life Act. 3.15 Some they scourged They scourged Paul He shall testifie for himselfe 2. Cor. 11.24 Of the Iewes fiue times receiued I fortie stripes saue one and vers 25. Thrice was I beaten with rods Some they persecuted from citie to citie So they dealt with Barnabas Act. 13.50 Some they vexed with many kinds of crueltie S. Steuen may be one instance They gnashed on him with their teeth Act. 7.54 They smote him with their tongues saying we haue heard him speake blasphemous words against Moses and against God Act. 6.11 They came vpon him and caught him and brought him to the councell vers 12. They cast him out of the cittie Act. 7.58 and they stoned him vers 59. In a word they made such t Act. 8.3 hauocke of the Church in those prime dayes thereof as that the messengers of God were enforced through the bitternesse of their spirit to complaine with the Apostle Rom. 8.36 u Psal 44.22 For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe appoynted for the slaughter And thus you see what is the portion of Gods Ministers vnder the new Testament Vnder both New and Old they are liable to the disgraces and vexations of this wicked world So true is my proposition The wicked are euermore in a readinesse to doe all the disgrace and dispite they can to the true Prophets of the Lord and his Ministers Yet not to them onely not onely to the true Prophets of the Lord and his ministers but to you also of the laitie to as many of you as haue a true desire to liue in the feare of God and to die in his fauour to as many of you as are willing to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts that yee may liue x Tit. 2.13 soberly iustly and piously in this present world Your lot will be the same with ours The wicked will be euermore in a readinesse to doe vnto you also all the disgrace and despite they can You must put on the Liuery and cognisance of Christ as well as wee The most principall and royall garment which he wore while he liued vpon the earth was affliction Affliction It must be your coate too it must be your liuery You will hold him for an vndutifull and an vngracious child that is ashamed of his father you will take him for a malapert and a sawcie seruant that refuseth to weare his masters liuery Christ is your Father he is your Master Take heed then that you shew not your selues vndutifull vngracious malapâ—rt or sawcie in refusing to be as he was clothed y Reuel 19.13 with a vesture dipt in bloud The z Mark 3.17 sonnes of Thunder Iames and Iohn would needs be aduanced in the Kingdome of Christ to sit the one on his right hand the other on his left But what doth Christ Doth he graunt their request He doth it not He thus speakes vnto them a Mat. 20 22. Mark 10.38 Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with Vpon their answere which is affirmatiue we are able Christ farther saith vnto them ye shall indeed drinke of the cup that I drinke of and with the baptisme that I am baptised with shall ye be baptised But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to giue but it shall be giuen to them for whom it is prepared It is as if Christ had said in fewer words ye must of necessitie beare the Crosse before yee can weare the Crowne But you will say Iames and Iohn were of the number of the twelue Apostles and that they indeed by their calling were to take vp their crosse and to follow Christ but what is that to vs to vs who are not of the ranke who are not Prophets nor Apostles nor Ministers S. Paul shall answere you for me 2. Tim. 3.12 All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Thuâ— haue you my doctrine enlarged The wicked are euermore in a readinesse to doe all the disgrace and despite they can not onely to the true Prophets of the Lord and his Ministers but also to the true seruants of God of what vocations estate or condition soeuer they be Now let vs a little examine the reason why the wicked should stand thus affected towards the godly The reason is because they hate the Godly They hate the Godly and therefore will they doe them all the disgrace and despite they can The wicked hate the Godly It is no new thing It s no rare thing No new thing for b Gen. 27.41 Esay hated Iacob c Gen. 21.9 Ismaell Isaac and d Gen. 4.8 Cain Abell It s no rare thing for it is exceeding common at all times in all places The consideration wherof made S. Peter thus to speake vnto the faithfull in his dayes Beloued thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall which is to try you as though some strange thing were come vnto you Thinke it not strange it s no strange thing It is Epistle 1. chap. 4.12 So S. Iohn Epist 1. chap. 3.13 Maruaile not my brethren if the world hate you Maruaile not It s no point of wisedome to wonder at that which is neither Magnum nor Novum nor Rarum If it be not a great thing or new or rare maruaile not at it A Father of the Schooles e Comments in 1. Johan 3. Aquinas auoucheth it that there is no cause of maruaile if it be not either great or new or rare Now that the world that is amatores mundi the louers of the world wicked carnall irreligious and prophane men liuing in the world should hate the Godly non est magnum it is no great matter The Physition that binds a franticke man if he be bitten by him non reputat magnum he counts it not any great matter but excuseth his patient for his frensies sake The wicked are as this franticke man the Godly as the Physition whence it is that vpon those words Gen. 4.8 Cain rose vp against Abel for against Abel the glosse saith f Contra medicum against his Physition Thus you see it s not magrum no great matter that the wicked doe hate the Godly Nor is it Novum nor is it Rarum it s neither new nor rare as you haue alreadie heard It s no great matter nor is it any new thing or rare that the world should hate you therefore maruaile not if it hate you Yea say I it were much to be maruailed at if it should not hate you For such are the contrary dispositions of Saints and worldlings of the wicked and the Godly that of necessitie there will euer be occasioned contentious oppositions betweene them The consideration hereof drew from S. Iames those words chap. 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Know ye not that is saith Aquinas Ignorare
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
bow HE that handleth the bow is in the language of the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bowman the archer the shooter He shall not stand Hee shall not dare to abide his ground or if he abide it he shall not be able to bend his bow so through feare shall the f Dan. 5.6 ioynts of his loynes be loosed and his knees shall smite the one against the other This anguish or perplexitie shall betide him according to Ionathan in his Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bicrabha in time of skirmish and fight euen then when his bow should stand him most in steed By this bow I vnderstand not the bow alone and arrowes but euery other weapon and instrument of warre From hence ariseth this doctrine It s not the bow and arrowes or sword or any other instrument of warre that can any whit avayle vs when God will punish For proofe hereof I produce the iudgement of God vpon Gog the cheife Prince of Meshech and Tubal Ezech. 39.3 where thus saith the Lord Behold I am against thee O Gog and I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and will cause thine arrowes to fall out of thy right hand Bow and arrowes There is no helpe in them None at all nor in the sword nor in any other militarie engine Therefore doth the Psalmist Psal 44 6. renounce all trust in them His words are I doe not trust in my bow neither can my sword saue me His bow and sword he doth not much care for Wherein then is his trust It is in the might and strength of God Gods power was his buckler whereto he trusted for his owne defence and for the discomfiture of his enemies It is the Vse we are to make of the doctrine now propounded We must not repose our trust in any externall helpe the bow the sword or the like for this were indeed to rob God of his glory and to runne to the creature for helpe Our helpe is but one and that is the Lord of Hosts Dominus Deus auxiliator meus Esay proclaimeth it twise in one chapter chap. 50. First vers 7. The Lord God is my helper secondly vers 9. Behold the Lord God is my helper The Lord God is my helper behold he is my helper Surely Esay looked for no helpe but from the Lord his God Nor did Ieremie looke for any but from the same eternall fountaine of helpe and therefore chap. 20.11 he saith Dominus mecum est quasi bellator fortis the Lord is with me as a stout or mighty warriour Nor did Dauid looke for any but from the same He Psal 18.2 acknowledgeth the Lord and him onely to be his strength his succour his fortresse his deliuerer his God his rocke wherein he trusteth his buckler the horne of his saluation and his high tower The like he doth Psal 144.1 2. Where what is his strength but the Lord What his goodnesse his fortresse his high tower his deliuerer his shield but the Lord The Lord alone is he in whom Dauid trusteth The bow the sword the speare and euery other militarie weapon he knew to be meere vanitie without help◠from the Lord and therefore the Lord was to him in steed of all And let the Lord be to vs in steed of all in steed of bow of sword of speare of buckler of shield of fortresse of tower and of euery other militarie engine and vnder g Psal 36.7 the shadow and h Psal 61.4 couert of his wings we i Psa 119.117 shall be safe Must the Lord be vnto vs in steed of all In steed of bow of sword of speare and the rest Ergóne omnis armorum vsus abijciendus VVhat Shall we therefore condemne cast away or neglect the bow the sword the speare all kind of artillerie furniture or munition that men doe vse either for the priuate defence of themselues or for the publicke of the Country No in no wise This were too too Anabaptisticall And I am no Anabaptist that I should maintaine it to be vnlawfull for a Christian either to make weapons for the vse of man or to vse them being made They denie it to be lawfull to vse the sword I affirme it to be lawfull My assertion is All men into whose hands God putteth the sword may vse the sword euen to strike and kill if neede be Now God putteth the sword first and principally into the hand of the publicke Magistrate who when iust occasion serues may draw it out And sometime he putteth it into the hand of a priuate man A priuate man when he is assailed of his enemie may take the sword in way of his owne defence and may if there be no other helpe kill his enemie therewith so he doe it not vpon any malice but onely because he cannot otherwise escape and saue his owne life Now to the question My answer is Non reijcitur vsus sed fiducia The bow the sword the speare and other instruments of warre are not to be condemned not to be cast away not to be neglected but to be vsed Non reijcitur vsus sed fiducia their vse is not forbidden but our trust in them The vse of all kinde of weapons is common as well to the wicked as to the godly the difference is in the trust The wicked they vse them and trust in them the godly they vse them too but their trust mounts higher euen to the Lord of Hosts The distinction then here to be obserued is Vt vsus creaturis fiducia verò creatori deputetur Vse the bow the sword the speare and euery other martiall weapon when then shalt haue iust occasion but see that thy trust be euer in the Lord. S. Chrysostome vpon those words of the 44. Psalme I trust not in my bow neither shall my sword saue me saith Why then dost thou vse them Why art thou armed VVhy handlest thou the bow VVhy the sword The answer there is returned Because our God hath so commanded therefore I vse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet I cast my whole care on him in him I doe wholy trust Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus fortified fensed with power from aboue we are to fight against our visible enemies and thus fortified and fensed with power from aboue we are to fight against our Spirituall enemies The chiefe of them is the Deuill Our fight against him is a daily fight For our direction in this fight we haue S. Chrysostomes direction VVhen thou art to combat with the Deuill say I trust not in my weapons I trust not in mine owne strength or mine owne righteousnesse but in the mercy of God say with Daniel chap. 9.18 O my God encline thine eare and heare open thine eyes and behold our desolation we present our supplications before thee not for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great mercies Saue vs O Lord saue thy people from the power and furie of this immortall enemie Though as a roaring
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
Besides these there are other workes of God as begun so ended also extra personas externally and they are of two sorâ—s either supernaturall such I call the â—â—raculous workes of God or naturall such as are the creation of the world the preseruation of the same and the gouernment of it All these workes of which kinde soeuer whether miraculous or workes of nature are common to the whole Trinity The Father worketh the Sonâ—â— worketh and the Holy Ghost worketh as in doing of wonders so in creating all things in preseruing all things in gouerning all things Whereupon followeth that which before I affirmed that as the Father is Lord so the Son is Lord and the Holy Ghost iâ— Lord also So the Lord whom I commend vnto you foâ— the speaker in my text is the Vnity in Trinity one God in three persons God Almighty the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Before I goe on to shew you how he speaketh I must make bold vpon your patience to tell you of some duties necessarie duties to be performed by vs towards him as Lord. God is the Lord we are his seruants The duties wee owâ— him in this respect are three to obey him to serue him to profit him The first duty required of vs is obedience vnto God his word laws and commandements This duty whosoeuer performeth shall easily performe the second duty to wit faithfull seruice with all care and diligence to doe whatsoeuer worke it pleaseth God to employ him in and shall not leaue vndone the third duty but shall doe good and be profitable vnto the Lord. All these duties were well discharged by our first parent Adam As long as he was inuested with his robe of innocency he was perfectly obedient a faithfull seruant and profitable to his Lord. Now if it will be doubted here how a man should be profitable to God thus I answer That Gods riches doe consist in his glory and therefore if his glory be increased and enlarged his aduantage is procured The parable of the talents Mat. 25.14 confirmeth this point The parable is there plainly deliuered vnto you The meaning of it is that God giueth vs his graces to this end that wee should vse and increase them for his aduantage Yea God there compareth himselfe to a couetous vsurer â—o greedy of gaine as that he reapeth where he sowed not and gathereth where he scattered not By all meanes he laboureth to gaine glory to himselfe Eliphaz in the 22. chapt of Iob vers 2 3. seemeth in word to thwart and crosse this doctrine For saith he may a man be profitable vnto God Is it any thing to the Almighty that thou are righteous Or is it profitable to him that thou makest thy waies vpright I answer that God indeed is not so tied to man but that he can set forth his glory without him or his righteousnesse yea hee can glorifie himselfe in the vnrighteousnesse and destruction of man yet I say that to stirre vp man to holinesse it pleaseth God in mercy to count only that glory gained which is gained by the obedience of his seruants And therefore I say againe that Adam in the state of his innocency was perfectly obedient a faithfull seruant and profitable to his Lord. But alas man once beautified with innocency with holinesse and with the grace of God is now spoiled of his robes the Queene once cloathed with a vesture of needle worke wrought about with divers colours is now strâ—pt of her iewels and the soule of man once full of grace is now robbed of her ornaments rich attire My meaning is that man once able to present himselfe spotlâ—sse and without blame before the lambe is now fallen from that grace The Preacher Eccl. 7.20 doth assure vs that there is no man iust in the earth that doth good and sinneth not So much doth Solomons question import Prou. 20.9 Who can say I haue purged my heart I am cleane from my sin O saith Eliphaz vnto Iob cap. 15.14 What is man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Behold saith he God hath found no stedfastnesse in his Saints yea the heauens are not cleane in his sight how much more is man vnstedfast how much more abominable and filthy drinking iniquity like water When the Lord looked downe from heauen to see whether there were any childe of man that would vnderstand and seeke God Ps 14.2 could he finde any one framed according to the rule of that perfection which he requireth He could not This hee found that all were gone out of the way that all were corrupt that there was none that did good no not one So sinfull is man in his whole race sinfull in his conception sinfull in his birth in euery deed word and thought wholly sinfull The actions of his hands the words of his lips the motions of his heart when they seeme to be most pure and sanctified yet then are they as vncleane things and filthy â—â—uts Esay 64.6 So that that which is spoken of cursed Cain Gen. 4.14 may in some sense be applied to man in generall that for his sinne he is cast forth from the presence of God and is now become a fugitiue and a vagabond vpon the earth I will not prosecute this point of mans nakednesse any farther By this which hath beene spoken it appeareth plainly how vnfit man is to fulfill those good duties required of him by his Lord God For his first dutie in stead of obedience hee continually breaketh the commandements of his God in thought word and deed For his second duty in stead of waiting vpon God to doe him seruice he serueth Sathan sinne and his owne corrupt desires For his third duty in stead of bringing any aduantage of glory vnto God he dishonoureth him by all meanes leading his life as if there were no God You haue seene now the miserable and wretched estate of man by nature the vassall and slaue of sinne with whom it fareth as it did with Pharaohs seruants when they had sinned against their Lord Gen. 40. You know the story how Pharaohs chiefe Butler was restored to his former dignity when as the Baker was hanged These two seruants of Pharaoh may resemble two sorts of men exiled from paradise and from the presence of God because of their sinne to liue vpon the face of the earth as it were in a dungeon full of miserie namely the reprobate and the elect For the reprobate as they liue so they die in this dungeon and doe die eternally but the elect they are pardoned and restored to their former dignity and enabled by Christ their redeemer and reconciler to God to performe their duties to their Lord their duties of obedience of faithfull seruice and of profitablenesse to obey the commandements of God to performe whatsoeuer seruice is enioyned them and to procure aduantage of glory to their Lord. Beloued I doubt not but that all we who are now
and stagger like a drunken man Thus saith the Lord This powerfull Iehouah whose throne is the heauen of heauens and the sea his floare to walk in the earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man possesseth his secretest reines and diuideth betwixt the flesh the skin and shakest his inmost powers Psal 29.8 as the thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades Thus saith the Lord. Hath the Lord said and shall he not doe it hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Balaam confesseth as much vnto Balak Num. 23.19 God is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Indeed saith Samuel 1 Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not as man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are yea and Amen Verily saith our Sauiour Matth. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall perish before one iote or any one tittle of Gods law shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lord Then out of doubt it must come to passe Hereby you may be perswaded of the authority of this Prophecie and not of this only but of all other the Prophecies of holy Scripture that neither this nor any other Prophecies of old is destitute of diuine authority This point touching the authority of holy Scripture I deliuered vnto you in my second lecture and therefore haue now the lesse need to spend time therein Yet a word or two thereof God almighty spake in old i me to our fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod. 4.12 and not by the mouth of Moses only but by the mouths of all his Prophets Heb. 1.1 and 2 Peter 1.20 Know this that no prophecy in the Scripture is of any priuate motion He giueth the reason hereof ver 21. for the prophecy in old time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Hence sprang those vsuall and familiar 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 saith the Lord. This Lord who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnesse of time when hee 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 for it shall be giuen you what ye shall say 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 and euery parcell thereof is giuen by inspiration of God and hath inward witnesse from that Spirit which is the author of all truth Here may you note the harmonie 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 Thus saith the Lord How then dare we potters claâ— lift vp our hands against him that fashioned vs How dare we absent our selues from his house of prayer where God in and by his holy word speaketh vnto vs How dare we when we are come to this place behaue our selues carelesly negligently irreuerently But I will not at this time presse you any further with this point hauing heretofore in my fourth lecture occasioned by the Lords roaring out of Sion and vttering his vowe from Ierusalem exhorted you in many words to the due performance of your dutifull seruice of God in this place For this present I will onely giue you a taste of the sweetnesse of the word of the Lord conueyed vnto vs by the ministeries of his sanctified Prophets Euangelists Apostles It is the Lords most royall and celestiall testament the oracles of his heauenly sanctuary the only key vnto vs of his reuealed counsels milke from his sacred breasts the earnest and pledge of his fauour to his Church the light of our feet ioy of our hearts breath of our nostrils pillar of our faith anchor of our hope ground of our loue euidences and deeds of our future blessednesse Thus farre the preface proeme or entrance making for the authority of this prophecie Thus saith the Lord. Now followeth the prophecie against the Syrians wherein I commended to your Christian considerations foure things 1 The generall accusation of the Syrians vers 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them verse the 3. I will not turne to it 3 The particular sinne by which the Syrians had so offended God verse the 3. They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron 4 The punishments attending them for this sin set downe generally and specially Generally verse 4. I wil send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ben-hadad Specially vers the 5. I wil breake also the barres of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden the people of Aram shall goe into captiuity vnto Kir Order requireth that I begin with the first part the accusation of the Syrians verse 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure This Damascus was a very ancient citie built as a Arias Montan In â—â—t lib. 36. Stephan Adrichom Hâ—erâ—n Hâ—â— qu â—â—t in Gen. some coniecture by Eliezâ—r the steward of Abrahams house who was surnamed Damascus Gen. 15.2 The first mention of this city is Gen. 14.15 b Aâ—ud H c. ibid Io eph aâ—â—â—q Iuâ—â—â— Lib 1 caâ— 7 â—â—llâ—t in Gâ—n cap. 15. Others holding the name of this city to haue beene more ancient than Abraham doe attribute the building of this city to Huz one of the sonnes of Aram Gen. 10.23 Whereupon Damaâ—cus was called also Aram as c In Esay 17. S. Hierome witnesseth Whatsoeuer were the antiquity of this city it is plaine by Esa 7.8 that it was the Metropolitane and chiefest city of Syria I need not tell you what Lewes Vertomannus a gentleman of Rome saw in this city about some hundred yeares since as the place where Caine slew Abel the place where the bodie of the Prophet Zacharie lay the tower wherein S. Paul was committed to prison and the like that would be beside my purpose For the present know yee that Damascus was the Metropolitane and chiefest city of Syria whence by a figure the figure Synecdoche it is here in my text put for the whole country of Syria By this figure Synecdoche in the name
till the comming of the Messias Here then he that holdeth the scepter in Beth-Eden is the King abiding in Beth-Eden Hitherto beloued haue I laboured to vnfold the words of my text I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden I the Lord with my mighty power will cut off will vtterly consume and destroy the inhabitant not one only but euery one that dwelleth in Bikeath-Auen the so named city of Syria There will I not stay my hand but I will also with my mighty power cut off vtterly consume and destroy him that holdeth the scepter not only the vnder-magistrate but the King himselfe out of Beth-eden another so named city of Syria Bikeath-Auen shall not be able to defend her inhabitants nor Beth-eden her King I will cut off c. Thus farre the exposition Now some notes of instruction You will be pleased to remember with me my three propounded circumstances 1 The punisher the Lord. 2 The punishment a cutting off 3 The punished the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and the King of Beth-eden From the first circumstance The Lord himselfe taking vengeance into his owne hands ariseth this doctrine It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes Which truth hauing beene often commended to your Christian considerations in former lectures I now let passe From all three circumstances of the punisher the punishment and the punished ioyntly considered arise other profitable doctrines First wee see that the cutting off of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and of him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden is the Lords proper worke The lesson which wee may take from hence is this No calamity or misery be falleth any one of whatsoeuer estate or degree by chance or at aduenture It was an errour of the Paynims to hold fortune in so high account b Iuuen. Sat. 10. Te facimus Fortuna Deam coeloque locamus They esteemed her as a goddesse assigned her a place in Heauen They presented her by the image of a woman sitting sometimes vpon a ball sometimes vpon a wheele hauing with her a rasour c Pierius Hieroglyph lib. 29. bearing in her right hand the sterne of a ship in her left the horne of abundance by the rasour they would giue vs to vnderstand that she can at her pleasure cut off and end our happinesse by the ball or wheele that she is very prone to volubility and change by the sterne in her right hand that the whole course of our life is vnder her gouernment by the horne of abundance in her left hand that all out plenty is from her This palpable Idolatry of the Gentiles giuing the glory of the most high to their baâ—e and inglorious abominations wee Christians must vtterly renounce We honor the Lord of hosts alone and to him alone doe we ascribe the soueraingty dominion and rule of the whole world Such is the extent of Gods wonderfull and eternall prouidence The whole world with all things therein is wholly and alone subiect to the soueraignty dominion and rule of Almighty God by his prouidence all things are preserued all things are ruled all things are ordered These are the three degrees by which you may discerne and take notice of the Act of diuine prouidence The first is Gradus conseruationis Trelcat Instit l b. 2 pag. 46. The second Gradus gubernationis The third Gradus ordinationis The first degree is of maintenance or preseruation the second is of rule and gouernment the third is of ordination and direction The first degree which I termed gradum conseruationis the degree of maintenance and preseruation implieth thus much that all things in generall and euery thing in particular are by Almighty God sustained ordinarily in the same state of nature and naturall proprieties wherein they were created This truth is excellently explained Psal 104. 145. 147. In which the Psalmist ioyfully singeth out of the wonderfull Prouidence of God in the maintenance and preseruation of man and euery other creature the beasts of the field the foules of the aire the fishes of the sea d Psal 104.10 11. He sendeth the springs into the vallies that all the beasts of the field may drinke and the wilde asses quench their thirst e Psal 147.8 Psal 104.13 Hee couereth the heauen with clouds prepareth raine for the earth and maketh grasse to grow euen vpon mountaines that cattell may haue food he hath made the mountaines f Psal 104.18 to be a refuge for goats and rockes for conies the Lions g Vers 21. roaring after their prey seeke their meat at him You see Gods care and prouidence for the preseruation of the beasts of the field see the like for the fowles of the aire He hath planted the h Psal 104 16. Cedars of Lebanon for birds to make their nests there and the firre trees for the storkes to dwell in the young i Psal 147.9 rauens that cry vnto him he feedeth Our Sauiour Iesus Christ Matth. 6.26 calls you to this consideration Behold saith he the fowles of heauen they sow not nor reape nor carry into barns yet your heauenly father feedeth them Gods care and prouidence for the preseruation of his creatures here resteth not it reacheth euen to the bottome of the sea There is great k Psal 104.26 Leuiathan there are creeping things innumerable small and great all which wait vpon the Lord that he may giue them food in due season In due season hee giues them food l Psal 104.24 and they gather it he openeth his hand and they are filled with good O Lord how manifold are thy workes In wisdome hast thou made them all the whole world is full of thy riches The prouidence I termed gradum gubernationis the degree of rule and gouernment It implyeth thus much that Almighty God for his vnlimited power gouerneth all things in the world and ruleth them pro libertate voluntatis suae euen as he listeth This point is deliuered not obscurely in many places of holy Scripture as in those generall and vniuersall sayings which doe proue God Almighty euen this day to work in the world and to doe all in all In Esa 43.13 thus saith the Lord Yea before the day was I am and there is none that can deliuer out of mine hand I will doe it and who shall let it Agreeable to this are the words of our Sauiour Ioh. 5.17 My father worketh hitherto and I worke From both these places wee may truly inferre that God worketh in the gouernment of this world day after day euen vntill the end thereof which Saint Paul Ephes 1.11 auoweth He worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will To the consideration hereof Elihu stirreth vp afflicted Iob Chap. 37. wishing him to consider the wonderous workes of God the Clouds and his light shining out of them the thunder Gods maruellous and glorious voice the
Whatsoeuer things are true and honest and iust and pure and doe pertaine to loue and are of good report if there bee any vertue or praise thinke we on these things Thinke we on these things to doe them and we shall not need to feare any going into captiuity yea the destroying Angell shall haue no power ouer vs the raging waters shall not hurt vs our cattell and whatsoeuer else we enioy shall prosper vnder vs. For God euen our owne God shall giue vs his blessing THE Twelfth Lecture AMOS 1.6 7 8. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure I will not turne to it because they carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Azzah and it shall deuoure the Palaces thereof And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon and turne mine hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God THese words doe containe a burthensome prophecie against the Philistines I diuide them into three parts 1 A preface to a prophecie vers 6. Thus saith the Lord. 2 The prophecie vers 6 7 8. For three transgressions c. 3 The conclusion in the end of the eighth verse Saith the Lord God In the prophecie I obserue foure parts 1 An Accusation of the Philistines vers the 6. For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them vers the 6. I will not turne to it 3 The declaration of that grieuous sin by which the Philistines so highly displeased God vers the 6. They carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom. 4 The description of the punishments to be inflicted vpon them in fiue branches One in the seuenth verse and foure in the eighth verse The great Cities Azzah and Ashdod and A hkelon and Ekron and all the rest of the Philistines are partners in this punishment This prophecy for the tenor and current of the words is much like the former against the Syrians the exposition whereof in sundry sermons heretofore deliuered may serue for the exposition of this prophecie also The preface is first Thus saith the Lord Not Amos but in Amos the Lord. The Lord Iehouah who made the heauens and spread them out like a curtaine to cloath himselfe with light as with a garment and can againe cloath the heauens with darknesse and make a sacke their couering the Lord Iehouah who made the sea to lay the beames of his chamber therein and placed the sands for bounds vnto it by a perpetuall decree neuer to be passed ouer howsoeuer the waues thereof shall rage and roare and can with a word smite the pride thereof at his rebuke the flouds shall be turned into a wildernesse the sea shall be dried vp the fish shall rot for want of water and die for thirst the Lord Iehouah who made the drie land and so set it vpon foundations that it should neuer moue and can couer her againe with the deepe as with a garment and so rocke her that she shall reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man Thus saith the Lord The Lord Iehouah whose throne is the heauen of heauens and the sea his floure to walke in and the earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man and possesseth his most secret reines and diuideth betwixt the flesh and the skinne and shaketh his inmost powers as the thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades Thus saith the Lord Hath he 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 titles of his words are yea and Amen Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or any one tittle of his word shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lod Out of doubt then must it come to passe Here see the authority of this prophecie and not of this only but also of all other the prophecies of holy Scripture that neither this nor any other prophecy of old is destitute of diuine authority This point of the authority of holy Scripture I deliuered vnto you in my second and sixt Lectures vpon this Prophecie and then noted vnto you 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 Thus saith the Lord Then must we giue eare vnto him with reuerence But what saith hee Euen the words of this Prophecie For three transgressions of Azzah and foure I will not turne it Azzah Palestina the country of the Philistines was diuided into fiue Prouinces or Dutchies mentioned Iosh 13.3 the Dutchies of Azzah of Ashdod of Askelon of Gath of Ekron These fiue chiefe and the most famous Cities of Palestina are recorded also 1 Sam. 6.17 where the Philistines are said to haue giuen for a sinne offering to the Lord fiue golden Emerods one for Azzah one for Ashdod one for Askelon one for Gath and one for Ekron Against foure of these Cities all saue Gath and against Gath too in the generall name of the Philistines this prophecie was giuen by the ministery of Amos. In the offence or blame Azzah is alone nominated but in the punishment are Ashdod and Askelon and Ekron and the residue of the Philistines remembred as well as Azzah Azzah It 's first named Gen. 10.19 In the vulgar Latine and in the Greeke it 's commonly called Gaza it hath no other name in the new Testament but Gaza It 's so called Act. 8.26 And you may call it by which name you will Azzah or Gaza it 's not materiall Now by this Azzah or Gaza you are to vnderstand the inhabitants of the City and not them only but also the borderers all the inhabitants of the country adiacent to all which our Prophet here denounceth Gods iudgements for their sins For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure These words containing an accusation of the Philistines for their sins and the protestation of Almighty God against them for the same I haue heretofore in my sixt Lecture at large expounded occasioned thereto by the beginning of the third verse and therefore I shall not need at this time to make any long iteration thereof Yet let me relate vnto you the summe and substance of them For three transgressions of Azzah c. It is as if the Lord had thus said If the
but our men in doing as they doe doe sin against their conscience Vnhappy Parents which destroy your children in Popish and Atheisticall houses What are you inferiour to them that sacrificed their children vnto Deuils If your selues be righteous and Christians cast not away your seed your children the price of the precious bloud of Christ You haue made them in their Baptisme when they were young to confesse Christ will you make them now growne to yeeres to deny Christ O let the words of wise Ecclesiasticus chap. 13.1 bee precious in your memories He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith and doubtlesse your children placed in Atheisticall or Popish houses will themselues become Atheisticall or Popish Suffer I beseech you a word of exhortation in your childrens behalfe Binde them to none but to Christ put them to none but to Christians sell them to nothing but to the Gospell commit not your young ones into the hands and custody of Gods enemies A third vse Is it not lawfull to commit the children of beleeuers into the hands of infidels for the reason aboue specified that they be not withdrawne from the true seruice of God Then neither is it lawfull for you of your selues to keepe away your seruants from the seruice of God It is reputed for a tyranny in Pharaoh Exod. 5.3 4. That he would not suffer the children of Israel to goe three dayes iourny into the desart to sacrifice to the Lord their God and how can you free your selues from the impeachment of tyranny if you deny your seruants to goe but one houres iourney to this place to serue their God Thinke it not enough that your selues come hither to performe some duty to Christ your Lord and Master how can you performe your duty to him if you deny him your seruants You know what charge is giuen you in the fourth commandement not your selues only but also your sonnes and your daughters and your seruants men and maidens and the stranger that soiourneth with you are to hallow and Sanctifie the Sabbath day with the Lords seruice In this holy worke and seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day regard not what the multitude and greater sort of men doe Suppose all the world besides your selues would bee carelesse to performe this duty yet let your holy resolution be the same with Ioshua's chap. 24.15 I and my house will serue the Lord. Thus farre of my first doctrine grounded vpon Gods dislike with the Philistines for selling away the Israelites his faithfull people into the hands of the Edomites an vnbeeleeuing nation To ground a second doctrine hereon we are to note that the Philistines sold away the Israelites to the Idumaeans at such time as they were their captiues and so did adde affliction to the afflicted The doctrine is It is a very grieuous thing to adde affliction to the afflicted Witnesse the complaint made by the captiue Iewes against the insolency of the Chaldeans Psal 137.3 They that led vs away captiue required of vs songs and mirth in our heauinesse saying Sing vs one of the songs of Sion They the Chaldeans the Babylonians and Assyrians in whose country wee were prisoners required of vs scornfully and disdainfully thereby to adde to our griefes they required of vs songs such songs as we were wont to sing in Sion Ierusalem and our owne country before the destruction of the Temple and our captiuity They required of vs not songs only but mirth also they scoffingly desired vs to be merry when they saw vs so heauy hearted as nothing could make vs glad They required of vs songs and mirth in our heauinesse saying Sing vs one of the songs of Sion sing for vs or in our hearing some one or other of those Songs which you were wont to sing in Sion when you were at home in your owne country Intolerable is the hard heartednesse cruelty and scoffing nature of the wicked when they haue gotten Gods children into their nets God cannot away with such vnmercifulnesse and want of pity He reproueth it in the Babylonians Esa 47.6 where thus saith the Lord I was wroth with my people I haue polluted mine inheritance and giuen them into thine hand thou didst shew them no mercy but thou didst lay thy very heauy yoke vpon the ancient therefore now heare destruction shall come vpon thee Magna abominatio eoram Deo est afflicto addere afflictionem clamatque in coelum vox sanguinis The words are the obseruation of Oecolampadius vpon the now cited place of Esay It is a great abomination before God to adde affliction to the afflicted the voice of bloud cryeth vp to Heauen for vengeance Yea we are assured by Psal 102.19 that the Lord looketh downe from the height of his sanctuary and out of heauen beholdeth the earth that he may heare and so take pity of the sighings groanings and lamentable cries of such his people as are in affliction The time will not suffer me now to trouble you with more Texts of Scripture let the now alleaged be sufficient to confirme my propounded doctrine that it is a grieuous thing to adde affliction to the afflicted The vses of this doctrine I can but point at One is to reproue the Nimrods and tyrants of this world which haue no pity no compassion vpon the poore and distressed Such in the end shall know by their owne lamentable experience that to be true which Salomon hath vttered Prou. 21.13 Hee that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore shall cry himselfe and not be heard A second vse is to stirre vs vp to the performance of this our Christian duty euen to take pity vpon all that are in any kind of misery if our neighbours be destitute of aid and help we may not like wilde beasts lift vp our selues against them and so tread them vnder foot No. How dare we molest and trouble them whom by Gods appointment we are to releeue and succour We are commanded Deut. 15.11 to open our hands to the needy and poore that are in our land to open our hands to them for their helpe and succour It is not enough for vs to abstaine from all iniury and harme-doing but withall must we endeuour to releeue the oppressed This seruice of ours will be acceptable vnto God God for it will giue vs his blessing God will blesse vs for the time of our being here and when the day of our dissolution shall be that we must leaue this earthly tabernacle then will the Son of man sitting vpon the throne of his glory welcome vs with a Venite benedicti Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me in as much as you haue
proposition The whole world with all things therein is wholly and alone subiect to the soueraigntie dominion and rule of Almightie God by whose prouidence all things are preserued all things are ruled and things are ordered These were the three degrees by which I told you you might discerne and take notice of the act of diuine prouidence The first was gradus conseruationis the second gradus gubernationis the third was gradus ordinationis the first degree was the degree of maintenance or preseruation the second degree was the degree of rule or gouernment the third degree was the degree of ordination or direction The first implieth thus much that All things in generall and euery thing in particular are by Almightie God sustained ordinarily in the same state of nature and naturall proprieties wherein they were created The second thus much that Almightie God for his vnlimited power gouerneth all things in the world and ruleth them pro libertate voluntatis suae euen as he listeth The third thus much that God of his admirable wisdome ordaineth and setteth in order whatsoeuer things in the world seeme to be most out of order he bringeth all to his chiefly intended end all doe make for his glory In this diuine ordination three things doe concurre Constitutio finis mediorum ad finem dispositio and dispositorum directio First God appointeth an end to euery thing Secondly he disposeth the meanes vnto the end Thirdly he directeth the meanes so disposed From these points thus summarily rehearsed I inferre my propounded doctrine No calamity or misery befalleth any one of whatsoeuer estate or degree by chance or at aduenture For if it be true as true it is and the gates of Hell shall neuer be able to preuaile against it that God by his wonderfull prouidence maintaineth and preserueth ruleth and gouerneth ordereth disposeth and directeth all things in this world euen to the very haires of our heads it cannot be that any calamitie or misery should befall any one of vs by aduenture by hap-hazzard by chance by fortune The Epicure in Iob Chap. 22.13 was in a grosse and soule errour to thinke that God walking in the circle of heauen cannot thorow the darke clouds see our misdoings and iudge vs for them Farre be it from vs beloued so to be conceited We may not thinke our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the Moone a God vpon the Mountaines and not in the Valleyes a God in the greater and noâ— in the lesser employments We may not thus thinke beloued We haue learned better things out of Amos 9. Ier. 23. Psal 139. that God is euery where present and that there is no euasion from him No corner in Hell no mansion in Heauen no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the sea no darke dungeon in the land of captiuity no place of any secrecie any where is able to hide vs from the presence of God The least moments and tittles in the world that you can imagine God his care and prouidence reacheth vnto to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oile in a poore widowes house to the â—â—ing of sparrowes to the ground to the cloathing of the grasse of the field to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the caluing of â—indes to the numbring of the haires of our heads and of the teares that trickle downe our cheekes Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord whatsoeuer calamity or misery hath already seized vpon vs or shall hereafter ouertake vs let vs not lay it vpon blinde fortune but looke we rather to the hand that striketh vs. He who is noted in my text to cut off the inhabitant of Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon he it is that for our sinnes bringeth vpon vs calamiti s and miseries Whatsoeuer calamities or miseries doe molest or trouble vs be wee assured that they are Gods visitatio vpon vs for our sinnes and admonishments for vs to amend our liues What remaineth then but that in time of misery and heauinesse wee louingly embrace Gods hand and kisse the rod wherewith he smiteth vs If hee smite vs with any kinde of crosse or tribulation our best way is to turne vnto him as with a spirit of contentment and gladnesse because so louing a Father doth chastise vs so with a sorrowfull and contrite heart because we haue offended so gracious a Father and thus shall wee finde comfort to our soules THE Fourteenth Lecture AMOS 1.8 And turne mine hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God THe last time I began to expound the 8. verse then I passed ouer two branches thereof And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon whence considering the cutting off of king and subiect from Ashdod and Ashkelon to be the proper worke of the Lord I tooke this lesson No calamity or misery befalleth any one of whatsoeuer estate or degree by chance or at aduenture Now let vs proceed to the remainder of that verse And turne my hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord. Is not God a spirit How then hath he hands The letter killeth but the spirit giueth life saith S. Paul 2 Cor. 3.6 An ancient a Augustin de Doctrina Christiana lib. 3. cap. 5. Father vpon those words aduiseth vs to beware that we take not a figuratiue speech according to the letter for saith he Anshel in 2 Cor. 3. Echard Compend Theol patrum 〈◊〉 1 ap 6. pag. 157. when we take that which is spoken in a figure as if it were spoken properly it is a carnall sense Neque vlla mors anima congruentius â—ppeâ—â—atur neither is there any thing more rightly called the death of the soule If a figuratiue speech be properly taken or if the letter be vrged against the spirituall meaning that which was spoken to giue life to the inward man may subuert the faith and endanger the soule A trope vpon good reason to be admitted not admitted is a cause of errour It caused the Iewes to erre They tooke it literally which Christ spake in a figure touching his owne body Iob. 2.19 Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it vp againe It caused Nicodemus to erre Hee tooke it literally which Christ spake in a figure touching mans regeneration Iob. 3.3 Except a man bee borne againâ— he cannot see the Kingdome of God It caused the Dis ples of Christ to erre They tooke it literally which Christ spake in a figure touching the execution of his Fathers will Ioh. 4.32 I haue meat to eat that ye know not of I hold it to be an errour of Nicephorus and others to take it after the letter as if Paul had indeed fought vpon a theatre with Lions at Ephesius because he saith 1 Cor. 15.32 that he fought with b
vpon vs. All and euery of these true Christians will patiently vndergoe For they with their sharp-sighted eie of faith doe clearely see the Hand of God in euery of their molestations and in great contentment they take vp the words of patient Iob Chap. 2.10 Shall wee receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill Here let euery afflicted soule examine it selfe how it is affected with the affliction vnder which it groaneth If you esteeme of your afflictions as of God his fatherly chastisements and so endure them blessed are ye Of this blessednesse Saint Iames Chap. 1.12 doth assure you Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Againe is it true Is there no safe being in City or Country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A second vse of this doctrine is to admonish vs that we labour aboue all things to obtaine Gods fauour and to abide in it so shall we be safe from the feare of euill Now for the obtaining of Gods fauour we must doe foure things We must 1. Humble our selues before God 2. Beleeue in Christ 3. Repent of our sinnes 4. Performe new obedience vnto God The time will not suffer me to enlarge these points Humiliation faith in Christ repentance and a new life these foure will be vnto you as Iacobs ladder was vnto the Angels Of that ladder you may reade Gen. 28.12 that it stood vpon the earth the top of it did reach to heauen and the Angells of God went vp it So may you by these foure Humiliation Faith Repentance and Newnesse of life as it were by so many steps and rounds of a ladder climbe vp to heauen Here you haue no continuing Citie you are but strangers and pilgrims on the earth your countrey is aboue the Celestiall Ierusalem there let your hearts be As for the afflictions vexations tribulation miseries and crosses wherewith this mortall life of yours is seasoned let them be your ioy They are sure pledges of Gods loue vnto you Euen so saith the Spirit Hebr. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth Thirdly is it true Is there no safe being in citie or countrie from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A third vse of this doctrine is for the terrour of such as lie wallowing in the filthinesse of their sins Many there are wicked wretches who if God shall for a time deferre the punishments due vnto their sinnes are ready to thinke that God takes no notice of their sinnes These say in their heart there is no God Against these is made that challenge Psal 50.21 I hold my tongue and thâ—u thoughtest me like thy selfe I the Lord who see the secrets of all hearts I hold my tongue I did not by my iudgements punish thee for the wickednesse of thy steps I hold my tongue and thou thoughtest me like thy selfe thou thoughtest I tooke pleasure in wickednesse as thou doest but thou shalt finde and feele the contrary Strange are the effects wrought in the wicked by the mercies and long suffering of God thereby they grow worse and worse obdurate and hardned in their sinnes Yet let them be aduised for they day will come and it comes apace wherein they shall feele the heauinesse of that hand which here was turned against Ekron I will turne my hand to Ekron It followeth And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish The Philistines had their beginning from Casluchim a grand-childe of Chane the accursed issue of Noah as appeareth Gen. 10.14 They were seated in a part of the Land of Canaan the west part that which bordereth vpon the great Sea the Sea commonly called the Mediterranean Their Country was called by Ptolemee and others Palaestina and by the Greeks Phoenicia It was a part of that countrey which once was called Terra promissionis the Land of promise but now Terra Sancta the Holy Land The inhabitants in our Prophets time were professed enemies to Almighty God and his beloued Israel They thought themselues safe from ruine through the strength of their fiue Dukedomes Azzah Ashdod Ashkelon Gath and Ekron But vaine and foolish are the thoughts which possesse the wicked When the God of all truth shall giue his word for a matter shal man presume to doubt of the euent Here God sets his word vpon it that there shall be an vtter ouerthrow not onely of Azzah Ashdod Ashkelon and Ekron but of Gath also and all the villages belonging thereunto for the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God Ait Dominus Iehouth saith the Lord God This is the conclusion of this prophecie and it redoubleth its authoritie and credit Authoritie and credit sufficient it hath from its very front verse 6. Thus saith the Lord it is here redoubled saith the Lord God Saith the Lord God hath the Lord God said it and r 〈◊〉 23 19. shall he not doe it hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it The Lord Iehouâ—h the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lye not as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are Yea and Amen Å¿ Matth. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of his word shall escape vnfulfilled Dominus Iehouth the Lord hath said it that the remnant of the Philistines shall perish Out of doubt then must it come to passe And so is it The first blow which the Philistines receiued towards their ouerthrow after this prophecie was giuen them aboue three-score yeares after by Ezechius that good King of Iudah of whom the Prophet Esay Chap. 14.29 foretelleth the Philistines that he should be vnto them as a Cockatrice and a fiery â—â—ring Serpent This Ezechius smote the Philistines vnto Azzah and the coasts thereof from the watch-tower vnto the defensed Citie This is plaine 2 King 18.8 A second blow was giuen by Tartan one of the Captaines of Sennacherib or Sargon King of Assyria who came vp against Ashdod and tooke it This is plaine Esay 20.1 A third blow was giuen them by Pharaoh Neco and hee smote Azzah Ashkelon and other places This is it which the Prophet Ieremy saith Chap. 47.5 Baldnesse is come vpon Azzah Ashkelon is cut vp with the rest of their valleys In a word God hath from time to time raised vp his men of war in due time to extirpate and raze out the Philistines from the face of the earth that according to the tenour of this Prophecy there might be no remnant of them The remnant of the Philistines shall perish Here may we obserue a difference in Gods punishments he punisheth the reprobate and he punisheth his elect but differently the reprobate to their vtter excision and extirpation not so the elect For of them there is vpon the
desolation against the City Tyrus for her sins According to this prediction it came to passe saith Drusius either in the war of Salmanassar against the Tyrians or in the warre of Nabuchodonosor Yet this he affirmeth not Nabuchodonosor besieged Tyrus three yeeres and three moneths and then tooke its so saith Winckleman out of Iosephus lib. 1. contra Appionem the Latine Copies of Iosephus which I haue seene make mention of the continuance of this siege for thirteene yeeres The Greeke Copy hath nothing of the continuance of it For therein I read only that when Thobalus was King Nabuchodonosor besieged Tyrus This was about the yeere of the world 3345. Tyrus after this was reedified and did flourish But she was in her pride againe besieged and taken by Alexander the Great in the yeere of the world 3632. And long since A. C. 1290. she was sacked leuelled with the ground by Alphix then Sultan of Aegypt Thus hath Gods hand been strong and preuailing against Tyrus according to the tenor of this Prophecie The very words wherof you haue heard before expounded in the fourth and seuenth verses of this Chapter Now I pray you onely recount with me such heads of Doctrine as heretofore haue beene obserued out of these words Therefore will I send a fire c. Wherein three circumstances are to be obserued 1 The punisher 2 The punishment 3 The punished The first circumstance is the punisher the Lord For thus saith the Lord I will send The Doctrine is It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sins The second circumstance is the punishment and that is by fire I will send a fire The Doctrine is The fire and all other creatures are at the Lords commandement to bee employed by him in the punishment of the wicked The third circumstance is the punished the walls and palaces of Tyrus I will send a fire vpon the walls of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof First must the glorious City Tyrus be destroyed The Doctrine is No munition can saue that City which God will haue destroyed Secondly must the Walls of Tyrus be deuoured with the fire of Gods displeasure The doctrine is It is the good blessing of God vpon a Kingdome to haue walls strong holds munitions fortresses and bulwarkes for a defense against enemies Thirdly must the palaces of Tyrus be consumed with the fire of Gods anger The doctrine is God depriueth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses Of these doctrines and their seuerall vses I haue heretofore in this place at large entreated Wherefore let this which hath beene now spoken suffice for my present exposition of this prophecie against Tyrus THE Sixteenth Lecture AMOS 1.11 12. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turne to it because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pity and his anger spoiled him euermore and his wrath watched him alway Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah IN this burdensome Prophecie against Edom I obserue two parts 1 A Preface Thus saith the Lord. 2 A Prophecie For three transgressions of Edom c. In the Prophecie I obserue foure parts 1 A generall accusation of the Edomites For three transgressions of Edom and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them I will not turne to it 3 The description of the sin by which they offended in foure branches 1 He pursued his brother with the sword 2 He cast off all pity 3 His anger spoiled him euermore 4 His wrath watched him alway 4 The declaration of the punishments to be inflicted vpon Edom vers 12. Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah The Preface Thus saith the Lord challengeth your attention The two first parts of the Prophecie the accusation of the Edomites and Gods protestation against them in these words For three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turne to it may giue you occasion to recount and remember a Doctrine already the third time recommended to your religious considerations Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners Mel satietatem gignit It is an old saying A man may eat too much hony What One lesson so often No variety I could answer with a Greeke Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that good and wholsome lessons may well be commended to you twice and thrice many times and yet should you not dislike it But for the present I proceed to the third part of this prophecie wherein is described Edoms sin Of this part are foure branches 1 He did pursue his brother with the sword wherein obserue 1 A purfuer Edom. 2 The pursued His brother 3 The manner of pursuit With the sword Edom did pursue his brother with the sword Edom Esau Iacobs brother and Isaacks sonne by his wise a Gen. 25.21 Rebekah for selling his birth-right for a messe of red broth was surnamed Edom Gen. 25.30 and of him lineally descended the Edomites or Idumaeans Gen. 36.43 Esau pursued Iacob with a deadly hate so did the posterity of Esau the posterity of Iacob the Edomites were euermore most maliciously bent against the Israelites Edom is the pursuer in his owne person and in his posterity The pursued is Edoms brother Iacob surnamed Israel and his posterity the Iewes and Israelites Edom pursued his brother with the sword Bello armat â manu by warre and bands of souldiers saith Drusius Esau hated his brother Iacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him and thereupon in heart vowed his death For thus thought Esau in his minde Gen. 27.41 The daies of mourning for my father will come shortly then will I slay my brother Iacob Iacob to asswage his brother Esaus fiercenesse fled b Gen. 27.44 to his Vncle Laban in Mesopotamia with whom he liued c Gen. 31.38 twenty yeeres which time expired Iacob vpon God his admonishment returned into the d Gen. 31.3 land of his fathers A man would haue thought twenty yeeres time sufficient for any one to haue forgotten or at least to haue disgested a displeasure Twenty yeeres were not enough for Esau so immortall was his hatred After twenty yeeres as Iacob returned from Mesopotamia Esau went against him with foure hundred men Gen. 33.1 This inexpiable rancour and hatred ended not in Esau His malicious posterity retained it Witnesse the churlish answer giuen to Moses his Ambassadors Numb 20.20 Moses being to conduct the Israelites from Aegypt to the promised land desirous to bring them the neerest way sent to the King of Edom for leaue to passe thorow his country I pray thee let vs passe thorow thy country we will not goe thorow the fields nor thorow the vineyards we will not drinke of the water of thy
anger Gregory the Great Moral lib. 5. cap. 30 applieth them to mens persons He reckoneth vp foure sorts of men subiect to these euill angers 1. Some are soone angry and soone pacified 2. Some are slowly angry and slowly pacified 3. Some are soone angry and slowly pacified 4. Some are slowly angry and soone pacified All these doe sinne in their angers but not all equally Some more some lesse grieuously yet all doe sinne And therefore that the glory of God may be propagated and the good of our neighbours furthered I beseech you receiue into your deuout hearts my propounded doctrine Euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger If you demand a reason hereof I must repeat vnto you God his holy Commandement Thou shalt doe no murther In the name of murther are inhibited all the kindes of anger aboue specified the anger that lurketh in the heart the anger that shineth in the countenance the anger that is manifested in words whereto I adde that anger that breaketh into action If you wound or but strike your neighbour if you speake bitterly against him if you looke frowningly at him if you hate him in heart or be vnaduisedly angry with him you are before Almighty God guilty of murther And for this cause euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger Another reason of this doctrine may be drawne from the foule effects of anger The i Peter de La Primadaye Author of the French Academie par 2. Chap. 55 thus discourseth of them Anger is a vice that hath wonderfull effects in the body and such as are very vnbeseeming a man For first of all when the heart is offended the bloud boileth round about it and the heart is swolne and puffed vp whereupon followeth a continuall panting and trembling of the heart and breast And when these burning flames and kindled spirits are ascended vp from the heart vnto the braine then is anger come to his perfection from hence commeth change of countenance shaking of the lips and of the whole visage stopping of speech and terrible lookes more meer for a beast than for a man Lactantius hath the like discourse in his booke De Ira Dei cap. 5. k Ira cum in animum cutusquam incidit velut saena tempestas tantos excitat fluctus vt statum mantis immutet ardesrant oculi os tremat lingua titubet dentes concrepent alterna vultum ma ulet nunc saffasus râ—bor nunc pallâ—r albescens When anger saith hee is fallen into the minde of man like a sore tempest it raiseth such waues that it changeth the very state of the minde the eyes wax fiery the mouth trembleth the tongue faltereth the teeth gnash and the whole countenance is by course stained sometimes with rednesse sometimes with palenesse Basil in two Sermons of his one preached before the Lacizians the other l De ira hom 38. else-where is plentifull in this point The man that is indeed and throughly angry differeth nothing either in the manner of his looke or in the affection of his mind from him that is possessed with Deuils His bloud boileth about his heart the whole proportion of his visage is altered you will not take it to be the same face his eyes looke not as they were wont but are fiery and staring he whets and grindes his teeth like the foaming Boare his countenance is wan of colour blacke and blew stained and dyed as with bloud his bodie swells his veines wax bigge his voice is vnpleasant his speech marticulate you will haue much a doe to vnderstand him A seruant of * Mich. de Montaâ—gue Ess lib. 2 cap. 31. ex A. Gelliâ— Plutarchs a lowd and vicious fellow for some faults by him committed was stripped naked to be whipped Being vnder the whip he vpbraided his master and obiected to him how he had often heard him say that it was an vnseemely thing for a man to be angry and that thereof he had written a booke and that yet now contrary to his owne sayings and writings all plunged in rage and engulfed in choler hee caused him so cruelly to be beaten To whom Plutarch with an vnaltered and milde setled countenance said thus What Whereby dost thou iudge I am now angry Doth my countenance doth my voice doth my colour or doth my speech giue thee any testimony that I am either moued or cholericke Me thinkes mine eyes are not staringly wilde nor my face troubled nor my voice frightfull or distempered Doe I wax red Doe I foame at the mouth Doth any word escape me whereof I may repent hereafter Doe I startle and quake Doe I rage and ruffle with anger For to tell thee true these are the right signes of choler these are the tokens of anger You may say beloued that they are the effects of anger The fore-cited Father Basil may be your warrant who further telleth you that vnbridled tongues vngnarded mouthes vnstayed hands contumelies foule language railing words vniust blowes and the like enormities are the sonnes are the fruits are the effects of euill anger And in this respect also euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger Now to make some vse of this doctrine Shall I say that this euill anger is a reigning euill among you Your consciences must needs beare me witnesse it is so Now may I charge some of you as Ezechiel charged the house of Israel chap. 11.6 Many haue you murthered in this place and you haue filled the streets with the slaine For as often as you haue beene angry vnaduisedly one with another so often haue yee murthered one another O! what an account are yee one day to make before Christs Tribunall euen for this one sinne vnlesse in this your day you wash it away with teares of penitencie Tremble therefore stand in awe and sinne no more so Examine your owne hearts not now only while you heare me but also when you are gone from hence euen vpon your beds of rest Solomon exhorts you Eccles 7.10 Be thou not of an hastie spirit to be angry His reason is For anger resteth in the bosome of fooles Saint Paul exhorts you Rom. 12.19 Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath His reason is For it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Saint Iames exhorts you Chap 1.19 My deare brethren be slow to wrath His reason is For the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God You know the Law and it is fulfilled in one word this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe This is taught you Gal. 5.14 Suffer your selues to be exhorted in the words following vers 15. If yee bite and deuoure one another take heed lest yee be consumed one of another In the twentieth verse we reade of hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions and are assured by the 21. verse that if we doe such things we shall not inherit the
kingdome of God Wherefore to shut vp this point with Saint Pauls words 1 Cor. 1.10 and 2 Cor. 13.11 I beseech you by the name of the Lord Iesus Christ that yee speake all one thing and that there be no dissentions among you Be of one minde liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you Thus farre of the third branch in the description of Edoms sinne and of the doctrine grounded thereupon The doctrine was Euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger It was grounded vpon these words His anger spoiled him euermore And his wrath watched him alway This is the Geneua translation His fury watcheth him euermore so Tremelius The meaning is Edoms wrath or fury was so implacable so farre from being abated or asswaged as that it euermore watched Israel to doe him a mischiefe In the Church Bible you haue a different reading His indignation he kept alwaies and in Matthewes Bible he kept indignation alwaies by him The reading is agreeable with the Vulgar Latine and is admitted by Oecâ—lampadius by Caluin by Drusius By Brentius also but that for indignation he hath fury He kept his fury alwayes The meaning is the indignation or fury which Edom had conceiued against his brother was permanent it would not be remitted there was no end of it The word in the Hâ—brew rendred by wrath or indignation or fury signifieth iram vehementiorem exestuantem omnemque modum praetereuntem a very vehement a boiling anger exceeding all measure or according vnto others it signifieth furorem inflâ—mmantem peruadentem ignis more a rage like fire burning whatsoeuer it meeteth with Wee now see what it is for which the Lord in this last branch reproueth Edom or the Idumaeans It is their implacable vnmeasurable and endlesse anger wherein they practised nothing but wiles how they might intrap and subuert the Israelites The lesson which from hence wee are to take for our further instruction is this Whosoeuer once prouoked vnto anger doth for euer hold it fast and cherish it he is not at any hand approued by God I will not spend many words in the proofe of this proposition sith it standeth good by my former discourse You haue alreadie heard that euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger and that either in respect of its foule effects or in respect of Gods holy commandement against it Now is there any of you so deuoid of Christian vnderstanding as to thinke or imagine that God will at any hand approue that against which he giueth his commandement I assure my selfe there is none Well then I thus inferre Whosoeuer is spotted with euill anger he is not at any hand approued by God therefore whosoeuer once prouoked vnto euill anger doth for euer hold it fast and cherish it he is not at any hand approued by God For further corroboration of this doctrine giue eare I beseech you to the blessed Apostles words Ephes 4.26 Let not the Sunne go downe vpon your wrath Some doe thus paraphrase these words m Guerricus serm in die Purificat August enarrat in Psal 25. Christus qui est Sol iustitiae mentem vestram irascentem non deserat qui cum irâ nunquam habitat Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse who loueth not to make his habitâ—tion there where anger hath its residence let him not forsake your angry mindes Christ may not dwell where anger is If therefore you are desirous that Christ should dwell in you you must cast away all anger from within you Lâ—t not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath There is another Exposition vsually giuen of these words to this sense Sith such is our estate in this our warfare such our weaknesse infirmitie and frailtie that anger may quickly take hold of vs and possesse vs wee must carefully take heed that wee giue it not too much respite or entertainment Our anger must not be ira pridiana a yesterdaies anger Wee must cast it from vs speedily antequam occidat lux ista visibilis before this visible Sunne the Sunne that makes our day be set ne nos dâ—serat lux illa inuisibilis that the inuisible Sunne the Sunne of righteousnesse and true light of our hearts forsake vs not It is the holy Spirit that speaketh out of the Apostles mouth Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath There is nothing more aduerse or opposite to our bounden dutie of charitie and our owne saluation than perseuerance in wrath It letteth vs from doing good to those with whom we are angry it hindereth our deuotion in prayer and maketh the wrath of God to light vpon vs. So true is my propounded doctrine Whosoeuer once prouoked vnto anger doth for euer hold it fast and cherish it he is not at any hand approued by God This doctrine thus deliuered against perseuerance in anger may serue for a iust reproofe of such as doe beare perpetuall ill will to any nation To hate a Spaniard a French-man or any other country-man because he is of such a country or of such a nation this is here reproueable Againe it may serue to restraine such as doe thinke it lawfull perpetually to hate them of whom they haue receiued an iniury Such men would they but recount with themselues and recall into their mindes how many and how grieuous in iuries they haue done vnto God in transgressing his holy Commandements and how yet notwithstanding God is still propitious gracious and bountifull vnto them surely were they true Christians sealed by God his holy Spirit to the day of redemption they would remit of their hatred yea they would wholly abandon it and cast it farre from them according to the exhortation of S. Paul to the Ephesians Chap. 4.31 in whose words beloued suffer your selues to be exhorted Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath crying and euill speaking be put away from you with all malitiousnesse Be yee courteous one to another and tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake for gaue you Sweet Bernard in his booke of the manner of liuing well Serm. 36. concerning hatred thus sweetly speaketh vnto his sister Soror in Christo amantissima mihi c. My most louing sister in Christ heare what I speake vnto thee If in any thing thou hast grieued thy sister or caused her to be sorrowfull satisfie her if thou hast sinned against thy sister repout before her if thou hast scandalized or offended any one of Gods hand-maids aske her forgiuenesse Goe on with speed to reconcilement sleepe not till thou haue made satisfaction rest not till thou returne in peace Thus did deuout Bernard exhort his virgin-sister The good Father no doubt had regard to the words of his and our Sauiour Iesus Christ written Matth. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to
vnto him all laud and praise for suffring vs notwithstanding our manifold sins euery man to dwell d 1 King 4.25 vnder his vine and vnder his fig-tree to liue in our owne land in peace free from all feare of being led into captiuity Thus much of my first vse A second followeth My Doctrine was When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King Will you haue a reason hereof Heare then what Elihu saith Iob 34.19 God accepteth not the persons of Princes he regardeth not the rich more than the poore Hee accepteth no mans person saith S. Paul Gal. 2.6 No mans person Then neither the person of the Priest nor of the King If these sinne like others of the people these shall be punished as well as others and if others bee carried into captiuity these must into captiuity also The vse of this Doctrine is to admonish the great and mighty ones of this world that they presume not to sinne against the Lord as if they were priuiledged by their greatnesse and might No priuiledge can serue their turnes when they must e Iob 21.20 drinke of the wrath of the Almighty Then shall they be as f Iob 21.18 stubble before the wind and as the chaffe that the storme carrieth away Consider this all yee who take your selues to bee mighty among your neighbours ye whom God hath blessed with this worlds good aboue your neighbours Thinke not your wealth or authority can protect you when Gods sore displeasure shall breake out against you for your sinnes but rather let it euer be written in your hearts what is written Wisd 6.6 The mighty shall be mightily tormented And remember what is added in that place He that is Lord ouer all will spare no person neither shall he feare any greatnesse for hee hath made the small and the great and careth for all alike But for the mighty abideth the sorer triall And hence ariseth a third vse It is to minister a word of comfort to the inferiour and poorer sort of people If the mighty shall g Amos 2.6 sell the righteous among you for siluer and the poore for shooes if they h Amos 2.7 gape ouer your heads in the dust of the earth if they i Esa 3.15 grinde your faces if by violence and oppression they k Habak 1.4 compasse you about yet be ye of good comfort God the Iudge of all accepteth no persons He in his good time will auenge your causes be your oppressors neuer so mighty for when he punisheth a land for the sinnes of a people he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King There is a fourth vse of this Doctrine It is to warne vs not to set our hearts vpon the outward things of this world for as much as God will not respect vs for them Neither Priest nor Prince nor King can stand before the displeasure of Almighty God And shall a mighty man shall a rich man stand No. l Psal 68.2 As the smoke vanisheth so shall he be driuen away and as the wax melteth before the fire so shal he perish at the presence of God Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord let vs onely and earnestly seeke after such things as may make vs accepted with God as righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost For whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ hee is acceptable to God saith Saint Paul Rom. 14.18 Thus farre by occasion of my first doctrine which was When God punisheth a nation with captiuity for their sinnes he spareth neither priest nor prince nor king And it was grounded vpon the first reading of the words of my text â—fter the Hebrew thus Their King shall go into captiuity he and his princes together after the Septuagint thus Their King shall goe into captiuity their priests and Princes likewise I commended vnto you another reading out of the Vulgar Latine Melchom shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together and I told you in the beginning of this exercise what Melchom was I said it was the same with Milchom or Molech or Moloch an abomination of the Ammonites their Idoll their God to whom they yeelded diuine worship and consecrated their children through fire All this I made plaine vnto you out of the sacred Scriptures The Doctrine 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 First they cannot saue themselues Secondly nor them that put their trust in them They cannot saue themselues For what is become of Succoth-benoth the God of Babel of Nergal the God of Cuth of Ashima the God of Hamath of Nibhaz and Tartack the God of the Auins of Adrammelech and Anammelech the God of Sepharvaim Their names indeed remaine vpon record 2 King 17.30 31. but themselues are vanished they are come to nought Hezekiah King of Iudah he who brake in peeces the brazen Serpent which Moses made because his people offered incense to it he put downe those Idoll Gods he tooke away their high places hee brake their images hee cut downe their groues 2 King 18.4 What is become of Ashtoreth the Idoll of the Zidonians of Chemosh the Idoll of the Moabites of Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon Their names indeed remaine vpon record 2 King 23.13 but themselues are vanished they are come to nought Iosiah King of Iudah that good King he put downe those Idoll Gods he brake their images in peeces he cut downe their groues and filled their places with the bones of men 2 King 23.14 I could here repeat vnto you many other Idols and Idoll Gods whose names are particularly recorded in the register of Gods holy Word which also are vanished and come to nought But the time will not suffer me Let it suffice what is spoken in a generality of the Kings of Assyria 2 King 19.18 that they did set on fire the Gods of the Nations Gods And yet set on fire True But they were but Idoll Gods and therefore could not helpe themselues Not helpe themselues Why not The reason is giuen in the same place For they were no Gods an Idoll God is no God they were no Gods but the worke of mans hands euen wood and stone therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them The very same reason is deliuered in the very same words by the Prophet Esay Chap. 37.19 They were no Gods but the worke of mens hands euen wood and stone therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them The holy Prophets are very zealous in Gods cause against those Idols Esay Chap. 41.29 saith They are all vanity their worke is of nothing they are wind they are confusion Ier. Chap. 10.15 saith They are vanity they are the worke of errors in the time of their visitation they shall perish I should weary my selfe and your attention would
corporall death there is a spirituall death and there is an eternall death Which of these deaths were the Moabites to dye The letter of my text is for the corporall death This corporall death is a separation of the soule from the bodie it is called corporall in respect of the spirituall it is also called a temporarie death in respect of the eternall This death corporall or temporarie is twofold either naturall or accidentall if accidentall it is subdiuided into a violent or a voluntarie death and is common as well to the godly as to the wicked inflicted vpon them by Gods iust iudgment for the sinne of Adam This is the wages of sin and this is the way of all sinfull flesh All must once dye We may a long time wrastle with the dangers of this world both by Land and Sea thousands may fall on our right hand and ten thousands on our left while we stande we may haue so good store of friends that we may well say with the Shunamite 2. King 4.13 I neede no speaking for me either to the King or to the Captaine of the Hoste I dwell among mine owne people where I can command we may walke in the light of the sunne that is our prosperitie may be waxen so great that we want nothing we may haue sailes and oares at pleasure as Antiochus seemed to haue who thought in his pride to make men saile vpon the dry land and to walke vpon the Sea 2. Mac. 5.21 we may thinke our selues to be in league with death and in couenant with the graue and so promise to our selues many a prosperous and pleasant day as many as are the sands of the Ocean yet a time shall come when all these things shall proue but vanitie and Moab shall dye All must once dye A great d Dr. King B. of London Lect. 20 vpon Ionas pag. 264. Prelate of this Land for this point hath well fitted this comparison As one that shooteth at a marke sometimes is gone and sometimes is short sometimes lighteth on the right hand sometimes on the left at length hitteth the marke so Death shootes at Noble men beyond vs at meane men short of vs at our friends on the right hand at our enemies on the left at length hitteth our selues The longer her hand is in practise the more certainely she striketh Looke into the fift of Genesis there shall you finde that Death was ayming at e vers 11. Enosh 905. yeares and at last smote him at f vers 14. Kenan 910. yeares at g vers 5. Adam 930. yeares at h vers 20. Iered 962. yeares at i vers 27. Methushelah 969. yeares but in the end ouerthrew them all Now shee strikes sooner within the compasse of fewer yeares within 60. yeares or 70. she seldome stayes 80. yeares And sometimes shee strikes vs in our youthfull dayes yea in the day of our natiuitie All must once dye Moab shall dye All must once dye Death It is of all miseries the last and the most terrible A holy k Apud Lud. Granatensem Exercit de Orat. Medit. Father hath made against it this exclamation O Death how bitter is the remembance of thee How quickly and suddainely stealest thou vpon vs How secret are thy paths and wayes How doubtfull is thy houre How vniuersall is thy signiorie and deminion The mighty cannot escape thee the wise cannot hide themselues from thee the strong loose their strength before thee the rich with their money shall not corrupt thee Thou art the hammer that alwayes striketh Thou art the sword that neuer blunteth thou art the snare wherein all must be taken thou art the prison wherein all must lye thou art the Sea wherein all must perish thou art the paine that all must suffer thou art the tribute that all must pay In a word thou art such a one as Almighty God washeth his hands of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine words by the mouth of the Wiseman saying Wisd 1.13 that he neuer made thee Surely thou hast thine entry into the world by the very enuie and craft of the Deuill This exclamation against Death is very iust in some sense for Death may be considered in a double respect one way as it is in its owne nature another way as it is changed and qualified by the death of Christ. Death in its owne nature is a punishment of sin a plague a curse or fore-runner of condemnation the very gates and suburbs of Hell it selfe and in this respect the forecited exclamation hath due place But on the other side death being changed and qualified by Christ his death it is no more such it is no more a punishment of sinne it is no more a plague it is no more a curse For it is become a blessing it brings an end to all our miseries it giues full deliuerance to all our miseries it giues full deliuerance from all dangers it is made vnto vs a passage a way an entrance into euerlasting life it is like a portall or litle gate by which we passe from out this litle prison of our bodies into the kingdome of Heauen The graue meane while is but a resting chamber sweetly perfumed by the Death of Christ for our bodies from whence at the sound of the last trumpet our bodies shall awake and rise and be receiued into the paradise of heauen to enioy the most comfortable presence of Almighty God there If death now changed and qualified by Christ his death be a blessing if it be but a passage from this wretched life to that happiest estate in heauen why should death be feared This is a Case of Conscience and may be resolued There are two sorts of men in the world the one of them who liue in their sinnes and dye without repentance the other of them who with vnfeigned repentance and faith in Christ doe leaue this world The first haue great reason to feare Death Death being vnto them the very gate and introduction into the Hell of the damned of whom we may well say as Christ said of Iudas Math. 26.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it had bin good for them had they neuer bin borne The second haue no reason to feare Death Death being vnto them as the gate of Heauen To such Optimum est nasci its best that they are borne and the next best for them is mature mori to dye in a good houre Their birth is to them a preparation to eternall happinesse whereof their Death giues them full possession The consideration whereof made King Salomon the wisest of Kings or men praferre diem mortis diei ortûs it made him preferre the day of death before the day of birth his words are Eccles. 7.3 Better is the day of death then the day that one is borne Hence is it that most righteous Iob chap. 17.14 calls Corruption his father for as chilren haue fathers for their comfort so had Iob death and rottennesse
The first transgression he will haue to be the selling of the iust the second the oppression of the poore the third their peruerting the way of the meeke the fourth the violation of matrimony These are but so many descants vpon the words of my text For three transgressions of Israel and for foure Three and foure make seuen It seemeth then that Israel transgressed against God seuen times Seuen times It is plaine by Scripture that they transgressed Saepiùs ac saepiùs as Mercerus speaketh many a time oft yea from the diuision of their Kingdome vnder Ieroboam sonne of Nebat their first King vnto Hoshea sonne of Elah their last King they did nothing but transgresse against the Lord their God what by Idolatry and what by other wickednesses Heere then by three and foure which make seuen we are to vnderstand many The rule holds true in Diuinity A finite number is oftentimes put for an infinite S. Austin hath obserued it lib. 3. de doctrina Christi cap. 35. I thus explicate it In Leuit. 26.18 to the rebellious and disobedient thus saith the Lord If ye will not yet for all this hearken vnto me then I will punish you seuen times more for your sinnes Seuen times more that is many times more will I punish you Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2.5 hath this straine The barren hath borne seuen children By seuen there you are to vnderstand many Shee that was barren hath borne many children Dauid in Psal 119.164 sayth Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Seuen times that is many times as if had sayd Semper laus eius in ore meo All the day long am I in the praises of my God Salomon in Prou. 26 25. aduiseth vs not to beleeue the gracious words of an enemy because saith hee there are in his heart seuen abominations Seuen abominations that is many abominations many sly purposes lie hidden in the heart of an enemy What neede more examples By these few the phrase in my text is plaine The seuen transgressions of Israel for three foure are seuen the seuen transgressions of Israel are the many transgressions of Israel In this phrase then doth the Lord obiect vnto Israel innumera peccata the multitude of their sinnes For which he is vnwilling any longer to forbeare them whereupon followeth his protestation against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof For three tranâ—gressions of Israel and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof The meaning is if once if twice yea if a third time only the Israelites had offended mee with the greeuousnesse of their transgressions I could haue tolerated them and would not haue cast them from out my sight but now whereas a fourth time sâ—piùs sapiùs againe and againe they relapse and fall backe to their impieties and with a shamelesse forehead make no end of sinning certa stat sententia I am resolued no more to recall them to my fauour but to leaue them to themselues that obstinate and indurate as they are in the multitude of their abominations wherein they haue so deepely plunged themselues they may suddenly bee cast into the pit of destruction Now from these two first parts of this prophesie the generall accusation of Israel for sinne and the Lords protestation against them for the same ariseth this lesson God is euer in open hostility with sinners A sinner ouer-valuing the vanities wherein his delight is placed first neglecteth God then hateth him Thus affected he would if possible disarme God of his authority pull his power from him and cast him out of his state Hee could wish there were no immortality of the Soule no account to be made of our actions no reward no reuenge no Iudge to punish So willing is hee to bathe himselfe in the imaginary contentment and pleasures of sinne I can put no great difference between this sinner and an Atheist The Atheist thinketh there is no God this sinner wisheth there were no God Now God who feeleth the pulse of this sinners heart and searcheth his inmost thoughts seeth his traytorous affection can he be at peace with him King Ioram sayd to Iehu 2 King 9.22 Is it peace Iehu Iehu answered what peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witch-crafts are so many This sinner happily will looke to be at peace with God but he is soone answered What hast thou to doe with peace What peace with God doest thou looke for so long as thou castest away his feare and liest wallowing in thy sinnes I must grant it God is the God of peace the Scripture saith it more then once Rom. 15.33 and chap. 16.20 and in * 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 4.9 1 Thess 5.23 2 Thess 3.16 Hebr. 13.20 other places But what is this to the sinner Nothing at all For the same Scripture will assure him there is no peace to him Esai 48.22 and 57.12 To the sinner the Lord will shew himselfe quasi bellator fortis as hee is called Ierem. 20.11 hee will shew himselfe as a stout warriour And for such he is described Deut. 32.41 There thus saith the Lord concerning sinners If I whet my glittering sword and mine hand take hold on iudgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me I will make mine arrowes drunk with their blood and my sword shall deuoure their flesh To like purpose is that which we read of Gods dealing with sinners Psal 7.12 He whets his sword he bends his bow and makes it ready hee prepareth for them the instruments of death he ordaineth his arrowes against them So haue you my doctrine established God is euer in open hostility with sinners Is God euer in open hostility with sinners Consider this all yee that feare God remember it all ye that beare the image of the Almighty The sinner that is ouertaken with three transgressions and with foure that lieth in his sinnes and walloweth in his iniquities his case is fearefull his estate lamentable God proclaimeth against him open warre most certaine destruction and will not turne away his punishments from him Let it Beloued rouze vs vp from that sleepe of sinne wherein we haue too long rested All the good gifts and benefits of God which God hath bestowed vpon vs for our good we haue abused to sinne God hath giuen vs vnderstanding to meditate vpon his holy lawes but our vnderstanding we haue peruerted to the transgression of his holy Lawes God hath giuen vs the will to loue him aboue all things and our neighbours as our selues but we haue diuerted our will to the contempt of God and the hate of our neighbours God hath giuen vs the tongue to powre forth his praises but our tongues we haue defiled with impure oathes and ougly blasphemies God hath giuen vs hands for instruments to feed the poore and to defend them but the strength of our hands we haue wasted in crueltie and rapine
In a word God hath giuen vs our soules and our bodies all the faculties of the one all the members of the other all to doe him seruice but we haue imployed all to his dishonor Dearely beloued what shall we doe The best aduise I can giue is that which Christ giueth his Spouse in the Canticles chap. 6.13 Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne that we may behold thee I thus paraphrase it Returne O my Spouse daughter of Ierusalem returne returne to me returne to thy selfe returne to thy former feeling of my Grace returne that both my sâ—lfe and all the companie of Angels may see thee and reioyce in thee This Spouse of Christ is the mother of vs all the holy Catholique Church in whose bosome we are nourished Take we then the aduise giuen vnto her for an aduise vnto our selues Returne we from our euill wayes returne we from our three and foure transgressions returne we from all our sinnes returne we to the Lord our God that both he and all the companie of Angels may see vs and reioyce in vs. Mutet vitam qui vult accipere vitam saith S. Augustine Serm. 1. de tempore if wee will enioy the blessed life of Heauen we must change our wicked life on earth If we will not change it but will still beare about vs whorish lookes theeuish faces proud hearts couetous thoughts malicious mindes lustfull eyes slandering tongues bloody hands and drunken desires from which God Almightie defend vs all our portion must bee the accursed death of Hell God will not turne away his punishments from vs Thus far of the generall accusation of Israel and the Lords protestation against them in those words For three transgressions of Israel and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof It followeth Because they sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes Here beginneth the rehersall of those grieuous sinnes which made a separation betweene God and Israel In these words two sinnes are specified Crueltie and Couetousnes Their Cruelty I note in selling of the righteous and the poore their Couetousnes in as much as they did it for siluer and for a paire of shoes I take the words in their order They sold the righteous for siluer A man may be said to be righteous either by imputation or by vertue or by comparison or by course of law The righteous man by imputation is he whom Habakkuk speaketh of chap. 2.4 The iust shall liue by his faith There the iust or righteous man is he to whom the Lord imputeth not his sinnes which he hath committed The righteous man by vertue is he whom Dauid speaketh of Psal 11.3 If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous doe There the righteous man is he whom we call virum bonum a good man The righteous man by comparison is he whom Habakkuk speaketh of chap. 1.13 Wherefore holdest thou thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then he There the righteous man is he that is the lesse wicked the Iewes though wicked are yet called righteous in comparison of the Chaldaeans who were more wicked The righteous man by course of law is he whom Esay speaketh of chap. 5.23 Wo vnto them which iustifie the wicked for reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him There the righteous is he that hath a righteous cause and this is the righteous man in my text whom the Israelites are said to haue sold for siluer They sold the righteous for siluer For siluer that is for money The like phrase we haue in Micah chap. 3.11 where it is said of the Prophets of Israel they diuine for siluer that is they diuine only for monyes sake For monyes sake to condemne the righteous it is ingens piaculum it is a very heynous offence not to be purged without deepe satisfaction And therefore in the forecited place of Esai chap. 5.23 a woe is denounced to such offenders Salomon saith they are an abomination to the Lord Prou. 17.15 He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abomination to the Lord. I may not now enlarge my notes You vnderstand what it is to sell the righteous for siluer It is to to take away the righteousnes of the righteous from him and that is to be hired by money bribes or rewards to giue sentence against the man whose cause is iust and righteous They sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes By the poore here we may vnderstand the cause of the poore as in Amos 5.12 They afflict the iust they take a bribe and they turne aside the poore in the gate They turne aside the poore in the gate that is they turne the poore man out of his right they ouerthrow the poore mans cause in iudgement Againe by the poore here we may vnderstand the man that is in miserie the man that is vnworthily afflicted the man that is tossed turmoiled grieuously disquieted by some mighty wicked man This poore man the Israelites did sell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint pro calciamentis saith the Vulgar Latin they sold him for shoes The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the duall number It signifieth two shoes Our new English translation well rendereth it A paire of shoes They sold the poore for a paire of shoes If they sold some bought Such buyers we finde Amos 6.8 They tooke order to buy the needie for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes There they are bought here they are sold and all for a paire of shoes For a paire of shoes It is a prouerbiall speech a speech fit to be vsed if we would signifie a thing to be litle or nothing worth of small estimation of vile price The like prouerbiall speech we haue Prou. 28.21 There it is said of the man that respecteth persons that he will transgresse for a peece of bread For a peece of bread that is for the vilest gift for the basest commoditie In which sence Cato said once to Coelius frusto panis conduci potest vel vt taceat vel vt loquatur A man may hire him with a peece of bread either to speake or to hold his peace We now vnderstand what our Prophet meaneth in these words They sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes They The Israelites the * Micah 3.11 heads of Israel the Iudges of Israel they sold they circumvented they beguiled they betrayed the righteous him whose cause was righteous and iust they sold the righteous for siluer for money for a bribe for a reward and they sold the poore the needy man the man afflicted or his honest cause for a paire of shoes for a morsell of bread for any base commoditie for a trifle They sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes Here the Iudges of Israel are
is Gods triumph What doe I In time of peace exhort to Martyrdome Why not Though through Gods goodnesse blessed be his name for it there is not now among vs any occasion of persecution habet tamen pax nostra Martyrium suum as Gregorie the Great spake of his time Homil. 3. in Euangelia yet hath our peace her Martyrdome Albeit we doe not yeeld carnis colla ferro our neckes to the yron or our bodies to the stake yet doe we gladio spirituali with the spirituall sword slay the carnall desires within vs. You haue seene what it is to offer vp vnto the Lord the goods of our bodie patiendo by suffering by dying for the Lord. Now let vs see what it is to offer them vp faciendo by doing that which is acceptable to the Lord. It is that whereto S. Paul exhorteth vs Rom. 12.1 euen our reasonable seruice of God I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God Our Bodies a sacrifice How may that be S. Chrysostome Hom. 20. in Ep. ad Rom. doth elegantly expresse it Let the eye behold no euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the eye is a sacrifice let the tongue speake no euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the tongue is an oblation let the hand doe no euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the hand is a burnt offering So that sweete Father We may enlarge the meditation let the eare heare no euil and the eare is a sacrifice let the arme embrace no euill and the arme is a sacrifice let the foote follow no euill and the foote is a sacrifice In a word let all other parts of the bodie be preserued from euill and they are all sacrifices The eye that is b 2. Pet. 2.14 full of adulterie is no fit offering the tongue that is c Psal 120.3 deceitfull is no fit offering the hand that is euer shut against the poore is no fit offering the vncircumcised eare the wanton arme the cruell foote they are no fit offerings neither is any part of our bodie that is vnsanctified a fit offering for the Lord. Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord let it be the care of euery one of vs to present our bodies vnto the Lord a liuing and a holy sacrifice for that onely will be acceptable vnto him Now that our sacrifice may be liuing and holy and so acceptable to the Lord it is not enough for vs to d Psal 34.15 And 37.27 abstaine from doing of euill but we must willingly and chearefully betake our selues to the doing of good and this must wee doe betimes You deceiue your selues if you thinke to offer your youthfull yeares vnto the Deuill and to lay your old bones vpon Gods Altar Gods sacrifice must be the fattest it must bee the fairest He must haue both head and hinder parts to teach you that your dutie is to remember your Creator as well in the dayes of your nonage as in the dayes of your dotage as well while you are yong as when you shall be old For if you deferre your offerings till the last houre till sicknesse deaths-Bailiffe shall arest you your offering may proue sicke it may proue dead it may proue an vnholy sacrifice Receiue therefore S. Pauls word of exhortation I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a liuing and an holy sacrifice vnto God You haue heard that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our externall goods and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goods of our bodies are to be offered vp in sacrifice vnto the Lord the same I am now in briefe to shew concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goods of our minde The goods of our minde I called vertues and vertuous actions functions and operations together with all the faculties and powers of the soule all these we must offer vp vnto the Lord. But how shall we offer them vp devotione contritione by deuotion and contrition For as it is Psal 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart is such a sacrifice as God will not despise Whosoeuer by diuine meditation and deuout prayer beateth downe the proud conceits of his rebellious heart he killeth and offereth vp as it were his sonne Isaac that which is most nere vnto him that which is most deare vnto him he offereth vp a broken spirit and that is Sacrificia Dei the sacrifices of God The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit Sacrifices in the Plurall number because this one sacrifice of a broken spirit is instar omnium in steed of all its worth all other sacrifices in the world And well may it be so for it is the sacrifices of God of God that is accepta Deo acceptable and well pleasing vnto God But what is this broken spirit I speake off It is animus contritus commutâ—â—â— abjectus propriae infirmitatis ac indignitatis conscientiâ It is a mind contrite beaten as it were to dust or powder broken in peeces and cast downe with the conscience of its owne infirmitie and vnworthinesse It is a minde that is voyd of any conceite of its owne worth that thinketh it selfe worthy of any punishment that esteemeth all its owne goods most base that followeth the word of God vpon any occasion that is comforted at the least signe of Gods fauour that is cast downe at any token of his displeasure that is easily mooued with affections of loue feare ioy and hope that is alwayes full of pitty to others that maketh conscience of the smallest transgression The man that is of such a broken spirit and so contrite a minde he may well be said to offer vp in sacrifice vnto the Lord the goods of his mind Thus you see that we are and how we are to offer vp in sacrifice vnto the Lord the goods of this world the goods of the bodie and the goods of the mind But whereon shall we offer them where is our Altar Our Altar is within vs euen our heart that is our Altar Durandus in his e Lib. 1. cap. 7. N. 18. Rationall of Diuine offices deduceth it out of the first to the Corinthians Chap. 3.17 The Temple of God is holy which yee are Yee are the Temple of GOD. Si Templum Dei sumus Altare habemus Altare nostrum est cor nostrum Hoc enim est cor in homine quod Altare in Templo If we are the Temple of God wee haue an Altar Our Altar is our Heart For the Heart is that in man as the Altar is in the Temple Our Heart then is our Altar no Legall Altar but an Evangelicall Altar Answereable to our Altar must our sacrifices be Evangelicall too Now sayth Lactantius Divin institut lib. 6. cap. 24. Now the Lord requireth not of vs any sacrifice of a dumbe beast of death and bloudshed but Victimam hominis vitae the sacrifice of man and his life
such varietie of statures in the world may be to let vs vnderstand that a mans stature of it selfe is not to be reckoned as a part of his felicitie or glory For if a great and a goodly stature be as common nay more common to the wicked then to the godly as S. Austin seemes to proue De Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 9. why should a godly man boast himselfe of his great and goodly stature Especially sith for the most part men that are conspicuous for their elegant and well featured bodies are defectiue for vnderstanding wisedome and pietie Baruch obserues it Chap. 3. ver 26.27.28 There were sayth he Gyants famous from the beginning that were of so great stature and so expert in warre Those did not the Lord choose neither gaue he the way of knowledge vnto them But they were destroyed because they had no wisedome and perished thorow their owne foolishnesse His obseruation is there were gyants men of great stature yet were they without knowledge without wisedome Great men and yet fooles Whereas pumiliones dwarfs little men men of very little stature sometime scarse a cubite high doe excell in fortitude vnderstanding and wisedome as the but now cited Franzius hath noted Tydeus corpore animo Hercules It s an old prouerbe Tydeus was a man of very little stature but as Menander the Historian sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was Hercules for his minde The prouerbe appliable to such as being of little stature are of an vndaunted courage sheweth that many a little man is such Many a man of little stature is of the liuelier wit So it pleaseth God our most wise and prouident God to temper the gifts of the bodie and minde in men of diuers statures He doth not alwayes giue all to one but for the most part he recompenseth the defects of the body with the endowments of the minde Giue me the endowments of the mind what care I for the stature of my bodie Aequè enim brevis longus viuit sayth Musculus Comment in Matth. 6. As long liues the short man as the tall man Nihil detrimenti habet brevis statura nec plus aliquid habet longa The short stature hath no losse neither hath the long stature any aduantage for Heauenly affaires Be my stature what it will let me be transformed by the r Rom. 12.2 renuing of my mind I am well For so shall I proue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God which is our ſ 1. Thes 4.3 sanctification Blessed is that man whatsoeuer his stature be that shall be so transformed by the renuing of his mind that he may proue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God which is his sanctification I haue stood long vpon the second part of this verse the description of the Amorites the time requireth that I goe on with the third part It is the explication or the amplification of the ruine of the Amorites The words are Yet I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath The words are prouerbiall they are figuratiue they are metaphoricall I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath The meaning is exterminavi eum totum t Drusius quantus quantus erat I haue wholy cast him out I haue vtterly destroyed him The like phrase we meet with Iob 18.16 It s there said of the wicked man His rootes shall be dried vp beneath and aboue shall his branch be cut off The comparison stands betweene a wicked man and a dry tree A dry tree may seeme to be firmely rooted and may haue faire and wide spreading bowes when its good for nothing but to be cut downe and cast into the fire So it is with the wicked man All his pompe all his power all his excellencie all his honor all his glory which are to him as the fruit and the rootes are vnto a tree shall more then suffer an Eclipse they shall vtterly vanish His roots shall be dried vp beneath and aboue shall his branches be cut off I cannot giue you an easier or plainer exposition of the Allegorie then Bildad the Shuhite doth in the same chapter of the booke of Iob and the verse following His remembrance shall perish from the earth and he shall haue no name in the street He shall haue no name in the street What 's that It s this His old friends and acquaintance shall not so much as speake of him but to vilifie him as to say He was a wicked wretch an adulterer an vsurer a thiefe a drunkard a slanderer a swearer a blasphemer a man that neither feared God nor loued his neighbour Vpon such a man the wicked man Salomon hath passed his censure Prov. 2.22 He shall be cut off from the earth he shall be rooted out of it This also may serue for an exposition of the Allegorie His rootes shall be dried vp beneath and aboue shall his branch be cut off The like Allegorie you see is in my text I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath Fruit and rootes That is saith Lyranus patres filios fathers and their sonnes Paulus de palatio by the fruit and the rootes vnderstandeth viros mulieres parvulos men women and the litle ones The litle ones are the fruit men and women are the roote Albertus Magnus will haue the fruit to be divitias aedificia culturam their riches their buildings their husbandry and the rootes to be tribus familias successionem filiorum nepotum their tribes families kinreds and the succession of their sonnes and nephewes Arias Montanus takes the fruit and the rootes to signifie omnem illius gentis familiam posteritatemque all the linage of that nation and their posteritie I passe by other like interpretations these few may giue vs the true meaning of the words we haue in hand The words are an explication or rather an amplification of the first part of this verse concerning the destruction of the Amorites There the Lord saith I destroyed the Amorite before them here he saith I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his roots from beneath From hence we know that it was not any gentle stripe which the Amorites receiued not any light incisiō not any small wound but that it was their extermination their contrition their vniuersall ouerthrow their vtter ruine Fruit and root Prince and subiect Parents and children old and yong they were all destroyed For thus saith the Lord I destroyed their fruit from aboue and their roote from beneath But when did this great destruction befall the Amorites It befell them in the dayes of Moses when the Lord deliuered ouer into the hands of Israel t Deut. 2.33 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Then did Israel smite both those Kings u Num. 21.34 Deut. 3.3 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Them they smote with the edge of the
properly signifieth to forbid as vpon this place the learned Parisian Professor of the Hebrew tongue Mercer hath obserued So shall the words sound thus You vnthankfull Iâ—raelites you to whom I haue raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets you haue taken vpon you authoritie ouer my Prophets to forbid them to prophesie in my name and to threaten them if they obey you not that it shall fare the worse with them With this exposition agreeth that of Calvin whose note is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in my text signifieth Praecipere vel iubere to giue in charge to will or to command vel statuere quùm intercedit publica autoritas to appoint or to ordaine by publike autoritie Hereto assenteth Petrus Lusitanus By the word mandabatis or praecipiebatis which in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee vnderstandeth edicta publica publike edicts or proclamations against such as should dare to preach true doctrine vnto the people So shall the words sound thus You vnthankfull Israelites you to whom I haue raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets you haue not onely in secret corners in your priuate conventicles murmured against repined at or cryed out vpon my Prophets but also by publike order and proclamation you haue enioyned them silence Yee commanded the Prophets saying Prophesie not The Prophets What Prophets We are to distinguish betwixt the Priests of the Sanctuarie and Ieroboams priests betweene Starres in the right hand of Christ fixed in their stations and planets of an vncertaine motion betweene shepheards and hirelings There was an Aaron and there was an Abiram there was a Simon Peter and there was a Simon Magus there was a Iude and there was a Iudas Not euery one that calls himselfe a Prophet is by and by a Prophet for euen the woman Iezebel calleth herselfe a Prophetessâ— Revel 2.20 Baal had his foure hundred and fiftie Prophets not one of them a true Prophet all of them against Elias the Prophet of the Lord 1. Kin. 18.22 Ahab had his foure hundred Prophets not one of them a true Prophet all of them against Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord 1. King 22 6. Against such intruders seducers and lying Prophets we are armed with an admonition from the Lord Ierem. 23.16 There thus saith the Lord of Hosts Hearken not vnto the words of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you they make you vaine they speake a vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. In this ranke of seducers and lying Prophets I place those vpholders of the man of sinne Priests Iesuites who from the Seminaries beyond the Seas come ouer hither into this our Country here to sowe the seeds of disloyaltie and blinde superstition in the hearts of the people God hath not sent them yet they runne God hath not spoken to them yet they prophecie as Ieremie speaketh of the false Prophets in his dayes chap. 23.21 They prophecie lyes in the Lords name and cry I haue dreamed I haue dreamed vers 25. Dreames they haue but what truth what true vision I answer in the words of Ieremie chap. 14.14 They prophecie vnto you a false vision a divination a thing of naught and the deceit of their owne hearts Their sweet tongues vtter vnto you as deadly poyson as is a Deut. 32.33 the poyson of Dragons or the venome of Aspes They will allure you with plausible notes of Peace Peace But take heede you can expect no peace from them No peace either to the weale publicke or to the priuate conscience of any man Not to the weale publicke for their conspiracies are nefarious and bloody Not to the priuate conscience of any man for to be reconciled to that vnsound Church of theirs the Church of Rome to partake of their formall and counterfeit absolution of sinnes to heare and see their histrionicall Masses to visit the shrines reliques of the dead to say a number of Pater-Nosters or Ave-Maries vpon beads to invocate Saints to adore Images can these or any such forgeries yeeld any peace to a distressed conscience No they cannot Yet care not these false teachers and seducers so they may with such their vntempered morter of vnwritten traditions dawbe vp the walls of their Antichristian synagogue Now will you know what shall be the portion of such intruders seducers and lying Prophets Ieremie will tell you chap. 23. that the Lord is b Ierem. 23.30 31 32. against them that the c v rs 19. whirlewinde of the Lord is gone forth against them in a furie euen a grieuous whiâ—lewinde which shall fall vpon them grieuously that the d vers 20. anger of the Lord shall not returne vntill it haue executed his will vpon them that the Lord will bring vpon them an e vers 40. euerlasting reproch and a perpetuall shame Their cup is tempered with no lesse gall and bitternesse by the Prophet Ezechiel chap. 13. There for following f Ezech. 13.3 their own spirit for resembling g vers 4. the foxes in the deserts for neglecting h vers 5. to goe vp into the gap to make vp the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battel in the day of the Lord for seeing i vers 6 7. vaine visions for speaking lying diuinations for building and k vers 10. dawbing vp walls with vntempered morter they are accursed Their curse what for the head thereof and for the foote is full of vnhappinesse It entreth with a Vae prophâ—tis insipientibus woe vnto the foolish Prophets vers 3. and it bids farewell with an Anathema with a cursed excommunication vers 8 9. I am against you saith the Lord God Mine hand shall be vpon you yee shall not be in the assembly of my people yee shall not be written in the writing of the house of Israel ye shall not enter into the land of Israel A heauy sentence Will you haue the plaine meaning of it It s thus The Lord is against all false Prophets He will come vnto battell and will fight against the wicked crue euen with that sharpe two edged sword which proceedeth out of his mouth His hand shall be vpon them for their destruction and ruine They shall not be of the number of Gods elect They shall l Psal 69.28 be blotted out of the booke of the liuing and not be written with the righteous They shall neuer enter into that Celestiall Hierusalem which is aboue and is the habitation of the blessed You haue heard in generall of Prophets true and false I should now speake somewhat more distinctly There are two sorts of false Prophets Some haue no calling at all some haue a calling but without efficacie Of the first sort were these Priests in Iudah who were neither chosen by man nor called of God of whom the Lord complaineth Ierem. 14 14. m Ierem. 14.15 27.15 29.8 9. I sent them not neither haue I commanded them neither
are likewise vanished But may he not be accounted of for somewhat that is about him for his riches for his munition and weapons of defence for his honour and the reputation he holdeth in the state wherein thou liuest No no. For what cares the Almightie for these The Psalmist was not ill aduised Psal 146.3 Where he thus aduiseth vs Put not your trust in Princes nor in any sonne of man in whom there is no helpe his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish See man here pictured and drawne forth in liuely colours Put not your trust in Princes not in Princes Why Is not their authoritie and pre-eminence here exceeding great Yes But they are sonnes of men Well Be it so The sonnes of men are creatures not farre inferiour to the Angels True But there is no helpe in them no helpe in them Why so Their breath goeth forth They dye What if they dye Is there no place for them in Heauen among the starres No they returne to their earth there to participate with rottennesse and corruption What if corruption be in their flesh may not their intendments and deuises be canonized and kept for eternitie No they may not For in that very day their thoughts perish their thoughts are as transitorie as their bodies and come to nought And therefore put not your trust in them not in Princes nor in any son of man Wherein then shall we put our trust Euen in the Lord our God To this trust in the Lord we are inuited Psal 118.8 9. It is botter to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in Princes Is one better then the other Why then both may be good and it may be good to put confidence in man Not so You may not take the word better in this place to be so spoken For if you put any confidence in man you rob God of his glory which to doe can neuer be good I therefore thus expound the words It is better by infinite degrees absolutely and simply better to trust in the Lord to trust stedfastly in him alone then to put any confidence any manner of trust or confidence in man of what estate or dignity soeuer he be though he be of the rancke of Princes who haue all the power and authoritie in the world It s euery way better to trust in the Lord then to trust in such euer good to trust in the Lord but neuer good to trust in man Trust we in the Lord and blessed shall we be but cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme the Lord himselfe hath said it Ierem. 17.5 Now therefore O Lord since thou hast from hence taught vs that from the ayd of man there is no safetie to be expected neither from him that is of an expedite and agile bodie nor from the strong man nor from the mightie man nor from the bow-man nor from the swift of foote nor from the horseman nor from the couragious among the mightie nor from any thing else that is in man or about him giue vs grace we beseech thee that in thee alone wee may place all our hope and confidence In thee alone our God and Father of mercies doe we trust and doe thou according to the multitude of thy compassions looke vpon vs. Heare the supplications of vs thy poore seruants liuing far as banished men in a sauage Countrey Protect wee beseech thee and keepe our soules among the many dangers of this mortall life and bring vs by the conduct of thy gracious fauour into that thy sacred habitation and seate of eternall glory Grant this vnto vs most deare Father for thy best beloued Sonne Iesus Christ his sake FINIS A Table of such particulars as are contained in this Commentarie A Abraham his mild speech to Lot 29 Accesse to God 347 No accident in God 114 Adam 287. 360 Adulterie 148 Adulterers 148 Naturall Affection 28 Affliction 254 Alexander the sixth 157 An Altar of earth 169 of stone of Holocausts ibid. There was but one Altar 169 The Altar a tipe of Christ 170 Popish Altars 171 none such in the Primitiue Church ibid. Our Altar now not materiall 172 It is our heart 177 The Ammonites enemies to the people of God 18 Excluded from that Church 18 The Amorite 214 Destroied ibid. Amorites they were tale and strong 226 They were destroied 236 Amos. 307 Amos why he first prophecied against Forreine nations 2. 47 Antaeus 226 Antiochus 149 Antonius Caracalla ibid. Arias 344 Asaphel 343 Aspasia 149 Assurance of our faith 7. Atalanta 343 Atheists denying God and his truth 12 B Men of Base estate comforted 45 Beast worshipped for Gods 247 Beautie 229 Behold 322 Benefits the order of Gods Benefits Not obserued 242 We must remember Gods Benefits 252 The Bible the greatest treasure 54 The Bible must be had ibid. The Bible to be read ibid. Men Blaspheme God 152 Gods name Blasphemed 150 Our Bodies a sacrifice 174 The goods of our Bodies must be offered ibid. The Bond of bloud 28 of christianity ibid The greatest Bond betweene men ibid A Broken spirit 176 D. Bucknham 89 The Buriall of the dead 27 C Cain 360. 361 Camilla 343 A Calumniator 138 A Calumnie ibid. Carioth 33 Cedars 223 They grow high ibid. Cerijoth 33 We haue beene Chastised of God 42 Christ our altar 170 His benefits towards vs. ibid His death and passion ibid A Christian in name 106 A Christian who ibid The Church of God 253 A Citie not safe against God by munition c. 35 Consanguinitie 27 Contempt 64 Contempt of the law of the Lord. 67 Contempt may be a sinne and not 65 Couetousnesse 133 The causes of our Crosses is sinne 60 Crueltie 23. 133 Crueltie against the dead 25 Crueltie displeaseth God 23. 37 D Darius 98. 149 The naturall man in Darknesse 86 Dauid chosen king 230 Dauid George 89 The Day of the Lord. 134. 371 Crueltie towards the Dead 25 Buriall of the Dead 27 Death of 4. sorts 36 Death terrible 37 Death considered in a double respect 38 Death to be feared of whom 39 Death welcome to the penitent 38. 40 Of three things no Definition 112 The Denying of a contrary is somtime an affirmation 70 All must once Die 36. 37 Disobedience 74. 77. 289. 292 Dispensations Popish 155 Doggs thankfull 207 Draw nigh to God 347 A Drunkard 182. 286 described 182 Drunkennes the effects of it ibid c. Our Dwelling houses a blessing vnto vs. 35 E Eagle swifter then Eagles 224 The Edomites descended from Abraham 22 Egypt 345. 250 Where situate 245. The Egyptians superstitious 246 Their Gods ibid. Their crueltie 251 The Israelites brought vp from the land of Egypt 244. 245 Eliab Iesse his eldest sonne 228 liked by Samuell 229. 230 faire of countenance and of goodly stature 229 refused 230 No Escaping from God 342 Etham 255
house it is a houshold consisting of persons of diuers sexes ages statures strengths and abilities But this narrow signification of a family will not serue for this place For it was not onely a houshold that the Lord brought out of Aegypt it was more than so The Author of the Vulgar Latine giues here a larger scope Familia contents him not Cognatio is his word Not a family but a kindred must serue his turne His reading is Super omnem cognationem It pleaseth Luther and Mercer and Vatablus Against all the kindred A kindred wee know may containe many families and many were the families which the Lord brought vp from the Land of Aegypt yet is not this word kindred of extent sufficient to comprehend the great multitude that was brought vp from the land of Aegypt Nation is a fitter word with Castalio Heare this word that the Lord pronounceth to you to the whole Nation which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt It was indeed a Nation that the Lord brought vp A Nation and therefore many kindreds and more families Yet need wee not refuse either the word kindred or family as vnfit for this place for each of them may well bee vsed to signifie a Nation The reason whereof Kimhi giueth quia ab initio gentes singulae ab vno aliquo viro defluxerunt because at first Nations had their beginning from some one man that was head of a family or kindred A Family for a Nation you haue Mic. 2.3 Behold saith the Lord behold against this family doe I deuise an euill Against this family that is against this Nation of the Israelites So haue you Ierem. 8.3 Death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remaine of this euill family This euill family is the nation of the Iewes I read of the family of Aegypt Zach. 14.18 and there the family of Aegypt is the nation of the Aegyptians Such is the signification of the word family in my Text against the whole family that is against the whole nation of the Israelites By this whole family of the children of Israel some doe vnderstand all the people which the Lord brought vp from Aegypt which afterward was rent into two Kingdomes the Kingdome of Iudah and the Kingdome of Israel So Saint Hierome and Remigius and Hugo and Lyra and Dionysius Some by the children of Israel doe vnderstand the Kingdome of Israel the Kingdome of the ten Tribes and in the whole family brought vp from the land of Aegypt they will haue included the Kingdome of Iudah the other two Tribes the Tribes of Benjamin and Iudah So Theodoret and Albertus and Montanus Quadratus and Christophorus à Castro Petrus à Figueiro takes this whole family to be here vsed Appositoriè by Apposition to expresse what is meant by the children of Israel The children of Israel that is the whole family kindred or nation of the Israelites which the Lord brought vp from the land of Aegypt The like doth Tauerner in his English Bible his Translation runnes thus Heare what the Lord speaketh vnto you O ye children of Israel namely vnto all the Tribes whom I brought out of Aegypt I take them to be in the right who by the children of Israel doe vnderstand the Kingdome of the ten Tribes and by the whole family brought vp from Aegypt the other two Tribes the Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin to this sense Heare this word this sentence that the Lord pronounceth against you O children of Israel and not against you alone but euen against all those whom I brought vp from the land of Aegypt All that are in the same fault doe well deserue the same punishment If Iudah sinne as well as Israel Iudah shall bee punished as well as Israel Heare therefore this word not only you of Israel but you of Iudah too all you whom I brought vp from the land of Aegypt All which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt How can this bee Of those which the Lord brought vp out of Aegypt all that were of i Numb 14.30 32.11 12. twenty yeeres old and vpward all saue two Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh and Ioshua the sonne of Nun died in the Wildernesse They died there and therefore they came not into the Holy Land Againe the deliuerance of Israel out of Aegypt was about k An. M. 2454. seuen hundred yeeres before the l Which was An. M. 3158. time that this Prophesie came by the ministery of Amos vnto Israel What Seuen hundred yeeres before this time It s then to be presumed that all which so long before were brought vp from Aegypt were long ere this time dead And so out of doubt they were How then is it that here so long after it is said to the children of Israel from the Lord Eduxi I brought you your whole family vp from the Land of Aegypt The Israelites to whom this speech is had for the place of their natiuity and habitation the land of Iudaea Neuer had they beene in the land of Aegypt and yet may there be a good construction of what is here said vnto them Eduxi I brought you your whole family vp from the land of Aegypt Albertus makes the construction I brought you vp vos in patribus you in your Fathers So doth Petrus Lusitanus I brought you vp vos vtique in parentibus you in your parents And so Piscator I brought you vp vos in maioribus you in your Ancestours You in your Fathers in your Parents in your Ancestours I brought you vp from the land of Aegypt I brought vp from the land of Aegypt The words we met with before Chap. 2.10 There they were by me expounded and haply you will not thinke it fit I should say the same againe vnto you Wherefore for a full exposition of these words and the profit to be taken by them I referre you to my fifteenth Lecture vpon the second Chapter of this Prophesie of Amos. Hitherto haue I dwelt vpon the opening of the words of my present Text. I gather vp all in briefe Heare not only with the outward eare but also with the assent of minde heare and vnderstand this word this thing this sentence this decree that the Lord Iehouah the onely true euerlasting and Almighty God hath spoken hath pronounced ouer you vpon you to you against you against you O children of Israel yee the sonnes the posterity of Iacob and not against you onely but also against the whole family the whole Nation of you them of Iudah too against you all whose Fathers Parents and Ancestours I brought vp and deliuered with a mighty hand and out-stretched arme from the land of Aegypt that land wherein they liued in great slauery and bondage saying after this manner as it followeth vers 2. You only haue I knowne c. The words you see are expounded It remaineth now that we gather from hence such obseruations as are here naturally offered vnto vs
giue eare vnto the voice of the Lord thy God Now this third reason I frame thus If the obedient shall be blessed and rewarded for hearing and the disobedient cursed and punished for not hearing the voice of the Lord our God then it behoueth vs with all diligence to giue eare vnto his holy Word From the reasons enforcing the duty of hearing the Word of God I come now to make some vse of the doctrine deliuered It may serue first for reproofe For the reproofe of such as refuse to â—â—are the Word of God Such as if they had no soule to saue yea as if they beleeued that there is neither God nor Deuill neither Heauen nor Hell doe stop their eares that they may not heare Very desperate is their disease The a Mat. 12.42 Queene of the South shall rise vp in iudgement and condemne them She thought it worthy her labour to make a long iourney to heare the wisdome of Salomon and yet behold more than Salomon is here Here not farre hence in this place and present with you is Christ our Lord. Salomon a man Christ is God Salomon a mortall King of the Kingdome of Christ there is no end Salomon a King by humane succession Christ by diuine eternity Salomon a sinner inwrapped in the allurements of lasciuiousnesse Christ b 1 Pet. 2.22 without sinne without guile Heb. 7.26 harmelesse and vndefiled Salomon gaue his Parables onely in Hierusalem Christ giues his voice thorowout the Christian world hee giues it vs in our streets in our Temples in this his house wherein now I stand Inexcusable therefore art thou O man O woman O childe of vnderstanding whosoeuer thou art that refusest to heare the word of Christ thy Lord and God For such your refusall you shall be sure to giue an account at the great day of Gods vengeance Against such refusall the voice of wisdome cryeth out Prou. 1.24 Because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out mine hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mocke when your feare commeth Parallel to this is that Esa 65.12 There thus saith the Lord Because when I called ye did not answer when I spake ye did not heare but did euill before mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not therefore will I number you to the sword and ye shall all bow downe to the slaughter Hereunto may that be added Ierem. 7.13 Because I spake vnto you rising vp early and speaking but ye heard not and I called you but ye answered not therefore will I doe vnto you thus and thus I will cast you out of my fight I will powre out mine anger and my fury vpon the place of your habitation vpon man and vpon beast and vpon the trees of the field and vpon the fruit of the ground I will cause to cease from your streets the voice of mirth and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegroome and the voice of the bride Thus and thus shall it befall them that refuse to heare when the Lord speaketh the d Ier. 14.12 16. famine shall pinch them the e Ier. 15.3 sword shall slay them the f Ier. 21.9 Ezâ—h 6.11 7.15 pestilence shall waste them g Ieâ—m 15.3 dogges shall teare them wilde beasts shall destroy them and the Fowles of Heauen shall deuoure them You haue the first vse The second vse may be for reproofe too for the reproofe of such as come to heare but heare not as they should I haue read of a generation of such hearers Some saith my Author hearken after newes If the Preacher say any thing of beyond Sea matters or of court affaires at home that is his lure Some hearken whether any thing be said that may bee wrested to be spoken against persons in high place that they may accuse the Preacher Some smacke of eloquence and gape for a phrase that when they come abroad in company they may haue a fine word to grace their talke Some sit as Male-contents till the Preacher come to gird some whom they spight then pricke they vp their eares to listen and it shall goe hard if they remember not something of what is spoken Some come to gaze about the Church their eyes are euill eyes they are wanton eyes they are euermore looking vpon that from which holy Iob turned his eyes away Some sit musing all the Sermon time some of their Law-suits some of their bargaines some of their iourneyes some of some other imployments The Sermon is ended before these men thinke where they are Some that come to heare so soone as the Prayer is done or soone after fall fast asleepe as though they had beene brought into the Church for corpses and the Preacher should preach at their funeralls You see now a generation of hearers seuen sorts of them not one of them heareth as he should If they come to the Church and doe remaine there for the Sermon time they thinke their duty well and sufficiently discharged But much more than so is required at their hands Outward seruice without inward obedience is but Hypocrisie The naked hearing of the Word of God is but an halting with God If thou keepe from him thy heart he cares not for thy presence nor for thy tongue nor for thy eare Cares he not for our presence nor for our tongue nor for our eare vnlesse he haue our heart too Then may that Caueat which Christ giueth his Disciples Luk. 8.18 when he had expounded vnto them the parable of the Sower be a seasonable caueat for vs. The Caueat is Take heed how ye heare This same take heed euer goeth before some danger Some danger there is in hearing for you may easily heare amisse You may easily heare amisse and therefore take heed Take heed how you heare When you sow your seed in the field you will takâ— hâ—ed how you sow lest your seed should bee lost Your care herein is commendable Let not your care be lesse to further the growth of Gods seed Gods seed it is immortall seed euen his holy Word O take heed how you heare that none of this seed be lost No seed groweth so fast as this if it be receiued in good ground in an honest and good heart for so it groweth in a moment as high as Heauen Take heed therefore how ye heare Would ye now know how ye should heare The Prophet Ierem. shall teach you Chap. 13.15 Heare and giue care So shall Esâ—â— Chap. 28.23 Giue ye eare and heare hearken and heare Heâ—re giue eare and hearken Why is this multiplying of words but to teach you that you are to heare and mere thâ—n heare More than heare What is that to say It is to heare interiori auditu with the inward hearing as before I noted out of Albertus It is audire intelligere to heare and vnderstand as in the phrase of the Gospell already alleaged It is to heare for the
earth and they haue returned vnto him nothing but vnthankfulnesse the Lord will surely punish them for all their iniquities The parts are two 1 A Commemoration 2 A Commination The Commemoration is of benefits the Commination is of punishments The Commemoration is for words short yet for matter very copious It hath reference to the many singular and exceeding great benefits which the Lord hath bestowed vpon his people Israel You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth The Commination is sharpe but very iust It may serue thus farre to instruct the Israelites that if the Lord should at any time with his strong hand a Iob 30.21 oppose himselfe against them and make their b Vers 15. welfare to passe away as a cloud and lay terrors vpon them yet they should not calumniate and c Iob 1.22 charge God with folly but should lay the whole blame thereof vpon themselues and their owne deseruings Therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities Of both in their order First of the Commemoration You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You onely Onely you How can this be so Did not the knowledge of God extend it selfe to other Nations as well as to the Israelites It may not be denied It extends it selfe not to men only but to whatsoeuer else is in the world You may consider it two manner of waies either in it selfe or as it hath reference to things knowne If it be considered in it selfe it is most certaine and is euer the same as necessary and immutable as is the very diuine Essence from which it differeth not indeed but onely consideration For that axiome of the Schooles is true Quicquid est in Deo est ipsa Dei Essentia Whatsoeuer is in God is Gods owne Essence And therefore the knowledge of God is his diuine Essence and God is his owne knowledge Whence it followeth that wheresoeuer God is and his holy Essence there is his knowledge Now God is euery where his Essence is euery where his knowledge therefore must be euery where It s impossible that any thing should be concealed from it Againe the knowledge of God may be considered as it hath reference to things knowne and so also nothing can bee hid from it For it knoweth it selfe and euery thing else Things vniuersall and singular things past present and to come things which neither are nor haue beene nor euer shall bee things necessary and contingent naturall and voluntary good and euill atchieued and thought vpon finite and infinite all are knowne vnto him So saith the Apostle Heb. 4.13 There is no creature that is not manifest in the sight of God No creature Nay vnto his eyes all things are naked and open All things How then is it that here he saith to the Israelites You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth For the cleering of this doubt we are to note that knowledge attributed vnto God in holy Scripture doth not euer betoken a bare and naked knowledge but sometimes his loue his fauour his care his prouidence his choice his approbation his allowance his acceptance or the like As Psal 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Hee knoweth that is he loueth he approueth he accepteth he is well pleased with and graciously directeth the way of the righteous And so are we to expound that of the 37. Psal Vers 18. The Lord knoweth the daies of the vpright He knoweth that is He doth not onely foresee but also he alloweth he careth and prouideth for the life of the vpright So I vnderstand that branch of Dauid prayer which he made in the caue Psal 142.3 When my spirit was ouer-whelmed within me then thou knewest my path Thou knewest that is thou didst approue and allow of the order of my life and innocent conuersation In the booke of Exodus Chap. 33.17 the Lord said vnto Moses Thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name I know thee by name that is I haue respect vnto thee I approue thee I care and prouide for thee In the first Chapter of the Prophesie of Nahum vers 7. it is said of the Lord that he knoweth them that trust in him And there to know is to loue to defend to approue to regard Them that trust in him he knoweth he suffers them not to perish In the second Epistle to Timothy Chap. 2.19 we reade of a foundation a foundation of God a sure foundation the seale whereof is Nouit Dominus qâ—â— sunt ejus The Lord knoweth those that are his The Lord knoweth vnderstand not onely a knowledge in generall but a speciall knowledge such a knowledge as is ioyned cum applicatione cordis ac voluntatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a learned Diuine well speaketh such a knowledge as is associated with the applying of the heart and will and good pleasure of the Lord. The Lord knoweth who are his He so knowes them as that they d Ioan. 10.28 shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of his hand Other like places I could produce yet further to shew this idiotisme of the holy tongue that verba notitiae words of knowledge doe not euer betoken a bare and naked knowledge but sometime such a e Mat. 7.23 Luk. 13.27 Mat. 25.12 Rom. 7 15. knowledge as is ioyned with some f Vorflius aâ—ica Duplicat cap. 4. pag 225. decree of him that knoweth with some action of his will with his approbation But I shall not neede to doe it From the Texts of Scripture before alleaged ariseth a distinction of the Schoolemen their distinction of the knowledge of God The knowledge of God say they is two-fold the one is the knowledge of his g Aquin. â—â— 2â— qu. 188. 5. 1. apprehension the other the knowledge of his h Ripa in 1. Th. qu. 14. Art 13. Dub. 4. cap. 4. fol. 83. col 3. Wendalin Suppl in 4. Sentent Dist 50. qu. 1. approbation That they call his absolute and speculatiue knowledge this his speciall and practicall and this not that is the knowledge to bee vnderstood in the places euen now by me expounded And this not that is the knowledge intended in my Text. Thus is the doubt resolued The doubt was How it is here said that the Lord onely knew the Israelites aboue all the Nations of the Earth The answer is Hee knew them not onely as he knew other Nations by his absolute and speculatiue knowledge but also by his speciall and practicall not onely by the knowledge of his apprehension but also by the knowledge of his approbation Some there are that by knowledge here doe vnderstand a possession To know say they is to possesse to haue in our power to inioy as our owne For proofe whereof they bring that Psal 50.11 I know all the fowles of the mountaines and the wild beasts of the field are mine The words are
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
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
the valour of their souldiers their fenced Cities the strength of Samaria and the succour of Damascus Thus haue you the reasons of my Doctrine why there is not any confidence to be put in creatures either in the strength of man or the munition of 〈◊〉 â—s The vse is to admonish vs that we depend not vpon the vaine and transitory things of this life but vpon God alone who onely is vnchangeable and vnmoueable that we resigne our selues wholly into his hands and confesse before him in the words of the Psalme 91.9 Tu es Domine spes mea Thou art O Lord my hope Serm. 9. in Psal Qui habitat Sweet is the meditation of Saint Bernard vpon the place Let others pretend merit let them bragge that they haue borne the burden and heat of the day let them tell of their fasting twice a weeke let them glory that they are not as other men Mihi autem adhaerere Deo Psal 73.28 bonum est ponere in Domino Deo spem meam but its good for me to cleaue fast vnto God to put my hope in the Lord God Sperent in aliâ—s alii Let others trust in other things one in his learning another in his nobility a third in his worth a fourth in any other vanity Mihi autem adhaerere Deo bonum est but its good for me to cleaue fast vnto God to put my trust in the Lord God Dearely beloued if we shall sacrifice to our owne nets Habak 1.15 16. burne incense to our owne yarne put our trust in outward meanes either riches or policie or Princes or men or mountaines forsaking God God will blow vpon these meanes and turne them to our ouerthrow Wherefore though we haue all helpes in our owne hands to defend our selues and offend our enemies as that we are fenced by Sea fortified by ships blessed by Princes backed with friends stored with munitions aided with confederates and armed with multitudes of men yet may we not put our trust herein for nobis etiam adhaerere Deo bonum est it s also good for vs to cleaue fast vnto God to put our trust in the Lord God who alone giues the blessing to make all good meanes effectuall There is not much remaining The small number of the Israelites that were to be deliuered from the fury of the Assyrian resembled by the two legs or the tip of the eare taken by the shepheard out of the Lions mouth yeelds vs this obseruation that In publike calamities God euermore reserueth a remnant to himselfe When God punished the old world the world of the vngodly 1 Pet. 2.5 bringing the floud vpon them he saued Noah the eighth person the preacher of righteousnesse When God condemned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah with an ouerthrow turning them into ashes making them an ensample vnto those that after should liue wickedly he deliuered iust Lot from among them There is a remnant left Esay 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had left vnto vs a very small remnant we should haue beene as Sodome and we should haue beene like vnto Gomorrah You see a remnant reserued though it be very small Yea sometimes there is a reseruation of so small a remnant as is hardly visible as in the daies of Eliah who knew of none but himselfe I only am left saith he 1 King 19.14 Yet God tells him vers 18. of seuen thousand in Israel which neuer bowed their knees to Baal I finde Ioel 2.32 deliuerance in mount Sion deliuerance in Ierusalem and deliuerance in the remnant when the Lord shall call There is then a remnant to be called euen in greatest extremity Wherefore you the Elect and chosen children of God the Father be ye full of comfort take vnto you beauty for ashes Esay 61.3 the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse reioyce ye be glad together and be ye comforted Let the Prince of darknesse and all the powers of Hell assisted with the innumerable company of his wicked vassals vpon the Earth ioyne together to worke your ouerthrow they shall not be able to effect it For God euen your God will reserue vnto himselfe a remnant And what is this remnant but pusillus grex It s a little flock the chaste Spouse of Christ the holy Catholike Church Extra cam nulla est salus Out of it there is no Saluation for hee that hath not the Church for his Mother shall neuer haue God for his Father So much for the explanation of this twelfth verse And Gods blessing be vpon it THE Fifteenth Lecture AMOS 3.13 14 15. Heare yee and testifie in the house of Iacob saith the Lord God the God of hosts That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of Iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end saith the Lord. THe words of the Lord are iust by whom soeuer they are vttered and the authority of the holy Spirit is wonderfull by whom soeuer he speaketh Non minùs de ore pastoris quam de ore Imperatoris pertonat he thundereth or he speaketh with as much Maiestie from the mouth of a shepherd as from the mouth of an Emperour Amos our Prophet is this shepherd from whom the holy Spirit here thundereth Before he came with a proclamation to the palaces of Ashdod and to the palaces of the Land of Aegypt Now he comes with a Contestation to the house of Iacob Hereafter you may heare his message to the King of Bashan that are in the mountaines of Samaria Chap. 4.1 If Amos had from a shepherd beene aduanced to the Maiestie of a King as Dauid was what could we wish should haue beene added to the greater maiestie of his elocution The contestation is the thing whereupon I shall at this time principally insist The words are a Prosopopaeia the Almighty is brought in calling vpon his Priests and Prophets to giue eare vnto him and to beare witnesse of the calamities which he was purposed to lay vpon the house of Iacob that when he should punish them for their euill deeds he would visit their Temple and proudest buildings with desolation The parts are two One is a mandate for a Contestation or Testification The other is the matter to be testified That vers 13. This vers 14 15. For the first these particulars may be obserued 1. Who it is that giues the mandate It is he that best may doe it Euen the Lord. The Lord God the God of Hosts 2. To whom he giues it Sacerdotibus Prophetis to his Priests and Prophets for to them is this by an Apostrophe directed 3. How he giues it thus Audite contestamini Heare and testifie 4. The place where this testification is to be
vttered by the Prophets is nothing else but the word of God conueyed vnto vs by ministery of his Prophets That so it is wee are assured by the Protestation that God himselfe maketh Hos 12.10 I that am the Lord thy God I haue spoken by the Prophets and I haue multiplied visions and vsed similitudes by hand or by the ministery of the Prophets The like phrase is vsed by Haggai Chap. 1.1 to shew that his prophecie was the very word of God In the second yeare of the reigne of King Darius came the Word of the Lord by the hand or by the ministery of Haggai the Prophet vnto Zerubbabel Haggai was but a conduit to conuey the Word the Word was the Lords This is that we reade Hebr. 1.1 that God at sundry times and in diuers manners spake in time past vnto the Fathers by the Prophets Hence appeareth the harmony consent and agreement of all the Prophets euen from the first vnto the last Adam Seth Enoch Noe Abraham Moses Dauid Esay and the rest not one of them spake one word of a naturall man in all their ministery but only the words of him that sent them they spake not of themselues it was God that spake in them Whensoeuer was the time whosoeuer was the man wheresoeuer was the place whatsoeuer was the people the words were Gods God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets And for this cause when we preach vnto you we say not you are to beleeue vs in what wee say quia nos dicimus because we say it but quia dicit Dominus because the Lord saith it And if it be demanded whence it may be knowne that our sayings are the Lords sayings we answer it is knowne ex Scripturis by this or that place of Scripture To the Scriptures we are tyed as the Leuites were to the Law Deut. 17.11 From the Law they might not decline either to the right hand or to the left nor may wee from the Scriptures They were to teach according to the Law and we according to the Scriptures The voice of the Law was their rule the voice of the Scriptures must be ours The voice of the Scriptures must be our rule But saith the Romanizing Papist the Scripture hath no voice at all but is res muta Sleid. Com. l. 23. a dumbe thing The Bishop of Poitiers in the infamous conuenticle of Trent was of this minde Scripturam esse rem inanimem atque mutam that the Scripture is a dead and a dumbe thing Controu 3. de Eccles as are all other Politicke Lawes Albertus Pighius before that time had discouered his opinion of the point Esse Scripturas mutos iudices that the Scriptures are dumbe iudges and therefore vnfit to haue matters of controuersie put ouer to their iudgement Petrus à Soto saith as much in effect Schol. de Euchar. Defens 3. calling the Scripture Literam mutam non respondentem a dumb letter that giues no answer This is but one of the many blasphemies which Papists haue vttered to the disgrace of holy Scripture against whom to the honour thereof wee maintaine this assertion Scripturam non esse mutam ac vocis expertem the Scripture is not dumb and speechlesse but hath a voice a cleare voice easie to be heard except we be deafe For the confirmation of this our assertion I produce that of Saint Paul Rom. 3.19 Whatsoeuer things the Scripture saith it saith to them that are vnder the Law the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it speaketh to them that are vnder the Law It speaketh therefore it is not dumbe Moses ascribeth to the Law a mouth Deut. 17.11 and Pagnines translation there is ex ore Legis the Priests were to teach according to the mouth of the Law And why I pray you hath the Law a mouth if it cannot speake If exhortations of holy writ doe speake why may not precepts prohibitions expostulations and other passages speake as well There is an exhortation that speaketh vnto you as children Hebr. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it speaketh and thus it speaketh My sonne despise not thou the chastning of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him The Scripture euery where speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a phrase often iterated in the New Testament is a sure euidence that the Scripture is not dumbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.3 What saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse That Scripture is Gen. 15 6. and therefore the Scripture in Genesis speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.17 The Scripture saith vnto Pharaoh What Euen for this same purpose haue I raised thee vp that I might shew my power in thee that Scripture is Exod. 9.16 and therefore the Scripture in Exodus speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10.11 The Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him in Iesus Christ shall not be ashamed that Scripture is Esay 28.16 and therefore the Scripture in Esay speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Scripture from this phrase so often reiterated in the New Couenant I may conclude for the whole Scripture that it hath a voice and speaketh and therefore that it is neither dead nor dumbe as the aboue alleaged Popish Authors haue imagined It hath a voice and speaketh This voice is the voice of God For God in the Scriptures speaketh with vs familiarly as a friend speaketh with a friend Quasi amicus familiaris sine fuco ad cor loquitur indoctorum atque doctorum Augustine to Volusian Epist 3. God in Scriptures daily speaketh to vs and hee speaketh plainly to the heart as well of the vnlearned as of the learned to the heart of euery one of vs. Now as God in the Scriptures speaketh to vs so we cannot but acknowledge that he speaketh vnlesse we be without his holy Spirit Sic enim loquitur nobiscum vt nos eius sermonem intelligamus Ambrose to Irenaeus Epist 5. So God speaketh with vs that we may vnderstand his speech And this that which aboue I vndertooke to proue that God now adayes speaketh that he may be heard of his Ministers And sith he so speaketh my doctrine will thereupon follow The Minister of the Gospell is to heare what God speaketh before he presume to deliuer his message to the people He is to heare what God speaketh before he make his contestation to the house of Iacob It is the order prescribed in my text Heare first then testifie Heare and testifie in the house of Iacob The vse of the point now deliuered is two-fold one concerneth the Preachers of the Gospell the other the Hearers The Preachers are to heare what God speaketh and then to testifie and beare witnesse thereof to the house of Iacob to the people of God They must remember they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.20 Ambassadors of God in Christs stead and that to them is committed the ministery of reconciliation and therefore they may
word of my gracious God My God openeth his mouth from Heauen aboue and speaketh to me that he might saue me He speaketh to me to keep me from errour to comfort me in the troubles and aduersities of this life and to guide me to the life eternall If you stand thus affected to the word of God if you desire the sincere milke thereof for your spirituall food as the little infant doth the mothers milke for its bodily food if you finde your selues truly to loue it carefully to desire to vnderstand it and to take comfort in the exercises of it thanke God for it it is a good signe and pray God to increase it But if this word of God be a burden to thee if like a potion it goe downe against thy stomack if thou carest not how little thou be acquainted with it if thou esteemest not the exercises of it take heed bewaile thine estate it is a fearefull token pray God if thou loue thine owne soule to remoue such thy dulnesse from thee And let this suffice to haue beene deliuered vpon my second obseruation which was The Minister of the Gospell is to heare what God speaketh before he presume to deliuer his message to the people It was grounded vpon those words of the Mandate Audite contestamini Heare and testifie First heare what God speaketh and then make your contestation testifie and beare witnesse of that you haue heard Cry aloud spare not Esay 58.1 lift vp your voices like trumpets shew vnto the house of Iacob the calamities which I haue resolued to bring vpon them Heare yee and testifie in the house of Iacob Hereupon I ground my third obseruation it is this God euermore vseth to denounce grieuous calamities before they come to passe He fore-sheweth them before hand The vniuersall deluge was a very grieuous calamity God foreshewed it vnto Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse long before he brought in the Floud Gen. 6.13 The cry of Sodome and Gomorrah was great their sinne was very grieuous and therefore was God resolued to destroy them yet would he not doe it till he had told Abraham and Lot thereof the one Gen. 18.17 the other Gen. 19.13 The seuen yeares of famine which were to consume the land of Aegypt God foretold to Ioseph seuen yeares before they came Gen. 41.25 A man of God is sent to Eli to foretell him of the euill that should befall his house 1 Sam. 2.27 The Prophet Ieremie is sent to the Iewes to foretell them of the seuenty yeares of their captiuitie in Babylon Ier. 25.12 And here in my text Priests and Prophets are called vpon to foretell to the house of Iacob the miseries that were readie to fall vpon them Thus stands the doctrine firme God euermore vseth to aduertise vs of miseries before they doe befall vs. Our Prophet expresly and confidently auoucheth it vers 7. of this Chapter Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets In my exposition of those words I gaue of the point in hand a larger prosecution than the remainder of this houre will affoord As now so then I proued from the euidence of the word that God neuer bringeth any grieuous calamitie vpon any people or nation or priuate person but he doth euermore first forewarne the same and foretelleth it And hereof I gaue two reasons one in respect of the godly the other in respect of the wicked For the Godly God is vnwilling at any time to take them at vnawares He loueth them he would not haue any of them perish but would they should all repent and so preuent his iudgements He is prone to doe good but slow to punish and therefore praedicit flagella vt peccantes resipiscant He fore-sheweth his iudgements to draw vs to the amendment of our liues Now for the wicked He fore-warneth them also of his future iudgements Rangol 1 King â— 27 ne dicere queant se illa euentura non audiuisse that they may not be able to say for themselues they had no fore-warning So are they left without excuse their mouthes are stopped and Gods iustice is cleared Wherefore beloued let vs acknowledge the great mercie and wonderfull patience of our good and gracious God in that he vouchsafeth so to deale with vs to retire vs from sinne He needs not nor is he bound to deale so kindly with vs. For it is our part vpon our owne perill to take heed of his iudgements that they ouertake vs not Yet so good is the Lord so louing so mercifull so patient so desirous is he we should escape the misery which we haue deserued that he sends vnto vs his letters of loue the holy Scriptures by his Ministers to fore-warne vs of the euill day A sly and subtill aduersary would steale vpon vs when we should least thinke of him and take vs at any aduantage but our louing God seekes not for aduantages against vs. He rather prouideth vs meanes for our safetie The meanes are the letters of his loue as euen now I called them the sacred Scriptures Them he conueyeth to vs by his seruants his Ministers by whom hee inuites vs to good and deters vs from euill propoundeth rewards for well doing and punishments for ill threatneth vnto vs the torments of Hell if we continue in sinne and so bridleth our wantonnesse promiseth the ioyes of Heauen if we turne vnto him by repentance and so spurres on our slothfulnesse So gracious a God fore-warneth euer before he striketh And now most gracious and louing Father we most humbly beseech thee not only to fore-warne vs before thou strike but also to giue vs grace to take heed by thy warnings that thou strike vs not So will we arise runne and open vnto thee arise by faith from the sepulcher of sinne runne with hope to the gates of thy mercies and open with loue our broken and contrite hearts that thou mayest come in and dwell with vs. Euen so be it most mercifull Father for thy sweet Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake Amen THE Sixteenth Lecture AMOS 3.14 15. That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end saith the Lord. THis passage of holy Writ is a Prosopopaeia The Almighty is here brought in calling vpon his Priests and Prophets to giue care vnto him and to beare witnesse of the calamities which hee was resolued to lay vpon the house of Iacob His resolution was when he should punish the Israelites for their euill deeds then to visit their Temple and stateliest buildings with ruine and desolation The words I heretofore diuided into two generall parts One was A mandate for a Testification
whosoeuer thus thinketh of God as he is set forth in these his Negatiue appellations though hereby he cannot altogether find out what God is piè tamen cauet quantum potest aliquid de eo sentire quod non sit saith S. Austine de Trin lib. 3. cap. 1. yet his religious care is to conceiue somewhat of God that he is not You see it is easier for vs to say what God is not then what he is easier for vs to conceiue of him by his Negatiue attributes then by his affirmatiue Yet by his affirmatiue attributes are we brought to some knowledge of God For hereby we know that he is the r Gen. 21.33 euerlasting God the Å¿ Psal 83.18 most high God the t Rom 16.27 onely wise God that he is u Gen. 17.1 omnipotent and x Apoc. 15.4 holy and y Deut. 32.4 iust and z Exod. 34.6 mercifull and gracious and long-suffering and good and true Whatsoeuer is verified of God in either sort of his Attributes Affirmatiue or Negatiue it is all comprised in this one name of God in my text his name Iehovah For this name Iehovah is the name of the Essence of God and whatsoeuer is in God it is his Essence It was one of a De Deo Not. ad Disp 3. p. 209 Vorstius his foule errours to deny the truth of that vulgarly receiued Axiome Nullum omnino in Deo accidens esse It is simply and euery way true There is no accident at all in God God he is primum ens his being is from all eternity he is forma simplex a pure forme no subiect there is nothing in God which is not God there is nothing in God really diuerse from the essence of God there is nothing in God obnoxious to imperfection separation or change therefore it followeth against Vorstius there is no accident at all in God God he iâ— Iehouah hee is absolutely and totally essence Thus saith Iehouah By this name Iehouah we are taught three things First that God of himselfe and through himselfe hath alwayes beene now is and euer shall be So is this name by a Periphrasis expounded Reuel 1.4 Grace be vnto you and peace from him which is which was and which is to come And Reuel 16.5 Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be This exposition of this name Iehouâ—â—h is giuen by b Strâ—mat lib. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus and c In Exod. qu. 15 Epist Diuinorum dogmatum Theodoretus Cyraâ—sis that Iehouah for its signification is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is Secondly we are taught by this name Iehouah that the essence or being of all things created is from God according to that Acts 17.28 In him we liue and moue and haue our being and that Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things Thirdly we are taught by this name Iehouah that God doth giue Esse reale a reall being to his promises threatnings that he is veracissimus and constantissimus most true and most constant in doing whatsoeuer he hath promised or threatned This consideration of this great Name Iehouah may yeeld much comfort to all the Elect of God and his faithfull ones Though they seeme to d Esa 51.17 drinke the dregs of the cup of trembling a Rom. 8.35 36 and to be euen swallowed vp of c tribulation of distresse of persecution of famine of nakednesse of perill of the sword though they be as killed all the day long and accounted as sheepe for the slaughter yet heereby they may be well assured that all the good things promised to them in the holy word of God shall in their due time be accomplished For God who hath promised hee is the Lord he is Iehouah Againe this consideration of this great name Iehouah may strike a terror into the hearts of the reprobate and vnbeleeuers They f Psal 73.12 prosper in this world they encrease inriches they haue more then heart can wish their eyes stand out with fatnesse they are clothed with violence as with a garment they are compassed with pride as with a chaine they are not in trouble they are not plagued like other men yet may they heereby bee assured that all the euill threatned to them in the holy word of God shall in due time ouertake them For God who hath threatned hee is the Lord hee is Iehouah Thus saith the Lord Iehouah Sundry other obseruations vpon these very words in so many syllables deliuered fiue times in the first chapter of this book and twice before in this second chapter haue heeretofore been commended to your Christian considerations They are in part published to your view therefore I neede not spend time in repetition of them By this which hath this time beene spoken you see whence this prophesie against Israel hath its authority The authority of it is from the Lord Iehouah whom once to name vnto you should bee enough to procure your most religious attentions Proceede wee therefore to the prophesie it selfe The first thing therein is the Accusation of Israel in a generality For three transgressions of Israel and for foure By Israel heere we are to vnderstand those ten tribes of Israel who after King Salomons death forsooke the Kings sonne Râ—hoboam and subiected themselues to the rule of Iereboam sonne of Nebat Those ten tribes from the time of that rent were commonly called the Kingdome of Israel These in Holy Scripture are called sometime g Hos 10.15 Bethel sometime h Hâ—s 10.5 Bethauen sometime i Amos 3.9 Samaria sometime k Hos 2.22 Iesreel sometime l Amos 5.6 Ioseph sometime m Hos 10.11 Ephraim sometime n Hos 12 2. Iacob sometime o Hos 10.1 Israel Israel is their most common name and their name in my text For three transgressions of Israel and for foure Diuerse are the opinions concerning these foure transgressions of Israel Nicolaus de Lyra saith their first transgression was their p Gen. 37.26 selling of Ioseph the second their q Exod. 32.4 worshipping of the Calfe the third their r 1 King 12.16 forsaking of Dauid the fourth their selling of Christ Paulus de Palatio saith the first transgression was their defection from the house of Dauid and the King of Iudah the second their defection from the worship of God to the worship of Idols the third their defection from the law of Moses which was Gods law the fourth their defection from the law of nature which is the light of Gods countenance sealed in our hearts Å¿ Domini 8. post Trin. Con. 1. Abraham Bronius saith the first of these transgressions was their idolatry the second the slaughter of the Prophets the third the murther of Christ the fourth their contempt They made a trade of transgressing These expositions seeme to bee farre fetched Albertus Magnus findes them neerer hand in the letter of my text
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
hath giuen you the rich treasure of his true seruice and holy Word To you onely hath he beene so gracious not for any dignity or worth of yours but for his owne loues sake and for his promise sake One vse of this obseruation may be to shew that heretofore Grace was not so vniuersall as Papists now would haue it to be The knowledge of the meanes of saluation was denied to the Nations A second vse may be to admonish vs that we hold it for a singular blessing that the Lord hath reserued vs for these last daies wherein the word of God of old time limited to the coasts of Iudaea and Palaestina is now published vnto vs of the Gentiles Ephes 2.13 Now in Christ Iesus wee who were sometimes farre off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ Now therefore we are no more strangers and forreiners but fellow-heires with the Saints Psal 107.8 and of the houshold of God O that we would therefore praise the Lord for this his goodnesse and declare this wonder that he hath done for vs. It is time that from the Commemoration wee descend to the Commination The Commination is in these words Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Therefore Why Because the Lord hath knowne Israel aboue all the families of the earth will he therefore punish them for all their iniquities Is not the sequell absurd You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Were it not better thus You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will spare you I will pardon you I will not punish you for all your iniquities For remouing of this scruple wee must haue recourse to that Couenant which the Lord made with Israel in Horeb. Deut. 5.2 The forme of the Couenant is extant Exod. 19.5 If you will obey my voice indeed and keepe my Couenant then yee shall bee a peculiar treasure vnto me aboue all people This Couenant is more at large described in Deut. 7. and 28. The summe of it is If thou wilt hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord thy God to obserue and to doe all his Commandements which hee commandeth thee then blessed shalt thou be but if thou wilt not accursed shalt thou be The Couenant you see is vpon a condition If the condition be broken on Israels part God is no longer on his part tied to any performance This sequell then may be good I haue chosen you by Couenant aboue all the nations of the earth that ye should keepe my Law but you haue failed in the condition you haue not kept my Law Therefore I will punish you and will punish you for all your iniquities Therefore because you hauing beene graciously receiued by me into fauour doe runne headlong into all iniquity I will punish you therefore I will punish you In the Hebrew it is Visitabo super vos or contra vos I will visit vpon you or against you The Vulgar Latine hath Visitabo super vos I will visit vpon you all your iniquities I will visit To visit is sometimes in the holy Scripture taken in the euill part for to visit in anger or dispeasure whence by a Synecdoche of the Genus for the Species it betokeneth to punish So is God said to visit when with some sudden and vnlooked for scourge or calamity hee taketh vengeance vpon men for those sinnes which for a long time he seemed to take no notice of In that part of Dauids Prayer Psal 59.5 O Lord God of hosts the God of Israel awake thou to visit the heathen to visit is to visit in anger it is to corroct it is to punish In the 89. Psal vers 32. to such as depart from the Law of the Lord and from that rule of righteousnesse which it prescribeth them to walke in the Lord threatneth that hee will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes And there to visit must needs be to visit in anger for as much as it brings a rod and stripes with it It is to correct it is to punish In the thirteetnh of Esay vers 11. the Lord saith I will visit the world for their euill and the wicked for their iniquity And there also to visit is to visit in anger it is to correct it is to punish Now as to visit signifieth in the now alleaged places so doth it in my Text I will visit you I will visit you in mine anger it is to correct it is to punish Now as to visit signifieth in the now alleaged places so doth it in my Text I will visit you I will visit you in mine anger I will correct you I will punish you But for what It followeth For all your iniquities For all either vniuersall or indefinitely For all vniuersally so the glosse takes it so Albertus the Bishop of Ratisbone so Rupertus the Abbot of Tuitium I will punish you for all Vt sit nihil impunitum that nothing be vnpunished I will punish you for all Instante judicio remot â misericordiâ summâ cum seueritate with instant iudgement without mercy with greatest seuerity I will punish you for all For it is a iust thing euen with men that he that makes a Law should punish according to the Law Or All may here be taken indefinitely for some of all It is Drusius his obseruation Omnes dixit pro omne genus vel plerasque All he hath said for all sorts or for the most part I will punish you for all your iniquities that is for the sorts of your iniquities or for the most part of them For the Lord of his clemency and mercy remitteth vnto his some of their iniquities Or these two expositions for this place I preferre the former So shall this second branch of my Text beare with it this vnderstanding Therefore I will visit vpon you all your iniquities Therefore because you hauing beene respected by me and receiued into my fauour aboue all the Nations of the earth haue notwithstanding forsaken my Lawes and corrupted my seruice I will visit vpon you all your iniquities I will punish you for all for all vniuersally for all your iniquities not one of them shall escape vnpunished I will punish you for all your iniquities I there is the Agent Will punish there is the Action You there is the Patient For all your iniquities there is the Cause I wil punish you for all your iniquities From the Agent and his Action ariseth this obseruation Whatsoeuer punishment befalleth any one in this life it is from the Lord. The Lord He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is efficiens primarum he is the primary and principall actor in all punishments He is a sure reuenger of all impiety as he is the maintainer of his holy Law This office of punishing the Lord assumeth to himselfe Esay 45.7 I am the Lord and there is none else