth he not thereby intimate that incontinencie is euen by Natures law vnlawfull I might here produce many goodly sentences many notable examples of Ethnickes and Pagans to shew vnto you the iust punishment which for the most part followeth this detestable vice hard at the heeles which might also stirre vs vp to hate it and to flie from it with all our might But its time that I returne to the Booke of God Therein also doe we finde that this filthy sinne the sinne of fornication is reputed vnlawfull by the very law of Nature In Rom. 1.29 it is expressely named among the sins of the Gentiles who were meerely naturall men And Leuit 18.24 it is layd to the charge of the Cananites Gentiles too that with such vncleannesse themselues were defiled and the land wherein they liued was defiled and therefore are they in that place threatned that the land should spew them out You haue now the first reason why we may not commit fornication The reason is because it is vnlawfull by the law of Nature Secondly it is forbidden in holy Scripture In Ephes 5 3. And in 1. Thes 4.3 In the latter place we are commanded to abstaine from c 1. Cor. 6.18
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
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
God himselfe hath said it Esay 55.10 As the raine commeth downe and snow from Heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may giue seed to the sower and bread to the eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto mee void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it By this similitude taken from the raine and snow the Lord giueth vs to vnderstand that his Word hath euer an effectiue power It is euer working one way or other It either mollifieth or hardeneth it either conuerteth or conuinceth it either cureth or killeth None euer heard it but they were either the better or the worse by it Wee preach saith Saint Paul 1 Corinth 1.23 We preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and vnto the Greekes foolishnesse and these are the worse by the preaching of the Word But vnto them which are called both Iewes and Greekes it is the power of God and his wisdome and these are the better by it After that heauenly Sermon made by our Sauiour Ioh. 6. in the 66. verse Some went backe and walked no more with him these were the worse by his preaching Others stucke more close saying vers 68. Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and are sure that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God and these were the better by his preaching At Paphos in the I le of Cyprus Barnabas and Saul vpon the request of the Deputy preached the Word of God By their preaching Sergius was conuerted Elimas was the more obdurate the Deputy was the better by it the Sorcerer much the worse Act. 13.7 8. This word of God is called a sword Heb. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double edged sword It hath an edge and an edge alijs ad salutem alijs ad perditionem It hath an edge for some vnto saluation an edge for others vnto perdition an edge for receiuers vnto redemption an edge for contemners vnto reiection This is it that our Sauiour saith Ioh. 12.48 He that reiecteth me and receiueth not my words hath one that iudgeth him the word that I haue spoken the same shall iudge him at the last day The word which he hath heard and contemned the same shall be his Iudge Shall it be his Iudge Tell vs then Vbi nam iste talis judex sedebit Where shall this Iudge a Iudge of this nature the Word of God where shall it sit Quali de solio suo voces aut sententias iudicij sui dabit From what bench from what tribunall shall it giue sentence Lib. 10. Com. in Ioan. ad cap. 12. Rupertus shall make the answer Propè aderit intùs sedebit in conscientià cujusque iustas sententias terribiliter personabit It will be neare vnto thee it will haue a seale within thee euen in thy conscience and there it will terribly pronounce iust iudgement against thee if thou bee a contemner of the word of God Beleeue it dearely Beloued beleeue it The Word of God preached among vs shall either saue vs or iudge vs. It shall bee either a copie of our pardon or a bill of our inditement at the last day For non cadit fine efficacia as my doctrine goeth The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy it effecteth whatsoeuer it promiseth whatsoeuer it threatneth This is it which Saint Austin hath Enarrat in Psal 94. Sicut verum est quod promisit sic certum est quod minatur As it is true what God in his holy Word hath promised so certaine is it what therein he threatneth And as thou shouldest be certainly assured of thy rest of thy welfare of thy felicity of thine eternity of thine immortality if thou be obedient to this Word of God so must thou be certainly assured of thy molestation of thy vexation of thy ruine of thy burning in eternall fire and of thy damnation with the deuils if thou be disobedient hereunto Thus haue you as well the illustration as the confirmation of my second doctrine which was The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy The vses may be two One for terrour the other for comfort The terrour is for the wicked the comfort for the godly I can but point at them The first is terrour to the wicked The wicked when hee shall consider that the threatnings of God against sinners denounced in the Word of God are euer true in their performance and must therefore be performed vpon him how shall he stand affected Shall not a feare seize vpon him Ier. 49.24 shall not anguish and sorrow enuiron him about Shall not his heart be as the heart of a woman in her pangs His agony will bee no lesse than was Belshazzars Dan. 5.6 His countenance will be changed his thoughts will be troubled the ioints of his loines will bee loosed his knees will smite one against the other Such will bee his agony when the threatnings in Gods Word are brought home vnto him and laid vnto his conscience as that Psal 11.6 Vpon the wicked the Lord shall raine snares fire and brâ—mstone and a burning tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. And that Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doth euill And that Matth. 5.10 Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire And that Matth. 25.30 Cast ye the vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth O what terrours shall affright the wicked when hee shall behold such an army of sorrowes comming on against him with due vengeance from the Lord Those terrours that are vpon the wicked may be profitable vnto vs sundry waies First they may teach vs rightly to poise the weight of our sinnes in the balance of the Sanctuary and by the fearefull issue and after-claps that they bring to iudge how hainous they are in the sight of God Secondly they may rouse vs vp to a due consideration of our naturall misery Thirdly they may prouoke within vs an appetite euen to hunger and thirst after reconciliation by Christ Fourthly they may deterre vs from the practise of sinne And so passing from the terrors of the wicked let vs haue an eye to the comforts of the godly The godly man he that is the childe of God when hee considereth that the promises of God made in his holy Word are euer true in their performance and therefore will be performed in his particular how great cause hath hee of exultation and reioycing Sweet is that promise made by Christ Matthew 11.28 Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest As sweet is that Iohn 6.35 Hee that beleeueth on me shall neuer thirst and that vers 37. Him that commeth to
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.
Nation or vpon any priuate person but he doth alwaies first fore-warne the same and foretelleth it The reasons hereof are two One is in regard of the godly the other in regard of the wicked The first is in regard of the godly God is vnwilling at any time to take them at vnawares He loueth them and would not haue any of them to perish but would haue them all come to repentance as Saint Peter witnesseth 2 Epist 3.9 God would haue them all come to repentance that so they might preuent his iudgements And therefore he neuer striketh but first he warneth The other reason is in regard of the wicked namely that the wicked might be without excuse their mouthes might be stopped and the iustice of God cleared they hauing nothing to answer for themselues or to accuse God of any vniust dealing If I had not come saith our Sauiour Christ Iesus Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sinne but now they haue no cloake nor excuse for their sinne Wherefore let these men wicked men learne as oft as the rod of God lieth heauie vpon them to accuse themselues because when God gaue them warning they would not be warned when God would haue healed them they would not be healed You haue the reasons The vses follow I can but point at them the time will not suffer any enlargement Is it so beloued Doth God neuer bring any grieuous iudgement vpon any people or Nation or any priuate person but he alwayes first fore-warneth the same and fore-telleth it Here then acknowledge we Gods great mercie and his wonderfull patience Thus God needeth not to deale with vs. For vpon our owne perill we are bound to take heed of his iudgements before they come Yet so good is our God so louing so mercifull so patient that he is desirous wee should preuent his iudgements before they fall by sending our prayers vnto him as Embassadours to treat of conditions of Peace with him A subtill enemie would steale vpon vs at vnawares and take vs at the aduantage but God our good God euer fore-warneth before hee striketh Hee doth so saith Carthusian Vt emendemur ab imminentibus eripiamur tormentis hee euer fore-warneth vs that our liues may bee amended and wee deliuered from the torments that hang ouer vs readie to fall vpon vs. Againe doth God neuer bring any grieuous iudgement vpon any people or Nation or any priuate person but he alwayes first fore-warneth the same and foretelleth it Let vs then whensoeuer wee see any ouertaken with any grieuous iudgement confesse with Saint Augustine de verâ falsâ poenitentiâ cap. 7. Qui verus est in promittendo verus etiam est in minando that God is true as in his promises so also in his threatnings If his desire were not that wee should preuent his iudgements doubtlesse he would neuer giue vs warning of them If hee had a will and purpose to destroy vs he would neuer tell before-hand how wee should auoid his iudgements Let no man say that the silence of God and the holding of his peace is a cause of his securitie No it cannot be so God neuer commeth with any iudgement but he alwayes sendeth a warning peece before He sendeth vnto vs his seruants the Prophets Prophets we haue among vs and Apostles we haue among vs and God giueth vs his Ministers Pastors and Preachers as it were to put life againe into the dead Prophets and Apostles euen to open and declare vnto vs those things which they deliuered Wherefore when we shall be admonished by his Ministers that such and such iudgements shall come when they shall threaten plagues according to the generall directions which they haue in the word of God let vs not withstand the Spirit speaking in them It is the wonderfull goodnesse of God that hee vouchsafeth to send them vnto vs and to tell vs before of his iudgements THE Tenth Lecture AMOS 3.8 The Lion hath roared who will not feare the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie IT was a thing too common with the Israelites if their Prophets or Preachers did at any time speake sharply against their euill courses euermore to finde fault and quarrell them What meane these men Why doe they so farre vrge vs Why doe they not suffer vs to be quiet Will they euer prouoke the wrath of God against vs Sic enim solent homines surely so worldlings vse to doe If Prophets if Preachers be austere in their reprehensions they will command them to hold their peace as you haue heard by occasion of the twelfth verse of the precedent Chapter If Amos foretell Ieroboam King of Israel Amos 7.9 that the high places of Isaack shall be desolate that the Sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste that Ieroboams house shall perish with the sword there will be an Amaziah to forbid him to prophesie any more in Bethel Amos 7.12 If Hanani the Seer reproue King Asa for not relying on the Lord his God Asa will be in a rage with him and will put him in a prison house 2 Chron. 16.10 If Micaiah foreshew vnto King Ahab the euill that shall befall him the King will hate him for it 1 King 22.8 Zedechiah will smite him on the cheeke vers 24. Amon the Gouernor will put him in prison and will feede him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction vers 27. If Ieremiah foreshew vnto the Iewes their desolation for their sinnes some will deuise deuices against him and will smite him with the tongue Ieremy 18.18 Some will smite him with the fist and put him in the stocks chap. 20.2 Some will apprehend him threaten him with death and arraigne him chap. 26.8 Some will shut him vp in prison chap. 32.2 Some will let him downe with cords into a miry and dirty dungeon chap. 38.6 It is the lot of the Prophets of the Lord the portion of his Preachers Esay 30.10 Leuit. 19.17 if they speake not placentia pleasing and smooth words vnto the people but doe rebuke them and not suffer them to sinne it is their lot and portion neuer to haue want of enemies that shall make warre against them This ill custome in the people Amos here finds fault with and condemneth for vniust saying The Lion hath roared c. as if he had said You take me for your enemy because I foreshew vnto you the iudgements of God which shall light vpon you and therefore you contend you chide you quarrell with mee but all in vaine for I may not hold my peace If I should the voice of God will of it selfe be terrible enough vnto you The euill whereof I tell you proceedeth not so much from my mouth as from the Mandate of God Will I nill I I am constrained to obey my God God he hath chosen me to be his Prophet and hath put into my mouth what I speake vnto you The Lion hath roared
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
m Geverharl Elmenhorst com ad Minutium Felicem pag. 41. Salisberiensis in his first Booke de nugis cvrial cap. 10. call Egypt Matrem superstitionis the mother of superstition For as n Tom. 5. pag. 170. c. S. Hierome in his Comment vpon Esay 45. witnesseth Neuer was there any Nation so giuen to Idolatrie or worshipped such a number of monsters as Egypt did This notorious superstition and Idolatrie of the Egyptians so much spoken of by Christian writers and others is also in the sacred volumes of Holy writ censured and controlled In Exod. 12.12 the meanacing of the Lord is against them Against all the Gods of Egypt I will execute iudgment I the Lord. The gods of Egypt that is the Images and the Idoles which the Egyptians adored and worshipped Concerning which o De quadraginta duabus mansionibus Mans 2 Tom. 3. pag. 42. S. Hierome in an Epistle of his to Fabiola reporteth out of the Hebrew writers that in very same night the Children of Israel departed out of Egypt all the Temples of Egypt were ouerthrowne siue terrae motu siue iactu fulminum either with earth quakes or thunderbolts These Hebrew writers say further eâdem nocte lignea idola putrefacta fuisse metallica resoluta fusa lapidea comminuta that in the same night all the wooden Images were rotten all the mettall Images were dissolued and moulten all the stone Images were broken If so it were it was doubtlesse a great worke a great iudgement of God vpon those Egyptian monsters In Esay 19.1 their confusion is againe foretold Behold saith the Prophet the Lord rideth vpon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the Idoles of Egypt shall moue at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it Where the Idoles of Egypt are the heart of Egypt They are called the heart of Egypt because the heart of the Egyptians did wholy depend vpon them for reliefe and succour The Lord rideth vpon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the Idoles of Egypt shall moue at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it The Idols of Egypt shall moue and melt at the presence of the Lord. In Ierem. 43.13 their desolation is likewise denounced There the Lord threatneth to send Nabuchadnezzar the K. of Babylon his seruant into Egypt What shall he doe there He shall breake the Images of Bethshemesh that is in the land of Egypt and the houses of the Gods of the Egyptians shall be burnt with fire Thus you see it confirmed not onely by Christian writers and others but also by the sacred volumes of holy Scripture that the Egyptians were a superstitious and an Idolatrous people Superstitious were they and Idolatrous Happie then wast thou O Israell that the Lord brought thee vp from the land of Egypt Liue in Egypt thou couldst not with a good conscience nor would the Egyptians willingly suffer thee to worship God otherwise then themselues did To haue worshipped as they did must needs haue beene a Hell vnto thy soule and to haue done otherwise must needs haue brought certaine daunger to thine outward estate Acknowledge it therefore for a great benefit and blessing of God vpon thee that he brought thee vp from the land of Egypt God in reckoning vp this fauour of his his bringing vp Israel out of the land of Egypt teacheth vs what an intollerable thing it is to liue among Idolaters and what a speciall fauour it is to be deliuered from amongst them And this should stir vs vp to a thankfull recognition of Gods goodnesse towards vs who hath deliuered the Church wherein we liue from the Babylonish and Romish Idolatrie wherein our auncestors were nus-led and trained vp to worship and adore not the true and liuing God but Angels and Saints damned â—â—â—les it may be silver and gold stocks and stones Images and Idoles and what not From such grosse and palpable Idolatry we are by Gods goodnesse deliuered and now doe as a long time we haue done enioy the bright Sunne-shine of the p 1. Tim. 1 11. glorious Gospell of the blessed God our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Being now deliuered from the q Colos 1.13 power of darknesse vnder Antichrist and translated into the light of Christs Gospell Let it be our daily care for it is our dutie to walke worthy the light h Ephes 5.8 as children of light to walke in truth Ep. 3. Ioh. ver 3. to walke in loue Colos 5.2 to walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 If we walke after the flesh we shall mind the things of the flesh we shall be carnally minded and our end shall be death but if we walke after the spirit we shall mind the things of the spirit we shall be spiritually minded and our end shall be life and peace The choise is not difficult Life is better then death If you chuse life you must abandon and forsake the i Gal. 5.19 workes of the flesh which cause death Adulterie fornication vncleannesse lasciuiousnesse k Vers 20. hatred variance emulations wrath strife l Vers 21. envyings murthers drunkennesse revellings vsurie extortion oppression and such like are workes of the flesh and doe shut you out from life Yet may life be yours if you will be m Vers 18. led by the spirit n Vers 22. Loue ioy peace long suffering gentlâ—nesse goodnesse fayth meeknesse temperance are the fruit of the spirit Let these dwell among you and life shall be yours The God of life shall giue it you Hitherto you haue the first respect why it was beneficiall good for the people of Israel that they were brought vp from the land of Egypt It was good for them because the people of the land were superstitious and idolatrous and among such there is no good liuing The other respect now followeth It was beneficiall and good for the people of Israel that they were brought vp from the land of Egypt because the people of the land were full of crueltie and held Israel in subiection and seruitude Egypt was long a harbour to the Israelites but at length it prooued a Gaole vnto them The posteritie of Iacob finds too late what it was for their forefathers to sell Iacob a slaue into Egypt There arose vp a new Pharaoh a new king ouer Egypt he knew not Ioseph Then then were the Israelites contemned as drudges o Exod. 1.11 Task masters must be set ouer them to afflict them with their burdens Why so How had they offended They prospered too fast For thus sayth Pharaoh to his people Exod. 1.9 Behold the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier then we Come on let vs deale wisely with them lest they multiplie and it come to passe that when there falleth out any warre they ioyne also v to our enemies and fight
against vs. For this cause because they prospered too fast were task-masters set ouer them to afflict them with their burdens But the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied and grew This did not a little grieue the Egyptians The Egyptians therefore made the children of Israell to serue p Vers 13. with rigour q Vers 14. and held them in bondage without mercie and made their liues bitter vnto them in that cruell bondage in clay and bricke and all manner of worke in the field All their bondage wherein they serued them was full of tyrannie The crueltie of the Egyptians here stayeth not The hopes of succession for Israel must be preuented Women midwiues must be suborned to be murtherers to kill euery man-childe that should be borne of an Hebrew woman A prodigious crueltie that a man should kill a man for his sexes sake yet would Pharoah haue done it The r Vers 17. feare of God taught the midwiues to disobey the vniust commaund of Pharaoh They disobeyed it they well knew it was no excuse for so foule a fact to say we were bidden to doe it God sayd vnto their hearts Thou shalt not kill This voice was louder and more powerfull then Pharaohs What the midwiues would not that must Pharaohs people doe they must ſ Vers 22. cast into the riuer and drowne all the sonnes that were then borne They did it The crueltie which did but smoke before doth now flame vp it s become so shamelesse that now it dares proclaime tyrannie All the male children are cast into the riuer Nor could Pharoahs furie here be appeased He will haue the t Exod. 56.78 taske of the Children of Israel to be encreased They must make bricke as before as much as before yet shall they not haue any allowance of straw as they were wont to haue While possible taskes were imposed there was some comfort their diligence might saue their backes from stripes But to require taskes not possible to be done is tyrannicall and doth onely picke a quarrell to punish They could neither make straw nor find it yet must they haue it O crueltie O tyrannie For such crueltie and tyrannie practised against the children of Israel by the Egyptians Egypt it selfe is in holy Scripture stiled The house of seruitude or bondage Exod. 13.3.14 Exod. 20.2 Deut. 5.6 And in sundry u Deut. 6.12 And 7.8 8.14 135.10 Iosh 24.17 Iudg. 6.8 other places It is stiled likewise the yron furnace Deut. 4.20 1. Kin. 8.51 Ierem. 11.4 Egypt you see was the house of bondage it was the yron furnace wherein the children of Israel were x Act. 7.19 euill intreated suffered affliction and endured much miserie You will confesse that therefore it was beneficiall and good for them that they were from thence deliuered And well may you For the Lord himselfe reckons vp this their deliuerance for a benefit vnto them and by them to be remembred From hence issueth this doctrine Temporall benefits and bodily fauours are not to be forgotten I will not now stand to amplifie or enlarge this doctrine In the beginning of this exercise I exhorted you that you would not forget any one of Gods benefits bestowed vpon you Temporall benefits and bodily fauours haue beene plentifully shewred downe vpon vs by almighty God It is y Psal 100.3 He that hath made vs not we our selues it is He that prouideth for vs not we our selues S. Austin in his 21. chap. of his Soliloquies sweetly meditateth hereupon From Heauen from the Aire from the Earth from the Sea from light from darknesse from heate from shade from dew from raine and winds and showers and birds and fishes and beasts and trees and from the diuersitie of hearbes and fruit of the earth and from the seruice of all creatures which serue for mans vse Thou O Lord hast prouided to comfort man withall St Austines Lord is our Lord the Lord of all the world He hath preserued vs our bodies and all our lims to this very houre he hath deliuered vs from many dangers and distresses He hath so blessed our going out and comming in when we haue trauelled from home that we haue returned home in good health and disposition whatsoeuer good we haue had we haue had it from the Lord. Offer we therefore vnto him the sacrifice of prayse Hitherto you haue seene the deliuerance of the people of Israel out of Egypt It was an exceeding great benefit vnto them that they were thence deliuered First because the Egyptians were Idolaters and to liue among Idolaters is a very Hell Secondly because they were kept vnder by the Egyptians with extremitie of seruitude and bondage The seruant in the z Plautus Captivis Act. 1. Sc. 2. vers 10. Poet could say Omnes profectò liberi lubentiùs Sumus quam servi Euery man preferreth freedome before slauery The Israelites could doe no lesse they could not but account it a great fauour of God towards them that they were by him freed from the slauerie they endured in Egypt God when he beginnes a good worke will perfect it He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt if he had then left them he had left them a prey and spoyle vnto their enemies It was against Gods goodnesse so to doe and therefore he protected and preserued them in the wildernes which is the next benefit in this verse mentioned to haue beene bestowed by the Lord vpon his people the people of Israell in these words I led you fortie yeares through the wildernesse A wonderfull benefit Wonderfull whether we consider the multitude that were led or the place through which they were led or the time wherein they were led Euery circumstance is wonderfull and proclaimeth the great power of the Lord. The multitude that was led was very great the place through which they were led was very barren and they were a long time in leading The first circumstance is of the multitude which were led The number of this multitude is set downe Exod. 12.37 They were sixe hundred thousand men on foote besides children A most wonderfull increase from seauentie soules Old Iacobs seauentie soules which he brought downe into Egypt in spight of their bondage and bloud-shed goe forth six hundred thousand men besides children Tyrannie is too weake where God bids increase and multiplie The Church of God shall increase mauger the malice of man or Deuill In affliction in oppression in tyrannie the good herbe ouergrowes the weeds the Church out-strips the world Had the Israelites liued in case and delicacie while they were in Egypt would they haue beene so strong so numerous Who can say it This I am sure of neuer did any true Israelite loose by his affliction Six hundred thousand men besides children goe vp out of Egypt All Israelites But these were not all For there went vp also with them a mixed multitude and flockes and heards euen very much cattell as you may read