second causes definite or indefinite necessarie or contingent are but instruments by which Almightie God in his governement of the world ordinarily worketh This doctrine of Almightie God working ordinarily by meanes may serue to our vse sundry waies 1 It may moue vs to a due consideration of that absolute right and power which God holdeth over all is creatures This truth I haue heretofore delivered vnto you in my eighth Lecture vpon this Prophecie in this proposition As is the fire so are all other creatures at the LORDS commandement to be imployed by him in the punishment of the wicked 2 It may teach vs that God hath a loving regard and respect to our infirmities as well knowing for hee knoweth all things that in doubtfull matters we vse often to looke backe and to haue recourse to meanes or second causes 3 It may moue vs to obedience and thankefulnesse that we contemne not the meanes or second causes by which God worketh for this were to tempt God but that we thankefully imbrace them and commit their issue event and successe to God that worketh by them 4 It meeteth with a perverse opinion of such as doe hold that all second causes are needlesse and vnprofitable because God by his particular providence directeth and bringeth to passe all things in the world Thus wil these â—en 〈…〉 determined by Gods providence that I shall 〈…〉 there is no need that I vse Physicke aâ—d â—f 〈…〉 determined that I shall not recouer in 〈◊〉 shall I vse the helpe of Physicke Againe if it be determined that theeues shall haue no power over mee I shall escape from out the middest of many but if it bee otherwise determined that I shall be spoiled by them I shall not escape them no though I be in mine owne house Great is the iniurie which these disputers doe offer vnto God For answer to them I must grant that God hath a very speciall care over vs to defend vs and that we are no time safe but by his providence but meane while to make vs well assured of his good will towards vs hee hath ordained second causes and meanes for vs at all opportunities times convenient to vse in which and by which it pleaseth his heauenly Maiestie to worke effectually The rule in divinitie is good Positâ providentiâ particulari non tâ—â—â—â—tâ—r 〈◊〉 omnes causa secunda It is not necessarie that the first and principall cause being put the second and instrumentall cause should be remoued and taken away The sun doth not in vaine daily rise set though God createth light and darknesse the fields are not in vaine sowed watred with raine though God bringeth forth the come out of the earth our bodies are not in vaine with food refreshed though God be the life length of our daies Neither are wee in vaine taught to beleeue in Christ to heare the preaching of the Gospell to detest sinne to loue righteousnesse to conforme our liues vnto sound doctrine though our saluation and life eternall bee the free gift of God For God hath from everlasting decreed as the ends so the meanes also which hee hath prescribed vnto vs by them to bring vs to the ends This the great Father of this age Zanchius de attributis Dei lib. 5. cap. 2. qu. 5. expresly avoweth His Thesis is concerning life eternall Whosoever are predestinated to the end they are also predestinated to the meanes without which the end cannot possibly be obtained For example whosoever are predestinated to eternall life as all we this day assembled hope we are they are also predestinated to the â—eâ—â—es by which life eternall may bee obtained These meanes vnto eternall life are of two sorts 1. Some are necessarie vnto all of whatsoever age or sexe and they are Christ as our mediatour and high Priest his obedience and righteousnesse our effectuall vocation vnto Christ by the holy Ghost our iustification our glorification These are so necessarie vnto all that without them none can bee saued And therefore all elect infants are inwardly and after a secret manner by the holy Ghost called iustified that they may be glorified 2. Some annexed vnto these are necessary too but not to all Not to infants because they are not capable of them yet to all that are growne to yeares of vnderstanding and these are Actuall faith the hearing of the word a hatred of sinne the loue of righteousnesse patience in adversitie a desire of doing good workes All these meanes we that are growne to years of vnderstanding must embrace and take hold of every one according to our capacities or else wee shall never enter into everlasting life but our portion shall bee in that lake which is provided for the Devill and his Angels from which God Almightie keepe vs all Thus farre occasioned by my first circumstance the circumstance of the punisher God by the King of Assyria sent into captivitie the people of Aram. My doctrine was Almightie God in his governement of the world worketh ordinarily by meanes or second causes The second circumstance is of the punished the Aramites of all sorts the ruder and the noble The people of Aram. To grouÌ„d some doctrine hereon you must note with me the qualitie condition of these Aramites They were professed enimies to the people of God This appeareth before in the third verse where they are noted to haue exercised most barbarous crueltie against the Gileadites a parcell of Israel to haue threshed them with threshing instruments of yron These Aramites or Syrians for so highly offending God sendeth into captivitie The doctrine is Though the LORD 〈◊〉 vse his enimies aâ— instruments to correct his owne servants and children yet will hee in his due times overthrow those his enimies with a large measure of his iudgements Gods holy practise in this kind specially registred in sundry places of his eternal word most evidently declareth this truth The Israelites were kept in the al dome bondage many years by the Egyptians The Egyptians they were but the weapons of Gods wrath wherewith he afflicted his people they were Gods weapons were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse those ten great plagues which at length God wrought vpon them and their fearefull overthrow in the red sea at large set downe in the booke of Exodus froÌ„ the 7. chapter to the end of the 14. This was it which God said vnto Abraham Gen. 15.13 14. Knowe for a suretie that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirâ— foure hundred yeares shall serue them and they shall intreat them evill notwithstanding the nation whom they shall serue will I iudge Ahab the most wicked of the Kings of Israel who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the LORD and his accursed wife Iezebel were Gods instruments to afflict Naboth with the losse of his life and vineyard Ahab and Iezebel were Gods instruments Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse
of thy conscience in this world thou maist hereafter haue full fruition of that eternall peace of God in Heaven Thine vnfeinedly in the Lord for thy good S. B. THE FIRST LECTVRE AMOS chap. 1. ver 1. The words of Amos who was among the heardmen at Tokoa which he saw vpon Israel in the daies of Vzziah King of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel two yeares before the earthquake ONE of the Pharisees in the gospell as if he were vnwilling to be ignorant in so weightie a matter as is mans salvation in a tempting manner asked Christ this question Master what shall I do to inherit eternall life Our Saviour for answere put forth another question and said what is written in the law how readest thou Luk. 10.26 Where we may note that the law is written for man to read that so he may be instructed what he is to doe in discharge of his duty towards God The rich man in Hell prayed Abraham that Lazarus might be sent vnto his fathers house to testifie vnto his fiue brethren lest they also should come into that place of tormeÌ„t To whom Abraham answered They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Luk. 16.29 The parable teacheth vs thus much that vnlesse we delight in hearing the word preached we shall never attaine to the meanes of escaping eternall torments Two notable vses of the word of God Reading and hearing They lead man as it were by the hand to the very point of his felicity For what more blessed then to possesse eternall life Yet 〈◊〉 the Pharisee taught that by reading of the law life eternall might â—ee purchased And is it not a blessed thing to be freed from Hell torments Yet was the rich man told by Abraham that his fiue brethren by hearing of Moses and the Prophets might be saved It was a setled opinion of a Deut. 8.3 old though vttered in fulnes of time by our b Mat. 4.4 Luc. 4.4 Saviour that a man liveth not by bread only but by every 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 wil noâ— trouble you with many instances Many and excellent worâ— the revelations which God gaue vnto the Prophet David yet notwithstanding all them as himselfe witnesseth cap. 9.2 he omitted not the reading of the prophecy of Ieremie Much doubtlesse for the spirituall food of his own soule yet for our ensample also that we should be conversant in the scriptures too It was a worthy commendation which Luke gaue the Romans Act. 17.11 for that as soone as they had heard the word preached by S. Paule 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 read 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 spirituallie fâ—d and nourished vnto everlasting life To these holy exercises both of reading hearing the scriptures the scriptures are full of exhortations fit for all estates for VNâ—RLâ—â—â—ERS that they would search the scriptures because in thâ—â— they thinke to haue eternall life and they do testifie of Christ Iohn 5.39 for BELEEVERS that besides other parts of their spirituall armour they would take vnto theÌ„ the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Ephes 6.17 for YONG MEN that they would rule themselues after the word of God and so clense their waies Psal 119.9 for ALL MEN that they woulde 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 dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit of ioints and marrow it was decreed in a c Nirena Synodus decretis suis tavit ne 〈◊〉 è numero Christianorum sacris â—ibâ—iorum libris caroret Corâ— Agrippa de Van. Scient cap 100 De verbo Dei councell of Nice that no house should be without the holy Bible which d In cupiâ—â— Ieiunii Sire de Tempore Serm. 55 Feria quarta post Dominitam in Quinquagesima Sic etiam autor Sermonum ad fratres in in Eremo Serm 56. Non vobis debet sufficere quod in Ecclesia lectiones divinas audiatis sed in domibus in conviviis vestris quando dies breves sunt etiam aliquibus horis in noctibus LACTIONI divinae debetis insistere Vt in horreo cordis vestri spiritale poscitis triticum comparare c. S. Austen also entended saying Nec solum sufficiat quod in Ecclesia divinas 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 read them Vtinam omnes faceremus quod scriptum est serutamini scripturas It is e Homil 2. Vpon Esai Origent would to God we all did as it is written search the Scriptures Chrysostome f Homil 9 vpon the Epistâ—e to the Colossians saith Comparate vobis biblia animarum pharmacâ— seculares yea lay men get you Bibles for they are medicines of your soules Whereof the godly and first christened Emperour Constantine was well perswaded who therfore gaue g Euseb de vita Constantini lib. 4 ca. 36. Theodorit Hist Eccles lib. â— cap. 16. coÌ„mandement that the Bible should be written out and sent abroad into all the kingdomes countries and citties of his dominion And what other might the perswasion of h Iewel Replie Aâ—t 15. § 13. § 13. § 15. Babington vpon the Lords praier pag. 95. Before this K Alfrede began to translate the Psalter into English c. Foâ—e in Martyrol ad an 899. ex Guliel de Regib Angl. king Adelstane here in England be when he caused the Bible to bee translated into the English tongue that all might read it The much preaching often reading of Gods holy word in the congregations of this land in the daies of her whom of late you loved Queene ELIZABETH haue set vp established her never dying praises And is not God much to bee blessed for our good Iosiah our most dread soveraigne 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 known by the good order he hath takeÌ„ to
set before you al other his liege people Gods word if possible in greatest purity Let God be with the workmeÌ„ I mean the traÌ„slators of the old and new testaments i This sermon was preached in the yeare of our Lord 1605. Nov. 3. Since the Translation is perfected and published the exactest that ever 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 beloved 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 shal except against the reading of it for the hardnesse of the phrase being of the Eunuches mind Act. 8.31 that you cannot vnderstande what you reade except you haue a guid let it be your comfort that his Maiesty in giving his royal assent to those laudable Canons Constitutions Ecclesiastical a greed vpon in the late k Begun at London Anno Do. 1603. Synod at London hath by the 45. 46. canons provided guides for you such as are soberly and sincerely to divide the worde 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 dividing it I promise you in the words of Paul 2. Cor. 12.19 by the help of God to doe all things for your edifying Wherefore beloved giue eare I beseech you with reverent regard and attention to the word of the Lord as it is written Amos 1.1 The words of Amos who was among the heardmen at Tekoa which hee saw vpon Israel in the daies of Vzziah King of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel two yeares before the earthquake This first verse we may call the title of this booke or the preface vnto it It yeeldeth to our considerations sundry circumstances 1 The Prophets name Amos. 2 His former condition of life He was among the heardmen 3 The place of his vsual abode Tekoa 4 The matter or argument of his Prophecie implied in these words The words which he saw vpon Israel 5 The time of his Prophecie In the daies of Vzziah King of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel two yeares before the earthquake Amos Epiphanius in his booke of the liues and deathes of the Prophets holdeth this Amos to be Esays father To which opinion a learned and late Divine l Prolog in 12. proph nâ—n Danaeus seemeth to giue his assent But St Hierome is against it and so are most interpreters So also is Drusius in his sacred observations lib. 4. cap. 21. And worthily For as much as the Hebrew writing of these two names m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of ESAYS father and n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this our Prophets name is evidence and proofe sufficient that they were not one but two names and consequently not one but two men Againe Amos the father of Esay is by interpretation fortis o Hieronym Nic. de Lyra. robustus stout and valiant but Amos our prophet is p Hieron ep ad Paulin. Onustus a man burdened and loaden or q Hier. Lyran avulsus one that is separated from others These divers interpretations of these two names the name of Esays father and this our Prophets name is evidence and proofe sufficient that they were not one but two names and consequently not one but two men Besides Amos our Prophet is in the ancient monuments of the Hebrews surnamed r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est balbus a stutterer stammerer or maffler as Drusius noteth vpon my text We find not any such surname giuen to Esays father Therefore our Amos is not Amos the father of Esay From our Prophets name let vs come to his condition of life and vocation expressed by himselfe in these words VVho was among the heardmen There are two sorts of heardmen the one is of such as do vse the feat and trade of graziers or are sheep-masters such as haue vnder them in pay other heardmen and shepheards In this sense Mesa King of Moab 2. King 3.4 is called a heardman or shepheard and is registred to haue rendred to the King of Israel an hundred thousand lambe and an hundred thousand rammes with the wool The other sort of heardmen is of such as are hired to keepâ— cattel aâ— sâ—e to their feeding safetie such we properly calâ— â—â—ardmâ—n 〈◊〉 shepheards and such a one was Amos our Prophet witnes himselfe cap. 7.14 I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets sonne but I was a heardman or shepheard You see now his former condition of life profession and vocation see also the place where he liued At Tekoa this towne Å¿ Lib de vit Prophet Epiphanius ascribeth to the land of Zabulâ—n t Apud Mercerum R. David to the inheritance of the sonnes of Aser but St Hierome whom with the rest of the expositors of this booke I choose to follow placeth it in the tribe of Iudae six miles southward from Bethlehem Adrachâ—m in his description of the holy land saith it is two miles from Bethlehem More or lesse it s not much pertinent to my present occasion For the place it selfe Tekoa is 2. Chron. 12.6 rehearsed among al those strong Cities which Rehoboam built in Iuda Beyond the City Tekoa as St Hieromae observeth there was not any little village no not so much as a cottage onely there was a great wildernesse called 2. Chron. 20.20 the wildernesse of Tekoa a fit place for a shepheards walke Here Amos for a time led a shepheards life At length God separated him to carry his word against Israel Which is the fourth circumstance of this verse the matter or argument of this prophecie implied in these words The words of Amos which he saw vpon Israel The Hebrew manner is to call sermons words as Ierem. 1.1 The words of Ieremie And Eccles 1.1 The words of the preacher And Haggei 1.12 The words of Haggei And Luk. 3.4 The words of Esay By these words we vnderstand sermons the sermons of Ieremy Ecclesiastes Haggei and Esay So here the words of Amos are the sermons of Amos. VVhich he saw this adiectioÌ„ sheweth that these words of Amos were committed to him by that kinde of propheticall instinct and motion which is tearmed vision as Ariaâ— Montanus observeth in his common disputes of the propheticall bookes Indeed vision is one of the kindes of prophecie In which regard as Sauls servant beareth witnesse 1 Sam. 9.9 Prophets were in the olde time called seers Well then doth Drusius expound this place The words which Amos saw that is the words which God did disclose or reveale
pulsabat Ecce adsum veniat Sp. Sanct. faciat id si potest iudicet me per hanc Scripturam condemnet me si potest per eam dicat si potest erras IACOBE GRETSERE tu causâ cecidisti id si dixerit statim transibo ad vestrum scamnuÌ„ non potest me Spiritus Sanct. iudicare per hanc ScripturaÌ„ Rang. ib. k. 2. a. Behold saith he we stand before the face of this Iudge with that he rose vp and tooke the Bible in one of his hands stroke it with the other wee 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 David Rungeus 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 Sathâ—â— Gretser we doubt not but that the LORD hath or will rebuke thee Dearely beloved in the Lord Schollers can tell you of BroÌ„tes Steropes Pyracmoâ— Polyphemus and others of that rabble of Cyclops and Giants who made a head banded themselues together to plucke Iupiter from out his throne Behold in this Iesuite Venè Cyclopicam audaciam as great impudencie as ever was seene 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 coÌ„bat 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 newe 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 voice but rather the matter of strife and contention It was indeed a strange assertion and by a consequent striking God himselfe the author of holy Scripture Yet you see it is by our modern Iesuits this day matched forasmuch as with their impious assertions touching holy Scripture they do directly strike the holy Spirit It is an old saying ex vngue Leonem A man may knowe a Lyon by his claw Surely let men of vnderstanding consider the audaciousnes impudencie and furie of railing with which those Iesuits before named haue beene throughly replenished they must acknowledge and confesse that those Iesuits were guided by the Spirit of lyes and blasphemies You alreadie see the readinesse of popish Doctors to tread Scripture vnder foot and to do it all the disgrace they can Yet giue me leaue I beseech you by some instance to shew the same vnto you The instance which I make choice of is Gods soveraignety over the Kings and Kingdomes of this world q Hereof I entreated in a Sermon vpon Hos 10.7 Kings and kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almighty A truth included within the generall doctrine commended by S. Paule to the Romans chap. 13.1 All powers that be are ordeined of God acknowledged by Elihu Iob. 34.24 God shall breake the mightie and set vp other in their steed expressed in the praier of Daniel chap. 2.21 God taketh away Kings setteth vp Kings proclaimed as in the Lords owne words Prov. 8.15 16. By me Kings reigne by me princes nobles and iudges do rule This truth hath 3 branches displaied in so many propositions by Lipsius in his r In Monitis Politicis politique advertisements Lib. 1. c. 5. 1 Kings and Kingdomes are given by God 2 Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God 3 Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled governed by God All three are further made good in the infallible evidence of the written word of God The first was Å¿ Regna à Deo Reges dari Lipsius Monit Polit. lib. 1. c. 5. p. 24 Kings and Kingdomes are given by God Thus saith the LORD of Saules successour 1. Sam. 16.1 I haue provided me a King among the sonnes of Ischai and of the revolt of the ten tribes in the rent of the kingdome of Israel 1. King 12.24 This thing is done by me of the victories which Nabuchodonosor was to get over the King of Iudah and other his neighbour Kings the Kings of Edom of Moab of the Ammonites of Tyre of Zidon Ier. 27.6 I haue given all these lands into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the King of Babel my servant It is true which we learne Psal 75.6 Advancement is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the wildernesse Our God is iudge he alone advanceth You see now it is plaine by holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are given 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 removall of Kings translation of kingdomes it s wel known as by the aboue-cited texts of Scripture so by divine examples whereof I might make a long recitall would I remember you out of Gen. 14. of the fall of those Kings delivered into the hands of Abraham out of Exod. 14. 15. of Pharaohs overthrow in the red sea out of Dan. 4. 5. of Nabuchadnezzar Belshazzar his sonne dispossessed of their crownes and out of other places of the divinely inspired worde of like patterns It s plaine without any further proofe that Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God The third was r Regna à Deo Reges temperari Lips Ibid. p. 34. Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled governed by God For proofe hereof I need no more but remember you of that which I recoÌ„mended to you in the beginning of this Sermon even of the wonderfull extent of Gods care providence to the least and basest things in this world as I said to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oile in a poore widdowes house to the falling of sparrowes to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the calving of hinds to the clothing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of tears down our cheeks Shall God care for these vile and base things and shall he not much more order rule and governe Kings and kingdomes Now beloved in the Lord you see by the evidence of holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almightie Giue eare 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 heaven notwithstanding the eternall truth
writ made mention of hath this saying Prov. 13.25 The belly of the wicked shall want True great Solomon The belly of the wicked man shall be emptie His Carmel the very best of his possessions shall yeeld him little profit To make an end of this discourse I would I could write it in your harts what the sweetest singer Psa 107.34 delivereth vnto you touching this point it is worthy your best remembrance A fruitfull land God turneth into barrennes for the wickednesse of theÌ„ 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 look for out of barrennesse And by this one place you see that God turneth a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell 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 overmuch of their fertile and sweet possessions since there is no land so delectable 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 foote of ground or never so small a possession to dwel in but he hath it at Gods hand and vpoÌ„ this condition that he keepe his statutes and commaundements 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 wil send an hoast of enimies against you Art thou rich in mony thou art in danger of theeues art thou plentifull in houshold stuffe thou art in danger of fire hast thou much gold the rust doth venime it and thee is thine apparell gorgious the moth will eate it hast thou store of cattell rottennesse may consume them is thy maintenance by husbandrie blasting and mildewes will hinder thee the i Ioel. 1.4 palmer worme will eate thy fruits that which the palmer worme shall leaue the grashopper shall eate that which the grashopper shall leaue the caÌ„ker worme shal eat that which the caÌ„ker worme shal leaue the caterpiller shall eate 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 behinde 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 deserved 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 Heaven over our head brasse and the Earth vnder vs yron that insteed of raine hee should giue vs dust and ashes that he should take from vs his corne his wine his wool his flax and whatsoever good thing else hee hath lent vs for our vse All this and much more haue our sinnes deserved and yet God withholdeth from vs his revenging hand O the depth of the riches of the mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God Yet stay yee sonnes of Belial and imps of Hell yee wicked ones who serue vnder Sathans Banner Gods mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance is to you very smal advantage S. Basil treating vpon the wordes of the covetous 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 â—nde 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 lived vnder Tiberius Caesar recounting some of the sacriledges of Dionysius clearely carried with frompes and mockeries saith Lento gradu ad vindictam sui divina procedit ira the wrath of God proceedeth to the execution of vengeance with a remisse slow pace but evermore as he well addeth tanditatem supplicij gravitate compensat it recompenseth the slacknesse of punishment with the heavinesse thereof I wil not weary your religious eares with prophane though fit sentences for this argument out of l Lib. 3. od 2. Rarò antecedentem scelestum Deseruit pede poena claudo Horace m Lib. 1. eleg 9 Ah miser et si quis primò perjuria celat Sera tameÌ„ tacitis poena venit pedibus Tibullus n Lib. 3. Quis enim laesos impunè putaret Esse deos Lucan o Lib. de ijs qui tardè a numine corripiuntur Plutarch nor with those wel knowne proverbs Dij lenti sed certi vindices Diâ— lanâ—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 eternall truth he proclaimeth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a p Exod. 34 6. God slow to anger and is for such acknowledged by the never fayling testifications and reports of divinely 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. 20.5 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 ever good Quo tardius eo gravius that the loÌ„ger God is before hee punisheth hee punisheth so much the more grievously 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 hee hath a rod of yron to rule vs yea and to breake vs in
of Babel worthy to be destroyed blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served vs blessed shal 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 eies their houses shall be spoiled and their wiues ravished Thus not to trouble you with many examples we see by the reward of crueltie in the examples of Adonibezek Agag the Babylonians that God abhorreth it God abhorreth cruelty howsoever he doth punish it with another crueltie God repaieth crueltie with cruelty according to the wel known proverb 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 wel assured that the cruell themselues shal tast of cruelty by way of punishment we will be afraid to behaue our selues towards any cruellie All crueltie is checked by the law of God by the sixt coÌ„mandement Thou shalt doe no murder or Thou shalt not kill The law that is written Deut. 25.3 touching fortie stripes not aboue to be giueÌ„ to an offender should draw our cruell rage and fierce affections to pitie 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 bee 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 sight We may be many waies guiltie of crueltie First if we exercise tyrannous cruelty in inflicting punishmeÌ„ts This we know by the aboue cited place out of Deut. 25. Secondly if we fight with or beate our neighbour or maime his body This is a 〈◊〉 a breach of the sixt commaundement but specially 〈◊〉 Levit. 24.19 20. If a man cause anie blemish in 〈…〉 hath done so shall it be done to him Breach for 〈…〉 for tâ—â—th such a blemish as hee hath make in any 〈◊〉 such shall be repaiâ—d 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 accusatioÌ„ or otherwise This is a cruelty and a breach of the sixt coÌ„mandement The offender in this behalfe may bee rankt with Cain Gen. 4.8 where it is said Caine rose against his brother 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 finde a birds nest in the way in any tree or on the ground whether they be yong or egs and the damme sitting vpon the yong or vpoÌ„ the egs thou shalt not take the damme with the yong but shalt in any wise let the damme goe and take the yong to thee that thou maist prosper and proâ—ing thy daies This speciall cruelty is taxed Prov. 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 Levit. 19.14 Thou shalt not curse the dâ—â—st nor put a stumbling blocke before the blinde Sixtly if we iniurie a stranger This a cruelty and specially controlled Exod. 22.21 Thou shalt not doe iniurie to a stranger neither oppresse him Seaventhly if we molest any widowe or fatherlesse childe This is a cruelty and specially checkt Exod. 22.22 Yee shall 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 waies First if we lend mony to the poore vpon vsury This crueltie is taxed Exod. 22.25 If thou lend mony to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an vsurer vnto him yee 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 servant 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 covering and garment for his skin Fourthly if we withdraw our corne froÌ„ the poore This cruelty is taxed Prov. 11.26 He that withdraweth corne the people will curse him Whosoever he be that withdraweth his corne froÌ„ 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 evill of him as that he is a covetous and miserable wretch Now dearely beloved you haue beene taught out of the eternall word of trueth that many waies 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 tauÌ„ting recreatioÌ„ if you vse any of Gods creatures hardly if you iniurie strangers if you molest fatherlesse children widowes if you be too severe in punishing your servants 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 with drawing your corne from him if you offend but in the lest of these you are guilty of cruelty and transgressors of Gods holy commandement The coÌ„sideration whereof if it worke in you the loue of clemencie mercifulnesse happy are you if not I haue discharged my duety Thus 〈…〉 can câ—â—ried by my first doctrine grounded vpon these words They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of 〈◊〉 My doctrine was God is never wel pleased with 〈…〉 Now be patient I beseech you while vpon the same words I ground a seâ—oâ—d doctrine They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instrumeÌ„ts of yron They that is the Syrians Gods enemies haue threshed Gilead that is some of the Israelites Gods own people with threshing instruments of yron The lesson we learne from hence is God often humbleth his servants vnder his foes and their adversaries This point is notably verified in Lot sore pressed vpon by the Sodomites Gen 19.9 in the Israelites hardly dealt with by the Aegyptians Exod. 1.11 c. in the 70. breâ—hren sons of Ierabbam persecuted by Abâ—molech most of the â—nto the death
LORD that he may out off their memorial from the earth So it 's vsed Ezech. 14.13 Sonne of man when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse then will I stretch out mine hand vpō it and will breake the staffe of bread thereof and wil 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 writte and commend vnto you but one more parallell to this in my text It is in the 3. ver of the 2. chap. of this prophecie There thus saith the LORD I will cut of the iudge out of the midst of Moab as here in my text I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and verse 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-Aven the meaning is one and the same I will cut off that is I will vtterly destroy or extinguish Which to bee the meaning of the word the author of the Vulgar Latin acknowledgeth translating the word in the originall not excindam as indeed it signifieth I will cut off but disperdā I will destroy So do the Seaventy 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 destroy overthrowe and extinguish I will cut off the inhabitant the inhabitant what but one yes all and every one of the inhabitants The Holy Spirit in the sacred Scripture vseth so to speake by a word of the singular nūber to vnderstand more then one yea all of that kinde which kind of speech is analogically reduced to the figure Synocdoche Let vs see the truth of this in a few instances In Exod. 8.6 it is said when Aarō stretched out his hand vpō the waters of Egypt that then the frogge came vp and covered the land The frogge It were senselesse to thinke that one frogge could cover 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 fierie serpents sent among them by the LORD to sting them to death of which wee read verse the 6. Ieremie in chap. 8.7 saith that the storke the turtle the crane the swallow doe knowe obserue their appointed times The storke the turtle the crane the swallow We may not thinke 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 knowe 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-Aven Of Bikeath-Aven the Greek Translators taking the words partly appellatiuely and partly properly doe render them the field of On. In like sort Gualter the valley of Aven The author of the Vulgar Latin vnderstanding them wholy appellatiuely rendreth them the field of the Idol and so they may signifie the plaine of Aven the plaine of griefe the plaine of sorrow as Calvin observeth Innius and Tremellius doe render it as before Gualter è convalle Avenis the valley of Aven vnderstanding thereby the whole coast of Chamatha which way Syria bordereth vpon Arabia surnamed the Desert Calvin saith it is vncertain whether Bikeath-Aven 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 ioineth with him And our English Geneva Translatiō draweth vs to be of the same mind that Bikeath-Aven 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 find Mercer and Drusius and our English Translators at Geneva to haue beene And Calvin 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 of Coelesyria wherein stood the city Eden The author of the Vulgar Latin takes Beth-Eden for an appellatiue and translates it the house of pleasure Such indeed is the significatiō of the word and it is by Arias Montanus Ribera applied to signifie the city of Damascus as if Damascus were there called not only Bikeath-Aven that is the field of the Idol because of the Idolatrie 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 absurditie 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 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 86. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scepter-bearers Hereby wee vnderstand what we read in the storie of Hester chap. 8.4 King Assuerus hold 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 favour vnto Hester by holding out his mace vnto her in the later Iacob prophecieth of the stabilitie and continuance of the Kingdome in the tribe of Iudah till the comming of the Messias Here then he that holdeth the scepter in Beth-Eden is the King abiding in Beth-Eden Hitherto beloved haue I laboured to vnfold the words of my text I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden I the LORD with my mighty power will cut off will vtterly consume and destroie the inhabitant not one only but every one that dwelleth in Bikeath-Aven the so named city of Syria There will I not staie my hand but I will also with my mighty power cut of vtterly consume and destroy him that holdeth the scepter not only the
with your redoubted soveraigne They will tell you that your king is an Hereticke because he maintaineth not their Romish new and vpstart religion and will therevpon goe about to perswade you that you are not to keepe your faith with him It is a Devilish doctrine They haue learned it from Martin the fift one of their holy Popes f Cochlaeus Hist Hussit lib. 5. Rainold Thes § 42. pag. 188. Margin who in his Epistle to Alexander Duke of Lituania saith Scito te peccare mortaliter si servabis fidem datam haereticis Know saith he that thou sinnest mortally if thou keepest thy oath made with heretickes If vpon this perswasion you will not bee drawne to breake your oath which you make a conscience of then will they further tell you that the Pope hath already given you absolution and a dispensation for your oath Pope g Caus 15. qu. 6. c. Nos SaÌ„ctoruÌ„ Nos eos qui excommunicatis fidelitate sacrameÌ„to constricti sunt Apostolicâ autoritate sacrameÌ„to absolvinê° Gregorie the seaventh of that name saith we by Apostolicall authority do absolue all from their oaths which they haue given to persons excommunicate The words are in Gratians decree caus 15. qu. 6. c. 4. We by Apostolicall authority do absolue all from their oathes c. But who are excommunicate by Romish exposition I wil tell you out of the great lawyer Panormitan not they only against whom the sentence of excommunication is pronounced For saith h Extra de Iudiciis Cap. Cùm in homine Cùm est crimen notorium nullâ est opus declaratione senteÌ„tiae excommunicationis Panormitan when the Heresie is publikely knowne there needeth no pronuntiation of the sentence of excoÌ„munication And who are such hereticks as against whom there needeth no pronuntiation of the sentence of excommunication i Lib. 1. de justa punit Haeretic Alfonsus de Castro and k Instruct Sacerd. lib. 1. cap. 19. Qui intelligens aliquam senteÌ„tiam expressê ab ECCLESIA damnatam eam retinuerit Haereticus pertinax est censendus To let the Iesuit will tell vs that whosoever maintaineth any doctrine condemned in the Church of Rome he is to be accounted an obstinate Hereticke Well then all Protestants Princes and subiects maintaining true Christian doctrine such as is condemned in the Church of Rome are in Popish account obstinate Hereticks and therefore ipso facto already excommunicate there needeth no pronuntiation of the sentence of excommunication against them Wherevpon it followeth that in every kingdome where the King is a professed Protestant the subiects are already absolued from their oath of allegiance I will not in this auditorie further enlarge this point A point I grant fitter for the convent of the profound and learned then for this place Wherefore I shut vp this point beseeching you to suffer a word of exhortation Howsoever Pope l Apud Gratian Caus 15. qu. 6. Gregorie the seaventh that same m Magus Necromanticus praestigiis Diabolicis Papatum invasit Szeged spec Pontif. Vrsin spec Iesuit sorcerer and n Cum Mathilde comitissa occultum habuit commercium Vrsin Spec. Iesuit p. 265. adulterer and o Lib. 5. Decret tit 7. cap. 6. glossa Nos excommunicamus vniversos haereticos vt absolutos se noverint omni fidelitatis debito qui iis juramento tenebantur ostricti Gregorie the ninth and p In Bulla Absolvimus subditos vinculo juramenti quo Reginae Elisâ—bethae coÌ„stricti tenebantur Pius the fift and all succeeding Popes shall absolue you from your oath of allegiance yet dearely beloued beleeue them not Peter and the Apostles Act. 5.29 doe put you in mind that it is better to obey God then men And God in his holy word coÌ„mandeth you to be subiect to the higher powers as you haue already heard RoÌ„ 13.1 to honour the King 1. Pet. 2.17 to submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man for his sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto other governours verse 13. You haue taken your oath of allegiance and sworne obedience to your King breake not this your covenant with him that Gods wrath break not forth in fire against you as it did against these Tyrians for not remembring the covenant of brethren Thus farre by occasion of the first exposition of these words They remembred not the covenant of brethren that is they remeÌ„bred not the covenant made betweene their King K. Hiram and the King of Israel King Solomon Now somewhat of the other exposition They remembred not the covenant of brethren that is they remembred not the covenant made by nature betweene the Iewes Israelites and Edomites brethren lineally descended from two naturall brethren Iacob and Esau They knewe full well that the Iewes and Israelites were the issue of Iacob the Edomites of Esau they knew likewise that the Edomites bore a mortall hatred towards the Iewes and Israelites yet sold they the Iewes and Israelites vnto the Edomites and are therefore here said not to remember the brotherly covenant The man that conspireth mischiefe and destruction to his brother is a monster in nature worthy to be pursued with eternall detestation and whosoever abhorreth not from consenting to such a wickednesse but giueth furtherance or countenance thereto he is holden in the same impietie The Edomites sought the destruction of the Iewes Israelites the Tyrians did further them in their bloody designes the Tyrians therefore are partakers with the Edomites in the sinne of vnmercifulnesse Which sinne is here laid vnto their charge in these words They remembred not the brotherly covenant Hence we may take this lesson It is a thing very distastful 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 avow it to be a very distastfull thing vnto God for brethren to bee at variance among themselues I shall haue fit opportunitie to entreat wheÌ„ I shal come to the 11. verse of this chapter where Edom is reproued for pursuing his brother with the sword Of the other part wherein I doe affirme it to be an vpleasing 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 vnpleasant vnto God for any to countenance brethren in their quarrels The advise is good which S. Paule giueth Ephes 5.11 Haue yee no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but eveÌ„ reproue them rather What are the workes of darknesse but the workes of the flesh Now in Galat. 5.19 in the Catalogue of the workes of the flesh we find hatred debate wrath contention With these therefore we must haue no fellowship we must reproue theÌ„ rather Must we haue
vpō the earth But it fareth with vs as it did with Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.5 We are brethren in evill the instruments of cruelty are in our habitations They in their wrath slew a man and what do 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 beloved 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 speach was vnto Christians in Christianisme diversity of sex maketh no difference So saith the Apostle Gal. 3.28 Male and female all are one in Christ To you therfore this reproofe 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 Ps 57.4 calleth a sharpe sword you are given to vexe them of your owne house or shal backbite or sclander any know that Edom-like you do pursue your brother with the sword And take I beseech you my propounded doctrine as belonging vnto you also It is a thing very distastefull 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 every good Christian embraceth the Church of God and the members thereof with the bowels of loue This brotherly kindnesse S. Peter 2. Ep. 1.7 commendeth vnto vs as whereto we ought to giue all diligence David Psal 133.1 stileth it with the sweet name of Vnitie 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 sweetnes pleasantnes 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 beard and so to the borders of his garments Behold the sweetnes and pleasantnes of vnity That sweet perfume ointment that holy oile powred out vpon the high Priest and his garment was not only pleasant and delightfull to himselfe but did also yeeld a sweete smelling savour to all that were about him So is it with vnitie Is not only 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 Hermō which fell vpon the moūtaines of Sion where the LORD appointed the blessing and life for evermore Behold the fruit and profit which commeth by Vnity The dew and wet that fell downe from heaven vpō Hermon and Sion made those hils and the plaine countries neere them fertill so doth Vnity bring with it great fruit and profit It makes them among whom it is sincerely observed it makes them through Gods blessing fruitfull and plentifull in good workes towards God and in him and for him towards men one of them towards another This vnity cōcord brotherly loue mutuall consent and agreement if it be vnfeigned hath the promises both of this life and of that to come of peace and quietnes in this life and of eternall ioies in the life to come One of the notes by which wee may bee assured of God his speciall loue and favour is the loue of our brethren Now that we deceiue not our selues in this loue S. Iob. 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 Wee must loue our brethren principally because they are the sons of God and members of Christ This rule he intimateth chap. 5.1 Every one that loveth him which begat loveth him also which is begotten of him that is whosoever loveth God the Father hee loveth also the sons of God his naturall son Christ Iesus his sons by grace and adoption all Christians 2 Christiā brotherly loue must not be outward in shew only but inward in the heart This rule he giveth vs chap. 3.18 Let vs not loue in word nor in tongue only but indeed in truth 3 Christian brotherly loue must be not only in time of prosperity but when most need is This rule he giveth vers the 17 Whosoever hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Let these rules beloved be your direction Loue yee everie one that is called a Christian not because he is rich or in authority but because he is a Christian the son of God by grace and adoption Loue yee him not outwardly in shew only but inwardly in heart in deed in truth Loue him not only in his prosperous and flourishing estate but in his greatest need and be yee assured that the speciall loue and favour of God will be your shield and protection Three things there are that do reioice God saith Ecclesiasticus chap. 25.1 The vnity of brethren the loue of neighbours a mā his wife agreeing togither The first which is the vnity of brethren according to my former construction compriseth the other two All Christians are brethren in Christ a neighbour to a neighbour a husband to his wife a wife to her husband For as I said in Christ there is no differēce of sexe there is neither male nor female all are brethrē in Christ and therfore that neighbour that loveth not his neighbour the husbād that is at ods with his wife the wife that agreeth not with her husband they are guilty of the breach of brotherly loue That exhortation made by S. Paule to the Romanes cha 12.10 concerneth all of you all of both sexes without any difference Be ye affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue I conclude this point with the same Apostles words 1. Cor. 1.10 and 2. Cor. 13.11 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our LORD Iesus Christ that yee speake all one thing and that there bee no dissentions among you Be of one minde liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you Thus far of the first branch in the description of Edoms sin and of the doctrine grounded therevpon The doctrine was It is a thing very distastefull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues It was grounded vpon these words He did pursue his brother with the sword It followeth And did cast of all pity or after the Hebrew text did corrupt his compassions which reading is expressed in the margin of our Church Bible and the Geneva translation The English translation set out by Tyndall reads it otherwise He destroyed his mothers wombe and Winckleman reads it violaverit vterum and violated or abused the mothers wombe both do allude to the Greeke edition of the
belli against the day of battell So here the LORD threatneth against Rabbah a shouting in die 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 wordes With shouting in the day of battell It is to proclaime warre against Rabbah the chiefe city of the Ammonites and consequently against their whole kingdome This proclamation is more plainely delivered Ierem. 49.2 Behold the daies 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 her daughters shall be burnt with fire FroÌ„ this proclamation of warre made by our prophet Amos as in the Lords owne words saying I wil kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell we 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 Levitic ver 25. thus saith the LORD vnto Israel If ye walke stubbornly against me will not obey me then I will send a sword vpon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my couenant And Ierem. 5.15 vnto the house of Israel thus saith the LORD Lo I will bring a nation â—pon you from farre You heare the LORD speaking in his owne person I will send I wil bring as here I wil kindle Will you any other witnes 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 regarde the person of the old nor haue compassion on the yonge the same shall eate the fruit of thy cattle and the fruit of thy land vntil thou be destroied and he shal leaue thee neither wheat nor wine nor oile nor the increase of thy kine nor the flockes of thy sheepe vntill hee haue brought thee to nought By this speech of Moses we plainely see that warre and all the evils of warre are from the LORD that warre is r Cominaeus Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. one of the accomplishments of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts 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 beloved 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 dayly sinning wee provoke Almighty 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 haven of sinners let vs possesse it in our hearts The Angels of heaven need it not because they sinne not the Devils in Hell care not for it for their iudgement is sealed It only appertaineth to the sonnes of men therefore let vs the sonnes of meÌ„ possesse it in our hearts that is let vs truely vnfeinedly forsake our old sinnes and turne vnto the LORD our God so shall this blessed peace all other good things be continued among vs. But if we will persist in our evill waies 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 devoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battaile Thus much of the terrour of this iudgemeÌ„t Now followeth the speed in the next circumstance With a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde Suiting hereto is the reading of Mercer cum tempestate in die turbinis and that of Tremellius cum procella in die turbinis with a storme or tempest in the day of the whirlewinde Calvin hath in turbine in diâ— tempestatis in a whirlewinde in a day of tempest Brentius in turbine in die tempestatis in a whirlewinde and in a day of tempest Gualter cum turbine in die tempestatis with a whirlewinde in a day of tempest And this reading Drusius rather approveth then the former Take which you wil the meaning is one the same Namely that the warre here denounced to the Ammonites in the former clause should come vpon them tanquam turbo in die tempestatis like vnto a whirlewinde in a tempestuous and stormie day Turbine nihil celerius a whirlewinde comes suddainely and with speed so was this warre to come vpon the children of Ammon Thus haue we the meaning of our Prophet let vs nowe take a view of such doctrines as may from hence bee taken for our further instruction First whereas the punishment here threatned to the Ammonites is to come vpon them with a whirlewinde in a day of tempest in a tempestuous and stormy day we may learne that Stormes Tempests Whirlewindes and the like are the Lords creatures ready at his commande to be employed by him in the avenging of his quarrell against sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the primary principal efficient cause of stormes tempests whirlewindes and the like is God God as he is the sole maker totius vniversitatis rerum of this world and all that is in it so is he also a most free and omnipotent ruler of the same He alone is able to raise tempests and at his pleasure to allay them againe Who raised the storme that endangered the ship wherein Ionah was was it not the LORD Yes For so it 's written Ion. 1.4 The LORD sent out a great winde into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea so that the shippe was like to be broken Neither was this tempest caâ—â—â—ed till rebellious Ionah was cast out of the ship into the Sea 〈◊〉 it appeareth ver 15. Well therefore is it â—â—â—ll of the Psalmist Psal 148.8 of fire haile and snow and vapours stormie windes that they execute Gods word they are all ready at his commandement to execute what he wil haue them to do Windes and tempests they depend not vpon chance or blind fortune but on the soveraigne power of the Almighty Creatour So true is my doctrine Stormes Tempests Whirlewinds the like are the Lords creatures ready at his command to be employed by him in the avenging of his quarrell against sinners One vse of it is for our instruction Whosoeuer hee bee that walketh by land or passeth by sea if windes stormes or tempests doe hinder his purpose or disquiet him in his enterprise hee must assigne it to the providence of Almightie God A second vse serveth for reproofe of such as are of opinion that witches sorcerers coniurers and the Devill can Å¿ Grynaeus in
wont to begin his learning with God and S. Nicholas be my speed For such as neezed the prayer was God helpe and S. Iohn And for the stumbling horse God and S. Loy saue thee May not now a Godâ—y man iustly for zealous indignation cry out O heaven O 〈◊〉 O feaâ— what madnesse wickednesse against God were our forefathers fallen into They tooke delight in the service of stocks and stones the workes of their owne hands they worshipped and serued the creature aboue the Creator which is blessed for ever But what profit had they of such their worship Found they any helpe in the day of visitatioÌ„ No. Those Images themselues could not helpe themselues how then could they help their worshippers Themselues were broken downe and removed from out our churches their worshippers are removed with them In their steede the light of the glorious gospell of God now shineth in our churches now is superstition exiled the true service of God is come in place and Christ for his mercies sake touch vs and giue vs feeling and make vs thankful for this so great a blessing Thus haue you the first vse A second followeth It serveth for a reproofe to vs also For though wee haue cast of the yoke of Romish superstition and haue kept our selues vnspotted of the adoration and worship of Images yet are wee not free froÌ„ Idolatry but are many waies stained therewith Whatsoever this world hath visible or invisible outward or inward if it displace God of his right by carying our heart and hope after it it is our Idol Thus is gold siluer or our mony an Idol if we make it our hope or say to the wedge thou art my coÌ„fidence Iob. 31.24 In this sense S. Paule Coloss 3.5 calleth covetousnes Idolatry and Eph. 5.5 he calleth the covetous person an Idolater Thus is our substance an Idol if as Iob speaketh chap. 31.25 We reioice because it is great or because our hand hath gotten much Like those Habak 1.16 Who did sacrifice to their nets burne incense to their flues where all they are taxed for Idolaters who because their portion is encreased and their meale plenteous by such instruments and helps as they vse in their trades of life do forget the right authour of their wealth arrogate all to themselues and their serviceable meanes Thus is our wit and vnderstanding an Idol when we ascribe vnto theÌ„ our getting of riches of gold silver into our treasures like the prince of Tyrus Ezech. 28.2 who with this conceite exalted in heart brake out into that most blasphemous challenge I am a God and I sit in the seate of God in the middest of the sea Such is the Idol of the Polititians shall I call them or Atheists of this age who take themselues to be wiser then Daniel as the prince of Tyrus did and are perswaded that Moses and the Prophets are not so able to instruct them as they themselues Thus is our strength an Idol if we boast of it as Sennacherib did Esai 37.24 who bragged what great matters he had done by the multitude of his chariots but touching the true LORD of hoasts as if he were lesse then nothing he vauÌ„teth to Hezekiah king of Iudah vers 10. Let not thy God deceiue thee Thus is our belly our God when walking after the lusts of our flesh we serue not the LORD Iesus Christ but our owne bellies as S. Paule speaketh Rom. 16.18 Of such speaketh the same Apostle Philip. 3.19 Many do walke as enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is daÌ„nation whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who minde earthly things Whose God is their belly Thus beloved you see what Idols are yet remaining among vs how we are defiled with them What remaineth but that we suffer our selues to be exhorted in the words of Barnabâ—s Paule to the men of Lystra Act. 14.15 that we would turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from those vaine Idols to serue the living God Thus farre of my second doctrine which was Neither Melchom of the Ammonites nor any other Idol of any other people can saue themselues in the day of captivity much lesse can they saue the people that do trust in them and worship them Which doctrine I grounded vpon the second reading of my text Melchom shall go into captivity he and his princes together Nowe followeth the third generall part of this prophecie against the children of Ammon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith the LORD This is the conclusion of this prophecie in redoubleth it's authority and credit Authority and credit sufficient it hath froÌ„ it's 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 do it Hath he spokeÌ„ it and shall he not accomplish it The LORD IEHOVAH 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 titles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heaven and earth shall passe before one iote or one title of Gods word shall scape vnfulfilled IEHOVAH the LORD saith whatsoever 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 Angel nor any other creature how excellent soever but only the living and immortall God This truth may likewise be grouÌ„ded vpon the preface to the ensuing prophecy And therfore sith my houre is almost spent and your attention welnigh tired I put of the handling of this doctrine till God giue me opportunity to speake againe vnto you Meane time let this which hath been delivered 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 invisible the onely wise God three persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS