his fiue brethren by hearing of Moses and the Prophets might be saued It was a setled opinion of a Deut 8 3. old though vttered in fulnesse of time by our b Mat. 4 4. Luc. 4.4 Sauiour that a man liueth not by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The truth of which is confirmed by the practise of godly men in former ages I will not trouble you with many instances Many and excellent were the reuelations which God gaue vnto the Prophet Daniel yet notwithstanding all them as himselfe witnesseth cap. 9.2 he omitted not the reading of the Prophecie of Ieremie Much doubtlesse for the spirituall food of his owne soule yet for our ensample also that we should be conuersant in the Scriptures too It was a worthy commendation which Luke gaue the Beroeans Act. 17.11 for that as soone as they had heard the word preached by S. Paul they diligently conferred the scriptures to know whether it were so or no and thereby confirmed themselues in the truth which they had heard This their zeale and diligence should stirre vs vp also for the confirmation of our faith vpon the hearing of the word to search the scriptures That great heathen Lord Queene Candaces Eunuch as he was riding on the high way in his chariot did reade the Prophet Esay and the Lord of heauen had regard vnto him for it Act. 8.28 So Daniel by reading the Beroeans and the Eunuch by reading and hearing of the word were spiritually fed and nourished vnto euerlasting life To these holy exercises both of reading and hearing the scriptures the scriptures are full of exhortations fit for all estates for Vnbeleeuers that they would search the scriptures because in them they thinke to haue eternall life and they doe testifie of Christ Ioh. 5.39 for Beleeuers that besides other parts of their spirituall armour they would take vnto them the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Eph. 6.17 for young men that they would rule themselues after the word of God and so cleanse their waies Psal 119.9 for all men that they would meditate in the law of God day and night Psal 1.2 Now that the scriptures the sword of the spirit the word and law of God might be much vsed to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit of ioints and marrow it was decreed in a c Nicena Synodus decretu suis cauit ne quis â— numero Chriâ—â—anorum sacris Bibliorum libâ—â—â— careret Corn. Agrippa de Van. Scient capâ—â—â— De verbo Dei councell of Nice that no house should bee without the holy Bible which d In capite Jeâ—â—nij Siue de Tempore Serm. 55. Feria quarta post dominicam in Quinquagesima Sic etiam autor Sermonum ad fratres in Eremo Serm. 56. Non vobis debet sufficere quod in Ecclesia lectiones diuinas audiatis sed in domibus in conuiniis vestris quando dies breues sunt etiam aliquibas horis in noâ—â— â—â—ctioni diuinae debetis insâ—stere Vt in horreo cordiâ— vestri spiritale possitis triticum comparare c. â—â— Homil. 2. vpon Esai S. Austen also intended saying Nec solum sufficiat quod in Ecclesia diuinas lectiones auditis sed etiam in domibus vestris aut ipsi legite aut alios legentes requirite Let it not content you to heare the holy scriptures read vnto you in the church only but in your houses also at home either read them your selues or cause other to reade them Vtinam omnes faceremus quod scriptum est scrutamini scripturas It is e Origens Would to God we all did as it is written search the scriptures Chrysostome f Homil. 9. vpon the Epistle to the Colossians saith Comparate vobis biblia animarum pharmaca seculares Ye lay mâ—â— get you Bibles for they are medicines of your soules Whereof the godly and first christened Emperour Constantine was well perswaded who therefore gaue g Euseb de vita Constantini lib. 4. cap. 36. Theodorit Hist Eccles lib. 1. cap. 16. commandement that the Bible should bee written out and sent abroad into all the kingdomes countries and cities of his dominion And what other might the perswasion of h Ieweâ— Replie Art 15. §. 13. 16. and Babington vpon the Lords praier pag. â—5 Before this K. Alfred began to translate the Psalter into English c. Fox in Maryâ—â—â—dan 899. ex Guliel de Regib Ang. king Adlestane here in England be when he caused the Bible to bee translated into the English tongue that all might reade it The much preaching and often reading of Gods holy word in the congregations of this land in the daies of her whom of late you loued Queene Elizabeth haue set vp and established her neuer dying praises And is not God much to be blessed for our good Iosiah our most dread Soueraign King Iames His heart is from aboue replenished with a religious zeale to free the passage of Gods most holy Gospell His desire to haue God sincerely worshipped throughout this land is made knowne by the good order he hath taken to set before you and all other his liege people Gods word if possible in greatest purity Let God be with the workmen I meane the Translators of the old and new testaments i This sermon was preached in the yeare of our Lord 1605. Nou. 3. Since the Translation is perfected and published the exactest that euer this Land had Let God be with them in their holy labours and let the remembrance of our King for it be like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the Apothecarie Hitherto beloued I haue by way of preface exhorted you to the reading and hearing of Gods word and I doubt not of your obedience to it Yet if any of you shall except against the reading of it for the hardnesse of the phrase being of the Eunuches mind Act. 8.31 that you cannot vnderstand what you reade except you haue a guide let it be your comfort that his Maiesty in giuing his royall assent to those laudable Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall agreed vpon in the late k Synod at London * Begun at London Anno DoÌ„ 1603. hath by the 45. and 46. canons prouided guides for you such as are soberly and sincerely to diuide the word of truth to the glory of God and the best edification of his people And now it being my lot to be sent vnto you to you I bring an vnestimable pearle the word of the Lord which the Prophet Amos saw vpon Israel In diuiding it I promise you in the words of Paul 2 Cor. 12.19 by the helpe of God to doe all things for your edifying Wherefore beloued giue â—are I beseech you with reuerent regard and attention to the word of the Lord as it is written Amos 1.1 The wâ—â—ds of Amos who was among the heardmen at Tekoa which he saw vpon Israel in
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
of knowledge of that his heauenly truth wherein consisteth our saluation that we may be saued What greater benefit can there be vnto vs then this What more ample testimonie of his eternall good will to vs For this benefit that is for the knowledge of Gods heauenly truth the blessed Apostle St Paul neuer ceased to giue thanks vnto God I thanke God saith he 1. Tim. 1.12 I thanke him who hath made me strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice When before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy From this his thankefull heart proceeded those his words Phil. 3.8 Doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen dung that I might winne Christ St Pauls charitie was not confined within the Temple of his owne bodie others had a tast thereof As the Corinthians to whom in his first Epistle cap. 1. ver 4. he thus manifesteth his affection I thanke my God alwayes on your behalfe for the grace of God which is giuen you in Iesus Christ that in all things ye are made rich in him in all kind of speech And in all knowledge I thanke my God alwayes on your behalfe not for your riches for your honors for your large possessions for your flourishing cittie but for the grace of God which is giuen you in Iesus Christ for your free vocation for your faith for your reconciliation for your iustification for your regeneration for your hope of eternall saluation for the preaching of the word of God among you and for your knowledge of the truth thereof The knowledge of this truth of God farre surpasseth all the treasures of this corruptible world Shall not we then poure out our soules in thankfulnes before almightie God for bestowing vpon vs so gracious a blessing as is this knowledge of the truth of God Let vs with the spirit of blessed Paul account all things which haue beene or are gainefull to vs in this present world to be but losse and dung in respect of this knowledge of Gods holy truth forasmuch as hereby we may winne Christ Thus haue you the second vse of my doctrine My doctrine was God is truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words The second vse concerneth our thankesgiuing for the knowledge of Gods truth The third tendeth to our imitation Is it true Is God truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words Why striue we not with all the faculties and powers of our soules to represent our God in truth He in the beginning in the first man in our forefather Adam created and made vs in his owne image after his owne likenesse Gen. 1.26 Then was man inuested with glorious roabes with immortalitie with vnderstanding with freedome of will then was he perfectly good and chast and pure and iust and true Whatsoeuer might appertaine to happines or holinesse he then had it For God created him so like vnto himselfe in perfect happines and holinesse that he might in some sort beare about with him the image of the great and glorious God of Heauen But alas our first Parent continued not long in that his first estate of puritie innocencie and integritie by his fall he lost vs that his precious Iewell which had he stood fast would haue beene vnto vs a chaine of gold about our neckes yea as it is called Psal 8.5 A crowne of honor and glorie But by his fall we are become miserable and vnholy and wicked and vncleane and false as vnlike to God as darkenesse is to light and Hell is to Heauen In this estate of sinne and death we all lay wallowing till God of his owne vnspeakeable mercy and goodnesse raised vs vp by his grace to a better state a state of regeneration and saluation wherein all we whose names are written in the Register of the elect and chosen children of God must spend the remainder and residue of the dayes of our pilgrimage in this world In this state wee must not stand at one stay but must alwayes be growing vpward We must day by day endeuour to encrease our spirituall strength and change our Christian infancie with a ripe and constant age and adde grace to grace till we become perfect men in Christ To vs now in the state of regeneration belongeth the exhortation of God vnto the children of Israell Leuit. 11.44 Be ye holy for I am holy And that of Christ to his auditors vpon the Mount Matth. 5.48 Be ye perfect as your Father which is in heauen is perfect or as it is in St Luke Chap. 6.36 Be ye mercifull as your Father also is merciful By which places we are not exhorted to a perfection of supererogation as Monkes would haue it nor to a perfect and absolute fulfilling of the Law for that is impossible so long as wee carry about vs these vessels of corruption witnesse St Paul Rom. 8.3 But all that we are exhorted to is that we would do our best endeuours to resemble our God and to be like vnto him in holinesse in perfection in mercifulnesse Be holy as God is holy be perfect as God is perfect be mercifull as God is mercifull non absoluta aequalitate sed similitudine not absolutely and equally holy perfect and mercifull as God is but by a similitude God is our Father and will not we his children like good children striue to be accomodated and fitted to our Fathers vertues Beloued let vs apply our selues to this imitation of our heauenly Father to be holy as he is holy to be perfect as he is perfect to be mercifull as he is mercifull and for my present purpose to be true as he is true To this last we may thus be led God is our Creator and he is the God of truth Psal 31.5 Christ is our Redeemer and he is Truth Ioh. 14.6 We are renued by the holy Ghost and he is the spirit of Truth Ioh. 16.13 We liue in the bosome of the Church and she is the pillar and ground of Truth 1. Tim. 3.15 Thus liuing we are taught by the word of truth Colos 1.5 And are brought to the knowledge of the Truth 1. Tim. 2.4 And are sanctified by Truth Ioh. 17.17 Adde hereto that we are commaunded euery one to speake the Truth Ephes 4.25 And shall we doe our best to resemble God in Truth To be true as he is true Dearely beloued sith we are the children of Truth for God is Truth and his children we are let vs walke as it becometh the children of Truth let Truth be in our thoughts in our words in our workes in all our wayes What shall I more say to this poynt but exhort you in St Paules words Ephes 4.25 That ye would cast off lying and speake euery man the truth
to his neighbour For as much as the Lord will destroy all such as speake lies This you know by the fift Psalme ver the 6. But how will he destroy them It is answered Reuel 21.8 All lyars shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Thus haue you the third vse of my doctrine My doctrine was God is truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words The third vse is our holy imitation of God in truth There is yet a fourth vse of this doctrine of the truth of God It serues for a redargution or reproofe of such as deny God and his truth Deny God and his truth Can there be any endued with a reasonable soule so voyd of vnderstanding Yes There is a generation of men monstrously mishapen in the powers of the soule who spare not to break the cords of Religion asunder and to cast her yoke from them They dare auouch with those in Tullie Totam de Dijs immortalibus opinionem fictam esse ab hominibus sapientibus reipub causâ vt quos ratio non posset eos ad officium religio duceret judging the seruice of God to be a meere deuise of man for the better gouernment of the Common-wealth wherein inferiors sith they will not be ruled by reason must be ordered by religion Tell such of the Scriptures you may as well vrge them with Lucians narrations tell them of repentance they cast it behind them tell them of faith they regard it not Speake to them of baptisme they hold it of no greater price then the washing of their hands Let them heare of the Resurrection this feeds them with many a merry conceit They thinke pleasantly with themselues what manner of bodies they shall haue at that day of what proportion and stature their bodies shall be whether their nayles and haire shall rise againe Impious wretches thus they make a scoffe at God and religion whom were they vsed according to their deserts the Preachers should pronounce and the Prince proclaime the foulest leapers that euer yet sore ranne vpon very worthy to bee excluded the hoast and to haue their habitation alone yea to be exiled the land and to bee expelled from nature it selfe which so vnnaturally they striue to bring to naught I say no more against them but leaue them to the God of truth whom they haue denied that he in due time may repay them home with vengeance Thus farre am I guided by my first doctrine grounded vpon this essentiall name of God his name Iehouah importing his truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words Thus saith Iehouah Thus saith the Lord Is not this the prophesie of Amos Are not all the words of this prophesie chap. 1.1 called the words of Amos the heardsman What then meaneth this phrase Thus saith the Lord As Almighty God in olde time spake to our Fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod 4.12 So did hee in succeeding ages speake vnto them by the mouth of other his Prophets Luke 1.70 Heereto S. Peter beareth record 2. Epist 1.20 Know this saith he that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion and he giues the reason heereof verse 21. For the prophesie in old time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost Hence sprang those vsuall and familiaâ— speeches in the bookes of the Prophets The word of the Lord came vnto me The Lord God hath spoken and this in my Text Thus sayth the Lord. This Lord who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnesse of time when he sent to consummate and perfect the worke of mans redemption speake by his blessed Euangelists and Apostles This appeareth by the faithfull promise made vnto them Matth. 10.19 Take no thought how or what yee shall speake It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you It must stand euer true what is recorded 2 Tim. 3.16 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God The whole Scripture and euery parcell of it haâ—h inward witnesse from the Spirit which is the author of all truth Sweet then is the harmony consent and agreement of all the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles from the first vnto the last Not one of them spake one word of a naturall man in all their ministeries the words which they spake were the words of him that sent them they spake not of themselues God spake in them Whensoeuer were the time whatsoeuer were the meanes whosoeuer were the man wheresoeuer were the place whatsoeuer were the people the words were the Lords Hence ariseth this doctrine The Author of holy Scripture is neither man nor Angell nor any other creature how excellent soeuer but onely the liuing and immortall God This truth is euident by this which I haue but now delired For if God in old time spake to our Fathers by the mouth of Moses if God spake by other his Prophets if God spake by the Euangelists and Apostles if all Scripture be inspired of God then it well followeth that God is the author of Scripture and therefore not man nor Angell nor any other creature how excellent soeuer I can but point at the vses of this doctrine The first vse is redargution Is the liuing and immortall God the author of holy Scripture Heere are all they to bee reprooued who doe vilifie and debase the sacred Scriptures and esteeme not of them as of the word of God Such are they who bearing in their fore-heads the stampe of Christians haue notwithstanding giuen their names to that Antichrist of Rome and the now-false Church there They shame not to affirme that setting aside the authority of that Church and her head the Pope the Scripture is no better then a l Collâ—q Wâ—rmâ—t doubtfull vncertaine and leaden rule then a m Colloq Râ—tâ—bon matter of debate then n Ludouic Matoranus dead inke then o Eskins inken diuinity then a p Pighius nose of wax then a r Colloq Worm booke of discord then a Å¿ Pighius dumbe Iudge then t Hosius Gretser Heereof see my second Lecture vpon Amos 1. Aesops fables Impious wretches had they not wip'd all shame from their faces they would neuer haue layd such load of disgraces vpon Gods holy word Their Cardinall Hosius stayes not heere he proceedes a degree further He coynes a distinction of Scripture as it s vsed by themselues whom he calleth Catholikes and as by vs whom hee calleth Heretikes His words are in the end of his third book against Brentius his Prolegomena The Scripture quomodo profertur à Catholicis verbuÌ„ est Dei quomodo profertur ab Haereticis verbum est Diaboli as it is alledged by vs so must it bee forsooth the word of the Deuill but as by them so onely shall it be the word of God Blasphemous Cardinall hee marcheth not alone u
59 Sixtus the fourth 157 Sobrietie 286 Sonnes 265 The eldest Sonnes prerogatiue 14 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28 The Spanish inuasion 298 Stand before the Lord. 363 Stature 233 Our States of regeneration and election 11 Stratonice 149 Stwes in Rome 157 patronised ibid confuted 158 Swift of foote 359 T Testament the Old 53 the New ibid. Thankefulnesse in doggs 207 in Lyons 208 An exhortation to Thankefulnes 211 Three and foure Transgressions 57. 116 Thunder 295 Tiglath Pileser 372 The Translations of the Scriptures into vulgar tongues withstood by Papists 88 their exceptions ibid. Treasures of wickednes profit not 71 God is True 6 We must striue to be True as God is True 11 Trust not in wealth nor in any wordly helpe 220 Trust not in externall helps 367 Trust in the Lord. 368. 374 Trust not in man 373 Trumpets vsed in warre 40. 41 God is Truth in himselfe in his words and in his workes 6 We must be thankefull to God for our knowledge of the Truth 8 We must striue to represent God in Truth 10. 12 A Tumult 40 An exhortation to Turne to the Lord 46 Tydeus 234 Tyrannie 253 V The execution of Vengeance proper to the Lord. 33. Victories 239 Vilages depopulated 193 Vnthankefulnesse 205. 211 Odious before God 205. 211 forbidden 206 reprehended ibid punished 209 Vsurie 133 W To walke 84 how we are to walke 249 The Water 296 Warre the executioner of Gods vengeance 41 A Way taken properly figuratiuely 137 Wealth trust not in it 220 The wicked man 235 Wildernesse of Etham 254 of Shur 256 The Winde 297 Wine allowed 181 to be auoided 184 forbidden to the Nazirites 285 to Priests 286 to Kings 285 Wine giuen to the condemned 186 of the condemned ibid The abuse of Wine 181 A Woman of Munster 88 An english Woman 89 The Word of God praised 16 272 magnified 54 55 not to be declined from 85 to be embraced with diligence 87 compared to a lampe or light 86 We must be thankefull for hauing the Word of God 87 The Church of Rome with-holds the Word of God ibid The Workes of God internall and externall 7 Z Zacheus 201 232 Zedechiah K. of Iudah 97. FINIS A Commentary OR EXPOSITION VPON THE THIRD Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS Deliuered In XVII Sermons in the Parish Church of MEYSEY-HAMPTON in the Diocesse of Glocester BY SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD Doctor of Diuinitie 2 COR. 12.14 I seeke not yours but you LONDON ¶ Printed by John Hauiland and are to be sold by Hugh Perry at the Harrow in Britaines Burse 1629. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL THINGS contained in the Exposition of the third Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS A ABimelech 184 Absolom 309 Actions of God 297 Adouai 146 Affliction of the Lord. 142. 281 Alexander the Great 212 All. 30 Ashdod 180 Azotus 181 B BEnefits temporall remember 17 Benefits vpon Israel 24 Bethel 289. 292 Bethschemites 240 Builders Of houses 307 Of Babel 307. 308 Building stately 306 C CAlamities from God 281 Cham. 182 Children 4 Choise of God 22 Christ patient 286 Citie 140 Cloysters 214 Cockatrice 98 Comminations 61 Conuersion 213 D DAuid patient 286 Decree of God 76 Deuill a fowler 78 Discord 76. â—â— 97 Diuinitie 131 E EGypt 182 Election of God 22 Enemies their reproaches 183 Euill two wayes 134 Two kindes 135 F FAith 265 266 Foole the Atheist 312 The rich man 309 310 311 A Fox 98 The Fowler 73 G GEdeon 240 Gilgal 292 The Grace of God 76 God A Fowler 79 A Lion 59. 61 God he is good 133 His Name 130 Seeth all 214 God of Hosts 258 259 260 Of Sabaoth 258 c. God the principall Agent 298. 300 The goodnes of God generall 133 Speciall 133 H HEare the word of God 8 Hearers of the word 265. 270 Of diuers sorts 13 Hearing twofold 265 Heart to be kept 101 Our Hearts our houses 312 Hosts God of Hosts 258. c. Houses spirituall 312 Stately 306 I IDolatrie Iehouah 130 131 Iehouih 147 Ignorance of God 199 Instruments how regarded 299 300 c. Iob. 299 His patience 286 Israel Prerogatiues 23 K To KNow 21 2â— Knowledge of God 19. 21 199 Knowen of God 2â— L LEauen 9â— Lions roaring 5â— Their names 16â— Comparisons from them 59 60. 16 M MAgistrates 213 Man 77 A Fowler 79 A Lion 60 Ministers their calling 240 Mitzraijm 18â— N NAmes of God 130 Numbers changed 290 P PAlaestina 180 Patience in trouble 285 Whence 286 Places of Idols 291. 292 Poore rich mens barnes 309 Powder Traitors 214 Power all of God 283 Prophets 42 Prouidence of God 75. 80 Of two sorts 81 Generall 81 Speciall 84 Particular 86 Ouer his Church 85 Punishment all of God 31 The Author of it 136 Euill of punishment 135. 139 God punisheth all sinne 34 His owne seruants 33 R REligion true 294 295 Rich man his barnes 309 S SAbaoth God of Sabaoth 258 c. Samaria 191 Saul 184 Scripture praised 130 Selfe-killing a sinne 185 Serpent 98 Shimei 299 Similitudes 75 Sinne Euill of sinne 135 Sinners 76 Smite God smiteth 16 Snare 74. 76 Snares Of Punishment 78 Of Sinne. ibid. Sodome 281 282 Sonnes 6 T THreatnings of God not in vaine 61 Accomplished 63 Absolute 65 Conditionall 66 Tongue to be tamed 99 Troubles from God 281 Endured with patience 285 286 c. Trumpeters 42 Trumpets 117 V VAriance 76. 94. 97 Visit 29 Our Visitations of God 281 God visiteth for euill 278 279 For good 278 279 In iudgement 278 279 Vzzah 240 W WAlke with God 47 Watchmen 43. 117 Water of bitternesse 98 Will of God is one 69 Word of God a Iewell 25. 45 To be heard 8 Appropriate to the Iewes 27 A two-edged sword 106 Effectuall 94. 102. 105 Y YOungling of Babylon 99 Yuorie houses 303. 304 Z ZEchariah 4 Zerubhabel 4 THE First Lecture AMOS 3.1 Heare this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt saying You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities HAuing heretofore by the gracious assistance of the Almighty finished my Exposition vpon the first and second Chapters of this Prophesie of Amos I doe now aduenture vpon the third in a sure hope and confidence of the continuance of the same assistance vnto me not doubting but that the Lord will enable me to goe forward in this course if he shall see it to be to his glory and to the good of his Church This third Chapter is Amos his second Sermon against the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It was made as it seemeth when their then King Ieroboam sonne of Ioash the thirteenth King of Israel though wicked for his life yet happy in warre had vanquished and subdued many of the Syrians and had recouered the coast of Israel from the a 2 King 14.25 entring of Hamath vnto the
Iudge with that he rose vp and tooke the Bible in one of his hands and struck it with the other we stand saith he before the face of this Iudge See now I am here I vse his owne words as they are set downe by Dauid Rungius in his description of the forenamed Colloquie Ecce adsum behold now I am here let the holy Spirit iudge me if he can by this Scripture let him condemne me if he can by Scripture the holy Spirit cannot iudge me by Scripture he cannot let him doe it if he can he cannot condemne me by Scripture Increpet te Deus Sathan Gretser we doubt not but that the Lord hath or will rebuke thee Dearely beloued in the Lord Schollers can tell you of Brontes Steropes Pyracmon Polyphemus and others of that rabble of Cyclops and Giants who made a head and banded themselues together to plucke Iupiter from out his throne Behold in this Iesuite Verè Cyclopicam audaciam as great impudency as euer was seen in any Cyclops face that a man by profession a Christian and among Popish Christians of the precise sect a sanctified Iesuite should challenge to a single combat God Almighty who would thinke it Some that were at the Colloquie at Worms An. 1557. haue often remembred in their common talke c Rung Colloq Ratisb Q. 2. a. a new insolent and vnheard of assertion maintained by the Papists Sacram Scripturam non esse vocem iudicis sed materiam litis that the holy Scripture is not a Iudges voiâ—e but rather the matter of strife and contention It was indeed a strange assertion and by a consâ—quent striking God himselfe the author of holy Scripture Yet you see it is by our modern Iesuits this day matched forasmuch as with their impiouâ— assertions touching holy Scripture they doe directly strike the holy Spirit It is an old saying Ex vngue Leonem A man may know a Lyon by his claw Surely let men of vnderstanding consider the audaciousnesse impudency and fury of railing with which those Iesuits beforenamed haue beene throughly replenished they must acknowledge and confesse that those Iesuits were guided by the Spirit of lyes and blasphemies You already see the readinesse of Popish Doctors to tread Scripture vnder foot and to doe it all the disgrace they can Yet giue mee leaue I beseech you by some instance to shew the same vnto you The instance which I make choise of is Gods soueraignety ouer the Kings and Kingdomes of this world q Hereof I entreated in a Sermon vpon Hos 10.7 Kings and Kingdomes are wholly and alone in the disposition of the Almighty A truth included within the generall doctrine commended by S. Paul to the Romans chap. 13.1 All powers that be are ordained of God acknowledged by Elihu Iob 34.24 God shall breake the mighty and set vp other in their stead expressed in the prayer of Daniel chap. 2.21 God taketh away Kings and setteth vp Kings proclaimed as in the Lords owne words Prou. 8.15 16. By me Kings reigne by me Princes Nobles and Iudges doe rule This truth hath 3. branches displayed in so many propositions by Lipsius in his r In Monitis Politicis politique aduertisements Lib. 1. c. 5. 1 Kings and Kingdomes are giuen by God 2 Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God 3 Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled gouerned by God All three are further made good in the infallible euidence of the written word of God The first was Å¿ Regna à Deo reges dâ—ri Lipsius Mouit Polit. lib. 1. c. 5 p 24. Kings and Kingdomes are giuen by God Thus saith the Lord of Sauls successour 1 Sam. 16.1 I haue prouided me a King among the sonnes of Ischai and of the reuolt of the ten tribes in the rent of the kingdome of Israel 1 King 12.24 This thing is done by me and of the victories which Nabuchodonosor was to get ouer the King of Iudah and other his neighbour Kings the Kings of Edom of Moab of the Ammonites Trem. Ps 75.7 of Tyre of Zidon Ier. 27.6 I haue giuen all these lands into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the King of Babel my seruant It is true which we learne Psal 75.6 Aduancement is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the wildernesse Our God is iudge he alone aduanceth You see now it is plaine by holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are giuen by God The second was t Regna à Deo Reges tolli Lips ib. pag 28. Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God That Gods hand is likewise exercised in the remouall of Kings and translation of kingdomes it s well known as by the aboue-cited texts of Scripture so by diuine examples whereof I might make along recitall would I remember you out of Gen. 14. of the fall of those Kings deliuered into the hands of Abraham out of Exod. 14. and 15. of Pharaohs ouerthrow in the red sea out of Dan. 4. and 5 of Nabuchadnezzâ—r and Belshazzar his sonne dispossessed of their crownes and out of other places of the diuinely inspired word of like patterns It s plaine without any further proofe that Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God The third was * Regna à Deo Reges tempâ—rari Lips Ibid. p. 34. Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled gouerned by God For proofe hereof I need no more but remember you of that which I recommended to you in the beginning of this Sermon euen of the wonderfull extent of Gods care and prouidence to the least bâ—sest things in this world as I said to a handfull of meale to a cruise of oile in a poore widowes house to the falling of sparrowes to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the caluing of hindes to the clothing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of teares down our cheeks Shall God care for these vile and base things and shall he not much more order rule and gouerne Kings and kingdomes Now beloued in the Lord you see by the euidence of holy Scripture that Kings and kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almighty Giue care I beseech you while I shew you how this doctrine and the holy word of God whereon it is grounded is in popish religion neglected disgraced troden vnder foot Romes chiefest champion Cardinall Bellarmine in his fifth booke De Rom. Pontif. cap. 7. doth exempt Kings and kingdomes from the disposition of the Lord of heauen notwithstanding the eternall truth in the holy Scriptures This he doth in foure positions 1. Å¿ Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif. lib. 5. cap. 7. §. Probatur Tenentur Christiani non patisuperse Regem non Christianum si ille conetur auertere populum à fide Princes if they goe about auertere populum à fide to auert their people from the faith the faith of the Church of Rome then by the consent of
fruitfull land God turneth into barrennes for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein This one place had I troubled you with no more would haue been a pregnant and sufficient proofe of my propounded doctrine What fruit can you looke for out of barrennesse And by this one place you see that God turneth a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wâ—ckednesse of them that dwel therein You must then acknowledge the lesson commended vnto you to be good and true namely that for the sinnes of a people God will make their Carmel to wither that for the sinnes of a people God will make best grounds to yeeld them little or no profit Now let vs see what vse we may make of this doctrine for our further instructions A first vse is to admonish such as doe dwell in delectable pleasant well watred and fruitfull places that they boast not ouermuch of their fertile and sweet possessions since there is no land so dâ—lectable to the eie or fruitfull to the purse but it may be turned into a wildernesse If for our sinnes God shall come against vs in the fiercenesse of his wrath we shall be as g Esay 1.9 Sodom and like vnto Gomorah our land shall burne with brimstone and h Deut. 29.23 salt it shall not be sowen nor shall bring forth neither shall any grasse grow therein O Lord deale not with vs after our sinnes neither reward vs according to our iniquities A second vse is to warne rich men the richer sort among you that weighing rightly the power of Almighty God by which he maketh the top of Carmel to wither turneth your fruitfull fields into barrennesse you will beware of insolencie and containe your selues in modestie and submission Know this there is no man hath a foot of ground or neuer so small a possession to dwell in but he hath it at Gods hand and vpon this condition that he keep his statutes and commandements Which if you disobey contemne and cast behinde you assure your selues your riches are none of yours you are not the right owners of them but meere vsurpers The Lord of hoasts will send an hoast of enemies against you Art thou rich in mony thou art in danger of theeues art thou plentifull in hâ—ushâ—ld stuffe thou are in danger of fire hast thou much gold the rust doth venime it and thee is thine apparell gorgious the moth will eat it hast thou store of cattell rottennesse may coÌ„sume them is thy maintenance by husbandrie blastings and mildewes will hinder thee the i â—â—câ— 1. â— palmer worm will eat thy fruits that which the palmer worme shall leaue the grashâ—pper shall eat that which the grashopper shall leaue the canker worme shall eat and that which the canker worme shall leaue the caterpiller shall eat So many and many more enemies can the Lord of hoasts send to fight against you if you hate to be reformed and cast his commandements behind you A third and the last vse of my propounded doctrine is to stirre vp my selfe and all you that heare me this day gratefully and thankfully to recount the mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God Our sinnes haue deserued it at his hands that hee should make the top of our Carmel to wither that he should make our best grounds to yeeld vs little or no profit that he should smite vs with blasting and mildew that hee should make the Heauen ouer our head brasse and the Earth vnder vs yron that insteed of raine hee should giue vs aust and ashes that he should take from vs his corne his wine his wool his flax and whatsoeuer good thing else hee hath lent vs for our vse All this and much more haue our sinnes deserued and yet God withholdeth from vs his reuenging hand O the depth of the riches of the mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God Yet stay ye soâ—nâ—s of Belial and imps of Hell yee wicked ones who serue vnder Satans Banner Gods mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance is to you very small advantage S. Basil treating vpon the words of the couetous rich man Luk. 12.18 those words I will pull downe my barnes and build greater tels you that God his goodnesse extended to you in your fields or elsewhere bringeth vpon you in the end the greater punishment True great Basil God his iustice goeth on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slowly and in order Long before thy time was this lesson learned in Natures schoole k Lib. 1. c. 1. Valerius Maximus who liued vnder Tiberius Caesar recounting some of the sacrileges of Dionysius clearely carried with frompes and mockeries saith Lento gradu ad vindictam sui diuina procedit ira the wrath of God proceedeth to the execution of vengeance with a remisse slow pace but euermore as he well addeth tarditatem supplicij grauitate compensat it recompenseth the slacknesse of punishment with the heauinesse thereof I will not weary your religious eares with prophane though fit sentences for this argument out of l Lib. 3. od 2. Raro antecedentem scelestum Deseruit pede poena claudo Horace m Lib. 1. cleg 9. Ah miser et si quis primo perjuria celat Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibus Tibullus n Lib. 3. Quis enim laesos impune putaret Esse deos Lucan o Lib. deijs qui tardè a numine corripiuntur Plutarch nor with those well knowne prouerbs Dij lenti sed certi vindices Dij lane os pedes habent Tacito pede and Cunctabundus naturâ Deus From Natures schoole I recall my selfe to the God of Nature who though in his word of eternal truth he proclaimeth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a p Exod. 34.6 God slow to anger and is for such acknowledged by the neuer fayling testifications and reports of diuinely inspired q Nehem. 9.17 Psal 86.15 Psal 103.8 145.8 Rom. 2 4. 2. Pet. 3.9 Prophets and Apostles is notwithstanding in the same word noted to r Exod 20.6 34.7 Deut. 5.9 Ierem. 32.18 recompense the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosome of their children after them It must stand euer good Quo tardius eo grauius that the longer God is before hee punisheth hee punisheth so much the more grieuously Though for a time he bee pleased to hold his tongue and to walke as with woollen feet yet at length shall we or our posteritie find by wofull experience that he hath a rod of yron ro rule vs yea and to breake vs in peeces like potters vessels Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord while God is pleased to withhold from vs his owne hand of Iustice to stretch ouer vs his other of Mercy to the blessing of vs in our fields in our cattle in our store let vs not be wedded to the hardnesse of our owne hearts let vs not dwell in our old sinnes nor heape new vpon them lest so we treasure vp vnto our selues wrath
spared none of them no not their young children but cruelly destroyed them and all theirs But what was their reward You may see it by the propheticall denuntiation of the ruine of Babel Psal 137.8 9. O daughter of Babel worthy to be destroyed blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones This reward of Babel is enlarged Esay 13.16 Their children shall be broken in peeces before their eyes their houses shall be spoiled and their wiues rauished Thus not to trouble you with many examples we see by the reward of cruelty in the examples of Adonibezek Agag and the Babylonians that God abhorreth it God abhorreth cruelty howsoeuer he doth punish it with another cruelty God repaieth cruelty with cruelty according to the well knowne prouerbe Matth. 7.2 With what measure you mete with the same shall men measure to you againe The vse of the doctrine now confirmed is to work in vs the loue of clemency and mercifulnesse When we are well assured that the cruel themselues shall taste of cruelty by way of punishment we will be afraid to behaue our selues towards any cruelly All cruelty is checked by the law of God by the sixt commandement Thou shalt doe no murther or Thou shalt not kill The law that is written Deut. 25 3. touching forty stripes and not aboue to be giuen to an offender should draw our cruel rage and fierce affections to pity and compassion The tenour of the law is If a wicked man be condemned to be beaten the Iudge shall cause him to lie downe and to be beaten before his face according to his trespasse vnto a certaine number fortie stripes shall he cause him to haue and not past lest if he should exceed beat him aboue that with many stripes thy brother should appeare despised in thy fight We may be many waies guiltie of crueltie First if we exercise tyrannous cruelty in inflicting punishmēts This we know by the aboue cited place out of Deut. 25. Secondly if we fight with or beat our neighbour or maime his body This is a cruelty a breach of the sixt commandement but specially checkt Leuit. 24.19 20. If a man cause any blemish in his neighbour as he hath done so shall it be done to him Breach for breach eie for eie tooth for tooth such a blemish as he hath made in any euen such shall be repaied to him Thirdly if we procure any way the death of our neighbour whether it be by the sword by famine by poison by false accusation or otherwise This is a cruelty and a breach of the sixt commandement The offender in this behalfe may bee rankt with Cain Gen. 4 8. where it is said Cain rose against his brother and slew him Fourthly if wee vse any of Gods creatures hardly This is a cruelty and a breach of the sixt commandement but speciallie controlled Deut 22.6 If thou find a birds nest in the way in any tree or on the ground whether they be young or egs the damme sitting vpō the young or vpō the egs thou shalt not take the damme with the young but shalt in any wise let the dāme goe and take the young to thee that thou maiest prosper and prolong thy daies This speciall cruelty is taxed Prou. 12.10 where we are told That the righteous man regardeth the life of his beast Fiftly if because of our neighbours infirmities we vse him discourteously and make him our laughing stock or taunting recreation This is a cruelty and a breach of the sixt commandement but specially checked Leuit. 19.14 Thou shalt not curse the deafe nor put a stumbling blocke before the blinde Sixtly if we iniurie a stranger This is a cruelty and specially controlled Exod. 22.21 Thou shalt not doe iniury to a stranger neither oppresse him Seuenthly if we molest any widow or fatherlesse childe This is a cruelty and specially checkt Exod. 22.22 Ye shal not trouble any widow or fatherlesse child Eightly if we wrong the poore This is a cruelty a breach of the sixt commandement This cruelty we are guilty of many wayes First if we lend mony to the poore vpon vsury This cruelty is taxed Exod. 22.25 If thou lend mony to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an vsurer vnto him ye shall not oppresse him with vsury Secondly if we pay not the poore labourer his hire This cruelty is taxed Deut. 24.14 Thou shalt not oppresse a needy and poore hired seruant thou shalt giue him his hire for his day the Sun shall not go downe vpon it for he is poore and therwith sustaineth his life lest he cry against thee to the Lord and it be sin vnto thee Thirdly if we restore not the pledge of the poore This cruelty is taxed Exod. 22.26 If thou take thy neighbours rayment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the Sun go downe For it is his only couering and garment for his skin Fourthly if we withdraw our corne from the poore This cruelty is taxed Prou. 11.26 He that withdraweth corne the people will curse him Whosoeuer he be that withdraweth his corne from the market where it should be sold keeping it against a deare time the people will curse him they will speake as they haue iust occasion all manner of euill of him as that he is a couetous and miserable wretch Now dearely beloued you haue beene taught out of the eternall word of truth that many wayes you may be guilty of cruelty and so breake the sixt commandement of Almightie God If you fight with or beat your neighbour or maime his body if by any meanes you procure the death of your neighbour if you vse your neighbour discourteously or make him your laughing stock or taūting recreatiō if you vse any of Gods creatures hardly if you iniury strangers if you molest fatherlesse children widowes if you be too seuere in punishing your seruants or children if you wrong the poore either by lending him your mony vpon vsury or by not paying him his hire or by not restoring him his pledge or by withdrawing your corne from him if you offend but in the least of these you are guilty of cruelty and transgressors of Gods most holy commandement The consideration whereof if it worke in you the loue of clemencie and mercifulnesse happy are you if not I haue discharged my duty Thus farre haue I beene carried by my first doctrine grounded vpon these words They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron My doctrine was God is neuer well pleased with too much cruelty Now be patient I beseech you while vpon the same words I ground a second doctrine They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron They that is the Syrians Gods enemies haue threshed Gilead that is some of the Israelites Gods owne people with threshing instruments of iron The lesson we learne from hence is God often humbleth his
arborum from the cutting downe or rooting vp of trees and signifieth vtterly to consume to waste to dissipate to destroy to extinguish So it 's vsed Psal 101.8 where Dauid purposing not to be negligent or slothfull in the execution of iustice against all malefactors in Ierusalem resolueth to cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord Betimes will I destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord. So it s vsed Ps 109.15 where Dauids prayer against the wicked is that their iniquity and sin be alwaies before the Lord that hee may cut off their memoriall from the earth So it s vsed Ezech. 14.13 Son of man when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse then will I stretch out mine hand vpon it and will breake the staffe of bread thereof and will send famine vpon it and will cut off man and beast from it I will cut off that is I will destroy both man and beast from a sinfull land I omit many like places of holy writ and commend vnto you but one more parallel to this in my text It is in the 3. ver of the 2. chap. of this prophecie There thus saith the Lord I wil cut off the Iudge out of the midst of Moab as here in my text I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and vers the 8. I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod I will cut off whether the Iudge out of the middest of Moab or the inhabitant from Ashdod or the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen the meaning is one and the same I will cut off that is I will vtterly destroy or extinguish Which to be the meaning of the word the author of the Vulgar Latine acknowledgeth translating the word in the originall not exeindam as indeed it signifieth I will cut off but disperdam I will destroy So doe the Seuenty Interpreters in their Greeke edition of the Bible here translating the Hebrew word not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as indeed it signifieth I will cut off but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will vtterly or altogether dâ—stroy ouerthrow and extinguish I will cut off the inhabitant the inhabitant what but one yes all and euery one of the inhabitants The Holy Spirit in the sacred Scripture vseth so to speake by a word of the singular number to vnderstand more than one yea all of that kinde which kinde of speech is analogically reduced to the figure Synecdoche Let vs see the truth of this in a few instances In Exod. 8.6 it is said when Aaron stretched out his hand vpon the waters of Egypt that then the frogge came vp and couered the land The frogge It were senselesse to thinke that one frogge could couer the land of Egypt and therefore by the frogge we are to vnderstand many frogges In Num. 21.7 the Israelites desired Moses to pray to the Lord that he would take away from them the Serpent The Serpent what but one It is out of doubt that the people meant all the fiery serpents sent among them by the Lord to sting them to death of which we read verse the 6. Ieremy in chap. 8.7 saith that the storke the turtle the crane and the swallow doe know and obserue their appointed times The storke the turtle the crane the swallow We may not think the Prophet singleth out one storke one turtle one crane one swallow from the rest but his meaning is of all storkes turtles cranes swallowes that they know and obserue their appointed times As in the now cited places so here in my text the holy Ghost vseth one number for another the singular for the plurall vnderstanding by one inhabitant all the inhabitants of Bikeath-Auen Of Bikeath-Auen the Greeke Translators taking the words partly appellatiuely and partly properly doe render them the field of On. In like sort Gualter the valley of Auen The author of the Vulgar Latine vnderstanding them wholly appellatiuely rendreth them the field of the Idoll and so they may signifie the plaine of Auen the plaine of griefe the plaine of sorrow as Caluin obserueth Iunius and Tremellius doe render it as before Gualter è conualle Auenis the vally of Auen vnderstanding thereby the whole coast of Chamatha which way Syria bordereth vpon Arabia surnamed the Desart Caluin saith it is vncertaine whether Bikeath-Auen be a proper name of a place or no yet saith he it is probable Drusius following the Hebrew Doctors affirmeth that it is the proper name of a city in Syria Mercer the learned professour of Paris ioyneth with him And our English Geneua Translation draweth vs to bee of the same minde that Bikeath-Auen is a proper name of a city in Syria The same opinion must we hold of Beth-Eden in the next clause that it is a proper name of a city in Syria of which opinion I finde Mercer and Drusius and our English Translators at Geneua to haue beene And Caluin holds it to bee credible though he translates it the house of Eden so Gualter doth so doth Tremellius who by the house of Eden vnderstandeth the whole country of Coelesyria wherein stood the city Eden The author of the Vulgar Latine takes Beth-Eden for an appellatiue and translates it the house of pleasure Such indeed is the signification of the word and it is by Arias Montanus and Ribera applied to signifie the city of Damascus as if Damascus were there called not only Bikeath-Auen that is the field of the Idoll because of the Idolatry there vsed but also Beth-Eden that is the house of pleasure because of the pleasant situation thereof But I retaine the proper name Beth-Eden and take it for a city in Syria wherein the King of Syria had a palace and mansion house Which I take to be plaine in my text where the Lord threatneth to cut off him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden Him that holdeth the scepter that is the King keeping his court at Beth-Eden For I see not any absurdity in it if I say that the King of Syria had a mansion house as well at Beth-Eden as at Damascus and that at this time the court lay at Beth-Eden Him that holdeth the scepter This is a periphrasis or circumlocution of a King A scepter is Regium gestamen and insigne potestatis Regiae a Kingly mace the proper ensigne or token of Kingly power Whence in the best of Greeke Poets Homer Kings are called * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3.86 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scepter-bearers Hereby wee vnderstand what we read in the story of Hester chap. 8.4 King Assuerus held out his golden scepter toward Hester And that Gen. 49.10 The scepter shall not depart from Iudah In the former place Assuerus maketh shew of his Kingly fauour vnto Hester by holding out his mace vnto her in the later Iacob prophesieth of the stability and continuance of the Kingdome in the tribe of Iudah
Gen. 7.23 God sent Ioseph into Aegypt to preserue his fathers posterity and to saue them aliue by a great deliuerance as Ioseph himselfe confesseth Gen. 45.7 This was Gods doing but he did it by Iosephs owne brethren who you know sold him to the Ismaelites God sent an affliction vpon Dauid for his good by cursed speaking and throwing of stones wherein Dauid acknowledgeth Gods speciall finger 2 Sam. 16.11 The thing was Gods doing He did it by Shimei the sonne of Iemini God spake the word concerning the people of Aram that they should go into captiuity as appeareth in my text God spake the word and it was done God therefore sent the people of Aram into captiuity but he did it by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria All these though I said it before I say it againe All these fire water Iosephs brethren rayling Shimei the King of Assyria and whatsoeuer else like these meanes or second causes definite or indefinite necessary or contingent are but instruments by which Almightie God in his gouernment of the world ordinarily worketh This doctrine of Almightie God working ordinarily by meanes may serue to our vse sundry wayes 1 It may moue vs to a due consideration of that absolute right and power which God holdeth ouer all his creatures This truth I haue heretofore deliuered vnto you in my eighth Lecture vpon this Prophecie in this proposition At is the fire so are all other creatures at the Lords commandement to be imployed by him in the punishment of the wicked 2 It may teach vs that God hath a louing regard and respect to our infirmities as well knowing for he knoweth all things that in doubtfull matters we vse often to looke backe and to haue recourse to meanes or second causes 3 It may moue vs to obedience and thankfulnesse that we contemne not the meanes or second causes by which God worketh for this were to tempt God but that we thankfully embrace them and commit their issue euent and successe to God that worketh by them 4 It meeteth with a peruerse opinion of such as doe hold that all second causes are needlesse and vnprofitable because God by his particular prouidence directeth and bringeth to passe all things in the world Thus will these men reason If it be determined by Gods prouidence that I shall recouer my health there is no need that I vse Physick and if it be otherwise determined that I shall not recouer in vaine also shall I vse the helpe of Physick Againe if it be determined that theeues shall haue no power ouer me I shall escape from out the middest of many but if it be otherwise determined that I shall be spoiled by them I shall not escape them no though I be in mine owne house Great is the iniury which these disputers doe offer vnto God For answer to them I must grant that God hath a very speciall care ouer vs to defend vs and that we are no time safe but by his prouidence but meane while to make vs well assured of his good will towards vs he hath ordained second causes and meanes for vs at all opportunities and times conuenient to vse in which and by which it pleaseth his heauenly Maiestie to worke effectually The rule in diuinity is good Posit â prouidentiâ particulari non tolluntur de medio omnes causae secundae It is not necessarie that the first and principall cause being put the second and instrumentall cause should be remoued and taken away The Sun doth not in vaine daily rise and set though God createth light and darknesse the fields are not in vaine sowed and watred with raine though God bringeth forth the corne out of the earth our bodies are not in vaine with food refreshed though God be the life and length of our dayes Neither are we in vaine taught to beleeue in Christ to heare the preaching of the Gospell to detest sinne to loue righteousnesse to conforme our liues vnto sound doctrine though our saluation and life eternall be the free gift of God For God hath from euerlasting decreed as the ends so the meanes also which he hath prescribed vnto vs by them to bring vs to the ends This the great Father of this age Pag. 480. Zanchius de attributis Dei lib. 5. cap. 2. qu. 5. expresly auoweth His Thesis is concerning life eternall Whosoeuer are predestinated to the end they are also predestinated to the meanes without which the end cannot possibly be obtained For example whosoeuer are predestinated to eternall life as all we this day assembled hope we are they are also predestinated to the meanes by which life eternall may be obtained These meanes vnto eternall life are of two sorts 1. Some are necessary vnto all of whatsoeuer age or sex and they are Christ as our Mediatour and high Priest his obedience and righteousnesse our effectuall vocation vnto Christ by the holy Ghost our iustification our glorification These are so necessary vnto all that without them none can be saued And therefore all elect infants are inwardly and after a secret manner by the holy Ghost called and iustified that they may be glorified 2. Some annexed vnto these are necessary too but not to all Not to Infants because they are not capable of them yet to all that are growne to yeares of vnderstanding and these are Actuall faith the hearing of the Word a hatred of sinne the loue of righteousnesse patience in aduersitie a desire of doing good workes All these meanes we that are growne to yeares of vnderstanding must embrace and take hold of euery one according to our capacities or else we shall neuer enter into euerlasting life but our portion shall be in that lake which is prouided for the Dâ—uill and his Angells from which God Almighty keepe vs all Thus farre occasioned by my first circumstance the circumstance of the punisher God by the King of Assyria sent into captiuitie the people of Aram. My doctrine was Almightie God in his gouernment of the world worketh ordinarily by meanes or second causes The second circumstance is of the punished the Aramites of all sorts the ruder the noble The people of Aram. To ground some doctrine hereon you must note with me the quality and condition of these Aramites They were professed enemies to the people of God This appeareth before in the third verse where they are noted to haue exercised most barbarous crueltie against the Gileadites a parcell of Israel to haue threshed them with threshing instruments of Iron These Aramites or Syrians for so highly offending God sendeth into captiuity The doctrine is Though the Lord doe vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne seruants and children yet will he in his due time ouerthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements Gods holy practice in this kinde specially registred in sundry places of his eternall Word most euidently declareth this truth The Israelites were kept in thraldome and bondage many yeares by
by nature betweene the Iewes Israelites and Edomites brethren lineally descended from two naturall brethren Iacob and Esau They knew full well that the Iewes and Israelites were the issue of Iacob and the Edomites of Esau they knew likewise that the Edomites bore a mortall hatred towards the Iewes and Israelites yet fold they the Iewes and Israelites vnto the Edomites and are therefore here said not to remember the brotherly couenant The man that conspireth mischiefe and destruction to his brother is a monster in nature worthy to be pursued with eternall detestation and whosoeuer abhorreth not from consenting to such a wickednesse but giueth furtherance or countenance thereto he is holden in the same impiety The Edomites sought the destruction of the Iewes and Israelites and the Tyrians did further them in their bloudy designes the Tyrians therefore are partakers with the Edomites in the sinne of vnmercifulnesse Which sin is here laid vnto their charge in these words They remembred not the brotherly couenant Hence we may take this lesson It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God either for brethren to be at variance among themselues or for others to countenance them in their quarrels Our assent to this truth the light of nature within vs doth extort from vs. Of the first part of my proposition wherein I auow it to be a very distastfull thing vnto God for brethren to bee at variance among themselues I shall haue fit opportunitie to entreat when I shall come to the eleuenth verse of this Chapter where Edom is reproued for pursuing his brother with the sword Of the other part wherein I do affirme it to be an vnpleasing thing to God for any to countenance brethren in their quarrels I will by Gods assistance speake at this time very briefly It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for any to countenance brethren in their quarrels The aduice is good which Saint Paul giueth Ephes 5.11 Haue ye no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but euen reproue them rather What are the workes of darknesse but the workes of the flesh Now in Galat. 5.20 in the Catalogue of the workes of the flesh we finde hatred debate wrath contention With these therefore we must haue no fellowship we must reproue them rather Must we haue no fellowship with them Must we reproue them rather What saith old Adam What saith flesh and bloud to this Our Gallants of this age can entertaine no such aduice that it may be fulfilled which our Sauiour Christ foretold of the end of the world Luk. 21.10 and 16. Nation shall rise against nation kingdome against kingdome a father against his son a brother against his brother a kinsman against his kinsman and a friend against his friend A fitter remedy for this malady I finde none than to imitate blessed Abraham There grew a debate betweene his seruants and the seruants of Lot their heardmen could not agree What doth Abraham in this case As the manner of Masters is now adaies No he breaketh not out into choler he saith not My seruants are abused my cosin Lot his seruants doe seeke to crow ouer them and to rule the rost as they list This is an iniury to mee their Master and a shame to suffer it So a man may be made a foole indeed and accounted a wretch and a dastard of no reputation Neuer will any man care to serue me if I sticke not better to my men than so Such language as the world now goeth is very rife among vs. But Abraham spake not so Grace was in his face and mildnesse in his words For thus spake he vnto his Nephew Lot Gen. 13.8 I pray thee let there be no strife betweene thee and me neither betweene thy heardmen and my heardmen for we are brethren We are brethren I pray let there be no strife betweene vs. Let vs be mindfull of the couenant wherein nature hath vnited our affections we are brethren the bond of brotherhood and consanguinity let it moderate our passions why shall we iarre and be at odds betweene our selues Are we not brethren An excellent patterne of imitation for all estates high and low rich and poore one with another Noblemen Gentlemen Yeomen all whosoeuer may say they are brethren either in nature or in Christ and religion haue in Abraham a patterne for their imitation We must abstaine not only from raising strife and debate our selues but also from fostering and cherishing it in others Such was Abrahams choice He would not maintaine his seruants against Lots seruants he tooke it to be farre more credit for him to haue vnity and good loue than the bitter effects of the contrary Among the beatitudes Mat. 5. the seuenth is Blessed are the peacemakers Blessed are they who loue concord regard peace seeke it and insue after it Blessed are they who bestirre themselues to cherish and maintaine peace and concord betweene others Blessed are they who doe their best to reunite in loue such as are fallen out to make an end of quarrels and dissentions Blessed are the peace-makers the reason is annexed for they shall be called the children of God that is they will by their loue of vnity and concord make it appeare vnto the world that they are the sonnes of God From whence it followeth by an argument from the place of contraries Accursed are makebates for they shall be called the children of the Deuill Cursed are they who are of themselues quarrelsome and contentious Cursed are they who bestir themselues to cherish and maintaine strife and debate in others Cursed are they who doe their best to set at variance such as haue long liued in peace and vnity Cursed are make-bates I annex the reason for they shall be called the sonnes of the Deuill that is They will by their loue of strife and debate make it appeare to the world that they are the sonnes of the Deuill Now dearely beloued in the Lord I beseech you to remoue farre from you all cogitation and thought of strife variance and debate and to remember your brotherly couenant Know ye that the bond of one body one spirit one hope one God one faith one baptisme is as farre aboue the bond of one father one mother one village one house and the like as the spirit is aboue the flesh spirituall things aboue carnall and God aboue man I will shut vp this point with the exhortation of S. Peter 1 Epist Chap. 3.8 Be ye all of one minde one suffer with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous render not euill for euill nor rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse ye blesse I say and know that you are thereunto called that yee should bee heires of blessing Thus farre of the third part of this Prophecie Now followeth the fourth Vers 10. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof This is a particular denunciation of a conquest and
My propounded doctrine stands good It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues Now let vs see what vses doe offer themselues to our considerations out of this Doctrine First it may serue for a iust reproofe of these our last and worst daies wherein by experience wee finde true that same m Dr. King B. of London vpon Ionas Lect. 15. paradox in common reason hardly to be proued namely that not friends only or kinsmen but brethren also when they fall to enmity their hatred is greater than that betwixt mortall foes It is come to passe according to Christ his prophecie Matth. 10.36 A mans enemies shall be they of his owne house A mans enemies indeed and his enemies to purpose to worke him most harme shall be they of his owne house May not many now adaies complaine yea cry out with Dauid Psal 55.12 If mine enemy had done me this dishonour I could haue borne it If mine aduersary had exalted himselfe against me I would haue hid my selfe from him but it was thou O man my companion my guide my familiar we tooke sweet counsell together we walked in the house of God as friends Yet hast thou done me this dishonour yea thou hast exalted thy selfe against me Of all the Vials of the wrath of God powred down vpon sinners it is one of the sorest when a man is fed with his own flesh and made drunke with his owne bloud as with sweet wine So the Prophet Esay speaketh Chap. 49.26 The meaning is as a chiefe n B. King Ibid. pillar of our Church expoundeth it when a man taketh pleasure in nothing more than in the ouerthrow and extirpation of his owne seed when he thirsteth not for any bloud but that which is drawne from the sides of his brethren and kinsmen Neuer was there more eager and bitter contention betweene Turke and Christian than now adaies there is betweene Christian and Christian a brother and a brother All we who haue giuen our names to Iesus Christ and vowed him seruice in our baptisme we are all brethren we are fratres vterini brethren from the womb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee haue one father and one mother one father in heauen and one mother the holy Catholike Church militant vpon the earth But it fareth with vs as it did with Simeon and Leui Gen 49.5 We are brethren in euill the instruments of cruelty are in our habitations They in their wrath slew a man and what doe we If our wrath be kindled against our brother we will not sticke Edom-like to pursue him with the sword we will make our sword to be fed with his flesh and drunke with his bloud Thinke not dearely beloued you of the other sex thinke not your selues exempt from this reproofe because in it I haue not made any mention of sisters for vnder the name of brethren I meant you also My speech was vnto Christians and in Christianisme diuersity of sex maketh no difference So saith the Apostle Gal. 3.28 Male and female all are one in Christ To you therefore this reprofe of brethren at variance doth also appertaine If you lay violent hands vpon any your husbands your children or other or if with your tongue which the holy Spirit Psal 57.4 calleth a sharpe sword you are giuen to vex them of your owne house or shall back-bite or slander any know that Edom-like you doe pursue your brother with the sword And take I beseech you my propounded doctrine as belonging vnto you also It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues A second vse is to worke in vs brotherly kindnesse that vertue whereby euery good Christian embraceth the Church of God and the members thereof with the bowels of loue This brotherly kindnesse S. Peter 2 Epist 1.7 commendeth vnto vs as whereto we ought to giue all diligence Dauid Psal 133.1 stileth it with the sweet name of Vnity Behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to liue in vnity And therefore commendeth it by two similitudes in the one shewing the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of it in the other the fruit and profit which commeth by it First it is like that precious ointment which was powred on the head of the high Priest and ran downe vpon his heard and so to the borders of his garments Behold the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of vnity That sweet perfume and ointment that holy o le powred out vpon the high Priest and his garment was not only pleasant and delightfull to himselfe but did also yeeld a sweet smelling sauour to all that were about him So is it with vnity It is not onely pleasant to them who doe religiously esteeme and keepe it but to others also which are about them Secondly it is like the dew of Hermon which fell vpon the mountaines of Sion where the Lord appointed the blessing and life foreuermore Behold the fruit and profit which commeth by Vnity The dew and wet that fell downe from heauen vpon H rmon and Sion made those hils and the plaine countries neere them fertill so doth Vnity bring with it great fruit and profit If makes them among whom it is sincerely obserued it makes them through Gods blessing fruitfull and plentifull in good workes towards God and in him and for him towards men and one of them towards another This vnity concord brotherly loue mutuall consent and agreement if it bee vnfeigned hath the promises both of this life and of that to come of peace and quietnesse in this life and of eternall ioyes in the life to come One of the notes by which we may be assured of God his speciall loue and fauour is the loue of our brethren Now that we deceiue not our selues in this loue S. Iohn Epist 1. giues vs three rules to direct vs. 1 Christian brotherly loue must not be for any worldly respects or considerations but principally for and in God We must loue our brethren principally because they are the sons of God and members of Christ This rule he intimateth Chap. 5.1 Euery one that loueth him which begat loueth him also which is begotten of him that is whosoeuer loueth God the Father he loueth also the sons of God his naturall son Christ Iesus and his sons by grace and adoption all Christians 2 Christian brotherly loue must not be outward in shew only but inward in the heart This rule he giueth vs Chap. 3.18 Let vs not loue in word nor in tongue onely but in deed and in truth 3 Christian brotherly loue must be not onely in time of prosperity but when most need is This rule hee giueth vers the 17. Whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Let these rules beloued be your direction Loue ye euery one that is called a Christian
Let vs rather make our humble conâ—ession with King Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.34 35. that the Most High liueth for euer that his power is an euerlasting power and his Kingdome from generation to generation that all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing to him that according to his will he worketh in the armie of Heauen and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou None can stay his hand This is it which before I noted namely that It is neither care nor policie that can stay Gods reuengefull hand when hee bringeth fire in it as here it is threatned vnto Rabbah I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah Thus farre by occasion of my first Doctrine which was It is not the greatnes of a citie that can be a safeguard vnto it if Gods vnappeasable wrath breake out against it for its sins And it was grounded vpon these words I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah It is further added of this fire that it shall deuoure the palaces of Râ—bbah Which branch repeated in each of the precedent prophecies as vers 4 7 10 12. hath formerly yeelded vs this Doctrine God depriueth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses This truth is experimentally made good vnto vs by the great commoditie or contentment that commeth to euerie one of vs by our dwelling houses The vse whereof is to teach vs 1. To be humbled before Almightie God whensoeuer it shall please him by water by fire by wind by lightning by thunder by earthquakes or otherwise to ouerthrow our dwelling houses 2. Since we peaceably enioy our dwelling houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory 3. To render all hearty thankes vnto Almighty God for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling-houses Thus farre of the commination or denuntiation of iudgement as it is set downe in generall The speciall circumstances whereby it is further notified or illustrated doe concerne partly the punishment and partly the punished Concerning the punishment it is full of terrour and speedy First full of terrour in these words With shouting in the day of battell With shouting in classico saith Brentius cum clangore saith Drusius that is with the sound or noise of Trumpets The Septuagint doe reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latine in vlulatu Mercer cum vociferatione Gualter cum clamore Caluin cum clamore vel Iubilo that is with a cry with a great cry with a vociferation with a shout such as souldiers doe make when on a sudden they surprise a Citie In the day of battell in die belli The like phrase we haue Psal 78.9 where it is said of the children of Ephraim that being armed and shooting with the bow they turned backe in die belli in the day of battell Dauid confesseth Psal 140.7 O Lord God the strength of my saluation thou hast couered my head in die belli in the day of battell Salomon saith Prou. 21.31 The horse is prepared in diem belli against the day of battell So here the Lord threatneth against Rabbah a shouting mâ—â—ie belli in the day of battell This day of battell is that day of warre and time of trouble mentioned by Iob chap. 38.23 We see now the purpose of our Prophet in vsing these words With shouting in the day of battell It is to proclaime warre against Rabbah the chiefe citie of the Ammonites and consâ—quently against their whole kingdome This proclamation is more plainly deliuered Ierem. 49.2 Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will cause a noise of warre to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites and it shall be a desolate heape and her daughters shall be burnt with fire From this proclamation of warre made by our Prophet Amos as in the Lords owne words saying I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell wee may take this lesson God sendeth warre vpon a Land for the sinnes of a people For proofe of this truth let vs looke into the word of truth In the 26. of Leuit. vers 25. thus saith the Lord vnto Israel If yee walke stubbornly against me and will not obey me then I will send a sword vpon you that shall auenge the quarrell of my couenant And Ierem. 5.15 vnto the house of Israel thus saith the Lord Loe I will bring a Nation vpon you from farre You heare the Lord speaking in his owne person I will send I will bring as here I will kindle Will you any other witnesse Then heare what Moses telleth the Israelites Deut. 28.49 The Lord shall bring a nation vpon you from farre from the end of the world flying as an Eagle a nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand a nation of a fierce countenance which will not regard the person of the old nor haue compassion on the young the same shall eat the fruit of thy cattell and the fruit of thy land vntill thou be destroyed and he shall leaue thee neither wheat nor wine nor oile nor the increase of thy kine nor the flockes of thy sheepe vntill he haue brought thee to nought By this speech of Moses we plainly see that warre and all the euills of warre are from the Lord that warre is r Cominaeus Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. one of the accomplishments of Gods iudgements and that it is sent by God vpon a Land for the sinnes of the people as my doctrine goeth Let vs now make some vse of it Is it true beloued Doth God send warre vpon a Land for the sinnes of a people How then can we looke that the happy peace which we now enioy should be continued among vs sith by our daily sinning wee prouoke Almightie God vnto displeasure Let the consideration hereof lead vs to repentance Repentance the gift of God the ioy of Angels the salue of sinnes the hauen of sinners let vs possesse it in our hearts The Angels of heauen need it not because they sinne not the Deuills in Hell care not for it for their iudgement is sealed It only appertaineth to the sonnes of men and therefore let vs the sons of men possesse it in our hearts that is let vs truly and vnfainedly forsake our old sinnes and turne vnto the Lord our God so shall this blessed peace and all other good things be continued among vs. But if we will persist in our euill wayes not regarding what the Lord shall speake vnto vs either in his holy Word or by his faithfull Ministers we may expect the portion of these Ammonites that God should kindle a fire in our Rabbahs our best fenced cities which shall deuoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the dâ—y of battell Thus much of the terrour of this iudgement Now followeth the speed in the next circumstance With a tempest in the day of the whirle-wind Suiting hereto
Christ but our owne bellies as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 16.18 Of such speaketh the same Apostle Phil. 3.19 Many doe walke as enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things Whose God is their belly Thus beloued you see what Idols are yet remaining among vs and how we are defiled with them What remaineth but that we suffer our selues to be exhorted in the words of Barnabas and Paul to the men of Lystra Act. 14.15 that we would turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from those vaine Idols to serue the liuing God Thus farre of my second Doctrine which was Neither Melchom of the Ammonites nor any other Idoll of any other people can saue themselues in the day of captiuity much lesse can they saue the people that doe trust in them and worship them Which doctrine I grounded vpon the second reading of my Text Melchom shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together Now followeth the third generall part of this prophecy against the children of Ammâ—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith the Lord. This is the conclusion of this Prophecie and it redoubleth its authority and credit Authority and credit sufficient it hath from its very front and preface vers 13. Thus saith the Lord. It is here redoubled Saith the Lord. Hath the Lord said it and shall he not doe it Hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it The Lord Iehouah the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the tittles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heauen and earth shal passe before one iot or one tittle of Gods Word shall scape vnfulfilled Iehouah the Lord saith whatsoeuer our Prophet Amos hath here denounced against the Ammonites It is the Lord that saith it Amos is but the Lords Minister the Words are the Lords Whence we may take this Doctrine The Author of holy Scripture is neither man nor Angell nor any otber creature how excellent soeuer but only the liuing and immortall God This truth may likewise be grounded vpon the Preface to the ensuing Prophecy And therefore sith my houre is almost spent and your attention well nigh tired I put off the handling of this doctrine till God giue me opportunity to speake againe vnto you Meane time let this which hath beene deliuered vnto you Non meis viribus sed Christi misericordiâ not by any strength of mine but by the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ serue for the exposition of this first Chapter 1 Tim. 1.17 Vnto the King eternall immortall inuisible the only wise God three persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be honour and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS A COMMENTARIE OR EXPOSITION VPON THE SECOND Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS Deliuered In XXI Sermons in the Parish Church of MEYSEY-HAMPTON in the Diocesse of GLOCESTER BY Sebastian Benefield Doctor of Diuinitie and Professor for the Lady MARGARET in the Uniuersitie of OXFORD IAMES 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you LONDON Printed by EDWARD GRIFFIN for IOHN PARKER and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the three Pigeons 1629. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God and my very good Lord IOHN by the diuine prouidence L. Bishop of London Right Reuerend Honourable ONce more I make bold to present vnto your HONOR a testimonie of my most humble observance It is an Exposition of the second Chapter of the Prophecie of Amos. My labours vpon the first it pleased your Lordship heretofore fauourably to accept and patronize If these vpon the second may find the like entertainement they haue their end The beames of that splendour of goodnesse in you which long since haue shined vpon many in this Vniuersitie and me among the rest methinkes J still behold How can J then but in memorie thereof offer vp to your Honourable Name some Sacrifice of thankesgiuing This is the best I haue at this time Receiue it my good Lord such as it is the sincere token of a thankefull heart God Almightie who hath made you an eminent and an honourable pillar here in his Church militant for the comfort of his people giue you herein many dayes full of honour and comfort and reward you with a Crowne of neuer-fading glory in his Church triumphant From my studie in Christ Church in Oxford Februarie 14. 1619. Your Lordships in all dutie and seruice SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD A COMMENTARIE VPON THE SECOND Chapter of AMOS deliuered in XXI Lectures THE FIRST LECTVRE AMOS 2.1 2 3. 1. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for foure I will not turne to it because it burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime 2. Therefore will I send a fire vpon Moab and it shall devoure the pallaces of Kirioth and Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet 3. And I will cut off the Iudge out of the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him saith the Lord. HOw grieuous a burden sinne is you may well perceiue by the heauy punishments which God layeth vpon the committers of sinne Good store of examples the first chapter of this prophecie hath yeelded vnto you The Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites and the Ammonites haue for their sinnes bin seuerally repayed with vengeance from Heauen the fire of the wrath of God hath seized vpon them and deuoured them their Cities are become desolate their memorie is perished from off the earth As it is befallen them so it befalleth the Moabites also against whom Amos in the beginning of this second chapter directeth his prophecie and to the same purpose whereto the prophecies of the former Chapter were directed The a See my sixth Lecture vpon Amos 1. reasons why Amos sent of purpose with a message to the Israelites doth first prophecie against the Syrians the Philistins the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites all forreine nations are three 1. That he might be the more patiently heard of his countrymen the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enemies could not but with more quiet heare him when he should prophecie against them also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici Some comfort it is to a distressed naturall man to see his enemie in distresse likewise 2. That they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against them in vengeance seeing that he would not spare the Syrians and other their neighbor countries though they were destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will 3. That they might the more tremble at the words of this prophecie when they should see the Syrians and other Nations afflâ—cted and tormented according to the heinousnes of their iniqâ—ities Here might the Israelites
f Rom. 11.36 of him and in him and by him are all things Thirdly it is the memoriall of God vnto all ages so God himselfe cals it Exod. 3.15 the memoriall of his faithfulnesse 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 thereof he adds vnto it his name Iehovah So here in my text Thus sayth Iehovah Thus sayth the Lord not Thus sayth Amos but Thus saith the Lord. The Lord then is the author of this Scripture and not of this onely but also of the whole bodie of Scripture The doctrine The author of holy Scripture is neither man nor Angell nor any other creature how eminent or excellent soeuer but onely the liuing and immortall God This doctrine I haue heretofore commended vnto you in my first lecture vpon this Chapter The vses of it were three The first concerned vs whom God hath set apart to be the Preachers and expounders of the Scriptures We must handle them as the holy word of God As my Prophet here comes to Iudah so must we to you with thus saith the Lord we may not speake either the imagination of our owne braines or the vaine perswasions of our owne hearts we must sincerely preach vnto you Gods gracious word without corrupting or deprauing it A second vse concerneth you who are auditors and hearers of the word preached It is your parts to giue eare vnto it with attetion and reuerence and like the Thessalonians commended by St Paul 1 Thess 2.13 to receiue it not as the word of vs men but as it is indeed the word of God A third vse concerned the aduersaries of the truth the Papists who doe vilifie and debase the sacred Scriptures and esteeme not of them as of the word of God How shamfully they haue loaded this holy word of God with disgracefull termes calling it a doubtful vncertaine and a leaden rule a poore kinde of element a booke of discord a matter of debate dead inke inken divinitie a dumbe iudge a nose of waxe Aesops fables I haue g Lect. 2. in Amos 1. pag. 18. c. heretofore deliuered vnto you But who are they out of whose mouths and pens such bitternesse against Gods holy word hath beene vented Are they our Countrymen Are they not rather strangers to vs Papists of other Nations Pighius Hosius Gretser Canon Lewis of Lateran the collocutors at Wormes and Ratisbon What are these to vs It may be our English Papists doe esteeme of the Scriptures more reuerently More reuerently Let one speake for all Dr. h Fox Martyrel vol. 2. l. 7. An. 1513. pag. 735. Bennet a Lawyer Chauncellour and Vicar generall to Richard Fitz-Iames Bishop of London called before him one Richard Butler for being of that Religion which we this day through Gods goodnesse doe maintaine and professe This Butler vsed much to read the Bible for which an article was thus framed against him We obiect to you that diuerse times and especially vpon a certaine night you erroniously and damnably read in a great Booke of heresie certaine Chapters of the Euangelists in English conteining in them diuerse erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie What Christian eare can endure such blasphemie that the Booke of God should be called a great booke of heresie that some Chapters of the Euangelists should be said to conteine in them diuers erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie What Christian care can endure this Must that Booke to which we are so often sent by i Deut. 17.11 Moses by the k Esa 8.20 Mâ—lac 2.7 Psal 1.1 and 119.2 Prophets by l Joh. 5.39 Christ himselfe by his holy m Luk. 16.29 Euangelists and n Act 17. â—1 2. Tim. 3 1â— Apostles must that Booke be noted for erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresies St Paul thought much otherwise He in the 2. Tim. 3.15 speaking of the holy Scriptures sayth that they are able to make men wise vnto saluation Hee addeth further ver 16. that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes Magnificum testimonium A most sufficient testimonie for the authoritie dignitie and worth of holy Scripture First it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuinely inspired of God giuen immediately from God to men Secondly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable Profitable many wayes for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction Doctrine is of things to be beleeued Reproofe of things to be refuted Correction concerneth vices Instruction vertues Euery way the whole Scripture is profitable and is able to make men wise vnto saluation And yet must this holy Scripture be noted for a great Booke of Heresie for conteining erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie 2. Pet. 1.19 St Peter thought much otherwise He in his 2. Epist and 1. Chapter hauing proued the certaintie of Euangelicall doctrine by two arguments one drawne from his owne experience the other from the testimonie of Almightie God in a voice from Heauen vers 16 17 18. addeth vers 19. a third argument drawne from the consent of the Prophets We haue also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which yee doe well that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day star arise in your hearts So that yee first know this that no prophecie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion For the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the Holy-Ghost Where first the blessed Apostle calls the writings of the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most sure word Secondly he aduiseth vs to be diligently conuersant in those writings yee shall doe well to take heed vnto them Thirdly he shewes the necessitie and vse of them by a comparison they are as a light that shineth in a darke place Fourthly he prescribeth the time of our diligence we must take heed vnto them vntill the day dawne and the day starre arise in our hearts Fiftly he noteth their difficultie Difficultas stimulus debet esse diligentiae the more hard they are to be vnderstood the greater must our diligence be No prophecie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion It is not in mans power rightly to vnderstand the Prophets The Treasurer to the Queene of Ethiopia confesseth as much Act. 8.31 Sixtly he poynteth at the author of Holy Scripture not mans will but the Holy-Ghost For the prophecie in olde time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the Holy-Ghost What St Peter in this place affirmeth of the
impietie for their bloudy tyrannie towards the Lords Prophets for their idolatrous seruice of false Gods And these S. Stephen in his speech intendeth These are they who in the 78. Psal vers 8. are called a stubborne and rebellious generation a generation that set not their heart aright a generation whose spirit was not stedfast with God These are they who S. Iohn the Baptist meaneth Matth. 3.7 where he calleth the Pharisies a Generation of Vipers These are they whom our blessed Sauiour also intendeth Matth. 12.33 23.33 where he stileth the Pharisies as Iohn Baptist did a Generation of Vipers And what is this generation of vipers but as p Comment in Act. 7.51 Lorinus saith pessimorum parentum pessimi filij wicked sonnes of as wicked parents Such were these Fathers in my text of whom it is further said that they walked after Lyes They walked after Lyes To walke in the Scripture phrase is metaphorically taken and hath diuers significations For the vnderstanding of the phrase in my text you may know there is a walking after truth and a walking after Lyes or which is all one there is a walking after God and a walking after Idols We walke after truth or God when from the bottome of our hearts we thinke vpon and do those things which God hath prescribed vnto vs in the word of truth when we liue a godly life in this present world On the other side we walke after lyes or after Idols when we worship that which is not God or when we worship the true God but vpon a false foundation polluting and defiling his sacred worship with the foolish imaginations and inventions of our owne braines Thus did the ancient Iewes walke after Lyes which is here laid vnto their charge Their Lyes cause them to erre after which their Fathers walked Hitherto haue you heard the exposition of the text Giue eare now I beseech you to such lessons as may from hence be taken for our further instruction and the reformation of our liues The first lesson I take from these words Their Lyes caused them to erre their lyes that is their idolatrous and false worship of God hath caused them to erre hath deceiued them The doctrine is When men decline or swerue from the prescript of Gods word they are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot but erre I thus explicate it If we embrace not the truth of God if we despise his holy Lawes if we keepe not his commandements we must of necessitie fall into supine and grosse lyes For so God permitteth Whosoeuer beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes whosoeuer receiue not the loue of the truth that they may be saued to such shall God send strong delusion that they shall beleeue lyes 2. Thess 2.11 Now Almighty God to keepe his elect and beloued ones from such efficacie of errour from such strong delusions how oft doth he admonish them that in no wise they depart from his holy word q Deut. 12.32 Prov 30.6 Reuel 22.18 19. Adde not to my word neither diminish ought from it Deut. 4.2 r Deut. 5.32 28.14 Iosh 23.6 Esai 30.21 Turne not from my word to the right hand or to the left Iosh 1.7 Lay vp my words in your heart and in your soule binde them for a signe vpon your hand let them be as frontlets betweene your eyes Deut. 11.18 What more obvious in holy Scripture then those Mementoes from the Lord Å¿ Deut. 4.1 6. Hearken vnto my statutes and vnto my iudgements keepe them do them Remember t Num. 15.39 my commandements u Deut. 6.17 keep them diligently x Prov. 3.1 lay them vp y Prov. 3.1 in thy heart forget not my law z Prov. 3.1 a Prov. 4.2 forsake it not b Prov. 4. â—0 attend to my words c Prov. 7.1 keepe my words d Prov. 4.20 encline thine eare vnto my sayings And why I pray is the Lord so earnest to haue his statutes his iudgements his commandements his lawes his words his sayings to be kept by vs Is it not because hee well knoweth that if we euer so litle decline or swerue from these or from any one of these we are forthwith inwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot chuse but erre Statutes iudgements commandements lawes words sayings Here are multa verba many words but res vna they all signifie one thing and that is expressable in one word euen the word the wâ—rd of God mentioned in my doctrine from whose prescript if wee decline or swerue wee are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit wee cannot chuse but erre A reason hereof I may giue you out of Psal 119.105 where the word of God is compared to a lampe or a light Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path You know the vse of a lampe or light It is to direct vs in the darke that we erre not Now what is this world but a place of darknesse Here the naturall man sitteth in darknes Luk. 1.79 he walketh in darknes Psal 82.5 his eyes are blinded with darknes 1. Ioh. 2.11 his vnderstanding is darkned Ephes 4.18 he is subiect to the power of darknesse Coloss 1.13 he hath fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknes Ephes 5.11 he is euen darknes it selfe Ephes 5.8 How then can he chuse but erre if he haue not this lampe or light of God the word of God to direct him It was not vnvsuall with the Iewes to seeke to them who had e Esai 8.19 familiar spirits and to peeping and muttering wizardâ— To reclaime them from this error the Prophet Esay cap. 8.20 calls them ad legem ad testimonium to the law and to the testimonie that is to the word of God And why doth he so He tells you why in the words following If saith he they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them What can be more plaine Where the word of God is not or directeth not there is no light there is nothing but darknesse nothing but errour You haue enough for the confirmation and illustration of my doctrine which was When men decline or swerue from the prescript of Gods word they are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot but erre Is it so beloued If we leaue the word of God are wee forthwith in errour Let this be a strong motiue to vs to giue more diligence to the word of God then hitherto we haue done Let vs as we are exhorted by S. Peter in his 2. Epist cap. 1. vers 18. Let vs take heed vnto it as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawne and the day-starre arise in our hearts Let vs not thinke any time mis-spent that we bestow vpon this word of God either to heare it or to read it or to keepe it Yong men wherewithall will you clense your wayes but by
This was not the practise of olde Of old time in the primitiue times of the Church the Holy Scriptures had their free passage All sorts of people might read them might search into them might iudge of them The vnlearned as the learned the laitie as the clergie women as men base as noble yong as old all had their shares in reading in hearing in meditating in practising the sacred doctrines contained in the Holy Scriptures There can be no iust reason to the contrary For as S. Chrysostome in his first Homilie vpon S. Mathew saith The Scriptures are easie to the slaue and to the husbandman to the widdow and to the slaue and to him that may seeme to be very simple of vnderstanding To which purpose S. Austine Epi. 3. ad volusian affirmeth that Almightie God in the Scriptures speaketh as a familiar friend without dissimulation vnto the hearts both of the learned and also of the vnlearned The like S. Basil avoucheth vpon the 1. Psal The Scripture of God is like an Apothecaries shop full of medicines of sundry sorts that euery man may there choose a conuenient remedie for his disease Vpon this ground S. Chrysostome Hom. 2. in Iohan would perswade his auditors not onely in the Church to bee attentiue to the word of God but that at home also the husband with the wife and the father with the childe would talke together thereof and would to and fro inquire and giue their iudgments and would to God sayth he they would once beginne this most approued and most excellent custome Theodoret in his fift Booke de curatione Graecarum affectionum seemeth much to reioyce at the knowledge which the Christians generally had in the sacred Scriptures Our doctrine saith he is knowne not onely of them who are the doctors of the Church and Masters of the people but also euen of Taylers and Smiths and Weauers and all Artificers of women too not such onely as were learned but also of labouring women and Sewsters and seruants and hand-maides Neither onely Cittizens but Country folkes also doe very well vnderstand the same Ditchers deluers Cowheards Gardiners can dispute of the Trinitie and the creation of all things Thus was it of old and why should it not be so now in our daies The Holy Scriptures are the same now that then they were Now as in the dayes of q Sermon de Confessorib sive Dispensat p. 610. Fulgentius In Sacris Scripturis abundat quod rebustus comedat quod parvulus sugat There is in the Scriptures plentie whereof the strong may eate and the little ones may sucke Now as in the dayes of r Epist ad leandrum Gregorie Scripturae flumen sunt in quo agnus ambulet Elephas natet the Scriptures are as a great Riuer wherein a Lambe may walke and an Elephant may swim Now as in the dayes of Å¿ De Lazarâ— Theophylact Scripturae sunt Lucerna quo fur deprehenditur The Scriptures are as a lanterne whereby you may descry and discouer that great theefe the Deuill who is euer readie to steale away your hearts from God Let vs deaâ—ely beloued follow this lanterne Let this Lampe of Gods word direct your footsteps So shall we bee safe from errour But if we will not follow it if we will decline if we will swerue from it we shall be suddainly involued and inwrapped in deceit and cannot choose but erre This was my first doctrine I can but touch the second Their lies caused them to erre after which their Fathers walked You haue vnderstood by my precedent exposition of these words that the Inhabitants of Iudah are here blamed for adhering to the blind superstitions of their forfathers The doctrine arising hence is this In matters of Religion we are not tyed to follow our forefathers This truth is plainely deriued from my text for if we will make it our rule in Religion to follow our forefathers their lyes that is their blind superstitions and idolatrous worship of God may deceiue vs and cause vs to erre Were not the elders of Israel thus deceiued and brought into errour The twentie Chapter of the prophecie of Ezechiel makes it plaine that they were so there shall you finde it obiected to them that they were polluted after the manner of their fathers and committed whoredome after the abomination of their fathers ver 30. And to draw them from adhering to the ill courses of their fathers the Lord himselfe is pleased ver 18. 19. thus to speake vnto them Walke yee not in the statutes of your fathers neither obserue their iudgements nor defile yourselues with their Idoles I am the Lord your God Walke in my statutes keepe my iudgements and doe them What will you more for the confirmation of my propouÌ„ded doctrine You haue alreadie the warrant of Almightie God from heauen for it that in matters of Religion we are not tyed to follow our forefathers It is backed with another text Zach. 1.4 Be not as your Fathers your Fathers they heard me not they hearkened not vnto me saith the Lord. Be not you therefore as your fathers Your father 's tempted me in the desert Psal 95.9 Will you also tempt me Be not as your Fathers Your Fathers were a stubborne and rebellious generation Psal 78.8 Will you also be stubborne and rebellious Be not as your Fathers It is out of doubt Our fathers must not be followed in euill Yea in matters of Religion we are not bound to follow our Fathers If our fathers in their religion were blinded with superstition and worshipped God otherwise then they were directed by Gods holy word we are not to follow them yea we are plainely charged not to be as they were Thus briefly of my Doctrine In matters of religion we are not tyed to follow our forefathers This truth serueth for a reproofe of Iesuits Priests Recusants and all other popishly affected within this our country who are so strangely devoted to the Religion whereof their fathers were that they purposely shut their eyes against the light of Gods word will not suffer it to shine vpon them To whom shall I liken them They are like to certaine Iewes that dwell in Pathros in the land of Egypt who when Ieremie in the name of the Lord dehorted them from their Idolatrie did as it were defying the Prophet thus protest Ierem. 44 17. We will not hearken vnto thee We will doe what seemeth good to vs as we haue done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes so will we doe We will burne incense to the Queene of Heauen we will powre out drinke offerings vnto her For so long had we plentie of victuals we were well we saw no euill Doe not our popelings in England now sing the same song Call them t Esa 8.20 ad lâ—gem ad testimonium call them to the word of God Their answere is readie at their tongues end we will not hearken to it we will doe what
I deliuer in this position The ministerie of the word of God freely exercised in any nation is to that nation a blessing of an inestimable value I neede not be long in the proofe of this truth you already giue your assent vnto it The word of God it s a Iewell then which nothing is more precious vnto which any thing else compared is but drosse by which any thing else tryed is found lighter then vanitie it s a trumpet wherby we are called from the slippery paths of sinne into the way of Godlinesse It s a lampe vnto our feete it s a light vnto our paths Psal 119.105 It s the g Matth. 4.4 Luk. 4.4 Ierem. 15.16 Ezech. 3.3 Revel 10.9 Ezech. 2.8 Wisd 16.26 foode of our soules by it our soules do liue Deut. 8.3 It s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 1.23 incorruptible seede Seede committed to the earth taketh roote groweth vp blossometh and beareth fruit So is it with the word of God If it be sowen in your hearts and there take roote it will grow vp blossome and beare fruit vnto eternall life In which respect S. Iames chap. 1.21 calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an engrafted word engrafted in your hearts able to saue your soules Sith the word of God is such doth it not follow of necessitie that the ministerie of it freely exercised in any Nation will be to that Nation a blessing of an inestimable value Can it be denyed The Prophet Esay chap. 52.7 with admiration auoucheth it How beautifull vpon the mountaines are the h Nahum 1.15 feete of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth saluation that saith vnto Zion Thy God reigneth S. Paul is so resolued vpon the certainty of this truth that Rom. 10.15 he resumeth the words of the Prophet How beautifull are the feete of them that preach the Gospell of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Conferre we these two places one with the other that of Esay with this of Paul and we shall behold a heape of blessings showring downe vpon them to whom God sendeth the ministers of his Gospell for they bring with them the word of saluation the doctrine of peace the doctrine of good things and the doctrine of the kingdome Such is the Gospell of Christ First it is the word of saluation The Gospell of Christ is called the word of saluation first because it is the power of God vnto saluation as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 1.16 It is the power of God vnto saluation that is it is the instrument of the power of God or it is the powerfull instrument of God which he vseth to bring men vnto saluation And secondly because it teacheth vs concerning the author of our Saluation euen Christ Iesus An Angell of the Lord appeared vnto Ioseph in a dreame and saith vnto him Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the Holy Ghost And she shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name i Luk 1.31 Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Matth. 1.21 He shall saue his people that is he shall be their Sauiour Iesus he is the Sauiour of his people merito efficacia by merit and by efficacie By merit because he hath by his death purchased for his people for all the elect the remission of their sinnes and the donation of the holy Spirit and life eternall And by efficacie because by the Holy Spirit and by the preaching of the Gospell he worketh in the elect true faith by which they doe not onely lay hold on the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospell but also they studie to serue God according to his holy commandements An Angell of the Lord relating the natiuitie of Christ vnto the Shepheards Luk 2.10 11. saith vnto them Feare not For I bring you glad tidings of great ioy which shall be to all people For vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Vnto you is borne a Sauiour where you haue what you are to beleeue of the Natiuitie of Christ He is borne a Sauiour vnto you Vnto you not onely to those shepheards to whom this Angell of the Lord speakes the words but vnto you Vnto you not only to Peter and Paul and some other of Christs Apostles and Disciples of old but vnto you vnto you vnto euery one of you in particular and vnto me When I heare the Angels words Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto you I apply them vnto my selfe and say Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto me In this perswasion and confidence I rest and say with S. Paul Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and that life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me Christ is borne a Sauiour vnto me Peter filled with the Holy Ghost seales this truth Act. 4.12 There is no Saluation in any other then in the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth There is no other name vnder Heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued then the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth Againe Act. 15.11 he professeth it We beleeue that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saued It must be our beleefe too if we will be saued We we in particular must beleeue that through the grace of the Lord Iesus we shall be saued We shall be saued What 's that It is in S. Pauls phrase we shall be made aliue 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aliue St Austine Ep. 157. which is to Optatus doth thus illustrate it Sicut in regno mortis nemo sine Adam ita in regno vitae nemo sine Christo As in the kingdome of death there is no man without Adam so in the kingdome of life there is no man without Christ as by Adam all men were made vnrighteous so by Christ are all men made righteous sicut per Adam omnes mortales in poenâ facti sunt filij seculi ita per Christum omnes immortales in gratiâ fiunt filij Dei As by Adam all men mortall in punishment were made the sonnes of this world so by Christ all men immortall in grace are made the sonnes of God Thus haue I prooued vnto you that the Gospell of Christ is the word of Saluation as well because it is the power of God vnto Saluation as also because it teacheth vs of the author of our Saluation Secondly it is the doctrine of Peace The Gospell of Christ is called the doctrine of peace because the ministers of the Gospell do publish and preach Peace This Peace which they publish and preach is threefold Betweene God and man Man and man Man and himselfe First they preach Peace
with any Nation Vpon this first part of my Text this Commemoration of Gods benefits bestowed vpon Israel I grounded my first obseruation It is this It is an excellent priuilege to bee knowne of God by the knowledge of his approbation to be chosen of him to be his people to be in his loue and fauour to be vnder his care and prouidence The excellency of this priuilege appeareth in this that the Lord here calls Israel to the remembrance of it saying You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth This excellent priuilege the true seruice of the liuing God thorow the free vse of his holy Word and Sacraments wheresoeuer it is found among any people is a sure pledge that the Lord knoweth that people with the knowledge of his approbation that he hath chosen them to be his peculiar people that they are in his loue and fauour and that he careth and prouideth for them How much then Beloued how much are we indebted to the Maiesty and bounty of Almighty God who hath graced vs with so excellent a blessing as is the Ministery of his holy Word His holy Word It is a Iewell than which nothing is more precious to which any thing compared is but drosse by which whatsoeuer is tried will bee found lighter than vanity The true estimate of this Iewell may be had out of the 19. Psalme At the 7. vers it is Perfect nothing may be added to it without marring of it it conuerteth the soule and turneth it from euill to good It is sure you may build vpon the truth of it as well for the promises of mercy as for the threatnings of iudgement It giueth wisdome the wisdome of the spirit euen vnto the simple to the humble and lowly of minde At the eighth verse It is right without any iniustice or corruption It reioyceth the heart with true and sound ioy It is pure pure in all points and giueth light to the eyes the eyes of the minde that we may securely trace the way to Heauen At the ninth verse It is cleane without spot or shew of euill and endureth for euer without alteration or change It is truth without falshood and is righteous all together there is no error in it Is your desire for profit or for pleasure This Iewell yeelds you both At the tenth verse for profit it is compared to Gold for pleasure to Honey For profit it is more to bee desired than gold yea than much fine gold for pleasure it is sweeter than honey or the hony combe Moreouer at the tenth verse It will make you circumspect it will shew you the danger of sinne and will teach you how to auoid it and may encourage you to obedience for as much as in the keeping of it there is great reward Great reward yet through Gods mercy and not of your merit Now dearely beloued is the holy Word of God a Iewell so precious of such an estimate Then giue eare to the exhortation of wisdome Prou. 23.23 Buy it and sell it not Buy it what ere it cost you seeke by all meanes to obtaine it and when you haue gotten it sell it not at any hand depart not from it for any price for any cause But let it according to the exhortation that Saint Paul made to the Colossians Chap. 3.16 Let it dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome It is as one wittily speaketh Gods best friend and the Kings best friend and the Courts best friend and the Cities best friend and the Countries best friend and euery mans best friend Giue it therefore entertainment not as to a forreiner or stranger but as to your familiar as to your best friend let it dwell in you And sith it comes not empty but brings with it as well pleasure as profit as you haue already heard Let it dwell in you plenteously Plenteously Yet in all wisdome Let vs heare it in all wisdome reade it in all wisdome meditate vpon it in all wisdome speake of it in all wisdome and preach it in all wisdome not only in wisdome but in all wisdome that the words of our mouthes and the meditations of our hearts may euer be acceptable in the sight of the Lord our strength and our Redeemer Thus farre of my first obseruation grounded vpon the Commemoration of Gods blessings vpon Israel You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You only My second obseruation is that this great blâ—ssing of the true seruice of God and the free vse of his holy Word was in the daies before Christ appropriate to the people of the Iewes This appeareth by some of those places before alleaged Deut. 4.7 8. and Psal 147.19 20. for the further illustration of the point that of the 76. Psalme vers 1 2. may well serue In Iudah is God knowne his name is great in Israel in Salem is his tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion In which words the Psalmist giueth vnto the land of Iudah and Israel this prerogatiue aboue the rest of the Nations of the whole earth that there God was knowne and his name was great but especially in Salem that is in Hierusalem and in Mount Sion the place which he desired for his habitation Psal 132.13 There was God knowne his name was great there Elsewhere it was not so It was not so among the Nations For as Barnabas and Paul told the men of Lystra Acts 14.16 in times past God suffered all Nations to walke in their owne waies The way of God they then knew not The then state of the Nations Saint Paul Ephes 2.12 elegantly decyphereth in fiue circumstances Hee bids them remember what they were in time past as that first they were without Christ secondly they were aliens from the common weâ—lth of Israel thirdly they were strangers from the couenants of promise fourthly they were without hope fiftly they were without God in the world Enough is said for the confirmation of my second obseruation which was that in time of old in time past in the daies before Christ his comming in the flesh the true seruice of God and the exercise of his holy word was appropriate to the people of the Iewes to the children of Israel Now the reasons of this appropriation are two One is Gods vndeserued and speciall loue the other is the truth of his promise Both are expressed Deut. 7. At the seuenth verse the false cause is remoued at the eighth the true is put The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people There the false cause is remoued The true cause is put in the words following But because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which hee swore vnto your fathers therefore hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh King of Aegypt and
except they be agreed Hitherto you haue had the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proposition of this first similitude now followeth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reddition of it Hitherto hath beene rei extrariae consideratio now followeth rei praesentis accommodatio hitherto the explication of the former part now the application of the latter Thus As it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed so it cannot be that the Prophets of the Lord should forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them This is the second of those fiue expositions wherof you heard in the beginning of this exercise It was the exposition of Lyra Hugo and Dionysius and is embraced by later Expositors by Paulus de Palatio Marthurinus Quadratus and Christophorus à Castro by Brentius and Winckleman by Caluin and Mercer The obseruation is The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them This truth Saint Peter expresly deliuereth Ep. 2. Chap. 1. vers 20 21. No prophecie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation 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 The Prophets of the Lord spake not of their owne heads God spake in them Prophets They are criers and criers speake nothing but what is put into their mouthes Esay is a cryer He makes a noise after the manner of a cryer Esay 55.1 Hoe euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters The Lord bids him cry Esay 40.6 and he saith What shall I cry Then are the words put into his mouth All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field Iohn Baptist is a cryer So he stiles himselfe Ioh. 1.23 I am the voice of a cryer in the wildernesse And how crieth he Euen as the words are put into his mouth Prepare yee the way of the Lord make his pathes strait Prophets They are Trumpetors Their voice is like a Trumpet Esay 58.1 Crie aloud spare not Lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes They must set the trumpet to their mouthes Hos 8.1 They must blow the trumpet Ioel 2.1 But they must blow it with the breath of the Lord Otherwise it giueth but an vncertaine sound and a false alarum Prophets They are Watch-men Their office is to heare the Word at the Lords mouth and then to warne the people The charge is giuen them Ezech. 3.17 Sonne of man I haue made thee a watch-man vnto the house of Israel therefore heare the Word at my mouth and giue them warning from me This their charge is reiterated Ezech. 33.7 O sonne of man I haue set thee a watch-man vnto the house of Israel therefore thou shalt heare the Word at my mouth and warne them from me You see they are not to speake a word but they haue it from the Lord and accordingly must they warne the people Ieremie a Prophet He eats the words of the Lord Chap. 15.16 and is thereby fitted to his function Ezechiel a Prophet A hand is sent vnto him and loe a roule of a booke therein The roule is spread before him and is written within and without Within is written Lamentations and mournings and woe This roule he is commanded to eat He eats it So he goes and speakes vnto the house of Israel Ezech. 3.3 Saint Iohn the Diuine a Prophet too He sees an Angell with a little booke in his hand and begs the booke The Angell giues it him and bids him eat it He takes it and eats it Then is he fit to prophesie before many peoples and nations and Kings and tongues Reuel 10 11. The Prophets professe of themselues that they speake nothing besides the pure word of God Ioshua he saith to the children of Israel Come hither and heare the Word of the Lord your God Chap. 3.9 The words which I shall deliuer vnto you concerning what shall come to passe hereafter they are not my words they are the words of the Lord your God Esay calls vpon Heauen and Earth to heare Chap. 1.2 Heare O Heauens and giue eare O Earth for the Lord hath spoken The words which I now speake vnto you they are not my words they are the words of the Lord. Amos our Prophet he likewise calleth vpon the children of Israel in the beginning of this Chapter Heare this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel Heare it It is not my word it is the word of the Lord the Lord hath spoken it What more familiar in the writings of the Prophets than these formes of speech Thus saith the Lord Saith the Lord the burthen of the Word of the Lord the Word of the Lord came vnto me They all make for the authority of the Prophets of old and their prophesies From hence as also from that they are Eaters of the Word of God and are Watchmen and are Trumpeters and are Cryers its euident their prophesies were not of their owne wils they spake not of their owne heads God spake in them Thus the truth of my Doctrine stands inuiolable The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them Here first is a lesson for vs who succeed the Prophets in the Ministery of the Church We may not deliuer any thing vnto you but what wee haue gathered out of the Word of God Euery Minister of the New Testament should bee as Moses was of the Old Moses his charge was not to conceale any thing but to speake all Exod. 7.2 Thou shalt speake all that I command thee It is our part to doe the like It is our part to speake in the Name of God and in his Name alone to feed the flocke of Christ with his pure word and with his word alone and to doe it as learnedly as faithfully as sincerely as constantly as we may leauing the successe of all to him that hath sent vs and disposeth of all mens hearts at his pleasure So running our race we shall one day be at rest in eternall comfort fully deliuered from this vile world from wicked men from euill natures from such who are euer ready to take our best endeuours in the worst sense and to require our honest affections with their foule disgraces Here secondly is a lesson for you For you Beloued for all such as are the Auditors and hearers of the Word of God This duty of hearing is to be put in practice not dully but with diligence not heauily but with chearefulnesse as to the Lord. There is a generation of hearers that would seeme desirous to heare the Word preached but they would haue it of free
cost they like not the charges it bringeth with it O let not any such repiner any such grudger be found in the assembly of the Saints Such if they conferre any thing to the maintenance of the Ministery they doe it not for conscience sake but of necessity not for any loue they beare vnto the Word preached but by compulsion of Law not as a free will offering to God for the recompence of his Kingdome among them but as a taxation which they cannot resist To such the preaching of the Word is not a benefit but a burthen So farre are they from taking any delight therein as that by their good wills they would wholly shake and shift it off Carnally minded men carelesse and prodigall of the saluation of their owne soules The horse-keeper that dresseth their horses the shepheard that watcheth their sheepe the heardman that looketh to their swine the Cobler that clouteth their shooes shall willingly be considered for their paines but the Minister or Pastor that breaketh vnto them the bread of life shall haue no supply from them to the releefe of his necessities No supply Nay well were he if he could hold his owne euen that portion of maintenance which is allotted to him by the Word of God But I hope there cannot be found in this assembly any one so sacrilegiously affected I haue good reason to be perswaded much better of you all Yet you as well affected as you are in this behalfe are to be admonished that to these exercises of our religion ye come willingly and ioyfully Willingly for your owne duties sake and ioyfully because from hence you may carry home with you a Iewell of an inualuable price euen the precious Word of God wherein quicquid docetur veritas quicquid praecipitur bonitas quicquid promittitur felicitas est as Hugo lib. 3. de Anima speaketh Whatsoeuer is taught its truth whatsoeuer is commanded its goodnesse whatsoeuer is promised its happinesse Nam Deus veritas est sine fallaciâ bonitas sine malitiâ felicitas sine miseriâ for God is truth without falshood goodnesse without malice happinesse without misery O come ye then hither as willingly for your duties sake so also ioyfully for your profits sake Willingly and ioyfully It is somewhat I grant to come hither to this house of God to diuine seruice but to come willingly and ioyfully it is a double vertue and that which giueth life vnto your comming If you come vnwillingly or grudgingly if you be drawne hither either for shame of the world or through feare of Law you come as men more than halfe dead without either operation of the spirit or desire of profit or feeling of comfort or increase of faith or bettering of obedience Wherefore dearely Beloued let your care be euer willingly and ioyfully to present your selues in these Courts of the Lord in his holy Temple Be ye well assured that as hee is accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently so is hee also accursed that commeth into the house of the Lord either vnwillingly or grudgingly as if he were discouraged with the tediousnesse either of the way or of the word It is recorded of the people of God Psal 84. that they trauelling towards the place of Gods worship passed through many dangers endured much heat suffered wants in the wildernesse and all for the delight they tooke in his seruice The delight that they tooke in the seruice of God did swallow vp all their wants their trauell their labour and their paines It made them say A day in thy courts is better than a thousand And I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse A day in thy courts is better than a thousand A day one day onely and no more in thy courts in the courts of God in his Temple and the publike meetings and assemblies there is better is more sweet more comfortable more profitable than a thousand elsewhere yea though the place bee neuer so full of pleasure And I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God I had rather be of the meanest account in the Church the place where my God the onely true and euerliuing God is serued than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse than to make my abode in most stately and gorgeous Palaces wherein wickednesse is practised and professed O! how amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts How excellent was this zeale of Gods people how great their forwardnesse to doe him seruice We would be accounted Gods people as well as they But where is our zeale Were ours as theirs was certainly neither blasts of wind nor feare of raine nor heat of Summer nor cold of Winter nor a Lion in the way nor any like trifle should stop vs from comming to the house of God his Temple the place where by his Ministers he speaketh to his people Thus farre by the occasion of my first obseruation which was grounded vpon the second of those fiue expositions whereof you heard in the beginning of this exercise My obseruation was The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgements that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them I proceed A second application of this first similitude to the matter here intended by the Holy Ghost may be thus As it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed So it cannot be that God should walke with Israel for as much as there is a disagreement betweene them The time indeed was when God walked with Israel and Israel with God Then it was when the people of Israel were desirous to please God to doe his holy will and to depend vpon him But afterward when rebelliously they forsooke God and applied themselues to the seruice of false gods it could not be that God should any longer walke with them or they with God This is the third of those fiue expositions whereof euen now you heard It was the exposition of Albertus Rupertus and Isidore and is embraced by later Expositors by Franciscus Ribera by Petrus Lusitanus by Oecolampadius Danaeus Gualter Tremellius and Iunius and Piscator The obseruation is When man through his euill courses leaueth off to walke with God or forsaketh him then will God no longer walke with man but will also forsake him To walke with God is louingly to adhere vnto him and to please him So is the phrase vsed in the Prophesie of Micah Chap. 6.8 What doth the Lord require of thee O man but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God To walke with thy God that is Ionathan translates it to walke in the worship and feare of God Petrus Lusitanus saith it is to liue according to the Law and will of God And this doubtlesse is to please God It is said of Enoch Gen. 5.22 24. that he walked with God He walked with God that
is hee pleased God So doth the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes expound the place chap. 11.5 Enoch before his translation had this testimony that hee pleased God The testimony which he had was that he walked with God and therefore to walke with God is to please God Syracides in the 44. of his Ecclesiasticus vers 16. saith to the same effect Enoch pleased the Lord and was translated being an example of repentance to all generations Enoch pleased the Lord saith Ecclesiasticus in Genesis it is Enoch walked with God and therefore to walke with God is to please God Onkelos saith it is to liue in the feare of God surely he that so liueth pleaseth God It is said of Noah Gen. 6.9 that he walked with God Noah was a iust man perfect in his generations and walked with God He walked with God What 's that He liued a solitary life and professed Monkery No He left the concourse of the world and got him aside into some wildernesse Nor so He lead a single life and therefore no maruell if hee pleased God Nor this What is it then he walked with God It is this He serued God as was fit he should in his vocation he liued piously and without blame hee composed himselfe not to mans becke to mans example to mans applause but wholly to the holy Will of God in a word he led a life acceptable and pleasing vnto God and so he walked with God That which God saith to Abram Gen. 17.1 Walke before me and be thou perfect is all one as if he had said Walke with me and be thou perfect To walke with God or to walke before God is all one It is not Foris simulare pietatem hypocritarum more it is not to make outwardly a shew of piety as Hypocrites vse to doe but it is Syncere Deo fidere it is to trust in God sincerely to depend vpon him wholly to serue him alone and to obey him according to his will Such are those seruants of the Lord of whom Salomon speaketh 2 Chron. 6.14 that walke before the Lord with all their hearts Such are they that walke in the Law of God Exod. 16.4 Such they that walke after the Lord their God Deut. 13.4 where they are further described to feare the Lord to keepe his Commandements to obey his voice to serue him and to cleaue vnto him In the language of Canaan you see it is all one to walke in the Law of God to walke before God to walke after God and to walke with God The Metaphore is very elegant and may serue thus farre to instruct vs that as when we walke we stand not still but are euer in motion and doe goe forward so in the way of piety in the course of godlinesse when wee walke either in the Law of God or after God or before God or with God we are not to stand still but are euer to bee in motion in a spirituall motion and to goe forward to goe forward as Origen speaketh in his twelfth Homily vpon Genesis De vita ad vitam de actu ad actum de bonis ad meliora de vtilibus ad vtiliora de sanctis ad sanctiora Our going forward must be from life to life from action to action from good to better from profitable to more profitable from sanctified actions to more sanctified and all this must bee Non passibus pedum sed mentis profectibus not with the steps of our feet but with the profit of our vnderstanding Our motion in this our walke must be perpetuall Hominis quâ Christianus est proprium est non quiescere it is the propriety of a man as he is a Christian not to be at quiet not to rest not to stand still not to be at a stay For in Schola Christi non progredi est regredi in the Schoole of Christ not to goe forward is indeed to goe backward Saint Bernard in his 341. Epistle thus expresseth it In the Schoole of Christ Non proficere sine dubio deficere est not to proceed and profit without doubt it is to retire and to faint And therefore let no man say Satis est sic volo manere sufficit mihi esse sicut heri nudius tertius It is enough for me thus will I abide its sufficient for me that I am as I was yesterday and the day before Let no man say thus with himselfe In viâ residet qui huiusmodi est he that is such a one sits him downe in the way He goes not forward he walkes not as he should either in the Law of God or before God or after God or with God Thus farre hath this Metaphor of walking led me Yet may I not leaue it without giuing some rule of it The rule is Solet Scriptura verbo Ambulandi consensionem animorum explicare it is the custome of the Scripture by this word of walking to expresse the agreement and consent of minds It is the voice of wisdome to her sonne Prouerb 1.15 My sonne if sinners shall say vnto thee Come with vs cast in thy lot among vs let vs all haue one purse Walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foot from their path Walke thou not in the way with them that is ne acquiescas eis ne illis assentiaris yeeld not to them agree not with them This exposition is good by that vers 10. My sonne if sinners intise thee consent thou not Syracides in his Ecclesiasticus Chap. 7.38 according to the vulgar saith Non de sit plorantibus in consolatione cum lugentibus ambula Faile not to be a comfort to them that weepe and walke with them that mourne Walke with them that mourne that is Idem sentito quod illi thinke as they thinke Eo animo esto ac si tua essent illa mala be thou affected as if their losses were thine The Psalmist Psal 1.1 pronounceth the man blessed that walketh not in the counsell of the wicked There is therefore a walking in the counsell of the wicked But what is it so to walke To walke in the counsell of the wicked is to yeeld thine assent to agree vnto to ioyne thy selfe in naughty practises with the wicked Blessed is the man that so walketh not Enough for the rule The rule was It is the custome of the Scripture by this word of Walking to expresse the agreement and consent of mindes It s iustified by my Text Can two walke together except they be agreed and may conclude the truth of my obseruation When man through his euill courses leaueth off to walke with God then will God no longer walke with him When man forsaketh God then will God also forsake him Then and not before The ancient Fathers are frequent in auowing this truth Saint Augustine in his booke De bono Perseuerantiae cap. 6. giues it for granted Voluntate suà quemque deserere Deum vt meritò deseratur à Deo that a man of
also in particular I speake not now of the prouidence of God as it is potentialis immanens but as it is actualis transiens not as it is the internall action of God but as it is externall not as it is his decree of gouerning the world but as it is the execution of that decree This prouidence of God this his actuall and transient prouidence this his externall action and the execution of his inward and eternall decree is nothing else than a perpetuall and vnchangeable disposition and administration of all things or to speake with Aquinas it is nothing else than ratio ordinis rerum ad finem it is nothing else than the course which God perpetually holdeth for the ordering of the things of the world to some certaine end Such is the prouidence of God whereof I am now to speake which is by some diuided into a generall and a speciall prouidence by others into an vniuersall a special a particular prouidence Gods vniuersall or generall prouidence I call that by which he doth not only direct al creatures according to that secret instinct or inward vertue which he hath giuen to euery one of them at the time of their creation but doth also preserue them in their ordinary course of nature Of this vniuersall or generall prouidence of God Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus in his first Sermon concerning this argument discourseth copiously and elegantly You that say in your hearts there is no prouidence of God consider the things that are visible and are obuious to your eies consider their nature their site their order their state their motion their agreement their harmony their comlinesse their beautie their magnitude their vse their delight their variety their alteration their continuance and then if you can deny God's prouidence Gods prouidence is manifest in euery worke of creation you may behold it in the Heauen and in the lights thereof the Sunne the Moone and the Starres You may behold it in the aire in the clouds in the earth in the sea in plants in hearbs in seeds You may behold it in euery other creature euery liuing creature reasonable or vnreasonable man or beast and in euery beast whether it goeth or flieth or swimmeth or creepeth There is not any thing but it may serue to magnifie the prouidence of God But why runne I to the Fathers for the illustration of a point wherein the holy Scriptures are so plentifull so eloquent The 104. Psalme containeth an egregious description hereof a faire and goodly picture and a liuely portraiture of this prouidence of God drawne with the pencill of the holy Ghost I see therein the aire and clouds and winds and water and the earth and the like so ruled and ordered by the immediate hand of God that should he remoue his hand but for a moment this whole vniuerse would totter and fall and come to nothing I goe on to the 147. Psalme There I see God numbering the starres and calling them by name I see him couering the Heauens with clouds preparing raine for the earth giuing snow like wooll scattering the hoare frost like ashes casting forth his ice like morsells making grasse to grow vpon the mountaines giuing food to beasts to Rauens all this I see and cannot but acknowledge his vniuersall prouidence I looke backe to the booke of Iob and Chap. 9. I finde God remouing mountaines and ouer-turning them I finde him shaking the earth out of her place and commanding the Sunne to stand still I finde him alone spreading out the heauens and treading vpon the waues of the sea I finde him making Arcturus Oâ—ion Pleiades and the chambers of the South I finde him doing great things past finding out yea and wonders without number All this I finde and cannot but admire his vniuersall prouidence Infinite are the testimonies which I might produce out of the old Testament for this point but I passe them ouer contenting my selfe with only two out of the new That of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I worke is fit to my purpose The words are an answer to the Iewes who persecuted our Sauiour and sought to slay him for doing a cure on the Sabbath day vpon one that had beene diseased 38. yeares They held it to be vnlawfull to doe any worke vpon the Sabbath day Christ affirmes it to be lawfull The ground of their opinion was God the Father rested the seuenth day from all his workes This Christ denieth not but explicates the meaning of it It s true My Father rested the seuenth day from all his workes yet true also it is Pater meus vsque modò operatur My Father worketh hitherto He rested the seuenth day from all his workes and yet he worketh how can this be so It is thus according to Aquinas He rested the seuenth day à nouis creaturis condendis from making any new creatures yet notwithstanding hee euer worketh creaturas in esse conseruando preseruing his creatures in their being It may be thus enlarged Requieuit die septimo God rested the seuenth day from creating any new world or from making any new kinds of creatures but nor then rested he nor at any time since hath he rested from prouiding for and caring for and ruling and gouerning and sustaining the world Neuer resteth he but causeth his creatures to breed and bring forth after their kinds and restoreth things decaying and preserueth things subsisting to his good pleasure This is that saying of our Sauiours Pater meus vsque modò operatur my Father worketh hitherto My Father worketh hitherto Hom. 37. in Ioan. 5. Saint Chrysostome well discourseth thereupon If saith he thou shouldest aske How is it that the Father yet worketh sith he rested the seuenth day from all his workes I tell thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He prouideth for and vpholdeth all things that he hath made Behold the Sunne rising and the Moone running and pooles of water and springs and riuers and raine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the course of nature in seeds and in the bodies of man and beast behold and consider these and all other things whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this vniuerse consisteth and thou wilt not deny the perpetuall operation of the Father but wilt breake forth into the praises of his vniuersall prouidence That branch of Saint Pauls Sermon to the Athenians Act. 17.28 In him we liue and moue and haue our being is also fit to the point we haue in hand In him that was to the Athenians the vnknowne God but is indeed the only true and euer-liuing God we liue we moue we haue our being Saint Ambrose in his booke De bono moutis cap. 12. thus descants vpon the words In Deo mouemur quasi in vià sumus quasi in veritate vinimus quasi in vitâ aeternâ In him we moue as in the way we haue our being as in the truth we liue as in the life eternall S. Cyprian or whosoeuer
your cities which are now inhabited Ezech. 12.20 shall be laid waste and your Land shall be desolate yet you take courage to your selues against such terrours Amos 6.3 you put far away from you the euill day you say within your selues Ezech. 12.27 the vision which this man seeth is for many daies to come and he prophesieth of the times that are far off To this purpose Saint Cyril With him agree three great Rabbins R. Dauid R. Abraham R. Selomo They make the Lord here to speake after this manner If a trumpet be blowne in a citie at an vnseasonable houre to giue warning that the enemie is comming the people will exceedingly tremble and be afraid Why then are not you afraid why tremble yee not at the voices of my Prophets My Prophets are my trumpeters by them I giue you warning of the euils that hang ouer your heads and will ere long fall vpon you Why are you not afraid why tremble you not To this application of this sixth similitude our new Expositors for the most part haue subscribed They vnderstand by this Citie the Church of God by the Trumpet the Word of God by the people the bearers of the Word and so thus stands the application When a trumpet giueth a sudden signe by the sound of it out of a watch-tower all the people harken and are troubled and prepare themselues this way or that way according as the trumpet giueth the token So at the voice of God founding by his Ministers we ought to giue eare and be attentiue and be moued at the noise of it and as he giueth warning prepare our selues and looke about vs while it is time lest afterward it be too late Now the lesson which we are to take from hence is this The word of God vttered by his Ministers deserueth more reuerence feare and trembling then doth a trumpet sounding an alarme from a watch-tower For the word of God is a trumpet too and a trumpet of a farre shriller sound The blowers of this trumpet are the Ministers of the Word who in this regard are called sometimes Tuba Dei and sometimes Speculatores They are Gods trumpet and they are watch-men They are Tuba Dei Gods trumpet and hereby are they put in minde of their dutie euen to denounce perpetuall warre against the wicked and to excite men euen to fight against the Deuill and to bid defiance vnto sinne And they are Speculatores they are Watch-men placed by God in his holy Citie the Church Velut in speculâ as in a Watch-tower to watch for the safetie of the people and to blow the trumpet vnto them when any danger is at hand Both appellations are met together in Ierem. 6.17 Constitui super vos speculatores audite vocem tubae I haue set ouer you watch-men hearken to the sound of the trumpet Bishops Pastors Ministers they are these watch-men and wee are to hearken to the sound of their trumpets Their trumpets True For Ministers haue trumpets Their trumpets are two One is Territoria the other is Consolatoria One is a terrifying trumpet the other trumpet is comforting Of the former God speaketh by his Prophet Esay chap. 58.1 Crie aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes So doth hee by Zephania chap. 1.16 A day of the Trumpet and alarme against the fenced cities and against the high towers And I will bring distresse vpon men that they shall walke like blinde men because they haue sinned against the Lord. This trumpet you may call tubam legis the trumpet of the Law because by if the Minister denounceth the curses of the Law the wrath of God misery and calamitie to euery vnrepentant sinner Of the other trumpet of the ministery we may vnderstand that Esay 27.13 The great Trumpet shall be blowne and they shall come which were readie to perish in the Land of Assyria and the out-casts in the Land of Aegypt and shall worship the Lord in the holy Mount at Ierusalem This trumpet you may call tubam Euangelij the trumpet of the Gospell because by it the Minister pronounceth the blessings of the Gospell the loue of God a quiet conscience and true felicity to euery true beleeuer These two trumpets terrifying and comforting that of the Law this of the Gospell are still of vse in the Church of Christ the Minister sounding sometimes woe sometimes weale according as our sinnes shall giue him cause But why is it that the ministery of the Word and the preaching thereof is compared to a trumpet Hector Pintus in his Comment vpon the eight and fiftieth of Esay giueth hereof two reasons One is because as the materiall trumpet calleth and encourageth vnto warre so this spirituall trumpet the preaching of the Word calleth and encourageth vs to fight valiantly against the world the flesh and the Deuill The other is because as the materiall trumpet is blowne at solemnities to betoken ioy so this spirituall trumpet the preaching of the Word should stirre vs vp ad laborem in praesenti ad gaudium in futuro to labour in this life and to ioy in that to come For as he addeth hic est locus vincendi ibi triumphandi hic breuis laboris illic sempiterna quietis hic poenae transeuntis ibi gloriae permanentis Here is the place for ouercomming there for the triumph here of some little labour there of eternall quiet here of paine that passeth away there of glory that endureth The comparison standing thus betweene the preaching of the Word and a trumpet warranteth the truth of the doctrine propounded which was The word of God vttered by his Ministers deserueth more reuerence feare and trembling then doth a trumpet sounding an alarme from a watch-tower This representation of the word of God by a trumpet should euer sound and as it were goe before vs in all our actions in warre in peace in all meetings and ioyfull feasts that all our doings may be acceptable to the Lord our God The doctrine now deliuered standing vpon the comparison that is betweene the preaching of the Word and a trumpet may in termes absolute be thus The preaching of the word of God is to be harkened vnto with all reuerence It is the point I handled in my first Sermon vpon this third Chapter of Amos. My Thesis then was The word of God is diligently to be harkened vnto What proofes and reasons out of Scripture I then produced for the confirmation of that truth and what vse was made thereof I now stand not to repeat Nor need I so to doe The holy Scripture being as the Ocean of waters which can neuer bee exhausted yeeldeth vs great varietie of matter though we speake againe and againe to the same point I proceed then with my Thesis as it is giuen in termes absolute The preaching of the word of God is to be harkened vnto with all reuerence I
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
name of Nazarites in the old Testament is Nezirim by the letter Zaijn from the root Nazar which signifieth to separate but the name in S. Matthew according to the Syriack Paraphrast is Notzraia by the letter Tsadi from the roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to keepe There is therefore no ground in the name why any should thinke S. Matthew alludeth to the Nazarites of the olde Testament Nor is their any ground in the matter For Christ did what was not lawfull for Nazarites to doe It was not lawfull for Nazarites to a Num. 6.3 drinke wine Christ b Math. 11.19 dranke it It was not lawfull for the Nazarites to come neere c Num. 6.6 vnto a dead bodie Christ came neere vnto the d Ioan. 11.38 dead and touched them It was not lawfull for the Nazarites to suffer a e Num. 6.5 rasour to come vpon their heads they were to let the locks of the haires of their head grow but its likely that Christ did not weare long haire it may be gathered from 1. Cor. 11.14 and from the common custome of the Iewes There is therefore no ground in the matter why any should thinke that S. Matthew alludeth to the Nazarites of the olde Testament The Nazarites of the old Testament I told you were for distinction sake called by Iunius Tremellius and Vatablus Nezirites and by Drusius and Pagnine Nazarites It is according to the Hebrew points The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The right of this appellation is approued by the Septuagint Iudg. 13.5 where the Angell of the Lord tells Manoahs wife that she shall conceiue and beare a sonne on whose head no rasour shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the childe shall be called a Nazarite vnto God Some in that place for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Nazir or a Nazarite of God and this reading is approued by f Not. in editionem LXX Eusebius Likewise Iudg. 16.18 Samson tells Delilah all his heart and saith vnto her There hath not come a rasour vpon my head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for I am a Nazarite of God In that place for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius witnesseth in his 7. booke of Euangelicall Demonstration chap. 5. A Nazirite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he is according to the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy according to Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a separation according to Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vntouched from hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Nazirite signifieth either one that is holy or one that is seperate or one that is vntouched integrious and vnspotted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Nazarite is one that is holy according to the Septuagint Whence they haue a threefold reading of my text I raised vp of your yong men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a sanctification or I raised vp of your yong men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for men sanctified or I raised vp of your yong men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Nazirites For Nazarites Certainely they were so called of Nazar which signifieth to separate For they were separated from the vulgar sort of men by a certaine course of life whereto they were to be tyed by vow The law that concerneth them is in the sixth of Numbers The law hath sundry branches One is Whosoeuer shall separate himselfe to vow the vow of a Nazirite to separate himselfe vnto the Lord he shall not drinke wine or strong drinke or any thing that shall make him drunken he shall not eat grapes moyst or dryed he shall not eat any thing that is made of the Vine tree from the kernels to the huske This branch you haue vers 3. 4. The second branch of the Law is Whosoeuer shall separate himselfe to vow the vow of a Nazarite there shall no rasour come vpon his head the locks of the haire of his head shall be suffered to grow It is in the 5. verse The third branch is He shall not defile himselfe with the dead that is He shall not come into the house where a dead man is neither shall he follow a dead corps to the graue This you haue vers 6 7 8. The fourth branch is If he that hath vowed the vow of a Nazarite shall very suddenly and vnawares come neere vnto a dead bodie he shall renew his Naziriteship thus first he shall shaue his head secondly he shall offer vp sacrifices These sacrifices were two Turtles or two yong Pigeons and a Lambe of the first yeare One of Turtles or Pigeons was to be offered for a sinne-offering the other for a burnt offering and the Lambe for a trespasse offering This you haue vers 9 10 11 12. The fift branch is When a Nazarite shall haue fulfilled the vow of his Naziriteship foure things are to be performed three of them by the Nazirite the fourth by the Priest First the Nazirite shall offer vp certaine sacrifices vers 14 15 16 17. Secondly he shall shaue his head vers 18. Thirdly he shall burne the haire of his head in the fire which is vnder one of the sacrifices vers 18. Fourthly the Priest shall take certaine parts of the sacrifice and shall waue them for a waue offering before the Lord vers 19 20. I haue giuen you the law of the Nazarite in fiue branches It is the law to the obseruance whereof the Nazirites in my text were obliged I raised vp of your yong men for Nazirites Nazirites You now see what they are They were yong men consecrated to the studie of the word of God and trained vp therevnto euen from their childhood vnder a seuere discipline and an austere course of life that at length they might be able to goe before the people as well by soundnes of doctrine as by the example of a good life I raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets and of your yong men for Nazirites Prophets and Nazirites Some haue put this difference betweene them that the Prophets indeed taught the people the law of God and withall foretold things to come whereas the Nazirites did only teach the law Be it so or otherwise the meaning of my text is this God would haue the ministerie of his word to be ordinarie and perpetuall among the Israelites and for that end he gaue them Prophets of their sonnes men of riper yeares and Nazirites of their yong men who were to be trained vp in Scholes among them there to be fitted for the holy ministerie Such is the blessing and it is a very great one which is here mentioned to haue bin bestowed by the Lord vpon Israel It is as I said in the beginning of this exercise it is the doctrine of the sincere worship of God and of eternall saluation togither with the free vse and passage thereof or if you will it is the ordinarie ministerie of the word The doctrine which hence I would commend vnto you
Lord care for the preoccupation or preuention of so little time as if it were a matter of it selfe to be regarded No it was the obseruance of his commandement and the obedience thereunto that he required So for my text I say The giuing the Nazirites wine to drinke was not of it selfe a matter that the Lord much regarded but it was the obseruance of his commaundement and the obedience thereunto that he required The commandement I euen now repeated vnto you out of Num. 6. The summe of it is The Nazarite shall absteine from wine and strong drinke Contrary to this commandement did the Israelites here giue vnto the Nazarites wine to drink which is the thing wherewith they are here twyted to this sense Ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke in so doing you made proofe of your contempt of my Law and your disobedience thereunto I looked you should haue beene thankefull vnto mee for bestowing so great a benefit vpon you as is the order and calling of the Nazarites for the trayning vp of your yong men in pietie and religion but you vnthankfull you haue repaid me with contempt and disobedience you haue sollicited the Nazarites to breake their vow and contrary to my Law yee gaue them wine to drinke The doctrine we are to gather from hence is Disobedience against Gods holy lawes and commaundements is a sinne carefully to be eschewed by euery child of God As by the knowledge of light we may know what darkenesse is and by the knowledge of good what euill is so by the knowledge of obedience towards God we may know what disobedience against him is Of obedience towards God I entreated in my fift Lecture vpon this Chapter I then handled this conclusion Obedience to the commandements of the Lord is a dutie which the Lord requireth to be performed by euery child of his Whence by the Law of contraries followeth my now-conclusion Disobedience against the commandements of the Lord is a sinne which the Lord requireth to be eschewed by euery child of his For the illustration of this conclusion we are to note in man a twofold disobedience one in the state of corruption the other in the state of regeneration Disobedience in man in the state of corruption is an euill qualitie inbred in him by nature whereby he is made of himselfe altogether vnable and vnwilling to liue in subiection vnto God to heare his voice to obey his will or to doe what he commandeth By this disobedience man is not able to doe any thing but hate God his word his will and whatsoeuer is pleasing to him He euer rebels against God he euer resisteth the will of God he euer despiseth the commandements of God and embraceth with all his might what God forbiddeth How great this disobedience is the holy Scripture doth euidently demonstrate when it describeth the nature of man his thoughts his counsailes his affections his desires his actions in the state of corruption and before his regeneration So it calls vs k Num. 20.10 rebels Ezech. 2.3 impudent children and stiffe-hearted vers 4. Gods aduersaries and his enemies Esay 1.24 Children of l Ephes 5.6 Câ—lâ—s 3.6 diffidence and incredulitie Ephes 2.2 Children of wrath ver 3. Children of darknesse Ephes 5.8 Children of the m 1. Ioh. 3.8 Ioh. 8.49 Deuill 1. Iohn 3.10 It sayth of vs Gen. 6.5 that euery imagination of the thoughts of our hearts is onely euill continually It saith of vs Iob 15.25 that we stretch out our hands against God and strengthen our selues against the Almightie It saith of vs Ephes 4 17. that we walke in the varitie of our mindes that hauing our vnderstanding darkned we are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in vs b cause of the blindnesse of our hearts that as men past feeling we haue giuen our selues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse Such is the disobedience that is in man while he is in the state of corruption before he is regenerate There is another kind of disobedience in man when he is in the state of Regeneration This disobedience is common to euery child of God while he liueth in this world albeit in some it be greater in some lâ—sse as regeneration is perfecter in some then in others This I thus describe disobedience in man in the state of regeneration is an euil qualitie inbred in him by nature wherby he is made vnable to yeeld due subiection vnto God wholy on euery part with all his heart and all his might or so to obey his holy will simply in all things and alwayes without tergiuersation as neuer to decline from the rule of true obedience By this disobedience we are all made guiltie of the wrath of God of damnation and of eternall death The consideration hereof made Dauid Psal 130.3 to crie out vnto the Lord If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand It drew from him that humble supplication Psal 143.2 O Lord Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified It wrested from him that same confession Psal 32.6 namely that the very godly haue need to pray for the remission of their sinnes There speaking of the remission of sinnes he saith For this shall euery one that is godly pray vnto thee For this for the remission of sinnes shall euery one that is godly pray vnto thee O Lord. From hence is it that our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ taught his Apostles the most perfect Christians that euer were and therefore the most godly to pray for remission of their sinnes This disobedience which as yet resideth in vs in the best of vs S. Paul elegantly describeth Rom. 7.14 where thus he speaketh in his owne person as a man regenerate we know that the law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sin n Râ—m 17.15 For that which I doe I allow not for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. o Vers 16. If then I doe that which I would not I consent vnto the law that it is good p Vers 17. Now then it is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me q Vers 18. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I find not r Vers 19. For the good that I would I doe not but the euill that I would not that I doe c. I am not ignorant that the Pelagians of old and diuerse of late as Erasmus Ochinus Castellio Faustus Socinus the Samosatenian Iacobus Arminius and their adherents doe affirme that S. Paul speaketh these words not of himselfe as a man regenerate but doth in them describe a man that is a prophane incontinent sensuall vnregenerate or doth describe the nature of man after his fall what and how
much he is able to doe without the grace of God This their opinion is erroneous The truth is that S. Paul in the place alledged speaketh not of any other but of himselfe not as he was in Pharisaisme vnder the law but as he was now when he wrote this Epistle in the state of grace a man regenerate This great combate in S. Paul now regenerate betweene the Å¿ â—â—m 7.23 law of his minde and the law of his members betweene the t Vers 22.25 law of God and the law of sinne betweene the u Vers 22. inward man and the outward betweene the x Vers 18. flesh and spirit doth clearely shew that the holiest man liuing hath a tincture of disobedience against the Lord his God This is the second kind of disobedience which I noted to be in man as he is in the state of regeneration and serueth for the illustration of my propounded doctrine which was Disobedience against Gods holy lawes and commaundements is a sinne which the Lord requireth to be eschewed by euery child of his Disobedience not onely that which is in euery man that is yet in the state of corruption but that other too which is incident to the truely regenerate is a sinne carefully to be eschewed by euery child of God Euery child of God should be vnwilling to displease God and what can more displease him then disobedience Disobedience Gods curse is vpon it The curse is Psal 119 21. Maledicti qui declinant a mandatis tuis cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements Maledicti a Deo scilicet Cursed of God are all they of what estate or condition soeuer they are that doe erre in their life and conuersation from his commaundements which he hath prescribed as footsteps and paths for men to tread in Cursed are they that doe erre he saith not they that haue erred for they that haue erred may haue repented but cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements And here by erring we vnderstand not euery offence indifferently but an vnbridled licence to offend we vnderstand not euery slip but a falling away from God We vnderstand not euery disobedience of ignorance or infirmity but the disobedience of pride and presumption Maledicti Cursed are they that doe erre from thy commandements The like Curse is Deut. 27.26 Maledictus qui non permanet in sermonibus legis huius nec eos opere perficit Cursed be he that continueth not in the words of this law to doe them It is cited by S. Paul Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the law to doe them In both places the end of the Law is poynted at It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much contemplation as action for the Law was giuen not onely to be knowne but also to be performed and therefore Rom. 2.13 it is auouched that not the hearers of the Law are righteous before God but the doers of the Law shall be iustified The couenant of the Law requireth from vs absolute obedience In this obedience these things must concurre according to the tenor of the Law 1. It must be performed by our selues for the law reueales not the Mediator 2. It must be inward as well as outward 3. It must be perfect in parts and degrees 4. It must be constant and continuall from the first moment of our conception without the least interruption through the whole course of our liues The least thought dissonant to the law inuolues vs in disobedience and layes vs open to the Curse Maledictus Cursed be he that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Vae vobis is no better then a Curse and that shall you find denounced to the disobedient Ecclus. 41.8 Vae vobis impij Viri qui dereliquistis legem Altissimi scilicet per inobedientiam sayth Antoninus Sum. part 2. Tit. 4. cap. 2. Woe be vnto you vngodly men which haue forsaken the law of the most high God through your disobedience Vae vobis woe be vnto you And why so The reason is added For if you increase it shall be to your destruction And if you be borne you shall be borne to a curse and if you die a curse shall be your portion Vae vobis woe be vnto you ye vngodly men which haue forsaken the law of the most high God through your disobedience Is disobedience thus cursed Then must it be punished For as Dicere Dei is facere so Maledicere Dei is malum poenae facere If God saith a thing he doth it and if he curseth he punisheth He curseth disobedience and therefore he punisheth disobedience He punisheth it sayth Antoninus three manner of wayes First per afflictionem corporis by afflicting man in his bodie Secondly per impugnationem orbis by setting the whole world against man and Thirdly per privationem numinis by depriuing him of the vision of God First God punisheth disobedience by laying affliction vpon man in his bodie For the disobedience of Adam he sayth vnto Adam Gen. 3.17 Maledicta terra in opere tuo Cursed be the earth for thy worke for the worke of thy transgression for thy sinne for thy sake Cursed be the earth of thy bodie for thy bodie is but earth cursed shall it be and many waies afflicted Thornes and Thistles diuerse passions and infirmities shall it bring forth vnto thee All the euils of punishment whereto these weake bodies of ours are subiect hunger and thirst and heate and cold and trauaile and trouble and misery and calamitie and weakenesse and diseases yea and death too together with that neuer-ceasing rebellion of the flesh against the Spirit called in Scripture the Concupiscence of the flesh whâ—ch cleaueth fast vnto vs all our life long and is the fountaine and root of all our euill deeds all these are vpon vs for disobedience Secondly God punisheth disobedience by setting the whole world against man For as it is Wisd 5.21 Pugnabit cum illo orbis terrarum contra insensatos The world shall fight with him against the vnwise the world shall take part with God against the disobedient The world that is all the creatures in the world whereof we read vers 18. Armabit creaturam ad vltionem inimicorum The Lord he shall take to him his iealousie for compleat Armour and make the y Wisd 5.17 creature his weapon for the reuenge of his enemies Where by the creature I vnderstand z Lorinus vniuersitatem creaturarum the vniuersitie of Creatures all the Creatures in the world orbem terrarum euen the whole world of Creatures God shall make the creature his weapon for the reuenge of his enemies and the world shall fight with him against the vnwise The thunderbolt is his weapon against the disobedient vers 21. Then shall the right ayming thunder-bolts goe abroad and from the clouds