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 〈◊〉
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
set before you al other his liege people Gods word if possible in greatest purity Let God be with the workmeÌ„ I mean the traÌ„slators of the old and new testaments i This sermon was preached in the yeare of our Lord 1605. Nov. 3. Since the Translation is perfected and published the exactest that ever this Land had Let God be with them in their holy labours and let the remembrance of our King for it be like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the Apothecarie Hitherto beloved I haue by way of preface exhorted you to the reading and hearing of Gods word and I doubt not of your obedience to it Yet if any of you shal except against the reading of it for the hardnesse of the phrase being of the Eunuches mind Act. 8.31 that you cannot vnderstande what you reade except you haue a guid let it be your comfort that his Maiesty in giving his royal assent to those laudable Canons Constitutions Ecclesiastical a greed vpon in the late k Begun at London Anno Do. 1603. Synod at London hath by the 45. 46. canons provided guides for you such as are soberly and sincerely to divide the worde of truth to the glory of God and the best edification of his people And now it being my lot to be sent vnto you to you I bring an vnestimable pearle the word of the Lord which the Prophet Amos saw vpon Israel In dividing it I promise you in the words of Paul 2. Cor. 12.19 by the help of God to doe all things for your edifying Wherefore beloved giue eare I beseech you with reverent regard and attention to the word of the Lord as it is written Amos 1.1 The words of Amos who was among the heardmen at Tekoa which hee saw vpon Israel in the daies of Vzziah King of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel two yeares before the earthquake This first verse we may call the title of this booke or the preface vnto it It yeeldeth to our considerations sundry circumstances 1 The Prophets name Amos. 2 His former condition of life He was among the heardmen 3 The place of his vsual abode Tekoa 4 The matter or argument of his Prophecie implied in these words The words which he saw vpon Israel 5 The time of his Prophecie In the daies of Vzziah King of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel two yeares before the earthquake Amos Epiphanius in his booke of the liues and deathes of the Prophets holdeth this Amos to be Esays father To which opinion a learned and late Divine l Prolog in 12. proph nâ—n Danaeus seemeth to giue his assent But St Hierome is against it and so are most interpreters So also is Drusius in his sacred observations lib. 4. cap. 21. And worthily For as much as the Hebrew writing of these two names m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of ESAYS father and n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this our Prophets name is evidence and proofe sufficient that they were not one but two names and consequently not one but two men Againe Amos the father of Esay is by interpretation fortis o Hieronym Nic. de Lyra. robustus stout and valiant but Amos our prophet is p Hieron ep ad Paulin. Onustus a man burdened and loaden or q Hier. Lyran avulsus one that is separated from others These divers interpretations of these two names the name of Esays father and this our Prophets name is evidence and proofe sufficient that they were not one but two names and consequently not one but two men Besides Amos our Prophet is in the ancient monuments of the Hebrews surnamed r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est balbus a stutterer stammerer or maffler as Drusius noteth vpon my text We find not any such surname giuen to Esays father Therefore our Amos is not Amos the father of Esay From our Prophets name let vs come to his condition of life and vocation expressed by himselfe in these words VVho was among the heardmen There are two sorts of heardmen the one is of such as do vse the feat and trade of graziers or are sheep-masters such as haue vnder them in pay other heardmen and shepheards In this sense Mesa King of Moab 2. King 3.4 is called a heardman or shepheard and is registred to haue rendred to the King of Israel an hundred thousand lambe and an hundred thousand rammes with the wool The other sort of heardmen is of such as are hired to keepâ— cattel aâ— sâ—e to their feeding safetie such we properly calâ— â—â—ardmâ—n 〈◊〉 shepheards and such a one was Amos our Prophet witnes himselfe cap. 7.14 I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets sonne but I was a heardman or shepheard You see now his former condition of life profession and vocation see also the place where he liued At Tekoa this towne Å¿ Lib de vit Prophet Epiphanius ascribeth to the land of Zabulâ—n t Apud Mercerum R. David to the inheritance of the sonnes of Aser but St Hierome whom with the rest of the expositors of this booke I choose to follow placeth it in the tribe of Iudae six miles southward from Bethlehem Adrachâ—m in his description of the holy land saith it is two miles from Bethlehem More or lesse it s not much pertinent to my present occasion For the place it selfe Tekoa is 2. Chron. 12.6 rehearsed among al those strong Cities which Rehoboam built in Iuda Beyond the City Tekoa as St Hieromae observeth there was not any little village no not so much as a cottage onely there was a great wildernesse called 2. Chron. 20.20 the wildernesse of Tekoa a fit place for a shepheards walke Here Amos for a time led a shepheards life At length God separated him to carry his word against Israel Which is the fourth circumstance of this verse the matter or argument of this prophecie implied in these words The words of Amos which he saw vpon Israel The Hebrew manner is to call sermons words as Ierem. 1.1 The words of Ieremie And Eccles 1.1 The words of the preacher And Haggei 1.12 The words of Haggei And Luk. 3.4 The words of Esay By these words we vnderstand sermons the sermons of Ieremy Ecclesiastes Haggei and Esay So here the words of Amos are the sermons of Amos. VVhich he saw this adiectioÌ„ sheweth that these words of Amos were committed to him by that kinde of propheticall instinct and motion which is tearmed vision as Ariaâ— Montanus observeth in his common disputes of the propheticall bookes Indeed vision is one of the kindes of prophecie In which regard as Sauls servant beareth witnesse 1 Sam. 9.9 Prophets were in the olde time called seers Well then doth Drusius expound this place The words which Amos saw that is the words which God did disclose or reveale
vnto Amos in a vision These words which Amos saw this vision or prophecie was concerning Israel vpon or against Israel Vpon Israel Israel was a common name to the 12. tribes which issued out of Iacobs loynes and was so from the beginning of Sauls reigne to the end of Salomons After whose death a rent was made in the kingdome Ieroboam sonne of Nebat seduced 10 tribes Rhehoboam Salomons sonne could keep with him but two Thus of one kingdome Israel were made two Iuda and Israel A strange division Israel divided from Israel tenne tribes from the other two Two tribes the tribes of Iuda and Beniamin continued in their obedience to the house of David the other ten forsooke it and fell away The two tribes Iuda and Beniamin called but one tribe 1. King 11.13 because of the mixture of their possessions these two tribes setled in their faithfulnesse and obedience to the seed of David are in holy scripture called sometimes u Amos. 2.4 Iuda sometimes x Ierem â— 1. Benjamin sometimes y Micah 1.1 Ierusalem sometimes z Amos 6.1 Sion sometimes * Zach. 12.7 the house of David The other tenne tribes which fell away from and forsooke their rightfull King and holy religion haue in like sort their diverse appellations a Hos 10.15 Bethel b Hos 10.5 Bethaven c Micah 1.1 Samaria d Hos 2.22 Iesreel e Amos 5.6 Ioseph f Hos 4.17 Ephraim g Hos 10.11 Iacob h Hos 10.11 Israel These are the names in the sanctified writings of the holy prophets appropriate to signifie the 10. revolted tribes Israel you see is one of them and that is the Israel in my text Thus was Amos by the holy spirit deputed and directed with his message peculiarly and properly to the kingdome of the 10. revolted tribes the kingdome of Israel Some mention is made of Iuda incidently and by the way but the scope of the prophecie is Israel The time which was my last circumstcanâ— followeth In the daies of Vzziah King of Iuda in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel The time is she downe in generall and in particular First in generall thus In the daies of Vzziah c Vzziah or Ozias called also Azarias 2. King 14.21 succeeded his father Amazias in the throne of Iuda This he did in the 17th yeare of the reigne of Ieroboam in Israel as appeareth 2. King 15.1 That same Ieroboam that you may distinguish him from a former King of the same name is called in my text Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash Hereby we see in generall the time of his prophecie which is more particularly set downe in the last words two yeare before the earthquake Hee meaneth that same notable and famous earthquake mentioned also Zach. 14. â—5 Yee shall fly saith he like as yee fled from the earthquake in the daies of Vzziah King of Iuda In what yeare of Vzziahs reigne this earthquâ—ke happened it is not to be collected out of holy scripture Flavius Iosephus Lib. 9. antiq Iudaic. cap. 11. saith that this earthquake happened then when King Vzziah vsurping the Priests office went into the temple of the Lord to burne incense Ribera disproueâ— Iosephus his iudgement and saith that the earthquake happened within the fourteenth yeare of the reign of Vzziah Some doe hold it was in the 22th yeare And the Hebrewes whom Funâ—cius followeth in his Chronologie doe ascribe it to the 25. yeare For my part I say not in what yeare it happened Why should I speake where the holy spirit is silent It is out of doubt that there was such an earthquake in the daies of Vzziah witnesse the Prophet Zacharie two yeares after Amos had begun his propheticall function witnesse Amos here in my text Thus dearely beloved in the Lord haue I briefly run over the exposition of this first verse let me now vpon it build some doctrine for the building vp of our selues in our holy faith you will bee pleased to remember with mee that Amos of a heardmen or a shepheard became a blessed Prophet to carry a terrible word fearefull message from the living God to the King Nobles Priests and people of Israel The doctrine to be grounded herevpon I deliver in this proposition God chooseth vile and despised persons to confound the great and mightie Vile and despised persons I call such as to the world to humane wisdome and to the eye of reason are of no price esteeme or worth Such as Ioseph was when hee kept sheepe in Canaan with his brethren and was by them sold to the Ismaelites Gen. 37.2 27. Such as Moses was when first he was cast into the flags Exod. 2.1 Such as David was while he medled with sheepfolds and followed the ewes great with youÌ„g Psal 78.70 Such as were Peter Andrew Iames Iohn while they busied themselues about mending of nets and catching of fish Matth. 4.18 21. These Ioseph Moses and David shepheards Peter Andrew Iames and Iohn fishermen vile and despised in the accompt of the world were chosen by the wisdome of the great God of heaven one to be a ruler in Egypt another to be a leader of Gods people the third to be a King the rest to be Christs Apostles Heare now a word of eternall veritie and full of comfort You shall find it Psal 113.7 8. The Lord who is high aboue al nations and glorious aboue the heavens hee raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung to set him with Princes St Pauls discourse touching this point is more large and spacious You shall find it 1. Cor. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise the weake things to confound the strong and vile things things despised and things which are not to bring to naught the things that are The reason of Gods dealing thus in the advancement of the foolish weake vile despised needy and poore to places of dignitie is expressed 1. Cor. 1.29 It is that no flesh should reioice in his presence that is that no man should glory before the Lord. In this reason are two things worthy our religious considerations as Musculus well observeth For hereby our God first suppresseth and beateth downe the pride of flesh takes from it all glory of wisdome power and nobilitie and secondly whatsoever glory there is of wisdome power nobilitie he doth claime and challenge it for his owne peculiar Thus haue you dearely beloved the confirmation of my doctrine The doctrine was God chooseth vile and despised persons to confound the great and mightie Be patient I beseech you while I point at some vses of it The first vse is to lift vp our mindes to the contemplation of Gods good providence Poore shepheards and fishermen God exalteth and advanceth into the highest places of dignitie in Church and common-wealth Hereby wee knowe that
the honour of this city they that were aliue wheÌ„ Ierusalem flourished to haue q Psal 48 1â— numbred her towers to haue considered her walles to haue marked her bulwarks and to haue told their posterity of it might haue made a report scarsly to haue beene beleeued This we knowe by Psal 48.4 5. When the Kings of the earth were gathered together and saw it they marvelled they were astonied and suddainely driven backe Thus is Ierusalem taken literally It is also taken spiritually for the Church either militant here on earth or Triumphant in heaven For the Church Militant Psal 128.5 Thou shalt see the wealth of Ierusalem all thy life long And for the Church Triumphant Gal. 4.26 Ierusalem which is aboue is free The Catholique Church Militant and Triumphant is called Ierusalem because Ierusalem was a type thereof Ierusalem was a type of the Catholike Church in sundry respects 1 God did choose Ierusalem aboue al other places of the earth to r Psal 132.13 Psal 135.21 dwell in So the Catholike Church the companie of the predestinate God hath chosen to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe 2 Ierusalem is a city Å¿ Ps 122.3 compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of loue and order among the Citizens So the faithfull the members of the Catholike Church are linked together by the bond of one Spirit 3 Ierusalem was the place of Gods sanctuarie the place of his presence and worship where the promise of the seed of the woman was preserved till the comming of the Messias Now the Catholike Church is in the roome thereof In the Catholike Church we must seeke the presence of God the word of life 4 In Ierusalem was the t Psal 122.5 throne of David So in the Catholike Church is the throne and scepter of CHRIST figured by the Kingdome of David 5 The commendation of Ierusalem was the subiection obedience of her citizens The Catholike Church hath her citizens too Eph. 2.19 and they doe yeeld voluntarie obedience and subiection to Christ their King 6 In Ierusalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a register So the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life Revel 20.15 You see now what Ierusalem is literally and what spiritually Literally it is that much honoured City in Iudea the u Ps 46.4 City of God even the sanctuary of the tabernacle of the most High Spiritually it is the holy Church of Christ either his Church Militant on earth or his Church Triumphant in Heaven Now the Ierusalem in my text from whence the LORD is said to vtter his voice is either Ierusalem in the literall or Ierusalem in the spirituall vnderstanding it is either Ierusalem the mother city of Iudea or Ierusalem the Church of Christ Militant vpon earth or Ierusalem aboue the most proper place of Gods residence So that Ierusalem here is the same with Sion an exposition of Sion The LORD shall roare from Sion that is in other words The LORD shall vtter his voice from Ierusalem Marke I beseech you beloved in the LORD The LORD shall roare not from Dan and Bethel where Ieroboams calues were worshipped but from Sion the mountaine of his holines and hee shall vtter his voice not from Samaria drunken with Idolatrie but from Ierusalem the x Zach. 8.3 city of truth wherein the puritie of Gods worship did gloriously shine Wee may take from hence this lesson Sion and Ierusalem are to be frequented that thence hearing God speake vnto vs we may learne what his holy will is To speake more plainely This is the lesson which I commend vnto you The place where God is served and the exercises of his religion are practised must be carefully frequented That I may the more easily perswade you to come vnto and to frequent this place this house of God his holy Church and Temple I bring you a guid This guid is a King and leads you the way the blessed King David I beseech you marke his affection Psal 84.1 O LORD of hoasts how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for thy courts Mark his loue Psa 26.8 O LORD I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth Marke the earnestnes of his zeale Psal 42.1.2 As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God Let this holy King King David be that patterne of your imitation Beloued you must haue an earnest loue and desire to serue God in the assembly of his Saints you must much esteeme of the publike exercise of religion It is Gods effectuall instrumeÌ„t and meane to nourish and begâ—t you to the hope of a better life In what case then are you when you absent your selues from this and the like holy assemblies when either you come hither carelesly or else do gracelesly contemne this place Here is Sion here is Ierusalem here God speaketh to you in the language of Canaan and here may you speake to him againe with your owne mouthes It is every mans duty the dutie of everyone that loues God to come vnto Gods house his house of prayer In this respect thus saith the LORD Esay 56.7 Mine house shall bee called the house of prayer for all people For all people there is no difference betweene the y Galat. 3.28 Iew and the Grecian betweene the bond the free betweene the male and the female for our LORD who is LORD over all z Rom. 10.12 is rich vnto all that call vpon him Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people To imprint this sentence in your heartes it is repeated vnto you Mat. 21.13 Where Iesus Christ to the mony changers doue-sellers whom he found in the Temple vseth this speech It is written mine house shall be called an house of prayer but yee haue made it a den of theeues Iunius his note vpon the place is good Qui domo Dei non vtitur ad orationis domum is eò devenit vt speluncam latronâ—m efficiat cam Whosoever vseth not the house of God for a house of prayer hee commeth thither to make it a denne of theeues Let vs take heed beloved in the Lord wheÌ„soever we come vnto the Church the house of God that we be not partakers of thiâ— sharpe censure Ecclesiastes chap. 4.17 giuâ—â—â— a profitable caveat Take heed to thy feet when thou enterest into the house of God intimating thus much that of duty we are to enter into the house of God Though the Temple in Ierusalem and all the worship in ceremonies that was annexed to it are taken away yet iâ— Solomons caveat good for vs still Take heed to thy feet when thou enterest into the house of God For we also haue Gods house where hee is chiefly to be
sought and worshiped even in every place appointed by publike authoritie for publike assemblies Wherefore I pray you hath God given his Church a 1. Cor. 12 27. some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers Is it not as we are taught Ephes 4.12 for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edifying of the Body of Christ See you not here a forcible argument and evident proofe for this your publike meeting There is Matth. 18.20 a speciall promise of a blessing to light vpon you as oft as you shall come to this place and thereof the author of all truth assureth you Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them O weigh and consider this If you loue would haue the societie fellowship company of your sweet Saviour Iesus Christ you must frequent this place hither must you come Knowe this you cannot be right worshippers of God in private if you refuse or neglect to frequent this publike assemblie the Sion the Ierusalem from whence God is pleased to speake vnto you Much then very much to blame you whosoever doe for none or for smal occasions absent your selues from this place this house of God at appointed times where when your publike prayers should be as it were a publike renouÌ„cing of al sects and societie with idolatrie and prophanesse an acknowledgement and confession of the true God and a publike sanctification of Gods holy Name to the glory of God The time was and I dare avouch it Act. 21.5 when all the congregation of Tyre with their wiues and children bringing St Paul out of the towne to the sea shore kneeled downe with him and prayed Shall we in these daies finde this zeale among Christians I much doubt it and am perswaded men will bee ashamed in imitation of those Tyrians to kneele downe in an open place to pray vnto God publikely I will not rub this soare I know somewhat and you knowe more then I how backward many of you haue beene froÌ„ doing God due service in this place Shall I say you haue dishonoured him some by irreverence some by much absence some by wilfull refusall to bee made partakers of the blessed Communion of the body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I thinke should any one of you invite your neighbour to sup with you but once he refuse it you would take some displeasure at him and shall God Almightie the mightie creatour of Heaven of Earth of all you that heare mâ— this day invite you many times to come and suppe at the table of his blessed Sonne and you refuse it Beleeue it hee cannot take it well It is no indifferent or arbitrary thing to come or not to come to the Lords table Come you must of duty though of duty you are first to examine your selues Whosoever therefore wilfully refuseth to come he sinneth very grievously as a learned b Bucanus Loc. 48. Divine well noteth 1 Because he contemneth not any humane but a divine edict the expresse commandement of the Lord of life Doe this in remembrance of me 2 Because he little esteemeth the remembrance of Christ his death by which we are redeemed 3 Because he neglecteth the communion of the body and bloud of Christ 4 Because he sheweth himselfe to be none of the number of Christs disciples I beseech you dearely beloved lay vp these things in your harts let this day be the beginning of your reformatioÌ„ resolue from hence forth to perfourme your due obedience to God in this place to poure forth your praiers before him to heare his holy word and to frequent the Lords table whereby faith in his death and passion you may receiue many a gracious blessing forgiuenes of your sinnes your reconciliation with God the death of iniquity in you and the assured pledge of eternall life I haue now by occasion of SION and IERVSALEM the place from whence God will speake vnto yâ—â— exhorted every one of you in particular to come to the Church I pray you note this to be but a part of your duty It is not enough for you to come your selues to the Church you must sollicite and exhort others to come likewise Fathers must bring their children Masters must bring their Servants For old and yong should come My warrant for what I say I take out of Ioel. 2.15 16. Calla solemne assembly gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the childreÌ„ those that suck the breasts Marke I beseech you Children and such as sucke the breasts must be assembled You must haue the spirit of resolution to say with Ioshua cha 24.15 I my house will serue the LORD Your duty is yet further extended beyond your children servants to your neighbours also strangers if they come in your way This we may learne out of the prophecies of Esay Micah and Zacharie First Esay 2.3 The faithfull shall say Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies we wil walke in his pathes for the law shall go forth of SION and the word of the Lord from IERVSALEM Againe Micah 4.2 You shall finde the very same exhortation made by the faithfull and in the same words Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob c. The Prophet Zachary chap. 8.21 for summe and substance speaketh the same thing They that dwell in one towne shall go vnto another saying vp let vs go and pray before the LORD seeke the LORD of hoastes I will go also Thus farre of the place from whence the Lord speaketh expressed by two names Sion and Ierusalem THE FIFTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither OF the speaker place from whence he speaketh I haue heretofore spokeÌ„ Now proceed we to the sequels of the speech which shall for this time bee the ground of my discourse The dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish So doe the words sound for their substance Yet after the letter in the originall Hebrew copie we are to read otherwise the fruitfull or pleasant places of the shepheards haue mourned Let vs briefly take a view of the words as they lie in order The dwelling places So is the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 englished not vnfitly For though properly it signifieth fruitfull and pleasant fields and pastures yet because shepheards did vse in the wildernesse neere vnto such fields pastures to erect themselues little cottages and cabins that they might bee at hand to defend their harmelesse sheepe from savage and ravenous beasts it may here well be englished the dwelling places
I would it were within the compasse of my Rhetoricke Yet let me propound one question vnto you Hag. 1.4 Is it time for your selues to dwell in your seiled houses and this house to lye wast Consider your own waies in your own hearts and giue your answer vnto God A second note for your further instruction and meditation followeth It is true Are sinne and iniquitie means to lay wast make desolate all manner of buildings How then is it that our dwelling houses doe yet stand and flourish Our sinnes and iniquities are exceeding impudent and sawcie they are ascended into the presence of God and doe stand like Sathan among his children before his face Yet for all this impudencie and sawcinesse of our sinnes and iniquities God is pleased to suffer our dwelling houses to be in safetie The consideration of this point may stirre vs vp to a gratefull agnition and acknowledgment of Gods singular bountie and longanimitie It is out of the bountie of the LORD that the earth since the time it first was cursed for the fall of man doth to this day yeeld fruit in abundance for the vse of man That our possessions habitations dwelling houses and Churches are not laid wast and made desolate it is to be ascribed to Gods long sufferance and longanimitie Of which I shall God willing anon speake more fully whē I shal haue considered the words of the second sequel or consequent of Gods speech which are The top of Carmel shall wither The top of Carmel There were two hills of this name as St Hierome teacheth both in Iudea the one in the southerne climate of that country whereon Nabal the husband of Abigail did dwel 1. Sam. 25.2 the other neere vnto Ptolemais towards the sea coast vpon which Elias prayed for raine 1. Kings 18.42 St Hierome seemeth to doubt which of these two Carmels our Prophet here intendeth But Ribera resolveth for that Carmel which was neere vnto Ptolemais because it did appertaine to the lot of the ten tribes against whom Amos in this booke prophecieth This Carmel was a hill of much fatnesse and fertilitie whervpon it may as proverbially be taken for any such place St Hierome writing vpon Esay 16. saith it is the Scriptures idiome and proper forme of speech evermore to compare the rich hil Carmel to fertilitie and abundance One of the Hebrewe d R. David apud Drusiū Doctors saith that Carmel is a generall name for all fruitfull arable fields and vineyards A great e Pagnin Hebrician saith that because the hill Carmel had by it a valley of exceeding feracitie and fruitfulnesse therefore Carmel is appellatiuely taken for any place set with corne trees or vines and specially with standing corne with newe and fat wheat while it is in eare though another f Marinus in Arca Noe Hebrician of like note affirmeth that because Carmel collectiuely signifieth standing corne or new wheate yet in the eare therefore a certaine region in the province of Canaan of extraordinary fertilitie as also a hill and city there was called after this name Carmel Whatsoever Carmel bee in this place whether a proper name or an appellatiue out of doubt it betokeneth a place of much fruitfulnesse Following the streame of expositors I am of opinion that Carmel in my text is that same fruitfull mountaine of Iudea by Ptolemais The top of Carmel A place fit by reason of the woodes there to lurke and lie hid in as is plaine by Amos 9.3 Though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence The top of Carmel In the Hebrew it is the head of Carmel The head or top of Carmel is the Scripture phrase to expresse whatsoever is best in Carmel By the like phrase we say Caput vnguēti the head or the top of the ointment to signifie the best of the ointment The top of Carmel Pagnine thus translateth it vertex loci fertilis the top of the fruitfull place And Iunius thus praestantissimum aruorum the best of the fields Both Pagnine and Iunius doe take Carmel here for an appellatiue and not for a proper name The top of Carmel shall wither shall wax dry or be dried vp That is where most fruitfull fields and pastures are there shall be a defect and want of necessaries for mans life Thus haue you the exposition of this last clause Nowe bee patient I pray you while from hence I commend on lesson vnto you It is this For the sinnes of a people God will make the top of their Carmel to wither I speake it more plainely For the sinnes of a people God will make their best groundes to yeeld them little or no profit For proofe of this point you will be pleased to heare the evidence of the holy Spirit given in the word of life Deut. 28.20 Thus saith the LORD because of the wickednes of thy works whereby thou hast forsaken mee the LORD shall smite thee with blasting and with mildew the Heaven which is over thy head shal be brasse and the earth that is vnder thee shall be yron insteed of raine the LORD shall giue thee dust and ashes even from heaven shall it come downe vpon thee vntill thou be destroyed In the 2. Chapter of Hosea and the 5 verse because Israel had plaid the harlot and done shamefully departing from the LORD thus saith the LORD I will take away from Israel my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof wil recover my wooll my flax which I lent her to cover her shame Marke I beseech you the manner of the LORDS speech my corne my wine my woll my flax they are none of ours they are all the Lords The LORD hath lent thē vs to serue our turnes and necessities if we abuse them to idolatrie or prophanes he will take them from vs recover them againe vnto himselfe In the 4. Chapter of Hosea and the 3. verse because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land but every one breaketh out by swearing by lying by killing by stealing by whoring and blood toucheth blood thus saith the LORD the land shall mourne and every one that dwelleth therein shall be cut of with the beasts of the field and with the foules of heaven and also the fishes of the sea shal be taken away If so what good then comes to you from Carmel from your best most fruitfull grounds In the 8. chapter of Hosea and the 7. verse because Israel transgressing the covenant of the LORD and trespassing against his law had sowen the winde thus saith the LORD they shall reape the whirlewinde it hath no stalke the bud shall bring forth no meal if so be it bring forth the strangers shall devoure it If so what profit then can we matching Israel in their most grievous transgressions trespasses expect from Carmel our most fruitfull and pleasant fields The wisest King that ever sacred
peeces like potters vessels Wherefore dearely beloved in the Lord while God is pleased to withhold from vs his one hand of Iustice and to strech over vs his other of Mercy to the blessing of vs in our fields in our cattle in our stoare let vs not be wedded to the hardnesse of our owne heâ—rts let vs not dwell in our old sinnes nor heap new vpon them least so wee treasure vp vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath Let vs rather even now while it is now cast away al workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light let vs take no further thought for our flesh to fulfill the lustes of it Let vs walke no more as formerly we haue done in gluttony in drunkennes in chambering in wantennesse in strife in envying in deceit in falshood in vanitie but let vs walke honestly as in the day and put we on the Lord Iesus Whatsoever things are true honest and iust and pure and doe pertaine to loue and are of good report if there be any vertue or praise thinke wee on these things Thinke we on these things to doe them and we shall not need to feare any desolation to our houses or barrennesse to our grounds our dwelling houses shall not mourne or perish the top of our Carmel shall not wither our fields shall bring forth increase vnto vs. For God even our owne God shall giue vs his blessing God will blesse vs to passe the time of our pilgrimage here in peace and plentie and when the day of our separation shall be that we must leaue the earth a vale of teares and miserie he will translate vs to Ierusalem aboue the place of eternall ioy and felicitie where this corruptible shal put on incorruption and our mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life So be it THE SIXTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.3 4 5. Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure I will not turne to it because they haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of yron Therefore will I send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shal devoure the palaces of Benhadad I will breake also the barres of Damascus and cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captivitie vnto Kir saith the LORD THough in this prophecie there be mention made of Iudah yet was Amos by the holy spirit deputed and directed with his message peculiarly and properly to the ten revolted Tribes the kingdome of Israel The mention that is made of Iudah is made but incidently and by the way The scope of the prophecie is Israel as I shewed in my * Pag. 7. first Lecture If Israel bee the scope of this prophecie how commeth it to passe that the Prophet bestoweth the residue of this chapter and a part of the next in making rehersall of forraine nations their transgressions and punishments Why doth he acquaint Israel with his burdensome prophecies against the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites why doth he not rather discharge his function and duty laid vpon him and checke the Israelites and terrifie them reproue them for their evill deeds The reasour◠〈…〉 seâ—â— of purpose with a message to the Israelites doth â—â—â—st prophecie against the Syrians other forraine nations are 〈◊〉 1 That he might be the more patiently heard of his country-men the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enimies could not but with more quiet heare him when he should prophecie against theÌ„ also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici some comfort it is to a distressed naturall man to see his enimy in distresse likewise 2 That they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against theÌ„ in vengeance seeing that God would not spare the Syrians and other their neighbour Countries though they were destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will 3 That they might the more feare at the words of this prophecie when they should see the Syrians and other nations afflicted and tormented accordingly Here might they thus haue argued Will not God spare our neighbours the Syrians and the rest Then out of doubt he wil not spare vs. They seely people never knewe the holy will of God and yet shall they be so severely punished How then shal we escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it From the reasons why Amos first prophecieth against forraine nations then against the Lords people Israel I come now to treate particularly of his prophecy against the Syrians vers 3 4 5. Wherein I commend to your christian considerations three parts 1 A preface proeme or entrance vers 3. Thus saith the LORD 2 A prophecie In the 3 4 5. verses For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure c. 3 A conclusion In the end of the 5. verse Saith the LORD The preface and the conclusion do make for the authoritie of the prophecie vers 3. and 5. In the prophecie these parts may be observed 1 A generall accusation of the Syrians verse the 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure 2 A protestation of Almighty God against them I will not turne to it 3 The great sinne by which they so offended God their extreame cruelty verse 3. They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of yron 4 The punishments to bee laide vpon them for such cruelty These punishmentes are here set downe generally and speciallie Generally vers the 4. I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad Specially vers the 5. I will break also the barres of Damascus and cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-aven him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captivitie vnto Kir Thus saith the LORD It is a very vsuall thing with the Prophets so to begin their special Prophecies to let the world vnderstand that they feigne nothing out of their owne braines but that whatsoever they speak they haue received it from the spirit of the LORD Thus saith not Amos but in Amos the LORD The LORD the powerfull IEHOVAH of whom you heard at large out of my third lecture vpon this chapter Thus saith the Lord the powerfull IEHOVAH * See Lect 3. who made the heavens and a Psal 104.2 spread them out like a curtaine to cloath himselfe with light as with a garment can againe b Esai 50.3 cloath the heavens with darknesse and make a sacke their covering who made the sea to c Psal 104.3 lay the beames of his chamber therein d Ierem. 5.22 placed the sands for bounds vnto it never to be passed over howsoever the waues thereof shall rage and roare and can with a word smite the pride thereof at his rebuke e Esai 50.2
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
gnash the whole countenance is by course stained sometimes with rednesse sometimes with palenes Basil in two sermons of his one preached before the Lacizians the other l De Ira homil 38. else where is plentifull in this point The man that is indeede and throughly angry differeth nothing either in the maner of his look or in the affectiō of his mind frō him that is possessed with Devils His bloud boileth about his heart the whole proportion of his visage is altred you wil not take it to be the same face his eies looke not as they were wont but are fiery and staring he whets grindes his teeth like the foaming boare his countenance is wan of colour blacke and blew stained and dyed as with bloud his body swels his veines waxe big his voice is vnpleasant his speach inarticulate you will haue much a doe to vnderstand him A servant of * Mich. de Montaigne Ess lib. 2. c. 31 ex A. Gellio Plutarches a lewde and vicious fellow for some faultes by him committed was stripped naked to be whipped Being vnder the whip he vpbraided his master and obiected to him how he had oftē heard him say that it was an vnseemely thing for a man to be angry and that thereof he had written a booke and that yet now contrary to his owne sayings and writings all plunged in rage and engulfed in choler hee caused him so cruelly to be beaten To whom Plutarch with an vnaltered and milde setled countenance said thus What Whereby dost thou iudge I am now angry Doth my countenance doth my voice doth my colour or doth my speech giue thee any testimony that I am either moved or cholericke Me thinkes mine eies are not staringly wilde nor my face troubled nor my voice frightfull or distempered Do I waxe red Do I foame at the mouth Doth any word escape me whereof I may repent hereafter Doe I startle and quake Doe I rage and ruffle with anger For to tell thee true these are the right signes of choler these are the tokens of anger You may say beloved that they are the effects of anger The forecited father Basil may be your warrant who further telleth you that vnbridled tongues vngarded mouthes vnstaied hands contumelies foule language rayling words vniust blowes and the like enormities are the sonnes are the fruits are the effects of evill anger And in this respect also every child of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger Now to make some vse of this doctrine Shall I say that this evill anger is a raigning evill among you Your consciences must needes beare me witnesse it is so Now may I charge some of you as Ezechiel charged the house of Israel chap. 11.6 Many haue you murthered in this place and you haue filled the streets with the slaine For as often as you haue beene angry vnadvisedly one with another so often haue yee murthered one another O! what an account are ye one day to make before Christs tribunall even for this one sinne vnlesse in this your day you wash it away with teares of penitencye Tremble therefore stand in awe and sinne no more so Examine your owne hearts not now only while you heare me but also when you are gone from hence even vpon your beds of rest Solomon exhorts you Eccl. 7.11 Be thou not of an hastie spirit to be angry His reason is For anger resteth in the bosome of fooles St Paule exhorts you Rom. 12.9 Dearly beloued avenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath His reason is For it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the LORD St Iames exhorts you chap. 1.19 My deare brethren bee slow to wrath His reason is For the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God You know the Law and it s fulfilled in one word this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe This is taught you Gal. 5.14 Suffer your selues to bee exhorted in the words following vers 15. If yee bite and devoure one another take heed least yee be consumed one of another In the 20. verse wee read of hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions and are assured by the 21. verse that if wee doe such things wee shall not inherit the kingdome of God Wherefore to shut vp this point with St Paules words 1. Cor. 1.10 and 2. Cor. 13.11 I beseech you by the name of the LORD Iesus Christ that yee speake al one thing and that there be no dissentions among you Be of one mind liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you Thus farre of the third branch in the description of Edoms sinne and of the doctrine grounded therevpon The doctrine was Every child of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger It was grounded vpon these words His anger spoyled him evermore And his wrath watched him alway This is the Geneva translation His furie watcheth him evermore so Tremellius The meaning is Edoms wrath or furie was so implacable so farre from being abated or assuaged as that it evermore watched Israel to doe him a mischiefe In the Church Bible you haue a different reading His indignation he kept alwaies and in Matthewes Bible he kept indignation alwaies by him The reading is agreeable with the vulgar Latin and is admitted by Oecolampadius by Calvin by Drusius By Brentius also but that for indignation he hath furie He kept his furie alwaies The meaning is the indignation or furie which Edom had conceiued against his brother was permanent it would not bee remitted there was no end of it The word in the Hebrew rendred by wrath or indignation or furie signifieth iram vehementiorem exaestuātem omnemque modum praetereuntem a very vehement a boyling anger exceeding all measure or according vnto others it signifieth furorem inflammantem pervadentem ignis more a rage like fire burning whatsoever it meeteth with We now see what it is for which the LORD in this last branch reproveth Edom or the Idumaeans It is their implacable vnmeasurable endlesse anger wherein they practised nothing but wiles how they might intrap and subvert the Israelites The lesson which from hence we are to take for our further instruction is this Whosoever once provoked vnto anger doth for ever hold it fast and cherish it he is not at any hand approved by God I will not spend many words in the proofe of this proposition sith it standeth good by my former discourse You haue alrea-heard that every child of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger and that either in respect of its foule effects or in respect of Gods holy commandement against it Now is there any of you so devoid of Christian vnderstanding as to thinke or imagine that God will at any hand approue that against which he giveth his commandement I assure my selfe there is none Well then I thus inferre whosoever is spotted with evill anger he is not at any hand approued by God therfore whosoever
thy selfe The most absolute and excellent platforme of prayer that ever was made and is by the maker thereof our LORD and Saviour Iesus Christ commended vnto vs for our dayly vse confirmeth this point vnto vs. The fift petition therein is that God would be pleased to forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Wherefore as in all sincerity we desire our selues to be looked vpon with the eies of grace and mercy from heaven without any fraud or hollownes or dissimulation in the LORD so are wee taught by that clause our selues to deale with others so truely so honestly so heartily so sincerely and vnfainedly forgiving ever as we may boldly say so LORD do thou to me as I to others Now if these hearts of ours bee so sturdy strong in their corruption as that they wil not relent and yeeld to forgiue such as haue trespassed against vs how can we looke that our praiers should take effect A third reason why we should forgiue our enimies is that our good workes may be acceptable vnto God Let a man every day do as many good works as there are stars in HeaveÌ„ yet as long as in heart he beareth hatred to his enimie God will not accept anie one of theÌ„ Maâ—â—â— noÌ„ acceptatur nisi aute discordia ab animo pellatur saith Gregorie thy gift is no waies acceptable vnto God vnlesse thy heart be first freed from discord Let no man circumvent himselfe seduce himselfe deceiue himselfe i Augustin serm 5. de S. Stephano Whosoever hateth but one maÌ„ in the whole world whatsoever he offereth to God in Good workes all will be lost Witnesse S. Paul 1. Cor. 13.3 Though I feed the poore with all my goods and though I giue my body that I be burned haue not loue it profiteth me nothing If then wee would haue our good workes pleasing vnto God we must be reconciled to our neighbours Our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ so adviseth vs Matth. 5.24 Goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift A fourth reason why we should forgiue our enimies is that our soules may liue for by hatred rancour we slay our soules S. Ioh. ep 1. chap. 3. verse 15. avoweth it that he whosoever hateth his brother is a manslayer Homicidiest scilicet propriae animae saith k Pet. de Pal. vbi supra one he is a murtherer of his owne soule An exposition not absolutely to be disallowed for as much as it followeth in the same verse Yee know that no manslayer hath eternall life abiding in him The life of the soule is loue therefore hee that loueth not is dead So saith the same blessed Apostle Ep. 1. cap. 3. verse 14. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death And greater is the dammage by the losse of one soule then of a thousand bodies The whole world in respect of one soule is not to be esteemed This is proved by our Saviours question Marc. 8.36 What shal it profit a maÌ„ though he shold win the whole world if he loose his owne soule A fift reason why we should loue our enimies is the reioycing of Saints and Angels To loue our enimies is an infallible signe of our conversion Now we know by Luk. 15.7 that there shall be ioy in Heaven for one sinner that converteth and verse the 10. that there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that converteth Thus whether we respect the reioicing of Saints and Angels or the life of our soules or the acceptance of our good works or the fruit of our prayers or the forgiuenesse of our sinnes we must loue our enimies after St Stephen his example Act. 7.60 LORD lay not this sinne to their charge after S. Paule his example 1. Cor. 4.12 13. We are reviled and yet we blesse wee are persecuted and suffer it we are evill spoken of and we pray after Christs example Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Adde hereto Christs commandemeÌ„t Math. 5.44 Loue your enimies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you Leaue yee vengeance to the God of vengeance so shall yee bee the vndoubted children of your heavenly Father And thus farre of the second vse which was to admonish vs not to intermeddle in the Lords office of executing revengement A third followeth Is it true Is it proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes Here then in the third place is a treasurie of comfort of terrour of coÌ„fort to the Godly of terrour to the wicked For though the LORD doe vse the wicked to correct the Godly yet will he in due time overthrow the wicked with a large measure of his iudgements and free the godly Gods holy practise in this kind must be hereof a warrant vnto vs. The Israelites were kept in thraldome and bondage many yeares by the Egyptians The Egyptians they were but the weapons of Gods wrath wherewith hee afflicted his people They were Gods weapons Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse those ten great plagues which at length God wrought vpon them and their fearefull overthrow in the redde sea at large set downe in the book of Exodus from the 7. chapter to the 14. This was it which God said to Abraham Gen. 15. vers 13 14. Knowe for a suretie that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs foure hundred yeares and shall serue them notwithstanding the nation whom they shall serue will I iudge Ahab the most wicked of the Kings of Israel who sold him selfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the LORD and his accursed wife Iezebel were Gods instruments to afflict Naboth with the losse of his life and vineyard Ahab Iezebel were Gods instruments were they therefore to escape vnpunished NO Witnes both their ends The end of Ahab recorded 1. King 22 38. In the place where dogges licked the blood of Naboth did dogges licke the blood of Ahab also And the end of Iezebel registred 2. King 9.35 Shee was eaten vp with dogges all saving her skull her feete and the palmes of her hands It was a part of Daniel his afflictions to be cast into the denne of Lyons his accusers vnto Darius were the instruments of this his affliction These his accusers were the Lords instruments for this businesse Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Their fearefull end is set downe Dan. 6.24 By the commandement of King Darius they with their wiues and children were cast into the denne of Lyons the Lyons had the masterie of them and brake all their bones in pieces yer ever they came to the ground of the denne Here might I recall to your remembrances other iudgements of God of this qualitie written downe in the register of God's workes his holy word How and what he
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
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