sought and worshiped even in every place appointed by publike authoritie for publike assemblies Wherefore I pray you hath God given his Church a 1. Cor. 12 27. some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers Is it not as we are taught Ephes 4.12 for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edifying of the Body of Christ See you not here a forcible argument and evident proofe for this your publike meeting There is Matth. 18.20 a speciall promise of a blessing to light vpon you as oft as you shall come to this place and thereof the author of all truth assureth you Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them O weigh and consider this If you loue would haue the societie fellowship company of your sweet Saviour Iesus Christ you must frequent this place hither must you come Knowe this you cannot be right worshippers of God in private if you refuse or neglect to frequent this publike assemblie the Sion the Ierusalem from whence God is pleased to speake vnto you Much then very much to blame you whosoever doe for none or for smal occasions absent your selues from this place this house of God at appointed times where when your publike prayers should be as it were a publike renouÌ„cing of al sects and societie with idolatrie and prophanesse an acknowledgement and confession of the true God and a publike sanctification of Gods holy Name to the glory of God The time was and I dare avouch it Act. 21.5 when all the congregation of Tyre with their wiues and children bringing St Paul out of the towne to the sea shore kneeled downe with him and prayed Shall we in these daies finde this zeale among Christians I much doubt it and am perswaded men will bee ashamed in imitation of those Tyrians to kneele downe in an open place to pray vnto God publikely I will not rub this soare I know somewhat and you knowe more then I how backward many of you haue beene froÌ„ doing God due service in this place Shall I say you haue dishonoured him some by irreverence some by much absence some by wilfull refusall to bee made partakers of the blessed Communion of the body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I thinke should any one of you invite your neighbour to sup with you but once he refuse it you would take some displeasure at him and shall God Almightie the mightie creatour of Heaven of Earth of all you that heare mâ— this day invite you many times to come and suppe at the table of his blessed Sonne and you refuse it Beleeue it hee cannot take it well It is no indifferent or arbitrary thing to come or not to come to the Lords table Come you must of duty though of duty you are first to examine your selues Whosoever therefore wilfully refuseth to come he sinneth very grievously as a learned b Bucanus Loc. 48. Divine well noteth 1 Because he contemneth not any humane but a divine edict the expresse commandement of the Lord of life Doe this in remembrance of me 2 Because he little esteemeth the remembrance of Christ his death by which we are redeemed 3 Because he neglecteth the communion of the body and bloud of Christ 4 Because he sheweth himselfe to be none of the number of Christs disciples I beseech you dearely beloved lay vp these things in your harts let this day be the beginning of your reformatioÌ„ resolue from hence forth to perfourme your due obedience to God in this place to poure forth your praiers before him to heare his holy word and to frequent the Lords table whereby faith in his death and passion you may receiue many a gracious blessing forgiuenes of your sinnes your reconciliation with God the death of iniquity in you and the assured pledge of eternall life I haue now by occasion of SION and IERVSALEM the place from whence God will speake vnto yâ—â— exhorted every one of you in particular to come to the Church I pray you note this to be but a part of your duty It is not enough for you to come your selues to the Church you must sollicite and exhort others to come likewise Fathers must bring their children Masters must bring their Servants For old and yong should come My warrant for what I say I take out of Ioel. 2.15 16. Calla solemne assembly gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the childreÌ„ those that suck the breasts Marke I beseech you Children and such as sucke the breasts must be assembled You must haue the spirit of resolution to say with Ioshua cha 24.15 I my house will serue the LORD Your duty is yet further extended beyond your children servants to your neighbours also strangers if they come in your way This we may learne out of the prophecies of Esay Micah and Zacharie First Esay 2.3 The faithfull shall say Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies we wil walke in his pathes for the law shall go forth of SION and the word of the Lord from IERVSALEM Againe Micah 4.2 You shall finde the very same exhortation made by the faithfull and in the same words Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob c. The Prophet Zachary chap. 8.21 for summe and substance speaketh the same thing They that dwell in one towne shall go vnto another saying vp let vs go and pray before the LORD seeke the LORD of hoastes I will go also Thus farre of the place from whence the Lord speaketh expressed by two names Sion and Ierusalem THE FIFTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither OF the speaker place from whence he speaketh I haue heretofore spokeÌ„ Now proceed we to the sequels of the speech which shall for this time bee the ground of my discourse The dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish So doe the words sound for their substance Yet after the letter in the originall Hebrew copie we are to read otherwise the fruitfull or pleasant places of the shepheards haue mourned Let vs briefly take a view of the words as they lie in order The dwelling places So is the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 englished not vnfitly For though properly it signifieth fruitfull and pleasant fields and pastures yet because shepheards did vse in the wildernesse neere vnto such fields pastures to erect themselues little cottages and cabins that they might bee at hand to defend their harmelesse sheepe from savage and ravenous beasts it may here well be englished the dwelling places
Hell vnder death vnder sin vnder the eternall malediction or curse of the law propounded to every one that doth not in all points and absolutely obey the law This Captivity is a heavy yoke to all mankinde considered without Christ Every one male and female that hath no part in Christ every vnbelieving and reprobate person is in this construction even to this day a captiue And such also were we by the corruption of our nature vpon our first father Adams default but now are we by the sacrifice of the â—â—â—aculate Lambe the LORD IESVS ransomed and freed Fâ—â— do this purpose was he sent into the world as it is evident Esai 61.1 and Luk. 4.18 In both places hee professeth himselfe to bee sent into the world for this end even to publish liberty and freedome to captiues and the imprisoned which his office hee hath graciously performed By his word of grace he hath so freed our consciences formerly oppressed with and captiue vnder sin that now there is no condemnation to vs to vs I say who are in Christ do walke after the spirit as S. Paule speaketh Rom. 8.1 This is it which our Saviour foretold the Iewes Iohn 8.36 If the sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed Be it repeated againe to our eternall comforts If the son shall make vs free we shall be free indeed But he hath made vs free for therfore was he sent to publish liberty and freedome to captiues he hath paide our ransome his iâ—â—ocent and most precious blood by it are wee throughly washed and clensed from our sins Now there is no condemnation to vs. Thus freed from our spirituall captivity bondage and slavery vnder Hell death and sinne let vs with boldnes looking vp to the throne of Grace whereon sitteth the author finisher of our faith say with the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sinne is the law But thanks be to God who hath given vs victory through Iesus Christ our LORD The Captivity in my text is of the other kind a corporal captivity a captivity of the body which vsually is accompanied with two great miseries pointed at Psal 107.10 The first they dwell in darknes and in the shadow of death the second they are bound in anguish and yron First they dwell in darkenesse and in the shadow of death that is they are put into deepe dungeons void of light whereby they are as it were at deaths doore Secondly they are bound in anguish and yron that is day and night they are loaden with fetters gyues or shackles of yron so loaden that they finde no rest vnto their bones Thus must it be with them who by sinnefull living provoke the LORD to high displeasure Thus is my doctrine confirmed For the sin of a land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captivity Is it true beloved Doth God oftentimes for the sin of a land send away the inhabitaÌ„ts into captivity Let vs make this ChristiaÌ„ vse of it even to powre out our selues in thankfulnes before almighty God for his wonderfull patience towards vs. The sins of such nations as haue beene punished with captivity were they more grievous in Gods eies then ours are It is not to bee imagined Our sins are as crimson-like and as scarlet-like as ever were theirs the sins of our land crying sins Atheisme Irreligion Oppression Extortion Covetousnes Vsury Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Drunkennesse and many like abominations of the old man in vs all our works of darknes they haue made head together and haue impudently and shamelesly pressed into the presence of Almighty God to vrge him to poure forth the viols of his wrath and indignation vpon vs. Yet our God good gracious mercifull long suffering and of great kindnes withholdeth and stayeth his revengeful hand from laying vpon vs his great punishment of Captivity and suffereth vs to possesse our habitations in peace to eat the good things of the earth O let vs therefore confesse before the LORD his loving kindnesse declare before the sonnes of men the good things that he hath done for vs. Here dearely beloved let vs not presume vpon God his patience to lead our liues as we list We cannot but see that God is highly offended with vs already though yet hee be not pleased to execute his sorest iudgements vpon vs. Gods high displeasure against vs appeareth in those many visitations by which he hath come neere vnto vs within our memories I may not stand to amplifie the Spanish sword shaken over vs the great famine brought vpoÌ„ vs in our late Queenes daies Our now gracious Soveraigne 〈◊〉 noâ— lâ—â—g sâ—â—e at the sterne of this kingdome But few yeares are passed and yet those few haue afforded manifest tokens of Gods sore displeasure at vs. Haue not many thousands of our brethren happily not so grievous sinners as we beene taken away by the destroying Angel and yet the plague is not ceased Vnlesse we repent amend our liues we may likewise perish Haue not many of our brethren too many if it might haue seemed otherwise to Almighty God haue they not partly perished themselues partlie lost their cattell and substance in n An. D. 1607. this yeares waters such waters as our forefathers haue scarcely observed the like If wee will not wash out selues from our evill doings we see God is able to wash vs extraordinarily The vnseasonable weather giveÌ„ vs from heaven to the rotting of our sheep is but Gods warning to vs of a greater misery to befall vs vnlesse we will returne froÌ„ our euill waies Wherefore beloved let vs with one heart and minde resolue for hereafter to cast away all works of darknes to put on the armor of light take we no further thought for our flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Walke we from henceforth honestly as in the day Whatsoever things are true and honest and iust and pure and do pertaine to loue and are of good report if there be anie vertue or praise thinke we on these things Think we on these things to do them and we shal not need to feare any going into captivity yea the destroying Angell shall haue no power over vs the raging waters shall not hurt vs our cattell and whatsoever else we enioy shall prosper vnder vs. For God even our owne God shall giue vs his blessing THE TWELFTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.6 7 8. Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure I will not turne to it because they carried away prisoners the whole captivitie to shut them vp in Edom. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Azzah and it shall devoure the palaces therof And I will cut of the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon turne mine hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the LORD
I will breake the barre of Damascus I the LORD will with my mightie power breake Lay wast coÌ„sume the barre barre for barres even all the munition and strength of Damascus of the chiâ—â—â—st city of Syria the country adioyning Must Damascus the strongest city of all Syria haue her barres broken Must shee be laid wast and spoiled Here fixing the eies of our minds vpon the power of the LORD learne we this lesson There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Nothing not gates of brasse nor barres of yron these he breaketh asunder Psal 107.16 No creature What creature more mightie then a King Yet in the day of his wrath God woundeth Kingâ— witnesse the Psalmist 110.5 Doth he wound Kings yea he slayeth mightie Kings Psal 135.10 136.18 My text avoweth the same in one of the next clauses where God threatneth to the mightie King of Syria a cutting off I will cut of him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden These few now alleaged instances doe sufficiently though briefly confirme my propounded doctrine There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose The reason hereof is because God only is omnipotent and whatsoever else is in the world it is weake and vnable to resist Of Gods omnipotencie we make our daily profession in the first article of our beleefe professing him to be God the Father Almightie In which profession wee doe not exclude either the Sonne or Holy Ghost from omnipotencie For God the Father who imparteth his Godhead vnto the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost doth communicate the proprieties of his Godhead to them also And therefore our beleefe is that as the Father is Almightie so the Sonne is Almightie and the Holy Ghost is Almightie too Now God is said to be omnipotent or Almightie in two respects First because he is able to doe whatsoever he will Secondly because hee is able to doe more then he will For the first that God is able to doe whatsoever he will who but the man possessed with the spirit of Atheisme and infidelitie dares deny This truth being expresly delivered twise in the booke of Psalmes First Psal 115.3 Our God in heaven doth whatsoever hee will againe Psal 135.6 Whatsoever pleaseth the LORD that doth he in heaven in earth in the sea in all the depthes For the second that God is able to doe more then hee will doe every Christian acquainted with the Evangelicall story doth acknowledge it It is plaine by Iohn Baptists reproofe of the Pharisees and Sadducees Matth. 3.9 Thinke not to say within your selues we haue Abraham to our Father for I say vnto you that God is able of these stones to raise vp childreÌ„ vnto Abraham Able but will not So likewise when Christ was betrayed the story Matth. 26.53 is that God the Father could haue giveÌ„ him more then twelue legions of Angels to haue delivered him Hee could but would not The like may be said of many other things The Father was able to haue created another world yea a thousand worlds Was able but would not You see for Gods omnipotencie that he is able to do whatsoever he will do yea that he is able to do more then he will do God only is omnipotent whatsoever els is in the world it 's weake vnable to resist which is the very summe of my doctrine already propounded and confirmed There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose For as Iob saith chap. 9.13 The most mighty helps do stoope vnder Gods anger This is it which Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.34 35. coÌ„fesseth In comparison of the most high who liveth for ever whose power is an everlasting power whose kingdome is froÌ„ generatioÌ„ to generatioÌ„ all the inhabitaÌ„ts of the earth are reputed as nothing according to his will he worketh in the army of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou This is it whereat S. Paul aimeth in his question demanded Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted the will of God And this is it which Iob intendeth chap. 9.4 demanding a like question who hath beene fierce against God and hath prospered I will not further amplifie this point it must stand good against all the might and strength of this world There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Now let vs consider some duties wherevnto we are moved by this doctrine of Gods omnipotencie 1 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we froÌ„ hence crue humiliation that same Christian vertue to which S. Peter 1. ep 5.6 giues his exhortation Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God What are we beloved but by nature in our selues most wretched conceived and borne in sin hitherto running on in wickednes dayly rebelling against God against Almighty God against him who alone is able to do whatsoever he will able to do more then he will able to cast both body and soule into hell fire Let the consideration of this our wretched estate worke in vs the fruits of true humiliatioÌ„ This true humiliation standeth in our practise of three things 1. The sorrow of our heart wherby we are displeased with our selues and ashamed in respect of our sinnes 2. Our confession to God in which we must also doe three things 1. We must acknowledge all our maine sins originall and actuall 2. We must acknowledge our guiltinesse before God 3. We must acknowledge our iust damnation for sinne The third thing in our humiliation is our supplication to bee made to God for mercy which must be with all possible earnestnes as in a matter of life and death A patterne whereof I present vnto you Dan. 9.17 18 19. O our God heare the praiers of vs thy servants and our supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon vs. O our God encline thine eare to vs and heare vs open thine eies and behold our miseries we do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousnesse but for thy great teÌ„der mercies O LORD heare vs O LORD forgiue vs O LORD consider and do it differ not thy mercies for thine owne sake O our God Thus beloved if wee humble our selues vnder the hand of Almighty God God will lift vs vp 2 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we from hence to treÌ„ble at Gods iudgements to feare them to stand in awe of them to quake quiver at them For as God is so are his iudgements God is terrible and his iudgements are terrible God is terrible in the assembly of his Saints Psal 88.8 terrible in his workes Psal 66.3 terrible in his doings toward the sonnes of men Psal 66.5 terrible to the Kings of the earth Psalm 76.13 To passe over
second causes definite or indefinite necessarie or contingent are but instruments by which Almightie God in his governement of the world ordinarily worketh This doctrine of Almightie God working ordinarily by meanes may serue to our vse sundry waies 1 It may moue vs to a due consideration of that absolute right and power which God holdeth over all is creatures This truth I haue heretofore delivered vnto you in my eighth Lecture vpon this Prophecie in this proposition As is the fire so are all other creatures at the LORDS commandement to be imployed by him in the punishment of the wicked 2 It may teach vs that God hath a loving regard and respect to our infirmities as well knowing for hee knoweth all things that in doubtfull matters we vse often to looke backe and to haue recourse to meanes or second causes 3 It may moue vs to obedience and thankefulnesse that we contemne not the meanes or second causes by which God worketh for this were to tempt God but that we thankefully imbrace them and commit their issue event and successe to God that worketh by them 4 It meeteth with a perverse opinion of such as doe hold that all second causes are needlesse and vnprofitable because God by his particular providence directeth and bringeth to passe all things in the world Thus wil these â—en 〈…〉 determined by Gods providence that I shall 〈…〉 there is no need that I vse Physicke aâ—d â—f 〈…〉 determined that I shall not recouer in 〈◊〉 shall I vse the helpe of Physicke Againe if it be determined that theeues shall haue no power over mee I shall escape from out the middest of many but if it bee otherwise determined that I shall be spoiled by them I shall not escape them no though I be in mine owne house Great is the iniurie which these disputers doe offer vnto God For answer to them I must grant that God hath a very speciall care over vs to defend vs and that we are no time safe but by his providence but meane while to make vs well assured of his good will towards vs hee hath ordained second causes and meanes for vs at all opportunities times convenient to vse in which and by which it pleaseth his heauenly Maiestie to worke effectually The rule in divinitie is good Positâ providentiâ particulari non tâ—â—â—â—tâ—r 〈◊〉 omnes causa secunda It is not necessarie that the first and principall cause being put the second and instrumentall cause should be remoued and taken away The sun doth not in vaine daily rise set though God createth light and darknesse the fields are not in vaine sowed watred with raine though God bringeth forth the come out of the earth our bodies are not in vaine with food refreshed though God be the life length of our daies Neither are wee in vaine taught to beleeue in Christ to heare the preaching of the Gospell to detest sinne to loue righteousnesse to conforme our liues vnto sound doctrine though our saluation and life eternall bee the free gift of God For God hath from everlasting decreed as the ends so the meanes also which hee hath prescribed vnto vs by them to bring vs to the ends This the great Father of this age Zanchius de attributis Dei lib. 5. cap. 2. qu. 5. expresly avoweth His Thesis is concerning life eternall Whosoever are predestinated to the end they are also predestinated to the meanes without which the end cannot possibly be obtained For example whosoever are predestinated to eternall life as all we this day assembled hope we are they are also predestinated to the â—eâ—â—es by which life eternall may bee obtained These meanes vnto eternall life are of two sorts 1. Some are necessarie vnto all of whatsoever age or sexe and they are Christ as our mediatour and high Priest his obedience and righteousnesse our effectuall vocation vnto Christ by the holy Ghost our iustification our glorification These are so necessarie vnto all that without them none can bee saued And therefore all elect infants are inwardly and after a secret manner by the holy Ghost called iustified that they may be glorified 2. Some annexed vnto these are necessary too but not to all Not to infants because they are not capable of them yet to all that are growne to yeares of vnderstanding and these are Actuall faith the hearing of the word a hatred of sinne the loue of righteousnesse patience in adversitie a desire of doing good workes All these meanes we that are growne to years of vnderstanding must embrace and take hold of every one according to our capacities or else wee shall never enter into everlasting life but our portion shall bee in that lake which is provided for the Devill and his Angels from which God Almightie keepe vs all Thus farre occasioned by my first circumstance the circumstance of the punisher God by the King of Assyria sent into captivitie the people of Aram. My doctrine was Almightie God in his governement of the world worketh ordinarily by meanes or second causes The second circumstance is of the punished the Aramites of all sorts the ruder and the noble The people of Aram. To grouÌ„d some doctrine hereon you must note with me the qualitie condition of these Aramites They were professed enimies to the people of God This appeareth before in the third verse where they are noted to haue exercised most barbarous crueltie against the Gileadites a parcell of Israel to haue threshed them with threshing instruments of yron These Aramites or Syrians for so highly offending God sendeth into captivitie The doctrine is Though the LORD 〈◊〉 vse his enimies aâ— instruments to correct his owne servants and children yet will hee in his due times overthrow those his enimies with a large measure of his iudgements Gods holy practise in this kind specially registred in sundry places of his eternal word most evidently declareth this truth The Israelites were kept in the al dome bondage many years by the Egyptians The Egyptians they were but the weapons of Gods wrath wherewith he afflicted his people they were Gods weapons were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse those ten great plagues which at length God wrought vpon them and their fearefull overthrow in the red sea at large set downe in the booke of Exodus froÌ„ the 7. chapter to the end of the 14. This was it which God said vnto Abraham Gen. 15.13 14. Knowe for a suretie that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirâ— foure hundred yeares shall serue them and they shall intreat them evill notwithstanding the nation whom they shall serue will I iudge Ahab the most wicked of the Kings of Israel who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the LORD and his accursed wife Iezebel were Gods instruments to afflict Naboth with the losse of his life and vineyard Ahab and Iezebel were Gods instruments Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse
both their ends the end of Ahab recorded 1. King 22.38 In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth did dogges licke the blood of Ahab also and the end of Iezebel registred the 2. Kings 9.35 Shee was eaten vp with dogges all sauing her skull her feet and the palmes of her hands It was a part of Daniel his afflictions to be cast into the den of Lyons His accusers vnto Darius were the instrumeÌ„ts of his affliction These his accusers were the LORDS instruments for this businesse Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Their fearefull end is set downe Dan. 6.24 By the commandement of King Darius they with their wiues children were cast into the den of Lyons the Lyons had the mastery of them brake all their bones in pieces ere ever they came to the grouÌ„d of the den The time will not suffer me to recal to your remembrances all the iudgements of God of this quality written down in the register of Gods works his holy word how what he reÌ„dred to g Ester 7.10 Haman to h 2. Kings 19.35 37. Sennacherib to i IereÌ„ 36.29 Ioachim to the k Ierem. 49.2 Ammonits to the l Ierem. 49.9 51.20 Chaldeans to the m Ezech. 35.2 Idumeans and other wicked worldlings for their hard measure offered to his childreÌ„ though they were therein his own instrumeÌ„ts The afore-meÌ„tioned instaÌ„ces of the Egyptians of Ahab his wife Iezebel of Daniel his accusers may serue for the declaratioÌ„ of my propouÌ„ded doctrine Though the LORD do vse his enimies as instruments to correct his owne servants children yet will he in his due time overthrow those his enimies with a large measure of his iudgments The reason hereof is because Gods iustice cannot let them escape vnpunished St Paule expresseth it 2. Thess 1.6 It is a righteous thing with God to recoÌ„pense tribulatioÌ„ to theÌ„ that trouble you Let this be our comfort whensoever the wicked shall rage against vs. For hereby are we assured when the LORD shal shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire that theÌ„ to the wicked whose behaviour towards the godly is proud and dispiteous he will render vengeance and punish them with everlasting perdition St Peter to make vs stedfast in this comfort disputeth this point Ep. 1. chap. 4.17 The point he proueth by an argument drawne à minori inferring from a truth to carnal mens vnderstanding lesse probable a truth of greater probabilitie Iudgement saith he beginneth at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarsly be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Our Saviours words Luk. 23.31 do coÌ„taine a like argumeÌ„t If they doe these things to a greene tree what shal be done to the dry To like purpose in Ierem. 25.29 saith the LORD of hoasts Loe I begin to plague the city where my name is called vpon shall you goe free Yee shall not goe free Hitherto I refer also one other text Esai 10.12 where it is said that God when he hath done dispatched all his worke vpon mount Sion will visite the fruite of the proud heart of the King of Assyria the meaning of the place is that God when he hath sufficiently châ—stised and corrected those of his owne house his beloued children wil turne his sword against the skorners of his Maiestie When God hath serued his owne turne by the wicked then comes their turne also howsoever for a while they flourish in hope to escape Gods hand and to abide vnpunished yet will God in due time well enough finde them out to pay them double The vses of this doctrine I can but point at One is to admonish vs that we spite not any of the wicked who now doe liue in rest because their turne to be punished must come and faile not The further it is put of from them the heavier in the end it will fall vpon them A second vse is to teach vs patience in afflictions for as much as God will shortly cause the cuppe to passe from vs to our adversaries But say he wil not Yet neverthelesse are we to possesse our soules in patience reioicing and giving thankes to God who hath made vs worthy not only to belieue in him but also to suffer for his sake For we haue learned Act. 14.22 That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of God c. The Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs which were not only reviled and scourged but also beheaded cut in pieces drowned in water consumed in fire by other tyrannicall devises cruelly put to death they all by this way received the manifest token of their happy and blessed estate and entred into the kingdome of God And we vndoubtedly know 2. Cor. 5.1 That if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building of God an house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens Thus farre of my second circumstance the circumstance of the punished the Aramites professed enemies vnto God yet by him employed in the correction of his owne children the Israelits are here themselues punished My doctrine was Though the Lord do vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne servants and children yet will he in due time overthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements The third circumstance is the punishment a going into captivitie amplified by the place This captivity bondage and slavery was to be in an vnknowne strange a farre country Kir in Media The people of Aram shal goe into captivity vnto Kir The doctrine is For the sinne of a land God often times sendeth away the inhabitants into captivity Captivity to be an effect or punishment of sin king Salomon in his praier made to the LORD at his consecration or dedication of the Temple 1. King 8.46 acknowledgeth It 's expreslie delivered 1. ChroÌ„ 9.1 of the Israelites that for their transgressioÌ„s they were carryed away captiue vnto Babel In Deut. 28.41 among the curses threatned to all such as are rebellious and disobedient to Gods holy commandements Captivity is ranked and reckoned I let passe the multitude of Scripture-places serving to this point my text is plaine for it The Aramites for their three traÌ„sgressions and for foure for their many sins for their sin of cruelty for threshing Gilead with threshing instruments of yron were to goe into Captivity My doctrine standeth firme For the sinne of a land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captivity Into Captivity Into what kinde of captivity For there is a spirituall captivity and a corporall captivity a captivity of the minde and a captivity of the body Both are very grievous but the first more The first wich I call the spirituall captivity and a captivitie of the minde is a captivity vnder the Devill vnder the power of