trust in him for greater matters for impossibilities if we trust him not for smaller matters for probabilities How can I depend on God for raysing my bodie from the graue and for sauing my soule from Hell if I will distrust him for a morsell of bread towards my preseruation The Lord who brought Israel out of Egypt and led them fortie yeares through the wildernesse to possesse the land of the Amorite and all that while nourished and fed them not with bread nor wine nor strong drinke but miraculously with water out of the hard rocke with Quailes with Manna from Heauen and so blessed the very clothes and the shoes they wore that neither their clothes nor shoes all that while were waxen old he is the same Lord still still as readie to be to his faithfull ones a present helpe in all their troubles He hath brought vs out of Egypt too Attendamus ergo nos fratres so S. Austin bespake his Readers Tract 28. in Iohan and so let me conclude Attendamus ergo nos fratres Brethren and the rest dearely beloued let vs diligently obserue it and make we it the matter of our daily meditation Educti sumus de Aegypto we are brought out of Egypt There were we in bondage to the Deuill as to a Pharaoh there Lutea opera in terrenis desiderijs agebamus dirtie workes in the earthly desires of our flesh were the fruits of our labours Let it suffice that we haue beene such that we haue beene seruants Luteis operibus peccatorum to the dirtie workes of sinne as to the tyrannie of the Egyptians Now are wee passed through Baptisme as through the Red Sea therefore Red because it is consecrated with the Bloud of Christ In this Sea the Red Sea of Baptisme the Egyptians our enemies euen all our sinnes are drowned Now are wee in the wildernesse in cremo huius vitae sayth the same Saint Austine lib. 50. Homil. 20. we are in the wildernesse of this life Here Christ is with vs. He protecteth vs he preserueth vs he feedeth vs with his Word and Sacraments His word is a light vnto our steps to guide vs that we erre not His Sacraments are two that of Baptisme assureth vs that the Bloud of Christ applied to our soules clenseth vs from all our sinnes the other of his Supper is a signe a seale a pledge vnto vs of him our Sauiour Christ Iesus giuen for vs and to vs. Thus passing through the wildernesse of this world wee shall in the prefixed time the due time appoynted by the Lord Patriam promissionis ingredi We shall haue the full fruition of the promised land of the supernall Ierusalem of the land of the liuing of the Kingdome of Heauen To which God bring vs all THE XVI LECTVRE AMOS 2.11 And I raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets and of your yong men for Nazarites Is it not euen thus O yee children of Israel saith the Lord THe blessings and benefits which Amos in this Chapter remembreth to haue beene bestowed by Almightie God vpon his people the ten tribes of Israel are partly Corporall and partly Spirituall Of their Corporall benefits I haue heretofore in your hearing discoursed in my two former Sermons They were the destruction of the Amorites before them and for their sake vers 9. their deliuerance out of Egypt their protection and preseruation in the wildernesse for fortie yeares to the end that they might at length possesse the land of the Amorite ver 10. These were notable benefits though they were but Corporall But the benefit whereof I am now to speake is Spirituall It is the doctrine of the sincere worship of God and of eternall saluation together with the free vse and passage thereof or if you will it is the ordinary ministery of the Word thus expressed vers 11. And I raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets and of your yong men for Nazarites c. In these words I commend vnto you two generall parts One is A description of the now mentioned Spirituall benefit I raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets and of your yong men for Nazarites The other is A testification that such a benefit was bestowed Is it not euen thus ô ye children of Israel saith the Lord In the description we may note 1. Quis Who was the bestower of this benefit I the Lord. 2. Quomodo How it was bestowed by a raising vp I raised vp 3. Quid What was bestowed Prophets and Nazarites 4. Quibus auxilijs what helpe was vsed No stranger no forrainer had here ought to doe they were their owne sonnes and their owne yong men that were employed I raised vp of your sonnes c. The testification followeth you may also call it an asseueration It s set downe in the forme of a question where you may obserue who moues the question to whom it is moued and what the question is The Lord is he that moues the question the children of Israel are they to whom it is moued the question is Is it not euen thus Is it not euen thus O ye children of Israel sayth the Lord Such is the diuision of my text I might handle each part precisely but that happily would seeme ouer-curious I make choise therfore to applie my selfe after my old and wonted fashion to fit an exposition to the words as here they are conueyed vnto vs by the ministery of Amos and this with all breuitie and plainnesse And I I the Lord. I who destroyed the Amorite before you and for your sake I who brought you vp from the land of Egypt I who for fortie yeares together led you through the wildernesse that you might possesse the land of the Amorites I who thus blessed you with corporall benedictions haue not beene wanting to you in Spirituall I also raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets and of your yong men for Nazarites I raised vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word for word feci surgere or feci vt surgerent I made to arise I made Prophets to rise out of your sonnes I made them to rise that is feci vt existerent I made them to be In this sense I finde the word vsed Deut. 34.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there arose not a Prophet since in Israell like vnto Moses There arose not that is there was not There was not a Prophet since like vnto Moses So Mat. 11.11 where the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar Latin hath Non surrexit Our now English renders it There hath not risen Among them that are borne of women there hath not risen a greater then Iohn the Baptist There hath not risen that is there hath not beene Among them that are borne of women there hath not beene a greater then Iohn the Baptist So here I haue raised vp that is I haue made to be I haue made your sonnes to be Prophets I haue raised vp of your sonnes aliquot è filijs vestris sayth Mercer some of your sonnes such
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
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
wrongs done vnto vs we must wait vpon the Lord who in his good time will right all our iniuries For he hath said vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense Let vs proceed and see what doctrine may be gathered from the two next circumstances the circumstance of the punishment and the circumstance of the punished The punishment I noted in the breaking of barres and the punished in the word Damascus You haue already heard the meaning of these words I will breaks the barre of Damascus I the Lord will with my mighty power breake lay waste and consume the barre barre for barres euen all the munition and strength of Damascus of the chiefest city of Syria and the countrey adioyning Must Damascus the strongest Citie of all Syria haue her barres broken Must shee bee laid waste and spoyled Here fixing the eyes of our mindes vpon the power of the Lord learne we this lesson There is no thing nor creatuâ—e able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Nothing not gates of brasse nor barres of iron these hee breaketh asunder Psal 107.16 No creature What creature more mighty than a King Yet in the day of his wrath God woundeth Kings witnesse the Psalmist 110.5 Doth he wound Kings yea he slayeth mighty Kings Psal 135.10 and 136.18 My text auoweth the same in one of the next clauses where God threâ—â—heth to the mighty King of Syria a cutting off I cut off 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 whatsoeuer else is in the world it is weake and vnable to resist Of Gods omnipotency we make our daily profession in the first article of our beleefe professing him to be God the Father Almighty In which profession wee doe not exclude either the Sonne or Holy Ghost from omnipotency 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 Almighty Symbolo Atharas so the Sonne is Almighty and the Holy Ghost is Almighty too Now God is said to be omnipotent or Almighty in two respects First because he is able to doe whatsoeuer he will Secondly because he is able to doe more than he will For the first that God is able to doe whatsoeuer he will who but the man possessed with the spirit of Atheisme and infidelity dares deny This truth being expresly deliuered twise in the booke of Psalmes First Psal 115.3 Our God in heauen doth whatsoeuer he will againe Psal 135.6 Whatsoeuer pleaseth the Lord that doth he in heauen in earth in the sea in all the depths For the second that God is able to doe more than he will doe euery Christian acquainted with the Euangelicall story doth acknowledge it It is plaine by Iohn Baptists reproofe of the Pharisees and Sadduces 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 children vnto Abraham Able but will not So likewise when Christ was betrayed the story Matth. 26.53 is that God the Father could haue giuen him more than twelue legions of Angels to haue deliuered him He could but would not The like may bee 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 omnipotency that he is able to doe whatsoeuer he will doe yea that he is able to doe more than he will doe God only is omnipotent whatsoeuer else is in the world its weake and 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 doe stoope vnder Gods anger This is it which Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.34 35. confesseth In comparison of the most high who liueth for euer whose power is an euerlasting power whose kingdome is from generation to generation all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing according to his will he worketh in the army of heauen 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 whereunto we are moued 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 from hence true humiliation that same Christian vertue to which S. Peter 1 epist 5.6 giues his exhortation Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God What are we beloued but by nature in our selues most wretched conceiued and borne in sin hitherto running on in wickednesse and dayly rebelling against God against Almighty God against him who alone is able to doe whatsoeuer he will able to doe more than 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 humiliation This true humiliation standeth in our practice of three things Perkins Cas Coâ— â— lib. 1. ca. 5. §. 2. pag. 57. 1. The sorrow of our heart whereby we are displeased with our selues and ashamed in respect of our sins 2 Our confession to God in which we must also doe three things 1 Wee 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 sin The third thing in our humiliation is our supplication to bee made to God for mercy which must be with all possible earnestnesse 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 seruants and our supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon vs. O our God incline 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 tender mercies O Lord heare vs O Lord forgiue vs O Lord consider and doe it deferre not thy mercies for thine owne sake O our God Thus beloued if we humble our selues vnder the hand of Almighty God God will
vs e Vers 28. turne away from all the transgressions that we haue committed so shall we surely liue we shall not die And this we will the sooner endeuour to doe if we imprint in our hearts my propounded doctrine It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes Thus much of the first vse which was to lesson vs to looke heedfully to our feet that we walke not in the way of sinners to partake with them in their sinnes I proceed Is it true Is it proper to God to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes Here then in the second place we are admonished not to intermeddle in the Lords office It is his office to execute vengeance We therefore may not interpose our selues If a brother a neighbour or a stranger hath done vs any wrong we must forgiue him and must leaue reuengement to God to whom it appertaineth We must leaue reuengement to God to whom it appertaineth and forgiue our enemies What Forgiue our enemies How can flesh and bloud endure it Well it should be endured and many reasons there are to induce vs to so Christian an office The first is The forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes Whereof thus saith our Sauiour Luk. 6.37 Forgiue and you shall be forgiuen f Pet. de Palu serm aestiu en nr in Dom. 22. Trin. Ideo libenter debemus dimittere paruum vt Deus dimittat nobis magnum we ought willingly to forgiue vnto our neighbour a small matter that God may forgiue vs our great offences Looke what grace and indulgence we shew vnto our neighbours the like will God shew vnto vs. What else is said Luk. 6.38 With what measure you mete with the same shall it be measured to you againe Whereof I cannot giue a plainer exposition than in our Sauiours words Matth. 6.14 15. If yee doe forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you But if yee doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your Father forgiue you your trespasses A second reason why we should forgiue our enemies is that when we make our prayers vnto God we our selues may be heard For God heareth not the prayers of such as doe abide in rancour and will not forgiue their enemies It is well said of an g Augustin Ancient Qui non vult dimittere fratri suo non speret orationis effectum Whosoeuer he be that will not forgiue his brother let him not hope for any good successe in his prayer h Ambros Another saith Si iniuriam non dimittis quae tibi facta est orationem pro te non facis sed maledictionem super te inducis If thou forgiue not the iniury which thy neighbour hath done thee when thou prayest thou makest not any prayer for thy selfe but doest bring a malediction or curse vpon thy selfe The most absolute and excellent platforme of prayer that euer was made and is by the maker thereof our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ commended vnto vs for our daily vse confirmeth this point vnto vs. The fifth petition therein is that God would be pleased to forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Wherefore as in all sincerity we desire our selues to be looked vpon with the eyes of grace and mercy from heauen without any fraud or hollownesse or dissimulation in the Lord so are we taught by that clause our selues to deale with others so truly so honestly so heartily so sincerely and vnfainedly forgiuing euer as we may boldly say So Lord doe thou to mee as I to others Now if these hearts of ours be so sturdy and strong in their corruption as that they will not relent and yeeld to forgiue such as haue trespassed against vs how can we looke that our prayers should take effect A third reason why we should forgiue our enemies is that our good workes may be acceptable vnto God Let a man euery day doe as many good workes as there are Stars in Heauen yet as long as in heart he beareth hatred to his enemie God will not accept any one of them Munus non acceptatur nisi antè discordia ab animo pellatur saith Gregory thy gift is no waies acceptable vnto God vnlesse thy heart be first freed from discord Let no man circumuent himselfe seduce himselfe deceiue himselfe i August serm 5. de S. Stephino Whosoeuer hateth but one man in the whole world whaâ—soeuer he offereth to God in Good workes all will be lost Witnesse S. Paul 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I feed the poore with all my goods and though I giue my body that I be burned and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing If then wee would haue our good workes pleasing vnto God wee must be reconciled to our neighbours Our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ so aduiseth vs Matth. 5.24 Goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift A fourth reason why we should forgiue our enemies is that our soules may liue for by hatred and rancour wee slay our soules Saint Iohn Epist 1. Chap. 3. vers 15. auoweth it that he whosoeuer hateth his brother is a man-slayer Homicida est scilicet propriae animae saith k Pet. de Pal. vbi supra one he is a murtherer of his owne soule An exposition not absolutely to be disallowed for as much as it followeth in the same verse Yee know that no man-slayer hath eternall life abiding in him The life of the soule is loue therefore he that loueth not is dead So saith the same blessed Apostle Ep. 1. Chap. 3. vers 14. Hee that loueth not his brother abideth in death And greater is the dammage by the losse of one soule than of a thousand bodies The whole world in respect of one soule is not to be esteemed This is proued by our Sauiours question Mark 8.36 What shall it profit a man though he should win the whole world if he lose his owne soule A fift reason why we should loue our enemies is the reioycing of Saints and Angels To loue our enemies is an infallible signe of our conuersion Now wee know by Luk. 15.7 that there shall be ioy in Heauen for one sinner that conuerteth and vers the 10. That there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth Thus whether we respect the reioycing of Saints and Angels or the life of our soules or the acceptance of our good workes or the fruit of our prayers or the forgiuenesse of our sins wee must loue our enemies after S. Stephen his example Act. 7.60 Lord lay not this sin to their charge after S. Paul his example 1 Cor. 4.12 13. We are reuiled and yet we blesse we are persecuted and suffer it we are euill spoken of and we pray after Christs example Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Adde hereto Christs Commandement Mat. 5.44 Loue your enemies
people it reacheth to the highest to the Priests to the Princes to the King himselfe Of Priests and Princes carried away into captiuity you will make no doubt when you see the same proued of Kings Yet may you know by 2 King 17.27 that the King of Assyria when he had vanquished Hoseah King of Israel did carry into captiuitie the Priests of Israel You vnderstand of Priests carried into captiuity see now the like of Kings and Princes See 2 King 24.14 It is a very eminent place There it is affirmed of Nabuchodonosor King of Babel that he carried away all Ierusalem and all the Princes and all the strong men of warre euen ten thousand into captiuity and in the verse following that he carried away King Iehoiachim King of Iudah into Babel and the Kings mother and the Kings wiues and the Eunuches and the mighty of the Land carried he away into captiuity from Ierusalem to Babel And all the men of war euen seuen thousand and carpenters and lock-smiths a thousand all that were strong and apt for war did the King of Babel bring to Babel captiues I could tell you of the like misery befallen other Kings of Iudah of King Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.11 how he was taken by the hoast of the King Ashur was put in fetters was bound in chaines and was carried to Babel And of King Zedekiah 2 King 25.5 how he was taken in the deserts of Iericho by the army of the Chaldees had his eyes put out was bound in chaines and carried vnto Babel But what need I amplifie this point By the places already brought you see my doctrine established namely When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King Is it true Beloued Doth God punish a nation with captiuity for their sins Let vs make this Christian vse of it euen to powre out our soules 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 heinous in Gods eyes than ours are Dearely beloued far be it from vs to iustifie our selues Let the example of the proud Pharisee be a warning to vs. He for all his smooth prayer registred Luk. 18.11 O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as the Publican I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse For all this his smooth prayer he found no fauour with God No maruell For his heart was swolne with pride with pride towards God towards his neighbour and in himselfe Gracias ago O God I thank thee there was his pride towards God Non sum sicut caeteri I am not as other men There was his pride towards his neighbour Ieiuno bis in sabbato I fast twice in the weeke There was his pride in himselfe O God I thanke thee He is not reprehended for giuing thanks to God but for his proud and presumptuous boasting of himselfe The great Patriarch Abraham prayeth leaue to speake vnto the Lord and giues a reason of his request Gen. 18.27 I am but dust and ashes so lowly was Abraham conceited of himselfe when he was to speake to God But this Pharisee puffed vp and swolne with pride boasteth as though hee were not made of the same mould with other men O God I thanke thee I am not as other men c. But leaue we the Pharisee in his pride he is not to be a patterne of imitation for vs. The Publican is he whom we must follow Gerit typum omnium poenitentium all that will truly repent must take him for an ensample He stood afar off would not lift vp so much as his eyes to Heauen smote his breast and said O God be mercifull to me a sinner He stood afarre off a B. King in Ion. Lect. 38. pag. 514. not daring to approach to God that God might approach to him He would not lift vp his eies to Heauen for he knew heauen to be the seat of that Maiesty which by sinning he had prouoked vnto displeasure He smote his breast as the arke of all iniquity as it were punishing himselfe with stripes that the Lord might forbeare to punish him And after all this with a fearefull heart and trembling tongue he called vpon his Sauiour and said O God be mercifull to me a sinner b Pet. de Palude Dom. 2. post Trin. enar p. 364. Oratio breuis valdè fructuosa It is a short prayer but full of fruit O God be mercifull to me a sinner be mercifull I say not to me thy creature thy seruant or thy childe but be mercifull to me a sinner My whole composition is sinne whatsoeuer I am in body or soule so farre as my manhood and humanity goeth a Sinner and not onely by mine office and calling because I am a Publican but euen by nature and kinde it selfe a Sinner O God be mercifull to me a sinner This Publican is set for a patterne vnto vs. Wee must with him confesse our sins vnto the Lord. Let no man boast himselfe of his owne innocency integrity or vprightnesse Quando mare sine procellis tunc nos sine peccatis saith c Apud Pet. de Palude Dom. 11. Trinit p. 356. Chrysostome when the sea is without stormes then are we without sinnes But the sea is neuer free from stormes nor we from sinnes In vaine then is it O sinfull man that thou exaltest thy selfe as if thou were iust Remember what Christ saith at his closing vp of this parable of the Publican and Pharisee Omnis qui se exaltat humiliabitur euery one that exalts himselfe shall be brought low Adam exalted himselfe and death was his recompence Gen. 3 19. Pharaoh exalted himselfe and he was drowned in the red Sea Exod. 14.28 Dathan and Abiram exalted themselues and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them vp Num. 16.32 Saul exalted himselfe and an euill spirit was sent to vex him 1 Sam. 16.15 Absolon exalted himself and he was hanged in an oake 2 Sam. 18 9. Nabuchodonosor exalted himselfe and he was driuen to seek his dwelling with the beasts of the field Dan. 4.29 Antiochus exalted himselfe and he died a miserable death consumed of wormes 2 Mach. 9.9 Herod Agrippa exalted himselfe and the Angell of the Lord smote him so was hee also eaten of wormes and gaue vp the ghost Act. 12.23 It is out of all controuersie Omnis qui se exaltat humiliabitur euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low Let the consideration hereof beloued worke in vs a vigilancy to keepe the proud Deuill vnder that we swell not vp through a vaine perswasion of fleshly righteousnesse that we lift not vp our Peacocks feathers nor extoll our eye lids through a conceit of our owne deserts but in all humility pray we euer with the Publican O God bee mercifull vnto vs sinners and ascribe we
of God this name Iehovah first it importeth the eternitie of Gods essence in himselfe that he is yesterday and to day and the same for euer which was which is and which is to come Secondly it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God as from whom all creatures in the world haue their life motion and being God is the being of all his creatures not that they are the same that he is but because of him and in him and by him are all things Thirdly it is the Memoriall of God vnto all ages as himselfe calls it Exod. 3.15 The Memoriall of his faithfulnes his truth and his constancie 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 adds vnto it his name Iehovah as here in my text Thus saith Iehovah Iehovah The strength of Israel who is not as man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Wicked Balaam is driuen to confesse as much Num. 23.19 and there proceedeth by way of question Hath the Lord said and shall he not doe it Hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Samuel with boldnes tells Saul 1. Sam. 15.29 that the Lord who is the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent and he giues this reason of it For he is not a man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of all his words are Yea and Amen so firmely ratified that they cannot be altered so standing immutable that they cannot be changed Our Sauiour Christ giues record herevnto Matth. 24.35 Coelum terra praeteribunt Heauen and Earth shall passe away but Gods words they shall not passe away The grasse withereth saith the Prophet Esay cap. 40.8 The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for euer Thus are we by this name Iehovah led to the consideration of the truth of God Gods truth is his essentiall proprietie whereby he is most free from all shew or shadow of falshood This his truth is eminent in himselfe in his workes and in his words In himselfe two manner of wayes 1. In respect of his essence whereby he truly is 2. Forasmuch as he is the Idea type and patterne of all the truth that is in any creature Now concerning the workes of God they all are Truth whether they be Internall or Externall His Internall workes are either personall or essentiall and both nothing but truth For his personall workes the Father doth truly beget the Sonne the Sonne is truly begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost doth truly proceed from the Father and the Sonne the like must we say of his essentiall workes Whatsoeuer God hath decreed he hath truly decreed it and doth truly execute it Besides these Internall workes of God some workes of his are called in the Schooles Externall Such are the creation of the world the conseruation of the same the gouernment of the Church the couenant with the faithfull and the like in all which most constant is the truth of God As the truth of God is eminent in himselfe and in his workes so also is it eminent in his words This hath but now bin prooued vnto you by the confession of Balaam by the asseueration of Samuel by the record of the Prophet Esay and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ I shut vp this doctrine of the truth of God with the words of the blessed Apostle S. Paul Rom. 3.3 Let God be true and euery man a lyar Now let vs see what vses may be made of this doctrine Is it true Is God truth in himselfe in his works and in his words Hereby may euery childe of God among vs be well assured that our faith in God the Father in Christ his Sonne and in the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne is most true and most certaine and cannot by any meanes be deceiued it selfe or deceiue vs For it is grounded and supported vpon and by the words of him who onely is the true God yea truth it selfe who hath truly sayd concerning vs and all other who beleeue in Christ that he hath c Rom. 8.37 loued vs * Ephes 1.4 before the foundation of the world hath chosen vs to eternall life for our better atteining whereof he hath d Rom. 8.3 sent into the world his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh e Galat. 4.4 made of a woman and made vnder the Law that by his f 1. Iohn 1.7 bloud we might be clensed from all sinne and g Rom. 5.9 iustifyed in the sight of God that by his holy spirit we might be h 1. Pet. 1.3 regenerated gouerned defended from our enemies and at that great day the day of the resurrection of all flesh we may both bodie and soule be brought into the full possession of eternall life Which being so what remaineth on our parts but that we abide constantly in our holy faith and perseuere therein euen vnto the end Without perseuerance our faith will not auaile vs. For not euery one but such onely as are marked in their foreheads with the letter Tau with the note of perfection and perseuerance shall enter the inheritance of the blessed Ezech. 9 4. And not euery one but he onely that endureth to the end shall be saued Matth. 10.22 And not euery one but he onely which is faithfull vnto death shall receiue the crowne of life Reuel 2.10 Let the dog returne to his vomit and the washed sow to her wallowing in the mire as the Prouerbs are 2. Pet. 2.22 But let vs hold fast our holy faith till it shall please God to call vs to make our finall account how we haue spent the dayes of our Pilgrimage in this present world So shall he that is holy and true who hath i Reuel 3.7 the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth which shutteth and no man openeth open vnto vs the gates of Ierusalem which is aboue and giue vs full fruition of euerlasting happinesse Thus haue you the first vse of my first doctrine touching the truth of God My doctrine was God is truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words The first vse concerneth our faith in Christ and our perseuerance therein A second followeth It appertaineth to thankesgiuing For if our saluation and eternall life doe depend vpon the knowledge of the heauenly truth and God brings none to the knowledge of this truth but his elect and chosen people how great thankes ought we to giue vnto God not onely for choosing vs but also for making it knowne vnto vs by the reuelation of his truth that we are his chosen people For he hath not onely imprinted in the vs image of that truth which is eternall in himselfe but also daily bringeth vs to such a measure
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 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
a flaming fire that will burne the whole house it s like a wild Horse that will cast his rider into hell it s like a wild gourd that will poyson the whole pott it s like a plague that will destroy the whole cittie it s like a p Ecclus. 21.3 two edged sword the wounds thereof cannot be healed Flie therefore from sinne as from the face of a Serpent And euer remember what befell Iudah and Ierusalem for their sinnes They despised the Law of the Lord they kept not his commaundements their lies caused them to erre after which their fathers walked therefore hath the Lord sent a fire vpon Iudah which hath deuoured the palaces of Ierusalem Thus farre of my first doctrine A second followeth I take it from the condition of Ierusalem She had faire appellations She was called the Virgin and the daughter of Iudah Lament 1.15 The daughter of Sion ver 6. the cittie that was great among the nations and a Princes among the Prouinces ver 1. The holy Cittie Mat. 4.5 The Cittie of the great King Mat. 5.35 The Lord he chose it he desired it for his habitation he said of it This is my rest for euer here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein Psal 132.14 And yet notwithstanding Ierusalem is rased from the foundation shee is vtterly destroyed It is befallen her according to this commination in my text I will send a fire vpon Iudah which shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem My doctrine is God will seuerely punish sinne euen in his dearest children This S. Peter avoweth 1. Epistle 4.17 saying Iudgement must begin at the house of God Hiâ— meaning is that the punishment and chastisement of sinnes beginneth with the Saints and seruants of God in whom as it were in a house or Temple God dwelleth If they who are most familiar with vs do sinne against vs we fret and grow discontented The most familiar with God are his faithfull ones who fill the house of God which is his Church If these sinne against God can God take it well He cannot He will punish euen his faithfull ones So sayth St Austine Epist 122. Ad victorianum Propter peccata sua etiam sancti flagellantur the verie Saints of God are scourged for their sinnes You see my doctrine confirmed God will seuerely punish sinne euen in his dearest children The reason is giuen by S. Austine in his Booke of fiftie Homilies Homil. 21. because Iustitia est vt puniat peccatum it is a part of Gods iustice to punish sinne a part of his Actiue iustice So doe the Schooles call the Iustice of God by which he iudgeth and punisheth offenders Of this Iustice of God it is said in our English Liturgie It belongeth to God iustly to punish sinnes Yea so doth it belong to God that God is not iust vnlesse he punish sinne The vse of this doctrine is vrged to vs by S. Pet. 1. Epist Chap. 4. vers 17.18 If God will seuerely punish his owne children for their sinnes If iudgement must begin at the house of God what shall become of strange children children of Belial What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare To this purpose is that of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ Luk. 23.31 If they doe these things to a greene tree what shall be done to the dry It is as if he had said more plainly thus If God my Father suffer me who am innocent and without sinne who am like a greene and a fruitfull tree so grieuously to be afflicted and to be hewen downe as if I were a dry tree how much more will he suffer you who are sinfull and rightly compared to dry and barren trees to be afflicted and to be hewen downe The like argument doth the Lord bring against Edom. Ierem. 49.12 Behold they whose iudgement was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken and shalt thou altogether goe vnpunished Thou shalt goe vnpunished but thou shalt surely drinke of it What shall I more say Let vs diligently weigh what hath alreadie beene sayd Lay we it to our soules and consciences We haue seene that the infinite Iustice of God repayeth vengeance for sinne euen vpon the heads of his dearest children The inhabitants of Iudah Gods inheritance great Ierusalem the cittie of God the glorious temple there the house of God for sinnes pollution haue beene brought to destruction Christ himselfe the onely begotten sonne of God the well-beloued sonne of God he in whom alone God is well pleased because he q 2. Cor. 5.21 serued with our sinnes and was r Esai 53.5 made sinne for vs he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities his backe was loaden with stripes his head with thornes his bodie with crossing his soule with cursing Thus sweete Sauiour hast thou suffered for our rebellions for our transgressions for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon thee and with thy stripes we are healed It fell out happily for vs beloued that Christ who knew no sinne should be made sinne for vs that we who bore about with vs a Å¿ Rom. 6.6 bodie of sin might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Being thus by Christ reconciled to God and washed and clensed from our sinnes through his precious bloud take we heed that it happen not to vs t 2. Pet. 2.22 according to the true Prouerbe The dog is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Let vs not henceforth be u Rom. 6.6 seruants vnto sinne let vs not yeeld our members as x Ver. 13. instruments of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne Why should we y Heb. 6.6 crucifie to our selues the sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Let vs rather yeeld our selues our soules and our bodies seruants vnto God for so shall our z Rom. 6.22 fruit be in holinesse and our end euerlasting life So be it THE VIII LECTVRE AMOS 2.6 7 8. Thus sayth the Lord For three transgressions of Israel and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they sould the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shooes That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore and turne aside the way of the meeke and a man and his father will goe in vnto the same maid to prophane my holy Name And they lay themselues downe vpon clothes layd to pledge by euery altar and they drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God FOr Israels sake Amos the peculiar Prophet of Israel hath hitherto made knowne vnto Israel what God his pleasure was concerning their neighbour-Nations The iudgements of God against the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites were first manifested then followed his iudgments
them very infamous for their beastly Sodomie for their filthy adulterie for other their vncleane lust So holy were those holy Fathers Neither were they themselues alone giuen ouer to such filthinesse but they also tooke order to haue others like vnto them They could not alone be wicked z SZeged Spec. Pontif. Alexander the sixt gaue leaue to Cardinall Mendoza to abuse his owne bastard sonne in incestuous Sodomie a Downam de Antich lib. 1. cap. 6. Ormâ—rod Pict Pap. SZâ—ged spec Pont. Vescel Kroning Tractat. de Indulgentijs Sixtus the fourth gaue licence to the Cardinall of S. Lucie and to all his familie that they might in the three hot moneths of the yeare freely vse Sodomie Iohannes a Casa a Florentine Archbishop of Beneventum Legat for Iulius 3. at Venice set forth a booke in Italian Metre in commendation of this Diana of the Papists this abominable sinne of Sodomie Will you heare more of Sixtus the fourth He to incite and incourage others to be as filthy as himselfe built in Rome a famous stewes not onely of women but also of males The femall stewes how aduantagious it hath bin to the Pope and gainefull to his coffers may from hence appeare that the Pope hath receiued from them a yearely pension amounting sometimes to three thousand sometimes to foure thousand Ducates It is said of Paulus the third that in his tables he had the names of 45000 Curtizans which paid vnto him a monethly tribute Now that the Pope neede not to loose so great a reuenew some haue bestirred themselues to patronize his stewes by argument and by autoritie Their chiefe reason is that common Curtizans in hot countries are a necessarie euill Harding Confut. Apol. Iewelli par 4. cap. 1. thus speaketh of it It is common in all great Cities in hot countries not to banish from among them the filthy generation of harlots for the auoyding of a greater mischiefe Dr Bishop in his second part of the Reformation of a Catholicke deformed in the treatise of repentance saith The stewes in some hot Countries are tolerated to auoyd a greater mischiefe The cheife autoritie they bring is S. Austines out of his second booke de ordine cap. 4. Aufer meretrices de rebus humanis turbaveris omnia libidinibus Take harlots from among men yee shall disturbe all things with leacherous lusts To their reason that Curtezans in hot Countries are a necessarie euill we say that the heat of a countrey is no sufficient warrant for the popish stewes The land of Israel is a hotter climate then that of Italie yet saith God vnto the Iewes Deut. 23.17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be a whore-keeper of the sonnes of Israel For S. Austines autoritie wee acknowledge it to bee great and reuerend But withall we say that S. Austine when he wrote those words was not S. Austine When he wrote that tract of Order himselfe then liued in disorder a yong gallant a novice in the faith not well instructed not yet baptised in the name of Christ himselfe then kept a concubine and liued in whoredome But the same Saint Austine afterward fully instructed and baptised said thus Istam in vsu scortatorum terrena civiâ—as licitam fecit turpitudinem The words are De Ciuit. Dei lib. 14 cap. 18. The citie of the world not the Church of God hath made this filthinesse of harlots to bee lawfull So doth not Saint Austines autoritie hold vp the stewes Saint Paul beates them downe flat Rom. 3.8 they who say Let vs doe euill that good may come thereof their damnation is iust In a word the toleration of the stewes is an occasion of vncleanenesse to many a yong man and woman that otherwise would absteine from all such kinde of filthinesse What an abomination is it for a brother and his brother a father and his sonne a nephew and his vncle to come to one and the same harlot one before or after the other Is it not the very abomination which the Lord reproueth in my text A man and his father will goe in to the same maide to profane my holy name I haue held you too long May it please you to remember my doctrine It was Incestuous persons adulterers fornicators and other vncleane sinners are oftentimes the cause of profaning the holy name of God A twofold Vse I made of it One was to stirre vp our selues to a holy conversation The other to reproue such as are giuen ouer to vncleanenesse I conclude with that exhortation of Saint Peter 1. Epist. chap. 2.11 Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims absteine from fleshly lusts They may seeme vnto you a Paradise to your desires but they will proue a Purgatorie to your purses and a Hell to your soules Doe you loue your bodies Abstaine from fleshly lusts for they are rottennesse to your bones Doe you loue your soules Abstaine from fleshly lusts for they warre against your soules Doe you loue your credits Abstaine from fleshly lusts for they are dishonourable The heate of carnall lusts what is it but an infernall fire whose fuell is fullnesse of bread and aboundance of idlenesse whose sparkes are euill communication whose smoake is infamie whose ashes are pollution whose end is Hell Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts haue your conuersation honest among all men that they beholding your good works may glorifie God in the day of visitation Now gracious Father so worke in vs thou and thy power thou and thy mercy so bring it to passe that we may so spend the remainder of our dayes here in all holy conversation that after this life ended we may haue our inheritance in thy kingdome Grant this for thy sonne Christ Iesus sake To whom with thee c. THE XI LECTVRE AMOS 2.8 And they lay themselues downe vpon clothes laid to pledge by euery Altar and they drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God IT is a great height of impietie whereto men are growne when by vnlawfull meanes or pretences or allurements they adde sinne to sinne A man may sinne once and a second time and may doe it through infirmitie but if he go on with a third transgression and with a fourth if he be obstinate in heaping sinne vpon sinne lamentable is his estate A woe must be his portion It s denounced by the Prophet Esay cap. 5.18 Woe vnto them that draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as it were with a cart-rope Was there euer a people so far giuen ouer to worke impietie Behold such were the people of Israel they to whom this prophecie of Amos was directed Their cruelty their couetousnes their oppressions their calumnies their filthy lusts reproued in the two precedent verses do proclaim as much And yet they haue not done sinning They would I grant make faire weather they would make a faire shew as if their desire
had neither Altars nor Images nor Temples Arnobius flourished after Origen in the yeare 290. and q Arnob. lib. 4. contragentes Babington in Exod. 27.1 pag. 403. Hospintan Hist Sacram. lib. 2. pag. 54. in his time the Heathen accused the Christians for that they had neither Churches nor Altars nor Images So for two hundred and ninetie yeares there were no Altars in the primitiue Church None for 290. yeares Yet Martin of Polonia sometimes an Arch-bishop and Penitentiarie to Innocent the fourth affirmeth in his Chronicle that Pope Sixtus did institute Vt missa super Altare celebreter that the Masse should be celebrated vpon an Altar r Hospin ibid. pag. 121. Sixtus of whom he speaketh was Bishop of Rome Anno Christi 125. So by Martins opinion Altars should haue bin in the Church aboue a hundred yeares before either Arnobius or Origen were writers But what small credit is to be giuen to this Chronicler Martin let Bellarmine tell you Fuit Martinus vir simplex fabellas pro historijs obtrudit This censure he giueth in his Booke of Ecclesiasticall writers vpon the yeare 1250. Martin was a simple man and one that obtrudeth fables for histories If Martin be false in this point of the institution of Altars how shall we find out the truth Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 3. will seeme to deliuer it There reprouing Kemnitius for making Felix the fourth to haue instituted the consecration of Altars calleth that a lye and sayth ſ § Octavum est Constat Sylvestrum autorem huius ritûs fuisse It is manifest that Sylvester was the author of this rite of the consecration of Altars Now Sylvester ascended to the Popedome in the yeare 314. So by Bellarmines opinion and what writer among the Papists is of greater authoritie then Bellarmine by Bellarmines opinion there were no Altars of vse in the Church before the yeare 314. So my proposition stands good The primitiue times of the Church knew not the vse of stonie or wooden Altars Which truth as it hath serued to condemne the Papists of blind superstition for creeping vnto and worshipping before their Altars whereof they haue out of Gods booke no warrant so may it be a motiue to vs to lift vp our hearts vnto the Lord and to giue him thankes for that it hath pleased him to deliuer vs from the more then Egyptian darknesse of Poperie wherein our forefathers liuing committed abomination before stockes and stones We haue not now an Altar properly so called no materiall Altar our Altar is metaphoricall it is spirituall As our sacrifices are which we are to offer vp vnto the Lord so is our Altar our sacrifices are spirituall our Altar therefore must be spirituall There were vnder the Law many kindes of sacrifices t Exod. 20.24 Burnt offerings u Num. 6.11 Sinne offerings x Vers 15. Meat offerings Drinke offerings y Exod. 20.24 Peace offerings All are reduceable to two heads they were either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either propitiatorie or Eucharisticall either expiatorie or gratulatorie either sacrifices of satisfaction or sacrifices of thankesgiuing The first sort of sacrifices which I call propitiatorie expiatorie or satisfactorie had their end in the death of Christ the other which I call Eucharisticall gratulatorie or sacrifices of thanksgiuing doe remaine for euer but without legall rites and ceremonies that which was legall in them is done away there remaineth onely that which was Euangelicall that which was Spirituall These sacrifices gratulatorie these sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing are the sacrifices which we can and must offer vnto Almightie God Of these sacrifices I obserue three sorts according to the three sorts of goods which man vsually enioyeth The z Arist Eth. lib. 1. cap. 8. Philosopher deuides them into goods of the mind goods of the bodie and externall goods By externall goods you may vnderstand a Arist Magn. Moral lib. 1. cap. 3. riches rule honor by the goods of the bodie you may vnderstand health beautie comelinesse by the goods of the minde you may vnderstand vertues and vertuous actions functions and operations together with all the powers and faculties of the soule All these goods must we offer vp vnto the Lord in sacrifice First we must offer vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our externall goods the goods of this world The author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes wisheth vs not to forget it chap. 13.16 To doe good and to distribute forget not And to make vs remember it the more willingly he giues this reason for with such sacrifices God is well pleased It is true God accepteth and taketh in good part as bestowed vpon himselfe whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon the poore Giue meate to the hungrie drinke to the thirstie take in the stranger cloth the naked visite the sicke yeeld comfort to the poore prisoner thou doest all to Christ The day shall come wherein Christ will tell thee so Mat. 25.40 Verily I say vnto you in as much as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren yee haue done it vnto me Doe good to the poore you doe it vnto Christ Say not if I giue I shall want my selfe Giue and it shall be giuen to thee The promise is Luk. 6.38 Giue and it shall be giuen vnto you good measure pressed downe and shaken together and running ouer So your giuing will be but a lending and good paiment will be made vnto you Salomon beares record hereunto Prou. 19.17 He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and that which hee hath giuen will he pay him againe Thus must we offer vp vnto the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our externall goods the goods of this world Secondly we must offer vp vnto the Lord in sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goods of the bodie The goods of our body we may offer vp in sacrifice two manner of wayes patiendo or faciendo by suffering or by doing by dying for the Lord or by doing that which is acceptable to the Lord. This sacrifice of suffering or dying for the Lord is a precious sacrifice according to that Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints It is acceptable with God St Peter affirmeth it 1. Epi. chap. 2.20 If when ye doe well and suffer for it yee take it patiently this is acceptable with God In the verse following he exhorts vs to this suffering Christ hath suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps Christ hath suffered for vs wee must if need be suffer for him Martyrdome It is so pleasing a sacrifice as that it made Ambrose say of his sister Appellabo Martyrem praedicabo satis I will call her Martyre and so shall I be sure to commend her enough S. Hierome in his Ep. to Heidibia sayth Triumphus Dei est passio Martyrum The suffering of Martyrs
In our now-sacrifices we need not garlands of Vervim nor the inwards of beasts nor turffs of earth but such things onely as proceed from the inner man righteousnesse patience faith innocencie chastitie abstinence such are the sacrifices to be offered vp vpon Gods holy Altar placed in our hearts In the Chapter following Chap. 25. his obseruation is that there are two things to be offered vp vnto God donum sacrificium a gift and a sacrifice the one perpetuall the other temporall According to some the gift is whatsoeuer is made of gold siluer purple or silke and the sacrifice is a beast slaine or whatsoeuer is burnt vpon the Altar But God hath no vse of these These are subiect to corruption but God is incorrupt Wee must therefore offer both gift and sacrifice in a spirituall manner so shall God haue vse of both Our gift must be integritas animi the vprightnesse of our minde our sacrifice laus hymnus prayse and thankesgiuing That I may conclude Beloued brethren let me sum vp together the Euangelicall sacrifices which the giuer of the new law requireth of vs. A broken spirit obedience to the will of God loue towards God and man iudgement iustice mercie prayer thankesgiuing almes-deedes our bodies and our soules these are the Euangelicall sacrifices the sacrifices of Christianitie to be offered vp vnto the Lord vpon the Altar of a faithfull heart A faithfull heart I say For if the heart be vnfaithfull the sacrifices will not be acceptable they will not be esteemed aboue the sorceries of Simon Magus Call them not sacrifices they are sacriledges if the heart be vnfaithfull But let the heart be faithfull and the sacrifices which it offereth vp will be as the beneficence was Phil. 4.18 which the Philippians sent by Epaphroditus vnto Paul they will be odours of a sweete smell acceptable sacrifices and well pleasing vnto God Neither did that precious oyntment that ranne downe Aarons beard Psal 133.2 nor that that the woman powred vpon Christs head Mat. 26.7 nor that sweete incense Exod. 25.6 nor that wine of Lebanon Hos 14.7 yeeld so pleasant a sauour as doe the sacrifices of Christianitie that ascend from a faithfull heart O! the sweete sauour of a good life that springs and sprouts from a true beliefe farre surpasseth all other sweets in the world O! Let our sacrifices be such Let them spring from a true beliefe let them proceede from a faithfull heart so shall our minds when we thinke on God and our wils when we obey God and our soules when we loue God our tongues when we prayse God and our feete when wee walke with God and whatsoeuer else we haue when we vse it for the glory of God be an odour of a sweet smell an acceptable sacrifice and well pleasing vnto God I end Vouchsafe we beseech thee most mercifull Father so throughly to sanctifie vs with thine holy Spirit that all our sacrifices our preaching our hearing our prayers our prayses our thankesgiuings our deeds of mercie and pittie and charitie may euer be acceptable in thy sight Graunt this deare Father for thy best beloued Sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee in the vnitie of the holy Spirit be all prayse and power might and maiestie dignitie and dominion for euermore Amen THE XII LECTVRE AMOS 2.8 And they drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God THis is the last branch in the enumeration of the sinnes of the Israelites It concerneth the Iudges of Israel and the Rulers of that state them principally It is appliable to others also to the richer sort The words are a reproofe of the grosse superstition of that people They thought their dutie touching the seruice of God well discharged so they repaired to their temples Such holy places they thought were of themselues sufficient to clense them albeit they should euen there betake themselues to inordinate eating to vnmeasurable drinking to infamous luxurie yea to euery kinde of villanie For my more plaine proceeding in the handling of the words of this text will you be pleased to note in them First the action for which the Israelites are here reproued it is a drinking of wine They drinke wine Secondly whose wine it is they drinke It s not their owne its vinum damnatorum it 's the wine of the condemned They drinke the wine of the condemned Thirdly where they drinke it They drinke it not at home which were more tolerable but in domo deorum suorum in the house of their Gods They drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their Gods The first convinceth them of riot and excesse They drinke wine immoderately They are so giuen to it that they absteine not euen then when they are in their temples and would seeme most religious For they drinke it in the house of their Gods The second convinceth them of oppression The wine they drinke is vinum damnatorum it is the wine of the condemned it is vinum mulctatorum the wine of such as they haue fined or mulcted wine bought with the money of them whom they haue in their vnrighteous iudgments spoyled of their goods The third conuinceth them of idolatry They drinke their wine in the house of their Gods not in the Temple at Ierusalem that once glorious Temple of the true and liuing God but in the temple of their gods in Dan and Bethel and other places before their golden calues and other their Idols They drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their Gods First They drinke wine Wine Why might they not Is it not one of the good a 1. Tim. 4.4 creatures of God that may well be vsed with thanksgiuing God himselfe giues it to the obedient to them that loue and serue him Deut. 11.14 I will giue you the raine of your land in due season the first raine and the latter raine that thou maist gather in thy corne and thy wine and thine oyle That thou maist gather in thy wine Christ his miraculous turning of water into wine at the marriage of Cana in Galilee Ioh. 2.11 is euidence enough that he allowed the drinking of wine Yea himselfe dranke wine Else the people would neuer haue called him a wine-bibber as it appeareth they did Matth. 11.19 S Paul 1. Tim. 5.23 wisheth Timothie no longer to drinke water but to vse a little wine for his stomackes sake Wine hath its praises in the Scripture It makes glad the heart of man Psal 104.15 It cheareth God and man Iudg. 9.13 How then is it that the Israelites are here reproued for drinking wine I answer not for drinking wine but for the abuse in drinking are the Israelites here reproued It is with wine as it is with euery other good creature of God It may he abused Wine is abused when men are drunken with it This abuse of wine S. Paul desirous either to preuent or to reforme in the Ephesians thus speaketh to the Ephesians
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
which sort are wine and strong drinke Salomon so accounts of them Prov. 20.1 For there he saith Wine is a mocker strong drinke is raging and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby is not wise Salomons Mother doth likewise so account of them Prov. 31.4 There her counsaile to her sonne is It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drinke wine nor for Princes to drinke strong drinke left they being drunken forget the Law and peruert the iudgement of any of the afflicted For this cause also were the Priests forbidden wine when they were to goe into the tabernacle of the Congregation and that vpon paine of death The prohibition is Levit. 10.9 There thus saith the Lord to Aaron Doe not drinke wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy sonnes with thee when yee goe into the Tabernacle of the Congregation lest ye die It shall be a statute for euer throughout your generations Hitherto I referre that Exech 44.21 No priest shall drinke wine when he entereth into the inner court From the places now alledged ariseth this position Sobrietie is a vertue fit for all men but especially for Ministers of the word and Sacraments Especially for Ministers The reasons are First it is not for Ministers to speake foolishly or to doe any thing vndecently Yet can they not but offend both in the one and the other if they suffer themselues to be ouercome with swilling of wine or strong drinke Secondly it is for Ministers to be vigilant in their vocations to be diligent in their ministeriall imployments in reading in studie in meditation to be deuout in their praiers vnto God for themselues the people ouer whom God hath made them ouerseers to handle the word of life reuerently and to dispense it in due season to euery weary soule Yet must they needs faile in the performance of these duties if they giue themselues to the drinking of wine and strong drinke Here may all that serue at the Altar be admonished euermore to be mindfull of their calling and of the hatred which God hath of excesse in men deuouted to his seruice aboue all others as also of the fearefull iudgement that will in the end without all faile ensue For if of all it be true that the drunkard shal neuer enter into the kingdome of God which you know to be true and the holy Spirit hath passed it for a truth 1. Cor. 6 10. then must it needs be sealed vp in the conscience of any Minister that a Minister through his excesse in drinking causing the holy things of God to be despised shall neuer neuer come within the gates of that eternall ioy but in stead thereof shall reape the reward of his sinne in euerlasting torments both of bodie and soule But this by the way The thing wherewith the Israelites in my text stand charged is their giuing the Nazirites wine to drinke The Israelites knew full well that it was the peremptorie mandate and expresse commandement of the Lord that the Nazirites should absteine from wine and strong drinke yet did they contrary thereunto giue vnto the Nazirites wine to drinke Gaue they the Nazirites wine to drinke was this such an offence that God should take displeasure at it To what end then serues the precept of giuing wine to him that is readie to perish through the anxietie and bitternesse of his minde that thereby he may be cheared and comforted The precept is Prov. 31.6 Giue strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish and wine vnto those that be of heauie hearts Let him drinke and forget his pouertie and remember his misery no more In vaine were this precept were the drinking of wine an offence whereat God should take displeasure And S. Paul doth amisse 1. Tim. 5.23 to wish him to drinke no longer water but to vse a little wine for his stomackes sake and his often infirmities if the drinking of wine be an offence If the drinking of wine be an offence why doth the same Apostle tell the Romans chap. 14.17 that the kingdome of God consisteth not in meate and drinke thereby giuing them libertie not onely to eate but also to drinke what they would euen to drinke wine To this I say It is not of it selfe any offence to drinke wine or to giue others wine to drinke but herein consisteth the offence of the Israelites that they gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke contrary to the Law of God and his holy commandement Tolle verbum Domini et liberum est vinum bibere adde verbum Domini vinum exhibere aut bibere tam grande est nefas quà m adulterium aut latrocinium So Brentius Let there be no law no commandement of God against the drinking of wine and you may at your pleasure drinke wine But if Gods law and commaundement be against it then for a man to drinke wine himselfe or to giue others wine to drinke it s as great a sinne as adulterie or robbery Adam in Paradise had a law giuen him that hee should not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill The law is expressed Gen. 2.17 Of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die To eate an Apple was of it selfe but a small matter but the Law of God whereby the eating of the Apple was forbidden was a matter of great weight The very eating of the Apple God did not much care for it was the obseruance of his commandement and the obedience thereunto that he required Saul had a commandement giuen him that he should goe downe to Gilgal and tarry there seauen dayes till Samuel should come and direct him what to doe The commandement is expressed 1. Sam. 10.8 Thou shalt goe downe before me to Gilgal and behold I will come downe vnto thee to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings seauen dayes shalt thou tarrie till I come to thee and shew thee what thou shalt doe According to this commandement Saul went to Gilgal and tarried there e 1. Sam. 13.8 seauen dayes according to the set time that Samuel had appoynted The seauenth day a little before Samuel came Saul f Vers 9. offered a burnt ofring g Vers 10. As soone as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering Samuel came Saul vnderstanding thereof went out to meete him that he might salute him Samuel seeing what was done tells Saul that he had done h Vers 13 foolishly in not keeping the commandement of the Lord his God which he commaunded him and withall foretells him of a heauie iudgement to befall him i Vers 14. Thy kingdome shall not continue The offering of the Holocauste or burnt offering to the Lord was it not of it selfe a good worke Yet because Saul offered it out of due time namely before Samuel was come it was sinne vnto him and the losse of his kingdome Did the
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
marke of a naughty a wicked a froward man to be the Author of contentions and strife Thirdly this kinde of sinner is a proud man For as it is Prou. 13.10 Onely by pride commeth contention Onely by pride The meaning is not that pride is the onely cause of contention but one of the chiefest So is that place by some expounded But well may it without glosse or exposition passe for a truth that onely by pride commeth contention if Saint Augustine in his booke de Nat. Grat. against the Pelagians bee not deceiued Out of the 26. Chapter of that booke I thus frame his argument Euery contempt of God is pride but euery sinne is a contempt of God Therefore euery sinne is pride according to that of Ecclesiasticus chap. 10.15 Initium omnis peccati est superâ—â—a The beginning of euery sinne is pride Now if euery sinne if the beginning of euery sinne be pride then certaine it is that contention variance strife debate and the like are all from pride Fourthly the sinner in this kinde is a foole For a foole he is taken Prou. 18.6 Where it is said Labia stulti miscent se rixis A fooles lips are euer brawling The words which a foole vttereth with his lips haue alwaies strife annexed vnto them as an inseparable companion Thus you see the account wherein the Spirit of God holdeth brawlers make-bates and sowers of discord in that it stileth them carnall and froward and proud and foolish It was the third way I propounded to finde out the foulnesse and leprosie of this sinne There is yet a fourth way and that is by the effects thereof as Busaeus the Iesuite in his Panary hath obserued One effect thereof is to increase our sinnes Well then doth Ecclesiasticus exhort vs to abstaine from strife His exhortation is Chap. 28.8 Abstaine from strife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou shalt diminish thy sinnes If by abstaining from strife we diminish our sinnes then surely by liuing in strife we increase our sinnes A second effect of strife he maketh to be the subuersion of the hearers according to that charge which Paul giueth to Timothy 2 Epist 2.14 Charge them before the Lord that they striue not about words to no profit but to the subuerting of the hearers A third effect is that it disturbeth the quietnesse euen of a wise man saith Salomon Prou. 29.9 A wise man if he contend with a foolish man there is no quietnesse for him A fourth effect is that it bringeth ruine destruction and desolation not onely to houses or families but to Cities also yea to Countries yea to Kingdomes This our Sauiour Christ sheweth by a prouerbiall saying Mat. 12.25 The saying is Euery Kingdom diuided against it selfe is brought to desolation and euery City or house diuided against it selfe shall not stand Such Beloued are the effects of this sinne of discord and may well discouer vnto you the foulnesse and leprosie of it For if it increase our sinnes if it be the subuersion of those that heare vs if it disturbe our quietnesse if it bring ruine destruction and desolation to all estates then surely it is a soule and a leprous sinne And thus haue I led you in foure seuerall pathes to finde out the foulnesse and leprosie of this sinne The first was by Gods detestation of it His soule abhorreth it The second was by the gates of Heauen fast shut against it They that sinne this sinne shall not inherit the Kingdome of God The third was by the titles giuen to those sinners they are carnall and froward and proud and foolish The fourth was by the effects which this sinne produceth it increaseth our faults it subuerteth our hearers it disturbeth our quietnesse it brings desolation vpon all vpon family vpon nation vpon Kingdome You now see the foulnesse you see the leprosie of this sin and will yeeld your assents to the truth of my propounded doctrine which was The man that liueth 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 Is it thus Beloued Must the man that liues in discord and variance fall into calamities out of which there is no escaping for him Must he Our best way then will be euer to beare about with vs that same Antidote or preseruatiue which Saint Ambrose hath prescribed Offic. lib. 1. cap. 21. Caueatur iracundia aut si pracaueri non potest cohibeatur Take heed of wrath beware of discord or if thou canst not before hand prouide against it keepe it short bridle it But first Caueatur Beware or take heed of it This is the counsell which Paul giueth in his first booke concerning the remedy of loue Principijs obsta serò medicina paratur Cum mala per longas inualuere moras Withstand beginnings thy medicines may come too late if thy disease be grown strong And this is the third remedy prescribed by Busaeus against this malady Resiste contentionum principijs Resist the beginnings of discord If thou bee to talke with any man keepe vnder the first motions of thy minde that they breake not forth into indignation and so thou giue the occasion of discord Discord is a Serpent This serpent like Goliah must bee smote dead in the a 1 Sam. 17.49 forehead he must be crushed in the head lest if he get in the head as he did into b 2 Cor. 11.3 Eue he bring in the whole body and when sinne is finished hee leaue from his taile the c 1 Cor. 15.55 sting of death in our soules Discord is a Cockatrice This Cockatrice must be crushed in the d Esay 59.5 Egge If we suffer it to be hatched and to grow a Basiliske it will be our poyson Discord is a Fox We must take this Fox e Cant. 2.15 this little Fox before he doe any hurt If we let him grow till he be great then like f Luk. 13.32 Herod the Fox he will become bloud-thirsty and rauenous or like Samsons g Iudg. 15.4 Foxes he will set all on fire Discord is as Leauen whereof it is said h 1 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 Paullulò fermenti tota massa fermentatur If we purge not out this little leauen it will sowre the whole lumpe Discord is i Num. 3.18 19 Aqua amaritudinis We must giue this water of bitternesse no passage k Eccles 25.25 no not a little lest like that in l Cap. 47.3 4 c. Ezechiel it grow from the anckles to the knees and from the knees to the loines and proue a riuer that cannot bee passed ouer without drowning Discord is Paruulus Babylonis Wee must betimes take this youngling of Babylon and m Psal 137.9 dash him against the stones lest after growth he should cry against vs downe with them downe with them euen vnto the ground Thus and thus are we to deale with this youngling
Cruelty and Couetousnesse are amplified from two Topickes à genere à specie from the Genus thus They know not to doe right From the Species thus They store vp violence and robbery in their palaces That so it is God is produced for witnesse for Neum Iehouah The Lord hath said it These particulars yeelded materialls for my two former Sermons Now from the Accusation I proceed to the Commination vers 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled The words are a denunciation of punishment concerning which we may obserue The Cause The Author The Punishment it selfe The Cause is implied in the particle Therefore The Author is the Lord God The Punishment is a conquest by warre and is described 1 By the Siege 2 By the Victory 3 By the Spoile An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land there is the Siege the whole Land beset round about And he shall bring downe thy strength from thee there is the Victory the ouerthrow of their strong men And thy palaces shall be spoiled The Spoile is at the lust of the conquerour An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled I haue shewed you the limits and bounds of my future discourse I will handle them as they lye in order beginning with the cause of the punishment implied in this particle Therefore Therefore It is a particle befitting a Commination It hath relation to the former verses and pointeth to the sinnes there touched to the great tumults in the middest of Samaria and the oppressions there vers 9. to the ignorance of God and his will to their violence and robbery stored vp in their palaces vers 10. The relation that this particle hath to those sinnes sheweth that those sinnes are the cause of the punishment here denounced as if our Prophet had thus spoken Because you that are the Princes and Potentates of Samaria doe oppresse the poore and needie Therefore will I bring against you mightier than your selues that shall oppresse and spoile you Therefore The obseruation is Sin is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life In this my Thesis by euill I vnderstand malum poenae the euill of punishment or the euill of affliction Affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is two fold internall or externall either inward or outward The inward pertaineth to the minde the outward to the body For the punishment of sinne is to be measured and defined not only by the torments of the body or by the mortality of this life but also by the most grieuous affliction of the soule as by the crookednesse obliquitie and blemish of the soule by an euill conscience by the wrath of God which is importable by the guilt of sinne whereby wee are obliged to punishment by vitious habits whereby we are inclined to a multitude of sinnes Foecundum est peccatum non ibi definit vbi incipit Sin is fruitfull if it once begin it leaues not there the worst thing of it is behinde euen the extreme anguish and horrour of the soule Againe affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is either publike or priuate Pubike afflictions I call such wherof many men at once haue a sense and feeling Such are the flouds of great waters the ruine of Cities by earth-quakes the waste done in them by fire warre euill beasts pestilence famine tyrannie persecution the death of good Princes heresie schisme euery common misery All these are publike Priuate afflictions are such as priuate men in their owne particular doe suffer as sicknesse griefe infamie pouerty imprisonment death Of all these afflictions or punishments whether publike or priuate or outward or inward sinne is the cause Sinne It is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is efficiens impellenâ— it is the impulsiue cause of all afflictions or punishments it fetcheth downe vengeance from the Maiestie of Heauen It brought that same vniuersall deluge vpon the whole world Gen. 7.17 It brought downe fire and brimstone vpon Sodome and Gomorrah Gen. 19.24 It caused the Land of Canaan to spue out her inhabitants Leuit. 18.25 It will make any Land sit mourning like a desolate widow or a distressed mother robbed of her children and spoiled of all her comforts It is auouched by the Psalmist Psal 107.34 A fruitfull Land God turneth into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein It is that whereof the Prophet Ieremie complaineth Chap. 12.4 How long shall the Land mourne and the herbes of euery field wither for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Turne to the Prophecie of Micah Chap. 1.4 Behold there the mountaines melting as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred downe a steepe place for no other cause but for the transgression of Iacob and for the sinnes of the house of Israel Thus farre for the confirmation of my doctrine Sinne is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life Saint Augustine Serm. 139. de tempore thus deliuers it Malorum omnium nostrorum causa peccatum est Sinne is the cause of all our euills Non enim sine causâ homines mala ista patiuntur It is not to be imagined that men suffer affliction without cause God is iust he is omnipotent Nullo modo ista pateremur si non mereremur Surely no euill could befall vs if we deserued it not There is not a man that sinneth not and the least sinne that he committeth deserueth all the misery that can be laid vpon him This truth may teach vs First in time of affliction to acknowledge our sins to be the cause thereof and to profit thereby vnto amendment Secondly it may teach vs to iustifie God whensoeuer hee shall â—fflict vs and to beare his visitation with patience Wherefore doth a liuing man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes Lament 3.39 A man for the punishment of his sinnes wherefore doth he complaine Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord we haue transgressed and rebelled against him and therefore he afflicteth vs. My resolution shall be in the words of Micah the Prophet Chap. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of my first generall the cause of the punishment here denounced implied in this particle Therefore I proceed to my next generall the Author of this punishment the Lord God Therefore thus saith the Lord God Thus saith the Lord It is a note wherewith the Prophets for the most part doe begin their preachings and prophecyings to shew that they deliuer nothing but what is of diuine credit and authority Thus saith the Lord Dicit Dominus saith the Lord. Dicere with the
want I meane when God so preuenteth by death that Baptisme cannot be had according to the manner allowed in the holy Word of God In this case the childe that dieth vnbaptized is not in any danger of damnation For as Comestor in his Euangelicall History cap. 197. saith Sine Baptismo saluatur homo cum eum excludit articulus necessitatis non contemptus religionis A man may be saued though he be vnbaptized if Baptisme be excluded through the instant of necessity and not by contempt of religion So before him taught Saint Bernard Baptismatâ—s fructu priuatur qui baptizari contempsit non qui non potuit It is in his Epistle to Hugo de S. Victore Ep. 77. He is depriued of the benefit of Baptisme that despiseth Baptisme not hee that cannot haue it This truth he supporteth by two chiefe pillars of the Christian Church Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine Saint Ambrose in his funerall Oration of the death of the Emperour Valentinian doubteth not to say that Valentinian was Baptized because he desired Baptisme not because he had it Certè quia poposcit accepit doubtlesse because he desired it he had it God accounts vs to haue that we vnfainedly wish Saint Augustine lib. 4. de Baptismo contra Donatistas cap. 22 saith that faith is auaileable to saluation without the visible Sacrament of Baptisme but then Cùm ministerium Baptismatis non contemptus religionis sed articulus necessitatis excludit When the ministery of Baptisme is excluded not of contempt but of necessity I could here shew vnto you from the testimonies of our learned aduersaries that the absolute necessity of Baptisme is not â—ustifiable by the practise of primitiue antiquity but I stand not in this Mount of God to reade a Controuersie I shut vp this Discourse with the words of Saint Bernard in the Epistle aboue alleaged Nequaquam omnino possum desâ—erare salutem si aquam non contemptus sed sola prohibeat impossibilitas I cannot altogether despaire of the saluation of such as depart this life without Baptisme if it be not done of contempt but when as Baptisme cannot possibly be had Now of the soules of Infants who liue nor to desire Baptisme what shall I say May not the desire of others be theirs as well as the faith of others beleeuing and the mouth of others confessing is theirs Here it is safe to suspend and dangerous to passe iudgement Secret things belong to God Hee that made all soules knoweth what to doe with them neither will he make vs of his counsell Our resolution must be to honour good meanes and vse them to honour Baptisme and vse it if we may and in the necessary want thereof to depend vpon God who can worke beyond without and against meanes You see how farre I haue beene carried with the obiection drawne from women baptizing in case of necessity whereby they are intruders into that function which is appropriate to the Ministers of the Word If they will needs be medling with a calling I will shew them a calling of their owne wherewith they may busie themselues As the Minister holds his calling from God so doth euery other member of the Church There is not a member of the Church man or woman but holds a particular standing and function from God and is ranked in order by Gods speciall prouidence and calling And it is to great purpose that you all know this in your owne particulars For First it enforceth diligence If God hath set thee in thy calling then it stands thee vpon to discharge the duties of thy calling with all sedulity and alacrity Secondly it may admonish thee not to passe the bounds of thy calling Seeing thou art in thy place by the Will of God thou must take heed that thou goe not beyond thy limits either by vsing vnlawfull courses or by intruding into other mens functions Thirdly it may teach thee that thy particular calling is to serue the generall Euery Christian hath two callings a particular and a generall The particular which is also personall is the externall designment of a man to some outward seruice in the Church or common wealth to the discharge of speciall duties in regard of the distinction betweene man and man The generall calling is the calling of Christianity it is the singling out of a man by speciall sanctification to glorifie God and to seeke out his owne saluation in the things of the Kingdome of Christ this is common to euery member of the Church to all beleeuers Both these callings generall and particular must be ioyned together in our life as the body and soule in man Where they are not ioyned together there may be a shew of Christianity but the substance will be absent Mat. 6.23 Christs Commandement that men seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse is a demonstration that men ought not so to follow their outward businesse and employments as to omit the meanes of knowledge and grace The particular calling must serue the generall Fourthly from this consideration that we hold our particular callings from God we are to learne contentment in the willing vndergoing of the daily molestations troubles and crosses that doe befall vs in our seuerall courses and kinds of life It is a lesson in the practise whereof Saint Paul had well profited I haue learned saith he in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content Philip. 4.11 He knew how to bee abased and he knew how to abound Euery where and in all things he was instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Let vs set him for the patterne of our imitation and we will be content with what we haue be it much or little If we haue little our account shall be the lesse if more we are bound to doe the more good I haue done with the Introduction to the similitude It is time that I proceed with the similitude it selfe 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 bee taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch Hereof I finde diuers expositions Some will haue this similitude to signifie that few of the Israelites shall be deliuered from the spoile of Samaria and those such as shall be sicke weake and feeble and therefore shall be despised and left behind as vnprofitable and of no vse to be carried into captiuity And this is the exposition of Theodoret Vatabius Isidore Rupertus and Montanus Christophorus à Castro thus giues it in his paraphrase As when a Lion hath eaten his fill and hath satiate his hunger the shepheard findeth two legs or a leg or a peece of an eare to shew that the sheepe hath beene worried so of the whole body of Samaria one or other a few a very few shall be deliuered from the slaughter of the enemy and they
not broach or publish any vâ—in imaginations of their own but those things onely which God g ueth them in charge They must heare what God saith and that alone must be their message Againe they must remember they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 15.27 and Act. 1.8 they are witnesses for Christ They are to beare witnesse to the truth of Christs person to his threefold office his Priestly Princely and Propheticall office and to the benefits that doe flow from thence for the edification of the Church All this they are to heare from the mouth of God speaking in his holy Word and thereof to make their contestation in the house of Iacob to beare witnesse thereof to Gods people not by their preaching only but if need be by their dying too The other vse is for hearers For if the Preacher be first to heare what God speaketh and then to testifie the truth thereof to the house of Iacob the people of God then are the people of God all the house of Iacob to giue attentiue care to the Preachers message Hearers in hearing are to know that they are to deale with God and are to receiue the Word deliuered by the Minister not as the Ministers word but as the Word of God Such Hearers were those Thessalonians commended by S. Paul Epist 1. Chap. 2.13 For this cause saith he thanke we God without ceasing because when ye receiued the word of God which ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeue The example is well worthy our imitation Beloued if an earthly Prince speake or send a message to vs we giue all shew of reuerence and heare him with diligence This Word whereof we now entreat is not of flesh and bloud it proceedeth not from Kings or Emperours or Parliament or from Councels of men but from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ When this Word is read Princes and Emperours stand vp and lay downe their sword and vncouer their head and bow their body in token of reuerence because they know it to be the word of God which God himselfe hath vttered that it should be as the a Deut. 32.2 dew of Heauen to moisten our drie soules as a b Ioh. 4.14 Well of water springing vp to euerlasting life as a c 2 Cor. 2.16 sauour of life vnto life and the very d Rom. 1.16 power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Without this Word we are vndone we perish we receiue no comfort we see not the light we grow not in faith we abide not in the Church of God Wherefore suffer yee a word of exhortation It shall be in S. Peters words 1 Epist 2.2 As new borne babes desire yee the sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby Be yee so affected to the word of God as new borne infants are to their mothers milk You know well how that is A little infant euen by the instinct of nature almost as soone as it is borne seeketh that nourishment it is not long well without it when nothing else will that will stil it So euen so be ye affected long ye after the word of God as your spiritual nourishment reioice in it place your happinesse in the vse of it let it be your chiefest comfort This indeed hath beene euermore the right disposition of Gods holy ones O how great was the felicity that Dauid felt in this word of God In one Psalme Psal 119. He preferreth it before profit before pleasure before glory Before profit V. 127. I loue thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue fine gold Before pleasure vers 103. How sweet are thy words vnto my taste yea sweeter than hony vnto my mouth Before glory vers 57. Thou art my portion O Lord I haue determined to keepe thy words and vers 111. Thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the reioycing of my heart Now because in a spoile all those things doe meet together Profit in the treasure Pleasure in the ouerthrow and Glory in the conquest or triumph he addeth vers 162. I reioyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoile Thus was holy Dauid determined and resolued to content himselfe with the word of God in stead of all profit pleasure and glory For his profit was his support in trouble and aduersitie his pleasure was the peace of a good conscience his glory was to be in the fauour of God All which is wrought by the precious and vnvaluable word of God This word of God was vnto Ieremy Chap. 15.16 the ioy and reioycing of his heart And Ezechiels roll the symbole of this word was in his mouth as hony for sweetnesse Chap. 3.3 And Iohns little book which he receiued from the Angell the badge of this word was in his mouth sweet as hony Reu. 10.10 When Philip was gone downe to the Citie of Samaria and had preached Christ vnto them the text saith there was great ioy in that city Act. 8.8 When the same Philip had taught the mystery of Christ to the Eunuch the Eunuch went on his way reioycing in the same Chapter vers 39. The Angell relating to the shepherds the Natiuity of Christ said vnto them Feare not for behold I bring vnto you good tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people Luk. 2.10 Good tidings of great ioy Happy shepherds to heare so good tidings from an Angell Princes would haue been glad to haue heard it but they heard it not Yet to Princes as well as to others this good tidings of great ioy belongeth Good tidings of great ioy Great ioy it is first in respect of the matter thereof which is very great euen our reconciliation with God Secondly it is great ioy for the diuturnity and stability thereof it abideth and continueth constant for euer Thirdly it is great ioy for the vniuersality of it it reacheth vnto all generibus singulorum to all kinds of people though not singulis generum to all particulars of all kinds but only to such as shall receiue it by a true faith Last of all it is great ioy quia spirituale because it is spirituall and belongeth to the saluation of the whole man body and soule And the good tidings of this great ioy is deriued vnto vs in these our dayes through the ministery of the word of God Wherefore dearly beloued let me againe put you in minde of your Christian duty concerning this word of God that as new borne infants ye desire the sincere milk thereof to grow therby Long ye after it it is your spirituall nourishment reioyce in it place your happinesse in the vse of it Let it be your chiefest comfort Whensoeuer you shall heare this word of God read or preached remember whose Word it is you heare and thinke yee thus euery man with himselfe Surely this is the