your remembrances that Amos of a heardman or shepherd became a blessed Prophet to carry a terrible word and fearfull message from the liuing God to the king nobles priests and people of Israel Thereupon I commended to you this doctrine God chooseth vile and despised persons to condemne the great and mighty That doctrine proued I recommended to you the vses of it The first was to lift vp your mindes to the contemplation of Gods good prouidence Poore shepherds and fishermen God exalteth and aduanceth into the highest places of dignity in church and common wealth This might perswade you that neither Empire nor kingdome nor place in them of dignitie priority or preeminence ecclesiasticall or politique is gotten by the industry wisdome wit or strength of man but that all are administred ruled and gouerned by the deputation and ordinance of the highest power God almighty The second was to stop blasphemous mouths such as are euermore open against the God of Heauen to affirme that all things below the moone are ruled by their blind goddesse fortune and by chance Here my desire was that your hearts might be ioined with mine in the consideration of Gods most sweet and neuer sleeping care ouer vs in this lower world that we would not suppose our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the Moone a God in the greater and not in the lesser employments To this holy meditation I exhorted you taught by the holy scriptures that our God examineth the least moments tittles in the world that you can imagine to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oile in a poore widowes house to the falling of the Sparrowes to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the caluing of Hindes to the clothing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of teares downe our cheekes Thus farre as Gods holie spirit assisted me I led you the last time Now let it please you with patience and reuerence to giue eare to the word of God as it followeth vers 2. And he said The Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither In this verse I commend vnto you two generall parts 1 A preface to a prophecie And he said 2 The prophecie it selfe The Lord shall roare from Sion c. In the prophecie I must further commend vnto you 3. things 1 The Lord speaking Hee shall râ—are and vtter forth his voice 2 The place from whence hee speaketh from Sion and Ierusalem 3 The sequels of his speech They are two 1 Desolation to the dwelling places of the shepherds The dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish 2 Sterility and barrennesse to their fruitfull grounds The top of Carmel shall wither The first generall part the preface to the prophecie I must first speake vnto And he said He that is Amos Amos the heardman or shepherd whose dwelling was at Tekoa He said what said he Euen the words which he saw vpon Israel that is he spake the words of God committed to him by that kinde of propheticall instinct and motion which is commonly tearmed vision the words of God which were disclosed or reuealed to him in a vision Amos spake but his words were Gods words Here dearely beloued we may learne whence the holy Scriptures haue their soueraigne authority Their authority is from aboue euen from the Lord whose name is Iehouah whose a Matth. 5.34 throne is the heauen of heauens and the b Habak 3.15 sea his floare to walke in the c Esai 66.1 earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sits in the d Psal 7.9 heart of man and possesseth his secret reines and diuides betwixt the flesh and the skinne and shaketh his inmost powers as the e Psal 29.8 thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades This powerfull and great Iehouah God almighty spake in old time to our fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod. 4.12 and in the mouthes of all his Prophets Heb. 1.1 Know this saith S. Peter in his second epistle 1 ch ver 20. That no Prophecie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion Marke his reason ver 21. for the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Hence sprang these vsuall and familiar speeches in the bookes of the Prophets The word of the Lord came vnto mee The Lord God hath spoken Thus saith the Lord and the like This Lord who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnesse of time when he sent his Son to consummate and perfect the worke of mans redemption speake by his blessed Euangelists and Apostles This appeareth by the faithfull promise made them Mat. 10.19 Take no thought how or what yee shall speake for it shall be giuen you what yee shall say It is not yee that speake but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you It must stand for truth in despight of al the powers of darknesse which is recorded 2 Tim. 3 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole Scripture and euery parcell thereof is giuen by inspiration of God and hath inward witnesse from that Spirit which is the author of all truth Hence ariseth this true position Scriptura est authentica regula tum fidei tum vitae nostrae The word of God which by an excellencie we call the Scripture is an infallible rule both of our faith and also of our life And another posiâ—ion followeth herevpon The authority of holy Scripture is greater than the authority of the Church Our obseruation here may be Since such is the worth of holy Scripture by reason of the author of it as that it is the perfect rule for our faith and life and is of greater authority than the Church it must be our part to take heed vnto it to heare it and to reade it with reuerence obsequie and docility This worth dignity and excellency of holy Scripture which is Gods holy word now commended vnto you yeeldeth a very harsh and vnpleasant sound to euery Popishly affected eare and may serue to condemne the Romish Church of impiety and sinne for her neglect and contempt of so inestimable a treasure How little they esteeme of Gods wriâ—ten word the word of life and sole food of our soules the graue and learned f B. Iewel defence of the Apologie par 4. chap 19. 20. §. 1. Brentius in his preface vpon Iacobus Andreas against Hosius makes it plaine vnto vs while he tels of the crying out against the holy Scriptures as if they were blinde and doubtfull and a dumbe schoolemaster and a killing writ and a dead letter yea and if it may like those reuerend fathers no better than Aesops fables Now lest
all they may and must be dispossessed of their scepters and regalities 2. t Jbid. §. Quod si Quod si Christiani olim non deposâ—erun Neronem Dâ—ocletianum Iulianum Apostatam Valentem Arianum similes id fuit quia dâ—erant vires temporales Christianis If the Christians in times past deposed not Nero Diocletian Iulian the Apostata Valens the Arian and other like tyrants id fuit quia deerant vires temporales Christianis it was because they wanted power and force and were not strong enough for that attempt 3. u Ibid. §. At non At non tenentur Christiani immâ— nec dâ—bent cum euidenti periculo religionis tolerare Regem infideleÌ„ Christians are not bound to tolerate a king that is an infidell or a King not a Papist Not bound to tolerate him Nay saith Bellarmine they must not tolerate such a one cum euidenti periculo religionis if the toleration of him be an euident danger to their religion 4 x Ibid. §. At non De iure humano est quod hunc aut illum habeamus regem It is by the law of man that we haue this or that man to be our King This last position is formerly auowed by the same author in the same booke but in the second Chapter with opposition and disgrace to the soueraigntie of the Lord of hosts y §. Quod ad primum D minium non descendit ex iure diuino sed ex iure genâ—ium K ngdomes and dominion are not by the law of God but by the law of nations It is an impious blasphemous and atheologicall assertion From these positions of the great Iesuite by a necessary inference doe follow these two conclusions 1 That the Papists would most willingly depriue our most gracious Soueraigne of his royall throne and regality if they were of force and power so to doe 2 That all subiects of this land may stand in manifest rebellion against their King because he is no Papist Both which are summarily acknowledged by his royall Maiesty in his excellent speech the 5. of Nouember z Ann. Dâ—m 1605. last The a C. 2. a. Romish Catholiques by the grounds of their religion doe maintaine that it is lawfull or rather meritorious to murther Princes or people for quarrell of religion By the grounds of popish religion it is lawfull yea meritorious for Papists to murther Kings which are not Papists You see his Maiesties royall acknowledgement of impiety in the grounds of Romish religion You will not doubt of it if you rightly esteeme that same late thrise damnable diabolicall and matchlesse plot conceiued in the wombe of that religion with a full resolution to consume at once our pious King and this flourishing kingdome You perceiue now in what contempt and disgrace the popish faction holdeth the holy Scriptures the written word of God The written word of God expresly requireth obedience vnto Princes as placed in their thrones by Gods sole authority But the Popish religion maintaineth rebellion against Princes as placed in their thrones by mans sole authority Which will you follow the holy word of God or the doctrine of the Romish Church Beloued remeÌ„ber what I told you in the beginning of this exercise though Amos spake yet his words were Gods words remember that God is the author of holy Scripture and then for his sake for the authors sake for Gods sake you will bee perswaded to take heed vnto it to heare it and reade it with reuerence obsequie and docility We the branches of the same vine that bare our predecessors to whom by deuolution the sacred Statutes of the eternall God the holy Scriptures are come must esteeme of them all for b D. King B. of Lond. vpon Ion. lect 1. p. 2. Gods most royall and celestiall Testament the oracles of his 〈◊〉 â—â—nly 〈…〉 â—led counsailes milke from his sacred 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—pledge of his fauour to his Church the light of our 〈◊〉 c Ierem. 15 1â— â—oy of our hearts d Lament 4.20 breath of our nostrils 〈…〉 of our hope groâ—nd of out loue 〈…〉 future blessednesse Behold the value and price of the words which Amos saw vpon Israel which God willing with all my diligence and best paines I will expound to you hereafter as occasion shall be ministred Now leâ— vs pâ—wre out our soules in thankâ—ulnâ—sse before the Lord for that he hath beene pleased this day to gather vs together to be hearers of his holy word and partakers of the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ thereby to confirme our holy faith in vs. We thanke thee therefore good Father and beseech thee more and more to feed vs with the neuer perishing food of thy holy word that by it being made cleane and sanctified wee may in due time haue free passage from this vally of teares to the city of ioy Ierusalem wich is aboue where this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall bee swallowed vp of life So be it THE Third Lecture AMOS 1.2 And he said the Lord shall roare from Sion â—nd vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither VPon the preface to this prophecie these words and he said my last lecture was bestowed wherein because whatsoeuer Amos the heardman spake was the word of God I endeuoured to shew forth the worth dignity and excellency of the word of God commonly called by the name of holy Scripture A point that yeeldeth a very harsh and vnpleasant sound to euery popishly affected eare as then at large I made plaine out of popish mouths and practise Order now requireth that I goe on to the next generall part of this text to the prophecie it selfe The first point therein to be recommended at this time vnto you is the Lord speaking The Lord shall roare and vtter his voice wherein I desire you to obserue with me who it is that speaketh how he speaketh Who speaketh It is the Lord. How speaketh he He roareth and vttereth forth his voice First of him that speaketh He is in the Hebrew text called Iehouah which is the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King B. of London vpon Jonas Lect. 11. pag. 152. honourablest name belonging to the great God of Heauen Much might be spoken of it would I apply my selfe to the curiosity of Cabalists and Rabbins as that it is a name b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanch. de nat Dei lib. 1 c. 13. not to be pronounced or taken within polluted lips that it is a c Cael. Rhodiginus Lâ—ct antiq lib 2. cap. 9. Quem nos Deum nun cupamus Aegyptii Thâ—â—t Persae dicunt Syre Magorum disciplina Orsi vnde profluxit Oromasis Tam apud Hebraeorum gentem ellebre est quatuor vocalium Dei sacrâ—Ì„ nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod inde Tetragrammaton dicunt alia voce
and stagger like a drunken man Thus saith the Lord This powerfull Iehouah whose throne is the heauen of heauens and the sea his floare to walk in the earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man possesseth his secretest reines and diuideth betwixt the flesh the skin and shakest his inmost powers Psal 29.8 as the thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades Thus saith the Lord. Hath the Lord said and shall he not doe it hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Balaam confesseth as much vnto Balak Num. 23.19 God is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Indeed saith Samuel 1 Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not as man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are yea and Amen Verily saith our Sauiour Matth. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall perish before one iote or any one tittle of Gods law shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lord Then out of doubt it must come to passe Hereby you may be perswaded of the authority of this Prophecie and not of this only but of all other the Prophecies of holy Scripture that neither this nor any other Prophecies of old is destitute of diuine authority This point touching the authority of holy Scripture I deliuered vnto you in my second lecture and therefore haue now the lesse need to spend time therein Yet a word or two thereof God almighty spake in old i me to our fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod. 4.12 and not by the mouth of Moses only but by the mouths of all his Prophets Heb. 1.1 and 2 Peter 1.20 Know this that no prophecy in the Scripture is of any priuate motion He giueth the reason hereof ver 21. for the prophecy in old time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Hence sprang those vsuall and familiar speeches in the bookes of the Prophets The word of the Lord came vnto me the Lord God hath spoken and this in my text Thus saith the Lord. This Lord who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnesse of time when hee sent to consummate and perfect the worke of mans redemption speake by his blessed Euangelists and Apostles This appeareth by the faithfull promise made vnto them Matth. 10.19 Take no thought how or what yee shall speake for it shall be giuen you what ye shall say It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of your father that speaketh in you It must stand euer true what is recorded 2 Tim. 3.16 the whole Scripture and euery parcell thereof is giuen by inspiration of God and hath inward witnesse from that Spirit which is the author of all truth Here may you note the harmonie consent and agreement of all the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles from the first vnto the last not one of them spake one word of a naturall man in all their ministeries the words which they spake were the words of him that sent them they spake not of themselues God spake in them Whensoeuer were the time whatsoeuer were the meanes whosoeuer were the man wheresoeuer were the place whatsoeuer were the people the words were the Lords Thus saith the Lord How then dare we potters claâ— lift vp our hands against him that fashioned vs How dare we absent our selues from his house of prayer where God in and by his holy word speaketh vnto vs How dare we when we are come to this place behaue our selues carelesly negligently irreuerently But I will not at this time presse you any further with this point hauing heretofore in my fourth lecture occasioned by the Lords roaring out of Sion and vttering his vowe from Ierusalem exhorted you in many words to the due performance of your dutifull seruice of God in this place For this present I will onely giue you a taste of the sweetnesse of the word of the Lord conueyed vnto vs by the ministeries of his sanctified Prophets Euangelists Apostles It is the Lords most royall and celestiall testament the oracles of his heauenly sanctuary the only key vnto vs of his reuealed counsels milke from his sacred breasts the earnest and pledge of his fauour to his Church the light of our feet ioy of our hearts breath of our nostrils pillar of our faith anchor of our hope ground of our loue euidences and deeds of our future blessednesse Thus farre the preface proeme or entrance making for the authority of this prophecie Thus saith the Lord. Now followeth the prophecie against the Syrians wherein I commended to your Christian considerations foure things 1 The generall accusation of the Syrians vers 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them verse the 3. I will not turne to it 3 The particular sinne by which the Syrians had so offended God verse the 3. They haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron 4 The punishments attending them for this sin set downe generally and specially Generally verse 4. I wil send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ben-hadad Specially vers the 5. I wil breake also the barres of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden the people of Aram shall goe into captiuity vnto Kir Order requireth that I begin with the first part the accusation of the Syrians verse 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure This Damascus was a very ancient citie built as a Arias Montan In â—â—t lib. 36. Stephan Adrichom Hâ—erâ—n Hâ—â— qu â—â—t in Gen. some coniecture by Eliezâ—r the steward of Abrahams house who was surnamed Damascus Gen. 15.2 The first mention of this city is Gen. 14.15 b Aâ—ud H c. ibid Io eph aâ—â—â—q Iuâ—â—â— Lib 1 caâ— 7 â—â—llâ—t in Gâ—n cap. 15. Others holding the name of this city to haue beene more ancient than Abraham doe attribute the building of this city to Huz one of the sonnes of Aram Gen. 10.23 Whereupon Damaâ—cus was called also Aram as c In Esay 17. S. Hierome witnesseth Whatsoeuer were the antiquity of this city it is plaine by Esa 7.8 that it was the Metropolitane and chiefest city of Syria I need not tell you what Lewes Vertomannus a gentleman of Rome saw in this city about some hundred yeares since as the place where Caine slew Abel the place where the bodie of the Prophet Zacharie lay the tower wherein S. Paul was committed to prison and the like that would be beside my purpose For the present know yee that Damascus was the Metropolitane and chiefest city of Syria whence by a figure the figure Synecdoche it is here in my text put for the whole country of Syria By this figure Synecdoche in the name
Whatsoeuer things are true and honest and iust and pure and doe pertaine to loue and are of good report if there bee any vertue or praise thinke we on these things Thinke we on these things to doe them and we shall not need to feare any going into captiuity yea the destroying Angell shall haue no power ouer vs the raging waters shall not hurt vs our cattell and whatsoeuer else we enioy shall prosper vnder vs. For God euen our owne God shall giue vs his blessing THE Twelfth Lecture AMOS 1.6 7 8. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure I will not turne to it because they carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Azzah and it shall deuoure the Palaces thereof And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon and turne mine hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God THese words doe containe a burthensome prophecie against the Philistines I diuide them into three parts 1 A preface to a prophecie vers 6. Thus saith the Lord. 2 The prophecie vers 6 7 8. For three transgressions c. 3 The conclusion in the end of the eighth verse Saith the Lord God In the prophecie I obserue foure parts 1 An Accusation of the Philistines vers the 6. For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them vers the 6. I will not turne to it 3 The declaration of that grieuous sin by which the Philistines so highly displeased God vers the 6. They carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom. 4 The description of the punishments to be inflicted vpon them in fiue branches One in the seuenth verse and foure in the eighth verse The great Cities Azzah and Ashdod and A hkelon and Ekron and all the rest of the Philistines are partners in this punishment This prophecy for the tenor and current of the words is much like the former against the Syrians the exposition whereof in sundry sermons heretofore deliuered may serue for the exposition of this prophecie also The preface is first Thus saith the Lord Not Amos but in Amos the Lord. The Lord Iehouah who made the heauens and spread them out like a curtaine to cloath himselfe with light as with a garment and can againe cloath the heauens with darknesse and make a sacke their couering the Lord Iehouah who made the sea to lay the beames of his chamber therein and placed the sands for bounds vnto it by a perpetuall decree neuer to be passed ouer howsoeuer the waues thereof shall rage and roare and can with a word smite the pride thereof at his rebuke the flouds shall be turned into a wildernesse the sea shall be dried vp the fish shall rot for want of water and die for thirst the Lord Iehouah who made the drie land and so set it vpon foundations that it should neuer moue and can couer her againe with the deepe as with a garment and so rocke her that she shall reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man Thus saith the Lord The Lord Iehouah whose throne is the heauen of heauens and the sea his floure to walke in and the earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man and possesseth his most secret reines and diuideth betwixt the flesh and the skinne and shaketh his inmost powers as the thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades Thus saith the Lord Hath he said it and shall he not doe it hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it The Lord Iehouah the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are yea and Amen Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or any one tittle of his word shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lod Out of doubt then must it come to passe Here see the authority of this prophecie and not of this only but also of all other the prophecies of holy Scripture that neither this nor any other prophecy of old is destitute of diuine authority This point of the authority of holy Scripture I deliuered vnto you in my second and sixt Lectures vpon this Prophecie and then noted vnto you the harmony consent and agreement of all the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles from the first vnto the last not one of them spake one word of a naturall man in all their ministeries the words which they spake were the words of him that sent them they spake not of themselues God spake in them Whensoeuer were the time whatsoeuer were the meanes whosoeuer were the man wheresoeuer were the place whatsoeuer were the people the words were the Lords Thus saith the Lord Then must we giue eare vnto him with reuerence But what saith hee Euen the words of this Prophecie For three transgressions of Azzah and foure I will not turne it Azzah Palestina the country of the Philistines was diuided into fiue Prouinces or Dutchies mentioned Iosh 13.3 the Dutchies of Azzah of Ashdod of Askelon of Gath of Ekron These fiue chiefe and the most famous Cities of Palestina are recorded also 1 Sam. 6.17 where the Philistines are said to haue giuen for a sinne offering to the Lord fiue golden Emerods one for Azzah one for Ashdod one for Askelon one for Gath and one for Ekron Against foure of these Cities all saue Gath and against Gath too in the generall name of the Philistines this prophecie was giuen by the ministery of Amos. In the offence or blame Azzah is alone nominated but in the punishment are Ashdod and Askelon and Ekron and the residue of the Philistines remembred as well as Azzah Azzah It 's first named Gen. 10.19 In the vulgar Latine and in the Greeke it 's commonly called Gaza it hath no other name in the new Testament but Gaza It 's so called Act. 8.26 And you may call it by which name you will Azzah or Gaza it 's not materiall Now by this Azzah or Gaza you are to vnderstand the inhabitants of the City and not them only but also the borderers all the inhabitants of the country adiacent to all which our Prophet here denounceth Gods iudgements for their sins For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure These words containing an accusation of the Philistines for their sins and the protestation of Almighty God against them for the same I haue heretofore in my sixt Lecture at large expounded occasioned thereto by the beginning of the third verse and therefore I shall not need at this time to make any long iteration thereof Yet let me relate vnto you the summe and substance of them For three transgressions of Azzah c. It is as if the Lord had thus said If the
to his neighbour For as much as the Lord will destroy all such as speake lies This you know by the fift Psalme ver the 6. But how will he destroy them It is answered Reuel 21.8 All lyars shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Thus haue you the third vse of my doctrine My doctrine was God is truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words The third vse is our holy imitation of God in truth There is yet a fourth vse of this doctrine of the truth of God It serues for a redargution or reproofe of such as deny God and his truth Deny God and his truth Can there be any endued with a reasonable soule so voyd of vnderstanding Yes There is a generation of men monstrously mishapen in the powers of the soule who spare not to break the cords of Religion asunder and to cast her yoke from them They dare auouch with those in Tullie Totam de Dijs immortalibus opinionem fictam esse ab hominibus sapientibus reipub causâ vt quos ratio non posset eos ad officium religio duceret judging the seruice of God to be a meere deuise of man for the better gouernment of the Common-wealth wherein inferiors sith they will not be ruled by reason must be ordered by religion Tell such of the Scriptures you may as well vrge them with Lucians narrations tell them of repentance they cast it behind them tell them of faith they regard it not Speake to them of baptisme they hold it of no greater price then the washing of their hands Let them heare of the Resurrection this feeds them with many a merry conceit They thinke pleasantly with themselues what manner of bodies they shall haue at that day of what proportion and stature their bodies shall be whether their nayles and haire shall rise againe Impious wretches thus they make a scoffe at God and religion whom were they vsed according to their deserts the Preachers should pronounce and the Prince proclaime the foulest leapers that euer yet sore ranne vpon very worthy to bee excluded the hoast and to haue their habitation alone yea to be exiled the land and to bee expelled from nature it selfe which so vnnaturally they striue to bring to naught I say no more against them but leaue them to the God of truth whom they haue denied that he in due time may repay them home with vengeance Thus farre am I guided by my first doctrine grounded vpon this essentiall name of God his name Iehouah importing his truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words Thus saith Iehouah Thus saith the Lord Is not this the prophesie of Amos Are not all the words of this prophesie chap. 1.1 called the words of Amos the heardsman What then meaneth this phrase Thus saith the Lord As Almighty God in olde time spake to our Fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod 4.12 So did hee in succeeding ages speake vnto them by the mouth of other his Prophets Luke 1.70 Heereto S. Peter beareth record 2. Epist 1.20 Know this saith he that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion and he giues the reason heereof verse 21. For the prophesie in old time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost Hence sprang those vsuall and familiaâ— speeches in the bookes of the Prophets The word of the Lord came vnto me The Lord God hath spoken and this in my Text Thus sayth the Lord. This Lord who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnesse of time when he sent to consummate and perfect the worke of mans redemption speake by his blessed Euangelists and Apostles This appeareth by the faithfull promise made vnto them Matth. 10.19 Take no thought how or what yee shall speake It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you It must stand euer true what is recorded 2 Tim. 3.16 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God The whole Scripture and euery parcell of it haâ—h inward witnesse from the Spirit which is the author of all truth Sweet then is the harmony consent and agreement of all the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles from the first vnto the last Not one of them spake one word of a naturall man in all their ministeries the words which they spake were the words of him that sent them they spake not of themselues God spake in them Whensoeuer were the time whatsoeuer were the meanes whosoeuer were the man wheresoeuer were the place whatsoeuer were the people the words were the Lords Hence ariseth this doctrine The Author of holy Scripture is neither man nor Angell nor any other creature how excellent soeuer but onely the liuing and immortall God This truth is euident by this which I haue but now delired For if God in old time spake to our Fathers by the mouth of Moses if God spake by other his Prophets if God spake by the Euangelists and Apostles if all Scripture be inspired of God then it well followeth that God is the author of Scripture and therefore not man nor Angell nor any other creature how excellent soeuer I can but point at the vses of this doctrine The first vse is redargution Is the liuing and immortall God the author of holy Scripture Heere are all they to bee reprooued who doe vilifie and debase the sacred Scriptures and esteeme not of them as of the word of God Such are they who bearing in their fore-heads the stampe of Christians haue notwithstanding giuen their names to that Antichrist of Rome and the now-false Church there They shame not to affirme that setting aside the authority of that Church and her head the Pope the Scripture is no better then a l Collâ—q Wâ—rmâ—t doubtfull vncertaine and leaden rule then a m Colloq Râ—tâ—bon matter of debate then n Ludouic Matoranus dead inke then o Eskins inken diuinity then a p Pighius nose of wax then a r Colloq Worm booke of discord then a Å¿ Pighius dumbe Iudge then t Hosius Gretser Heereof see my second Lecture vpon Amos 1. Aesops fables Impious wretches had they not wip'd all shame from their faces they would neuer haue layd such load of disgraces vpon Gods holy word Their Cardinall Hosius stayes not heere he proceedes a degree further He coynes a distinction of Scripture as it s vsed by themselues whom he calleth Catholikes and as by vs whom hee calleth Heretikes His words are in the end of his third book against Brentius his Prolegomena The Scripture quomodo profertur à Catholicis verbuÌ„ est Dei quomodo profertur ab Haereticis verbum est Diaboli as it is alledged by vs so must it bee forsooth the word of the Deuill but as by them so onely shall it be the word of God Blasphemous Cardinall hee marcheth not alone u
them very infamous for their beastly Sodomie for their filthy adulterie for other their vncleane lust So holy were those holy Fathers Neither were they themselues alone giuen ouer to such filthinesse but they also tooke order to haue others like vnto them They could not alone be wicked z SZeged Spec. Pontif. Alexander the sixt gaue leaue to Cardinall Mendoza to abuse his owne bastard sonne in incestuous Sodomie a Downam de Antich lib. 1. cap. 6. Ormâ—rod Pict Pap. SZâ—ged spec Pont. Vescel Kroning Tractat. de Indulgentijs Sixtus the fourth gaue licence to the Cardinall of S. Lucie and to all his familie that they might in the three hot moneths of the yeare freely vse Sodomie Iohannes a Casa a Florentine Archbishop of Beneventum Legat for Iulius 3. at Venice set forth a booke in Italian Metre in commendation of this Diana of the Papists this abominable sinne of Sodomie Will you heare more of Sixtus the fourth He to incite and incourage others to be as filthy as himselfe built in Rome a famous stewes not onely of women but also of males The femall stewes how aduantagious it hath bin to the Pope and gainefull to his coffers may from hence appeare that the Pope hath receiued from them a yearely pension amounting sometimes to three thousand sometimes to foure thousand Ducates It is said of Paulus the third that in his tables he had the names of 45000 Curtizans which paid vnto him a monethly tribute Now that the Pope neede not to loose so great a reuenew some haue bestirred themselues to patronize his stewes by argument and by autoritie Their chiefe reason is that common Curtizans in hot countries are a necessarie euill Harding Confut. Apol. Iewelli par 4. cap. 1. thus speaketh of it It is common in all great Cities in hot countries not to banish from among them the filthy generation of harlots for the auoyding of a greater mischiefe Dr Bishop in his second part of the Reformation of a Catholicke deformed in the treatise of repentance saith The stewes in some hot Countries are tolerated to auoyd a greater mischiefe The cheife autoritie they bring is S. Austines out of his second booke de ordine cap. 4. Aufer meretrices de rebus humanis turbaveris omnia libidinibus Take harlots from among men yee shall disturbe all things with leacherous lusts To their reason that Curtezans in hot Countries are a necessarie euill we say that the heat of a countrey is no sufficient warrant for the popish stewes The land of Israel is a hotter climate then that of Italie yet saith God vnto the Iewes Deut. 23.17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be a whore-keeper of the sonnes of Israel For S. Austines autoritie wee acknowledge it to bee great and reuerend But withall we say that S. Austine when he wrote those words was not S. Austine When he wrote that tract of Order himselfe then liued in disorder a yong gallant a novice in the faith not well instructed not yet baptised in the name of Christ himselfe then kept a concubine and liued in whoredome But the same Saint Austine afterward fully instructed and baptised said thus Istam in vsu scortatorum terrena civiâ—as licitam fecit turpitudinem The words are De Ciuit. Dei lib. 14 cap. 18. The citie of the world not the Church of God hath made this filthinesse of harlots to bee lawfull So doth not Saint Austines autoritie hold vp the stewes Saint Paul beates them downe flat Rom. 3.8 they who say Let vs doe euill that good may come thereof their damnation is iust In a word the toleration of the stewes is an occasion of vncleanenesse to many a yong man and woman that otherwise would absteine from all such kinde of filthinesse What an abomination is it for a brother and his brother a father and his sonne a nephew and his vncle to come to one and the same harlot one before or after the other Is it not the very abomination which the Lord reproueth in my text A man and his father will goe in to the same maide to profane my holy name I haue held you too long May it please you to remember my doctrine It was Incestuous persons adulterers fornicators and other vncleane sinners are oftentimes the cause of profaning the holy name of God A twofold Vse I made of it One was to stirre vp our selues to a holy conversation The other to reproue such as are giuen ouer to vncleanenesse I conclude with that exhortation of Saint Peter 1. Epist. chap. 2.11 Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims absteine from fleshly lusts They may seeme vnto you a Paradise to your desires but they will proue a Purgatorie to your purses and a Hell to your soules Doe you loue your bodies Abstaine from fleshly lusts for they are rottennesse to your bones Doe you loue your soules Abstaine from fleshly lusts for they warre against your soules Doe you loue your credits Abstaine from fleshly lusts for they are dishonourable The heate of carnall lusts what is it but an infernall fire whose fuell is fullnesse of bread and aboundance of idlenesse whose sparkes are euill communication whose smoake is infamie whose ashes are pollution whose end is Hell Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts haue your conuersation honest among all men that they beholding your good works may glorifie God in the day of visitation Now gracious Father so worke in vs thou and thy power thou and thy mercy so bring it to passe that we may so spend the remainder of our dayes here in all holy conversation that after this life ended we may haue our inheritance in thy kingdome Grant this for thy sonne Christ Iesus sake To whom with thee c. THE XI LECTVRE AMOS 2.8 And they lay themselues downe vpon clothes laid to pledge by euery Altar and they drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God IT is a great height of impietie whereto men are growne when by vnlawfull meanes or pretences or allurements they adde sinne to sinne A man may sinne once and a second time and may doe it through infirmitie but if he go on with a third transgression and with a fourth if he be obstinate in heaping sinne vpon sinne lamentable is his estate A woe must be his portion It s denounced by the Prophet Esay cap. 5.18 Woe vnto them that draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as it were with a cart-rope Was there euer a people so far giuen ouer to worke impietie Behold such were the people of Israel they to whom this prophecie of Amos was directed Their cruelty their couetousnes their oppressions their calumnies their filthy lusts reproued in the two precedent verses do proclaim as much And yet they haue not done sinning They would I grant make faire weather they would make a faire shew as if their desire
concluded peace and d inuadeth a fresh the Turkes dominions The Turke ioynes battell with him at e Pag. 297. Varna in Bulgaria and beholding the picture of the crucifix in the displaied ensignes of the Christians pluckes out of his bosome that writing wherein the late league betweene him and Vladislaus was comprised and holding it vp in his hand with his eies cast vp to heauen saith Behold thou crucified Christ this is the league thy Christians in thy name made with me which they haue without cause violated Now if thou be a God as they say thou art and as we dreame reuenge the wrong now done vnto thy name and me and shew thy power vpon thy periurious people who in their deeds deny thee their God What followed hereupon The victorie was the Turkes Vladislaus lost his life there and eleuen thousand Christians besides The successe of this great and bloudy battell of Varna fought the 10. of Nouember 1444. doth it not plainly shew that God cannot away with league-breakers These few instances of Saul Zedechiah and Vladislaus may suffice for the clearing of my propounded doctrine Ancient leagues are not rashly to be violated The vse of this doctrine is to admonish all subiects to be very respectiue and mindfull of that league and couenant which they haue by their solemne oaths made and confirmed to their Kings Princes and other Gouernours according to that exhortation made by S. Paul Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers It is not a bare or naked exhortation it is backed with a good reason For there is no power but of God and the powers that are are ordained of God It followeth in the second verse Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God Whosoeuer they are that resist power men in authority Princes Rulers and Gouernours they resist God and God will confound them their infamie shall remaine vpon perpetuall record for a spectacle to all posterity What else meaneth the Apostle in the same place where hee saith They that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement And here dearely beloued I beseech you to beware of Romish Locusts I mean Iesuits and Seminary Priests who are sent from beyond the seas to inueigle you to make you vnmindfull or at least carelesse of your couenant confirmed by your sacred oaths with your redoubted Soueraigne They will tell you that your King is an Heretike because he maintaineth not their Romish new and vpstart religion and will thereupon go about to perswade you that you are not to keepe your faith with him It is a Deuillish doctrine They haue learned it from Martin the fift one of their holy Popes f Cochlaeus Hist Hussit lib. 5. Rainold Thes §. 42. pag. 188. Margin who in his Epistle to Alexander Duke of Lituania saith Scito te peccare mortaliter fi seruabis fidem datam hareticis Know saith he that thou sinnest mortally if thou keepest thy oath made with heretikes If vpon this perswasion you will not be drawne to breake your oath which you make a conscience of then will they further tell you that the Pope hath already giuen you absolution and a dispensation for your oath Pope g Caus 15. qu. 6. c. Nos Sanctorum Nosces qui excommunicatis fidelitate sacramento constrictisunt Apostolicâ autoritate sacramento absâ—luimus Gregory the seuenth of that name saith We by Apostolicall authority doe absolue all from their oaths which they haue giuen to persons excommunicate The words are in Gratians decree caus 15. qu. 6. c. 4 Wee by Apostolicall authority doe absolue all from their oathes c. But who are excommunicate by Romish exposition I will tell you out of the great lawyer Panormitan not they only against whom the sentence of excommunication is pronounced For saith h Extra de Judicits Câ—p. Cum in homine Cum est crimen notorium nullâ est opus declaratione sententiae excommunicationis Panormitan when the Heresie is publikely knowne there needeth no proâ—uatiation of the sentence of excommunication And who are such heretikes as against whom there needeth no pronuntiation of the sentence of excommunication i Lib. 1. de iusta punit Haeretic Alfonsus de Castro and k Justruct Sacerd lib. 1. cap. 19. Qui intelligens aliquam sententiom expressè ab Ecclesia damnatam eam retinâ—crit Haereticus pertinax est censendus Tolet the Iesuite will tell vs that whosoeuer maintaineth any doctrine condemned in the Church of Rome he is to be accounted an obstinate Heretike Well then all Protestants Princes and subiects maintaining true Christian doctrine such as is condemned in the Church of Rome are in Popish account obstinate Heretikes and therefore ipso facto already excommunicate there needeth no pronuntiation of the sentence of excommunication against them Whereupon it followeth that in euery kingdome where the King is a professed Protestant the subiects are already absolued from their eath of allegeance I will not in this auditorie further enlarge this point A point I grant fitter for the Conuent of the profound and learned then for this place Wherefore I shut vp this point beseeching you to suffer a word of exhortation Howsoeuer Pope l Apud Gâ—â—tian Caus 15 q. 6. Gregory the seuenth that same m Maâ—natâ—â—y Neâ—rama◠〈◊〉 praestigtis Diabolicis Papatum inâ—asit Szeged spec Pontis Vrsin spec Iesuit sorcerer and n Cum Mathilde comitissa occultum habuit commercium Vrsin Spec. Iesuit p. 265. adulterer and o Lib. 5. Decret tit 7 cap. 6. glossa Nos excommunicamus vniuersos haereticos vt absolutosse nouerint omni fidelitatis debito qui iis iuramento terebantur astricti Gregory the ninth and p In Bâ—lla Absoluimus subditos vinculâ—iuramenti quo Reginae Elizabethe constricti tenchantur Pius the fift and all succeeding Popes shall absolue you from your oath of allegiance yet dearely beloued beleeue them not ' Peter and the Apostles Act. 5.29 doe put you in minde that it is better to obey God than men And God in his holy word commandeth you to be subiect to the higher powers as you haue already heard Rom. 13.1 to honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 to submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man for his sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto other gouernours vers 13. you haue taken your oath of allegiance and sworne obedience to your King breake not your couenant with him that Gods wrath breake not forth in fire against you as it did against these Tyrians for not remembring the couenant of brethren Thus farre by occasion of the first exposition of these words They remembred not the couenant of brethren that is they remembred not the couenant made betweene their King King Hiram and the King of Jsrael King Solomon Now somewhat of the other exposition They remembred not the couenant of brethren that is they remembred not the couenant made
thus haue argued Will not God spare the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites Then out of doubt he will not spare vs. They silly people neuer knew the holy will of God and yet shall they be so seuerely punished How then shall we escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it You see now why Amos sent with a message to the Ten Tribes of Israel doth first prophecie against foreine Nations In the last place are the Moabites This prophecie against the Moabites Tremellius and Iunius in their translation of the Bible do add to the first Chapter as a part of it But sith the Hebrew text so diuides it not I will not follow them but will expound it as belonging to the second Chapter The words then which I haue read vnto you are the burden of Moab a heauy prophecie against Moab And doe conteine three generall parts 1. A preface vers the 1. Thus saith the Lord. 2. A prophecie vers the 1. For three transgressions of Moab c. 3. A conclusion vers the 5. Saith the Lord. The preface and conclusion doe giue authoritie to the prophecie whereby we learne that the words here spoken by Amos are not the words of Amos but the words of the euerliuing GOD. The prophecie consisteth of foure parts 1. The generall accusation of Moab For three transgressions of Moab and for foure 2. The Lords protestation against them I will not turne to it 3. The declaration of that grieuous sinne whereby they so highly offended God Because they burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime vers 1. 4. A commination or denuntiation of such punishment as should be laid vpon them for their sins vers 2. 3. This punishment is set downe 1. In a generalitie Therefore will I send a fire vpon Moab and it shall deuoure the pallaces of Kirioth 2. More especially Where I obserue 1. The manner of the punishment as that it should come vpon them with feare trouble and astonishment And Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet 2. The extent of it None might escape it neither Prince nor King For thus saith the Lord vers the 3. I will cut off the Iudge the King out of the middest thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him Thus haue you the Analysis resolution or diuision of my Text. Returne we now to the Preface Thus saith the Lord whose name in my Text is Iehovah Sundry are the Names of God in holy Scripture by which albeit the substance of God cannot aptly and clearely be defined yet they serue vs thus farre to bring vs to some further knowledge of God then otherwise we should haue These Names of God are obserued by ancient Diuines to be of two sorts Negatiue and Affirmatiue The negatiue Names of God are Vncreated Incorporeall Invisible Incorruptible Infinite and such like and these describe not what God is but what he is not and doe euidently declare vnto vs that he is bonum quoddam excellentissimum some most excellent Good free from all imperfection of any creature The affirmatiue Names of God are ascribed vnto him either essentially or by way of relation or by a Metaphor The Names of God ascribed vnto him essentially are either proper to him alone or common to others also Among the essentiall Names of God proper to him alone is Iehovah the Name of God in my Text. His other essentiall Names communicable vnto others as to men doe yet belong vnto God either modo excellentiae by an excellencie or modo causa independentis as he is the primarie cause of all things By an excellencie God is said to bee Good Iust Wise Mighty Holy Mercifull and as he is the primarie cause of all things so is he called a Creator a Redeemer and hath other like appellations Now the affirmatiue Names of God ascribed vnto him by way of relation are the Names of the Trinitie in which there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no coÌ„meation no vnion each person hath his proper name Father Son Holy Ghost The other affirmatiue Names of God ascribed vnto him by a metaphor are affirmed of him either per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that euery man may vnderstand what they meane as when God is said to be Angrie or per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by analogie or similitude as when God is called a Lyon a Stone a Riuer Of these many Names of God now repeated vnto you his most proper Name is his Name in my Text his Name Iehouah a Name that cannot be attributed to any creature in the world no not by an analogie or similitude It is the honourablest Name belonging to the great God of Heauen I might spend much time about it would I apply my selfe to the curiosity of the b See my third Lecture vpon Amos 1. Cabalists and Rabbins They say it is nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name not to be pronounced not to be taken within polluted lips they call it nomen tetragrammaton a name of foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellency for as much as the Name of God * Abrah Broviê° in festo Circumc Dom. Conc. 3 Dei nomen significat quaternarius ea ratione quia fere omnibus nomen Dei QuadriliteruÌ„ Latinis Deus Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Italis Idio Germanis Goth Polonis Illyrijs Bogh Gallis Dieu Hispanis Dios Hebraeis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. Garhard lor. Theol. Tom. 1. de Natura Dei §. 26. Obseruant nonnulli appellationem Dei esse omnibus fere populis quadriliterum Sic Hebraeis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Assyrijs Adad Aethiopibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aegyptis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabibus Alla Illyricis Bogi Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turcis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hetruscis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latinis Deus Hispanis Dios Italis Idio Gallis Dieu Germanis Gott Polulis novi orbis Zimi Vide P. Gregor lib. 6. Synt. art mirab c. 2. in all tongues and languages generally consisteth of foure letters and they obserue these foure letters in Hebrew to bee letters of rest to signifie vnto vs that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all the Creatures in the world is in God alone they teach that it is a powerfull name for the working of miracles and that by it Christ and Moses haue done great wonders But these their braine-sicke superstitious and blasphemous inventions my tongue shall not enlarge Yet thus much I say of this Name that there is a secret in it It is plaine Exod. 6.3 There thus saith the Lord 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 to them This secret I haue heretofore vnfolded vnto you after this manner This great name
properly signifieth to forbid as vpon this place the learned Parisian Professor of the Hebrew tongue Mercer hath obserued So shall the words sound thus You vnthankfull Iâ—raelites you to whom I haue raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets you haue taken vpon you authoritie ouer my Prophets to forbid them to prophesie in my name and to threaten them if they obey you not that it shall fare the worse with them With this exposition agreeth that of Calvin whose note is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in my text signifieth Praecipere vel iubere to giue in charge to will or to command vel statuere quùm intercedit publica autoritas to appoint or to ordaine by publike autoritie Hereto assenteth Petrus Lusitanus By the word mandabatis or praecipiebatis which in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee vnderstandeth edicta publica publike edicts or proclamations against such as should dare to preach true doctrine vnto the people So shall the words sound thus You vnthankfull Israelites you to whom I haue raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets you haue not onely in secret corners in your priuate conventicles murmured against repined at or cryed out vpon my Prophets but also by publike order and proclamation you haue enioyned them silence Yee commanded the Prophets saying Prophesie not The Prophets What Prophets We are to distinguish betwixt the Priests of the Sanctuarie and Ieroboams priests betweene Starres in the right hand of Christ fixed in their stations and planets of an vncertaine motion betweene shepheards and hirelings There was an Aaron and there was an Abiram there was a Simon Peter and there was a Simon Magus there was a Iude and there was a Iudas Not euery one that calls himselfe a Prophet is by and by a Prophet for euen the woman Iezebel calleth herselfe a Prophetessâ— Revel 2.20 Baal had his foure hundred and fiftie Prophets not one of them a true Prophet all of them against Elias the Prophet of the Lord 1. Kin. 18.22 Ahab had his foure hundred Prophets not one of them a true Prophet all of them against Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord 1. King 22 6. Against such intruders seducers and lying Prophets we are armed with an admonition from the Lord Ierem. 23.16 There thus saith the Lord of Hosts Hearken not vnto the words of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you they make you vaine they speake a vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. In this ranke of seducers and lying Prophets I place those vpholders of the man of sinne Priests Iesuites who from the Seminaries beyond the Seas come ouer hither into this our Country here to sowe the seeds of disloyaltie and blinde superstition in the hearts of the people God hath not sent them yet they runne God hath not spoken to them yet they prophecie as Ieremie speaketh of the false Prophets in his dayes chap. 23.21 They prophecie lyes in the Lords name and cry I haue dreamed I haue dreamed vers 25. Dreames they haue but what truth what true vision I answer in the words of Ieremie chap. 14.14 They prophecie vnto you a false vision a divination a thing of naught and the deceit of their owne hearts Their sweet tongues vtter vnto you as deadly poyson as is a Deut. 32.33 the poyson of Dragons or the venome of Aspes They will allure you with plausible notes of Peace Peace But take heede you can expect no peace from them No peace either to the weale publicke or to the priuate conscience of any man Not to the weale publicke for their conspiracies are nefarious and bloody Not to the priuate conscience of any man for to be reconciled to that vnsound Church of theirs the Church of Rome to partake of their formall and counterfeit absolution of sinnes to heare and see their histrionicall Masses to visit the shrines reliques of the dead to say a number of Pater-Nosters or Ave-Maries vpon beads to invocate Saints to adore Images can these or any such forgeries yeeld any peace to a distressed conscience No they cannot Yet care not these false teachers and seducers so they may with such their vntempered morter of vnwritten traditions dawbe vp the walls of their Antichristian synagogue Now will you know what shall be the portion of such intruders seducers and lying Prophets Ieremie will tell you chap. 23. that the Lord is b Ierem. 23.30 31 32. against them that the c v rs 19. whirlewinde of the Lord is gone forth against them in a furie euen a grieuous whiâ—lewinde which shall fall vpon them grieuously that the d vers 20. anger of the Lord shall not returne vntill it haue executed his will vpon them that the Lord will bring vpon them an e vers 40. euerlasting reproch and a perpetuall shame Their cup is tempered with no lesse gall and bitternesse by the Prophet Ezechiel chap. 13. There for following f Ezech. 13.3 their own spirit for resembling g vers 4. the foxes in the deserts for neglecting h vers 5. to goe vp into the gap to make vp the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battel in the day of the Lord for seeing i vers 6 7. vaine visions for speaking lying diuinations for building and k vers 10. dawbing vp walls with vntempered morter they are accursed Their curse what for the head thereof and for the foote is full of vnhappinesse It entreth with a Vae prophâ—tis insipientibus woe vnto the foolish Prophets vers 3. and it bids farewell with an Anathema with a cursed excommunication vers 8 9. I am against you saith the Lord God Mine hand shall be vpon you yee shall not be in the assembly of my people yee shall not be written in the writing of the house of Israel ye shall not enter into the land of Israel A heauy sentence Will you haue the plaine meaning of it It s thus The Lord is against all false Prophets He will come vnto battell and will fight against the wicked crue euen with that sharpe two edged sword which proceedeth out of his mouth His hand shall be vpon them for their destruction and ruine They shall not be of the number of Gods elect They shall l Psal 69.28 be blotted out of the booke of the liuing and not be written with the righteous They shall neuer enter into that Celestiall Hierusalem which is aboue and is the habitation of the blessed You haue heard in generall of Prophets true and false I should now speake somewhat more distinctly There are two sorts of false Prophets Some haue no calling at all some haue a calling but without efficacie Of the first sort were these Priests in Iudah who were neither chosen by man nor called of God of whom the Lord complaineth Ierem. 14 14. m Ierem. 14.15 27.15 29.8 9. I sent them not neither haue I commanded them neither
Sea of the plaine and had taken b Veâ—s 28. Damascus and Hamath Then the people of Israel growne insolent with victories and rich with spoiles became lasciuient and wanton and spurned at the preaching of the Word of God It was now high time for Amos to bestirre himselfe and to remember them of the fickle estate wherein now they were Hee was their Prophet peculiarly sent to them from God and it lay vpon him to call vpon them He doth it in this his second Sermon The parts are three 1 An Exordium or an entrance into the Sermon vers 1. 2 A Proposition containing the summe of that whereof he admonisheth them vers 2. 3 An Enarration a Declaration an Exposition or an Expolition of the matter in hand from the third vers to the end of the Chapter We are to beginne with the Exordium or entrance to the Sermon It is an inuitation to attention and containeth certaine arguments of perswasion Three they are all of weight and in themselues auaileable The first is taken from the authority of the Word to the hearing whereof they are inuited It is Verbum Iehouae the Word of Iohouah the onely true and euerliuing God Heare this Word non meum somnium not any dreame of mine not my word nor the word of any mortall wight but the Word of the Lord Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken The second is taken from the quality of the parties inuited They are Flij Israel the children of Israel By this compellation they are put in minde of their stocke and linage that they were sprung from and came out of the loines of Iacob whose name was changed to c Gen. 32.28 35.10 Israel whereby they may well be admonished either to insist in the steps of that holy Patriarch or like disobedient and degenerate children to expect punishment from the Lord Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel The third is taken from the memory of their greatest deliuerance their deliuerance out of Aegypt By this benefit had there beene nothing else were the Israelites deepely obliged to giue eare to the Word of the Lord their Redeemer and deliuerer Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt saying In the handling of these words I purpose to hold this course first to expound the words and then to obserue out of them such instructions as they naturally offer vnto vs and may be for our good Heare this Word that the Lord speaketh against you Heare Listen vnto it not onely with the outward sense of your eares but yeeld vnto it also willing assent in your minds Heare it interiori auditu so Albertus Magnus expounds it Heare with your inward hearing In the phrase of the Gospell it is Audite intelligite Matth. 15.10 Heare and vnderstand Heare this Word This word is with Castalio dictum a saying with Albertus it is something signified by voice which remaineth in the heart of the hearer after the voice is gone It may bee the decree of God and his ordinance touching that he will doe vnto Israel and so Ionathan in his Chaldee paraphrase seemes to take it Heare this Word that the Lord hath decreed In the Vulgar Latine I read Audite verbum quod locutus est Dominus Heare the Word that the Lord hath spoken Our now English is right Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken Hath spoken To or against whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hhalâ—eâ—m To you or against you so Drusius The originall is Super vos ouer you or vpon you Drusius well renders it to you or against you and Petrus Lusitanus not amisse contra vos vel de vobis against you or concerning you You children of Israel The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benei Iischrael sonnes of Israel Children of Israel or sonnes of Israel the Israelites are meant Each phrase may be paralleld in the Greeke tongue First the children of Israel for the Israelites So speake the Greekes d Herod l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of the Aethiopians for Aethiopians themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of Philosophers for Philosophers themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of Physitians for Physitians themselues Againe the sonnes of Israel for the Israelites And so speake the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sonnes of the Grecians for the Grecians themselues It s very frequent in e Jliad 162.237 240.276.368 c. Homer I meet with one place in the Greeke Bible wherewith I will for the present content my selfe It is Ioel 3 6. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sonnes of Iuda and the sonnes of Ierusalem ye sold to the sonnes of the Grecians where the sonnes of Iuda are put for the people of Iuda and the sonnes of Ierusalem for the inhabitants of Ierusalem and the sonnes of the Grecians for the Grecians themselues iust as it is here the sonnes of Israel for the Israelites themselues Sonnes of Israel It is an Hebrew Prouerbe f Drusius Adag Hebruir Druuia 2 8. ex R. Heuna Filij filiorum cece sunt vt filij Sonnes sonnes behold they are as sonnes You may vnderstand thus The sonnes of sonnes are accounted of as sonnes or they are truly sonnes sonnes not in name only but in very deed In the name of sonne sometime the Nephew is to be vnderstood So it is Haggai 1.1 Zerubbabel is there called the sonne of Shealtiel whose sonne hee was not but Nephew for hee was sonne of g Chron. 3.19 Pedaiah and Pedaiah sonne of Schealtiel And so is it Ezra 5.1 Zechariah the Prophet is there called the sonne of Iddo whose sonne he was not but Nephew for he was the sonne of Barachiah and h Zachar. 1.1 Barachiah the sonne of Iddo Now as a sonne is sometimes put for a Nephew so are sonnes for a posterity So in my Text the sonnes of Israel are put for the posterity of Israel The sonnes of Israel Secundum carnem non secunduÌ„ spiritum as Petrus à Figuciro speaketh the sonnes of Israel after the flesh not after the spirit Sonnes of Israel such as were lineally descended from the loines of Iacob who was surnamed Israel These sonnes or children of Israel are here further described to be that whole family which the Lord brought vp from the land of Aegypt Heare this Word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt Against the whole family The Hebrew word here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mischpachah and signifieth a family So it s translated by Brentius and Caluin and Drusius and Gualter and Iunius and Piscator and so is it in our newest English against the whole family A family to speake properly is of them that are contained in one and the same
and may be for our instruction Of the three perswasory arguments here vsed by Amos to moue the Israelites to attention the first is taken from the authority of the Word to the hearing whereof they are inuited it is verbum Iehouae Heare this word non meum somnium not any dreame of mine not my word nor the word of any mortall wight but verbum Iehouae the Word of Iehouah the onely true and euerliuing God Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you My obseruation is The Word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkned vnto Were it not so neuer would the holy Prophets haue beene so frequent in that their inuitation m Isa 1.10 28 14. Iâ—rem 2.4.7.1 c 2â— 10.1.27.20 â—9 3.21.11.29.20.31.10 Audite verbum Iehouae Heare ye the Word of the Lord. That same generall Proclamation Mat. 11.15 Whosoeuer hath eares to heare let him heare repeated in n Matth. 13 93. Mark 7 91. 23. Luk. 8 8.13.3â— Reuel 2.7 11.17.29.3.6 13 22. sundry others places of the New Testament what else implieth it but that all are bound to heare The voice that spake out of the cloud at the time of Christ his transfiguration Matth. 17.5 it said no more but this This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare ye him Heare him saith that voice as if in hearing were comprised all the duties of man Christ Iesus in the tenth of Luke the nine and thirtieth verse speaking of one thing that is necessary speakes of nothing but of hearing the word Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things But one thing is necessary and Mary hath chosen that good part One thing necessary and Mary hath chosen it what is that She sitting at Iesus feet did heare his Word See now to heare the Word of God is so necessary a thing that all other necessities should giue place vnto it It makes much for this necessity of hearing that the Word of God is called meat Heb. 5.12 and the want of this word a famine Amos 8.11 What can from hence be collected but that it is as necessary for vs to heare the word of God as it is to eat Much more might be spoken to shew the necessity of this duty of hearing the word of God but I haue said enough for the confirmation of my doctrine The word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkned vnto One reason to enforce this duty I take from the person of him from whom this duty is inioyned vs. He is in my Text called Iehouah the Lord Heare this word that Iehouah the Lord speaketh Iehouah he is our o Deut. 32.18 Creator wee are his creatures hee is our p Psal 23.1 Shepherd wee are his Sheepe hee is our q Mal. 1.6 Master we are his Seruants hee is our Father wee are his children he is our r Psal 44.4 King we are his Subiects Say now is not the creature bound to obey his Creator the sheepe his Shepheard the seruant his Master the child his Father the subiect his King The Scripture sheweth it yea nature teacheth it If then the Lord speake vnto vs we are to heare him A second reason to enforce this duty I take from the great value and high price of obedient hearing Obedience in this kinde is better worth than any sacrifice yea than all the sacrifices that can be offered Samuel auoucheth it 1 Sam. 15.22 23. where he that reproueth Saul to his face Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of Rammes For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and stubbornnesse is as iniquity and idolatry See here how elegantly Samuel deciphereth two contraries Obedience and disobedience He maketh the one to be better than sacrifice the other to bee as witchcraft and idolatry Obedience is better than sacrifice for hee that offereth a Sacrifice Å¿ Greâ— Moral lib. 35. c. 10. offereth the flesh of some beast but he that obeyeth offereth his owne will as a quicke and reasonable sacrifice which the Lord well accepteth Disobedience is as witchcraft and Idolatry If when the Lord imposeth some duâ—y vpon vs we then conferre with our owne hearts as t 1 Sâ—â— 2â— 7 Saul consulted with the woman of Endor or as u 2 〈◊〉 1.2 Ahaziah with Beelzebub whether wee shall hearken vnto the voice of the Lord or not this is disobedience and disobedience in a high degree as prodigious as witchcraft and idolatry Now this second reason I thus frame God liketh of obedience and preferreth it before sacrifice he hateth disobedience as he doth witchcraft and idolatry therefore it is our duty refusing this to embrace that and when the Lord shall speake vnto vs to hearken vnto him and obey his Word A third reason to enforce this duty of hearing the Word of God I take from the consideration of the punishment that shall betide the disobedient The disobedient shall be sure to be punished Our warrant for this we haue Deut. 28.15 If thou wilt not hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God to obserue and to doe all his Commandements and his Statutes which he commandeth thee then shall all these curses come vpon thee and ouâ—rtake thee Cursed shalt thou be x Deut. 28.16 in the City and cursed in the field Cursed in thy basket and cursed in thy store Cursed in the fruit of thy body in the fruit of thy land in the increase of thy kine and in the stocks of thy sheep Cursed when thou commest in and cursed when thou goest out With these and the like curses how sly soeuer thou be thou shalt alwaies be enuironed it will not boot thee to seeke starting holes If thou goe into thine house and shut the doore and double barre it yet shall the y Amos 5.19 serpent come in and sting thee there If thou goe into the field and seeke meanes to escape thou shalt meet with a Lion vpon the way if thou slip aside from the Lion a Beare shall meet thee Be thou assured God hath his storehouse full of rods nor of three or foure sorts only but of infinite to pay thee home if thou wilt not hearken vnto his voice But if thou wilt hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God z Deut. 28.1 to obserue and to doe all his Commandements which he commandeth thee then shall blessings come as thicke vpon thee Blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed in the field blessed in thy bâ—sket and blessed in thy store blessed in the fruit of thy body in the fruit of thy ground in the fruit of thy Cattell in the increase of thy kine and in the flocks of thy sheepe blessed when thou commest in and blessed when thou goest out With these and other like blessings shalt thou bee compassed about if thou
after time as Esay speaketh Chap. 42.23 It is to marke and vnderstand and remember and beleeue and follow that which you heare This duty of hearing as we should we shall the better performe if as Moses at the commandement of the Lord did put off his shoâ—es the shooes from off his feet because the place wherein be stood was h ly ground Exod. 3.5 so shall we as oft as we come to this or the like holy place the House of God to heare his Word read and preached vnto vs put off our shooes too not our shooes from off our feet but our much fouler shooes our lusts our thoughts our cares our fancies our businesses euen all that corruption and sinne wherewith in this life we are clogged which as the dust to the shooe and the sh oe to the foot cleaues fast to vs. If thus prepared we come to heare the Word of God wee shall be sure of a blessing When the woman said to Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Christ replyed Luk. 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it By this his reply he sheweth that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him than his Mother for bearing him Yet hereby hee denieth not his Mother to haue beene blessed euen for bearing him but insinuates onely that she was more blessed in being his childe than in being his Mother Saint Austine De Sancta Virginitate cap. 3. well expresseth it Beatior percipiende fidem Christi quà m concipiendo carnem Christi The blessed Virgin the Mother of Christ was more blessed by receiuing the faith of Christ then by conceiuing the flesh of Christ Christ said vnto his Disciples Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your eares for you heare shewing that they were more blessed than all the world besides because they had this one blessing to heare the truth This is the blessing which you come hither for God in the abundance of his goodnesse brings it home vnto you And well may you call it a blessing For the word which we bring vnto you is verbum regni Mat. 13.19 The word of a Kingdome it brings a Kingdome with it It is verbum vitae Ioh. 6.68 the word of life it brings life with it It is not onely a word of authority to command and bind the conscience nor onely a word of wisdome to direct you nor onely a word of power to conuert you nor onely a word of grace to comfort and vphold you but the word of a neuer-fading Kingdome and of eternall life to make you perfectly and for euer blessed Thus farre hath my first Doctrine carried mee The Doctrine was deliuered in these words The word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkened vnto It was grounded vpon the first branch of my Text wherein is contained the first perswasory argument of attention drawne from the authority of the word to be hearkned vnto Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you The next argument of perswasion to enforce attention in the hearer is drawne from the persons of them who are here inuited to giue eare They are Filty Israel the children the sonnes the posterity of Israel a people descended from the holy Patriarke Iacob chosen aboue all other nations to bee Gods peculiar people with whom God had made a couenant and had on his part most absolutely performed it preseruing them from their enemies and multiplying vpon them all his benefits So graciously did God deale with these sonnes of Israel not onely whilst they loued him kept their coniugall faith with him and serued him according to his word but euen then too when they had despised him and forsaken him had violated their faith with him and committed spirituall whoredome with false gods Yet when those their impieties disobediences and rebellions were growne to the height God was resolued to come against them in iudgement and to punish them This his resolution appeareth in the many menaces and threats which from time to time the Lord sent vnto them by his holy Prophets One of which is in my Text Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel Against you to punish you O children of Israel euen you My obseruation here is God will not spare to smite his dearest children when they sinne against him One reason hereof may bee that the Lord may declare himselfe an aduersary to sinne in all men without partiality A second is that the Lord may reduce his children from running on headlong to perdition with the wicked And the vses may be two One to teach vs to magnifie the righteousnesse of God as generally in all his workes so particularly in the afflictions of his people The other to admonish vs that we looke not for any certaine earthly peace though we are by faith the children of Israel but that we prepare our selues for a continuall succession of crosses and calamities The third argument of perswasion to moue attention in these children of Israel is taken from the commemoration of their greatest deliuerance their deliuerance out of Aegypt Heare this w rd that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt My obseruation is The temporall benefits and manifold deliuerances which the Lord bestoweth vpon his people are euer to be had in remembrance and in thankefull acknowledgement This very doctrine for the substance of it I haue heretofore in your hearing propounded and proued in my fifteenth Lecture vpon the second chapter of this booke occasioned thereunto by the tenth verse wherein this great deliuerance out of Aegypt is mentioned I will not therefore at this time stand to inlarge it Onely let me now tell you that this deliuery of the Israelites out of Aegypt is not appropriate onely vnto them but that in some sort it appertaineth to the Church of God in all ages for as much as it was a type of a more surpassing deliuery from that fearefull Kingdome of sinne and darknesse It appertaineth euen vnto vs whom God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy through the precious bloud of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus hath deliuered from this spirituall Aegypt the Kingdome of sinne and darknesse and will in his good time giue vs safe passage from hence to that heauenly Canaan the true Country and Inheritance of all Saints Whither most gracious God vouchsafe to bring vs all Amen THE Second Lecture AMOS 3.2 You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities THis second verse is the second part of Amos his second Sermon concerning the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It is the proposition and containeth the very substance of the whole Sermon which is to let the Israelites vnderstand that for as much as the Lord hath beene good vnto them aboue all the Nations of the
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
the children of Israel be taken out of the hands of Salmanassar The things compared are First a Lion and Salmanassar King of Assyria Secondly a Sheepe and the Children of Israel Thirdly some fragments of a deuoured sheepe two legs or a peece of an eare and the small number of the Israelites that should escape These Israelites are here described ab ipsorum securitate from their security or lacke of care They liue nicely aâ—d delicately in all pleasure and delight full of confidence that no euill shall at any time touch them They dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch Samaria and Damascus Cities of strength and fortification were vnto the Israelites as their beds of repose and rest They thought themselues safe and out of danger by the aid and succour of Ciâ—ies so well fenced but were deceiued For thus saith the Lord As the Shepheard taketh out of the mouth of the Lion two legs or a peece of an eare so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch Such is the diuision of this Text. I now descend to a speciall handling of the parts The first is the Introduction to the Similitude Thus saith the Lord. This Introduction I heretofore copiously handled I met with it in the first Chapter of this booke fiue times Vers 3 6 9 11 13. Vers 1 4 6. in the second thrice and once before in this and therefore the lesse need is there that now I insist vpon it Yet may I not leaue it vnsaluted sith our Prophet here repeateth it And he repeateth it to iustifie his calling to shew that albeit he formerly liued the life of a Shepheard yet now he haâ—h his calling to be a Prophet from the Lord Iehouah Whence my obseruation is It is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him ministeriall function in the Church without assurance of calling from God This truth is by the Apostle Hebr. 5.4 thus deliuered No man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was Now that Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated to the Priests office by the authority and appointment of God it is plaine by the eighth Chapter of Leuiticus wherein are set downe the sacrifices and ceremonies vsed at the Consecration together with the place and time thereof Thereby it appeareth that the office of holy Priest-hood was not of man nor from man but God Almighty did first institute and ordaine it by his owne expresse commandement Then being ordained he confirmed the honour and reputation of it by that great miracle of the budding of Aarons rod Num. 17.8 The rod of Aaron for the house of Leui brought forth buds and bloomed blossomes and yeelded Almonds Thus was the institution of holy Priesthood from God alone This honour the holy men of God of old time tooke not to themselues Nor Esay nor Ieremy nor Ezechiel nor any of the residue tooke this honour to themselues but were all called of God and in the name of God they declared vnto the people his visions and his words which is intimated by those passages very obuious in the writings of the Prophets as a â—say 1.1 the vision of Esaiah b Cap. 1.1 the vision of Obadiah the burden of Nineueh in the booke of the vision of c Cap. 1.1 Nahum the burden which Habakkuk the Prophet did see the burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachy the word of the Lord which came to Hosea to Ioel to Ionah to Micah to Zephaniah to Haggai to Zachariah d Esay 1.2 The Lord hath spoken e Ierem. 10.1 Heare yee the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord Saith the Lord. By these and the like passages they shew their calling to haue beene from God Not one of them tooke this honour to himselfe Nor did Christ himselfe take this honour to himselfe but with warrant of his Fathers calling For so I reade Heb. 5.5 Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an High Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne to day haue I begotten thee He euen God the Father gaue him this honour And hereunto doth Christ himselfe beare witnesse in all those places of the holy Euangelists wherein he acknowledged himselfe to be * Matth. 10.40 Mark 9.37 Luk. 4.18 43. Ioh. 3.17 34 c. sent of God The holy Apostles of Christ whence had they their calling were they not all openly ordained by Christ himselfe Neuer did any of them execute that office but with protestation that they had their calling from God and therefore their writings beginne Rom. 1.1 Paul a seruant of Iesus Christ called to bee an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father Iames a seruant of God Gal. 1.1 and of the Lord Iesus Christ Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ Cap. 1.1 Iude the seruant of Iesus Christ the reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him to shew vnto his seruant Iohn Thus had Christs Apostles the assurance of their calling from God So had the blessed Euangelists So all those whom Christ gaue vnto his Church for the instruction thereof Ephes 4.11 He gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers It is true that Christ himselfe is the chiefe builder for so he saith Matth. 16.18 Super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam vpon this rocke will I build my Church and he builds it through his holy Spirit yet he doth vse Prophets and Apostles and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers as vnderwork men for this building euen vnto the end of the world And all these haue the assurance of their calling from God Who so hath it not he is not to be vouchsafed the name of Prophet or Apostle or Euangelist or Pastor or Teacher for he is an Intruder And great is the danger of Intrusion Euery Intruder was to be put to death The Law for it is Num. 1.51 Euery stranger that commeth nigh vnto the Tabernacle shall be put to death The stranger any one that is not of the tribe and family of Leui that breaketh into the Leuites function and medleth with holy things beyond his calling he is to bee put to death An example hereof we haue in the Beth-shemites 1 Sam. 6.19 who because they had looked into the Arke of the Lord contrary to the Law were smitten with a great slaughter to the number of fifty thousand and threescore and ten men The like we haue in Vzzah sonne of Abinadab 2 Sam. 6.6 who because he touched the Arke of God contrary to the Law was punished with sudden death and stricken with the immediate hand of God that fell vpon him to the terrour of others and to worke reuerence in the hearts of all men toward the sacred things of his seruice Adde hereto the
to be doubted but that Amos by these winter and summer houses noteth the places of Princes and great ones of the State of Israel As for the poorer sort it is enough for them if they haue but a cottage for their shelter as well in the winter as in the summer season They haue no change of houses nor change they parts of their houses to dwell more warmely in the winter and more coolely in the summer Non est ea commoditas pauperibus No the poore are not so accommodated One habitacle or mansion house sufficeth theÌ„ for all their life time And therfore is this passage directed to the rich to the Princes and chiefe states of the kingdome of the ten Tribes to checke them for their cost pompe in building to assure them that their spacious and magnificent houses shall not stand them in any stead wheÌ„ the vengeance of God shal shew it self against them That the rich are here intended it is yet more plaine by the second branch of this fifteenth verse which now followeth Et peribunt domus eburneae and the houses of Iuory shall perish Thus are their houses described ex materiâ pretiosâ from the precious matter wherof they were They were domus eburneae houses were they of Iuory The Hebrew calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Batte hasschen the houses of a tooth meaning the tooth of the Elephant and therefore these houses with the Greeks are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses of the Elephant that is of the tooth of the Elephant which is Iuory Theophrastus affirmeth that there is a minerall Iuory found within the ground as well blacke as white Plin. Hist Nat. lib. 36. cap. 18. But this is not of that This is of the tooth and white The teeth of Elephants were of a very high price Plin. lib. 8. c. 10. for that they yeelded the matter of greatest request and most commendable for the making of the statues and images of the Heathen gods In their Temples were to be seene Elephants teeth of the greatest size and yet in the marches of Africke where it confineth with Aethiopia the very principals and corner posts of their houses were made of Iuory yea therewith they made mounds and pales both to inclose their grounds and also to keepe in their beasts within their parks if it be true which Polybius reporteth from the authority of King Gulussa If Gulussa his testimony be true it seemes they had in those dayes no want of Iuory In the Sacred volume of Gods word I reade of benches of Iuory Ezech. 27.6 of beds of Iuory Amos 6.4 of a Tower of Iuory Cant. 7.4 of a house of Iuory which King Ahab made 1 King 22.39 of Palaces of Iuory Psal 45.8 Why then may not the houses of Iuory in my text stand according to the history Saint Hierome thinkes they may But the streame of Expositors runneth another way They wil haue these domus eburneas to be but eburatas Those houses of Iuory they will haue to be only houses couered with Iuory With Ionathan in his paraphrase they are not aedes eburneae houses of Iuory but aedes ebore tectae caelatae houses couered and engraued with Iuory Nor doth Mercerus think that these houses of Iuory were so called as if they were all of Iuory but because they were ebore tessellatae decked with Iuory checkerwise Homer when he extolleth and setteth out in the highest degree the most stately palaces of Kings and Princes Pâ—in lib. 36 c. 6. for the matter wherwith they were wont to be adorned he nameth brasse gold amber siluer Iuory Iuory then was rather for ornament than for a maine building And therfore well may these domus eburneae be but Eburatae these houses of Iuory may be but houses checkered decked inlaid or trimmed with Iuory And though they were but such yet such they were that the poore could not compasse so that from hence also it is euident that this passage is directed to the rich to the Princes and chiefe States of the kingdome of the ten Tribes to checke them for their sumptuous and proud buildings and to assure them that their houses of Iuory shall not stead them when the vengeance of God will shew it selfe against them For Peribunt domus eburneae their houses of Iuory shall perish There is yet a third branch of this 15. verse which makes it probable that this passage is directed to the rich to the Princes and chiefe States of the kingdom of the ten Tribes and that is Et deficient domus magnae and the great houses shall haue an end And how should the poore come by great houses With Iunius and Piscator they are domus amplae large wide lofty houses and of great compasse and are such houses for the poore With the Hebrew Schooles they are not only amplae but also splendidae magnificae they are gorgeous and magnificent They are houses not only of commodity and vse such as the houses of the Vulgar and common sort vse to be but such as haue in them superfluity splendor and pompe And experience teacheth that rich and great men vse to exceed not only in their diet and apparell but also in their palaces and dwelling houses Thus are the houses of the Israelites described from the state they are Domus magnae great houses they are Great yea and many For so the Vulgar Latine here readeth Dissipabuntur aedes multae many houses shall be brought to nought Many houses The reading is embraced by Luther Oecolampadius Brentius Pellican Vatablus Mercer and Drusius Nor will I reiect it fith the word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbim signifieth both great and many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great houses or many houses shall bee brought to nought shall a Oecolamp cease shall b Drusius Vatablus Mercer Iunius Piscator haue an end But is all this to be so for certaine Yes For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neum Iehouah the Lord hath said it I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of iuory shall perish and the great houses or many houses shall haue an end Saith the Lord. Saith the Lord It is the seale and assurance of all and makes for the authority of this passage Authority it had enough from the 13. verse Saith the Lord God the God of Hosts It is here redoubled Saith the Lord. Hath the Lord said it Then surely he will doe it Hath the Lord spoken it Then out of doubt he will accomplish it Numb 23.19 For he is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heauen and Earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of his words shall passe vnfulfilled Matth. 5.18 He hath said it and he will not faile to make it good I will smite the winter house with