we learne this lesson It is neither wealth nor policie nor power nor preferment that can stood vs if Gods vnappeaseable angâ—â—â—reak out against vs for our sinnes The reason hereof we read Ierem. 4.4 It 's this Because of the wickednes of our inventions Gods wrath comes forth like fire and burneth that none can quench it The vse is to teach vs that wee despise not Gods iudgements nor abuse his mercies but that we tremble at the one and bee drawne to well doing by the other 3 In that the LORD sendeth a fire into the palaces of Benhadad to devoure them we learne thus much God depriveth vs of a great blessing when hee taketh from vs our dwelling houses The great commoditie or contentment that commeth to every one of vs by our dwelling houses doth experimentally make good vnto vs this truth The vse is to teach vs first to be humbled before Almighty God whensoever our dwelling houses are taken from vs. SecoÌ„dly since we peaceably enioy our dwelling houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory Thirdly to praise God day by day for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling houses It would tire you to heare these doctrines and their vses severally amplified and enlarged In the sequele of this chapter I shall haue occasion to repeat them to you THE NINTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.5 I will breake also the barre of Damascus and cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captivity vnto Kir WE are now come to the second braunch of the fourth part of this prophecie in the 5. verse wherein are set down more specially the punishmentes to bee inflicted vpon the Syrians for their sinnes And this is done in foure severall clauses In each wee may obserue three circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD either immediatly by himselfe or mediatly by his instruments 2 The pâ—â—ished the Syrians not of any one city only but of the whole country which we gather froÌ„ these names Damascus Bikeath-Aven Beth-eden and Aram. 3 The punishment the spoile of the country and ruine of the whole state The barre of Damascus must bee broken the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and the King keeping his court at Beth-Eden must be cut of and the people of Aram must go into captivitie Of the words as they lie in order I will also breake the barre of Damascus I the LORD a Iob 9.5 6. c remoue mountaines and they feele not when I overthrow them I remoue the earth out of her place make her pillers to shake I command the sun it riseth not I close vp the starres as vnder a signet I my selfe alone spread out the heavens and walke vpon the height of the sea I make Arcturus Orion and Pleiades and the climates of the South I the LORD who do great things vnsearcheable marvailous things without number b Amos 5.8 9.6 IEHOVAH is my name I the Lord IEHOVAH who haue resolved to send a fire into the house of Hazael and palaces of Benhadad I will also breake the barre of Damascus You know what a barre is in its proper signification an instrument wherewith we make fast the gates of our cities and doors of our houses against the violence of our enemies If the barre be broken the entrance into the city or house will be the easier Kedar is discovered to be weake for want of barres Ier. 49. â—1 And so are they against whom Gog and Magog were to fight Ezech. 38.11 they had neither barres nor gates Ierusalem had both and God made them strong Psal 147.13 Therefore praise the LORD O Ierusalem praise thy God O Sion for he hath made the barres of thy gates strong so strong that no enemy is able to breake them or to make any irruption into them A barre is also vsed to a figuratiue sense Metaphorically Synecdochically betokeneth munition fortification the forts strong holds of a country the strength of any thing To which sense the sea hath barres We read of them Iob 38.10 God hath appointed the sea her barres and dores saying hitherto shalt thou come here wil I stay thy proude waues And the earth hath barres We read of theÌ„ Ion. 2.6 And what are the barres of the earth but the c D. King B. of London in Ion. lect 27. strongest muniments and senses it hath her promontories and rockes which God hath placed in her frontiers to withstand the force of the waters And Moab hath barres Esai 15.5 There the barres of Moab are put for the forts in the borders of Moab And Egypt hath barres Ezech. 30.18 Where Egypts barres after the exposition of Illyricus in his d Verbo Vectis key of Scriptures are munitiones robur the fortifications and strength of Egypt So here the barres of Damascus are Damasci e Mercer robâ—r munitiones porta â—lâ—â—stra â—â—â—tissima the streÌ„gth of Damascus the munitions of Damascus the gates of Damascus the most fensed fortresses of Damascus Yea f Gualter Vniversum regni robur the whole strength of the kingdome of Syria is to be vnderstoode in these barrâ—s of Damascus Of Damascus no base or contemptible city Lewes Vertomannus a gentleman of Rome in his travaile to those esterne parts of the world a hundred yeares ago saw this city and admiring the marveilous beauty therof hath Navigat cap. 5. left a record of it to posterity It is saith he in manner incredible and passeth all beleefe to thinke how faire the city of Damascus is and how fertile is the soile This Damascus is a city of great antiquity g See my sixth lecture vpon this chapter built as some coniecture by Eliezer the steward of Abrahams house who was surnamed Damascus Gen. 15.2 So that this city was built more then 3444. yeares agoe for h In the yeare of the world 2124. Funcc in Cronolog And this Sermon was preached A. C. 1606. Febr. 8. so long agoe Abraham died The first mention of this city is Gen. 14.15 Others holding the name of this city to haue been more ancient then Abraham do attribute the building of this city to Huz one of the sonnes of Aram Gen. 10.23 wherevpon Damascus was called also AraÌ„ as S. Hierome vpon Esai 17. witnesseth Whatsoever were the antiquity of this city it is plaine by Esai 7.8 that it was the Metropolitane and chiefest city of Syria The Prophet Ieremie giues it a high commendation chap. 49.25 where he cals it a glorious city and the city of his ioy Damascus in this place is not the bare city but i Tremellius tractus Damascenus sive Decapolitanus the whole cuntry about Damascus the coasts of Decapolis whereof we read Mark 7.31 I will also breake the barres of Damascus To breake in the Hebrew phrase by a Metaphore is to consume to destroy to wast to spoile In the 24 of Es vers 19.
cals vs now to obedience O the crookednes of our vile natures Our stiffe neckes will not bend God speaketh vnto vs by his Ministers to walke in the old way the good way but we answere like them Ier. 6.16 We will not walke therein He speaketh to vs by his watchmen to take heed to the sound of the trumpet but wee answere like them Ier. 6.17 We will not take heed Turne vs good LORD vnto thee and we shall be turned Good LORD open thou our eares that if it be thy holy will either to Roare vnto vs or to speake with a milder voice either to come against vs in iudgement or to visit vs in mercy we may readily heare thee and yeeld obedience and as obedient children receiue the promise of eternall inheritance So when the time of our separation shall be that we must leaue this world a place of darknes of trouble of vexation of anguish thou LORD wilt translate vs to a better place a place of light where darkenesse shall be no more a place of rest where trouble shall be no more a place of delight where vexatioÌ„ shall be no more a place of endlesse vnspeakable ioies where anguish shal be no more There this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life Even so be it THE FOVRTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither IN my last exercise I entreated of the Speaker Now am I to entreat of the places from whence he speaketh expressed in two names Sion and Ierusalem The LORD shall roare from Sion vtter his voice from Ierusalem c. Sion I read in holy Scripture of two Sions The one is Deut. 4.48 a hill of the Amorites the same with Hermon Moses there calleth it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sion by the figure b Iunius in Deut. 3.9 Syncope the right name of it is c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sirion and so recorded Deut. 3.9 The other d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sion is the Sion in my Text mount Sion in Iudah vpon the top whereof was another mouÌ„taine e Drusius observ 14.21 Not. Iuniê° in Psal 48.3 Moria vpon which stood the Temple of the LORD Before it was called the f 2. Sam. 5.7 Tower or Fort of Sion It was a fortresse a bulwarke a strong hold and place of defence for the Iebusites the inhabitants of the land against their enimies Against these Iebusites King David came with a warlike power speedily surprised their fort built round about it dwelt in it and called it his g The City of DAVID owne City as appeareth 2. Sam. 5.9 This is the city of David so much h 2. Sam. 5.7 1. King 8.1 1. Chron. 11 5 2 Chron. 5.2 mentioned in the sacred bookes of Samuel the Kings and Chronicles To this his own City mount Sion David accompanied with the Elders and Captaines of Israel i 2. Sam. 6.15 brought the Arke of the LORD with shouting with cornets with trumpets with cymbals with viols with harpes as is plaine by the storie 1. Chron. cap. 15. 16. Now began the holy exercises of religion duly to be observed in this city of David mount Sion was now the place of the Name of the LORD of hoasts Hitherto belongeth that same excellent description coÌ„mendation of mount Sion Psal 48.1 2 3. Mount Sion lying northward from Ierusalem is faire in situation It is the city of the great King the city of God Gods holy mountaine the ioy of the whole earth In the palaces thereof God is well knowne for a sure refuge In this city of David the holy mount Sion the Lord of hoasts whom the k 1. King 8.27 2. Chron. 6.18 Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens are not able to containe is said to l Psal 74.2 dwell Psal 9.11 not that hee is tied to any place but because there were the most manifest and often testimonies of his residence Thus is Sion taken litterally It is also taken spiritually by a Synecdoche for the Church Spouse and Kingdome of Christ as Psal 2.6 where God is said to haue annointed his King over Sion the hill of his holynesse SioÌ„ there is not to bee vnderstood the terrestiall Sion by Ierusalem but another Sion elect and spirituall not of this world holy Sion so called for the grace of sanctification powred out vpon it even the holy Church of Christ whereto doe appertaine the holy Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the vniversall multitude of beleevers throughout not only Israel but the whole world Sion in this signification is obvious in holy Scripture To which sense by the daughters of Sion in the m Psal 149.2 Psalmes of David in n Cantic 3.11 Solomons song in the prophecies of o Esa 3.16.17 Esai 4.4 Esay and p Ioel 2.23 Ioel you may vnderstand the faithfull members of the Church of Christ There is yet one other signification of Sion It s put for Heaven as learned Drusius in his notes vpon my text observeth The like observation is made by Theophylact and Oecumenius commenting vpon Heb. 12.22 Now the Sion in my text from whence the LORD is said to roare to speake terribly and dreadfully is either the Temple vpon mount Sion by Ierusalem or the Church of Christ whereof Sion is a type Sion the holy one of Israel whose walles are salvation and gates praise or the Heaven of Heavens the most proper place of Gods residence Ierusalem Of old this city was called Salem as Gen. 14.18 when Melchisedeck King thereof brought forth bread and wine to refresh Abram and his followers Afterward it was possessed by the Iebusites and named Iebus Iudg. 19.10 Peter Martyâ— in 2. Sam. 5.6 from both these names Iebus and SaleÌ„ supposeth that by the change of a few letters Ierusalem hath had her name and not from the mountaines called Solymi as some doe coniecture but erre for that the mountaines Solymi were in Pisidia not in Iudea Many were the names of this city Some of them Benedictus in his marginall note vpon Iosua chap. 10. nameth in a distiche Solyma Luza Bethel Ierosolyma Iebus Helia Vrbs sacra Ierusalem dicitur atque Salem In this distiche 9 names of this one city are couched together Solyma Ierosolyma Ierusalem Iebus Salem Bethel Helia Luza the holy City Drusius Observat sacr lib. 14. cap. 21. noteth that Ierusalem did consist of two parts the one was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower city the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the higher city This higher city was Sion or mount Sion whereof you haue already heard and was diversly tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the city of David the fort the fort of Sion the tower of Sion But I come not to preach names vnto you Will you heare of
in the citie of God where our corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall bee swallowed vp of life Even so be it blessed father for thy welbeloved sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whoÌ„ with thee in the vnitie of the holy spirit be all praise and power might and Maiestie dignity and dominion for evermore Amen THE SECOND LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said The Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the â—op of Carmel shall wither IN my former Sermon vpon the first verse of this chapter beloved in the Lord I commended to your religious considerations fiue circumstances 1 Touching the prophets name It was Amos not Amos Esâ—â—â— father but another Amos. 2 Concerning his former condition of life He was among the heardmen that is hee was a heardman or shepheard 3 Of the place of his vsuall abode At Tekoa a litle village in the confines of the kingdome of Iuda beyond which there was not so much as a little cottage onely there was a great wildernesse called 2. Chr. 20.20 the wildernesse of Tekoa a fit place for a shepheards walke 4 About the matter or argument of this prophecie implyed in these worder The words which he saw vpon Israel Then you heard that Amos was by the holy spirit deputed and directed with his message peculiarly and properly to the 10. revolted tribes the kingdome of Israel 5 Of the time of the prophecie which I told you was set downe in that verse generally and specially 1 Generally In the daies of Vzziah king of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash king of Israel 2 Specially Two yeares before the earthquake After my exposition given vpoÌ„ those fiue parts of that text I recald to your remembrances that Amos of a heardman or shepheard became a blessed prophet to carry a terrible word and fearefull message from the living God to the king nobles priests and people of Israel Therevpon I commended to you this doctrine God chooseth vile and despised persons to condemne the great and mightie That doctrine proved I recommended to you the vses of it The first was to lift vp your mindes to the contemplation of Gods good providence Poore shepheards and fishermen God exalteth and advanceth into the highest places of dignitie in church and common wealth This might perswade you that neither empire nor kingdome nor place in theÌ„ of dignity priority or preeminence ecclesiasticall or politique is gotten by the industrie wisdome wit or strength of man but that all are administred ruled and governed by the deputation and ordination of the highest power God almightie The second was to stop blasphemous mouthes such as are ever more open against the God of Heaven to affirme that all things belowe the moone are ruled by their blinde Goddesse fortune and by chance Here my desire was that your heartes might be ioined with mine in the consideration of Gods most sweet never sleeping care over vs in this lower world that we would not suppose our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the moone a God in the greater and not in the lesser employments To this holy meditation I exhorted you taught by the holy scriptures that our God examineth the lest moments titles in the world that you can imagine to a handful of meal to a cruse of oile in a poore widdowes house to the falling of the Sparrows to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the calving of Hindes to the cloathing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of teares downe our cheekes Thus farre as Gods holie spirit assisted me I led you the last time Now let it please you with patience and reverence to giue eare to the word of God as it followeth ver 2. And hee said The Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice froÌ„ Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither In this verse I commend vnto you two generall parts 1 A preface to a prophecie And he said 2 The prophecie it selfe The Lorde shall roare from Sion c. In the prophecie I must further commend vnto you 3. things 1 The Lord speaking He shall roare and vtter forth his voice 2 The place from whence he speaketh from Sion and Ierusalem 3 The sequels of his speech They are two 1 Desolation to the dwelling places of the shepheards The dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish 2 Sterility and barrennesse to their fruitfull grounds The top of Carmel shall wither The first generall part the preface to the prophecie I must first speake vnto And he said He that is Amos Amos the heardmaÌ„ or shepheard whose dwelling was at Tekoa He said what said he Even the words which he saw vpoÌ„ Israel that is he spake the words of God committed to him by that kinde of propheticall instinct and motion which is commonly tearmed vision the words of God which were disclosed or reveiled vnto him in a vision Amos spake but his words were Gods words Here dearely beloved wee may learne whence the holy scriptures haue their soveraigne authoritie Their authoritie is froÌ„ aboue eveÌ„ from the LORD whose name is IEHOVAH whose a Matth. 5.34 throne is the heaven of heavens and the b Habak 3.15 sea his floare to walke in the c Esai 66.1 earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sits in the d Psal 7.9 heart of man possesseth his secret reines and divides betwixt the flesh and the skinne and shaketh his inmost powers as the e Psal 29.8 thuÌ„der shaketh the wildernesse of Cades This powerfull and great IEHOVAH God almightie spake in old time to our fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod. 4.12 and in the mouthes of all his Prophets Hebr. 1.1 Know this saith S. Peter in his second epistle 1. chap. ver 20. That no Prophecie in the Scripture is of any private motion Marke his reason vers 21. for the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holie men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Hence sprang these vsuall and familiar speeches in the bookes of the Prophets The word of the LORD came vnto me The LORD God hath spoken Thus saith the LORD and the like This LORD who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnes of time when he sent his Sonne to coÌ„summate perfect the work of mans redeÌ„ption speak by his blessed Evangelists Apostles This appeareth by the faithfull promise made them Mat. 10.19 Take no thought how or what yee shall speake for it shall be given you what yee shall say It is not yee that speake but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you It must stand
in the holy Scriptures This he doth in foure positions 1. ſ Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif. lib 5. cap 7. § Probatur Tenentur Christiani non pati super se Regem non Christanum si ille conetur avertere populum à fide Princes if they goe about avertere populum à fide to avert their people from the faith the faith of the Church of Rome then by the consent of all they may and must bee dispossessed of their scepters and regalities 2. t Ibid § Quod si Quod si Christiani olim non deposuerunt Neronem Diocletianū Iulianum Apostatam Valentem Arianum similes id fuit quia deerant vites temporales Christianis If the Christians in times past deposed not Nero Diocletian Iulian the Apostata Valens the Arian and other like tyrants id fuit quia deerant vires temporales Christianis it was because they wanted power and force and were not strong enough for that attempt 3. u Ibid. § At non At non tenentur Christiani immo nec debent cum evidenti periculo religionis tolerare Regē infidelem Christians are not bound to tolerate a king that is an infidell or a King not a Papist Not bound to tolerate him Nay saith Bellarmine they must not tolerate such a one cum evidenti periculo religionis if the toleration of him be an evident danger to their religion 4. x Ibid. § At non De iure humano est quod hunc aut illum habeamus regem It is by the law of man that we haue this or that mā to bee our King This last positiō is formerly avowed by the same author in the same booke but in the second Chapter with oppositiō and disgrace to the soveraigntie of the Lord of hosts y § Quod ad primum Dominium nō descendit ex iure divino sed ex iure gentium Kingdoms and dominions are not by the law of God but by the lawe of nations It is an impious blasphemous and atheologicall assertion From these positions of the great Iesuite by a necessarie inference doe follow these two conclusions 1 That the Papists woulde most willingly depriue our most gracious Soveraigne of his royall throne and regalitie if they were of force and power so to do 2 That all subiects of this land may stand in manifest rebellion against their King because he is no Papist Both which are summarily acknowledged by his royall Maiestie in his excellent speach the 5. of November z Ann. Dom. 1605. last The a C. 2. ◠Romish Catholiques by the grounds of their religion do maintaine that is lawfull or rather meritorious to murther Princes or people for quarrel of religion By the grounds of popish religion it is lawfull yea meritotorious for Papists to murther Kings which are not Papists You see his Maiesties royall acknowledgement of impietie in the grounds of Romish religion You will not doubt of it if you rightly esteeme that same late thrise damnable diabolicall and matchlesse plot conceived in the wombe of that religion with a full resolutiō to consume at once our pious King and this flourishing kingdome You perceiue now in what contempt and disgrace the popish faction holdeth the holy Scriptures the written word of God The written word of God expreslie requireth obedience vnto Princes as placed in their thrones by Gods sole authoritie But the Popish religion mainteineth rebellion against Princes as placed in their thrones by mans sole authority Which will you follow the holy word of God or the doctrine of the Romish Church Beloved remēber what I told you in the beginning of this exercise though Amos spake yet his words were Gods words remember that God is the author of holy Scripture and then for his sake for the authors sake for Gods sake you will be perswaded to take heed vnto it to heare it and read it with reverence obsequie and docility We the branches of the same vine that bare our predecessours to whom by devolution the sacred Statutes of the eternall God the holy Scriptures are come must esteeme of them all for b D King B. of Lond. vpon Ion. lect 1. p. 2. Gods most royall and celestiall Testament the oracles of his heavenly Sanctuary the only key vnto vs of his reveiled counsailes milke from his sacred breasts the earnest pledge of his favour to his Church the light of our feete c Ierem. 15.16 ioy of our harts d Lament 4.20 breath of our nostrils pillar of our faith anchor of our hope ground of our loue evidence and deeds of our future blessednesse Behold the value and price of the words which Amos saw vpon Israel which God willing with all my diligence best paines I will expound to you hereafter as occasion shall be ministred Now let vs poure out our soules in thankfulnesse before the LORD for that hee hath beene pleased this day to gather vs together to bee hearers of his holy word and partakers of the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ thereby to confirme our holy faith in vs. We thanke thee therefore good Father and beseech thee more and more to feed vs with the never perishing food of thy holy word that by it being made cleane and sanctified wee may in due time haue free passage from this valley of teares to the city of ioie Ierusalem which is aboue where this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall be swallowed vp of life So be it THE THIRD LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither VPon the preface to this prophecie these words and he said my last lecture was bestowed wherein because whatsoever Amos the heardman spake was the word of God I endeavored to shew forth the worth dignitie and excellencie of the word of God commonly called by the name of holy Scripture A point that yeeldeth a very harsh vnpleasant sound to euery popishly affected eare as then at large I made plaine our of popish mouthes practise Order now requireth that I goe on to the next generall part of this text to the prophecie it selfe The first point therein to bee recommended at this time vnto you is the LORD speaking The LORD shall roare and vtter his voice wherein I desire you to obserue with me who it is that speaketh and how hee speaketh Who speaketh It is the Lord. How speaketh he He roareth and vttereth forth his voice First of him that speaketh Hee is in the Hebrewe text called IEHOVAH which is the a D. King B. of London vpon Ionas Lec 11. p. 152. honorablest name belonging to the great God of Heaven Much might bee spoken of it would I apply my selfe to the curiositie of Cabalists and Rabbins as that it is a 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉
die eternally but the elect they are pardoned and restored to their former dignity and enabled by CHRIST their redeemer and reconciler to God to performe their duties to their LORD their duties of obedience of faithfull service and of profitablenes to obey the commandements of God to performe whatsoever service is enioyned them and to procure advantage of glory to their LORD Beloved I doubt not but that all we who are now religiously assembled in this place are the elect of God chosen by him in Christ Iesus * Ephes 1.4 before the foundation of the world to bee holy and without blame before him in loue yet I feare me should wee enter into our owne hearts and examine our selues how we haue walked in dutifulnesse towards him our best course will bee to runne vnto him with a PECCAVIMVS in our mouthes LORD we haue z Luk 15.18 sinned against heaven and before thee and are not worthy to be called thy servants By the first branch of â—ur dutie we are required to be obedient servants but we haue beene a Ezech. 2.4 hard of face and stiffe hearted a rebellious ofspring like vnto our fathers By the second branch of our dutie we are required to be faithfull servants but wee haue made a covenant with b Rom. 6.19 vncleanenesse and iniquitie to serue them By the third branch of our dutie we are required to be profitable servants but when we should haue c Mat. 25.27 put our Lords mony to the exchangers for his greater vantage wee haue d vers 25. hid it in the earth LORD enter not into account with vs e Iob. 9.3 we cannot answere thee one of a thousand Now dearely beloved suffer a word of exhortation let the remembrance of your holy duties by you to bee performed to the LORD your God be like f Ecclus. 49.1 the compositioÌ„ of the perfume that is made by the arte of the Apothecary sweete as hony in your mouthes and as musicke at a banket of wine Bee it vnto you g Ezech. 16.11.12 as bracelets vpon your hands as chaines about your necks as frontlets vpon your faces as earings in your eares as beautifull crownes vpon your heads let it be written in your hearts as h Ierem. 17.1 with a peÌ„ of yron or point of a Diamond never to be raced out Shall I deliver this your dutie vnto you in blessed Paules words In blessed Paules words this is your duty to i 1. Thes 2.12 walke worthy of the Lord Coloss 1.10 To walke worthy your vocation Ephes 4.1 To walke as children of the light Ephes 5.8 To walk in newnes of life Rom. 6.4 To walke in loue Ephes 5.2 To haue your conversation as it becommeth the Gospell of CHRIST Phil. 1.27 To behaue your selues honestly towards them that are without 1. Thess 4.12 To walke honestly as in the day Rom. 13.13 If you take thought k Rom 13.14 for your flesh to fulfill the lusts of it if your eyes are l 1 Iohn 2.11 blinded with m 2 Tim. 3 4. loue of pleasures if you haue n Ephes 5.11 fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse you are out of the way and doe much faile in the performance of your holy duty And to keepe you the better in the right way let me plainly tell you out of 1. Cor. 6.9 and Ephes 5.5 That neither Idolaters nor the covetous nor extortioners nor theeues nor adulterers nor fornicators nor buggerers nor wantons nor drunkards nor raylers shall haue any inheritance in the kingdome of God Haue not some of vs beene such yet to such there is ministred a word of comfort 1. Cor. 6.11 First is our accusation Such were some of you then followeth our comfort but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are iustified in the name of the LORD IESVS and by the spirit of God Is this true beloved Are we washed and sanctified and iustified in the name of the LORD IESVS and by the spirit of God why then resolue we to follow St Paules advise Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are true and honest and iust and pure and doe pertaine to loue and are of good report if there bee any vertue or praise resolue we to thinke on these things thinke wee on these things to doe them and we shall well performe our holy duties to our LORD Thus farre of my first note touching the speaker who speaketh Now followeth my other note How hee speaketh He shall roare and vtter his voice The metaphor of roaring with reference vnto God is frequent and much vsed in holy Scripture You shal find it as here so Ierem. 25.30 ioined with the voice of the Lord The Lord shall roare from aboue thrust out his voice from his holy habitation And so againe Ioel. 3.16 where you haue the very words of my text The LORD shall roare out of SION and vtter his voice from Ierusalem You shall find it without any mention of the Lords voice Hos 11.10 The LORD shall roare like a Lion when hee shall roare then the children of the west shall feare You shall find it with application Amos 3.8 The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid The LORD God hath spoken who can but prophecie St Hierome acknowledgeth this metaphor to be very fit out of Amos his mouth for as much as it is fit for every man to vse in his speech such examples and similitudes as are most familiar to him in his owne art dayly course and trade of life It s fit for a sea faring man to compare his heavinesse to a tempest his losse to a shipwracke his enimies to contrary windes fit for a souldier to tell of his sword his buckler his coat of male his launce his helmet his musket his wounds his victories sit for a husbandman to be talking of his oxen his kine his sheepe his grounds Not vnfitly then doth Amos our Prophet sometimes a shepheard one that kept his sheepe in the wast wildernesse of Tekoa where many a time he had heard the Lyons roare compare the terrible and dreadfull voice of the living God to the roaring of Lyons The Lord shall roare By this hyperbolicall forme of speech the holy Spirit convinceth vs of stupidity and dulnesse as vnable to entertaine any admonition from God except he speak vnto vs after an extraordinary maÌ„ner For this reason even for our dulnesse sake is God here in my text compared to a Lyon He shall roare The meaning of this phrase is opened by the next words He shall vtter his voice It will be no lost labour to consider how God an incorporeall and spirituall essence devoid of such parts of nature by which we are enabled to speake may himselfe be said to speake and vtter a voice That hee spake it is well knowne to them to whom the Scriptures are not vnknowne He spake with Adam Eue the serpent with Noah with Abraham 8 times with Isaac with
the honour of this city they that were aliue wheÌ„ Ierusalem flourished to haue q Psal 48 1â— numbred her towers to haue considered her walles to haue marked her bulwarks and to haue told their posterity of it might haue made a report scarsly to haue beene beleeued This we knowe by Psal 48.4 5. When the Kings of the earth were gathered together and saw it they marvelled they were astonied and suddainely driven backe Thus is Ierusalem taken literally It is also taken spiritually for the Church either militant here on earth or Triumphant in heaven For the Church Militant Psal 128.5 Thou shalt see the wealth of Ierusalem all thy life long And for the Church Triumphant Gal. 4.26 Ierusalem which is aboue is free The Catholique Church Militant and Triumphant is called Ierusalem because Ierusalem was a type thereof Ierusalem was a type of the Catholike Church in sundry respects 1 God did choose Ierusalem aboue al other places of the earth to r Psal 132.13 Psal 135.21 dwell in So the Catholike Church the companie of the predestinate God hath chosen to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe 2 Ierusalem is a city Å¿ Ps 122.3 compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of loue and order among the Citizens So the faithfull the members of the Catholike Church are linked together by the bond of one Spirit 3 Ierusalem was the place of Gods sanctuarie the place of his presence and worship where the promise of the seed of the woman was preserved till the comming of the Messias Now the Catholike Church is in the roome thereof In the Catholike Church we must seeke the presence of God the word of life 4 In Ierusalem was the t Psal 122.5 throne of David So in the Catholike Church is the throne and scepter of CHRIST figured by the Kingdome of David 5 The commendation of Ierusalem was the subiection obedience of her citizens The Catholike Church hath her citizens too Eph. 2.19 and they doe yeeld voluntarie obedience and subiection to Christ their King 6 In Ierusalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a register So the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life Revel 20.15 You see now what Ierusalem is literally and what spiritually Literally it is that much honoured City in Iudea the u Ps 46.4 City of God even the sanctuary of the tabernacle of the most High Spiritually it is the holy Church of Christ either his Church Militant on earth or his Church Triumphant in Heaven Now the Ierusalem in my text from whence the LORD is said to vtter his voice is either Ierusalem in the literall or Ierusalem in the spirituall vnderstanding it is either Ierusalem the mother city of Iudea or Ierusalem the Church of Christ Militant vpon earth or Ierusalem aboue the most proper place of Gods residence So that Ierusalem here is the same with Sion an exposition of Sion The LORD shall roare from Sion that is in other words The LORD shall vtter his voice from Ierusalem Marke I beseech you beloved in the LORD The LORD shall roare not from Dan and Bethel where Ieroboams calues were worshipped but from Sion the mountaine of his holines and hee shall vtter his voice not from Samaria drunken with Idolatrie but from Ierusalem the x Zach. 8.3 city of truth wherein the puritie of Gods worship did gloriously shine Wee may take from hence this lesson Sion and Ierusalem are to be frequented that thence hearing God speake vnto vs we may learne what his holy will is To speake more plainely This is the lesson which I commend vnto you The place where God is served and the exercises of his religion are practised must be carefully frequented That I may the more easily perswade you to come vnto and to frequent this place this house of God his holy Church and Temple I bring you a guid This guid is a King and leads you the way the blessed King David I beseech you marke his affection Psal 84.1 O LORD of hoasts how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for thy courts Mark his loue Psa 26.8 O LORD I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth Marke the earnestnes of his zeale Psal 42.1.2 As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God Let this holy King King David be that patterne of your imitation Beloued you must haue an earnest loue and desire to serue God in the assembly of his Saints you must much esteeme of the publike exercise of religion It is Gods effectuall instrumeÌ„t and meane to nourish and begâ—t you to the hope of a better life In what case then are you when you absent your selues from this and the like holy assemblies when either you come hither carelesly or else do gracelesly contemne this place Here is Sion here is Ierusalem here God speaketh to you in the language of Canaan and here may you speake to him againe with your owne mouthes It is every mans duty the dutie of everyone that loues God to come vnto Gods house his house of prayer In this respect thus saith the LORD Esay 56.7 Mine house shall bee called the house of prayer for all people For all people there is no difference betweene the y Galat. 3.28 Iew and the Grecian betweene the bond the free betweene the male and the female for our LORD who is LORD over all z Rom. 10.12 is rich vnto all that call vpon him Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people To imprint this sentence in your heartes it is repeated vnto you Mat. 21.13 Where Iesus Christ to the mony changers doue-sellers whom he found in the Temple vseth this speech It is written mine house shall be called an house of prayer but yee haue made it a den of theeues Iunius his note vpon the place is good Qui domo Dei non vtitur ad orationis domum is eò devenit vt speluncam latronâ—m efficiat cam Whosoever vseth not the house of God for a house of prayer hee commeth thither to make it a denne of theeues Let vs take heed beloved in the Lord wheÌ„soever we come vnto the Church the house of God that we be not partakers of thiâ— sharpe censure Ecclesiastes chap. 4.17 giuâ—â—â— a profitable caveat Take heed to thy feet when thou enterest into the house of God intimating thus much that of duty we are to enter into the house of God Though the Temple in Ierusalem and all the worship in ceremonies that was annexed to it are taken away yet iâ— Solomons caveat good for vs still Take heed to thy feet when thou enterest into the house of God For we also haue Gods house where hee is chiefly to be
sought and worshiped even in every place appointed by publike authoritie for publike assemblies Wherefore I pray you hath God given his Church a 1. Cor. 12 27. some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers Is it not as we are taught Ephes 4.12 for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edifying of the Body of Christ See you not here a forcible argument and evident 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 would haue the societie fellowship company of your sweet Saviour Iesus Christ you must frequent this place hither must you come Knowe this you cannot be right worshippers of God in private if you refuse or neglect to frequent this publike assemblie the Sion the Ierusalem from whence God is pleased to speake vnto you Much then very much to blame you whosoever doe for none or for smal occasions absent your selues from this place this house of God at appointed times where when your publike prayers should be as it were a publike renouÌ„cing of al sects and societie with idolatrie 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 avouch it Act. 21.5 when all the congregation of Tyre with their wiues and children bringing St Paul out of the towne to the sea shore kneeled downe with him and prayed Shall we in these daies finde this zeale among Christians I much doubt it and am perswaded men will bee ashamed in imitation of those Tyrians to kneele downe in an open place to pray vnto God publikely I will not rub this soare I know somewhat and you knowe more then I how backward many of you haue beene froÌ„ doing God due service in this place Shall I say you haue dishonoured him some by irreverence 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 Saviour Iesus Christ I thinke should any one of you invite your neighbour to sup with you but once he refuse it you would take some displeasure at him and shall God Almightie the mightie creatour of Heaven of Earth of all you that heare mâ— this day invite you many times to come and suppe at the table of his blessed Sonne and you refuse it Beleeue it hee 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 Whosoever therefore wilfully refuseth to come he sinneth very grievously as a learned b Bucanus Loc. 48. Divine well noteth 1 Because he contemneth not any humane but a divine 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 beloved lay vp these things in your harts let this day be the beginning of your reformatioÌ„ resolue from hence forth to perfourme your due obedience to God in this place to poure forth your praiers before him to heare his holy word and to frequent the Lords table whereby faith in his death and passion you may receiue many a gracious blessing forgiuenes of your sinnes 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 IERVSALEM the place from whence God will speake vnto yâ—â— exhorted every 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 Servants For old and yong should come My warrant for what I say I take out of Ioel. 2.15 16. Calla solemne assembly gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the childreÌ„ those that suck 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 cha 24.15 I my house will serue the LORD Your duty is yet further extended beyond your children servants to your neighbours also strangers if they come in your way This we may learne out of the prophecies of Esay Micah and Zacharie First Esay 2.3 The faithfull shall say Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies we wil walke in his pathes for the law shall go forth of SION and the word of the Lord from IERVSALEM Againe Micah 4.2 You shall finde the very same exhortation made by the faithfull and in the same words Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob c. The Prophet Zachary chap. 8.21 for summe and substance speaketh the same thing They that dwell in one towne shall go vnto another saying vp let vs go and pray before the LORD seeke the LORD of hoastes I will go also Thus farre of the place from whence the Lord speaketh expressed by two names Sion and Ierusalem THE FIFTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither OF the speaker place from whence he speaketh I haue heretofore spokeÌ„ Now proceed we to the sequels of the speech which shall for this time bee the ground of my discourse The dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish So doe the words sound for their substance Yet after the letter in the originall Hebrew copie we are to read otherwise the fruitfull or pleasant places of the shepheards 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 shepheards did vse in the wildernesse neere vnto such fields pastures to erect themselues little cottages and cabins that they might bee at hand to defend their harmelesse sheepe from savage and ravenous beasts it may here well be englished the dwelling places
the flowds shall be turned into a wildernesse the sea shall bee dried vp the fish shall rot for want of water and die for thirst who made the dry land so f Psal 104.5 set it vpon foundations that it should never mâ—â—e and can g Psal 104.6 cover her againe with the deepe as with a garment and so h Esai 24.20 rocke her that shee shall reele to and fro and stacker like a drunken man Thus saith the LORD This powerfull IEHOVAH whose throne is the heaven of heavens and the sea his floare to walke in the earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and fitteth in the heart of man possesseth his secretest reines and devideth betwixt the flesh the skin and shaketh his inmost powers as the thuÌ„der shaketh the wildernes of Cades Thus saith the LORD Hath the LORD said and shall he not do it hath he spoken shal he not accomplish it BalaaÌ„ confesseth as much vnto Balak Num. 23.19 God is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Indeed saith Samuel 1. Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lie nor repeÌ„t for he is not as maÌ„ that he should repent Al his words yea all the titles of his words are yea and Amen Verily saith our Saviour Matth. 5.18 Heaven and earth shall perish before one iote or any one title of Gods law shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the LORD Then out of doubt it must come to passe Hereby you may be perswaded of the authority of this Prophecie and not of this only but of al other the Prophecies of holy Scripture that neither this nor any other Prophecie of old is destitute of divine authority This point touching the authority of holy Scripture I delivered vnto you in my second lecture and therefore haue now the lesse need to spend time therein Yet a word or two thereof God almighty spake in old time to our fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod. 4.12 not by the mouth of Moses only but by the mouths of all his Prophets Heb. 1.1 2. Peter 1.20 Know this that no Prophecy in the Scripture is of any private motion He giveth the reasoÌ„ hereof ver 21. for the Prophecy in old time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Hence sprang those vsuall and familiar speeches in the bookes of the Prophets The The word of the LORD came vnto me the LORD God hath spoken and this in my text Thus saith the LORD This LORD who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnesse of time when hee sent to consummate and perfect the worke of mans redemption speake by his blessed Evangelists and Apostles This appeareth by the faithfull promise made vnto them Matth. 10.19 Take no thought how or what yee shall speake for it shall be given you what yee shall say It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of your father that speaketh in you It must stand ever true what is recorded 2. Tim. 3.16 the whole Scripture and every parcell thereof is given by inspiration of God and hath inward witnesse from that Spirit which is the author of all truth Here may you note the harmonie consent and agreement of all the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles from the first vnto the last not one of them spake one word of a naturall man in all their ministeries the wordes which they spake were the words of him that sent them they spake not of themselues God spake in them Whensoever were the time whatsoever were the meanes whosoever were the man whersoever were the place whatsoever were the people the words were the Lords Thus saith the LORD Howe then dare wee potters clay lift vp our hands against him that fashioned vs How dare we absent our selues from his house of prayer where God in and by his holy word speaketh vnto vs How dare we when we are come to this place behaue our selues carelesly negligently irreverently But I will not at this time presse you any further with this point having heretofore in my fourth lecture occasioned by the Lords roaring out of Sion and vttering his voice from Ierusalem exhorted you in many words to the due performance of your dutifull service of God in this place For this present I will onely giue you a tast of the sweetnesse of the worde of the LORD conveied vnto vs by the ministeries of his sanctified Prophets Evangelists Apostles It is the Lords most roial and celestiall testament the oracles of his heavenly sanctuarie the only key vnto vs of his reveiled counsels milke from his sacred breastes the earnest and pledge of his favour to his Church the light of our feet ioy of our hearts breath of our nostrils pillar of our faith anchor of our hope ground of our loue evidences and deeds of our future blessednesse Thus farre of the preface proeme or enterance making for the authoritie of this prophecie Thus saith the LORD Now followeth the prophecie against the Syrians wherin I commended to your Christian considerations foure things 1 The general accusation of the Syrians verse 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure 2 The LORDS protestation against them verse the 3 I will not turne to it 3 The particular sinne by which the Syrians had so offended God vers the 3. They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron 4 The punishments attending them for this sinne set downe generally and specially Generally vers 4. I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devoure the palaces of Ben-hadad Specially vers the 5. I will breake also the barres of Damascus and cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden the people of Aram shall goe into captivitie vnto Kir Order requireth that I begin with the first part the accusation of the Syrians vers 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure This Damascus was a very ancient citie built as a Arias Montan Iustin lib 36 Stephan Adrichom Hieron Heb. quaest in GeÌ„ some coniecture by Eliezer the steward of Abrahams house who was surnamed Damascus Gen. 15.2 The first mention of this city is Gen. 14.15 b Apud Hier. ibid Ioseph antiq Iudaic lib. 1. cap. 7. Willet in GeÌ„ cap. 15. Others holding the name of this city to haue beene more ancient then Abraham do attribute the building of this city to Huz one of the sonnes of Aram Gen. 10.23 Where vpon Damascus was called also Aram as c In Esai 17. St Hierome witnesseth Whatsoever were the antiquitie of this city it is plaine by Esa 7.8 that it was the Metropolitane and chiefest city of Syria I need not tell you what Lewes Vertomannus a gentleman of Rome saw in this city about some hundred yeares since as the place where Caine slew Abel
I will breake the barre of Damascus I the LORD will with my mightie power breake Lay wast coÌ„sume the barre barre for barres even all the munition and strength of Damascus of the chiâ—â—â—st city of Syria the country adioyning Must Damascus the strongest city of all Syria haue her barres broken Must shee be laid wast and spoiled Here fixing the eies of our minds vpon the power of the LORD learne we this lesson There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Nothing not gates of brasse nor barres of yron these he breaketh asunder Psal 107.16 No creature What creature more mightie then a King Yet in the day of his wrath God woundeth Kingâ— witnesse the Psalmist 110.5 Doth he wound Kings yea he slayeth mightie Kings Psal 135.10 136.18 My text avoweth the same in one of the next clauses where God threatneth to the mightie King of Syria a cutting off I will cut of him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden These few now alleaged instances doe sufficiently though briefly confirme my propounded doctrine There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose The reason hereof is because God only is omnipotent and whatsoever else is in the world it is weake and vnable to resist Of Gods omnipotencie we make our daily profession in the first article of our beleefe professing him to be God the Father Almightie In which profession wee doe not exclude either the Sonne or Holy Ghost from omnipotencie For God the Father who imparteth his Godhead vnto the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost doth communicate the proprieties of his Godhead to them also And therefore our beleefe is that as the Father is Almightie so the Sonne is Almightie and the Holy Ghost is Almightie too Now God is said to be omnipotent or Almightie in two respects First because he is able to doe whatsoever he will Secondly because hee is able to doe more then he will For the first that God is able to doe whatsoever he will who but the man possessed with the spirit of Atheisme and infidelitie dares deny This truth being expresly delivered twise in the booke of Psalmes First Psal 115.3 Our God in heaven doth whatsoever hee will againe Psal 135.6 Whatsoever pleaseth the LORD that doth he in heaven in earth in the sea in all the depthes For the second that God is able to doe more then hee will doe every Christian acquainted with the Evangelicall story doth acknowledge it It is plaine by Iohn Baptists reproofe of the Pharisees and Sadducees Matth. 3.9 Thinke not to say within your selues we haue Abraham to our Father for I say vnto you that God is able of these stones to raise vp childreÌ„ vnto Abraham Able but will not So likewise when Christ was betrayed the story Matth. 26.53 is that God the Father could haue giveÌ„ him more then twelue legions of Angels to haue delivered him Hee could but would not The like may be said of many other things The Father was able to haue created another world yea a thousand worlds Was able but would not You see for Gods omnipotencie that he is able to do whatsoever he will do yea that he is able to do more then he will do God only is omnipotent whatsoever els is in the world it 's weake vnable to resist which is the very summe of my doctrine already propounded and confirmed There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose For as Iob saith chap. 9.13 The most mighty helps do stoope vnder Gods anger This is it which Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.34 35. coÌ„fesseth In comparison of the most high who liveth for ever whose power is an everlasting power whose kingdome is froÌ„ generatioÌ„ to generatioÌ„ all the inhabitaÌ„ts of the earth are reputed as nothing according to his will he worketh in the army of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou This is it whereat S. Paul aimeth in his question demanded Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted the will of God And this is it which Iob intendeth chap. 9.4 demanding a like question who hath beene fierce against God and hath prospered I will not further amplifie this point it must stand good against all the might and strength of this world There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Now let vs consider some duties wherevnto we are moved by this doctrine of Gods omnipotencie 1 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we froÌ„ hence crue humiliation that same Christian vertue to which S. Peter 1. ep 5.6 giues his exhortation Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God What are we beloved but by nature in our selues most wretched conceived and borne in sin hitherto running on in wickednes dayly rebelling against God against Almighty God against him who alone is able to do whatsoever he will able to do more then he will able to cast both body and soule into hell fire Let the consideration of this our wretched estate worke in vs the fruits of true humiliatioÌ„ This true humiliation standeth in our practise of three things 1. The sorrow of our heart wherby we are displeased with our selues and ashamed in respect of our sinnes 2. Our confession to God in which we must also doe three things 1. We must acknowledge all our maine sins originall and actuall 2. We must acknowledge our guiltinesse before God 3. We must acknowledge our iust damnation for sinne The third thing in our humiliation is our supplication to bee made to God for mercy which must be with all possible earnestnes as in a matter of life and death A patterne whereof I present vnto you Dan. 9.17 18 19. O our God heare the praiers of vs thy servants and our supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon vs. O our God encline thine eare to vs and heare vs open thine eies and behold our miseries we do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousnesse but for thy great teÌ„der mercies O LORD heare vs O LORD forgiue vs O LORD consider and do it differ not thy mercies for thine owne sake O our God Thus beloved if wee humble our selues vnder the hand of Almighty God God will lift vs vp 2 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we from hence to treÌ„ble at Gods iudgements to feare them to stand in awe of them to quake quiver at them For as God is so are his iudgements God is terrible and his iudgements are terrible God is terrible in the assembly of his Saints Psal 88.8 terrible in his workes Psal 66.3 terrible in his doings toward the sonnes of men Psal 66.5 terrible to the Kings of the earth Psalm 76.13 To passe over
vnder-magistrate but the King him selfe out of Beth-eden another so named city of Syria Bikeath-Aven shall not bee able to defend her inhabitants nor Beth-eden her king I will cut of c. Thus farre the exposition Now some notes of instruction You wil be pleased to remember with me my three propouÌ„ded circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD 2 The punishment a cutting of 3 The punished the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and the King of Beth-eden From the first circumstance The LORD himselfe taking veÌ„geance into his owne hands ariseth this doctrine It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes Which truth having beene often coÌ„mended to your Christian considerations in former lectures I now let passe From all three circumstances of the punisher the punishment and the punished iointly considered arise other profitable doctrines First we see that the cutting of of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and of him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden is the LORDS proper worke The lesson which wee may take from hence is this No calamity or misery befalleth any one of whatsoever estate or degree by chance or at adventure It was an errour of the Paynims to holde fortune in so high account b Iuven. Sat. 10. Te facimus Fortuna DEAM coeloque locamus They esteemed her as a goddesse and assigned her a place in Heaven They presented her by the image of a womaÌ„ sitting sometimes vpon a ball sometimes vpon a wheele having with her a rasour c Pierius Hieroglyph lib. 29. bearing in her right hand the sterne of a ship in her left the horne of abundance by the rasour they would giue vs to vnderstand that shee can at her pleasure cut of and end our happinesse by the ball or wheele that shee is very prone to volubility and change by the sterne in her right hand that the whole course of our life is vnder her government by the horne of abundance in her left hand that all our plenty is from her This palpable idolatry of the Gentiles giving the glory of the most high to their base and inglorious abominations we Christians must vtterly renounce We honor the LORD of hoasts alone and to him alone do we ascribe the soveraignety dominion and rule of the whole world Such is the extent of Gods wonderfull and eternall providence The whole world with all things therein is wholy alone subiect to the soveraignety dominion and rule of Almighty God by his providence all things are preserved all things are ruled all things are ordered These are the three degrees by which you may discerne take notice of the Act of divine providence The first is Gradus conservationis The second Gradus gubernationis The third Gradus ordinationis The first degree is of maintenance or preseruation the second is of rule and gouernment the third is of ordination and 〈◊〉 The first degree which I termed gradum conservationis the degree of maintenance and preservation implieth thus much that all things in generall and every thing in particular are by Almighty God sustained ordinarily in the same state of nature and naturall proprieties wherein they were created This truth is excellently explained Psal 104. 145. 147. In which the Psalmist ioyfully singeth out of the wonderfull ProvideÌ„ce of God in the maintenance and preservation of man every other creature the beasts of the field the foules of the aire the fishes of the sea d Psalm 104.10.11 Hee sendeth the springs into the valleys that all the beasts of the field may drinke and the wild asses quench their thirst e Psal 147.8 Ps 104 13 He covereth the heaven with cloudes prepareth raine for the earth maketh grasse to grow even vpoÌ„ mountaines that cattle may haue food hee hath made the mountaines f Psal 104.18 to be a refuge for gooâ—s and rockes for conies the Lyons g Vers 21. roaring after their prey seeke their meat at him You see Gods care and providence for the preservation of the beasts of the field see the like for the foules of the aire Hee hath planted the h Psal 104.16 Cedars of Lebanon for birds to make their nests there and the firre trees for the storkes to dwell in the young i Ps 147 9. ravens that cry vnto him hee feedeth Our Saviour Iesus Christ Matth. 6.26 calles you to this consideration Behold saith he the foules of heauen they sow not nor reape nor carry into barnes yet your heavenly father feedeth them Gods care and providence for the preservation of his creatures here resteth not it reacheth even to the bottome of the sea There is great k Psal 104.26 Leviathan there are creeping things innumerable small and great all which wait vpon the LORD that he may giue them food in due season In due season he giues them food they gather it he openeth his hand and they are filled with good O LORD how manifold are thy works l Psal 104.24 In wisdome hast thou made them all the whole world is full of thy riches The next degree whereby we may discerne the act of divine providence I termed 〈◊〉 â—â—bernation is the degree of rule and governement It implyeth 〈…〉 that Almighty God for his vnlimited power gouerneth all things in the world and ruleth them pro libertate voluntatis sua even as he listeth This point is delivered not obscurely in many places of holy Scripture as in those generall and vniversall sayings which doe proue God Almightie even this day to work in the world and to doe all in all In Esai 43.13 thus saith the LORD Yea before the day was I am and there is none that can deliuer out of mine hand I will doe it and who shall let it Agreeable to this are the words of our Saviour Iohn 5.17 My father worketh hitherto and I worke From both these places we may truly inferre that God worketh in the gouernement of this world day after day even vntill the end thereof which St Paul Ephes 1.11 avoweth He worketh all things after the counsaile of his owne wil. To the consideration hereof Elihu stirreth vp afflicted Iob chap. 37. wishing him to consider the wonderous workes of God the cloudes and his light shining out of them the thunder Gods marvailous and glorious voice the snow the frost the whirlewind the raine all these God ruleth and governeth after his good pleasure And who I pray you ruleth man and mans affaires but the LORD O LORD saith Ierem. chap. 10.23 I knowe that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps King Solomon confesseth as much Prov. 20.24 The steps of man are ruled by the LORD From this ruling providence of God King David Psal 23.1 drew vnto himselfe a very comfortable argument The LORD feedeth me therefore I shall not want Let vs as comfortably reason with our selues The LORD feedeth vs therefore we
both their ends the end of Ahab recorded 1. King 22.38 In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth did dogges licke the blood of Ahab also and the end of Iezebel registred the 2. Kings 9.35 Shee was eaten vp with dogges all sauing her skull her feet and the palmes of her hands It was a part of Daniel his afflictions to be cast into the den of Lyons His accusers vnto Darius were the instrumeÌ„ts of his affliction These his accusers were the LORDS instruments for this businesse Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Their fearefull end is set downe Dan. 6.24 By the commandement of King Darius they with their wiues children were cast into the den of Lyons the Lyons had the mastery of them brake all their bones in pieces ere ever they came to the grouÌ„d of the den The time will not suffer me to recal to your remembrances all the iudgements of God of this quality written down in the register of Gods works his holy word how what he reÌ„dred to g Ester 7.10 Haman to h 2. Kings 19.35 37. Sennacherib to i IereÌ„ 36.29 Ioachim to the k Ierem. 49.2 Ammonits to the l Ierem. 49.9 51.20 Chaldeans to the m Ezech. 35.2 Idumeans and other wicked worldlings for their hard measure offered to his childreÌ„ though they were therein his own instrumeÌ„ts The afore-meÌ„tioned instaÌ„ces of the Egyptians of Ahab his wife Iezebel of Daniel his accusers may serue for the declaratioÌ„ of my propouÌ„ded doctrine Though the LORD do vse his enimies as instruments to correct his owne servants children yet will he in his due time overthrow those his enimies with a large measure of his iudgments The reason hereof is because Gods iustice cannot let them escape vnpunished St Paule expresseth it 2. Thess 1.6 It is a righteous thing with God to recoÌ„pense tribulatioÌ„ to theÌ„ that trouble you Let this be our comfort whensoever the wicked shall rage against vs. For hereby are we assured when the LORD shal shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire that theÌ„ to the wicked whose behaviour towards the godly is proud and dispiteous he will render vengeance and punish them with everlasting perdition St Peter to make vs stedfast in this comfort disputeth this point Ep. 1. chap. 4.17 The point he proueth by an argument drawne à minori inferring from a truth to carnal mens vnderstanding lesse probable a truth of greater probabilitie Iudgement saith he beginneth at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarsly be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Our Saviours words Luk. 23.31 do coÌ„taine a like argumeÌ„t If they doe these things to a greene tree what shal be done to the dry To like purpose in Ierem. 25.29 saith the LORD of hoasts Loe I begin to plague the city where my name is called vpon shall you goe free Yee shall not goe free Hitherto I refer also one other text Esai 10.12 where it is said that God when he hath done dispatched all his worke vpon mount Sion will visite the fruite of the proud heart of the King of Assyria the meaning of the place is that God when he hath sufficiently châ—stised and corrected those of his owne house his beloued children wil turne his sword against the skorners of his Maiestie When God hath serued his owne turne by the wicked then comes their turne also howsoever for a while they flourish in hope to escape Gods hand and to abide vnpunished yet will God in due time well enough finde them out to pay them double The vses of this doctrine I can but point at One is to admonish vs that we spite not any of the wicked who now doe liue in rest because their turne to be punished must come and faile not The further it is put of from them the heavier in the end it will fall vpon them A second vse is to teach vs patience in afflictions for as much as God will shortly cause the cuppe to passe from vs to our adversaries But say he wil not Yet neverthelesse are we to possesse our soules in patience reioicing and giving thankes to God who hath made vs worthy not only to belieue in him but also to suffer for his sake For we haue learned Act. 14.22 That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of God c. The Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs which were not only reviled and scourged but also beheaded cut in pieces drowned in water consumed in fire by other tyrannicall devises cruelly put to death they all by this way received the manifest token of their happy and blessed estate and entred into the kingdome of God And we vndoubtedly know 2. Cor. 5.1 That if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building of God an house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens Thus farre of my second circumstance the circumstance of the punished the Aramites professed enemies vnto God yet by him employed in the correction of his owne children the Israelits are here themselues punished My doctrine was Though the Lord do vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne servants and children yet will he in due time overthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements The third circumstance is the punishment a going into captivitie amplified by the place This captivity bondage and slavery was to be in an vnknowne strange a farre country Kir in Media The people of Aram shal goe into captivity vnto Kir The doctrine is For the sinne of a land God often times sendeth away the inhabitants into captivity Captivity to be an effect or punishment of sin king Salomon in his praier made to the LORD at his consecration or dedication of the Temple 1. King 8.46 acknowledgeth It 's expreslie delivered 1. ChroÌ„ 9.1 of the Israelites that for their transgressioÌ„s they were carryed away captiue vnto Babel In Deut. 28.41 among the curses threatned to all such as are rebellious and disobedient to Gods holy commandements Captivity is ranked and reckoned I let passe the multitude of Scripture-places serving to this point my text is plaine for it The Aramites for their three traÌ„sgressions and for foure for their many sins for their sin of cruelty for threshing Gilead with threshing instruments of yron were to goe into Captivity My doctrine standeth firme For the sinne of a land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captivity Into Captivity Into what kinde of captivity For there is a spirituall captivity and a corporall captivity a captivity of the minde and a captivity of the body Both are very grievous but the first more The first wich I call the spirituall captivity and a captivitie of the minde is a captivity vnder the Devill vnder the power of
vpō the earth But it fareth with vs as it did with Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.5 We are brethren in evill the instruments of cruelty are in our habitations They in their wrath slew a man and what do we If our wrath be kindled against our brother we will not sticke Edom-like to pursue him with the sword we will make our sword to be fed with his flesh and drunke with his bloud Thinke not dearely beloved you of the other sex thinke not your selues exempt from this reproofe because in it I haue not made any mention of sisters for vnder the name of brethren I meant you also My speach was vnto Christians in Christianisme diversity of sex maketh no difference So saith the Apostle Gal. 3.28 Male and female all are one in Christ To you therfore this reproofe of brethren at variance doth also appertaine If you lay violent hands vpon any your husbands your children or other or if with your tongue which the holy Spirit Ps 57.4 calleth a sharpe sword you are given to vexe them of your owne house or shal backbite or sclander any know that Edom-like you do pursue your brother with the sword And take I beseech you my propounded doctrine as belonging vnto you also It is a thing very distastefull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues A second vse is to worke in vs brotherly kindnesse that vertue whereby every good Christian embraceth the Church of God and the members thereof with the bowels of loue This brotherly kindnesse S. Peter 2. Ep. 1.7 commendeth vnto vs as whereto we ought to giue all diligence David Psal 133.1 stileth it with the sweet name of Vnitie Behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to liue in vnity And therefore commendeth it by two similitudes in the one shewing the sweetnes pleasantnes of it in the other the fruit and profit which commeth by it First it is like that precious ointment which was powred on the head of the high Priest and ran downe vpon his beard and so to the borders of his garments Behold the sweetnes and pleasantnes of vnity That sweet perfume ointment that holy oile powred out vpon the high Priest and his garment was not only pleasant and delightfull to himselfe but did also yeeld a sweete smelling savour to all that were about him So is it with vnitie Is not only pleasant to them who doe religiously esteeme and keepe it but to others also which are about them Secondly it is like the dew of Hermō which fell vpon the moūtaines of Sion where the LORD appointed the blessing and life for evermore Behold the fruit and profit which commeth by Vnity The dew and wet that fell downe from heaven vpō Hermon and Sion made those hils and the plaine countries neere them fertill so doth Vnity bring with it great fruit and profit It makes them among whom it is sincerely observed it makes them through Gods blessing fruitfull and plentifull in good workes towards God and in him and for him towards men one of them towards another This vnity cōcord brotherly loue mutuall consent and agreement if it be vnfeigned hath the promises both of this life and of that to come of peace and quietnes in this life and of eternall ioies in the life to come One of the notes by which wee may bee assured of God his speciall loue and favour is the loue of our brethren Now that we deceiue not our selues in this loue S. Iob. Epist 1. giues vs three rules to direct vs. 1 Christian brotherly loue must not be for any worldly respects or considerations but principally for and in God Wee must loue our brethren principally because they are the sons of God and members of Christ This rule he intimateth chap. 5.1 Every one that loveth him which begat loveth him also which is begotten of him that is whosoever loveth God the Father hee loveth also the sons of God his naturall son Christ Iesus his sons by grace and adoption all Christians 2 Christiā brotherly loue must not be outward in shew only but inward in the heart This rule he giveth vs chap. 3.18 Let vs not loue in word nor in tongue only but indeed in truth 3 Christian brotherly loue must be not only in time of prosperity but when most need is This rule he giveth vers the 17 Whosoever hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Let these rules beloved be your direction Loue yee everie one that is called a Christian not because he is rich or in authority but because he is a Christian the son of God by grace and adoption Loue yee him not outwardly in shew only but inwardly in heart in deed in truth Loue him not only in his prosperous and flourishing estate but in his greatest need and be yee assured that the speciall loue and favour of God will be your shield and protection Three things there are that do reioice God saith Ecclesiasticus chap. 25.1 The vnity of brethren the loue of neighbours a mā his wife agreeing togither The first which is the vnity of brethren according to my former construction compriseth the other two All Christians are brethren in Christ a neighbour to a neighbour a husband to his wife a wife to her husband For as I said in Christ there is no differēce of sexe there is neither male nor female all are brethrē in Christ and therfore that neighbour that loveth not his neighbour the husbād that is at ods with his wife the wife that agreeth not with her husband they are guilty of the breach of brotherly loue That exhortation made by S. Paule to the Romanes cha 12.10 concerneth all of you all of both sexes without any difference Be ye affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue I conclude this point with the same Apostles words 1. Cor. 1.10 and 2. Cor. 13.11 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our LORD Iesus Christ that yee speake all one thing and that there bee no dissentions among you Be of one minde liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you Thus far of the first branch in the description of Edoms sin and of the doctrine grounded therevpon The doctrine was It is a thing very distastefull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues It was grounded vpon these words He did pursue his brother with the sword It followeth And did cast of all pity or after the Hebrew text did corrupt his compassions which reading is expressed in the margin of our Church Bible and the Geneva translation The English translation set out by Tyndall reads it otherwise He destroyed his mothers wombe and Winckleman reads it violaverit vterum and violated or abused the mothers wombe both do allude to the Greeke edition of the
belli against the day of battell So here the LORD threatneth against Rabbah a shouting in die belli in the day of battell This day of battell is that day of warre and time of trouble mentioned by Iob chap. 38.23 We see now the purpose of our Prophet in vsing these wordes With shouting in the day of battell It is to proclaime warre against Rabbah the chiefe city of the Ammonites and consequently against their whole kingdome This proclamation is more plainely delivered Ierem. 49.2 Behold the daies come saith the LORD that I will cause a noise of warre to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites and it shall be a desolate heape her daughters shall be burnt with fire FroÌ„ this proclamation of warre made by our prophet Amos as in the Lords owne words saying I wil kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell we may take this lesson God sendeth warre vpon a land for the sinnes of a people For proofe of this truth let vs looke into the word of truth In the 26. of Levitic ver 25. thus saith the LORD vnto Israel If ye walke stubbornly against me will not obey me then I will send a sword vpon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my couenant And Ierem. 5.15 vnto the house of Israel thus saith the LORD Lo I will bring a nation â—pon you from farre You heare the LORD speaking in his owne person I will send I wil bring as here I wil kindle Will you any other witnes Then heare what Moses telleth the Israelites Deut. 28.49 The LORD shall bring a nation vpon you from farre from the end of the world flying as an Eagle a nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand a nation of a fierce countenance which will not regarde the person of the old nor haue compassion on the yonge the same shall eate the fruit of thy cattle and the fruit of thy land vntil thou be destroied and he shal leaue thee neither wheat nor wine nor oile nor the increase of thy kine nor the flockes of thy sheepe vntill hee haue brought thee to nought By this speech of Moses we plainely see that warre and all the evils of warre are from the LORD that warre is r Cominaeus Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. one of the accomplishments of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts and that it is sent by God vpon a land for the sinnes of the people as my doctrine goeth Let vs now make some vse of it Is it true beloved Doth God send warre vpon a land for the sinnes of a people How then can we looke that the happy peace which we now enioy should be continued among vs sith by our dayly sinning wee provoke Almighty God vnto displeasure Let the consideration hereof lead vs to repentance Repentance the gift of God the ioy of Angels the salue of sinnes the haven of sinners let vs possesse it in our hearts The Angels of heaven need it not because they sinne not the Devils in Hell care not for it for their iudgement is sealed It only appertaineth to the sonnes of men therefore let vs the sonnes of meÌ„ possesse it in our hearts that is let vs truely vnfeinedly forsake our old sinnes and turne vnto the LORD our God so shall this blessed peace all other good things be continued among vs. But if we will persist in our evill waies not regarding what the LORD shall speake vnto vs either in his holy word or by his faithfull Ministers we may expect the portion of these Ammonites that God should kindle a fire in our Rabbahs our best fenced cities which shall devoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battaile Thus much of the terrour of this iudgemeÌ„t Now followeth the speed in the next circumstance With a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde Suiting hereto is the reading of Mercer cum tempestate in die turbinis and that of Tremellius cum procella in die turbinis with a storme or tempest in the day of the whirlewinde Calvin hath in turbine in diâ— tempestatis in a whirlewinde in a day of tempest Brentius in turbine in die tempestatis in a whirlewinde and in a day of tempest Gualter cum turbine in die tempestatis with a whirlewinde in a day of tempest And this reading Drusius rather approveth then the former Take which you wil the meaning is one the same Namely that the warre here denounced to the Ammonites in the former clause should come vpon them tanquam turbo in die tempestatis like vnto a whirlewinde in a tempestuous and stormie day Turbine nihil celerius a whirlewinde comes suddainely and with speed so was this warre to come vpon the children of Ammon Thus haue we the meaning of our Prophet let vs nowe take a view of such doctrines as may from hence bee taken for our further instruction First whereas the punishment here threatned to the Ammonites is to come vpon them with a whirlewinde in a day of tempest in a tempestuous and stormy day we may learne that Stormes Tempests Whirlewindes and the like are the Lords creatures ready at his commande to be employed by him in the avenging of his quarrell against sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the primary principal efficient cause of stormes tempests whirlewindes and the like is God God as he is the sole maker totius vniversitatis rerum of this world and all that is in it so is he also a most free and omnipotent ruler of the same He alone is able to raise tempests and at his pleasure to allay them againe Who raised the storme that endangered the ship wherein Ionah was was it not the LORD Yes For so it 's written Ion. 1.4 The LORD sent out a great winde into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea so that the shippe was like to be broken Neither was this tempest caâ—â—â—ed till rebellious Ionah was cast out of the ship into the Sea 〈◊〉 it appeareth ver 15. Well therefore is it â—â—â—ll of the Psalmist Psal 148.8 of fire haile and snow and vapours stormie windes that they execute Gods word they are all ready at his commandement to execute what he wil haue them to do Windes and tempests they depend not vpon chance or blind fortune but on the soveraigne power of the Almighty Creatour So true is my doctrine Stormes Tempests Whirlewinds the like are the Lords creatures ready at his command to be employed by him in the avenging of his quarrell against sinners One vse of it is for our instruction Whosoeuer hee bee that walketh by land or passeth by sea if windes stormes or tempests doe hinder his purpose or disquiet him in his enterprise hee must assigne it to the providence of Almightie God A second vse serveth for reproofe of such as are of opinion that witches sorcerers coniurers and the Devill can Å¿ Grynaeus in
wont to begin his learning with God and S. Nicholas be my speed For such as neezed the prayer was God helpe and S. Iohn And for the stumbling horse God and S. Loy saue thee May not now a Godâ—y man iustly for zealous indignation cry out O heaven O 〈◊〉 O feaâ— what madnesse wickednesse against God were our forefathers fallen into They tooke delight in the service of stocks and stones the workes of their owne hands they worshipped and serued the creature aboue the Creator which is blessed for ever But what profit had they of such their worship Found they any helpe in the day of visitatioÌ„ No. Those Images themselues could not helpe themselues how then could they help their worshippers Themselues were broken downe and removed from out our churches their worshippers are removed with them In their steede the light of the glorious gospell of God now shineth in our churches now is superstition exiled the true service of God is come in place and Christ for his mercies sake touch vs and giue vs feeling and make vs thankful for this so great a blessing Thus haue you the first vse A second followeth It serveth for a reproofe to vs also For though wee haue cast of the yoke of Romish superstition and haue kept our selues vnspotted of the adoration and worship of Images yet are wee not free froÌ„ Idolatry but are many waies stained therewith Whatsoever this world hath visible or invisible outward or inward if it displace God of his right by carying our heart and hope after it it is our Idol Thus is gold siluer or our mony an Idol if we make it our hope or say to the wedge thou art my coÌ„fidence Iob. 31.24 In this sense S. Paule Coloss 3.5 calleth covetousnes Idolatry and Eph. 5.5 he calleth the covetous person an Idolater Thus is our substance an Idol if as Iob speaketh chap. 31.25 We reioice because it is great or because our hand hath gotten much Like those Habak 1.16 Who did sacrifice to their nets burne incense to their flues where all they are taxed for Idolaters who because their portion is encreased and their meale plenteous by such instruments and helps as they vse in their trades of life do forget the right authour of their wealth arrogate all to themselues and their serviceable meanes Thus is our wit and vnderstanding an Idol when we ascribe vnto theÌ„ our getting of riches of gold silver into our treasures like the prince of Tyrus Ezech. 28.2 who with this conceite exalted in heart brake out into that most blasphemous challenge I am a God and I sit in the seate of God in the middest of the sea Such is the Idol of the Polititians shall I call them or Atheists of this age who take themselues to be wiser then Daniel as the prince of Tyrus did and are perswaded that Moses and the Prophets are not so able to instruct them as they themselues Thus is our strength an Idol if we boast of it as Sennacherib did Esai 37.24 who bragged what great matters he had done by the multitude of his chariots but touching the true LORD of hoasts as if he were lesse then nothing he vauÌ„teth to Hezekiah king of Iudah vers 10. Let not thy God deceiue thee Thus is our belly our God when walking after the lusts of our flesh we serue not the LORD Iesus Christ but our owne bellies as S. Paule speaketh Rom. 16.18 Of such speaketh the same Apostle Philip. 3.19 Many do walke as enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is daÌ„nation whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who minde earthly things Whose God is their belly Thus beloved you see what Idols are yet remaining among vs how we are defiled with them What remaineth but that we suffer our selues to be exhorted in the words of Barnabâ—s Paule to the men of Lystra Act. 14.15 that we would turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from those vaine Idols to serue the living God Thus farre of my second doctrine which was Neither Melchom of the Ammonites nor any other Idol of any other people can saue themselues in the day of captivity much lesse can they saue the people that do trust in them and worship them Which doctrine I grounded vpon the second reading of my text Melchom shall go into captivity he and his princes together Nowe followeth the third generall part of this prophecie against the children of Ammon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith the LORD This is the conclusion of this prophecie in redoubleth it's authority and credit Authority and credit sufficient it hath froÌ„ it's very front and preface vers 13. Thus saith the LORD It is here redoubled Saith the LORD Hath the LORD said it and shall he not do it Hath he spokeÌ„ it and shall he not accomplish it The LORD IEHOVAH the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heaven and earth shall passe before one iote or one title of Gods word shall scape vnfulfilled IEHOVAH the LORD saith whatsoever our Prophet Amos hath here denounced against the Ammonites It is the LORD that saith it Amos is but the LORDS Minister the words are the LORDS Whence we may take this doctrine The author of holy Scripture is neither man nor Angel nor any other creature how excellent soever but only the living and immortall God This truth may likewise be grouÌ„ded vpon the preface to the ensuing prophecy And therfore sith my houre is almost spent and your attention welnigh tired I put of the handling of this doctrine till God giue me opportunity to speake againe vnto you Meane time let this which hath been delivered vnto you non meis viribus sed Christi misericordiâ not by any strength of mine but by the mercy of our LORD Iesus Christ serue for the exposition of this first chapter 1. Tim. 1.17 Vnto the king eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God three persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS