corporall death there is a spirituall death and there is an eternall death Which of these deaths were the Moabites to dye The letter of my text is for the corporall death This corporall death is a separation of the soule from the bodie it is called corporall in respect of the spirituall it is also called a temporarie death in respect of the eternall This death corporall or temporarie is twofold either naturall or accidentall if accidentall it is subdiuided into a violent or a voluntarie death and is common as well to the godly as to the wicked inflicted vpon them by Gods iust iudgment for the sinne of Adam This is the wages of sin and this is the way of all sinfull flesh All must once dye We may a long time wrastle with the dangers of this world both by Land and Sea thousands may fall on our right hand and ten thousands on our left while we stande we may haue so good store of friends that we may well say with the Shunamite 2. King 4.13 I neede no speaking for me either to the King or to the Captaine of the Hoste I dwell among mine owne people where I can command we may walke in the light of the sunne that is our prosperitie may be waxen so great that we want nothing we may haue sailes and oares at pleasure as Antiochus seemed to haue who thought in his pride to make men saile vpon the dry land and to walke vpon the Sea 2. Mac. 5.21 we may thinke our selues to be in league with death and in couenant with the graue and so promise to our selues many a prosperous and pleasant day as many as are the sands of the Ocean yet a time shall come when all these things shall proue but vanitie and Moab shall dye All must once dye A great d Dr. King B. of London Lect. 20 vpon Ionas pag. 264. Prelate of this Land for this point hath well fitted this comparison As one that shooteth at a marke sometimes is gone and sometimes is short sometimes lighteth on the right hand sometimes on the left at length hitteth the marke so Death shootes at Noble men beyond vs at meane men short of vs at our friends on the right hand at our enemies on the left at length hitteth our selues The longer her hand is in practise the more certainely she striketh Looke into the fift of Genesis there shall you finde that Death was ayming at e vers 11. Enosh 905. yeares and at last smote him at f vers 14. Kenan 910. yeares at g vers 5. Adam 930. yeares at h vers 20. Iered 962. yeares at i vers 27. Methushelah 969. yeares but in the end ouerthrew them all Now shee strikes sooner within the compasse of fewer yeares within 60. yeares or 70. she seldome stayes 80. yeares And sometimes shee strikes vs in our youthfull dayes yea in the day of our natiuitie All must once dye Moab shall dye All must once dye Death It is of all miseries the last and the most terrible A holy k Apud Lud. Granatensem Exercit de Orat. Medit. Father hath made against it this exclamation O Death how bitter is the remembance of thee How quickly and suddainely stealest thou vpon vs How secret are thy paths and wayes How doubtfull is thy houre How vniuersall is thy signiorie and deminion The mighty cannot escape thee the wise cannot hide themselues from thee the strong loose their strength before thee the rich with their money shall not corrupt thee Thou art the hammer that alwayes striketh Thou art the sword that neuer blunteth thou art the snare wherein all must be taken thou art the prison wherein all must lye thou art the Sea wherein all must perish thou art the paine that all must suffer thou art the tribute that all must pay In a word thou art such a one as Almighty God washeth his hands of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine words by the mouth of the Wiseman saying Wisd 1.13 that he neuer made thee Surely thou hast thine entry into the world by the very enuie and craft of the Deuill This exclamation against Death is very iust in some sense for Death may be considered in a double respect one way as it is in its owne nature another way as it is changed and qualified by the death of Christ. Death in its owne nature is a punishment of sin a plague a curse or fore-runner of condemnation the very gates and suburbs of Hell it selfe and in this respect the forecited exclamation hath due place But on the other side death being changed and qualified by Christ his death it is no more such it is no more a punishment of sinne it is no more a plague it is no more a curse For it is become a blessing it brings an end to all our miseries it giues full deliuerance to all our miseries it giues full deliuerance from all dangers it is made vnto vs a passage a way an entrance into euerlasting life it is like a portall or litle gate by which we passe from out this litle prison of our bodies into the kingdome of Heauen The graue meane while is but a resting chamber sweetly perfumed by the Death of Christ for our bodies from whence at the sound of the last trumpet our bodies shall awake and rise and be receiued into the paradise of heauen to enioy the most comfortable presence of Almighty God there If death now changed and qualified by Christ his death be a blessing if it be but a passage from this wretched life to that happiest estate in heauen why should death be feared This is a Case of Conscience and may be resolued There are two sorts of men in the world the one of them who liue in their sinnes and dye without repentance the other of them who with vnfeigned repentance and faith in Christ doe leaue this world The first haue great reason to feare Death Death being vnto them the very gate and introduction into the Hell of the damned of whom we may well say as Christ said of Iudas Math. 26.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it had bin good for them had they neuer bin borne The second haue no reason to feare Death Death being vnto them as the gate of Heauen To such Optimum est nasci its best that they are borne and the next best for them is mature mori to dye in a good houre Their birth is to them a preparation to eternall happinesse whereof their Death giues them full possession The consideration whereof made King Salomon the wisest of Kings or men praferre diem mortis diei ortûs it made him preferre the day of death before the day of birth his words are Eccles. 7.3 Better is the day of death then the day that one is borne Hence is it that most righteous Iob chap. 17.14 calls Corruption his father for as chilren haue fathers for their comfort so had Iob death and rottennesse
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
acknowledgeth It is expresly deliuered 1 Chron. 9.1 of the Israelites that for their transgressions they were carried away captiue vnto Babel In Deut. 28.41 among the curses threatned to all such as are rebellious and disobedient to Gods holy Commandements Captiuitie is ranked and reckoned I let passe the multitude of Scripture-places seruing to this point my Text is plaine for it The Aramites for their three transgressions and for foure for their many sinnes for their sinne of cruelty for threshing Gilead with threshing instruments of Iron were to goe into Captiuity My doctrine standeth firme For the sinne of a Land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuitie Into Captiuitie Into what kinde of captiuitie For there is a spirituall captiuitie and a corporall captiuitie a captiuitie of the minde and a captiuitie of the body Both are very grieuous but the first more The first which I call the spirituall captiuity and a captiuitie of the minde is a captiuity vnder the Deuill vnder the power of Hell vnder death vnder sin vnder the eternall malediction or curse of the Law propounded to euery one that doth not in all points and absolutely obey the Law This Captiuity is a heauie yoake to all mankinde considered without Christ Euery one male and female that hath no part in Christ euery vnbeleeuing and reprobate person is in this construction euen to this day a captiue And such also were we by the corruption of our nature vpon our first Father Adams default but now are we by the sacrifice of the immaculate Lambe the Lord Iesus ransomed and freed For to this purpose was he sent into the world as it is euident Esai 61.1 and Luk. 4.18 In both places hee professeth himselfe to bee sent into the world for this end euen to publish liberty and freedome to captiues and the imprisoned which his office he hath graciously performed By his Word of grace he hath so freed our consciences formerly oppressed with and captiue vnder sin that now there is no condemnation to vs to vs I say who are in Christ and doe walke after the spirit as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 8.1 This is it which our Sauiour foretold the Iewes Iohn 8.36 If the Sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed Be it repeated againe to our eternall comforts If the Sonne shall make vs free we shall be free indeed But he hath made vs free for therefore was he sent to publish libertie and freedome to captiues he hath paid our ransome his innocent and most precious bloud by it are we throughly washed and cleansed from our sinnes Now there is no condemnation to vs. Thus freed from our spirituall captiuity bondage and slauery vnder Hell death and sin let vs with boldnesse looking vp to the throne of Grace whereon sitteth the Author and Finisher of our faith say with the blessed Apostle 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thankes be to God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. The Captiuity in my text is of the other kind a corporall captiuitie a captiuitie of the body which vsually is accompanied with two great miseries pointed at Psal 107.10 The first they dwell in darknesse and in the shadow of death the second they are bound in anguish and Iron First they dwell in darknesse and in the shadow of death that is they are put into deep dungeons void of light whereby they are as it were at deaths doore Secondly they are bound in anguish and iron that is day and night they are loaden with fetters gyues or shackles of iron so loaden that they finde no rest vnto their bones Thus must it be with them who by sinfull liuing prouoke the Lord to high displeasure Thus is my doctrine confirmed For the sin of a land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuity Is it true beloued Doth God oftentimes for the sin of a land send away the inhabitants into captiuity Let vs make this Christian vse of it euen to powre out our selues 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 grieuous in Gods eyes than ours are It is not be imagined Our sins are as crimson-like and as scarlet-like as euer were theirs the sins of our land crying sins Atheisme Irreligion Oppression Extortion Couetousnesse Vsury Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Drunkennesse and many like abominations of the old man in vs all our works of darknes they haue made head together and haue impudently and shamelesly pressed into the presence of Almighty God to vrge him to powre forth the vials of his wrath and indignation vpon vs. Yet our God good gracious mercifull long suffering and of great kindnes withholdeth and stayeth his reuengefull hand from laying vpon vs his great punishment of Captiuity and suffereth vs to possesse our habitations in peace and to eat the good things of the earth O let vs therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and declare before the sonnes of men the good things that he hath done for vs. Here dearely beloued let vs not presume vpon God his patience to lead our liues as we list We cannot but see that God is highly offended with vs already though yet he be not pleased to execute his sorest iudgements vpon vs. Gods high displeasure against vs appeareth in those many visitations by which he hath come neere vnto vs within our memories I may not stand to amplifie the Spanish sword shaken ouer vs and the great famine brought vpon vs in our late Queenes daies Our now gracious Soueraigne hath not long sate at the sterne of this kingdome But few yeares are passed and yet those few haue afforded manifest tokens of Gods sore displeasure at vs. Haue not many thousands of our brethren haply not so grieuous sinners as we beene taken away by the destroying Angell and yet the plague is not ceased Vnlesse we repent and amend our liues we may likewise perish Haue not many of our brethren too many if it might haue seemed otherwise to Almighty God haue they not partly perished themselues partly lost their cattell and substance in n An. Dom. 1607 this yeeres waters such waters as our fore-fathers haue scarcely obserued the like If we will not wash our selues from our euill doings we see God is able to wash vs extraordinarily The vnseasonable weather giuen vs from Heauen to the rotting of our sheepe is but Gods warning to vs of a greater misery to befall vs vnlesse we will returne from our euill waies Wherefore beloued let vs with one heart and mind resolue for hereafter to cast away all workes of darknesse and to put on the armour of light take we no further thought for our flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Walke we from henceforth honestly as in the day
proposition The whole world with all things therein is wholly and alone subiect to the soueraigntie dominion and rule of Almightie God by whose prouidence all things are preserued all things are ruled and things are ordered These were the three degrees by which I told you you might discerne and take notice of the act of diuine prouidence The first was gradus conseruationis the second gradus gubernationis the third was gradus ordinationis the first degree was the degree of maintenance or preseruation the second degree was the degree of rule or gouernment the third degree was the degree of ordination or direction The first implieth thus much that All things in generall and euery thing in particular are by Almightie God sustained ordinarily in the same state of nature and naturall proprieties wherein they were created The second thus much that Almightie God for his vnlimited power gouerneth all things in the world and ruleth them pro libertate voluntatis suae euen as he listeth The third thus much that God of his admirable wisdome ordaineth and setteth in order whatsoeuer things in the world seeme to be most out of order he bringeth all to his chiefly intended end all doe make for his glory In this diuine ordination three things doe concurre Constitutio finis mediorum ad finem dispositio and dispositorum directio First God appointeth an end to euery thing Secondly he disposeth the meanes vnto the end Thirdly he directeth the meanes so disposed From these points thus summarily rehearsed I inferre my propounded doctrine No calamity or misery befalleth any one of whatsoeuer estate or degree by chance or at aduenture For if it be true as true it is and the gates of Hell shall neuer be able to preuaile against it that God by his wonderfull prouidence maintaineth and preserueth ruleth and gouerneth ordereth disposeth and directeth all things in this world euen to the very haires of our heads it cannot be that any calamitie or misery should befall any one of vs by aduenture by hap-hazzard by chance by fortune The Epicure in Iob Chap. 22.13 was in a grosse and soule errour to thinke that God walking in the circle of heauen cannot thorow the darke clouds see our misdoings and iudge vs for them Farre be it from vs beloued so to be conceited We may not thinke our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the Moone a God vpon the Mountaines and not in the Valleyes a God in the greater and noâ— in the lesser employments We may not thus thinke beloued We haue learned better things out of Amos 9. Ier. 23. Psal 139. that God is euery where present and that there is no euasion from him No corner in Hell no mansion in Heauen no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the sea no darke dungeon in the land of captiuity no place of any secrecie any where is able to hide vs from the presence of God The least moments and tittles in the world that you can imagine God his care and prouidence reacheth vnto to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oile in a poore widowes house to the â—â—ing of sparrowes to the ground to the cloathing of the grasse of the field to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the caluing of â—indes to the numbring of the haires of our heads and of the teares that trickle downe our cheekes Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord whatsoeuer calamity or misery hath already seized vpon vs or shall hereafter ouertake vs let vs not lay it vpon blinde fortune but looke we rather to the hand that striketh vs. He who is noted in my text to cut off the inhabitant of Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon he it is that for our sinnes bringeth vpon vs calamiti s and miseries Whatsoeuer calamities or miseries doe molest or trouble vs be wee assured that they are Gods visitatio vpon vs for our sinnes and admonishments for vs to amend our liues What remaineth then but that in time of misery and heauinesse wee louingly embrace Gods hand and kisse the rod wherewith he smiteth vs If hee smite vs with any kinde of crosse or tribulation our best way is to turne vnto him as with a spirit of contentment and gladnesse because so louing a Father doth chastise vs so with a sorrowfull and contrite heart because we haue offended so gracious a Father and thus shall wee finde comfort to our soules THE Fourteenth Lecture AMOS 1.8 And turne mine hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God THe last time I began to expound the 8. verse then I passed ouer two branches thereof And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon whence considering the cutting off of king and subiect from Ashdod and Ashkelon to be the proper worke of the Lord I tooke this lesson No calamity or misery befalleth any one of whatsoeuer estate or degree by chance or at aduenture Now let vs proceed to the remainder of that verse And turne my hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord. Is not God a spirit How then hath he hands The letter killeth but the spirit giueth life saith S. Paul 2 Cor. 3.6 An ancient a Augustin de Doctrina Christiana lib. 3. cap. 5. Father vpon those words aduiseth vs to beware that we take not a figuratiue speech according to the letter for saith he Anshel in 2 Cor. 3. Echard Compend Theol patrum 〈◊〉 1 ap 6. pag. 157. when we take that which is spoken in a figure as if it were spoken properly it is a carnall sense Neque vlla mors anima congruentius â—ppeâ—â—atur neither is there any thing more rightly called the death of the soule If a figuratiue speech be properly taken or if the letter be vrged against the spirituall meaning that which was spoken to giue life to the inward man may subuert the faith and endanger the soule A trope vpon good reason to be admitted not admitted is a cause of errour It caused the Iewes to erre They tooke it literally which Christ spake in a figure touching his owne body Iob. 2.19 Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it vp againe It caused Nicodemus to erre Hee tooke it literally which Christ spake in a figure touching mans regeneration Iob. 3.3 Except a man bee borne againâ— he cannot see the Kingdome of God It caused the Dis ples of Christ to erre They tooke it literally which Christ spake in a figure touching the execution of his Fathers will Ioh. 4.32 I haue meat to eat that ye know not of I hold it to be an errour of Nicephorus and others to take it after the letter as if Paul had indeed fought vpon a theatre with Lions at Ephesius because he saith 1 Cor. 15.32 that he fought with b
dust of the earth in a measure weighes the mountaines in a weight and the hils in a ballance God! incorporeall inuisible spirituall passing all measure there is nothing p Esai 46.9 like vnto him No thing And therefore O Idolaters not your old mans image For the truth of your antecedent we stand on your side It s very true the Scripture in expresse words attributeth vnto God many the members and offices of mans body It saith of him that he stands he sits he walkes it nameth his head his feet his armes it giues him a seat a throne a footstoole but all these and other like bodily offices parts and members being spoken of as belonging vnto God must be vnderstood figuratiuely It hath pleased the spirit of wisdome to deale with vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fit the holy Scriptures to our weake capacities to vse knowne familiar and sensible tearmes thereby to raise vp our conceits to some knowledge of the euerliuing God In this regard by the wisdome of the same spirit among many other members Hâ—nds are also ascribed vnto God and that in many places yet not in euery place to one and the same sense and vnderstanding It s noted by the q Cont. 13. cap. 4. Magdeburgenses out of Innocentius that the hand of God doth beare diuers offices among vs officia creatoris largientis protegentis minantis the offices of a Creator liberall giuer protector and threatner Hands are ascribed vâ—â— God sometime to shew that he is the Creator of all things 〈◊〉 Psal 119.73 Thy hands haue made me and fashioned me sometime to shew his liberality to all liuing things as Psal 145.16 Thou openest thy hand and fillest all things liuing of thy good pleasure sometime to shew the care he hath to protect and defend the faithfull as Esai 49.2 Vnder the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and sometime to shew his readinesse to bee auenged vpon the wicked as Esai 10.4 His hand is stretched out still But these and all other the significations of the hand of God I reduce to two heads to the loue of God and his displeasure vnder them comprehending all their consequents and effects That the hand of God betokeneth sometime his loue and the benefits redounding thence to man mans being and his well-being may easily be proued In the second chapter of the book of Iudges ver 15. we read that the Lords hand was against the Israelites for euill the collection thence may be that the Lords hand is sometime toward some for good It is made plaine out of Neh. 2.8 where the Prophet to shew how ready Artaxerxes was to doe him pleasure saith The King gaue me according to the good hand of my God vpon me I might by many like instances out of holy Scripture giue strength to this position but it may seeme to be a needlesse labour Therefore I proceed Now that the hand of God should betoken his displeasure and the effects thereof may be proued as easily When the Israelites forsaking God betooke themselues to serue Baalim the hand of the Lord was sore against them Iudg. 2.15 the Lords hand that is his iudgement punishment and reuengement was sore vpon them the wrath of the Lord was hot against them he deliuered them into the hands of the spoilers they were spoiled sold to the enemies and sore punished When the Philistines had brought the arke of God into the house of Dagon the hand of the Lord was heauy vpon them 1 Sam. 5.6 the Lords hand that is his iudgement punishment and reuengement was heauy vpon them * Psal 78.64 â—â— The Lord awaked as one out of sleepe and like a Giant refreshed with wine hee smote his enemies with Emerods and put them to a perpetuall shame Of like signification is the phrase in my text I will turne my hand to Ekron my hand shall be sore against Ekron I will come against Ekron in iudgement I will punish Ekron I will take vengeance on Ekron I will turne my hand Sometime this phrase betokeneth the good grace and fauour of God as Zach. 13.7 I will turne my hand vpon my little ones My little ones when the shepherd shall be smitten and the sheepe scattered I will recouer with my hand and preserue them for euer I will gather them together I will comfort them I will defend them rursus ad pastorem praeceptorem suum reducam saith Ribera though they be scattered I will bring them backe againe to their owne shepherd and master There you see Gods turning of his hand vpon his little ones is for good Here it s otherwise God turneth his hand to Ekron for euill This is auerred and iustified by the infallible predictions of other Prophets Zachary chap. 9.5 foretelleth that much sorrow shall betide Ekron Zephany chap. 2.4 saith that Ekron shall be rooted vp Ieremy chap. 25.20 takes the cup of the wine of Gods indignation and giues it Ekron to drinke to make Ekron like her neighbour countries euen desolation and astonishment a hissing and a curse So great is Ekrons calamity threatned in these words of my text I will turne my hand to Ekron Ekron Will you know what this Ekron was You shall finde in the booke of Ioshua chap. 13.3 that it was a dukedome in the land of the Philistines and 1 Sam. 6.16 that there was in this dukedome a city of the same name no base city but a Princes seat able at one time to giue entertainment to fiue Princes Against both city and dukedome Gods hand was stretched out I wi l turne my hand to Ekron Will God smite Ekron both city and dukedome We may take from hence this lesson There is no safe being in city or country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish The reason is because there is no place to flie vnto from his presence None No corner in Hell no mansion in Heauen no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the sea no darke dungeon in the land of captiuity no place of any secrecy any where can hide vs from the presence of God Witnesse two holy Prophets Dauid and Amos. The one Psal 139. the other chap. 9. You haue the reason of my Doctrine the vses follow Is it true Is there no safe being in City or Country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish One vse hereof is to teach vs to take patiently whatsoeuer afflictions shall befall vs. Afflictions I call whatsoeuer is any way opposite to humane nature such as are the temptations of the flesh the world and the Deuill the diseases of the body an infortunate husband or wife rebellious children vnthankfull friends losse of goods reproaches slanders warre pestilence famine imprisonment death euery crosse and passion bodily or ghostly proper to our selues or appertaining to such as are of our bloud priuate or publike secret or manifest either by our owne deserts gotten or otherwise imposed
of knowledge of that his heauenly truth wherein consisteth our saluation that we may be saued What greater benefit can there be vnto vs then this What more ample testimonie of his eternall good will to vs For this benefit that is for the knowledge of Gods heauenly truth the blessed Apostle St Paul neuer ceased to giue thanks vnto God I thanke God saith he 1. Tim. 1.12 I thanke him who hath made me strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice When before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy From this his thankefull heart proceeded those his words Phil. 3.8 Doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen dung that I might winne Christ St Pauls charitie was not confined within the Temple of his owne bodie others had a tast thereof As the Corinthians to whom in his first Epistle cap. 1. ver 4. he thus manifesteth his affection I thanke my God alwayes on your behalfe for the grace of God which is giuen you in Iesus Christ that in all things ye are made rich in him in all kind of speech And in all knowledge I thanke my God alwayes on your behalfe not for your riches for your honors for your large possessions for your flourishing cittie but for the grace of God which is giuen you in Iesus Christ for your free vocation for your faith for your reconciliation for your iustification for your regeneration for your hope of eternall saluation for the preaching of the word of God among you and for your knowledge of the truth thereof The knowledge of this truth of God farre surpasseth all the treasures of this corruptible world Shall not we then poure out our soules in thankfulnes before almightie God for bestowing vpon vs so gracious a blessing as is this knowledge of the truth of God Let vs with the spirit of blessed Paul account all things which haue beene or are gainefull to vs in this present world to be but losse and dung in respect of this knowledge of Gods holy truth forasmuch as hereby we may winne Christ Thus haue you the second vse of my doctrine My doctrine was God is truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words The second vse concerneth our thankesgiuing for the knowledge of Gods truth The third tendeth to our imitation Is it true Is God truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words Why striue we not with all the faculties and powers of our soules to represent our God in truth He in the beginning in the first man in our forefather Adam created and made vs in his owne image after his owne likenesse Gen. 1.26 Then was man inuested with glorious roabes with immortalitie with vnderstanding with freedome of will then was he perfectly good and chast and pure and iust and true Whatsoeuer might appertaine to happines or holinesse he then had it For God created him so like vnto himselfe in perfect happines and holinesse that he might in some sort beare about with him the image of the great and glorious God of Heauen But alas our first Parent continued not long in that his first estate of puritie innocencie and integritie by his fall he lost vs that his precious Iewell which had he stood fast would haue beene vnto vs a chaine of gold about our neckes yea as it is called Psal 8.5 A crowne of honor and glorie But by his fall we are become miserable and vnholy and wicked and vncleane and false as vnlike to God as darkenesse is to light and Hell is to Heauen In this estate of sinne and death we all lay wallowing till God of his owne vnspeakeable mercy and goodnesse raised vs vp by his grace to a better state a state of regeneration and saluation wherein all we whose names are written in the Register of the elect and chosen children of God must spend the remainder and residue of the dayes of our pilgrimage in this world In this state wee must not stand at one stay but must alwayes be growing vpward We must day by day endeuour to encrease our spirituall strength and change our Christian infancie with a ripe and constant age and adde grace to grace till we become perfect men in Christ To vs now in the state of regeneration belongeth the exhortation of God vnto the children of Israell Leuit. 11.44 Be ye holy for I am holy And that of Christ to his auditors vpon the Mount Matth. 5.48 Be ye perfect as your Father which is in heauen is perfect or as it is in St Luke Chap. 6.36 Be ye mercifull as your Father also is merciful By which places we are not exhorted to a perfection of supererogation as Monkes would haue it nor to a perfect and absolute fulfilling of the Law for that is impossible so long as wee carry about vs these vessels of corruption witnesse St Paul Rom. 8.3 But all that we are exhorted to is that we would do our best endeuours to resemble our God and to be like vnto him in holinesse in perfection in mercifulnesse Be holy as God is holy be perfect as God is perfect be mercifull as God is mercifull non absoluta aequalitate sed similitudine not absolutely and equally holy perfect and mercifull as God is but by a similitude God is our Father and will not we his children like good children striue to be accomodated and fitted to our Fathers vertues Beloued let vs apply our selues to this imitation of our heauenly Father to be holy as he is holy to be perfect as he is perfect to be mercifull as he is mercifull and for my present purpose to be true as he is true To this last we may thus be led God is our Creator and he is the God of truth Psal 31.5 Christ is our Redeemer and he is Truth Ioh. 14.6 We are renued by the holy Ghost and he is the spirit of Truth Ioh. 16.13 We liue in the bosome of the Church and she is the pillar and ground of Truth 1. Tim. 3.15 Thus liuing we are taught by the word of truth Colos 1.5 And are brought to the knowledge of the Truth 1. Tim. 2.4 And are sanctified by Truth Ioh. 17.17 Adde hereto that we are commaunded euery one to speake the Truth Ephes 4.25 And shall we doe our best to resemble God in Truth To be true as he is true Dearely beloued sith we are the children of Truth for God is Truth and his children we are let vs walke as it becometh the children of Truth let Truth be in our thoughts in our words in our workes in all our wayes What shall I more say to this poynt but exhort you in St Paules words Ephes 4.25 That ye would cast off lying and speake euery man the truth
had neither Altars nor Images nor Temples Arnobius flourished after Origen in the yeare 290. and q Arnob. lib. 4. contragentes Babington in Exod. 27.1 pag. 403. Hospintan Hist Sacram. lib. 2. pag. 54. in his time the Heathen accused the Christians for that they had neither Churches nor Altars nor Images So for two hundred and ninetie yeares there were no Altars in the primitiue Church None for 290. yeares Yet Martin of Polonia sometimes an Arch-bishop and Penitentiarie to Innocent the fourth affirmeth in his Chronicle that Pope Sixtus did institute Vt missa super Altare celebreter that the Masse should be celebrated vpon an Altar r Hospin ibid. pag. 121. Sixtus of whom he speaketh was Bishop of Rome Anno Christi 125. So by Martins opinion Altars should haue bin in the Church aboue a hundred yeares before either Arnobius or Origen were writers But what small credit is to be giuen to this Chronicler Martin let Bellarmine tell you Fuit Martinus vir simplex fabellas pro historijs obtrudit This censure he giueth in his Booke of Ecclesiasticall writers vpon the yeare 1250. Martin was a simple man and one that obtrudeth fables for histories If Martin be false in this point of the institution of Altars how shall we find out the truth Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 3. will seeme to deliuer it There reprouing Kemnitius for making Felix the fourth to haue instituted the consecration of Altars calleth that a lye and sayth ſ § Octavum est Constat Sylvestrum autorem huius ritûs fuisse It is manifest that Sylvester was the author of this rite of the consecration of Altars Now Sylvester ascended to the Popedome in the yeare 314. So by Bellarmines opinion and what writer among the Papists is of greater authoritie then Bellarmine by Bellarmines opinion there were no Altars of vse in the Church before the yeare 314. So my proposition stands good The primitiue times of the Church knew not the vse of stonie or wooden Altars Which truth as it hath serued to condemne the Papists of blind superstition for creeping vnto and worshipping before their Altars whereof they haue out of Gods booke no warrant so may it be a motiue to vs to lift vp our hearts vnto the Lord and to giue him thankes for that it hath pleased him to deliuer vs from the more then Egyptian darknesse of Poperie wherein our forefathers liuing committed abomination before stockes and stones We haue not now an Altar properly so called no materiall Altar our Altar is metaphoricall it is spirituall As our sacrifices are which we are to offer vp vnto the Lord so is our Altar our sacrifices are spirituall our Altar therefore must be spirituall There were vnder the Law many kindes of sacrifices t Exod. 20.24 Burnt offerings u Num. 6.11 Sinne offerings x Vers 15. Meat offerings Drinke offerings y Exod. 20.24 Peace offerings All are reduceable to two heads they were either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either propitiatorie or Eucharisticall either expiatorie or gratulatorie either sacrifices of satisfaction or sacrifices of thankesgiuing The first sort of sacrifices which I call propitiatorie expiatorie or satisfactorie had their end in the death of Christ the other which I call Eucharisticall gratulatorie or sacrifices of thanksgiuing doe remaine for euer but without legall rites and ceremonies that which was legall in them is done away there remaineth onely that which was Euangelicall that which was Spirituall These sacrifices gratulatorie these sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing are the sacrifices which we can and must offer vnto Almightie God Of these sacrifices I obserue three sorts according to the three sorts of goods which man vsually enioyeth The z Arist Eth. lib. 1. cap. 8. Philosopher deuides them into goods of the mind goods of the bodie and externall goods By externall goods you may vnderstand a Arist Magn. Moral lib. 1. cap. 3. riches rule honor by the goods of the bodie you may vnderstand health beautie comelinesse by the goods of the minde you may vnderstand vertues and vertuous actions functions and operations together with all the powers and faculties of the soule All these goods must we offer vp vnto the Lord in sacrifice First we must offer vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our externall goods the goods of this world The author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes wisheth vs not to forget it chap. 13.16 To doe good and to distribute forget not And to make vs remember it the more willingly he giues this reason for with such sacrifices God is well pleased It is true God accepteth and taketh in good part as bestowed vpon himselfe whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon the poore Giue meate to the hungrie drinke to the thirstie take in the stranger cloth the naked visite the sicke yeeld comfort to the poore prisoner thou doest all to Christ The day shall come wherein Christ will tell thee so Mat. 25.40 Verily I say vnto you in as much as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren yee haue done it vnto me Doe good to the poore you doe it vnto Christ Say not if I giue I shall want my selfe Giue and it shall be giuen to thee The promise is Luk. 6.38 Giue and it shall be giuen vnto you good measure pressed downe and shaken together and running ouer So your giuing will be but a lending and good paiment will be made vnto you Salomon beares record hereunto Prou. 19.17 He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and that which hee hath giuen will he pay him againe Thus must we offer vp vnto the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our externall goods the goods of this world Secondly we must offer vp vnto the Lord in sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goods of the bodie The goods of our body we may offer vp in sacrifice two manner of wayes patiendo or faciendo by suffering or by doing by dying for the Lord or by doing that which is acceptable to the Lord. This sacrifice of suffering or dying for the Lord is a precious sacrifice according to that Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints It is acceptable with God St Peter affirmeth it 1. Epi. chap. 2.20 If when ye doe well and suffer for it yee take it patiently this is acceptable with God In the verse following he exhorts vs to this suffering Christ hath suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps Christ hath suffered for vs wee must if need be suffer for him Martyrdome It is so pleasing a sacrifice as that it made Ambrose say of his sister Appellabo Martyrem praedicabo satis I will call her Martyre and so shall I be sure to commend her enough S. Hierome in his Ep. to Heidibia sayth Triumphus Dei est passio Martyrum The suffering of Martyrs
reproches slanders warre pestilence famine imprisonment death euery crosse and passion bodily and ghostly proper to our selues or pertaining to our kindred priuate or publike secret or manifest either by our owne deserts gotten or otherwise imposed vpon vs I call afflictions To be short the miseries the calamities the vexations the molestations of this life from the least to the greatest from the paine of the little finger to the very pangs of death I call afflictions Of euery such affliction whatsoeuer it betideth any one in this life God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee is the primary efficient cause thereof he doth it or doth somewhat in it Vpon the proofe of this point I haue now no time to spend nor needs it any proofe it is so firmely grounded vpon my Text. Nor will I recount vnto you the many vses it affordeth Let one suffice for the shutting vp of this exercise Is it true Beloued Is there no affliction that betideth any one any where in this world but it s from the Lord Here then we haue wherewith to comfort our selues in the day of affliction Whatsoeuer affliction shall befall vs it s from the Lord. The Loâ—d whose name is Iehouah who is himselfe and of none other whose being is from all eternity who only is omnipotent who is good in himselfe and good to all his creatures he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our abilities but will with the temptation also make away to escape that we may be able to beare it Saint Paul is our warrant for it 1 Cor. 10.13 And 2 Cor. 4 8. he sheweth it by his owne experience We are troubled on euery side yet are we distressed We are perplexed yet are we not in despaire We are persecuted yet are we not forsaken we are cast downe yet are we not destroyed In such a case was Saint Paul What if we be in the like If we be troubled perplexed persecuted and cast downe what shall we doe We will support our selues with the confidence of Dauid Psal 23.4 Though we walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet will we feare no euill for thou Lord art with vs. Thou Lord art with vs Quis contra nos Who shall be against vs We will not feare what man can doe vnto vs. I draw to a conclusion Sith there is no affliction that betideth any one any where in this world but it s from the Lord and as the Author to the Hebrewes speaketh chap. 12.8 He is a bastard and not a sonne that is not partaker of afflictions let vs as Saint Iames aduiseth chap. 1.2 account it exceeding ioy when wee are afflicted The Patriarches the Prophets the Euangelists the Apostles the holy Martyrs haue found the way to Heauen narrow rugged and bloudy and shall we thinke that God will strew Carpets for our nice feet to walke thither He that is the doore and the way our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath by his owne example taught vs that we must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of Heauen There is but one passage thither and it is a streight one If with much pressure we can get thorow and leaue but our superfluous ragges as torne from vs in the throng it will be our happinesse Wherefore whensoeuer any aduersity crosse calamity misery or affliction shall befall vs let vs with due regard to the hand of the Lord that smiteth vs receiue it with thankes keepe it with patience digest it in hope apply it with wisdome bury it in meditation and the end thereof will be peace and glory the peace of our consciences in this life and eternall glory in the highest Heauens Whereof God make vs all partakers THE Ninth Lecture AMOS 3.7 Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets GOds dealing with his owne people the people of Israel was not as it was with other Nations Others he punished and gaue them no fore-warning The Idumaeans the Ammonites the Egyptians the rest of the Heathen dranke deepely of the viols of his wrath though thereof they receiued no admonition by any Prophet of his It was otherwise with the Israelites If the rod of affliction were to light heauie vpon them they were euer foretold thereof God euer preuented them with his Word Hee sent vnto them his seruants Ierem. 35.14 15. the Prophets he rose early and sent them with the soonest to let them vnderstand of the euills which hung ouer their heads that returning euery man from their euill wayes and amending their doings they might be receiued to grace and mercy This difference betweene Gods care and prouidence towards his owne people and other nations is thus expressed Psal 147.19 20. God! He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither haue the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes Yet was hee knowne to the Heathen Hee was knowne to them partly by his workes by his creatures in which the power and Deity of God shined and partly by the light of Nature and power of vnderstanding which God hath giuen them Both wayes their Idolatry their Atheisme their disobedience were made before God vnexcusable But to his owne people the people of Israel was he knowne after another manner To them pertained the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the Law Rom. 9.4 and the seruice of God and the promises To them were committed the oracles of God To them at sundry times Rom. 3.2 Hebr. 1.1 and in diuers manners God spake by his Prophets He gaue them time and space to repent them of their sinnes and was ready to forgiue them had they on their parts bin curable Vncurable though they were yet did God seldom or neuer send among them any of his foure sore iudgements either the sword or the famine Ezech. 14.21 or the noysome beast or the pestilence or any other but he first made it knowne vnto his holy Prophets and by them fore-warned the people This our Prophet Amos here auoucheth Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but hee reuealeth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets The words according vnto some are an Exegesis and exposition or a declaration of what was said before Before it was said There shall be no euill in a citie but the Lord doth it no euill of paine punishment or affliction but the Lord doth it The Lord doth it as well for that he sendeth iust punishments vpon men that are obstinate in their euill courses as also for that he reuealeth those euils to his Prophets that by them they may be published Or the words are an Aitiologia and doe conteine a reason of what was said before Shall there be euill in a Citie and the Lord hath not done it Surely no there shall be none All euill of punishment is of the Lord. Yet will not the Lord oppresse his people vnawares but
Cruelty and Couetousnesse are amplified from two Topickes à genere à specie from the Genus thus They know not to doe right From the Species thus They store vp violence and robbery in their palaces That so it is God is produced for witnesse for Neum Iehouah The Lord hath said it These particulars yeelded materialls for my two former Sermons Now from the Accusation I proceed to the Commination vers 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled The words are a denunciation of punishment concerning which we may obserue The Cause The Author The Punishment it selfe The Cause is implied in the particle Therefore The Author is the Lord God The Punishment is a conquest by warre and is described 1 By the Siege 2 By the Victory 3 By the Spoile An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land there is the Siege the whole Land beset round about And he shall bring downe thy strength from thee there is the Victory the ouerthrow of their strong men And thy palaces shall be spoiled The Spoile is at the lust of the conquerour An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled I haue shewed you the limits and bounds of my future discourse I will handle them as they lye in order beginning with the cause of the punishment implied in this particle Therefore Therefore It is a particle befitting a Commination It hath relation to the former verses and pointeth to the sinnes there touched to the great tumults in the middest of Samaria and the oppressions there vers 9. to the ignorance of God and his will to their violence and robbery stored vp in their palaces vers 10. The relation that this particle hath to those sinnes sheweth that those sinnes are the cause of the punishment here denounced as if our Prophet had thus spoken Because you that are the Princes and Potentates of Samaria doe oppresse the poore and needie Therefore will I bring against you mightier than your selues that shall oppresse and spoile you Therefore The obseruation is Sin is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life In this my Thesis by euill I vnderstand malum poenae the euill of punishment or the euill of affliction Affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is two fold internall or externall either inward or outward The inward pertaineth to the minde the outward to the body For the punishment of sinne is to be measured and defined not only by the torments of the body or by the mortality of this life but also by the most grieuous affliction of the soule as by the crookednesse obliquitie and blemish of the soule by an euill conscience by the wrath of God which is importable by the guilt of sinne whereby wee are obliged to punishment by vitious habits whereby we are inclined to a multitude of sinnes Foecundum est peccatum non ibi definit vbi incipit Sin is fruitfull if it once begin it leaues not there the worst thing of it is behinde euen the extreme anguish and horrour of the soule Againe affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is either publike or priuate Pubike afflictions I call such wherof many men at once haue a sense and feeling Such are the flouds of great waters the ruine of Cities by earth-quakes the waste done in them by fire warre euill beasts pestilence famine tyrannie persecution the death of good Princes heresie schisme euery common misery All these are publike Priuate afflictions are such as priuate men in their owne particular doe suffer as sicknesse griefe infamie pouerty imprisonment death Of all these afflictions or punishments whether publike or priuate or outward or inward sinne is the cause Sinne It is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is efficiens impellenâ— it is the impulsiue cause of all afflictions or punishments it fetcheth downe vengeance from the Maiestie of Heauen It brought that same vniuersall deluge vpon the whole world Gen. 7.17 It brought downe fire and brimstone vpon Sodome and Gomorrah Gen. 19.24 It caused the Land of Canaan to spue out her inhabitants Leuit. 18.25 It will make any Land sit mourning like a desolate widow or a distressed mother robbed of her children and spoiled of all her comforts It is auouched by the Psalmist Psal 107.34 A fruitfull Land God turneth into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein It is that whereof the Prophet Ieremie complaineth Chap. 12.4 How long shall the Land mourne and the herbes of euery field wither for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Turne to the Prophecie of Micah Chap. 1.4 Behold there the mountaines melting as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred downe a steepe place for no other cause but for the transgression of Iacob and for the sinnes of the house of Israel Thus farre for the confirmation of my doctrine Sinne is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life Saint Augustine Serm. 139. de tempore thus deliuers it Malorum omnium nostrorum causa peccatum est Sinne is the cause of all our euills Non enim sine causâ homines mala ista patiuntur It is not to be imagined that men suffer affliction without cause God is iust he is omnipotent Nullo modo ista pateremur si non mereremur Surely no euill could befall vs if we deserued it not There is not a man that sinneth not and the least sinne that he committeth deserueth all the misery that can be laid vpon him This truth may teach vs First in time of affliction to acknowledge our sins to be the cause thereof and to profit thereby vnto amendment Secondly it may teach vs to iustifie God whensoeuer hee shall â—fflict vs and to beare his visitation with patience Wherefore doth a liuing man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes Lament 3.39 A man for the punishment of his sinnes wherefore doth he complaine Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord we haue transgressed and rebelled against him and therefore he afflicteth vs. My resolution shall be in the words of Micah the Prophet Chap. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of my first generall the cause of the punishment here denounced implied in this particle Therefore I proceed to my next generall the Author of this punishment the Lord God Therefore thus saith the Lord God Thus saith the Lord It is a note wherewith the Prophets for the most part doe begin their preachings and prophecyings to shew that they deliuer nothing but what is of diuine credit and authority Thus saith the Lord Dicit Dominus saith the Lord. Dicere with the
Corruption it selfe as a father made Iob fit for his graue and death which of him was more wished then life as Origen and Olympiodor haue well obserued And hence it is that blessed Paul liuing in this world and vsing it as if he vsed it not for he had his conuersation in heauen and had a true and liuely taste of the ioyes of the world to come desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ and this hee was well assured was best of all for him Phil. 1.23 Thus farre beloued haue I ledde you by occasion of these words Moab shall dye vpon which I grounded this generall doctrine All must once dye In the illustration whereof I signified that of euils death was the most terrible To arme your Christian soules against the terrour or feare of death I told you that death is to be considered in a double respect either as it is in its owne nature or as it is changed qualified by the death of Christ in the first respect it is very fearefull to the naturall man in the latter it is very welcome to the resolued Christian I further added that there are two sorts of men obnoxious vnto death the one sort doe liue in sinne and dye without repentance the other with vnfained repentance and true faith in Christ doe leaue this world to the first sort death is very terrible to the latter it is a very welcome guest Now proceed we to examine the manner of Moabs death Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet In tumultu with a tumult so some do reade Vatablus Caluin Mercer Gualter in strepitu with a noyse so Iunius and Drusius in sonitu with a sound so Brentius and the author of the vulgar Latine The 70. haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moab shall dye through imbecillity or weakenes The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth a sound a tumult an inundation or multitude of waters which ouerrunne their bankes with violence and roaring The meaning of the world is that Moab should die a death strange and extraordinary which is more specified in the next word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With shouting This very word we met with within the 14. verse of the first Chapter where it is brought to set forth the terrour of that iudgement which God would bring vpon the Ammonites The word I expounded in my 20. Sermon on the first Chapter and shewed out of diuers Authorss that it signifieth a sound a cry a great cry a vociferation a shoute such as Souldiers doe make when on a suddaine they surprize a City To make good this exposition it is added With the sound of a trumpet The vse of trumpets in warre hath beene very ancient The vse of them is commanded to the children of Israel Num. 10.9 When ye goe to warre against the enemie yee shall blow a larme with the trumpets After they were vsed in the battle against Iericho Iosh 6.5 Ioshua saith to the people When yee heare the sound of the trumpet ye shall all shout with a great shout and the wall of Iericho shall fall downe flat To this vse Ezechiel alludeth Chap. 7.14 They haue blowne the trumpet and prepared all but none goeth to the battell And S. Paul speaks of it 1. Corinth 14.8 If the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to battle The Prophet Zephanie also hath respect vnto it Chap. 2.16 where he calls the great day of the Lord a day of the trumpet and a larme against the strong Cities and against the high towers From this ancient vse of trumpets we may gather the meaning of our Prophet in this place Moab shall dye with a tumult with a shouting and with the sound of a trumpet Moab that is the Moabites the people of Moab shall dye shall depart this life and leaue this world not quietly and peaceably in their beds but with a tumult with a shouting and with the sound of a trumpet euen in warre or as the phrase is in the 14. verse of the 1. chapter in the day of battaile The doctrine arising hence is this Warre one of the executioners of Gods vengeance is euermore sent vpon a Land for the sinnes of the people That warre is one of the executioners of Gods vengeance its plaine in Ezech. 14.21 There God himself makes it one of his foure sore iudgements The foure are the sword famine the noysome beast and the pestilence the first is the sword an instrument for warre for warre it selfe These foure are likewise couched togither in Ezech. 5.17 where thus saith the Lord against Ierusalem I will send vpon you famine and euill beasts and they shall spoyle thee and pestilence and bloud shall through thee and I will bring thee sword vpon thee I the Lord haue spoken it I will bring the sword vpon thee the sword that is warre an instrument of warre for warre it selfe as in the former place These two places of Ezechiel to omit many other as pregnant here and there dispersed throughout the sacred Volumes of Gods eternall word these two doe speake plainely that warre is one of the executioners of Gods vengeance That it is sent vpon a Land for the sinnes of the people I made it plaine vnto you by like euidence of holy Writ in my 20. Sermon vpon the former chapter My proofes were taken from Levit. 26.25 Deut. 28.49 Ierem. 5.15 Whence I inferred that warre and all the euills of warre are from the Lord that warre is one of the accomplishments of Gods iudgements that warre is sent by God vpon a Land for the sinnes of a people So goeth my doctrine Warre one of the executioners of Gods vengeance is euermore sent vpon a Land for the sinnes of the people The Vse of this Doctrine is to raise vs vp to the admiration of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God We grieue the Holy Spirit of that sacred Maiestie with our manifold and daily sinnes our sinnes of omission our sins of infirmitie and our sinnes of presumption our sinnes of ignorance and our sinnes of wilfulnesse our strife variance and debate our vsurie oppression and cruelty our vncleannesse wantonnes and drunkennes our sins multiply as the sands of the Sea they haue pressed into Gods presence to fetch downe his vengeance vpon vs. Behold looke about you and admire his exceeding great patience The loud crying of our sinnes hath not yet vrged the Lord so farre as to make him come against vs with his sorest iudgement of warre He hath out of his fatherly loue ouer vs mildely chastized vs. Not long since hee brake the staffe of our bread and sent among vs a dearth and scarcitie yet haue wee not returned vnto him Not long since he commanded his armies of waters to issue from out their channell and to ouer runne man and beast for many miles within this land yet haue we not returned vnto him Not long since he
punishment or affliction But why euill Surely euery reuengement euery paine euery punishment euery affliction that befalleth vs in this life is good It is good First because it is laid vpon vs by God who is of himselfe and absolutely good Secondly because it is iust and whatsoeuer is iust must needs be good Thirdly because it hath a good end the glory of God and the saluation of the elect For these reasons it cannot be denied but that euery reuengement paine punishment and affliction is good Why then is it in my Text and elsewhere called euill I answer according to my second distinction Reuengements paines punishments and afflictions are called euils not because they are euills indeed and of their owne nature but only in regard of our sense estimation and apprehension The very torments of Hell eternall fire and outer darknesse are not indeed and of their nature euill Mala sunt his qui incidunt in ea saith Irenaeus aduersus haereses lib. 4. cap. 77. they are euill to such as fall into them but Bona ex justitia Dei good they are as they are from Gods iustice What Irenaeus saith concerning Hell-torments the same is true of the aduersities the crosses the scourges the afflictions that befall men in this life Euils they are called and God is said to doe them But how euils Saint Hierome lib. 4. Com. in Ierem. will tell vs how they are called euills non quòd per se mala sint not because they are of themselues euill sed quod patientibus mala esse videantur but because they seeme euill to vs who suffer them With these two Irenaeus and Saint Ierome doe agree c Contr. Adâ—mantum Manich cap. 27. contr Epist Manich c. 38. lib. 1. contr aduers legis Prophet c. 23. Saint Augustine d Serm. 16. in Psal 118. Saint Ambrose e Lib. 3. Moral cap. 7. Gregory the Great f Lib. 1. in Gen. cap. 7. Eucherius Bishop of Lions g Cap. 4. de Diuinis nominibus Dionysius the Areopagite h Lib. 1. 10. Recognit Clemens the Romane i In Dialogo lib. de Monarchia Iustin Martyr k Homil. Quod Deus non sit autor malorum Great Basil and l Lib. 4. in Esaiam cap. 45. Cyril of Alexandria euen all the ancient and Orthodoxall Fathers All these with one consent doe teach that the aduersities the crosses the scourges the afflictions which befall men in this life though in the Scripture they are called Mala Euils yet indeed they are not Mala they are not euils suá naturâ simply of their owne nature but only are mala nobis euill in respect of vs euill in regard of our sense estimation and apprehension And such is the euill in my Text improperly euill but indeed good good in its owne nature but euill only as wee call euill whatsoeuer liketh vs not or is not for our ease I haue long stood vpon the second circumstance the Quid the Action which was a doing of euill I must be the shorter in the third the Vbi the place where this Action is performed In my Text its called a City Shall there be euill in a City In a Citie In ciuitatibus in Cities So Nicolaus de Lyrâ expoundeth it In ciuitate aliquâ in any City So Mercerus In habitatoribus ciuitatis among the inhabitants of a City So Petrus à Figueiro In populi communitate among the people of the world So Albertus Magnus I haue expounded it In ciuitate huius mundi in the City of this world This vniuerse and admirable frame of nature wherein Iehouah the Lord our God the m 1 Tim. 6.15 King of Kings n Psal 97.1 Psal 99. reigneth consisteth of two Cities the one is o Augustin Retract lib. 2. c. 43. Ciuitas Dei the City of God the other is p Idem de Temp. Serm. 106. Ciuitas hujus mundi the City of this world The one is q Idem de Ciuitate Dei lib. 14. cap. 28. celestiall the other is terrene The one is of r Idem de Catech Rud. lib. 1. cap. 19. Saints the other is of the wicked The one is Å¿ Idem in Psal 61. Ierusalem the other is Babylon In the first that most glorious City the City of God and his Saints the celestiall Ierusalem all teares are wiped away from the eyes of the inhabitants there they neither weepe nor lament there is neither death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine there is no euill there no not the euill of affliction So saith the Spirit Reuel 21.4 And therefore that City cannot be the City in my Text. In the other City the City of this world the terrene City the City of the wicked Babylon great Babylon the City of confusion there is no sure repose for the godly there There may they become a reproach to their t Psal 44.13 Psal 79.4 neighbours there may they bee a scorne and derision to them that are round about them They may bee a by-word u Psal 44.14 among the Heathen a shaking of the head among the people There they may x Hebr. 11.37 be tempted they may bee stoned they may bee slaine with the sword they may bee sawne asunder There may they daily y Psal 88.9 mourne by reason of affliction For euen the godly who are z August de Ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 1. by grace Ciues sursum Citizens aboue Citizens of the supernall and celestiall City of God they are also by grace peregrini deorsum pilgrims or strangers here below in this terrene City the City of this world Here they must bee cut 1 Pet. 2.5 hewne and squared with sundry tribulations sicknesses and diseases before they can be made fit and as liuely stones for the Heauenly Ierusalem And this is the City in my Text my third circumstance the Vbi the circumstance of the place where the Agent Iehouah performeth his Action a doing of euill Shall there be euill in a City and the Lord hath not done it Thus is my Text for the vnderstanding thereof made easie as thus Shall there be euill any euill of reuengement paine punishment or affliction In a City in the terrene City in the City of this world Shall there bee any such euill any where and the Lord hath not done it or as the Marginall reading is Shall not the Lord doe somewhat The point of obseruation is There is no affliction any where in the world but it s from the Lord and either he doth it or doth somewhat in it By affliction in this my Thesis I vnderstand the suffering of any thing the sense or cogitation whereof our nature shunneth Whatsoeuer is any way grieuous or offensiue to our humane nature I call affliction The temptations of the flesh the world and the Deuill the diseases of the body a froward husband or wife rebellious children vnthankfull friends losse of goods