there to visit is taken in the worse part for to visit in iudgement in anger or displeasure for as much as it bringeth a rod and stripes with it It is to correct it is to punish There is Esay 10.12 a commination against the King of Assyria that same rod of hypocrites that his pride should be broken It is thus deliuered I will visit vpon the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Ashur and the glory of his high lookes And there also to visit is in the worse part for to visit in iudgement in ire anger or displeasure It is to correct it is to punish As in the now alleaged places to visit signifieth in the worse part to visit in iudgement in ire anger or displeasure and by a consequent to correct or punish so doth it in my Text. And therefore for Visitabo Iunius hath animaduertam This same visiting is with him a punishing In the day that I shall visit or punish What Prauaricationes Israel saith the Vulgar Latine The preuarications of Israel The preuarications of Israel are his swaruings from truth reason and honesty Iunius translates them Defectiones the reuoltings or slippings of Israel Our English hath the transgressions of Israel by which name sinnes are called because they exceed the bounds and markes which God by his Law hath appointed vnto vs Drusius Caluin Oâ—aller Breâ—tiâ—s for the moderating of our desires and affections Some here haue Scelera Israel the wickednesse lewdnesse or naughtinesse of Israel These generall appellations doe direct vs to particular sins to couetousnesse to pride to cruelty to vniust exactions to robbing and spoiling of the poore these were the sinnes that reigned and raged in Israel in the Kingdome of the Ten tribes or the Kingdome of Israel called in the precedent verse The house of Iacob and these were the sinnes for which the Lord was resolued to punish Israel as it is also signified in the second verse of this Chapter There is a Visitabo as well as here Visitabo super vos omnes iniquitates vestras I will visit vpon you or I will punish you for all your iniquities Visitabo I will doe it I will visit I will punish I the Lord God the God of Hosts will visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him Whence ariseth this obseruation Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure The Visitabo in my Text doth warrant this truth A day there shall be wherein Visitabo I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I shall doe it When the world was growne so foule with sinne that it deserued to be washed with a floud God himselfe vndertooke the visitation Gen. 6.7 I will destroy man whom I haue created from the face of the earth And vers 17. Behold I euen I doe bring a floud of waters vpon the earth to destroy all flesh Concerning the sinne of the people that great and grieuous sinne when they made them Gods of gold the Lord saith vnto Moses Exod. 32.34 In the day when I visit then will I visit their sinne vpon them When I see good to punish them I my selfe will punish them For the disobedient and despisers of the will of the Lord the Lord hath a Visitabo too Leuit. 26.16 Visitabo vos velociter I will visit you quickly with terrours with consumptions with burning agues that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart with the sword with famine and with pestilence Visitabo vos velociter I will quickly visit you I will doe it Monstrous and grieuous were the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah that were to be reuenged by so fearefull a iudgement as is a raine of brimstone and fire But how fell that raine vpon them The Text is Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained vpon Sodome and vpon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heauen The Lord rained saith the Text. Then not man not deuill not necromancy not any thing in nature was the cause that this befell those Cities but the very power and wrath of God of a displeased God at so great abomination as was there committed sent downe that raine vpon them The Lord was he that gaue that raine Prodigious were the plagues wherewith the land of Aegypt was visited I looke into the Sacred story and there I see aboue them a Exod. 9.23 thunder haile lightning tempests one while b Exod. 10.22 no light at all another while such fearefull flashes as had more terrour than the darknesse I see vnder them c 7.20 the waters changed into bloud the earth swarming with d 8.6 frogs and e 10.13 grashoppers I see about them f 8.24 swarmes of flies by which the land was corrupted I see their g 9.23.10.15 fruits destroyed their h 9.6 cattell dying their i 12.30 children dead Turning mine eyes vnto themselues I see them very loathsome with k 8.17 lice and deformed with l 8.10 scabs boiles and botches Grieuous indeed were these visitations but who was he that wrought them It was the Lord. For so the Text runneth Exod. 7.5 The Aegyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch forth mine hand vpon Aegypt Who was it but the Lord that smote Nabal that he died 1 Sam. 25.38 Aske of Esay who it is that formeth the light and createth darknesse that maketh peace and createth euill he will tell you it is the Lord that doth all these things Chap. 45.7 It is the Lord doth all Light and peace are the symbols of prosperity darknesse and euill of aduersity so the meaning of the place will be that the Lord is a doer not only in the prosperity but also in the aduersity wherewith this life is seasoned Thus haue you the confirmation of my obseruation which was that Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure One reason hereof is because nothing is done in this world but the Lord is the principall doer of it Nothing is done without him no not in the carriage of a lottery which in mans iudgement seemeth of all things to be the most casuall yet therein doth Gods hand appeare Salomon auoucheth it Prou. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Let Lots be cast into the lap some hat or cap or pot or box some secret and close place from whence the drawing of them forth may seeme to be meerely accidentall yet it is nothing so For God by his infinite and eternall prouidence doth both generally and particularly wholly and altogether direct and order them Now if Gods hand be found in the disposing of Lots shall it not be found in the ordering of the visitations and punishments that are incident to vs in this life for our
wanderer to thine house If thou seest him naked couer him hee is thine owne flesh hide not thy selfe from him Thy liberality will bring thee great aduantage whereof thou wilt not doubt if thou consider the next verse Thy light shall breake forth as the morning thy health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee the glory 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. Psalme many a sweet promise is made thee conditionally that thou tender the poore mans case The Lord shall deliuer thee in the time of trouble he shall keepe thee and preserue thee aliue he shall blesse thee vpon the earth he will not deliuer thee to the will of thine enemies he will strengthen thee vpon thy bed of sorrow and will make thy bed all the time of thy sicknesse I might weary you and my selfe in the pursuit of this point Here I stop my course with recommendation of one onely place and that a very remarkable one Prou. 19.17 Hee that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Behold and see how gracious and good the Lord is If you shew pity and compassion vpon the poore God will recompence you to the full yea in the largenesse of his mercies hee will reward you plentifully It was a graue exhortation of a f Tobit to his sonne Tobias cap. 4.7 father to his sonne Giue almes of thy substance and when thou giuest almes let not thine eye be ennious neither turne thy face from any poore lest that God turne his face from thee Giue almes according to thy substance if thou haue but a little be not afraid to giue a little So shalt thou lay vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessity Almes will deliuer thee from death and will not suffer thee to come into the place of darknesse Almes 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 Sauiour Iesus Christ Be ye not like Edom in my Text Corrupt not your compassions cast not off all pity suffer ye one with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous doe ye good to all men and faint not great shall be your reward in Heauen This your seruice will be 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 your dissolution shall be that you must leaue your earthly Tabernacles then will the Sonne of man sitting vpon the throne of his glory welcome you with a Venite Benedicti Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was hungry and ye gaue me meat I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited mee I was in prison and ye came vnto me In as much as ye haue done these things to the needy and distressed ye haue done them vnto me Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world THE Seuenteenth Lecture AMOS 1.11 12. And his anger spoiled him euermore and his wrath watched him alway Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah IN my last Lecture I began the exposition of the third part of this Prophecie which is a declaration of Edoms sins in foure branches The two first I passed ouer the last time The first branch was Hee did pursue his brother with the sword Thereon I grounded this doctrine It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues One vse of this doctrine was a iust reproofe of the want of brotherly loue in these our daies A second vse was an exhortation to brotherly kindnesse The second branch was He did cast off all pity Thereon I grounded this doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God The vse I made of it was to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanity and mercy Which meditation ended I ended that Lecture Now come I to the third branch in the declaration of Edoms sinnes His anger spoiled him euermore or In his anger he spoiled him continually The preposition is not expressed in the originall but is well vnderstood and supplied by some Expositors to this sense Edom furious and angry Edom doth euermore vi apertâ with open violence attempt the spoile of Israel and if open violence preuaile not iâ—tùs simultatem alit within him he fostereth and cherisheth priuy and secret malice such as of old was harboured and setled in old a Gen. 27 41. Esaus heart Edom in his anger spoiled him continually Spoiled him The word in the originall is from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Mercer ferarum proprium est is proper and peculiar to wild beasts and it signifieth Rapere discerpere to spoile rauenously to rent or teare in peeces Thus is Edom compared to some truculent or sauage beast some deuouring Lion some rauenous Wolfe some fierce Beare or the like that hunteth greedily after their prey The comparison is As a Lion a Wolfe a Beare or some other cruell beast hunteth greedily after his prey and when he hath gotten it teareth it in peeces and so deuoureth it so doth Edom he hunteth for his brother as with a snare or net and hauing once enclosed him he throwes him headlong into vtter desolation and this he doth in the bitternesse of his anger In his anger he spoiled him euermore This clause is otherwise rendred by the old Latine Interpreter Et tenuerit vltrà furorem suum Hee possessed his fury beyond measure longer than was meet he should An exposition followed by many of the learned and of late Writers by Brentius and Mercer In Matthews Bible it is well expressed He bore hatred very long the meaning is Hee constantly eagerly obstinately persisted in his anger and held it fast as a sauage beast holdeth fast his prey Both readings this and the former this Hee bore hatred very long and the former In his anger he spoiled his brother euermore both doe appeach and accuse Edom of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger The doctrine which hence I would commend to your Christian considerations is this Euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger I say of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger For there is a good kind of anger an anger praise worthy an anger to be embraced of euery one of you Whereto the Prophet Dauid exhorted the faithfull of his time Psal 4.4 Be angry and sin not And S. Paul his Ephesians Chap. 4.26 Be angry but sin not You
is the reading of Mercer cum tempestate in die turbinis and that of Tremelius cum procella in die turbinis with a storme or tempest in the day of the whirle-wind Caluin hath in turbine in die tempestatis in a whirle-wind in a day of tempest Brentius in turbine in die tempestatis in a whirle-wind and in a day of tempest Gualter cum turbine in die tempestatis with a whirle-wind in a day of tempest And this reading Drusius rather approueth than the former Take which you will the meaning is one and 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 whirle-wind in a tempestuous and stormie day Turbine nihil celerius a whirle-wind comes suddenly and with speed so was this warre to come vpon the children of Ammon Thus haue we the meaning of our Prophet let vs now take a view of such doctrines as may from hence be taken for our further instruction First whereas the punishment here threatned to the Ammonites is to come vpon them with a whirle-wind in a day of tempest in a tempestuous and stormie day wee may learne that Stormes Tempests Whirle-winds and the like are the Lords creatures ready at his command to be employed by him in the auenging of his quarrell against sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the primarie and principall efficient cause of stormes tempests whirle-winds and the like is God God as he is the sole maker totius vniuersitatis 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 is written Ion. 1.4 The Lord sent out a great wind into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea so that the ship was like to be broken Neither was this tempest calmed till rebellious Ionah was cast out of the ship into the sea as it appeareth vers 15. Well therefore is it said of the Psalmist Psal 148.8 of fire and haile and snow and vapours and stormy winds that they execute Gods word they are all ready at his commandement to execute what he will haue them to doe Winds and tempests they depend not vpon chance or blinde fortune but on the soueraigne power of the Almighty Creator So true is my doctrine Stormes Tempests Whirle-winds and the like are the Lords creatures ready at his command to be employed by him in the auenging of his quarrell against sinners One vse of it is for our instruction Whosoeuer he be that walketh by land or passeth by sea if winds stormes or tempests doe hinder his purpose or disquiet him in his enterprise he must assigne it to the prouidence of Almightie God A second vse serueth for reproofe of such as are of opinion that Witches Sorcerers Coniurers and the Deuill can Å¿ Grynaeus in Ion. cap. 1. 4. Lect. 13. pro libidine suâ at their pleasures raise vp tempests It is nothing so Nothing so Why then doth Saint Paul Ephes 2.2 call the Deuill the Prince that ruleth in the aire I answer S. Paul calleth the Deuill the Prince that ruleth in the aire not because he can at his pleasure raise tempests but because he then doth it when God giues him license I easily grant that Witches Sorcerers and Coniurers by the helpe of the Deuill can raise stormes and tempests in the aire though t King Iames Daemonolog lib. â— cap 5 pag. 46. not vniuersally yet in such a particular place and prescribed bounds as God will permit them so to trouble u Arch-Bishop Abâ—ot in Ion. Lect. 3. pag. 51. The Deuill and his factors worke their exploits only by limitation and by leaue for they depend vpon the Lord and as if they were tied in a chainâ— they cannot exceed one haires breadth of that which is granted vnto them Witnesse the story of Iob. The Deuill could not raise a wind to ouerthrow the house wherein Iobs children were but by leaue from the Lord as it appeareth Iob 12. And this may be our comfort that Satan the Deuill that x 1 Pet. 5.8 roaring Lion who walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure hath y Esay 37.29 a hooke put into his nostrils and a bridle in his lips and is bound z Iud. 6. with euerlasting chaines so that he cannot hurt vs no not so much as by raising of a tempest vnlâ—sse Almighty God for our sinnes doe let him loose Wherefore let vs commend our selues wholly to the protection of the Almightie and he will * Esay 49 2. hide vs vnder the shadow of his hand For it is he only that maketh vs to dwell in safety Thus much of my first doctrine Againe whereas the punishment here threatned to the Ammonites was to come vpon them as a whirle-wind in a tempestuous or stormy day that is speedily we may from hence take this lesson The dâ—struction of the wicked commeth suddenly vpon them This truth is auowed by Dauid Psal 37.2 Where to perswade the godly not to fret or be grieued at the prosperitie of the wicked he brings this reason They shall soone be cut downe like grasse and shall wither as the greene hearbe which in other words vers 20. of the same Psalme he thus deliuereth They shall perish and shall be consumed as the fat of lambes euen with the smoake shall they consume away They shall be consumed as the fat of lambes there is vtter destruction for them they shall be consumed as smoake there is the suddennesse of their destruction The state of the wicked is very ticklish and vncertaine For as it is Psal 73.18 God hath set them in slippery places and casteth them downe into desolation Their end is there described to be wonderfull sudden and fearefull Quomodo vastabuntur Subitò deficient consumentur terroribus How shall they be destroyed They shall quickly perish they shall be consumed with terrours Solomon speakes to this purpose as plainly as may bee Prou. 6.15 The destruction of the wicked shall come speedily he shall be destroyed suddenly without recouery He shall be destroyed suddenly without recouery that is to speake in my Prophets phrase He shall be destroyed as if he were carried away with a whirlewind in a tempestuous and stormy day or in Solomons phrase Prou. 1.27 Their destruction shall come like a whirlewind The holy Scriptures are very plentifull in this point But this which hath beene spoken may serue for the establishment of my propounded doctrine that The destruction of the wicked commeth suddenly vpon them One vse of this doctrine is to admonish vs that we giue all diligence to walke in the Lords way the sanctified and holy way the way of perfection that we be not reputed among
let flye his arrowes of pestilence and yet they flye abroad to the killing of many round about vs yet haue wee not returned vnto him Not returned vnto him What Can no medicine that God applyeth mollifie our hard hearts Can none of his corrections amend vs Will we needs try whether he will send a sword vpon vs He shaked his sword ouer vs many of vs may well remember it when the great Spanish Armada floated on our Seas but then as S. Iames speaketh chap. 2.13 Super exaltauit misericordia iudicio mercy exalted it selfe aboue iudgement and we were spared Were we spared What shall we render to the Lord for so great mercy We will with Dauid Ps 116.13 We will take the cup of saluation we wil call vpon the name of the Lord and will offer vnto him the sacrifice of prayse Which sacrifice of ours that it may be acceptable to the Lord let vs cast away from vs all our transgressions whereby we haue transgressed and with a new heart and a new spirit returne we to the Lord our God But if we will persist with delight and goe on in our old wayes our crooked peruerse and froward wayes our wayes of wickednesse and will not bee turned out of them by any of God his milder chastisements and corrections what can we expect but the portion of these Moabites euen fire a sword from the Lord and with them to die with a tumult with a shouting and with the sound of a Trumpet Thus farre de modo poenae of the manner of this punishment to be inflicted vpon the Moabites The extent followeth I will cut the iudge out of the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him I the Lord the Lord Iehovah yesterday and to day and the same for euer I am not changed all my words yea all the titles of all my words are Yea and Amen Exscindam I will cut off I will root out and destroy Iudicem the Iudge the chiefest gouernour and ruler in Moab the King Nam Reges quoque populum iudicabant For Kings also did iudge the people and it is euident by sundry places of holy Scripture that the state of the Moabites was swayed by Kings I will cut off root out and vtterly destroy the iudge the King out of the midst thereof Out of the midst of what Of Moab of Kerioth Both are mentioned vers 2. Dauid Camius and some other say of Kerioth which was Sedes Regum the cittie of the Kings habitation The meaning is there was no cittie in the Kingdome of Moab so strong but that from out the midst of it God would fetch the King and cut him off I will cut off roote out or destroy the iudge the King out of the middest of the strongest cittie of the Kingdome of Moab be it Moab Kerioth or any other I will slay all the Princes thereof with him together with the King I will root out all the Princes of the land None shall escape my iudgements neither Prince nor King You see the extent of this iudgement here denounced against Moab Not onely the meaner sort of people but the Princes also yea and King himselfe were to haue their portion in it and that as certainely as if they had alreadie had it For Iehovah the Lord hath spoken it For it s added for a conclusion to this Prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth the Lord. The Lord hath said it that neither Prince nor King shall be exempt from his iudgements but shall as well as the lowest of the people be cut off and come to nought The doctrine to be obserued from hence is this God exerciseth his iudgements not onely vpon men of low and base estate but also vpon the great ones of this world vpon princes and Kings This truth I haue heretofore confirmed vnto you in my 21. Lecture on the former Chapter handling those words Chap. 1. vers 15. Their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together I proued vnto you this doctrine When God punisheth a nation with captiuitie for their sinnes he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King My now-doctrine for substance is the same but more generall God exerciseth his iudgements not onely vpon men of low base estate but also vpon the great ones of this world vpon Princes Kings The vses One is to admonish the great and mightie ones of this world that they presume not to sinne against the Lord as if they were priuiledged by their greatnes and might There is no such priuiledge He that is Lord ouer all will spare no person Princes and Kings must feele the smart of his iudgements A second vse is to minister comfort to such as are of low and base estate If the mightie by violence and oppression grind your faces and compasse you about yet be not yee discouraged God the iudge of all accepteth no persons He in his good time will auenge your causes be your oppressours neuer so mightie For Princes and Kings must feele the smart of his iudgements A third vse is a warning for our selues that we set not our hearts vpon the outward things of this world for as much as God the Creator of all will not respect vs for them Dost thou glory in this that thou art a mightie man or a rich man For both might and riches Princes and Kings are far beyond thee yet must Princes and Kings feele the smart of Gods iudgements Let vs make a fourth vse of this doctrine euen to poure out our soules in thankefulnesse before almightie God for his wonderfull patience towards vs. Our sinnes are as impudent as euer were the sinnes of the Moabites Our three and foure transgressions our many sinnes doe cry aloud to Heauen against vs as the sins of the Moabites cryed against them For their sinnes God sent a sword vpon them and did cut them off from being a nation Gods wrath against our sinnes hath not yet proceeded so farre We yet enioy our happie peace Euery man dwels vnder his owne vine and vnder his owne figtree and liues in the habitations of his forefathers in peace free from all feare of the enemies sword Such is our condition through the neuer-too-much admired patience of Almightie God O let vs not despise the riches of the bountifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God St Paul tells vs. Rom. 2.4 That these doe lead vs to Repentance These doe lead vs shall we not follow Beloued while we haue time let vs betake our selues to Repentance It was good counsaile which Iudith gaue to Ozias Chabris and Charmis the ancients of the cittie Beâ—hulia Iudith 8.12 Quia patiens Dominus est in hoc ipso paeniteamus indulgentiam eius fusis lachrymis postulemus The counsaile is as good for vs. Beloued because the Lord is patient therefore let vs repent and with shedding of teares beg of him indulgence and pardon for our sinnes past It s no wisedome for vs any
name alone are we to giue thankes Giue thankes alwayes for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ This is our dutie beloued euen to giue thankes alwayes for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Is it our dutie Let vs then embrace it Ascendant gratiae vt descendat gratia let our thankes ascend vp to God that his grace may descend downe vpon vs. For cessat decursus gratiarum vbi non fuerit recursus sayth Bernard Serm. 1. in capite ieiunij The course and descent of the graces of God ceaseth and the spring is dryed vp when there is not a recourse and tide of our thankefulnesse O! Why should so good an exercise be a burthen and griefe to any Christian soule Let the vnrighteous vanish away in their gracelesse vnthankefulnesse and become as the dung of the earth but let the righteous alwayes reioyce in the Lord m Psal 33.1 for it well becommeth the iust to be thankefull Early and late let vs prayse his holy name though not with the harpe nor with the Psalterie nor with an instrument of ten strings as the Psalmist aduiseth Psal 33.2 Yet let vs doe it with the best members and instruments we haue with our bodies and with our soules An eminent n B. King in Jon. lect 25. p 328. piller of our Church hath for this place a sweete meditation Let vs neuer turne our o Eze. 8.16 backes to the Temple of the Lord nor our faces from his mercy seate Let vs not take without giuing as vnprofitable ground drinketh and deuoureth seed without restoring Let vs neither eate nor drinke nay let vs neither hunger nor thirst without this condiment to it The Lord be praysed Let the frontlets betweene your eyes the bracelets vpon our armes the gards vpon our garments be thankes Whatsoeuer we receiue to vse or enioy let vs write that posie Epiphoneme of p Chap. 4.7 Zacharie vpon it Grace grace vnto it for all is grace To shut vp this point let our daily deuotion be the same that Dauids was Psal 103.1 2. let it be our daily song Blesse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord ô my soule forget not all his benefits Thus farre hath the vnthankefulnes of Israel noted in the particle Yet carryed me I now goe on with the explication of the first benefit here mentioned to haue bin bestowed by God vpon that vnthankefull people I destroyed the Amorite before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint I haue taken away Exterminavi the Vulgar Calvin and Gualter I haue cast out Delevi Leo Iuda and Castalio I haue wiped away Excidi Oâ—colampadius I haue cut off Perdidi Vatablus Tremellius and Iunius I haue destroyed Drusius expounds it Delevi Perdidi profligavi Mercerus Disperdidi abolevi The word in the originall signifieth so to abolish and wipe away a people or a nation that there be not any memorie left of it I destroyed the Amorite The Amorites were descended from Canaan the fourth sonne of Ham. In Gen. 10.16 Canaan is sayd to haue begotten the Iebusite and the Amorite and the Gargasite He begat the Amorite I destroyed the Ammorite What The Ammorite alone Not so But the Ammorites and other nations of the land of Canaan whom when they had fulfilled the measure of their iniquitie God did cut of that he might giue their land for an habitation to the posteritie of Iacob the people of Israell according to his couenant made with Abraham Gen. 15.18 Vnto thy seed haue I giuen this land from the riuer of Egypt vnto the great riuer the riuer Euphrates The Kenites and the Kenizites and the Kadmonites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaims and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgasites and the Iebusites The Amorites you see were not alone According to this couenant with Abraham a promise is made to the Fathers in the desert Exod. 23.27 I will send my feare before thee and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come and I will make all thine enemies turne their backes vnto thee And I will send hornets before thee which shall driue out from before thee Whom The Hivite the Canaanite and the Hittite It s true But they are not all Looke backe to the 23. verse There shall you finde the Lord thus to speake Mine Angell shall goe before thee and bring thee vnto the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Iebusites and I will cut them off You see againe the Amorites were not alone I pervse the Catalogue of the Nations whom the Lord hath cast out before Israell It is Deut. 7.1 There I finde that he hath cast out the Hittites and the Girgasites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Heuites and the Iebusites seauen Nations greater and mightier then Israell was Seuen Nations Then the Amorites were not alone Were they seauen Nations that were driuen out before Israel How then is it that the Lord here in my text recounting vnto Israell this great benefit nameth onely the Amorite saying Yet destroyed I the Ammorite The Iesuite Pererius in his third Tome of Commentaries vpon Genesis writing vpon the 15. Chapter ver 16. these words The iniquitie of the Amorite is not yet full moues this very doubt but thus The reader may here wonder why mention is made onely of one Nation of the Amorite sith it is plaine by other places of holy Scripture that there were seauen Nations which the Lord draue out from before the Israelites His first answere is It may by a Synecdoche A part may be put for the whole one Nation of the Amorites for all the seauen A like Synecdoche there is Iosh 1.4 There thus sayth the Lord vnto Ioshuah From the wildernesse and this Lebanon euen vnto the great riuer the riuer Euphrates all the land of the Hittites and vnto the great Sea toward the going downe of the Sunne shall be your coast All the land of the Hittites shall be your coast The Hittites onely are named and yet within the bounds described all the seauen had their habitations It is therefore a Synecdoche A part is put for the whole One Nation of the Hittites for all the seauen It s so here One Nation of the Amorites for all the seauen This answere admitting a Synecdoche is approued by Piscator Tremellius and Iunius Yet Pererius thinkes to giue a better And therefore his second answere is that the Amorites are praecipuè singulariter chiefly and principally named aboue all the rest and for them all because for the largenesse of their Nation and for their height of stature and for their strength of bodie and for their excessiue crueltie and impietie they were aboue all famous and much spoken of Mercerus that great Professor of the Hebrew
tongue in the Vniuersitie of Paris is of opinion that the Amorite here and else-where is aboue all and for all mentioned because he of all was the most terrible the most mighty and the strongest The like is affirmed by Arias Montanus that learned Spaniard Amorrhaeum potissimùm appellat The Amorite he especially nameth because that Nation multitudine copijs atque potentiâ in multitude in forces and in power excelled all the rest of the Nations that were cast out before Israell Here then where the Lord hath sayd Yet destroyed I the Amorite in the Amorite we are to vnderstand also the rest of those seauen Nations which the Lord draue out from before Israel the Hittites the Girgasites and the Canaanites and the Perezzites and the Hivites and the Iebusites Seauen they were in number greater and mightier then Israell was All seauen were cast out by the Lord from before Israel and so much are we to vnderstand by this that the Lord here sayth Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them Before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint They well render the Hebrew which word for word is a faciè ipsorum from their face Mercerus sayth a conspectu eorum from their sight that is sayth he corum causâ ad eorum adventum for their sake or at their comming Albertus Magnus renders it à praesentia eorum from their presence Our English before them hits the sense The sense is God stroke such a terror into those seauen Nations the inhabitants of the land of Canaan that at the comming of the Israelites at the hearing of the name of Israel they vanished they fled away they forsooke their auncient habitations or else were suddenly slaine without much resistance Thus haue you the exposition of the first branch of this ninth verse which conteineth a generall touch of the ruine of the Amorites Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them The Israelites their vnthankefulnesse towards me is verie notorious yet haue I destroyed the Amorite before them Yet I the Lord their God who haue freed them from their bondage in Egypt and haue led them fortie yeares through the wildernesse I haue destroyed haue ouerthrowne haue driuen out haue brought to ruine The Amorite not onely the Amorites but also the rest of the Nations sixe other mightie Nations whose dwelling was in the land of Canaan all these haue I destroyed before them for their sake for Israels sake that Israel might without resistance take quiet possession of the land of Canaan the land that floweth with milke and honey The lesson which we may take from hence is this God is all in all either in the ouerthrow of his enemies or in the vpholding of his children For further proofe hereof we may haue recourse to the 15. chapter of the Booke of Exodus There Moses sings a song vnto the Lord a song of thankesgiuing wherein hee acknowledgeth the Lord to be all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea His acknowledgment is vers 6. Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in peices the enemie In the greatnesse of thine excellencie thou hast ouerthrowne them thou sentest forth thy wrath which hath consumed them as stubble With the blast of thy nostrills the waters were gathered together the flouds stood vpright as an heape the depths were congealed in the heart of the Sea The enemie feared not to enter But thou Lord didst blow with thy wind the Sea couered them they sanke as lead in the mightie waters Who is like vnto thee O Lord Who is like thee God is all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies He is also all in all in the vpholding of his children Moses in the same song auoucheth it vers 13. Thou Lord in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed Thou hast guided them in thy strength vnto thine holy habitation It was not their q Psal 44.3 owne sword that deliuered them neither did their owne arme saue them But the Lord He and his mercie He and his strength deliuered them God is all in all in vpholding of his children Is it thus dearely beloued Is God all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies Then for the ouerthrow of that great Nauie called the inuincible Nauie the great Armada of Spaine which * This Sermon was preached A gust 27. 1615. twentie seauen yeares r Au. Ch. 1588. since threatned desolation to the inhabitants of this I le let God haue the glorie It was the right hand of the Lord not our vertue not our merits not our armes not our men of might but the right hand of the Lord it was that brought that great worke to passe Their ſ Exod. 15.4.5 chosen Captaines were drowned in the Sea the depth couered them they sanke into the bottome as a stone Some of them that were taken from the furie of the waues and were brought prisoners to the honourablest cittie in this land in their anguish of mind spared not to say t Letter to Mendoza pa. 17. that in all those fights which at Sea they saw Christ shewed himselfe a Lutheran Sure I am that Christ shewed himselfe to be little Englands u Psal 18.1 rocke and fortresse and strength and deliuerer Quid retribuemus What shall we render nay what can we render vnto the Lord for so great a deliuerance Let our song begin as the Psalme doth the 115. Psalme Non nobis Domine non nobis Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory for thy mercie and for thy truths sake With like affection recount we the deliuerance of our King and State from that infernall and hellish exployt of the powder treason The contriuers thereof I now name not What could they expect but vpon the least discouerie of so execrable an action to incurre an vniuersall detestation to haue all the hatred of the earth poured vpon them and theirs to be the outcasts of the Common wealth and the Maranathaes of the Church they and their names for euer to be an abhorring to all flesh Yet they so farre proceeded in that their Diabolicall machination that they were at the poynt to haue giuen the blow that blow that should haue beene the common ruine of vs all But God our God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greekes describe him Psal 9.9 A helper at opportunities in the needfull times of trouble when we were thus x Ioh. 4.35 albi ad messem white for their haruest readie to be cut downe by them then euen then did our God deliuer vs. Quid retribuemus What what shall we render nay what can we render vnto the Lord for so great a deliuerance Let our song be as before Non nobis Domine non nobis Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory for thy mercy and
sword them and all their people and tooke their Cities all their Cities and vtterly destroyed the men the women and the litle ones of euery Citie they left none aliue They destroyed their fruit from aboue and their rootes from beneath These famous victories gotten by Israel ouer those two mighty Kings are described Num. 21. and Deut. 2. 3. Is Israel now the conqueror Is it the sword of Israel that smiteth Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan them and their people their men women and litle ones How then is it that the Lord in my text takes it to himselfe and saith I destroyed the Amorite I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath The answer is easie Israel indeed smote the Amorites but it was by the power of the Lord not by any power of their owne Moses confesseth it of Sihon King of the Amorites Deut. 2.33 The Lord our God deliuered him vnto vs and we smote him and his sonnes and all his people He confesseth it likewise of Og King of Bashan Deut. 3.3 The Lord our God deliuered into our hands Og the King of Bashan and all his people and we smote him vntill none was left to him remayning Israel could not smite till God had deliuered God first deliuered then Israel smote Israel smote the Amorites not by any power of their owne they did it by the power of the Lord. And what is done by the power of the Lord may well be said to be done by the Lord. In regard hereof it is that the Psalmist Psal 135.10 ascribeth the victorie whereof we now speake immediatly vnto God Whatsoeuer the Lord pleased that did he in Heauen and in Earth in the Seas and in all deepe places He smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings Sihon King of the Amorites and Og King of Bashan and all the kingdomes of Canaan And gaue their land for an heritage euen an heritage vnto Israel his people The like he doth in the next Psalme and in the like words Psal 136.17 O giue thanks vnto the Lord To him which smote great Kings and slew famous Kings Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan and gaue their land for an heritage euen for an heritage vnto Israel his seruant In both Psalmes you see the destruction of the Amorite ascribed to God himselfe and his sole power So is it Psal 78.55 but more generally The Lord He cast out the heathen before Israel he cast out the Amorites and made the Tribes of Israel to dwell in their Tabernacles But no where so plainely is this great worke of casting out the Amorites and other the heathen before Israel attributed vnto God as Psal 44. There the people of God groning vnder their affliction in the middest of their enemies doe thus begin their confession vers 1. We haue heard with our eares O God our fathers haue told vs what worke thou diddest in their dayes in the times of old What this worke was they expresse vers 2. Thou diddest driue out the Heathen with thine hand Thou with thy hand didst driue out the Amorites and other the Heathen and in their roomes didst plant our fore-fathers This was a great worke and it was Gods worke That it was Gods worke and his alone they yet further acknowledge vers 3. Our forefathers they got not the land in possession by their owne sword neither did their owne arme saue them but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance O God did stablish them God was all in all in the ouerthrow of the Amorites and the rest of the Heathen By his strength by his might by his power onely were they ouerthrowne And therefore albeit Israel smote with the sword Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan them and their people their men their women and their litle ones sith they did it onely by the strength might and power of the Lord the Lord in my text doth rightly challenge the whole glory of this ouerthrow vnto himselfe saying first I destroyed the Amorite before them and againe I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his roots from beneath From hence we may take a profitable lesson It s this Though God vse meanes for the performance of his counsels yet the accomplishment and glory of them belongeth to him alone This truth is so euident that it needs no further proofe Israel the people of Israel they were the meanes which God vsed for the performance of his counsels vpon the Amorites euen to destroy them and to roote them out from being a people but the accomplishment and the glory of that great worke was the Lords alone The people of Israel had they had much ado to ouercome their enemies the Amorites they might happily haue imputed somewhat to their owne force They might haue said Shewed we not great power in the battle Behaued we not our selues like men Did not we fight valiantly But when their enemies were driuen like chaffe with the winde when they who earst were stour and strong were tall as the Cedars and strong as the Okes when they should extraordinarily be dismaide should haue no more heart then a silly sheepe hath but should be scattered at the first onset should be so cowardly as that their enemies might at their pleasure slay them till they were weary of slaying them what can be said of it what can be thought of it This is all The Lord who is Lord of battels though he vse meanes for the performance of his counsels and for the atchieving of his victories yet will he haue the accomplishment and the glory of all to be peculiar vnto himselfe Thus is my doctrine illustrated Though God vse meanes for the performance of his counsels yet the accomplishment and glory of them belongeth to him alone The reason hereof is because all power is Gods and whatsoeuer power man hath to execute or performe what the counsell of the Lord hath appointed it s all deriued from God The vse is to teach vs to yeeld God the honor of all the victories that he giueth vs against our enemies The honor of all victories must be his When I say all victories I meone not onely the victories of Princes when they make warre or winne a battell in the field but euen our priuate victories too as when we haue bin assailed by some particular man and are escaped from his hands this is a victorie and the honor of it must be the Lords If a neighbour an vnkinde neighbour hath done vs any wrong or hath put vs to some trouble we are deliuered from it we must assure our selues it is God that hath giuen vs the vpper hand to the end that we should alwaies haue our mouthes open to giue him thanks for it This must we doe but this is not all We must with the mouth giue thanks to God for giuing vs the vpper hand against those that haue
a man of bloud Vers 7. and a man of Belial a murderer and a wicked man At so high a straine of insolencie Vers 9. how beares the King himselfe Doth he suffer the railers head to be cut off or makes he any shew of impatiencie No His eye is to him that is agens principalis or Primus motor euen to the Lord the Principall agent and first mouer in all this businesse Shimei he knowes is but the instrument to worke the will of the Lord. And therefore he saith to Abishai 2 Sam. 16.10 Let him curse because the Lord hath said vnto him Curse Dauid Who shall then say Wherefore hast thou done so Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him Not vnlike was the carriage of the blessed Apostles Peter Iohn and the rest Act. 4.27 Though Herod Pontius Pilat the Gentiles and the people of Israel had crucified and put to death the Lord of life our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ yet did not the Apostles therefore grow into a rage or bitter speeches against them In that great execution of the Lord Iesus there was vpon the hand of God They knew that Herod Pontius Pilat the Gentiles and the Iews were but instruments So their acknowledgement before the Lord vers 28. Of a truth both Herod and Pontius Pilat the Gentiles the People of Israel were gathered together against thine holy Childe Iesus for to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done Thus according to the examples of holy Iob King Dauid and the blessed Apostles we are in the miseries and calamities that doe befall vs in this life to looke not so much to the instruments as to the Lord that smiteth by them And why so The reason is because all instruments are second causes Angels men or other creatures haue no power at all against vs but what is giuen them of God So Iesus told Pilat who had proudly said vnto him Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to release thee No saith Iesus thou couldst haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 froÌ„ aboue Io. 19.11 I will but touch the vses One is for the reproofe of such who are of opinion that God doth only suffer many things to be done If he be agens principalis the principall Agent in all actions and all other agents are but his instruments then is he not only a sufferer but also an orderer guider and gouernour of all actions The second is for the confutation of such as in their vaine thoughts imagine that the miseries and calamities which befall men in this life are but their mis-fortunes If God be agens principalis if he be the principall agent in all that is done vpon the earth then wretched man bleare not thine own eies to ascribe that to haphazzard wherein the strokes of Gods hand appeare The third is for the admonishing of vs all that in our miseries or calamities we behaue our selues with patience toward the instruments wherewith God smiteth vs. It will very ill beseeme a man to be like vnto the dogge that snatcheth at the stone throwne at him without regard vnto the thrower The fourth is for consolation It will be a comfort to vs in misery and distresse to remember that God is agens principalis that he hath a chiefe hand in all our troubles and that others of what ranke soeuer are but his instruments and therefore they can no further preuaile against vs than the hand and counsell of God giues them leaue This our comfort may rest vpon that of S. Paul 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare but will euen giue an issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it Qui enim dat tentanti Diabolo licentiaÌ„ ipse dat tentatis misericordiaÌ„ Pet. Lomb. vpon the place For God who giues the deuill leaue to smite giues also his mercy to them that are smitten And thus from the Action the smiting which is the Lords we are come to the obiect of the Action to the thing to be smitten which doe belong to the Israelites The things to be smitten were their houses which are here described from their vse and precious matter whereof they were and state For vse they had their winter houses and summer houses For precious matter they had their houses of Iuory For state they had their great houses We will first take a view of their houses for vse their winter houses and their summer houses Of them it is here said in the first branch of this fifteenth verse Percutiam domum hyemalem cum domo aestiuâ I will smite the winter house with the summer house Princes and great Lords of the East of old time had their change of houses a house for winter and a house for summer The winter house was turned toward the South Hieron Rupeâ—t Cyrill and open to the heat of the Sunne for warmth The summer house was turned toward the North from the Sunne and lay open to the coole aire So for the variety of seasons they would be prouided either for cold or heat Iehoiakim King of Iudah had his winter house For so we reade Ier. 36.22 The King sate in the winter house in the ninth month and there was a fire on the hearth before him And it is likely he had his summer house Else why is this called his winter house His summer house may be that Ier. 22.14 where the King saith Aedificabo mihi domum latam coenacula spatiosa I will build me a wide house large chambers Those chaÌ„bers R. Dauid cals coenacula ventosa Iunius P scator windy chambers others perflabilia chambers with thorow aire chambers with windowes made of purpose to let in the aire Look the place and you will finde them sieled with Cedar and painted with Vermilion And this might wel be his summer house But if you will haue a summer house in precise termes turne yee to the booke of Iudges Chap. 3.20 There shall you finde Eglon King of Moah sitting alone in a summer Parlour Our English Bible in the margent calleth it a Parlour of cooling iust as Iunius doth coenaculum refrigerationis a chamber or parlour of refrigeration The old Latine calls it aestiuum coenaculum a summer chamber or parlour the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a summer garret in the highest part of the house Our Prophet here speaketh of both houses together the winter house and the summer house and threatneth the demolition or ruine of them both Tossarius thus deliuers it in his Paraphrase Demolibor domum hyemalem simul aestiuam in quibus rex cum suis lasciuire consueuit I will demolish both winter-house and summer house in which the King was wont with his minions to play the wanton I will ouerthrow them both It is not
A Commentary OR EXPOSITION VPON THE FIRST Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS Deliuered In XXI Sermons in the Parish Church of MEYSEY-HAMPTON in the Diocesse of Glocester BY SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD Doctor of Diuinity and fellow of Corpus Christi College in OXFORD EPHES. 5.16 Redeeme the time because the daies are euill LONDON ¶ Printed by John Hauiland and are to be sold by Hugh Perry at the Harrow in Britaines Burse 1629. THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Gentle Reader THese Sermons were prouided 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 prelâ—m tanquam pralium 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 than we can well vse I deny it not Yet to the fulnesse of this Sea I adde more and repent not Is abundance a burthen to thee If thy soule may be fed with variety as well by the eye as by the eare hast thou any reason to finde fault But weake stomacks may surfet at the sight of too much Let such fauour their eye-sight They may easily looke off and please themselues with their old choice There is no reason that their daintinesse should preiudice that profit which others might reape from this abundance Wee that are called to be labourers in the Lords Haruest must resolue with the Lord of the Haruest 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 in stead of working only treasure vp knowledge in our hearts as that Hoarder in the c Cap. 11.26 Prouerbs did his Corne in his storehouse or will wrap vp the gifts wherewith God hath blessed vs in waste Papers as the slothfull seruant in the d 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 e Ambo verbum praedicant hic quidem scripto ille vero voce Clem. Alexan. stromat lib. 1. interprete Gentiano Herueto p. 57. edit Basil in fol. An. 1556. paulò pòst Praedicandi sciâ—â—tia est quodammodo Angelica vtrouis modo inuans seu per manum sâ—u per linguam operetur There is not any thing publikely notified but we may in that respect rightly and properly say it is preached Luk. 8.39 and 12.3 Hoâ—kâ—r Eccl Polâ—t l. 5. §. 18 p. 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 vntruly nor vnfitly said to preach Hooker lib. 5. §. 21. pag. 39. vide ibid. plura Euangelizo Manu Scriptione Rainold de Rom. Eccles Idoâ—â—lat Praef. ad Com. Essex pag. 7. by writing as by speaking as well by pâ—n 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 Humanity now the fourteenth yeere hath hindered 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 pen I may redeeme the time past and by these my poore labours may doe some good not only to f The inhabitants of Mâ—isey Hampton Marston and Dunfield in the Diocesse of Glocester them among whom I first sowed this seed but also to other Congregations of my Country I haue enough If deare Christian thou finde in these my Sermons the same things iterated maruell not thereat I haue my Prophets warrant for it He in this first Chapter repeateth the same things fiue times ouer May not I after his ensample doe it once or twise I must professe vnto thee good Christian that my chiefe intent in this Commentary is the destruction of sinne If to any of the learned I seeme to haue failed of my purpose my earnest desire is that they will be pleased to take the paines to amend it The rest who to this poore labour of mine shall afford their gracious and fauourable good liking I heartily entreat to helpe me with their godly prayers that this worke and whatsoeuer else of like kinde I shall hereafter attempt to publish to the censure of the world may wholly redound to the glory of God and good of his Church Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepherd of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting couenant sanctifie thee thorowout that enioying the peace of thy conscience in this world thou maist hereafter haue full fruition of that eternall peace of God in Heaâ—â—n Thine vnfeinedly in the Lord for thy good S. B. THE First Lecture AMOS 1.1 The words of Amos who was among the heardmen at Tekoa which he saw vpon Israel in the dayes of Vzziah King of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel two yeares before the earthquake ONE of the Pharisees in the Gospell as if hee were vnwilling to be ignorant in so weighty a matter as is mans saluation in a tempting manner asked Christ this question Master what shall I doe to inherit eternall life Our Sauiour for answer put forth another question and said What is written in the Law how readest thou Luk. 10.26 Where we may note that the Law is written for man to reade that so he may be instructed what hee is to doe in discharge of his duty towards God The rich man in Hell prayed Abraham that â—â—â—rus might be sent vnto his fathers house to testifie vnto hi◠〈◊〉 brethren lest they also should come into that place â—â— torment To whom Abraham answered They haue Moses aâ—◠〈◊〉 Prophets let them heare them Luk. 16.29 The parable teacheth vs thus much that vnlesse we delight in hearing the word preached we shall neuer attaine to the meanes of escaping eternall torments Two notable vses of the word of God Reading and hearing They lead man as it were by the hand to the very point of his felicity For what more blessed than to possesse eternall life Yet was the Pharisee taught that by reading of the law liâ—e eternall might bee purchased And is it not a blessed thing to be freed from Hell torments Yet was the rich man told by Abraham that
our heads to the trickling of Å¿ Psal 56.8 teares downe our cheekes Why then are wee troubled with the vaine conceits of lucke fortune or chance Why will any man say this fell vnto me 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 prouidence all things are determined and regular This is a sure ground we may build vpon it The fish that came to deuoure Ionas may seeme to haue arriued in that place by chance yet the scripture saith the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Ionas Ion. 1.17 The storme it selfe which droue the pilots to his streight may likewise seeme contingent to the glimse of carnall eyes 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 diuersity of the opinions among the brethren touching the manner of dispatching Ioseph out of the way wee may gather that the selling of him into Egypt was but accidentall and only agreed vpon by reason of the fit ariuall of the merchants while they were disputing and debating what they were best to doe yet saith Ioseph vnto his brethren you sent me not hither but God Gen. 45.8 What may seeme more contingent in our eies than by the glancing of an arrow from the common marke to strike a traueller that passeth by the way yet God himselfe is said to haue deliuered the man into the hand of the shooter Exod. 21.13 Some may thinke it hard fortune that Achab was so strangely made away because a certaine man hauing bent his bow and let slip his arrow at hap hazard without aime at any certaine marke t 1 King 22 34. strooke the King but here we finde no lucke nor chance at all otherwise than in respect of vs for that the shootâ—â— did no more than was denounced to the King by Micheas froâ— Gods owne mouth before the battell was begun 1 King 22.17 What in the world can be more casuall than lottery lyet Salomon teacheth that when the lots are cast into the lap the prouidence of God disposeth them Prou. 16.33 See now and acknowledge with mee the large extent of Gods good prouidence Though his dwelling be on high yet abaseth he himselfe to behold vs below From his good prouidence it is that this day we are here met together I to preach the word of God you to heare it and some of vs to bee made partakers of the blessed body and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Let vs powre out our soules in thankfulnesse before God for his blessing You are now inuited to the marriage supper of the lambe euery one that will approach vnto it let him put on his wedding garment A garment nothing like the old ragges of the Gibeonites which deceiued Ioshua Ios 9.5 A garment nothing like the suit of apparrell which Micah gaue once a yeare to his Leuite Iud. 17.10 A garment nothing like the soft clothing 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 booke of merits are written and registred all the names of the faithfull but a garment something like Elias Mantle which diuided the waters 2 King 2.8 For this your garment is nothing â—lse but Christ put on who diuideth your sinnes and punishments that so you may escape from your enemies sin and death but a garment something like the garments of the Israelites in the wildernesse which did not weare 40. yeares together they wandered in the desart and yet saith Moses neither their clothes nor their shooes waxed old Deut. 29.5 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on whose righteousnesse lasteth for euer and his mercies cannot be worne out Hauing put on this your wedding garment doubt 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 doe it let him following S Paâ—â— his counsell Rom. 13.12 cast away the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light let him walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying 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 be you lift vp ye euerlasting doores that a guest so richly apparelled may come in and sup with the King of glory And the King of glory vouchsafe so to clothe vs all that those gates and euerlasting doores may lie open to vs all So at our departure from this vally of mourning we shall haue free and easie passage into the citie of God where our corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall be swallowed vp of life Euen so be it blessed Father for thy welbeloued son Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee in the vnity of the holy spirit bee all praise and power might and Maiesty dignity and dominion for euermore Amen THE Second Lecture AMOS 1.2 And he said the Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither IN my former Sermon vpon the first verse of this chapter beloued in the Lord I commended to your religious considerations fiue circumstances 1 Touching the Prophets name It was Amos not Amos Esaies father but another Amos. 2 Concerning his former condition of life He was among the heardmen that is he was a heardman or shepherd 3 Of the place of his vsuall abode At Tekoa a little village in the confines of the Kingdome of Iuda beyond which there was not so much as a little cottage onely there was a great wildernesse called 2 Chron 20.20 the wildernesse of Tekoa a fit place for a shepherds walke 4 About the matter or argument of this prophecie implied in these words The words which he saw vpon Israel Then you heard that Amos was by the holy spirit deputed and directed with his message peculiarly and properly to the 10. reuolted tribes the kingdome of Israel 5 Of the time of the prophecie which I told you was set downe in that verse generally and specially 1 Generally In the dayes of Vzziah king of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash king of Israel 2 Specially Two yeares before the earthquakâ— After my exposition giuen vpon those fiue parts of that text I recald to
Iudge with that he rose vp and tooke the Bible in one of his hands and struck it with the other we 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 Dauid Rungius 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 Sathan Gretser we doubt not but that the Lord hath or will rebuke thee Dearely beloued in the Lord Schollers can tell you of Brontes Steropes Pyracmon Polyphemus and others of that rabble of Cyclops and Giants who made a head and banded themselues together to plucke Iupiter from out his throne Behold in this Iesuite Verè Cyclopicam audaciam as great impudency as euer was seen 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 combat 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 new 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 voiâ—e but rather the matter of strife and contention It was indeed a strange assertion and by a consâ—quent striking God himselfe the author of holy Scripture Yet you see it is by our modern Iesuits this day matched forasmuch as with their impiouâ— assertions touching holy Scripture they doe directly strike the holy Spirit It is an old saying Ex vngue Leonem A man may know a Lyon by his claw Surely let men of vnderstanding consider the audaciousnesse impudency and fury of railing with which those Iesuits beforenamed haue beene throughly replenished they must acknowledge and confesse that those Iesuits were guided by the Spirit of lyes and blasphemies You already see the readinesse of Popish Doctors to tread Scripture vnder foot and to doe it all the disgrace they can Yet giue mee leaue I beseech you by some instance to shew the same vnto you The instance which I make choise of is Gods soueraignety ouer the Kings and Kingdomes of this world q Hereof I entreated in a Sermon vpon Hos 10.7 Kings and Kingdomes are wholly and alone in the disposition of the Almighty A truth included within the generall doctrine commended by S. Paul to the Romans chap. 13.1 All powers that be are ordained of God acknowledged by Elihu Iob 34.24 God shall breake the mighty and set vp other in their stead expressed in the prayer of Daniel chap. 2.21 God taketh away Kings and setteth vp Kings proclaimed as in the Lords owne words Prou. 8.15 16. By me Kings reigne by me Princes Nobles and Iudges doe rule This truth hath 3. branches displayed in so many propositions by Lipsius in his r In Monitis Politicis politique aduertisements Lib. 1. c. 5. 1 Kings and Kingdomes are giuen by God 2 Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God 3 Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled gouerned by God All three are further made good in the infallible euidence of the written word of God The first was Å¿ Regna à Deo reges dâ—ri Lipsius Mouit Polit. lib. 1. c. 5 p 24. Kings and Kingdomes are giuen by God Thus saith the Lord of Sauls successour 1 Sam. 16.1 I haue prouided me a King among the sonnes of Ischai and of the reuolt of the ten tribes in the rent of the kingdome of Israel 1 King 12.24 This thing is done by me and of the victories which Nabuchodonosor was to get ouer the King of Iudah and other his neighbour Kings the Kings of Edom of Moab of the Ammonites Trem. Ps 75.7 of Tyre of Zidon Ier. 27.6 I haue giuen all these lands into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the King of Babel my seruant It is true which we learne Psal 75.6 Aduancement is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the wildernesse Our God is iudge he alone aduanceth You see now it is plaine by holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are giuen 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 remouall of Kings and translation of kingdomes it s well known as by the aboue-cited texts of Scripture so by diuine examples whereof I might make along recitall would I remember you out of Gen. 14. of the fall of those Kings deliuered into the hands of Abraham out of Exod. 14. and 15. of Pharaohs ouerthrow in the red sea out of Dan. 4. and 5 of Nabuchadnezzâ—r and Belshazzar his sonne dispossessed of their crownes and out of other places of the diuinely inspired word of like patterns It s plaine without any further proofe that Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God The third was * Regna à Deo Reges tempâ—rari Lips Ibid. p. 34. Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled gouerned by God For proofe hereof I need no more but remember you of that which I recommended to you in the beginning of this Sermon euen of the wonderfull extent of Gods care and prouidence to the least bâ—sest things in this world as I said to a handfull of meale to a cruise of oile in a poore widowes house to the falling of sparrowes to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the caluing of hindes to the clothing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of teares down our cheeks Shall God care for these vile and base things and shall he not much more order rule and gouerne Kings and kingdomes Now beloued in the Lord you see by the euidence of holy Scripture that Kings and kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almighty Giue care 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 heauen notwithstanding the eternall truth in the holy Scriptures This he doth in foure positions 1. Å¿ Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif. lib. 5. cap. 7. §. Probatur Tenentur Christiani non patisuperse Regem non Christianum si ille conetur auertere populum à fide Princes if they goe about auertere populum à fide to auert their people from the faith the faith of the Church of Rome then by the consent of
exprimitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graetis vero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatur Arabibus Alla. Sic Zanch. de natura Dei lib. 1. c. 13. Apud Graecos post Hebraâ—s nomen Dei nempe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quatuor conflat literis Sic apud Latinos Deut vnde Hispani dicunt Dios Itali Idio Galli Dieu Germanis quoque Anglic quatuor est liâ—erarum GOTE Sic Chaldaeiâ— Syris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aethiâ—pibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aegytiis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Assyrijs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magis est Orsâ— Dalmatis scu Illyricis Bogi Maometanis Abâ—d Gentibus in mundo noâ—o repertis Zimi name of foure letters in all tongues and languages and that these foure letters in Hebrew are all d Lit. rae quiâ—scentes letters of Rest to signifie vnto vs that the rest repose and tranquillity of all the creatures in the world is in God alone that it is a e Zanch. vbi supra powerfull name for the working of miracles and that Christ and Moses had by it done great wonders But my tongue shall neuer enlarge that which my soule abhorreth such brain-sick superstitious and blasphemous inuentions Yet this I dare auouch 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 all-sufficient God but by nay name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them I vnfold this secret This great name Iehouah first it importeth the eternity of Gods essence in himselfe that he is f Heb. 13.8 yesterday and to day and the same for euer 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 whom 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 all it is the Memâ—riall of God vnto all ages as himselfe cals it Exod. 3.15 the memoriall of his faithfulnesse his truth his constancy in the performance of his promises And therefore whensoeuer in any of the Prophets God promiseth or threatneth any great matter to assure vs of the most certaine euent of such his promise or threatning he addes vnto it his name Iehouah In stead of this Hebrew name Iehouah the most proper name of God the 70. Interpreters of the old Testament doe euery where vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Greeke name a name of power well â—â—iting with the liuing true and only God For he hath plenum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The power and authority which hee hath ouer all things is soueraigne and without controlement Hee that made the heauens and spread them out like a k Psal 104.2 curtaine to cloath himselfe with light as with a garment hee can againe l Esai 50 3. cloath the heauen with darknesse and make a sacke their couering 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 ouer howsoeuer the waues therof shall rage and roare he can with a word o Iob 16.12 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 Hee that made the drie land and so set it vpon q Psal 104.5 foundations that it should neuer moue he can couer her againe with the deepe as with a garment and so rocke her that she shall r Psal 107.27 reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man So powerfull a God may well bee named from power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the absolute Lord ruler and commander of all things This name of power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly put for the Hebrew name Iehouah commonly rendred in our English tongue Lord is in the writings of the Apostles simply and absolutely if the learned haue made a Å¿ Zarch de Attrib lib. 1. c. 17. iust calculation ascribed vnto Christ a thousand times and may serue for sufficient proofe of the deitie of Christ t Heb. 1.3 For it imports thus much that Christ the engraued 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 gouernour of all things and in a very speciall manner he is the heire of the house of God the mighty protector of the Church Christ the only begotten Sonne of God hee 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 works of God ad extra so we speake in the schooles but to speake more vnderstandingly to your capacities in all externall works each person of the Trinitie hath his operation Yet so that a common distinction â—re obserued For these externall workes of God doe admit a double consideration u Zanch. de Incarn lib. 2. c. 3. q. 1. Thes 2. either they are begunne x Extra diuinas personas without the Diuine persons and ended y In aliqua personarum in some one of them or they are both begunne and ended without the Diuine persons The workes of God begunne externally and ended in some one of the persons what are they They are such as was the Voice of the Father concerning Christ z Matth. 3.17 This is my beloued sonne a voice formed by all three persons yet vttered only by the Father They are such as was that a Matth. 3.16 Doue descending vpon Christ at his baptisme a Doue framed by all 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 obuious and much vsed distinction in schoole diuinity Iâ—châ—â—tiâ—è terminâ—â—â—è I thus expound â—t In these now named workes of God the voice that was spoken vnto Christ the Doue that descended vpon Christ the body and soule of Christ wee are to consider two things their beginning and their end If wee respect their beginning they are the workes of the whole Trinitie common vnto all but â—â—spect â—â— their perfection and 〈◊〉 they are â—â— I 〈◊〉 common but hypostaticall and personall for so the voice is the Fathers â—one the Doue is the Holy Ghosts alone the reasonable soule and humane flesh are the Sonnes alone
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 we enter into our owne hearts and examine our selues how we haue walked in dutifulnesse towards him our best course will be to runne vnto him with a Peccanimus in our mouthes Lord we haue z Luk. 15.18 sinned against heauen and before thee and are not worthy to be called thy seruants By the first branch of our duty we are required to be obedient seruants but we haue beene a Ezech. 2.4 hard offace and stiffe hearted a rebellious of-spring like vnto our fathers By the second branch of our duty wee are required to be faithfull seruants but we haue made a couenant with b Rom. 6.19 vncleannesse and iniquity to serue them By the third branch of our duty we are required to bee profitable seruants but when wee should haue c Mat. 25.27 put our Lords mony to the exchangers for his greater vantage we haue d Vers 25. hid it in the earth Lord enter not into account with vs e Iob 9.3 wee cannot answer thee one of a thousand Now dearely beloued suffer a word of exhortation let the remembrance of your holy duties by you to be performed to the Lord your God be like f Ecclus 49.1 the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the Apothecary sweet as hony in your mouths 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 bee written in your hearts as h Ierem. 17.1 with a pen of iron or point of a Diamond neuer to bee razed out Shall I deliuer this your duty vnto you in blessed Pauls words In blessed Pauls 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 walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 To walke in loue Ephes 5.2 To haue your conuersation 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 Ioh. 2.11 blindeâ— 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 couetous 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 ye are saâ—ctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God Is this true beloued Are we washed and sanctified and iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God why then resolue we to follow S. Paules aduice Phil. 4.8 Whatsoeuer things are true and honest and iust and pure and doe pertaine to loue and are of good report if there be any vertue or praise resolue we to thinke on these things thinke we 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 he 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 find it as here so Ierem. 25.30 ioyned with the voice of the Lord The Lord shall roare from aboue and 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 he 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 bee afraid The Lord God hath spoken who can but prophecie S. Hierome acknowledgeth this metaphor to be very fit out of Amos his mouth for as much as it is fit for euery 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 heauinesse to a tempest his losse to a shipwracke his enemies to contrary winds fit for â— souldier to tell of his sword his buckler his coat of male his launce his helmet his musket his wounds his victorie fit for a husbandman to be talking of his oxen his kine his sheepe his grounds Not vnfitly then doth Amos our Prophet sometimes a shepherd one that kept his sheepe in the waste wildernesse of Tekoa where many a time he had heard the Lions roare compare the terrible and dreadfull voice of the liuing God to the roaring of Lions The Lord shall roare By this hyperbolicall forme of speech the holy Spirit conuinceth vs of stupidity and dulnesse as vnable to entertaine any admonition from God except he speak vnto vs after an extraordinary manner For this reason euen for our dulnes sake is God herein my text compared to a Lion 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 deuoid of such parts of nature by which we are enabled to speak may himselfe be said to speake and vtter a voice That he spake it is well known to them to whom the Scriptures are not vnknowne He spake with Adam Eue and the serpent with Noah with Abraham 8. times with Isaac with Iacob with Moses and the Prophets with Christ and the Apostles But how he spake that is disputed of by the ancient and learned Fathers S. 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 vnderstâ—nding enlightned by the shining of the true
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 in iudgement or to visit vs in mercy wee 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 darknesse of trouble of vexation of anguish thou Lord wilt translate vs to a better place a place of light where darknesse shall be no more a place of rest where trouble shall be no more a place of delight where vexation shall be no more a place of endlesse and vnspeakable ioyes where anguish shall be no more There this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall be swallowed vp of life Euen so be it THE Fourth Lecture AMOS 1.2 And hee said the Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither IN my last exercise I entreated of the Speaker Now am I to entreat of the places from whence hee speaketh expressed in two names Sion and Ierusalem The Lord shall roare from Sion and 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 â—op whereof was another mountaine e Drusius obseru 14.21 Not. Iunius 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 enemies Against these Iebusites King Dauid came with a warlike power speedily surprised their fort built round about it dwelt in it and called it his g The City of Dauid owne City as appeareth 2 Sam. 5.9 This is the city of Dauid 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 owne City mount Sion Dauid 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 harps as is plaine by the story 1 Chron. cap. 15. and 16. Now began the holy exercises of religion duly to be obserued in this city of Dauid mount Sion was now the place of the Name of the Lord of boasts Hitherto belongeth that same excellent description and commendation 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 Dauid the holy mount Sion the Lord of hoasts whom the k 1 Kâ—ng 8.27 2 Chron. 6.18 Heauens and the Heauen of Heauens 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 literally 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 ouer Sion the hill of his holinesse Sion there is not to be vnderstood the terrestriall 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 euen the holy Church of Christ whereto doe appertaine the holy Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the vniuersall multitude of beleeuers throughout not only Israel but the whole world Sion in this signification is obuious in holy Scripture To which sense by the daughters of Sion in the m Psal 149. â— Psalmes of Dauid in n Cantic 3.11 Salomons song in the prophecies of o Esay 3 16 17. Psaâ— 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 Heauen as learned Drusius in his notes vpon my text obserueth The like obseruation 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 wherof Sion is a type Sion the holy one of Israel whose walls are saluation and gates praise or the Heauen of Heauens 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 Martyr in 2 Sam. 5.6 from both these names Iâ—bus and Salem 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 distich Solyma Luza Bethel Ierosolyma Iebus Helia Vrbs sacra Ierusalem dicitur atque Salem In this distich 9. names of this one city are couched together Solyma Ierosolyma Ierusalem Iebus Salem Bethel Helia Luza the holy City Drusius obseruat 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 diuersly tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the city of Dauid the fort the fort of Sion the tower of Sion But I come not to preach names vnto you Will you heare of the honour of this city they that were aliue when Ierusalem flourished to haue q Psal 48.12 numbred her towers to haue considered her wals to haue marked her bulwarks and to haue told their posterity of it might haue made a report scarcely to haue bin beleeued This we know by Ps 48.4 5. When the Kings of the earth were gathered together and saw it they maruelled they were astonied and suddenly driuen backe Thus is Ierusalem taken
seruants vnder his foes and their aduersaries This point is notably verified in Lot sore pressed vpon by the Sodomites Gen. 19.9 in the Israelites hardly dealt with by the Aegyptians Exod. 1.11 c. in the 70. brethren sons of Ierubbaal persecuted by Abimelech most of them to the death Iudg. 9.5 in Ieremie twise euill entreated first beaten and put in the stockes by Pashure Ier. 20.2 and a second time beaten and imprisoned by Zedechias his nobles Ier. 37.15 In the three children cast into the fiery furnace by Nabuchodonosor Dan. 3.21 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 bloudy persecutions after Christ his death by the Romane Emperours in those strange torments which they deuised to keepe downe religion and religious professors men women Ler Serm. D. Laurent Prudent hymn in S. Laurent they plucked off their skins quick they bored out their eyes with wimbles they broiled them aliue on gredirons they scalded them in boiling liquors they enclosed them in barrels and driuing great nailes thorow tumbled them down mountaines till their owne bloud so cruelly drawne out stifled and choaked them in the barrels womens breasts were seared off with burning irons their bodies rent their ioints racked Many more were the grieuous torments endured by the faithfull in the time of the ten first persecutions in the primitiue Church All and euery of which doe strongly proue my doctrine God often humbleth his seruants vnder his foes and their aduersaries The reason why God humbleth his seruants 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 keep and to doe all his commandements and 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 and stone and thou shalt be a wonder a prouerb and a common talke among all the people whither the Lord shall carry thee Where you see captiuity 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 seruants vnder his foes and their aduersaries The reason is The disobedience of Gods seruants 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 seuerely euen in his dearest children The consideration hereof should worke in vs a loathing hatred and detestation of sin Yet such is the peruersity of our corrupt natures that we daily fleet from sin to sin like the flie that shifteth from sore to sore we tempt the Lord wee murmur wee lust we commit idolatry we haue our eies full of adultery our hearts exercised with couetousnesse our bodies weakned with drunkennesse by all meanes we serue the flesh sitting downe to eat and rising to play Neuer more need than now to smite our breasts and pray with the Publicane Luk. 18.13 O God be mercifull vnto vs sinners 2. To teach vs not to measure the fauour of God towards our selues or others by the blessings or aduersities of this life seeing the wicked doe often flourish whē the godly are in great misery and on the other side the godly doe prosper when the wicked are in distresse In my text we see the Gileadites a portion of Israel threshed with instruments of yron by the hands 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 thorow the red sea as by dry land whereas the Egyptians assaying to doe the like were drowned Behold the prosperity of the Godly Measure not therfore the fauour of God by the blessings or aduersities of this life Whatsoeuer out estate be 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 aduersity yet still blessed be his holy Name and his will be done 3 To make vs powre out our soules in thankfulnes before Almighty God for our present estate and condit ō We know that our sworne enemies the Popish crew and faction of long time enuied and maliced 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 instruments of yron What mercy or pitty could be expected from them who with so inhumane barbarous and cruell a plot their plot of gunpowder the like whereof was neuer before heard of would haue blowne vp torne peecemeale the King Queen Prince Lords and Commons the fift of Nouember i This Sermon was preached Sept. 21. 1606 last as you well know what shall we render vnto the Lord for this so great a deliuerance Let vs render the calues of our lips applying Dauids 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 Seuen sparks of the inkindled 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 giuen vs a pray vnto their teeth 7 Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and we are deliuered 8 Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth To this thankfulnes I purpose further to incite you if God giue life and leaue vpon the fift of Nouember next the day appointed by Act of Parliament for your publique thanksgiuing for that most happy deliuerance 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 saluation of our owne soules THE Eight Lecture AMOS 1.4 Therefore will I send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure 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 vpon the Syrians for their sinnes as first I noted Generally verse the 4. Specially verse the 5. 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 deuoure 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 procliuitie and propensnes vnto mercy We must breake out into the mention of his great goodnesse and sing a lowd of his mercies as Dauid doth Ps 145.7 The Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse he is louing and good to all his mercy is ouer all his works The Lord strong and mighty blessed aboue all yea being blessednesse it selfe and therefore hauing no need of any man is louing and good vnto euery man Our sinnes haue prouoked 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 sun to rise on the euill 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 euil do flourish and are in great prosperitie Thus is Gods graciousnesse great bountie extended vnto euery man whether he be a blessed Abel or a cursed Cain a loued Iacob or a hated Esau an elected Dauid or a reiected Saul God is louing and good vnto euery man the Psalmist addeth and his mercies are ouer all his workes There is not any one of Gods workes but it sheweth vnto others and 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 ouer all his workes Dauid knew it well and sang accordingly Psal 145 8. The Lord is gracious and mercifull long suffering and 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 euill The Church knowes it well and praies accordingly O God whose nature and propertie is euer to haue mercy and to forgiue receiue our humble petitions Dauid 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 and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne In which place of Scripture although afâ—erward there followeth a little of his iustice which hee may not forget yet we see the maine streame runneth concerning mildnesse and kindnesse and compassion wherby wee may perceiue what it is wherein the Lord delighteth His delight is to be a sauiour 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 feet 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 Dauid ouercame the Philistines he shall be angry as once he was in the valley of Gibeon when Ioshua discomfited 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 and to forgiue or else strange and somewhat diuers from his nature as to be angry and to punish I know some doe expound these words otherwise vnderstanding by that strange worke and strange act of God there mentioned Opus aliquod insolens admirabile some such worke as God seldome worketh some great wonder Notwithstanding this naturall exposition of that place the former may well 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 ouerweigh He who is euer iust is mercifull more then euer if it may be possible He may forget our iniquities but his tender mercies he will neuer forgeâ— This our Lord good mercifull gracious and long suffering is here in my text the punisher and sendeth fire into the house of Hazael whereupon 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 S. Paul Rom. 12.19 It is written vengeance is mine I will repay 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 sweet singer Psal 94.1 O Lord God the auenger O God the auenger 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 deliuered by the wise sonne of Syrach chap. 39 where he saith Vers 28. There be spirits that are created for vengeance which in their rigour lay on sure strokes in the time of destruction they shew forth their power accomplish the wrath of him that made them Fire and haile and famine death Vers 29. all these are created for vengeance The teeth of wilde beasts Vers 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 and meale and wheat and hony and milke and the bloud of the grape and oile and cloathing Vers 27. All those things though they be for good vnto the godly yet to the sinners they are turned vnto euill So 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 seruice against vs. The consideration hereof should moue our hearts
to wisdom It should moue vs b Hereof I spake in a Sermon vpon Hebr. 10.30 to beware of those crying sinnes vsually committed against the first table that we prouoke not Gods vengeance against vs by Idolatrie in worshiping the creature aboue the creator blessed for euer 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 fit 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 prouoke not Gods vengeance against vs by dishonouring our parents and such as God hath put in place of gouernment aboue vs by grieuing our children and such as are by vs to be gouerned by oppressing the fatherlesse and the poore by giuing our selues ouer vnto filthy lusts Beloued 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 auenger 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 immediately 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 command to be the executioners of his vengeance Among the rest and in the first ranke 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 Leuit 10.2 to cut of the two hundred and fifty men that were in the rebellion of Korah Num. 16.35 to deuoure two captaines twise fifty men 2. King 1.10 12. I will not load your memories with multitude of examples for this point 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 deuoure the palaces of Benhadad By fire in this place the learned d Lyranus Drusius Ar. Montanus Mercer Caluin Gualter expositors doe vnderstand not only naturall fire but also the sword and pestilence and famine quod libet genus consumptionis euery kind of consumptiō euery scourge wherewith God punisheth the wicked and disobedient 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 Metaphorical 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 euen 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 wheat and hony and milke and the bloud of the grape and oile cloathing are all for euill vnto the wicked If that proofe because the booke whence it is taken is Apocryphall like you not giue care 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 seruice of Angels and other creatures 2 King 19.35 we read of an hundred fourscore 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 Dauid acknowledgeth Psal 35.5 6. where his prayer against his enemies is that the Angell 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 sinfull land with his e Ezech. 14.21 foure sore iudgements the sword pestilence famine and noysome beasts The story of Gods visitation vpon Pharaoh and the Egyptians in Exod. chap. 8 9. and 10. is fit for my purpose You shall there find that frogs lice flies grashoppers thunder haile lightning murraine botches sores did instrumentally auenge God vpon man and beast in Egypt Adde hereto what you read Psal 148.8 fire and haile and snow and vapours and stormy winds doe execute Gods commandement Thus is my doctrine proued As is the fire so are all other creatures at the Lords commandement to be imployed by him in the punishment 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 rod 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 man of the family of the house of Saul came out against him cast stones at him and railed vpon him calling him to his face a man of blood and a man of Belial a murtherer and 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 euen Almighty God the first mouer of this his affliction Shimei he knew was but the instrument And therefore thus saith he to Abischai 2. Sam. 16.10 He curseth because the Lord had bidden him curse Dauid and 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 be it the patterne of our Christian imitation The losse of all his substance his children by the Sabeans Chaldeans fire from heauen and a great wind from beyond the wildernesse could not turne away his eies from the God of heauen to those second causes They he knew were but the instruments And therefore possessing his soule in patience he said Iob. 1.21 Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. To these instances of Dauid 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 Sauiour 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 and the Iewes 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 Pilat with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together against thine holy Son Iesus to doe whatsoeuer 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 euill in a city and the Lord hath not done it It may serue for an anchor to keepe vs that we be not carried away with the waues of tribulation and affliction It assureth vs that God who bad Shimei curse Dauid 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 Pilat 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 euill 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 well setled among vs. Vpon the accesse of any calamity we cry out bad lucke bad fortue If the strong man come into our house and take from vs the flower of our riches our siluer and gold then we cry What lucke What fortune If our sheepe and cattell faile vs then also we cry What lucke What fortune Whatsoeuer crosse befalleth vs lucke and fortune is still in our mouths Quasi Deus otium coloret in coelo non curaret res humanas as if we were to hold it for an article of our beleefe that God liueth idly in heauen and hath no regard of mans affaires Whereas the holy Prophet Amos in propounding this question shall there be any euill in the city and tâ—â— 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 Dauid 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 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 belike the dogge that snatcheth at a stone cast at him without regard vnto the thrower Here we learne a better propertie euen to turne our eies from the instrumentes to the hand that smiteth by them Thus farre of my second circumstance How God punisheth My third was whom he punisheth Hazael and Benhadad the house of Hazael and palaces of Benhadad If you will know who this Hazael was you must haue recourse to the sacret storie 2. Kings 8. There shall you find him sent by Benhadad King of Syria with a present vnto Elizeus to know concerning his sicknesse whether he should recouer of it and after his returne from Elizeus with a thicke wet cloath to haue strangled and murdered his Lord and Master King Benhadad This was he whom Elizeus foretold of his hard vsage of the Israelites that he 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 beaten to powder This was he of whose death we read verse the 24. The house of Hazael either the familie stocke and posterity of Hazael as Arias Montanus Mercer Drusius expound 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 Benhadad 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 opinion of Mercer Drusius in obseruat sacr 11.14 varieth affirming that albeit diuerse Kings of Syria were called by this name Benhadad yet doth it not thereupon follow that Benhadad was a common name to all the Kings of Syriae In holy Scripture we reade 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 King 8.7 who in his sicknesse sent Hazael to Elizeus the man of God to counsaile Of the third 2 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 son and successour The Palaces of Benhadad to bee deuoured 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 ranke 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 shal deuoure 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 tho house of Hazael against his family and posterity we are put in minde of a truth expressed in the second commandement this God will visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation Dearely beloued sore is that anger the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoake so farre yet the meaning thereof is as Ezechiel sheweth chap. 18. If the children doe follow the fathers wickednesse and not otherwise To visit then is not to punish the children for the fathers offences but to take notice and apprehend them in the same faults by reason they are giuen ouer 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 and 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 pertaking with your in your sins they proue inheritours of your punishments 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 stead vs if Gods vnappeaseable anger break out against vs for our sinnes The reason hereof we read Ierem. 4.4 It 's this Because of the wickednesse of our inuentions Gods wrath comes forth like fire and burneth that none can quench it The vse is to teach vs that wee despise not Gods iudgments 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 deuoure them we learne thus much God depriueth vs of a great blessing when hee taketh from vs our dwelling houses The great commoditie or contentment that commeth to euery 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 whensoeuer our dwelling houses are taken from vs. Secondly 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 seuerally amplified and enlarged In the sequele of this chapter I shall haue occasion to repeat them to you THE Ninth Lecture AMOS 1.5 I will breake also the barre of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captiuity vnto Kir WE are now come to the second branch of the fourth part of this prophecie in the 5. verse wherein are set downe more specially the punishments to bee inflicted vpon the Syrians for their sinnes And this is done in foure seuerall clauses In each wee may obserue three circumstances 1 The punisher the Lord either immediatly by himselfe or mediatly by his instruments 2 The punished the Syrians not of any one city only but of the whole country which wee gather from these names Damascus Bikeath-Auen Beth-eden and Aram. 3 The punishment the spoile of the country and ruine of the whole state The barre of Damascus must be broken the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and the King keeping his court at Beth-Eden must be cut off and the people of Aram must go into captiuitie 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 ouerthrow them I remoue the earth out of her place and make her pillers to shake I command the sun and it riseth not I close vp the stars as vnder a signet I my selfe alone spread out the heauens and walke vpon the height of the sea I make Arcturus Orion and Pleiades and the climates of the South I the Lord who doe great things and vnsearchable maruailous things without number b Amos 5.8 9.6 Iehouah is my name I the Lord Iehouah who haue resolued 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 discouered to be weake for want of barres Ier. 49.31 And so are they against whom Gog and Magog were to fight Ezech. 38.11 they had neither bars 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 and Synecdochically and betokeneth munition fortifications the forts and 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 apppointed the sea her barres and doores saying hitherto shalt thou come here will I stay thy proud waues And the earth hath barres We read of them 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 sences it hath her promontories and rockes which God hath placed in her frontiers to withstand the force of the waters Aâ—â— Moab hath barres Esai 15.5 There the barres of Moab aâ—â— put for the forts in the borders of Moab And Egypt hath barres Ezâ—ch 30.18 Where Egypts barres afâ—er 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 e Mercer Damasci robur munitiones portae claustra munitissima the strength of Damascus the muniâ—ions of Damascus the gates of Damascus the most fenced fortresses of Damascus Yet f Gualter Vniuersum regni robur the whole strengâ—h of the kingdome of Syria is to be vnderstood in these barres of Damascus Of Damascus no base nor contemptible city Lewes Vertâ—manâ—iâ— a gentlâ—man of Rome in his trauell to those easterne parts of the world a hundred yeares agoe saw this city and admiting the maruellous beauty therof hath Nauigat 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 six h lecture vpon this chapteâ— built as some coniectue by Eliezer the steward of Abrahams house who was surnamed Damascus Gen. 15.2 So that this city was built more than 3444. yeares agoe for h In the â—â—are of the wâ—rld 21â—4 I unâ—â— in Ch onolog And thâ— Serm n was â—reached A. â— 16â—6 â—ebâ— 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 beene more ancient than Abraham doe attribute the building of this city to Huz one of the sons of Aram Gen. 10.23 whereupon Damascus was called also Aram as S. Hierome vpon Esai 17. witnesseth Whatsoeuer were the antiquity of this city it is plaine by Esai 7.8 that it was the Metropolitaine and chiefest city of Syria The Prophet Ieremie giues it a high commendation
lift vs vp Iames 4.10 1 Pet. 5.6 2 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we from hence to tremble at Gods iudgements to feare them to stand in awe of them to quake and quiuer 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 89.8 terrible in his works Psal 66.3 terrible in his doings toward the sons of men Psal 66.5 terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.13 To passe ouer with silence many places of holy Scripture in which God is termed a terrible God let vs confesse with the Psalmist Psal 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to be feared who shall stand in thy sight when thou art angry Here are they worthily to be taxed and censured who are so far from fearing Gods iugdements 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 Thunder The story is deliuered by Perkins in his p Printed at Cambridâ—e in 4o. 1596. p. 36. Alsted Theolog. Catechet Sect. 2. pag. 180. exposition of the Creed in these words One being with his companion in a house drinking on the Lords day when he was ready to depart thence there was great lightning and thunder whereupon 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 goe and so went on his iourney but before he came halfe a mile from the house the same hand of the Lord which before he had mocked in a cracke of thunder strucke him about the girdle steed that he fell downe starke dead A memorable example brought home as it were to our doores to put vs in minde of Gods heauy wrath against those which scorne his iudgements Let vs beloued be wise vpon it and at euery iudgement of God tremble and feare and confesse as before out of Psal 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to be 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 wauering and doubting touching our saluation Thus No thing nor creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose God is able to doe whatsoeuer he will doe he will doe whatsoeuer he hath promised to doe he hath promised to giue eternall life to all that beleeue in Iesus Christ How then can I who doe beleeue or any other who doth beleeue in Iesus Christ doubt of mine or their saluation Vpon this rocke of Gods omnipotency Abrahams faith stood vnshaken as appeareth Rom. 4. Abraham he doubted not of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith And how Because he was fully assured that the same God who had promised was able also to doe it This ablenesse of God Abraham opposed to his owne weaknesse 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 body euen now dead being almost a hundred yeares old neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe he had 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 righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse if we beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead who was deliuered 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 vnbeleefe we must euer 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 be able to forgiue thee thy sinnes But thou wilt say I am a great sinner and I say Sedille omnipotens est But God is Almighty Thou repliest and saiest My sins are such as from which I cannot be deliuered and cleansed and I answer Sed ille omnipotens est But God is Almighty Almighty able to doe all things greater or lesser celestiall or terrestriall immortall or mortall spirituall or corporall inuisible or visible Magnus in magnis neque paruus in minimis great in great businesses and not little in the least No thing or creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose THE Tenth Lecture AMOS 1.5 I will breake also the barre of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captiuity vnto Kir NOw proceed we to the other clauses of the last part of this prophecie against the Syrians The second clause is I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen 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 immediately by himselfe or mediately by his instruments 2 The punishment to be vnderstood in those phrases of cutting off and going into captiuitie 3 The punished the Syrians noted in these names Bikeath-Auen Beth-eden Aram. Let vs examine the words of the text as they lie in order I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen I the Lord Iehouah a See lect 9. who remoue mountaines and they feele not when I ouerthrow them who remoue the earth out of her place and make her pillars to shake who my selfe alone spread out the heauens and walke vpon the height of the sea I the Lord Iehouah who doe great things and vnsearchable maruellous things and without number I the Lord Iehouah who haue resolued to send a fire into the house of Hazael which shall deuoure the palaces of Benhadad and haue resolued to breake the barres of Damascus I will also cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and 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 Metaphor drawne ab excisione
snow the frost the whirlewind the raine all these God ruleth and gouerneth 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 know that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps King Salomon confesseth as much Prou. 20.24 The steps of man are ruled by the Lord. From this ruling prouidence of God King Dauid 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 neuer ending comfort by our blessed Sauiour Matth. 10.29 Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them falleth not on the ground without your father Feare ye not therefore ye are of more value than 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 head and can we doubt of his perpetuall rule and gouernment in the world It must stand true Almighty God for his vnlimited power gouerneth all things in the world and ruleth them pro libertate voluntatis suae euen as he listeth The third degree by which we may discerne the act of diuine prouidence I called gradum ordinationis the degree of ordination or direction It implyeth thus much that God of his admirable wisdome ordaineth and setteth in order whatsoeuer things in the world seem to be most out of order he bringeth them all to his chiefly intended end all must make for his glorie In this diuine ordination three things doe concurre Constitutio finis mediorum ad finem dispositio and Dispositorum directio First God appointeth an end to euery thing secondly he disposeth meanes vnto the end thirdly hee directeth the meanes so disposed To discourse of these particulars seuerally 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 whatsoeuer things in the world seeme to be most out of order he bringeth them all to his chiefly intended end they all make for his glory Hereupon dependeth the truth of my propounded doctrine inuiolable No calamitie or miserie be falleth any one of whatsoeuer estate or degree by chance or at aduenture For if it be true as true it is and the gates of Hell shall neur be able to preuaile against it that God by his wonderfull prouidence maintaineth and preserueth ruleth and gouerneth ordereth disposeth and directeth all things in this world euen to the very haires of our heads it cannot be that any calamity or misery should befall any one of vs by aduenture by hap-hazard by chance by fortune The Epicure in the booke of Iob 22.13 was in a foule errour to thinke that God walking in the circle of heauen cannot through the darke clouds see our misdoings and iudge vs for them Dearely beloued we may not thinke our God to be a m See Lect. 1. page 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 vallies a God in the greater and not in the lesser employments We may not thus thinke We haue liued long enough to haue learned better things out of Amos 9. Ierem 23. Psal 139. that God is euery where present and that there is no euasion from him Serm 4. in Iames 4.10 infra Lect. 14. pag. 159. No corner in Hell no mansion in heauen no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the sea no darke dungeon in the land of captiuitie no place of any secrecie any where is able to hide vs from the presence of God Wee haue learned Zach. 4.10 that God hath seuen eyes which goe thorow the whole world You may interpret them with me many millions of eyes He is * Hieronymus in illud Psal 94.9 Qui plantauit aurem non audiet aut qui finxit oculum non considerat Ego autem dico quod Deus totus Oculus est totus Manus est totus Pes est Totus Oculus est quia omnia videt Totus Manus est quia omnia operatur Totus Pes est quia vbique est totus OCVLVS altogether eye for he seeth all things We haue learned Esai 40.12 that God hath hands to measure the waters and to span the heauens You may interpret it with me that he hath many millions of hands He is totus Manus altogether hand for he worketh all things We haue learned Matth. 5.35 that God hath feet to set vpon his foot-stoole You may interpret it with me that he hath many milions of feet He is totus Pes altogether foot for he is euery where We shall then be very iniurious to God if we deny him the ouersight of the smallest matters The holy Scriptures doe euidently shew that he examineth the least moments and tittles in the world that we can imagine n Supra 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 caluing of hindes to the numbring of the haires of our heads Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord whatsoeuer calamity or misery hath already seized vpon vs or shall hereafter ouertake vs let vs not lay it vpon blinde Fortune but looke we to the hand that striketh vs. Hee who is noted in my text to cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden euen He it is that for our sins bringeth vpon vs calamities and miseries The late fearefull floud raging vpon this land to the vtter destruction of great store of cattell and much people and the late rot of sheepe in this and other places of this land are Gods visitations vpon vs for our sinnes and admonishments for vs to amend our liues Shall there be euill in a city and the Lord hath not done it saith Amos chap. 3.6 It s out of question there is no euill 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 kindnesse and repenteth him of euill How know we whether he will returne and repent and leaue a blessing behinde him for vs Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that wee may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need THE Eleuenth Lecture AMOS 1.5 The people of Aram shall goe into captiuity 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 sons 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 returne out of Asia and Syria were called Aramei Aramites Plin. lib. 6. cap. 17. This country of Aram or Syria was diuided into sundry regions 2 Sam. 10.8 You may read of Aram Soba Aram Rehob Aram Ishtob and Aram Maacah from which prouinces there went a multitude of Aramites to aid the Ammonites in their warre against King Dauid The successe of their expedition is recorded vers the 18. Dauid destroyed seuen 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 Hadadezar King of Soba against Dauid Their successe is recorded in the same place Dauid slew of the Aramites two and twentie thousand men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them all likewise perish who make head and band themselues together against the Lords anoynted 1 Chron. 19.6 You may read of Aram Naharaim which is by interpretation Aram of the riuers that is Aram lying betweene the two great riuers Euphrates and Tigris commonly knowne by the name of b Bâ—rtrâ—m Comparat Gram. Hebr. Aram. in Praesat Mesopotamia And these Syrians gaue aid vnto the Ammonites against Dauid and were partakers in their ouerthrow Gen. 28.5 You may read of Padan Aram whither the Patriarch Iacob was by his father Isaac sent to make choice of his wife of the daughters of Laban Tremellius and Iunius in their note vpon Gen. 25.20 doe make this Padan-Aram to bee a part of Mesopotamia that part which is called by Ptolomee Ancobaritis Thus doth the holy spirit in the sacred Scriptures describe vnto vs the country of Aram in its parts Aram Soba Aram Rehob Aram Ishtob Aram Maacah Aram of Damascus Aram Naharaim and Padan Aram. Hâ—re Aram put without any adiunct to limit it to any one region may betoken all Syria diuided by our Prophet Amos in this one verse into three parts vnder the three names of Damascus Bikeath-Auen and Beth-eden as Tremellius and Iunius haue noted vnderstanding by Damascus the country adioyning the whole coast of Decapolis by Bikeath-Auen the country called Chamatha which way Syria bordereth vpon Arabia surnamed the Desart by Beth-eden the whole country of Coelesyria wherein stood the city Eden The people that is persons of all sorts not only the ruder multitude but the noble also the word is generall and containeth all Shall goe into captiuity They shall be carried away from their natiue country into a strange land in slauery and bondage Vnto Kir not vnto Cyrene c Ribera a noble city in that part of Africa which is called Pentapolis the natiue country of d Arias Montanus Callimachus the poet and Eratosthenes the historian as e Apud Drusium Ionathan and Symmachus and S. Hierome doe seeme to vnderstand and Eusebius and the author of the ordinary glosse and Winckleman doe expresly affirme but vnto Kir a city in the seigniories or dominions of the king of Assyria as the Hebrewes and best approued expositors doe auouch Tremellius and Iunius vpon the 2 Kings 16.9 doe vnderstand by this Kir that part of Media which from this captiuity was called Syromedia It was named Kir that is by interpretation a wall because it was round about compassed with the hil Zagrus as with a wall This deportation and captiuity of the Syrians was foretold by our Prophet f Anno regni Oziae 23. almost fifty 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 curried away captiue the people of Aram into Kir Thus is the story expresly deliuered 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 captiuity 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 shall goe into captiuity 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 captiuity This third circumstance is amplified by the place Their captiuity bondage and slauery was to be in an vnknowne strange and farre country Kir in Media From the first circumstance of the punisher the Lord of hosts imploying in his seruice the King of Assyria for the carrying away of the Aramites or Syrians into captiuity we are put in minde of a well knowne truth in diuinity Almighty God in his gouernment of the world worketh ordinarily by meanes or second causes I say ordinarily because extraordinarily he worketh sometime without meanes sometime against meanes Ordinarily he worketh by meanes And they are of two sorts Definite such as of their naturall and internall principles doe of necessity 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 not to doe In this ranke you may place Iosephs brethren at what time they sold him to the Ismaelites Gen. 37.28 they sold him not of necessity they might haue done otherwise In this ranke you may place Shimei for his carriage towards King Dauid 2 Sam. 16.6 His throwing of stones at the King and railing vpon him was not of necessitie he might haue done otherwise And the King of Assyria carried into captiuitie this people of Aram not of necessity hee might haue left vnto them their natiue country lands and possessions All these fire water Iosephs brethren rayling Shimei the King of Assyria and whatsoeuer else like these meanes or second causes definite or indefinite necessary or contingent are but instruments by which Almighty God in his gouernment of the world worketh ordinarily God laid waste Sodome Gomorrah and their sister Cities he did it by fire Gen. 19.24 God destroyed euery thing that was vpon the earth from man to beast to the creeping thing and to the fowle of the heauen onely was Noah saued and they that were with him in the Arke the rest he destroyed by water
acknowledgeth It is expresly deliuered 1 Chron. 9.1 of the Israelites that for their transgressions they were carried away captiue vnto Babel In Deut. 28.41 among the curses threatned to all such as are rebellious and disobedient to Gods holy Commandements Captiuitie is ranked and reckoned I let passe the multitude of Scripture-places seruing to this point my Text is plaine for it The Aramites for their three transgressions and for foure for their many sinnes for their sinne of cruelty for threshing Gilead with threshing instruments of Iron were to goe into Captiuity My doctrine standeth firme For the sinne of a Land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuitie Into Captiuitie Into what kinde of captiuitie For there is a spirituall captiuitie and a corporall captiuitie a captiuitie of the minde and a captiuitie of the body Both are very grieuous but the first more The first which I call the spirituall captiuity and a captiuitie of the minde is a captiuity vnder the Deuill vnder the power of Hell vnder death vnder sin vnder the eternall malediction or curse of the Law propounded to euery one that doth not in all points and absolutely obey the Law This Captiuity is a heauie yoake to all mankinde considered without Christ Euery one male and female that hath no part in Christ euery vnbeleeuing and reprobate person is in this construction euen to this day a captiue And such also were we by the corruption of our nature vpon our first Father Adams default but now are we by the sacrifice of the immaculate Lambe the Lord Iesus ransomed and freed For to this purpose was he sent into the world as it is euident Esai 61.1 and Luk. 4.18 In both places hee professeth himselfe to bee sent into the world for this end euen to publish liberty and freedome to captiues and the imprisoned which his office he hath graciously performed By his Word of grace he hath so freed our consciences formerly oppressed with and captiue vnder sin that now there is no condemnation to vs to vs I say who are in Christ and doe walke after the spirit as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 8.1 This is it which our Sauiour foretold the Iewes Iohn 8.36 If the Sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed Be it repeated againe to our eternall comforts If the Sonne shall make vs free we shall be free indeed But he hath made vs free for therefore was he sent to publish libertie and freedome to captiues he hath paid our ransome his innocent and most precious bloud by it are we throughly washed and cleansed from our sinnes Now there is no condemnation to vs. Thus freed from our spirituall captiuity bondage and slauery vnder Hell death and sin let vs with boldnesse looking vp to the throne of Grace whereon sitteth the Author and Finisher of our faith say with the blessed Apostle 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thankes be to God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. The Captiuity in my text is of the other kind a corporall captiuitie a captiuitie of the body which vsually is accompanied with two great miseries pointed at Psal 107.10 The first they dwell in darknesse and in the shadow of death the second they are bound in anguish and Iron First they dwell in darknesse and in the shadow of death that is they are put into deep dungeons void of light whereby they are as it were at deaths doore Secondly they are bound in anguish and iron that is day and night they are loaden with fetters gyues or shackles of iron so loaden that they finde no rest vnto their bones Thus must it be with them who by sinfull liuing prouoke the Lord to high displeasure Thus is my doctrine confirmed For the sin of a land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuity Is it true beloued Doth God oftentimes for the sin of a land send away the inhabitants into captiuity Let vs make this Christian vse of it euen to powre out our selues in thankfulnesse before Almighty God for his wonderfull patience towards vs. The sins of such Nations as haue beene punished with captiuity were they more grieuous in Gods eyes than ours are It is not be imagined Our sins are as crimson-like and as scarlet-like as euer were theirs the sins of our land crying sins Atheisme Irreligion Oppression Extortion Couetousnesse Vsury Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Drunkennesse and many like abominations of the old man in vs all our works of darknes they haue made head together and haue impudently and shamelesly pressed into the presence of Almighty God to vrge him to powre forth the vials of his wrath and indignation vpon vs. Yet our God good gracious mercifull long suffering and of great kindnes withholdeth and stayeth his reuengefull hand from laying vpon vs his great punishment of Captiuity and suffereth vs to possesse our habitations in peace and to eat the good things of the earth O let vs therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and declare before the sonnes of men the good things that he hath done for vs. Here dearely beloued let vs not presume vpon God his patience to lead our liues as we list We cannot but see that God is highly offended with vs already though yet he be not pleased to execute his sorest iudgements vpon vs. Gods high displeasure against vs appeareth in those many visitations by which he hath come neere vnto vs within our memories I may not stand to amplifie the Spanish sword shaken ouer vs and the great famine brought vpon vs in our late Queenes daies Our now gracious Soueraigne hath not long sate at the sterne of this kingdome But few yeares are passed and yet those few haue afforded manifest tokens of Gods sore displeasure at vs. Haue not many thousands of our brethren haply not so grieuous sinners as we beene taken away by the destroying Angell and yet the plague is not ceased Vnlesse we repent and amend our liues we may likewise perish Haue not many of our brethren too many if it might haue seemed otherwise to Almighty God haue they not partly perished themselues partly lost their cattell and substance in n An. Dom. 1607 this yeeres waters such waters as our fore-fathers haue scarcely obserued the like If we will not wash our selues from our euill doings we see God is able to wash vs extraordinarily The vnseasonable weather giuen vs from Heauen to the rotting of our sheepe is but Gods warning to vs of a greater misery to befall vs vnlesse we will returne from our euill waies Wherefore beloued let vs with one heart and mind resolue for hereafter to cast away all workes of darknesse and to put on the armour of light take we no further thought for our flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Walke we from henceforth honestly as in the day
but our men in doing as they doe doe sin against their conscience Vnhappy Parents which destroy your children in Popish and Atheisticall houses What are you inferiour to them that sacrificed their children vnto Deuils If your selues be righteous and Christians cast not away your seed your children the price of the precious bloud of Christ You haue made them in their Baptisme when they were young to confesse Christ will you make them now growne to yeeres to deny Christ O let the words of wise Ecclesiasticus chap. 13.1 bee precious in your memories He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith and doubtlesse your children placed in Atheisticall or Popish houses will themselues become Atheisticall or Popish Suffer I beseech you a word of exhortation in your childrens behalfe Binde them to none but to Christ put them to none but to Christians sell them to nothing but to the Gospell commit not your young ones into the hands and custody of Gods enemies A third vse Is it not lawfull to commit the children of beleeuers into the hands of infidels for the reason aboue specified that they be not withdrawne from the true seruice of God Then neither is it lawfull for you of your selues to keepe away your seruants from the seruice of God It is reputed for a tyranny in Pharaoh Exod. 5.3 4. That he would not suffer the children of Israel to goe three dayes iourny into the desart to sacrifice to the Lord their God and how can you free your selues from the impeachment of tyranny if you deny your seruants to goe 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 and Master how can you performe your duty to him if you deny him your seruants You know what charge is giuen you in the fourth commandement not your selues only but also your sonnes and your daughters and your seruants men and maidens and the stranger that soiourneth with you are to hallow and Sanctifie the Sabbath day with the Lords seruice In this holy worke and seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day regard not what the multitude and greater sort of men doe Suppose all the world besides your selues would bee carelesse to performe this duty yet let your holy resolution be the same with Ioshua's chap. 24.15 I and my house will serue the Lord. Thus farre of my first doctrine grounded vpon Gods dislike with the Philistines for selling away the Israelites his faithfull people into the hands of the Edomites an vnbeeleeuing nation To ground a second doctrine hereon we are to note that the Philistines sold away the Israelites to the Idumaeans at such time as they were their captiues and so did adde affliction to the afflicted The doctrine is It is a very grieuous thing to adde affliction to the afflicted Witnesse the complaint made by the captiue Iewes against the insolency of the Chaldeans Psal 137.3 They that led vs away captiue required of vs songs and mirth in our heauinesse saying Sing vs one of the songs of Sion They the Chaldeans the Babylonians and Assyrians in whose country wee were prisoners required of vs scornfully and disdainfully thereby to adde to our griefes they required of vs songs such songs as we were wont to sing in Sion Ierusalem and our owne country before the destruction of the Temple and our captiuity They required of vs not songs only but mirth also they scoffingly desired vs to be merry when they saw vs so heauy hearted as nothing could make vs glad They required of vs songs and mirth in our heauinesse 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 Esa 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 heauy yoke vpon the ancient therefore now heare destruction shall come vpon thee Magna abominatio eoram Deo est afflicto addere afflictionem clamatque in coelum vox sanguinis The words are the obseruation of Oecolampadius vpon the now cited place of Esay It is a great abomination before God to adde affliction to the afflicted the voice of bloud cryeth vp to Heauen for vengeance Yea we are assured by Psal 102.19 that the Lord looketh downe from the height of his sanctuary and out of heauen beholdeth the earth that he may heare and so take pity of the sighings groanings and lamentable cries 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 confirme my propounded doctrine that it is a grieuous 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 pity no compassion vpon the poore and distressed Such in the end shall know by their owne lamentable experience that to be true which Salomon hath vttered Prou. 21.13 Hee that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore shall cry himselfe and not be heard A second vse is to stirre vs vp to the performance of this our Christian duty euen to take pity vpon all that are in any kind of misery if our neighbours be destitute of aid and help we may not like wilde beasts lift vp our selues against them and so tread them vnder foot No. How dare we molest and trouble them whom by Gods appointment we are to releeue 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 abstaine from all iniury and harme-doing but withall must we endeuour to releeue the oppressed This seruice 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 we must leaue this earthly tabernacle then will the Son of man sitting vpon the throne of his glory welcome vs with a Venite benedicti Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me in as much as you haue
earth euermore a remnant that shall be saued as it 's intimated by the Prophet Esay Chap. 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant we shouâ—d haue beene as Sodom and like vnto Gomorah You see a remnant reserued though a small one Yea sometimes there is a reseruation of so small a remnant as is scarcely visible As in the daies of Eliah who knew of none but himselfe I only am left saith he 1 King 19.14 Yet God tells him in the 18. verse of seuen thousand in Israel which neuer bowed their knees to Baal Hitherto belongeth that Ioel 2.32 In mount Sion and in Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call t Ierem. 25.34 Howle yee wicked and cry and wallow your selues in the ashes for your dayes of dispersion and slaughter are accomplished and yee shall fall like the Philistines euery mothers childe of you the u Ierem. 46.10 sword shall deuoure you it shall be satiate and made drunke with your bloud there shall not be a remnant of you left But you the elect and chosen children of God your Father take vnto you x Esay 61.3 beauty for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse reioyce yee and be glad together Let the prince of darknesse and all the powers of hell assisted with the innumerable company of his wicked vassals vpon the earth ioyne together to worke your ouerthrow they shall not effect it For God euen your God will reserue vnto himselfe a remnant This remnant is the chaste Spouse of Christ the Holy Catholike Church enriched from aboue with all manner of benedictions Extra eam nulla est salus whosoeuer hath not her for his Mother shall neuer haue God for his Father Of this remnant and Catholike Church notwithstanding the challenge of Romish Idolaters we beloued are sound and liuely members Happy are the eyes which see that we see and enioy the presence of him whom we adore happy are the eares that heare what we heare and the hearts which are partakers of our instructions No Nation vnder Heauen hath a God so potent so louing so neere to them which worship him as we of this Iland haue The many and bloudy practices of that great Antichrist of Rome so often set on foot against vs and still defeated are so many euidences that our soules are most precious in the sight of God He he alone hath deliuered vs out of the Lions iaw to be a holy remnant vnto himselfe Now what shall wee render vnto the Lord for so great a blessing We will take vp the cup of saluation and call vpon his Name THE Fifteenth Lecture 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 captiuity in Edom and haue not remembred the brotherly couenant Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof THis blessed Prophet Amos sent from God in Embassage to the ten reuolted Tribes doth first thunder out Gods iudgements against neighbour countries the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites Which he doth for certaine reasons giuen 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 and that they might the more stand in awe of the words of this prophecie When they should heare of such heauy iudgements to light vpon their neighbours they could not but enter into a consideration of their owne estate and thus reason within themselues Is it true which this Amos saith Will the Lord bring such heauy iudgements vpon the Syrians Philistines Tyrians and other of our neighbours In what a fearefull estate are we then They seely people neuer knew the will of God and yet must they be so seuerely punished How then shall wee escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it Of the iudgements denounced against the Syrians and Philistines you haue heard at large in former Lectures Now in the third place doe follow the Tyrians vers 9 and 10. For three transgressions of Tyrus c. These words containing a burdensome prophecie against Tyrus I diuide into two parts 1 A preface Thus saith the Lord. 2 A prophecies For three transgressions of Tyrus c. In the prophecie I obserue foure parts 1 A generall accusation of the Tyrians For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them I will not turne to it 3 The declaration of that grieuous sinne by which they so highly offended This sinne was the sin of vnmercifulnesse and crueltie expressed in two branches 1 They shut the whole captiuitie in Edom. 2 They remembred not the brotherly couenant 4 The description of the punishment to befall them for their sinne in the tenth verse Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof The preface giues credit vnto the prophecie and is a warrant for the truth of it Thus saith the Lord The Lord Iehouah whose Throne is the Heauen of heauens and the Sea his floore to walke in and the Earth his foot-stoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man and possesseth his most secret reines and diuideth betwixt the flesh and the skin and shaketh his inmost powers as the thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades This Lord Iehouah so mighty so powerfull shall he say a thing and shall he not doe it Shall hee speake it and shall hee not accomplish it The Lord Iehouah the strength of Israel is not as man that hee should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the tittles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle 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 hearken to him with reuerence Thus briefly of the Preface whereof I haue more largely spoken in two former Lectures my sixth and twelfth Lectures vpon the third 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 is much like the two former both for words and matter In regard whereof I shall be short in many of my notes For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure Here is nothing new but the name of Tyrus This Tyrus is called in the Hebrew text * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tzor whence came the name
My propounded doctrine stands good It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues Now let vs see what vses doe offer themselues to our considerations out of this Doctrine First it may serue for a iust reproofe of these our last and worst daies wherein by experience wee finde true that same m Dr. King B. of London vpon Ionas Lect. 15. paradox in common reason hardly to be proued namely that not friends only or kinsmen but brethren also when they fall to enmity their hatred is greater than that betwixt mortall foes It is come to passe according to Christ his prophecie Matth. 10.36 A mans enemies shall be they of his owne house A mans enemies indeed and his enemies to purpose to worke him most harme shall be they of his owne house May not many now adaies complaine yea cry out with Dauid Psal 55.12 If mine enemy had done me this dishonour I could haue borne it If mine aduersary had exalted himselfe against me I would haue hid my selfe from him but it was thou O man my companion my guide my familiar we tooke sweet counsell together we walked in the house of God as friends Yet hast thou done me this dishonour yea thou hast exalted thy selfe against me Of all the Vials of the wrath of God powred down vpon sinners it is one of the sorest when a man is fed with his own flesh and made drunke with his owne bloud as with sweet wine So the Prophet Esay speaketh Chap. 49.26 The meaning is as a chiefe n B. King Ibid. pillar of our Church expoundeth it when a man taketh pleasure in nothing more than in the ouerthrow and extirpation of his owne seed when he thirsteth not for any bloud but that which is drawne from the sides of his brethren and kinsmen Neuer was there more eager and bitter contention betweene Turke and Christian than now adaies there is betweene Christian and Christian a brother and a brother All we who haue giuen our names to Iesus Christ and vowed him seruice in our baptisme we are all brethren we are fratres vterini brethren from the womb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee haue one father and one mother one father in heauen and one mother the holy Catholike Church militant vpon the earth But it fareth with vs as it did with Simeon and Leui Gen 49.5 We are brethren in euill the instruments of cruelty are in our habitations They in their wrath slew a man and what doe 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 beloued 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 speech was vnto Christians and in Christianisme diuersity of sex maketh no difference So saith the Apostle Gal. 3.28 Male and female all are one in Christ To you therefore this reprofe 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 Psal 57.4 calleth a sharpe sword you are giuen to vex them of your owne house or shall back-bite or slander any know that Edom-like you doe pursue your brother with the sword And take I beseech you my propounded doctrine as belonging vnto you also It is a thing very distastfull 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 euery good Christian embraceth the Church of God and the members thereof with the bowels of loue This brotherly kindnesse S. Peter 2 Epist 1.7 commendeth vnto vs as whereto we ought to giue all diligence Dauid Psal 133.1 stileth it with the sweet name of Vnity 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 sweetnesse and pleasantnesse 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 heard and so to the borders of his garments Behold the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of vnity That sweet perfume and ointment that holy o le powred out vpon the high Priest and his garment was not only pleasant and delightfull to himselfe but did also yeeld a sweet smelling sauour to all that were about him So is it with vnity It is not onely 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 Hermon which fell vpon the mountaines of Sion where the Lord appointed the blessing and life foreuermore Behold the fruit and profit which commeth by Vnity The dew and wet that fell downe from heauen vpon H rmon and Sion made those hils and the plaine countries neere them fertill so doth Vnity bring with it great fruit and profit If makes them among whom it is sincerely obserued it makes them through Gods blessing fruitfull and plentifull in good workes towards God and in him and for him towards men and one of them towards another This vnity concord brotherly loue mutuall consent and agreement if it bee vnfeigned hath the promises both of this life and of that to come of peace and quietnesse in this life and of eternall ioyes in the life to come One of the notes by which we may be assured of God his speciall loue and fauour is the loue of our brethren Now that we deceiue not our selues in this loue S. Iohn 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 We must loue our brethren principally because they are the sons of God and members of Christ This rule he intimateth Chap. 5.1 Euery one that loueth him which begat loueth him also which is begotten of him that is whosoeuer loueth God the Father he loueth also the sons of God his naturall son Christ Iesus and his sons by grace and adoption all Christians 2 Christian brotherly loue must not be outward in shew only but inward in the heart This rule he giueth vs Chap. 3.18 Let vs not loue in word nor in tongue onely but in deed and in truth 3 Christian brotherly loue must be not onely in time of prosperity but when most need is This rule hee giueth vers the 17. Whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Let these rules beloued be your direction Loue ye euery one that is called a Christian
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 out feet 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 We reade in holy writ of foure sorts of sinnes which aboue other doe cry vnto God and doe call for his great and quicke vengeance The first is Homicide murther or man slaughter whereof Almighty God Genes 4 10. thus speaketh vnto Caine The voice of thy brothers bloud crieth vnto me from the earth The second is Sodomie the sinne of Sodome the sinne agâ—inst nature a sinne not once to be named among Christians Whereof thus saith the Lord vnto Abraham Gen. 18.20 Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sinne is exceeding grieuous I will goe 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 crieth Psal 12.5 Now for the oppression of the needy and deepe sighes of the poore I will vp saith the Lord and will set at liberty him whom the wicked hath snared Oppression of the widowes and the fatherlesse crieth Exod. 22.22 Yee shall not trouble any widow nor fatherlesse childe if you vex or trouble such and so he call and cry vnto me 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 crieth Exod. 3.7 The Lord said vnto Moses I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Aegypt and haue heard their cry because of their taske-masters and verse the ninth Now loe the cry of the children of Israelâ—is come vnto me and I haue also seene the oppression wherewith the Aegyptians o presse 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 labourors hire Whereof S. 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 crieth and the cries 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 doe call for vengeance to light vpon the doers of them But what of other sinnes Doe not they cry also Are they dumbe No saith Gregory Moral 5. cap. 8. Omnis namque iniquitas apud secreta Dei indicia habet voces suas Euery iniquitie hath a voice to discouer it selfe before God his secret iudgements Not a voice only but feet also yea and the wings too to make way into Heauen for vengeance Euery sinne is of a high eleuation Dr. King Bishop of London vpon Ionas Lecture 2. it ascends aboue the top of Carmel it aspireth and presseth before the Maiesty of Gods owne Throne God complaineth of Niniueh Ion. 1.2 Their wickednesse is come vp before me He telleth Sennacherib 2 King 19.28 and Esay 37.29 Thy tumult is come vp into mine eares The Prophet Oded 2 Chron. 28.9 saith to the Israelites of their rage that it reacheth vp to heauer You see as well a sublimity and reach of sinne as a loudnesse and vocality of it As it hath a voice so hath it feet so hath it wings as it crieth so it runneth so it flieth into heauen and all to fetch downe vengeance against vs the miserable and wretched actors of it Our wickednesse what it is and in what eleuation of heighth whether it be modest or impudent priuate or publike whether it speaketh or crieth standeth or goeth lyeth like an Aspe in her hole or flyeth like a fiery serpent into the presence of God your selues be Iudges Recall to your remembrances the iudgements of the Lord. The anger of the clouds hath beene powred downe vpon our heâ—ds both with abundance and with violence b Psal 93 3. The flouds haue lifted vp the flouds haue lifted vp their voic the flouds haue lifted vp their waues the waues of the Sea haue beene maruellous Her surges haue broken downe her walls yea haue gone ouer her walls to the losse of the precious liues of many of our brethren The arrowes of a woful pestilence haue beene cast abroad at large in all the quarters of our Realme euen to the emp ying and dispeopling of some part thereof Treasons against our King and Countrey mighty monstrous and prodigious haue beene plotted by a number of Lions whelpes lurking in their dens and watching their houre to vndoe vs. All these things and other like visitations haue beene accomplished amongst vs for our sinnes and yet we amend not Yea we grow worse and worse We fleet from sinne to sinne as a flie shifteth from sore to sore We tempt the Lord we murmur we lust we commit idolatry we serue the flesh we sit downe to eat and rise to play of bloud-shed of blasphemie and rage against God of oppression of extortion of fraud against poore labourers of anger of bitternesse of wrath of strife of malice publike infamous and enormous sinnes we make no conscience we commit them with greedinesse we draw them on as with cart-ropes we glory in them as if we had euen sold our selues to worke wickednesse before the Lord. Lord whither will we Are we frozen in our sinnes and growne senselesse Quot vitia homo committit tot facit passus ad infernum saith c Pâ—t â—e Pâ—lu de Thes N. par astiuâ—l enaâ—r 2. in Dom. 16. Tri. one Looke how many sinnes a man committeth so many steps he goeth towards Hell Yea say I for euery sinne we commit we deserue to be throwne head-long into Hell fire What shall we doe men and brethren what shall we doe Our Lord God telleth vs what is best Ezech. 18.30 Returne and cause others to turne away from all our transgressions so shall not iniquity be your destruction and vers 31. Cast away from you all your transgressions wherby you haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why should you die and 32. I desire not the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God returne you therefore and liue Can there be a sweeter inuitation Come therefore ioyne we heart and hand together and d Ezech. 18.27 turne we away from the wickednesse that we haue committed and doe we that which is lawfull and right that we may saue our sâ—ules aliue Come let
haue destroyed The reason hereof is because there is no strength but of God and from God The vse is to teach vs neuer to trust in any worldly helpe but so to vse all good meanes of our desense that still we rely vpon the Lord for strength and successe thereby Againe this fire of the Lord is sent to deuoure the palaces of Bozrah This Bozrah was also a Metropolitane and chiefe City seated in the confines of the lands of Edom and Moab and therfore 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 She dwelt in the clefts of the rocke and kept the height of the hisâ— But was she 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 downe from thence This iudgement of the Lord against Bozrah is denounced with an Ecce of admiration vers 22. Behold he the Lord shall come vp and flye as the Eagle and spread his wings ouer Bozrah and at that day shall the heart of the strong men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in trauell Will you haue it confirmed by an oath Then looke backe to the 13. verse I sweare by my selfe saith the Lord that Bozrah shall be waste and for a râ—proach and a desolation and a curse and all the Cities thereof shall bee a perpetuall desolation Thus elegantly is Gods fearefull iudgement against Bozrah described by the Prophet Ieremy which our Prophet Amos thus deliuereth A fire shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah Bozrah great Bozrah she who dwelt in the clefts of the rock and kept the height of the hill must shee bee deuoured 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 be a safegard to it if Gods vnappeasable anger breake out against it for her sinnes The vse of this doctrine is the same with the former euen to teach vs now and at all other times to put our trust only in the Name of the Lord who hath made Heauen and Earth It s neither wit nor wisdome 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 â—et our song be as Dauids was Psal 18.2 The Lord is our rocke and our fortresse he that deliuereth vs our God and our strength in him will we trust our shield the horne also of our saluation and our refuge Thirdly in that the Lord sendeth his fire into the palaces of Bozrah to deuoure them we may learne this Doctrine God depriueth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses A truth experimentally made good vnto vs by the great commodity or contentment that commeth to euery one of vs by our dwelling houses The vse is to teach vs 1. To be humbled before Almighty God whensoeuer our dwelling houses are taken from vs. 2. Since we peaceably enioy our dwelling houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory 3. To praise God day by day for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling houses Thus is my Exposition of the Prophecie against Edom ended THE Nineteenth Lecture 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 deuâ—ure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell and with a tempest in the day of the while wind And their King shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together saith the Lord. THis blessed Prophet of Almighty God in this his prophecy against the Ammonites obserueth the same order as hee hath done in two precedent predictions the one against the Syrians verse the third fourth and fifth the other against the Philistines verse the sixth seuenth 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 Prophecie This sinne was the sinne of cruelty expressed in these words Because they haue ript vp the women with childe of Gilead and 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 deseruedly for their sinnes vers 14. and 15. This iudgement is set downe First in a generality vers 14. Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof Secondly with some circumstances as that it should be full of terror and speedy Full of terror in these words With shouting in the day of battell Speedy in the words following With a tempest in the day of the whirlewind 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 captiuity be and his Princes together These are the branches and parts of this Prophecie I returne to the Preface Thus saith the Lord Iehouah This great and most honourable name of God we haue many times met with Wee haue heard what the Cabalists and Rabbines out of their too much curiosity haue thought of it With them it is nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name not to bee pronounced not to bee 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. Miâ—um certè est qâ—odomnes gentes tacito consâ—nsu praecipuum Dei nomen quatâ—or medò litâ—is enâ—neâ—ent Fluxiffâ—autem id existimatur è nomine Iehouah quod ipsum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latini dicunt Deus Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Germani GOTT Aegyptu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magi Orsi Habraei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—lli Dieu Jtali Idio Hispani Dios Dalmatiâ— siue Illyricis est Bogi Boiemiâ— Bohu Mabum tanis Abgd Gentibus in nouâ— mundo repeâ—tis
Zimi Chaldaeu Syris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certè hoc fine sâ—â— gâ—lari Dei O. M. prouidentâ—â factum nâ—n 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 Iehouah b Deut. 10 17. God of Gods and Lord of Lords a God c Eccles 43.29 most wonderfull very d Deut. 10.17 great mighty and terrible a God that e Eccles 43.31 cannot either bee conceiued in thought or expressed by word f Aug. Soliloq cap. 24. of whom all the Angels in heauen doe stand in feare whom all dominations and g Reuel 5.11 thrones doe adore at whose presence all powers doe shake A God in greatnesse infinite in h August meditat c. 21. goodnesse souereigne in wisâ—ome wonderfull in power Almighty in coursailes terrible in iudgements righteous in cogitations secret in works holy in mercy rich in promise true alway the same eternall euerlasting immortall vnchangeable Such is the Lord from whom our Prophet Amos here deriueth authority 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 lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Indeed saith Samuel 1 Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not as man that he should repent All his words yea all the tittlâ—s of his words are Yea and Amen Verily saith our Sauiour Matth. 5 18. Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of Gods word shall â—scape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lord Amos is here a patterne to vs that are Preachers of the word of saluation Wee must euer 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 owne hearts We must sincerely preach vnto you Gods gracious word without all corruption or deprauing of the same This is it whereto S. Peter exhorteth vs 1 Epist cha 4.11 If any man speake let him speake as the word of God For if we yea if an Angell from heauen shall preach otherwise vnto you than from the Lords owne mouth speaking in his holy Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be acccursed let him be had in execration This note beloued doth also concerne you that are the auditors and hearers of Gods word For if wee the Preachers thereof must alwaies come vnto you with Thus saith the Lord then are you to heare vs with reuerence and attention And this for the authority of him that speaketh It is not you that speake saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ to his blessed Apostles Matth. 10.20 but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you And againe Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me S. Paul commendeth the Thessalonians 1 Epist chap. 2.13 for that when they receiued of the Apostles of Christ the word of the preaching of God they receiued it not as the word of men 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 meekenesse the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules God spake vnto Israel in a vision by night Gen. 46.2 and said Iacob Iacob Iacob answered I am here He was prest and ready with all reuerent attention to heare what his God should say vnto him and to follow the same with all faithfull obedience Such readinesse well becommeth euery childe of God euen at this day in the Church where God speaketh Thus must he 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 deliuer vnto me I am here speake on Lord thy seruant 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 Heauen 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 and for foure Whether these children of Ammon were distinguished from the Ammonites as Drusius would proue 2 Chron. 20.1 and as R. Dauid anoweth filii Ammon unsquam vocantur Ammonitae the children of Ammon are no where called Ammonites I hold it needlesse to dispute in this place It is out of doubt that these children of Ammon or Ammonites did lincally descend from Ben-ammi who was Lots sonne begotten in incest vpon his younger daughter Gen. 19.38 Lot was Abrahams brothers sonne Gen. 14.12 Whereby it is euident that the posterity of them both the children of Israel and the children of Ammon the Israelites and the Ammonites were linked together by affinity and alliance The more to blame were those Ammonites without all respect of kindred to exercise such cruelty as they did against the Israelites for which cause Almighty God here sent his blessed Prophet to thunder out his threats against them For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and 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 Cruelty Anarice and persecution the fourth is an obstinate pertinacie a constant stubbornnesse euer to dwell in those sinnes Againe three of these transgressions are a coueting of other mens goods an vnlawfull seeking for those things that are not our owne and a hardnesse of heart to retaine them so sought for the fourth is the vnsatiable desire of a couetous man Many are the expositions of the learned vpon these words three and foure transgressions The most naturall proper and significant I take to be if by three and foure a finite and certaine number you vnderstand a number infinite and vncertaine God as often as he will forgiueth though we sin ten thousand times It is but a custome of the Scripture thus to speake God waiteth for vs twice and thrice that is a long time to see if we will returne from our euill waies vnto repentance but the fourth time that is at length when he seeth vs persist in our impenitency he reproueth vs casteth vs away and leaueth vs in our sinnes Thus haue you the generall accusation of the children of Ammon for their many sinnes for which the Lords protestation against them followeth I will not turne to it These words are diuersly rendred by expositors by the author of the vulgar Latine
remoue a neighbours land-markeâ— In which respect the old Romans worshipped Terminus for a God Terminus which signifieth a bound limit meere buttle or land-marke was in their account a God God of their bounds limits or markes of their seuerall fields meddowes and pastures and such a God as should not giue place to Iupiter himselfe To this Terminus they held a feast in Februarie and called it Terminalia as Austine witnesseth in his bookes De Ciuitate Dei Lib. 5. c. 21. lib. 7. c. 7. Now if the heathenish blinde and superstitious Romans trained vp in Natures schoole did so highly esteem of the preseruation and maintenance of bounds and limits how are we trained vp in the schoole of Grace to esteeme thereof In the schoole of Grace a law is giuen Deut. 19.14 Thou shalt not remoue thy neighbours marke To obey this law we are charged vpon a curse Deut. 27.17 Cursed bee hee that remoueth his neighbors marke It is Gods owne ordinance that bounds and limits and marks are appointed to euerie mans possessions This may be gathered out of Deut. 32.8 The most high God diuided to the nations their inheritances hee separated the sons of men hee did set the bounds of nations The meaning is the Lord pitched the bounds oâ— Kingdomes at such time as it pleased him that the nations should be diuided asunder Yet wee see how the couetous ambition and vnsatiable desire of some Princes in the world haue put all out of order how there is nothing so holy that can stay them from incroaching vpon the bounds of their neighbours and next borderers Sennacherib King of Assyria was a stout offended in this kinde Hee boasted of his inuasions and victories vpon his neighbour countries But that other Princes may take example by him he was made a peculiar example of diuine iudgement For as he trangressed the bounds of his neighbor Princes to their ouerthrow so did his owne sons 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 and Sharezer his sons slue him with the sword And by my Text you see what iudgements God threatneth to the Ammonites for their vnlawfull practices to enlarge their borders So my doctrin is established The nation that is not content with her owne borders but inuadeth her neighbour countries sinneth grieuously The vse of this Doctrine may concerne vs here assembled As Princes ought to hold themselues contented with their owne bounds so ought euerie priuate man also God hath also separated their possessions one from another to the end that all might liue and communicate one with another and that there might be no confused disorder But beloued in the Lord how do we stand to this order set by Almightie God Do we not seek daily to peruert it God would haue it kept most holy but we care not for it Our couetousnesse carrieth vs away we would still be greater Wee ioyne 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 content with such bounds as their ancestors left them but we must haue them altered if not enlarged The diuinely-inspired Dauid tels vs Psal 37.3 that if we dwell in the land where God hath placed vs we shall verily be fed We should learne of S. Paul Philip. 4 11. in whatsoeuer state we are therewith to be content Knowing it to bee true which the same Apostle auoweth vnto Timothy Ep. 1. chap. 6. vers 6. that Godlinesse is great gaine if wee will be content with that we haue Thus much of the 13. verse THE Twentieth Lecture AMOS 1.14 15. Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell and with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde And their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together saith the Lord. HEre wee haue the denunciation of the iudgements of God against the children of Ammon for their sinnes This iudgement is in the 14. verse set downe 1. In a generalitie 2. With some circumstances First in a generalitie Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof Secondly with some circumstances as that it should be full of terrour and speedy and of lâ—rge extent Full of terrour with shouting in the day of battell 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 Nobilitie also yea and vpon the King himselfe which is plaine by the 15. verse Their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together First let vs weigh this iudgement of God as it is set downe in a generalitie I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof This iudgement for substance is no other than that which you haue heretofore heard out of this Chapter to haue beene denounced from Almightie 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 deuoure the palaces of Ben-hadad Against the Philistines vers 7. I will send a fire vpon the wals of Azzah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof Against the Tyrians vers 10. I will send a fire vpon the wals of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof Against the Edomites vers 12. I will send a fire vpon Teman and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah Betweene those denunciations and 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 and I will kindle a fire the substance in both is the same And therefore as in those I haue done so doe 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 generalitie 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 Diuers â—e the vses of it 1 It may lesson vs to looke heedfully vnto our feet that wee walke not in the way of sinners to partake with them in their sinnes Sinnes are not tongue-tied they cry aloud vnto the Lord for vengeance 2 It may admonish vs not to intermeddle in the Lords office It is his office to execute
vnto him all laud and praise for suffring vs notwithstanding our manifold sins euery man to dwell d 1 King 4.25 vnder his vine and vnder his fig-tree to liue in our owne land in peace free from all feare of being led into captiuity Thus much of my first vse A second followeth My Doctrine was When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he 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 than the poore Hee accepteth no mans person saith S. Paul Gal. 2.6 No mans person Then neither the person of the Priest nor of the King If these sinne like others of the people these shall be punished as well as others and if others bee carried into captiuity these must into captiuity also The vse of this Doctrine is to admonish the great and mighty ones of this world that they presume not to sinne against the Lord as if they were priuiledged by their greatnesse and might No priuiledge 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 wind and as the chaffe that the storme carrieth away Consider this all yee who take your selues to bee mighty among your neighbours ye 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 euer 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 ouer all will spare no person neither shall he feare any greatnesse for hee hath made the small and the great and careth for all alike But for the mighty abideth the sorer triall And hence ariseth a third 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 siluer and the poore for shooes if they h Amos 2.7 gape ouer your heads in the dust of the earth if they i Esa 3.15 grinde your faces if by violence and oppression they k Habak 1.4 compasse you about yet be ye of good comfort God the Iudge of all accepteth no persons He in his good time will auenge your causes be your oppressors neuer so mighty 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 outward things of this world for as much as God will not respect vs for them Neither Priest nor Prince nor King can stand before the displeasure of Almighty God And shall a mighty man shall a rich man stand No. l Psal 68.2 As the smoke vanisheth so shall he be driuen away and as the wax melteth before the fire so shal he perish at the presence of God Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord let vs onely and earnestly seeke after such things as may make vs accepted with God as righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost For whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ hee is acceptable to God saith Saint Paul Rom. 14.18 Thus farre by occasion of my first doctrine which was When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither priest nor prince nor king And it was grounded vpon the first reading of the words of my text â—fter the Hebrew thus Their King shall go into captiuity he and his princes together after the Septuagint thus Their King shall goe into captiuity their priests and Princes likewise I commended vnto you another reading out of the Vulgar Latine Melchom shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together and I told you in the beginning of this exercise what Melchom was I said it was the same with Milchom or Molech or Moloch an abomination of the Ammonites their Idoll their God to whom they yeelded diuine worship and consecrated their children through fire All this I made plaine vnto you out of the sacred Scriptures The Doctrine Neither Melchom of the Ammonites nor any other Idoll of any other people can saue themselues in the day of captiuity much lesse can they saue the people that doe trust in them and worship them First they cannot saue themselues Secondly nor them that put their trust in them They cannot saue themselues For what is become of Succoth-benoth the God of Babel of Nergal the God of Cuth of Ashima the God of Hamath of Nibhaz and Tartack the God of the Auins of Adrammelech and Anammelech the God of Sepharvaim Their names indeed remaine vpon record 2 King 17.30 31. but themselues are vanished they are come to nought Hezekiah King of Iudah he who brake in peeces the brazen Serpent which Moses made because his people offered incense to it he put downe those Idoll Gods he tooke away their high places hee brake their images hee cut downe their groues 2 King 18.4 What is become of Ashtoreth the Idoll of the Zidonians of Chemosh the Idoll of the Moabites of Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon Their names indeed remaine vpon record 2 King 23.13 but themselues are vanished they are come to nought Iosiah King of Iudah that good King he put downe those Idoll Gods he brake their images in peeces he cut downe their groues and filled their places with the bones of men 2 King 23.14 I could here repeat vnto you many other Idols and Idoll Gods whose names are particularly recorded in the register of Gods holy Word which also are vanished and come to nought But the time will not suffer me Let it suffice what is spoken in a generality of the Kings of Assyria 2 King 19.18 that they did set on fire the Gods of the Nations Gods And yet set on fire True But they were but Idoll Gods and therefore could not helpe themselues Not helpe themselues Why not The reason is giuen in the same place For they were no Gods an Idoll God is no God they were no Gods but the worke of mans hands euen wood and stone therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them The very same reason is deliuered in the very same words by the Prophet Esay Chap. 37.19 They were no Gods but the worke of mens hands euen wood and stone therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them The holy Prophets are very zealous in Gods cause against those Idols Esay Chap. 41.29 saith They are all vanity their worke is of nothing they are wind they are confusion Ier. Chap. 10.15 saith They are vanity they are the worke of errors in the time of their visitation they shall perish I should weary my selfe and your attention would
thus haue argued Will not God spare the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites Then out of doubt he will not spare vs. They silly people neuer knew the holy will of God and yet shall they be so seuerely punished How then shall we escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it You see now why Amos sent with a message to the Ten Tribes of Israel doth first prophecie against foreine Nations In the last place are the Moabites This prophecie against the Moabites Tremellius and Iunius in their translation of the Bible do add to the first Chapter as a part of it But sith the Hebrew text so diuides it not I will not follow them but will expound it as belonging to the second Chapter The words then which I haue read vnto you are the burden of Moab a heauy prophecie against Moab And doe conteine three generall parts 1. A preface vers the 1. Thus saith the Lord. 2. A prophecie vers the 1. For three transgressions of Moab c. 3. A conclusion vers the 5. Saith the Lord. The preface and conclusion doe giue authoritie to the prophecie whereby we learne that the words here spoken by Amos are not the words of Amos but the words of the euerliuing GOD. The prophecie consisteth of foure parts 1. The generall accusation of Moab For three transgressions of Moab and for foure 2. The Lords protestation against them I will not turne to it 3. The declaration of that grieuous sinne whereby they so highly offended God Because they burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime vers 1. 4. A commination or denuntiation of such punishment as should be laid vpon them for their sins vers 2. 3. This punishment is set downe 1. In a generalitie Therefore will I send a fire vpon Moab and it shall deuoure the pallaces of Kirioth 2. More especially Where I obserue 1. The manner of the punishment as that it should come vpon them with feare trouble and astonishment And Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet 2. The extent of it None might escape it neither Prince nor King For thus saith the Lord vers the 3. I will cut off the Iudge the King out of the middest thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him Thus haue you the Analysis resolution or diuision of my Text. Returne we now to the Preface Thus saith the Lord whose name in my Text is Iehovah Sundry are the Names of God in holy Scripture by which albeit the substance of God cannot aptly and clearely be defined yet they serue vs thus farre to bring vs to some further knowledge of God then otherwise we should haue These Names of God are obserued by ancient Diuines to be of two sorts Negatiue and Affirmatiue The negatiue Names of God are Vncreated Incorporeall Invisible Incorruptible Infinite and such like and these describe not what God is but what he is not and doe euidently declare vnto vs that he is bonum quoddam excellentissimum some most excellent Good free from all imperfection of any creature The affirmatiue Names of God are ascribed vnto him either essentially or by way of relation or by a Metaphor The Names of God ascribed vnto him essentially are either proper to him alone or common to others also Among the essentiall Names of God proper to him alone is Iehovah the Name of God in my Text. His other essentiall Names communicable vnto others as to men doe yet belong vnto God either modo excellentiae by an excellencie or modo causa independentis as he is the primarie cause of all things By an excellencie God is said to bee Good Iust Wise Mighty Holy Mercifull and as he is the primarie cause of all things so is he called a Creator a Redeemer and hath other like appellations Now the affirmatiue Names of God ascribed vnto him by way of relation are the Names of the Trinitie in which there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no coÌ„meation no vnion each person hath his proper name Father Son Holy Ghost The other affirmatiue Names of God ascribed vnto him by a metaphor are affirmed of him either per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that euery man may vnderstand what they meane as when God is said to be Angrie or per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by analogie or similitude as when God is called a Lyon a Stone a Riuer Of these many Names of God now repeated vnto you his most proper Name is his Name in my Text his Name Iehouah a Name that cannot be attributed to any creature in the world no not by an analogie or similitude It is the honourablest Name belonging to the great God of Heauen I might spend much time about it would I apply my selfe to the curiosity of the b See my third Lecture vpon Amos 1. Cabalists and Rabbins They say it is nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name not to be pronounced not to be taken within polluted lips they call it nomen tetragrammaton a name of foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellency for as much as the Name of God * Abrah Broviê° in festo Circumc Dom. Conc. 3 Dei nomen significat quaternarius ea ratione quia fere omnibus nomen Dei QuadriliteruÌ„ Latinis Deus Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Italis Idio Germanis Goth Polonis Illyrijs Bogh Gallis Dieu Hispanis Dios Hebraeis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. Garhard lor. Theol. Tom. 1. de Natura Dei §. 26. Obseruant nonnulli appellationem Dei esse omnibus fere populis quadriliterum Sic Hebraeis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Assyrijs Adad Aethiopibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aegyptis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabibus Alla Illyricis Bogi Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turcis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hetruscis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latinis Deus Hispanis Dios Italis Idio Gallis Dieu Germanis Gott Polulis novi orbis Zimi Vide P. Gregor lib. 6. Synt. art mirab c. 2. in all tongues and languages generally consisteth of foure letters and they obserue these foure letters in Hebrew to bee letters of rest to signifie vnto vs that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all the Creatures in the world is in God alone they teach that it is a powerfull name for the working of miracles and that by it Christ and Moses haue done great wonders But these their braine-sicke superstitious and blasphemous inventions my tongue shall not enlarge Yet thus much I say of this Name that there is a secret in it It is plaine Exod. 6.3 There thus saith the Lord vnto Moses I appeared vnto Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob by the name of a strong omnipotent and all-sufficient God but by my name IEHOVAH was I not knowne to them This secret I haue heretofore vnfolded vnto you after this manner This great name
Syntagm Disput Sedan loc 2. De origine sacrae Scripturae §. 32. pag. 17. Telenus tels mee of a champion of that side as farre forward as he who saith Melius consultum fuisse Ecclesiae si nulla vnquam extitisset Scriptura that had there neuer beene any Scripture the Church had beene better prouided for then now it is Sedens in coelis ridet there 's a God in heauen that hath these wicked impes in derision vpon whom for their taunts contumelies and reprcches against his sacred word hee will one day poure out his full viols of wrath then will he crush them with his scepâ—er of iron and breake them in pieces like potters vessâ—ls You haue the fiâ—st vse A second followeth Is the liuing and immortall God the author of holy Scripture Heere then is a lesson for vs whom God hat set a part to be Preachers and Expounders of his will We must handle his sacred Scripture as his holy word wee must euer come vnto you as my Prophet heere did to the Israelites with Thus saith the Lord in our mouthes Wee may not speake either the imagination 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 deprauing of the same To this S Peter well exhorteth vs in his 1. Epist and chap. 4.11 If any man speake let him speake as the word of God For if wee yea if an Angell from Heauen shall preach otherwise vnto you then from the Lords own mouth speaking in his holy word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be accursed let him be had in execration The third vse of this doctrine is peculiar vnto you Beloued who are auditors and hearers of the word Is the liuing and immortall God the author of holy Scripture Then Beloued it is your part to heare vs with attention and reuerence whensoeuer wee stand before you to expound Gods holy Scripture S. Paul commendeth the Thessalonians Epist 1. chap. 2.13 For that whensoeuer they receiued of the Apostles of Christ the word of the preaching of God they receiued it not as the word of men but as it was indeede the word of God In like sort if you receiue it it will saue your soules It is able so to doe S. Iames shall bee your pledge chap. 1.21 Receiue it therefore with meeknesse that by it your soules may liue God spake vnto Israel in a vision by night and sayd Gen. 46.2 Iaacob Iaacob Iaacob answered I am heere He was prest and ready with all reuerent attention to heare what his God would say vnto him and to follow the same with all faithfull obedience Such readinesse well becommeth euery childe of God at this day in the Church where God speaketh Thus must hee thinke within himselfe It is thine ordinance ô Lord by thy word preached to instruct me concerning thy holy will I am heere Lord in all humble feare to heare thy blessed pleasure what this day thou wilt put into the mouth of the Preacher to deliuer vnto me I am heere speake on Lord thy seruant heareth If a Prince of this world or some great man shall speake vnto you you will attend and giue eare vnto him with all diligence how much more then ought yee so to doe when the King of Heauen and Lord of the Earth the liuing and immortall God calleth vpon you by his Ministers What remaineth but that you suffer a word of Exhortation It shall bee short in S. Pauls words Coloss 3.16 Holy and beloued as the elect of God let the word of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisdome This word of God it is his most royall and celestiall Testament it is the oracle of his heauenly Sanctuarie it is the only key vnto vs of his reuealed counsels it is milke from his sacred breasts the earnest and pledge of his fauor to his Church the light of our feete the ioy of our hearts the breath of our nostrils the pillar of our faith the anchor of our hope the ground of our loue the euidence of our future blessednes Let this word of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisdom So shall your wayes by it be clensed and your selues made cleane Yet a very litle while he that shall come will come will not tarry euen our Lord Iesus Christ who finding your wayes clensed and your selues made cleane by his sacred word will in his due time translate you from this valley of teares into Ierusalem which is aboue the most glorious Citie of God There shall this corruptible put on incorruption and our mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life Euen so be it THE II. LECTVRE AMOS 2.1 2 3. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for foure I will not turne to it because it burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime Therefore will I send a fire vpon Moab and it shall devoure the pallaces of Kirioth and Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet And I will cut off the Iudge out of the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him saith the Lord. IN the former Sermon I handled the Preface The Prophecie is now to be spoken vnto The first part therein is The accusation of Moab in these words For three transgressions of Moab and for foure Where we are to consider 1. Who are accused 2. For what they are accused The accused are the Moabites and they are accused of many breaches of the Law of God First of the accused Moab was one of the sonnes of Lot begotten in incest vpon his eldest daughter Gen. 19.37 From him by lineall descent came these Moabites a people inhabiting that part of the East which is commonly knowne by the name of Coelesyria but was formerly the possession of the Amorites These Moabites like their brethren the Ammonites were professed enemies to the people of God and did euermore very grieuously afflict and vex them In which respect they were for euer by God his singular commandment excluded from the Church Gods commandement is expressed Deut. 23.3 The Ammonites and the Moabites shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. And it s repeated Nehem. 13.1 The Ammonites and the Moabites shall not enter into the Congregation of God Thus haue you the accused euen the Moabites the posteritie of Moab who was Lots sonne inhabitants of Coelesyria and borderers vpon the Holy Land the possession of the Israelites Now what are they accused of Of many breaches of Gods law in these words For three and foure transgressions This phrase we met with fiue times in the former chapter and haue heard it diuersly expounded The most naturall proper and significant exposition commended to you was by three and foure a finite and certaine number to vnderstand many a number infinite vncertaine For three transgressions of Moab and for foure that is for many transgressions of the
region countrey or kingdome was likewise named Moab So saith b De locis Eusebius Moab in this branch of my text may signifie either either the Metropolis the chiefe and mother-city of the Kingdome of Moab or the Kingdome it selfe S. Hierome heere vnderstands both The other new name is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vulgar Latin Carioth in the English Geneua translation Kerioth in Vatablus Cerijoth in Tremellius and Iunius Kerijoth the Septuagint in their Greeke translation take the word for an appellatiue they translaate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her cities According to them these words should thus be read I will send a fire vpon Moab and it shall deuoure the foundations of her cities But with S. Hierome and sundry others of the best Expositors we retaine the proper name Kerioth or Carioth Wee read in holy writ of two cities thus named One was belonging to the Tribe of Iuda and lay towards the coasts of Edom south-ward mentioned Iosh 15.25 The other was in the land of Moab so sayth Eusebius in his Hebrew places Carioth in regione Moabitarum sicut Ieremias scribit Carioth is in the countrey of the Moabites as Ieremy writeth And where doth Ieremy write so In his fortieth chapter which is wholly spent in denouncing destruction to the Moabites vers 24. it is sayd that iudgement is come vpon Kerioth And verse 41. that Kerioth is taken The same iudgement is heere and there denounced but heere more briefly there more fully Here we may obserue 1. The punisher the Lord I will send 2. The punishment by fire A fire 3. The punished the Moabites Moab and Kerioth The first circumstance concerneth the punisher the Lord for thus saith the Lord I will send a fire The Doctrine c See my Lectures vpon the first of Amos. It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This truth hath sundry times been recommended vnto you Diuerse were the vses of it The first was to lesson vs to looke heedefully vnto our feet that wee walke not in the way of sinners to partake with them in their sinnes Sinnes are not tongue-tyed they cry aloud vnto the Lord for vengeance The second was to admonish vs not to intermeddle in the Lords office It s his office to execute vengeance Wee therefore may not interpose our selues The third was to minister a word of comfort to the godly against whom the wicked do behaue themselues proudly and despiteously God in due time for such their behauior will render vengeance vnto them and will punish them with euerlasting perdition The second circumstance concerneth the punishment which is by fire I will send a fire By fire heere wee are to vnderstand not so much a true and naturall fire as a figuratiue and metaphoricall fire The sword pestilence and famine quodlibet genâ—â—s consumptionis euery kinde of consumption quaelibet species excilij euery kinde of destruction hayle water thunder sicknesse or any other of the executioners of Gods wrath for the sinnes of men may bee signified by this word Fire Fire in this place is put for the sword for warre as its plain by the sequell of this text The Doctrine arising hence is this The fire whether naturall or figuratiue that is the fire and all other creatures are at the Lords commandement to bee employed by him in the punishment of the wicked Of this doctrine heeretofore The vse of it is to teach vs how to carry our selues at such times as God shall visit vs with his rod of correction how to behaue our selues in all our afflictions Wee are not so much to 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 preuaile against vs we must know that God by them worketh his holy will vpon vs. Heere wee see God resolueth to send a fire vpon Moab which should deuoure the palaces of Kerioth which was the third circumstance Must Moab and Kerioth two chiefe cities of the Kingdome of Moab through the fire of Gods wrath be brought to ruine it yeelds this doctrine No munition no fortification no strength can saue that city which God will haue destroyed One vse of this Doctrine is to lesson vs that we put not any confidence in any worldly helpe but that so we vse all good meanes of our defense that still wee rely vpon the Lord for strength and successe thereby A second Vse is to put vs in minde of the fearefull punishments which God layeth vpon men for sinne He deuoureth their cities throweth downe their strong holds and spares them not A third Vse is to stirre vs vp to thankfulnes for that it pleaseth God in mercy to spare not onely our Cities and strong holds but also our country villages and poore cottages It is not to be passed ouer without obseruation that the palaces of Kerioth are here threatned to be deuoured with this fire sent from the Lord. Were I now to speake before Princes or great Estates I could from hence giue them an Item that they set not their hearts ouermuch vpon their castles towers mansion houses faire palaces or other goodly buildings for as much as if their sinnes deserue it the fire of Gods wrath will deuoure all those But my auditorie is of another rancke Yet may you take a lesson hence Must the palaces of Carioth for the sinnes of the inhabitants be deuoured with fire from the wrath of God Your lesson is God depriueth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses The great commoditie or contentment that commeth to euery one of vs by our dwelling houses hath experimentally made good vnto vs this truth The Vses of it are diuers One is to teach vs to be humble before Almighty God whensoeuer it shall please him to take from vs our dwelling houses A second is to admonish vs sith we peaceably enioy our dwelling houses that we vse them to the furtherance of Gods glory A third is to stirre vs vp to blesse and praise God day by day for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling houses These things I haue heretofore laboured to lay vnto your hearts occasioned by the like generall commination or denuntiation of iudgement fiue times repeated in the former chapter against the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites and the Ammonites Now we are to consider what is more specially prophecied against these Moabites For the easier explication whereof I obserued two points 1. The manner of the punishment 2. The extent of it Order requireth that first I speake to the manner of their punishment expressed in these words And Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet Moab shall dye Moab is here put for the Moabites the people of Moab the inhabitants of the Kingdome of Moab Moab shall dye There is a ciuill death there is a
longer to presume vpon his patience It is true Dominus patiens the Lord is slow to anger but the Prophet Nahum Chap. 1.3 addeth also that he is great in power and surely will not cleare the wicked This long for bearance of God towards vs patientia est non negligentia you must call it patience it is not negligence Non ille potentiam perdidit sed nos ad poenitentiam reseruauit saith St Austine serm 102. de Tempore God hath not lost his power but hath reserued vs for repentance and quanto diuâ—ius Deus expectat tanto grauius vindicat How much the longer God expects and waits for our conuersion so much the more grieuously will he be auenged vpon vs if we repent not I shut vp all with that exhortation of Ecclesiasticus chap. 5.7 Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day To moue vs to this speedie conuersion he addes this reason for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance What remaineth but that we pray with Ieremie Chap. 31.18 Conuert thou vs O Lord and we shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord our God THE IIII. LECTVRE AMOS 2.4 5. Thus sayth the Lord For three trangressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they haue despised the Law of the Lord and haue not kept his commaundements and their lies caused them to erre after the which their Fathers haue walked But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem OVr Prophet Amos hath hitherto dealt with forraine Nations with the Syrians with the Philistines with the Tyrians with the Edomites with the Ammonites and with the Moabites Six in number All borderers vpon and professed enemies vnto the people of the Lord the type of the Church To each of these you haue heard the iudgements of God menaced his punishments threatned all which are accordingly fallen out Was not Amos his message from the Lord to the Israelites Why then doth he first foretell forraine nations their iudgements The reasons are three First that he might be the more patiently heard of his Countrymen friend and allies the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enemies could not but the more quietly heare him when he should prophecie against them also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici It is some comfort to a naturall distressed man to see his enemie in distresse also Secondly that they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against them in vengeance sith he would not spare the Syrians and other Nations though destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will Thirdly that they might the more stand in awe at the words of this prophecie when they should behold the Syrians and other their neighbours afflicted and tormented according to the haynousnesse of their iniquities Scitum est ex alijs periculum facere tibi quod ex vsu fiet It is a principle in Natures Schoole that we take example from other mens harmes how to order our wayes From this natures principle the people of Israell might thus haue argued Will not the Lord spare the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites How then can we presume that he will spare vs They silly people neuer knew the holy will of God yet shall they drinke of the cup of Gods wrath How then shal we escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it You see now good reason our Prophet had though sent with a message to the ten tribes of Israel first to let forraine Nations vnderstand Gods pleasure towards them in respect of their sinnes From them he commeth to Gods owne peculiar people diuided after the death of King Salomon into two families or kingdomes Iudah and Israel First he prophecieth against Iudah in the 4. and 5. verses Thus sayth the Lord For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure c. Wherein I obserue two parts 1. A Preface Thus sayth the Lord. 2. A Prophecie For three transgressions of Iudah c. In the Prophecie we may obserue foure parts 1. A generall accusation of Iudah For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure 2. The Lords protestation against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof 3. An enumeration of some particular sinnes by which the Iewes prouoked God vnto displeasure Because they haue despised the Law of the Lord c. 4. A commination or denuntiation of iudgement against them vers the 5. But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem First of the Preface Thus saith the Lord It is like that gate of the Temple in a Act. 3.11 And 5.12 Salomons poarch which for the goodly structure thereof was called beautifull Act. 3.2 So is this enterance to my text very beautifull We haue alreadie beheld it six seuerall times fiue times as wee passed through the former Chapter and once at our first footing in this There is engrauen in it that same Tetragrammaton that great and ineffable name of God Iehovah Iohovah Curious haue the b See Lect. 1. Cabalists and Rabbins bin in their inuentions about this name They will not haue it to be pronounced nor taken within polluted lips They note that it is nomen tetragrammaton a name of foure letters of foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the name of God in all tongues and languages for the most part consisteth of foure letters and they adde that these foure letters in the Hebrew tongue are literae quiescentes letters of rest whence they picke this mystery that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all the creatures in the world is in God alone They further say that this name is powerfull for the working of myracles and that by it Moses and Christ haue done great wonders These their inuentions are partly superstitious partly blasphemus but all braine sicke and idle Yet must we needs acknowledge some secret in this name We are driuen to it by Exod. 6.3 There the Lord thus speaketh vnto Moses I appeared vnto Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob by the name of a strong omnipotent and all-sufficient God but by my name Iehovah was I not knowne vnto them The secret is thus vnfolded Iehovah this great name Iehovah importeth the eternitie of Gods essence in himselfe that he is c Heb. 13.8 yesterday and to day and the same for euer d 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 whom all creatures in the world haue their e Act. 17.28 life their motion and their being God is the being of all his creatures not that they are the same that he is but because
vnto themselues a wew King Ieroboam sonne of Nebat yet were these children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Iudah subiect to Rehoboam still Thus you see Israel diuided from Israel ten tribes from the other two Two tribes the tribes of Iudah and Beniamin continued in their obedience to the house of Dauid the other ten tribes forsooke it and fell away The ten reuolted tribes haue diuerse appellations in the sanctified writings of the holy Prophets Bethel Bethauen Samaria Iezreel Ioseph Ephraim Iacob Israel these names are appropriate to signifie the Kingdome of Israel The other two tribes Iudah and Beniamin called but one tribe in the 1 King 11.13 because of the mixture of their possessions these two tribes setled in their faithfulnes and obedience to the seede of Dauid haue likewise in the sacred Scriptures their diuers appellations Sometimes Iudah sometimes Beniamin sometimes Ierusalem sometimes Sion sometimes the house of Dauid are peculiarly designed to signifie the Kingdome of Iudah Iudah is one of these appellations and that is the Iudah in my text properly vers 5. I will send a fire vpon Iudah that is vpon the Kingdome of Iudah And by a figure in this first branch of this prophesie where Iudah is put for the inhabitants of the kingdom of Iudah Thus haue you the parties accused the inhabitants of the kingdom of Iudah But wherof are they accused Of sinning against the Lord. So goeth the letter of my text For three transgressions of Iudah for foure What are these three and foure transgressions Arias Montanus makes three of them to bee man-slaughter incest and idolatry The first is man-slaughter Esay poynts at it chap. 1.15 Your hands are full of bloud The second is incest Ieremie poynts at it chap. 23.10 The land is full of adulterers The third is idolatry Hoseah poynts at it chap. 1.2 The land hath committed great whoredome departing from the Lord. The fourth which of all is the most flagicious and hainous is expressed in this text and it is their reiecting abolishing or disanulling of Gods lawes and commandements For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure Albertus the Great B. of Ratisbon will haue three of these transgressions to be expressed in this text The first of them is Legis abiectio the abiection or contempt of Gods Law They haue despised the law of the Lord. The second is praeceptorum non obseruatio the not obseruing of Gods commandements They haue not kept his commandements The third is ad Idola conuersio their conuersion to Idols Their lies caused them to erre after which their fathers haue walked These three you see expressed in the text But what is the fourth It is Sacrati loci prophanatio the prophanation of the hallowed place For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure Paulus de Palatio doth otherwise descant vpon these three and foure transgressions The first he will haue to be committed by Iehoram son of Iehosaphat King of Iudah who to make himselfe strong in his Kingdome slue with the sword six of his brethren and some of the Princes of Israel 2 Chro. 21.4 The second by Ioash sonne of Ahaziah who allured by the flattery of some of his Princes slew Zacharias the sonne of Iehoiada or Barachias betweene the temple and the altar 2 Chron. 24.21 Matth. 23.35 The third by King Amaziah who lifted vp with pride for his victory obtained against the Edomites did prouoke the King of Israel to fight 2 Chron. 25.17 Thus haue you three of these transgressions The fourth saith this Paulus de Palatio needes no enquiry And why so Amos in this text declares it The Kingdome of Iudah from Rehoboams time was most propense vnto idolatry from that time they cast away the law of the Lord they kept not his commandements they serued Idols after which their fathers walked For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure This phrase we met with fiue times in the former chapter and once in this The most naturall proper and significant exposition heeretofore commended vnto you is this to vnderstand by three and foure many A number finite and certaine is put for a number infinite and vncertaine For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure that is for many transgressions As oft as hee will God forgiueth though wee sinne many a time It is but the custome of the Scripture thus to speake God waiteth for vs twice and thrice that is a good while to haue vs returne from our euill wayes vnto repentance but the fourth time that is at length when he seeth vs persist in our impenitency hee protesteth against vs as heere against Iudah I will not turne to you I will not turne away your punishment I will not turne away the punishment thereof These words are diuersly rendered by Gualter non conuertam eum I will not turne Iudah I will not recall him into the right way he shall runne to his owne perdition By Mercer non parcam ei I will not spare Iudah according as his desert shall be so shall he haue In our English Geneua translation I will not turne to it In our late Church-Bible I will not spare him In our newest translation I will not turne away the punishment thereof So read Iunius and Tremellius according to the Hebrew Non auertam istud I will not turne away this punishment which I haue resolued to lay vpon Iudah The summe of both accusation and protestation is this If Iudah had sinned but once or a second time I would haue beene fauourable to them and would haue recalled him into the right way that so they might haue been conuerted and might haue escaped my punishments but now whereas they doe daily heape transgression vpon transgression and make no end of sinning I haue hardened my face against them I will not turne them vnto me I will not turne to them I will not spare them I will not turne away the punishment which I haue resolued to bring vpon them but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof Thus haue you the exposition of the two first parts of this prophecie of the accusation of Iudah and the Lords protestation against them Now let vs see what doctrin may bee taken hence for our further instruction and the reformation of our liues Doth God resolue to punish Iudah for three foure trāsgressions The doctrin arising hence is this Three transgressions and foure that is many sinnes doe prouoke Almighty God to lay his punishments vpon vs. God is of pure eyes and beholdeth no iniquity Hee hath layd righteousnesse to the rule and weighed his iustice in a ballance His sentence is passed forth and stands like the law of the Medes and Persians irreuocable Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doth euill The soule that sinneth it selfe must beare the punishment God makes it good with an oath Deut.
32.41 that hee will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance for sinne His soule hateth and abhorreth sinne his law curseth and condemneth sinne his hand smiteth and scourgeth sinne Sinne was his motiue to cast Angels out of Heauen to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne Cities into ashes to ruinate Nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinnefull flesh Sinne made him heretofore to drowne the olde world and sinne will make him hereafter to burne this So true is my doctrine Many sinnes doe prouoke Almighty God to lay his punishments vpon vs. Let vs now make some vse of this doctrine Doe many sinnes cause Almighty God to punish vs First we are hence taught at what time soeuer God shall lay his rod vpon vs to seeke the true cause thereof in our selues Malorum omnium nostrorum causa peccatum est saith S. Austin Serm. 139. de Tempore The cause of all euill is within vs it is sinne within vs. It is impiety to imagine that God will punish vs without a cause Non pateremur nisi mereremur saith that good Father We should not vndergoe any crosse or disturbance vnlesse wee deserued it Wherefore let vs euery one of vs in particular when God commeth neere to vs in iudgement to touch either our estates with want or our callings with disgrace or our bodies with sicknes or our soules with heauines let vs haue recourse to the sinnes within vs which haue deserued this and turne we to the Lord our God Water teares sorrow repentance will better satisfie him pacifie him mooue him alter him then whatsoeuer vengeance or plagues or bloud or death Let vs enter into a due consideration of our corruptions our transgressions our sinnes wherewith as with a heauy burden wee are laden and returne wee to the Lord our God adulterers murtherers idolaters the sacrilegious the ambitious the couetous drunkards railers lyars the blasphemous swearers forswearers all who by any their euill wayes prouoke God to the execution of his iustice must take part in this conuersion Let no man draw backe let not the heinousnesse of our fore-passed sinnes deterre vs or keepe vs from so holy a course I dare affirme with S. Austin Serm. 181. de Tempore Non nocent peccata praeterita si non placent praesentia Sinnes past hurt not if sins present please not Let vs euen now at this present in detestation of sinne resolue to sinne willingly no more and our sinnes past shall neuer hurt vs. O let not this vse slip out of our minds When God his heauy hand is vpon vs in any crosse or tribulation seeke wee out the cause of it in our selues in our sinnes A second vse followeth and it is to stirre vs vp to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did so graciously forbeare those inhabitants of Iudah till by their three transgressions and by their foure they had prouoked God vnto displeasure The holy Scriptures are frequent in proclaiming God to be mercifull and gracious and long-suffering and of great goodnesse Hee cryeth to the foolish Prou. 1.22 O ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnesse He cryeth to the faithlesse Math. 17.17 O generation faithlesse and crooked how long now shall I suffer you He cryeth to Ierusalem Matth. 23.37 O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often What could the Lord haue done more vnto his vineyard then he had done vnto it He dressed it with the best and kindliest husbandry that his heart could inuent as appeareth Esa 5.2 Such carefull dressing could not but deserue fruit This fruit he required not at the first houre but tarried for it the full time euen till the autumne and time of vintage if then it failed did it not deserue to be eaten vp Looke into the 13. of Luke vers 6. There shall you see the Lord wayting three yeeres for the fruit of his fig-tree yea and content that digging and dunging and expectation a fourth yeere may bee bestowed vpon it Doubtlesse God is mercifull and gracious and long suffering and of great goodnesse Heereof Beloued we haue great experience We haue our three transgressions and our foure too as Iudah had Our manifold sinnes our sins of omission and our sinnes of commission our sinnes of ignorance and our sinnes of wilfulnesse our sinnes of infirmity and our sinnes of presumption doe they not day by day impudently and sawcily presse into the presence of Gods Maiesty to procure his vengeance against vs And yet wee must needes confesse it God is good and patient towards vs. Beloued let vs not abuse so great goodnes and patience of our God Though some fall seauen times a day and rise againe though to some sinners it pleaseth God to iterate his sufferance as vpon vs hither to he hath done yet should not we herevpon presume to iterate our misdoings For we well know that Almighty God punished his p Ioh. 8.44 Iâ—d 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 Angels in heauen for one breach q Gen. 3.17 Adam for one morsell r Num. 12.10 Miriam for one slander Å¿ Deut. 32.52 Moses for one angry word t Iosh 7.24 25. Achan for one sacrilege u Esai 35.2 Ezechias for once shewing his treasures to the Embassadors of Babel x 2. ChroÌ„ 35.22 Iosias for once going to warre without asking counsell of the Lord and y Act. 5.5 c. Ananias and Saphira for once lying to the Holy Ghost God is now as able as euer he was euen for one transgression to cut vs of but if he patiently forbeare vs till by three and foure transgressions by our many sinnes we grieue the Holy Spirit of that Sacred Maiestie shall we thinke as some impiously doe that God takes no notice of the sinnes which we commit or cares not for them Far let all such conceit be from any Christian heart Let vs rather confesse the truth that God by such his forbearance doth lead vs to repentance for as much as it is impossible that God should be and not see should see and not regard should regard and not punish should punish and not proportion his punishments to our sinnes I grant that the iustice of God goeth on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slowly and in order but for the most part it recompenseth the slacknes of iudgement with the heauinesse thereof It keepes the rule full well to render for ripe sinnes ripe plagues for great sinnes great plagues for grieuous sins grieuous plagues The rule in the Scholes is thus deliuered Culpam poena sequitur euery sinne hath a due punishment attending it God is without exception iust and therefore Grauitas supplicij grauitatem peccati denotat grieuous punishments wheresoeuer God shall lay them doe argue grieuous sins of those places and persons Let no man then that groaneth vnder any crosse affliction or tribulation complaine of his hard hap or ill fortune all such visitations are from God and for our
The same thing is twise said 1. They haue despised the law of the Lord. 2. They haue not kept his commandements Is the same thing twise said Let it be true that by the lawes of the Lord and the commandements of the Lord one and the same thing be vnderstood is it likewise all one to despise and not to keepe or doth not our Prophet say lesse against the people of Iudah where he saith They haue not kept the commandements of the Lord then when he saith They haue despised the law of the Lord He may seeme to say lesse But if we consider the force of the Hebrew phrase we shall finde it to be otherwise It is a rule y Drusâ—us Hebraei per negationem contrarij vehementiùs affirmant the Hebrewes by denying the contrary doe the more vehemently affirme It may thus appeare Solomon in his Prouerbs chap. 17.21 saith Non gaudet stulti pater the father of a foole reioyceth not This may seeme to be but coldly and slenderly spoken not sufficiently to expresse that griefe which fathers do conceiue at the disobedience of their sonnes which the Wiseman there calleth foolishnes But the phrase is very forcible Non gaudet stulti pater the father of a foole reioyceth not Nemo quisquam vnquaÌ„ ita dolet quin idem aliquaÌ„do gaudeat saith o Drus obseruat lib. 1. c. 22. a learned writer There is scarse any man euer so grieued but that at some one time or other he reioyceth but if a man at all times and euery moment of time be grieued of him we may truly say Non gaudet he reioyceth not Non gaudet stulti pater It is very fitly englished in our new translation The father of a foole hath no ioy Here you you who liue vnder the rule of your parents be ye sonnes or daughters liuing vnder father or mother if you behaue your selues disobediently towards your Parents in Salomons account you are fooles and your Parents can haue no ioy in you And tell me of whom should your Parents haue ioy if not of you their children S. Paules exhortation is not lightly to be esteemed by you Heare therefore what he saith vnto you Ephes 6.1 Children obey your parents in the Lord. and vers 2. Honor thy father and mother To the first he perswadeth you by a reason drawne from the schole of nature It is right so to do To the second he allureth you by an argument drawne from your owne good v. 3. So shall it be well with you and you shall liue long vpon the earth and euer remember this same Non gaudet of Salomon Non gaudet stulti pater The father of a foole of a disobedient childe hath no ioy A like phrase the same Salomon hath Prou. 10.2 Non prosunt thesauri improbitatis The treasures of wickednes profit not This may seeme to be spoken but jeiunely and sleightly not sufficiently to expresse the hurt mischiefe that shall befall a man for his goods vnlawfully and dishonestly gotten But the phrase is very forcible Non prosunt thesauri improbitatis the treasures of wickednes profit not Quod in omni tempori nocet sayth p Drusius vbi suprà one de eo verissimè enuntiatur non prodest Name any thing that at all times is hurtfull and of it we may truely say Non prodest it doth not profit Salomon hath named it Thesauri improbitatis the treasures of wickednesse Non prosunt thesauri improbitatis It is very fitly englished in our new translation The treasures of wickednesse profit nothing It is worth the marking they profit nothing Heare you you who heape vnto your selues Thesauros improbitatis these same treasures of wickednesse by your auarice extortion oppression vsury false-dealing with your neighbours or otherwise vnlawfully You may know that these your treasures of wickednesse can profit nothing They may be vnto you obstacles and impediments to keepe you for euer without the gates of Heauen What meaneth else our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in that his constant asseueration to his Disciples Mat. 19.23 Verily verily I say vnto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of Heauen And againe where he sayth ver 24. It is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God And who is this rich man Qui diuitijs cor apponit he that setteth his heart vpon his riches and trusteth in them and not onely he but he also that getteth his goods vniustly he that getteth thesauros improbitatis those same treasures of iniquitie whereof for the present I say no more then what our Sauiour sayth to his Disciples Mat. 16.26 What is a man profited if hee shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule Onely I wish from my heart that in your hearts were written this same Non prosunt Non prosunt thesauri improbitatis the treasures of wickednesse doe profit nothing Will you now looke backe to my text for the explication whereof I haue expounded to you a Non gaudet and a Non prosunt The first Non gaudet concerneth the Father of a disobedient childe and importeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gaudij the privation of ioy the Father of a disobedient sonne hath no ioy at all The other Non prosunt is spoken of goods ill gotten and importeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vtilitatis the privation of profit Non prosunt goods ill gotten profit nothing at all My text hath answerable to those two a Non obseruârunt Non obseruârunt mandata eius They haue not kept the commandements of the Lord. This may seeme to be but coldly and sleightly spoken not sufficient to expresse the disobedience of the people of Iudah towards the commaundements of the Lord. For there is no man liuing vpon earth that can keepe his commandements And if the people of Iudah in this sinned but as other men ordinarily sinned what great matter is it that our Prophet here obiecteth to them But the phrase here is very forcible Non obseruârunt mandata eius They haue not kept his commaundements Here is implied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observantiae a privation of obseruance They haue not kept the commandments of the Lord in any one point Couenant-breakers and apostates as they were they refused to be vnder the Lords commandements and audaciously framed to themselues a new kind of worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a will worship a worship of their owne inuention cultum plenum sacrilegijs a worship full of sacriledge We see now what it is that our Prophet in this branch of my text reprooueth in the people of Iudah It is a Non obseruârunt a non obseruance an vniuersall neglect of the commandements of the Lord. They tooke license to themselues to innouate to frame vnto themselues a new kind of diuine worship such as the Lord neuer approoued yea such as was contrarie to the expresse will of
the Lord and was forbidden by him From this reproofe of Iudah we may take this lesson Obedience to the commandements of the Lord is a dutie which the Lord requireth to be performed by euery childe of his This truth is made as plaine as the light at noone day by the words of blessed Samuel to king Saul 1. Sam. 15.22 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and stubbornnesse is as iniquitie and idolatrie In which words of Samuel we haue the nature of two contraries obedience and disobedience excellently disciphered The one to be better then sacrifice the other to be as witchcraft and idolatrie Obedience is better then sacrifice For z Per victimas aliena caro per obedien â—am vero voluntas propria mactatur Greg. Mor. lib. 35. cap. 10. he that offereth a sacrifice offereth the flesh of a beast but he that obeyeth offereth his owne will as a quicke and reasonable sacrifice which is all in all Disobedience is as witchcraft and idolatrie For what else is disobedience but when the Lord hath imposed some dutie vpon vs wee then conferre with our owne hearts as Saul consulted with the woman of a 1. Sam. 28.7 Endor or as Ahaziah King of Samaria with b 2. King 1.2 Baalzebub the God of Ekron whether the word of the Lord shall be harkened to yea or no. Thus we set vp an Idol within our owne brests against the God of Heauen and despising forsaking not keeping his commandements we follow the voice and perswasion of our owne deuises To this place of Samuel though of it selfe it be sufficient for the establishment of my propounded doctrine Namely that Obedience to the commandements of the Lord is a dutie which the Lord requireth to be performed by euery child of his let vs adde some other passages of holy Scripture wherein the Lord to draw vs to this dutie of obedience promiseth vs blessings Memorable is that protestation of Moses to the children of Israel Deut. 11.26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse A blessing if ye obey the commandements of the Lord your God a curse if ye obey them not As if hee had thus said Bethinke your selues O ye children of Israel Seeing God hath commaunded me to publish his law vnto you it is not for you to fal asleepe He sheweth you how you may prosper all your life long namely if you will obey him Obey him and prosper all your life long Is not this a great blessing But if you obey him not the curse will ouertake This doth Moses more particularly deliuer Deut. 28.1 If saith he thou shalt hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord thy God to obserue and keepe all his commandements that is if yee hearken to the Lords voyce to obey his commandements and be carefull to keepe them then shall you be blessed all manner of wayes you shall be enuironed through Gods fauour with all manner of well-fare and prosperitie Will you a Catalogue of such blessings as shall bee conferred vpon you for your obedience to the commandements of the Lord It is readie gathered to your hands Deut. 28. Obey yee the Commandements of the Lord so blessed shall yee be c Ver. 3. in the cittie and blessed in the field d Ver. 4. Blessed in the fruit of your bodies and in the fruit of your grounds and in the fruit of your cattell and in the increase of your kine and in the flockes of your sheepe e Ver. 5. Blessed in your baskets and in your kneading troughs f Ver. 6. Blessed at your comming in and blessed at your going out g Ver. 8. Blessed in your barnes and in all that you set your hands to These and many other blessings recited in that Chapter are plainely promised and shall as faithfully bee performed if you obey the commaundements of the Lord your God But if you be stubborne peruerse and disobedient to the Commaundements of the Lord then shall cursings as fast follow you Then Cursed shall yee be in the cittie and h Deut. 28.16 Cursed in the field i Ver. 18. Cursed in the fruit of your bodies in the fruit of your ground in the fruit of your cattell in the encrease of your kine and in the flocks of your sheepe k Ver. 17. Cursed in your baskets and in your kneading troughs l Ver. 19. Cursed at your comming in and cursed at your going out m Ver. 20. Cursed in your barnes and in all that you set your hands to These and many other curses recited in that Chapter are plainely threatned and shall as faithfully be performed if you obey not the commandements of the Lord your God I will not too farre presume vpon your patience You haue heard of maledictions or cursings against such as disobey the Commandements of the Lord. You haue heard also of benedictions or blessings to such as obey the commaundements of the Lord. May it please you then to acknowledge this for an irrefragable truth that Obedience to the commandements of the Lord is a dutie which the Lord requireth to be performed of euery childe of his What vse shall we now make of this Doctrine This needs no great consultation The vse is plaine Is obedience a dutie which God requireth to be performed by all who will be accounted in the number of his children Then it is a dutie required to be performed by vs. For who is there among vs that desireth not to be in the number of Gods children Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord let vs betake our selues to the Schoole of obedience And striue we euery one to goe beyond his neighbour in the offices of this Christian dutie Obedience It hath praise with God and man Obedience It is the of-spring of the righteous Obedience It is sayth n In scala paradisi gradu de obedientia Climacus animae propriae perfecta abnegatio spontanea mors securum periculum tuta nauigatio iter dormiendo confectum sepulchrum voluntatis excitatio humilitatis It is sayth he an absolute deniall of our selues it is a voluntarie death it is a securitie from danger it is a safe nauigation it is a iourney performed as it were in a sleepe it is a sepulcher of our will it is the stirrer vp of humilitie The obedient man he absolutely denieth himselfe but that he may o Mat. 16.24 follow Christ he dyeth voluntarie but p 1. Pet. 2.24 vnto sinne that he may liue vnto righteousnesse though he be on euery side enuironed with perils yet is he secure and feareth nothing though he saile in the sea of this world yet is his sayling safe though hee iourneyeth in this valley of peregrination toward the Heauenly Ierusalem yet he doth it as
it were in a sleepe without molestation he burieth the vnruly affections of his will and spendeth the remainder of his abode here in the exercises of sweete humilitie Thus shall the man be blessed that is obedient to the Commandements of the Lord his God It is said of the just Psal 112.6 In memoria aeterna erit iustus The iust shall be in euerlasting memorie It may bee likewise said of the obedient In memoria aeterna erit obediens The obedient shall be in euerlasting memorie The Rechabites shall neuer want a testimonie of their obediēce vnlesse the booke of Ieremy the Prophet be againe cut with a pen-knife and burnt as in the dayes of q Ierem. 36.23 Zedechias Ionadab their Father commaunded them to drinke no Wine and for that commaundements sake they would drinke none they nor their wiues nor their sonnes nor their daughters Iere. 35.8 A worthy patterne of obedience God himselfe commends it and obiects it for a reproofe of the disobedience of his owne people the inhabitants of Iudah For vers 13. Thus sayth the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Goe and tell the men of Iudah and inhabitants of Ierusalem The words of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab that he commanded his sonnes not to drinke wine are performed for vnto this day they drinke none but obey their fathers commaundement Notwithstanding I haue spoken vnto you rising early and speaking but yee hearkened not vnto me This complaint of the Lord is redoubled vers 16. The sonnes of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab haue performed the commaundement of their Father which he commaunded but this people hath not hearkened vnto me May not the Lord now as iustly twit vs and hit vs in the teeth with this example of the Rechabites He may without doubt The Rechabites kept the commandement of their Father Ionadab a mortall man now dead but we keepe not the commaundements of our Father our heauenly Father Iehovah the immortall and the euerliuing God Beloued let vs remember it Disobedience hath neuer yet escaped the hands of Almightie God It cast r Gen. 3.22 Adam and Eue out of Paradise ſ Gen. 19.26 Lots wife out of her life and nature too t Num. 16.32 Dathan and Abiram into the mouth of the earth u 1. Sam. 15.23 Saul out of his kingdome x Ion. 1.15 Ionas out of the ship the children of Israel out of their natiue soyle yea and from the naturall roote which bare them whereof there is no other reason giuen but their disobedience Iere. 35.17 I haue spoken vnto them but they haue not heard I haue called vnto them but they haue not answered Is not the case iust ours God hath spoken vnto vs but we haue not heard him he hath called vs but we haue not answered him He hath called vs per beneficia by his benefits but we haue not answered him per y Hugo Card. in Ierem. 35. gratitudinem by our thankefulnesse he hath called vs per flagella by his chastisements and scourges but wee haue not answered him per patientiam correctionem by our patience and amendment he hath called vs per exempla by examples but we haue not answered him per imitationem by our imitation he hath called vs per praedicatores by his Preachers but we haue not answered him per obedientiam by our obedience to his word preached He hath spoken to vs but we haue not heard him he hath called vs but we haue not answered him Men and brethren what shall we doe When a multitude of Iewes pricked in the heart at the preaching of Peter thus bespake Peter and his fellow Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Peters answere for himselfe and the rest was Repent Act. 2.38 This same Repent is the best lesson that we can learne We haue not kept the commandements of the Lord our God we daily transgresse them and hereby are Heauen gates fast shut against vs. The onely way for vs to haue them againe opened is to Repent Repentance is the most soueraigne medicine that we can apply to the bitter wounds made in our soules through the sting of sinne Oh! Let vs not deferre and put off this necessarie cure One hath said very well z Diez Loco de poenitentia Qui veniam per poenitentiam repromisit diem crastinam ad poenitentiam non promisit He that hath promised pardon to vs if wee Repent hath not promised vs that to morrow wee shall repent Wherefore let vs laying aside all excuses delayes and prolonging of the time let vs euen this day while it is called to day with touched hearts and consciences resolue vpon Repentance Let vs euen now haue setled purposes and willing minds to forsake all sinne and to turne to the Lord our God this will be a good beginning of true conuersion and Repentance Let vs follow it with perseuerance Let not any idle sports let not any houses of misrule or disorder keepe vs from the Church and this place of sound instruction Here shall wee all be taught of God and by the mightie opperation of his holy Spirit shall be enabled to loue his holy Lawes and in some measure to keepe his commaundements that passing the remainder of our dayes in this land of our soiournings in all possible obedience to his holy Lawes and Commaundements we may at length be translated into that better Countrey that Heauenly one that cittie of God wherein our eldest brother and sole Sauiour Iesus Christ hath prouided places for vs that where he is there may we be also THE VI. LECTVRE AMOS 2.4 And their lyes caused them to erre after the which their fathers haue walked IN my last Sermon I began the exposition of the third part of this prophecie against Iudah and passed ouer the two first branches You then heard the people of Iudah reproued for contempt and rebellion Contempt of the law of the Lord and rebellion against his commandements They haue despised the law of the Lord they haue not kept his commandements What! Iudah Iudah a Lament 2.1 the daughter of Sion she that was great among the Nations and b Lam. 1.1 a Princesse among the Prouinces Iudah That was the Lords c Esai 19.25 inheritance the Lords d Exod. 19.5 peculiar the Lords e Psal 114.2 Sanctuarie the f Esai 61.9 blessed seed of the Lord the g Esai 5.7 plant of the Lords pleasure Iudah to whom the h Rom. 3.2 oracles of God were committed is Iudah become rebellious Hath Iudah despised the law of the Lord Hath not Iudah kept his commandements What may be the reason of it The reason followeth in my Text Their lyes caused them to erre after the which their fathers haue walked In steed of lyes the vulgar Latin hath Idola Idols So hath S. Hierome Deceperunt eos Idola eorum their Idols haue deceiued them What Idols Euen such as their fathers followed while they
seemeth good to vs as we haue done we and our Fathers our Kings and Princes before vs sâ— will we doe We will perseuere in the Religion professed by our Fathers and reviued in Queene Maries dayes For so long as that religion was on foote we had plentie of victuals we were well we saw no euill Wâ—etched men and women as many of you as are thus wilfully addicted to the superstition of popery take you heed that the words of the Lord Esa 6.10 giuen in charge to the Prophet to be conueyed to the Iewes be not in euerie poynt appliable vnto you Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauy shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares vnderstand with their heart and convert and be healed Will the u Ierem. 13.23 Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then will our countrymen of the popish sect change from the religion of their forefathers Their firme resolution to liue and dye in the religion of their fathers is made apparant by their x An. D. 1603. supplication to the most puissant Prince and orient Monarch our gracious Lord King IAMES one branch whereof is this We request no more fauour at your Graces hands then that we may securely professe that Catholike religion which all your happy predecessors professed from Donaldus the first converted vnto your Maiesties peerelesse mother To this purpose doth y Preface to the King before his Survey Dr Kellison recite vnto the KING a long catalogue of his noble Predecessors to moue him if possible to embrace their Religion But God his holy name be blessed for it all in vaine When Fridericke the IV. Elector of the Sacred Romane Empire and Count Palatine of the Rhene was by a certaine Prince aduised for his religion to follow the example of his Father Lewis his z Polan com in Ezech. 20. answer was In religions non parentum non maiorum exempla sequenda sed tantum voluntas Dei In religion we are to follow not the examples of our Parents or our ancestors but onely the will of God And for this resolution he alleaged the fore-cited testimonie of the Lord out of the 20. of Ezechiel Walke yee not in the statutes of your fathers neither obserue their iudgements nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke yee in my statutes I doubt not but that our gracious Soueraigne King IAMES hath euer had and will haue a like answer in readinesse to stop the mouths of Kellison and all others who haue dared or shall attempt to moue his royall Maiestie for his religion to be like his predecessors God giue our King the heart of a Iosh 24.15 Ioshua a heart stedfast and vnmoueable in the true seruice of the Lord our God Though some of his Predecessors haue bin deceiued to fall downe before the beast in the Apocalyps and to worship his image yet good God so guide our King and blesse him with a religious people that He and we and his people may now and euermore feare thee and serue thee in sinceritie and truth to the glory of thy great name and the saluation of our owne soules through Iesus Christ our Lord. THE VII LECTVRE AMOS 2.5 But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem THree former Sermons haue caried me past the preface and the three first parts of this prophecie against Iudah the fourth which is the Commination or Denuntiation of the iudgements of the Lord against Iudah and Ierusalem remaineth to be the subiect of this my present discourse But I will send a fire c. These words are no strangers to you You haue met with them fiue times in the first Chapter and once before in this Their exposition their diuision the Doctrines issuing from them the Vses and applications of the Doctrines haue diuers times from out this place sounded in your eares Yet now the order obserued by the Holy Spirit in deliuering this prophecie so requiring it they are once more to be commended to your religious attentions May it please you therefore to obserue with me three circumstances Quis Quomodo Qui. 1. Quis comminatur Who it is that threatneth to punish It is the Lord. For Thus saith the Lord I will send 2. Quomodo puniet How and by what meanes hee will punish The letter of my text is for fire I will send a fire 3. Qui puniendi Who are to be punished And they are the inhabitants of the Kingdome of Iudah and the chiefe Citie thereof Ierusalem I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem In the precedent prophecies the comminations were against the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites all Gentiles and strangers to God but this commination against the Iewes Gods owne friends and children I will send a fire vpon Iudah I Who a Amos 4.13 forme the mountaines and create the winde and declare to man what is his thought and make the morning darknes and tread vpon the high places of the earth I will send I who b Iob 12.14 breake downe and it cannot be built againe who shuts vp a man and there can be no opening I will send I who c Psal 33.9 speakes and it is done who commands and it standeth fast I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem This fire which the Lord sendeth vpon Iudah is not so much a fire properly taken as a fire in a figuratiue vnderstanding It betokeneth that desolation which was to betide the kingdome of Iudah and the chiefest Citie thereof Ierusalem from hostile invasion I will send a fire This commination began to be fulfilled in the dayes of Zedechias King of Iudah The historie is very memorable and is briefly yet diligently described in the 2. Chron. 36. and in the 2. Kings 25. and Ierem. 39. 52. In those places you may read how d 2. King 25.1 Nabuchadnezzar King of Babylon came against Ierusalem pitched against it besieged it tooke it You may read how he e vers 6. tooke King Zedechiah prisoner slew his sonnes before his face put out the Kings owne eyes bound him with brasen fetters and carried him away to Babylon you may read how f vers 8. Nebuzaradan Captaine of the guard and chiefe Marshall to the King of Babylon dealt with Ierusalem He g 2. Chro. 36.19 2. Reg. 25.9 brake downe the wall thereof and burnt with fire the house of the Lord the Kings house euery great mans house all the houses and palaces there Say now did it not fall out to Iudah and Ierusalem according to this commination I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the pallaces of Ierusalem This desolation being thus wrought vpon Iudah and Ierusalem by the Chaldees the Iewes such as
escaped from the sword were carried away to Babylon where they liued in seruitude and bondage to the Kings of Babylon for h threescore 2. Câ—ro 36.21 and ten yeares This was that famous deportation commonly stiled the Captiuitie of Babylon from which vnto CHRIST are numbred Matth. 1. fourteene generations When the yeares of this captiuitie were expired and the Monarchie of Persia was setled vpon King Cyrus King Cyrus stirred vp by the Lord made a proclamation whereby he permitted the Iewes to returne into their country and to i â—â—ra 1.3 reedifie the Temple of the Lord at Ierusalem The Iewes now returned from their captiuitie wherein they liued threescore and ten yeares without a King without a Prince without a sacrifice without an Image without an Ephod without Teraphim as it is witnessed Hos 3.4 could not but with much ioy and great alacritie vnder the gouernment of their new Prince k Ezra 3.2 Zerubbabel sonne of Shealtiel and their new High-Priest Iesbuah sonne of Iozadak betake themselues to the building againe of the Lords house in Ierusalem The building was begun it proceeded but was soone hindred by the decree of l Ezra 4.23 24. 1. â—sar 2.30 Artaxerxes King of Persia So the worke of the house of God at Ierusalem m Ezra 4.24 1. Esar 2.30 ceased for some ten yeares till the second yeare of the raigne of Darius sonne of Histaâ—pes King of Persia by whose gracious n Ezra 6.8 decree for the aduancement of the building the building was againe set on foote and so diligently attended that in the o vers 15. sixth yeare of the raigne of the same King King Darius it was finished as it is deliuered Ezra 6.15 Thus was the house of God the Temple of the Lord in Ierusalem after p Iohan. 2.20 46. yeares consummate and dedicated Now once againe was the Lord of hostes iealous of Ierusalem and for Sion q Zach. 1.14 8.2 with a great iealousie now againe were r Zach. 8.4 5. old men and old women to dwell in Ierusalem and boyes and girles to play in the streets thereof now againe was Ierusalem to be called Å¿ Zach. 8.3 a Citie of truth the mountaine of the Lord of Hostes the holy mountaine and the Iewes which in former times were t Zach. 8.13 a curse among the heathen now became a blessing now againe were they u Zach 8.8 the people of the Lord and the Lord was their God in truth and in righteousnesse Thus were the people of Iudah through God his speciall goodnes blessed with ioy and enlargment for so much we finde registred Zach. 8. What did the people of Iudah for so many streames of Gods bounty deriued vpon them render vnto the Lord their God Did they as meete was x Ps 116.13 14. take vp the cup of saluation did they call vpon the name of the Lord did they pay their vowes vnto the Lord Did they as they were commanded Zach. 8.16 did they speake the truth euery man to his neighbour did they execute the iudgment of truth and peace within their gates did they imagine no euill in their hearts one against another did they loue no false oathes What saith the Prophet Malachie to this He confesseth chap. 2.10 11. that the people of Iudah dealt treacherously euery one against his brother that they violated the couenant of their fathers that they committed abomination in Ierusalem that they prophaned the holinesse of the Lord that they married the daughters of a strange God and chap. 3.5 that they were sorcerers adulterers false swearers oppressors and vers 7. that euen from the dayes of their fathers they departed from the ordinances of the Lord and kept them not Is not enough said against them Then adde yet further they corrupted the Law they contemned the Gospell they beheaded Iohn Baptist they crucified Christ they persecuted the Apostles Impiety of such an height and eleuation could not but presage a fearefull downefall This their downefall is in a figure foretold by the Prophet Zacharie chap. 11.1 2. Open thy dores O Lebanon that the fire may deuoure thy Cedars Howle Firre tree for the Cedar is fallen howle yee Okes of Bashan for the forrest of the vintage is come downe What Zacharie doth in a figure that doth Christ foretell in words proper and significant Luk. 19.42 where beholding the Citie of Ierusalem and weeping ouer it he saith The dayes shall come vpon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side and shall lay thee euen with the ground and thy children with thee and they shall not leaue in thee one stone vpon another This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this vtter desolation of the Citie Ierusalem foretold by Zacharie and by Christ by the one in a figure by the other in plaine termes was brought vpon that stately Citie by Titus sonne of Vespasian after the incarnation of Christ threescore and eleuen yeares as Genebrard threescore and twelue as Funccius threescore and thirteen as y Pedro Mexia in vitis Imperat. in Vespasiano pag. 126. others in the second yeare of the Emperor Vespasian It was besieged for the space of fiue moneths in which time there passed many assaults many skirmishes much slaughter with wonderfull obstinacie and resolution The famine meane while afflicting the Citie was such as no historie can parallell When their ordinarie sustenance was spent the flesh of z Pedro Mexia ibid. horses asses dogs cats rats snakes adders seemed good vnto their tasts When this foode failed they were driuen to eat euen those things which vnreasonable creatures will not eat a Famâ— impellebantur vt vel equâ—rum lora suos baltheos calceos coria câ—mederent PoÌ„tan Bibliothec. Conc. Tom. 4. ad Domin 10. Trinit Of their lether lether bridles lether girdles lether shoes and the like they made for themselues meate b Fame impellebantur vt comederent stercora beum quodcunque stereus reperiebatur illiuâ— partum pâ—ndus quatâ—or nummis veâ—debatur PoÌ„t ibid. Oxe dunge was a precious dish vnto them Purgamenta olerum the shreddings of pot-hearbs cast out trodden vnder foote and withered were taken vp againe for nourishment c Egesippus de exciâ—io Hieroslym lib. 5. c. 21. Miserabilis cibus esca lachrymabilis Here was miserable meat lamentable foode yet would the childe d Rapiebant parentibus filij parentes filijs de ipsis fanâ—â—bus câ—bâ—s proferebatur Egesip ibid. snatch it from his parent and the parent from his childe euen from out his iawes Plerisque etiam vomitus esca fuit saith Egesippus some to prolong their liues would eat vp that which others had vomited Among many other accidents in this famine at Ierusalem one is so memorable that I cannot well passe it ouer e De bello Iudaico lib. 7. cap. 18. Iosephus an eye-witnes of this
the Iewes for their prerogatiue nor Ierusalem for her goodly buildings From this vnpartialitie of God in his workes of iustice my proposition stands good Whosoeuer doe imitate the Heathen in their impieties are in the Lords account no better then the Heathen and shall be punished as the Heathen Will you a reason hereof It is because the Lord takes impietie for impietie wheresoeuer he finds it and for such doth punish it And he finds it euery where For the eyes of the Lord Å¿ 2. Chrâ—n 16.9 runne to and fro throughout the whole earth and are in t Prâ—u 15.3 euery place to behold as well the euill as the good His eyes are u Iere. 16.17 vpon all our wayes he seeth x Iob 34.21 all our goings he y Iob 31.4 counteth all our steps no iniquitie is z Iere. 16.17 hid from him This doth the Prophet Ieremie Chap. 32.19 wall expresse Thine eyes O Lord are open vpon all the wayes of the sonnes of men to giue euery one acccording to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings This the very Ethnickes guided onely by Natures light haue acknowledged Sybilla in her Oracles could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Almightie and inuisible God he onely seeth all things Hesiod could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath an All-seeing eye Plautus could say a Capte ivi Est profecto Deus qui quae nos gerimus auditque videt Doubtlesse there is a God who both heareth and seeth whatsoeuer we doe And b Metamorph. lib. 13. Ovid could say Aspiciunt oculis superi mortalia iustâ—s There is a God aboue who hath iust eyes beholdeth all the doings of mortall men c Thales interregatus an furta â—â—mâ—â—um Deos fallerent Nec cogiâ—ata â—nqâ—it Valer. Mar. lib. 7 cap. 2. Dioge Laert. lib. 1. in Thal s. Thales of Miletum the wisest of the seauen being asked whether mens euill deeds could be kept close from God! No sayd he nor their euill thoughts The Hieroglyphicke the mysticall or aenigmaticall letter whereby the Egyptians would haue God to be vnderstood was an eye And why so But as d Hierâ—glyph lib. 33. Pierius saith because Deus ille optimus maximus the great God of Heauen is mundi oculus the eye of the world It may be such was the conceit of that auncient e Augustin Father who sayd of God that he was totus oculus wholy an eye He giues his reason quia omnia videt because hee seeth all things All things are to the eies of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked and opened seene as well within as without So saith the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 4.13 All the impieties of man in deed word or thought are manifest vnto the Lord he seeth them all and for impieties will punish them Well saith f De constantiâ lib. 2. cap. 16. Lypsius Culpae comes iustissimè poena semper est Paine is alwayes the companion of a fault And g Jbid. cap. 14. againe Cognatum immo innatum omni sceleri sceleris supplicium Euery wickednesse brings a punishment with it As the worke is so is the pay if the one be readie the other is present h Lipsius de constant lib. 2 c. 13. Neuer did any man foster within his breast a crime but vengeance was vpon his backe for it If there be impietie there cannot be impunitie Witnesse the blessed Apostle S. Iames chap. 1.15 Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death And S. Paul Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death Many are the texts of holy Scripture which I might alledge to this purpose I will for this present trouble you but with one It is Psal 34.16 The face of the Lord is against them that doe euill to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth From these now-touched considerations first that Almightie God in iudgement accepteth no persons then that his Al-seeing eye beholdeth whatsoeuer impietie is done not onely in our workes and words but also in our most retyred thoughts thirdly that in iustice euery impietie is to receiue a due punishment from these considerations my position stands firme and vnmoueable Whosoeuer doe imitate the Heathen in their impieties they are in the Lords account no better then the Heathen and shall be punished as the Heathen Here let all good Christians be admonished with their greatest carefulnesse to looke vnto their wayes that they walke not in the by-pathes of sinne to imitate the Heathen in their impieties Qui attrahit ad se culpam non potest effugere poenam sayth i Comment in Hebr. 12. Hugo Cardinalis Thinke not that thy prerogatiue of being a Christian can be a shield vnto thee Christianus k August enchir ad Laurent ca. 5. nomine non opere A Christian in name not in deed may be called a Christian but is no Christian l Bernard Sentent Christianus as he is haeres nominis Christi so must he be imitator sanctitatis A Christian is heire to the name of Christ and therefore must be a follower of Christ in holinesse A Christian sayth S. Austine if he be the Author of the Booke m Lib. 1. cap. 6. de vita Christianâ A Christian is a name of iustice of goodnesse of integritie of patience of chastitie of prudence of humilitie of courtesie of innocencie of pietie A Christian is he who is a follower of Christ who is holy innocent vndefiled vnspotted in whose brest there is no wickednesse who hurts no man but helpeth all He that can truely say I hate not mine enemies I doe good to them that hurt me I pray for them that persecute me I doe wrong to no body I liue iustly with all men hic Christianus est he is a Christian But if in the profession of Christianitie a man liues the life of a Heathen the name of a Christian shall doe him no pleasure If he take delight in the n Galat. 5.19 workes of the flesh in adulterie fornication vncleannesse laciuiousnesse drunkennesse hatred variance wrath strife or any like sinne God will forsake him the holy Angels will flie him the blessed Saints will detest him the Reprobate shall bee his companie the Deuils his fellowes hell his inheritance his soule a nest of scorpions his bodie a dungeon of foule spirits and at last both bodie and soule shal eternally burne in fire vnquencheable Wherefore dearely beloued suffer a word of exhortation o Ecclus. 21.1.2.3 Haue you sinned Doe so no more Flee from sinne as from the face of a Serpent For if you come too neere it it will bite you the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon slaying the soules of men So sayth Ecclus chap. 21.2 Flee from sinne as from the face of a Serpent Sinne It s like a leauen that will leauen the whole lumpe It s like a scab that will infect the whole flocke It s like
against Iudah These might haue serued Israel in stead of so many mirrours or looking glasses wherein they might haue beheld the iudgements that hung ouer their heads also From the iudgements of God denounced to forreine nations the people of Israel might thus within themselues haue reasoned Our God! All his a Deut. 32.4 wayes are iudgement he is a God of truth without iniquitie iust and right is he The Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites must they for their misdoings be punished How then shall we escape They sillie people neuer knew the holy will of God and yet must they be measured with the line of desolation What then shall be the portion of our cup who knowing Gods holy will haue not regarded it Againe from the iudgements of God pronounced against Iudah the people of Israel might thus within themselues haue argued God b Psal 9.7 ministreth his iudgements in vprightnesse He threatneth destruction to our brethren the people of Iudah that people whom all that saw them acknowledged to be the c Esa 61.9 blessed seed of the Lord that people that was the d Esa 5.7 plant of the Lords pleasures that people with whom God placed his e Psal 114.2 sanctuarie vpon that people will the Lord send a fire to deuoure them What then shall be the end of vs They our brethren of Iudah haue preserued among them Religion the worship and feare of the Lord in greater puritie then we haue done and yet will the Lord send a fire vpon them to deuoure them Certainly our iudgement cannot be farre off Amos hauing thus prepared his auditors the Israelites to attention maketh no longer delay but beginneth to deliuer his message to them in the words which I haue now read vnto you For three transgressions of Israell and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof c. Herein for our more direct proceeding may it please you to obserue with me 1. Autoritatem sermonis The authoritie of this Prophecie Thus sayth the Lord. 2. Sermonem ipsum The Prophecie it selfe For three transgressions of Israel c. In the Prophecie as farre as this Chapter leadeth vs we haue 1. Reprehensionem A reproofe of Israel for sinne vers 6 7 8. 2. Enumerationem A recitall of the Benefits which God had heaped vpon Israel vers 9.10.11 3. Exprobrationem A twitting of Israel with their vnthankefulnesse vers 12. 4. Comminationem A threatning of punishment to befall Israel for their sinnes ver 13. to the end of the Chapter The Reprehension is first and first by vs to be considered In it we may note 1. A generall accusation of Israel For three transgressions of Israel and for foure 2. A protestation of Almightie God against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof 3. A rehearsall of some grieuous sinnes which made a separation betweene God and Israel Because they sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes and so forward to the end of the eyghth verse You haue the deuision of my Text. Now followeth the exposition The first thing we meete with is Autoritas sermonis the authoritie of this prophecie Thus saith the Lord Iehovah Now the thirteenth time is this great Name of God Iehovah offered to our deuoutest meditations We met with it in the first chapter of this book nine times and thrise before in this and yet by this name Iehovah is not God knowne to vs. We know him by the name of a strong omnipotent and All-sufficient God but by his Name Iehovah we know him not Abraham Isaac Iacob by this Name knew him not it is so recorded Exod. 6.3 Nor can we by this Name know him For this Name is a Name of Essence It designeth God vnto vs not by any effect of his but by his Essence and who euer knew the Essence of God who was euer able to define it The f Pet. Galatinus de arcanis Cathol verit lib. 2. cap. 1. schoole-men say there are three things whereof they can giue no definition One is that first matter out of which all things were produced The second is Sinne that hath destroyed all The third is God who preserueth all The first which is the Philosophers Materia prima they define not obsummam informitatem because it is without all forme The second which is mans bane Sinne they define not ob summam deformitatem for its exceeding deformitie The third euen God the prime cause of all his creatures they define not ob summam formositatem for his transcendeÌ„t beautie It pleaseth the Schoolmen sometimes thus to play with words For the matter they are in the right It is true g Aquin. par 1. qu 1. art 7. ad â—â— De deo non possumus scire Quid est We cannot attaine to so great a measure of the knowledge of God as to define what he is When the Poet h Cic. de Nat. Deorum lib. 1. Simonides was asked of K. Hiero what God is He wisely for answere desired one dayes respite after that two then foure still he doubled his number at last of his delay he gaue this for a reason Quanto diutiùs considero tanto mihi res videtur obscurior the more I consider of this matter the more obscure it seemeth vnto me Cotta in i Ibid. Tullie said not amisse Quid non sit Deus citiùs quà m quid sit dixerim I can with more ease tell what God is not then what he is This goeth for a truth in the schooles k Aquin. par 1. qu 3. in principio De Deo scire non possumus quid sit sed quid non sit we cannot know of God what he is but what he is not So saith Saint l In psal 85. Augustine Facilius dicimus quid non sit quam quid sit Deus We can more easily say what God is not then what he is And what is he not The same father in his 23. Tract vpon the Gospell of S. Iohn will tell you Non est Deus corpus non terra non coelum non luna non Sol non Stellae non corporalia ista God is not a bodie he is not the earth he is not the Heauen he is not the Moone he is not the Sunne he is not the Starres he is not any of these corporall things From hence sprang those Negatiue attributes of God which we meete with either in the sacred volumes of the New Testament or in the writings of the ancient Fathers from hence is God said to be m 1. Tim. 1.17 immortall invisible n Rom. 1.23 vncorruptible o Bernard serm 6. Supra Cantica incorporeall p Aug. de verb. Apostoli Serm. 1. ineffable inestimable incomprehensible infinite q Bernard paruorum sermonum serm 51. immense vndiuided vnuariable vnchangeable All these shew vnto vs not what God is but what he is not And
whosoeuer thus thinketh of God as he is set forth in these his Negatiue appellations though hereby he cannot altogether find out what God is piè tamen cauet quantum potest aliquid de eo sentire quod non sit saith S. Austine de Trin lib. 3. cap. 1. yet his religious care is to conceiue somewhat of God that he is not You see it is easier for vs to say what God is not then what he is easier for vs to conceiue of him by his Negatiue attributes then by his affirmatiue Yet by his affirmatiue attributes are we brought to some knowledge of God For hereby we know that he is the r Gen. 21.33 euerlasting God the Å¿ Psal 83.18 most high God the t Rom 16.27 onely wise God that he is u Gen. 17.1 omnipotent and x Apoc. 15.4 holy and y Deut. 32.4 iust and z Exod. 34.6 mercifull and gracious and long-suffering and good and true Whatsoeuer is verified of God in either sort of his Attributes Affirmatiue or Negatiue it is all comprised in this one name of God in my text his name Iehovah For this name Iehovah is the name of the Essence of God and whatsoeuer is in God it is his Essence It was one of a De Deo Not. ad Disp 3. p. 209 Vorstius his foule errours to deny the truth of that vulgarly receiued Axiome Nullum omnino in Deo accidens esse It is simply and euery way true There is no accident at all in God God he is primum ens his being is from all eternity he is forma simplex a pure forme no subiect there is nothing in God which is not God there is nothing in God really diuerse from the essence of God there is nothing in God obnoxious to imperfection separation or change therefore it followeth against Vorstius there is no accident at all in God God he iâ— Iehouah hee is absolutely and totally essence Thus saith Iehouah By this name Iehouah we are taught three things First that God of himselfe and through himselfe hath alwayes beene now is and euer shall be So is this name by a Periphrasis expounded Reuel 1.4 Grace be vnto you and peace from him which is which was and which is to come And Reuel 16.5 Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be This exposition of this name Iehouâ—â—h is giuen by b Strâ—mat lib. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus and c In Exod. qu. 15 Epist Diuinorum dogmatum Theodoretus Cyraâ—sis that Iehouah for its signification is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is Secondly we are taught by this name Iehouah that the essence or being of all things created is from God according to that Acts 17.28 In him we liue and moue and haue our being and that Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things Thirdly we are taught by this name Iehouah that God doth giue Esse reale a reall being to his promises threatnings that he is veracissimus and constantissimus most true and most constant in doing whatsoeuer he hath promised or threatned This consideration of this great Name Iehouah may yeeld much comfort to all the Elect of God and his faithfull ones Though they seeme to d Esa 51.17 drinke the dregs of the cup of trembling a Rom. 8.35 36 and to be euen swallowed vp of c tribulation of distresse of persecution of famine of nakednesse of perill of the sword though they be as killed all the day long and accounted as sheepe for the slaughter yet heereby they may be well assured that all the good things promised to them in the holy word of God shall in their due time be accomplished For God who hath promised hee is the Lord he is Iehouah Againe this consideration of this great name Iehouah may strike a terror into the hearts of the reprobate and vnbeleeuers They f Psal 73.12 prosper in this world they encrease inriches they haue more then heart can wish their eyes stand out with fatnesse they are clothed with violence as with a garment they are compassed with pride as with a chaine they are not in trouble they are not plagued like other men yet may they heereby bee assured that all the euill threatned to them in the holy word of God shall in due time ouertake them For God who hath threatned hee is the Lord hee is Iehouah Thus saith the Lord Iehouah Sundry other obseruations vpon these very words in so many syllables deliuered fiue times in the first chapter of this book and twice before in this second chapter haue heeretofore been commended to your Christian considerations They are in part published to your view therefore I neede not spend time in repetition of them By this which hath this time beene spoken you see whence this prophesie against Israel hath its authority The authority of it is from the Lord Iehouah whom once to name vnto you should bee enough to procure your most religious attentions Proceede wee therefore to the prophesie it selfe The first thing therein is the Accusation of Israel in a generality For three transgressions of Israel and for foure By Israel heere we are to vnderstand those ten tribes of Israel who after King Salomons death forsooke the Kings sonne Râ—hoboam and subiected themselues to the rule of Iereboam sonne of Nebat Those ten tribes from the time of that rent were commonly called the Kingdome of Israel These in Holy Scripture are called sometime g Hos 10.15 Bethel sometime h Hâ—s 10.5 Bethauen sometime i Amos 3.9 Samaria sometime k Hos 2.22 Iesreel sometime l Amos 5.6 Ioseph sometime m Hos 10.11 Ephraim sometime n Hos 12 2. Iacob sometime o Hos 10.1 Israel Israel is their most common name and their name in my text For three transgressions of Israel and for foure Diuerse are the opinions concerning these foure transgressions of Israel Nicolaus de Lyra saith their first transgression was their p Gen. 37.26 selling of Ioseph the second their q Exod. 32.4 worshipping of the Calfe the third their r 1 King 12.16 forsaking of Dauid the fourth their selling of Christ Paulus de Palatio saith the first transgression was their defection from the house of Dauid and the King of Iudah the second their defection from the worship of God to the worship of Idols the third their defection from the law of Moses which was Gods law the fourth their defection from the law of nature which is the light of Gods countenance sealed in our hearts Å¿ Domini 8. post Trin. Con. 1. Abraham Bronius saith the first of these transgressions was their idolatry the second the slaughter of the Prophets the third the murther of Christ the fourth their contempt They made a trade of transgressing These expositions seeme to bee farre fetched Albertus Magnus findes them neerer hand in the letter of my text
they did the bloud of Ahab 1. Kin. 22.38 or the fowles of heauen shall feed on their carkasses as they once did on the carkasses of those of Ahabs house that died in the field 1. King 21.24 Or the ground shall cleaue asunder and swallow them vp aliue as once it did Dathan and Abiram and the rest that perished in the Å¿ Iud. ver 11. gaine-saying of Corah Num. 16.32 But say they are visited t Num. 16.29 after the visitation of other men say they dye the common death of all men say they seeme to dye the u Num. 23.10 death of the righteous x Gen. 35.29 full of dayes and in peace to goe downe into their graues yet behold there is a day to come and come it shall vpon them y 2. Pet. 3.20 the day of the Lord that day wherein the heauens shall passe away with a great noyse and the elements shall melt with feruent heat the earth also the works that are therein shall be burnt vp At that day shall these men men of z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psâ—â— 5.7 blood bloud-thirstie and cruell men standing among the Goats before the tribunall of the great Iudge receiue that sentence of damnation Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels There is no evasion for them For if by that sentence they are damned who haue not done the works of Mercy Rainold vpon Obadiah p. 85. much more shall they be damned who haue acted the workes of Crueltie if by that sentence they are damned who haue not succoured and releiued the poore much more shall they be damned who haue oppressed and crushed the poore That sentence thus proceedeth a Mat. 25.41 Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels For I was an hungred and yee gaue me no meat I was thirstie and yee gaue me no drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke mee not in naked and yee clothed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not O then how fearefull how lamentable shall their case be against whom the Iudge may thus proceed in sentence Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels For I had meat and by force you tooke it from me I had drinke and you spoyled me of it I had a house and you thrust me out of it I had clothes and you pulled them from my backe I was in health and yee droue me into sicknesse I was at libertie and you imprisoned me O that we were wise to consider this while it is time b Mathes in Mat. 25.42 Nam si isti paenas luent qui proximo suppetias non tulerunt quid fiet de istis qui miserum insuper expiliârunt despoliârunt If they who helpe not their poore and needie neighbours shall eternally be burnt in Hell fire much more shall they be there burnt who robbe and spoyle their poore and needie neighbours who like the Israelites in my text doe sell the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes and doe pant after the dust of the earah on the head of their poore brethren What shall I say more to such I can onely wish that some remorse and penitencie may bee wrought in their hearts through the remembrance of my present doctrine God pleadeth the cause of the poore against the cruell the couetous and oppressours Is it so Then in the second place may this doctrine serue for the consolation or comfort of the poore and needie who now lie groaning vnder the tyrannie of the cruell and couetous oppressours of this age God c Prou. 22.23 pleads their cause God is their d Prou. 23.11 Redeemer God righteth their wrongs God spoyleth their spoylers God takes the care God takes the tuition of them May they not well be comforted Heare ye then yee that are poore and needie e â—sa 35.3 Let your weake hands be strengthened let your feeble knees be confirmed f Ver. 4. Be yee strong feare not Behold your God will come with vengeance your God will come with recompence hee will come in due time and will deliuer you from out the pawes of the bloud-thirstie and cruell man Though yee be scorned of the world and pointed at with the finger and triumphed ouer by such as tread you vnderfoot yet comfort your selues in this your affliction God pleads your cause I speake not this to giue encouragement or comfort to such of the poore as are prophane and wicked They can make no claime to Gods protection The stranger that behaueth himselfe more proudly then he would at home in his owne Country and among his friends he is out of Gods protection The widdow that plaieth as g Sâ—rm 73. vpon Deutron pag. 450. Calvin speaketh the she-Deuill that troubleth vexeth her neighbours with whom there is more to doe then with many a man shee is out of Gods protection The fatherlesse-childe that giues himselfe to naughtinesse shakes of the yoke of pietie becomes an vnthrift in spite of God and the world he is out of Gods protection The poore whosoeuer they be that h Psal 54.3 haue not the feare of God before their eyes that are giuen ouer to worke wickednesse and that greedilie that lie wallowing in sensualitie in wantonnesse in drunkennesse in any filthinesse they are all out of Gods protection I speake onely to comfort the stranger the widdow the fatherlesse child euery poore soule that is religious and godly such as i â—om 12.18 liue peaceably with all men such as are truely distâ—essed before the Lord such as k Iames 4.10 1. Pâ—t 5.6 humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God such as l 1 Pet. 5.7 cast all their cares and sowrowes vpon the Lord. Such are the poore that may receiue true comfort from my propounded doctrine God pleadeth the cause of the poore against the cruell the couetous and oppressours We haue not yet done with oppressours the holy Ghost will not so let them goe They are further described vnto vs in the next clause They turne aside the way of the meeke For the meeke the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word Psal 10.17 is rendred in our new translation the humble So it is translated by the m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seauentie and the vulgar n Humilium Interpreter Some translate it the poore some the miserable some the afflicted The originall word well beareth euery of these significations the meeke the humble the poore the miserable the afflicted The way of these men may here be taken properly or figuratiuely If it be taken properly then we are here to vnderstand that the richer sort of the Israelites did make the poore to turne aside out of their way to give them place or did make the poore euen for feare of them
ordinarily without feare or shame commit filthinesse with the same young woman and so doing doe prophane my holy name they cause my name to bee blasphemed and ill spoken of Two things are heerein remarkable One is the sinne heere obiected to the Israelites the other is the consequent of this sinne The sinne is poynted at in these words A man and his father will goe in vnto the same mayde the consequent in these to prophane my holy name The sinne is vnlawfull pleasure taken either in incest or in adultery or in fornication or in any other vncleannesse the consequent is the prophaning of the holy name of God The doctrine arising from both I deliuer in this one position Incestuous persons adulterers fornicators otherwise shamelesse sinners are oftentimes the cause of prophaning the holy name of God Incestuous persons adulterers and fornicators all are starke naught but the first are the worst Incest adultery and fornication each of them is a sinne that throweth the sinner into the euer-burning lake yet the most greeuous of them is incest Incest It is one of the grossest vices of lust Euery mixture of man and woman of the same kinred within the degrees forbidden by the law of God is Incest It is forbidden in the seuenth Commandement wherein although adulterie be onely mentioned yet vnder that kinde of vncleannesse are comprehended and noted Sodomitrie incest rape simple fornication all the rest together with their causes occasions effects antecedents and consequents But more precisely is incest forbidden in the eighteenth of Leuiticus from the sixth verse to the eighteenth In the sixth verse the inhibition is generall None of you shall approach to any that is neere of kinne to him to vncouer their nakednesse I am the Lord. It is then the Lord that speaketh to you None of you shall come neere to any of your kinne to vncouer their shame But what kinred meaneth hee There is a kinred by society of bloud it is called consanguinity there is also a kinred by marriage it is called Affinitie And to both these kinreds will the Lord haue his inhibition to extend You shall not approch to any that is neere of kinne to you to vncouer their nakednesse that is you may not marry with or otherwise lustfully abuse any of your kinred be they of your kinred either by Consanguinity or by Affinity Now to treat of all these degrees that are in the eighteenth of Leuiticus forbidden were needlesse at this time One aboue the rest will fit my text It s that in the eighth verse The nakednesse of thy fathers wife thou shalt not vncouer Thy fathers wife that is thy step-mother not thine owne mother Her nakednesse though shee bee but thy mothâ—r in law thou shalt not vncouer This might haue beene the sin of these Israelites in my text Heere you see A sonne and his father went in vnto the same maide If this maide were wife vnto the father then was shee stepmother to the sonne and the sonne was incestuous This vncleannesse the very Heathen haue detested S. Paul acknowledgeth as much 1. Cor. 5.1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles that one should haue his fathers wife Not so much as named amongst the Gentiles What doe not Heathen histories yeeld examples of this vncleannesse They doe They giue vs to vnderstand of n Plutarch in Demetrio Antiochus sonne of Seleucus how he burning with the incestuous loue of his mother in law Stratonice got her by his Fathers assent to be his wife They tell vs of o Plutarch in Artaxerxes Darius sonne of Artaxerxes how he obtained of his father by request that he might take to wife his mother in law Aspasia They relate vnto vs how p Aelius Spartianus in Antonino Caracalla Peretius in Mellificio historico parte 2. pag. 202. Antoninus Caracalla Emperour tooke to wife his mother in law Iulia. Antoninus bewitched with her beautie and desiring to marrie her with sighes said vnto her Vellem si liceret Mother if it were lawfull I would make you my wife Shee monster as she was shamefully replyed Si libet licet An nescis te Imperatorem esse leges dare non accipere Sonne you haue called me mother if you list to make me your wife you may Know you not that you are Emperour you giue lawes you take none With this her answere Antoninus inflamed matrem duxit vxorem he married his mother Other examples of this vncleannesse Heathen histories haue affoorded vs. How then is it that S. Paul in the but now-alledged place saith that this vncleannesse is such as is not so much as named among the Gentiles We need not fly to an Hyperbole to excuse the Apostles assertion His meaning is that though such vncleannesse were sometime practised among the Gentiles yet that among the very Gentiles lawes were made against it and that the better sort of the Gentiles did detest it as a filthie strange and monstrous villanie Was this vncleannesse held in such detestation by the Gentiles who were guided onely by natures light No maruaile then is it if the Lord here in my text do so sharply reproue Israel for this vncleannesse among them Israel They were the people of the Lord they were his inheritance they had the lampe of the word of God to be their guide Yet Israel rebellious and disobedient Israel hath played the harlot A man and his father went in vnto the same maide Vnder this one kinde of incest are comprehended all the rest And not incest onely but adulterie also yea and fornication too So that indeed the Israelites are here reproued in generall for their filthie lusts They were so inordinately vicious and so disolute that they blushed not once to pollute themselues with fornication with adulterie with incest with all manner of filthinesse and hereby was the holy name of God prophaned It is true Peccatorum turpitudine violatur nomen Dei sanctum such is the filthinesse of sinne that through it the holy name of God is often violated It was violated by Dauids sinne Dauid the man after Gods owne heart yet conuicted of murther and adultery Of murther for q 2. Sam. 12.9 killing Vriah the Hittite with the sword and of adulterie for taking to wife the wife of Vriah is by the Prophet Nathan reprooued for prophaning the name of the Lord. In 2. Sam. 12.14 they are the expresse words of Nathan vnto Dauid By this deed thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Dauid you see was the sinner others thereby tooke occasion to blaspheme the name of God The name of God was likewise blasphemed for the sinnes of the Israelites The Israelites r Ezech. 37.23 defiling themselues with the Idols of the Heathen with their abhominations with their iniquities are in the Bookes of the Prophets reprooued for prophaning the name of
those blessings wherewith God had blessed them Foure are heere mentioned One is the ruine of the Amorites set downe verse 9. Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Okes yet I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath The second is their deliuerance from the seruitude of Egypt ver 10. Also I brought you vp from the land of Egypt The third is their safe passage through the desert touched in the same verse I led you fortie yeares through the wildernesse And why so but to possesse the land of the Amorite These were three great blessings yet were they but temporall The fourth passeth It is spirituall ver 11. I raysed vp of your sonnes for Prophets and of your young men for Nazarites The confirmation of all followeth in the same verse Is it not euen thus O yee children of Israel sayth the Lord Say O yee children of Israel Haue I not done so and so for you Haue I not destroyed the Amorite for your sake Haue I not freed you from your Egyptian yoke Haue I not guided you through the desert Haue I not giuen you Prophets and Nazarites of your owne sonnes and of your owne yong men for your instruction in the true seruice and worship of your God Is it euen thus O yee children of Israel saith the Lord You haue now the scope of my Prophet and the summe of this Scripture My present discourse must begin with the first mentioned benefit bestowed by God vpon that people It is the ruine of the Amorites for their sake thus expressed ver 9. Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them c. Herein I commend vnto you three principall parts The first hath a generall touch of the ruine of the Amorites Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them The second hath a description of that people They are described from their stature and from their valour Each is set forth vnto vs by way of comparison their stature or tallnesse by the Cedar their valour or strength by the Oke Their height was like the height of the Cedars and hee was strong as the Okes. The third hath a particular explication or amplification of their ruine It was not any gentle stripe that they receiued not any light incision not any small wound but it was their extermination their contrition their vniuersall ouerthrow their vtter ruine Their roote and fruit Princes and subiects Parents and children yong and old were all brought to nought Yet I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath Of the first of these three parts at this time It hath a generall touch of the ruine of the Amorites Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them Yet The Hebrew letter is Vau it is most vsually put for a Et. And It is here so rendred by Leo Iuda by Calvin by Gualter by Brentius and by Drusius The b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint the author of the c Autem Vulgar Latine and Vatablus doe translate it But. d Quamvis Tremellius and the e Licet Translator of the Chaldee Paraphrase haue Although Our English Bible hath Yet Be it either And or Although or But or Yet it varieth not the meaning of the holy Ghost The meaning of the holy Ghost is by this enumeration of Gods benefits vpon Israel to taxe Israel of Ingratitude God showred downe his benefits vpon them yet they returned no thankes So much is here enforced by this particle Yet to this sense Notwithstanding all the good I haue done vnto Israell whether for their temporall or for their spirituall estate for their temporall by destroying the Amorite before them by freeing them from their seruitude in Egypt and by guiding them through the wildernesse and for their spirituall estate by giuing vnto them Prophets euen of their owne sonnes yet Israell f Hos 11.7 my people Israell haue g Hos 13.6 forgotten me Crueltie Couetousnesse Oppression False dealing Filthie lusts Incest Idolatrie Riot and Excesse these are the fruits wherwith they repay me Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them Here we are to take out a lesson against Vnthankefulnesse It is this Vnthankefulnesse is a sinne very odious in the sight of God This truth you will acknowledge to be very euident and out of question if you will be pleased to consider three things The First is that God doth seriously forbid Vnthankefulnesse The Second is that he doth seuerely reprehend it The Third is that he doth dulie punish it First God forbiddeth vnthankefulnesse It is forbidden Deut. 6.12 Take heed that thou forget not the Lord thy God when thou art full h Deut. 6.10 When the Lord thy God shall haue brought thee into the land which he sware vnto thy Fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob to giue thee and shall haue giuen thee great and goodly Citties which thou buildest not i Vâ—â—s 11. And houses full of all good things which thou filledst not and Wells diâ—gâ—d which thou diggedst not vineyards oliue trees planted which thou plantedst not k Deut. 8.10.11.12 when thou hast eaten and be full l Deut. 6.12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage Take heed that thou be not vnthankefull Secondly God reprehendeth vnthankfulnesse He reprehendeth it in the Iewes Esa 1.2 I haue nourished I haue brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me He reprehendeth it in the Gentiles Rom. 1.21 There are the Gentiles sayd to be without excuse Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were they thankefull Hee reprehendeth it in the proud Christian 1. Cor. 4.7 The proud Christian he boasteth of his dignitie of his good workes of his merits Vnthankfull man what hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued it why doest thou glory why boasteth thou as if thou hadst not receiued It is a reprehension of Vnthankfulnesse which you haue Mat. 25 26. There the seruant that receiued of his Master one Talent to be employed to the best aduantage and employed it not is thus checked Thou wicked and slothfull seruant thou knowest that I reape where I sowed not and gather where I haue not strawed Thou oughtest therefore to haue put my money to the exchangers I may not passe by Iesus his censure which he giueth of the Leapers Luk. 17.17 It is a reprehension of their Vnthankfulnesse Tenne were clensed onely one and he a Samaritane returned to giue thankes It drew from Iesus this expostulation Were there not ten clensed but where are the nine Let me recall you to review that reproofe of Vnthankefulnesse Esa 1.2 How begins it Heare ô men hearken ô Angels No. A greater Auditorie must yeeld attention Heare ô Heauens and hearken ô earth Why What is the matter I haue nourished and brought vp children
and they haue rebelled against me What Children and they rebell If seruants had done it if bondmen if the sonnes of Agar of whom it was sayd of old m Gen. 21.10 Cast out this bondwoman and her sonne if these had rebelled against me it were the lesse to be maruailed at but they are children mine owne children children of mine owne education nourished and brought vp by my selfe That these should rebell against me Heare ô Heauens and hearken ô earth stand yee hereat astonished Marke I beseech you how the Lord goeth on to amplifie this Vnthankefulnesse of his people ver 3. The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider See you not how God setteth his people as it were to Schoole to the Oxe and to the Asse to learne of them what their dutie is And no maruaile is it sayth a good n Calvin Interpreter For it often times falleth out that bruit beasts doe make a greater shew of humanitie then man himselfe doth It is a commendation giuen vnto dogges that they are fidelissimi dominis gratissimi most faithfull most grateful vnto their Masters that by night they watch and ward and keepe their Masters houses that by day they attend their Masters abroad that they fight for them yee and sometimes o Bosquiâ—r sâ—cundâ naufragij tabulâ Conc. in dâ—dicativis Templi pag. 158. die for them too The Dogge that in K. Pyrrhus his p Theatâ—â—m mundi Launaei lib. 1. sub finem Campe in the middest of his armed souldiers inuaded the parricide and murderer of his Master is recorded for a paterne of thankefulnesse So is that Merchants dogge that in the Iland Teos lay vpon a bagge of money of his Masters which his Masters boy had by negligence left behind him in a by-way and so long he lay vpon it that at his masters returne to seeke what he had lost tùm custodiae finem fecit tùm caninam efflavit animam sayth my q Elias Cretens comment ad â—rat 2. Naziazenus de Theologia p. 60. Author hee yeelded vp the custodie of the bagge and dyed I could tell you of as great thankefulnesse in Lyons It was a thankful Lyon that spared Androclus a runnagate from his Master put into Circus Maximus at Rome to be deuoured by the Beasts there The kindnesse he had done to the Lyon was in Africa and it was nothing else but the plucking of a thorne out of his foote It was a kindnesse and the Lyon forgat it not It s registred by Gellius Noct Attic. lib. 5. cap. 14. It was a thankefull Lyon that followed Gerasimus the Abbot to keepe his Asses the kindnesse that the Abbot had done to the Lyon was done at the riuer Iordan It was nothing else but the remoouing of a little bramble from the Lyons foote It was a kindnesse and the Lyon did him seruice for it It s reported by Iohan. Moscus in his pratum spirituale c. 107. And Fran. Costerus the Iesuite cites it to be true in his r Pag. 255. Sermon vpon the thirteenth Dominicall after Pentecoast It was a thankefull Lyon that followed a certaine souldier that went with Duke Godfrey of Bullein to the Conquest of the Holy land The kindnesse that the souldier had done to the Lyon was done not farre from Ierusalem And what was it A serpent that had gotten this Lyon at the aduantage and was like to be his executioner was slaine by this souldier This was a kindnesse and the Lyon was thankefull for it It is storied by Bernardus Guidonis in his Chronicle And Philip Diez a Fryer minorite of Portugall in his Summa predicantium at the word Ingratitude takes it for true and vpon the relation thereof breaketh out into this exclamation Å¿ Pag. 4â—5 O magnam bestiae gratitudinem ingentem hominum ingratitudinem Quare haec audientes vos non confunditis O the great thankefulnesse of a beast and the exceeding great vnthankefulnesse of men How is it that you heare this and are not confounded Salomon the wisest among the sonnes of men Prov. 6.6 sends the sluggard to the Ant to learne of her to labour Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Shee t Prou. 6.7 hauing no guid ouerseer or ruler prouideth her meate in summer and gathereth her food in the haruest Goe learne of her doe thou likewise Is the sluggard sent to the Ant to learne Then well may the Vnthankefull man be sent to the Lyon to the dogge to the oxe and to the asse He may learne to be thankefull of the Lyon and of the dog I haue shewed it vnto you by humane testimonies The oxe and the asse may also teach it them diuine demonstration makes it good Remember I beseech you that same exaggeration of the ingratitude of Israel The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters cribbe but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider And let this suffice to shew that God doth seuerely reprehend vnthankefulnesse Now in the third place I am to shew that he doth punish it The punishments wherewith God repayeth vnthankefulnesse are of two sorts They are eyther Temporall or Eternall Among Temporall punishments I ranke the losse of the commodities of this life Such a punishment a temporall punishment it was wherwith God repayed the Vnthankefulnesse of the Israelites in the wildernesse of Pharan at Kibroth-Hattaauah or the graues of lust their thirteenth mansion so called because there u Num. 11.34 they buried the people that lusted for flesh This punishment Psal 78.30 31. is thus described While their meate was yet in their mouthes the wrath of God came vpon them and slew the fattest of them and smote downe the chosen of Israel In the 11. of Numbers ver 33. thus While the flesh was yet betweene their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague A temporall punishment it was wherewith God repayed the mother x Hos 2.5 that played the Harlot Hos chap. 2. for her vnthankfulnesse Shee knew not that the Lord gaue y Ver. 8. her Corne and wine and oyle and multiplyed her siluer and her gold For shee sayd verse 5. I will goe after my louers that giue me my bread and my water my wooll and my flax mine oyle and my drinke You may see her punishment resolued vpon vers 9. I will returne saith the Lord and will take away my Corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and I will recouer my wooll and my flax Mine sayth the Lord. They are all his It was the Harlots Vnthankefulnesse to call them hers But shee was punished with the losse of them A temporall punishment it is which is threatned to fall vpon euery Vnthankefull wretch Prov. 17.13 Who so rewardeth euill for good euill shall not
Christ for its durablenesse stabilitie may well be likened to mountaines and that the Cedars of Lebanon doe not so much ouergrow other trees in tallnesse as true Christian religion for its reuerend maiestie shall ouergoe whatsoeuer blind bushie and thornie superstitions It is out of doubt Cedar trees are verie high So high that neuer man neuer Gyant was so high How then is it that my text thus speaketh of the Amorites Their height was like the height of the Cedars It is by a figure which the Greekes call Hyperbole Whereof many instances may be alledged out of holy Scripture In the 2. of Sam. 1.23 it is said of Saul and Ionathan They were swifter then Eagles they were stronger then Lyons Swifter then Eagles and yet the Eagle of birds is the swiftest stronger then Lyons and yet the Lyon of Beasts is the strongest They were swifter then Eagles they were stronger then Lyons they are two Hyperboles or prouerbiall speeches By them the holy Ghost lets vs vnderstand that Saul and Ionathan were exceeding swift of foot and strong of bodie In Psalme 107.26 it is sayd of the waues of the Sea in a great tempest They mount vp to Heauen they goe downe againe to the depths They are two Hyperboles By them the Psalmist setteth as it were before our eyes the greatnesse of the daunger wherein they often times are that trade by Sea In Genes 13.16 The Lord said to Abram I will make thy seede as the dust of the earth so that if a man can number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also be numbred I will make 〈◊〉 seede as the dust of the earth saith the Lord. It is an Hyperbole S. Austine so takes it de Civ Dei lib. 16. c. 21. And well For who seeth not how incomparably greater the number of the dust is then the number of all the men that euer haue bin are or shall be from the first man Adam to the end of the world can be And therefore where the Lord saith I will make thy seede as the dust of the earth we are not to imagine that the posteritie of Abram was to be in number as the dust all the people of the earth put togither cannot stand in this comparison but wee are giuen to vnderstand that they were to be a very great people I passe ouer with silence many instances of like nature and returne to my text where it is said of the Amorites Their height was like the height of the Cedars The speach is prouerbiall its hyperbolicall We may not from it collect that the Amorites were as high as the Cedars but this onely that the Amorites were a people very tall and high of stature Neuer did any man equall the Cedars in height yet shew me a man that is of a vaste bodie and of an vnusuall proceritie I may take vp this Scripture phrase and say of him His height is like the height of Cedars Thus you see the Amorites for their height or talnes are likened to the Cedar For their strength or valour they are resembled to the Oke in the next words He was strong as the Okes. The figure of speach is as before It s prouerbiall The Oke you know is a hard kinde of wood strong firme and durable Hence is the prouerbe Quercu robustior or robore validior stronger then the Oke Neuer was there man of so firme a constitution that he can properly be said to be stronger then the Oke Yet shew me a man of extraordinarie strength I may take vp this Scripture-phrase and say of him Fortis ipse quasi quercus he is strong as the Okes. And in this sense it is here said of the Amorite He was strong as the Okes. That the Amorites were of an vnusuall and extraordinarie height and strength as they are here described by our Prophet Amos you may further know by the relation which the Spies made vnto Moses after their returne from the search of the Holy land Their relation is Num. 13.28 The people be strong that dwell in the land we saw the children of Anak there At the 32. verse they speake more fully All the people that we saw in it are men of great stature And there we saw the Gyants the sonnes of Anak which come of the Gyants and we were in our owne sight as grashoppers and so were we in their sight By this relation of the Spies you see that the Amorites the inhabitants of the land of Canaan were more then ordinarie tall and strong The tallest and strongest of the Amorites of these Amorites which the Lord destroyed before Israel was Og the King of Basan Of his height and strength the Iewes make strange reports For his height they say he was in his cradle and swadling cloutes thirty cubits high and as he grew in yeares so grew he in tallnesse For his strength they say when he had heard that the tents of the children of Israel tooke vp the space of three miles he rooted vp a mountaine of like space and set it on his head with purpose to cast it vpon the tents of Israel but as he caried it Ants made a hole through the midst of it and so it descended and rested vpon his necke whence by reason of his teeth excessiuely increasing and running into the holes of the mountaine the mountaine stuck so fast that he could not remoue it to cast it as he had purposed vpon the campe of the Israelites This the Iewes do write in their booke of Benedictions and Lyra in his Postill vpon Num. 21. makes mention of it but withall censures it to be so absurd that it needs no other refutation yet he makes mention of it that we may see quanta coecitas est in Iudaeis how blinde the Iewes are to beleeue such fables It is I grant one of those Iewish fables whereto S. Paul wished Titus chap. 1.14 not to giue any heed and I beleeue it no more then I doe that the Gyant Antaeus was threescore cubits high because Gabinius in the 17. booke of Strabo his a pag. 960. Geographie affirmes it or that in Scythia in a rocke by the riuer Tyres there was to be seene the print of Hercules his foote of two cubits length because Herodotus in his b pag. 110. Melpomene is the relator of it Yet beleeue I that Og the King of Basan was of more then ordinarie tallnes and strength And you will beleeue it too if you will estimate a monument of his which was to be seene in Rabbath the Metropoliticall Citie of the children of Ammon now called Philadelphia The monument was a bedsted of his It is described Deut. 3.11 His bedsted was a bedsted of yron nine cubits was the length thereof and foure cubits the breadth of it after the cubit of a man Of a man of reasonable stature not of a Gyant nor of a dwarfe Nine cubits long was his bedsted and bedsteds vsually exceed the common stature of
refused him Eliab notwithstanding the prioritie of his birth and notwithstanding the comelinesse of his person he is refused and Dauid little Dauid little in his fathers eyes and little in the eyes of his brethren neglected and despised of all for hee was the yongest of all he is chosen to be the Lords anointed He is taken o Psal 78 70.71.72 1. Sam. 16.11 2. Sam 7.8 from the sheepe-folds from following the Ewes great with yong and is placed in rule and gouernment to feed Iacob the people of the Lord and Israel the Lords inheritance Thus much may serue for the confirmation of my propounded doctrine God respecteth not the tall man for his tallnesse nor the strong man for his strength You may adde nor the great man for his greatnesse nor the rich man for his wealth nor the wise man for his wisedome The reason I haue alreadie touched It is expressed 1. Sam. 16.7 The Lord seeth not as man seeth For man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart He looketh on the heart and therefore he chooseth not as man chooseth the tall the great the strong the rich the wise but the low man the little man the weake man the poore man the foolish man Whereto else tendeth the Apostles speech to the faithfull among the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1.26 You see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mightie and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to naught things that are And what is the end of all It s this that no flesh should glory in the presence of God It is the vse we are to make of the doctrine now deliuered We are vrged vnto it Ierem. 9.23 There thus sayth the Lord Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome neither let the mightie man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise louing kindnesse iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth In like sort say we Let not the tall man glorie in his tallnesse neither let the strong man glorie in his strength though the height of the one be like the height of the Cedars and the other be strong like the Okes yet let them not glorie therein but let them glory in this that they vnderstand know God to be the Lord which exerciseth louing kindnes iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth that is in the Apostles phrase 1. Cor. 1.31 He that glorieth let him glorie in the Lord. And againe 2. Cor. 10.17 He that glorieth let him glorie in the Lord. All other glorying is vaine Glorie not in thy tallnesse what can it auaile thee Glory not in thy strength it cannot helpe thee Say thou wert as tall as the Amorites in my text and thy height were like the height of the Cedars say thou wert as strong as they strong as the Okes yet notwithstanding the one or the other height or strength thou maist perish and come to nought as they did Glorie thou therefore in the Lord. Here may the man that is low of stature or weake of body be comforted for as much as God seeth not as man seeth nor chuseth as man chuseth Be thou little or be thou weake thou art neuer a whit the further from the grace fauour of God No further then Zacheus was Zacheus was a verie little man In the 19. of Luke ver 3. it is sayd of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee was little of stature Iesus passed through Iericho Zacheus was very desirous to see him but could not for the presse of the people because he was little of stature To supply this defect of his he gets him vp into a tree and seeth Iesus Iesus for it spake graciously vnto him Zacheus make hast and come downe for to day I must abide at thy house You see Iesus respected Zacheus for all his little stature He was of little stature Statura brevis magnus in opere S. p Tâ—m 8. fol. 310. H. Austin saith it Enarr in Psal 129. Zacheus was in deede little of stature but was great in good workes Great in his loue toward Iesus whom he was so desirous to see and great in charitie towards men to whom he was readie to make a fourefold restitution if he had done wrong to any Zacheus little of stature Chrysologus Serm. 54. thus meditates vpon it q Pag. 225. Satis hic animo magnus erat qui pusillus videbatur in corpore Nam mente tangebat coelos qui corpore homines non aequabat Zacheus was great enough in mind albeit he was but little in bodie in bodie he was no match for men and yet his minde reached vp to Heauen Whereupon he frames this exhortation Nemo de brevitate corporis cui addere nil potest curet sed vt fide emineat hoc procuret Let not any man be grieued because he is little of stature whereto he cannot adde one cubite but let euery mans care be to be eminent aboue others in faith You haue hitherto heard of the varietie of mens statures you haue heard of the Amorites that their height was like the height of the Cedars Of King Saul that he was higher then any of his people from the shoulders and vpward of Eliab that he was high of stature of Zacheus that he was low of stature This varietie of mens statures is by euery dayes experience confirmed vnto you And why is there such varietie of mens statures One reason may be to stirre vs vp to this consideration that God is the most prouident author of euery mans stature It is not in man to adde any thing to his stature not one cubite sayth our Sauiour Mat. 6 27. He sayth it againe Luke 12.25 Which of you with taking thought can adde one cubite to his stature No man No man can doe it Nay it is not in man to amend the imperfections wherewith he is borne into the world The man that was borne blind confesseth it Ioh. 9.32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind We cannot supply any defect wherwith we are borne into this world much lesse can we adde any thing vnto our stature It may thus farre serue for our instruction Vt ex illo capite neminem contemnamus vel exagitemus saith Franzius Disp 2. in Deuter. Thes 92. that we despise not any man nor speake ill of him for his stature be it great or little or for any defect he hath in nature from his natiuitie A second reason why there is
such varietie of statures in the world may be to let vs vnderstand that a mans stature of it selfe is not to be reckoned as a part of his felicitie or glory For if a great and a goodly stature be as common nay more common to the wicked then to the godly as S. Austin seemes to proue De Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 9. why should a godly man boast himselfe of his great and goodly stature Especially sith for the most part men that are conspicuous for their elegant and well featured bodies are defectiue for vnderstanding wisedome and pietie Baruch obserues it Chap. 3. ver 26.27.28 There were sayth he Gyants famous from the beginning that were of so great stature and so expert in warre Those did not the Lord choose neither gaue he the way of knowledge vnto them But they were destroyed because they had no wisedome and perished thorow their owne foolishnesse His obseruation is there were gyants men of great stature yet were they without knowledge without wisedome Great men and yet fooles Whereas pumiliones dwarfs little men men of very little stature sometime scarse a cubite high doe excell in fortitude vnderstanding and wisedome as the but now cited Franzius hath noted Tydeus corpore animo Hercules It s an old prouerbe Tydeus was a man of very little stature but as Menander the Historian sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was Hercules for his minde The prouerbe appliable to such as being of little stature are of an vndaunted courage sheweth that many a little man is such Many a man of little stature is of the liuelier wit So it pleaseth God our most wise and prouident God to temper the gifts of the bodie and minde in men of diuers statures He doth not alwayes giue all to one but for the most part he recompenseth the defects of the body with the endowments of the minde Giue me the endowments of the mind what care I for the stature of my bodie Aequè enim brevis longus viuit sayth Musculus Comment in Matth. 6. As long liues the short man as the tall man Nihil detrimenti habet brevis statura nec plus aliquid habet longa The short stature hath no losse neither hath the long stature any aduantage for Heauenly affaires Be my stature what it will let me be transformed by the r Rom. 12.2 renuing of my mind I am well For so shall I proue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God which is our ſ 1. Thes 4.3 sanctification Blessed is that man whatsoeuer his stature be that shall be so transformed by the renuing of his mind that he may proue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God which is his sanctification I haue stood long vpon the second part of this verse the description of the Amorites the time requireth that I goe on with the third part It is the explication or the amplification of the ruine of the Amorites The words are Yet I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath The words are prouerbiall they are figuratiue they are metaphoricall I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath The meaning is exterminavi eum totum t Drusius quantus quantus erat I haue wholy cast him out I haue vtterly destroyed him The like phrase we meet with Iob 18.16 It s there said of the wicked man His rootes shall be dried vp beneath and aboue shall his branch be cut off The comparison stands betweene a wicked man and a dry tree A dry tree may seeme to be firmely rooted and may haue faire and wide spreading bowes when its good for nothing but to be cut downe and cast into the fire So it is with the wicked man All his pompe all his power all his excellencie all his honor all his glory which are to him as the fruit and the rootes are vnto a tree shall more then suffer an Eclipse they shall vtterly vanish His roots shall be dried vp beneath and aboue shall his branches be cut off I cannot giue you an easier or plainer exposition of the Allegorie then Bildad the Shuhite doth in the same chapter of the booke of Iob and the verse following His remembrance shall perish from the earth and he shall haue no name in the street He shall haue no name in the street What 's that It s this His old friends and acquaintance shall not so much as speake of him but to vilifie him as to say He was a wicked wretch an adulterer an vsurer a thiefe a drunkard a slanderer a swearer a blasphemer a man that neither feared God nor loued his neighbour Vpon such a man the wicked man Salomon hath passed his censure Prov. 2.22 He shall be cut off from the earth he shall be rooted out of it This also may serue for an exposition of the Allegorie His rootes shall be dried vp beneath and aboue shall his branch be cut off The like Allegorie you see is in my text I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath Fruit and rootes That is saith Lyranus patres filios fathers and their sonnes Paulus de palatio by the fruit and the rootes vnderstandeth viros mulieres parvulos men women and the litle ones The litle ones are the fruit men and women are the roote Albertus Magnus will haue the fruit to be divitias aedificia culturam their riches their buildings their husbandry and the rootes to be tribus familias successionem filiorum nepotum their tribes families kinreds and the succession of their sonnes and nephewes Arias Montanus takes the fruit and the rootes to signifie omnem illius gentis familiam posteritatemque all the linage of that nation and their posteritie I passe by other like interpretations these few may giue vs the true meaning of the words we haue in hand The words are an explication or rather an amplification of the first part of this verse concerning the destruction of the Amorites There the Lord saith I destroyed the Amorite before them here he saith I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his roots from beneath From hence we know that it was not any gentle stripe which the Amorites receiued not any light incisiō not any small wound but that it was their extermination their contrition their vniuersall ouerthrow their vtter ruine Fruit and root Prince and subiect Parents and children old and yong they were all destroyed For thus saith the Lord I destroyed their fruit from aboue and their roote from beneath But when did this great destruction befall the Amorites It befell them in the dayes of Moses when the Lord deliuered ouer into the hands of Israel t Deut. 2.33 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Then did Israel smite both those Kings u Num. 21.34 Deut. 3.3 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Them they smote with the edge of the
against vs. For this cause because they prospered too fast were task-masters set ouer them to afflict them with their burdens But the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied and grew This did not a little grieue the Egyptians The Egyptians therefore made the children of Israell to serue p Vers 13. with rigour q Vers 14. and held them in bondage without mercie and made their liues bitter vnto them in that cruell bondage in clay and bricke and all manner of worke in the field All their bondage wherein they serued them was full of tyrannie The crueltie of the Egyptians here stayeth not The hopes of succession for Israel must be preuented Women midwiues must be suborned to be murtherers to kill euery man-childe that should be borne of an Hebrew woman A prodigious crueltie that a man should kill a man for his sexes sake yet would Pharoah haue done it The r Vers 17. feare of God taught the midwiues to disobey the vniust commaund of Pharaoh They disobeyed it they well knew it was no excuse for so foule a fact to say we were bidden to doe it God sayd vnto their hearts Thou shalt not kill This voice was louder and more powerfull then Pharaohs What the midwiues would not that must Pharaohs people doe they must ſ Vers 22. cast into the riuer and drowne all the sonnes that were then borne They did it The crueltie which did but smoke before doth now flame vp it s become so shamelesse that now it dares proclaime tyrannie All the male children are cast into the riuer Nor could Pharoahs furie here be appeased He will haue the t Exod. 56.78 taske of the Children of Israel to be encreased They must make bricke as before as much as before yet shall they not haue any allowance of straw as they were wont to haue While possible taskes were imposed there was some comfort their diligence might saue their backes from stripes But to require taskes not possible to be done is tyrannicall and doth onely picke a quarrell to punish They could neither make straw nor find it yet must they haue it O crueltie O tyrannie For such crueltie and tyrannie practised against the children of Israel by the Egyptians Egypt it selfe is in holy Scripture stiled The house of seruitude or bondage Exod. 13.3.14 Exod. 20.2 Deut. 5.6 And in sundry u Deut. 6.12 And 7.8 8.14 135.10 Iosh 24.17 Iudg. 6.8 other places It is stiled likewise the yron furnace Deut. 4.20 1. Kin. 8.51 Ierem. 11.4 Egypt you see was the house of bondage it was the yron furnace wherein the children of Israel were x Act. 7.19 euill intreated suffered affliction and endured much miserie You will confesse that therefore it was beneficiall and good for them that they were from thence deliuered And well may you For the Lord himselfe reckons vp this their deliuerance for a benefit vnto them and by them to be remembred From hence issueth this doctrine Temporall benefits and bodily fauours are not to be forgotten I will not now stand to amplifie or enlarge this doctrine In the beginning of this exercise I exhorted you that you would not forget any one of Gods benefits bestowed vpon you Temporall benefits and bodily fauours haue beene plentifully shewred downe vpon vs by almighty God It is y Psal 100.3 He that hath made vs not we our selues it is He that prouideth for vs not we our selues S. Austin in his 21. chap. of his Soliloquies sweetly meditateth hereupon From Heauen from the Aire from the Earth from the Sea from light from darknesse from heate from shade from dew from raine and winds and showers and birds and fishes and beasts and trees and from the diuersitie of hearbes and fruit of the earth and from the seruice of all creatures which serue for mans vse Thou O Lord hast prouided to comfort man withall St Austines Lord is our Lord the Lord of all the world He hath preserued vs our bodies and all our lims to this very houre he hath deliuered vs from many dangers and distresses He hath so blessed our going out and comming in when we haue trauelled from home that we haue returned home in good health and disposition whatsoeuer good we haue had we haue had it from the Lord. Offer we therefore vnto him the sacrifice of prayse Hitherto you haue seene the deliuerance of the people of Israel out of Egypt It was an exceeding great benefit vnto them that they were thence deliuered First because the Egyptians were Idolaters and to liue among Idolaters is a very Hell Secondly because they were kept vnder by the Egyptians with extremitie of seruitude and bondage The seruant in the z Plautus Captivis Act. 1. Sc. 2. vers 10. Poet could say Omnes profectò liberi lubentiùs Sumus quam servi Euery man preferreth freedome before slauery The Israelites could doe no lesse they could not but account it a great fauour of God towards them that they were by him freed from the slauerie they endured in Egypt God when he beginnes a good worke will perfect it He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt if he had then left them he had left them a prey and spoyle vnto their enemies It was against Gods goodnesse so to doe and therefore he protected and preserued them in the wildernes which is the next benefit in this verse mentioned to haue beene bestowed by the Lord vpon his people the people of Israell in these words I led you fortie yeares through the wildernesse A wonderfull benefit Wonderfull whether we consider the multitude that were led or the place through which they were led or the time wherein they were led Euery circumstance is wonderfull and proclaimeth the great power of the Lord. The multitude that was led was very great the place through which they were led was very barren and they were a long time in leading The first circumstance is of the multitude which were led The number of this multitude is set downe Exod. 12.37 They were sixe hundred thousand men on foote besides children A most wonderfull increase from seauentie soules Old Iacobs seauentie soules which he brought downe into Egypt in spight of their bondage and bloud-shed goe forth six hundred thousand men besides children Tyrannie is too weake where God bids increase and multiplie The Church of God shall increase mauger the malice of man or Deuill In affliction in oppression in tyrannie the good herbe ouergrowes the weeds the Church out-strips the world Had the Israelites liued in case and delicacie while they were in Egypt would they haue beene so strong so numerous Who can say it This I am sure of neuer did any true Israelite loose by his affliction Six hundred thousand men besides children goe vp out of Egypt All Israelites But these were not all For there went vp also with them a mixed multitude and flockes and heards euen very much cattell as you may read
I deliuer in this position The ministerie of the word of God freely exercised in any nation is to that nation a blessing of an inestimable value I neede not be long in the proofe of this truth you already giue your assent vnto it The word of God it s a Iewell then which nothing is more precious vnto which any thing else compared is but drosse by which any thing else tryed is found lighter then vanitie it s a trumpet wherby we are called from the slippery paths of sinne into the way of Godlinesse It s a lampe vnto our feete it s a light vnto our paths Psal 119.105 It s the g Matth. 4.4 Luk. 4.4 Ierem. 15.16 Ezech. 3.3 Revel 10.9 Ezech. 2.8 Wisd 16.26 foode of our soules by it our soules do liue Deut. 8.3 It s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 1.23 incorruptible seede Seede committed to the earth taketh roote groweth vp blossometh and beareth fruit So is it with the word of God If it be sowen in your hearts and there take roote it will grow vp blossome and beare fruit vnto eternall life In which respect S. Iames chap. 1.21 calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an engrafted word engrafted in your hearts able to saue your soules Sith the word of God is such doth it not follow of necessitie that the ministerie of it freely exercised in any Nation will be to that Nation a blessing of an inestimable value Can it be denyed The Prophet Esay chap. 52.7 with admiration auoucheth it How beautifull vpon the mountaines are the h Nahum 1.15 feete of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth saluation that saith vnto Zion Thy God reigneth S. Paul is so resolued vpon the certainty of this truth that Rom. 10.15 he resumeth the words of the Prophet How beautifull are the feete of them that preach the Gospell of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Conferre we these two places one with the other that of Esay with this of Paul and we shall behold a heape of blessings showring downe vpon them to whom God sendeth the ministers of his Gospell for they bring with them the word of saluation the doctrine of peace the doctrine of good things and the doctrine of the kingdome Such is the Gospell of Christ First it is the word of saluation The Gospell of Christ is called the word of saluation first because it is the power of God vnto saluation as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 1.16 It is the power of God vnto saluation that is it is the instrument of the power of God or it is the powerfull instrument of God which he vseth to bring men vnto saluation And secondly because it teacheth vs concerning the author of our Saluation euen Christ Iesus An Angell of the Lord appeared vnto Ioseph in a dreame and saith vnto him Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the Holy Ghost And she shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name i Luk 1.31 Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Matth. 1.21 He shall saue his people that is he shall be their Sauiour Iesus he is the Sauiour of his people merito efficacia by merit and by efficacie By merit because he hath by his death purchased for his people for all the elect the remission of their sinnes and the donation of the holy Spirit and life eternall And by efficacie because by the Holy Spirit and by the preaching of the Gospell he worketh in the elect true faith by which they doe not onely lay hold on the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospell but also they studie to serue God according to his holy commandements An Angell of the Lord relating the natiuitie of Christ vnto the Shepheards Luk 2.10 11. saith vnto them Feare not For I bring you glad tidings of great ioy which shall be to all people For vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Vnto you is borne a Sauiour where you haue what you are to beleeue of the Natiuitie of Christ He is borne a Sauiour vnto you Vnto you not onely to those shepheards to whom this Angell of the Lord speakes the words but vnto you Vnto you not only to Peter and Paul and some other of Christs Apostles and Disciples of old but vnto you vnto you vnto euery one of you in particular and vnto me When I heare the Angels words Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto you I apply them vnto my selfe and say Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto me In this perswasion and confidence I rest and say with S. Paul Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and that life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto me Peter filled with the Holy Ghost seales this truth Act. 4.12 There is no Saluation in any other then in the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth There is no other name vnder Heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued then the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth Againe Act. 15.11 he professeth it We beleeue that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saued It must be our beleefe too if we will be saued We we in particular must beleeue that through the grace of the Lord Iesus we shall be saued We shall be saued What 's that It is in S. Pauls phrase we shall be made aliue 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aliue St Austine Ep. 157. which is to Optatus doth thus illustrate it Sicut in regno mortis nemo sine Adam ita in regno vitae nemo sine Christo As in the kingdome of death there is no man without Adam so in the kingdome of life there is no man without Christ as by Adam all men were made vnrighteous so by Christ are all men made righteous sicut per Adam omnes mortales in poenâ facti sunt filij seculi ita per Christum omnes immortales in gratiâ fiunt filij Dei As by Adam all men mortall in punishment were made the sonnes of this world so by Christ all men immortall in grace are made the sonnes of God Thus haue I prooued vnto you that the Gospell of Christ is the word of Saluation as well because it is the power of God vnto Saluation as also because it teacheth vs of the author of our Saluation Secondly it is the doctrine of Peace The Gospell of Christ is called the doctrine of peace because the ministers of the Gospell do publish and preach Peace This Peace which they publish and preach is threefold Betweene God and man Man and man Man and himselfe First they preach Peace
for Nazirites Is it not euen thus O yee children of Israel I the Lord aske you the question Is it not thus The points of doctrine from hence to be collected are diuers 1. God will haue the blessings and benefits which he bestoweth vpon vs euer to be had in remembrance 2. We must acknowledge that whatsoeuer good we haue we haue it from the Lord. 3. The blessings which God bestoweth vpon vs are nothing inferiour to those he bestowed vpon the Israelites I make this plaine by a briefe collation of the blessings bestowed by the Lord vpon them and vs. The Lord brought Israel out of Aegypt the house of bondage with a mighty hand and he ouerthrew Pharaoh in the red sea the same Lord hath deliuered vs from as great a bondage hath freed vs from the house of Hell and hath spoyled that infernall Pharaoh the Deuill The Lord gaue vnto the Israelites the land of the Amorites for their possession when he had driuen out the Amorites from before their face the same Lord hath giuen vs a good land for our possession and hath from out our Churches expulsed the spirituall Amorite Antichrist Balaam of Rome The Lord raised vp vnto Israel of their sonnes for Prophets the same Lord hath raised vp vnto vs of our sonnes for Prophets he giues vs orthodoxall and sound interpreters of his holy word and Pastors to declare vnto vs what his sacred will is The Lord raised vp vnto Israel of their yong men for Nazirites the same Lord hath giuen vs Schooles and Nurseries of good literature for the trayning vp of our yong men as Nazirites in knowledge and in piety yea he hath giuen vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one most holy Nazirite euen Christ Iesus in whom he maketh vs all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Nazirites that is Christians sanctifying vs by his Holy Spirit in Baptisme wherein we promised to forsake the Deuill and all his workes and to giue vp our selues wholy to the obedience and seruice of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Haec frequenter seriò cogitemus fratres Dearely beloued let vs frequently seriously thinke of these things So shall we the more esteeme Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs and shall the lesse abuse them and shall the longer enioy them Which God of his infinite mercy grant vnto vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. THE XVII LECTVRE AMOS 2.12 But yee gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke and commaunded the Prophets saying Prophecie not IN this propheticall Sermon written by Amos concerning the Israelites I haue heretofore in my eight Lecture vpon this Chapter obserued foure principall parts A Reprehension An Enumeration An Exprobation and A Commination The first is a reproofe of Israell for sinne vers 6.7.8 The second a recitall of the benefits which God hath bestowed vpon Israel vers 9.10.11 The third a twyting of Israel with their vnthankefulnesse vers 12. The fourth a threatning of punishment to befall them from the 13. verse to the end of the Chapter Of the two former the Reprehension and the Enumeration you haue at sundry times alreadie heard Now are we to proceed to the Exprobation conteined in the words at this time read vnto you For our easier vnderstanding whereof we are to cast backe an eye vpon those benefits which in the precedent verses are mentioned to haue beene bestowed by the Lord vpon his people Israel They were either Corporall or Spirituall Corporall as the destruction of the Amorites before the Israelites and for their sakes vers 9. their deliuerance out of Egypt their protection and preseruation in the wildernesse for fortie yeares together that at length they might possesse the land of the Amorite vers 10. And Spirituall as the doctrine of the sincere worship of God and of eternall saluation together with the free vse and passage thereof expressed vers 11. by the raising vp of their sonnes for Prophets and of their yong men for Nazirites These were very great benefits and worthy all thankfull acknowledgement But the people of Israel were so farre from giuing thankes for them that they a Ruffinus vilely esteemed them and too too contemptuously reiected them This appeareth in this 12. verse which I therefore call an Exprobration an vpbraiding or twyting of Israel with the foulnesse of their b Albertus Magnus ingratitude Two things here are said vnto their charge one is Their solliciting the Nazirites to breake their vow The other is their hindering the Prophets in the execution of their function The first in these words yee gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke The second in these yee commaunded the Prophets saying Prophecie not Of these in their order The first is their solliciting the Nazirites to breake their vow Ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke Of the name of Nazirites and of their institution I spake in my last exercise out of this place I will not now spend time vpon the repetition of that I then deliuered It shall suffice if I adde but a word or two for the further illustration thereof The c Babington in Num 6. Nazirites had their name of Nazar which signifieth to separate They were yong men separate from the ordinarie course of men and bound to a certaine peculiar course and profession of life They were Ecclesiae ornamenta sayth d Harmon in 4 〈◊〉 Moses Calvin ornaments of the Church and God would in them as in a glasse make his honor and glorie in some sort to appeare They were quasi pretiosae gemmae to shine as rich Iewels among the people of God They were tanquam signiferi ante signani duces as standard-bearers ring-leaders and chiefetaines to shew the way of diuine worship vnto others Singular was the honor and dignitie of this order and calling of Nazirites Ieremie in his Lamentations chap. 4.7 thus sets them forth Her Nazirites were purer then snow they were whiter then milke they were more ruddie in body then Rubies they were like polished Saphyres The author of this order and calling is God This appeareth by the verse next before my text There the Lord hath sayd I haue raised vp of your yong men for Nazirites The first branch of the Law that concerneth this order and calling is accurately described Num 6.3 4. Whosoeuer shall vow the vow of a Nazirite he shall absteine from wine and strong drinke he shall drinke no vineger of wine or vineger of strong drinke neither shall be drinke any liquor of grapes nor eate moist grapes nor dried All the dayes of his Naziriteship shall he eate nothing that is made of the vine tree from the kernels euen to the huske These Nazirites for the time of their Naziriteship were to apply themselues wholy to the studie of the law of God and therfore was abstinence from wine and strong drinke enioyned them God would haue them refraine all things that might trouble the braine stirre vp lust and make them vnfitly disposed for so holy a studie of
as from a well drawne bow shall they flie to the marke They shall flie to the marke as from a bow therefore are they called the Lords arrowes Psal 18.14 The Lord thundred in the Heauens and the highest gaue his voyce he sent out his arrowes and she shot out lightnings so did shee scatter and discomfit the wicked The like sentence you haue Iob 27.2 where the thunder is called the noyse of this voyce of the Lord and the sound that goeth out of his mouth a Iob 37.4 the voyce of his excellencie the voyce wherwith he thundreth b Vers 5. marueilously This his voyce the thunder he c Vers 3. directeth vnder the whole Heauen and his lightning vnto the ends of the earth The thunder the Creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient So is the Haile so is the water so is the wind These also fight with the Lord against the disobedient Their fight is described Wisd 5.22 Haile-stones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone-bow against the wicked and the water of the sea shall rage against them and the flouds shall cruelly drowne them Yea a mightie wind shall stand vp against them like a storme shall blow them away Haile It was one of the great plagues of Egypt Exod. 9.23 Haile with Thunder and fire mingled with haile a very grieuous haile was vpon the land of Egypt it smote all that was in the field d Exod. 9.25 both man and beast it smote euery herbe of the field and brake euâ—ry tree thereof With Haile stones the Lord fought for Iosuah when he went vp to the rescue of Gibeon against the fiue Kings of the Amorites Iosh 10.11 The enemies were discomfited and a great slaughter was made of them yet more died with e Ecclus 46.6 hailestones then were slaine with the sword The Lord hath a treasurie of Haile for the time of his battailes You may read of it in the Booke of Iob chap. 38.22 There the Lord thus questioneth with Iob Hast thou seene the treasures of the haile which I haue reserued against the time of trouble against the day of battaile and warre I could yet farâ—her tell you out of the Reuelation of S. Iohn chap. 16.21 of a Haile a great Haile that fell from out of Heauen vpon men euery stone thereof was about the weight of a Talent and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the Haile for the plague thereof was exceeding great But I haue said enough to proue that the Haile the creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient From the Haile come we to the Water Of the fifteene signes that shall be before the last Iudgement and are by f Jâ— 4. Sent. Dâ—â— 48. Dub. 3. Bonauenture Holkot g In â—undem Dâ—â—â— qu. 3. Richardus de Mediâ Villâ and h â—orinus câ—m in Sup. 5.23 others cited out of S. Hierome though Eusebius Emissenus in his Sermon vpon the second Dominical of Advent citeth them out of the Annales of the Iewes the first is that the Sea shall swell fifteene Cubites high aboue the tops of mountaines and shall not runne backe but there consist like vnto walles For the truth whereof I can say nothing But thus much Christ telleth vs Luk. 21.25 that before that great day the Sea and waues shall roare Granatensis in his exercises thus meditateth vpon the words Most of all other elements the Sea shall at that time shew greatest rage and fury and the waues thereof shall be so high and so furious that many shall thinke they will vtterly ouerwhelme the whole earth Such as dwell by the Sea-side shall be in great dread and terror for the incredible and vnusuall swelling and eleuation of the waters and such as dwell farther off shall bee wonderfully affrayd and euen astonished at the horrible roaring and noyse of the waues which shall be so extreamely outragious that they shall be heard for many a myle off But what speake I now of waters that shall be hereafter There was a floud of waters in the dayes of Noah that preuailed vpon the earth for an hundred and fiftie dayes together you all know it Gen. 7.24 The Waters then preuailed against man for the sinne of man the fruit of his disobedience And they shall againe preuaile if Gods pleasure be such and the disobedience of man shall so require For the Almightie he who shut vp the Sea with dores when it brake forth as a child issueth forth of his mothers wombe as Iob speaketh chap. 38.8 and made the clouds to be a couering for it and swadled it with a band of thicke darknesse and established his decree vpon it and set barres and dores vnto it and said Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud Waues be stayed he the Almightie can easily vnbarre those dores and let the waters loose to fight his battells Hereof we haue had a late woefull and lamentable experience i See my twentith Lecture vpon Amos 2.14 pag. 241. The woefull newes and report of flouds in this Countrey of ours nine yeares since may hereof be your remembrancers It shall euer stand for good that the water the creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient The wind is next The wind The Lord bloweth it out of his mouth Iob 37.10 it is called the breath of his mouth Iob 15.30 he bringeth them out of his k Ierem. 10.13 treasuries Psal 135.7 He flyeth vpon the wings thereof Psal 18.10 and walketh vpon the wings thereof Psal 104.3 He weigheth the windes Iob 28.25 He l Mark 4.39 Luk. 8.24 rebuketh the winds Matth. 8.26 he commandeth the winds and they obey him Luk. 8.25 Memorable was the victorie of the Emperour Theodosius against the traytor and rebell Eugenius Eugenius was like to haue had the vpper hand It pleased the Almightie vpon the prayers which the Emperour made vnto him for ayde and assistance to worke a strange act He sent a Wind to take part with the Emperour It was a most vnusuall and mightie Winde It blew with such force and violence that it brake the array of Eugenius his souldiers did beate back their arrowes their darts and their iauelings vpon themselues did strike their targets out of their hands did bring vpon them incredible abundance of dust and filth and dâ—d driue the arrowes of the Emperours side with such forcible flight against them that they soone gaue the field for lost The storie is Ecclesiasticall written by Socrates lib. 5. cap. 24. by Theodorite lib. 5. cap. 24. by Sozomene lib 7. cap. 24. by Nicephorus lib. 12. cap. 39. and recounted by Cassiodore in his Tripartite lib. 9. cap. 45. and by Claudian the Poet in his Panegyricke to Honorius I could here tell you how the windes fought for vs
as the manner of men is to speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Athanasius Disput contra Ariam in Niceno concilio for our imbecillitie God thus speaketh he descends to our capacities and that men may in some measure know him he will bee knowne as man by passions or affections by complaining by repenting by grieuing by fainting By these he signifies not what he is indeed but what is needfull for vs to know of him For we well acquainted with the vse of these naturall passions in our selues may the better guesse at the knowledge of that God to whom we heare them ascribed by translation By translation not properly or as one well sayth per figuram non naturam by a figure not by nature or as the Schooles speake quoad effectum non quoad affectum in the effect not in the affection So Aquinas Par. 1a. qu. 21. art 3. C. But hauing intreated else where of this question Whether there be any affection or passion in God in my 17. Sermon vpon Hoseah chap. 10. I now say no more of it Onely I conclude it affirming with Gregorie Moral lib. 20. cap. 23. that God is Sine Zelo Zâ—lans sine irâ irascens sine dolore poenitentiâ poenitens sine misero corde misericors sine praevisionibus praesciâ—ns that God is zealous without zeale angry without anger grieuing without sorrow repenting without penitencie pitifull without pitie foreknowing without foresight There is no passion at all in God Thus haue you my answere to the question euen now propounded The question was How God may be sayd to complaine of our sinnes to be burdened with them or to be grieued at them sith in himselfe he hath all pleasure and content My answere is He cannot be said so to doe in a proper sense and vnderstanding because God is not obnoxious to any passion but improperly in a figure abusiuely metaphorically by an Anthropopathic and metonymically he may well be sayd so to doe he may well be sayd to complaine of our sinnes to be burdened with them and to be grieued at them So he complaineth against Israel here in my text I am pressed vnder you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues Hitherto haue I stood vpon the first Interpretation of these words depending vpon the intransitiue or newtrall signification of the Hebrew verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am pressed The other Interpretation growing vpon the transitiue signification of the same verbe is put in the Margent of our newest English translation and thus it is I will presse your place as a Cart full of sheaues presseth It is the very reading of Tremellius and Iunius Ionathan doth not much varie from it nor R. Abraham and other Hebrew Doctors nor the wise men of Spaine as Pagnine hath obserued Our new expositors for the most part doe mention it Calvin and Danaeus Brentius and Winclelman Mercerus and Quadratus Christopherus à Castro and Petrus à Figuiero I will presse you In an old English Bible It may be Taverners translation I find this place thus Interpreted I will crashe you in sunder like as a wayne crasheth that is full of sheaues I will crash you or I will presse you the meaning is the same and thus I paraphrase it I the Lord Iehovah your Lord God will presse your place wheresoeuer it shall be But how Either as a cart full loaden with sheaues presseth the earth and whatsoeuer else it passeth ouer or as a cart full loaden presseth the sheaues in the threshing floare or as a cart full loaden with sheaues is it selfe pressed I will presse you as a cart full of sheaues presseth or is pressed By this second Interpretation of my text my text is Comminatorie The Lord threatneth to punish Israel for their sinnes to punish them non levi manu aut viribus languidis not with a light hand or languishing force sed magno nisu acrobore but with great endeuour and strength I will presse you as a cart full of sheaues presseth or is pressed God euer iust and immutable assigneth to like sinnes like punishments We for sinning come not short of the Israelites May we not then well expect their punishments Yes doubtlesse we may and this Commination may be aswell to vs as to them I will presse you as a cart full of sheaues presseth or is pressed From this Commination we may take this lesson God will neuer suffer sinne to escape altogether vnpunished He will not His commination of punishment giuen in Paradise to the transgressor of his law iâ— a proofe of this truth The Commination is Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt dye the death Adam transgressed the Law it was his sinne the punishment of it in him and his whole posteritie is death Hitherto belongeth that malediction Deut. 27.26 which is repeated Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them Now God is euer true in his sayings and he euer performeth what he saith If thou then faile in the performance gf any one Commandement of his Law or of any braunch thereof the Curse layeth hold on thee and obligeth thee to punishment In the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Rom. vers 32. we know it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of God his righteous and iust Law his Law of Nature that they which doe such things as are there rehearsed are worthie of death Art thou filled with vnrighteousnesse with fornication with wickednesse with couetousnesse with maliciousnesse Thou art worthie of death Art thou full of enuie of murther of debate of deceit of malignitie Thou art worthie of death Art thou a whisperer a backbiter a hater of God Thou art worthy of death Art thou despiteful or proud or a boaster or an inuentor of euil or disobedient to thy parents thou art worthy of death Art thou without vnderstanding or without naturall affection Art thou a couenant breaker or implacable or vnmercifull Thou art worthie of death It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of God his righteous and iust Law his Law of Nature that they which commit such things are worthie of death They are worthie of death and death must be their wages It must be so So true is my Doctrine God will neuer suffer sinne to escape altogether vnpunished For the further illustration of this truth I might produce the suffrages of the auncient of Austine and of Gregorie But hauing elsewhere done that in my 18. Sermon vpon the 10. of Hoseah I will not now againe doe it and what need I draw from the Riuers when I am full of the fountaine Yet may I not end without making some vse hereof My first vse shall be to reprooue such as teach otherwise as Socinus Osterodius Gittichius and other the enemies of Christs satisfaction They will thus argue if God will neuer
saith another by true faith by sincere affection by godly and deuout prayers Such are the feete such the paces of our hearts by which if we are contrite broken and sorrowfull in spirit for our sinnes already past and are carefull to preuent all occasion of sinne hereafter we draw nigh to God yea we haue accesse vnto him To haue accesse to God we are invited Psal 34.5 Accedite ad cum illuminamini facies vestrae non confundentur Let your accesse be to God and be lightned and your faces shall not be confounded And this accesse to God according to S. Austine vpon Psal 145.16 is to be animo non vehiculo affectibus non pedibus with the minde not with a chariot with our affections not with our feete So the same Father vpon the 59 Psalme Our accesse to God must be non gressu pedum non subvectione vehiculorum non celeritate animalium non elevatione pennarum not by running with our feete not by hurrying in a coach not by riding vpon the swiftest of horses not by mounting vp with feathered wings sed puritate affectuum probitate sanctorum morum but with puritie of affections and sanctitie of behauiour This our accesse vnto God is nothing else then our comming vnto God The invitation to come vnto him is generall Matth. 11.28 It is there made by our Lord Å¿ Rom. 1.3 7. Iesus Christ our t Matth. 1.21 Sauiour and u Galat. 3.13 Redeemer the x Revel 17.14 Lord of Lords and King of Kings the head of all principalitie and power the ioy and crowne of all Saints the assured trust and certaine y Colâ—ss 1.27 hope of all the faithfull and it s made vnto all Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest Come Come vnto me Quibus gressibus ad semetipsam nos veritas vocat Christ the Truth calls vs but how shall we come vnto him Quibus gressibus by what steps or paces Gregorie frames the question Moral lib. 21. cap. 4. and there giues this answer Ad se quippe venire nos Dominus praecipit nimirùm non gressibus corporis sed profectibus cordis its true the Lord commands vs to come vnto him not with the motion of our bodies but with the proceedings of our hearts Thus I haue made plaine vnto you what it is Ad Deum fugere to flee to God It s nothing else then Deo appropinquare ad Deum accedere ad Deum venire to draw nigh to God to approch vnto him to come vnto him but whether we flee or draw nigh or approch or come vnto him the vnderstanding of all must be spirituall Our wings our charriots our coaches our feete wherewith we are to flie to draw nigh to approch to come to God are all spirituall And what are they They are contrition faith and obedience With these we approch we draw nigh we flie we come to God Vt miseri ad misericordiam vt nudi ad divitem vt famelici ad panem vt infirmi ad medicum vt serui ad dominum vt discipuli ad magistrum vt caeci ad lumen vt frigidi ad ignem as the wretched to the mercifull as the naked to the rich as the hunger-staruen to bread as the sicke to the Physition as the seruant to his Lord as the scholar to his Master as the blinde to the light as the cold to the fire so Hugo Cardinalis vpon the 4th of S. Iames. Now with these three Contrition Faith and Obedience the inseparable companions of true and vnfeigned Repentance let vs make haste to God and flie we with all speede from the wolfe to the shepheard from death to life from our sinnes to our Sauiour from the paths of Hell full of all darknesse and horror to the way of Heauen full of all true ioy and pleasure So will God draw nigh to vs Liberando ab angustijs gratiam dando de virtute ad virtutem promovendo saith the same Hugo he will free vs from distresse will giue vs of his grace and will promote vs from vertue to vertue Thus shall it be with vs if with the affection of the spouse in the Canticles we call vpon the Lord. Her affection is seene Chap. 1.4 Draw me saith she and we will runne after thee Say we with like affection Lord draw vs and we will runne after thee Draw vs and we will runne That we may begin zealously to runne after God we haue neede to be drawne and that with great force For vnlesse he draw vs we cannot z Joh. 6.44 come to him we cannot follow him But if he once draw Lo then we hasten then we runne then we wax hot Wherefore let the Lord draw vs let him pull vs out from the bondage of our sinnes let him deliuer vs from this wicked world let him powerfully incline our wills and affections towards him let him giue vs strength to cleaue vnto him and then we and all the faithfull will at once with speed and earnestnesse flie vnto him draw nigh vnto him haue our accesse vnto him and come vnto him Hitherto of the first branch of this fourteenth verse expressing the first of the seauen miseries here foretold to betide the Israelites that the flight should perish from the swift Now followeth the second and it concerneth their strong men And the strong shall not strengthen his force THE strong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He in whom is strength strength not of minde but of bodie he shall not strengthen his force though he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very strong and Iustie yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall not reteine his force so daunted shall he be in heart and his courage so abated that he shall not dare for his owne defence to vse the strength he hath He shall be as if he had no strength at all The lesson to be taken hence is When God meanes to punish a mans strength will not helpe him It will not For as it is in the song of Hannah the mother of Samuel 1. Sam. 2.9 By strength shall no man preuaile No man against God For God is Almightie He remoueth the mountaines and they know not He ouercommeth them in his anger He shaketh the Earth out of her place and the pillars thereof tremble He commands the Sunne and it riseth not and sealeth vp the Starres He alone spreadeth out the Heauens and treadeth vpon the waues of the Sea He maketh Arcturus Orion and Pleâ—ades and the chambers of the South He doth great things past finding out yea and wonders without number He is the Almightie Who euer hath hardned himselfe against him and hath prospered So deuout Iob chap. 9 4. It is as if he had thus briâ—fly argued God is Almighty and therefore there is no contending against him no withstanding him by any strength of man Here may the strong be admonished that they glory not in their strength
nor put their trust in it I would wish them to listen to the words of S. Austine in his Enarration vpon the 33 Psalme Ad Dominum omnes In Deo omnes Get yee all to the Lord trust yee all in God Spes tua Deus sit foâ—titudo tua Deus sit firmitas tua Deus sit exeratio tua ipse si laus tua ipse sit finis in quo requiescas ipse sit adiutorium cûm laboras ipse sit Let God be thy hope let him be thy fortitude let him be thy strength let him be thy reconcilâ—mâ—nt let him be thy praise let him be thy end wherein thou maist pleasure and solace thy selfe let him be thy refuge in time of trouble Ad Dominum omnes in Deo omnes Get yee all to God rest ye all in God Trust not in thy self nor in thine owne strength But thou wouldst still be reputed for strong and valiant Wouldest thou so Then be thou so but take this for thy character Thou strong and valiant man be thou the master of thy selfe subdue thy passions to reason and by this inward victorie worke thou thine owne peace Be thou afraid of nothing but of the displeasure of the Almighty and runne away from nothing but from sinne Looke not on thy hands but thy cause not how strong thou art but how innocent Let goodnesse euer be thy warrant and I assure thee though thou maist be ouer-mastered yet shalt thou neuer be foyled For Deus fortitudo tua God will be thy strength Thus haue you heard in briefe of the second miserie here foretold to betide the Israelites that the strong should not strengthen his force The third is Neither shall the mighty deliuer himselfe THE mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gibbor Hee that excelleth in strength in strength not of bodie onely but of minde too This stout and douty man is called by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of armes a fighter a warriour such a one as hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Cyrill speaketh and is skilfull in militarie affaires This man for all his skill strength and valour shall not deliuer himselfe Himselfe The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naphscho his soule or life His soule that is his life Well For what is life but as the Philosopher defineth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the composition and colligation of the soule to the bodie The soule for life It is often so put in holy Scripture As 1. King 19.4 Elias in the wildernes requesting for himselfe that he might dye said It is enough now O Lord take away my soule from me My soule he meant his life So Ionas chap. 4.3 O Lord Take away my soule from me That by his soule he meant his life it is plaine for he addeth It is better for me to dye then to liue Satan Iob 2.4 thus saith vnto the Lord Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he giue for his soule For his soule that is for his life and so the Greeke Scholia vpon the first of S. Iames doe expound it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The soule is also called life as in these words All that a man hath will he giue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his soule or life God telleth the rich man in the Gospell who was talking of larger buildings when the building within him was neere pulling downe and thought he had goods enough for his soule to delight in when he had not soule enough to delight in his goods Thou foole this night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this night doe they require and redemaund thy soule of thee Luk. 12.10 Thy soule that is thy life for the meaning is this night thou must dye S. Austine in his second Booke concerning Christ his Sermon vpon the Mount vpon these words Nonne anima plus est quà m esca Is not the soule more then meat saith Animâ— hoc loco pro istâ vita positaÌ„ noverimus know we that the soule in this place is put for this life whose retinacle or stay is the corporall sustenance we daily take According to this signification is that also spoken Ioh. 12.25 Qui amat animam suam perdet illam he that loueth his soule shall loose it In each place the soule is put for life and accordingly is it rendered in our newest English in the one place Is not the life more then meate in the other He that loueth his life shall loose it As in these now-cited places and a 〈◊〉 31.13 Act. 20 24. in 〈◊〉 c. many other Anima pro Vitâ the soule is put for the life so is it in my text The mighty shall not deliuer his soule that is his life The meaning is He shall not saue his life he shall not saue himselfe The doctrine to be taken from hence is this No man can be priuiledged by his might against the Lord. No man can The Wiseman affirmeth it Eccles 9.11 There is no battell to the strong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laggibborim to the mighty to the man of armes there is no battell no victorie in battell The Psalmist speaks it plainely Psal 33.16 A mighty man is not deliuered by much strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gibbor a mighty man is not deliuered from the danger and power of his enemies by much or great strength of himselfe or others for him This mighty man in the Vulgar Latin is stiled a Giant Gigas non saluabitur in multitudine virtutis suae A Giant shall not be safe in the multitude of his strength Little Dauid but a b 1. Sam. 17.42 youth without c vers 39. armour only with d vers 50. a sling and a stone slew the Philistim great Goliah It is true No man is priuiledged by his might against the Lord. The reason hereof is that 1. Sam. 2.2 Non est fortis sicut Deus noster There is none strong like our God None so mighty none so potent as our God Men of this world may seeme to be mighty and of great power but our God in Heauen is mightier and doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him euen vpon the mighty here on the Earth From hence may the mighty man take instruction the instruction that is giuen him Ierem. 9.23 Let not the mighty man glory in his might But if he will needs glory let him glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth the Lord. Vpon this Lord the Lord of Heauen and Earth e Iudeth 9.12 creator of the waters and King of euery creature let vs wholy depend being well assured that none of these outward things agilitie of bodie strength might or the like can be any way avayleable to vs if Gods speciall blessing be not vpon them Thus much of the third miserie here foretold to betide the Israelites which hath ended the fourteenth verse The fourth followeth and is expressed in the first branch of the fifteenth verse these words Neither shall he stand that handleth the
59 Sixtus the fourth 157 Sobrietie 286 Sonnes 265 The eldest Sonnes prerogatiue 14 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28 The Spanish inuasion 298 Stand before the Lord. 363 Stature 233 Our States of regeneration and election 11 Stratonice 149 Stwes in Rome 157 patronised ibid confuted 158 Swift of foote 359 T Testament the Old 53 the New ibid. Thankefulnesse in doggs 207 in Lyons 208 An exhortation to Thankefulnes 211 Three and foure Transgressions 57. 116 Thunder 295 Tiglath Pileser 372 The Translations of the Scriptures into vulgar tongues withstood by Papists 88 their exceptions ibid. Treasures of wickednes profit not 71 God is True 6 We must striue to be True as God is True 11 Trust not in wealth nor in any wordly helpe 220 Trust not in externall helps 367 Trust in the Lord. 368. 374 Trust not in man 373 Trumpets vsed in warre 40. 41 God is Truth in himselfe in his words and in his workes 6 We must be thankefull to God for our knowledge of the Truth 8 We must striue to represent God in Truth 10. 12 A Tumult 40 An exhortation to Turne to the Lord 46 Tydeus 234 Tyrannie 253 V The execution of Vengeance proper to the Lord. 33. Victories 239 Vilages depopulated 193 Vnthankefulnesse 205. 211 Odious before God 205. 211 forbidden 206 reprehended ibid punished 209 Vsurie 133 W To walke 84 how we are to walke 249 The Water 296 Warre the executioner of Gods vengeance 41 A Way taken properly figuratiuely 137 Wealth trust not in it 220 The wicked man 235 Wildernesse of Etham 254 of Shur 256 The Winde 297 Wine allowed 181 to be auoided 184 forbidden to the Nazirites 285 to Priests 286 to Kings 285 Wine giuen to the condemned 186 of the condemned ibid The abuse of Wine 181 A Woman of Munster 88 An english Woman 89 The Word of God praised 16 272 magnified 54 55 not to be declined from 85 to be embraced with diligence 87 compared to a lampe or light 86 We must be thankefull for hauing the Word of God 87 The Church of Rome with-holds the Word of God ibid The Workes of God internall and externall 7 Z Zacheus 201 232 Zedechiah K. of Iudah 97. FINIS A Commentary OR EXPOSITION VPON THE THIRD Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS Deliuered In XVII Sermons in the Parish Church of MEYSEY-HAMPTON in the Diocesse of Glocester BY SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD Doctor of Diuinitie 2 COR. 12.14 I seeke not yours but you LONDON ¶ Printed by John Hauiland and are to be sold by Hugh Perry at the Harrow in Britaines Burse 1629. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL THINGS contained in the Exposition of the third Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS A ABimelech 184 Absolom 309 Actions of God 297 Adouai 146 Affliction of the Lord. 142. 281 Alexander the Great 212 All. 30 Ashdod 180 Azotus 181 B BEnefits temporall remember 17 Benefits vpon Israel 24 Bethel 289. 292 Bethschemites 240 Builders Of houses 307 Of Babel 307. 308 Building stately 306 C CAlamities from God 281 Cham. 182 Children 4 Choise of God 22 Christ patient 286 Citie 140 Cloysters 214 Cockatrice 98 Comminations 61 Conuersion 213 D DAuid patient 286 Decree of God 76 Deuill a fowler 78 Discord 76. â—â— 97 Diuinitie 131 E EGypt 182 Election of God 22 Enemies their reproaches 183 Euill two wayes 134 Two kindes 135 F FAith 265 266 Foole the Atheist 312 The rich man 309 310 311 A Fox 98 The Fowler 73 G GEdeon 240 Gilgal 292 The Grace of God 76 God A Fowler 79 A Lion 59. 61 God he is good 133 His Name 130 Seeth all 214 God of Hosts 258 259 260 Of Sabaoth 258 c. God the principall Agent 298. 300 The goodnes of God generall 133 Speciall 133 H HEare the word of God 8 Hearers of the word 265. 270 Of diuers sorts 13 Hearing twofold 265 Heart to be kept 101 Our Hearts our houses 312 Hosts God of Hosts 258. c. Houses spirituall 312 Stately 306 I IDolatrie Iehouah 130 131 Iehouih 147 Ignorance of God 199 Instruments how regarded 299 300 c. Iob. 299 His patience 286 Israel Prerogatiues 23 K To KNow 21 2â— Knowledge of God 19. 21 199 Knowen of God 2â— L LEauen 9â— Lions roaring 5â— Their names 16â— Comparisons from them 59 60. 16 M MAgistrates 213 Man 77 A Fowler 79 A Lion 60 Ministers their calling 240 Mitzraijm 18â— N NAmes of God 130 Numbers changed 290 P PAlaestina 180 Patience in trouble 285 Whence 286 Places of Idols 291. 292 Poore rich mens barnes 309 Powder Traitors 214 Power all of God 283 Prophets 42 Prouidence of God 75. 80 Of two sorts 81 Generall 81 Speciall 84 Particular 86 Ouer his Church 85 Punishment all of God 31 The Author of it 136 Euill of punishment 135. 139 God punisheth all sinne 34 His owne seruants 33 R REligion true 294 295 Rich man his barnes 309 S SAbaoth God of Sabaoth 258 c. Samaria 191 Saul 184 Scripture praised 130 Selfe-killing a sinne 185 Serpent 98 Shimei 299 Similitudes 75 Sinne Euill of sinne 135 Sinners 76 Smite God smiteth 16 Snare 74. 76 Snares Of Punishment 78 Of Sinne. ibid. Sodome 281 282 Sonnes 6 T THreatnings of God not in vaine 61 Accomplished 63 Absolute 65 Conditionall 66 Tongue to be tamed 99 Troubles from God 281 Endured with patience 285 286 c. Trumpeters 42 Trumpets 117 V VAriance 76. 94. 97 Visit 29 Our Visitations of God 281 God visiteth for euill 278 279 For good 278 279 In iudgement 278 279 Vzzah 240 W WAlke with God 47 Watchmen 43. 117 Water of bitternesse 98 Will of God is one 69 Word of God a Iewell 25. 45 To be heard 8 Appropriate to the Iewes 27 A two-edged sword 106 Effectuall 94. 102. 105 Y YOungling of Babylon 99 Yuorie houses 303. 304 Z ZEchariah 4 Zerubhabel 4 THE First Lecture AMOS 3.1 Heare this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt saying You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities HAuing heretofore by the gracious assistance of the Almighty finished my Exposition vpon the first and second Chapters of this Prophesie of Amos I doe now aduenture vpon the third in a sure hope and confidence of the continuance of the same assistance vnto me not doubting but that the Lord will enable me to goe forward in this course if he shall see it to be to his glory and to the good of his Church This third Chapter is Amos his second Sermon against the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It was made as it seemeth when their then King Ieroboam sonne of Ioash the thirteenth King of Israel though wicked for his life yet happy in warre had vanquished and subdued many of the Syrians and had recouered the coast of Israel from the a 2 King 14.25 entring of Hamath vnto the
Sea of the plaine and had taken b Veâ—s 28. Damascus and Hamath Then the people of Israel growne insolent with victories and rich with spoiles became lasciuient and wanton and spurned at the preaching of the Word of God It was now high time for Amos to bestirre himselfe and to remember them of the fickle estate wherein now they were Hee was their Prophet peculiarly sent to them from God and it lay vpon him to call vpon them He doth it in this his second Sermon The parts are three 1 An Exordium or an entrance into the Sermon vers 1. 2 A Proposition containing the summe of that whereof he admonisheth them vers 2. 3 An Enarration a Declaration an Exposition or an Expolition of the matter in hand from the third vers to the end of the Chapter We are to beginne with the Exordium or entrance to the Sermon It is an inuitation to attention and containeth certaine arguments of perswasion Three they are all of weight and in themselues auaileable The first is taken from the authority of the Word to the hearing whereof they are inuited It is Verbum Iehouae the Word of Iohouah the onely true and euerliuing God Heare this Word non meum somnium not any dreame of mine not my word nor the word of any mortall wight but the Word of the Lord Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken The second is taken from the quality of the parties inuited They are Flij Israel the children of Israel By this compellation they are put in minde of their stocke and linage that they were sprung from and came out of the loines of Iacob whose name was changed to c Gen. 32.28 35.10 Israel whereby they may well be admonished either to insist in the steps of that holy Patriarch or like disobedient and degenerate children to expect punishment from the Lord Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel The third is taken from the memory of their greatest deliuerance their deliuerance out of Aegypt By this benefit had there beene nothing else were the Israelites deepely obliged to giue eare to the Word of the Lord their Redeemer and deliuerer Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt saying In the handling of these words I purpose to hold this course first to expound the words and then to obserue out of them such instructions as they naturally offer vnto vs and may be for our good Heare this Word that the Lord speaketh against you Heare Listen vnto it not onely with the outward sense of your eares but yeeld vnto it also willing assent in your minds Heare it interiori auditu so Albertus Magnus expounds it Heare with your inward hearing In the phrase of the Gospell it is Audite intelligite Matth. 15.10 Heare and vnderstand Heare this Word This word is with Castalio dictum a saying with Albertus it is something signified by voice which remaineth in the heart of the hearer after the voice is gone It may bee the decree of God and his ordinance touching that he will doe vnto Israel and so Ionathan in his Chaldee paraphrase seemes to take it Heare this Word that the Lord hath decreed In the Vulgar Latine I read Audite verbum quod locutus est Dominus Heare the Word that the Lord hath spoken Our now English is right Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken Hath spoken To or against whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hhalâ—eâ—m To you or against you so Drusius The originall is Super vos ouer you or vpon you Drusius well renders it to you or against you and Petrus Lusitanus not amisse contra vos vel de vobis against you or concerning you You children of Israel The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benei Iischrael sonnes of Israel Children of Israel or sonnes of Israel the Israelites are meant Each phrase may be paralleld in the Greeke tongue First the children of Israel for the Israelites So speake the Greekes d Herod l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of the Aethiopians for Aethiopians themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of Philosophers for Philosophers themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of Physitians for Physitians themselues Againe the sonnes of Israel for the Israelites And so speake the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sonnes of the Grecians for the Grecians themselues It s very frequent in e Jliad 162.237 240.276.368 c. Homer I meet with one place in the Greeke Bible wherewith I will for the present content my selfe It is Ioel 3 6. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sonnes of Iuda and the sonnes of Ierusalem ye sold to the sonnes of the Grecians where the sonnes of Iuda are put for the people of Iuda and the sonnes of Ierusalem for the inhabitants of Ierusalem and the sonnes of the Grecians for the Grecians themselues iust as it is here the sonnes of Israel for the Israelites themselues Sonnes of Israel It is an Hebrew Prouerbe f Drusius Adag Hebruir Druuia 2 8. ex R. Heuna Filij filiorum cece sunt vt filij Sonnes sonnes behold they are as sonnes You may vnderstand thus The sonnes of sonnes are accounted of as sonnes or they are truly sonnes sonnes not in name only but in very deed In the name of sonne sometime the Nephew is to be vnderstood So it is Haggai 1.1 Zerubbabel is there called the sonne of Shealtiel whose sonne hee was not but Nephew for hee was sonne of g Chron. 3.19 Pedaiah and Pedaiah sonne of Schealtiel And so is it Ezra 5.1 Zechariah the Prophet is there called the sonne of Iddo whose sonne he was not but Nephew for he was the sonne of Barachiah and h Zachar. 1.1 Barachiah the sonne of Iddo Now as a sonne is sometimes put for a Nephew so are sonnes for a posterity So in my Text the sonnes of Israel are put for the posterity of Israel The sonnes of Israel Secundum carnem non secunduÌ„ spiritum as Petrus à Figuciro speaketh the sonnes of Israel after the flesh not after the spirit Sonnes of Israel such as were lineally descended from the loines of Iacob who was surnamed Israel These sonnes or children of Israel are here further described to be that whole family which the Lord brought vp from the land of Aegypt Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt Against the whole family The Hebrew word here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mischpachah and signifieth a family So it s translated by Brentius and Caluin and Drusius and Gualter and Iunius and Piscator and so is it in our newest English against the whole family A family to speake properly is of them that are contained in one and the same
house it is a houshold consisting of persons of diuers sexes ages statures strengths and abilities But this narrow signification of a family will not serue for this place For it was not onely a houshold that the Lord brought out of Aegypt it was more than so The Author of the Vulgar Latine giues here a larger scope Familia contents him not Cognatio is his word Not a family but a kindred must serue his turne His reading is Super omnem cognationem It pleaseth Luther and Mercer and Vatablus Against all the kindred A kindred wee know may containe many families and many were the families which the Lord brought vp from the Land of Aegypt yet is not this word kindred of extent sufficient to comprehend the great multitude that was brought vp from the land of Aegypt Nation is a fitter word with Castalio Heare this word that the Lord pronounceth to you to the whole Nation which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt It was indeed a Nation that the Lord brought vp A Nation and therefore many kindreds and more families Yet need wee not refuse either the word kindred or family as vnfit for this place for each of them may well bee vsed to signifie a Nation The reason whereof Kimhi giueth quia ab initio gentes singulae ab vno aliquo viro defluxerunt because at first Nations had their beginning from some one man that was head of a family or kindred A Family for a Nation you haue Mic. 2.3 Behold saith the Lord behold against this family doe I deuise an euill Against this family that is against this Nation of the Israelites So haue you Ierem. 8.3 Death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remaine of this euill family This euill family is the nation of the Iewes I read of the family of Aegypt Zach. 14.18 and there the family of Aegypt is the nation of the Aegyptians Such is the signification of the word family in my Text against the whole family that is against the whole nation of the Israelites By this whole family of the children of Israel some doe vnderstand all the people which the Lord brought vp from Aegypt which afterward was rent into two Kingdomes the Kingdome of Iudah and the Kingdome of Israel So Saint Hierome and Remigius and Hugo and Lyra and Dionysius Some by the children of Israel doe vnderstand the Kingdome of Israel the Kingdome of the ten Tribes and in the whole family brought vp from the land of Aegypt they will haue included the Kingdome of Iudah the other two Tribes the Tribes of Benjamin and Iudah So Theodoret and Albertus and Montanus Quadratus and Christophorus à Castro Petrus à Figueiro takes this whole family to be here vsed Appositoriè by Apposition to expresse what is meant by the children of Israel The children of Israel that is the whole family kindred or nation of the Israelites which the Lord brought vp from the land of Aegypt The like doth Tauerner in his English Bible his Translation runnes thus Heare what the Lord speaketh vnto you O ye children of Israel namely vnto all the Tribes whom I brought out of Aegypt I take them to be in the right who by the children of Israel doe vnderstand the Kingdome of the ten Tribes and by the whole family brought vp from Aegypt the other two Tribes the Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin to this sense Heare this word this sentence that the Lord pronounceth against you O children of Israel and not against you alone but euen against all those whom I brought vp from the land of Aegypt All that are in the same fault doe well deserue the same punishment If Iudah sinne as well as Israel Iudah shall bee punished as well as Israel Heare therefore this word not only you of Israel but you of Iudah too all you whom I brought vp from the land of Aegypt All which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt How can this bee Of those which the Lord brought vp out of Aegypt all that were of i Numb 14.30 32.11 12. twenty yeeres old and vpward all saue two Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh and Ioshua the sonne of Nun died in the Wildernesse They died there and therefore they came not into the Holy Land Againe the deliuerance of Israel out of Aegypt was about k An. M. 2454. seuen hundred yeeres before the l Which was An. M. 3158. time that this Prophesie came by the ministery of Amos vnto Israel What Seuen hundred yeeres before this time It s then to be presumed that all which so long before were brought vp from Aegypt were long ere this time dead And so out of doubt they were How then is it that here so long after it is said to the children of Israel from the Lord Eduxi I brought you your whole family vp from the Land of Aegypt The Israelites to whom this speech is had for the place of their natiuity and habitation the land of Iudaea Neuer had they beene in the land of Aegypt and yet may there be a good construction of what is here said vnto them Eduxi I brought you your whole family vp from the land of Aegypt Albertus makes the construction I brought you vp vos in patribus you in your Fathers So doth Petrus Lusitanus I brought you vp vos vtique in parentibus you in your parents And so Piscator I brought you vp vos in maioribus you in your Ancestours You in your Fathers in your Parents in your Ancestours I brought you vp from the land of Aegypt I brought vp from the land of Aegypt The words we met with before Chap. 2.10 There they were by me expounded and haply you will not thinke it fit I should say the same againe vnto you Wherefore for a full exposition of these words and the profit to be taken by them I referre you to my fifteenth Lecture vpon the second Chapter of this Prophesie of Amos. Hitherto haue I dwelt vpon the opening of the words of my present Text. I gather vp all in briefe Heare not only with the outward eare but also with the assent of minde heare and vnderstand this word this thing this sentence this decree that the Lord Iehouah the onely true euerlasting and Almighty God hath spoken hath pronounced ouer you vpon you to you against you against you O children of Israel yee the sonnes the posterity of Iacob and not against you onely but also against the whole family the whole Nation of you them of Iudah too against you all whose Fathers Parents and Ancestours I brought vp and deliuered with a mighty hand and out-stretched arme from the land of Aegypt that land wherein they liued in great slauery and bondage saying after this manner as it followeth vers 2. You only haue I knowne c. The words you see are expounded It remaineth now that we gather from hence such obseruations as are here naturally offered vnto vs
and may be for our instruction Of the three perswasory arguments here vsed by Amos to moue the Israelites to attention the first is taken from the authority of the Word to the hearing whereof they are inuited it is verbum Iehouae Heare this word non meum somnium not any dreame of mine not my word nor the word of any mortall wight but verbum Iehouae the Word of Iehouah the onely true and euerliuing God Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you My obseruation is The Word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkned vnto Were it not so neuer would the holy Prophets haue beene so frequent in that their inuitation m Isa 1.10 28 14. Iâ—rem 2.4.7.1 c 2â— 10.1.27.20 â—9 3.21.11.29.20.31.10 Audite verbum Iehouae Heare ye the Word of the Lord. That same generall Proclamation Mat. 11.15 Whosoeuer hath eares to heare let him heare repeated in n Matth. 13 93. Mark 7 91. 23. Luk. 8 8.13.3â— Reuel 2.7 11.17.29.3.6 13 22. sundry others places of the New Testament what else implieth it but that all are bound to heare The voice that spake out of the cloud at the time of Christ his transfiguration Matth. 17.5 it said no more but this This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare ye him Heare him saith that voice as if in hearing were comprised all the duties of man Christ Iesus in the tenth of Luke the nine and thirtieth verse speaking of one thing that is necessary speakes of nothing but of hearing the word Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things But one thing is necessary and Mary hath chosen that good part One thing necessary and Mary hath chosen it what is that She sitting at Iesus feet did heare his Word See now to heare the Word of God is so necessary a thing that all other necessities should giue place vnto it It makes much for this necessity of hearing that the Word of God is called meat Heb. 5.12 and the want of this word a famine Amos 8.11 What can from hence be collected but that it is as necessary for vs to heare the word of God as it is to eat Much more might be spoken to shew the necessity of this duty of hearing the word of God but I haue said enough for the confirmation of my doctrine The word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkned vnto One reason to enforce this duty I take from the person of him from whom this duty is inioyned vs. He is in my Text called Iehouah the Lord Heare this word that Iehouah the Lord speaketh Iehouah he is our o Deut. 32.18 Creator wee are his creatures hee is our p Psal 23.1 Shepherd wee are his Sheepe hee is our q Mal. 1.6 Master we are his Seruants hee is our Father wee are his children he is our r Psal 44.4 King we are his Subiects Say now is not the creature bound to obey his Creator the sheepe his Shepheard the seruant his Master the child his Father the subiect his King The Scripture sheweth it yea nature teacheth it If then the Lord speake vnto vs we are to heare him A second reason to enforce this duty I take from the great value and high price of obedient hearing Obedience in this kinde is better worth than any sacrifice yea than all the sacrifices that can be offered Samuel auoucheth it 1 Sam. 15.22 23. where he that reproueth Saul to his face Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of Rammes For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and stubbornnesse is as iniquity and idolatry See here how elegantly Samuel deciphereth two contraries Obedience and disobedience He maketh the one to be better than sacrifice the other to bee as witchcraft and idolatry Obedience is better than sacrifice for hee that offereth a Sacrifice Å¿ Greâ— Moral lib. 35. c. 10. offereth the flesh of some beast but he that obeyeth offereth his owne will as a quicke and reasonable sacrifice which the Lord well accepteth Disobedience is as witchcraft and Idolatry If when the Lord imposeth some duâ—y vpon vs we then conferre with our owne hearts as t 1 Sâ—â— 2â— 7 Saul consulted with the woman of Endor or as u 2 〈◊〉 1.2 Ahaziah with Beelzebub whether wee shall hearken vnto the voice of the Lord or not this is disobedience and disobedience in a high degree as prodigious as witchcraft and idolatry Now this second reason I thus frame God liketh of obedience and preferreth it before sacrifice he hateth disobedience as he doth witchcraft and idolatry therefore it is our duty refusing this to embrace that and when the Lord shall speake vnto vs to hearken vnto him and obey his Word A third reason to enforce this duty of hearing the Word of God I take from the consideration of the punishment that shall betide the disobedient The disobedient shall be sure to be punished Our warrant for this we haue Deut. 28.15 If thou wilt not hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God to obserue and to doe all his Commandements and his Statutes which he commandeth thee then shall all these curses come vpon thee and ouâ—rtake thee Cursed shalt thou be x Deut. 28.16 in the City and cursed in the field Cursed in thy basket and cursed in thy store Cursed in the fruit of thy body in the fruit of thy land in the increase of thy kine and in the stocks of thy sheep Cursed when thou commest in and cursed when thou goest out With these and the like curses how sly soeuer thou be thou shalt alwaies be enuironed it will not boot thee to seeke starting holes If thou goe into thine house and shut the doore and double barre it yet shall the y Amos 5.19 serpent come in and sting thee there If thou goe into the field and seeke meanes to escape thou shalt meet with a Lion vpon the way if thou slip aside from the Lion a Beare shall meet thee Be thou assured God hath his storehouse full of rods nor of three or foure sorts only but of infinite to pay thee home if thou wilt not hearken vnto his voice But if thou wilt hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God z Deut. 28.1 to obserue and to doe all his Commandements which he commandeth thee then shall blessings come as thicke vpon thee Blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed in the field blessed in thy bâ—sket and blessed in thy store blessed in the fruit of thy body in the fruit of thy ground in the fruit of thy Cattell in the increase of thy kine and in the flocks of thy sheepe blessed when thou commest in and blessed when thou goest out With these and other like blessings shalt thou bee compassed about if thou
giue eare vnto the voice of the Lord thy God Now this third reason I frame thus If the obedient shall be blessed and rewarded for hearing and the disobedient cursed and punished for not hearing the voice of the Lord our God then it behoueth vs with all diligence to giue eare vnto his holy Word From the reasons enforcing the duty of hearing the Word of God I come now to make some vse of the doctrine deliuered It may serue first for reproofe For the reproofe of such as refuse to â—â—are the Word of God Such as if they had no soule to saue yea as if they beleeued that there is neither God nor Deuill neither Heauen nor Hell doe stop their eares that they may not heare Very desperate is their disease The a Mat. 12.42 Queene of the South shall rise vp in iudgement and condemne them She thought it worthy her labour to make a long iourney to heare the wisdome of Salomon and yet behold more than Salomon is here Here not farre hence in this place and present with you is Christ our Lord. Salomon a man Christ is God Salomon a mortall King of the Kingdome of Christ there is no end Salomon a King by humane succession Christ by diuine eternity Salomon a sinner inwrapped in the allurements of lasciuiousnesse Christ b 1 Pet. 2.22 without sinne without guile Heb. 7.26 harmelesse and vndefiled Salomon gaue his Parables onely in Hierusalem Christ giues his voice thorowout the Christian world hee giues it vs in our streets in our Temples in this his house wherein now I stand Inexcusable therefore art thou O man O woman O childe of vnderstanding whosoeuer thou art that refusest to heare the word of Christ thy Lord and God For such your refusall you shall be sure to giue an account at the great day of Gods vengeance Against such refusall the voice of wisdome cryeth out Prou. 1.24 Because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out mine hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mocke when your feare commeth Parallel to this is that Esa 65.12 There thus saith the Lord Because when I called ye did not answer when I spake ye did not heare but did euill before mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not therefore will I number you to the sword and ye shall all bow downe to the slaughter Hereunto may that be added Ierem. 7.13 Because I spake vnto you rising vp early and speaking but ye heard not and I called you but ye answered not therefore will I doe vnto you thus and thus I will cast you out of my fight I will powre out mine anger and my fury vpon the place of your habitation vpon man and vpon beast and vpon the trees of the field and vpon the fruit of the ground I will cause to cease from your streets the voice of mirth and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegroome and the voice of the bride Thus and thus shall it befall them that refuse to heare when the Lord speaketh the d Ier. 14.12 16. famine shall pinch them the e Ier. 15.3 sword shall slay them the f Ier. 21.9 Ezâ—h 6.11 7.15 pestilence shall waste them g Ieâ—m 15.3 dogges shall teare them wilde beasts shall destroy them and the Fowles of Heauen shall deuoure them You haue the first vse The second vse may be for reproofe too for the reproofe of such as come to heare but heare not as they should I haue read of a generation of such hearers Some saith my Author hearken after newes If the Preacher say any thing of beyond Sea matters or of court affaires at home that is his lure Some hearken whether any thing be said that may bee wrested to be spoken against persons in high place that they may accuse the Preacher Some smacke of eloquence and gape for a phrase that when they come abroad in company they may haue a fine word to grace their talke Some sit as Male-contents till the Preacher come to gird some whom they spight then pricke they vp their eares to listen and it shall goe hard if they remember not something of what is spoken Some come to gaze about the Church their eyes are euill eyes they are wanton eyes they are euermore looking vpon that from which holy Iob turned his eyes away Some sit musing all the Sermon time some of their Law-suits some of their bargaines some of their iourneyes some of some other imployments The Sermon is ended before these men thinke where they are Some that come to heare so soone as the Prayer is done or soone after fall fast asleepe as though they had beene brought into the Church for corpses and the Preacher should preach at their funeralls You see now a generation of hearers seuen sorts of them not one of them heareth as he should If they come to the Church and doe remaine there for the Sermon time they thinke their duty well and sufficiently discharged But much more than so is required at their hands Outward seruice without inward obedience is but Hypocrisie The naked hearing of the Word of God is but an halting with God If thou keepe from him thy heart he cares not for thy presence nor for thy tongue nor for thy eare Cares he not for our presence nor for our tongue nor for our eare vnlesse he haue our heart too Then may that Caueat which Christ giueth his Disciples Luk. 8.18 when he had expounded vnto them the parable of the Sower be a seasonable caueat for vs. The Caueat is Take heed how ye heare This same take heed euer goeth before some danger Some danger there is in hearing for you may easily heare amisse You may easily heare amisse and therefore take heed Take heed how you heare When you sow your seed in the field you will takâ— hâ—ed how you sow lest your seed should bee lost Your care herein is commendable Let not your care be lesse to further the growth of Gods seed Gods seed it is immortall seed euen his holy Word O take heed how you heare that none of this seed be lost No seed groweth so fast as this if it be receiued in good ground in an honest and good heart for so it groweth in a moment as high as Heauen Take heed therefore how ye heare Would ye now know how ye should heare The Prophet Ierem. shall teach you Chap. 13.15 Heare and giue care So shall Esâ—â— Chap. 28.23 Giue ye eare and heare hearken and heare Heâ—re giue eare and hearken Why is this multiplying of words but to teach you that you are to heare and mere thâ—n heare More than heare What is that to say It is to heare interiori auditu with the inward hearing as before I noted out of Albertus It is audire intelligere to heare and vnderstand as in the phrase of the Gospell already alleaged It is to heare for the
after time as Esay speaketh Chap. 42.23 It is to marke and vnderstand and remember and beleeue and follow that which you heare This duty of hearing as we should we shall the better performe if as Moses at the commandement of the Lord did put off his shoâ—es the shooes from off his feet because the place wherein be stood was h ly ground Exod. 3.5 so shall we as oft as we come to this or the like holy place the House of God to heare his Word read and preached vnto vs put off our shooes too not our shooes from off our feet but our much fouler shooes our lusts our thoughts our cares our fancies our businesses euen all that corruption and sinne wherewith in this life we are clogged which as the dust to the shooe and the sh oe to the foot cleaues fast to vs. If thus prepared we come to heare the Word of God wee shall be sure of a blessing When the woman said to Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Christ replyed Luk. 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it By this his reply he sheweth that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him than his Mother for bearing him Yet hereby hee denieth not his Mother to haue beene blessed euen for bearing him but insinuates onely that she was more blessed in being his childe than in being his Mother Saint Austine De Sancta Virginitate cap. 3. well expresseth it Beatior percipiende fidem Christi quà m concipiendo carnem Christi The blessed Virgin the Mother of Christ was more blessed by receiuing the faith of Christ then by conceiuing the flesh of Christ Christ said vnto his Disciples Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your eares for you heare shewing that they were more blessed than all the world besides because they had this one blessing to heare the truth This is the blessing which you come hither for God in the abundance of his goodnesse brings it home vnto you And well may you call it a blessing For the word which we bring vnto you is verbum regni Mat. 13.19 The word of a Kingdome it brings a Kingdome with it It is verbum vitae Ioh. 6.68 the word of life it brings life with it It is not onely a word of authority to command and bind the conscience nor onely a word of wisdome to direct you nor onely a word of power to conuert you nor onely a word of grace to comfort and vphold you but the word of a neuer-fading Kingdome and of eternall life to make you perfectly and for euer blessed Thus farre hath my first Doctrine carried mee The Doctrine was deliuered in these words The word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkened vnto It was grounded vpon the first branch of my Text wherein is contained the first perswasory argument of attention drawne from the authority of the word to be hearkned vnto Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you The next argument of perswasion to enforce attention in the hearer is drawne from the persons of them who are here inuited to giue eare They are Filty Israel the children the sonnes the posterity of Israel a people descended from the holy Patriarke Iacob chosen aboue all other nations to bee Gods peculiar people with whom God had made a couenant and had on his part most absolutely performed it preseruing them from their enemies and multiplying vpon them all his benefits So graciously did God deale with these sonnes of Israel not onely whilst they loued him kept their coniugall faith with him and serued him according to his word but euen then too when they had despised him and forsaken him had violated their faith with him and committed spirituall whoredome with false gods Yet when those their impieties disobediences and rebellions were growne to the height God was resolued to come against them in iudgement and to punish them This his resolution appeareth in the many menaces and threats which from time to time the Lord sent vnto them by his holy Prophets One of which is in my Text Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel Against you to punish you O children of Israel euen you My obseruation here is God will not spare to smite his dearest children when they sinne against him One reason hereof may bee that the Lord may declare himselfe an aduersary to sinne in all men without partiality A second is that the Lord may reduce his children from running on headlong to perdition with the wicked And the vses may be two One to teach vs to magnifie the righteousnesse of God as generally in all his workes so particularly in the afflictions of his people The other to admonish vs that we looke not for any certaine earthly peace though we are by faith the children of Israel but that we prepare our selues for a continuall succession of crosses and calamities The third argument of perswasion to moue attention in these children of Israel is taken from the commemoration of their greatest deliuerance their deliuerance out of Aegypt Heare this w rd that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt My obseruation is The temporall benefits and manifold deliuerances which the Lord bestoweth vpon his people are euer to be had in remembrance and in thankefull acknowledgement This very doctrine for the substance of it I haue heretofore in your hearing propounded and proued in my fifteenth Lecture vpon the second chapter of this booke occasioned thereunto by the tenth verse wherein this great deliuerance out of Aegypt is mentioned I will not therefore at this time stand to inlarge it Onely let me now tell you that this deliuery of the Israelites out of Aegypt is not appropriate onely vnto them but that in some sort it appertaineth to the Church of God in all ages for as much as it was a type of a more surpassing deliuery from that fearefull Kingdome of sinne and darknesse It appertaineth euen vnto vs whom God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy through the precious bloud of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus hath deliuered from this spirituall Aegypt the Kingdome of sinne and darknesse and will in his good time giue vs safe passage from hence to that heauenly Canaan the true Country and Inheritance of all Saints Whither most gracious God vouchsafe to bring vs all Amen THE Second Lecture AMOS 3.2 You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities THis second verse is the second part of Amos his second Sermon concerning the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It is the proposition and containeth the very substance of the whole Sermon which is to let the Israelites vnderstand that for as much as the Lord hath beene good vnto them aboue all the Nations of the
earth and they haue returned vnto him nothing but vnthankfulnesse the Lord will surely punish them for all their iniquities The parts are two 1 A Commemoration 2 A Commination The Commemoration is of benefits the Commination is of punishments The Commemoration is for words short yet for matter very copious It hath reference to the many singular and exceeding great benefits which the Lord hath bestowed vpon his people Israel You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth The Commination is sharpe but very iust It may serue thus farre to instruct the Israelites that if the Lord should at any time with his strong hand a Iob 30.21 oppose himselfe against them and make their b Vers 15. welfare to passe away as a cloud and lay terrors vpon them yet they should not calumniate and c Iob 1.22 charge God with folly but should lay the whole blame thereof vpon themselues and their owne deseruings Therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities Of both in their order First of the Commemoration You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You onely Onely you How can this be so Did not the knowledge of God extend it selfe to other Nations as well as to the Israelites It may not be denied It extends it selfe not to men only but to whatsoeuer else is in the world You may consider it two manner of waies either in it selfe or as it hath reference to things knowne If it be considered in it selfe it is most certaine and is euer the same as necessary and immutable as is the very diuine Essence from which it differeth not indeed but onely consideration For that axiome of the Schooles is true Quicquid est in Deo est ipsa Dei Essentia Whatsoeuer is in God is Gods owne Essence And therefore the knowledge of God is his diuine Essence and God is his owne knowledge Whence it followeth that wheresoeuer God is and his holy Essence there is his knowledge Now God is euery where his Essence is euery where his knowledge therefore must be euery where It s impossible that any thing should be concealed from it Againe the knowledge of God may be considered as it hath reference to things knowne and so also nothing can bee hid from it For it knoweth it selfe and euery thing else Things vniuersall and singular things past present and to come things which neither are nor haue beene nor euer shall bee things necessary and contingent naturall and voluntary good and euill atchieued and thought vpon finite and infinite all are knowne vnto him So saith the Apostle Heb. 4.13 There is no creature that is not manifest in the sight of God No creature Nay vnto his eyes all things are naked and open All things How then is it that here he saith to the Israelites You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth For the cleering of this doubt we are to note that knowledge attributed vnto God in holy Scripture doth not euer betoken a bare and naked knowledge but sometimes his loue his fauour his care his prouidence his choice his approbation his allowance his acceptance or the like As Psal 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Hee knoweth that is he loueth he approueth he accepteth he is well pleased with and graciously directeth the way of the righteous And so are we to expound that of the 37. Psal Vers 18. The Lord knoweth the daies of the vpright He knoweth that is He doth not onely foresee but also he alloweth he careth and prouideth for the life of the vpright So I vnderstand that branch of Dauid prayer which he made in the caue Psal 142.3 When my spirit was ouer-whelmed within me then thou knewest my path Thou knewest that is thou didst approue and allow of the order of my life and innocent conuersation In the booke of Exodus Chap. 33.17 the Lord said vnto Moses Thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name I know thee by name that is I haue respect vnto thee I approue thee I care and prouide for thee In the first Chapter of the Prophesie of Nahum vers 7. it is said of the Lord that he knoweth them that trust in him And there to know is to loue to defend to approue to regard Them that trust in him he knoweth he suffers them not to perish In the second Epistle to Timothy Chap. 2.19 we reade of a foundation a foundation of God a sure foundation the seale whereof is Nouit Dominus qâ—â— sunt ejus The Lord knoweth those that are his The Lord knoweth vnderstand not onely a knowledge in generall but a speciall knowledge such a knowledge as is ioyned cum applicatione cordis ac voluntatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a learned Diuine well speaketh such a knowledge as is associated with the applying of the heart and will and good pleasure of the Lord. The Lord knoweth who are his He so knowes them as that they d Ioan. 10.28 shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of his hand Other like places I could produce yet further to shew this idiotisme of the holy tongue that verba notitiae words of knowledge doe not euer betoken a bare and naked knowledge but sometime such a e Mat. 7.23 Luk. 13.27 Mat. 25.12 Rom. 7 15. knowledge as is ioyned with some f Vorflius aâ—ica Duplicat cap. 4. pag 225. decree of him that knoweth with some action of his will with his approbation But I shall not neede to doe it From the Texts of Scripture before alleaged ariseth a distinction of the Schoolemen their distinction of the knowledge of God The knowledge of God say they is two-fold the one is the knowledge of his g Aquin. â—â— 2â— qu. 188. 5. 1. apprehension the other the knowledge of his h Ripa in 1. Th. qu. 14. Art 13. Dub. 4. cap. 4. fol. 83. col 3. Wendalin Suppl in 4. Sentent Dist 50. qu. 1. approbation That they call his absolute and speculatiue knowledge this his speciall and practicall and this not that is the knowledge to bee vnderstood in the places euen now by me expounded And this not that is the knowledge intended in my Text. Thus is the doubt resolued The doubt was How it is here said that the Lord onely knew the Israelites aboue all the Nations of the Earth The answer is Hee knew them not onely as he knew other Nations by his absolute and speculatiue knowledge but also by his speciall and practicall not onely by the knowledge of his apprehension but also by the knowledge of his approbation Some there are that by knowledge here doe vnderstand a possession To know say they is to possesse to haue in our power to inioy as our owne For proofe whereof they bring that Psal 50.11 I know all the fowles of the mountaines and the wild beasts of the field are mine The words are
the words of God vnto his people Israel Heare O my people and I will speake O Israel I am God euen thy God I know all the fowles of the Mountaines I know them I so know them that I can count them and call them when I list they are in my power I enioy them as mine owne they are mine owne possession And so they expound my Text You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth I haue knowne you onely Vos tantummodò mihi in viros cultores assumpsi aut possedi saith Illyricus You only haue I taken to be the men for my worship you alone haue I possessed For I haue knowne you the Chaldee Paraphrast hath I haue chosen you I haue chosen you Not amisse if by this choice you vnderstand not that speciall election i Ephes 1.4 and choise of God by which he hath ordained to life eternall those whom of his free good will and pleasure he hath decreed to endow with a celestiall inheritance For it s not to bee denied but that among the people of Israel there were many that had no part in this eternall election and choice of God Many of them had no part in it and therefore this election and choice is not here to be vnderstood But there is another election and choice of God an election and choice more generall an election a choice whereby God preferreth some one Nation aboue others graciously to manifest himselfe and to reueale his sauing word vnto them And thus may God be said only to haue elected and chosen the people of Israel You only haue I chosen of all the families of the earth That the people of Israel were alone thus elected and chosen of God Moses confesseth Deut. 4.7 8. What nation saith he is there so great who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that wee call vpon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this Law is which is set before vs this day It is as if he had thus said Let vs bee compared with the rest of the Nations of the world and we shall finde that God is good and gracious vnto vs aboue them all As soone as we pray vnto our God and resort vnto him we feele him neere vs by and by It is not so with other Nations Againe we haue his Lawes and Statutes and righteous Ordinances other Nations haue not so This doth the same Moses more plainly deliuer in sundry places of the same booke of Deuteronomy Chap. 7.6 Chap. 10.15 Chap. 14.2 Chap. 26.18 In all which places his purpose is to fasten it in the memories of the people of Israel that they were an holy people vnto the Lord their God that the Lord their God had chosen them to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe aboue all people that were vpon the face of the earth In the three first places is expresly said that the Lord did chuse Israel to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe aboue all the Nations that are vpon the earth in the fourth that the Lord auouched them to be his peculiar people He chose them he auouched them to be his peculiar people and all for his promise sake The promise is Exod. 19.5 Ye shall be a peculiar or chiefe treasure vnto me aboue all people though all the earth be mine A peculiar or a chiefe treasure The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Segullah which signifieth ones owne proper good which he loueth and keepeth in store for himselfe and for speciall vse You shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Segullah a peculiar a chiefe treasure vnto me aboue all people The meaning of this promise is that although the whole earth be the Lords by the right of creation yet this people the people of Israel should aboue all other haue a speciall interest in him Or the meaning is that the Lord would commit vnto this people his people Israel as a chiefe and principall treasure his Lawes and Statutes which he would not doe to any other people in the world besides So much is acknowledged Psal 147.19 20. He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation Certainly hereby the Lord sheweth how deare and how precious the people of Israel were in his eyes and what prerogatiues they were to haue aboue other people A chiefe prerogatiue of theirs is that the Oracles of God were committed vnto them Saint Paul affirmes it Rom. 3.1 2. What aduantage then hath the Iew or what profit is there of circumcision Much euery way chiefly because that vnto them were committed the Oracles of God Many other and very excellent prerogatiues had they They are heaped vp together Rom. 9.4 They were Israelites to them pertained the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises Theirs were the Fathers and of them as concerning the flesh Christ came who is ouer all God blessed for euer So many preeminences are so many euidences and demonstrations that of all the nations of the Earth the Israelites were knowne of God were chosen by him and were his possession They were knowne of him by the knowledge of his approbation they were chosen by him and were separated from among all the people of the earth to be his inheritance So Salomon confesseth 1 King 8.53 and the Lord himselfe here in my Text auoucheth You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You will now confesse with me that these words are as in the beginning I said they were a Commemoration of Gods benefits vpon Israel Euery prerogatiue of theirs was a benefit a blessing of God vpon them It was Gods blessing vpon them that to them were committed the Oracles of God It was Gods blessing vpon them that they were Israelites that to them pertained the adoption and the glory and the Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises It was Gods blessing vpon them that theirs were the Fathers and that of them concerning the flesh Christ came These great benefits these blessings of God vpon the Israelites Albertus Magnus in his Enarration vpon the words of my Text reduceth to the number of fiue Thus You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the Earth per beneplacitum Onely you of all the families of the Earth haue I knowne by my good pleasure Quia me vobis reuelaui lege◠vobis posui promissiones adhibui pramiis remuneraui prophetiis illuminaui I haue reuealed my selfe vnto you I haue giuen you the Law I haue made to you the promises I haue recompenced you with rewards I haue illuminated you with Prophesies Then addes he that of the Psalme Non taliter fecit omni nationi Hee hath not dealt so with euery Nation With euery Nation Nay hee hath not so
with any Nation Vpon this first part of my Text this Commemoration of Gods benefits bestowed vpon Israel I grounded my first obseruation It is this It is an excellent priuilege to bee knowne of God by the knowledge of his approbation to be chosen of him to be his people to be in his loue and fauour to be vnder his care and prouidence The excellency of this priuilege appeareth in this that the Lord here calls Israel to the remembrance of it saying You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth This excellent priuilege the true seruice of the liuing God thorow the free vse of his holy Word and Sacraments wheresoeuer it is found among any people is a sure pledge that the Lord knoweth that people with the knowledge of his approbation that he hath chosen them to be his peculiar people that they are in his loue and fauour and that he careth and prouideth for them How much then Beloued how much are we indebted to the Maiesty and bounty of Almighty God who hath graced vs with so excellent a blessing as is the Ministery of his holy Word His holy Word It is a Iewell than which nothing is more precious to which any thing compared is but drosse by which whatsoeuer is tried will bee found lighter than vanity The true estimate of this Iewell may be had out of the 19. Psalme At the 7. vers it is Perfect nothing may be added to it without marring of it it conuerteth the soule and turneth it from euill to good It is sure you may build vpon the truth of it as well for the promises of mercy as for the threatnings of iudgement It giueth wisdome the wisdome of the spirit euen vnto the simple to the humble and lowly of minde At the eighth verse It is right without any iniustice or corruption It reioyceth the heart with true and sound ioy It is pure pure in all points and giueth light to the eyes the eyes of the minde that we may securely trace the way to Heauen At the ninth verse It is cleane without spot or shew of euill and endureth for euer without alteration or change It is truth without falshood and is righteous all together there is no error in it Is your desire for profit or for pleasure This Iewell yeelds you both At the tenth verse for profit it is compared to Gold for pleasure to Honey For profit it is more to bee desired than gold yea than much fine gold for pleasure it is sweeter than honey or the hony combe Moreouer at the tenth verse It will make you circumspect it will shew you the danger of sinne and will teach you how to auoid it and may encourage you to obedience for as much as in the keeping of it there is great reward Great reward yet through Gods mercy and not of your merit Now dearely beloued is the holy Word of God a Iewell so precious of such an estimate Then giue eare to the exhortation of wisdome Prou. 23.23 Buy it and sell it not Buy it what ere it cost you seeke by all meanes to obtaine it and when you haue gotten it sell it not at any hand depart not from it for any price for any cause But let it according to the exhortation that Saint Paul made to the Colossians Chap. 3.16 Let it dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome It is as one wittily speaketh Gods best friend and the Kings best friend and the Courts best friend and the Cities best friend and the Countries best friend and euery mans best friend Giue it therefore entertainment not as to a forreiner or stranger but as to your familiar as to your best friend let it dwell in you And sith it comes not empty but brings with it as well pleasure as profit as you haue already heard Let it dwell in you plenteously Plenteously Yet in all wisdome Let vs heare it in all wisdome reade it in all wisdome meditate vpon it in all wisdome speake of it in all wisdome and preach it in all wisdome not only in wisdome but in all wisdome that the words of our mouthes and the meditations of our hearts may euer be acceptable in the sight of the Lord our strength and our Redeemer Thus farre of my first obseruation grounded vpon the Commemoration of Gods blessings vpon Israel You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You only My second obseruation is that this great blâ—ssing of the true seruice of God and the free vse of his holy Word was in the daies before Christ appropriate to the people of the Iewes This appeareth by some of those places before alleaged Deut. 4.7 8. and Psal 147.19 20. for the further illustration of the point that of the 76. Psalme vers 1 2. may well serue In Iudah is God knowne his name is great in Israel in Salem is his tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion In which words the Psalmist giueth vnto the land of Iudah and Israel this prerogatiue aboue the rest of the Nations of the whole earth that there God was knowne and his name was great but especially in Salem that is in Hierusalem and in Mount Sion the place which he desired for his habitation Psal 132.13 There was God knowne his name was great there Elsewhere it was not so It was not so among the Nations For as Barnabas and Paul told the men of Lystra Acts 14.16 in times past God suffered all Nations to walke in their owne waies The way of God they then knew not The then state of the Nations Saint Paul Ephes 2.12 elegantly decyphereth in fiue circumstances Hee bids them remember what they were in time past as that first they were without Christ secondly they were aliens from the common weâ—lth of Israel thirdly they were strangers from the couenants of promise fourthly they were without hope fiftly they were without God in the world Enough is said for the confirmation of my second obseruation which was that in time of old in time past in the daies before Christ his comming in the flesh the true seruice of God and the exercise of his holy word was appropriate to the people of the Iewes to the children of Israel Now the reasons of this appropriation are two One is Gods vndeserued and speciall loue the other is the truth of his promise Both are expressed Deut. 7. At the seuenth verse the false cause is remoued at the eighth the true is put The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people There the false cause is remoued The true cause is put in the words following But because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which hee swore vnto your fathers therefore hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh King of Aegypt and
cost they like not the charges it bringeth with it O let not any such repiner any such grudger be found in the assembly of the Saints Such if they conferre any thing to the maintenance of the Ministery they doe it not for conscience sake but of necessity not for any loue they beare vnto the Word preached but by compulsion of Law not as a free will offering to God for the recompence of his Kingdome among them but as a taxation which they cannot resist To such the preaching of the Word is not a benefit but a burthen So farre are they from taking any delight therein as that by their good wills they would wholly shake and shift it off Carnally minded men carelesse and prodigall of the saluation of their owne soules The horse-keeper that dresseth their horses the shepheard that watcheth their sheepe the heardman that looketh to their swine the Cobler that clouteth their shooes shall willingly be considered for their paines but the Minister or Pastor that breaketh vnto them the bread of life shall haue no supply from them to the releefe of his necessities No supply Nay well were he if he could hold his owne euen that portion of maintenance which is allotted to him by the Word of God But I hope there cannot be found in this assembly any one so sacrilegiously affected I haue good reason to be perswaded much better of you all Yet you as well affected as you are in this behalfe are to be admonished that to these exercises of our religion ye come willingly and ioyfully Willingly for your owne duties sake and ioyfully because from hence you may carry home with you a Iewell of an inualuable price euen the precious Word of God wherein quicquid docetur veritas quicquid praecipitur bonitas quicquid promittitur felicitas est as Hugo lib. 3. de Anima speaketh Whatsoeuer is taught its truth whatsoeuer is commanded its goodnesse whatsoeuer is promised its happinesse Nam Deus veritas est sine fallaciâ bonitas sine malitiâ felicitas sine miseriâ for God is truth without falshood goodnesse without malice happinesse without misery O come ye then hither as willingly for your duties sake so also ioyfully for your profits sake Willingly and ioyfully It is somewhat I grant to come hither to this house of God to diuine seruice but to come willingly and ioyfully it is a double vertue and that which giueth life vnto your comming If you come vnwillingly or grudgingly if you be drawne hither either for shame of the world or through feare of Law you come as men more than halfe dead without either operation of the spirit or desire of profit or feeling of comfort or increase of faith or bettering of obedience Wherefore dearely Beloued let your care be euer willingly and ioyfully to present your selues in these Courts of the Lord in his holy Temple Be ye well assured that as hee is accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently so is hee also accursed that commeth into the house of the Lord either vnwillingly or grudgingly as if he were discouraged with the tediousnesse either of the way or of the word It is recorded of the people of God Psal 84. that they trauelling towards the place of Gods worship passed through many dangers endured much heat suffered wants in the wildernesse and all for the delight they tooke in his seruice The delight that they tooke in the seruice of God did swallow vp all their wants their trauell their labour and their paines It made them say A day in thy courts is better than a thousand And I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse A day in thy courts is better than a thousand A day one day onely and no more in thy courts in the courts of God in his Temple and the publike meetings and assemblies there is better is more sweet more comfortable more profitable than a thousand elsewhere yea though the place bee neuer so full of pleasure And I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God I had rather be of the meanest account in the Church the place where my God the onely true and euerliuing God is serued than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse than to make my abode in most stately and gorgeous Palaces wherein wickednesse is practised and professed O! how amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts How excellent was this zeale of Gods people how great their forwardnesse to doe him seruice We would be accounted Gods people as well as they But where is our zeale Were ours as theirs was certainly neither blasts of wind nor feare of raine nor heat of Summer nor cold of Winter nor a Lion in the way nor any like trifle should stop vs from comming to the house of God his Temple the place where by his Ministers he speaketh to his people Thus farre by the occasion of my first obseruation which was grounded vpon the second of those fiue expositions whereof you heard in the beginning of this exercise My obseruation was The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgements that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them I proceed A second application of this first similitude to the matter here intended by the Holy Ghost may be thus As it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed So it cannot be that God should walke with Israel for as much as there is a disagreement betweene them The time indeed was when God walked with Israel and Israel with God Then it was when the people of Israel were desirous to please God to doe his holy will and to depend vpon him But afterward when rebelliously they forsooke God and applied themselues to the seruice of false gods it could not be that God should any longer walke with them or they with God This is the third of those fiue expositions whereof euen now you heard It was the exposition of Albertus Rupertus and Isidore and is embraced by later Expositors by Franciscus Ribera by Petrus Lusitanus by Oecolampadius Danaeus Gualter Tremellius and Iunius and Piscator The obseruation is When man through his euill courses leaueth off to walke with God or forsaketh him then will God no longer walke with man but will also forsake him To walke with God is louingly to adhere vnto him and to please him So is the phrase vsed in the Prophesie of Micah Chap. 6.8 What doth the Lord require of thee O man but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God To walke with thy God that is Ionathan translates it to walke in the worship and feare of God Petrus Lusitanus saith it is to liue according to the Law and will of God And this doubtlesse is to please God It is said of Enoch Gen. 5.22 24. that he walked with God He walked with God that
Gods wrath against vs wee shall finde that his threatning of vs will not be in vaine The threatnings of God they are not vana dunt axat puerorum simplicisque rusticitatis terricula as Quadratus hath well noted they are not onely as scar-crowes or bugs for the terrifying of little children and the ruder sort of people but are certaine euidences of Gods resolution for the punishment of sinne Neuer are they in vaine Of two sorts they are for either they concerne a spirituall and eternall punishment or a punishment that is temporary and corporall Of the first sort is that commination Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them The punishment there threatned is spirituall it is eternall Saint Paul so expounds it Gal. 3.10 where he saith As many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them The curse there spoken of is no temporall no corporall matter it is spirituall it is eternall The reason is because the curse is opposed to the blessing Now to bee blessed with faithfull Abraham is to be iustified to bee absolued from sinne and death to be in fauour with God to obtaine eternall saluation and therefore to be accursed is to be condemned for sinne to be cast out from God to be adiudged to euerlasting death and Hell The blessing is spirituall and eternall and therefore must the curse also be spirituall and eternall Comminations of the second sort are in holy Writ more frequent and obuious If you will not hearken to the Lord your God to doe his Commandements but will despight his statutes and abhorre his iudgements then will the Lord doe thus and thus vnto you In the 26. of Leuit. vers 16. he will visit you with vexations consumptions and burning agues that shall consume your eyes and cause you sorrow of heart Vers 17. he will set his face against you and ye shall bee slaine before your enemies they that hate you shall reigne ouer you and ye shall flee when none pursueth you Vers 19. Hee will breake the pride of your power and will make your Heauen as iron and your Earth as brasse and your strength shall be spent in vaine for neither shall your land yeeld her encrease nor your trees their fruits Vers 22. Hee will send wilde beasts among you which shall rob you of your children and destroy your cattell and make you few in number These and other like threatnings against the wilfull contemners of Gods holy Will you may better read of in the now alleaged 26. Chapter of Leuiticus and 28. Chapter of Deuteronomy and other places of holy Scripture than I can at this time stand vpon to relate them They are many they are fearefull Many and fearefull are the punishments though but temporary and corporall which the Lord threatneth to the wilfull contemners of his holy Will Thus you see Gods threatnings are of two sorts either of spirituall and eternall punishments or punishments that are temporary and corporall These threatnings of punishments corporall or spirituall temporary or eternall are by the Lord himselfe accomplished at times certaine and vnchangeable When the old world in the daies of Noah had growne to much impiety and wickednesse the Lord appointed a certaine space the space of 120. yeeres for their repentance and conuersion Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwaies striue with man for that he also is flesh yet his daies shall be an hundred and twenty yeeres Though he saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that euery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was euill was onely euill was euill continually so that with great iustice he might forthwith haue swallowed them vp with a floud yet would hee not but would yet forbeare longer and looke for their amendment A hundred and twenty yeeres yet would he giue them to see if they would returne and auoid his wrath But they would not returne and therefore at the very end and terme of those hundred and twenty yeeres he brought the floud vpon them Then then and not before he brought the floud vpon them For compare we the particular circumstances of time noted Gen. 7.3 6 11. with that which Saint Peter writeth in his first Epistle chap. 3.20 we shall finde that the inundation of waters came vpon the earth at the very point of time before determined Memorable is that commination of the Lord against the Iewes Ierem. 25.11 Because you haue not heard my voice behold I will take from you the voice of mirth and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegroome and the voice of the bride the sound of the Milstones and the light of the candle you shall be a desolation and an astonishment shall serue the King of Babylon seuenty yeeres The summe of the Commination is that the Iewes for their sins should be led captiue serue the King of Babylon seuenty yeeres Now if we take the iust computation of time it will appeare that so soone as those yeeres those seuenty yeeres were expired the foresaid threat was accomplished And therefore Daniel alluding to this prophesie of Ieremie exactly setteth it downe Chap. 5.30 saying The same night was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slaine the same night the very night wherein those seuenty yeeres came to their full period was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slaine To these fearefull examples of Noahs floud and the carrying away of the Iewes into Babylon may be added the burning of Sodome by fire and brimstone the destruction of the ten Tribes the ruine of Ierusalem and the Kingdome of Iudah the desolation of the seuen Churches of Asia all which besides many other calamities vpon many other places and persons accomplished and come to passe according to the threatnings of the Lord may well assure vs that whatsoeuer he hath threatned will certainly take effect And certainly if we by serious and true repentance doe not preuent the execution of his threats he will not faile to preuent vs and take vs away suddenly Thus is my obseruation made good If by our sinnes we prouoke Gods wrath against vs wee shall finde that his threatning of vs will not be in vaine No it will not If God threaten and no repentance followeth then certainly the threatnings pronounced will come to passe Hee threatens not in vaine hee terrifies not without cause no more than the Lion roareth when he hath no prey or the Lions whelpe cryeth out of his denne if he haue gotten nothing Is it thus Beloued Shall we finde that Gods threatnings will be effectuall and powerfull against vs if we by our sinnes goe on still to prouoke him to displeasure It seemes then that if we repent vs of our sinnes and cease any further to grieue Gods holy Spirit his threatnings will bee vaine and without
effect Vnderstand wee therefore that the threatnings and denuntiations of Gods iudgements are either absolute or conditionall If absolute then are they irreuocable and must take effect but if conditionall then vpon humiliation and repentance they will bee changed they will bee altered Absolute was the denunciation that concerned the eating of the forbidden fruit Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die This threatning was absolute and peremptory not to be reuoked If Adam had prayed all his life long that he might not die but returne to his former condition yet the sentence of God had not beene reuersed Peremptory and absolute was that threatning of the Lord against Moses and Aaron Numb 20.12 Because yee beleeue me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I haue giuen them Moses and Aaron both are threatned that they shall neuer enter into the land of Canaan Moses vnderstanding the threat conditionally besought the Lord that hee might goe ouer Iordan into that good land But the Lord was wroth with him and would not heare him but said vnto him Deut. 3.26 Let it suffice thee speake no more vnto me of this matter Speake no more the sentence was peremptory and might not be reuersed As absolute and peremptory was that threatning by Nathan from the Lord vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 12.14 Because by thine adultery thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe also that is borne vnto thee shall surely dye The childe shall surely die Dauids hope was that this threat was but conditionall and therefore with fasting weeping and prayer he besought God for the child and said Who can tell whether God will be gracious vnto mee that the child may liue Yet as the Prophet had denounced the child died So peremptory was the sentence and not to be reuersed So then its euident that some of Gods iudgements denounced against the sonnes of men are absolute and peremptory not to be reuersed Oâ—hers are conditionall to be vnderstood with this exception except they repent and amend The condition is sometimes expressed sometimes it is not The condition is expressed Ierem. 18.7 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a Kingdome to plucke vp and to pull downe and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their euill I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vnto them It is likewise expressed Ezech. 33.14 15. When I say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turne from his sinne and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue he shall not die Each of these Comminations is with an expresse condition The first was Such a Nation such a Kingdome I will plucke vp I will pull downe I will destroy The Nation the Kingdome performes the condition repenteth and turnes from euill and God reuerseth his sentence I will not plucke vp I will not pull downe I will not destroy it The second was The wicked man shall surely die The wicked man performes the condition repenteth and turnes from euill and God reuerseth his sentence He shall surely liue he shall not diâ— Sometimes the condition is not expressed but onely to be vnderstood So is it Ierem. 26.18 There we reade of Micah the Morushite that he in the daies of Hezekiah King of Iudah prophesied and spake to all the people of Iudah saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts Zion shall be plowed like a field and Ierusalem shall become heapes and the mountaine of the house the high places of a forest Fearefull is the Commination it threatens ruine to their Temple desolation to their City the vtter ouerthrow of their whole Kingdome How did the King and his people hereupon behaue themselues Did they fall into desperation No they did not Did they conclude an impossibility of obtaining pardon Nor did they so How then They conceiuing aright of the commination as fearefull as it was that it was vnto them a Sermon of repentance they feared the Lord they besought the Lord and the Lord repented him of the euill which hee had pronounced against them So was the Commination conditionall though the condition was not expressed The like we meet with Esay 38.1 There is a comminatory message from the Lord vnto the but-now-named Hezekiah Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue The good King conceiues aright of the message that it was no otherwise vnto him than as a Sermon of repentance and therefore he turnes his face vnto the wall prayes and weepes sorely and the Lord repented him of the message he had sent and sends him a new message vers 5. Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares behold I will adde vnto thy daies fifteene yeeres And so was the commination conditionall though the condition was not expressed And such is that in the Prophesie of Ionah Chap. 3.4 Yet forty daies and Nineueh shall be ouerthrowne The King of Nineueh though an heathen and an idolatrous King yet conceiues aright of this threat that it was to him and his people no otherwise than a Sermon of repentance The King therefore touched with repentance vnseateth himselfe vnthroneth himselfe commeth as low as the meanest strips himselfe of his kingly robes puts on sack-cloth sits in ashes causeth it to be proclaimed and published through Niniueh that there be a generall fast kept by man and beast that man and beast be couered with sack-cloth and cry mightily vnto God and turne euery one from his euill way and from the violence that is in their hands for saith the King Who can tell if God will turne and repent and turne away from his fierce anger that we perish not Who can tell And God saw their workes that they turned from their euill way and God repented of the euill that he had said that he would doe vnto them and he did it not So also was this commination conditionall though the condition was not expressed But why are these and many other threatnings of the Lord against sinners conditionall Why are they with condition of amendment Why is the condition either expressed or suppressed and only inclusiuely vnderstood It s thus First because Repentance if it follow after Gods comminatory sentence pronounced against sinners it procureth forgiuenesse of sin and taketh away the cause of punishment The cause of punishment is sinne remoue the cause and the effect must cease Let sinne be washed away with the teares of vnfained repentance and punishment shall neuer hurt vs. This is it which but euen now you heard out of Ezech. chap. 33.14.15 They were the words of the Lord When I say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turne from his sinne and doe that which is lawfull and right
to euery one that is truly penitent The third followeth It concerneth you You Beloued you and euery one that hath this grace and fauour with God to be a hearer of his holy Word It s your duty whensoeuer you heare the threatnings of Gods iudgements against sinners to stirre vp your selues to repentance and to the amendment of your liues So shall you preuent his wrath and stay his iudgements O! take heed beloued that you rush not on as the horse in the day of battell to your owne destruction If the Lord God from out of Sion shall roare as a Lion roareth in the forest when he hath taken a prey if he shall vtter his voice from Hierusalem as a young Lion couching in his denne cryeth out when he hath gotten somewhat will it not then be too late for vs to returne vnto him Neuer is it too late to returne to God so it be done truly seriously and from the ground of the heart But this be we well assured of that if there be no change in vs it will be in vaine for vs to looke for a change from God It s certaine God will neuer change his threatnings except we change our liues and conuersations Wherefore dearely beloued suffer we a word of exhortation for conclusion of all I will deliuer it in the Lords owne words his words to Israel in Ieremy chap. 4.1 4. If thou wilt returne saith the Lord returne vnto me and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not remoue Circumcise your selues to the Lord and take away the fore-skinnes of your hearts lest my fury come forth like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the euill of your doings Wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saued how long shall thy vaine thought lodge within thee O come see and taste how good and gracious the Lord is vnto vs how seriously he exhorteth vs how sweetly he inuiteth vs to turne vnto him how louingly he calls vs to repent and amend our liues that we may be saued Beloued nothing is wanting but what is wanting on our parts and that is the reall performance of true and vnfained repentance through a liuely faith in Christ Iesus Concerning which let me giue you a rule a rule that is grounded and infallible Without repentance there is no saluation without sorrow for sinne there is no repentance without earnest prayer there is no sorrow no godly sorrow and without a due feeling of the Lords wrath there is no prayer that can pierce the skie or moue the Lord. O therefore let vs pray for repentance let vs sue for repentance let vs worke for repentance let vs bestow all wee haue vpon repentance All we haue It s nothing to thee O Lord. We feele O Lord such a benummednesse in our hearts such a dulnesse in our soules that albeit we see our sinnes and know them to be exceeding great yet cannot we so bemone them so lament them so grieue at them so detest them as we should Smite O gracious God smite we beseech thee our flinty hearts make them euen to melt within vs at the sight of our owne transgressions that so being cleansed from the filthinesse of sin we may grow vp vnto full holinesse in thy feare through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour THE Fifth Lecture AMOS 3.5 Can a bird fall in a snare vpon the earth where no ginne is for him Shall one take vp a snare from the earth and haue taken nothing at all THat the comminations the menacies and threats which the Almighty by the ministery of his holy Word giueth forth against the sonnes of men for their impious and euill courses in their peregrination here vpon the earth are not in vaine like scar-crowes and bugges for the terrifying of little children and the ruder sort of people but are certaine euidences of Gods resolution for the punishment of sinne I haue heretofore out of the former verse made plaine vnto you by a two-fold similitude taken from the custome of Lions the old Lion and the young This fifth verse yeeldeth vs two other to the like effect and these are taken from the manner of fowlers or birders whose practise is to lay snares and set ginnes and spread nets to catch birds with The first is in the first branch the second in the second In the first there is an adumbration of the prouidence of God by which he ruleth all things In the second there is an illustration of the certainty the stability the efficacie of his iudgements which hee fore-sheweth and fore-telleth by his Prophets Of both in their order The first is Can a bird fall in a snare vpon the earth where no ginne is for him Can he fall The Vulgar Latine is Nurquid cadet shal he fall So reade the Septuagint so the Chaldee Paraphrast Nunquid cadit doth he fall So Winckleman and so our Country-man Tauerner in his English translation Au casura esset could shee fall So Iunius Can a bird could a bird shall a bird doth a bird fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hal pach haaretz in laqueum terrae word for word into a snare of the earth so is it in the old Latine This laqueus terrae is with Iunius laqueus humilis a snare lying low by the ground with Mercer and Vatablus it is laqueus in terrâ dispositus a snare placed on the ground Albertus Magnus expounds it to be laqueus in terrâ absconditus a snare hidden on the ground Into such a snare can a bird fall where no ginne is for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vmokesch ein lah. This same mokesch is by some taken for a ginne With Iunius and Drusius it is tendicula with Mercer it is offendiculum with Vatablus it is laqueus These as our late Translators take mokesch for a ginne Others take it for him that layeth the ginne for the fowler So doe the Septuagint so doth the Author of the Vulgar Latine so doth Saint Hierome take it With the Septuagint this mokesch is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a birder one that catcheth birds with birdlime with the author of the Vulgar Latine and Saint Hierome it is Auceps a Fowler So is it with Tauerner in his translation Doth a bird fall in a snare vpon the earth where no fowler is Be it a ginne or he that layeth the ginne the birder the fowler it much skilleth not for both readings haue their warrant as well this where no ginne is for him as that where no fowler is Now to the interrogation Can a bird fall in a snare vpon the earth where no ginne is for him or where no fowler is The answer must be negatiue No hee cannot And so is the answer made by Nicolaus de Lyra and the Author of the Interlineary Glosse So is it by Petrus Lusitanus so by Mercerus so by others Can a bird fall No it cannot be that a bird should fall in a snare vpon
of Babylon with this water of bitternesse with this leuen this little leauen with this fox this little fox with this Cockatrice with this serpent we are to resist discord euen in the beginning And this was Saint Ambrose his Caueatur Cauâ—atur iracundia beware of discord take heed of it But if wee cannot before hand prouide against it then followes his Cohibeatur Keepe it short bridle it But how shall we keepe it short how shall we bridle it The same good Father will for this point instruct vs. Si prauenerit praeocupauerit mentem tuam iracundia non relinqua as locum tuum If anger if wrath shall preuent thee and prepossesse thy minde leaue not thou thy place Thy place What 's that Locus tuus patientia est locus tuus sapientia est locuâ— tuus ratio est locus tuus sedatio indignationis est Thy place is patience thy place is wisdome thy place is reason thy place is the asswaging the quieting of thine anger By patience by wisdome by reason thou maist asswage and quiet anger But my neighbour is so sullen so froward so selfe-willed that I cannot chuse but be moued In this case what shall I doe The Fathers reply vnto thee is Reprime linguam tuam Restraine keepe vnder tame thy tongue For so it is written Psal 34.13 Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guilt Restraine keepe vnder tame my tongue keepe my tongue from euill The aduice I confesse to be very good But how shall I be able to follow it S. Iames seemeth to imply an impossibility in this performance Chap. 3.8 where he saith The tongue can no man tame it is an vnruly euill full of deadly poison No man can tame it How then shall I It is an vnruly euill how shall I rule it It is full of deadly poison how shall I cleanse it It were blasphemy to gaine-say what Saint Iames hath said He hath said the tongue is an vnruly euill and so it is It is an euill and an euill of a wilde nature it is an vnruly euill An vnruly euill it is Saint Bernard in his Treatise De triplici custodia saith of it facile volat atque ideo facilè violat It flieth quickly and therefore it woundeth quickly Speedy is the pace it goeth and therefore speedy is the mischiefe it doth When all other members of the body are dull with age this though it be but little this tongue alone is quicke and nimble An vnruly euill it is an vnruly euill to our selues an vnruly euill to our neighbours an vnruly euill to all the world And it is full of deadly poison Poison What is there poyson in the tongue Poyson that is contrary to the nature of a man is it in the tongue of a man Yes But it may be this poison is no mortall poyson but such a poyson whose venome may without much adoe be expelled Nay saith Saint Iames it is mortall it is a deadly poyson Say it be a deadly poyson peraduenture there is but little of it and so the danger is the lesse Nay saith Saint Iames it is full of it it is full of deadly poyson The tongue is an vnruly euill full of deadly poyson who can tame it No man saith the Apostle No. Man hath no bridle no cage of brasse no barres of iron to tame the tonguâ— withall And yet you see the Psalmographer calleth vpon vs to tame this tongue of ours to keepe it from euill Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guile In this case what shall we doe Beloued Whether shall we haue recourse for helpe in this time of need Whether but to the throne of grace euen to him that sitteth thereon He made the tongue and he alone can tame the tongue Hee that gaue man a tongue to speake can giue him a tongue to speake well Hee that placed that vnruly member in the mouth of man can giue man a mouth to rule it He can giue vs songs of Sion for loues-sonnets and heauenly Psalmes for the Ballads of Hell Wherefore let vs moue our tongues to entreat of him helpe for our tongues Dauid hath scored out this way for vs Psal 141.3 Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keepe the doore of my lips Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis It was Saint Augustines petition and be it ours Giue Lord what thou commandest and then command vs what thou wilt Thou commandest that I keepe my tongue from euill and my lips that they speake no guilt Lord keepe thou my tongue from euill keepe thou my lips and my lips shall speake no guile Yet Beloued wee must not be idle our selues The difficulty of keeping our tongues from euill should spurre vs on to a greater diligence I know you would keepe your house from theeues your garments from moths your treasure from rust See that ye be as carefull to keepe your tongues from euill Giue not ouer your hearts vnto security and your tongues will be the better As farre as the heart is good so farre will the tongue be good If the heart beleeue Rom. 10.10 the tongue will confesse If the heart be meeke the tongue will be gentle But if the heart be angry the tongue will be bitter Iames 3.6 A tongue set on fire of Hell to tell tales to speake euill to backe-bite to slander to curse to brawle to reuile discouers a heart as foule full of all maliciousnesse according to that which our Sauiour told the Pharisees Matth. 12.34 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh It is a polluted heart that maketh a foule mouth Wherefore dearely Beloued make cleane within and all will be cleane hate euill cogitations and there will proceed from you no euill communication Foster charity in your hearts and your lips will bee like the Spouses lips in the Canticles they will be like a thred of scarlet Chap. 4.3 and your talke comely the speech that proceeds from you will be gracious in it selfe and such as may administer grace vnto the hearers Ephes 4.29 full of grauity full of discretion full of zeale full of loue So shall all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and euill speaking bee put away from you with all malice And ye will be kinde one to another you will be tender-hearted one towards another you will forgiue one another euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you Happy are ye that are in such a case You shall not need to feare any calamity that hangeth ouer the heads of such as liue in discord and variance concerning whom my doctrine was The man that liues in discord and variance shall fall into such calamities out of which there is no escaping for him as there is no escaping for a bird out of a snare I haue with some prolixity insisted vpon this argument of discord and variance the rather being perswaded of the truth of that
your cities which are now inhabited Ezech. 12.20 shall be laid waste and your Land shall be desolate yet you take courage to your selues against such terrours Amos 6.3 you put far away from you the euill day you say within your selues Ezech. 12.27 the vision which this man seeth is for many daies to come and he prophesieth of the times that are far off To this purpose Saint Cyril With him agree three great Rabbins R. Dauid R. Abraham R. Selomo They make the Lord here to speake after this manner If a trumpet be blowne in a citie at an vnseasonable houre to giue warning that the enemie is comming the people will exceedingly tremble and be afraid Why then are not you afraid why tremble yee not at the voices of my Prophets My Prophets are my trumpeters by them I giue you warning of the euils that hang ouer your heads and will ere long fall vpon you Why are you not afraid why tremble you not To this application of this sixth similitude our new Expositors for the most part haue subscribed They vnderstand by this Citie the Church of God by the Trumpet the Word of God by the people the bearers of the Word and so thus stands the application When a trumpet giueth a sudden signe by the sound of it out of a watch-tower all the people harken and are troubled and prepare themselues this way or that way according as the trumpet giueth the token So at the voice of God founding by his Ministers we ought to giue eare and be attentiue and be moued at the noise of it and as he giueth warning prepare our selues and looke about vs while it is time lest afterward it be too late Now the lesson which we are to take from hence is this The word of God vttered by his Ministers deserueth more reuerence feare and trembling then doth a trumpet sounding an alarme from a watch-tower For the word of God is a trumpet too and a trumpet of a farre shriller sound The blowers of this trumpet are the Ministers of the Word who in this regard are called sometimes Tuba Dei and sometimes Speculatores They are Gods trumpet and they are watch-men They are Tuba Dei Gods trumpet and hereby are they put in minde of their dutie euen to denounce perpetuall warre against the wicked and to excite men euen to fight against the Deuill and to bid defiance vnto sinne And they are Speculatores they are Watch-men placed by God in his holy Citie the Church Velut in speculâ as in a Watch-tower to watch for the safetie of the people and to blow the trumpet vnto them when any danger is at hand Both appellations are met together in Ierem. 6.17 Constitui super vos speculatores audite vocem tubae I haue set ouer you watch-men hearken to the sound of the trumpet Bishops Pastors Ministers they are these watch-men and wee are to hearken to the sound of their trumpets Their trumpets True For Ministers haue trumpets Their trumpets are two One is Territoria the other is Consolatoria One is a terrifying trumpet the other trumpet is comforting Of the former God speaketh by his Prophet Esay chap. 58.1 Crie aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes So doth hee by Zephania chap. 1.16 A day of the Trumpet and alarme against the fenced cities and against the high towers And I will bring distresse vpon men that they shall walke like blinde men because they haue sinned against the Lord. This trumpet you may call tubam legis the trumpet of the Law because by if the Minister denounceth the curses of the Law the wrath of God misery and calamitie to euery vnrepentant sinner Of the other trumpet of the ministery we may vnderstand that Esay 27.13 The great Trumpet shall be blowne and they shall come which were readie to perish in the Land of Assyria and the out-casts in the Land of Aegypt and shall worship the Lord in the holy Mount at Ierusalem This trumpet you may call tubam Euangelij the trumpet of the Gospell because by it the Minister pronounceth the blessings of the Gospell the loue of God a quiet conscience and true felicity to euery true beleeuer These two trumpets terrifying and comforting that of the Law this of the Gospell are still of vse in the Church of Christ the Minister sounding sometimes woe sometimes weale according as our sinnes shall giue him cause But why is it that the ministery of the Word and the preaching thereof is compared to a trumpet Hector Pintus in his Comment vpon the eight and fiftieth of Esay giueth hereof two reasons One is because as the materiall trumpet calleth and encourageth vnto warre so this spirituall trumpet the preaching of the Word calleth and encourageth vs to fight valiantly against the world the flesh and the Deuill The other is because as the materiall trumpet is blowne at solemnities to betoken ioy so this spirituall trumpet the preaching of the Word should stirre vs vp ad laborem in praesenti ad gaudium in futuro to labour in this life and to ioy in that to come For as he addeth hic est locus vincendi ibi triumphandi hic breuis laboris illic sempiterna quietis hic poenae transeuntis ibi gloriae permanentis Here is the place for ouercomming there for the triumph here of some little labour there of eternall quiet here of paine that passeth away there of glory that endureth The comparison standing thus betweene the preaching of the Word and a trumpet warranteth the truth of the doctrine propounded which was The word of God vttered by his Ministers deserueth more reuerence feare and trembling then doth a trumpet sounding an alarme from a watch-tower This representation of the word of God by a trumpet should euer sound and as it were goe before vs in all our actions in warre in peace in all meetings and ioyfull feasts that all our doings may be acceptable to the Lord our God The doctrine now deliuered standing vpon the comparison that is betweene the preaching of the Word and a trumpet may in termes absolute be thus The preaching of the word of God is to be harkened vnto with all reuerence It is the point I handled in my first Sermon vpon this third Chapter of Amos. My Thesis then was The word of God is diligently to be harkened vnto What proofes and reasons out of Scripture I then produced for the confirmation of that truth and what vse was made thereof I now stand not to repeat Nor need I so to doe The holy Scripture being as the Ocean of waters which can neuer bee exhausted yeeldeth vs great varietie of matter though we speake againe and againe to the same point I proceed then with my Thesis as it is giuen in termes absolute The preaching of the word of God is to be harkened vnto with all reuerence I
2. yet we reade that Pharaoh and Nabuchodonosor had such Et Pharaoh Nabuchodonosor in iudicium sui somnijs futura cognoscunt tamen Deum non intelligunt reuelantem saith S. Hierome vpon the first of Ionas Both Pharaoh and Nabuchodonosor to their owne condemnation doe by their dreames know things to come and yet they vnderstand not God the reuealer Dreames of the second sort are Naturall and such no doubt the Heathen in their sleepe had as wee in ours haue But in these there is no diuination no fore-knowing of things to come The third sort is of dreames diabolicall Hieron CoÌ„ment in Esai Distinct 7. part 2 art 1. q. 3. lib. 2. such as the Gentiles sought for in the Temple of Aesculapius Bonauenture calls them Somnia quae fiunt ex illusione Diabolicâ Dreames which happen to men in time of sleepe by the illusion of the Deuill Dreames of this sort as they were euer vncertaine so were they as vncertainly interpreted Such was the Dreame that Darius had before he encountred with Alexander Curtius lib. 3. some expounded it to signifie the victory that he should haue against him some gaue a contrary sense Curtius lib. 3. Tully giues another instance One going to the Olympicke games had a dreame that he was turned into an Eagle One Wizâ—rd interpreted it that he should ouercome because the Eagle is supreme to all other fowles another turned it the contrary way that hee should haue the worse because the Eagle driuing other birds before her commeth last of all Such dreames as these are well censured by Siracides in the 34. of his Ecclesiasticus vers 5. Diuinations and sooth-sayiâ—â—â— and dreames are vaine Dreames are vaine If they be not sent from the most High in thy visitation set not thy heart vpon them For dreames haue deceiued many and they haue failed that put their trust in them For who so regardeth dreames is like him that catcheth at a shadow and followeth after the winde Thus finding no sound ability either in the dreames of the Heathen or in their Oracles to reueale secrets or foretell things to come we must euer acknowledge it for a truth irrefragable and not to be gain-said that God is the only reuealer of secrets that he only foretelleth things to come And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of my second generall the thing reuealed the secret of God The third followeth and is of them to whom the Reuelation is made they are his seruants the Prophets Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets The Prophets that were the seruants of the Lord God were of three sorts Some were extraordinarily raised vp by God for the gouernment of the Church in the infancie thereof Their office was in the common necessities of the Church to consult God as occasion should be giuen and to giue answers concerning things to come These from the inward counsell of God vttering oracles were wont to be called a 1 Sam. 9.9 Amos 7.12 Seers Others extraordinarily also raised vp by God were ordained for the instruction of the Church Their office was to interpret and apply the Law and to foreshew the sufferings and glory of Christ These continued from b Act. 3.24 10.43 1 Pet. 1.10.11 Samuel vnto Malachie Malachie was the last of them The third sort is of the c Ephes 4.11 1 Cor 12.28 Prophets of the New Testament such as were endued with a singular dexterity and readinesse and wisdome to interpret the Scriptures of the Prophets and to apply them In this third ranke euery d Luke 4.24 1 Cor. 14.32 true Minister of the Gospell hath a place Of all these Prophets Christ is the head he is the chiefe of all To him e Deut. 18.15 Act. 3.22 〈◊〉 7.37 Moses yea and all the Prophets all the f Act. 3.24 Prophets from Samuel and all those that follow after as many as haue spoken giue witnesse But the Prophets of which my text speaketh are of the two first sorts of Prophets those whom God extraordinarily raised vp as well for the gouerning as for the instruction of the Church Both are here stiled the seruants of the Lord God His seruants Not only because they serued God in the common profession of godlinesse but also because they serued him in their particular functions and callings To be the seruants of the Lord God it is certainly a notable dignity and prerogatiue How doe men delight to shroud themselues vnder the liueries of great men and how much doe they take themselues to be honoured thereby How much more ought we to labour to approue our selues in the presence of the Lord our God and to shew our selues euery man in his seuerall vocation and course of life to be his faithfull seruants And thus haue you the particular exposition of this my text Surely the Lord God will doe no thing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets I may not leaue vntouched the maine obseruation which this text affordeth It is this God neuer bringeth any grieuous iudgement vpon any people or nation nor vpon any priuate person but he doth alwaies first fore-warne the same and foretelleth it God alwayes teacheth before hee punisheth hee warneth before hee striketh When hee was resolued to wash the World with a Deluge of waters for the sinne thereof hee fore-told it vnto Noah Gen. 6.13 Though the crie of Sodome and Gomorrah were great and their sinne very grieuous yet would not God destroy them till he had made knowne his purpose vnto Abraham Gen. 18.17 and to Lot Gen. 19.13 The seuen yeares of famine that should consume the Land of Aegypt seuen yeares before hee foretold to Ioseph Gen. 41.25 So hee reuealed the intended subuersion of Niniueh to Ionah Ionah 3.1 the famine that should be in the dayes of Claudius Caesar vnto Agabus Act. 11.28 the captiuitie of the ten Tribes to this our Prophet Amos. Amos in the full assurance of this truth saith with boldnesse Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the P ophets Will hee doe nothing but hee reuealeth it Wee may not so take it that God reuealeth to his Prophets all things which he hath a purpose to doe all things simply all his secrets But with a certaine limitation that hee reuealeth omnia vtilia nobis as Hugo de S. Charo out of the Glosse hath obserued that hee reuealeth all things profitable for vs or that hee reuealeth Omnia quae bonum communitatis concernunt as Carthusian speaketh that hee reuealeth all things which concerne the common good All things which either concerne the common good or are profitable vnto vs such as are the iudgements of God to be laid vpon a multitude or a priuate person God reuealeth This is the substance of the doctrine euen now deliuered God neuer bringeth any grieuous iudgement vpon any people or
any place be of sufficient secrecie to conceale the vices of Kings Now if Kings secrets done in Court if their secret vices be made knowne much more shall it be knowne that is proclaimed in Court And therefore is the Proclamation here enioyned to be made in the Palaces of Palaestina and Aegypt in their Princes Courts that the same thereof flying abroad into all the coasts of those dominions the rest of the people might vnderstand thereof and beare witnesse to the iudgements of God which he executeth vpon his people for their sinnes that they are very iust By this iniunction for the Proclamation now expounded you see that Heathens the Philistines and Aegyptians aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and vtter enemies to that State are inuited to be spectators of the euils which God in iudgement was to bring vpon that his people the Israelitish Nation And this was to make the euils which the Israelites were to suffer the more grieuous vnto them Hence ariseth this obseruation The calamities or miseries which the Lord in iustice layeth vpon vs for our euill deeds will be the more grieuous vnto vs if our enemies be made priuie vnto them This is it the Lord saith to Ierusalem Ezech. 5.8 Behold I euen I will execute iudgement in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations thine enemies In the sight of thine enemies will I doe it It could not be but an exceeding great griefe to the Virgin daughter of Zion that the Lord had caused her enemie to reioyce ouer her and had set vp the horne of her aduersaries Lament 2.17 The reproach and ignominie that commeth from an enemie in time of misery is to some farre more grieuous than death it selfe who rather choose to die though it be by their owne hands or the hands of a friend than they will endure dishonour from an enemie Examples of such a resolution there are many in prophane Histories as in Plutarch of a Tom. 3. vit in Catone Catâ— Minor b In Antonio Antonius and Cleopatra in c Annal. lib. 16. Tacitus of Thraseas These of the Heathen killed themselues through impatiencie as not being able to endure the reproach and shame which they feared the one from Caesar two of them from Augustus the fourth from Nero. Nor is the Sacred story void of examples of this kinde Abimelech sonne of d Ierubesheth 2 Sam. 11.21 Ierubbaal he whom the Sichemites e Iudg. 9.6 made their King when at an assault of his giuen to the tower of Theber he had his scull broken by a peece of a Milstone which a certaine woman had cast vpon his head he called hastily vnto a young man his armour-bearer and said vnto him Draw my sword and slay me that men say not of me A woman slew him And his young-man thrust him thorow and he died Iudg. 9.54 Such was the end of that ambitious and cruell tyrant He is slaine of a woman and when he sees he is to die hee is desirous to blot out that infamie he will not haue it said of him that a woman slew him That a woman of the enemies side slew him he will not by any meanes haue it said of him Kill him rather than it should be said A woman slew him Such was the impatience of Saul Saul he that was the first King of the Israelites when the Philistines had gotten the day against him 1 Sam. 31.2 1 Chron. 10.2 had slaine three of his sonnes Ionathan Abinadab and Malchishua and himselfe was wounded by their archers he thus spake vnto his Armour-bearer Draw thy sword and thrust me thorow therewith lest these vncircumcised come and thrust me thorow and mocke me Which vile act his Armour-bearer refusing Saul became his owne executioner took his owne sword and slew himselfe 1 Sam. 31.4 He takes his own sword and slayes himselfe And why so Lest saith he these vncircumcised Philistines come and thrust me thorow and mocke me See he will die that he may not die he will be thrust thorow that he may not be thrust thorow he will kill himselfe that the Philistines may not kill him Hee will not endure to come within the power of his enemies I commend not Saul for his valour in killing himselfe nor Abimelech for his in causing his Armour-bearer to thrust him thorow It was not valour in them but cowardise or impatiencie For if they could with patience haue borne and endured their troubles they would not haue hastened their owne death Selfe-killing is a sinne so grieuous that scarce there is any more hainous before the Lord. Many reasons may be alleaged to shew the vnlawfulnesse of this fact and I hold it not amisse to bring a few especially in the iniquitie of these times wherein wretchednesse hath so fearefully preuailed in some persons and almost daily doth preuaile that they dare plunge themselues into this pit of terrible destruction My first reason shall be because it is forbidden in that Commandement Thou shalt not kill Exod. 20.13 In that Commandement is forbidden the killing of any man without lawfull authority But no man hath authority ouer himselfe because no man is superiour to himselfe and therefore no man may kill himselfe Out of S. Augustine lib. 1. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 20. I thus frame the reason Thou shalt not kill that is the Law The Law is not Exod. 20.13 thou shalt not kill thy neighbour limiting it as it were to some but indefinitly Thou shalt not kill extending it largely to all and therefore a man may not kill himselfe My second reason I take from that other Law Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe It is giuen in the Old Leuit. 19.18 Matth. 5.43 22.39 Rom. 13.9 Galat. 5.14 Iames 2.8 and is oft repeated in the New Testament Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Where the loue of our selues is made measure for the loue of our neighbours Thou oughtest to loue thy neighbour but as thou louest thy selfe The example of thy charity is drawne from thy selfe at home Thy soule thy preseruation the good wished to thy selfe should be the true direction of thy deeds vnto thy neighbour But it is vnlawfull for thee to lay bloudy or murthering hands vpon thy neighbour and therefore thou mayest not make away thy selfe It is more vnnaturall for thee to shed thine owne bloud than thy neighbours Thy neighbours thou mayest not shed much lesse mayest thou shed thine owne Thirdly for a man to kill himselfe it is an iniury to the Common-wealth wherein he liueth for thereby he maimeth the Common-wealth and cutteth off one of her members The King thereby shall want a man when he hath vse of him This is an iniury to the State therfore a man may not kill himself Fourthly our life is giuen vs of God God hath placed vs in this world as in a watch or standing from whence we may not stirre a foot till God call vs
of God as it becommeth Christians If we shall so lead our liues that our liues shall be to the vnbeleeuing Atheist and blinde Papist a horrour and a scandall shall they not both Atheist and Papist rise vp in iudgement with vs and condemne vs If vnder the cloake of Christian libertie we liue petulantly lasciuiously dissolutely in gluttony in drunkennesse in chambering in wantonnesse in whoredome in luxuriousnesse in strife in maliciousnesse in cruelty in couetousnesse and in other like enormities shall they not both Atheist and Papist rise vp in iudgement with vs and condemne vs Wherefore dearely beloued these enormities and the like let them not once bee named amongst vs Ephes 5.3 as it becommeth Saints But put we on as the elect of God holy and beloued the bowels of mercies Coloss 3.12 kindnesse sanctimony and holinesse of life humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man hath a quarrell against any euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen vs. O! Let vs thus doe and our soules shall liue And that all of vs may doe thus God Almightie grant vs of his grace for his welbeloued Sonne IESVS CHRIST his sake THE Twelfth Lecture AMOS 3.10 For they know not to doe right saith the Lord who store vp violence and robbery in their Palaces MEn are as fishes of the Sea that haue no ruler ouer them it is the complaint of the Prophet Habakkuk Chap. 1.14 Fishes of the Sea It is their property to deuoure one another the stronger and the greater deuoure the weaker and the lesse so saith the Emperour Iustine the second in Cedrenus his Annals Saint Ambrose in his Hexameron lib. 5. cap. 5. sheweth this to be true in two kinds of fishes in the Scarus which some call the Guilt-head or Golden-eye which cheweth like a beast and in the Silurus the Sheath-fish or Whale of the riuer Among these Minor esca majoris est the lesser is food for the greater and the greater is set vpon by a stronger than he and becommeth his food So fares it with men Great men set vpon their inferiours and mightier than they vpon them Such men men for quality like fishes deuourers one of another cruell and couetous men bore the sway in Samaria It is plaine by this passage of Amos his second Sermon to the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the people of Israel Of this passage there are two parts An Accusation vers 9 10. A Commination vers 11. In the ninth verse a part of the accusation two things haue beene obserued An iniunction for a proclamation Publish in the palaces c. The proclamation it selfe Assemble your selues c. In the proclamation two sinnes were controlled Cruelty and Couetousnesse Their Cruelty appeared in their great tumults their Couetousnesse in their oppressions I gaue a touch at both in my last Sermon I now goe on with the tenth verse wherein these two enormities Cruelty and Couetousnesse are amplified by two Topickes à genere and à specie From the Genus thus They know not to doe right and thus from the Species They store vp violence and robbery in their palaces That so it is God is witnesse for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neum Iehouah the Lord hath said it I beginne with the amplification from the Genus They know not to doe right Saint Hierome readeth according to the Hebrew Nescierunt they haue not knowne So doe they who haue either non nouerunt as Caluin Gualter and Brentius or non norunt as Vatablus Mercer and Piscator They haue not knowne Tremelius and Iunius haue vt ignorent how they are ignorant Drusius hath Nam nesciunt for they know not There is our translation They haue not knowne or they are ignorant and know not Facere rectum to doe right So all saue Ionathan who in his Paraphrase hath Facere legem to doe the Law The meaning is good for whosoeuer knoweth not to doe according to the Law of God he knoweth not to doe right They know not to doe right Omninò rectum facere nesciunt saith Saint Hierome they haue no knowledge at all to doe what right is no knowledge to doe any good at all So then they of Samaria the people of Israel are accused of Ignorance Ignorance of the Law of God and of doing thereafter is here laid vnto their charge It yeeldeth vnto vs this obseruation Ignorance of God and his reuealed will is a sinne that is damnable and to be auoided It is so I proue it 1. Because it is against the Commandement 2. Because God expresly reproueth it My third proofe shall be from the foulnesse of this ignorance First it is against the Commandement against the first Commandement which is Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Exod. 20.3 The Commandement is negatiue And the rule is In the negatiue the affirmatiue must be vnderstood and in the affirmatiue the negatiue Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me that 's the negatiue the affirmatiue to bee vnderstood is Thou shalt haue me alone for thy God where our knowledge of God is commanded We are to acknowledge him that is we are to know and confesse him to be such a God as he hath reuealed himselfe to be in his word and in his Creatures Now as in this affirmatiue part the knowledge of God is commanded so in the negatiue is the ignorance of God forbidden This ignorance of God is not only not to know but also to doubt of such things as God hath reuealed in his word And such is the ignorance of God that is forbidden in that first Commandement It is likewise forbidden if Polanus deceiue not in the 32. Psalme vers 9. Be ye not as the horse or as the mule which haue no vnderstanding It s forbidden in the Epistle to the Ephes cap. 4.17 18. Walke not from henceforth as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their minde hauing their vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Walke not on in ignorance For as the knowledge of God is the true life of the soule so on the other side the ignorance of God is the death of the soule Hence is that of Saint Paul 1 Thes 4.13 I would not haue you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleepe that you sorrow not euen as others which haue no hope It seemeth the Thessalonians were in great heauinesse and mourned out of measure when they beheld the persecution of the Church among them In this their heauinesse and mourning they grew towards mistrust and to be like the Heathen which had no hope This abuse of theirs grew of ignorance for that they knew not the happy estate of such as die in the Lord. Saint Paul to reforme this their error saith Brethren I would not haue you ignorant concerning them which are asleepe Be yee not ignorant what is become of them
all that passed by The Pirat freely and stoutly replyed Quid tibi vt orbem terrarum Nay what meane you Alexander to be so troublesome to rob all the world What I doe I doe it but with one ship Et latro vocor and must be called a theefe you doe the like with a fleet with a number of ships and you must be called Emperour The onely difference betweene vs is I rob out of necessity to supply my wants you out of your vnmeasurable couetousnesse Of Magistrates in Courts of Iustice if they be corrupt Saint Cyprian Ep. 2. ad Donatum giues this censure Qui sedet crimina vindicaturus admittit vt reus innocens pereat fit nocens judex It is significantly Englished by Democritus Iunior See a Lambe executed and a Wolfe pronounce sentence Latro arraigned and Fur sit on the bench the Iudge seuerely punish others and doe worse himselfe Such Iudges may iustly be noted for men of violence and robbery But my speech is not to such for they heare me not It is to you beloued Shall I say that among you there are men of violence and robbery I auow it not yet flatter not your selues He that filcheth or pilfereth the least pinne Mark 10.19 point or sticke of wood from his neighbour Prou. 22.18 he that moueth ancient bounds the ancient bounds which his fathers haue made with a purpose to encroach vpon his neighbours land hee that stealeth another mans wife childe or seruant 1 Tim. 1.10 Ios 7.19 hee that committeth sacrilege in detaining the rights of the Church he that transgresseth thus or thus he may goe for a man of violence and robbery Dearely beloued if any of you hath beene ouertaken with these or the like transgressions looke into your owne hearts examine your selues in what measure you haue or doe transgresse For we must not feare to tell you you doe offend And if your conscience tell you your offence is great runne not headlong into Hell without returning De Conuers cap. 1. Vita non est nisi in Conuersione saith Saint Bernard There is no hope of life but by turning to the Lord. And your turning to the Lord must bee by true and vnfained repentance So turne vnto him and if thou be a Publican thou maist become an Euangelist if a blasphemer an Apostle if a theefe and robber a possessor of Paradise And so much be spoken of my second part the speciall amplification of cruelty and couetousnesse the sinnes of Samaria taken from their violence and robberies treasured vp in their palaces My third part is the ratification of the whole accusation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neum Iehouah the Lord hath said it They know not to doe right saith the Lord who store vp violence and robbery in their palaceâ— Saith the Lord. See the Lord â—s not idle in the Heauens as some imagine but takes notice of what is done here below He beholdeth the great tumults that are in Samaria and the oppressions there their violence and robberies he beholdeth My obseruation here shall be that Iob 34.21 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the waies of man and he seeth all his goings He seeth all He seeth our sinnes in the booke of Eternity before our owne hearts conceiued them He seeth our sinnes in our hearts as soone as our inuentions haue giuen them forme He sâ—eth our sinnes in action on the Theater of this earth quite through the scene of our liues and hee seeth them to our paine when his wrathful eye takes notice of them and his hand is lift vp to punish them He seeth them all There is nothing so secret nothing so abstracted from the senses of men Vt creatoris aut lateat cognitionem aut effugiat potestatem that it may either lurke from the eye or escape the hand of God August de Ciuit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 20. As plaine is that Iob 34 22. There is no darknesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues The Powder-traitors in the mine and Celler were not vnseene to the reuenging eye of God The villaines of the cloisters were all naked vnto him As darke as their Vaults were his all-seeing eye descried their filthinesse and laid waste their habitations The obscurity of their Cells and Dorters the thicknesse of their walls the closenesse of their Windowes with the cloake of a strict profession couering all could not hide their sinnes from the eye of Heauen Nor can our sins be hid though done with greatest secrecy Sinne as closely as thou canst there will bee witnesses of thy sinne Videt te angelus malus videt te angelus bonus videt bonis malis major angelis Deus Bernard de conuers ad Clericos cap. 16. The bad angell sees thee and the good sees thee and he that is better than the Angels farre aboue all principalities and powers God Almighty he sees thee Wherefore dearely beloued let our conuersation with men be as in the sight of God And sith in this mortality we cannot but sinne let vs endeuour to see our sinnes to know them to confesse them to bewaile them and cry we to God to giue vs grace to lay hold vpon Iesus Christ his Sonne that beleeuing we may be saued by his righteousnesse Good God pardon our sinnes giue vs faith change our liues to the better for thy blessed name and mercies sake euen for Iesus Christ his sake Amen THE Thirteenth Lecture AMOS 3.11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and hee shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled THis third part of this third Chapter but second Sermon of Amos to the kingdome of the ten Tribes I stiled an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Exornation pertaining to the proposition deliuered in the second verse It amplifieth the iniquitie of the Israelites from the testification of forren nations as thus You you of Israel your sinnes are so notorious so grosse so palpable that very strangers Philistines and Aegyptians may take notice of them Sith you of your selues are not touched with a conscience of your euill deeds them the Philistines and Aegyptians I call as witnesses and Iudges of your impurity and vncleannesse It is the scope of this passage The passage consisteth of two parts An Accusation vers 9 10. A Commination vers 11. In the ninth verse a part of the Accusation two things haue beene obserued An Iniunction for a Proclamation Publish in the palaces at Ashdod and in the palaces in the Land of Aegypt and say The Proclamation it selfe Assemble your selues vpon the Mountaines of Samaria and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof and the oppressed in the midst thereof In the Proclamation two sinnes were controuled Cruelty and Couetousnesse Their Cruelty in their great tumults their Couetousnesse in their oppressions In the tenth verse the other part of the Accusation those two enormities
the children of Israel be taken out of the hands of Salmanassar The things compared are First a Lion and Salmanassar King of Assyria Secondly a Sheepe and the Children of Israel Thirdly some fragments of a deuoured sheepe two legs or a peece of an eare and the small number of the Israelites that should escape These Israelites are here described ab ipsorum securitate from their security or lacke of care They liue nicely aâ—d delicately in all pleasure and delight full of confidence that no euill shall at any time touch them They dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch Samaria and Damascus Cities of strength and fortification were vnto the Israelites as their beds of repose and rest They thought themselues safe and out of danger by the aid and succour of Ciâ—ies so well fenced but were deceiued For thus saith the Lord As the Shepheard taketh out of the mouth of the Lion two legs or a peece of an eare so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch Such is the diuision of this Text. I now descend to a speciall handling of the parts The first is the Introduction to the Similitude Thus saith the Lord. This Introduction I heretofore copiously handled I met with it in the first Chapter of this booke fiue times Vers 3 6 9 11 13. Vers 1 4 6. in the second thrice and once before in this and therefore the lesse need is there that now I insist vpon it Yet may I not leaue it vnsaluted sith our Prophet here repeateth it And he repeateth it to iustifie his calling to shew that albeit he formerly liued the life of a Shepheard yet now he haâ—h his calling to be a Prophet from the Lord Iehouah Whence my obseruation is It is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him ministeriall function in the Church without assurance of calling from God This truth is by the Apostle Hebr. 5.4 thus deliuered No man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was Now that Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated to the Priests office by the authority and appointment of God it is plaine by the eighth Chapter of Leuiticus wherein are set downe the sacrifices and ceremonies vsed at the Consecration together with the place and time thereof Thereby it appeareth that the office of holy Priest-hood was not of man nor from man but God Almighty did first institute and ordaine it by his owne expresse commandement Then being ordained he confirmed the honour and reputation of it by that great miracle of the budding of Aarons rod Num. 17.8 The rod of Aaron for the house of Leui brought forth buds and bloomed blossomes and yeelded Almonds Thus was the institution of holy Priesthood from God alone This honour the holy men of God of old time tooke not to themselues Nor Esay nor Ieremy nor Ezechiel nor any of the residue tooke this honour to themselues but were all called of God and in the name of God they declared vnto the people his visions and his words which is intimated by those passages very obuious in the writings of the Prophets as a â—say 1.1 the vision of Esaiah b Cap. 1.1 the vision of Obadiah the burden of Nineueh in the booke of the vision of c Cap. 1.1 Nahum the burden which Habakkuk the Prophet did see the burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachy the word of the Lord which came to Hosea to Ioel to Ionah to Micah to Zephaniah to Haggai to Zachariah d Esay 1.2 The Lord hath spoken e Ierem. 10.1 Heare yee the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord Saith the Lord. By these and the like passages they shew their calling to haue beene from God Not one of them tooke this honour to himselfe Nor did Christ himselfe take this honour to himselfe but with warrant of his Fathers calling For so I reade Heb. 5.5 Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an High Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne to day haue I begotten thee He euen God the Father gaue him this honour And hereunto doth Christ himselfe beare witnesse in all those places of the holy Euangelists wherein he acknowledged himselfe to be * Matth. 10.40 Mark 9.37 Luk. 4.18 43. Ioh. 3.17 34 c. sent of God The holy Apostles of Christ whence had they their calling were they not all openly ordained by Christ himselfe Neuer did any of them execute that office but with protestation that they had their calling from God and therefore their writings beginne Rom. 1.1 Paul a seruant of Iesus Christ called to bee an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father Iames a seruant of God Gal. 1.1 and of the Lord Iesus Christ Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ Cap. 1.1 Iude the seruant of Iesus Christ the reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him to shew vnto his seruant Iohn Thus had Christs Apostles the assurance of their calling from God So had the blessed Euangelists So all those whom Christ gaue vnto his Church for the instruction thereof Ephes 4.11 He gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers It is true that Christ himselfe is the chiefe builder for so he saith Matth. 16.18 Super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam vpon this rocke will I build my Church and he builds it through his holy Spirit yet he doth vse Prophets and Apostles and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers as vnderwork men for this building euen vnto the end of the world And all these haue the assurance of their calling from God Who so hath it not he is not to be vouchsafed the name of Prophet or Apostle or Euangelist or Pastor or Teacher for he is an Intruder And great is the danger of Intrusion Euery Intruder was to be put to death The Law for it is Num. 1.51 Euery stranger that commeth nigh vnto the Tabernacle shall be put to death The stranger any one that is not of the tribe and family of Leui that breaketh into the Leuites function and medleth with holy things beyond his calling he is to bee put to death An example hereof we haue in the Beth-shemites 1 Sam. 6.19 who because they had looked into the Arke of the Lord contrary to the Law were smitten with a great slaughter to the number of fifty thousand and threescore and ten men The like we haue in Vzzah sonne of Abinadab 2 Sam. 6.6 who because he touched the Arke of God contrary to the Law was punished with sudden death and stricken with the immediate hand of God that fell vpon him to the terrour of others and to worke reuerence in the hearts of all men toward the sacred things of his seruice Adde hereto the
example of Vzziah King of Iudah 2 Chron. 26.16 He for inuading the Priâ—sts office for burning Incense vpon the Altar of Incense in the Temple of the Lord Carthus in Num. 1. was stricken with a leprosie And Gedeon that valiant man who iudged Israel for forty yeeres intermedled too farre with the Priests office when he made the golden Ephod Iudg. 8.27 All Israel went a whoring after it and it became a snare to Gedeon himselfe and to his house Now from the danger of intrusion thus laid open we may inferre the vnlawfulnesse of medling with ministeriall function in the Church without assurance of calling from God The same may be inferred vpon the blame which God layeth vpon false Prophets Ierem. 14.14 I sent them not neither haue I commanded them neither spake I vnto them yet they prophesie And Chap. 23.21 Ierem. 29.9 I haue not sent these Prophets yet they runne I haue not spoken to them yet they prophesied They haue prophesied What but lies though in my name they haue prophesied false visions and diuinations things of naught and the deceit of their owne heart Thus haue they done but I sent them not nor commanded them nor spake vnto them This blame thus laid by the Lord vpon wicked and false Teachers for running before they are sent and preaching before they are called enforceth the acknowledgement of the point hitherto deliuered that It is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him ministeriall function in the Church without assurance of calling from God This calling the assurance whereof we are to haue is either immediate and â—xtraordinary or mediate and ordinary The first is where God calleth immediatly without the ministery of man so were the Prophets and Apostles called The other is wherein God vseth the ministery of man as at this day in the designment of euery Minister vnto his function Both these callings as well the mediate as the immediate the ordinary as the extraordinary are of God that of God alone this of God by man and of this especially is the doctrine hitherto proued to be vnderstood we cannot expect a blessing vpon our labours except Gâ—d hath called vs so necessary is Gods calling to the ministery of the Church The point hitherto handled serueth for the confutation of the Anabaptist and other fanaticall spirits who runne without calling and preach though they be not sent contrary to that of Saint Paul Rom. 10.5 How shall they preach except they bee sent And yet will these men if they meet with a Minister that is lawfully and orderly called demand of him Quis te elegit Sir Who hath chosen you though themselues haue no calling at all no not from their blind Church as Gastius hath obserued in his first booke of the errors of the Catabaptists Yea their assertion is that if a man vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospell be he either Cobler or Botcher or Carpenter or what else he is bound to teach and preach This is obserued of them by Chemnitius in his Treatise of the Church Chap. 4. With these Anabaptists I may ioyne the Photinians who deny the nec ssity of vocation in the Ministers of the Church Socinus in his Treatise of the Church Theophilus Nicâ—laides in his defence of that Treatise a Institut â—ap 42 Osterodius b â—n Notis ad lib. Sâ—â—gâ—â—â—â—ip 3. Radeccius c In â—â—â—ut Thes D. Frantz p. 2. Diâ—p 4. Shemalizius and the d â—it de Eccleâ— caâ— 2. Catechist of Racow all these are against a necessity of calling in the Ministery and doe here stand conuicted of that their error So doe all those lay people men or women who in the case of â—uppâ—sed necessity doe aduenture to administer the Sacrament of Baptisme which together with the preaching of the word the Lord hath inuested in the persons of Ministers duly called Mat. 28.19 Goe ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Goe ye teach and baptize Goe ye It is our Sauiours precept to his Apostles and in them to their successors Ministers duly called None of the Laity nor man nor woman hath part in this function And how can it bee imagined that women whom Saint Paul hath excluded from preaching 1 Cor. 14 34. should be permitted to administer any Sacrament They may not so much as Baptize It s obiected women may teach their families therefore they may also baptize Our answer is that the Consequent holds not Women may teach as they are priuate Christians but not as Ministers Baptize they cannot but as Ministers this being euery way in euery respect and manner proper to a Minister It is further obiected from the example of Zipporah Exod. 4.25 Zipporah Moses wife circumcised her sonne In the place of Circumcision Baptisme hath succeeded why then may not women now adaies Baptize I answer Circumcision was not of old so appropriated to the Leuites as Baptisme is now to the Ministers of the Gospell And therefore it s no good Consequence Some that were not Leuites did Circumcise therefore some that are not Ministers may Baptise Againe what if Zipporah sinned in Circumcising her child Must she be a patterne to other women to Baptize Caluin is not afraid to proue she sinned and his proofe is sound in the fourth of his Institutions chap. 15. § 22. Lib. 1. de Sacr. Baptismi c. 7. §. 11. though Bellarmine labour to refute him It was doubtlesse an vnexcusable temerity â—â—her to circumcise her childe in the presence of her Husband Moses not a priuate man but a prime Prophet of the Lord than whom there arose not a greater in Israel which was no more lawfull for her to doe than it is at this day for a woman to Baptise in the presence of a Bishop And how can she bee excused from sinne in that her act sith she murmured against the ordinance of the Lord and reuiled her husband weigh but the bitternesse of her speech Surely a bloudy husband art thou to me because of the Circumcision Thirdly say she sinned not in circumcising her childe which yet I may not grant then I say the fact might be extraordinary and therefore not to be imitated without like dispensation Fourthly some thinke she was onely the hand of her husband in his weaknesse and so the fact shall be not hers but her husbands For these reasons the example of Zipporah doth not aduantage the a Bellarm. vbi supra Salmeron in Mat. 28. Papist or b Eckhard fascit contr c. 19. qu. 4. Gerhard Loc. Theol. 23. n. 24 c. Lutheran in their errour about Gyâ—aecobaptismus or womens Baptisme But may they not Baptise in case of extreme necessity No not then Why then the childe may die vnbaptized and so be in certaine danger of damnation We make a great difference betweene want of baptisme and the contempt thereof The contempt euer damneth so doth not the want By
the valour of their souldiers their fenced Cities the strength of Samaria and the succour of Damascus Thus haue you the reasons of my Doctrine why there is not any confidence to be put in creatures either in the strength of man or the munition of 〈◊〉 â—s The vse is to admonish vs that we depend not vpon the vaine and transitory things of this life but vpon God alone who onely is vnchangeable and vnmoueable that we resigne our selues wholly into his hands and confesse before him in the words of the Psalme 91.9 Tu es Domine spes mea Thou art O Lord my hope Serm. 9. in Psal Qui habitat Sweet is the meditation of Saint Bernard vpon the place Let others pretend merit let them bragge that they haue borne the burden and heat of the day let them tell of their fasting twice a weeke let them glory that they are not as other men Mihi autem adhaerere Deo Psal 73.28 bonum est ponere in Domino Deo spem meam but its good for me to cleaue fast vnto God to put my hope in the Lord God Sperent in aliâ—s alii Let others trust in other things one in his learning another in his nobility a third in his worth a fourth in any other vanity Mihi autem adhaerere Deo bonum est but its good for me to cleaue fast vnto God to put my trust in the Lord God Dearely beloued if we shall sacrifice to our owne nets Habak 1.15 16. burne incense to our owne yarne put our trust in outward meanes either riches or policie or Princes or men or mountaines forsaking God God will blow vpon these meanes and turne them to our ouerthrow Wherefore though we haue all helpes in our owne hands to defend our selues and offend our enemies as that we are fenced by Sea fortified by ships blessed by Princes backed with friends stored with munitions aided with confederates and armed with multitudes of men yet may we not put our trust herein for nobis etiam adhaerere Deo bonum est it s also good for vs to cleaue fast vnto God to put our trust in the Lord God who alone giues the blessing to make all good meanes effectuall There is not much remaining The small number of the Israelites that were to be deliuered from the fury of the Assyrian resembled by the two legs or the tip of the eare taken by the shepheard out of the Lions mouth yeelds vs this obseruation that In publike calamities God euermore reserueth a remnant to himselfe When God punished the old world the world of the vngodly 1 Pet. 2.5 bringing the floud vpon them he saued Noah the eighth person the preacher of righteousnesse When God condemned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah with an ouerthrow turning them into ashes making them an ensample vnto those that after should liue wickedly he deliuered iust Lot from among them There is a remnant left Esay 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had left vnto vs a very small remnant we should haue beene as Sodome and we should haue beene like vnto Gomorrah You see a remnant reserued though it be very small Yea sometimes there is a reseruation of so small a remnant as is hardly visible as in the daies of Eliah who knew of none but himselfe I only am left saith he 1 King 19.14 Yet God tells him vers 18. of seuen thousand in Israel which neuer bowed their knees to Baal I finde Ioel 2.32 deliuerance in mount Sion deliuerance in Ierusalem and deliuerance in the remnant when the Lord shall call There is then a remnant to be called euen in greatest extremity Wherefore you the Elect and chosen children of God the Father be ye full of comfort take vnto you beauty for ashes Esay 61.3 the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse reioyce ye be glad together and be ye comforted Let the Prince of darknesse and all the powers of Hell assisted with the innumerable company of his wicked vassals vpon the Earth ioyne together to worke your ouerthrow they shall not be able to effect it For God euen your God will reserue vnto himselfe a remnant And what is this remnant but pusillus grex It s a little flock the chaste Spouse of Christ the holy Catholike Church Extra cam nulla est salus Out of it there is no Saluation for hee that hath not the Church for his Mother shall neuer haue God for his Father So much for the explanation of this twelfth verse And Gods blessing be vpon it THE Fifteenth Lecture AMOS 3.13 14 15. Heare yee and testifie in the house of Iacob saith the Lord God the God of hosts That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of Iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end saith the Lord. THe words of the Lord are iust by whom soeuer they are vttered and the authority of the holy Spirit is wonderfull by whom soeuer he speaketh Non minùs de ore pastoris quam de ore Imperatoris pertonat he thundereth or he speaketh with as much Maiestie from the mouth of a shepherd as from the mouth of an Emperour Amos our Prophet is this shepherd from whom the holy Spirit here thundereth Before he came with a proclamation to the palaces of Ashdod and to the palaces of the Land of Aegypt Now he comes with a Contestation to the house of Iacob Hereafter you may heare his message to the King of Bashan that are in the mountaines of Samaria Chap. 4.1 If Amos had from a shepherd beene aduanced to the Maiestie of a King as Dauid was what could we wish should haue beene added to the greater maiestie of his elocution The contestation is the thing whereupon I shall at this time principally insist The words are a Prosopopaeia the Almighty is brought in calling vpon his Priests and Prophets to giue eare vnto him and to beare witnesse of the calamities which he was purposed to lay vpon the house of Iacob that when he should punish them for their euill deeds he would visit their Temple and proudest buildings with desolation The parts are two One is a mandate for a Contestation or Testification The other is the matter to be testified That vers 13. This vers 14 15. For the first these particulars may be obserued 1. Who it is that giues the mandate It is he that best may doe it Euen the Lord. The Lord God the God of Hosts 2. To whom he giues it Sacerdotibus Prophetis to his Priests and Prophets for to them is this by an Apostrophe directed 3. How he giues it thus Audite contestamini Heare and testifie 4. The place where this testification is to be
wherein for Elohe hatzebaoth the God of Sabaoth they haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Almighty Whence is that rule of Saint Hierome to Damasus Epist 142. We are to know that wheresoeuer the Seuentie Interpreters haue expressed Dominum virtutum and Dominum omnipotentem the Lord of Hosts and the Lord Almighty there in the Hebrew it is Dominus Sabaoth which is by Aquila's interpretation Dominus militiarum the Lord of Hosts The Lord of Hosts by Aquila's interpretation is God the Almighty by the interpretation of the Septuagint Well Elohe hatzebaoth the God of Sabaoth Be he with the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bee hee with the Latines Dominus or Deus virtutum or Militiarum or Exercituum all will be well expressed in our language with one title The Lord or God of Hosts But what are these Hosts whereof God is the Lord There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an host of Heauen Act. 7.42 And what that is Saint Hierome expoundeth to the noble Lady Algasia Epist 151. quaest 10. The Host of Heauen is not only the Sunne and Moone and glistring Starres but also the whole multitude of Angels and their armies called in Hebrew Sabaoth which is in Latine Virtutum or Exercituum Hispalensis for this host of Heauen doth reckon vp in the place aboue alleaged Angels Arch-angels Principalities and Powers and all the Orders of the armies celestiall of whom God is the Lord. For they are all vnder him and subiect to his soueraigntie It is true what those Ancients haue said of the Host of Heauen True it is that the Angels are of this armie Micaiah tels King Ahab so 1 King 22.19 I saw the Lord sitting on his Throne and all the Host of Heauen standing by him on his right hand and on his left There the Host of Heauen are the Angels who attend the Lord to put in execution whatsoeuer he shall command At the birth of Iesus Christ our Sauiour the Angell that appeared vnto the shepherds had with him a multitude of the Heauenly Host Luke 2.13 and that multitude was of Angels and they were by likelihood created in the first day with the Heauens because those sonnes of God did shout for ioy when God laid and fastned the foundations of the earth Iob 38.7 These the sonnes of God the Angels Bartas 1 day 1. Weeke sweetly described by the Nightingale of France to be The sacred Tutors of the Saints the Guard Of Gods elect the Pursuiuants prepar'd To execute the counsailes of the Highest The Heauenly courtiers to their King the nighest Gods glorious Heralds Heauens swift Harbengers Twixt Heauen and earth the true Interpreters these the Sonnes of God the Angels are of the glorious Host of Heauen So are the Starres the Sun the Moone the goodly furniture of the visible Heauens they are all of the Heauenly host So shall you finde them called Deut. 4.19 The Sun the Moone and the Starres euen all the Host of Heauen Of this host of Heauen it is prophecied Esai 34.4 All the Host of Heauen shall be dissolued and the Heauens shall be rowled together as a scroll and all their host shall fall downe as the leafe-falleth off from the Vine and as a falling figge from the fig-tree As for the Starres they in their courses fought against Sisera Iudg. 5.20 The Sunne and the Moone stood still the Sunne vpon Gibeon the Moone in the valley of Ajalon till the people of Israel had auenged themselues vpon their enemies the Amorites Ios 10.12 The Sunne the Moone the Starres all the twinkling spangles of the firmament you see are of Gods host Nor is Gâ—ds host only of Celestiall creatures but also of all other creatures in the world In the second Chapter of Genesis v. 1. where it is said the heauens and the earth were finished and all the host of them by all the hast of them we are to vnderstand all creatures in the Earth and Heauens which stand as an armie seruants to the Lord Psal 119.91 Esay 45.12 and are by him commâ—nded That all things are Gods seruants is auowed Psal 119.91 The Heauen and Earth continue to this day according to the ordinances of the Lord for they are all his seruants Heauen and earth and all things therein contained Continue safe sound and sure euen to this day wherein we liue and so shall doe to the worlds end by the ordinance and appointment of God for all are his seruants all creatures yeeld obedience to him as seruants to their masters They are all by him commanded For thus saith the Lord Esai 45.12 I haue made the earth and created man vpon it I euen my hands haue stretched out the Heauens and all their host haue I commanded The innumerable Hosts of creatures both in Heauen and Earth are all by God commanded Now from this which hath hitherto beene deliuered the reason is plaine why this title of God Elobe hatzebaoth the God of Sabaoth or the God of Hosts is by our Prophet added to the two former appellations Adonai Iehouih the Lord God It is the more liuely to set forth his rule dominion and soueraigntie ouer all It sheweth that as an armie or an Host of souldiers obeyeth their Emperour or commander so all things all creatures celestiall terrestriall and infernall are of Gods host and doe yeeld vnto him as to their Emperour and commander all obedience They all stand readie in martiall order and battell-ray prest to doe whatsoeuer God willeth and therefore is the Lord God the Gâ—d of Sabaoth or the God of Hosts From this consideration that our Lord God is the God of Hosts we are taught the feare of so great a Maiestie For who is he that will not feare him by whom he shall finde himselfe to be beset and compassed about with very many and potent armies aboue beneath before behinde on the one hand and on the other that there can be no euasion no escaping from him Our God is the God of Hosts Man sinfull man how shall he consist if God once arme his hosts against him The feare of God will be his surest refuge Feare him and all his Hosts shall be on your side and fight for you Feare him and both flouds and rocks shall feare you all winds shall blow you happinesse ship wracks shal auoid the place where your foot treadeth as to the apples of Gods own eies so shall all his creatures yeeld to you reuerence they shal not dare to approach the channell where your way lyeth Hills shal fall downe mountaines shall be cast into the sea but who so feareth the Lord he shall neuer miscary This feare of the Lord will both land your ships in an happy hauen and after your trauels vpon the earth will harbour your soules in his euerlasting Kingdome And thus much be spoken of the first thing obserued in this Mandate euen the Giuer
The other The matter to be testified That was vers 13. this vers 14. and 15. For the first these particulars haue beene obserued 1 Who it is that giues the Mandate Euen the Lord the Lord God the God of hosts 2 To whom he giues it Sacerdotibus Prophetis to his Priests and Prophets For to them is this passage by an Apostrophe directed 3 How he giues it Audite contestamini Heare and testifie 4 The place where this testification was to be made in domo Iacob in the house of Iacob Heare and testifie in the house of Iacob saith the Lord God the God of Hosts vers 13. In the other part which concerneth the matter to be testified we may obserue 1 A resolution of God to punish Israel for sinne There shall be a day wherein the Lord will visit the transgression of Israel vpon him vers 14. 2 That this punishment so resolued vpon by the Lord shall reach vnto their holiest places to their houses of religion to their Altars in Bethel the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground vers 14. 3 That this punishment shall extend to the chiefest places of their habitation euen to the demolition and ruine of their dwelling houses The winter house shall be smitten so shall the summer house the houses of iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end vers 15. 4 The seale and assurance of all in the two last words of this Chapter Neum Iehouah saith the Lord. In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end saith the Lord. Such are the parts of this Scripture Of the first generall which was the Mandate for the testification and of the particulars therein I discoursed in my last Sermon out of this place Now I am to descend to the second generall which is of the matter to be testified The first branch therein is of Gods resolution to punish Israel for sinne and that is in the beginning of the fourteenth verse In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him By the words its plaine that a day should come wherein God would punish Israel for his transgressions R. Dauid R. Abraham That day some ancient Rabbines referre to the earthquake that was in the daies of Vzziah King of Iudah whereof we finde mention made in the first Chapter of this Prophecie verse 1. and Zach. 14.5 Some referre it to the time of King Iosiahs reigne when he brake downe the Altar that was at Bethel and the high place there 2 King 23.15 Others hereby doe vnderstand that day wherein Samaria was captiuated by the Assyrian King Salmanassar 2 King 17.6 Whensoeuer that day fell out it was the day of the Lords visitation the day wherein the Lord visited Israel for his iniquities This word to visit signifieth a remembrance prouidence care and performance of a thing spoken be it good or euill and it belongeth vnto God to visit both waies either for good or for euill either in mercy or in iudgement It was for good that the Lord visited Sarah Gen. 21.1 The Lord visited Sarah Gen. 17.19 18.10 as he had said and the Lord did vnto Sarah as he had spoken For Sarah conceiued and bare Abraham a sonne in his old age at the set time of which God had spoken to him This was a visitation for good a visitation in mercy Such is that whereof dying Ioseph tells his brethren Gen. 50.24 I die and God visiting will visit you and will make you goe vp out of this land vnto the land which he sware to Abraham to Isaak and to Iacob God visiting will visit you He meaneth a visitation in mercy God will surely visit you in mercy And so he did when they had beene bond-slaues in Aegypt foure hundred and thirty yeeres Exod. 12.41 For at the end of those yeeres euen the selfe same day that those yeeres were ended it came to passe that all the Hosts of the Lord the Tribes of Israel went out from the land of Aegypt Out they went with an high hand in the sight of all the Aegyptians And so God visiting visited his people Israel Numb 33.3 according to his promise made by Moses Exod. 3.16 This was a visitation for good a gracious and mercifull visitation But gracious and mercifull aboue all was the visitation of our Lord Iesus Christ when with a true and euerlasting redemption he redeemed all true Israelites from sinne and death and Satan It is the visitation for which Zachary in his Canticle blesseth God Luk. 1.68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel And why blessed for he hath visited and redeemed his people He hath visited his people visited in the better part visited in mercy in exceeding great mercy Beloued sith Christ hath visited vs in our persons Math. 25.40 Luk. 16.1 it is our parts to visit him in his members We are all his Stewards and the good things he hath lent vs are not our owne but his if the goods of the Church we may not appropriate them if of the Common-wealth we may not enclose them You know it is a vulgar saying He is the best subiect that is highest in the subsidie booke Let it passe for true But I am sure he is the best Christian that is most forward in Subsidiis in helping of his brethren with such good things as God hath bestowed vpon him Besides this visitation for good and in mercy there is also a visitation for euill and in iudgement Thus to visit is to visit in anger or displeasure And so by a Synecdoche of the Genus for Species to visit is to punish Thus is God said to visit when with some sudden and vnlooked scourge or calamity he taketh vengeance vpon men for their sinnes which for a long time he seemed to take no notice of So God visited the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children Exod. 20.5 He visiteth not onely by taking notice of and apprehending children in their fathers faults but also by punishing them for the same in as much as they are giuen ouer to commit the transgressions of their fathers Dauid in his deuotions calleth vpon the Lord to visit the Heathen Psal 59.5 O Lord God of Hosts the God of Israel awake thou to visit the Heathen Where to visit is to visit for euill to visit in iudgement in anger and displeasure it is to correct it is to punish To such as depart from the Law of the Lord and from that rule of righteousnesse which it prescribeth them to walke in the Lord himselfe threatneth that he will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Psal 89 32. And
abstulit the Lord hath taken away and he hath done so by good right Quia etiam dedit for first he gaue it Iob 1.21 The ground of this his patience was Domine tu fecisti Lord thou hast done it Thou Lord hast taken from me my children and all my substance and therefore I hold my peace Out of this very Fountaine Christ himselfe drew his patience when commanding Peter to put vp his sword into the sheath he asked him this question Calicem quem dedit mihi Pater Ioh. 18.11 non bibam illum The cup which my Father hath giuen me shall I not drinke it Domine tu fecisti my Father hath tempered this cup for me and I will drinke it This cup is the cup of the Passion of Christ the cup of his sufferings which God gaue vnto him Vt Pater non vt Iudex saith Rupertus God gaue this cup vnto him as a Father not as a Iudge and he gaue it to him Amore non irâ voluntate non necessitate gratiâ non vindictâ It was of loue not of wrath it was voluntary not of necessity it was of grace not for vengeance that this cup was giuen him But how did he drinke it Here may we with Cornelius Mussus Bishop of Bitonto in his Passion Sermon cry out O infinitam dulcis Iesu nostri patientiam O the infinite patience of our sweet Iesus Dedit illis carnem suam vt tractarent eam pro suâ libidine he committed vnto the Iewes his flesh to doe with it at their pleasure They insulted ouer him and he resisted not they threatned him and he answered not they loaded him with iniuries and he sustained them they bound him fast and he withstood them not they smote him and he endured it they flouted him and he held his peace they railed against him and he defended not himselfe they cursed him and he prayed for them O the infinite patience of our sweet Iesus which he drew from this fountaine Domine tu fecisti Lord thou hast prouided this cup for me and I refuse it not Domine tu fecisti Lord thou hast done it It is the bottomlesse fountaine of patience neuer to bee exhausted or drawne dry If thy wife thy children thy kinsfolkes thy friends or others be taken from thee by the stroke of death if thou lose thy goods by water by fire by warre or otherwise thou maist refresh thy languishing soule with the water of this fountaine Domine tu fecisti Lord thou hast done it If thy selfe be visited with sicknesse and so that there is no soundnesse in thy flesh nor rest in thy bones Psal 38.3 yet if thou draw from this fountaine the sorrow and bitternesse of thy visitation will be asswaged It must needs be a great comfort to euery childe of God to meditate hereupon that our sicknesse yea that euery pang and fit of our sicknesse is from God that the manner of it the measure of it the time of it and the matter of it is of God And it may giue vs good assurance that God will be mercifull and gracious vnto vs seeing he that striketh vs is our louing Father and in the stroke cannot forget his former compassions but will make all things fall out to further our saluation God is faithfull hee layeth not vpon vs more strokes than we are able to beare 1 Cor. 10.13 but maketh a way for our escape Psal 41.3 He strengtheneth vs vpon the bed of languishing and maketh all our bed in our sicknesse He putteth our teares into his bottle Psal 56.8 Cant. 2.6 Are they not all in his booke His left hand is vnder our head and his right hand embraceth vs. Beloued Christians we should comfort one another in these things Thirdly is it true Beloued Are all our visitations and punishments in this life laid vpon vs by the hand of God Here then may we take direction whither to make our recourse in the day of visitation And whither may that be but to the same hand of God that visiteth God smiteth and no man healeth God maketh the wound and no man restoreth No man healeth no man restoreth Therefore put not thy trust in man for there is no helpe in him but put thy trust in God for as he killeth so he maketh aliue againe as hee bringeth downe to the graue so he raiseth vp againe So sings Hannah 1 Sam. 2.6 The Lord killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to the graue and bringeth vp What then shall become of the Physitian May I not seeke to him in time of sicknesse Seeke not first to him as Asa did 2 Chron. 16.12 lest thou be condemned as Asa was for seeking not to the Lord but to the Physitian But seeke thou first vnto the Lord. First be thou reconciled to him who is the chiefe Physitian of soule and body and then take thy course For my part I haue no hope that the Physitians helpe shall profit me and prosper with me vntill I be at peace with God and haue renewed my repentance from dead workes for my daily sinnes And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of the first branch of my second generall part which was the resolution of God to punish Israel for sinne Now followeth the second branch and that is that the punishment so resolued vpon by the Lord shall reach to their holiest places to their houses of religion in these words I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground Visitabo super Altaria Bethel Here is a Visitabo like the former a visiting in the worse part a visiting for euill and in iudgement Visitabo I will visit vpon the Altars of Bethel that is with Petrus Lusitanus Destruam illa vt meum sentiant furorem I will destroy those Altars they shall feele my fury The like phrase is that Exod. 12.12 In cunctis Dijs Aegyptifaciam judicia Against all the Gods of Aegypt will I doe iudgement and that Num. 33.4 Dominus in Diis eorum exercuerat vltionem Vpon the Gods of the Aegytians the Lord hath executed vengeance In both places the Gods of Aegypt are the Idols of Aegypt and the Lords doing of iudgements or executing of vengeance vpon them is all one with the Visitabo here I will visit the Altars of Bethel that is I will doe iudgements or I will execute vengeance vpon the Altars of Bethel Bethel Some Iewes as R. Kimhi and R. Esaias are of opinion that there were two Townes of this name the one belonging to the Tribe of Beniamin as appeareth Iosh 18.22 the other in the Tribe of Ephraim as it is manifested Iudges 1.22 This opinion of two Bethels Cap. 16.2 18.13 Andrew Masius in his Comment vpon Ioshuah reiecteth as needlesse Bethel here is that which in former time was called Luz which name it had from the abundance of Nuts or Almonds which grew there Hieron qu
verse there it is intimated that a day should come wherein the Lord would visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him In this visitation or punishment their religious places or houses of religion were to have a portion It is plaine by by the latter part of the fourteenth verse I will visit the altars of Beth-el and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground Nor were their religious places only to partake of this visitation but other places also prophane and ciuill their places of ordinary and common vseâ— their edifices and dwelling houâ—â— Their doome is forespoken in the beginning of the 15. verse The winter house shall be smitten so shall the summer house one houses of Iuory shall perish and the great houses shaue an end For the seale and assurance of all the conclusion of this Chapter is Neum Iehouah saith the Lord. Of Gods resolution to punish the sinnes of Israel together with the visitation of their religious places I entreated in my last Sermon Now am I to proceed with the punishment inted to their prophane and ciuill places to their places of ordinary and common vse to their edifices and dwelling houses thus deliuered in this fifteenth verse And. I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of Iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end For the easier handling of these words I am to speake of an action and of the obiect thereof of a smiting and of the thing to be smitten The smiting is the Lords the the things to be smitten belong to the Israelites Of both in their order First for the Action for the smiting which is Gods Persecution I will smite The actions of God and two sorts Immanent or Transcient Immanent are those that remaine within himselfe as to vnderstand to will to loue For alwayes and from all eternity God in himself vnderstandeth willeth and loueth The Transient actions of God are such as he in â—â—me produceth without himselfe So he created the world he â—â—â—leth it and worketh all in all he iustifieth he regnerateth he punisheth And of this ranke in his action of smiting Persecution I will smite God in holy Scripture is said to smite either immediately of himselfe without means or mediatly when he vseth meanes as Angels good or bad or men godly or wicked or other creatures God immediatly of himselfe and without means smote all the first-borne in the Land of Aegypt from the first-borne of Pharoah that sate on his throne vnto the first-borne of the captiue that was in the dungeon Exod. 12.29 God of himselfe smote them all And though hee oft-times vses meanes the ministry of Angells men or other creatures for the smiting of transgressours yet is God iustly said to smite them For the axiom of the Schooles is Actio non attribuitur instrumento propriè sed principali agenti Tho. 1.2 qu. 16. 1. c. si the action is not properly attributed to the instrument but to the principall agent The building of a house is not to be ascribed to the axe but to the Carpenter that vseth the axe Angels men and other creatures are to God but as the axe is to the Carpenter but as his instruments Whensoeuer therefore through their ministery any euil shal betide vs we are to acknowledge God to be the pricipall doer therereof He it is that smiteth vs. 2. King 19.35 It is true that an Angell in one night smote in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred fourescore and five thousand Esay 37.36 The Angell smote them that is the letter But it was Angelus Domini it was the Angell of the Lord. The Lord sent that Angell to cut off all the mighty men of valour and the Leaders and Captaines in the campe of King Sennacherib The Lord sent him The Lord then was agens principalis he was the principal doer in that slaughter the Angell was but his messenger to put in execution the worke of the Lord. So the Lord was he that smote the Assyrians Israel vnder the conduct of Moses smote two mighty Kinges Sibon of the Amorites and Og of Bashan Numb 21.35 There Israel smote them yet Psal 136.17 the Lord is said to haue smitten them percussét Reges magnos He smote great King and slew famous Kings Sibon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan The Lord smote them The Lord then was Agens principalis he was the pricipall doer in this great ouerthrow Israel did but execute what the Lord would have done So the Lord was he that smote those Kings If a a 1 King 20.36 Lion smite vs vpon the way if either b Esay 49.10 hunger or thirst if the heat or the Sunne smite vs if our Vines c Psal 78 47 48. be smitten with haile our Sycomore trees with frost our flockes with hot thunder-bolts our d Deut. 28.22 corne-fields with blasting and with mildew if our selues be smitten with consumptions with feuers with inflamations with extreme burnings with the e Vers 27. botch of Aegypt with the Emrods with the scab and with the itch whereof we cannot be healed if we be smitten with f Vers 28. madnesse with blindnesse with astonishment of heart if we be any way smitten whatsoeuer the meanes may be it is the Lord that smiteth vs. Percutiet te Dominus the Lord shall smite thee Vers 22 27 28 35. It is in one Chapter in the 28. of Deuteronomie foure times repeated to shew vnto vs that if we be smitten with any the now mentioned miseries or any other it is the Lord that smiteth vs. The Percutiam in my text serues for the corroboration of this truth Percutiam I will smite the winter house with the summer house If then but a house be smitten be it a winter house or a summer house the Lord is he that hath smitten it So from this percutiam I will smite I I the Lord will smite ariseth this doctrine In the miseries or calamities that doe befall vs in this life we must not looke to the instruments but to the Lord that smiteth by them Thus haue the godly euer done Holy Iob in his time did it The losse of all his substance and children by the Sabeans Iob 1.15 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 Those he knew to be but instruments the Lord was agens principalis he was the chiefe doer This he acknowledgeth and blesseth God for it Dominus abstulit The Lord that gaue me all hath taken all away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob 1.21 Such was the practice of King Dauid Shimei 2 Sam. 16.5 a man of the family of the house of Saul comes forth from Bahurim Vers 6. curseth still as he comes meets the King casts stones at him raileth vpon him calleth him to his face
to be doubted but that Amos by these winter and summer houses noteth the places of Princes and great ones of the State of Israel As for the poorer sort it is enough for them if they haue but a cottage for their shelter as well in the winter as in the summer season They haue no change of houses nor change they parts of their houses to dwell more warmely in the winter and more coolely in the summer Non est ea commoditas pauperibus No the poore are not so accommodated One habitacle or mansion house sufficeth theÌ„ for all their life time And therfore is this passage directed to the rich to the Princes and chiefe states of the kingdome of the ten Tribes to checke them for their cost pompe in building to assure them that their spacious and magnificent houses shall not stand them in any stead wheÌ„ the vengeance of God shal shew it self against them That the rich are here intended it is yet more plaine by the second branch of this fifteenth verse which now followeth Et peribunt domus eburneae and the houses of Iuory shall perish Thus are their houses described ex materiâ pretiosâ from the precious matter wherof they were They were domus eburneae houses were they of Iuory The Hebrew calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Batte hasschen the houses of a tooth meaning the tooth of the Elephant and therefore these houses with the Greeks are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses of the Elephant that is of the tooth of the Elephant which is Iuory Theophrastus affirmeth that there is a minerall Iuory found within the ground as well blacke as white Plin. Hist Nat. lib. 36. cap. 18. But this is not of that This is of the tooth and white The teeth of Elephants were of a very high price Plin. lib. 8. c. 10. for that they yeelded the matter of greatest request and most commendable for the making of the statues and images of the Heathen gods In their Temples were to be seene Elephants teeth of the greatest size and yet in the marches of Africke where it confineth with Aethiopia the very principals and corner posts of their houses were made of Iuory yea therewith they made mounds and pales both to inclose their grounds and also to keepe in their beasts within their parks if it be true which Polybius reporteth from the authority of King Gulussa If Gulussa his testimony be true it seemes they had in those dayes no want of Iuory In the Sacred volume of Gods word I reade of benches of Iuory Ezech. 27.6 of beds of Iuory Amos 6.4 of a Tower of Iuory Cant. 7.4 of a house of Iuory which King Ahab made 1 King 22.39 of Palaces of Iuory Psal 45.8 Why then may not the houses of Iuory in my text stand according to the history Saint Hierome thinkes they may But the streame of Expositors runneth another way They wil haue these domus eburneas to be but eburatas Those houses of Iuory they will haue to be only houses couered with Iuory With Ionathan in his paraphrase they are not aedes eburneae houses of Iuory but aedes ebore tectae caelatae houses couered and engraued with Iuory Nor doth Mercerus think that these houses of Iuory were so called as if they were all of Iuory but because they were ebore tessellatae decked with Iuory checkerwise Homer when he extolleth and setteth out in the highest degree the most stately palaces of Kings and Princes Pâ—in lib. 36 c. 6. for the matter wherwith they were wont to be adorned he nameth brasse gold amber siluer Iuory Iuory then was rather for ornament than for a maine building And therfore well may these domus eburneae be but Eburatae these houses of Iuory may be but houses checkered decked inlaid or trimmed with Iuory And though they were but such yet such they were that the poore could not compasse so that from hence also it is euident that this passage is directed to the rich to the Princes and chiefe States of the kingdome of the ten Tribes to checke them for their sumptuous and proud buildings and to assure them that their houses of Iuory shall not stead them when the vengeance of God will shew it selfe against them For Peribunt domus eburneae their houses of Iuory shall perish There is yet a third branch of this 15. verse which makes it probable that this passage is directed to the rich to the Princes and chiefe States of the kingdom of the ten Tribes and that is Et deficient domus magnae and the great houses shall haue an end And how should the poore come by great houses With Iunius and Piscator they are domus amplae large wide lofty houses and of great compasse and are such houses for the poore With the Hebrew Schooles they are not only amplae but also splendidae magnificae they are gorgeous and magnificent They are houses not only of commodity and vse such as the houses of the Vulgar and common sort vse to be but such as haue in them superfluity splendor and pompe And experience teacheth that rich and great men vse to exceed not only in their diet and apparell but also in their palaces and dwelling houses Thus are the houses of the Israelites described from the state they are Domus magnae great houses they are Great yea and many For so the Vulgar Latine here readeth Dissipabuntur aedes multae many houses shall be brought to nought Many houses The reading is embraced by Luther Oecolampadius Brentius Pellican Vatablus Mercer and Drusius Nor will I reiect it fith the word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbim signifieth both great and many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great houses or many houses shall bee brought to nought shall a Oecolamp cease shall b Drusius Vatablus Mercer Iunius Piscator haue an end But is all this to be so for certaine Yes For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neum Iehouah the Lord hath said it I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of iuory shall perish and the great houses or many houses shall haue an end Saith the Lord. Saith the Lord It is the seale and assurance of all and makes for the authority of this passage Authority it had enough from the 13. verse Saith the Lord God the God of Hosts It is here redoubled Saith the Lord. Hath the Lord said it Then surely he will doe it Hath the Lord spoken it Then out of doubt he will accomplish it Numb 23.19 For he 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 Heauen and Earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of his words shall passe vnfulfilled Matth. 5.18 He hath said it and he will not faile to make it good I will smite the winter house with
light in great measure readily to conceiue what God would haue reuealed and faithfully to publish it according to the will of God S. p De Genesi ad literam lib. 11. cap. 33. Austen enquiring how God spake with Adam and Eue writeth to this purpose It may be God talked with them as he talketh with his Angels by some q Jntrinsecus infabilibus modis internall and secret meanes as by giuing light to their minds and vnderstandings or it may be he talked with them 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. and with Lot Gen. 19. S. r Expos Moral lib. 28. incap â—8 â—â— Iob cap. 2. Gregory most accurately handleth this question to this sense God speaketh two manner of wayes 1. By himselfe as when he speaketh to the heart by the inward inspiration of the holy Spirit After which sense we must vnderstand that which we read Act. 8.29 The spirit said vnto Philip go neere and ioyne thy selfe to yonder chariot that is Philip was inwardly moued to draw neare and ioyne himselfe to the chariot wherein the Aethiopian Eunuch sate and read the Prophecie of Esay The like words we finde 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 and his company Where we may note thus much for our comforts that whensoeuer we are inwardly moued and doe feele our hearts touched with an earnest desire either to make our priuate 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 diuers 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 immediately there came a voice from heauen I both haue glorified it and will glorifie it againe 1 In deed only as when no voice is heard but some semblance only is obiected to the senses S. Gregory for illustration of this second way of Gods speaking by his creatures bringeth for example the vision of Ezechiel 1.4 He saw a whirlewind come out of the North with a great cloud and fire wrapped about it and in the middest of the fire the likenesse 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 and deed as when there is both a voice heard and also some semblance obiected to the senses as happened vnto Adam presently after his fall Hee heard the voice of the Lord walking in the Garden Gen. 3.8 4 By shapes presented to the inward eyes of our hearts So Iacob in his dreame saw a ladder reach from earth to heauen Gen. 28.12 So Peter in a trance saw a vessell descend from heauen Act. 10.11 So Paul in a vision saw a man of Macedonia standing by him Act. 16.9 6 By shapes presented to our bodily eyes So Abraham saw the three men that stood 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 Christs baptisme a Å¿ Matth. 3.17 voice was heard out of a cloud as also at his t Matth. 17.5 transfiguration vpon the mount This is my beloued son c. By Celestiall substances I doe here vnderstand not only the Heauens with the workes therein but also fire the highest of the elements and the Aire next vnto it togeher with the winds and Clouds 7. By Terrestriall substances So God to reproue the dulnesse of Balaam enabled Balaams owne Asse to speak Num. 22.28 8 Both by Celestiall and Terrestriall substances as when 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 and in diuers manners did speake to man either by himselfe or by his creatures and by his creatures many wayes sometimes in word sometimes in deed sometimes in both word and deed sometimes in sleepings sometimes in watchings sometimes by Celestiall substances sometime by Terrestriall sometimes by both Celestiall and Terrestriall To make some vse of this doctrine let vs consider whether God doth not now speke vnto vs as of old he did to our forefathers We shal finde that now also he speaketh vnto vs by himselfe whensoeuer by the inspiration of his holy Spirit he moueth 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 he throweth downe our strong holds sometime by heat sometime by drouth sometime by noysome worms Locusts and Caterpillers when he takes from vs the staffe of bread sometime by plagues when in a few months he taketh from vs many thousands of our brethren and sometime by enemies when he impouerisheth vs by warre All these and whatsoeuer other like these are Gods voices and doe call vs to tepentance But as when there came a voice from heauen to Christ Ioh. 12.28 the people that stood by and heard would not be perswaded that it was Gods voice some of them saying that it thundred others that an Angell spake so we howsoeuer God layes his hand vpon vs by fire by thunder by famine by pestilence by war or otherwise we will not be perswaded that God speakes vnto vs we will rather attribute these things to nature to the heauens to starres and planets to the malice of enemies to chance and the like As peruerse as we are there is a voice of God which we cannot but acknowledge to be his and at this time to be directed vnto vs. Mention of it is made Heb. 1.2 In these last dayes 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 cloud 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 crookednesse of our vile natures Our stiffe necks will not bend God speaketh vnto vs by his Ministers to walke in the old way the good way but we answer 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 we answer like them Ier. 6.17 We will not take heed Turne vs good Lord vnto thee and wee shall bee