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
A COMMENTARIE OR EXPOSITION VPON THE FIRST Chapter of the Prophecy of AMOS delivered in XXI Sermons in the Parish Church of MEISEY HAMPTON in the Diocesse of Gloucester BY SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD DOCTOR of Divinity and fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford HEREVNTO IS ADDED A SERMON vpon 1. Cor. 9.19 wherein is touched the lawfull vse of things indifferent EPHES. 5.16 Redeeme the time because the daies are evill Printed at Oxford by Ioseph Barnes and are to be sold by Iohn Barnes dwelling neere Holborne Conduit 1613. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD AND MY VERY GOOD LORD IOHN KING BY the Divine providence L. Bishop of London S. B. wisheth all grace and happinesse RIGHT REVEREND AND HONOVRABLE I Haue adventured this second time to commend my poore laboures to your Honourable protection My former were involued in a few paper leaues In presenting them to your Lordship I seemed not much vnlike the Samian Poet Choerilus who presumed to offer to great ALEXANDER a few harsh verses Your then favourable acceptance of that litle Sermō hath emboldned this larger volume to presse into your L. presence It conteineth coūtry Sermons They intend principally the reformation of māners in such as desire to liue a godly life in this present world This is the mite which for this time I cast into Gods treasurie If I haue done it with your Honoures good liking I shall the lesse regard what bitter tongues shall say Censurers I will not heed I know whose liveries they walke in It must be an admirable piece of worke that shall haue their approbation Against such I oppose a wall of brasse VVhat I doe I doe it only to discharge some little parte of that duty which I owe vnto Gods people through my Ministery I may not longer detaine your Lordship God Almighty so blesse your governement in his Church among vs that the bounds of the Gospell of CHRIST may be enlarged that faithfull Pastors may be comforted that the enimies of true religion may be suppressed that the glory of God in all may be advanced YOVR HONOVRES in all duty and service to be commaunded SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD From my Study in CORPVS CHRISTI COLLEGE in OXFORD Iuly 5. 1613. The Preface to the Christian Reader GENTLE READER These sermons were provided for the Pulpit not intended for the Presse Yet sith I liue in a prodigall age of the world wherein too many with their vnprofitable if not obscene Pamphlets doe runne a Ad prelum tanquam praelium to the Presse as a horse to the battell and are entertained with applause I haue the more willingly now published them to thy view Thou wilt say There is already great store of Sermons abroad more then we can well vse I deny it not Yet to the fulnesse of this Sea I adde more and repent not Is abundance a burden to thee If thy soule may be fed with variety as well by the eie as by the eare hast thou any reason to finde fault But weake stomackes may surfet at the sight of too much Let such favour their eie-sight They may easily looke of and please themselues with their old choise There is no reason that their daintinesse should prejudice that profit which others might reape from this abundance Wee that are called to be labourers in the Lords harvest must resolue with the LORD of the Harvest His resolution was b Ioh. 9.4 I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke Our day is our life time the only time for vs to worke in If now in this our day time we will insteed of working onely treasure vp knowledge in our hearts as that horder in the c Cap. 11.26 Proverbs did his corne in his storehouse or will wrap vp the gifts wherewith God hath blessed vs in wast papers as the slothfull servant in the * Luk. 19.20 Gospell did his talent in a napkin the night will come vpon vs and we shall not worke Suffer vs therefore while it is our day to worke Our worke consisteth in the preaching of the Gospell The Gospell is preached as well d Ambo-verbū praedicant hic quidem scripto ille verò voce Clem. Alex. stromat lib. 1 interprete Gentiano Herveto p 57 edit Basil in fol. An. 1556. paulò pòst Praedicandi scientia est quodammodo Angelica vtrovis modo iuvans seu per manum seu per linguam operetur There is not any thing PVBLIKELY NOTIFIED but wee may in that respect rightly and properly say it is PREACHED Luk. 8 39. 12.3 Hooker Eccl. Polit. l. 5. § 18. pag. 28 Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles were in their times all PREACHERS of Gods truth some by WORD some by WRITING some by BOTH Hooker ibid. § 19. pag. 29. The Apostles in WRITING are not vntruely nor vnfitly said to PREACH Hooker lib. 5. § 21. pag 39. vide ibid. plura Evangelizo MANV SCRIPTIONE Rainold de Rom. Eccles Idololat Praef. ad Com. Essex pag. 7. by writing as by speaking as well by pen as by tongue The word spoken for the time is most piercing but the letter written is of most continuance I shall account it my happinesse if I may doe good both waies My place in that worthy Foundation whereof I am an vnworthy member wearing me out in the reading of HVMANITIE now the fourteenth yeare hath hindred mee from doing that good I wished to haue done the one way by my speaking by my tongue If the other way by my writing by my penne I may redeeme the time past and by these my poore labours may doe some good not only to * The inhabitants of MEIS BY HAMPTON MARSTON and DVNFIELD in the Diocesse of Gloucester them among whom I first sowed this seed but also to other Congregations of my Country I haue enough If deare CHRISTIAN thou find in these my Sermons the same things iterated marvaile not thereat I haue my Prophets warrant for it He in this first chapter repeateth the same things fiue times over May not I after his ensample doe it once or twise I must professe vnto thee good CHRISTIAN that my cheefe intent in this Commentarie is the destruction of sinne If to any of the learned J seeme to haue failed of my purpose my earnest desire is that they will bee pleased to take the paines to amend it The rest who to this poore labour of mine shall afford their gratious and favourable good liking I heartily entreat to help me with their godly prayers that this worke whatsoever else of like kinde I shall hereafter attempt to publish to the censure of the world may wholy redound to the glory of God and good of his Church Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord JESVS that great Shepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the everlasting covenant sanctifie thee throughout that enioying the peace
neither Empire nor Kingdome nor place in them of dignitie prioritie or preeminence Ecclesiasticall or politique is gottē by the industrie wisedome wit or strength of man but that all are administred ruled and governed by the deputation and ordination of the highest power God almightie A second vse is to stop blasphemous mouthes such as are evermore open against heaven with i Cic. de nat Deor. Epicurus and k Cic. ibid. Diagoras and their adherents to affirme that the God of heaven in as much as he is absolutely blessed is not to trouble himselfe with cares for this lower world that it standeth not with Gods maiestie to care for the vile abiect and despised things of this world This impious rabble and Sathans brood doe think that all things below the moone are ruled by their blind Goddesse Fortune and by Chance Heere must I beseech you to let your hearts bee ioined with mine in the consideration of God his sweet never sleeping care and providence over this lower world Let vs not suppose our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the moone a God vpon the mountaines and not in the vallies a God in the greater not in the lesser employments The holy scriptures doe teach vs that our God examineth the lest moments and titles in the world that we can imagin to a l 1 King 17.14 handfull of meale to a m Ibid. cruse of oyle in a poore widdows house to the falling of n Matth. 10.29 sparrows to the ground to the o Matth. 6.26 feeding of the birds of the aire to the p Psal 29.9 calving of hinds to the q Matth. 6.30 clothing of the grasse of the field to the r Luk. 12 7. numbring of the haires of four heads to the trickling of ſ Psal 56.8 teares downe our cheekes Why then are wee troubled with the vaine conceits of luck fortune or chance Why will any man say this fell vnto mee by good lucke or by ill lucke by good fortune or by misfortune by good chance or by mischance We may and should know that in the course of Gods providence all things are determined and regular This is a sure ground we may build vpon it The fish that came to devour Ionas may seeme to haue arrived in that place by chance yet the scripture saith the Lorde had prepared a great fish to swallow Ionas Ion. 1.17 The storme it selfe which droue the pilots to this streight may likewise seeme contingent to the glimse of carnall eies yet the prophet saith I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Ion. 1.12 The fish which Peter tooke might seeme to haue come to the angle by chance yet he brought in his mouth the tribute which Peter paid for his Lord and for himselfe Mat. 17.27 By the diversity of the opinions among the brethren touching the manner of dispatching Ioseph out of the way we may gather that the selling of him into Egypt was but accidentall only agreed vpō by reason of the fit arrival of the merchāts while they were disputing and debating what they were best to do yet saith Ioseph vnto his brethren you sent me not hither but God Gen. 45.8 What may seeme more contingent in our eies then by the glancing of an arrow from the common marke to strike a travailer that passeth by the way yet God himselfe is said to haue delivered the man into the hand of the shooter Exod. 21.13 Some may think it hard fortune that Achab was so strangely made away because a certaine man having bent his bow let slip his arrow at hap hazard without aime at any certaine marke t 1. King 22.34 strooke the King but here wee finde no lucke nor chance at all otherwise then in respect of vs for that the shooter did no more then was denounced to the King by Micheas from Gods owne mouth before the battaile was begunne 1. King 22.17 What in the world can be more casuall then lottery yet Salomon teacheth that when the lots are cast into the lap the providence of God disposeth them Prov. 16.33 See now and acknowledge with me the large extent of Gods good providence Though his dwelling be on high yet abaseth he himselfe to behold vs below From his good providence it is that this day we are here met togither I to preach the word of God you to heare it some of vs to be made partakers of the blessed body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Let vs poure out our souls in thankfulnesse before God for this his blessing You are nowe invited to the marriage supper of the lambe every one that wil approach vnto it let him put on his wedding garment A garment nothing like the old ragges of the Gibeonites which deceived Ioshua Ios 9.5 A garment nothing like the suit of apparell which Micah gaue once a year to his Levite Iud. 17.10 A garment nothing like the soft cloathing worne in kings courts Mat. 11.8 But a garment something like the garment of the high Priest which had all the names of the tribes of Israel written vpon his brest Exod. 28.21 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on in whose brest and book of merits are written and registred all the names of the faithful but a garment something like Elias Mantle which devided the waters 2. King 2.8 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on who devideth your sinnes and punishments that so you may escape from your enimies sin and death but a garment something like the garments of the Israelites in the wildernesse which did not weare 40 yeares together they wandred in the desert yet saith Moses neither their clothes nor their shoes waxed old Deut. 29.5 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on whose righteousnes lasteth for ever and his mercies cannot be worne out Having put on this your wedding garment doubte not of your welcome to this great feast maker If any that heareth me this day hath not yet put on his wedding garment but is desirous to learne how to do it let him following S. Paul his coūsaile Rom. 13.12 cast away the workes of darknes put on the armour of light let him walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife envying let him take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it so shall he put on the Lord Iesus u Psal 24.7 Lift vp your heads you gates and bee you lift vp yee everlasting doors that a guest so richly apparelled may come in sup with the King of glory And the king of glory vouchsafe so to cloth vs all that those gates and everlasting doores may lie open to vs all So at our departure from this vally of mourning we shal haue free and easie passage
pulsabat Ecce adsum veniat Sp. Sanct. faciat id si potest iudicet me per hanc Scripturam condemnet me si potest per eam dicat si potest erras IACOBE GRETSERE tu causâ cecidisti id si dixerit statim transibo ad vestrum scamnuÌ„ non potest me Spiritus Sanct. iudicare per hanc ScripturaÌ„ Rang. ib. k. 2. a. Behold saith he we stand before the face of this Iudge with that he rose vp and tooke the Bible in one of his hands stroke it with the other wee stand saith he before the face of this Iudge See now I am here I vse his owne words as they are set downe by David Rungeus in his description of the forenamed Colloquie Ecce adsum behold now I am here let the holy Spirit iudge me if he can by this Scripture let him condemne me if he can by Scripture the holy Spirit cannot iudge me by Scripture he cannot let him doe it if he can he cannot condemne me by Scripture Increpet te Deus Sathâ—â— Gretser we doubt not but that the LORD hath or will rebuke thee Dearely beloved in the Lord Schollers can tell you of BroÌ„tes Steropes Pyracmoâ— Polyphemus and others of that rabble of Cyclops and Giants who made a head banded themselues together to plucke Iupiter from out his throne Behold in this Iesuite Venè Cyclopicam audaciam as great impudencie as ever was seene in any Cyclops face that a man by profession a Christian and among Popish Christians of the precise sect a sanctified Iesuite should challenge to a single coÌ„bat God Almighty who would thinke it Some that were at the Colloquie at Worms An. 1557 haue often remembred in their common talke c Rung Colloq Ratisb Q. 2 a. a newe insolent and vnheard of assertion maintained by the Papists Sacram Scripturam non esse vocem iudicis sed materiam litis that the holy Scripture is not a iudges voice but rather the matter of strife and contention It was indeed a strange assertion and by a consequent striking God himselfe the author of holy Scripture Yet you see it is by our modern Iesuits this day matched forasmuch as with their impious assertions touching holy Scripture they do directly strike the holy Spirit It is an old saying ex vngue Leonem A man may knowe a Lyon by his claw Surely let men of vnderstanding consider the audaciousnes impudencie and furie of railing with which those Iesuits before named haue beene throughly replenished they must acknowledge and confesse that those Iesuits were guided by the Spirit of lyes and blasphemies You alreadie see the readinesse of popish Doctors to tread Scripture vnder foot and to do it all the disgrace they can Yet giue me leaue I beseech you by some instance to shew the same vnto you The instance which I make choice of is Gods soveraignety over the Kings and Kingdomes of this world q Hereof I entreated in a Sermon vpon Hos 10.7 Kings and kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almighty A truth included within the generall doctrine commended by S. Paule to the Romans chap. 13.1 All powers that be are ordeined of God acknowledged by Elihu Iob. 34.24 God shall breake the mightie and set vp other in their steed expressed in the praier of Daniel chap. 2.21 God taketh away Kings setteth vp Kings proclaimed as in the Lords owne words Prov. 8.15 16. By me Kings reigne by me princes nobles and iudges do rule This truth hath 3 branches displaied in so many propositions by Lipsius in his r In Monitis Politicis politique advertisements Lib. 1. c. 5. 1 Kings and Kingdomes are given by God 2 Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God 3 Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled governed by God All three are further made good in the infallible evidence of the written word of God The first was Å¿ Regna à Deo Reges dari Lipsius Monit Polit. lib. 1. c. 5. p. 24 Kings and Kingdomes are given by God Thus saith the LORD of Saules successour 1. Sam. 16.1 I haue provided me a King among the sonnes of Ischai and of the revolt of the ten tribes in the rent of the kingdome of Israel 1. King 12.24 This thing is done by me of the victories which Nabuchodonosor was to get over the King of Iudah and other his neighbour Kings the Kings of Edom of Moab of the Ammonites of Tyre of Zidon Ier. 27.6 I haue given all these lands into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the King of Babel my servant It is true which we learne Psal 75.6 Advancement is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the wildernesse Our God is iudge he alone advanceth You see now it is plaine by holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are given by God The second was t Regna à Deo Reges tolli Lips ib. pag. 28. Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God That Gods hand is likewise exercised in the removall of Kings translation of kingdomes it s wel known as by the aboue-cited texts of Scripture so by divine examples whereof I might make a long recitall would I remember you out of Gen. 14. of the fall of those Kings delivered into the hands of Abraham out of Exod. 14. 15. of Pharaohs overthrow in the red sea out of Dan. 4. 5. of Nabuchadnezzar Belshazzar his sonne dispossessed of their crownes and out of other places of the divinely inspired worde of like patterns It s plaine without any further proofe that Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God The third was r Regna à Deo Reges temperari Lips Ibid. p. 34. Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled governed by God For proofe hereof I need no more but remember you of that which I recoÌ„mended to you in the beginning of this Sermon even of the wonderfull extent of Gods care providence to the least and basest things in this world as I said to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oile in a poore widdowes house to the falling of sparrowes to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the calving of hinds to the clothing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of tears down our cheeks Shall God care for these vile and base things and shall he not much more order rule and governe Kings and kingdomes Now beloved in the Lord you see by the evidence of holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almightie Giue eare I beseech you while I shew you how this doctrine and the holy word of God whereon it is grounded is in popish religion neglected disgraced troden vnder foot Romes chiefest champion Cardinall Bellarmine in his fifth booke De Rom. Pontif. cap. 7. doth exempt Kings and kingdomes from the disposition of the Lord of heaven notwithstanding the eternall truth
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 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanch. de nat Dei lib. 1. c. 13 not to be pronounced or taken within polluted lips that it is a c Cael. Rhodiginus Lect. antiq lib. â—2 cap. 9. Quem nos DEVM nuÌ„cupamâ— Aegyptij THEVT Persae dicunt SYRE Magorum disciplina ORSI vnde profluxit Oromasis Iam apud Hebraerum geÌ„tem celebre est quatuor vocalium Dei sacrum nomeÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod inde TetragraÌ„maton dicunt alia voce ex primitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecis vero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatur Arabibus ALLA Sic ZaÌ„c de natura Dei lib. 1. cap. 13. Apud Graecos post Hebraeos nomen Dei neÌ„pe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quatuor constat literis Sic apud Latinos DEVS vnde Hisponi dicunt DIOS Itali IDIO Galli DIEV Germanis quoque Anglis quatuor est literarum GOTT Sic Chaldaeis Syris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aethiopibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aegyptijs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Assyrijs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magis est Oâ—SI Dalmatis seu Illyriâ—â— BOGI Maometanis Aâ—GD Gentibus in mundo novo repertis ZIMI naâ—â— of foure letters in all tongues and languages and that these foure letters in Hebrew are all d Literae quiescentes letters of Rest to signifie vnto vs that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all the creatures in the world is in God alone that it is a e Zanch. vbi suprà powerful name for the working of miracles and that Christ and Moses had by it done great wonders But my tongue shall never enlarge that which my soule abhorreth such brainsick superstitious and blasphemous inventions Yet this I dare avouch before you that there is some secret in this name It is plaine Exod. 6.3 There the LORD speaking vnto Moses saith I appeared vnto Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob by the name of a strong omnipotent and al sufficient God but by my name Iehovah was I not knowne vnto them I vnfold this secret This great name IEHOVAH first it importeth the eternitie of Gods essence in himselfe that he is f Heb. 23.8 yesterday and today and the same for ever g Apoc. 1.8 which was which is and which is to come Againe it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God as from whome all creatures in the world haue their h Act. 17.28 life motion and being God is the being of all his creatures not that they are the same that he is but because of i Rom. 11.36 him and in him and by him are all things And last of al it is the Memoriall of God vnto al ages as himselfe calls it Exod. 3.15 the memoriall of his faithfulnesse his truth his constancie in the performance of his promises And therefore whensoever in any of the Prophets God promiseth or threatneth any great matter to assure vs of the most certaine event of such his promise or threatning he addes vnto it his name IEHOVAH In steed of this Hebrew name IEHOVAH the most proper name of God the 70. interpreters of the old Testament doe every where vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greeke name a name of power wel suiting with the living true and only God For hee hath plenum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The power and authority which he hath over all things is soveraigne without controlement He that made the heavens and spread them out like a k Psal 104.2 curtaine to cloath himselfe with light as with a garment he can againe l Esai 50.3 cloath the heaven with darknesse and make a sacke their covering He that made the sea to m Psal 104.3 lay the beames of his chamber therein and n Ierem. 5.22 placed the sand for bounds vnto it by a perpetuall decree not to be passed over howsoever the waues thereof shall rage and roare he can with a worde o Iob. 26.12 smite the pride thereof At his rebuke the flouds shall be turned p Esai 50.2 into a wildernesse the Sea shall be dried vp the fish shall rot for want of water and die for thirst He that made the drie land and so set it vpon q Psal 104.5 fouÌ„dations that it should never moue hee can cover her againe with the deepe as with a garment and so rocke her that shee shall r Psal 107.27 reele to and fro and stacker like a drunken man So powerfull a God may wel be named from power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the absolute LORD ruler and commander of all things This name of power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly put for the Hebrew name IEHOVAH coÌ„monly rendred in our English tongue LORD is in the writings of the Apostles simply and absolutely if the learned haue made a Å¿ Zanch. de Attrib lib. 1. c. 17. iust calculation ascribed vnto CHRIST 1000 times and may serue for sufficient proofe of the deitie of CHRIST For it imports thus much that CHRIST the t Heb. 1.3 engraved forme of his Father sitting at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest places is together with the Father and the Holy Ghost the author and governour of al things and in a very speciall manner he is the heire of the house of God the mightie protector of the Church CHRIST the only begotten SoÌ„ne of God he is the LORD yet so that neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost are excluded from dominion The Father is LORD the Holy Ghost is LORD too For in all the workes of God ad extra so we speak in the schooles but to speake more vnderstandingly to your capacities in al externall works each person of the TRINITIE hath his operation Yet so that a common distinction be observed For these externall workes of God do admit a double consideratioÌ„ u Zanch. de Incarn lib 2. c. 3. q. 1. Thes 2. either they are begâ—n 〈◊〉 the Divine persons and ended x extra divivinas personas in some one of them or they are both begun and ended 〈◊〉 the Divine persons The works of God begunne externally and ended in some one of the persons what are they They are such as was the Voice of the Fâ—â—her concerning CHRIST z Matt. 3.17 This is my beloved sonne a voice formed by all three persons y In aliqua personarum yet vttered only by the Father They are such as was that a Matt. 3 16. Doue descending vpon CHRIST at his baptisme a Doue framed by al three persons yet appropriate only to the Holy Ghost They are such as were the body and soule of CHRIST a body and soule created by all three persons yet assumed only by the sonne of God This is that obvious and much vsed distinction in schoole divinity Inchoativè terminative I thus expound it In these now named workes of God the voice that was spoken vnto CHRIST
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
Iacob with Moses the Prophets with CHRIST and the Apostles But how hee spake that is disputed of by the ancient and learned Fathers St o In cap. 7. Esai Basil is of opinion that the Prophets did not at all with their outward eares heare God speaking to them but that the word of the LORD is said to haue come vnto them because their mindes were illuminated and their vnderstanding enlightned by the shining of the true light in great measure readily to conceaue what God would haue revealed faithfully to publish it according to the will of God St p De Genesi ad literam lib. 11. c. 33. Austine enquiring how God spake with Adam Eue writeth to this purpose It may be God talked with them as he talketh with his Angels by some q Intrinsecus inessabilibus modis internall and secret meanes as by giving light to their minds vnderstandings or it may be he talked with thē by his creature which God vseth to doe two manner of waies either by some vision to men in a trance so he talked with Peter Act. 10. or else by presenting some shape and semblance to bodily senses So God by his Angels talked with Abraham Gen 18. with Lot Gen. 19. St r Expos Moral lib 28. in cap. 38. B. Iob. cap. 2. Gregorie most accurately handleth this question to this sense God speaketh two manner of waies 1 By himselfe as when hee speaketh to the heart by the inward inspiration of the holy Spirit After which sense wee must vnderstand that which we read Act. 8.29 The spirit said vnto Philip goe neere ioyne thy selfe to yonder chariot that is Philip was inwardly moued to draw neere and ioyne himselfe to the chariot wherein the Aethiopian Eunuch sate and read the Prophecie of Esay The like words we find Act. 10.19 The spirit said vnto Peter Behold three men seeke thee the meaning is the same Peter was inwardly moued by the holy Spirit to depart from Ioppa and to goe to Caesarea to preach vnto the Gentiles to Cornelius his companie Where we may note thus much for our comforts that whensoever we are inwardly moved and doe feele our hearts touched with an earnest desire either to make our private requests vnto God or to come to the place of publike prayer or to heare a sermon we may be assured that the HOLY SPIRIT God by himselfe speakes vnto vs. 2 God speaketh to vs by his creatures Angelicall and other and that in diverse manners 1 In word only as when no forme is seene but a voice only is heard as Iohn 12.28 when Christ prayed Father glorifie thy name immediatly there came a voice from heaven I both haue glorified it and will glorifie it againe 2 In deed only as when no voice is heard but some semblance only is objected to the senses S. Gregorie for illustration of this second way of Gods speaking by his creatures bringeth for example the vision of Ezechiel 1.4 He saw a whirle winde come out of the North with a great clowd and fire wrapped about it and in the middest of the fire the likenes of Amber All this hee saw but you heare no mention of any voice Here was res sine verbo a deed but no voice 3 Both in word deed as when there is both a voice heard and also some semblāce obiected to the senses as happened vnto Adam presently after his fall He heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden Gen. 3.8 4 By shapes presented to the inward eies of our hearts So Iacob in his dreame saw a ladder reach frō earth to heaven Gen. 28.12 So Peter in a trance saw a vessell descende from heaven Act. 10.11 So Paule in a vision saw a man of Macedonia standing by him Act. 16.9 5 By shapes presented to our bodily eies So Abraham saw the three men that stoode by him in the plaine of Mamre Gen. 18.2 And Lot saw the two Angels that came to Sodome Gen. 19.1 6 By Celestiall substances So at Christes baptisme a ſ Mat. 3.17 voice was heard out of a clowd as also at his t Mat. 17.5 transfiguration vpon the mount This is my beloved sonne c. By Celestiall substances I do here vnderstand not only the Heauens with the works therin but also fire the highest of the elements and the Aire nexte vnto it togither with the Windes and Clowds 7 By Terrestiall substances So God to reproue the dulnesse of Balaam enabled Balaams owne Asse to speake Num. 22.28 8 Both by Celestiall and Terrestiall substances as whē God appeared vnto Moses in a flame of fire out of the middest of a bush Exod. 3.2 You see now how God of old at sundry times in diverse manners did speake to man either by himselfe or by his creatures by his creatures many waies sometimes in word sometimes in deed sometimes in both word and deed sometimes in sleepings sometimes in watchings sometimes by Celestiall substances sometimes by Terrestiall sometimes by both Celestiall and Terrestiall To make some vse of this doctrine let vs consider whether God doth not now speake vnto vs as of old hee did to our forefathers We shal finde that now also he speaketh vnto vs by himselfe whensoever by the inspiration of his holy Spirit he moveth our hearts to religious and pure thoughts and also by his creatures sometime by fire when he consumeth our dwelling houses sometime by thunder when hee throweth downe our strong holds sometime by heate sometime by drouth sometime by noysome wormes Locusts and Caterpillers when he takes from vs the staffe of bread sometime by plagues when in a few monthes he taketh from vs many thousands of our brethren sometime by enemies when he impoverisheth vs by warre All these and whatsoever other like these are Gods voices and do call vs to repentance But as when there came a voice from heaven to CHRIST Ioh. 12 2◠the people that stood by and heard would not bee perswaded that it was Gods voice some of thē saying that it thundred others that an Angell spake so we howsoever God layes his hand vpon vs by fire by thunder by famine by pestilence by warre or otherwise we will not be perswaded that God speakes vnto vs we wil rather attribute these things to nature to the heavens to starres and planets to the malice of enimies to chance and the like As perverse as we are there is a voice of God which we cannot but acknowledge to be his and at this time to bee directed vnto vs. Mention of it is made Heb. 1.2 In these last daies God hath spoken to vs by his sonne The gospell of Christ is the voice of God It is the voice of God the rule of all instruction the first stone to be laid in the whole building that clowd by day that pillar by night whereby all our actions are to be guided This gospell of CHRIST and voice of God
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
Iudg. 9.5 in Ieremie twise evill entreated first beaten and put in the stocks by Pashare Ier. 20.2 and a second time beaten imprisoned by Zâ—dechias his nobles Ierem. 37.15 In the three children cast into the fiery fornace by Nabuchodonosor Dan. 5.21 Many more are the examples registred in the booke of God fit to proue this point which also may further appeare vnto you in those bloody persecutions after Christ his death by the Romane Emperours in those strange torments which they devised to keepe downe religion and religious professours men women they plucked of their skins quicke they boared out their eies with wimbles they broyled theÌ„ aliue on gredirons they scalded them in boiling liquors they enclosed theÌ„ in barrels and driving great nailes through tumbled them downe mountaines till their owne bloud so cruelly drawne out stiffled choaked them in the barrels womens breasts were scared of with burning yrons their bodies rent and their iointes racked Many more were the grievous torments endured by the faithfull in the time of the ten first persecutions in the primitiue Church All and every of which doe strongly proue my doctrine God often humbleth his servants vnder his foes and their adversaries The reason why God humbleth his servants vnder his and their enemies is their disobedience to his word This is plaine Deut. 28.36 37. If thou wilt not obey the voice of the LORD thy God to keepe and to do all his commandements his ordinances the LORD shall bring thee and thy king vnto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowne and there shalt thou serue other Gods wood stone And thou shalt be a wonder a proverb and a common talke among all the people whether the LORD shall carry thee Where you see captivity and banishment denounced to Gods owne people if they disobey his word You haue now my doctrine and the reason of it My doctrine God often humbleth his servants vnder his foes and their adversaries The reason is The disobedience of Gods servants to the word of God The vses of this doctrine 1 To shew vnto vs how great Gods anger is for sinne that doth punish it so severely even in his dearest children The coÌ„sideration hereof should worke in vs a loathing hatred detestatioÌ„ of sin Yet such is the perversity of our corrupt natures that we daily fleet from sin to sin like the fly that shifteth from sore to sore we tempt the LORD we murmur we lust we commit idolatrie we haue our eies full of adultery our hearts exercised with covetousnes our bodies weakned with druÌ„kennes by all meanes we serue the flesh sitting downe to eate rising to play Never more need then now to smite our brests pray with the Publicane Luk. 18.13 O God be mercifull vnto vs sinners 2 To teach vs not to measure the favour of God towards our selues or others by the blessings or adversities of this life seeing the wicked do often flourish wheÌ„ the godly are in great misery and on the other side the godly do prosper when the wicked are in distresse In my text we see the Gileadites a portion of ISRAEL threshed with instruâ—â—â—tâ— of 〈◊〉 by the â—ands of a wicked people and Gods enemies the Syrians of Damascus Behold the prosperity of the wicked In Exod. 14. we see the children of Israel passing through the red sea aâ— by dry land whereas the Egyptians assaying to do the like were drowned Behold the prosperity of the Godly Measure not therfore the favour of God by the blessings or adversities of this life Whatsoever our estate bee now or hereafter shall be let vs therewith be contented If God be pleased to blesse vs with peace plenty and prosperity blessed be his holy Name if he shall not like so to blesse vs but shall rather chastise vs with trouble want and adversity yet still blessed bee his holy Name and his will be done 3 To make vs power out our soules in thankfulnes before Almighty God for our present estate and condition We know that our sworne enemies the Popish crew and faction haue of long time envyed and malized our happy peace Had they had power according to their will how would they haue vsed vs Would they not haue threshed vs with threshing instrumentes of yron What mercy or pity could be expected from them who with so inhumane barbarous and cruel a plot their plot of gunpowder the like wherof was never before heard of would haue blowne vp and torne piecemeale the King Queene Prince Lords and Commons the fift of November i This SermoÌ„ was preached Sept. 21. 1606 last as you well know what shal we render vnto the LORD for this so great a deliverance Let vs render the calues of our lips applying Davids song of degrees Psalme 124. to our present purpose 1 If the Lord had not beene on our side may great Britaine now say 2 If the LORD had not beene on our side when the Popish sect rose vp against vs. 3 They had swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs. 4 Then had their k Seaven sparkes of the enkindled soule by R.B.P. Psal 2. pag. 33. fury flien forth as thunder the flame had burst out beyond the fornace 5 Then had we beene like l Ibid. stubble in their way 6 Praised be the LORD who hath not given vs a pray vnto their teeth 7 Our soule is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and we are delivered 8 Our helpe is in the name of the LORD who hath made heaven and earth To this thankefulnes I purpose further to incite you if God giue life and leaue vpon the fift of November next the day appointed by act of parliament for your publique thanksgiving for that most happy deliverance My text shall bee the Psalme now applyed vnto vs the 124. Meane time let vs beseech Almighty God to giue his blessing to that which hath beene spoken that it may fructifie and bring forth fruit in vs in some thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold to the glory of Gods holy name and the salvation of our owne soules THE EIGHTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.4 Therefore will I send a fire into the house of HAZAEL and it shall devoure the palaces of BENHADAD c. THis is the fourth part of this prophecy against the Syrians wherein are set downe the punishments to be inflicted vpoÌ„ the Syrians for their sinnes as first I noted Generally verse the 4th Specially verse the 5th In the fourth verse wherein the punishments to be inflicted vpon the Syrians are generally set downe I note 1 Who punisheth 2 How he punisheth 3 Whom he punisheth The punisher is the LORD he punisheth by fire The punished are the Syrians to be vnderstood in the names of their Kings Hazael and Benhadad I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devoure the palaces of Benhadad
The punisher is the LORD for thus saith the LORD I will send The note yeeldeth vs this doctrine It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes In speaking of the vengeance of God our first care must bee not to derogate any thing from his proclivitie and propensnes vnto mercy We must breake out into the mention of his greate goodnesse and sing alowd of his mercies as David doth Ps 145.7 The Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse he is louing good to all his mercy is over all his works The Lord strong and mightie blessed aboue all yea being blessednesse it selfe and therefore hauing no need of any man is louing and good vnto every man Our sinnes haue provoked his vengeance against vs yet he slow to anger and of great goodnes reserueth mercy for thousands for all the elect and forgiueth all their iniquities transgressions and sinnes His goodnesse here resteth not it reacheth also vnto the reprobate though they caÌ„not feele the sweet comfort of it For he maketh his a Matth. 5.45 sunne to rise on the evill the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust yea many times the sunne and raine and all outward and temporary blessings are wanting to the iust and good when the vniust and evill do flourish and are in great prosperitie Thus is Gods graciousnesse great bountie extended vnto every man whether he be a blessed Abel or a cursed Cain a loued Iacob or a hated Esau an elected David or a reiected Saul God is louing and good vnto every man the Psalmist addeth and his mercies are over all his workes There is not any one of Gods workes but it sheweth vnto others findeth in it selfe very large testimonies of Gods mercy and goodnes I except not the damnation of the wicked much lesse the chastisements of the Godly Gods mercies are over all his workes David knewe it well sang accordingly Psal 145.8 The Lord is gracious and mercifull long suffering of great goodnesse Ionah knew it well and confessed accordingly chap. 4.2 Thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of evill The Church knowes it well and praies accordingly O God whose nature and propertie is ever to haue mercy and to forgiue receiue our humble petitions David Ionah and the Church all haue learned it at Gods owne mouth who hauing descended in a cloud to mount Sinai passed before the face of Moses and cryed as is recorded Exod. 34.6 The LORD the LORD strong mercifull graciâ—us â—â—ow to anger abundant in goodnesse and truth reserâ—â—ng mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne In which place of Scripture although afterward there followeth a little of his iustice which hee may not forget yet wee see the maine streame runneth concerning mildnesse and kindnesse and compassion whereby wee may perceaue what it is wherein the LORD delighteth His delight is to be a saviour a deliuerer a preseruer a redeemer and a pardoner As for the execution of his iudgements his vengeance and his furie he comes vnto it with heauy and leaden feâ—te To which purpose Zanchius alleageth that of the Prophet Esai chap. 28.21 The Lord shall stand as once he did in mount Perazim when David overcame the Philistines he shall be angry as once he was in the valley of Gibeon when Ioshua discoÌ„fited the fiue Kings of the Amorites he shall stand he shall be angry that he may doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act out of which words of the Prophet he notes that Gods workes are of two sorts either proper vnto himselfe and naturall as to haue mercy to forgiue or else strange and somewhat diverse from his nature as to be angry and to punish I knowe some doe expound these words otherwise vnderstanding by that strange worke and strange act of God there meÌ„tioned Opus aliquod insolens admirabile some such work as God seldome worketh some great wonder Notwithstanding this naturall exposition of that place the former may wel be admitted also For it is not altogether vnnaturall being grounded vpon such places of Scripture as doe make for the preeminence of mercy aboue iustice It 's true God hath one skale of iustice but the other proues the heauier mercy doth overweigh He who is ever iust is mercifull more then ever if it may be possible Hee may forget our iniquities but his tender mercies he will never forget This our LORD good mercifull gracious and long suffering is here in my text the punisher sendeth fire into the house of Hazael wherevpon I built this doctrine It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This office of executing vengeance vpon the wicked for sinnes God arrogateth and assumeth to himselfe Deut. 32.35 where he saith vengeance and recompense are mine This due is ascribed vnto the LORD by St Paule Rom. 12.19 It is written vengeance is mine I will repaie saith the LORD By the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 10.30 Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD By the sweete singer Psal 94.1 O LORD God the avenger O God the avenger You see by these now-cited places that God alone is hee who executeth vengeance vpon the wicked for their sins This doctrine is faithfully delivered by the wise sonne of Sirach chap. 39. where he saith vers 28. There be spirits that are created for veÌ„geance which in their rigour lay on sure strokes in the time of destruction they shew forth their power and accomplish the wrath of him that made them Fire and haile and famine death 29. al these are created for vengeance The teeth of wilde beasts 30. and the scorpions and the serpents and the sword execute vengeance for the destruction of the wicked Nay saith he vers 26. The principall things for the whole vse of mans life as water and fire and yron and salt meale and wheate and hony and milke and the bloud of the grape and oile and cloathing 27. All those things though they be for good vnto the godly yet to the sinners they are turned vnto evill Soe my doctrine standeth good It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes And you see he hath waies enough to do it All things that may be for our good are glad to do him service against vs. The consideration hereof should moue our hearts to wisdoÌ„e It shoulde mooue vs b Hereof I spake in a Sermon vpoÌ„ Hebr. 10.30 to beware of those crying sinnes vsually committed against the first table that wee provoke not Gods vengeance against vs by Idolatrie in worshiping the creature aboue the creator blessed for ever by tempting God in making triall whether his word be true or not by murmuring against God in laying
iniustice to his charge quod bonis male sit malis bene for afflicting the godly when the wicked liue at ease by rebellion and contumacie in taking counsell together against the LORD against his CHRIST by blasphemy in doing despite to the Spirit of grace It may moue vs also to beware of those other sins crying sins too vsually committed against the second table that we provoke not Gods vengeance against vs by dishonouring our parents and such as God hath put in place of government aboue vs by grieving our children and such as are by vs to be governed by oppressing the fatherlesse and the poore by giving our selues over vnto filthy lusts Beloved in the Lord let vs not forget this though God bee good gracious mercifull and long suffering yet is hee also a iust God God the avenger and punisher Here we see he resolueth to send a fire into the house of Hazael which is the second thing to be considered How God punisheth By fire I will send a fire c. Albeit sometime God himselfe doth by himselfe immediatly execute his vengeance vpon the wicked as when he smote all the first borne of Egypt Exod. 12.29 and Nabal 1. Sam. 25.38 and Vzzah 2. Sam. 6.7 yet many times he doth it by his instruments c Wigand Syntagm Vet. Test Instrumenta sunt tota creatura Dei All the creatures of God are ready at his commaund to be the executioners of his vengeance Among the rest and in the first rancke is fire God sent a fire to lay wast Sodom and Gomorah and their sister cities Gen. 19.24 to eate vp Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10.2 to cut of the two hundred and fiftie men that were in the rebellion of Korah Num. 16.35 to devoure two captaines twise fiftie men 2. King 1.10 12. I will not load your memories with multitude of examples for this poynt My text telleth you that fire Gods creature becommeth Gods instrument executioner of his vengeance I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devoure the palaces of Benhadad By fire in this place the learned d Lyranus Drusius Ar. MoÌ„tanus Mercer Calvin Gualter expositors doe vnderstand not only naturall fire but also the sword and pestilence and famine quodlibet genus consumptionis every kind of consumptioÌ„ every scourge wherewith God punisheth the wicked and disobedieÌ„t be it haile or thunder or sicknes or any other of Gods messengers So farre is the signification of fire though not in the naturall yet in the metaphoricall vnderstanding extended The doctrine which from hence I gather is As is the fire so are all other creatures at the Lords commandement to bee imployed by him in the punishment of the wicked This truth well appeareth by that which I even now repeated out of Eccles 39. whence you heard that some spirits are created for vengeance as also are fire and haile and famine and death and the teeth of wild beasts and the scorpions and the serpents and the sword yea that the principall things for the whole vse of mans life as water and fire and yron and salt and meale wheate and hony and milke and the bloud of the grape and oile cloathing are all for evill vnto the wicked If that proofe because the booke whence it is taken is Apocryphall like you not giue eare I pray you while I proue it out of Canonicall Scripture The doctrine to be proued is Fire and all other creatures are at the Lords commandement to be imploied by him in the punishment of the wicked I proue it by the service of Angels and other creatures 2. King 19.35 we read of an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand in the camp of Ashur slaine by an Angell of the LORD The thing is related also Esay 37.36 This ministerie of Gods Angels David acknowledgeth Psal 35.5 6. where his prayer against his enimies is that the Angel of the LORD might scatter and persecute them 1. Sam. 7.10 we read that the LORD did thunder a great thunder vpon the Philistines Ezech. 14. wee read how the LORD punisheth a sinful land with his foure e Ezech. 14.21 sore iudgements the sword pestilence famine and noysome beasts The story of Gods visitation vpon Pharaoh and the EgyptiaÌ„s in Exod. chap. 8 9 10. is fit for my purpose You shal there find that froggs lice flies grashoppers thunder haile lightning murraine botehâ—s and sores did instrumeÌ„tally avenge God vpon man and beast in Egypt Adde hereto what you read Psal 148.8 fire and haile and snow and vapours and stormie winds do execute Gods commaundement Thus is my doctrine proued As is the fire so are all other creatures at the Lords commandement to be employed by him in the punishement of the wicked The vse of this doctrine is to teach vs how to behaue our selues at such times as God shall visit vs with his rodd of correction how to carry our selues in all our afflictions We must not so much looke to the instruments as to the Lord that smiteth by them Here set we before our eyes holy King Dauid His patience be it the patterne of our Christian imitation When Shimei a maÌ„ of the familie of the house of Saul came out against him cast stones at him railed vpon him calling him to his face a man of blood a man of Belial a murtherer a wicked man the good King did not as he was wished to doe he took not away the murtherers life but had respect to the primus motor even Almighty God the first mover of this his afflictie Shimei he knew was but the instrument And therefore thus sayth he to Abischai 2. Sam. 16.10 He curseth because the LORD had hidden him curse Dauid who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him Here also set we before our eies holy Iob. His patience bee it the patterne of our Christian imitation The losse of all his substance and his children by the Sabeans Chaldeans fire from heauen and a great wind from beyond the wildernesse could not turne away his eyes from the God of heauen to those second causes They he knew were but the instrumeÌ„ts And therefore possessing his soule in patience he said Iob 1.21 Naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked shall I returne thither the LORD hath given and the LORD hath taken blessed be the name of the LORD To these instances of David and Iob adde one more that of the blessed Apostles Peter Iohn the rest Act. 4.27 Though Herod Pontius Pilate the Gentiles and the people of Israel had crucified and done to death the Lord of life our LORD and Saviour Iesus Christ Yet did not the Apostles therefore grow into a rage and bitter speeches against them In that great execution of the LORD Iesus they had regard vnto the hand of God Herod Pontius Pilat the Gentiles the Iews they knew were but
instruments For thus make they their confession before the LORD of heauen and earth verse the 28. Doubtlesse both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together against thine holy Sonne Iesus to doe whatsoever thine hand and thy counsell had determined to be done To good purpose then is that question propounded by Amos chap. 3.6 Shall there be evill in a city and the Lord hath not done it It may serue for an anchor to keepe vs that we bee not carried away with the waues of tribulation and affliction It assureth vs that God who bad Shimei curse David who sent the Sabeans Chaldeans fire from heauen and a great wind from beyond the wildernesse to spoile and make an end of Iobs substance and his children who determined that Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the Israelites should put to death the LORD of life that the same God hath his finger yea and his whole hand too in all our crosses and tribulations Is there any evill in the city and the LORD hath not done it Here beloued in the Lord must we be taxed for a vanity at least I had almost said a blasphemie deeply rooted too wel setled among vs. Vpon the accesse of any calamitie we cry out bad lucke bad fortune If the strong man come into our house and take from vs the flower of our riches our silver and gold then we cry What lucke What fortune If our sheep and cattle faile vs then also we cry What lucke What fortune Whatsoever crosse befalleth vs lucke and fortune is still in our mouthes Quasi Deus â—tium coleret in coelo non curaret res humanas as if we were to hold it for an article of our beleefe that God liveth idly in heaven hath no regard of mans affaires Whereas the holy Prophet Amos in propounding this question shall there be any evill in 〈…〉 and the LORD hath not done it and the holy Apostles in acknowledging Gods hand in the death of Christ and holy Iob in blessing the name of the LORD for all his losses and holy David in patiently taking Shimeis curses as an affliction sent him from the LORD doe all plainly shew this that the empire of this world is administred by Almighty God and that nothing happeneth vnto vs but by Gods hand and appointment Learne we then more patience towards the instruments of our calamities miseries crosses and afflictions let vs not be like the dogge that snatcheth at the stone cast at him without regard vnto the thrower Here we learne a better propertie even to turne our eies from the instrumentes to the hand that smiteth by them Thus farre of my second circuÌ„stance How God punisheth My third was whome he punisheth Hazael and Benhadad the house of Hazael and palaces of Benhadad If you wil know who and Hazael was you must haue recourse to the sâ—creâ— storie 2 King â— There 〈◊〉 you find him sent by Benhadad King of Syria with a present vnto Elizâ—us to knowe concerning his sicknesse whether he should recover of it and after his returne froÌ„ Elizeus with a thicke weâ— cloath to haue strangled and murdered his Lord Maister King Benhadad This was he whom Elizeus foretold of his hard vsage of the Israelites that hee should set on fire their strong cities should slay their young men with the sword should dash their infants against the stones and should rent in peeces their women great with child This was he who 2. Kings 13.7 so destroyed the children of Israel that hee made them like dust 〈◊〉 to powder This was he of whose death we read verse the 24. The house of Hazael either the familie flocke and posterity of Hazael as Arias Montanus Mercer Drusius expounde or some materiall house which Hazael had proudly and stately built for himselfe and his posteritie This later exposition is added to the former by Mercer and Drusius because of that which followeth the palaces of Benhadad Benhadad In writing this name I find three errours One of the Greeks who write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were in the Hebrew Benader The second of the Latines who write it Benhadab The third of Ionathan the Chaldee paraphrast who writes it Barhadad whereas the right name is Benhadad Benhadad saith Mercer vpon this place was a name peculiar to the Kings of Syria as was first Pharaoh and afterward Ptolemee to the Kings of Egypt and Caesar to the Roman Emperours From this opinioÌ„ of Mercer Drusius in observat sacr 11. 14. varieth affirming that albeit diverse Kings of Syria were called by this name Benhadad yet doth it not therevpon follow that Benhadad was a common name to all the Kings of Syria In holy Scripture we read of three Benhadads Of the first 1. Kings 15.18 who was King of Syria at what time Asa raigned in Iudah and Baasha in Israel Of the second 2. Kings 8.7 who in his sicknesse sent Hazael to Elizeus the man of God for counsaile Of the third â— Kings 13.3 who was Hazaels sonne and his successour in the throne Now the Benhadad in my text is either Benhadad Hazaels predecessour slaine by Hazael or Benhadad Hazaels sonne successour The palaces of Benhadad to bee devoured by fire from the LORD These palaces of Benhadad are the goodly sumptuous proud and stately edifices made or enlarged by either of the Benhadads or by both Hazaels predecessour and successour Thus haue you the exposition of my third circumstance which was concerning the parties punished no meane parties parties of no lower rancke then Kings Hazael and Benhadad The LORD punisheth hee punisheth by fire hee punisheth by fire Hazael and Benhadad I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devoure the palaces of Benhadad Many profitable doctrines may be hence deduced I can but point at them 1 In that the Lord sendeth a fire into the house of Hazael against his 〈…〉 who are put in mind of a truth expressed in the secoâ—â— comâ—andement this God will 〈…〉 of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation Dearely 〈…〉 is that anger the flame of whose punishment 〈…〉 smoake so farre yet the meaning thereof is as Ezechâ—â— sheweth chap. 18. If the children doe follow the fathers wickednesse not otherwise To visite then is not to punish the children for the fathers offences but to take notice apprehend them in the same faults by reason they are giuen over to commit their fathers transgressions that for them they be punished The vse is to admonish you that are Parents not onely to liue your selues vertuously religiously while you haue your abode here but also carefully to see to the training vp of your children in vertue and true religion least partaking with you in your sinnes they proâ—e inheritours of your punishmentes also 2 In that the LORD sendeth a fire into the house and palaces of Hazael and Benhadad two Kings
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.
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
with silence many places of holy Scripture in which God is tearmed a terrible God let vs confesse with the Psalmist Psalm 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to be feared who shall stand in thy sight wheÌ„ thou art angrie Here are they worthely to be taxed and censured who are so far from fearing Gods iudgements as that they plainly scoffe and iest at them Such a one was he of Cambridge shire who o This Sermon was preached Febr. 8. 1606. some 14. yeares since in the yeare 1592. made a mocke of the Lords glorious voice the THVNDER The story is delivered by Perkins in his p Printed at Cambridg in 4o. 1596. pag. 36. exposition of the Creed in these words One beeing with his companion in a house drinking on the Lordes day when he was ready to depart thence there was great lightning and thunder wherevpon his fellow requested him to stay but the man mocking and iesting at the thunder and lightning said as report was it was nothing but a knaue cooper knocking on his tubs come what would he would go and so went on his iourney but before he came halfe a mile froÌ„ the house the same haÌ„d of the LORD which before he had mocked in a cracke of thunder strooke him about the girdlesteed that he fell downe starke dead A memorable example brought home as it were to our doores to put vs in minde of Gods heavy wrath against those which scorne his iudgements Let vs beloved be wise vpon it and at every iudgement of God tremble and feare confesse as before out of Psal 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to bee feared who shall stand in thy sight when thou art angry 3 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Here is matter enough to vphold and stablish our faith in Gods promises to the abolishing of all wavering and doubting touching our salvation Thus No thing nor creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose God is able to do whatsoever he wil do he wil do whatsoever hee hath promised to do he hath promised to giue eternall life to all that beleeue in Iesus Christ How then can I who do beleeue or any other who doth beleeue in Iesus Christ doubt of mine or their salvation Vpon this rocke of Gods omnipotency Abrahams faith stood vnshaken as appeareth Rom. 4. Abraham he doubted not of the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strengthned in the faith And how Because he was fully assured that the same God who had promised was able also to doe it This ablenes of God Abraham opposed to his owne weaknes And so aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spoken to him so shall thy seed be This promise Abraham laid hold of not considering his owne bodie eveÌ„ now dead being almost a hundred years old neither the deadnesse of Sarahs womb he laid hold of the promise How By faith Which was increased and confirmed to him by the consideration of the power of God And why is all this written of Abraham S. Paul saies why ver 23. Now it is not written for him only that it was imputed to him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shall bee imputed for righteousnes if wee beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our LORD from the dead who was delivered to death for our sins and is risen againe for our iustification Wherefore to all our sins infirmities and impotencies from whence may arise diffidence infidelity or vnbeliefe we must ever oppose Gods omnipotency and thereby support our faith in his promises I shut vp this point and my whole lecture with S. Austines discourse Serm. 123. de tempore Nemo dicat non potest mihi dimittere peccata Let no man say vnto me God cannot forgiue me my sinnes Quomodo non potest omnipotens How is it possible that the Almighty should not bee able to forgiue thee thy sinnes But thou wilt say I am a great sinner and I say Sed ille omnipotens est But God is Almighty Thou replyest and saiest My sinnes are such as from which I cannot be delivered and clensed and I answere Sed ille omnipotens est But God is Almightie Almightie able to doe all things greater or lesser celestiall or terrestiall immortall or mortall spirituall or corporall invisible or visible Magnus in magnis neque parvus in minimis great in great businesses and not litle in the least No thing or creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose THE TENTH 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 NOw proceed we to the other clauses of the last part of this prophecy against the Syrians The second clause is I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven The third is and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden the fourth is and the people of Aram c. In each of these I doe obserue as before I did three circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD either immediatly by himselfe or mediatly by his instruments 2 The punishment to be vnderstood in those phrases of cutting of and going into captivity 3 The punished the Syrians noted in these names Bikeath-Aven Beth-eden Aram. Let vs examine the words of the text as they lie in order I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven I the LORD IEHOVAH a See Leâ—â— 9. who remoue mountaines and they feele not wheÌ„ I overthrow them who remoue the earth out of her place and make her pillars to shake who my selfe alone spread out the heavens and walke vpon the height of the sea I the LORD IEHOVAH who doth great things and vnsearchable marvailous things and without nuÌ„ber I the LORD IEHOVAH who haue resolued to send a fire into the house of Hazael which shall devoure the palaces of Benhadad haue resolued to breake the barres of Damascus I will also cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden c I will cut off To cut off is in sundry places of holy Scripture a Metaphore drawne ab excisione arborum from the cutting downe or rooting vp of trees and signifieth vtterly to consume to wast to dissipate to destroy to exstinguish So it 's vsed Ps 101.8 where David purposing not to be negligent or sloathfull in the execution of iustice against all malefactors in Ierusalem resolueth to cut of all the workers of iniquitie from the city of the LORD Betimes will I destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut of all the workers of iniquitie from the city of the LORD So it s vsed Psal 109.15 where Davids prayer against the wicked is that their iniquitie and sinne be alwaies before the
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
shall not want It is spoken to our never ending comfort by our blessed Saviour Matth. 10.29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing one of them falleth not on the ground without your father Feare yee not therefore yee are of more value then many sparrowes In the same place he further assureth that all the haires of our head are numbred Doth Gods care reach to the falling of the haires of our hâ—â—d 〈◊〉 can we doubt of 〈…〉 rule and government in 〈…〉 â—â—mightie God for his vnlimited power 〈◊〉 all things in the world and ruleth them pro liberâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 sua even as he listeth The third degree by which wee may discerne the act of divine providence I called gradum ordinationis the degree of ordination or direction It implieth thus much that God of his admirable wisdome ordeineth setteth in order whatsoever things in the world seeme to be most out of order hee bringeth them all to his chiefly intended end all must make for his glorie In this divine ordination three things doe concurre Constitutio finis mediorum ad finem dispositio and Dispositorum directio First God appointeth an end to every thing secondly hee disposeth meanes vnto the end thirdly hee directeth the meanes so disposed To discourse of these particulars severally would carry mee beyond my time and your patience I will but only touch the generall which was God of his admirable wisdome ordaineth or setteth in order whatsoever things in the world seem to be most out of order he bringeth them all to his chiefly intended end they al make for his glorie Herevpon dependeth the truth of my propounded doctrine inviolable No calamitie or miserie befalleth any one of whatsoever estate or degree by chance or at adventure For if it be true as true it is and the gates of Hell shal never be able to prevaile against it that God by his wonderfull providence maintaineth and preserueth ruleth governeth ordereth disposeth and directeth al things in this world even to the very haires of our heads it cannot be that any calamitie or misery should befall any one of vs by adventure by hap-hazzard by chance by fortune The Epicure in the booke of Iob 22.13 was in a fowle errour to thinke that God walking in the circle of heaven cannot through the darke cloudes see our misdoings iudge vs for them Dearely beloued wee may not thinke our God to bee a m See Lect. 1. pag. 10. God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the moone a God vpon the mountaines and not in the valleys a God in the greater and not in the lesser employments We may not thus thinke Wee haue liued long enough to haue learned better things out of Amos 9. Ierem. 23. Psal 139. that God is every where present and that there is no evasion from him 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 captivitie no place of any secrecie any where is able to hide vs from the presence of God We haue learned Zach. 4.10 that God hath seaven eies which goe through the whole world You may interpret them with me many millions of eyes Hee is * Hieroymus in illud Psal 94.9 Qui plantavit aurem non audiet aut qui finxit oculum noÌ„ coÌ„siderat Ego autem dico quod Deus totus OCVLVS est totus MANVS est totus PES est Totus OCVLVS est quia omnia videt Totus MANVS est quia omnia operatur Totus PES est quia ubique est totus OCVLVS altogether eye for he saith all things We haue learned Esai 40.12 that God hath hands to measure the waters and to span the heavens You may interpret it with me that he hath many millions of hands He is totus MANVS altogether hand for hee worketh all things We haue learned Matth. 5.35 that God hath feete to set vpon his footstoole You may interpret it with mee that hee hath many millions of feet Hee is totus PES altogether foote for he is every where We shall then be very iniurious to God if we deny him the oversight of the smallest matters The holy Scriptures doe evidently shew that he examineth the least moments and titles in the world that we can imagine n Suprà pag. 10. to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oyle in a poore widowes house to the falling of sparrowes to the ground to the clothing of the grasse in the field to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the calving of hindes to the numbring of the haires of our heads Wherefore dearely beloued in the LORD whatsoever calamitie or miserie hath already seised vpon vs or shall hereafter overtake vs let vs not lay it vpon blind Fortune but looke wee to the hand that striketh vs. Hee who is noted in my text to cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven him that holdeth the scepter out of 〈…〉 that for our 〈◊〉 bringeth vpon vs 〈…〉 The late 〈…〉 â—â—ging vpon this land to the vtter destruction of greâ—â— store of cattell and much people and the late rot of sheepe in this other places of this land are Gods visitations vpon vs for our sinnes and admonishments for vs to amend our liues Shall there be evill in a city and the Lord hath not done it saith Amos chap. 3.6 It 's out of question there is no evill in the city no not in the world but the LORDS finger is in it and that iustly for our sinnes sake What remaineth but that we rent our hearts and turne vnto the LORD our God He is gracious mercifull slow to anger of great kindnes and repenteth him of evill How knowe we whether hee will returne and repent and leaue a blessing behinde him for vs Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.5 The people of Aram shall goe into captivity vnto Kir saith the LORD WEe goe on with that which yet remaineth vnexpounded in this 5. verse The people of Aram Aram registred Gen. 10.22 to be one of the sonnes of Sem was the father author or founder of the Aramites or Syrians a Tremellius Willet in Genes 10.22 whereof it is that the Scythians after their return out of Asia and Syria were called Aramâ—â— Aramites Plin. lib. 6. cap. 17. This country of Aram or Syria was divided into sundry regions 2. Sam. 10.8 You may read of Aram Soba Aram Rehob Aram Ishtob and Arum Maacah from which provinces there went a multitude of Aramites to aid the Ammonites in their warre against King David The successe of their expedition is recorded ver the 18. David destroyed seaven hundred chariots of the Aramites and forty thousand horsemen So let them all perish who make head and band themselues together against the
LORDS annointed 2. Sam. 8.6 You may read of Aram of Damascus out of which part there went a great multitude to succour Hadadezer king of Soba against David Their successe is recorded in the same place David slew of the Aramites two and twentie thousand men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them al likewise perish who make heâ—d 〈◊〉 themseluâ—s togâ—ther against the LORDS annointed 1. Chron. 〈…〉 which is by in◠〈…〉 lying betweene the 〈…〉 commonly knowne by the name of b Bertram Comparat Gram. Hebr. Aram. in Praefat. Mesopotamia And these Syrians gaue aid vnto the Ammonites against David and were partakers in their overthrow Gen. 28.5 You may read of Padan Aram whither the Patriach Iacob was by his father Isaac sent to make choise of his wife of the daughters of Laban Tremellius and Iunius in their note vpon Gen. 25.20 do make this Padan-Aram to be a part of Mesopotamia that part which is called by Ptolemee Ancobaâ—â— Thus doth the holy Spirit in the sacred Scriptures describe vnto vs the couÌ„try of Aram in its parts Aram Soba Aram Rehâ—b Aram Ishâ—â—b Aram Maacah Aram of Damascuâ— Arâ—m Nâ—â—araiâ— and Padan Aram. Here Aram put without any adiuncâ— to 〈…〉 oâ—e region may 〈…〉 all Syria devided by our Prâ—phet Amos in this one verse into three parts vnder the three 〈◊〉 of Damascus â—ikâ—â—th 〈◊〉 and â—â—th 〈◊〉 as Tremellius and Iunius haue noted vnderstaÌ„ding by Damascâ—â— the couÌ„try adioining the whole coast of Dâ—â—â—polis by Râ—kâ—â—th-Aneâ— the couÌ„try called Châ—â—â—â—thâ— which way Syria bordereth vpon Arabia surnamed the Dâ—sâ—râ— by Beth-edâ—n the whole couÌ„try of Coelesyria wherein stood the citie Eden The people that is 〈◊〉 of all sorts not only the ruder multitude but the â—â—ble also 〈◊〉 word is generall and conteineth all Shall go into captivity They shal be carryed away from their natiue couÌ„try into a strange lâ—nd in slâ—very and bondage Vnto Kir not vnto Cyrâ—â—â— c Ribera a noble city in that part of Africa which is called Pâ—â—â—apoliâ— the â—â—tiue couÌ„try of d Arias Montanus Callimachus the poet and Eâ—â—â—â—st hâ—â—es the historian as e Apud Drusium Ionathan Syâ—â—â—châ—â— and S. Hierome do seeme to vnderstand and Eusebius and the author of the ordinary glosse and Winckleman do expresly affirme but vnto Kir a city in the seigniories or dominions of the king of Assyria as the Hebrewes best approued expositors doe avouch Tremellius Iunius vpon the 2. Kings 16.9 doe vnderstand by this Kir that part of Media which from this captivitie was called Syromedia it was named Kir that is by interpretation a wall because it was round about compassed with the hill Zagrus as with a wall This deportation and captivitie of the Syrians was foretold by our Prophet f Anno regni Oziae 23. almost fiftie yeares before it was fulfilled It was fulfilled in the dayes of Ahaz King of Iudah who sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser King of Assyria for helpe Tiglath Pileser consented vnto him went vp against Damascus tooke it slew Rezin King of Aram and carried a way captiue the people of Aram into Kir Thus is the story expresly delivered 2. King 16. Thus farre the exposition of the words The people not only the ruder multitude but the nobles also of Aram not of Damascus onely but of all Syria shall goe into captivitie shall bee carried away captiue by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria vnto Kir a part of Media This accordingly came to passe For it could no otherwise be the LORD true in all his promises and threatnings whose words are yea and Amen he hath said it The people of Aram shal goe into captivitie vnto Kir saith the LORD Now to the notes of instruction Here must I commend vnto you as I haue done out of the precedent clauses three circumstances the punisher the punished the punishment 1 The punisher the LORD by his instrument Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria 2 The punished the Aramites or Syrians of all sorts the ruder and the noble 3 The punishment a deportation or carrying into captivitie This third circumstance is amplified by the place Their captivitie bondage and slaverie was to be in an vnknown strange and farre countrey Kir in MEDIA From the first 〈…〉 of the punisher the LORD of hoasts imploying in his 〈◊〉 the King of Assyria for the carrying away of the Arâ—â—iâ—â—â— or Syriâ—â—s into captivitie wee are put in mind of a well knowne truth in divinitie Almighty God in his government of the world worketh ordinarily by mâ—anes or second causes I say ordinarily because extraordinarily hee worketh sometime without meanes sometime against meanes Ordinarily hee worketh by meanes And they are of two sorts Definite such as of their naturall and internall principles doe of necessitie produce some certaine effects So the fire burneth the water drowneth Indefinite such as are free and accidentall agents hauing in themselues freedome of will to doe or nor to doe In this rancke you may place Iosephs brethren at what time they sold him to the Israelites Gen. 37.28 they sold him not of necessitie they might haue done otherwise In this rancke you may place Shimei for his carriage towards King David 2. Sam. 16.6 His throwing of stones at the King and rayling vpon him was not of necessitie hee might haue done otherwise And the King of Assyria carried into captivitie this people of Aram not of necessitie hee might haue left vnto them their natiue countrie lands and possessions All these fire water Iosephs brethren rayling Shimei the King of Assyria and whatsoever else like these meanes or second causes definite or indefinite necessarie or contingent are but instruments by which Almightie God in his governement of the world worketh ordinarily God laid wast Sodom Gomorah and their sisâ—er cities he did it by fire Gen. 19.24 God destroyed every thing that was vpoÌ„ the earth from man to beast to the creeping thing and to the foule of the heaven only was Noah saved and they that were with him in the Arke the rest he destroyed by water Gen. 7.23 God sent Ioseph into Egypt to preserue his fathers posteritie and to saue them aliue by a great deliverance as Ioseph himselfe confesseth Gen. 45.7 This was Gods doing but hee did it by Iosephs owne brethren who you knowe sold him to the Ismaelites God sent an affliction vpon David for his good by cursed speaking throwing of stones where in David acknowledgeth Gods speciall singer 2. Sam. 16.11 The thing was Gods doing He did it by Shimei the sonne of Iemini God spake the word concerning the people of Aram that they should goe into captivitie as appeareth in my text God spake the word it was done God therefore sent the people of Aram into captivitie but he did it by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria All these though I said it before I say it againe All these fire water Iosephs brethren rayling Shimei the King of Assyria and whatsoever else like these meanes or
Hell vnder death vnder sin vnder the eternall malediction or curse of the law propounded to every one that doth not in all points and absolutely obey the law This Captivity is a heavy yoke to all mankinde considered without Christ Every one male and female that hath no part in Christ every vnbelieving and reprobate person is in this construction even to this day a captiue And such also were we by the corruption of our nature vpon our first father Adams default but now are we by the sacrifice of the â—â—â—aculate Lambe the LORD IESVS ransomed and freed Fâ—â— do this purpose was he sent into the world as it is evident Esai 61.1 and Luk. 4.18 In both places hee professeth himselfe to bee sent into the world for this end even to publish liberty and freedome to captiues and the imprisoned which his office hee hath graciously performed By his word of grace he hath so freed our consciences formerly oppressed with and captiue vnder sin that now there is no condemnation to vs to vs I say who are in Christ do walke after the spirit as S. Paule speaketh Rom. 8.1 This is it which our Saviour foretold the Iewes Iohn 8.36 If the sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed Be it repeated againe to our eternall comforts If the son shall make vs free we shall be free indeed But he hath made vs free for therfore was he sent to publish liberty and freedome to captiues he hath paide our ransome his iâ—â—ocent and most precious blood by it are wee throughly washed and clensed from our sins Now there is no condemnation to vs. Thus freed from our spirituall captivity bondage and slavery vnder Hell death and sinne let vs with boldnes looking vp to the throne of Grace whereon sitteth the author finisher of our faith say with the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sinne is the law But thanks be to God who hath given vs victory through Iesus Christ our LORD The Captivity in my text is of the other kind a corporal captivity a captivity of the body which vsually is accompanied with two great miseries pointed at Psal 107.10 The first they dwell in darknes and in the shadow of death the second they are bound in anguish and yron First they dwell in darkenesse and in the shadow of death that is they are put into deepe dungeons void of light whereby they are as it were at deaths doore Secondly they are bound in anguish and yron that is day and night they are loaden with fetters gyues or shackles of yron so loaden that they finde no rest vnto their bones Thus must it be with them who by sinnefull living provoke the LORD to high displeasure Thus is my doctrine confirmed For the sin of a land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captivity Is it true beloved Doth God oftentimes for the sin of a land send away the inhabitaÌ„ts into captivity Let vs make this ChristiaÌ„ vse of it even to powre out our selues in thankfulnes before almighty God for his wonderfull patience towards vs. The sins of such nations as haue beene punished with captivity were they more grievous in Gods eies then ours are It is not to bee imagined Our sins are as crimson-like and as scarlet-like as ever were theirs the sins of our land crying sins Atheisme Irreligion Oppression Extortion Covetousnes Vsury Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Drunkennesse and many like abominations of the old man in vs all our works of darknes they haue made head together and haue impudently and shamelesly pressed into the presence of Almighty God to vrge him to poure forth the viols of his wrath and indignation vpon vs. Yet our God good gracious mercifull long suffering and of great kindnes withholdeth and stayeth his revengeful hand from laying vpon vs his great punishment of Captivity and suffereth vs to possesse our habitations in peace to eat the good things of the earth O let vs therefore confesse before the LORD his loving kindnesse declare before the sonnes of men the good things that he hath done for vs. Here dearely beloved let vs not presume vpon God his patience to lead our liues as we list We cannot but see that God is highly offended with vs already though yet hee be not pleased to execute his sorest iudgements vpon vs. Gods high displeasure against vs appeareth in those many visitations by which he hath come neere vnto vs within our memories I may not stand to amplifie the Spanish sword shaken over vs the great famine brought vpoÌ„ vs in our late Queenes daies Our now gracious Soveraigne 〈◊〉 noâ— lâ—â—g sâ—â—e at the sterne of this kingdome But few yeares are passed and yet those few haue afforded manifest tokens of Gods sore displeasure at vs. Haue not many thousands of our brethren happily not so grievous sinners as we beene taken away by the destroying Angel and yet the plague is not ceased Vnlesse we repent amend our liues we may likewise perish Haue not many of our brethren too many if it might haue seemed otherwise to Almighty God haue they not partly perished themselues partlie lost their cattell and substance in n An. D. 1607. this yeares waters such waters as our forefathers haue scarcely observed the like If wee will not wash out selues from our evill doings we see God is able to wash vs extraordinarily The vnseasonable weather giveÌ„ vs from heaven to the rotting of our sheep is but Gods warning to vs of a greater misery to befall vs vnlesse we will returne froÌ„ our euill waies Wherefore beloved let vs with one heart and minde resolue for hereafter to cast away all works of darknes to put on the armor of light take we no further thought for our flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Walke we from henceforth honestly as in the day Whatsoever things are true and honest and iust and pure and do pertaine to loue and are of good report if there be anie vertue or praise thinke we on these things Think we on these things to do them and we shal not need to feare any going into captivity yea the destroying Angell shall haue no power over vs the raging waters shall not hurt vs our cattell and whatsoever else we enioy shall prosper vnder vs. For God even our owne God shall giue vs his blessing THE TWELFTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.6 7 8. Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure I will not turne to it because they carried away prisoners the whole captivitie to shut them vp in Edom. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Azzah and it shall devoure the palaces therof And I will cut of the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon turne mine hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the LORD
tyrannie if you deny your servants to go but one houres iourney to this place to serue their God Thinke it not enough that your selues come hither to performe some duty to Christ your LORD Master how cā you performe your duty to him if you deny him your servants You know what charge is given you in the fourth commandement not your selues only but also your sonnes and your daughters your servants men and maidens and the stranger that soiourneth with you are to hallow and Sanctifie the Sabbaoth day with the Lords service In this holy worke and service of God vpō the Sabbaoth day regarde not what the multitude and greater sort of men doe Suppose all the world besides your selues would be carelesse to performe this duty yet let your holy resolutiō be the same with Ioshua's chap. 24.15 I and my house wil serue the Lord. Thus far of my first doctrine groūded vpon God's dislike with the Philistines for selling away the Israelites his faithfull people into the hands of the Edomites an vnbeleeving nation To ground a second doctrine hereon wee are to note that the Philistines sold away the Israelites to the Idumaeans at such time as they were their captiues so did adde affliction to the afflicted The doctrine is It is a very grievous thing to adde affliction to the afflicted Witnesse the complaint made by the captiue Iewes against the insolencie of the Chaldeans Psal 137.3 They that led vs away captiue required of vs songs and mirth in our heavinesse saying sing vs one of the songs of Sion They the Chaldeans the Babylonians and Assyrians in whose country we were prisoners required of vs scornefully and disdainefully thereby to adde to our griefes they required of vs songs such songs as wee were wont to sing in Sion Ierusalem and our owne country before the destruction of the Temple and our captivitie They required of vs not songs only but mirth also they scoffingly desired vs to be merry when they saw vs so heavy hearted as nothing could make vs glad They required of vs songs mirth in our heavinesse saying sing vs one of the songs of Sion sing for vs or in our hearing some one or other of those songs which you were wont to sing in Sion when you were at home in your owne country Intolerable is the hard heartednesse cruelty and scoffing nature of the wicked when they haue gotten Gods children into their nets God cannot away with such vnmercifulnesse and want of pity He reproueth it in the Babylonians Esai 47.6 where thus saith the LORD I was wroth with my people I haue polluted mine inheritance and giuen them into thine hand thou didst shew them no mercy but thou didst lay thy very heavy yoke vpon the ancient therefore now heare destruction shall come vpon thee Magna abominatio coram Deo est afflicto addere afflictionem clamatque in coelum vox sanguinis The wordes are the observation of Oecolampadius vpō the now cited place of Esai It is a great abomination before God to adde affliction to the afflicted the voice of blood cryeth vp to heaven for vengeance Yea we are assured by Psalm 102.19 that the LORD looketh downe from the height of his sanctuarie and out of heaven beholdeth the earth that he may heare and so take pitie of the sighings groanings and lamentable cryes of such his people as are in affliction The time will not suffer me now to trouble you with more texts of Scripture let the now alleaged be sufficient to cōfirme my propounded doctrine that it is a grievous thing to adde affliction to the afflicted The vses of this doctrine I can but point at One is to reproue the Nimrods and tyrants of this world which haue no pitie no compassion vpon the poore and distressed Such in the end shall knowe by their owne lamentable experience that to bee true which Solomon hath vttered Prov. 21.13 He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore shall cry himselfe and not bee heard A second vse is to stirre vs vp to the performance of this our Christian dutie even to take pity vpon all that are in any kind of miserie if our neighbours be destitute of ayd and helpe wee may not like wild beasts lift vp our selues against them and so tread them vnder foot No. How dare wee molest and trouble them whom by Gods appointment we are to relieue and succour We are commanded Deut. 15.11 to open our hands to the needy and poore that are in our land to open our hands to them for their helpe and succour It is not enough for vs to absteine from all iniury harme-doing but withall must we endevour to relieue the oppressed This service of ours will be acceptable vnto God God for it will giue vs his blessing God will blesse vs for the time of our being here and when the day of our dissolution shall be that wee must leaue this earthly tabernacle then will the Sonne of man sitting vpon the throne of his glory welcome vs with a venite benedicti Come yee blessed of my father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungred and yee gaue me meate I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked yee cloathed me I was sicke and yee visited me I was in prison and yee came vnto me in as much as you haue done these things to the needy and distressed yee haue done them vnto me Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world THE THIRTEENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.7 8. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the wals of Azzah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof And I will cut of the inhabitant from Ashdod WEe are come to the last part of this prophecie the description of the punishmēts to be inflicted vpō the Philistines The seaventh verse doth not much differ frō the fourth The same punishment which is there threatned to the Syrians vnder the names of Hazael and Benhadad is in this seaventh verse denounced to the Philistines vnder the name of Azzah And therefore as there I did so must I here commend vnto you three circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD I. 2 The punishment by fire I will send a fire 3 The punished the Azzites the inhabitāts of that city the Philistines vpon the wals palaces of Azzah The punisher is the LORD for thus saith the LORD I will send The note yeeldeth vs this doctrine It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sins This doctrine I proved at large in my eighth lecture vpō this prophecie Yet for their sakes who then heard me not or haue forgotten what then they heard I will by a few texts of Scripture againe confirme it vnto you It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This office
and bloudy practises of that great Antichrist of Rome so often set on foot against vs and still defeated are so many evidences that our soules are most precious in the sight of God He he alone hath delivered vs out of the Lyons iaw to be a holy remnant vnto himselfe Now what shall we render vnto the LORD for so great a blessing We wil take vp the cup of salvation and call vpon his name THE FIFTEENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.9 10. Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure I will not turne to it because they shut the whole captivity in Edom and haue not remembred the brotherly covenant Therefore will I send a fire vpon the wals of Tyrus and it shall devoure the palaces thereof THis blessed Prophet Amos sent from God in embassage to the ten revolted tribes doth first thuÌ„der out Gods iudgments against neighbour countries the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites Which he doth for certaine reasons given in my sixt lecture that he might be the more patiently heard of his country men the Israelites that they might haue no cause to thinke much if God should at any time lay his rod vpon them that they might the more stande in awe of the wordes of this prophecie When they should heare of such heavy iudgements to light vpon their neighbours they could not but enter into a consideration of their owne estate thus reason within theÌ„selues Is it true which this Amos saith Will the LORD bring such heavy iudgements vpon the Syrians Philistines Tyrians and other of our neighbours In what a fearefull estate are wee in then They seely people never knew the will of God and yet must they be so severely punished How then shall we escape who knowing God's holy will haue contemned it Of the 〈…〉 the Syrians and Philistines you haue 〈…〉 lectures Now in the third place do follâ—â— the Tyrians ver 9. and 10. For three transgressions of Tyrus c. These wordes containing a burden some prophecy against Tyrus I divide into two parts 1 A preface Thus saith the LORD 2 A prophecy For three transgressions of Tyrus c. In the prophecie I obserue 4. parts 1 A generall accusation of the Tyrians For three traÌ„sgressions of Tyrus and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them I wil not turne to it 3 The declaration of that grievous sin by which they so highly offended This sin was the sin of vnmercifulnes and cruelty expressed in two branches 1 They shut the whole captivity in Edom. 2 They remembred not the brotherly covenant 4 The description of the punishment to befall them for their sinne in the 10. verse Therefore will I sende a fire vpon the wals of Tyrus and it shall devoure the palaces thereof The preface giues credit vnto the prophecie and is a warraÌ„t for the truth of it Thus saith the LORD The LORD IEHOVAH whose throne is the heaven of heavens and the sea his floore to walke in and the earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man possesseth his most secret reines and divideth betwixt the flesh and the skin and shaketh his inmost powers as the thunder shaketh the wildernes of Cades This LORD IEHOVAH so mighty so powerfull shall he say a thing and shal he not do it shall be speake it and shall he not accomplish it The LORD IEHOVAH the strength of Israel is not as maÌ„ that he should lie nor as the son 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 perish before one iote or one title of his word shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the LORD Out of doubt then must it come to passe And because it is the LORD that speaketh it is required of vs that we harken to him with revereÌ„ce Thus briefly of the Preface whereof I haue more largely spoken in two former lectures my sixth and twelfth lectures vpon the thirde and sixt verses of this chapter In which these very words are prefixed for a Preface to two prophecies the one against the Syrians the other against the Philistines I proceed to the present prophecie against the Tyrians It 's much like the two former both for words and matter In regard whereof I shal be short in many of my notes For three transgressions of Tyrus for foure Here is nothing new but the name of Tyrus This Tyrus is called in the Hebrew text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Tzor whence came the name Sar and Sarra in Ennius Poenos Sarrâ oriundos he notes the Carthaginians to haue their beginning from Sarra which is Tyrus Tyrus was a very ancient city it was saith Drusius Vetustissimarum vrbium parens as it were the mother of very old cities Plinie nat hist lib. 5. cap. 19. saith that out of Tyrus came the founders and first inhabiters not only of Carthage but also of Leptis Vtica and Gades the city well knowne to our moderne navigators by the name of Calis Malis and of late yeares conquered by some worthies of our English nation The ancient glorie of this citie Tyrus is blazed abroad to the whole world by Ezechiel chap. 27. Glorious was Tyrus 1. for her situation 2 for her riches 3. for the frame and beauty of her buildings 4. for her shipping 5. for her power in martiall affaires 6. for her marchandising 7. for her great esteeme and report with forraine nations The Prophet Esai in like sort blazeth out her glory chap. 23.7 8. Hee saith of her that her antiquitie is of ancient daies that she is the crowne of the Sea that her merchants are Princes and her chapmen the nobles of the world So glorious a city was this Tyrus Here shee is accused of disloyaltie to the God of heauen in the very same words wherein Damascus and Azzah are formerly accused Damascus vers 3. and Azzah vers the 6. For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure And the Lords protestation vpon this accusation is the same I will not turne to it It is as if the LORD had thus said If the inhabitants of Tyrus had offended but once or a second time I should haue beene favourable to them and would haue recalled them into the right way that so they might be converted and escape my punishments but now for as much as they doe daily heape transgression vpon transgression and make no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to bee converted but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them Albertus Magnus vnderstandeth by these three transgressions three sorts of sinnes peccatum in voluntate peccatum in consensu peccatum in opere sin in will sin in consent and sin in action and by the fourth transgression he vnderstandeth cordis indurationem induration and hardnes of heart
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
Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did violate the mothers wombe which reading may haue reference to the nativity of Iacob and Esau borne at one birth of their mother Rebekah And then the meaning is that the Edomites Esau's posterity neglecting that bond knot of brotherhood and consanguinity did exercise rigour and cruelty against the Israelites Iacobs posterity or it may haue reference to a savage and outragious cruelty as if the Edomites were here noted for ripping vp mothers wombs or women with childe in Israel That such cruelty was vsed by the Ammonites it is plaine by the 13. verse of this chapter But this text in the original doth not fasteÌ„ this blame vpon the Edomites and I loue not to force my text I wil not trouble you with other expositions The originall 〈…〉 â—â—rrupt his compassions The sense and meaning is wâ—ll â—â—ndâ—ed and delivered in our receiued English Bibles He did cast of all pitie Is Edom here condemned for corrupting his compassions for casting of all pitie The lesson hence to be commended to your Christian considerations is this Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God I could bring you many places out of holy writ for the confirmation of this doctrine But two only or three and they but touched shall serue for this present In Iob 6.14 the vnmercifull are noted to haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie In Rom. 1.31 among such as God hath giuen vp to a reprobate minde to commit things worthy of death the vnmercifull are named In Iames 2.13 a punishment is denounced to the vnmercifull There shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy These few texts of Scripture doe plentifully establish my doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God If any will aske me what is this vnmercifulnes whereof I now speake my answer shall be out of the learned Out of o Apud Aquin 22. qu. 118.8.3 Isidore that it is one of the nine daughters of covetousnesse Out of p 22. qu. 159 1. 2. 2. Aquinas that it is the withholding of a deed of charitie an q 22. qu. 118.8.3 obduration or the hardning of the heart against mercy Out of r Comment in hunc locuÌ„ Mercer that it is a breach of natures law and an abolishing of all kindnesse And so I come to make some vse of this doctrine The vse is to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanity mercy I will not now make any long declamation against inhumanitie and vnmercifulnesse yet my text requireth that I speake somewhat to it There was a time when righteousnesse seemed to be taken vp into the clouds and the earth to be void of it It was in the daies of the Prophet Esay He then cryed out chap. 45.8 O yee heavens send the dew from aboue and let the cloudes drop downe righteousnesse The time is now when loue seemeth to be taken vp into the cloudes and the earth to bee void of it Now may we cry out O yee heavens send the dew from aboue let the cloudes drop downe Iouâ— that the 〈…〉 obâ—rlisâ—â— Nabals of this present generation may now at length knowe that they are not borne for themselues only but for their poore neighbours also Your poore neighbours who stand in need of you by very prerogatiue of mankind haue an interest in your succour and service But it may be that some are so farre from all humanitie that this prerogatiue of mankind will not moue them to doe any worke of charitie Such hard hearts let them heare what the law is Deut. 15.7 If one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giâ—eth thee thou shalt not harden thine hearts nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother But thou shalt open thy hand vnto him shalt lend him sufficient for his need I knowe flesh and blood will obiect Shall I lend my neighbour sufficient for his need I soone exhaust my substance and liue in wâ—nâ— my selfe I reply O thou of little faith why fearest thou Looke backe vpon the blessing of God relie vpon it he through his benediction will make thee large recoÌ„pense Of this thou maist be assured if thou wilt haue recourse to the fore cited chapter Deut 15.10 There art thou infallibly promised for thy almes deeds done to the needy that the LORD thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand to My exhortation is no other then that of the Prophet Esai chap. 58.7 Deale thy bread to the 〈◊〉 bring the poore wanderer to thine house If thou seest him naked cover him hee is thine owne flesh hide not thy selfe from him Thy liberalitie will bring thee great advantage whereof thou wilt not doubt if thou consider the â—ext verse Thy light shal breake forth as the morning thy health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee the glorie of the LORD shall embrace thee Seest thou not an heape of blessings one vpon another Looke into the booke of Psalmes In the beginning of the 41. Psal many a sweet promise is made thee coÌ„ditionally that thou 〈…〉 LOâ—D shall deliver thee in the 〈…〉 preserue thee aliue hee shall bliâ—◠〈◊〉 â—pon 〈◊〉 earth he will not deliver thee to the will of thine 〈…〉 will strengthen thee vpon thy bad of sorrow and will 〈…〉 of thy sickâ—â—â—se I might wearie you and my selfe in the pursuit of this point Here I stop my course with recommendatioÌ„ of one only place that a very remâ—â—keable one Prov. 19.17 He that hath mercy vpon the poore â—â—deth to the LORD and the LORD will recompense 〈◊〉 â—hat which he hath giuen Behold and â—ee how gracious and good the LORD is If you show pitie and compassion vpon the poore God will recoÌ„pense you to the full yea in the largenes of his mercies he will reward you plentifully It wâ—â— grâ—â—e â—xhortation of a Å¿ Tobitto his sonne Tobias cap. 4.7 father to his sonne Giue 〈…〉 gâ—â—st almes let not thine eie 〈…〉 poore lâ—â—st that God turne his 〈…〉 according to thy substance if thou haâ—◠〈◊〉 a little 〈◊〉 not afraid to giue a little So shalt thou lay vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessitie Almes will 〈…〉 from death and will not suffer thee to come into the place of darknesse Almâ—s is a good gift before the most high to all them which vse it Vse it I beseech you in the bowels of our LORD and Saviour Iesus Christ Bee yee not like Edom in my text Corrupt not your compassions cast not of al pitie suffer yee one with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courâ—â—ous doe yee good to all men and faint not great shall be your reward in heaven This your service will bee acceptable vnto God God for it will giue you his blessing God will blesse you for the time of your being here and when the day of
with the tongue of men and Angels and haue not loue yet are you as souÌ„ding brasse or a tinkling cimbal Though you haue the gift of Prophecie and know all secrets and all knowledge yea if you haue all faith so that you can remove mountaines and haue not loue yet are you nothing Though you feed the poore with all your goods though you giue your bodies to be burned and haue not loue yet it profiteth you nothing My exhortation must be vnto you in the same blessed Apostles words cha 14.1 of the same Epistle Follow after loue And I shut vp this exercise with a sweet Fathers sweete meditation o Bernard serm 9. in Coena Dom. Charitas te domum Domini facit DominuÌ„ domum tibi Loue it makes thee a house for God and God a house for thee according to that 1. Ioh. 4.16 God is loue he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him A happy artificer thou art sweet loue that art able to frame for thy selfe such a house as God is This house is not built of morter and bricke nor of stone nor of wood nor of silver nor of gold nor of precious stones It exceedeth and farre surpasseth silver gold in coÌ„parison of it precious stones are vile and of no reputation This house is an everlasting house before all ages before all times it containeth all things it comprehendeth all things it createth all things it giveth life to all things In this house the blind receiue light the lame strength to walke the crooked straitnes the weake health the dead their resurrection there is none wretched in it all therein are blessed for they are entred into their Masters ioy Into which ioy that we may in due time enter let vs follow after loue wee know that God is loue and that whosoever dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Now God graunt that we may all dwell in him THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.12 Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall devoure the palaces of Bozrah I Am now come to the last part of this prophecie against Edom which is the denuntiation of Gods iudgments against Edom for his sinnes expressed in this 12. verse This 12. verse doth not much differ froÌ„ some precedent verses in this chapter 4 7 and 10. The same punishment which in the 4. verse is threatned to the Syrians vnder the names of Hazael and Benhadad and in the 7. verse to the Philistines vnder the name of Azzah and in the 10. verse to the Tyrians vnder the name of Tyrus is here in this 12. verse denouÌ„ced to the Edomites vnder the names of TemaÌ„ and Bozrah And therefore as in the fore-named verses I haue done so do I in this recommende vnto you three circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD I will send 2 The punishment by fire I will send a fire 3 The punished the Temanites and Bozrites the inhabitants of both cities I will send a fire vpon Teman and it shall devoure the palaces of Bozrah The punisher is the LORD for Thus saith the LORD I will send The doctrine naturally arising hence is this It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This truth hath heretofore once and againe beene confirmed vnto you The lesse need haue I now to insist vpon it Yet may I not passe it over vnsaluted It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance c. This office of executing vengeance vpon the wicked for their sins God taketh vpon himselfe Deut. 32.35 Where hee saith Vengeance and recompence are mine This is coÌ„fessed to be God his due by S. Paule Rom. 12.19 It is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the LORD and by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 10.30 Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD and by the sweete singer of Israel Psal 94.1 O LORD God the avenger O God the avenger The Prophet Nahum chap. 1.2 to the terrour of the wicked proclaimeth it God is iealous and the LORD revengeth the LORD revengeth even the LORD of anger the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries and reserveth wrath for his enemies These places are so many pregnant proofes to make good my propounded doctrine namely that It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes Many are the vses of this doctrine The first It may lesson vs to looke heedfully vnto our feete that we walke not in the way of sinners to partake with them in their sinnes Sinnes are not tongue-tied they cry vnto the LORD for vengeance Wee read in holy writ of foure sorts of sinnes which aboue other do cry vnto God and do call for his great and quicke vengeance The first is Homicide murther or manslaughter whereof Almighty God Gen. 4.10 thus speaketh vnto Caine The voice of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me from the earth The second is Sodomie the sinne of Sodom the sinne against nature a sinne not once to be named among Christians Wherof thus saith the LORD vnto Abraham Gen. 18.20 Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorah is great and because their sinne is exceeding grievous I will go downe now and see whether they haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto me The third is oppression of the poore widowes fatherlesse and strangers Oppression of the poore cryeth Psal 12.5 Now for the oppression of the â—â—â—die and deepe sighes of the poore I will vp saith the LORD and will set at libertie him whom the wicked hath snared Oppression of the widowes and the fatherlesse cryeth Exod. 22.22 Yâ—â— shall not trouble any widow nor fatherles child if you vexe on trouble such and so he call and cry vnto mee I will surely heare his cry Then shall my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse Oppression of strangers cryeth Exod. 3.7 The LORD said vnto Moses I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt haue heard their cry because of their taskmakers and verse the 9. Nâ—m loe the cry of the children of Israel is come vnto me and I haue also seene the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppresse them Thus is oppression whether it be of the poore or of the widowes or of fatherlesse children or of strangers a crying sinne and this was the third The fourth is the keeping backe of the labourers hire Whereof St Iames chap. 5.4 thus witnesseth Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud cryeth and the cryes of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the LORD of hoasts You see dearely beloued foure crying sinnes murther Sodomie oppression and the detaining or keeping backe of the poore labourers wages These are crying sinnes and they cry aloud to the eares of Almightie God and
rendred to Haman to Sennacherib to Ioachim to the Ammonites to the Chaldeans and other wicked worldlings for their hard measure offered to the godly though they were therein Gods instruments But I must hasten and the aforementioned instances of the Egyptians of Ahab and his wife Iezebel and of Daniels accusers are sufficient to worke terror to the wicked to the godly comfort and to assure vs when the LORD shall shew himselfe from heaven with his holy Angels in flaming fire that then to the wicked whose behaviour to the godly hath beene proud dispiteous hee will render vengeance and punish them with everlasting perdition Thus farre of the first circumstance doctrine therevpon The second circumstance is the punishment I wil send a fire By fire in this place as vers 4 7 10. learned expositors doe vnderstand not so much a naturall fire as a figuratiue fire For in the name of fire they vnderstand the sword pestilence and famine quodlibet genus consumptionis every kind of consumptiō quamlibet speciem excidij every kind of destruction be it haile or thunder or sicknesse or any other of Gods messengers So large is the signification of fire taken figuratiuely The doctrine arising hence is this The fire whether naturall or figuratiue that is the fire all other creatures are at the Lords commandement to be employed by him in the punishment of the wicked This doctrine hath heretofore beene commended and confirmed vnto you The vse of it is to teach vs how to behaue our selues at such times as God shall visite vs with his rod of correction how to carry our selues in all our afflictions We must not so much look to the instruments as to the LORD that smiteth by them If the fire or water or any other of Gods creatures shall at any time rage and prevaile against vs we must remember that it is God that sendeth them to worke his holy will vpon vs. Here he sent a fire vpon Teman and vpon Bozrah to devoure her palaces For thus saith the LORD I will send a fire vpon Teman and it shall devoure the palaces of Bozrah Here haue you the third circumstance the circumstance of the punished Teman and the palaces of Bozrah Teman was the metropolitan the chiefe city of Idumaea so named from Teman who was son of Eliphaz the son of Esau Gen. 26.10 11. Renowned and famous was Teman for her wisedome witnes the prophecie of Obadiah vers 8 9. and Ierem. 49.7 whereby it is credible shee omitted no opportunity no meanes to make her selfe strong by bulwarkes and fortresses against whatsoever incursion or siege of enimies Yet could shee not hereby be secured against the day of Gods visitation when for the complement of her sins God should lay his heavy rod vpon her What the wit of mā could invent for safety no doubt but Teman had it But what can mans wit do against the Almighty Behold here in my text thus saith the Almighty I will send a fire vpon Teman And can all the water of the huge Ocean quench the fire of the Almighty This resolution of the LORD for the overthrow of Teman is excellently set down by the Prophet Obadiah ver 8 9 10. Shall not I in that day saith the LORD even destroy the wise men out of Edom vnderstanding from the mount of Esau And thy strōg mē O Temā shall be afraid because every one of the moūt of Esau shall be cut of by slaughter For thy cruelty against thy brother Iacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut of for ever The Prophet Ieremie to this purpose chap. 49.7 bringeth in the LORD of heasts thus questioning with Edom Is wisdom no more in Teman Is counsaile perished from their children Is their wisedome vanished As if he had said the wisedome of Teman is become foolishnesse their counsaile is nothing worth And why But because as my text saith God will send a fire vpon Teman The doctrine hence arising is No wisdome no counsaile no humane invention can saue that city which God will haue destroyed The reason hereof is because there is no strēgth but of God from God The vse is to teach vs never to trust in any worldly helpe but so to vse all good meanes of our defence that still we relie vpon the LORD for strength and successe thereby Againe this fire of the LORD is sent to devoure the palaces of Bozrah This Bozrah was also a metropolitane and chiefe city seated in the confines of the lands of Edom Moab therefore in holy writ it is sometime attributed to Edom sometime to Moab Here to Edom. Prodigious was the feare and great the pride of Bozrahs heart Shee dwelt in the clefts of the rocke and kept the height of the hill But was shee thereby safe No. For thus saith the LORD vnto her Ierem. 49.16 Though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle I will bring thee down from thence This iudgement of the LORD against Bozrah is denounced with an Ecce of admiration vers 22. Behold hee the LORD shall come vp and fly as the Eagle and spread his wings over Bozrah and at that day shall the heart of the strong men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in travell Will you haue it confirmed by an oath Then looke backe to the 13. vers I sweare by my selfe saith the LORD that Bozrah shall be wast and for a reproach and a desolation and a curse and all the cities thereof shall be a perpetuall desolation Thus elegantly is Gods fearefull iudgment against Bozrah described by the Prophet Ieremy which our Prophet Amos thus delivereth A fire shal devour the palaces of Bozrah Bozrah great Bozrah she who dwelt in the clefts of the rock and kept the height of the hill must she be devoured by fire from the LORD Must shee become a reproach a desolation a curse a vastity We may hence take this doctrine It is not the situation of a city vpon rocke or hill that can bee a safegard to it if Gods vnappeasable anger break out against it for her sinnes The vse of this doctrine is the same with the former even to teach vs now and at all other times to put our trust only in the Name of the LORD who hath made heaven earth It 's neither wit nor wisedome nor strength nor height of Teman or of Bozrah or of all the best defensed cities in the world that can saue vs in the day of visitation Wherefore let our song bee as Davids was Psal 18.2 The LORD is our rocke our fortresse he that delivereth vs our God our strength in him wil we trust our shield the horne also of our salvation and our refuge Thirdly in that the LORD sendeth his fire into the palaces of Bozrah to devoure them we may learne this doctrine God depriveth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling
houses A truth experimentally made good vnto vs by the great coÌ„modity or contentment that commeth to every one of vs by our dwelling houses The vse is to teach vs. 1. To be humbled before Almighty God whensoever our dwelling houses are taken from vs. 2. Since wee peaceably enioy our dwelling houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory 3. To praise God daie by day for the comfortable vse wee haue of our dwelling houses Thus is my exposition of the prophecie against Edom ended THE NINETEENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.13 14 15. Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure I will not turne to it because they haue ript vp the women with childe of Gilead that they might enlarge their border Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battle and with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde And their king shall goe into captivity he and his Princes togither saith the LORD THis blessed Prophet of Almighty God in this his prophecie against the Ammonites observeth the same order as he hath done in two precedent predictions the one against the Syrians verse the thirde fourth and fifth the other against the Philistines verse the sixth seventh and eighth As in those so in this are three parts 1 A preface Thus saith the LORD 2 A prophecie For three transgressions c. 3 A conclusion verse the fifteenth Saith the LORD The prophecie consisteth of foure parts 1 A generall accusation of the Ammonites who are here noted as reproueable for many sinnes For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure 2 God his protestation against them for their sinnes I will not turne to it 3 A particular declaration of one sinne which with others procured this prophecy This sinne was the sinne of cruelty expressed in these words Because they haue ript vp the vvomen vvith childe of Gilead amplified by the end of so foule a fact That they might enlarge their borders 4 A denuntiation of iudgement which was to come vpon them deservedly for their sinnes ver 14 and 15. This iudgement is set downe First in a generalitie verse 14. Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof Secondly with some circumstances as that it should be full of terrour and speedy Full of terrour in these words With shouting in the day of battle Speedy in the words following With a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde This iudgement is further amplified by the extent of it It was to fall vpon not only the meaner sort of the people but vpon the nobility also yea and vpon the King himselfe Which is plaine by the 15. verse Their King shall goe into captivity he and his princes together These are the branches and parts of this prophecy I returne to the Preface Thus saith the LORD IEHOVAH This great and most honourable name of God wee haue many times met with We haue heard what the Cabalistes and Rabbines out of their too much curiositie haue thought of it With them it is nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name not to bee pronounced not to be taken within our polluted lips They call it Tetragrammaton a name in Hebrew of foure letters of foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellence because the name of God a Alsted Lex Theol. cap. 2. pag. 76. MiruÌ„ certè est quòd omnes gentes tacito consensu praecipuum Dei nomen quâ—tuor modò literis enuncient Fluxisse autem id existimatur è nomine IEHOVAH quod ipsum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latini dicunt DEVS Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Germani GOTT Aegyptii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magi ORSI Hebraei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galli DIEV Itali IDIO Hispani DIOS Dalmatis sive Illyricis est BOGI Boiemis BOHV Mahumetanis ABGD Gentibus in novo mundo repertis ZIMI Chaldaeis Siris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certè hoc sine singulari Dei O. M. provideÌ„tiâ factum non est Ego existimo illo significari nomen Dei in quatuor mundi plagis decantandum esse in all tongues and languages generally consisteth of foure letters More they speake of it You haue heard it before IEHOVAH b Deut. 10.17 God of Gods Lord of Lords a God c Eccles 43.29 most wonderfull very d Deut. 10.17 great mightie and terrible a God that e Eccles 43.31 caÌ„not either be conceived in thought or expressed by word f Aug. Soliloq cap. 34. of whom all the Angels in heaven doe stand in feare whom al dominations and g Revel 5.11 thrones doe adore at whose presence all powers doe shake A God in greatnes infinite in h August meditaâ—e 21. goodnesse soveraigne in wisdome wonderfull in power Almightie in counsailes terrible in iudgements righteous in cogitations secret in works holy in mercy rich in promise true alwaie the same eternall everlasting immortall vnchangeable Such is the LORD from whom our Prophet Amos here deriveth authoritie to his prophecie Thus saith the LORD Hath the LORD said and shall he not doe accordingly hath hee spoken it and shall he not accomplish it Balaam confesseth vnto Balak Num. 23.19 God is not as man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Indeed saith Sam. 1. Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel wil not lie nor repent for he is not as man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are Yea Amen Verily saith our Saviour Matth. 5.18 Heaven and earth shall perish before one iot or one title of Gods word shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the LORD Amos is here a patterne to vs that are preachers of the word of salvation We must ever come vnto you with Thus saith the LORD in our mouthes we may not speake either the imaginations of our owne braines or the vaine perswasions of our own hearts We must sincerely preach vnto you Gods gracious word without all corruption or depraving of the same This is it whereto S. Peter exhorteth vs 1. ep chap. 4 11. If any man speake let him speake as the word of God For if we yea if an Angell from heaven shall preach otherwise vnto you then from the LORD' 's owne mouth speaking in his holy word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be accursed let him bee had in â—â—â—â—ntion This note beloved dâ—th also concerne you that are the auditours hearers of Gods word For if we the preachers thereof must alwaies come vnto you with Thus saith the LORD theÌ„ are you to heare vs with reverence and attention And this for the authoritie of him that speaketh It is not you that speake saith our Saviour Iesus Christ to his blessed Apostles
Matt. 10.20 but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you And againe Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me S. Paule coÌ„mendeth the Thessalonians 1. ep chap. 2.13 for that when they receaved of the Apostles of Christ the word of the preaching of God they receaved it not as the word of man but as it was indeed as the word of God Well therefore did S. Iames chap. 1.21 thus to exhort the Iewes Receiue with meeknes the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules God spake vnto Israel in a vision by night Genes 46.2 and said Iacob Iacob Iacob answered I am here Hee was prest and ready with all â—â—â—ient attentioÌ„ to heare what his God should say vnto him and to follow the same with all faithfull obedience Such readinesse well becommeth every child of God eveÌ„ at this day in the Church where God speaketh Thus must hee thinke within himselfe It is thine ordinance o LORD by thy word preached to instruct me concerning thy holy will I am here LORD in all humble feare to heare thy blessed pleasure what this day it shall please thee to put in the mouth of the preacher to deliver vnto me I am here speake on LORD thy servant heareth If a Prince or some great man of this world shall speake vnto you you will attend and giue eare vnto him with your best diligence how much more then ought yee so to doe when the King of Heaven and LORD of the earth calleth vpon you by his ministers Thus farre by occasion of the preface Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of the children of Ammon for foure Whether these children of Ammon wore distinguished from the Ammonites as Drusius would proue 2. Chron. 20.1 and as R. David avoweth filij Ammon nusquam vocantur Ammonitae the children of Ammon are no where named Ammonites I hold it needlesse to dispute in this place It is one of doubt that these children of Ammon or Ammonites did lineally descend from Ben-ammi who was Dots sonne begotten in meest vpon his yonger daughter Gen. 19.38 Lot was Abrahams brothers sonne Gen. 14.12 Whereby it is evident that the posteritie of them both the children of Israel and the children of Ammon the Israelites and the Ammonites were linked together by affinitie and alliance The more to blame were those Ammonites without all respect of kindred to exercise such crueltie as they did against the Israelites for which cause Almightie God here sent his blessed Prophet to thunder out his threates against them For three transgressions of the children of Ammon for foure In the front of this prophecie you haue the generall accusation of these children of Ammon For three transgressions and for foure Three of these transgressions if you will beleeue Albertus Magnus are Crueltie Avarice and persecution the fourth is an obstinate pertinacie a constant stubbornesse ever to dwell in those sinnes Againe three of these transgressions are a coveting of other mens goods an vnlawful seeking for those things that are not our owne and a hardnes of heart to retaine them so sought for the fourth is the vnsatiable desire of a covetous man Many are the expositions of the learned vpon these words three and foure transgressions The most naturall proper significant I take to bee if by three and foure a finite and certaine number you vnderstand a number infinite vncertaine God as often as he will forgiueth though wee sinne tenne thousand times It is but a custome of the Scripture thus to speake God waiteth for vs twise and thrise that is a long time to see if wee will returne froÌ„ our evill waies vnto repentance but the fourth time that is at length when he seeth vs persist in our impeniteÌ„cie he reproveth vs casteth vs away leaveth vs in our sinnes Thus haue you the generall accusation of the children of Ammon for their many sinnes for which the LORD'S protestatioÌ„ against them followeth I will not 〈…〉 Those 〈◊〉 are diversly rendred by expositors by the author of the vulgar Latin and by Gualtâ—r NoÌ„ convert 〈…〉 I will not turne the Ammonite that is I wil not recall the children of Ammon to the right way they shall run on to their owne perdition By Calvin Non â—rocipropitius I wil not be favourable to the Ammonites By Mercer Non parcam ei I will not spare the Ammonites According to their deserts so shall it be vnto them By Iunius Non avertam istud I wil not turne away the punishment wherewith I haue resolued to punish them I am the LORD I am not changed The summe is if the Ammonites had offended but once or a second time I would haue beene favourable to them would haue recald them into the right way that so they might be coÌ„verted and escape my punishments but now whereas they doe dayly heape transgression vpon transgression and make no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to be converted but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure I will not turne to it Here are you to be remembred of a doctrine sundry times heretofore commended to your christian considerations Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heaven the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners God is of pure eies and beholdeth not iniquity Hee hath laid righteousnes to the rule and weighed his iustice in a balance The sentence is passed forth and must stand vncontrouleable even as long as the sunne and moone Tribulation and anguish vpon every soule that doth evill The soule that sinneth it shall be punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 32.41 That he will what his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance for sinne His soule hateth abhorreth sinne his law curseth condemneth sinne his hand smiteth scourgeth sinne Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne cities into Ashes to ruinate nations to torment his own bowels in the similitude of sinnefull flesh Because of sinne he drowned the old worlde and because of sinne ere long will burne this Thus do many sinnes plucke c. One vse of this doctrine is to teach vs heedfulnesse in al our waies that we doe not by our many sinnes provoke Almightie God to high displeasure A second vse is to moue vs to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did soe graciously forbeare these children of AmmoÌ„ til by three foure transgressions by their many sinnes they provoked him to indignation These thinges I haue heretofore laboured to lay vnto your hearts Now therefore I proceede to the thirde part of this prophecie wherein you haue the declaration of that grievous sinne by which the children of Ammon so highly offended This their sinne was the sinne of cruelty
mould with other men O God I thanke thee I am not as other men c. But leaue we the Pharisee in his pride he is not to be a patterne of imitation for vs. The Publicane is he whom we must follow Gerit typum omnium poenit entium all that will truely repent must take him for an ensample He stood a farre of would not lift vp so much as his eies to Heaven smote his breast and said O God be mercifull to me a sinner He stood a farre of I a B. King in Ion. lect 38. pag. 514. not daring to approach to God that God might approach to him He would not lift vp his eies to Heaven for he knew heaven to be the seate of that Maiesty which by sinning he had provoked vnto displeasure He smote his breast as the arke of all iniquity as it were punishing himselfe 〈…〉 to punish him And 〈…〉 heare and trembling tongâ—â— he called vp 〈…〉 and find O God be mercifull to me a sinner b Pet. de Palude Dom. 2. post Trin. â—â—â—r p. 364. Oratio 〈◊〉 〈…〉 It is a short praier but full of fruit O God 〈…〉 mercifull I say not to 〈◊〉 thy 〈…〉 thy 〈◊〉 or thy 〈◊〉 but be merciful to 〈…〉 sinner My whole câ—â—posâ—â—â—on 〈…〉 whatsoever I am in body or soule so farre as my manhood and humanity goeth a Sinner and not only by mine â—ffice and â—â—lling because I am a Publicane but even by â—â—ture and kiâ—de it selfe a Sinner O God be mercifull to me a sinner This Publicanâ— is set for a 〈◊〉 vnto vs. We must with him confesse our sinnes vnto the LORD Let no 〈◊〉 boast himselfe of his owne innocencie inâ—â—gâ—ity or vprightnes Quando mare sâ—ne proâ—â—â—is 〈◊〉 sine peccaâ—iâ— saith c Apud Pet. de Palude Dom. 11. Trinit p. 356 Chrysostome wheÌ„ the seâ— is without 〈◊〉 are we without sinnes But the sea is never free 〈…〉 In vaine thâ—â— is 〈◊〉 O 〈…〉 when thou exaltesâ— thy selfe as if thou were 〈…〉 what 〈…〉 at his closing vp of this parâ—â—â—e of the Publicaâ—â— and Pâ—â—risee Omnis qui se exaltat 〈◊〉 every one that exalts himselfe shall be brought low 〈◊〉 exalted himselfe and death was his recoÌ„pence Gen. 3.19 〈◊〉 exalted himselfe and he was drowned in the 〈◊〉 Exod. 14.28 â—â—rah Darhan and Abicam exalted the 〈…〉 the â—ardropened her mouth swallowed them vp Num. 16.32 Sâ—â—le exalted himselfe and an evill spirit was sent to vexe â—â—m 2. Sâ—â— 16.15 Absolon exalted himselfe he was hanged in 〈◊〉 â—â—ke 2. Sam. 16.9 Nabuchâ—donâ—sor exalted himselfe he was driven to seeke his dwelling with the beasts of the field Dan. 4.29 Amiâ—chus exalted himselfe and he died a miserable death consâ—â—ed of wormes â— Mach. 9.9 Herodâ— Agrippa exalted himselfe and the Angell of the LORD smote him so was he also eaten of wormes gaue vp the ghost Act. 12.23 It is out of all controversie Omnis qui se exaltat humiliabitur every one that exaltâ—â—â— himselfe shall be brought low Let the consideration hereof beloved worke in vs a vigilancie to keepe the proud Devill vnder that we swell not vp through a vaine perswasion of fleshly righteousnes that we lift not vp our Peacocks feathers nor extoll our eie lids through a conceite of our owne deserts but in all humility pray wee ever with the Publicane O God be mercifull vnto vs sinners and ascribe we vnto him all laud and praise for suffring vs notwithstanding our manifold sinnes every man to dwell d 1. King 4.25 vnder his vine and vnder his figgetree to liue in our owne land in peace free from all feare of being led into captivity Thus much of my first vse A second followeth My doctrine was When God punisheth a nation with captivity for their sinnes hee spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King Will you haue a reason hereof Heare then what Elihu saith Iob 34.19 God accepteth not the persons of Princes he regardeth not the rich more then the poore He accepteth no mans person saith S. Paule Gal. 2.6 No mans person Then neither the person of the Priest nor of the Prince nor of the King If these sinne like others of the people these shal be punished as wel as others and if others be caried into captivity these must into captivity also The vse of this doctrine is to admonish the great mightie ones of this world that they presume not to sinne against the LORD as if they were priviledged by their greatnes might No priviledge can serue their turnes when they must e Iob 21.20 drinke of the wrath of the Almighty Then shall they be as f Iob 21.18 stubble before the winde and as the chaffe that the storme carieth away Consider this all yee who take your selues to bee mightie among your neighbours yee whom God hath blessed with this worlds good aboue your neighbours Thinke not your wealth or authority can protect you when Gods sore displeasure shall breake out against you for your sinnes but rather let it ever be written in your hearts what is written Wisd 6.6 The mighty shall be mightily tormented And remember what is added in that place He that is Lord over all will spare no person neither shal he feare any greatnes for he hath made the small and the great and careth for 〈…〉 the sâ—â—orâ—â—al And hence ariseth a 〈◊〉 vse It is to minister a word of comfort to the inferiour and poorer sort of people If the mighty shall g Amos 2.6 sell the righteous among you for silver the poore for shoes if they h Amos 2.7 gape over your heads in the dust of the earth if they i Esai 3 15. grinde your faces if by violence oppression they k Habak 1.4 compasse you about yet be yee of good coÌ„fort God the iudge of al accepteth no persons He in his good time will avenge your causes bee your oppressours never so mightie for when he punisheth a land for the sinnes of a people he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King There is a fourth vse of this doctrine It is to warne vs not to set our hearts vpon the outwarde things of this worlde for as much as God will not respect vs for them Neither Priest nor Prince nor King can stand before the displeasure of Almightie God And shall a mighty man shall a rich man stand No. l Psal 68.2 As the smoake vanisheth so shall he be driven away and as the waxe melteth before the fire so shall he perish at the presence of God Wherefore dearely beloved in the LORD let vs only and earnestly seeke after such things as may make vs accepted with God as righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost For whosoever in these things serveth Christ hee is acceptable to God saith S. Paule Rom. 14.18 Thus farre by occasion of my first doctrine which was When God punisheth a nation with captivitie for their
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
I will but point at thē Is it true beloued Doth God often humble his chosen children vnder the rod of the wicked It may first shew vs how great Gods anger is for sinne that he punisheth it so severely even in his dearest children and thereby may worke in vs a loathing hatred and detestation of sinne Never more need then now to smite our breasts pray with the publicane O God be mercifull vnto vs sinners Secondly it may teach vs not to measure the favour of God towards our selues or others by the adversities or crosses of this life Here we see that the women of Gilead of the race of Israel Gods owne lot and inheritance were most barbarously cruelly ript vp by the Ammonites Yet are we not to doubt but that Gods favour was great towards them even in this severe punishment Thirdly it may make vs poure out our soules in thankfulnesse before Almightie God for our present estate and condition It is not with vs as in the daies of Gilead we are not threshed with threshing instruments of yron our women with child are not ript vp Our daies are the daies of peace our King is a king of peace Peace is in our ports peace in all our borders and peace within our wals l Psal 144.12 Our sonnes doe grow vp as young plants our daughters are as the polished corners of the temple Our garners are full and plenteous with al maner of store Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands Our oxen are strong to labour Here is no invasion no leading into captivitie no complaining in our streets Are not the people happy that are in such a case Yes saith the Psalmist Psal 144.15 Happy are the people that are in such a case The case you see is ours The God of peace which maketh an m Psal 46.10 end of warre in all the world and breaketh the bow and knappeth the speares asunder and burneth the chariots with fire hee doth now protect vs from warre and slaughter Quid rependemus What shall we render vnto the LORD for all his benefits towards vs We will take the cup of salvation and praise his holy name O our soules praise the LORD for hee onely maketh vs to dwell in safetie Thus farre of the cruell fact of the Ammonites in ripping vp the women with child of Gilead This their fact is amplified by the end wherefore they did it They haue ript vp the women with child of Gilead that they might enlarge their border That they might enlarge their border What could such crueltie against innocent and harmelesse women further them to the attaining of such an end Very much For hereby it might come to passe that there should not be any ofspring of the Gileadites to inherit and possesse the land so might the land without any resistance become the possession of the Ammonites This is by a propheticall contestation touched Ierem. 49.1 Vnto the children of Ammō thus saith the LORD Hath Israel no sonnes or hath he no heires Why then hath their King possessed Gad and his people dwelt in his cities So might this our Prophet Amos here contest and make complaint Hath Gilead no sonnes Hath Gilead no heires Why then haue the Ammonites possessed Gilead why haue they dwelt in the cities of Gilead The answer is plaine out of my text the Ammonites haue ript vp the women with child of Gilead they haue left them no sonnes no heires And so they possessed the land of Gilead so haue they enlarged their borders Wee see now the meaning of our Prophet Hee obiecteth to the Ammonites not only that they did cruelly rip vp the womē with child in Gilead but also that they did it for this end that they might enlarge their borders The doctrine is That nation which is not content with her owne borders but invadeth her neighbour countries sinneth grievously The Ethnickes of old taught but in Natures schoole did hold it for a wicked act detestable and inexpiable to remoue a neighbours land-markes In which respect the old Romans worshipped Terminus for a God Terminus which signifieth a bound limite meere buttle or land-marke was in their account a God God of their bounds limites or markes of their severall fields meadowes and pastures and such a God as should not giue place to Iupiter himselfe To this Terminus they held a feast in Februarie called it Terminalia as Austine witnesseth in his books de Civitate Dei Lib. 5.21 lib. 7. c. 7. Now if the heathenish blind superstitious Romans trained vp in natures schoole did so highly esteeme of the preservatiō maintenāce of bounds limits how are we trained vp in the schoole of Grace to esteeme thereof In the schoole of Grace a law is givē Deut. 19.14 Thou shalt not remoue thy neighbours marke To obey this law we are charged vpon a curse Deu. 27.17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbours marke It is Gods own ordinance that bounds and limits and marks are appointed to every mans possessions This may be gathered out of Deut. 32.8 The most high GOD divided to the nations their inheritances he separated the sonnes of mē he did set the boūds of nations The meaning is the LORD pitched the boūds of kingdomes at such time as it pleased him that the nations should be divided asunder Yet we see how the covetous ambition vnsatiable desire of some Princes in the world haue put al out of order how there is nothing so holy that can stay them from incroaching vpon the bounds of their neighbours and next borderers Sēnacherib King of Assyria was a stout offender in this kind He boasted of his invasions and victories vpon his neighbour countries But that other princes may take example by him he was made a peculiar example of divine iudgement For as he transgressed the bounds of his neighbour princes to their overthrow so did his owne sonnes transgresse the bounds of nature to the losse of his their fathers life As it appeareth by Esai 37.38 As Sennacherib was in the temple worshipping Nisroch his God Adramelech Sharezer his sons slew him with the sword And by my text you see what iudgements God threatneth to the Ammonites for their vnlawful practises to enlarge their borders So my doctrine is established The nation that is not content with her owne borders but invadeth her neighbour countries sinneth grievously The vse of this doctrine may concerne vs here assembled As princes ought to hold themselues contented with their owne bounds so ought every private man also God hath also separated their possessions one frō another to the ende that al might liue and communicate one with another and that there might be no confused disorder But beloved in the Lord how do we stand to this order set by Almighty God Do we not seeke dayly to pervert it God would haue it kept most holy but we care not for it Our couetousnes carrieth vs away we would still be
greater Wee ioine house to house and field to field as it is in Esai 5.8 that we may be placed by our selues in the middest of the earth Were our Fathers so ambitious They were cōtent with such bounds as their ancestors left them but we must haue them altered if not enlarged The divinely-inspired David tels vs Psal 37.3 that if wee dwell in the land where God hath placed vs we shall verily bee fed We should learne of S. Paule Philip. 4.11 in whatsoever state we are therewith to be content Knowing it to be true which the same Apostle avoweth vnto Timothy Ep. 1. chap. 6. ver 6. that Godlinesse is great gaine if we will be content with that we haue Thus much of the 13. verse THE TWENTIETH LECTVRE AMOS 1.14 15. Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battle and with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde And their king shall goe into captivity he and his Princes together saith the LORD HEre wee haue the denuntiation of the iudgements of God against the childrē of Ammon for their sinnes This iudgement is in the 14. verse set downe 1. In a generality 2. with some circumstances First in a generality Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof Secondly with some circumstances as that it should be full of terrour and speedy of large extent Full of terrour with shouting in the day of battle Speedy with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde Of large extent For it was to fall vpon not only the meaner sort of the people but vpon the nobility also yea and vpon the king himselfe which is plaine by the 15. verse Their king shal goe into captivity he and his princes together First let vs weigh this iudgement of God as it is set downe in a generality I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah it shall devoure the palaces thereof This iudgement for substance is no other then that which you haue heretofore heard out of this chapter to haue beene denounced from Almighty God against the Syrians Philistines Tyrians and Edomites Against the Syrians vers 4. I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devoure the palaces of Ben-hadad Against the Philistines ver 7. I will send a fire vpon the wals of Azzah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof Against the Tyrians ver 10. I will send a fire vpō the wals of Tyrus and it shall devoure the palaces thereof Against the Edomites vers 12. I will send a fire vpon Ternan and it shall devoure the palaces of Bozrah Betweene those denunciations this you see no great difference In those Thus saith the LORD I will send a fire in this Thus I will kindle a fire I will send a fire I will kindle a fire the substance in both is the same And therefore as in those I haue done so do I in this I commend to your Christian and religious considerations certaine circumstances 1 Of the punisher the LORD I will kindle 2 Of the punishment by fire A fire 3 Of the punished The wals of Rabbah and the palaces thereof These circumstances are in this iudgement of God as it is set downe in a generality The first circumstance concerneth the punisher the LORD for thus saith the LORD I will kindle a fire The note yeeldeth this doctrine It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This truth hath beene often confirmed vnto you Divers are the vses of it 1 It may lesson vs to looke heedfully vnto our feete that we walke not in the way of sinners to partake with thē in their sinnes Sinnes are not tongue-tied they cry alowd vnto the LORD for vengeance 2 It may admonish vs not to intermedle in the LORDS office It 's his office to execute vengeance We therefore may not interpose our selues 3 It may serue for a comfort to the Godly against whom the wicked haue behaved themselues prowdly and dispiteously God in due time 〈◊〉 such their behaviour will render vengeance vnto them 〈◊〉 them with everlasting perdition The second circumstance cōcerneth the punishment which is by fire I will kindle a fire By fire here we are to vnderstand not so much a true and naturall fire as a figuratiue and metaphoricall fire The sword pestilence and famine quodlibet genus consumptionis every kind of consumption quaelibet species excidij every kinde of destruction haile water thunder sicknes or any other of the executioners of God his wrath for the sinnes of men may be signified by this name Fire The doctrine The fire whether naturall or figuratiue that is the fire all other creatures are at the Lords commandement to be employed by him in the punishment of the wicked Of this doctrine heretofore The vse of it is to teach vs how to behaue our selues at such times as God shall visit vs with his rod of correction how to cary our selues in all our afflictions We must not so much looke to the meanes as to the LORD that worketh by them If the fire or water or any other of Gods creatures shall at any time rage and prevaile against vs we must know that God by them worketh his holy will vpō vs. Here we see he resolueth to kindle a fire vpon the wall of Rabbah for thus saith the LORD I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shal devoure the palaces thereof There was a city of this name Rabbah in the country of Moab called Rabbath-Moab So saith Drusius But the Rabbah in my text was a city in the country of the Ammonites called 2. Sam. 12.26 Rabbah of the children of Ammon where it is named the city of the kingdome For it was their metropolitical chiefe city In the verse following it 's called the city of waters because it was situate neere vnto the river Ieboc The destruction here threatned to this city is likewise denounced by two other Prophets Ieremy and Ezechiel In Ieremie chap. 49.2 Thus saith the LORD I will cause a noise of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites and it shall be a desolate heape and her daughters shall be burnt with fire Cry yee daughters of Rabbah gird you with sackecloath mourne and runne to fro by the hedges for their king shall goe into captivity and his priests his princes likewise And Ezechiel chap. 25.5 I will make Rabbah a dwelling place for Camels and the Ammonites a sheepcoate By which two places of Ieremy Ezechiel the meaning of my Prophet is opened Here in the person of God he saith I wil kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof It is as if he had said The a Ierem. 7.34 voice of mirth and the voice of gladnes shall cease to be