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
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
your remembrances that Amos of a heardman or shepherd became a blessed Prophet to carry a terrible word and fearfull message from the liuing God to the king nobles priests and people of Israel Thereupon I commended to you this doctrine God chooseth vile and despised persons to condemne the great and mighty That doctrine proued I recommended to you the vses of it The first was to lift vp your mindes to the contemplation of Gods good prouidence Poore shepherds and fishermen God exalteth and aduanceth into the highest places of dignity in church and common wealth This might perswade you that neither Empire nor kingdome nor place in them of dignitie priority or preeminence ecclesiasticall or politique is gotten by the industry wisdome wit or strength of man but that all are administred ruled and gouerned by the deputation and ordinance of the highest power God almighty The second was to stop blasphemous mouths such as are euermore open against the God of Heauen to affirme that all things below the moone are ruled by their blind goddesse fortune and by chance Here my desire was that your hearts might be ioined with mine in the consideration of Gods most sweet and neuer sleeping care ouer vs in this lower world that we would not suppose our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the Moone a God in the greater and not in the lesser employments To this holy meditation I exhorted you taught by the holy scriptures that our God examineth the least moments tittles in the world that you can imagine to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oile in a poore widowes house to the falling of the Sparrowes to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the caluing of Hindes to the clothing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of teares downe our cheekes Thus farre as Gods holie spirit assisted me I led you the last time Now let it please you with patience and reuerence to giue eare to the word of God as it followeth vers 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 this verse I commend vnto you two generall parts 1 A preface to a prophecie And he said 2 The prophecie it selfe The Lord shall roare from Sion c. In the prophecie I must further commend vnto you 3. things 1 The Lord speaking Hee shall râ—are and vtter forth his voice 2 The place from whence hee speaketh from Sion and Ierusalem 3 The sequels of his speech They are two 1 Desolation to the dwelling places of the shepherds The dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish 2 Sterility and barrennesse to their fruitfull grounds The top of Carmel shall wither The first generall part the preface to the prophecie I must first speake vnto And he said He that is Amos Amos the heardman or shepherd whose dwelling was at Tekoa He said what said he Euen the words which he saw vpon Israel that is he spake the words of God committed to him by that kinde of propheticall instinct and motion which is commonly tearmed vision the words of God which were disclosed or reuealed to him in a vision Amos spake but his words were Gods words Here dearely beloued we may learne whence the holy Scriptures haue their soueraigne authority Their authority is from aboue euen from the Lord whose name is Iehouah whose a Matth. 5.34 throne is the heauen of heauens and the b Habak 3.15 sea his floare to walke in the c Esai 66.1 earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sits in the d Psal 7.9 heart of man and possesseth his secret reines and diuides betwixt the flesh and the skinne and shaketh his inmost powers as the e Psal 29.8 thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades This powerfull and great Iehouah God almighty spake in old time to our fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod. 4.12 and in the mouthes of all his Prophets Heb. 1.1 Know this saith S. Peter in his second epistle 1 ch ver 20. That no Prophecie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion Marke his reason ver 21. for the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Hence sprang these vsuall and familiar speeches in the bookes of the Prophets The word of the Lord came vnto mee The Lord God hath spoken Thus saith the Lord and the like This Lord who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnesse of time when he sent his Son to consummate and perfect the worke of mans redemption speake by his blessed Euangelists and Apostles This appeareth by the faithfull promise made them Mat. 10.19 Take no thought how or what yee shall speake for it shall be giuen you what yee shall say It is not yee that speake but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you It must stand for truth in despight of al the powers of darknesse which is recorded 2 Tim. 3 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole Scripture and euery parcell thereof is giuen by inspiration of God and hath inward witnesse from that Spirit which is the author of all truth Hence ariseth this true position Scriptura est authentica regula tum fidei tum vitae nostrae The word of God which by an excellencie we call the Scripture is an infallible rule both of our faith and also of our life And another posiâ—ion followeth herevpon The authority of holy Scripture is greater than the authority of the Church Our obseruation here may be Since such is the worth of holy Scripture by reason of the author of it as that it is the perfect rule for our faith and life and is of greater authority than the Church it must be our part to take heed vnto it to heare it and to reade it with reuerence obsequie and docility This worth dignity and excellency of holy Scripture which is Gods holy word now commended vnto you yeeldeth a very harsh and vnpleasant sound to euery Popishly affected eare and may serue to condemne the Romish Church of impiety and sinne for her neglect and contempt of so inestimable a treasure How little they esteeme of Gods wriâ—ten word the word of life and sole food of our soules the graue and learned f B. Iewel defence of the Apologie par 4. chap 19. 20. §. 1. Brentius in his preface vpon Iacobus Andreas against Hosius makes it plaine vnto vs while he tels of the crying out against the holy Scriptures as if they were blinde and doubtfull and a dumbe schoolemaster and a killing writ and a dead letter yea and if it may like those reuerend fathers no better than Aesops fables Now lest
depart from his house Plagues and punishments from God shall be his portion Thus is Vnthankefulnesse repayed with temporall punishments It is repaid likewise with Eternall An Eternall punishment it is which is adiudged to the vnthankefull and vnprofitable seruant in the parable of the talents Matth. 25.30 Cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Eternall is the punishment which Iudas suffereth for his vnthankefulnesse He fell z Act 1.18 headlong he burst asunder in the middest all his bowels gushed out and so he went into his owne place Act. 1.25 His owne place Ex proprijs meritis damnationis locum suum effecit saith Caietane Iudas by his owne deserts made the place of damnation his owne place His owne place not by any desire or affectation of his owne but by Gods ordination He went into his owne place Abijt in Infernum sayth Lorinus he went into Hell and there hee suffereth the a Reuel 21.8 second death a death after death a death and yet euerlasting For as Hell is large so its long and strong too Betweene vs and you sayth Abraham in Paradise to Diues in hell there is a great gulfe fixed b Luk. 16.26 so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to vs that would come from thence Ex inferno nulla redemptio there is no getting out of Hell and therefore Iudas his punishment is Eternall St Paul 2. Tim. 3.2 sets downe a catalogue of the wicked Among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vnthankefull haue their place They haue their place among the wicked and therfore the portion of the wicked must be their portion And what shall become of the wicked S. Paul sayth 1. Cor. 6.10 They shall not inherit the kingdome of God He saith it againe Gal. 5.21 They shall not inherit the kingdome of God S. Iohn in his Reuelation Chap. 21.8 sayth They shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone The Vnthankefull therefore as wicked shall not inherit the kingdome of God but shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Their punishment shall be Eternall Hitherto you haue heard First that God doth seriously forbid Vnthankefulnesse Secondly that he doth seuerely reprehend it Thirdly that he doth duly punish it From hence is the lesson which I commended vnto you made good Vnthankefulnesse is a sinne very odious in the sight of God The consideration hereof should worke in vs a resolution to giue thankes vnto our God for all his benefits And although Dignas Deo gratias agere non sufficimus though we be not able worthily to giue God thanks yet let euery one of vs professe with S. Bernard in his second Sermon c Domin 6. Pentac pag. 230. h. de septem panibus Ingratitudinem prorsus odit anima mea my soule doth hate vnthankefulnesse Peremtoria siquidem res est Ingratitudo Vnthankefulnesse its a killing sinne it s an enemie to grace it s a blacke friend to saluation I tell you sayth that Father quoniam pro meo sapere I tell you that to my vnderstanding there is nothing that so much displeaseth God especially in the children of Grace and men of Conuersion as vnthankefulnesse doth His reason is Vias obstruit gratiae vbi fuerit illa iam gratia accessum non invenit locum non habet Vnthankfulnesse it stops it dams vp the passage of grace Let Vnthankefulnesse be any where the good graces of God will haue no accesse thither much lesse will they reside there The same sweete Father Serm. 51. in Cantica d Pag 719 h. speaketh to like purpose Vnthankefulnesse its the soules enemie it s a burning wind siccans tibi fontem pietatis rorem misericordiae fluenta gratiae It dryeth vp the fountaine of pietie the dew of mercy the riuers of grace He may seeme to haue reference to that Heauenly meditation of S. Austine in the 18. chapter of his e Tom. 9. fol. 159. â— Soliloquies Lord I will recount in my minde all the good which thou hast done for me all my life long euen from my f Psal 71.5 youth For I know right well that vnthankefulnesse doth much displease thee as being the roote of all spirituall wickednesse It is ventus quidam desiccans vrens omne bonum It is a certaine wind that dryeth and burneth vp whatsoeuer good is and stoppeth the fountaine of thy heauenly mercies ô Lord. Such should be our euery dayes meditation Euery day should we recount in our minds all the good things which God hath done for vs all our life long euen from our youth Here to are we exhorted by S. Paul 1. Thes 5.18 In euery thing giue thankes His exhortation is made strong with a reason annexed For this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you The like exhortation is made to the Colossians chap. 3.15 Be yee thankefull and ver 17. Whatsoeuer yee doe in word or in deed doe all things in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God and the Father by him The Ephesians are in like sort exhorted chap. 5.20 Giue thankes alwayes for all things vnto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ In this Apostolicall exhortation to thankesgiuing foure circumstances are principally remarkeable Quando pro quibus cui per quem One is Quando When we are to giue thankes We are to doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes at all times The second is pro quibus for what we are to giue thanks We are to doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all things For all things which God sendeth vpon vs or our neighbours be they prosperous or otherwise For euen aduersitie g Râ—m 8.28 worketh for the good of them that loue God The third is cui to whom we are to giue thankes We are to doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God and the Father because he is God and Father God in greatnesse and Father in goodnesse God for his creation and generall gouernment of the world and Father for his election redemption and iustification of the faithfull The fourth is Per quem By whom we are to giue thanks we are to doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Not in our owne name for there is no h Rom. 7.8 good in vs. Of our selues we cannot so much as i 2. Cor. 3.5 thinke a good thought much lesse can we speake a good word or doe a good deed Nor in any Angels name for the Angels are but k Heb. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are but ministring spirits Nor in any Saints name for this were to mingle the bloud of Thomas with Christs bloud as l Luk. 13.1 Pilate mingled the bloud of the Galileans with their owne sacrifice Christ he alone is our Sauiour our Redeemer our Mediator our Aduocate in his
your sonnes as Ioel speaketh of Chap. 2.28 I will powre out of my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie Or of your sonnes de hominibus vestri generis saith Peter à Figuero of men like your selues of your brethren so they are called Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet from the middest of thee of thy brethren like vnto me Of your sonnes or of thy brethren The signification is one sayth Drusius Of your sonnes not strangers or forrainers but such as were home bred and of your owne lineage sayth Brentius Of your sonnes that is say some Hebrewes R. Dauid and R. Solomo ex parvulis of your little ones such as were Samuel and Ieremie I raised vp of your sonnes For Prophets Such as should not onely preach my will vnto you and instruct you in the way of righteousnes but also admonish you and fore-tell you what was to come to passe in future times Prophets I read in the old Testament of two sorts of Prophets Some were taught in Schooles vnder the discipline of other Prophets who were heretofore called Filij Prophetarum sonnes of the Prophets They are so called 2. King 4.1 6.1 Others had their calling immediately from God and were by him extraordinarily inspired with gifts from aboue and so were sent forth to the exercise of their holy function Of both these Amos chap. 7.14 maketh mention There he saith vnto Amaziah I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets sonne but I was an heardman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit This he speaketh of himselfe as he was before his calling I was no Prophet immediately called of God nor was I the sonne of a Prophet I was not trained vp or taught in any of the Schooles of the Prophets but I was an heardman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit He had no other calling till the Lord was pleased to aduance him to the dignitie and office of a Prophet and then was his calling extraordinarie Amos tels how it was vers 15. The Lord tooke me as I followed the flocke and the Lord said vnto me Goe prophecie vnto my people Israel The Prophets mentioned in my text may be of both sorts such as had their institution in the Schooles of the Prophets and such as were called of God immediately and extraordinarily God was the raiser vp of both Yet especially by Prophets here I vnderstand such as had their calling of God immediate and extraordinarie And these were fitted to their holy function sundrie wayes as by dreames by visions by inspiration of the holy Spirit by expresse word vttered by some Angell representing God and by God himselfe speaking to them face to face That they were fitted to their Propheticall function by dreames and visions We know by Num. 12.6 where the Lord thus speaketh vnto Aaron and to Miriam Heare now my words If there be a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my selfe knowne vnto him in a vision and will speake vnto him in a dreame We know it likewise by Elihues words vnto Iob chap. 33.14 God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiueth it not In a dreame in a vision of the night when deepe sleepe falleth vpon men in slumbrings vpon the bed Then he openeth the eares of men and sealeth their instruction It may also be gathered out of the euen-now cited place of Ioel chap. 2.28 I will powre of my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your old men shall dreame dreames your yong men shall see visions Dreames and visions you see were meanes by which Almightie God fitted his Prophets to the exercise of their holy function They were likewise fitted thereunto by the inspiration of the holy Ghost S. Peter sayth it Epist 2. chap. 1. vers 21. Holy men of God in old time spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost So were they by the expresse word of some Angell representing God as Gen. 19.13 There shall you find two Angels instructing Lot concerning the ouerthrow of Sodome And sometime they were enabled to their holy calling by God himselfe speaking to them face to face So was Moses The Lord spake vnto Moses face to face as a man speaketh vnto his friend Exod. 33.11 Now whether Prophets of old time were enabled to the exercise of their sacred function by God himselfe speaking vnto them face to face or by the apparition of Angels representing God or by the inspiration of the holy Spirit or by visions or by dreames it was out of doubt a great blessing vnto Israel to haue Prophets sent vnto them and therefore saith the Lord vnto them I raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets It followeth And of your yong men for Nazarites Of your yong men It is emphatically spoken For though yong men for the most part are addicted vnto pleasures yet did God raise vp of them some that should withdraw themselues from the pleasures of this world either for a time or for euer and these were called Nazirites Naziraei They were called Nazaraei quasi Separatitij saith Mercer as Separatists or men separated from wine and vulgar delights that they might the more freely apply their wits and studies to the law of God and his worship Nazarites Nazarai They are so called by the author of the Vulgar Latin and so almost by all the Ancient and by many moderne interpreters by Benedictus Castalio and Caluin by Iunius and Tremellius in their Bible printed by Wechell at Francford A. C. 1579. But the same Iunius and Tremellius in their later editions of the Bible do call them Neziraeos Nezirites so doth Vatablus Drusius calls them Naziraeos Nezirites so doth Pagnine in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nezirites or Nazirites Well may they be so called for distinctions sake euen to distinguish them from Nazarites Christ is called a Nazarite Matth. 2.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is by many translated Nazaraeus a Nazarite He dwelt in a Citie called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets He shall be called a Nazarite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Nazarite Our now English well translates it a Nazarene for Iesus Marc. 1.24 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Nazarene Nazaraeus and Nazarenus ech name is deriued from Nazareth the Citie wherein Iesus had his habitation Wherefore they who interpret that Matth. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be called a Nazarite do think that S. Matthew had respect to the Nazarites of the old Testament as to the types of Christ may well be deceiued Some I grant are of opinion that S. Matthew doth allude to those voluntarie and vowed Nazarites of whom we read Num. 6. and some that S. Matthew hath reference to Samson who was a Nazarite by Gods singular ordination But in these opinions I finde no soliditie for they haue no ground either in the name of Nazarite or in the matter Not in the name The