LORD that he may out off their memorial from the earth So it 's vsed Ezech. 14.13 Sonne of man when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse then will I stretch out mine hand vpō it and will breake the staffe of bread thereof and wil send famine vpon it and will cut off man and beast from it I will cut off that is I will destroy both man and beast from a sinfull land I omit many like places of holy writte and commend vnto you but one more parallell to this in my text It is in the 3. ver of the 2. chap. of this prophecie There thus saith the LORD I will cut of the iudge out of the midst of Moab as here in my text I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and verse the 8. I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod I will cut off whether the iudge out of the middest of Moab or the inhabitant from Ashdod or the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven the meaning is one and the same I will cut off that is I will vtterly destroy or extinguish Which to bee the meaning of the word the author of the Vulgar Latin acknowledgeth translating the word in the originall not excindam as indeed it signifieth I will cut off but disperdā I will destroy So do the Seaventy Interpreters in their Greeke edition of the Bible here translating the Hebrew word not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as indeed it signifieth I will cut off but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will vtterly or altogether destroy overthrowe and extinguish I will cut off the inhabitant the inhabitant what but one yes all and every one of the inhabitants The Holy Spirit in the sacred Scripture vseth so to speake by a word of the singular nūber to vnderstand more then one yea all of that kinde which kind of speech is analogically reduced to the figure Synocdoche Let vs see the truth of this in a few instances In Exod. 8.6 it is said when Aarō stretched out his hand vpō the waters of Egypt that then the frogge came vp and covered the land The frogge It were senselesse to thinke that one frogge could cover the land of Egypt and therefore by the frogge we are to vnderstand many frogges In Num. 21.7 the Israelites desired Moses to pray to the LORD that he would take away from them the Serpent The serpent what but one It is out of doubt that the people meant all the fierie serpents sent among them by the LORD to sting them to death of which wee read verse the 6. Ieremie in chap. 8.7 saith that the storke the turtle the crane the swallow doe knowe obserue their appointed times The storke the turtle the crane the swallow We may not thinke the Prophet singleth out one storke one turtle one crane one swallow from the rest but his meaning is of all storkes turtles cranes swallowes that they knowe obserue their appointed times As in the now cited places so here in my text the holy Ghost vseth one number for another the singular for the plurall vnderstanding by one inhabitant all the inhabitants of Bikeath-Aven Of Bikeath-Aven the Greek Translators taking the words partly appellatiuely and partly properly doe render them the field of On. In like sort Gualter the valley of Aven The author of the Vulgar Latin vnderstanding them wholy appellatiuely rendreth them the field of the Idol and so they may signifie the plaine of Aven the plaine of griefe the plaine of sorrow as Calvin observeth Innius and Tremellius doe render it as before Gualter è convalle Avenis the valley of Aven vnderstanding thereby the whole coast of Chamatha which way Syria bordereth vpon Arabia surnamed the Desert Calvin saith it is vncertain whether Bikeath-Aven be a proper name of a place or no yet saith he it is probable Drusius following the Hebrew Doctors affirmeth that it is the proper name of a city in Syria Mercer the learned professour of Paris ioineth with him And our English Geneva Translatiō draweth vs to be of the same mind that Bikeath-Aven is a proper name of a city in Syria The same opinion must we hold of Beth-Eden in the next clause that it is a proper name of a city in Syria of which opinion I find Mercer and Drusius and our English Translators at Geneva to haue beene And Calvin holds it to bee credible though he translates it the house of Eden so Gualter doth so doth Tremellius who by the house of Eden vnderstandeth the whole country of of Coelesyria wherein stood the city Eden The author of the Vulgar Latin takes Beth-Eden for an appellatiue and translates it the house of pleasure Such indeed is the significatiō of the word and it is by Arias Montanus Ribera applied to signifie the city of Damascus as if Damascus were there called not only Bikeath-Aven that is the field of the Idol because of the Idolatrie there vsed but also Beth-Eden that is the house of pleasure because of the pleasant situation thereof But I retaine the proper name Beth-Eden and take it for a city in Syria wherein the King of Syria had a palace and mansion house Which I take to be plaine in my text where the LORD threatneth to cut off him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden Him that holdeth the scepter that is the King keeping his court at Beth-Eden For I see not any absurditie in it if I say that the King of Syria had a mansion house as well at Beth-Eden as at Damascus and that at this time the court lay at Beth-Eden Him that holdeth the scepter This is a periphrasis or circumlocution of a King A scepter is Regium gestamen and insigne potestatis Regiae a Kingly mace the proper ensigne or token of Kingly power Whence in the best of Greeke Poets Homer Kings are called * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 86. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scepter-bearers Hereby wee vnderstand what we read in the storie of Hester chap. 8.4 King Assuerus hold out his golden scepter toward Hester And that Gen. 49.10 The scepter shall not depart from Iudah In the former place Assuerus maketh shew of his kingly favour vnto Hester by holding out his mace vnto her in the later Iacob prophecieth of the stabilitie and continuance of the Kingdome in the tribe of Iudah till the comming of the Messias Here then he that holdeth the scepter in Beth-Eden is the King abiding in Beth-Eden Hitherto beloved haue I laboured to vnfold the words of my text I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden I the LORD with my mighty power will cut off will vtterly consume and destroie the inhabitant not one only but every one that dwelleth in Bikeath-Aven the so named city of Syria There will I not staie my hand but I will also with my mighty power cut of vtterly consume and destroy him that holdeth the scepter not only the
may easily be proved In the second chapter of the book of Iudges ver 15. we read that the Lords hand was against the Israelites for evill the collection thence may be that the Lords hand is sometime toward some for good It 's made plaine out of Nehem. 2.8 where the Prophet to shew how ready Artaxerxes was to do 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 the effects thereof may be proved as easily When the Israelites forsaking God betooke themselues to serue Baalim the hand of the LORD was sore against theÌ„ Iudg. 2.15 the Lords haÌ„d that is his iudgement punishment and revengement was sore vpon them the wrath of the LORD was hote against them he delivered them into the the hands of the spoilers they were spoiled sold to their enemies and sore punished When the Philistines had brought the arke of God into the house of Dagon the hand of the LORD was heavy vpon them 1. Sam. 5.6 the Lords hand that is his iudgement punishment revengement was heavy vpon them * Psal 78.64 65. The LORD awaked as one out of sleepe and like a gyant refreshed with wine he 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 favour of God as Zach. 13.7 I will turne my hand vpon my little ones My little ones when the shephearde shall be smitten and the sheepe scattered I will recover with my hand and preserue them for ever I will gather them together I will comfort them I wil defend them rursus ad pastorem et praeceptorem suum reducam saith Ribera though they be scattered I will bring them backe againe to their owne shepheard 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 evill This is averred and iustified by the infallible predictions of other Prophets Zachary chap. 9.5 foretelleth that much sorrow shall betide Ekron Zephani chap. 2.4 saith that Ekron shall bee 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 even desolate an astonishment a hâ—ssing 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 find 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 seate able at one time to giue entertainement to fiue princes Against both city dukedome Gods hand was stretched out I will 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 fly vnto from his presence None No corner in Hell no mansion in Heaven no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the sea no darke dungeon in the land of captivity no place of any fecrecie any where can hide vs from the presence of God Witnesse two holy Prophets David 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 haÌ„d of God when he is disposed to punish One vse hereof is to teach vs to take patiently whatsoever afflictions shall befall vs. Afflictions I cal whatsoever is any way opposite to humane nature such as are the temptations of the flesh the world and the Devill the diseases of the body an infortunate husband or wife rebellious children vnthankfull friends losse of goods reproaches sclanders warre pestilence famine imprisonment death every crosse passion bodily or ghostly proper to our selues or appertaining to such as are of our bloud private or publike secret or manifest either by our owne deserts gotten or otherwise imposed vpon vs. All and every of these true Christians will patiently vndergoe For they with their sharp sighted eie of faith doe clearelie see the Hand of God in every of their molestations and in great contentment they take vp the words of patient Iob chap. 2.10 Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue evill Here let every afflicted soule examine it selfe how it is affected with the affliction vnder which iâ— groaneth If you esteem of your afflictions as of God his fatherly chastisements and so endure them blessed are yee Of this blessednes S. Iames chap. 1.12 doth assure you Blessed is the man that endureth tentatioÌ„ for when he is tryed he shall receiue the crowne of life which the LORD hath promised to them that loue him Againe is it true Is there no safe being in citie or country froÌ„ the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A second vse of this doctrine is to admonish vs that we labour aboue al things to obtaine Gods favour and to abide in it so shall we bee safe from the feare of evill Now for the obtaining of Gods favour wee must doe foure things We must 1. Humble our selues before God 2. Beleeue in Christ 3. Repent of our sinnes 4. Performe new obedience vnto God The time will not suffer me to enlarge these points Humiliation faith in Christ repentance and a new life these foure wil be vnto you as Iacobs ladder was vnto the Angels Of that ladder you may read Gen. 28.12 that it stood vpon the earth the top of it did reach to heaven and the Angels of God went vp it So may you by these foure Humiliation faith repentance and newnesse of life as it were by so many steps and rounds of a ladder clime vp to heaven Here you haue no continuing citie you are but strangers pilgrims on the earth your countrey is aboue the Celestiall Ierusalem there let your hearts be As for the afflictions vexations tribulations miseries and crosses wherewith this mortall life of your is seasoned let them be your ioy They are sure pledges of Gods loue vnto you Even so saith the Spirit Hebr. 12.6 Whom the LORD loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth every sonne that he receiueth Thirdly is it true Is there no safe being in city or
a defense against enimies Thirdly must the palaces of Tyrus be consumed with the fire of Gods anger The doctrine is God depriveth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses Of these doctrines and their severall vses I haue heretofore in this place at large entreated Wherefore let this which hath beene now spoken suffice for my present exposition of this prophecie against Tyrus THE SIXTEENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.11 12. Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turne to it because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast of all pity and his anger spoyled him evermore and his wrath watched him alway Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall devoure the palaces of Bozrah IN this burdensome prophecy against Edom I obserue two parts 1 A preface Thus saith the LORD 2 A prophecie For three trāsgressions of Edom c. In the Prophecie I obserue foure parts 1 A generall accusation of the Edomites For three transgressions of Edom and for foure 2 The Lords protestatiō against them I will not turne to it 3 The description of the sin by which they offended in foure branches 1 He pursued his brother with the sword 2 He cast of all pitie 3 His anger spoyled him evermore 4 His wrath watched him alway 4 The declaration of the punishments to be inflicted vpon Edom verse the 12. Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah The preface Thus saith the LORD challengeth your attention The two first parts of the Prophecie the accusation of the Edomites and Gods protestation against them in these words For three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turne to it may giue you occasion to recount and remember a doctrine already the third time recommended to your religious considerations Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heaven the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners Mel satietatem gignit It is an old saying A man may eate too much hony What One lesson so often No variety I could answere with a Greeke Proverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that good and wholsome lessons may well bee commended to you twise and thrise many times and yet should you not dislike it But for the present I proceede to the thirde part of this prophecie wherein is described Edoms sin Of this part are foure branches 1 He did pursue his brother with the sword wherein obserue 1 A pursuer Edom. 2 The pursued His brother 3 The manner of pursuite With the sword Edom did pursue his brother with the sword Edom Esau Iacobs brother and Isaacs son by his wife a Gen. 25.21 Rebekah for selling his birthright for a messe of red broath was surnamed Edom Gen. 25.30 and of him lineally descended the Edomites or Idumaeans Gen. 36.43 Esau pursued Iacob with a deadly hate so did the posterity of Esau the posterity of Iacob the Edomites were evermore most maliciously bent against the Israelites Edom is the pursuer in his owne person in his posteritie The pursued is Edoms brother Iacob surnamed Israel his posterity the Iewes and Israelites Edom pursued his brother with the sword Bello armatâ manu by warre and bands of souldiers saith Drusius Esau hated his brother Iacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him and therevpon in heart vowed his death For thus thought Esau in his mind Gen. 27.41 The daies of mourning for my father will come shortly then will I slay my brother Iacob Iacob to asswage his brother Esau's fiercenes fled b Gen. 27.44 to his vncle Laban in Mesopotamia with whom hee lived c Gen. 31.38 twentie yeares which time expired Iacob vpon God his admonishment returned into the d Gen. 31.3 land of his fathers A man would haue thought twentie yeares time sufficient for any one to haue forgotten or at least to haue disgested a displeasure Twentie yeares were not enough for Esau so immortall was his hatred After twentie yeares as Iacob returned from Mesopotamia Esau went against him with foure hundred men Gen. 33.1 This inexpiable rancour and hatred ended not in Esau His malicious posteritie retained it Witnesse the churlish answere given to Moses his ambassadours Num. 20.20 Moses being to conduct the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land desirous to bring them the neerest way sent to the King of Edom for leaue to passe through his country I pray thee let vs passe through thy country we will not goe through the fields nor through the vineyards we will not drinke of the water of thy wells we will goe by the Kings high way wee will not turne to the right hand nor to the left vntill we be past thy borders we will goe the high way If I and my cattle drinke of thy water I will then pay for it I will only without any harme goe thorow on my feet Moses the meekest man vpon the earth thus meekely besought the King of Edom for passage thorow his country Could hee obtaine it thinke you No. The inveterate hatred wherewith Esau was possessed residing in his posteritie caused a deniall to so honest a petition The King of Edom with much people and with a mightie power rose vp against Moses and the Israelites Long after this in the daies of Ahaz King of Iudah were the Edomites better minded towards Iacobs posteritie The sacred story 2. Chron. 28.17 telleth vs that then also the Edomites were vp in armes against the Iewes some of them they slew and some they carried away captiues Hee therefore the e Psal 89.14 establishment of whose throne are righteousnesse and equitie Almightie God doth here iustly challenge Edom for pursuing his brother with the sword The lesson which hence I would commend to you is It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues Our assent to this truth the light of nature within vs doth extort frō vs. By natures light the very Heathen haue acknowledged one God him the author of vnitie and friendship as Plato in his Lysis From the same parents one father one mother as from one seed one roote one beginning by natures ordinance doe spring g Plutarch de amore fraterno two three or more brethren not for discord or contrarietie but that being many they might the better one helpe another That brother that warreth with his brother in Plutarch his iudgement doth voluntarily h Ibid. cut of a member of his own flesh All i Xenophon lib. 2 de dictis fact Socr. enmitie breedeth within our soules a thousand tormenting passions but especially that enmitie which a man beareth towards his owne brother as that which is most prodigious and vnnaturall When Socrates saw Chaerephon and Chaerecrates two brethren iarring and warring each with other hee said vnto them you doe now as if the