all they may and must be dispossessed of their scepters and regalities 2. t Jbid. §. Quod si Quod si Christiani olim non deposâ—erun Neronem Dâ—ocletianum Iulianum Apostatam Valentem Arianum similes id fuit quia dâ—erant vires temporales Christianis If the Christians in times past deposed not Nero Diocletian Iulian the Apostata Valens the Arian and other like tyrants id fuit quia deerant vires temporales Christianis it was because they wanted power and force and were not strong enough for that attempt 3. u Ibid. §. At non At non tenentur Christiani immâ— nec dâ—bent cum euidenti periculo religionis tolerare Regem infideleÌ„ Christians are not bound to tolerate a king that is an infidell or a King not a Papist Not bound to tolerate him Nay saith Bellarmine they must not tolerate such a one cum euidenti periculo religionis if the toleration of him be an euident danger to their religion 4 x Ibid. §. At non De iure humano est quod hunc aut illum habeamus regem It is by the law of man that we haue this or that man to be our King This last position is formerly auowed by the same author in the same booke but in the second Chapter with opposition and disgrace to the soueraigntie of the Lord of hosts y §. Quod ad primum D minium non descendit ex iure diuino sed ex iure genâ—ium K ngdomes and dominion are not by the law of God but by the law of nations It is an impious blasphemous and atheologicall assertion From these positions of the great Iesuite by a necessary inference doe follow these two conclusions 1 That the Papists would most willingly depriue our most gracious Soueraigne of his royall throne and regality if they were of force and power so to doe 2 That all subiects of this land may stand in manifest rebellion against their King because he is no Papist Both which are summarily acknowledged by his royall Maiesty in his excellent speech the 5. of Nouember z Ann. Dâ—m 1605. last The a C. 2. a. Romish Catholiques by the grounds of their religion doe maintaine that it is lawfull or rather meritorious to murther Princes or people for quarrell of religion By the grounds of popish religion it is lawfull yea meritorious for Papists to murther Kings which are not Papists You see his Maiesties royall acknowledgement of impiety in the grounds of Romish religion You will not doubt of it if you rightly esteeme that same late thrise damnable diabolicall and matchlesse plot conceiued in the wombe of that religion with a full resolution to consume at once our pious King and this flourishing kingdome You perceiue now in what contempt and disgrace the popish faction holdeth the holy Scriptures the written word of God The written word of God expresly requireth obedience vnto Princes as placed in their thrones by Gods sole authority But the Popish religion maintaineth rebellion against Princes as placed in their thrones by mans sole authority Which will you follow the holy word of God or the doctrine of the Romish Church Beloued remeÌ„ber what I told you in the beginning of this exercise though Amos spake yet his words were Gods words remember that God is the author of holy Scripture and then for his sake for the authors sake for Gods sake you will bee perswaded to take heed vnto it to heare it and reade it with reuerence obsequie and docility We the branches of the same vine that bare our predecessors to whom by deuolution the sacred Statutes of the eternall God the holy Scriptures are come must esteeme of them all for b D. King B. of Lond. vpon Ion. lect 1. p. 2. Gods most royall and celestiall Testament the oracles of his 〈◊〉 â—â—nly 〈…〉 â—led counsailes milke from his sacred 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—pledge of his fauour to his Church the light of our 〈◊〉 c Ierem. 15 1â— â—oy of our hearts d Lament 4.20 breath of our nostrils 〈…〉 of our hope groâ—nd of out loue 〈…〉 future blessednesse Behold the value and price of the words which Amos saw vpon Israel which God willing with all my diligence and best paines I will expound to you hereafter as occasion shall be ministred Now leâ— vs pâ—wre out our soules in thankâ—ulnâ—sse before the Lord for that he hath beene pleased this day to gather vs together to be hearers of his holy word and partakers of the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ thereby to confirme our holy faith in vs. We thanke thee therefore good Father and beseech thee more and more to feed vs with the neuer perishing food of thy holy word that by it being made cleane and sanctified wee may in due time haue free passage from this vally of teares to the city of ioy Ierusalem wich is aboue where this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall bee swallowed vp of life So be it THE Third Lecture AMOS 1.2 And he said the Lord shall roare from Sion â—nd vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither VPon the preface to this prophecie these words and he said my last lecture was bestowed wherein because whatsoeuer Amos the heardman spake was the word of God I endeuoured to shew forth the worth dignity and excellency of the word of God commonly called by the name of holy Scripture A point that yeeldeth a very harsh and vnpleasant sound to euery popishly affected eare as then at large I made plaine out of popish mouths and practise Order now requireth that I goe on to the next generall part of this text to the prophecie it selfe The first point therein to be recommended at this time vnto you is the Lord speaking The Lord shall roare and vtter his voice wherein I desire you to obserue with me who it is that speaketh how he speaketh Who speaketh It is the Lord. How speaketh he He roareth and vttereth forth his voice First of him that speaketh He is in the Hebrew text called Iehouah which is the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King B. of London vpon Jonas Lect. 11. pag. 152. honourablest name belonging to the great God of Heauen Much might be spoken of it would I apply my selfe to the curiosity of Cabalists and Rabbins as that it is a name b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanch. de nat Dei lib. 1 c. 13. not to be pronounced or taken within polluted lips that it is a c Cael. Rhodiginus Lâ—ct antiq lib 2. cap. 9. Quem nos Deum nun cupamus Aegyptii Thâ—â—t Persae dicunt Syre Magorum disciplina Orsi vnde profluxit Oromasis Tam apud Hebraeorum gentem ellebre est quatuor vocalium Dei sacrâ—Ì„ nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod inde Tetragrammaton dicunt alia voce
vpon vs. All and euery of these true Christians will patiently vndergoe For they with their sharp-sighted eie of faith doe clearely see the Hand of God in euery of their molestations and in great contentment they take vp the words of patient Iob Chap. 2.10 Shall wee receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill Here let euery afflicted soule examine it selfe how it is affected with the affliction vnder which it groaneth If you esteeme of your afflictions as of God his fatherly chastisements and so endure them blessed are ye Of this blessednesse Saint Iames Chap. 1.12 doth assure you Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Againe is it true Is there no safe being in City or Country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A second vse of this doctrine is to admonish vs that we labour aboue all things to obtaine Gods fauour and to abide in it so shall we be safe from the feare of euill Now for the obtaining of Gods fauour we must doe foure things We must 1. Humble our selues before God 2. Beleeue in Christ 3. Repent of our sinnes 4. Performe new obedience vnto God The time will not suffer me to enlarge these points Humiliation faith in Christ repentance and a new life these foure will be vnto you as Iacobs ladder was vnto the Angels Of that ladder you may reade Gen. 28.12 that it stood vpon the earth the top of it did reach to heauen and the Angells of God went vp it So may you by these foure Humiliation Faith Repentance and Newnesse of life as it were by so many steps and rounds of a ladder climbe vp to heauen Here you haue no continuing Citie you are but strangers and pilgrims on the earth your countrey is aboue the Celestiall Ierusalem there let your hearts be As for the afflictions vexations tribulation miseries and crosses wherewith this mortall life of yours is seasoned let them be your ioy They are sure pledges of Gods loue vnto you Euen so saith the Spirit Hebr. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth Thirdly is it true Is there no safe being in citie or countrie from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A third vse of this doctrine is for the terrour of such as lie wallowing in the filthinesse of their sins Many there are wicked wretches who if God shall for a time deferre the punishments due vnto their sinnes are ready to thinke that God takes no notice of their sinnes These say in their heart there is no God Against these is made that challenge Psal 50.21 I hold my tongue and thâ—u thoughtest me like thy selfe I the Lord who see the secrets of all hearts I hold my tongue I did not by my iudgements punish thee for the wickednesse of thy steps I hold my tongue and thou thoughtest me like thy selfe thou thoughtest I tooke pleasure in wickednesse as thou doest but thou shalt finde and feele the contrary Strange are the effects wrought in the wicked by the mercies and long suffering of God thereby they grow worse and worse obdurate and hardned in their sinnes Yet let them be aduised for they day will come and it comes apace wherein they shall feele the heauinesse of that hand which here was turned against Ekron I will turne my hand to Ekron It followeth And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish The Philistines had their beginning from Casluchim a grand-childe of Chane the accursed issue of Noah as appeareth Gen. 10.14 They were seated in a part of the Land of Canaan the west part that which bordereth vpon the great Sea the Sea commonly called the Mediterranean Their Country was called by Ptolemee and others Palaestina and by the Greeks Phoenicia It was a part of that countrey which once was called Terra promissionis the Land of promise but now Terra Sancta the Holy Land The inhabitants in our Prophets time were professed enemies to Almighty God and his beloued Israel They thought themselues safe from ruine through the strength of their fiue Dukedomes Azzah Ashdod Ashkelon Gath and Ekron But vaine and foolish are the thoughts which possesse the wicked When the God of all truth shall giue his word for a matter shal man presume to doubt of the euent Here God sets his word vpon it that there shall be an vtter ouerthrow not onely of Azzah Ashdod Ashkelon and Ekron but of Gath also and all the villages belonging thereunto for the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God Ait Dominus Iehouth saith the Lord God This is the conclusion of this prophecie and it redoubleth its authoritie and credit Authoritie and credit sufficient it hath from its very front verse 6. Thus saith the Lord it is here redoubled saith the Lord God Saith the Lord God hath the Lord God said it and r 〈◊〉 23 19. shall he not doe it hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it The Lord Iehouâ—h the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lye not as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are Yea and Amen Å¿ Matth. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of his word shall escape vnfulfilled Dominus Iehouth the Lord hath said it that the remnant of the Philistines shall perish Out of doubt then must it come to passe And so is it The first blow which the Philistines receiued towards their ouerthrow after this prophecie was giuen them aboue three-score yeares after by Ezechius that good King of Iudah of whom the Prophet Esay Chap. 14.29 foretelleth the Philistines that he should be vnto them as a Cockatrice and a fiery â—â—ring Serpent This Ezechius smote the Philistines vnto Azzah and the coasts thereof from the watch-tower vnto the defensed Citie This is plaine 2 King 18.8 A second blow was giuen by Tartan one of the Captaines of Sennacherib or Sargon King of Assyria who came vp against Ashdod and tooke it This is plaine Esay 20.1 A third blow was giuen them by Pharaoh Neco and hee smote Azzah Ashkelon and other places This is it which the Prophet Ieremy saith Chap. 47.5 Baldnesse is come vpon Azzah Ashkelon is cut vp with the rest of their valleys In a word God hath from time to time raised vp his men of war in due time to extirpate and raze out the Philistines from the face of the earth that according to the tenour of this Prophecy there might be no remnant of them The remnant of the Philistines shall perish Here may we obserue a difference in Gods punishments he punisheth the reprobate and he punisheth his elect but differently the reprobate to their vtter excision and extirpation not so the elect For of them there is vpon the
turned Good Lord open thou our eares that if it be thy holy will either to Roare vnto vs or to speake with a milder voice either to come against in iudgement or to visit vs in mercy wee may readily heare thee and yeeld obedience and as obedient children receiue the promise of eternall inheritance So when the time of our separation shall be that we must leaue this world a place of darknesse of trouble of vexation of anguish thou Lord wilt translate vs to a better place a place of light where darknesse shall be no more a place of rest where trouble shall be no more a place of delight where vexation shall be no more a place of endlesse and vnspeakable ioyes where anguish shall be no more There this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall be swallowed vp of life Euen so be it THE Fourth Lecture AMOS 1.2 And hee said the Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither IN my last exercise I entreated of the Speaker Now am I to entreat of the places from whence hee speaketh expressed in two names Sion and Ierusalem The Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem c. Sion I read in holy Scripture of two Sions The one is Deut. 4.48 a hill of the Amorites the same with Hermon Moses there calleth it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sion by the figure b Iunius in Deut. 3.9 Syncope the right name of it is c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sirion and so recorded Deut. 3.9 The other d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sion is the Sion in my Text mount Sion in Iudah vpon the â—op whereof was another mountaine e Drusius obseru 14.21 Not. Iunius in Psal 48.3 Moria vpon which stood the Temple of the Lord. Before it was called the f 2 Sam. 5.7 Tower or Fort of Sion It was a fortresse a bulwarke a strong hold and place of defence for the Iebusites the inhabitants of the land against their enemies Against these Iebusites King Dauid came with a warlike power speedily surprised their fort built round about it dwelt in it and called it his g The City of Dauid owne City as appeareth 2 Sam. 5.9 This is the city of Dauid so much h 2 Sam 5.7 1 King 8.1 1 Chron. 11.5 2 Chron. 5.2 mentioned in the sacred bookes of Samuel the Kings and Chronicles To this his owne City mount Sion Dauid accompanied with the Elders and Captaines of Israel i 2 Sam. 6.15 brought the Arke of the Lord with shouting with cornets with trumpets with cymbals with viols with harps as is plaine by the story 1 Chron. cap. 15. and 16. Now began the holy exercises of religion duly to be obserued in this city of Dauid mount Sion was now the place of the Name of the Lord of boasts Hitherto belongeth that same excellent description and commendation of mount Sion Psal 48.1 2 3. Mount Sion lying northward from Ierusalem is faire in situation It is the city of the great King the city of God Gods holy mountaine the ioy of the whole earth In the palaces thereof God is well knowne for a sure refuge In this city of Dauid the holy mount Sion the Lord of hoasts whom the k 1 Kâ—ng 8.27 2 Chron. 6.18 Heauens and the Heauen of Heauens are not able to containe is said to l Psal 74.2 dwell Psal 9.11 not that hee is tied to any place but because there were the most manifest and often testimonies of his residence Thus is Sion taken literally It is also taken spiritually by a Synecdoche for the Church Spouse and Kingdome of Christ as Psal 2.6 where God is said to haue annointed his King ouer Sion the hill of his holinesse Sion there is not to be vnderstood the terrestriall Sion by Ierusalem but another Sion elect and spirituall not of this world holy Sion so called for the grace of sanctification powred out vpon it euen the holy Church of Christ whereto doe appertaine the holy Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the vniuersall multitude of beleeuers throughout not only Israel but the whole world Sion in this signification is obuious in holy Scripture To which sense by the daughters of Sion in the m Psal 149. â— Psalmes of Dauid in n Cantic 3.11 Salomons song in the prophecies of o Esay 3 16 17. Psaâ— 4.4 Esay and p Ioel. 2.23 Ioel you may vnderstand the faithfull members of the Church of Christ There is yet one other signification of Sion It s put for Heauen as learned Drusius in his notes vpon my text obserueth The like obseruation is made by Theophylact and Oecumenius commenting vpon Heb. 12.22 Now the Sion in my text from whence the Lord is said to roare to speake terribly and dreadfully is either the Temple vpon mount Sion by Ierusalem or the Church of Christ wherof Sion is a type Sion the holy one of Israel whose walls are saluation and gates praise or the Heauen of Heauens the most proper place of Gods residence Ierusalem Of old this city was called Salem as Gen. 14.18 when Melchisedeck King thereof brought forth bread and wine to refresh Abram and his followers Afterward it was possessed by the Iebusites and named Iebus Iudg. 19.10 Peter Martyr in 2 Sam. 5.6 from both these names Iâ—bus and Salem supposeth that by the change of a few letters Ierusalem hath had her name and not from the mountaines called Solymi as some doe coniecture but erre for that the mountaines Solymi were in Pisidia not in Iudea Many were the names of this city Some of them Benedictus in his marginall note vpon Iosua chap. 10. nameth in a distich Solyma Luza Bethel Ierosolyma Iebus Helia Vrbs sacra Ierusalem dicitur atque Salem In this distich 9. names of this one city are couched together Solyma Ierosolyma Ierusalem Iebus Salem Bethel Helia Luza the holy City Drusius obseruat sacr lib. 14. cap. 21. noteth that Ierusalem did consist of two parts the one was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower city the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the higher city This higher city was Sion or mount Sion whereof you haue already heard and was diuersly tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the city of Dauid the fort the fort of Sion the tower of Sion But I come not to preach names vnto you Will you heare of the honour of this city they that were aliue when Ierusalem flourished to haue q Psal 48.12 numbred her towers to haue considered her wals to haue marked her bulwarks and to haue told their posterity of it might haue made a report scarcely to haue bin beleeued This we know by Ps 48.4 5. When the Kings of the earth were gathered together and saw it they maruelled they were astonied and suddenly driuen backe Thus is Ierusalem taken
literally It is also taken spiritually for the Church either militant here on earth or Triumphant in heauen For the Church Militant Psal 128.5 Thou shalt see the wealth of Ierusalem all thy life long And for the Church Triumphant Gal. 4.26 Ierusalem which is aboue is free The Catholique Church Militant and Triumphant is called Ierusalem because Ierusalem was a type thereof Ierusalem was a type of the Catholike Church in sundry respects 1. God did choose Ierusalem aboue all other places of the earth to r Psal 132.13 Psal 135.21 dwell in So the Catholike Church the company of the predestinate God hath chosen to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe 2. Ierusalem is a Citie Å¿ Psal 122.3 compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of loue and order among the Citizens So the faithfull the members of the Catholike Church are linked together by the bond of one Spirit 3 Ierusalem was the place of Gods sanctuary the place of his presence and worship where the promise of the seed of the woman was preserued till the comming of the Messias Now the Catholike Church is in the roome thereof In the Catholike Church we must seeke the presence of God and the word of life 4 In Ierusalem was the t Psal 122.5 the throne of Dauid So in the Catholike Church is the throne and scepter of Christ figured by the Kingdome of Dauid 5 The commendation of Ierusalem was the subiection and obedience of her citizens The Catholike Church hath her citizens too Eph. 2.19 and they doe yeeld voluntary obedience and subiection to Christ their King 6 In Ierusalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a register So the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life Reuel 20.15 You see now what Ierusalem is literally and what spiritually Literally it is that much honoured City in Iudeâ— the u Psal 46.4 City of God euen the sanctuary of the tabernacle of the most High Spiritually it is the holy Church of Christ either his Church Militant on earth or his Church Triumphant in Heauen Now the Ierusalem in my text from whence the Lord is said to vtter his voice is either Ierusalem in the literall or Ierusalem in the spirituall vnderstanding it is either Ierusalem the mother City of Iudea or Ierusalem the Church of Christ Militant vpon earth or Ierusalem aboue the most proper place of Gods residence So that Ierusalem here is the same with Sion an Exposition of Sion The Lord shall roare from Sion that is in other words The Lord shall vtter his voice from Ierusalem Marke I beseech you beloued in the Lord The Lord shall roare not from Dan and Bethel where Ieroboams calues were worshipped but from Sion the mountaine of his holinesse and he shall vtter his voice not from Samaria drunken with Idolatry but from Ierusalem the x Zach. 8.3 city of truth wherein the purity of Gods worship did gloriously shine We may take from hence this lesson Sion and Ierusalem are to be frequented that thence hearing God speake vnto vs we may learne what his holy will is To speake more plainly This is the lesson which I commend vnto you The place where God is serued and the exercises of his religion are practised must be carefully frequented That I may the more easily perswade you to come vnto and to frequent this place this house of God his holy Church and Temple I bring you a guide This guide is a King and leads you the way the blessed King Dauid I beseech you marke his affection Psal 84.1 O Lord of hosts how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for thy courts Marke his loue Psal 26.8 O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth Marke the earnestnesse of his zeale Psal 42.1 2. As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God Let this holy King King Dauid be the patterne of your imitation Beloued you must haue an earnest loue and desire to serue God in the assembly of his Saints you must much esteeme of the publike exercise of religion It is Gods effectuall instrument and mean to nourish beget you to the hope of a better life In what case then are you when you absent your selues from this and the like holy assemblies when either you come hither carelesly or else doe gracelesly contemne this place Here is Sion here is Ierusalem here God speaketh to you in the language of Canaan and here may you speake to him againe with your owne mouthes It is euery mans duty the duty of euery one that loues God to come vnto Gods house his house of prayer In this respect thus saith the Lord Esay 56.7 Mine house shall bee called the house of prayer for all people For all people there is no difference betweene the y Galat. 3.28 Iew and the Grecian betweene the bond and the free betweene the male and the female for our Lord who is Lord ouer all z Rom. 10.12 is rich vnto all that call vpon him Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people To imprint this sentence in your hearts it is repeated vnto you Mat. 23.13 Where Iesus Christ to the mony-changers and doue-sellers whom hee found in the Temple vseth this speech It is written mine house shall be called an house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theeues Iunius his note vpon the place is good Qui domo Dei non vtitur ad orationis domum is eò deuonit vt speluncam latronum efficiat eam Whosoeuer vseth not the house of God for a house of prayer he commeth thither to make it a den of theeues Let vs take heed beloeed in the Lord whensoeuer we come vnto the Church the house of God that we be not partakers of this sharpe censure Ecclesiastes chap. 4.17 giueth a profitable caueat Take heed to thy feet when thou â—nterest into the house of God intimaâ—ing thus much that of duty we are to enter into the house of God Though the Temple in Ierusalem and all the worship in ceremonies that was annexed to it are taken away yet is Salomons caueat good for vs still Take heed to thy feet when thou enterest into the house of God For we also haue Gods house where he is chiefly to be sought and worshipped euen in euery place appointed by publike authority for publike assemblies Wherefore I pray you hath God giuen his Church a 1 Cor. 12.27 some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors some Teachers Is it not as we are taught Ephes 4.12 for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edifying of the Body of Christ See you not here a forcible argument and
Damascus our Prophet here threatneth all inhabitants in the country about Damascus hee citeth all the Syrians to appeare before the tribunall seat of Almighty God because they had vniustly troubled and vexed the city Gilead But of this hereafter Now let vs see what is meant by the three transgressions and foure here mentioned in the generall accusation of the Syrians For three transgressions and for foure The word Transgressions signifieth whatsoeuer detestable thoughts words or deeds may be conceiued vttered or acted against Gods law our holy faith and Christian duties These three transgressions of Damascus are in the iudgement of Arias Montanus the same with the three transgressions of Azzah and of Tyrus and of Edom and of Ammon and of Moab and of Iudah and of Israel so often repeated in this and the next chapters namely the vaine worship of strange Gods whoredomes and murders The fourth saith he is added in the text euen their barbarous cruelty They threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure S. Hierom expoundeth these words as if the Syrians of Damascus had dealt cruelly against the people of God not once or twice only but also a third and fourth time to this sense if the Syrians had persecuted my people but once or a second time I should haue pardoned them but now when they haue not ceased a third and fourth time to practise their cruelty vpon my chosen people euen to thresh them with threshing instruments of iron shall I not visit for these things is it not time that I beat them with rods is it not necessary that I turne from them the countenance of my clemency For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure d Apud Mercerum Some referre these three and foure transgressions to three and foure generations thus though God vseth to forbeare and pardon mens sins to the third and fourth generation yet in the fourth he will vndoubtedly execute his vengeance e Ibid. Some others doe maâ—e this sense of these words God vseth to remit and to forgiue any man his sins for thrice but f the fourth time he sinne likewise there is no hope of remission According to that which we read Iob 33.29 All these things will God worke twice or thrice with a man that he may turne backe his soule from the pit to be illuminated in the light of the liuing Twice or thrice will God chastise vs for our sins but if we sin the fourth time woe vnto vs we are left vnto our selues For three transgressions and for foure f Mercer Winckleman Some doe ioyne these numbers to make seuen because the number of seuen in holy Scripture is a number of plenitude and perfection as Leu. 26.18 If you will not obey me I will punish you seuen times for your sins To which sense here by three transgressions and foure that is by seuâ—n they affirme the multitude and greatnesse of the sinnes of Damascus to be designed and pointed at For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure The last exposition wherewith I will now hold you is the most g M rcer Caluin Drusius generall proper and significant to vnderstand by three and foure which make a certaine number a number infinite and vncertainâ— For as oft as he will God forgiueth though we sinne a hundred times It is but the custome of the Scripture thus to speake God waiteth for vs twice and thrice that is a good while to haue vs return from our euil wayes vnto repentance but the fourth time that is at length when he seeth vs persist in our impenitency he reproueth vs casteth vs away and leaueth vs in our sinnes You haue hitherto the generall accusation of the Syrians whereby you know they were defiled with three transgressions and with foure with very many sins Now followeth the protestation of Almighty God against them for their sins I will not turne to it to them to the inhabitants of Damascus to the Syrians that is I will haue no mercy on them These words are diuersly rendred by expositors by the author of the vulgar Latine and by Gualter Non conuertam eum I will not turne it that is I will not recall the Syrians of Damascus to the right way they shall run on to their owne perdition By Caluin Non propitius ero ei I will not bee fauourable to the Syrians of Damascus I will not returne vnto mercy By Mercer Non parcam ei I will not spare the Syrians of Damascus According to their deserts so shall it bee measured to them By Iunius Non auertam istud I will not turne away the punishment wherewith I haue resolued to punish them I am the Lord and am not changed I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the Palaces of Benhadad c. The summe of both the Accusation and Protestation is if the Syrians had offended but once or a second time I would haue beene fauourable to them and would haue recald them into the way that so they might haue beene conuerted and escaped my punishments but now whereas they doe daily heape transgression vpon transgression and finde no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to be conuerted but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure I will not turne to it Hauing thus expounded these words giue me leaue out of them to gather such notes as may make for our further instruction and reformation My first note is Three transgressions and foure doe plucke downe from Heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the transgressors The doctrine Three transgressions and foure that is Many sins doe plucke downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners God is of pure eies and beholdeth not iniquitie he hath laid righteousnes to the rule and weighed his iustice in a ballance The sentence is passed forth and must stand vncontrouleable euen as long as sunne and moone Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doth euill The soule that sinneth it shall be punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 32.41 that he will whet his glittering sword his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance vpon sinners His soule hateth and abhorreth sinne his law curseth and condemneth sin his hand smiteth and scourgeth sin Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne cities into ashes to ruinate nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinfull flesh because of sinne he drowned the old world and because of sin ere long will burne this All this maketh for the truth of my propounded doctrine Three transgressions and foure that is Many sins doe plucke downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners A lesson dearely
the Aegyptians The Aegyptians they were but the weapons of Gods wrath wherewith he afflicted his people they were Gods weapons were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse those ten great plagues which at length God wrought vpon them and their fearefull ouerthrow in the red sea at large set downe in the booke of Exodus from the seuenth Chapter to the end of the fourteenth This was it which God said vnto Abraham Gen. 15.13 14. Know for a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeares and shall serue them and they shall intreat them euill notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serue will I iudge Ahab the most wicked of the Kings of Israel who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and his accursed wife Iezebel were Gods instruments to afflict Naboth with the losse of his life and Vineyard Ahab and Iezebel were Gods instruments Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse both their ends the end of Ahab recorded 1 King 22 38. In the place where dogges licked the bloud of Naboth did dogges licke the bloud of Ahab also and the end of Iezabel registred the 2 Kings 9.35 Shee was eaten vp with dogges all sauing her skull her feet and the palmes of her hands It was a part of Daniel his afflictions to be cast into the den of Lions His accusers vnto Darius were the instruments of his affliction These his accusers were the Lords instruments for this businesse Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Their fearefull end is set downe Dan. 6.24 By the Commandement of King Darius they with their wiues and children were cast into the den of Lions the Lions had the mastery of them and brake all their bones in peeces ere euer they came to the ground of the den The time will not suffer me to recall to your remembrances all the iudgements of God of this qualitie written downe in the Register of Gods workes his holy Word how and what he rendred to g Ester 7.10 Haman to h 2 Kings 19.35 37. Sennacherib to i Ierem. 36.29 Ioachim to the k Ierem. 49.2 Ammonites to the l Ierem. 49.9 51.20 Chaldeans to the m Ezech. 35.2 Idumeans and other wicked worldlings for their hard measure offered to his children though they were therein his owne instruments The afore-mentioned instances of the Aegyptians of Ahab and his wife Iezebel and of Daniel his accusers may serue for the declaration of my propounded doctrine Though the Lord doe vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne seruants and children yet will he in his due time ouerthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements The reason hereof is because Gods iustice cannot let them escape vnpunished Saint Paul expresseth it 2 Thess 1.6 It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you Let this be our comfort whensoeuer the wicked shall rage against vs. For hereby are we assured when the Lord shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angells in flaming fire that then to the wicked whose behauiour towards the godly is proud and despiteous he will render vengeance and punish them with euerlasting perdition Saint Peter to make vs stedfast in this comfort disputeth this point Ep. 1. chap. 4.17 The point he proueth by an argument drawne à minori inferring from a truth to carnall mens vnderstanding lesse probable a truth of greater probabilitie Iudgement saith he beginneth at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarsly be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Our Sauiours words Luk. 23.31 doe containe a like argument If they doe these things to a greene tree what shall he done to the dry To like purpose in Ierem. 25.29 saith the Lord of Hoasts Loe I begin to plague the city where my name is called vpon and shall you goe free Yee shall not goe free Hitherto I referre also one other text Esai 10.12 where it is said that God when he hath done and dispatched all his worke vpon Mount Sion will visit the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Assyria the meaning of the place is that God when he hath sufficiently chastised and corrected those of his owne house his beloued children will turne his sword against the scorners of his Maiestie When God hath serued his owne turne by the wicked then comes their turne also howsoeuer for a while they flourish in hope to escape Gods hand and to abide vnpunished yet will God in due time well enough finde them out to pay them double The vses of this doctrine I can but point at One is to admonish vs that we spite not any of the wicked who now doe liue in rest because their turne to be punished must come and faile not The further it is put off from them the heauier in the end it will fall vpon them A second vse is to teach vs patience in afflictions for as much as God will shortly cause the cup to passe from vs to our aduersaries But say he will not Yet neuerthelesse are we to possesse our soules in patience reioycing and giuing thankes to God who hath made vs worthy not only to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake For we haue learned Act. 14.22 That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of God c. The Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs which were not only reuiled and scourged but also beheaded cut in peeces drowned in water consumed in fire by other tyrannicall deuices cruelly put to death they all by this way receiued the manifest token of their happy and blessed estate and entred into the kingdome of God And we vndoubtedly know 2 Cor. 5.1 Tâ—at if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens Thus farre of my second circumstance the circumstance of the punished the Aramites professed enemies vnto God yet by him employed in the correction of his owne children the Israelites are here themselues punished My doctrine was Though the Lord doe vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne seruants and children yet will be in due time ouerthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements The third circumstance is the punishment a going into captiuity amplified by the place This captiuitie bondage and slauery was to be in an vnknowne strange and a farre countrey Kir in Media The people of Aram shall goe into captiuitie vnto Kir The doctrine is For the sinne of a Land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuitie Captiuitie to be an effect or punishment of sinne King Salomon in his prayer made to the Lord at his consecration or dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.46
Philistines had offended but once or a second time I should haue beene fauourable vnto them and should haue recalled them into the right way that so they might be conuerted and escape my punishments but now whereas they doe daily heape transgression vpon transgression and find no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to be conuerted but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure The doctrine is Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners See my sixth Serm. on Hos 10. God is of pure eies and beholdeth not iniquity he hath laid righteousnesse to the rule and weighed his iustice in a ballance The sentence is passed forth and must stand vncontroulable euen as long as Sun Moone Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doth euill the soule that sinneth it shall bee punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 32.41 that he will what his glittering sword his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance vpon sinners His soule hateth and abhorreth sin his Law curseth and condemneth sin his hand smiteth and scourgeth sin Sin was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne Cities into ashes to ruinate nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinfull flesh Because of sinne he drowned the old world and because of sinne ere long will burne this Thus doe many sins plucke downe from heauen the more certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners One vse of this doctrine is to teach vs heedfulnesse in all our waies that we doe not by our many sinnes prouoke Almighty God to high displeasure A second vse it to moue vs to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did so graciously forbeare these Philistines of Azzah till by three and foure transgressions by their many sins they had prouoked him to indignation It 's true our God is a good God a gracious God a mercifull God a God of wonderfull patience yet may not wee thereby take encouragement to goe on in our euill doings See my sixth Lecture pag. 70. The Lord who punished his Angels in Heauen for one breach Adam for one morsell Miriam for one slander Moses for one angry word Achan for one sacrilege Ezechias for once shewing his treasures to the Embassadors of Babel Iosias for once going to warre without asking counsell of the Lord and Ananias with his wife Sapphira for once lying to the holy Ghost out of doubt will not spare vs if wee shall persist to make a trade of sinning day after day heaping iniquity vpon iniquity to the fulfilling of our sinnes If so we doe it shall be with vs as the Apostle speaketh 1 Thes 2.16 The wrath of God must come on vs to the vtmost Now therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloued let vs walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs. As for the works of the flesh cast we them far from vs adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnes hatred debate emulation wrath contentions enuy drunkennes gluttony and such like for which the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience let them not once be named among vs as it becommeth Saints But the fruits of the Spirit let vs wholly delight in them hauing laid vp in the treasury of our memories this lesson Three transgressions and soure Many sinnes doe pluck downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners It followeth Because they carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom These words are the third part of this Prophecie and do containe that same grieuous sin by which God was prouoked to come against the men of Azzah and the rest of the Philistines in iudgement the sinne of cruelty rigour vnmercifulnesse hardnesse of heart They carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom Here the abstract is put for the concrete captiuity for captiues or persons in captiuity as Psal 68.18 Thou hast led captiuity captiue The whole captiuity It 's well translated for the sense the word in the originall signifieth absolute perfect and compleat By this whole captiuity the holy Spirit meaneth an absolute perfect and compleat captiuity meram captiuitatem apertam atque manifestam saith Arias Montanus a captiuity indeed open and manifest such a captiuity saith Caluin as wherein they spared not either women or children or the aged they tooke no pity no compassion vpon either sex or age but all of all sorts male and female young and old they carried away prisoners What was their end and purpose in so doing Euen to shut them vp in Edom that is to sell them for bondslaues vnto the Idumaeans In Edom Esau Iacobs brother and Isaacks son by his wife a Gen. 25.21 Rebâ—kah for selling his birthright for a messe of b Vers 30. red broth was surnamed Edom and of him lineally descended the Edomites or Idumaeans Gen. 36.43 Of this posterity of Esau or Edom the land which they inhabited was called the land of Edom or Idumaea and it was a southerne prouince of the land of promise diuided as c Theatr. Terra Sancta Adriehom and d Obseruat lib. 14. cap. 13. Drusius haue obserued out of Iosephus his fifth book of the Iewish antiquities into two parts Idumaeam Superiorem and Inferiorem the higher and the lower Idumaea The higher wherein were two of the cities mentioned in my Text Gaza and Askelon in the diuision of the land of Canaan fell to the lot of the Tribe of Iudah The lower Idumaea commonly known by the name of Idumaea fell to the lot of the Tribe of Simeon and this lower Idumaea I take to be the Idumaea in my Text. Esau pursued Iacob with a deadly hate so did the posterity of Esau the posterity of Iacob the Edomites were euermore most maliciously bent against the Israelites Here then appeareth the hainousnes of that sin wherwith the Philistines are charged It was the sin of cruelty in a very high degree It is a cruell deed to carry away any one from his natiue Country but him that is so carried away to sell to his mortall enemy this is a cruelty than which there cannot be a greater Such was the sin of those Philistines the inhabitants of Azzah They sold whether the Iewes or the Israelites the posterity of Iacob and seruants of the liuing God to their professed enemies the Edomites with this policy that being carried farre from their owne country they should liue in eternall slauery and bondage without hope euer to returne home againe This very crime of cruelty is in the Prophecie of Ioel also Ch. 3.6 laid to the charge of these Philistines The children of Iudah and the children of Ierusalem haue ye sold to the Grecians
Sar and Sarra in Eunius Poenos Sarrâ oriundos he notes the Carthaginians to haue their beginning from Sarra which is Tyrus Tyrus was a very ancient Citie it was saith Drusius Vetustissimarum vrbrum parcus as it were the mother of very old Cities Plinie Nâ—◠〈◊〉 lib. 5. â— p. 19. saith that out of Tyrus came the founders and first inhabiters not only of Carthage but also of Leptis Vtica and Gades the Citie well knowne to our moderne Nâ—uigators by the name of Calis Malis and of late yeares conquered by some worthies of our English Nation The ancient glory of this Citie Tyrus is blazed abroad to the whole world by Ezechiel Chap. 27. Glorious was Tyrus 1. For her situation 2. For her riches 3. For the frame and beauty of her building 4. For her shipping 5. For her power in martiall affaires 6. For her merchandizing 7. For her great esteeme and report with forraine nations The Prophet Esay in like sort blazeth out her glory Chap. 23.7 8. He saith of her that her antiquity is of ancient dayes that shee is the crowne of the Sea that her merchants are Princes and her chapmen the Nobles of the world So glorious a Citie was this Tyrus Here shee is accused of disloyaltie to the God of heauen in the very same words wherein Damascus and Azzah are formerly accused Damascus vers 3. and Azzah vers 6. For three tran gressions of Tyrus and for foure And the Lords protestation vpon this accusation is the same I will not turne to it It is aâ—â—f the Lord had thus said If the inhabitants of Tyrus had offended but once or a second time I should haue beene fauourable to them and would haue recalled them into the right way that so they might be conuerted and escape my punishments but now for as much as they doe daily heape transgression vpon transgression and make no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to be conuerted but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them Albertus Magnus vnderstandeth by these three transgressions three sorts of sinnes peccatum in voluntate peccatum in consensu peccatum in opere sinne in will sinne in consent and sinne in action and by the fourth transgression he vnderstandeth cordis indurationem induration and hardnesse of heart which he defineth to be pertinaciam permanendi in peccato a pertinacie or stubborne resolution to perseuere in sin wherein the sinner lieth wallowing void of shame and all liking of goodnesse I doe rather approue Wincklemans iudgement who by these three and foure transgressions of Tyrus vnderstandeth pride disdaine luxuriousnesse of meats and drinkes costlinesse of garments wanton lusts and other like sinnes incident to Mart Townes and Townes of great trade That such were the sinnes of Tyrus witnesse that her sharpe and grieuous reprehension Ezech. 28. For these three and foure many transgressions and sinnes the Lord protesteth against Tyrus I will not turne to it I will take no pitie on them but will doe vnto them according to their workes For three transgressions of Tyrus and foure c. Here are you to be remembred of a doctrine more than once heretofore commended to your Christian considerations Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners God is pure of eies and beholdeth not iniquity Hee hath laid righteousnesse to the rule and weighed his iustice in a ballance The sentence is passed forth and must stand vncontrolable euen as long as Sun and Moone Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doth euill The soule that sinneth it shall bee punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 32.41 That he will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iugdement to execute vengeance for sin His soule hateth and abhorreth sinne his law curseth and condemneth sinne his hand smiteth and scourgeth sin Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne Cities into ashes to ruinate nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinfull flesh Because of sinne he drowned the old world and because of sinne ere long will burne this Thus doe many sinne plucke downe from Heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners One vse of this doctrine was to teach vs heedfulnesse in all our waies that wee doe not by our many sinnes prouoke Almighty God to high displeasure A second vse was to moue vs to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did so graciously forbeare these Tyrians till by three and foure transgressions by their many sinnes they had prouoked him to indignaon These things I haue heretofore laboured to lay vnto your hearts Now followeth the third part of this prophecie wherein you haue the declaration of that grieuous sinne by which the Tyrians so highly offended the sinne of vnmercifulnesse and cruelty expressed in two branches 1 They shut vp the whole captiuitie in Edom. 2 They remembred not the brotherly couenant 1 They shut vp the whole captiuity in Edom The exposition of these words I haue formerly deliuered vnto you in my twelfth Lecture and my meditations vpon the 6. verse There the Philistines are condemned for carrying away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom and here are the Tyrians condemned for shutting the whole captiuity in Edom. The sin seemeth to be the same in both the Philistines and the Tyrians Both did shut vp the whole captiuity in Edom that is as Ioel chap. 3.6 speaketh they both did sell away the children of Iudah and the children of Ierusalem vnto the Grecians that they might send them farre from their borders God his peculiar inheritance his owne seed and seruants the children of Iudah and Ierusalem were by the cruell and hard-hearted Philistines and Tyrians mancipated and sold away forbond slaues to the Grecians dwelling farre off that with them they might liue in perpetuall seruitude and slauery without all hope of liberty or redemption Arias Montanus noteth a difference betwixt that sinne of the Philistines and this of the Tyrians The Philistines carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom. They did as they thought but what they might doe lawfully by the law of nations The Iewes were their captiues and prisoners conquered by a strong hand in open hostility and for this respect they shut them vp in Edom they sold them to the Grecians to be by them transported to the Idumaeans But these Tyrians had no such pretence of excuse They did not with a strong hand in open hostility conquer the Iews so take them prisoners but did surprise them by deceit and trecherie as they lay at Tyrus for trafficke and entercourse of merchandise and thus surprised they shut them vp in Edom they sold them to the Grecians to be by them transported to the Idumaeans farre from their
and by Gualter Non conuertam eum I will not turne the Ammonite that is I will not recall the children of Ammon to the right way they shall runne on to their owne perdition By Caluin Non ero ei propitius I will not be fauourable to the Ammonites By Mercer Non parcam et I will not spare the Ammonites According to their deserts so shall it be vnto them By Iunius Non auertam istud I will not turne away the punishment wherewith I haue resolued to punish them I am the Lord I am not changed The summe is if the Ammonites had offended but once or a second time I would haue beene fauourable to them and would haue recald them into the right way that so they might be conuerted and escâ—pe my punishments but now whereas they doe daily heape transgression vpon transgrâ—ssion and make no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to be conuerted but indurate obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure I will not turne to it Here are you to bee remembred of a doctrine sundry times heretofore commended to your Christian considerations Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners God is of pure eies and beholdeth not iniquity Hee hath laid righteousnesse to the rule and weighed his iustice in a ballance The sentence is passed forth and must stand vncontrolable euen as long as the Sun and Moone Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doeth euill The soule that sinneth it shall be punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 3.2.41 That he will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance for sin His soule hateth and abhorreth sin his law curseth and condemneth sin his hand smiteth and scourgeth sin Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne cities into ashes to ruinate nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinfull flesh Because of sinne hee drowned the old world and because of sinne ere long will burne this Thus doe many sinnes plucke c. One vse of this doctrine is to teach vs heedfulnesse in all our wayes that we doe not by our many sinnes prouoke Almighty God to high displeasure A second vse is to moue vs to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did so graciously forbeare these children of Ammon till by three and foure transgressions by their many sins they prouoked him to indignation These things I haue heretofore laboured to lay vnto your hearts Now therefore I proceed to the third part of this Prophecie wherein you haue the declaration of that grieuous sinne by which the children of Ammon so highly offended This their sinne was the sinne of cruelty expressed in these words Because they haue ript vp the women with childe of Gilead and amplified by the end of so foule a fact That they might enlarge their border They haue ript vp women with childe of Gilead that c. Women with childe the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is i Pagnin in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercer Caluin rendred by some mountaines by some cities fortified and high as mountaines as if the meaning were either that the Ammonites had made for themselues a passage into the territories of the Gileadites through the mountaines that lay betweene them a thing not impossible for we read of Annibal that k Liuius lib. 21. he with fire and vinegar made way through a great rocke vpon the Alpes for his army and carriage or that the Ammonites had vanquished and subdued the fortified cities of the Gileadâ—â—â— to the enlarging of their borders But I retaine our English translation women with childe as very agreeable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They haue ript vp women with childe Immane facinus surely this was an outragious cruelty yet such as hath its parallel we read of the like in 2 King 8.12 Elizaus telling Hazael King of Syria of the euill that he should doe the children of Israel saith Their young men thou shalt slay with the sword and shalt dash their infants against the stones and rent in peeces their women with childe The like cruelty did Menahem King of Israel exercise against the inhabitants of the citie Tiphsah her borderers euen vnto Thirtzâ— as appeareth 2 King 15.16 He ript vp all their women with childe Hoseah also chap. 14.1 thus prophesieth against Samaria Samaria shall be desolate for she hath rebelled against her God they shall fall by the sword their infants shall be dashed in peeces and their women with child shall be ript You see dearely beloued that this outragious cruelty of ripping vp women with childe mentioned in my text was not altogether vnusuall The women vpon whom this cruelty was practised are here said to haue beene of Gilead Of this land of Gilead I haue heretofore largely spoken in my seuenth Lecture vpon this prophecie occasioned by the 3. ver of this chapter where it is obiected to the Syrians of Damascus that they threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron Then I shewed that the land of Gilead was possessed by the Reubenites Gadites and halfe tribe of Manasseh Num. 32.33 Whereby it is plaine that the Gileadites were Israelites Here then these women with whom the Ammonites dealt so barbarously as to rip them vp when they were great with childe were of Iacobs posterity they were Jsraelites the lot and portion of Gods owne inheritance For so prodigious a cruelty we see Almighty God is here resolued to be auenged on the children of Ammon The doctrine arising hence is this Cruelty is a sinne very hatefull vnto God This doctrine I haue heretofore out of this place confirmed vnto you it is also plainly grounded vpon my text and therefore I passe it ouer The vse of it is to worke in vs the loue of clemency and mercifulnesse You may be many waies guilty of cruelty If you fight with or beat your neighbour or maime his body Leuit. 24.19 20. If by any meanes you procure the death of your neighbour Gen. 4.8 If you vse your neighbour discourteously or make him your laughing stocke or taunting recreation Leuit. 19.14 If you vse any of Gods creatures hardly Deut. 22.6 If you doe wrong to strangers Exod. 22.21 If you molest fatherlesse children and widowes Exod. 22.22 If you be too seuere in punishing your seruants or children Deut. 25.3 If you wrong the poore either by lending him your money vpon Vsury Exod. 22.25 or by not paying him his hire Deut. 24.14 or by not restoring his pledge Exod. 22.26 or by withdrawing your corne from him Pro. 11.26 If you offend but in the least of these your are guilty of cruelty and doe transgresse Gods holy commandements
Moabites Among the many transgressions of the Moabites their inhumanitie and pride are specially noted Their inhumane spightfull and cruell dealing against the Israelites though a people of their owne kinred appeareth diuers wayes First because when the Israelites came out of Aegypt they met them not with prouision Deut. 23.4 Secondly because at that time they hired a Deut. 23.4 Balaam the sonne of Beor to curse them Num. 22.5 Thirdly because they kept them in seruitude vnder King Eglon eighteene yeeres Iudic. 3.12 Fourthly because without respect of their allegiance to the Kings of Israel due vnto them vpon King Dauids b 2. Sam. 8.2 conquest they rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab 2. King 1.1 Fiftly because they waged warre against Iehosaphat King of Iudah 2 Chrō 20.1 Sixtly because they derided the Israelites vpbraided them and made a iest at them Ier. 48.27 Zephan 2.8 You see the inhumanitie of the Moabites Concerning their pride heare the words of Ieremie chap. 48.29 We haue heard the pride of Moab he is exceeding proud we haue heard his pride his stoutnesse his arrogancie his disdaine and the hautinesse of his heart Of this pride of Moab you may see more Esai 16.6 Of the many sinnes of Moab you see two specially noted their inhumanitie and their pride for which and others the Lord protesteth against them that he will not turne to them I will not turne to it That is as heretofore hath bin expounded I will not be fauourable to the Moabites I will not spare them according to their deserts so shall it be vnto them I will not recall them to the right way they shall runne on to their owne perdition I will not turne away the punishment wherewith I haue resolued to punish them I am the Lord I am not changed I will not turne to it It is in effect as if the Lord had thus said If the Moabites had offended but once or twise I would haue bin fauourable to them and would haue recald them into the right way that so they might haue bin converted and haue escaped my punishments But now sith they daily heape transgression vpon transgression and make no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to be converted but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them For three transgressions of Moab and for foure I will not turne to it Here may you recall to your remembrances a doctrine sundry times recommended to your religious considerations Many sinnes doe plucke downe from Heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners God is of pure eyes and beholdeth not iniquitie He hath laid righteousnes to the rule and weighed his iustice in a ballance His sentence is passed forth from him and stands vnalterable Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doth euill The soule that sinneth it shall be punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 23.41 That he will whet his glittring sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance for sinne His soule hateth and abhorreth sinne his law curseth and condemneth sinne his hand smiteth and scourgeth sinne Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne Cities into ashes to ruinate Nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinfull flesh Because of sinne he once drowned the old world and because of sinne ere long will burne this Thus doe many sinnes plucke downe c. One vse of this doctrine is to teach vs heedfulnesse in all our wayes that we doe not by our many sinnes prouoke Almighty God to high displeasure A second Vse is to moue vs to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did so graciously forbeare these Moabites till by their three and foure transgressions by their many sinnes they had prouoked him to indignation These things I haue heretofore laboured to lay vnto your hearts Now therefore I proceed to the third part of this prophecie wherein you haue the declaration of that grieuous sinne by which the Moabites so highly offended This their sinne was a sinne of cruelty expressed in these words Because it burnt the bones of the King of Ed m into lime When this was done or by which of the Kings of Moab or against which of the Kings of Edom it is not expressed in holy Scripture Some would hither referre that Historie 2 Kings 3. Where it is recorded of the King of Israel that he assisted with two other Kings the King of Iuda and the King of Edom made war vpon the King of Moab The King of Moab when he saw the battle was to sore for him tooke with him seauen hundred stout warriours and would haue broken throw to the King of Edom but could not Through indignation whereof c Piscat Analys in 2 Reg. 3. some thinke that hee tooke the King of Edoms eldest sonne and offered him for a burnt offering vpon the wall for so some will haue the last verse of that chapter vnderstood of the King of Edoms sonne But I take it more agreeable to that storie there to vnderstand the King of Moabs owne sonne that the King of Moab should offer vp for a burnt offering vpon the wall his owne eldest sonne thereby to obtaine helpe of his God against his enemies And so that storie appertaines not to this my Text. No though wee receiue the former interpretation For it is not here said that he burnt the bones of the King of Edoms sonne into lime but the bones of the King of Edom himselfe It is a tradition of the Hebrewes that after the buriall of the King of Edom that King who went vp with d 2. Reg. 3.1 Iehoram King of Israel and e vers 7. Iehoshaphat King of Iudah to warre against f vers 4. Mesha King of Moab the Moabites in vltionem doloris to be reuenged vpon him for the sorrow which he wrought them did digge vp his bones and burne them Of this tradition S. Ierome maketh mention They did digge vp the King of Edoms bones and burne them Great was their rage great their cruelty Death appeased them not The King of Edoms bones were not suffered to rest in his sepulcher but were taken thence and burnt into ashes These ashes some thinke were vsed with lime or morter for the plaistering pargetting or rough-casting of their houses for as much as my Prophet here saith they burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime If so it was done Vindictae maioris contumeliae causâ that they might take full vengeance vpon the King of Edom. I may not passe it ouer with silence that this cruelty of the Moabites was against the Edomites without all respect of bloud and consanguinity Edom the Edomites or Idumaeans were descended from Abraham Thus g Gen. 25.25 Edom the first Father of the Edomites or Idumaeans was
32.41 that hee will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance for sinne His soule hateth and abhorreth sinne his law curseth and condemneth sinne his hand smiteth and scourgeth sinne Sinne was his motiue to cast Angels out of Heauen to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne Cities into ashes to ruinate Nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinnefull flesh Sinne made him heretofore to drowne the olde world and sinne will make him hereafter to burne this So true is my doctrine Many sinnes doe prouoke Almighty God to lay his punishments vpon vs. Let vs now make some vse of this doctrine Doe many sinnes cause Almighty God to punish vs First we are hence taught at what time soeuer God shall lay his rod vpon vs to seeke the true cause thereof in our selues Malorum omnium nostrorum causa peccatum est saith S. Austin Serm. 139. de Tempore The cause of all euill is within vs it is sinne within vs. It is impiety to imagine that God will punish vs without a cause Non pateremur nisi mereremur saith that good Father We should not vndergoe any crosse or disturbance vnlesse wee deserued it Wherefore let vs euery one of vs in particular when God commeth neere to vs in iudgement to touch either our estates with want or our callings with disgrace or our bodies with sicknes or our soules with heauines let vs haue recourse to the sinnes within vs which haue deserued this and turne we to the Lord our God Water teares sorrow repentance will better satisfie him pacifie him mooue him alter him then whatsoeuer vengeance or plagues or bloud or death Let vs enter into a due consideration of our corruptions our transgressions our sinnes wherewith as with a heauy burden wee are laden and returne wee to the Lord our God adulterers murtherers idolaters the sacrilegious the ambitious the couetous drunkards railers lyars the blasphemous swearers forswearers all who by any their euill wayes prouoke God to the execution of his iustice must take part in this conuersion Let no man draw backe let not the heinousnesse of our fore-passed sinnes deterre vs or keepe vs from so holy a course I dare affirme with S. Austin Serm. 181. de Tempore Non nocent peccata praeterita si non placent praesentia Sinnes past hurt not if sins present please not Let vs euen now at this present in detestation of sinne resolue to sinne willingly no more and our sinnes past shall neuer hurt vs. O let not this vse slip out of our minds When God his heauy hand is vpon vs in any crosse or tribulation seeke wee out the cause of it in our selues in our sinnes A second vse followeth and it is to stirre vs vp to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did so graciously forbeare those inhabitants of Iudah till by their three transgressions and by their foure they had prouoked God vnto displeasure The holy Scriptures are frequent in proclaiming God to be mercifull and gracious and long-suffering and of great goodnesse Hee cryeth to the foolish Prou. 1.22 O ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnesse He cryeth to the faithlesse Math. 17.17 O generation faithlesse and crooked how long now shall I suffer you He cryeth to Ierusalem Matth. 23.37 O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often What could the Lord haue done more vnto his vineyard then he had done vnto it He dressed it with the best and kindliest husbandry that his heart could inuent as appeareth Esa 5.2 Such carefull dressing could not but deserue fruit This fruit he required not at the first houre but tarried for it the full time euen till the autumne and time of vintage if then it failed did it not deserue to be eaten vp Looke into the 13. of Luke vers 6. There shall you see the Lord wayting three yeeres for the fruit of his fig-tree yea and content that digging and dunging and expectation a fourth yeere may bee bestowed vpon it Doubtlesse God is mercifull and gracious and long suffering and of great goodnesse Heereof Beloued we haue great experience We haue our three transgressions and our foure too as Iudah had Our manifold sinnes our sins of omission and our sinnes of commission our sinnes of ignorance and our sinnes of wilfulnesse our sinnes of infirmity and our sinnes of presumption doe they not day by day impudently and sawcily presse into the presence of Gods Maiesty to procure his vengeance against vs And yet wee must needes confesse it God is good and patient towards vs. Beloued let vs not abuse so great goodnes and patience of our God Though some fall seauen times a day and rise againe though to some sinners it pleaseth God to iterate his sufferance as vpon vs hither to he hath done yet should not we herevpon presume to iterate our misdoings For we well know that Almighty God punished his p Ioh. 8.44 Iâ—d 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 Angels in heauen for one breach q Gen. 3.17 Adam for one morsell r Num. 12.10 Miriam for one slander Å¿ Deut. 32.52 Moses for one angry word t Iosh 7.24 25. Achan for one sacrilege u Esai 35.2 Ezechias for once shewing his treasures to the Embassadors of Babel x 2. ChroÌ„ 35.22 Iosias for once going to warre without asking counsell of the Lord and y Act. 5.5 c. Ananias and Saphira for once lying to the Holy Ghost God is now as able as euer he was euen for one transgression to cut vs of but if he patiently forbeare vs till by three and foure transgressions by our many sinnes we grieue the Holy Spirit of that Sacred Maiestie shall we thinke as some impiously doe that God takes no notice of the sinnes which we commit or cares not for them Far let all such conceit be from any Christian heart Let vs rather confesse the truth that God by such his forbearance doth lead vs to repentance for as much as it is impossible that God should be and not see should see and not regard should regard and not punish should punish and not proportion his punishments to our sinnes I grant that the iustice of God goeth on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slowly and in order but for the most part it recompenseth the slacknes of iudgement with the heauinesse thereof It keepes the rule full well to render for ripe sinnes ripe plagues for great sinnes great plagues for grieuous sins grieuous plagues The rule in the Scholes is thus deliuered Culpam poena sequitur euery sinne hath a due punishment attending it God is without exception iust and therefore Grauitas supplicij grauitatem peccati denotat grieuous punishments wheresoeuer God shall lay them doe argue grieuous sins of those places and persons Let no man then that groaneth vnder any crosse affliction or tribulation complaine of his hard hap or ill fortune all such visitations are from God and for our
I deliuer in this position The ministerie of the word of God freely exercised in any nation is to that nation a blessing of an inestimable value I neede not be long in the proofe of this truth you already giue your assent vnto it The word of God it s a Iewell then which nothing is more precious vnto which any thing else compared is but drosse by which any thing else tryed is found lighter then vanitie it s a trumpet wherby we are called from the slippery paths of sinne into the way of Godlinesse It s a lampe vnto our feete it s a light vnto our paths Psal 119.105 It s the g Matth. 4.4 Luk. 4.4 Ierem. 15.16 Ezech. 3.3 Revel 10.9 Ezech. 2.8 Wisd 16.26 foode of our soules by it our soules do liue Deut. 8.3 It s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 1.23 incorruptible seede Seede committed to the earth taketh roote groweth vp blossometh and beareth fruit So is it with the word of God If it be sowen in your hearts and there take roote it will grow vp blossome and beare fruit vnto eternall life In which respect S. Iames chap. 1.21 calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an engrafted word engrafted in your hearts able to saue your soules Sith the word of God is such doth it not follow of necessitie that the ministerie of it freely exercised in any Nation will be to that Nation a blessing of an inestimable value Can it be denyed The Prophet Esay chap. 52.7 with admiration auoucheth it How beautifull vpon the mountaines are the h Nahum 1.15 feete of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth saluation that saith vnto Zion Thy God reigneth S. Paul is so resolued vpon the certainty of this truth that Rom. 10.15 he resumeth the words of the Prophet How beautifull are the feete of them that preach the Gospell of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Conferre we these two places one with the other that of Esay with this of Paul and we shall behold a heape of blessings showring downe vpon them to whom God sendeth the ministers of his Gospell for they bring with them the word of saluation the doctrine of peace the doctrine of good things and the doctrine of the kingdome Such is the Gospell of Christ First it is the word of saluation The Gospell of Christ is called the word of saluation first because it is the power of God vnto saluation as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 1.16 It is the power of God vnto saluation that is it is the instrument of the power of God or it is the powerfull instrument of God which he vseth to bring men vnto saluation And secondly because it teacheth vs concerning the author of our Saluation euen Christ Iesus An Angell of the Lord appeared vnto Ioseph in a dreame and saith vnto him Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the Holy Ghost And she shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name i Luk 1.31 Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Matth. 1.21 He shall saue his people that is he shall be their Sauiour Iesus he is the Sauiour of his people merito efficacia by merit and by efficacie By merit because he hath by his death purchased for his people for all the elect the remission of their sinnes and the donation of the holy Spirit and life eternall And by efficacie because by the Holy Spirit and by the preaching of the Gospell he worketh in the elect true faith by which they doe not onely lay hold on the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospell but also they studie to serue God according to his holy commandements An Angell of the Lord relating the natiuitie of Christ vnto the Shepheards Luk 2.10 11. saith vnto them Feare not For I bring you glad tidings of great ioy which shall be to all people For vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Vnto you is borne a Sauiour where you haue what you are to beleeue of the Natiuitie of Christ He is borne a Sauiour vnto you Vnto you not onely to those shepheards to whom this Angell of the Lord speakes the words but vnto you Vnto you not only to Peter and Paul and some other of Christs Apostles and Disciples of old but vnto you vnto you vnto euery one of you in particular and vnto me When I heare the Angels words Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto you I apply them vnto my selfe and say Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto me In this perswasion and confidence I rest and say with S. Paul Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and that life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto me Peter filled with the Holy Ghost seales this truth Act. 4.12 There is no Saluation in any other then in the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth There is no other name vnder Heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued then the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth Againe Act. 15.11 he professeth it We beleeue that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saued It must be our beleefe too if we will be saued We we in particular must beleeue that through the grace of the Lord Iesus we shall be saued We shall be saued What 's that It is in S. Pauls phrase we shall be made aliue 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aliue St Austine Ep. 157. which is to Optatus doth thus illustrate it Sicut in regno mortis nemo sine Adam ita in regno vitae nemo sine Christo As in the kingdome of death there is no man without Adam so in the kingdome of life there is no man without Christ as by Adam all men were made vnrighteous so by Christ are all men made righteous sicut per Adam omnes mortales in poenâ facti sunt filij seculi ita per Christum omnes immortales in gratiâ fiunt filij Dei As by Adam all men mortall in punishment were made the sonnes of this world so by Christ all men immortall in grace are made the sonnes of God Thus haue I prooued vnto you that the Gospell of Christ is the word of Saluation as well because it is the power of God vnto Saluation as also because it teacheth vs of the author of our Saluation Secondly it is the doctrine of Peace The Gospell of Christ is called the doctrine of peace because the ministers of the Gospell do publish and preach Peace This Peace which they publish and preach is threefold Betweene God and man Man and man Man and himselfe First they preach Peace
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