vnto him all laud and praise for suffring vs notwithstanding our manifold sins euery man to dwell d 1 King 4.25 vnder his vine and vnder his fig-tree to liue in our owne land in peace free from all feare of being led into captiuity Thus much of my first vse A second followeth My Doctrine was When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King Will you haue a reason hereof Heare then what Elihu saith Iob 34.19 God accepteth not the persons of Princes he regardeth not the rich more than the poore Hee accepteth no mans person saith S. Paul Gal. 2.6 No mans person Then neither the person of the Priest nor of the King If these sinne like others of the people these shall be punished as well as others and if others bee carried into captiuity these must into captiuity also The vse of this Doctrine is to admonish the great and mighty ones of this world that they presume not to sinne against the Lord as if they were priuiledged by their greatnesse and might No priuiledge can serue their turnes when they must e Iob 21.20 drinke of the wrath of the Almighty Then shall they be as f Iob 21.18 stubble before the wind and as the chaffe that the storme carrieth away Consider this all yee who take your selues to bee mighty among your neighbours ye whom God hath blessed with this worlds good aboue your neighbours Thinke not your wealth or authority can protect you when Gods sore displeasure shall breake out against you for your sinnes but rather let it euer be written in your hearts what is written Wisd 6.6 The mighty shall be mightily tormented And remember what is added in that place He that is Lord ouer all will spare no person neither shall he feare any greatnesse for hee hath made the small and the great and careth for all alike But for the mighty abideth the sorer triall And hence ariseth a third vse It is to minister a word of comfort to the inferiour and poorer sort of people If the mighty shall g Amos 2.6 sell the righteous among you for siluer and the poore for shooes if they h Amos 2.7 gape ouer your heads in the dust of the earth if they i Esa 3.15 grinde your faces if by violence and oppression they k Habak 1.4 compasse you about yet be ye of good comfort God the Iudge of all accepteth no persons He in his good time will auenge your causes be your oppressors neuer so mighty for when he punisheth a land for the sinnes of a people he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King There is a fourth vse of this Doctrine It is to warne vs not to set our hearts vpon the outward things of this world for as much as God will not respect vs for them Neither Priest nor Prince nor King can stand before the displeasure of Almighty God And shall a mighty man shall a rich man stand No. l Psal 68.2 As the smoke vanisheth so shall he be driuen away and as the wax melteth before the fire so shal he perish at the presence of God Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord let vs onely and earnestly seeke after such things as may make vs accepted with God as righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost For whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ hee is acceptable to God saith Saint Paul Rom. 14.18 Thus farre by occasion of my first doctrine which was When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither priest nor prince nor king And it was grounded vpon the first reading of the words of my text â—fter the Hebrew thus Their King shall go into captiuity he and his princes together after the Septuagint thus Their King shall goe into captiuity their priests and Princes likewise I commended vnto you another reading out of the Vulgar Latine Melchom shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together and I told you in the beginning of this exercise what Melchom was I said it was the same with Milchom or Molech or Moloch an abomination of the Ammonites their Idoll their God to whom they yeelded diuine worship and consecrated their children through fire All this I made plaine vnto you out of the sacred Scriptures The Doctrine Neither Melchom of the Ammonites nor any other Idoll of any other people can saue themselues in the day of captiuity much lesse can they saue the people that doe trust in them and worship them First they cannot saue themselues Secondly nor them that put their trust in them They cannot saue themselues For what is become of Succoth-benoth the God of Babel of Nergal the God of Cuth of Ashima the God of Hamath of Nibhaz and Tartack the God of the Auins of Adrammelech and Anammelech the God of Sepharvaim Their names indeed remaine vpon record 2 King 17.30 31. but themselues are vanished they are come to nought Hezekiah King of Iudah he who brake in peeces the brazen Serpent which Moses made because his people offered incense to it he put downe those Idoll Gods he tooke away their high places hee brake their images hee cut downe their groues 2 King 18.4 What is become of Ashtoreth the Idoll of the Zidonians of Chemosh the Idoll of the Moabites of Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon Their names indeed remaine vpon record 2 King 23.13 but themselues are vanished they are come to nought Iosiah King of Iudah that good King he put downe those Idoll Gods he brake their images in peeces he cut downe their groues and filled their places with the bones of men 2 King 23.14 I could here repeat vnto you many other Idols and Idoll Gods whose names are particularly recorded in the register of Gods holy Word which also are vanished and come to nought But the time will not suffer me Let it suffice what is spoken in a generality of the Kings of Assyria 2 King 19.18 that they did set on fire the Gods of the Nations Gods And yet set on fire True But they were but Idoll Gods and therefore could not helpe themselues Not helpe themselues Why not The reason is giuen in the same place For they were no Gods an Idoll God is no God they were no Gods but the worke of mans hands euen wood and stone therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them The very same reason is deliuered in the very same words by the Prophet Esay Chap. 37.19 They were no Gods but the worke of mens hands euen wood and stone therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them The holy Prophets are very zealous in Gods cause against those Idols Esay Chap. 41.29 saith They are all vanity their worke is of nothing they are wind they are confusion Ier. Chap. 10.15 saith They are vanity they are the worke of errors in the time of their visitation they shall perish I should weary my selfe and your attention would
concluded peace and d inuadeth a fresh the Turkes dominions The Turke ioynes battell with him at e Pag. 297. Varna in Bulgaria and beholding the picture of the crucifix in the displaied ensignes of the Christians pluckes out of his bosome that writing wherein the late league betweene him and Vladislaus was comprised and holding it vp in his hand with his eies cast vp to heauen saith Behold thou crucified Christ this is the league thy Christians in thy name made with me which they haue without cause violated Now if thou be a God as they say thou art and as we dreame reuenge the wrong now done vnto thy name and me and shew thy power vpon thy periurious people who in their deeds deny thee their God What followed hereupon The victorie was the Turkes Vladislaus lost his life there and eleuen thousand Christians besides The successe of this great and bloudy battell of Varna fought the 10. of Nouember 1444. doth it not plainly shew that God cannot away with league-breakers These few instances of Saul Zedechiah and Vladislaus may suffice for the clearing of my propounded doctrine Ancient leagues are not rashly to be violated The vse of this doctrine is to admonish all subiects to be very respectiue and mindfull of that league and couenant which they haue by their solemne oaths made and confirmed to their Kings Princes and other Gouernours according to that exhortation made by S. Paul Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers It is not a bare or naked exhortation it is backed with a good reason For there is no power but of God and the powers that are are ordained of God It followeth in the second verse Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God Whosoeuer they are that resist power men in authority Princes Rulers and Gouernours they resist God and God will confound them their infamie shall remaine vpon perpetuall record for a spectacle to all posterity What else meaneth the Apostle in the same place where hee saith They that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement And here dearely beloued I beseech you to beware of Romish Locusts I mean Iesuits and Seminary Priests who are sent from beyond the seas to inueigle you to make you vnmindfull or at least carelesse of your couenant confirmed by your sacred oaths with your redoubted Soueraigne They will tell you that your King is an Heretike because he maintaineth not their Romish new and vpstart religion and will thereupon go about to perswade you that you are not to keepe your faith with him It is a Deuillish doctrine They haue learned it from Martin the fift one of their holy Popes f Cochlaeus Hist Hussit lib. 5. Rainold Thes §. 42. pag. 188. Margin who in his Epistle to Alexander Duke of Lituania saith Scito te peccare mortaliter fi seruabis fidem datam hareticis Know saith he that thou sinnest mortally if thou keepest thy oath made with heretikes If vpon this perswasion you will not be drawne to breake your oath which you make a conscience of then will they further tell you that the Pope hath already giuen you absolution and a dispensation for your oath Pope g Caus 15. qu. 6. c. Nos Sanctorum Nosces qui excommunicatis fidelitate sacramento constrictisunt Apostolicâ autoritate sacramento absâ—luimus Gregory the seuenth of that name saith We by Apostolicall authority doe absolue all from their oaths which they haue giuen to persons excommunicate The words are in Gratians decree caus 15. qu. 6. c. 4 Wee by Apostolicall authority doe absolue all from their oathes c. But who are excommunicate by Romish exposition I will tell you out of the great lawyer Panormitan not they only against whom the sentence of excommunication is pronounced For saith h Extra de Judicits Câ—p. Cum in homine Cum est crimen notorium nullâ est opus declaratione sententiae excommunicationis Panormitan when the Heresie is publikely knowne there needeth no proâ—uatiation of the sentence of excommunication And who are such heretikes as against whom there needeth no pronuntiation of the sentence of excommunication i Lib. 1. de iusta punit Haeretic Alfonsus de Castro and k Justruct Sacerd lib. 1. cap. 19. Qui intelligens aliquam sententiom expressè ab Ecclesia damnatam eam retinâ—crit Haereticus pertinax est censendus Tolet the Iesuite will tell vs that whosoeuer maintaineth any doctrine condemned in the Church of Rome he is to be accounted an obstinate Heretike Well then all Protestants Princes and subiects maintaining true Christian doctrine such as is condemned in the Church of Rome are in Popish account obstinate Heretikes and therefore ipso facto already excommunicate there needeth no pronuntiation of the sentence of excommunication against them Whereupon it followeth that in euery kingdome where the King is a professed Protestant the subiects are already absolued from their eath of allegeance I will not in this auditorie further enlarge this point A point I grant fitter for the Conuent of the profound and learned then for this place Wherefore I shut vp this point beseeching you to suffer a word of exhortation Howsoeuer Pope l Apud Gâ—â—tian Caus 15 q. 6. Gregory the seuenth that same m Maâ—natâ—â—y Neâ—rama◠〈◊〉 praestigtis Diabolicis Papatum inâ—asit Szeged spec Pontis Vrsin spec Iesuit sorcerer and n Cum Mathilde comitissa occultum habuit commercium Vrsin Spec. Iesuit p. 265. adulterer and o Lib. 5. Decret tit 7 cap. 6. glossa Nos excommunicamus vniuersos haereticos vt absolutosse nouerint omni fidelitatis debito qui iis iuramento terebantur astricti Gregory the ninth and p In Bâ—lla Absoluimus subditos vinculâ—iuramenti quo Reginae Elizabethe constricti tenchantur Pius the fift and all succeeding Popes shall absolue you from your oath of allegiance yet dearely beloued beleeue them not ' Peter and the Apostles Act. 5.29 doe put you in minde that it is better to obey God than men And God in his holy word commandeth you to be subiect to the higher powers as you haue already heard Rom. 13.1 to honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 to submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man for his sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto other gouernours vers 13. you haue taken your oath of allegiance and sworne obedience to your King breake not your couenant with him that Gods wrath breake not forth in fire against you as it did against these Tyrians for not remembring the couenant of brethren Thus farre by occasion of the first exposition of these words They remembred not the couenant of brethren that is they remembred not the couenant made betweene their King King Hiram and the King of Jsrael King Solomon Now somewhat of the other exposition They remembred not the couenant of brethren that is they remembred not the couenant made
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
In a word God hath giuen vs our soules and our bodies all the faculties of the one all the members of the other all to doe him seruice but we haue imployed all to his dishonor Dearely beloued what shall we doe The best aduise I can giue is that which Christ giueth his Spouse in the Canticles chap. 6.13 Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne that we may behold thee I thus paraphrase it Returne O my Spouse daughter of Ierusalem returne returne to me returne to thy selfe returne to thy former feeling of my Grace returne that both my sâ—lfe and all the companie of Angels may see thee and reioyce in thee This Spouse of Christ is the mother of vs all the holy Catholique Church in whose bosome we are nourished Take we then the aduise giuen vnto her for an aduise vnto our selues Returne we from our euill wayes returne we from our three and foure transgressions returne we from all our sinnes returne we to the Lord our God that both he and all the companie of Angels may see vs and reioyce in vs. Mutet vitam qui vult accipere vitam saith S. Augustine Serm. 1. de tempore if wee will enioy the blessed life of Heauen we must change our wicked life on earth If we will not change it but will still beare about vs whorish lookes theeuish faces proud hearts couetous thoughts malicious mindes lustfull eyes slandering tongues bloody hands and drunken desires from which God Almightie defend vs all our portion must bee the accursed death of Hell God will not turne away his punishments from vs Thus far of the generall accusation of Israel and the Lords protestation against them in those words For three transgressions of Israel and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof It followeth Because they sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes Here beginneth the rehersall of those grieuous sinnes which made a separation betweene God and Israel In these words two sinnes are specified Crueltie and Couetousnes Their Cruelty I note in selling of the righteous and the poore their Couetousnes in as much as they did it for siluer and for a paire of shoes I take the words in their order They sold the righteous for siluer A man may be said to be righteous either by imputation or by vertue or by comparison or by course of law The righteous man by imputation is he whom Habakkuk speaketh of chap. 2.4 The iust shall liue by his faith There the iust or righteous man is he to whom the Lord imputeth not his sinnes which he hath committed The righteous man by vertue is he whom Dauid speaketh of Psal 11.3 If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous doe There the righteous man is he whom we call virum bonum a good man The righteous man by comparison is he whom Habakkuk speaketh of chap. 1.13 Wherefore holdest thou thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then he There the righteous man is he that is the lesse wicked the Iewes though wicked are yet called righteous in comparison of the Chaldaeans who were more wicked The righteous man by course of law is he whom Esay speaketh of chap. 5.23 Wo vnto them which iustifie the wicked for reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him There the righteous is he that hath a righteous cause and this is the righteous man in my text whom the Israelites are said to haue sold for siluer They sold the righteous for siluer For siluer that is for money The like phrase we haue in Micah chap. 3.11 where it is said of the Prophets of Israel they diuine for siluer that is they diuine only for monyes sake For monyes sake to condemne the righteous it is ingens piaculum it is a very heynous offence not to be purged without deepe satisfaction And therefore in the forecited place of Esai chap. 5.23 a woe is denounced to such offenders Salomon saith they are an abomination to the Lord Prou. 17.15 He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abomination to the Lord. I may not now enlarge my notes You vnderstand what it is to sell the righteous for siluer It is to to take away the righteousnes of the righteous from him and that is to be hired by money bribes or rewards to giue sentence against the man whose cause is iust and righteous They sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes By the poore here we may vnderstand the cause of the poore as in Amos 5.12 They afflict the iust they take a bribe and they turne aside the poore in the gate They turne aside the poore in the gate that is they turne the poore man out of his right they ouerthrow the poore mans cause in iudgement Againe by the poore here we may vnderstand the man that is in miserie the man that is vnworthily afflicted the man that is tossed turmoiled grieuously disquieted by some mighty wicked man This poore man the Israelites did sell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint pro calciamentis saith the Vulgar Latin they sold him for shoes The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the duall number It signifieth two shoes Our new English translation well rendereth it A paire of shoes They sold the poore for a paire of shoes If they sold some bought Such buyers we finde Amos 6.8 They tooke order to buy the needie for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes There they are bought here they are sold and all for a paire of shoes For a paire of shoes It is a prouerbiall speech a speech fit to be vsed if we would signifie a thing to be litle or nothing worth of small estimation of vile price The like prouerbiall speech we haue Prou. 28.21 There it is said of the man that respecteth persons that he will transgresse for a peece of bread For a peece of bread that is for the vilest gift for the basest commoditie In which sence Cato said once to Coelius frusto panis conduci potest vel vt taceat vel vt loquatur A man may hire him with a peece of bread either to speake or to hold his peace We now vnderstand what our Prophet meaneth in these words They sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes They The Israelites the * Micah 3.11 heads of Israel the Iudges of Israel they sold they circumvented they beguiled they betrayed the righteous him whose cause was righteous and iust they sold the righteous for siluer for money for a bribe for a reward and they sold the poore the needy man the man afflicted or his honest cause for a paire of shoes for a morsell of bread for any base commoditie for a trifle They sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes Here the Iudges of Israel are
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
with any Nation Vpon this first part of my Text this Commemoration of Gods benefits bestowed vpon Israel I grounded my first obseruation It is this It is an excellent priuilege to bee knowne of God by the knowledge of his approbation to be chosen of him to be his people to be in his loue and fauour to be vnder his care and prouidence The excellency of this priuilege appeareth in this that the Lord here calls Israel to the remembrance of it saying You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth This excellent priuilege the true seruice of the liuing God thorow the free vse of his holy Word and Sacraments wheresoeuer it is found among any people is a sure pledge that the Lord knoweth that people with the knowledge of his approbation that he hath chosen them to be his peculiar people that they are in his loue and fauour and that he careth and prouideth for them How much then Beloued how much are we indebted to the Maiesty and bounty of Almighty God who hath graced vs with so excellent a blessing as is the Ministery of his holy Word His holy Word It is a Iewell than which nothing is more precious to which any thing compared is but drosse by which whatsoeuer is tried will bee found lighter than vanity The true estimate of this Iewell may be had out of the 19. Psalme At the 7. vers it is Perfect nothing may be added to it without marring of it it conuerteth the soule and turneth it from euill to good It is sure you may build vpon the truth of it as well for the promises of mercy as for the threatnings of iudgement It giueth wisdome the wisdome of the spirit euen vnto the simple to the humble and lowly of minde At the eighth verse It is right without any iniustice or corruption It reioyceth the heart with true and sound ioy It is pure pure in all points and giueth light to the eyes the eyes of the minde that we may securely trace the way to Heauen At the ninth verse It is cleane without spot or shew of euill and endureth for euer without alteration or change It is truth without falshood and is righteous all together there is no error in it Is your desire for profit or for pleasure This Iewell yeelds you both At the tenth verse for profit it is compared to Gold for pleasure to Honey For profit it is more to bee desired than gold yea than much fine gold for pleasure it is sweeter than honey or the hony combe Moreouer at the tenth verse It will make you circumspect it will shew you the danger of sinne and will teach you how to auoid it and may encourage you to obedience for as much as in the keeping of it there is great reward Great reward yet through Gods mercy and not of your merit Now dearely beloued is the holy Word of God a Iewell so precious of such an estimate Then giue eare to the exhortation of wisdome Prou. 23.23 Buy it and sell it not Buy it what ere it cost you seeke by all meanes to obtaine it and when you haue gotten it sell it not at any hand depart not from it for any price for any cause But let it according to the exhortation that Saint Paul made to the Colossians Chap. 3.16 Let it dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome It is as one wittily speaketh Gods best friend and the Kings best friend and the Courts best friend and the Cities best friend and the Countries best friend and euery mans best friend Giue it therefore entertainment not as to a forreiner or stranger but as to your familiar as to your best friend let it dwell in you And sith it comes not empty but brings with it as well pleasure as profit as you haue already heard Let it dwell in you plenteously Plenteously Yet in all wisdome Let vs heare it in all wisdome reade it in all wisdome meditate vpon it in all wisdome speake of it in all wisdome and preach it in all wisdome not only in wisdome but in all wisdome that the words of our mouthes and the meditations of our hearts may euer be acceptable in the sight of the Lord our strength and our Redeemer Thus farre of my first obseruation grounded vpon the Commemoration of Gods blessings vpon Israel You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You only My second obseruation is that this great blâ—ssing of the true seruice of God and the free vse of his holy Word was in the daies before Christ appropriate to the people of the Iewes This appeareth by some of those places before alleaged Deut. 4.7 8. and Psal 147.19 20. for the further illustration of the point that of the 76. Psalme vers 1 2. may well serue In Iudah is God knowne his name is great in Israel in Salem is his tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion In which words the Psalmist giueth vnto the land of Iudah and Israel this prerogatiue aboue the rest of the Nations of the whole earth that there God was knowne and his name was great but especially in Salem that is in Hierusalem and in Mount Sion the place which he desired for his habitation Psal 132.13 There was God knowne his name was great there Elsewhere it was not so It was not so among the Nations For as Barnabas and Paul told the men of Lystra Acts 14.16 in times past God suffered all Nations to walke in their owne waies The way of God they then knew not The then state of the Nations Saint Paul Ephes 2.12 elegantly decyphereth in fiue circumstances Hee bids them remember what they were in time past as that first they were without Christ secondly they were aliens from the common weâ—lth of Israel thirdly they were strangers from the couenants of promise fourthly they were without hope fiftly they were without God in the world Enough is said for the confirmation of my second obseruation which was that in time of old in time past in the daies before Christ his comming in the flesh the true seruice of God and the exercise of his holy word was appropriate to the people of the Iewes to the children of Israel Now the reasons of this appropriation are two One is Gods vndeserued and speciall loue the other is the truth of his promise Both are expressed Deut. 7. At the seuenth verse the false cause is remoued at the eighth the true is put The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people There the false cause is remoued The true cause is put in the words following But because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which hee swore vnto your fathers therefore hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh King of Aegypt and
the Patient with the parties punished Now a word or two of the cause of their punishment which is the last circumstance in these words For all your iniquites I will punish you for all your iniquities for all your sins for all not onely originall but also actuall and for all actuall not onely of commission but also of omission not onely of knowledge but also of ignorance not onely of presumption but also of infirmity I will punish you for all your sinnes For all The obseruation is The Lord will not suffer any sinne to escape vnpunished Sinne It is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the impulsiue cause of punishment It plucks downe vengeance from the Maiestie of Heauen It s true of euery sinne euen of the least sinne Cognatum immo innatum omni sceleri scelaris supplicium The wages of sinne is death As the worke is ready so the pay is present Nec aufertur nec differtur If impiety no impunity It s impossible any sinne should be without punishment Impossibl The reasons are two One is taken from the iustice of God It is a part of Gods iustice to punish sinne and therefore he cannot but punish it The other is taken from the truth of God God who is euer true hath threatned to punish sinne and therefore he will not leaue any sinne vnpunished The consideration of this point Beloued should be vnto vs a barre to keepe vs in that we be not too secure too presumptuous of our owne estate We cannot bee ignorant for we haue learned it out of Gods Word that wee haue whole armies of enemies to encounter withall not only out of vs in the world abroad but also within vs lurking within our owne flesh euen our sinnes These sinnes of ours are our cruelest enemies They are euer hurring vs on to punishment Wherefore let vs be at vtter defiance with them and vse wee all holy meanes to get the victory ouer them by the daily exercises of prayer and repentance and by a continuall practise of new obedience to Gods most holy Will according to that measure of grace which wee haue receiued So shall our sinnes all our sinnes lye drowned in the most precious bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ as in a bottomlesse Sea from which they shall neuer be able to rise vp against vs for our hurt THE Third Lecture AMOS 3.3 Can two walke together except they be agreed Will a Lion roare in the Forrest when hee hath no prey Will a young Lion cry out of his dâ—â— If he haue taken nothing Can a bird fall in a snaâ—e vpon the earth where no gin is for him Shall one take vp a snare from the earth and haue taken nothing at all Shall a Trumpet be blowne in the City and the people not be afraid Shall there be euill in a Citie and the Lord hath not done it OF the three parts which heretofore I haue obserued in this third Chapter and second Sermon of Amos concerning the kingdome of the ten Tribes this is the third and is continued from this third verse to the end of this Chapter I termed it an Enarration a Declaration an Exposition an Expolition Call you it as you will Here shall you finde the Proposition whereof you heard in my last Lecture powerfully and elegantly made good The substance of the Proposition was God hauing beene good and gracious to a people if he be repaid with vnthankfulnesse will assuredly visit that people and punish them for all their iniquities For the polishing and adorning hereof we haue here diuers similitudes by diuers Interpreters diuersly expounded I finde among them fiue different expositions Some will haue all these similitudes all six to be brought to proue one and the same thing namely That no euill can befall any citie except the Lord command it Of this exposition Saint Hierome makes mention It is the exposition of Theodoret and Remigius and may runne thus As it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed or that a Lion should roare in the forrest when he hath no prey or that a Lions whelpe should cry out of his den if he haue gotten nothing or that a bird should fall in a snare vpon the earth where no gin is for him or that a Fowler should take vp his snare from the ground before he haue taken somewhat or that the Trumpet should sound an Alarum in the City and the people not feare so it cannot be that there should be any euill any euill of punishment any plague in a Citie except the Lord command it so to be Some there are that expound these similitudes of Gods agreement with his Prophets for the denouncing of some euill that is eminent and neare at hand Lyra Hugo and Dionysius doe so expound them Their exposition runnes thus As it cannot be that two should walke together for the dispatch of a businesse except they be first agreed or that a Lion should roare in the forrest when he hath no prey and so forth of the rest So it cannot be that Gods Prophets should forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them This exposition Christophorus à Castro takes for good because it is said vers 7. of this Chapter Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets By his seruants the Prophets the Lord roareth as a Lion he layeth his snares as a Fowler he soundeth an alarum as with a trumpet and proclaimeth euill to a Citie Others there are that referre these similitudes to the disagreement that is betweene God and Israel Albertus Rupertus and Isidore doe so referre them Their exposition may runne thus as it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed so it cannot be that God should walke with Israel The time indeed was when God walked with his people Israel and Israel with God It was then when they of Israel were desirous to please God to doe his holy will and to depend vpon him But afterward when they forsooke God and betooke themselues to the seruice of strange gods Idoll-gods Deuils it could not be that God should walke any longer with them or they with God No maruell then if vpon this disagreement the Lord by his Prophets doe roare at Israel as a Lion roareth at his prey nor maruell if he lay a snare for them as a Fowler doth for birds no maruell if he sound an alarum as with a Trumpet and proclaime against them There is yet a fourth exposition the exposition of Arias Montanus He vnderstands these similitudes of the disagreement that was betweene the two peoples of Israel and Iudah Notorious was the reuolt of Israel from Iudah notorious the rent of the ten Tribes from the other two By this reuolt or rent of one kingdome were made two the kingdome of Israel and the kingdome of Iudah Here was much a
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
what God hath done for them God hath tried them as gold and made them worthy for himselfe It s ignorance that makes you heauy because you know not what is become of the dead Be ye not ignorant concerning them and your heauinesse will be turned into ioy And let this suffice to haue beene spoken to shew that in respect of the Commandement Ignorance of God and his holy Will is damnable and to be auoided So is it in regard that God hath expresly reproued it There is a sharpe reproofe of it Esay 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Quid stolidius boue quid stupidius asino What is more foolish than the Oxe what more stupid than the Asse Yet those bruit beasts doe know them by whom they are fed and nourished but Israel the Lords owne people know not the Lord their God Not much vnlike is that Ierem. 8.7 The Storke in the aire knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. My people Israel is more ignorant of my iudgements than those birds are of their appointed seasons Both these reproofes are comparatiue In the first is Israel compared vnto beasts in the second to birds Beasts and birds haue more knowledge than Israel But the reproofe is absolute Ierem. 4.22 My people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children and haue no vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge As absolute is that Ierem. 9.3 They proceed from euill to worse and haue not knowne me saith the Lord. They haue no vnderstanding they haue no knowledge they haue not knowne me saith the Lord. These and the like reproofes of the ignorance of God from Gods owne mouth may serue for my second proofe that the ignorance of God is damnable and to be auoided My third proofe I take from the foulenesse of this ignorance The foulenesse thereof I discouer in one position The position is The ignorance of God and of the things reuealed in his holy Word is a punishment of sinne a cause of sinne and sinne in it selfe The position hath three branches I shall endeuour to speake of each in their order The first branch is Our ignorance of God and of things reuealed in his holy Word is a punishment of sinne It is a punishment of that sinne which by the default of our first Father Adam was from him deriued downe to vs and that is originall sinne by reason whereof we are all borne blind blind in our vnderstanding blind in our will and blind in our affections There is no faculty of our soule which is not disabled by this sinne The chiefest faculties of our soule are three Mens Voluntas Affectiones the Vnderstanding the Will and the Affections Mens Our vnderstanding is by this sinne disabled For it labours with a defect or want of light or knowledge and with a want of sanctitie or holinesse that quality by which light or knowledge in the vnderstanding should be seasoned as indeed it was at mans first creation That in the often repetition of the names of light and knowledge I seeme not tedious may it please you to take what I shal speak of the one as spokē of the other also For between light knowledge in the vnderstanding I put no essentiall difference Now I note in the vnderstanding a twofold light the one naturall the other Spirituall The Naturall is defectiue and wanting not vniuersally but in part only For notwithstanding our first fathers fall there doe yet remaine in the vnregenerate man certaine generall notions of good and euill things commanded or forbidden in the Law of God And these notions are such that they make man vnexcusable sith they are both maimed and corrupted The defect or want of this Naturall light is proued Rom. 1.21 When they knew God they glorified him not as God They knew God there is the light of their vnderstanding they glorified him not as God there is the defect and want of that light the maime the corruption of it The spirituall light of the vnderstanding that is likewise defectiue and wanting not as the naturall light in part only but vniuersally This is proued 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The natural man man of himselfe in his pure naturals ruled only by nature reason and sense without grace without the Spirit of God man vnregenerate is altogether destitute of the spirituall light of the vnderstanding Besides this want of light in the vnderstanding whether naturall or spirituall there is also carentia sanctitatis a want of holinesse wherewith the forenamed light ought now to be as once it was seasoned The want of this holinesse is manifested Rom. 8.7 where you shall find that whatsoeuer light or knowledge is in man it is all vncleane impure and prophane the Apostles words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be Not subiect to the Law of God nor can be subiect to it What! Can man exempt himselfe from subiection vnto God No be he neuer so rebellious he must abide vnder Gods dominion But the meaning of the Apostle is to note such a rebellion of mans corrupt nature as is not subiect according vnto order as giues not orderly subiection vnto God Thus there is in man a want of that holinesse wherewith the light of his vnderstanding should bee seasoned What I haue now deliuered de mente concerning the minde or vnderstanding which is a speculatiue facultie of the soule the same may be spoken De voluntate affectionibus of the will and affections which are practicall faculties of the same And therefore as in the vnderstanding there is a defect of light and sanctitie so is there in the will and affections euen the absence of created holinesse Nor is there in these faculties of the soule only an absence of light knowledge and sanctitie but also the presence of their contrary qualities as darknesse ignorance and sinfulnesse If the light be put out darknesse comes in place if knowledge be departed ignorance succeeds if holinesse be lost sinfulnesse will domineere Proofes hereof there are many in holy Scripture But in this sunshine I need not light a candle I haue said enough to shew that ignorance of God and his will is in all the powers and faculties of the soule of man a punishment of sinne of originall sinne But this punishment of sinne is generall its common to all men for as much as all men haue sinned in Adam I adde further that Ignorance is also a punishment
Father They should not haue had sinne Sinne in comparison they should not haue had Their sinne of ignorance should haue beene none in respect of their sinne which now they haue The place may receiue light from Christs owne mouth Luk. 12.47 Our Sauiour there affirmeth that the seruant which knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes with more stripes than he shall that knoweth not his masters will and therefore doth it not Where we are put in minde of two sorts of sinners Some there are that know the will of their Lord and some that know it not Both are sinners and are to be beaten for their sinnes they with more stripes these with fewer And these to whom fewer stripes are assigned are of three sorts For either they know not their Lords will because they will not know it or they know it not because they care not to know it or they know it not because they cannot know it They which know not their Lords will because they will not know it their ignorance is as the Schoolemen call it Biel. Sent. 2. Dist 22. qu. 2. Ignorantia affectata an affected ignorance These shut their eares when God calleth and being housed in their security will not step to the doore to see if the Sunne shine This ignorance resideth rather in their will and affections than in their vnderstanding part These are wilfully ignorant saith Peter 2 Ep. 3.5 They know but will not know and they run with broad eyes vnto destruction They which know not their Lords will because they care not to know it their ignorance is Ignorantia crassa vel supina a grosse idle wretchlesse and negligent ignorance And they that are thus ignorant doe also trace the high way to the pit of destruction and there shall they be sure to be beaten with many stripes They which know not their Lords will because they cannot know it their ignorance is called Ignorantia inuincibilis an inuincible ignorance and it s called inuincible saith Biel Sent. 2. Dist 22. not because it is simply so but because it remaineth after a man hath done all he can to remoue it and this ignorance saith he doth simply excuse a man from sinne Non solùm in tanto Conclus 1. sed in toto it excuseth wholly from sinne So he and the rest of the schoole But by their leaues it is their errour and stands conuicted by that laying of our Sauiour already produced The seruant that doth not his Masters will by reason he knowes it not shall be beaten with stripes though fewer But say an ignorance is inuincible an ignorance of necessity an ignorance that a man would but cannot remoue shall not such an ignorance excuse No it shall not For all men are bound by the Commandement to know God That some men know him not nor can know him it is not Gods fault but the fault of their owne parents and consequently their owne fault Adam had the perfect knowledge of God imprinted in his nature but through his owne default he lost the same for himselfe and his posterity A man may not for this complaine against Gods iustice since that our first sinne hath deserued a greater punishment I say then that this inuincible ignorance cannot excuse à toto it may à tanto It may be some excuse for the degree and measure of the sinne but not for the sinne it selfe And this may serue for the illustration of the third part of my position wherein I affirmed that our ignorance of God and his truth is of it selfe sinne Now the whole together stands good Our ignorance of God and of the things reuealed in his holy word whether it be an affected and a wilfull ignorance or a negligent and carelesse ignorance or an inuincible and a necessary ignorance is an effect and punishment of sinne it is a cause of sinne and is in it selfe sinne It was bred by transgression it doth breed transgression and is no lesse than transgression of its owne nature So foule a thing is ignorance And therefore in this respect also its true that Ignorance of God and his reuealed will is a sinne that is damnable and to be auoided My obseruation thus established Let vs now see what profit may from hence redound vnto vs. First this may serue to warne all Ministers of the Word that they be carefull to root out ignorance out of the mindes of the people and to plant the knowledge of God among them The Minister that neglects his duty and either through insufficiency or idlenesse suffereth the people to goe on in the waies of darknesse to their perdition he becommeth accessary yea a principall cause of their destruction Secondly this may teach vs all to detest this ignorance of God and his reuealed will and to seeke by all meanes to know God They that content themselues to liue in their ignorance and voluntarily submit themselues to be led by blind guides such as cannot enforme them in the waies of the Lord their estate is lamentable Beloued it is euery mans duty to haue care of his owne soule though others should neglect it You shall do well to account this one thing necessary to be instructed in the knowledge of Gods truth and preferre it before your worldly affaires Should you want this precious pearle of Gods Word you would rather sell all you haue to purchase it than content your selues to be without it Now you haue it brought home vnto you will you not make the best of it Thirdly it may serue to reproue a Popish practise by which they endeuour by all meanes possible to keepe the people in blindnesse and ignorance by taking away from them the light of Gods Word both read and preached that so keeping them blind-folded they may doe with them at their pleasure and like carrion Crowes hauing picked out their eyes may make a prey of them What else meane they when they teach that Ignorance is the mother of deuotion Pag. 18. I know that N. D. in his Wardword denieth this to be taught by any Catholique Hee saith it is forged by some Minister of ours and laid vpon them But he seemeth to haue beene past shame in denying that which is so openly knowne A Deane of Pauls Doctor Cole by name one chosen not onely to maintaine the assertions of the Papists against the Protestants in a disputation at Westminster but appointed by the Bishops and other his Collegues to be the mouth for them all whose speech in the end they all being asked did auow to be the minde and saying of them all euen he in that honourable assembly of the Councell and Nobles and frequent concourse of the Commons did with great vehemency maintaine this position in these words I say Ignorance is the mother of deuotion See this Popish Doctor appointed by the consent of Popish Bishops and other his Collegues to be their mouth and auouched to haue spoken nothing but
Cruelty and Couetousnesse are amplified from two Topickes à genere à specie from the Genus thus They know not to doe right From the Species thus They store vp violence and robbery in their palaces That so it is God is produced for witnesse for Neum Iehouah The Lord hath said it These particulars yeelded materialls for my two former Sermons Now from the Accusation I proceed to the Commination vers 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled The words are a denunciation of punishment concerning which we may obserue The Cause The Author The Punishment it selfe The Cause is implied in the particle Therefore The Author is the Lord God The Punishment is a conquest by warre and is described 1 By the Siege 2 By the Victory 3 By the Spoile An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land there is the Siege the whole Land beset round about And he shall bring downe thy strength from thee there is the Victory the ouerthrow of their strong men And thy palaces shall be spoiled The Spoile is at the lust of the conquerour An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled I haue shewed you the limits and bounds of my future discourse I will handle them as they lye in order beginning with the cause of the punishment implied in this particle Therefore Therefore It is a particle befitting a Commination It hath relation to the former verses and pointeth to the sinnes there touched to the great tumults in the middest of Samaria and the oppressions there vers 9. to the ignorance of God and his will to their violence and robbery stored vp in their palaces vers 10. The relation that this particle hath to those sinnes sheweth that those sinnes are the cause of the punishment here denounced as if our Prophet had thus spoken Because you that are the Princes and Potentates of Samaria doe oppresse the poore and needie Therefore will I bring against you mightier than your selues that shall oppresse and spoile you Therefore The obseruation is Sin is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life In this my Thesis by euill I vnderstand malum poenae the euill of punishment or the euill of affliction Affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is two fold internall or externall either inward or outward The inward pertaineth to the minde the outward to the body For the punishment of sinne is to be measured and defined not only by the torments of the body or by the mortality of this life but also by the most grieuous affliction of the soule as by the crookednesse obliquitie and blemish of the soule by an euill conscience by the wrath of God which is importable by the guilt of sinne whereby wee are obliged to punishment by vitious habits whereby we are inclined to a multitude of sinnes Foecundum est peccatum non ibi definit vbi incipit Sin is fruitfull if it once begin it leaues not there the worst thing of it is behinde euen the extreme anguish and horrour of the soule Againe affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is either publike or priuate Pubike afflictions I call such wherof many men at once haue a sense and feeling Such are the flouds of great waters the ruine of Cities by earth-quakes the waste done in them by fire warre euill beasts pestilence famine tyrannie persecution the death of good Princes heresie schisme euery common misery All these are publike Priuate afflictions are such as priuate men in their owne particular doe suffer as sicknesse griefe infamie pouerty imprisonment death Of all these afflictions or punishments whether publike or priuate or outward or inward sinne is the cause Sinne It is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is efficiens impellenâ— it is the impulsiue cause of all afflictions or punishments it fetcheth downe vengeance from the Maiestie of Heauen It brought that same vniuersall deluge vpon the whole world Gen. 7.17 It brought downe fire and brimstone vpon Sodome and Gomorrah Gen. 19.24 It caused the Land of Canaan to spue out her inhabitants Leuit. 18.25 It will make any Land sit mourning like a desolate widow or a distressed mother robbed of her children and spoiled of all her comforts It is auouched by the Psalmist Psal 107.34 A fruitfull Land God turneth into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein It is that whereof the Prophet Ieremie complaineth Chap. 12.4 How long shall the Land mourne and the herbes of euery field wither for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Turne to the Prophecie of Micah Chap. 1.4 Behold there the mountaines melting as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred downe a steepe place for no other cause but for the transgression of Iacob and for the sinnes of the house of Israel Thus farre for the confirmation of my doctrine Sinne is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life Saint Augustine Serm. 139. de tempore thus deliuers it Malorum omnium nostrorum causa peccatum est Sinne is the cause of all our euills Non enim sine causâ homines mala ista patiuntur It is not to be imagined that men suffer affliction without cause God is iust he is omnipotent Nullo modo ista pateremur si non mereremur Surely no euill could befall vs if we deserued it not There is not a man that sinneth not and the least sinne that he committeth deserueth all the misery that can be laid vpon him This truth may teach vs First in time of affliction to acknowledge our sins to be the cause thereof and to profit thereby vnto amendment Secondly it may teach vs to iustifie God whensoeuer hee shall â—fflict vs and to beare his visitation with patience Wherefore doth a liuing man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes Lament 3.39 A man for the punishment of his sinnes wherefore doth he complaine Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord we haue transgressed and rebelled against him and therefore he afflicteth vs. My resolution shall be in the words of Micah the Prophet Chap. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of my first generall the cause of the punishment here denounced implied in this particle Therefore I proceed to my next generall the Author of this punishment the Lord God Therefore thus saith the Lord God Thus saith the Lord It is a note wherewith the Prophets for the most part doe begin their preachings and prophecyings to shew that they deliuer nothing but what is of diuine credit and authority Thus saith the Lord Dicit Dominus saith the Lord. Dicere with the
vttered by the Prophets is nothing else but the word of God conueyed vnto vs by ministery of his Prophets That so it is wee are assured by the Protestation that God himselfe maketh Hos 12.10 I that am the Lord thy God I haue spoken by the Prophets and I haue multiplied visions and vsed similitudes by hand or by the ministery of the Prophets The like phrase is vsed by Haggai Chap. 1.1 to shew that his prophecie was the very word of God In the second yeare of the reigne of King Darius came the Word of the Lord by the hand or by the ministery of Haggai the Prophet vnto Zerubbabel Haggai was but a conduit to conuey the Word the Word was the Lords This is that we reade Hebr. 1.1 that God at sundry times and in diuers manners spake in time past vnto the Fathers by the Prophets Hence appeareth the harmony consent and agreement of all the Prophets euen from the first vnto the last Adam Seth Enoch Noe Abraham Moses Dauid Esay and the rest not one of them spake one word of a naturall man in all their ministery but only the words of him that sent them they spake not of themselues it was God that spake in them Whensoeuer was the time whosoeuer was the man wheresoeuer was the place whatsoeuer was the people the words were Gods God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets And for this cause when we preach vnto you we say not you are to beleeue vs in what wee say quia nos dicimus because we say it but quia dicit Dominus because the Lord saith it And if it be demanded whence it may be knowne that our sayings are the Lords sayings we answer it is knowne ex Scripturis by this or that place of Scripture To the Scriptures we are tyed as the Leuites were to the Law Deut. 17.11 From the Law they might not decline either to the right hand or to the left nor may wee from the Scriptures They were to teach according to the Law and we according to the Scriptures The voice of the Law was their rule the voice of the Scriptures must be ours The voice of the Scriptures must be our rule But saith the Romanizing Papist the Scripture hath no voice at all but is res muta Sleid. Com. l. 23. a dumbe thing The Bishop of Poitiers in the infamous conuenticle of Trent was of this minde Scripturam esse rem inanimem atque mutam that the Scripture is a dead and a dumbe thing Controu 3. de Eccles as are all other Politicke Lawes Albertus Pighius before that time had discouered his opinion of the point Esse Scripturas mutos iudices that the Scriptures are dumbe iudges and therefore vnfit to haue matters of controuersie put ouer to their iudgement Petrus à Soto saith as much in effect Schol. de Euchar. Defens 3. calling the Scripture Literam mutam non respondentem a dumb letter that giues no answer This is but one of the many blasphemies which Papists haue vttered to the disgrace of holy Scripture against whom to the honour thereof wee maintaine this assertion Scripturam non esse mutam ac vocis expertem the Scripture is not dumb and speechlesse but hath a voice a cleare voice easie to be heard except we be deafe For the confirmation of this our assertion I produce that of Saint Paul Rom. 3.19 Whatsoeuer things the Scripture saith it saith to them that are vnder the Law the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it speaketh to them that are vnder the Law It speaketh therefore it is not dumbe Moses ascribeth to the Law a mouth Deut. 17.11 and Pagnines translation there is ex ore Legis the Priests were to teach according to the mouth of the Law And why I pray you hath the Law a mouth if it cannot speake If exhortations of holy writ doe speake why may not precepts prohibitions expostulations and other passages speake as well There is an exhortation that speaketh vnto you as children Hebr. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it speaketh and thus it speaketh My sonne despise not thou the chastning of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him The Scripture euery where speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a phrase often iterated in the New Testament is a sure euidence that the Scripture is not dumbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.3 What saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse That Scripture is Gen. 15 6. and therefore the Scripture in Genesis speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.17 The Scripture saith vnto Pharaoh What Euen for this same purpose haue I raised thee vp that I might shew my power in thee that Scripture is Exod. 9.16 and therefore the Scripture in Exodus speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10.11 The Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him in Iesus Christ shall not be ashamed that Scripture is Esay 28.16 and therefore the Scripture in Esay speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Scripture from this phrase so often reiterated in the New Couenant I may conclude for the whole Scripture that it hath a voice and speaketh and therefore that it is neither dead nor dumbe as the aboue alleaged Popish Authors haue imagined It hath a voice and speaketh This voice is the voice of God For God in the Scriptures speaketh with vs familiarly as a friend speaketh with a friend Quasi amicus familiaris sine fuco ad cor loquitur indoctorum atque doctorum Augustine to Volusian Epist 3. God in Scriptures daily speaketh to vs and hee speaketh plainly to the heart as well of the vnlearned as of the learned to the heart of euery one of vs. Now as God in the Scriptures speaketh to vs so we cannot but acknowledge that he speaketh vnlesse we be without his holy Spirit Sic enim loquitur nobiscum vt nos eius sermonem intelligamus Ambrose to Irenaeus Epist 5. So God speaketh with vs that we may vnderstand his speech And this that which aboue I vndertooke to proue that God now adayes speaketh that he may be heard of his Ministers And sith he so speaketh my doctrine will thereupon follow The Minister of the Gospell is to heare what God speaketh before he presume to deliuer his message to the people He is to heare what God speaketh before he make his contestation to the house of Iacob It is the order prescribed in my text Heare first then testifie Heare and testifie in the house of Iacob The vse of the point now deliuered is two-fold one concerneth the Preachers of the Gospell the other the Hearers The Preachers are to heare what God speaketh and then to testifie and beare witnesse thereof to the house of Iacob to the people of God They must remember they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.20 Ambassadors of God in Christs stead and that to them is committed the ministery of reconciliation and therefore they may
not broach or publish any vâ—in imaginations of their own but those things onely which God g ueth them in charge They must heare what God saith and that alone must be their message Againe they must remember they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 15.27 and Act. 1.8 they are witnesses for Christ They are to beare witnesse to the truth of Christs person to his threefold office his Priestly Princely and Propheticall office and to the benefits that doe flow from thence for the edification of the Church All this they are to heare from the mouth of God speaking in his holy Word and thereof to make their contestation in the house of Iacob to beare witnesse thereof to Gods people not by their preaching only but if need be by their dying too The other vse is for hearers For if the Preacher be first to heare what God speaketh and then to testifie the truth thereof to the house of Iacob the people of God then are the people of God all the house of Iacob to giue attentiue care to the Preachers message Hearers in hearing are to know that they are to deale with God and are to receiue the Word deliuered by the Minister not as the Ministers word but as the Word of God Such Hearers were those Thessalonians commended by S. Paul Epist 1. Chap. 2.13 For this cause saith he thanke we God without ceasing because when ye receiued the word of God which ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeue The example is well worthy our imitation Beloued if an earthly Prince speake or send a message to vs we giue all shew of reuerence and heare him with diligence This Word whereof we now entreat is not of flesh and bloud it proceedeth not from Kings or Emperours or Parliament or from Councels of men but from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ When this Word is read Princes and Emperours stand vp and lay downe their sword and vncouer their head and bow their body in token of reuerence because they know it to be the word of God which God himselfe hath vttered that it should be as the a Deut. 32.2 dew of Heauen to moisten our drie soules as a b Ioh. 4.14 Well of water springing vp to euerlasting life as a c 2 Cor. 2.16 sauour of life vnto life and the very d Rom. 1.16 power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Without this Word we are vndone we perish we receiue no comfort we see not the light we grow not in faith we abide not in the Church of God Wherefore suffer yee a word of exhortation It shall be in S. Peters words 1 Epist 2.2 As new borne babes desire yee the sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby Be yee so affected to the word of God as new borne infants are to their mothers milk You know well how that is A little infant euen by the instinct of nature almost as soone as it is borne seeketh that nourishment it is not long well without it when nothing else will that will stil it So euen so be ye affected long ye after the word of God as your spiritual nourishment reioice in it place your happinesse in the vse of it let it be your chiefest comfort This indeed hath beene euermore the right disposition of Gods holy ones O how great was the felicity that Dauid felt in this word of God In one Psalme Psal 119. He preferreth it before profit before pleasure before glory Before profit V. 127. I loue thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue fine gold Before pleasure vers 103. How sweet are thy words vnto my taste yea sweeter than hony vnto my mouth Before glory vers 57. Thou art my portion O Lord I haue determined to keepe thy words and vers 111. Thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the reioycing of my heart Now because in a spoile all those things doe meet together Profit in the treasure Pleasure in the ouerthrow and Glory in the conquest or triumph he addeth vers 162. I reioyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoile Thus was holy Dauid determined and resolued to content himselfe with the word of God in stead of all profit pleasure and glory For his profit was his support in trouble and aduersitie his pleasure was the peace of a good conscience his glory was to be in the fauour of God All which is wrought by the precious and vnvaluable word of God This word of God was vnto Ieremy Chap. 15.16 the ioy and reioycing of his heart And Ezechiels roll the symbole of this word was in his mouth as hony for sweetnesse Chap. 3.3 And Iohns little book which he receiued from the Angell the badge of this word was in his mouth sweet as hony Reu. 10.10 When Philip was gone downe to the Citie of Samaria and had preached Christ vnto them the text saith there was great ioy in that city Act. 8.8 When the same Philip had taught the mystery of Christ to the Eunuch the Eunuch went on his way reioycing in the same Chapter vers 39. The Angell relating to the shepherds the Natiuity of Christ said vnto them Feare not for behold I bring vnto you good tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people Luk. 2.10 Good tidings of great ioy Happy shepherds to heare so good tidings from an Angell Princes would haue been glad to haue heard it but they heard it not Yet to Princes as well as to others this good tidings of great ioy belongeth Good tidings of great ioy Great ioy it is first in respect of the matter thereof which is very great euen our reconciliation with God Secondly it is great ioy for the diuturnity and stability thereof it abideth and continueth constant for euer Thirdly it is great ioy for the vniuersality of it it reacheth vnto all generibus singulorum to all kinds of people though not singulis generum to all particulars of all kinds but only to such as shall receiue it by a true faith Last of all it is great ioy quia spirituale because it is spirituall and belongeth to the saluation of the whole man body and soule And the good tidings of this great ioy is deriued vnto vs in these our dayes through the ministery of the word of God Wherefore dearly beloued let me againe put you in minde of your Christian duty concerning this word of God that as new borne infants ye desire the sincere milk thereof to grow therby Long ye after it it is your spirituall nourishment reioyce in it place your happinesse in the vse of it Let it be your chiefest comfort Whensoeuer you shall heare this word of God read or preached remember whose Word it is you heare and thinke yee thus euery man with himselfe Surely this is the
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