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
acknowledgeth It is expresly deliuered 1 Chron. 9.1 of the Israelites that for their transgressions they were carried away captiue vnto Babel In Deut. 28.41 among the curses threatned to all such as are rebellious and disobedient to Gods holy Commandements Captiuitie is ranked and reckoned I let passe the multitude of Scripture-places seruing to this point my Text is plaine for it The Aramites for their three transgressions and for foure for their many sinnes for their sinne of cruelty for threshing Gilead with threshing instruments of Iron were to goe into Captiuity My doctrine standeth firme For the sinne of a Land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuitie Into Captiuitie Into what kinde of captiuitie For there is a spirituall captiuitie and a corporall captiuitie a captiuitie of the minde and a captiuitie of the body Both are very grieuous but the first more The first which I call the spirituall captiuity and a captiuitie of the minde is a captiuity vnder the Deuill vnder the power of Hell vnder death vnder sin vnder the eternall malediction or curse of the Law propounded to euery one that doth not in all points and absolutely obey the Law This Captiuity is a heauie yoake to all mankinde considered without Christ Euery one male and female that hath no part in Christ euery vnbeleeuing and reprobate person is in this construction euen to this day a captiue And such also were we by the corruption of our nature vpon our first Father Adams default but now are we by the sacrifice of the immaculate Lambe the Lord Iesus ransomed and freed For to this purpose was he sent into the world as it is euident Esai 61.1 and Luk. 4.18 In both places hee professeth himselfe to bee sent into the world for this end euen to publish liberty and freedome to captiues and the imprisoned which his office he hath graciously performed By his Word of grace he hath so freed our consciences formerly oppressed with and captiue vnder sin that now there is no condemnation to vs to vs I say who are in Christ and doe walke after the spirit as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 8.1 This is it which our Sauiour foretold the Iewes Iohn 8.36 If the Sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed Be it repeated againe to our eternall comforts If the Sonne shall make vs free we shall be free indeed But he hath made vs free for therefore was he sent to publish libertie and freedome to captiues he hath paid our ransome his innocent and most precious bloud by it are we throughly washed and cleansed from our sinnes Now there is no condemnation to vs. Thus freed from our spirituall captiuity bondage and slauery vnder Hell death and sin let vs with boldnesse looking vp to the throne of Grace whereon sitteth the Author and Finisher of our faith say with the blessed Apostle 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thankes be to God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. The Captiuity in my text is of the other kind a corporall captiuitie a captiuitie of the body which vsually is accompanied with two great miseries pointed at Psal 107.10 The first they dwell in darknesse and in the shadow of death the second they are bound in anguish and Iron First they dwell in darknesse and in the shadow of death that is they are put into deep dungeons void of light whereby they are as it were at deaths doore Secondly they are bound in anguish and iron that is day and night they are loaden with fetters gyues or shackles of iron so loaden that they finde no rest vnto their bones Thus must it be with them who by sinfull liuing prouoke the Lord to high displeasure Thus is my doctrine confirmed For the sin of a land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuity Is it true beloued Doth God oftentimes for the sin of a land send away the inhabitants into captiuity Let vs make this Christian vse of it euen to powre out our selues in thankfulnesse before Almighty God for his wonderfull patience towards vs. The sins of such Nations as haue beene punished with captiuity were they more grieuous in Gods eyes than ours are It is not be imagined Our sins are as crimson-like and as scarlet-like as euer were theirs the sins of our land crying sins Atheisme Irreligion Oppression Extortion Couetousnesse Vsury Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Drunkennesse and many like abominations of the old man in vs all our works of darknes they haue made head together and haue impudently and shamelesly pressed into the presence of Almighty God to vrge him to powre forth the vials of his wrath and indignation vpon vs. Yet our God good gracious mercifull long suffering and of great kindnes withholdeth and stayeth his reuengefull hand from laying vpon vs his great punishment of Captiuity and suffereth vs to possesse our habitations in peace and to eat the good things of the earth O let vs therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and declare before the sonnes of men the good things that he hath done for vs. Here dearely beloued let vs not presume vpon God his patience to lead our liues as we list We cannot but see that God is highly offended with vs already though yet he be not pleased to execute his sorest iudgements vpon vs. Gods high displeasure against vs appeareth in those many visitations by which he hath come neere vnto vs within our memories I may not stand to amplifie the Spanish sword shaken ouer vs and the great famine brought vpon vs in our late Queenes daies Our now gracious Soueraigne hath not long sate at the sterne of this kingdome But few yeares are passed and yet those few haue afforded manifest tokens of Gods sore displeasure at vs. Haue not many thousands of our brethren haply not so grieuous sinners as we beene taken away by the destroying Angell and yet the plague is not ceased Vnlesse we repent and amend our liues we may likewise perish Haue not many of our brethren too many if it might haue seemed otherwise to Almighty God haue they not partly perished themselues partly lost their cattell and substance in n An. Dom. 1607 this yeeres waters such waters as our fore-fathers haue scarcely obserued the like If we will not wash our selues from our euill doings we see God is able to wash vs extraordinarily The vnseasonable weather giuen vs from Heauen to the rotting of our sheepe is but Gods warning to vs of a greater misery to befall vs vnlesse we will returne from our euill waies Wherefore beloued let vs with one heart and mind resolue for hereafter to cast away all workes of darknesse and to put on the armour of light take we no further thought for our flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Walke we from henceforth honestly as in the day
Zimi Chaldaeu Syris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certè hoc fine sâ—â— gâ—lari Dei O. M. prouidentâ—â factum nâ—n est Ego existimo illo significari nomen Dei in quatuor mundi plagis decantandum esse in all tongues and languages generally consisteth of foure letters More they speake of it You haue heard it before Iehouah b Deut. 10 17. God of Gods and Lord of Lords a God c Eccles 43.29 most wonderfull very d Deut. 10.17 great mighty and terrible a God that e Eccles 43.31 cannot either bee conceiued in thought or expressed by word f Aug. Soliloq cap. 24. of whom all the Angels in heauen doe stand in feare whom all dominations and g Reuel 5.11 thrones doe adore at whose presence all powers doe shake A God in greatnesse infinite in h August meditat c. 21. goodnesse souereigne in wisâ—ome wonderfull in power Almighty in coursailes terrible in iudgements righteous in cogitations secret in works holy in mercy rich in promise true alway the same eternall euerlasting immortall vnchangeable Such is the Lord from whom our Prophet Amos here deriueth authority to his Prophecie Thus saith the Lord. Hath the Lord said and shall he not doe accordingly hath hee spoken it and shall he not accomplish it Balaam confesseth 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 tittlâ—s of his words are Yea and Amen Verily saith our Sauiour Matth. 5 18. Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of Gods word shall â—scape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lord Amos is here a patterne to vs that are Preachers of the word of saluation Wee must euer come vnto you with Thus saith the Lord in our mouthes we may not speake either the imaginations of our owne braines or the vaine perswasions of our owne hearts We must sincerely preach vnto you Gods gracious word without all corruption or deprauing of the same This is it whereto S. Peter exhorteth vs 1 Epist cha 4.11 If any man speake let him speake as the word of God For if we yea if an Angell from heauen shall preach otherwise vnto you than from the Lords owne mouth speaking in his holy Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be acccursed let him be had in execration This note beloued doth also concerne you that are the auditors and hearers of Gods word For if wee the Preachers thereof must alwaies come vnto you with Thus saith the Lord then are you to heare vs with reuerence and attention And this for the authority of him that speaketh It is not you that speake saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ to his blessed Apostles Matth. 10.20 but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you And againe Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me S. Paul commendeth the Thessalonians 1 Epist chap. 2.13 for that when they receiued of the Apostles of Christ the word of the preaching of God they receiued it not as the word of men but as it was indeed as the word of God Well therefore did S. Iames chap. 1.21 thus to exhort the Iewes Receiue with meekenesse the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules God spake vnto Israel in a vision by night Gen. 46.2 and said Iacob Iacob Iacob answered I am here He was prest and ready with all reuerent attention to heare what his God should say vnto him and to follow the same with all faithfull obedience Such readinesse well becommeth euery childe of God euen at this day in the Church where God speaketh Thus must he thinke within himselfe It is thine ordinance O Lord by thy word preached to instruct me concerning thy holy will I am here Lord in all humble feare to heare thy blessed pleasure what this day it shall please thee to put in the mouth of the Preacher to deliuer vnto me I am here speake on Lord thy seruant heareth If a Prince or some great man of this world shall speake vnto you you will attend and giue eare vnto him with your best diligence how much more then ought yee so to doe when the King of Heauen and Lord of the earth calleth vpon you by his ministers Thus farre by occasion of the preface Thus saith the Lord. For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure Whether these children of Ammon were distinguished from the Ammonites as Drusius would proue 2 Chron. 20.1 and as R. Dauid anoweth filii Ammon unsquam vocantur Ammonitae the children of Ammon are no where called Ammonites I hold it needlesse to dispute in this place It is out of doubt that these children of Ammon or Ammonites did lincally descend from Ben-ammi who was Lots sonne begotten in incest vpon his younger daughter Gen. 19.38 Lot was Abrahams brothers sonne Gen. 14.12 Whereby it is euident that the posterity of them both the children of Israel and the children of Ammon the Israelites and the Ammonites were linked together by affinity and alliance The more to blame were those Ammonites without all respect of kindred to exercise such cruelty as they did against the Israelites for which cause Almighty God here sent his blessed Prophet to thunder out his threats against them For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure In the front of this Prophecie you haue the generall accusation of these children of Ammon For three transgressions and for foure Three of these transgressions if you will beleeue Albertus Magnus are Cruelty Anarice and persecution the fourth is an obstinate pertinacie a constant stubbornnesse euer to dwell in those sinnes Againe three of these transgressions are a coueting of other mens goods an vnlawfull seeking for those things that are not our owne and a hardnesse of heart to retaine them so sought for the fourth is the vnsatiable desire of a couetous man Many are the expositions of the learned vpon these words three and foure transgressions The most naturall proper and significant I take to be if by three and foure a finite and certaine number you vnderstand a number infinite and vncertaine God as often as he will forgiueth though we sin ten thousand times It is but a custome of the Scripture thus to speake God waiteth for vs twice and thrice that is a long time to see if we will returne from our euill waies vnto repentance but the fourth time that is at length when he seeth vs persist in our impenitency he reproueth vs casteth vs away and leaueth vs in our sinnes Thus haue you the generall accusation of the children of Ammon for their many sinnes for which the Lords protestation against them followeth I will not turne to it These words are diuersly rendred by expositors by the author of the vulgar Latine
Syntagm Disput Sedan loc 2. De origine sacrae Scripturae §. 32. pag. 17. Telenus tels mee of a champion of that side as farre forward as he who saith Melius consultum fuisse Ecclesiae si nulla vnquam extitisset Scriptura that had there neuer beene any Scripture the Church had beene better prouided for then now it is Sedens in coelis ridet there 's a God in heauen that hath these wicked impes in derision vpon whom for their taunts contumelies and reprcches against his sacred word hee will one day poure out his full viols of wrath then will he crush them with his scepâ—er of iron and breake them in pieces like potters vessâ—ls You haue the fiâ—st vse A second followeth Is the liuing and immortall God the author of holy Scripture Heere then is a lesson for vs whom God hat set a part to be Preachers and Expounders of his will We must handle his sacred Scripture as his holy word wee must euer come vnto you as my Prophet heere did to the Israelites with Thus saith the Lord in our mouthes Wee may not speake either the imagination of our owne braines or the vaine perswasions of our own hearts We must sincerely preach vnto you Gods gracious word without all corruption or deprauing of the same To this S Peter well exhorteth vs in his 1. Epist and chap. 4.11 If any man speake let him speake as the word of God For if wee yea if an Angell from Heauen shall preach otherwise vnto you then from the Lords own mouth speaking in his holy word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be accursed let him be had in execration The third vse of this doctrine is peculiar vnto you Beloued who are auditors and hearers of the word Is the liuing and immortall God the author of holy Scripture Then Beloued it is your part to heare vs with attention and reuerence whensoeuer wee stand before you to expound Gods holy Scripture S. Paul commendeth the Thessalonians Epist 1. chap. 2.13 For that whensoeuer they receiued of the Apostles of Christ the word of the preaching of God they receiued it not as the word of men but as it was indeede the word of God In like sort if you receiue it it will saue your soules It is able so to doe S. Iames shall bee your pledge chap. 1.21 Receiue it therefore with meeknesse that by it your soules may liue God spake vnto Israel in a vision by night and sayd Gen. 46.2 Iaacob Iaacob Iaacob answered I am heere He was prest and ready with all reuerent attention to heare what his God would say vnto him and to follow the same with all faithfull obedience Such readinesse well becommeth euery childe of God at this day in the Church where God speaketh Thus must hee thinke within himselfe It is thine ordinance ô Lord by thy word preached to instruct me concerning thy holy will I am heere Lord in all humble feare to heare thy blessed pleasure what this day thou wilt put into the mouth of the Preacher to deliuer vnto me I am heere speake on Lord thy seruant heareth If a Prince of this world or some great man shall speake vnto you you will attend and giue eare vnto him with all diligence how much more then ought yee so to doe when the King of Heauen and Lord of the Earth the liuing and immortall God calleth vpon you by his Ministers What remaineth but that you suffer a word of Exhortation It shall bee short in S. Pauls words Coloss 3.16 Holy and beloued as the elect of God let the word of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisdome This word of God it is his most royall and celestiall Testament it is the oracle of his heauenly Sanctuarie it is the only key vnto vs of his reuealed counsels it is milke from his sacred breasts the earnest and pledge of his fauor to his Church the light of our feete the ioy of our hearts the breath of our nostrils the pillar of our faith the anchor of our hope the ground of our loue the euidence of our future blessednes Let this word of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisdom So shall your wayes by it be clensed and your selues made cleane Yet a very litle while he that shall come will come will not tarry euen our Lord Iesus Christ who finding your wayes clensed and your selues made cleane by his sacred word will in his due time translate you from this valley of teares into Ierusalem which is aboue the most glorious Citie of God There shall this corruptible put on incorruption and our mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life Euen so be it THE II. LECTVRE AMOS 2.1 2 3. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for foure I will not turne to it because it burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime Therefore will I send a fire vpon Moab and it shall devoure the pallaces of Kirioth and Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet And I will cut off the Iudge out of the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him saith the Lord. IN the former Sermon I handled the Preface The Prophecie is now to be spoken vnto The first part therein is The accusation of Moab in these words For three transgressions of Moab and for foure Where we are to consider 1. Who are accused 2. For what they are accused The accused are the Moabites and they are accused of many breaches of the Law of God First of the accused Moab was one of the sonnes of Lot begotten in incest vpon his eldest daughter Gen. 19.37 From him by lineall descent came these Moabites a people inhabiting that part of the East which is commonly knowne by the name of Coelesyria but was formerly the possession of the Amorites These Moabites like their brethren the Ammonites were professed enemies to the people of God and did euermore very grieuously afflict and vex them In which respect they were for euer by God his singular commandment excluded from the Church Gods commandement is expressed Deut. 23.3 The Ammonites and the Moabites shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. And it s repeated Nehem. 13.1 The Ammonites and the Moabites shall not enter into the Congregation of God Thus haue you the accused euen the Moabites the posteritie of Moab who was Lots sonne inhabitants of Coelesyria and borderers vpon the Holy Land the possession of the Israelites Now what are they accused of Of many breaches of Gods law in these words For three and foure transgressions This phrase we met with fiue times in the former chapter and haue heard it diuersly expounded The most naturall proper and significant exposition commended to you was by three and foure a finite and certaine number to vnderstand many a number infinite vncertaine For three transgressions of Moab and for foure that is for many transgressions of the
wherein for Elohe hatzebaoth the God of Sabaoth they haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Almighty Whence is that rule of Saint Hierome to Damasus Epist 142. We are to know that wheresoeuer the Seuentie Interpreters haue expressed Dominum virtutum and Dominum omnipotentem the Lord of Hosts and the Lord Almighty there in the Hebrew it is Dominus Sabaoth which is by Aquila's interpretation Dominus militiarum the Lord of Hosts The Lord of Hosts by Aquila's interpretation is God the Almighty by the interpretation of the Septuagint Well Elohe hatzebaoth the God of Sabaoth Be he with the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bee hee with the Latines Dominus or Deus virtutum or Militiarum or Exercituum all will be well expressed in our language with one title The Lord or God of Hosts But what are these Hosts whereof God is the Lord There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an host of Heauen Act. 7.42 And what that is Saint Hierome expoundeth to the noble Lady Algasia Epist 151. quaest 10. The Host of Heauen is not only the Sunne and Moone and glistring Starres but also the whole multitude of Angels and their armies called in Hebrew Sabaoth which is in Latine Virtutum or Exercituum Hispalensis for this host of Heauen doth reckon vp in the place aboue alleaged Angels Arch-angels Principalities and Powers and all the Orders of the armies celestiall of whom God is the Lord. For they are all vnder him and subiect to his soueraigntie It is true what those Ancients haue said of the Host of Heauen True it is that the Angels are of this armie Micaiah tels King Ahab so 1 King 22.19 I saw the Lord sitting on his Throne and all the Host of Heauen standing by him on his right hand and on his left There the Host of Heauen are the Angels who attend the Lord to put in execution whatsoeuer he shall command At the birth of Iesus Christ our Sauiour the Angell that appeared vnto the shepherds had with him a multitude of the Heauenly Host Luke 2.13 and that multitude was of Angels and they were by likelihood created in the first day with the Heauens because those sonnes of God did shout for ioy when God laid and fastned the foundations of the earth Iob 38.7 These the sonnes of God the Angels Bartas 1 day 1. Weeke sweetly described by the Nightingale of France to be The sacred Tutors of the Saints the Guard Of Gods elect the Pursuiuants prepar'd To execute the counsailes of the Highest The Heauenly courtiers to their King the nighest Gods glorious Heralds Heauens swift Harbengers Twixt Heauen and earth the true Interpreters these the Sonnes of God the Angels are of the glorious Host of Heauen So are the Starres the Sun the Moone the goodly furniture of the visible Heauens they are all of the Heauenly host So shall you finde them called Deut. 4.19 The Sun the Moone and the Starres euen all the Host of Heauen Of this host of Heauen it is prophecied Esai 34.4 All the Host of Heauen shall be dissolued and the Heauens shall be rowled together as a scroll and all their host shall fall downe as the leafe-falleth off from the Vine and as a falling figge from the fig-tree As for the Starres they in their courses fought against Sisera Iudg. 5.20 The Sunne and the Moone stood still the Sunne vpon Gibeon the Moone in the valley of Ajalon till the people of Israel had auenged themselues vpon their enemies the Amorites Ios 10.12 The Sunne the Moone the Starres all the twinkling spangles of the firmament you see are of Gods host Nor is Gâ—ds host only of Celestiall creatures but also of all other creatures in the world In the second Chapter of Genesis v. 1. where it is said the heauens and the earth were finished and all the host of them by all the hast of them we are to vnderstand all creatures in the Earth and Heauens which stand as an armie seruants to the Lord Psal 119.91 Esay 45.12 and are by him commâ—nded That all things are Gods seruants is auowed Psal 119.91 The Heauen and Earth continue to this day according to the ordinances of the Lord for they are all his seruants Heauen and earth and all things therein contained Continue safe sound and sure euen to this day wherein we liue and so shall doe to the worlds end by the ordinance and appointment of God for all are his seruants all creatures yeeld obedience to him as seruants to their masters They are all by him commanded For thus saith the Lord Esai 45.12 I haue made the earth and created man vpon it I euen my hands haue stretched out the Heauens and all their host haue I commanded The innumerable Hosts of creatures both in Heauen and Earth are all by God commanded Now from this which hath hitherto beene deliuered the reason is plaine why this title of God Elobe hatzebaoth the God of Sabaoth or the God of Hosts is by our Prophet added to the two former appellations Adonai Iehouih the Lord God It is the more liuely to set forth his rule dominion and soueraigntie ouer all It sheweth that as an armie or an Host of souldiers obeyeth their Emperour or commander so all things all creatures celestiall terrestriall and infernall are of Gods host and doe yeeld vnto him as to their Emperour and commander all obedience They all stand readie in martiall order and battell-ray prest to doe whatsoeuer God willeth and therefore is the Lord God the Gâ—d of Sabaoth or the God of Hosts From this consideration that our Lord God is the God of Hosts we are taught the feare of so great a Maiestie For who is he that will not feare him by whom he shall finde himselfe to be beset and compassed about with very many and potent armies aboue beneath before behinde on the one hand and on the other that there can be no euasion no escaping from him Our God is the God of Hosts Man sinfull man how shall he consist if God once arme his hosts against him The feare of God will be his surest refuge Feare him and all his Hosts shall be on your side and fight for you Feare him and both flouds and rocks shall feare you all winds shall blow you happinesse ship wracks shal auoid the place where your foot treadeth as to the apples of Gods own eies so shall all his creatures yeeld to you reuerence they shal not dare to approach the channell where your way lyeth Hills shal fall downe mountaines shall be cast into the sea but who so feareth the Lord he shall neuer miscary This feare of the Lord will both land your ships in an happy hauen and after your trauels vpon the earth will harbour your soules in his euerlasting Kingdome And thus much be spoken of the first thing obserued in this Mandate euen the Giuer
exprimitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graetis vero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatur Arabibus Alla. Sic Zanch. de natura Dei lib. 1. c. 13. Apud Graecos post Hebraâ—s nomen Dei nempe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quatuor conflat literis Sic apud Latinos Deut vnde Hispani dicunt Dios Itali Idio Galli Dieu Germanis quoque Anglic quatuor est liâ—erarum GOTE Sic Chaldaeiâ— Syris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aethiâ—pibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aegytiis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Assyrijs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magis est Orsâ— Dalmatis scu Illyricis Bogi Maometanis Abâ—d Gentibus in mundo noâ—o repertis Zimi name of foure letters in all tongues and languages and that these foure letters in Hebrew are all d Lit. rae quiâ—scentes letters of Rest to signifie vnto vs that the rest repose and tranquillity of all the creatures in the world is in God alone that it is a e Zanch. vbi supra powerfull name for the working of miracles and that Christ and Moses had by it done great wonders But my tongue shall neuer enlarge that which my soule abhorreth such brain-sick superstitious and blasphemous inuentions Yet this I dare auouch before you that there is some secret in this name It is plaine Exod. 6.3 There the Lord speaking vnto Moses saith I appeared vnto Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob by the name of a strong omnipotent and all-sufficient God but by nay name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them I vnfold this secret This great name Iehouah first it importeth the eternity of Gods essence in himselfe that he is f Heb. 13.8 yesterday and to day and the same for euer g Apoc. 1.8 which was which is and which is to come Againe it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God as from whom all creatures in the world haue their h Act. 17.28 life motion and being God is the being of all his creatures not that they are the same that he is but because of i Rom. 11.36 him and in him and by him are all things And last of all it is the Memâ—riall of God vnto all ages as himselfe cals it Exod. 3.15 the memoriall of his faithfulnesse his truth his constancy in the performance of his promises And therefore whensoeuer in any of the Prophets God promiseth or threatneth any great matter to assure vs of the most certaine euent of such his promise or threatning he addes vnto it his name Iehouah In stead of this Hebrew name Iehouah the most proper name of God the 70. Interpreters of the old Testament doe euery where vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Greeke name a name of power well â—â—iting with the liuing true and only God For he hath plenum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The power and authority which hee hath ouer all things is soueraigne and without controlement Hee that made the heauens and spread them out like a k Psal 104.2 curtaine to cloath himselfe with light as with a garment hee can againe l Esai 50 3. cloath the heauen with darknesse and make a sacke their couering He that made the sea to m Psal 104.3 lay the beames of his chamber therein and n Ierem. 5.22 placed the sand for bounds vnto it by a perpetuall decree not to be passed ouer howsoeuer the waues therof shall rage and roare he can with a word o Iob 16.12 smite the pride thereof At his rebuke the flouds shall be turned p Esai 50.2 into a wildernesse the Sea shall be dried vp the fish shall rot for want of water and die for thirst Hee that made the drie land and so set it vpon q Psal 104.5 foundations that it should neuer moue he can couer her againe with the deepe as with a garment and so rocke her that she shall r Psal 107.27 reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man So powerfull a God may well bee named from power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the absolute Lord ruler and commander of all things This name of power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly put for the Hebrew name Iehouah commonly rendred in our English tongue Lord is in the writings of the Apostles simply and absolutely if the learned haue made a Å¿ Zarch de Attrib lib. 1. c. 17. iust calculation ascribed vnto Christ a thousand times and may serue for sufficient proofe of the deitie of Christ t Heb. 1.3 For it imports thus much that Christ the engraued forme of his Father sitting at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest places is together with the Father and the Holy Ghost the author and gouernour of all things and in a very speciall manner he is the heire of the house of God the mighty protector of the Church Christ the only begotten Sonne of God hee is the Lord yet so that neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost are excluded from dominion The Father is Lord the Holy Ghost is Lord too For in all the works of God ad extra so we speake in the schooles but to speake more vnderstandingly to your capacities in all externall works each person of the Trinitie hath his operation Yet so that a common distinction â—re obserued For these externall workes of God doe admit a double consideration u Zanch. de Incarn lib. 2. c. 3. q. 1. Thes 2. either they are begunne x Extra diuinas personas without the Diuine persons and ended y In aliqua personarum in some one of them or they are both begunne and ended without the Diuine persons The workes of God begunne externally and ended in some one of the persons what are they They are such as was the Voice of the Father concerning Christ z Matth. 3.17 This is my beloued sonne a voice formed by all three persons yet vttered only by the Father They are such as was that a Matth. 3.16 Doue descending vpon Christ at his baptisme a Doue framed by all three persons yet appropriate only to the Holy Ghost They are such as were the body and soule of Christ a body and soule created by all three persons yet assumed only by the sonne of God This is that obuious and much vsed distinction in schoole diuinity Iâ—châ—â—tiâ—è terminâ—â—â—è I thus expound â—t In these now named workes of God the voice that was spoken vnto Christ the Doue that descended vpon Christ the body and soule of Christ wee are to consider two things their beginning and their end If wee respect their beginning they are the workes of the whole Trinitie common vnto all but â—â—spect â—â— their perfection and 〈◊〉 they are â—â— I 〈◊〉 common but hypostaticall and personall for so the voice is the Fathers â—one the Doue is the Holy Ghosts alone the reasonable soule and humane flesh are the Sonnes alone
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
Sar and Sarra in Eunius Poenos Sarrâ oriundos he notes the Carthaginians to haue their beginning from Sarra which is Tyrus Tyrus was a very ancient Citie it was saith Drusius Vetustissimarum vrbrum parcus as it were the mother of very old Cities Plinie Nâ—◠〈◊〉 lib. 5. â— p. 19. saith that out of Tyrus came the founders and first inhabiters not only of Carthage but also of Leptis Vtica and Gades the Citie well knowne to our moderne Nâ—uigators by the name of Calis Malis and of late yeares conquered by some worthies of our English Nation The ancient glory of this Citie Tyrus is blazed abroad to the whole world by Ezechiel Chap. 27. Glorious was Tyrus 1. For her situation 2. For her riches 3. For the frame and beauty of her building 4. For her shipping 5. For her power in martiall affaires 6. For her merchandizing 7. For her great esteeme and report with forraine nations The Prophet Esay in like sort blazeth out her glory Chap. 23.7 8. He saith of her that her antiquity is of ancient dayes that shee is the crowne of the Sea that her merchants are Princes and her chapmen the Nobles of the world So glorious a Citie was this Tyrus Here shee is accused of disloyaltie to the God of heauen in the very same words wherein Damascus and Azzah are formerly accused Damascus vers 3. and Azzah vers 6. For three tran gressions of Tyrus and for foure And the Lords protestation vpon this accusation is the same I will not turne to it It is aâ—â—f the Lord had thus said If the inhabitants of Tyrus had offended but once or a second time I should haue beene fauourable to them and would haue recalled them into the right way that so they might be conuerted and escape my punishments but now for as much as they doe daily heape transgression vpon transgression and make no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to be conuerted but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them Albertus Magnus vnderstandeth by these three transgressions three sorts of sinnes peccatum in voluntate peccatum in consensu peccatum in opere sinne in will sinne in consent and sinne in action and by the fourth transgression he vnderstandeth cordis indurationem induration and hardnesse of heart which he defineth to be pertinaciam permanendi in peccato a pertinacie or stubborne resolution to perseuere in sin wherein the sinner lieth wallowing void of shame and all liking of goodnesse I doe rather approue Wincklemans iudgement who by these three and foure transgressions of Tyrus vnderstandeth pride disdaine luxuriousnesse of meats and drinkes costlinesse of garments wanton lusts and other like sinnes incident to Mart Townes and Townes of great trade That such were the sinnes of Tyrus witnesse that her sharpe and grieuous reprehension Ezech. 28. For these three and foure many transgressions and sinnes the Lord protesteth against Tyrus I will not turne to it I will take no pitie on them but will doe vnto them according to their workes For three transgressions of Tyrus and foure c. Here are you to be remembred of a doctrine more than once heretofore commended to your Christian considerations Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners God is pure of eies and beholdeth not iniquity Hee hath laid righteousnesse to the rule and weighed his iustice in a ballance The sentence is passed forth and must stand vncontrolable euen as long as Sun and Moone Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doth euill The soule that sinneth it shall bee punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 32.41 That he will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iugdement to execute vengeance for sin His soule hateth and abhorreth sinne his law curseth and condemneth sinne his hand smiteth and scourgeth sin Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne Cities into ashes to ruinate nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinfull flesh Because of sinne he drowned the old world and because of sinne ere long will burne this Thus doe many sinne plucke downe from Heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners One vse of this doctrine was to teach vs heedfulnesse in all our waies that wee doe not by our many sinnes prouoke Almighty God to high displeasure A second vse was to moue vs to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did so graciously forbeare these Tyrians till by three and foure transgressions by their many sinnes they had prouoked him to indignaon These things I haue heretofore laboured to lay vnto your hearts Now followeth the third part of this prophecie wherein you haue the declaration of that grieuous sinne by which the Tyrians so highly offended the sinne of vnmercifulnesse and cruelty expressed in two branches 1 They shut vp the whole captiuitie in Edom. 2 They remembred not the brotherly couenant 1 They shut vp the whole captiuity in Edom The exposition of these words I haue formerly deliuered vnto you in my twelfth Lecture and my meditations vpon the 6. verse There the Philistines are condemned for carrying away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom and here are the Tyrians condemned for shutting the whole captiuity in Edom. The sin seemeth to be the same in both the Philistines and the Tyrians Both did shut vp the whole captiuity in Edom that is as Ioel chap. 3.6 speaketh they both did sell away the children of Iudah and the children of Ierusalem vnto the Grecians that they might send them farre from their borders God his peculiar inheritance his owne seed and seruants the children of Iudah and Ierusalem were by the cruell and hard-hearted Philistines and Tyrians mancipated and sold away forbond slaues to the Grecians dwelling farre off that with them they might liue in perpetuall seruitude and slauery without all hope of liberty or redemption Arias Montanus noteth a difference betwixt that sinne of the Philistines and this of the Tyrians The Philistines carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom. They did as they thought but what they might doe lawfully by the law of nations The Iewes were their captiues and prisoners conquered by a strong hand in open hostility and for this respect they shut them vp in Edom they sold them to the Grecians to be by them transported to the Idumaeans But these Tyrians had no such pretence of excuse They did not with a strong hand in open hostility conquer the Iews so take them prisoners but did surprise them by deceit and trecherie as they lay at Tyrus for trafficke and entercourse of merchandise and thus surprised they shut them vp in Edom they sold them to the Grecians to be by them transported to the Idumaeans farre from their
wanderer to thine house If thou seest him naked couer him hee is thine owne flesh hide not thy selfe from him Thy liberality will bring thee great aduantage whereof thou wilt not doubt if thou consider the next verse Thy light shall breake forth as the morning thy health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee Seest thou not an heape of blessings one vpon another Looke into the booke of Psalmes In the beginning of the 41. Psalme many a sweet promise is made thee conditionally that thou tender the poore mans case The Lord shall deliuer thee in the time of trouble he shall keepe thee and preserue thee aliue he shall blesse thee vpon the earth he will not deliuer thee to the will of thine enemies he will strengthen thee vpon thy bed of sorrow and will make thy bed all the time of thy sicknesse I might weary you and my selfe in the pursuit of this point Here I stop my course with recommendation of one onely place and that a very remarkable one Prou. 19.17 Hee that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Behold and see how gracious and good the Lord is If you shew pity and compassion vpon the poore God will recompence you to the full yea in the largenesse of his mercies hee will reward you plentifully It was a graue exhortation of a f Tobit to his sonne Tobias cap. 4.7 father to his sonne Giue almes of thy substance and when thou giuest almes let not thine eye be ennious neither turne thy face from any poore lest that God turne his face from thee Giue almes according to thy substance if thou haue but a little be not afraid to giue a little So shalt thou lay vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessity Almes will deliuer thee from death and will not suffer thee to come into the place of darknesse Almes is a good gift before the most high to all them which vse it Vse it I beseech you in the bowels of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Be ye not like Edom in my Text Corrupt not your compassions cast not off all pity suffer ye one with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous doe ye good to all men and faint not great shall be your reward in Heauen This your seruice will be acceptable vnto God God for it will giue you his blessing God will blesse you for the time of your being here and when the day of your dissolution shall be that you must leaue your earthly Tabernacles then will the Sonne of man sitting vpon the throne of his glory welcome you with a Venite Benedicti Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was hungry and ye gaue me meat I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited mee I was in prison and ye came vnto me In as much as ye haue done these things to the needy and distressed ye haue done them vnto me Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world THE Seuenteenth Lecture AMOS 1.11 12. 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 my last Lecture I began the exposition of the third part of this Prophecie which is a declaration of Edoms sins in foure branches The two first I passed ouer the last time The first branch was Hee did pursue his brother with the sword Thereon I grounded this doctrine It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues One vse of this doctrine was a iust reproofe of the want of brotherly loue in these our daies A second vse was an exhortation to brotherly kindnesse The second branch was He did cast off all pity Thereon I grounded this doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God The vse I made of it was to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanity and mercy Which meditation ended I ended that Lecture Now come I to the third branch in the declaration of Edoms sinnes His anger spoiled him euermore or In his anger he spoiled him continually The preposition is not expressed in the originall but is well vnderstood and supplied by some Expositors to this sense Edom furious and angry Edom doth euermore vi apertâ with open violence attempt the spoile of Israel and if open violence preuaile not iâ—tùs simultatem alit within him he fostereth and cherisheth priuy and secret malice such as of old was harboured and setled in old a Gen. 27 41. Esaus heart Edom in his anger spoiled him continually Spoiled him The word in the originall is from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Mercer ferarum proprium est is proper and peculiar to wild beasts and it signifieth Rapere discerpere to spoile rauenously to rent or teare in peeces Thus is Edom compared to some truculent or sauage beast some deuouring Lion some rauenous Wolfe some fierce Beare or the like that hunteth greedily after their prey The comparison is As a Lion a Wolfe a Beare or some other cruell beast hunteth greedily after his prey and when he hath gotten it teareth it in peeces and so deuoureth it so doth Edom he hunteth for his brother as with a snare or net and hauing once enclosed him he throwes him headlong into vtter desolation and this he doth in the bitternesse of his anger In his anger he spoiled him euermore This clause is otherwise rendred by the old Latine Interpreter Et tenuerit vltrà furorem suum Hee possessed his fury beyond measure longer than was meet he should An exposition followed by many of the learned and of late Writers by Brentius and Mercer In Matthews Bible it is well expressed He bore hatred very long the meaning is Hee constantly eagerly obstinately persisted in his anger and held it fast as a sauage beast holdeth fast his prey Both readings this and the former this Hee bore hatred very long and the former In his anger he spoiled his brother euermore both doe appeach and accuse Edom of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger The doctrine which hence I would commend to your Christian considerations is this Euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger I say of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger For there is a good kind of anger an anger praise worthy an anger to be embraced of euery one of you Whereto the Prophet Dauid exhorted the faithfull of his time Psal 4.4 Be angry and sin not And S. Paul his Ephesians Chap. 4.26 Be angry but sin not You
of God this name Iehovah first it importeth the eternitie of Gods essence in himselfe that he is yesterday and to day and the same for euer which was which is and which is to come Secondly it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God as from whom all creatures in the world haue their life motion and being God is the being of all his creatures not that they are the same that he is but because of him and in him and by him are all things Thirdly it is the Memoriall of God vnto all ages as himselfe calls it Exod. 3.15 The Memoriall of his faithfulnes his truth and his constancie in the performance of his promises And therefore whensoeuer in any of the Prophets God promiseth or threatneth any great matter to assure vs of the most certaine euent of such his promise or threatning he adds vnto it his name Iehovah as here in my text Thus saith Iehovah Iehovah The strength of Israel who is not as man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Wicked Balaam is driuen to confesse as much Num. 23.19 and there proceedeth by way of question Hath the Lord said and shall he not doe it Hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Samuel with boldnes tells Saul 1. Sam. 15.29 that the Lord who is the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent and he giues this reason of it For he is not a man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of all his words are Yea and Amen so firmely ratified that they cannot be altered so standing immutable that they cannot be changed Our Sauiour Christ giues record herevnto Matth. 24.35 Coelum terra praeteribunt Heauen and Earth shall passe away but Gods words they shall not passe away The grasse withereth saith the Prophet Esay cap. 40.8 The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for euer Thus are we by this name Iehovah led to the consideration of the truth of God Gods truth is his essentiall proprietie whereby he is most free from all shew or shadow of falshood This his truth is eminent in himselfe in his workes and in his words In himselfe two manner of wayes 1. In respect of his essence whereby he truly is 2. Forasmuch as he is the Idea type and patterne of all the truth that is in any creature Now concerning the workes of God they all are Truth whether they be Internall or Externall His Internall workes are either personall or essentiall and both nothing but truth For his personall workes the Father doth truly beget the Sonne the Sonne is truly begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost doth truly proceed from the Father and the Sonne the like must we say of his essentiall workes Whatsoeuer God hath decreed he hath truly decreed it and doth truly execute it Besides these Internall workes of God some workes of his are called in the Schooles Externall Such are the creation of the world the conseruation of the same the gouernment of the Church the couenant with the faithfull and the like in all which most constant is the truth of God As the truth of God is eminent in himselfe and in his workes so also is it eminent in his words This hath but now bin prooued vnto you by the confession of Balaam by the asseueration of Samuel by the record of the Prophet Esay and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ I shut vp this doctrine of the truth of God with the words of the blessed Apostle S. Paul Rom. 3.3 Let God be true and euery man a lyar Now let vs see what vses may be made of this doctrine Is it true Is God truth in himselfe in his works and in his words Hereby may euery childe of God among vs be well assured that our faith in God the Father in Christ his Sonne and in the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne is most true and most certaine and cannot by any meanes be deceiued it selfe or deceiue vs For it is grounded and supported vpon and by the words of him who onely is the true God yea truth it selfe who hath truly sayd concerning vs and all other who beleeue in Christ that he hath c Rom. 8.37 loued vs * Ephes 1.4 before the foundation of the world hath chosen vs to eternall life for our better atteining whereof he hath d Rom. 8.3 sent into the world his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh e Galat. 4.4 made of a woman and made vnder the Law that by his f 1. Iohn 1.7 bloud we might be clensed from all sinne and g Rom. 5.9 iustifyed in the sight of God that by his holy spirit we might be h 1. Pet. 1.3 regenerated gouerned defended from our enemies and at that great day the day of the resurrection of all flesh we may both bodie and soule be brought into the full possession of eternall life Which being so what remaineth on our parts but that we abide constantly in our holy faith and perseuere therein euen vnto the end Without perseuerance our faith will not auaile vs. For not euery one but such onely as are marked in their foreheads with the letter Tau with the note of perfection and perseuerance shall enter the inheritance of the blessed Ezech. 9 4. And not euery one but he onely that endureth to the end shall be saued Matth. 10.22 And not euery one but he onely which is faithfull vnto death shall receiue the crowne of life Reuel 2.10 Let the dog returne to his vomit and the washed sow to her wallowing in the mire as the Prouerbs are 2. Pet. 2.22 But let vs hold fast our holy faith till it shall please God to call vs to make our finall account how we haue spent the dayes of our Pilgrimage in this present world So shall he that is holy and true who hath i Reuel 3.7 the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth which shutteth and no man openeth open vnto vs the gates of Ierusalem which is aboue and giue vs full fruition of euerlasting happinesse Thus haue you the first vse of my first doctrine touching the truth of God My doctrine was God is truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words The first vse concerneth our faith in Christ and our perseuerance therein A second followeth It appertaineth to thankesgiuing For if our saluation and eternall life doe depend vpon the knowledge of the heauenly truth and God brings none to the knowledge of this truth but his elect and chosen people how great thankes ought we to giue vnto God not onely for choosing vs but also for making it knowne vnto vs by the reuelation of his truth that we are his chosen people For he hath not onely imprinted in the vs image of that truth which is eternall in himselfe but also daily bringeth vs to such a measure
of knowledge of that his heauenly truth wherein consisteth our saluation that we may be saued What greater benefit can there be vnto vs then this What more ample testimonie of his eternall good will to vs For this benefit that is for the knowledge of Gods heauenly truth the blessed Apostle St Paul neuer ceased to giue thanks vnto God I thanke God saith he 1. Tim. 1.12 I thanke him who hath made me strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice When before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy From this his thankefull heart proceeded those his words Phil. 3.8 Doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen dung that I might winne Christ St Pauls charitie was not confined within the Temple of his owne bodie others had a tast thereof As the Corinthians to whom in his first Epistle cap. 1. ver 4. he thus manifesteth his affection I thanke my God alwayes on your behalfe for the grace of God which is giuen you in Iesus Christ that in all things ye are made rich in him in all kind of speech And in all knowledge I thanke my God alwayes on your behalfe not for your riches for your honors for your large possessions for your flourishing cittie but for the grace of God which is giuen you in Iesus Christ for your free vocation for your faith for your reconciliation for your iustification for your regeneration for your hope of eternall saluation for the preaching of the word of God among you and for your knowledge of the truth thereof The knowledge of this truth of God farre surpasseth all the treasures of this corruptible world Shall not we then poure out our soules in thankfulnes before almightie God for bestowing vpon vs so gracious a blessing as is this knowledge of the truth of God Let vs with the spirit of blessed Paul account all things which haue beene or are gainefull to vs in this present world to be but losse and dung in respect of this knowledge of Gods holy truth forasmuch as hereby we may winne Christ Thus haue you the second vse of my doctrine My doctrine was God is truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words The second vse concerneth our thankesgiuing for the knowledge of Gods truth The third tendeth to our imitation Is it true Is God truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words Why striue we not with all the faculties and powers of our soules to represent our God in truth He in the beginning in the first man in our forefather Adam created and made vs in his owne image after his owne likenesse Gen. 1.26 Then was man inuested with glorious roabes with immortalitie with vnderstanding with freedome of will then was he perfectly good and chast and pure and iust and true Whatsoeuer might appertaine to happines or holinesse he then had it For God created him so like vnto himselfe in perfect happines and holinesse that he might in some sort beare about with him the image of the great and glorious God of Heauen But alas our first Parent continued not long in that his first estate of puritie innocencie and integritie by his fall he lost vs that his precious Iewell which had he stood fast would haue beene vnto vs a chaine of gold about our neckes yea as it is called Psal 8.5 A crowne of honor and glorie But by his fall we are become miserable and vnholy and wicked and vncleane and false as vnlike to God as darkenesse is to light and Hell is to Heauen In this estate of sinne and death we all lay wallowing till God of his owne vnspeakeable mercy and goodnesse raised vs vp by his grace to a better state a state of regeneration and saluation wherein all we whose names are written in the Register of the elect and chosen children of God must spend the remainder and residue of the dayes of our pilgrimage in this world In this state wee must not stand at one stay but must alwayes be growing vpward We must day by day endeuour to encrease our spirituall strength and change our Christian infancie with a ripe and constant age and adde grace to grace till we become perfect men in Christ To vs now in the state of regeneration belongeth the exhortation of God vnto the children of Israell Leuit. 11.44 Be ye holy for I am holy And that of Christ to his auditors vpon the Mount Matth. 5.48 Be ye perfect as your Father which is in heauen is perfect or as it is in St Luke Chap. 6.36 Be ye mercifull as your Father also is merciful By which places we are not exhorted to a perfection of supererogation as Monkes would haue it nor to a perfect and absolute fulfilling of the Law for that is impossible so long as wee carry about vs these vessels of corruption witnesse St Paul Rom. 8.3 But all that we are exhorted to is that we would do our best endeuours to resemble our God and to be like vnto him in holinesse in perfection in mercifulnesse Be holy as God is holy be perfect as God is perfect be mercifull as God is mercifull non absoluta aequalitate sed similitudine not absolutely and equally holy perfect and mercifull as God is but by a similitude God is our Father and will not we his children like good children striue to be accomodated and fitted to our Fathers vertues Beloued let vs apply our selues to this imitation of our heauenly Father to be holy as he is holy to be perfect as he is perfect to be mercifull as he is mercifull and for my present purpose to be true as he is true To this last we may thus be led God is our Creator and he is the God of truth Psal 31.5 Christ is our Redeemer and he is Truth Ioh. 14.6 We are renued by the holy Ghost and he is the spirit of Truth Ioh. 16.13 We liue in the bosome of the Church and she is the pillar and ground of Truth 1. Tim. 3.15 Thus liuing we are taught by the word of truth Colos 1.5 And are brought to the knowledge of the Truth 1. Tim. 2.4 And are sanctified by Truth Ioh. 17.17 Adde hereto that we are commaunded euery one to speake the Truth Ephes 4.25 And shall we doe our best to resemble God in Truth To be true as he is true Dearely beloued sith we are the children of Truth for God is Truth and his children we are let vs walke as it becometh the children of Truth let Truth be in our thoughts in our words in our workes in all our wayes What shall I more say to this poynt but exhort you in St Paules words Ephes 4.25 That ye would cast off lying and speake euery man the truth
longer to presume vpon his patience It is true Dominus patiens the Lord is slow to anger but the Prophet Nahum Chap. 1.3 addeth also that he is great in power and surely will not cleare the wicked This long for bearance of God towards vs patientia est non negligentia you must call it patience it is not negligence Non ille potentiam perdidit sed nos ad poenitentiam reseruauit saith St Austine serm 102. de Tempore God hath not lost his power but hath reserued vs for repentance and quanto diuâ—ius Deus expectat tanto grauius vindicat How much the longer God expects and waits for our conuersion so much the more grieuously will he be auenged vpon vs if we repent not I shut vp all with that exhortation of Ecclesiasticus chap. 5.7 Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day To moue vs to this speedie conuersion he addes this reason for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance What remaineth but that we pray with Ieremie Chap. 31.18 Conuert thou vs O Lord and we shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord our God THE IIII. LECTVRE AMOS 2.4 5. Thus sayth the Lord For three trangressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they haue despised the Law of the Lord and haue not kept his commaundements and their lies caused them to erre after the which their Fathers haue walked But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem OVr Prophet Amos hath hitherto dealt with forraine Nations with the Syrians with the Philistines with the Tyrians with the Edomites with the Ammonites and with the Moabites Six in number All borderers vpon and professed enemies vnto the people of the Lord the type of the Church To each of these you haue heard the iudgements of God menaced his punishments threatned all which are accordingly fallen out Was not Amos his message from the Lord to the Israelites Why then doth he first foretell forraine nations their iudgements The reasons are three First that he might be the more patiently heard of his Countrymen friend and allies the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enemies could not but the more quietly heare him when he should prophecie against them also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici It is some comfort to a naturall distressed man to see his enemie in distresse also Secondly that they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against them in vengeance sith he would not spare the Syrians and other Nations though destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will Thirdly that they might the more stand in awe at the words of this prophecie when they should behold the Syrians and other their neighbours afflicted and tormented according to the haynousnesse of their iniquities Scitum est ex alijs periculum facere tibi quod ex vsu fiet It is a principle in Natures Schoole that we take example from other mens harmes how to order our wayes From this natures principle the people of Israell might thus haue argued Will not the Lord spare the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites How then can we presume that he will spare vs They silly people neuer knew the holy will of God yet shall they drinke of the cup of Gods wrath How then shal we escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it You see now good reason our Prophet had though sent with a message to the ten tribes of Israel first to let forraine Nations vnderstand Gods pleasure towards them in respect of their sinnes From them he commeth to Gods owne peculiar people diuided after the death of King Salomon into two families or kingdomes Iudah and Israel First he prophecieth against Iudah in the 4. and 5. verses Thus sayth the Lord For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure c. Wherein I obserue two parts 1. A Preface Thus sayth the Lord. 2. A Prophecie For three transgressions of Iudah c. In the Prophecie we may obserue foure parts 1. A generall accusation of Iudah For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure 2. The Lords protestation against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof 3. An enumeration of some particular sinnes by which the Iewes prouoked God vnto displeasure Because they haue despised the Law of the Lord c. 4. A commination or denuntiation of iudgement against them vers the 5. But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem First of the Preface Thus saith the Lord It is like that gate of the Temple in a Act. 3.11 And 5.12 Salomons poarch which for the goodly structure thereof was called beautifull Act. 3.2 So is this enterance to my text very beautifull We haue alreadie beheld it six seuerall times fiue times as wee passed through the former Chapter and once at our first footing in this There is engrauen in it that same Tetragrammaton that great and ineffable name of God Iehovah Iohovah Curious haue the b See Lect. 1. Cabalists and Rabbins bin in their inuentions about this name They will not haue it to be pronounced nor taken within polluted lips They note that it is nomen tetragrammaton a name of foure letters of foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the name of God in all tongues and languages for the most part consisteth of foure letters and they adde that these foure letters in the Hebrew tongue are literae quiescentes letters of rest whence they picke this mystery that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all the creatures in the world is in God alone They further say that this name is powerfull for the working of myracles and that by it Moses and Christ haue done great wonders These their inuentions are partly superstitious partly blasphemus but all braine sicke and idle Yet must we needs acknowledge some secret in this name We are driuen to it by Exod. 6.3 There the Lord thus speaketh vnto Moses I appeared vnto Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob by the name of a strong omnipotent and all-sufficient God but by my name Iehovah was I not knowne vnto them The secret is thus vnfolded Iehovah this great name Iehovah importeth the eternitie of Gods essence in himselfe that he is c Heb. 13.8 yesterday and to day and the same for euer d Apoc. 1.8 which was which is and which is to come Againe it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God as from whom all creatures in the world haue their e Act. 17.28 life their motion and their being God is the being of all his creatures not that they are the same that he is but because
taking heed vnto your wayes according to the word of God as you are aduised Ps 119.9 All men I know would be blessed but then must they delight in the word of God and make it their meditation day and night as it is Psal 1.2 If we leaue the word of God which is the lampe and light of God then are we forthwith in darknes we are in error Is it so beloued Then secondly let vs bring and offer to our gracious God the calues of our lips the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing for that it pleaseth him for our direction in this valley of darknes and shadow of death to giue vs the light of his most precious word He hath not dealt so with many nations of the earth Many there are that haue not the light of his word And where this light is not there can be nothing but darknes Is it so beloued Then thirdly is the Church of Rome very iniurious to the people of God to with-hold and keepe from them this light of the word of God Is it not plaine they do so when they forbid the Scriptures to be translated into any Vulgar tongue and so seale them vp from the vnderstanding of the ignorant and vnlearned They willingly send the Scriptures abroad in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine tongues but what are the common people of any Nation hereby benefited Do they vnderstand the Hebrew Greeke or Latin A Papist will answer there is no necessitie that the vulgar sort should vnderstand those ancient sacred tongues The f Raâ—ford Directorie cap. 56. Church hath appointed learned men alwayes to instruct the simple out of the booke of God with such histories and lessons as may be most fit to edifie and help them in the way to Heauen I grant there is no necessitie yea it cannot be that the common people should vnderstand the Hebrew Greeke and Latin tongues but I adde it is therefore necessarie that the Holy Scripture should be translated into vulgar and knowne tongues euen for the vnderstanding of the common people as this day through Gods goodnes we haue them in our English tongue nor dismembred and very much corrupted as Radford would beare the world in hand but more perfectly rendred then euer was that old vulgar Latin edition obtruded to the Christian world for Authenticall by the g Sess 3 cap. 2. Trent Fathers The exception taken against the translation of the Scriptures into vulgar and knowne tongues is vaine and ridiculous They say that great and marueilous inconveniences and discommodities haue fallen out through such translations How proue they this They will seeme to proue it by sundry instances 1. They tell vs of a h Staphylus de BiblioruÌ„ traÌ„slatione pag. 492. Painter of Prussia who because he had in Luthers German Bible read of Lot his incest aduentured to abuse his owne daughter 2. They tell vs of a i Idem ex Joh. Gastio Brisac lib. de Catabâ—pâ—â—siu woman of k Monastrij in Westphalia who hauing diligently perused the historie of Iudith and Holofernes attempted by the example of Iudith secretly to kill the Bishop of Munster 3. They tell vs of l Iâ—hannes â—ugdunensis Sarcinater Bâ—tavus Iohn of Leiden who would be as a King because m Staphylus vbi suprà p. 494. ex Sleidan lib. 10. Iosuah was such and would haue the toleration of many wiues because the Patriarchs had many 4. They tell vs of n Idem ex Aenea Sylvio in historia â—â—emorum Grubenheimer who because he had read in Genesis Encrease and multiplie approued that in their night conuenticles their lights extinguished they might commit filthinesse not to be spoken These foure instances are brought by Frid. Staphylus in his treatise of the translation of the Bible into vulgar idomes 5. They tell vs of Dauid George a Batauian who by reading the Scriptures in his mother tongue was perswaded of himselfe that he was the sonne of God and the Messias 6. They tell vs of an English woman who hearing the Minister of the Parish where shee liued read out of Eccles 25. somewhat against wicked women which pleased her not rose vp from her seate and sayd Is this the word of God Nay rather it is the word of the Deuill These two latter instances are brought by Cardinall Bellarmine lib. 2. de verbo Dei cap. 15. To these and the former vrged by Bellarmine and Staphylus to shew the inconueniences and discommodities of hauing the Bible in vulgar and knowne languages I thus briefly reply Shall sober men be forbidden the vse of meates and drinkes because many surfet of them This you will grant to be very absurd and vnreasonable So absurd is it and vnreasonable that the people of God should be forbidden the vse of the booke of God in their vulgar knowne languages because a few vnstable persons such as were the aforenamed the Painter of Prussia the Cobler of Leyden Grubenheimer Dauid George and two silly women the one of Westphaelia the other of England abused so rich a treasure to their owne ouerthrowes This my reply agreeth with that answere which o Animaduers in Bellarm. Controu 1. lib. 2. cap. 15. §. 63. Iunius giueth vnto Bellarmine Non conuenit vt propter eos qui abutuntur malè praecludatur aut eripiatur Scriptura eis qui sunt vsuri benè It s not conuenient that for their sakes who doe to ill purpose abuse the Scriptures the Scriptures should be sealed vp and barred from such as would vse them well The reason which Dr Bucknham sometimes Prior of the Black-fryers in Cambridge for this very purpose brought against Mr Latimer is altogether as vaine and friuolous The danger of hauing the Bible in our English tongue hee prooued after this manner The plowman hearing that in the Gospell by St Luke Chap. 9.62 No man that layeth his hand on the plow and looketh backe is meete for the kingdome of God may peraduenture cease from his plow likewise the baker hearing that Galat. 5.9 A little leauen corrupteth a whole lumpe of dow may per-case leaue our bread vnleauened and so our bodies shall be vnseasoned Also the simple man hearing that Math. 5.29 If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee may make himselfe blind and so fill the world full of beggers This friarly and bald reason of Dr Bucknham is not worthy any other answere then the wish of Latimer p Fox Martyrol pag. 1904. Edit Lond. An. 1570. Latimers wish was that the Scripture may be so long in our English tongue till English men be so mad the plowman not to looke backe the baker not to leauen his bread the simple man to pluck out his owne eye See you not Beloued how iniurious the Papists would be towards you were they Lords ouer you The light of Gods word the incomparable and heauenly treasure they would seale vp from you in an vnknowne tongue
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
the words of God vnto his people Israel Heare O my people and I will speake O Israel I am God euen thy God I know all the fowles of the Mountaines I know them I so know them that I can count them and call them when I list they are in my power I enioy them as mine owne they are mine owne possession And so they expound my Text You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth I haue knowne you onely Vos tantummodò mihi in viros cultores assumpsi aut possedi saith Illyricus You only haue I taken to be the men for my worship you alone haue I possessed For I haue knowne you the Chaldee Paraphrast hath I haue chosen you I haue chosen you Not amisse if by this choice you vnderstand not that speciall election i Ephes 1.4 and choise of God by which he hath ordained to life eternall those whom of his free good will and pleasure he hath decreed to endow with a celestiall inheritance For it s not to bee denied but that among the people of Israel there were many that had no part in this eternall election and choice of God Many of them had no part in it and therefore this election and choice is not here to be vnderstood But there is another election and choice of God an election and choice more generall an election a choice whereby God preferreth some one Nation aboue others graciously to manifest himselfe and to reueale his sauing word vnto them And thus may God be said only to haue elected and chosen the people of Israel You only haue I chosen of all the families of the earth That the people of Israel were alone thus elected and chosen of God Moses confesseth Deut. 4.7 8. What nation saith he is there so great who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that wee call vpon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this Law is which is set before vs this day It is as if he had thus said Let vs bee compared with the rest of the Nations of the world and we shall finde that God is good and gracious vnto vs aboue them all As soone as we pray vnto our God and resort vnto him we feele him neere vs by and by It is not so with other Nations Againe we haue his Lawes and Statutes and righteous Ordinances other Nations haue not so This doth the same Moses more plainly deliuer in sundry places of the same booke of Deuteronomy Chap. 7.6 Chap. 10.15 Chap. 14.2 Chap. 26.18 In all which places his purpose is to fasten it in the memories of the people of Israel that they were an holy people vnto the Lord their God that the Lord their God had chosen them to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe aboue all people that were vpon the face of the earth In the three first places is expresly said that the Lord did chuse Israel to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe aboue all the Nations that are vpon the earth in the fourth that the Lord auouched them to be his peculiar people He chose them he auouched them to be his peculiar people and all for his promise sake The promise is Exod. 19.5 Ye shall be a peculiar or chiefe treasure vnto me aboue all people though all the earth be mine A peculiar or a chiefe treasure The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Segullah which signifieth ones owne proper good which he loueth and keepeth in store for himselfe and for speciall vse You shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Segullah a peculiar a chiefe treasure vnto me aboue all people The meaning of this promise is that although the whole earth be the Lords by the right of creation yet this people the people of Israel should aboue all other haue a speciall interest in him Or the meaning is that the Lord would commit vnto this people his people Israel as a chiefe and principall treasure his Lawes and Statutes which he would not doe to any other people in the world besides So much is acknowledged Psal 147.19 20. He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation Certainly hereby the Lord sheweth how deare and how precious the people of Israel were in his eyes and what prerogatiues they were to haue aboue other people A chiefe prerogatiue of theirs is that the Oracles of God were committed vnto them Saint Paul affirmes it Rom. 3.1 2. What aduantage then hath the Iew or what profit is there of circumcision Much euery way chiefly because that vnto them were committed the Oracles of God Many other and very excellent prerogatiues had they They are heaped vp together Rom. 9.4 They were Israelites to them pertained the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises Theirs were the Fathers and of them as concerning the flesh Christ came who is ouer all God blessed for euer So many preeminences are so many euidences and demonstrations that of all the nations of the Earth the Israelites were knowne of God were chosen by him and were his possession They were knowne of him by the knowledge of his approbation they were chosen by him and were separated from among all the people of the earth to be his inheritance So Salomon confesseth 1 King 8.53 and the Lord himselfe here in my Text auoucheth You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You will now confesse with me that these words are as in the beginning I said they were a Commemoration of Gods benefits vpon Israel Euery prerogatiue of theirs was a benefit a blessing of God vpon them It was Gods blessing vpon them that to them were committed the Oracles of God It was Gods blessing vpon them that they were Israelites that to them pertained the adoption and the glory and the Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises It was Gods blessing vpon them that theirs were the Fathers and that of them concerning the flesh Christ came These great benefits these blessings of God vpon the Israelites Albertus Magnus in his Enarration vpon the words of my Text reduceth to the number of fiue Thus You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the Earth per beneplacitum Onely you of all the families of the Earth haue I knowne by my good pleasure Quia me vobis reuelaui lege◠vobis posui promissiones adhibui pramiis remuneraui prophetiis illuminaui I haue reuealed my selfe vnto you I haue giuen you the Law I haue made to you the promises I haue recompenced you with rewards I haue illuminated you with Prophesies Then addes he that of the Psalme Non taliter fecit omni nationi Hee hath not dealt so with euery Nation With euery Nation Nay hee hath not so
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
which S. Augustin Serm. 57. de verbis Domini hath deliuered in these words Non potest concordiam habere cum Christo qui discors voluerit esse cum Christiano It cannot be that he that is at variance with a Christian should haue any agreement with Christ The motiue that now drew me to entreat of this argument was Saint Hieroms application of my Text to such as liue in discord and variance whereupon his collection was Discordiae poenam esse in laqueum incidere that it is the punishment of discord to fall into a snare Thus far I haue beene his I must now leaue him and looke backe to the other application of my Text wherewith I acquainted you in the beginning of this exercise My Text is Shall one take vp a snare from the earth and haue taken nothing at all The application is A fowler vseth not to take vp his snares from the earth till hee hath catched somewhat No more is it Gods vse when he maketh shew of his iudgements to withdraw his hand till he hath put them in execution God giues not forth his threats in vaine nor gathers hee vp his nets nor takes he vp his snares till hee hath taken what hee would till he hath effected what he threatned by his Prophets The summe of all is Verbum Dei non cadere fine efficacia The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy And it is the Doctrine which I would now further commend vnto your Christian and deuout attentions The Word of God falls not out without its efficacy I thus explicate it The Word of God is a certaine a sure a faithfull word All the prophesies all the predictions of future things therein propounded are wonderfully made good in their accomplishment and euent All promises therein made all threats therein denounced are euer true in their performance That the prophesies the predictions of future things propounded in the Word of God are euer true and haue their due accomplishment I shall make plaine in few words In the daies of Noah the world was growne so foule with sinne that God would needs wash it with a floud With this his purpose to wash the world with a floud hee acquainted Noah one hundred and twenty yeeres before hee sent the floud When that time had its period when those one hundred and twenty yeeres were expired then euen then and not before hee brought in the floud as it appeareth by the collation of Genesis 7.6 11. with 1 Peter 3.20 In the fifteenth of Genesis vers 13. God saith vnto Abram Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serue them and they shall afflict them foure hundred yeeres and afterward shall they come out with great substance Here is a prediction vnto Abram concerning his posterity that they should goe into a strange land should liue in thraldome and should from thence be deliuered at the end of foure hundred yeeres According to this prediction it came to passe But first I note here that this time of foure hundred yeeres must beginne at the birth of Isaak though from his a An. M. 2049. birth to the deliuerance of the children of Israel b An. M. 2454. out of Aegypt were foure hundred and fiue yeeres which few yeeres in so great a summe maketh no great difference Againe I note here that by this land not theirs is meant not Aegypt onely but Canaan too And thirdly I note that where the Text rehearseth these three they shall be strangers they shall serue they shall be afflicted we must iointly not seuerally apply them all to the time limited of foure hundred yeeres that this whole time of foure hundred yeeres they were either strangers or serued or were afflicted And so Saint Augustine quast 47. in Exod. vnderstandeth this place But you see the accomplishment of the prediction Christ the Messias the Sauiour of mankind was promised to our first parents euen vpon the beginning of the world Gen. 3.15 where God tells the Serpent that the seed of the woman should bruise his head Hee was promised vnto Abram Genesis 12.3 In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed This promise vnto Abraham is seuen times reiterated The seuenth repetition of it is Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed He was promised vnto Isaack Gen. 26.4 In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed The time of his comming is noted by Iacob the Patriarch Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giuer from betweene his feet vntill Shiloh come It is noted likewise by the Angell Gabriel Dan. 9.25 Who there wisheth Daniel to know and vnderstand that from the going forth of the commandement to restore and to build Ierusalem vnto the Messiah the Prince shall be seuen weekes All these promises prophesies and predictions touching Christ the Messias the Sauiour of mankind we beleeue and know they haue had their due accomplishment I could here remember you of prophesies or predictions wherein certaine persons were by name expressed long before they were borne Such is that 1 King 13.2 O altar altar thus saith the Lord Behold a child shall be borne vnto the house of Dauid Iosiah by name and vpon thee shall he offer the Priests of the high places that burne incense vpon thee and mens bones shall be burnt vpon thee Iosiah you see is named but it was c An. M. 2971. three hundred and thirty three yeeres before Iosiah was d An. M. 3304. borne and before the e An. M. 3330. execution of this prediction three hundred fifty and nine yeeres The execution of it we haue 2 King 22.15 Such is that Esa 44.28 There thus saith the Lord of Cyrus He is my shepheard and shall performe all my pleasure euen saying to Ierusalem Thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shall be laid The prediction is that Cyrus should take order for the reedifying of the City of Ierusalem and the Temple there Cyrus is the man that must giue leaue for this great worke to be set on foot Cyrus Cyrus is named and yet at this time Cyrus was not borne Nor was he borne within one hundred yeeres after this time Nay saith Iosephus Antiq. Iudaic. lib. 11. cap. 1. the prophesie of Esay was written two hundred and ten yeeres before Cyrus his time Yet was the truth of this Prophesie f An. M. 3426. fulfilled in Cyrus as it appeareth 2 Chron. 36.22 and Ezra 1.1 Thus haue I briefly and in a few instances made it plaine that the prophesies the predictions of things to come propounded in the Word of God are euer true and haue their due accomplishment that all the promises made therein all the threats denounced therein are euer true in their performance So true is my doctrine The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy True For
Sublimitas Profundum God he is Length Breadth Height and Depth He is Length for his Eternity Breadth for his Charity Height for his Maiestie Depth for his Wisdome Length He is for his Eternity Dan. 7.9 Esay 57.15 Psal 90.2 He is the Ancient of dayes and inhabiteth Eternitie Before the Mountaines were brought forth or euer the earth and the world were formed euen from euerlasting to euerlasting He is God Breadth he is for his Charitie for his Loue. Wisd 11.24 He loueth all the things that are and abhorreth nothing which he hath made Neither would he haue made any thing if he had hated it He maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and the good Matth. 5.45 and sendeth raine on the iust and on the vniust The Gulfe or rather the Sea of this Loue of God is exceeding broad Height He is for his Maiesty His Maiesty Prou. 25.28 it is inestimable He that searcheth into it shall surely be oppressed with the glory thereof From the glory of this Maiestie in the day of the Lord of Hosts when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth Esay 2.19 20. will the proud man the loftie man euery wicked man seeke to hide himselfe in the clefts of the rockes Psal 72.19 and in the caues of the earth but all in vaine for all the earth shall be filled with his Maiesty In regard of this his Maiesty He is * Gen. 14.18 Iob 31.28 Psal 7.18 9◠2. c. Psal 147.5 often in holy Scripture stiled Altissimus the most high So for his Maiesty he is Height Depth he is for his wisdome His wisdome it is infinite there is no end thereof It is inuariable incomprehensible ineffable Finding no fit words to expresse it with I betake my selfe to the Apostles exclamation Rom. 11.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out Thus farre of my first generall the Reuealor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adonai Iehouih the Lord God The Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets He will doe nothing The originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lo jahaseh dabar he will not doe a word A word in the Hebrew tongue signifieth sometimes any thing or matter that is either said or done In the 18. of Exodus vers 16. Moses in his reply to Iethro his Father in law saith when they haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dabar a word they come vnto me and I iudge betweene them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dabar a word with the Greekes it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a controuersie with the old Latine Interpreter it is Disceptatio a contention with Tremelius it is Negotium a businesse with our late English Translators it is a matter So Moses saith in effect thus much If there happen any businesse or matter of controuersie or contention betweene a man and his neighbour they come vnto me and I iudge betweene them In the 24. of Exodus vers 14. Moses with his Minister Iosuah going vp to the Mount of God saith vnto the Elders Tary yee here for vs vntill we come againe vnto you and behold Aaron and Hur are with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mi bahal debarim who so is a master of words let him come vnto them And here words with the Greekes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a iudgement or controuersie with the old interpreter quastio a question in our now English they are matters if any man haue any matters to doe The meaning is who so hath any question or controuersie let him come vnto Aaron and Hur for a resolution In the 39. of Esay vers 2. it is recorded of Hezechiah King of Iudah that when Merodach Baladan the son of Baladan King of Babylon had sent messengers to visit him and to congratulate his recouery Hee was glad of them and shewed them the house of his precious things the siluer and the gold and the spices and the precious oyntment and all the house of his armour and all that was found in his treasures It is added in the end of the verse Lo hajah dabar there was not a word in his house nor in all his dominions that Hezechiah shewed them not Not a word A word for a thing according to the custome of the Hebrew It is Saint Hieroms note vpon the place It is well rendred in our new Bibles There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominions that Hezechiah shewed them not This Hebrew custome of putting verbum pro re a word for a thing frequent in the old hath place likewise in the New Testament In the first of Luke vers 37. The Angell Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary that with God no word shall be impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no word His meaning is with God no thing shall be impossible In the same Chapter vers 65. The Euangelist hauing set downe what had passed concerning Elizabeth and her husband Zacharias saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these words were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Iudaea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these words that is all these things were dinulged and made knowne In the second of Luke vers 15. When the Angels who related to the shepherds Christs Natiuitie were gone away from them into Heauen the shepherds said one to another Let vs now goe euen vnto Bethlehem and see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word that is come to passe which the Lord hath made knowne vnto vs. This word that is this thing this whole businesse whereof wee haue heard by the Angels It is the Hebraisme which I haue hitherto obserued whereby that I may speake as Logicians doe the Abstract is put for the Concret taken either actiuely or passiuely as Verbum pro re dictâ a word for a thing that is spoken of Or to speake as a Rhetorician would it is Metonymia adiuncti the Adiunct is put for the Subiect Still it is Verbum pro re a word for the thing or matter whereof the speech is So it is in this text of mine Surely the Lord God non faciet verbum he will not doe a word that is he will doe no thing no such thing as the verse before speaketh of no euill of paine punishment or affliction He will doe no such thing but hee reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets He reuealeth his secret I am come to my second generall concerning the thing reuealed it is the secret of the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sodh◠his secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint translated Eruditionem suam his instruction or chastisement Saint Hierome expounds it Correptionem suam the Interlinearie Glosse Correctionem suam his reproofe or correction Theodotio no ill Interpreter of old turned it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his counsell and Drusius seeth no cause why it may
Saint Hierome See their many madnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint many miraculous and strange demeanours Oecolampadius saith Stupenda multa many prodigious deportments Drusius Strages multas many slaughters Caluin Concussiones multas many concussions violent and publike extortions Vatablus and Mercer Contritiones multas many Contritions brusings or cursings of the afflicted Iunius and Piscator Vexationes plurimas very many vexations Gualter Tumultus multos many tumults Brentius Tumultus magnos great tumults Great tumults It s our translation See See then many madnesses strange and prodigious behauiours slaughters concussions contritions very many vexations many and great tumults All these see In medio ejus in the middest of Samaria Yet is not this all you are there to see For see also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnaschukim the oppressed in the middest thereof For the oppressed Caluin hath Oppressiones the oppressions it is the marginall reading in our now-Bible Brentius hath Calumnias so hath Oecolampadius Saint Hierome and the Vulgar Latine Calumniam patientes Their meaning is that in Samaria in the middest thereof in penetralibus eius in the in most parts thereof there were many that were calumniated were accused falsly were appeached wrongfully were charged maliciously were reproached vniustly were reuiled iniuriously Such doing was there in Samaria not onely in the country abroad but also within the walls thereof Euery where did cruelty aduance it selfe and so did Couetousnesse And thus haue I expounded the Proclamation the words thereof in which the Philistines and Aegyptians Gentes extra Oeconomiam Dei prophane Nations are cited to be witnesses yea and Iudges too of the impurity and vncleannesse that was in the Lords owne people the people of Israel My obseruation is God â—ometimes conuinceth his owne people of impiety by comparing them with forreine Nations Such a comparison is that Ierem. 2.10 Passe ouer the Iles of Chittim and see and send vnto Kedar and consider diligently and see if there be any such thing Hath any Nation changed their Gods which are yet no Gods But my people haue changed their glory for that which doth not profit It is a vehement expostulation and in the paraphrase may be thus You my people of the Iewish Nation passe ye ouer vnto Chittim to the Macedonians and Cyprians see of what Religion and constancy they are and send ye vnto Kedar to the Hagarâ—ns obserue them marke them diligently Can you finde thinke you any Nations so like your selues so inconstant so mutâ—ble Is there any Nation in the whole world that so rashly changeth her Gods Gods Gods of the Nations They are no Gods but Idols the froth and skumme of mans braine And yet are the Nations constant in the worship of these their false Gods their no Gods But you you of the Iewish Nation mine owne people you haue changed your Glory Me the true faithfull and euerliuing God in whom alone you should haue gloried Mee haue you changed for a thing of nought Be astonished O ye Heauens at this be ye horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord. A like comparison is that brought by our Sauiour in the Gospell Matth. 12.41 Where from the example of the Niniuites he inferreth the condemnation of the Iewes The men of Niniueh shall rise vp in iudgement with this generation Luk. 11.33 and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater than Ionas is here The Niniuites were Gentiles and Barbarians the Iewes were Gods owne people the Preacher to the Niniuites was Ionas a meere man and a stranger but Christ God and man of the line and race of Dauid was the Preacher to the Iewes Ionas his preaching continued bur for three daies and the Niniuites repented Christ preached for three yeeres together and the Iewes blasphemed Therefore shall the men of Niniueh rise vp in iudgement with the Iewes and shall condemne them Saint Paul likewise presseth the example of the Gentiles the more to accuse the Corinthians of grieuous sinne among them 1 Cor. 5.1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles The Gentiles who know not God nor haue heard of the faith of Christ will not commit so foule a sinne and will you Christians you who hope for saluation by faith in Christ will you defile your selues with such abomination For the loue of God for the loue of your owne soules flye from fornication And thus haue you the confirmation of my second obseruation which was God sometimes conuinceth his owne people of impiety by comparing them with forreine Nations The vse of this obseruation may be to teach vs who professe the faith of Christ that the glorious name of Christianity is but vaine and idle if a mans life through his corrupt and dissolute behauiour be not answerable Saint Augustine in his time propounded this question to an Auditory of his in his second Sermon vpon the thirtieth Psalme Quam multos putatis fratres mei velle esse Christianos sed offendi malos moribus Christianorum My brethren how many thinke ye there are that would willingly become Christians but that they take exception at the euill liues of the Christians Long after him great Gregory Moral lib. 25. cap. 10. complained Nonnulli fidem medullitèr tenent sed viuere fideliter nullatenùs curant Many there are that make profession of the faith of a Christian but they take no care at any hand to liue the life of a Christian The life of a Christian if you take it in its full perfection is not such a kinde of life as the Christians vse to liue at this day in the world but such a life as our Sauiour Christ liued such as his Disciples liued such as the holy Martyrs vnder the Primitiue Church did liue a life that is a continuall crosse and death of the whole man whereby man thus mortified and annihilated is fit to be transformed into the similitude and likenesse of God But where is the Christian that now adayes liueth such a life Hath not dissimulation and hypocrisie in a manner couered the face of the Earth Christi nomen auditis you heare the name of Christ but where shall you see the man that liueth the life of Christ Crepamus Euangelium we cry the Gospell the Gospell but where is he that yeeldeth obedience to the Gospell Doctrinam fidei ebuccinamus we trumpet out the Doctrine of faith but the discipline of a Christian life we exterminate we banish Multa passim fides absque operibus euery where there is much speech of the efficacie of faith without workes but where is the man that sheweth me his faith by his workes Beloued what shall I say more If we haue a delight to be called the people of God if wee take any ioy in the name of a Christian let it be our care to liue as it becommeth the people
there to visit is taken in the worse part for to visit in iudgement in anger or displeasure for as much as it bringeth a rod and stripes with it It is to correct it is to punish There is Esay 10.12 a commination against the King of Assyria that same rod of hypocrites that his pride should be broken It is thus deliuered I will visit vpon the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Ashur and the glory of his high lookes And there also to visit is in the worse part for to visit in iudgement in ire anger or displeasure It is to correct it is to punish As in the now alleaged places to visit signifieth in the worse part to visit in iudgement in ire anger or displeasure and by a consequent to correct or punish so doth it in my Text. And therefore for Visitabo Iunius hath animaduertam This same visiting is with him a punishing In the day that I shall visit or punish What Prauaricationes Israel saith the Vulgar Latine The preuarications of Israel The preuarications of Israel are his swaruings from truth reason and honesty Iunius translates them Defectiones the reuoltings or slippings of Israel Our English hath the transgressions of Israel by which name sinnes are called because they exceed the bounds and markes which God by his Law hath appointed vnto vs Drusius Caluin Oâ—aller Breâ—tiâ—s for the moderating of our desires and affections Some here haue Scelera Israel the wickednesse lewdnesse or naughtinesse of Israel These generall appellations doe direct vs to particular sins to couetousnesse to pride to cruelty to vniust exactions to robbing and spoiling of the poore these were the sinnes that reigned and raged in Israel in the Kingdome of the Ten tribes or the Kingdome of Israel called in the precedent verse The house of Iacob and these were the sinnes for which the Lord was resolued to punish Israel as it is also signified in the second verse of this Chapter There is a Visitabo as well as here Visitabo super vos omnes iniquitates vestras I will visit vpon you or I will punish you for all your iniquities Visitabo I will doe it I will visit I will punish I the Lord God the God of Hosts will visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him Whence ariseth this obseruation Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure The Visitabo in my Text doth warrant this truth A day there shall be wherein Visitabo I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I shall doe it When the world was growne so foule with sinne that it deserued to be washed with a floud God himselfe vndertooke the visitation Gen. 6.7 I will destroy man whom I haue created from the face of the earth And vers 17. Behold I euen I doe bring a floud of waters vpon the earth to destroy all flesh Concerning the sinne of the people that great and grieuous sinne when they made them Gods of gold the Lord saith vnto Moses Exod. 32.34 In the day when I visit then will I visit their sinne vpon them When I see good to punish them I my selfe will punish them For the disobedient and despisers of the will of the Lord the Lord hath a Visitabo too Leuit. 26.16 Visitabo vos velociter I will visit you quickly with terrours with consumptions with burning agues that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart with the sword with famine and with pestilence Visitabo vos velociter I will quickly visit you I will doe it Monstrous and grieuous were the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah that were to be reuenged by so fearefull a iudgement as is a raine of brimstone and fire But how fell that raine vpon them The Text is Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained vpon Sodome and vpon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heauen The Lord rained saith the Text. Then not man not deuill not necromancy not any thing in nature was the cause that this befell those Cities but the very power and wrath of God of a displeased God at so great abomination as was there committed sent downe that raine vpon them The Lord was he that gaue that raine Prodigious were the plagues wherewith the land of Aegypt was visited I looke into the Sacred story and there I see aboue them a Exod. 9.23 thunder haile lightning tempests one while b Exod. 10.22 no light at all another while such fearefull flashes as had more terrour than the darknesse I see vnder them c 7.20 the waters changed into bloud the earth swarming with d 8.6 frogs and e 10.13 grashoppers I see about them f 8.24 swarmes of flies by which the land was corrupted I see their g 9.23.10.15 fruits destroyed their h 9.6 cattell dying their i 12.30 children dead Turning mine eyes vnto themselues I see them very loathsome with k 8.17 lice and deformed with l 8.10 scabs boiles and botches Grieuous indeed were these visitations but who was he that wrought them It was the Lord. For so the Text runneth Exod. 7.5 The Aegyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch forth mine hand vpon Aegypt Who was it but the Lord that smote Nabal that he died 1 Sam. 25.38 Aske of Esay who it is that formeth the light and createth darknesse that maketh peace and createth euill he will tell you it is the Lord that doth all these things Chap. 45.7 It is the Lord doth all Light and peace are the symbols of prosperity darknesse and euill of aduersity so the meaning of the place will be that the Lord is a doer not only in the prosperity but also in the aduersity wherewith this life is seasoned Thus haue you the confirmation of my obseruation which was that Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure One reason hereof is because nothing is done in this world but the Lord is the principall doer of it Nothing is done without him no not in the carriage of a lottery which in mans iudgement seemeth of all things to be the most casuall yet therein doth Gods hand appeare Salomon auoucheth it Prou. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Let Lots be cast into the lap some hat or cap or pot or box some secret and close place from whence the drawing of them forth may seeme to be meerely accidentall yet it is nothing so For God by his infinite and eternall prouidence doth both generally and particularly wholly and altogether direct and order them Now if Gods hand be found in the disposing of Lots shall it not be found in the ordering of the visitations and punishments that are incident to vs in this life for our