taking heed vnto your wayes according to the word of God as you are aduised Ps 119.9 All men I know would be blessed but then must they delight in the word of God and make it their meditation day and night as it is Psal 1.2 If we leaue the word of God which is the lampe and light of God then are we forthwith in darknes we are in error Is it so beloued Then secondly let vs bring and offer to our gracious God the calues of our lips the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing for that it pleaseth him for our direction in this valley of darknes and shadow of death to giue vs the light of his most precious word He hath not dealt so with many nations of the earth Many there are that haue not the light of his word And where this light is not there can be nothing but darknes Is it so beloued Then thirdly is the Church of Rome very iniurious to the people of God to with-hold and keepe from them this light of the word of God Is it not plaine they do so when they forbid the Scriptures to be translated into any Vulgar tongue and so seale them vp from the vnderstanding of the ignorant and vnlearned They willingly send the Scriptures abroad in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine tongues but what are the common people of any Nation hereby benefited Do they vnderstand the Hebrew Greeke or Latin A Papist will answer there is no necessitie that the vulgar sort should vnderstand those ancient sacred tongues The f Raâ—ford Directorie cap. 56. Church hath appointed learned men alwayes to instruct the simple out of the booke of God with such histories and lessons as may be most fit to edifie and help them in the way to Heauen I grant there is no necessitie yea it cannot be that the common people should vnderstand the Hebrew Greeke and Latin tongues but I adde it is therefore necessarie that the Holy Scripture should be translated into vulgar and knowne tongues euen for the vnderstanding of the common people as this day through Gods goodnes we haue them in our English tongue nor dismembred and very much corrupted as Radford would beare the world in hand but more perfectly rendred then euer was that old vulgar Latin edition obtruded to the Christian world for Authenticall by the g Sess 3 cap. 2. Trent Fathers The exception taken against the translation of the Scriptures into vulgar and knowne tongues is vaine and ridiculous They say that great and marueilous inconveniences and discommodities haue fallen out through such translations How proue they this They will seeme to proue it by sundry instances 1. They tell vs of a h Staphylus de BiblioruÌ„ traÌ„slatione pag. 492. Painter of Prussia who because he had in Luthers German Bible read of Lot his incest aduentured to abuse his owne daughter 2. They tell vs of a i Idem ex Joh. Gastio Brisac lib. de Catabâ—pâ—â—siu woman of k Monastrij in Westphalia who hauing diligently perused the historie of Iudith and Holofernes attempted by the example of Iudith secretly to kill the Bishop of Munster 3. They tell vs of l Iâ—hannes â—ugdunensis Sarcinater Bâ—tavus Iohn of Leiden who would be as a King because m Staphylus vbi suprà p. 494. ex Sleidan lib. 10. Iosuah was such and would haue the toleration of many wiues because the Patriarchs had many 4. They tell vs of n Idem ex Aenea Sylvio in historia â—â—emorum Grubenheimer who because he had read in Genesis Encrease and multiplie approued that in their night conuenticles their lights extinguished they might commit filthinesse not to be spoken These foure instances are brought by Frid. Staphylus in his treatise of the translation of the Bible into vulgar idomes 5. They tell vs of Dauid George a Batauian who by reading the Scriptures in his mother tongue was perswaded of himselfe that he was the sonne of God and the Messias 6. They tell vs of an English woman who hearing the Minister of the Parish where shee liued read out of Eccles 25. somewhat against wicked women which pleased her not rose vp from her seate and sayd Is this the word of God Nay rather it is the word of the Deuill These two latter instances are brought by Cardinall Bellarmine lib. 2. de verbo Dei cap. 15. To these and the former vrged by Bellarmine and Staphylus to shew the inconueniences and discommodities of hauing the Bible in vulgar and knowne languages I thus briefly reply Shall sober men be forbidden the vse of meates and drinkes because many surfet of them This you will grant to be very absurd and vnreasonable So absurd is it and vnreasonable that the people of God should be forbidden the vse of the booke of God in their vulgar knowne languages because a few vnstable persons such as were the aforenamed the Painter of Prussia the Cobler of Leyden Grubenheimer Dauid George and two silly women the one of Westphaelia the other of England abused so rich a treasure to their owne ouerthrowes This my reply agreeth with that answere which o Animaduers in Bellarm. Controu 1. lib. 2. cap. 15. §. 63. Iunius giueth vnto Bellarmine Non conuenit vt propter eos qui abutuntur malè praecludatur aut eripiatur Scriptura eis qui sunt vsuri benè It s not conuenient that for their sakes who doe to ill purpose abuse the Scriptures the Scriptures should be sealed vp and barred from such as would vse them well The reason which Dr Bucknham sometimes Prior of the Black-fryers in Cambridge for this very purpose brought against Mr Latimer is altogether as vaine and friuolous The danger of hauing the Bible in our English tongue hee prooued after this manner The plowman hearing that in the Gospell by St Luke Chap. 9.62 No man that layeth his hand on the plow and looketh backe is meete for the kingdome of God may peraduenture cease from his plow likewise the baker hearing that Galat. 5.9 A little leauen corrupteth a whole lumpe of dow may per-case leaue our bread vnleauened and so our bodies shall be vnseasoned Also the simple man hearing that Math. 5.29 If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee may make himselfe blind and so fill the world full of beggers This friarly and bald reason of Dr Bucknham is not worthy any other answere then the wish of Latimer p Fox Martyrol pag. 1904. Edit Lond. An. 1570. Latimers wish was that the Scripture may be so long in our English tongue till English men be so mad the plowman not to looke backe the baker not to leauen his bread the simple man to pluck out his owne eye See you not Beloued how iniurious the Papists would be towards you were they Lords ouer you The light of Gods word the incomparable and heauenly treasure they would seale vp from you in an vnknowne tongue
euident proofe for this your publike meeting There is Matth. 18.20 a speciall promise of a blessing to light vpon you as oft as you shall come to this place and thereof the author of all truth assureth you Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them O weigh and consider this If you loue and would haue the societie fellowship and company of your sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ you must frequent this place hither must you come Know this you cannot be right worshippers of God in priuate if you refuse or neglect to frequent this publike assembly the Sion the Ierusalem from whence God is pleased to speake vnto you Much then very much to blame you whosoeuer doe for none or for small occasions absent your selues from this plâ—ce this house of God at appointed times where and when your publike prayers should be as it were a publike renouncing of all sects and society with idolatry and prophanesse an acknowledgement and confession of the true God and a publike sanctification of Gods holy Name to the glory of God The time was and I dare auouch it Act. 21.5 when all the congregation of Tyre with their wiues and children bringing S. Paul out of the towne to the sea shore kneeled downe with him and prayed Shall we in these dayes finde this zeale among Christians I much doubt it and am perswaded men will be ashamed in imitation of those Tyrians to kneele downe in an open place to pray vnto God publikely I will not rub this sore I know somewhat and you know more than I how backward many of you haue been from doing God due seruice in this place Shall I say you haue dishonoured him some by irreuerence some by much absence some by wilfull refusall to bee made partakers of the blessed Communion of the body and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ I thinke should any one of you inuite your neighbour to sup with you but once and he refuse it you would take some displeasure at him and shall God Almighty the mighty creator of Heauen of Earth and of all you that heare me this day inuite you many times to come and sup at the table of his blessed Son and you refuse it Beleeue it he cannot take it well It is no indifferent or arbitrary thing to come or not to come to the Lords table Come you must of duty though of duty you are first to examine your selues Whosoeuer therefore wilfully refuseth to come he sinneth very grieuously as a learned b Butanus Iâ—c 48. Diuine well noteth 1 Because he contemneth not any humane but a diuine edict the expresse commandement of the Lord of life Doe this in remembrance of me 2 Because he little esteemeth the remembrance of Christ his death by which we are redeemed 3 Because he neglecteth the communion of the body and bloud of Christ 4 Because he sheweth himselfe to be none of the number of Christs disciples I beseech you dearely beloued lay vp these things in your hearts let this day be the beginning of your reformation resolue from henceforth to performe your due obedience to God in this place to powre forth your prayers before him to heare his holy word and to frequent the Lords table where by faith in his death and passion you may receiue many a gracious blessing forgiuenesse of your sins your reconciliation with God the death of iniquity in you and the assured pledge of eternall life I haue now by occasion of Sion and Ierusalem the place from whence God will speake vnto you exhorted euery one of you in particular to come to the Church I pray you note this to be but a part of your duty It is not enough for you to come your selues to the Church you must sollicite and exhort others to come likewise Fathers must bring their children Masters must bring their Seruants For old and young should come My warrant for what I say I take out of Ioel 2.15 16. Call a solemne assembly gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the children and those that sucke the breasts Marke I beseech you Children and such as sucke the breasts must be assembled You must haue the spirit of resolution to say with Ioshua chap. 24.15 I and my house will serue the Lord. Your duty is yet further extended beyond your children and seruants to your neighbours and also strangers if they come in your way This we may learn out of the prophecies of Esay Micah and Zachary First Esay 2.3 The faithfull shall say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and wee will walke in his paths for the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Againe Micah 4.2 You shall finde the very same exhortation made by the faithfull and in the same words Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of thâ— Lâ—rd to the house of the God of Iacob c. The Prophet Zachaâ—y chap. 8.21 for summe and substance speaketh the same thing They that dwell in one towne shall goe vnto another saying vp let vs goe and pray before the Lord and seeke thâ— Lord of hosts I will goe also Thus farre of the place from whence the Lord speaketh expressed by two names Sion and Ierusalem THE Fifth Lecture AMOS 1.2 And he 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 OF the speaker and place from whence he speaketh I haue heretofore spoken Now proceed wee to the sequels of the speech which shall for this time be the ground of my discourse The dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish So doe the words sound for their substance Yet after the letter in the originall and Hebrew copy we are to read otherwise the fruitfull or pleasant places of the shepherds haue mourned Let vs briefly take a view of the words as they lie in order The dwelling places So is the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 englished not vnfitly For though properly it signifieth fruitfull and pleasant fields and pastures yet because shepherds did vse in the wildernesse neare vnto such fields and pastures to erect themselues little cottages and cabins that they might be at hand to defend their harmlesse sheep from sauage and rauenous beasts it may here well be englished the dwelling places The dwelling places of the shepherds In my first lecture vpon this prophecy I told you there were two sorts of shepherds In the first ranke I placed sheepmasters in the second their seruants Among the first sort of shepherds was Mesa King of Moab who 2 King 3.4 is called a shepherd and there registred to haue rendred to the King of Israel an hundred thousand lambes and an hundred thousand rammes with the wooll The
people it reacheth to the highest to the Priests to the Princes to the King himselfe Of Priests and Princes carried away into captiuity you will make no doubt when you see the same proued of Kings Yet may you know by 2 King 17.27 that the King of Assyria when he had vanquished Hoseah King of Israel did carry into captiuitie the Priests of Israel You vnderstand of Priests carried into captiuity see now the like of Kings and Princes See 2 King 24.14 It is a very eminent place There it is affirmed of Nabuchodonosor King of Babel that he carried away all Ierusalem and all the Princes and all the strong men of warre euen ten thousand into captiuity and in the verse following that he carried away King Iehoiachim King of Iudah into Babel and the Kings mother and the Kings wiues and the Eunuches and the mighty of the Land carried he away into captiuity from Ierusalem to Babel And all the men of war euen seuen thousand and carpenters and lock-smiths a thousand all that were strong and apt for war did the King of Babel bring to Babel captiues I could tell you of the like misery befallen other Kings of Iudah of King Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.11 how he was taken by the hoast of the King Ashur was put in fetters was bound in chaines and was carried to Babel And of King Zedekiah 2 King 25.5 how he was taken in the deserts of Iericho by the army of the Chaldees had his eyes put out was bound in chaines and carried vnto Babel But what need I amplifie this point By the places already brought you see my doctrine established namely When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King Is it true Beloued Doth God punish a nation with captiuity for their sins Let vs make this Christian vse of it euen to powre out our soules in thankfulnesse before Almighty God for his wonderfull patience towards vs. The sins of such Nations as haue beene punished with captiuity were they more heinous in Gods eyes than ours are Dearely beloued far be it from vs to iustifie our selues Let the example of the proud Pharisee be a warning to vs. He for all his smooth prayer registred Luk. 18.11 O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as the Publican I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse For all this his smooth prayer he found no fauour with God No maruell For his heart was swolne with pride with pride towards God towards his neighbour and in himselfe Gracias ago O God I thank thee there was his pride towards God Non sum sicut caeteri I am not as other men There was his pride towards his neighbour Ieiuno bis in sabbato I fast twice in the weeke There was his pride in himselfe O God I thanke thee He is not reprehended for giuing thanks to God but for his proud and presumptuous boasting of himselfe The great Patriarch Abraham prayeth leaue to speake vnto the Lord and giues a reason of his request Gen. 18.27 I am but dust and ashes so lowly was Abraham conceited of himselfe when he was to speake to God But this Pharisee puffed vp and swolne with pride boasteth as though hee were not made of the same mould with other men O God I thanke thee I am not as other men c. But leaue we the Pharisee in his pride he is not to be a patterne of imitation for vs. The Publican is he whom we must follow Gerit typum omnium poenitentium all that will truly repent must take him for an ensample He stood afar off would not lift vp so much as his eyes to Heauen smote his breast and said O God be mercifull to me a sinner He stood afarre off a B. King in Ion. Lect. 38. pag. 514. not daring to approach to God that God might approach to him He would not lift vp his eies to Heauen for he knew heauen to be the seat of that Maiesty which by sinning he had prouoked vnto displeasure He smote his breast as the arke of all iniquity as it were punishing himselfe with stripes that the Lord might forbeare to punish him And after all this with a fearefull heart and trembling tongue he called vpon his Sauiour and said O God be mercifull to me a sinner b Pet. de Palude Dom. 2. post Trin. enar p. 364. Oratio breuis valdè fructuosa It is a short prayer but full of fruit O God be mercifull to me a sinner be mercifull I say not to me thy creature thy seruant or thy childe but be mercifull to me a sinner My whole composition is sinne whatsoeuer I am in body or soule so farre as my manhood and humanity goeth a Sinner and not onely by mine office and calling because I am a Publican but euen by nature and kinde it selfe a Sinner O God be mercifull to me a sinner This Publican is set for a patterne vnto vs. Wee must with him confesse our sins vnto the Lord. Let no man boast himselfe of his owne innocency integrity or vprightnesse Quando mare sine procellis tunc nos sine peccatis saith c Apud Pet. de Palude Dom. 11. Trinit p. 356. Chrysostome when the sea is without stormes then are we without sinnes But the sea is neuer free from stormes nor we from sinnes In vaine then is it O sinfull man that thou exaltest thy selfe as if thou were iust Remember what Christ saith at his closing vp of this parable of the Publican and Pharisee Omnis qui se exaltat humiliabitur euery one that exalts himselfe shall be brought low Adam exalted himselfe and death was his recompence Gen. 3 19. Pharaoh exalted himselfe and he was drowned in the red Sea Exod. 14.28 Dathan and Abiram exalted themselues and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them vp Num. 16.32 Saul exalted himselfe and an euill spirit was sent to vex him 1 Sam. 16.15 Absolon exalted himself and he was hanged in an oake 2 Sam. 18 9. Nabuchodonosor exalted himselfe and he was driuen to seek his dwelling with the beasts of the field Dan. 4.29 Antiochus exalted himselfe and he died a miserable death consumed of wormes 2 Mach. 9.9 Herod Agrippa exalted himselfe and the Angell of the Lord smote him so was hee also eaten of wormes and gaue vp the ghost Act. 12.23 It is out of all controuersie Omnis qui se exaltat humiliabitur euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low Let the consideration hereof beloued worke in vs a vigilancy to keepe the proud Deuill vnder that we swell not vp through a vaine perswasion of fleshly righteousnesse that we lift not vp our Peacocks feathers nor extoll our eye lids through a conceit of our owne deserts but in all humility pray we euer with the Publican O God bee mercifull vnto vs sinners and ascribe we
otherwise called Esau and was sonne of Izhac who was h Gen 21 3. sonne of Abraham And i Gen. 19. â—7 Moab from whom the nation of the Moabites tooke their name was sonne vnto Lot and Lot was Abrahams brothers sonne the sonne of k Gen. 11.27 Haran There was then betweene the Moabites and Edomites neerenesse of bloud and full kindred Now we see what is the particular sinne of the Moabiteâ—â— for which this prophecy is directed against them Their sinne is Cruelty and a speciall kinde of Cruelty euen their denying of rest to the bones of the dead and the more odious and intolerable is their Cruelty because it is against their owne kindred The lesson which we are to take from hence is this All kinde of cruelty committed against a man highly displeaseth God but that specially which violateth and extinguisheth the rites of consanguinity and naturall affection In my l pag. 74. seauenth Lecture vpon the first chapter of this prophecy I commended vnto you this doctrine God is neuer well pleased with too much cruelty In my m pag. 230. 19. Lecture I recommended it vnto you varying my proposition thus Cruelty is a sinne hatefull vnto God Now it comes vnto you in another forme though the matter be the same All kinde of cruelty c. My proposition hath two parts The first All kind of cruelty committed against a man highly displeaseth God The second There is a kinde of cruelty that violateth and extinguisheth the rightes of consanguinity and naturall affection and that specially displeaseth God First to the first All kinde of cruelty committed against a man highly displeaseth God No maruaile For all kinde of cruelty is sin and euery sin must taste of Gods high displeasure All kinde of cruelty is sin For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a want of conformity to the Law of God a transgression of the law a breach of the law Will you know against which commandement it is It is against the sixt commandement The commandement is Thou shalt doe no murther or Thou shalt not kill Where to kill or to doe murther by a Synechdoche signifieth any kinde of endamaging the person of our neighbours We may not so much as hurt or hinder them We are forbidden to sin against our neighbour either in heart or in word or in countenance or in deed And in this last branch is cruelty forbidden vs. So is the first part of my proposition confirmed All kinde of crueltie committed against a man highly displeaseth God The reason is because it is a sin against the sixth commandement The vse of this doctrine is to reprooue such as delight in crueltie Man of all liuing creatures ought to be the most courteous His name in Latin is homo and that n Boskier Orat. Terrae sancta Philip. 4. loc 1. pag. 87. one deriueth from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word that signifieth vnanimitie and concord And from the Latin homo is deriued Humanitas a word that signifieth courtesie or gentlenes So that the very name of man Homo sheweth that * Hominem natura ad pacem composuit man is euen framed by nature of vnanimitie concord courtesie gentlenes and peace Other * Animantia caeâ—era ad â—â—llum creatures are by nature euen armed for warre Some haue their hornes as Vnicornes Harts and Bulls some their teeth as Boares and Dogs some their nayles as Griffins and Lyons some their poyson either in their tongues as Serpents or in their tayles as Scorpions or in their breath as Dragons or in their eyes as the Basiliske Some haue their hard skinnes for their coates or couerings as on land the Armadillo in the sea the Tortoyse the Crab and all shell fish All these and other beasts are armed by nature partly to defend themselues partly to offend others Onely Man he is borne in ermis tenellus edentulus he comes into the world naked tender toothles and hath not wherewith either to offend another or to defend himselfe to teach vs that man should spend the dayes of his pilgrimage here in vnanimitie concord courtesie gentlenes and peace The more are they to be reproued who liuing among men haue as it were put off the nature of Man by their delight in cruell dealing Such is the racking Landlord who takes aduantage against his poore tenant for euery trifle Such is the greedie Vsurer who eares vp his brothers substance with interest Such is the stony-hearted Physitian or Chirurgion that prolongeth his patients disease or sore to wring the more money from him Such is the troublesome man who vniustly vexeth his neighbour in the law to his vndoing Such are a l they who are any way iniurious to them with whom they liue I trust there is none that heares me this day fit to be reprooued for any cruell deed against the dead as the Moabites here are for their burning the bones of the King of Edom into lime And that you neuer may deserue with them to be reprooued let it please you to heare a while how this kind of crueltie hath in former ages beene accounted of It is o Virgil. Aeneid 1. written to the disprayse of Achilles that he dragged the dead bodie of Hector thrise about the wals of Troy It is p Liv. Dec. 1. l. 1. written to the dispraise of Tullia proud Tarquins wife that she droue her waggon ouer the dead bodie of her Father Seruâ—â—s Tullius the sixt King of Rome It is q Plutarch in Cicerone in Antonio written to the dispraise of Antonie the Triumvir one of the three who bore the sway at the beginning of the Romane Empire that he caused the right hand and the head of dead Cicero that great Orator to be cut off and brought before him that beholding them he might solace and sport himselfe And was it not a note of too much cruelty in Antonies wife whether it were r Hieronym Apol aduersus Râ—ffinum Fuluia or that proud Egyptian Queene Cleopatra that she thrust her needle through the tongue of that dead Orator Thus haue prophane Authors Virgil Livie Plutarch and others conducted onely by natures light noted and censured crueltie against the dead And shall not the light of Gods holy word conduct vs Christians to alike measure of vnderstanding euen to detest all cruelty against the dead To this purpose the holy Euangelists S. Mathew and S. Marke St Mathew chap. the 14. and St Marke chap. the 6. haue recorded it for a memoriall to all ensuing ages that to the solemnizing of Herods birth day the head of Iohn Baptist was brought in a platter to Herodias Cruell Herodias could not the vntimely and vniust death of that holy man satisfie thy greedie and bloud thirstie heart but that thou must haue his head brought before thee in a platter and that at such a time so solemne a time the birth day of thy Lord thy King thy supposed husband Herod
the Iewes for their prerogatiue nor Ierusalem for her goodly buildings From this vnpartialitie of God in his workes of iustice my proposition stands good Whosoeuer doe imitate the Heathen in their impieties are in the Lords account no better then the Heathen and shall be punished as the Heathen Will you a reason hereof It is because the Lord takes impietie for impietie wheresoeuer he finds it and for such doth punish it And he finds it euery where For the eyes of the Lord Å¿ 2. Chrâ—n 16.9 runne to and fro throughout the whole earth and are in t Prâ—u 15.3 euery place to behold as well the euill as the good His eyes are u Iere. 16.17 vpon all our wayes he seeth x Iob 34.21 all our goings he y Iob 31.4 counteth all our steps no iniquitie is z Iere. 16.17 hid from him This doth the Prophet Ieremie Chap. 32.19 wall expresse Thine eyes O Lord are open vpon all the wayes of the sonnes of men to giue euery one acccording to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings This the very Ethnickes guided onely by Natures light haue acknowledged Sybilla in her Oracles could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Almightie and inuisible God he onely seeth all things Hesiod could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath an All-seeing eye Plautus could say a Capte ivi Est profecto Deus qui quae nos gerimus auditque videt Doubtlesse there is a God who both heareth and seeth whatsoeuer we doe And b Metamorph. lib. 13. Ovid could say Aspiciunt oculis superi mortalia iustâ—s There is a God aboue who hath iust eyes beholdeth all the doings of mortall men c Thales interregatus an furta â—â—mâ—â—um Deos fallerent Nec cogiâ—ata â—nqâ—it Valer. Mar. lib. 7 cap. 2. Dioge Laert. lib. 1. in Thal s. Thales of Miletum the wisest of the seauen being asked whether mens euill deeds could be kept close from God! No sayd he nor their euill thoughts The Hieroglyphicke the mysticall or aenigmaticall letter whereby the Egyptians would haue God to be vnderstood was an eye And why so But as d Hierâ—glyph lib. 33. Pierius saith because Deus ille optimus maximus the great God of Heauen is mundi oculus the eye of the world It may be such was the conceit of that auncient e Augustin Father who sayd of God that he was totus oculus wholy an eye He giues his reason quia omnia videt because hee seeth all things All things are to the eies of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked and opened seene as well within as without So saith the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 4.13 All the impieties of man in deed word or thought are manifest vnto the Lord he seeth them all and for impieties will punish them Well saith f De constantiâ lib. 2. cap. 16. Lypsius Culpae comes iustissimè poena semper est Paine is alwayes the companion of a fault And g Jbid. cap. 14. againe Cognatum immo innatum omni sceleri sceleris supplicium Euery wickednesse brings a punishment with it As the worke is so is the pay if the one be readie the other is present h Lipsius de constant lib. 2 c. 13. Neuer did any man foster within his breast a crime but vengeance was vpon his backe for it If there be impietie there cannot be impunitie Witnesse the blessed Apostle S. Iames chap. 1.15 Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death And S. Paul Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death Many are the texts of holy Scripture which I might alledge to this purpose I will for this present trouble you but with one It is Psal 34.16 The face of the Lord is against them that doe euill to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth From these now-touched considerations first that Almightie God in iudgement accepteth no persons then that his Al-seeing eye beholdeth whatsoeuer impietie is done not onely in our workes and words but also in our most retyred thoughts thirdly that in iustice euery impietie is to receiue a due punishment from these considerations my position stands firme and vnmoueable Whosoeuer doe imitate the Heathen in their impieties they are in the Lords account no better then the Heathen and shall be punished as the Heathen Here let all good Christians be admonished with their greatest carefulnesse to looke vnto their wayes that they walke not in the by-pathes of sinne to imitate the Heathen in their impieties Qui attrahit ad se culpam non potest effugere poenam sayth i Comment in Hebr. 12. Hugo Cardinalis Thinke not that thy prerogatiue of being a Christian can be a shield vnto thee Christianus k August enchir ad Laurent ca. 5. nomine non opere A Christian in name not in deed may be called a Christian but is no Christian l Bernard Sentent Christianus as he is haeres nominis Christi so must he be imitator sanctitatis A Christian is heire to the name of Christ and therefore must be a follower of Christ in holinesse A Christian sayth S. Austine if he be the Author of the Booke m Lib. 1. cap. 6. de vita Christianâ A Christian is a name of iustice of goodnesse of integritie of patience of chastitie of prudence of humilitie of courtesie of innocencie of pietie A Christian is he who is a follower of Christ who is holy innocent vndefiled vnspotted in whose brest there is no wickednesse who hurts no man but helpeth all He that can truely say I hate not mine enemies I doe good to them that hurt me I pray for them that persecute me I doe wrong to no body I liue iustly with all men hic Christianus est he is a Christian But if in the profession of Christianitie a man liues the life of a Heathen the name of a Christian shall doe him no pleasure If he take delight in the n Galat. 5.19 workes of the flesh in adulterie fornication vncleannesse laciuiousnesse drunkennesse hatred variance wrath strife or any like sinne God will forsake him the holy Angels will flie him the blessed Saints will detest him the Reprobate shall bee his companie the Deuils his fellowes hell his inheritance his soule a nest of scorpions his bodie a dungeon of foule spirits and at last both bodie and soule shal eternally burne in fire vnquencheable Wherefore dearely beloued suffer a word of exhortation o Ecclus. 21.1.2.3 Haue you sinned Doe so no more Flee from sinne as from the face of a Serpent For if you come too neere it it will bite you the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon slaying the soules of men So sayth Ecclus chap. 21.2 Flee from sinne as from the face of a Serpent Sinne It s like a leauen that will leauen the whole lumpe It s like a scab that will infect the whole flocke It s like
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
with it let him be warie for the time to come that he fall so no more This sinne it is morbus regius as i Dist. salutis â— Bonaventure calls it It s a costly sinne Costly indeed For he that draweth his patrimonie through his throat eating and drinking more in a day then he is able to earne in a whole weeke his end must needs be beggery according to that of the wise man Prov. 23.21 The duunkard and the glutton shall come to pouertie You haue heard of many other inconveniences that doe accompanie this sinne They may moue the meere naturall man the man whose Heauen is here on earth to take good heed that this sinne haue no dominion ouer him Much more should the true Christian he who hath his Heauen aboue withstand the rage and furie of this sinne It is a worke of the flesh So it s called Galat. 5.21 and there the Apostle hath past his doome vpon it They which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Parallel to which is that of the same Apostle 1. Cor. 6.9 Know yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Be not deceiued no drunkard shall inherit the kingdome of God I shut vp this point with a word of exhortation I borrow it from Luk. 21.34 The words are the words of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to his Disciples Take heed to your selues lest at any time your hearts be ouer-charged with surfetting and drunkennesse and so the last day come vpon you vnawares For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell vpon the face of the whole earth Watch yee therefore and pray alwayes that yee may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the sonne of man Thus farre of the first generall part the action of these Israelites their drinking of wine Now in the second place we are to consider whose wine it was It was not their owne it was vinum damnatorum the wine of the condemned They drinke the wine of the condemned By this wine of the condemned some vnderstand the wine that was of custome giuen to condemned persons to refresh and comfort them when they were to suffer execution for their offences Of this custome a certaine Hebrew in a booke of his entituled k See Nichol. de Lyra in Math. 27.34 Liber iudicum ordinariorum maketh mention after this manner It is the aduise of Lemuel the King Prov. 31.6 Giue strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perish and wine vnto those that be of heauy heart Let him drinke and forget his pouertie and remember his miserie no more Vpon occasion of these words the Seniours of the Iewes made this constitution vt condemnatis ad mortem daretur vinum aromaticum ad bibenduÌ„ vt faciliùs tolerarent passionem that sweet and odoriferous wine should be prouided for such as were condemned to death which they might drinke and so the more easily endure their suffering This constitution was put in practise by the Iewes At the time of Christs suffering there were in Ierusalem certaine devout Matrons full of compassion who did out of their devotion bestow this wine This wine so prouided for Christ and those that suffered with him some cruell Iewes tooke vnto themselues according to these words of Amos They drinke the wine of the condemned This wine they tooke vnto themselues and in the place thereof they did put vinegar mixt with gall as S. Matthew saith chap. 27.34 If vinegar mixt with gall might serue Christs turne so it was the Iewes would haue the wine They would drinke the wine of the condemned This custome of giuing wine to such as were condemned to dye you see was very ancient The learned l Musâ—ulus Aretius Hunnius Muthesius expositors of the Gospell in their Commentaries vpon the 27. of S. Matthew doe generally remember it Lucas Brugensis very precisely Moris erat qui hodie apud nos in vsu est It was a custome and is this day in vse with vs that to malefactors brought to the place of execution wine should be giuen them and that of the best partly to refresh their thirstie and wearied bodies and partly to exhilarate and cheare vp their hearts that they might the lesse thinke of death and with more ease endure it If to this custome our Prophet here alludeth then are the Israelites here reproued for their cruelty for taking to themselues to their owne priuate vse what was of custome belonging to poore condemned prisoners But I take it more agreable to the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this place if we vnderstand by the wine of the condemned wine bought with the money of such as the Iudges of Israel had in their vnrighteous iudgements put to the worse This wine the Septuagint doe call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vinum de calumnijs wine gotten by deceitfull dealing by malitious surmises by false accusations The Chaldee Paraphrast tearmes it vinum rapinae the wine of oppression of pillage of robberie Luther stiles it vinum mulctatorum and Castalio vinum mulctatitiuÌ„ wine issuing from mulctes from fines In our now English translation it is the wine of the condemned cast your eye but to the margent and you will finde it to bee the wine of such as were fined or mulcted Here then by the wine of the condemned we are to vnderstand that the Iudges of Israel laid vpon the poore men vniust penalties by which they might be prouided of wine and other delicates and so spend their dayes in iollity You see now what sinne it is whereat this second generall part doth aime It is an oppressing sinne the sinne of oppression when Iudges rulers of states and men in autoritie make hauocke of the poore Of this sinne I spake at large in my Ninth Lecture vpon this second chapter of Amos at what time I deliuered this doctrine God pleadeth the cause of the poore against their oppressors The lesse neede haue I now to spend my time vpon it Yet a word of it My now-doctrine I deliuer in this positioÌ„ It is not lawfull for any man to oppresse another Oppression I call euery iniustice vsed of the mightier either by violence or by colour of law or by any other cunning dealing against such as are not able to withstand them This description of oppression I gather from Levit. 25.14 from Micah 2.1 2. and from 1. Thess 4.6 In ech place the vnlawfulnesse of oppression is manifested The first place is Levit. 25.14 The commandement there is If thou sell ought vnto thy neighbour or buyest ought of thy neighbors hand yee shall not oppresse one another Whether you sell or buy you may not oppresse the very forbidding of oppression is a sufficient argument that oppression is vnlawfull The second place is Micah 2.1 2. Woe to them that deuise iniquitie and worke euill vpon their beds when the morning is
betweene God and man that Peace which Christ hath procured vs by the blood of his Crosse Coloss 1.20 In which respect he is called our Peace Ephes 2.14 For in him hath God reconciled vs vnto himselfe 2. Cor. 5.18 Secondly they preach Peace betweene man and man They exhort you with the Apostle Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as lyeth in you haue peace with all men and 2. Cor. 13.11 Be of one minde liue in Peace Liue in Peace and the God of Peace shall be with you Thirdly they preach peace betweene man and himselfe betweene man and his owne conscience It is that Peace whereof we read Psal 119.165 Great Peace haue they which loue thy Law O Lord and nothing shall offend them they shall haue no stumbling blocke laid in their wayes though outwardly they be assaulted by aduersitie crosses and troubles yet within they are quiet they haue the Peace of conscience they are at Peace with themselues From this threefold peace published and preached by the ministers of the Gospell of Christ the Gospell of Christ may well be called the doctrine of Peace Thirdly it is the doctrine of good things The Gospell of Christ is called the doctrine of good things Of good things The name of Gospell in the Greeke tongue imports as much The Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth a good message that is a happy and a ioyfull message of good things What else I pray you is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which you call the Gospell but a celestiall doctrine which God first reuealed in Paradice afterward published by the Patriarches and Prophets shadowed out in sacrifices and ceremonies and last of all accomplished by his only begotten Sonne God who is onely good yea is goodnes it selfe is the author of the Gospell and therefore the Gospell must needs bring with it a message of good things The message it bringeth is this that mankinde is redeemed by the death of Christ the only begotten Sonne of God our Messias and Sauiour in whom is promised and preached to all that truly beleeue in him perfect deliuerance from sinne death and the euerlasting curse Could there be any more happy or welcom tidings to mankinde then this was Out of doubt the Gospell of Christ is the doctrine of good things Fourthly it is the doctrine of the Kingdome The Gospell of Christ is the doctrine of the Kingdome It s so called Luk. 4.43 where Christ saith of himselfe I must preach the kingdome of God to other Cities also So is it Mark 1.14 there the Euangelist saith of Christ that he preached the kingdom of God in Galilee This Kingdome is twofold of Grace and of Glory of Grace here on earth and of glory hereafter in Heauen Of grace here here Christ reigneth in the soules of the faithfull by his word and holy Spirit Of glory hereafter when Christ shall haue deliuered vp the Kingdome to God the Father as Saint Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 15.24 If so it be if the Gospell of Christ be the word of Saluation if it be the doctrine of Peace of Peace betweene God and man betweene man and man betweene man and himselfe if it be the doctrine of good things of our deliuerance from sinne from death and from the curse of the Law if it be the doctrine of the Kingdome the Kingdome of grace and the Kingdome of glory then must it be granted that the Ministers of the Gospell do bring with them blessings of an inestimable value And such is my doctrine The ministerie of the word of God freely exercised in any nation is to that nation a blessing of an inestimable value The vse hereof concerneth the Ministers of the Gospell and their auditors First the Ministers of the Gospell They may here be put in minde of their dutie which is willingly and cheerefully to preach the Gospell This their dutie may be called a debt S. Paul calls it so Rom. 1.14 15. I am debtor both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians both to the wise men and to the vnwise Therefore as much as in me is I am ready to preach the Gospell to you also that are at Rome S. Paul you see acknowledgeth a debt and makes a conscience of discharging it The obligation or bond whereby he was made a debter was his Apostolicall calling his debt was to preach the Gospell the persons to whom he was indebted were Greekes and Barbarians the wise and the vnwise His good conscience to discharge his debt appeareth in his readinesse to doe it I am ready as much as in me is to preach the Gospell S. Paul may be vnto vs a patterne of imitation We also must acknowledge a debt and must make a conscience of discharging it The obligation or bond whereby we are made debtors is our ministeriall calling Our debt is to preach the Gospell The persons to whom we are indebted are our owne flocke our owne people the people ouer whom the Lord hath made vs ouer-seers Our good conscience to discharge our debt will appeare in our readinesse to doe it I and euery other minister of the Gospell must say as S. Paul doth I am ready as much as in me is to preach the Gospell to you So farre forth as God shall permit and make way for discharge I am ready to preach the Gospell to you Nothing hath hitherto or shall hereafter with hold me from paying you this debt but onely the impediments which the Lord obiecteth Secondly the vse of my doctrine concerneth you who are the hearers of the word You also may here be put in minde of your dutie which is patiently and attentiuely to heare the word preached Of your readinesse in this behalfe I should not doubt if you would but remember what an vnvaluable treasure it is which we bring vnto you Is it not the word of Saluation the Saluation of your soules Is it not your peace inward and outward your peace with God your peace with man your peace with your owne consciences Is it not the doctrine of good things your deliuerance from sinne from death and from the curse of the Law Is it not the publication of the Kingdome of God his kingdome of graâ—e wherein you now may liue tha hereafter you may liue in the Kingdome of glory Is it not euen thus Can it be denyed Beloued in the Lord the Lord who raised vp vnto the ten Tribes of Israel of their sonnes for Prophets and of their yong men for Nazarites he raiseth vp vnto you of your sonnes Ministers Prophets and Teachers and of your yong men such as may be trayned vp and fitted in the Scholes of the Prophets in our Naioths in our Vniuersities for a present supply when God shall be pleased to remoue from you those which haue laboured among you and are ouer you in the Lord. It s an admirable and a gracious dispensation from God to speake vnto man not in his owne person and by the
much he is able to doe without the grace of God This their opinion is erroneous The truth is that S. Paul in the place alledged speaketh not of any other but of himselfe not as he was in Pharisaisme vnder the law but as he was now when he wrote this Epistle in the state of grace a man regenerate This great combate in S. Paul now regenerate betweene the Å¿ â—â—m 7.23 law of his minde and the law of his members betweene the t Vers 22.25 law of God and the law of sinne betweene the u Vers 22. inward man and the outward betweene the x Vers 18. flesh and spirit doth clearely shew that the holiest man liuing hath a tincture of disobedience against the Lord his God This is the second kind of disobedience which I noted to be in man as he is in the state of regeneration and serueth for the illustration of my propounded doctrine which was Disobedience against Gods holy lawes and commaundements is a sinne which the Lord requireth to be eschewed by euery child of his Disobedience not onely that which is in euery man that is yet in the state of corruption but that other too which is incident to the truely regenerate is a sinne carefully to be eschewed by euery child of God Euery child of God should be vnwilling to displease God and what can more displease him then disobedience Disobedience Gods curse is vpon it The curse is Psal 119 21. Maledicti qui declinant a mandatis tuis cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements Maledicti a Deo scilicet Cursed of God are all they of what estate or condition soeuer they are that doe erre in their life and conuersation from his commaundements which he hath prescribed as footsteps and paths for men to tread in Cursed are they that doe erre he saith not they that haue erred for they that haue erred may haue repented but cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements And here by erring we vnderstand not euery offence indifferently but an vnbridled licence to offend we vnderstand not euery slip but a falling away from God We vnderstand not euery disobedience of ignorance or infirmity but the disobedience of pride and presumption Maledicti Cursed are they that doe erre from thy commandements The like Curse is Deut. 27.26 Maledictus qui non permanet in sermonibus legis huius nec eos opere perficit Cursed be he that continueth not in the words of this law to doe them It is cited by S. Paul Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the law to doe them In both places the end of the Law is poynted at It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much contemplation as action for the Law was giuen not onely to be knowne but also to be performed and therefore Rom. 2.13 it is auouched that not the hearers of the Law are righteous before God but the doers of the Law shall be iustified The couenant of the Law requireth from vs absolute obedience In this obedience these things must concurre according to the tenor of the Law 1. It must be performed by our selues for the law reueales not the Mediator 2. It must be inward as well as outward 3. It must be perfect in parts and degrees 4. It must be constant and continuall from the first moment of our conception without the least interruption through the whole course of our liues The least thought dissonant to the law inuolues vs in disobedience and layes vs open to the Curse Maledictus Cursed be he that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Vae vobis is no better then a Curse and that shall you find denounced to the disobedient Ecclus. 41.8 Vae vobis impij Viri qui dereliquistis legem Altissimi scilicet per inobedientiam sayth Antoninus Sum. part 2. Tit. 4. cap. 2. Woe be vnto you vngodly men which haue forsaken the law of the most high God through your disobedience Vae vobis woe be vnto you And why so The reason is added For if you increase it shall be to your destruction And if you be borne you shall be borne to a curse and if you die a curse shall be your portion Vae vobis woe be vnto you ye vngodly men which haue forsaken the law of the most high God through your disobedience Is disobedience thus cursed Then must it be punished For as Dicere Dei is facere so Maledicere Dei is malum poenae facere If God saith a thing he doth it and if he curseth he punisheth He curseth disobedience and therefore he punisheth disobedience He punisheth it sayth Antoninus three manner of wayes First per afflictionem corporis by afflicting man in his bodie Secondly per impugnationem orbis by setting the whole world against man and Thirdly per privationem numinis by depriuing him of the vision of God First God punisheth disobedience by laying affliction vpon man in his bodie For the disobedience of Adam he sayth vnto Adam Gen. 3.17 Maledicta terra in opere tuo Cursed be the earth for thy worke for the worke of thy transgression for thy sinne for thy sake Cursed be the earth of thy bodie for thy bodie is but earth cursed shall it be and many waies afflicted Thornes and Thistles diuerse passions and infirmities shall it bring forth vnto thee All the euils of punishment whereto these weake bodies of ours are subiect hunger and thirst and heate and cold and trauaile and trouble and misery and calamitie and weakenesse and diseases yea and death too together with that neuer-ceasing rebellion of the flesh against the Spirit called in Scripture the Concupiscence of the flesh whâ—ch cleaueth fast vnto vs all our life long and is the fountaine and root of all our euill deeds all these are vpon vs for disobedience Secondly God punisheth disobedience by setting the whole world against man For as it is Wisd 5.21 Pugnabit cum illo orbis terrarum contra insensatos The world shall fight with him against the vnwise the world shall take part with God against the disobedient The world that is all the creatures in the world whereof we read vers 18. Armabit creaturam ad vltionem inimicorum The Lord he shall take to him his iealousie for compleat Armour and make the y Wisd 5.17 creature his weapon for the reuenge of his enemies Where by the creature I vnderstand z Lorinus vniuersitatem creaturarum the vniuersitie of Creatures all the Creatures in the world orbem terrarum euen the whole world of Creatures God shall make the creature his weapon for the reuenge of his enemies and the world shall fight with him against the vnwise The thunderbolt is his weapon against the disobedient vers 21. Then shall the right ayming thunder-bolts goe abroad and from the clouds
marke of a naughty a wicked a froward man to be the Author of contentions and strife Thirdly this kinde of sinner is a proud man For as it is Prou. 13.10 Onely by pride commeth contention Onely by pride The meaning is not that pride is the onely cause of contention but one of the chiefest So is that place by some expounded But well may it without glosse or exposition passe for a truth that onely by pride commeth contention if Saint Augustine in his booke de Nat. Grat. against the Pelagians bee not deceiued Out of the 26. Chapter of that booke I thus frame his argument Euery contempt of God is pride but euery sinne is a contempt of God Therefore euery sinne is pride according to that of Ecclesiasticus chap. 10.15 Initium omnis peccati est superâ—â—a The beginning of euery sinne is pride Now if euery sinne if the beginning of euery sinne be pride then certaine it is that contention variance strife debate and the like are all from pride Fourthly the sinner in this kinde is a foole For a foole he is taken Prou. 18.6 Where it is said Labia stulti miscent se rixis A fooles lips are euer brawling The words which a foole vttereth with his lips haue alwaies strife annexed vnto them as an inseparable companion Thus you see the account wherein the Spirit of God holdeth brawlers make-bates and sowers of discord in that it stileth them carnall and froward and proud and foolish It was the third way I propounded to finde out the foulnesse and leprosie of this sinne There is yet a fourth way and that is by the effects thereof as Busaeus the Iesuite in his Panary hath obserued One effect thereof is to increase our sinnes Well then doth Ecclesiasticus exhort vs to abstaine from strife His exhortation is Chap. 28.8 Abstaine from strife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou shalt diminish thy sinnes If by abstaining from strife we diminish our sinnes then surely by liuing in strife we increase our sinnes A second effect of strife he maketh to be the subuersion of the hearers according to that charge which Paul giueth to Timothy 2 Epist 2.14 Charge them before the Lord that they striue not about words to no profit but to the subuerting of the hearers A third effect is that it disturbeth the quietnesse euen of a wise man saith Salomon Prou. 29.9 A wise man if he contend with a foolish man there is no quietnesse for him A fourth effect is that it bringeth ruine destruction and desolation not onely to houses or families but to Cities also yea to Countries yea to Kingdomes This our Sauiour Christ sheweth by a prouerbiall saying Mat. 12.25 The saying is Euery Kingdom diuided against it selfe is brought to desolation and euery City or house diuided against it selfe shall not stand Such Beloued are the effects of this sinne of discord and may well discouer vnto you the foulnesse and leprosie of it For if it increase our sinnes if it be the subuersion of those that heare vs if it disturbe our quietnesse if it bring ruine destruction and desolation to all estates then surely it is a soule and a leprous sinne And thus haue I led you in foure seuerall pathes to finde out the foulnesse and leprosie of this sinne The first was by Gods detestation of it His soule abhorreth it The second was by the gates of Heauen fast shut against it They that sinne this sinne shall not inherit the Kingdome of God The third was by the titles giuen to those sinners they are carnall and froward and proud and foolish The fourth was by the effects which this sinne produceth it increaseth our faults it subuerteth our hearers it disturbeth our quietnesse it brings desolation vpon all vpon family vpon nation vpon Kingdome You now see the foulnesse you see the leprosie of this sin and will yeeld your assents to the truth of my propounded doctrine which was The man that liueth in discord and variance shall fall into such calamities out of which there is no escaping for him as there is no escaping for a bird out of a snare Is it thus Beloued Must the man that liues in discord and variance fall into calamities out of which there is no escaping for him Must he Our best way then will be euer to beare about with vs that same Antidote or preseruatiue which Saint Ambrose hath prescribed Offic. lib. 1. cap. 21. Caueatur iracundia aut si pracaueri non potest cohibeatur Take heed of wrath beware of discord or if thou canst not before hand prouide against it keepe it short bridle it But first Caueatur Beware or take heed of it This is the counsell which Paul giueth in his first booke concerning the remedy of loue Principijs obsta serò medicina paratur Cum mala per longas inualuere moras Withstand beginnings thy medicines may come too late if thy disease be grown strong And this is the third remedy prescribed by Busaeus against this malady Resiste contentionum principijs Resist the beginnings of discord If thou bee to talke with any man keepe vnder the first motions of thy minde that they breake not forth into indignation and so thou giue the occasion of discord Discord is a Serpent This serpent like Goliah must bee smote dead in the a 1 Sam. 17.49 forehead he must be crushed in the head lest if he get in the head as he did into b 2 Cor. 11.3 Eue he bring in the whole body and when sinne is finished hee leaue from his taile the c 1 Cor. 15.55 sting of death in our soules Discord is a Cockatrice This Cockatrice must be crushed in the d Esay 59.5 Egge If we suffer it to be hatched and to grow a Basiliske it will be our poyson Discord is a Fox We must take this Fox e Cant. 2.15 this little Fox before he doe any hurt If we let him grow till he be great then like f Luk. 13.32 Herod the Fox he will become bloud-thirsty and rauenous or like Samsons g Iudg. 15.4 Foxes he will set all on fire Discord is as Leauen whereof it is said h 1 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 Paullulò fermenti tota massa fermentatur If we purge not out this little leauen it will sowre the whole lumpe Discord is i Num. 3.18 19 Aqua amaritudinis We must giue this water of bitternesse no passage k Eccles 25.25 no not a little lest like that in l Cap. 47.3 4 c. Ezechiel it grow from the anckles to the knees and from the knees to the loines and proue a riuer that cannot bee passed ouer without drowning Discord is Paruulus Babylonis Wee must betimes take this youngling of Babylon and m Psal 137.9 dash him against the stones lest after growth he should cry against vs downe with them downe with them euen vnto the ground Thus and thus are we to deale with this youngling