instruments For thus make they their confession before the LORD of heauen and earth verse the 28. Doubtlesse both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together against thine holy Sonne Iesus to doe whatsoever thine hand and thy counsell had determined to be done To good purpose then is that question propounded by Amos chap. 3.6 Shall there be evill in a city and the Lord hath not done it It may serue for an anchor to keepe vs that we bee not carried away with the waues of tribulation and affliction It assureth vs that God who bad Shimei curse David who sent the Sabeans Chaldeans fire from heauen and a great wind from beyond the wildernesse to spoile and make an end of Iobs substance and his children who determined that Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the Israelites should put to death the LORD of life that the same God hath his finger yea and his whole hand too in all our crosses and tribulations Is there any evill in the city and the LORD hath not done it Here beloued in the Lord must we be taxed for a vanity at least I had almost said a blasphemie deeply rooted too wel setled among vs. Vpon the accesse of any calamitie we cry out bad lucke bad fortune If the strong man come into our house and take from vs the flower of our riches our silver and gold then we cry What lucke What fortune If our sheep and cattle faile vs then also we cry What lucke What fortune Whatsoever crosse befalleth vs lucke and fortune is still in our mouthes Quasi Deus â—tium coleret in coelo non curaret res humanas as if we were to hold it for an article of our beleefe that God liveth idly in heaven hath no regard of mans affaires Whereas the holy Prophet Amos in propounding this question shall there be any evill in 〈…〉 and the LORD hath not done it and the holy Apostles in acknowledging Gods hand in the death of Christ and holy Iob in blessing the name of the LORD for all his losses and holy David in patiently taking Shimeis curses as an affliction sent him from the LORD doe all plainly shew this that the empire of this world is administred by Almighty God and that nothing happeneth vnto vs but by Gods hand and appointment Learne we then more patience towards the instruments of our calamities miseries crosses and afflictions let vs not be like the dogge that snatcheth at the stone cast at him without regard vnto the thrower Here we learne a better propertie even to turne our eies from the instrumentes to the hand that smiteth by them Thus farre of my second circuÌ„stance How God punisheth My third was whome he punisheth Hazael and Benhadad the house of Hazael and palaces of Benhadad If you wil know who and Hazael was you must haue recourse to the sâ—creâ— storie 2 King â— There 〈◊〉 you find him sent by Benhadad King of Syria with a present vnto Elizâ—us to knowe concerning his sicknesse whether he should recover of it and after his returne froÌ„ Elizeus with a thicke weâ— cloath to haue strangled and murdered his Lord Maister King Benhadad This was he whom Elizeus foretold of his hard vsage of the Israelites that hee should set on fire their strong cities should slay their young men with the sword should dash their infants against the stones and should rent in peeces their women great with child This was he who 2. Kings 13.7 so destroyed the children of Israel that hee made them like dust 〈◊〉 to powder This was he of whose death we read verse the 24. The house of Hazael either the familie flocke and posterity of Hazael as Arias Montanus Mercer Drusius expounde or some materiall house which Hazael had proudly and stately built for himselfe and his posteritie This later exposition is added to the former by Mercer and Drusius because of that which followeth the palaces of Benhadad Benhadad In writing this name I find three errours One of the Greeks who write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were in the Hebrew Benader The second of the Latines who write it Benhadab The third of Ionathan the Chaldee paraphrast who writes it Barhadad whereas the right name is Benhadad Benhadad saith Mercer vpon this place was a name peculiar to the Kings of Syria as was first Pharaoh and afterward Ptolemee to the Kings of Egypt and Caesar to the Roman Emperours From this opinioÌ„ of Mercer Drusius in observat sacr 11. 14. varieth affirming that albeit diverse Kings of Syria were called by this name Benhadad yet doth it not therevpon follow that Benhadad was a common name to all the Kings of Syria In holy Scripture we read of three Benhadads Of the first 1. Kings 15.18 who was King of Syria at what time Asa raigned in Iudah and Baasha in Israel Of the second 2. Kings 8.7 who in his sicknesse sent Hazael to Elizeus the man of God for counsaile Of the third â— Kings 13.3 who was Hazaels sonne and his successour in the throne Now the Benhadad in my text is either Benhadad Hazaels predecessour slaine by Hazael or Benhadad Hazaels sonne successour The palaces of Benhadad to bee devoured by fire from the LORD These palaces of Benhadad are the goodly sumptuous proud and stately edifices made or enlarged by either of the Benhadads or by both Hazaels predecessour and successour Thus haue you the exposition of my third circumstance which was concerning the parties punished no meane parties parties of no lower rancke then Kings Hazael and Benhadad The LORD punisheth hee punisheth by fire hee punisheth by fire Hazael and Benhadad I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devoure the palaces of Benhadad Many profitable doctrines may be hence deduced I can but point at them 1 In that the Lord sendeth a fire into the house of Hazael against his 〈…〉 who are put in mind of a truth expressed in the secoâ—â— comâ—andement this God will 〈…〉 of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation Dearely 〈…〉 is that anger the flame of whose punishment 〈…〉 smoake so farre yet the meaning thereof is as Ezechâ—â— sheweth chap. 18. If the children doe follow the fathers wickednesse not otherwise To visite then is not to punish the children for the fathers offences but to take notice apprehend them in the same faults by reason they are giuen over to commit their fathers transgressions that for them they be punished The vse is to admonish you that are Parents not onely to liue your selues vertuously religiously while you haue your abode here but also carefully to see to the training vp of your children in vertue and true religion least partaking with you in your sinnes they proâ—e inheritours of your punishmentes also 2 In that the LORD sendeth a fire into the house and palaces of Hazael and Benhadad two Kings
cals vs now to obedience O the crookednes of our vile natures Our stiffe neckes will not bend God speaketh vnto vs by his Ministers to walke in the old way the good way but we answere like them Ier. 6.16 We will not walke therein He speaketh to vs by his watchmen to take heed to the sound of the trumpet but wee answere like them Ier. 6.17 We will not take heed Turne vs good LORD vnto thee and we shall be turned Good LORD open thou our eares that if it be thy holy will either to Roare vnto vs or to speake with a milder voice either to come against vs in iudgement or to visit vs in mercy we may readily heare thee and yeeld obedience and as obedient children receiue the promise of eternall inheritance So when the time of our separation shall be that we must leaue this world a place of darknes of trouble of vexation of anguish thou LORD wilt translate vs to a better place a place of light where darkenesse shall be no more a place of rest where trouble shall be no more a place of delight where vexatioÌ„ shall be no more a place of endlesse vnspeakable ioies where anguish shal be no more There this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life Even so be it THE FOVRTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither IN my last exercise I entreated of the Speaker Now am I to entreat of the places from whence he speaketh expressed in two names Sion and Ierusalem The LORD shall roare from Sion vtter his voice from Ierusalem c. Sion I read in holy Scripture of two Sions The one is Deut. 4.48 a hill of the Amorites the same with Hermon Moses there calleth it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sion by the figure b Iunius in Deut. 3.9 Syncope the right name of it is c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sirion and so recorded Deut. 3.9 The other d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sion is the Sion in my Text mount Sion in Iudah vpon the top whereof was another mouÌ„taine e Drusius observ 14.21 Not. Iuniê° in Psal 48.3 Moria vpon which stood the Temple of the LORD Before it was called the f 2. Sam. 5.7 Tower or Fort of Sion It was a fortresse a bulwarke a strong hold and place of defence for the Iebusites the inhabitants of the land against their enimies Against these Iebusites King David came with a warlike power speedily surprised their fort built round about it dwelt in it and called it his g The City of DAVID owne City as appeareth 2. Sam. 5.9 This is the city of David so much h 2. Sam. 5.7 1. King 8.1 1. Chron. 11 5 2 Chron. 5.2 mentioned in the sacred bookes of Samuel the Kings and Chronicles To this his own City mount Sion David accompanied with the Elders and Captaines of Israel i 2. Sam. 6.15 brought the Arke of the LORD with shouting with cornets with trumpets with cymbals with viols with harpes as is plaine by the storie 1. Chron. cap. 15. 16. Now began the holy exercises of religion duly to be observed in this city of David mount Sion was now the place of the Name of the LORD of hoasts Hitherto belongeth that same excellent description coÌ„mendation of mount Sion Psal 48.1 2 3. Mount Sion lying northward from Ierusalem is faire in situation It is the city of the great King the city of God Gods holy mountaine the ioy of the whole earth In the palaces thereof God is well knowne for a sure refuge In this city of David the holy mount Sion the Lord of hoasts whom the k 1. King 8.27 2. Chron. 6.18 Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens are not able to containe is said to l Psal 74.2 dwell Psal 9.11 not that hee is tied to any place but because there were the most manifest and often testimonies of his residence Thus is Sion taken litterally It is also taken spiritually by a Synecdoche for the Church Spouse and Kingdome of Christ as Psal 2.6 where God is said to haue annointed his King over Sion the hill of his holynesse SioÌ„ there is not to bee vnderstood the terrestiall Sion by Ierusalem but another Sion elect and spirituall not of this world holy Sion so called for the grace of sanctification powred out vpon it even the holy Church of Christ whereto doe appertaine the holy Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the vniversall multitude of beleevers throughout not only Israel but the whole world Sion in this signification is obvious in holy Scripture To which sense by the daughters of Sion in the m Psal 149.2 Psalmes of David in n Cantic 3.11 Solomons song in the prophecies of o Esa 3.16.17 Esai 4.4 Esay and p Ioel 2.23 Ioel you may vnderstand the faithfull members of the Church of Christ There is yet one other signification of Sion It s put for Heaven as learned Drusius in his notes vpon my text observeth The like observation is made by Theophylact and Oecumenius commenting vpon Heb. 12.22 Now the Sion in my text from whence the LORD is said to roare to speake terribly and dreadfully is either the Temple vpon mount Sion by Ierusalem or the Church of Christ whereof Sion is a type Sion the holy one of Israel whose walles are salvation and gates praise or the Heaven of Heavens the most proper place of Gods residence Ierusalem Of old this city was called Salem as Gen. 14.18 when Melchisedeck King thereof brought forth bread and wine to refresh Abram and his followers Afterward it was possessed by the Iebusites and named Iebus Iudg. 19.10 Peter Martyâ— in 2. Sam. 5.6 from both these names Iebus and SaleÌ„ supposeth that by the change of a few letters Ierusalem hath had her name and not from the mountaines called Solymi as some doe coniecture but erre for that the mountaines Solymi were in Pisidia not in Iudea Many were the names of this city Some of them Benedictus in his marginall note vpon Iosua chap. 10. nameth in a distiche Solyma Luza Bethel Ierosolyma Iebus Helia Vrbs sacra Ierusalem dicitur atque Salem In this distiche 9 names of this one city are couched together Solyma Ierosolyma Ierusalem Iebus Salem Bethel Helia Luza the holy City Drusius Observat sacr lib. 14. cap. 21. noteth that Ierusalem did consist of two parts the one was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower city the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the higher city This higher city was Sion or mount Sion whereof you haue already heard and was diversly tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the city of David the fort the fort of Sion the tower of Sion But I come not to preach names vnto you Will you heare of
the honour of this city they that were aliue wheÌ„ Ierusalem flourished to haue q Psal 48 1â— numbred her towers to haue considered her walles to haue marked her bulwarks and to haue told their posterity of it might haue made a report scarsly to haue beene beleeued This we knowe by Psal 48.4 5. When the Kings of the earth were gathered together and saw it they marvelled they were astonied and suddainely driven backe Thus is Ierusalem taken literally It is also taken spiritually for the Church either militant here on earth or Triumphant in heaven For the Church Militant Psal 128.5 Thou shalt see the wealth of Ierusalem all thy life long And for the Church Triumphant Gal. 4.26 Ierusalem which is aboue is free The Catholique Church Militant and Triumphant is called Ierusalem because Ierusalem was a type thereof Ierusalem was a type of the Catholike Church in sundry respects 1 God did choose Ierusalem aboue al other places of the earth to r Psal 132.13 Psal 135.21 dwell in So the Catholike Church the companie of the predestinate God hath chosen to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe 2 Ierusalem is a city Å¿ Ps 122.3 compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of loue and order among the Citizens So the faithfull the members of the Catholike Church are linked together by the bond of one Spirit 3 Ierusalem was the place of Gods sanctuarie the place of his presence and worship where the promise of the seed of the woman was preserved till the comming of the Messias Now the Catholike Church is in the roome thereof In the Catholike Church we must seeke the presence of God the word of life 4 In Ierusalem was the t Psal 122.5 throne of David So in the Catholike Church is the throne and scepter of CHRIST figured by the Kingdome of David 5 The commendation of Ierusalem was the subiection obedience of her citizens The Catholike Church hath her citizens too Eph. 2.19 and they doe yeeld voluntarie obedience and subiection to Christ their King 6 In Ierusalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a register So the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life Revel 20.15 You see now what Ierusalem is literally and what spiritually Literally it is that much honoured City in Iudea the u Ps 46.4 City of God even the sanctuary of the tabernacle of the most High Spiritually it is the holy Church of Christ either his Church Militant on earth or his Church Triumphant in Heaven Now the Ierusalem in my text from whence the LORD is said to vtter his voice is either Ierusalem in the literall or Ierusalem in the spirituall vnderstanding it is either Ierusalem the mother city of Iudea or Ierusalem the Church of Christ Militant vpon earth or Ierusalem aboue the most proper place of Gods residence So that Ierusalem here is the same with Sion an exposition of Sion The LORD shall roare from Sion that is in other words The LORD shall vtter his voice from Ierusalem Marke I beseech you beloved in the LORD The LORD shall roare not from Dan and Bethel where Ieroboams calues were worshipped but from Sion the mountaine of his holines and hee shall vtter his voice not from Samaria drunken with Idolatrie but from Ierusalem the x Zach. 8.3 city of truth wherein the puritie of Gods worship did gloriously shine Wee may take from hence this lesson Sion and Ierusalem are to be frequented that thence hearing God speake vnto vs we may learne what his holy will is To speake more plainely This is the lesson which I commend vnto you The place where God is served and the exercises of his religion are practised must be carefully frequented That I may the more easily perswade you to come vnto and to frequent this place this house of God his holy Church and Temple I bring you a guid This guid is a King and leads you the way the blessed King David I beseech you marke his affection Psal 84.1 O LORD of hoasts how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for thy courts Mark his loue Psa 26.8 O LORD I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth Marke the earnestnes of his zeale Psal 42.1.2 As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God Let this holy King King David be that patterne of your imitation Beloued you must haue an earnest loue and desire to serue God in the assembly of his Saints you must much esteeme of the publike exercise of religion It is Gods effectuall instrumeÌ„t and meane to nourish and begâ—t you to the hope of a better life In what case then are you when you absent your selues from this and the like holy assemblies when either you come hither carelesly or else do gracelesly contemne this place Here is Sion here is Ierusalem here God speaketh to you in the language of Canaan and here may you speake to him againe with your owne mouthes It is every mans duty the dutie of everyone that loues God to come vnto Gods house his house of prayer In this respect thus saith the LORD Esay 56.7 Mine house shall bee called the house of prayer for all people For all people there is no difference betweene the y Galat. 3.28 Iew and the Grecian betweene the bond the free betweene the male and the female for our LORD who is LORD over all z Rom. 10.12 is rich vnto all that call vpon him Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people To imprint this sentence in your heartes it is repeated vnto you Mat. 21.13 Where Iesus Christ to the mony changers doue-sellers whom he found in the Temple vseth this speech It is written mine house shall be called an house of prayer but yee haue made it a den of theeues Iunius his note vpon the place is good Qui domo Dei non vtitur ad orationis domum is eò devenit vt speluncam latronâ—m efficiat cam Whosoever vseth not the house of God for a house of prayer hee commeth thither to make it a denne of theeues Let vs take heed beloved in the Lord wheÌ„soever we come vnto the Church the house of God that we be not partakers of thiâ— sharpe censure Ecclesiastes chap. 4.17 giuâ—â—â— a profitable caveat Take heed to thy feet when thou enterest into the house of God intimating thus much that of duty we are to enter into the house of God Though the Temple in Ierusalem and all the worship in ceremonies that was annexed to it are taken away yet iâ— Solomons caveat good for vs still Take heed to thy feet when thou enterest into the house of God For we also haue Gods house where hee is chiefly to be
Iacob with Moses the Prophets with CHRIST and the Apostles But how hee spake that is disputed of by the ancient and learned Fathers St o In cap. 7. Esai Basil is of opinion that the Prophets did not at all with their outward eares heare God speaking to them but that the word of the LORD is said to haue come vnto them because their mindes were illuminated and their vnderstanding enlightned by the shining of the true light in great measure readily to conceaue what God would haue revealed faithfully to publish it according to the will of God St p De Genesi ad literam lib. 11. c. 33. Austine enquiring how God spake with Adam Eue writeth to this purpose It may be God talked with them as he talketh with his Angels by some q Intrinsecus inessabilibus modis internall and secret meanes as by giving light to their minds vnderstandings or it may be he talked with thē by his creature which God vseth to doe two manner of waies either by some vision to men in a trance so he talked with Peter Act. 10. or else by presenting some shape and semblance to bodily senses So God by his Angels talked with Abraham Gen 18. with Lot Gen. 19. St r Expos Moral lib 28. in cap. 38. B. Iob. cap. 2. Gregorie most accurately handleth this question to this sense God speaketh two manner of waies 1 By himselfe as when hee speaketh to the heart by the inward inspiration of the holy Spirit After which sense wee must vnderstand that which we read Act. 8.29 The spirit said vnto Philip goe neere ioyne thy selfe to yonder chariot that is Philip was inwardly moued to draw neere and ioyne himselfe to the chariot wherein the Aethiopian Eunuch sate and read the Prophecie of Esay The like words we find Act. 10.19 The spirit said vnto Peter Behold three men seeke thee the meaning is the same Peter was inwardly moued by the holy Spirit to depart from Ioppa and to goe to Caesarea to preach vnto the Gentiles to Cornelius his companie Where we may note thus much for our comforts that whensoever we are inwardly moved and doe feele our hearts touched with an earnest desire either to make our private requests vnto God or to come to the place of publike prayer or to heare a sermon we may be assured that the HOLY SPIRIT God by himselfe speakes vnto vs. 2 God speaketh to vs by his creatures Angelicall and other and that in diverse manners 1 In word only as when no forme is seene but a voice only is heard as Iohn 12.28 when Christ prayed Father glorifie thy name immediatly there came a voice from heaven I both haue glorified it and will glorifie it againe 2 In deed only as when no voice is heard but some semblance only is objected to the senses S. Gregorie for illustration of this second way of Gods speaking by his creatures bringeth for example the vision of Ezechiel 1.4 He saw a whirle winde come out of the North with a great clowd and fire wrapped about it and in the middest of the fire the likenes of Amber All this hee saw but you heare no mention of any voice Here was res sine verbo a deed but no voice 3 Both in word deed as when there is both a voice heard and also some semblāce obiected to the senses as happened vnto Adam presently after his fall He heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden Gen. 3.8 4 By shapes presented to the inward eies of our hearts So Iacob in his dreame saw a ladder reach frō earth to heaven Gen. 28.12 So Peter in a trance saw a vessell descende from heaven Act. 10.11 So Paule in a vision saw a man of Macedonia standing by him Act. 16.9 5 By shapes presented to our bodily eies So Abraham saw the three men that stoode by him in the plaine of Mamre Gen. 18.2 And Lot saw the two Angels that came to Sodome Gen. 19.1 6 By Celestiall substances So at Christes baptisme a ſ Mat. 3.17 voice was heard out of a clowd as also at his t Mat. 17.5 transfiguration vpon the mount This is my beloved sonne c. By Celestiall substances I do here vnderstand not only the Heauens with the works therin but also fire the highest of the elements and the Aire nexte vnto it togither with the Windes and Clowds 7 By Terrestiall substances So God to reproue the dulnesse of Balaam enabled Balaams owne Asse to speake Num. 22.28 8 Both by Celestiall and Terrestiall substances as whē God appeared vnto Moses in a flame of fire out of the middest of a bush Exod. 3.2 You see now how God of old at sundry times in diverse manners did speake to man either by himselfe or by his creatures by his creatures many waies sometimes in word sometimes in deed sometimes in both word and deed sometimes in sleepings sometimes in watchings sometimes by Celestiall substances sometimes by Terrestiall sometimes by both Celestiall and Terrestiall To make some vse of this doctrine let vs consider whether God doth not now speake vnto vs as of old hee did to our forefathers We shal finde that now also he speaketh vnto vs by himselfe whensoever by the inspiration of his holy Spirit he moveth our hearts to religious and pure thoughts and also by his creatures sometime by fire when he consumeth our dwelling houses sometime by thunder when hee throweth downe our strong holds sometime by heate sometime by drouth sometime by noysome wormes Locusts and Caterpillers when he takes from vs the staffe of bread sometime by plagues when in a few monthes he taketh from vs many thousands of our brethren sometime by enemies when he impoverisheth vs by warre All these and whatsoever other like these are Gods voices and do call vs to repentance But as when there came a voice from heaven to CHRIST Ioh. 12 2◠the people that stood by and heard would not bee perswaded that it was Gods voice some of thē saying that it thundred others that an Angell spake so we howsoever God layes his hand vpon vs by fire by thunder by famine by pestilence by warre or otherwise we will not be perswaded that God speakes vnto vs we wil rather attribute these things to nature to the heavens to starres and planets to the malice of enimies to chance and the like As perverse as we are there is a voice of God which we cannot but acknowledge to be his and at this time to bee directed vnto vs. Mention of it is made Heb. 1.2 In these last daies God hath spoken to vs by his sonne The gospell of Christ is the voice of God It is the voice of God the rule of all instruction the first stone to be laid in the whole building that clowd by day that pillar by night whereby all our actions are to be guided This gospell of CHRIST and voice of God
sought and worshiped even in every place appointed by publike authoritie for publike assemblies Wherefore I pray you hath God given his Church a 1. Cor. 12 27. some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers Is it not as we are taught Ephes 4.12 for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edifying of the Body of Christ See you not here a forcible argument and evident proofe for this your publike meeting There is Matth. 18.20 a speciall promise of a blessing to light vpon you as oft as you shall come to this place and thereof the author of all truth assureth you Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them O weigh and consider this If you loue would haue the societie fellowship company of your sweet Saviour Iesus Christ you must frequent this place hither must you come Knowe this you cannot be right worshippers of God in private if you refuse or neglect to frequent this publike assemblie the Sion the Ierusalem from whence God is pleased to speake vnto you Much then very much to blame you whosoever doe for none or for smal occasions absent your selues from this place this house of God at appointed times where when your publike prayers should be as it were a publike renouÌ„cing of al sects and societie with idolatrie and prophanesse an acknowledgement and confession of the true God and a publike sanctification of Gods holy Name to the glory of God The time was and I dare avouch it Act. 21.5 when all the congregation of Tyre with their wiues and children bringing St Paul out of the towne to the sea shore kneeled downe with him and prayed Shall we in these daies finde this zeale among Christians I much doubt it and am perswaded men will bee ashamed in imitation of those Tyrians to kneele downe in an open place to pray vnto God publikely I will not rub this soare I know somewhat and you knowe more then I how backward many of you haue beene froÌ„ doing God due service in this place Shall I say you haue dishonoured him some by irreverence some by much absence some by wilfull refusall to bee made partakers of the blessed Communion of the body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I thinke should any one of you invite your neighbour to sup with you but once he refuse it you would take some displeasure at him and shall God Almightie the mightie creatour of Heaven of Earth of all you that heare mâ— this day invite you many times to come and suppe at the table of his blessed Sonne and you refuse it Beleeue it hee cannot take it well It is no indifferent or arbitrary thing to come or not to come to the Lords table Come you must of duty though of duty you are first to examine your selues Whosoever therefore wilfully refuseth to come he sinneth very grievously as a learned b Bucanus Loc. 48. Divine well noteth 1 Because he contemneth not any humane but a divine edict the expresse commandement of the Lord of life Doe this in remembrance of me 2 Because he little esteemeth the remembrance of Christ his death by which we are redeemed 3 Because he neglecteth the communion of the body and bloud of Christ 4 Because he sheweth himselfe to be none of the number of Christs disciples I beseech you dearely beloved lay vp these things in your harts let this day be the beginning of your reformatioÌ„ resolue from hence forth to perfourme your due obedience to God in this place to poure forth your praiers before him to heare his holy word and to frequent the Lords table whereby faith in his death and passion you may receiue many a gracious blessing forgiuenes of your sinnes your reconciliation with God the death of iniquity in you and the assured pledge of eternall life I haue now by occasion of SION and IERVSALEM the place from whence God will speake vnto yâ—â— exhorted every one of you in particular to come to the Church I pray you note this to be but a part of your duty It is not enough for you to come your selues to the Church you must sollicite and exhort others to come likewise Fathers must bring their children Masters must bring their Servants For old and yong should come My warrant for what I say I take out of Ioel. 2.15 16. Calla solemne assembly gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the childreÌ„ those that suck the breasts Marke I beseech you Children and such as sucke the breasts must be assembled You must haue the spirit of resolution to say with Ioshua cha 24.15 I my house will serue the LORD Your duty is yet further extended beyond your children servants to your neighbours also strangers if they come in your way This we may learne out of the prophecies of Esay Micah and Zacharie First Esay 2.3 The faithfull shall say Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies we wil walke in his pathes for the law shall go forth of SION and the word of the Lord from IERVSALEM Againe Micah 4.2 You shall finde the very same exhortation made by the faithfull and in the same words Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob c. The Prophet Zachary chap. 8.21 for summe and substance speaketh the same thing They that dwell in one towne shall go vnto another saying vp let vs go and pray before the LORD seeke the LORD of hoastes I will go also Thus farre of the place from whence the Lord speaketh expressed by two names Sion and Ierusalem THE FIFTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither OF the speaker place from whence he speaketh I haue heretofore spokeÌ„ Now proceed we to the sequels of the speech which shall for this time bee the ground of my discourse The dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish So doe the words sound for their substance Yet after the letter in the originall Hebrew copie we are to read otherwise the fruitfull or pleasant places of the shepheards haue mourned Let vs briefly take a view of the words as they lie in order The dwelling places So is the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 englished not vnfitly For though properly it signifieth fruitfull and pleasant fields and pastures yet because shepheards did vse in the wildernesse neere vnto such fields pastures to erect themselues little cottages and cabins that they might bee at hand to defend their harmelesse sheepe from savage and ravenous beasts it may here well be englished the dwelling places
I would it were within the compasse of my Rhetoricke Yet let me propound one question vnto you Hag. 1.4 Is it time for your selues to dwell in your seiled houses and this house to lye wast Consider your own waies in your own hearts and giue your answer vnto God A second note for your further instruction and meditation followeth It is true Are sinne and iniquitie means to lay wast make desolate all manner of buildings How then is it that our dwelling houses doe yet stand and flourish Our sinnes and iniquities are exceeding impudent and sawcie they are ascended into the presence of God and doe stand like Sathan among his children before his face Yet for all this impudencie and sawcinesse of our sinnes and iniquities God is pleased to suffer our dwelling houses to be in safetie The consideration of this point may stirre vs vp to a gratefull agnition and acknowledgment of Gods singular bountie and longanimitie It is out of the bountie of the LORD that the earth since the time it first was cursed for the fall of man doth to this day yeeld fruit in abundance for the vse of man That our possessions habitations dwelling houses and Churches are not laid wast and made desolate it is to be ascribed to Gods long sufferance and longanimitie Of which I shall God willing anon speake more fully whē I shal haue considered the words of the second sequel or consequent of Gods speech which are The top of Carmel shall wither The top of Carmel There were two hills of this name as St Hierome teacheth both in Iudea the one in the southerne climate of that country whereon Nabal the husband of Abigail did dwel 1. Sam. 25.2 the other neere vnto Ptolemais towards the sea coast vpon which Elias prayed for raine 1. Kings 18.42 St Hierome seemeth to doubt which of these two Carmels our Prophet here intendeth But Ribera resolveth for that Carmel which was neere vnto Ptolemais because it did appertaine to the lot of the ten tribes against whom Amos in this booke prophecieth This Carmel was a hill of much fatnesse and fertilitie whervpon it may as proverbially be taken for any such place St Hierome writing vpon Esay 16. saith it is the Scriptures idiome and proper forme of speech evermore to compare the rich hil Carmel to fertilitie and abundance One of the Hebrewe d R. David apud Drusiū Doctors saith that Carmel is a generall name for all fruitfull arable fields and vineyards A great e Pagnin Hebrician saith that because the hill Carmel had by it a valley of exceeding feracitie and fruitfulnesse therefore Carmel is appellatiuely taken for any place set with corne trees or vines and specially with standing corne with newe and fat wheat while it is in eare though another f Marinus in Arca Noe Hebrician of like note affirmeth that because Carmel collectiuely signifieth standing corne or new wheate yet in the eare therefore a certaine region in the province of Canaan of extraordinary fertilitie as also a hill and city there was called after this name Carmel Whatsoever Carmel bee in this place whether a proper name or an appellatiue out of doubt it betokeneth a place of much fruitfulnesse Following the streame of expositors I am of opinion that Carmel in my text is that same fruitfull mountaine of Iudea by Ptolemais The top of Carmel A place fit by reason of the woodes there to lurke and lie hid in as is plaine by Amos 9.3 Though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence The top of Carmel In the Hebrew it is the head of Carmel The head or top of Carmel is the Scripture phrase to expresse whatsoever is best in Carmel By the like phrase we say Caput vnguēti the head or the top of the ointment to signifie the best of the ointment The top of Carmel Pagnine thus translateth it vertex loci fertilis the top of the fruitfull place And Iunius thus praestantissimum aruorum the best of the fields Both Pagnine and Iunius doe take Carmel here for an appellatiue and not for a proper name The top of Carmel shall wither shall wax dry or be dried vp That is where most fruitfull fields and pastures are there shall be a defect and want of necessaries for mans life Thus haue you the exposition of this last clause Nowe bee patient I pray you while from hence I commend on lesson vnto you It is this For the sinnes of a people God will make the top of their Carmel to wither I speake it more plainely For the sinnes of a people God will make their best groundes to yeeld them little or no profit For proofe of this point you will be pleased to heare the evidence of the holy Spirit given in the word of life Deut. 28.20 Thus saith the LORD because of the wickednes of thy works whereby thou hast forsaken mee the LORD shall smite thee with blasting and with mildew the Heaven which is over thy head shal be brasse and the earth that is vnder thee shall be yron insteed of raine the LORD shall giue thee dust and ashes even from heaven shall it come downe vpon thee vntill thou be destroyed In the 2. Chapter of Hosea and the 5 verse because Israel had plaid the harlot and done shamefully departing from the LORD thus saith the LORD I will take away from Israel my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof wil recover my wooll my flax which I lent her to cover her shame Marke I beseech you the manner of the LORDS speech my corne my wine my woll my flax they are none of ours they are all the Lords The LORD hath lent thē vs to serue our turnes and necessities if we abuse them to idolatrie or prophanes he will take them from vs recover them againe vnto himselfe In the 4. Chapter of Hosea and the 3. verse because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land but every one breaketh out by swearing by lying by killing by stealing by whoring and blood toucheth blood thus saith the LORD the land shall mourne and every one that dwelleth therein shall be cut of with the beasts of the field and with the foules of heaven and also the fishes of the sea shal be taken away If so what good then comes to you from Carmel from your best most fruitfull grounds In the 8. chapter of Hosea and the 7. verse because Israel transgressing the covenant of the LORD and trespassing against his law had sowen the winde thus saith the LORD they shall reape the whirlewinde it hath no stalke the bud shall bring forth no meal if so be it bring forth the strangers shall devoure it If so what profit then can we matching Israel in their most grievous transgressions trespasses expect from Carmel our most fruitfull and pleasant fields The wisest King that ever sacred
we learne this lesson It is neither wealth nor policie nor power nor preferment that can stood vs if Gods vnappeaseable angâ—â—â—reak out against vs for our sinnes The reason hereof we read Ierem. 4.4 It 's this Because of the wickednes of our inventions Gods wrath comes forth like fire and burneth that none can quench it The vse is to teach vs that wee despise not Gods iudgements nor abuse his mercies but that we tremble at the one and bee drawne to well doing by the other 3 In that the LORD sendeth a fire into the palaces of Benhadad to devoure them we learne thus much God depriveth vs of a great blessing when hee taketh from vs our dwelling houses The great commoditie or contentment that commeth to every one of vs by our dwelling houses doth experimentally make good vnto vs this truth The vse is to teach vs first to be humbled before Almighty God whensoever our dwelling houses are taken from vs. SecoÌ„dly since we peaceably enioy our dwelling houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory Thirdly to praise God day by day for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling houses It would tire you to heare these doctrines and their vses severally amplified and enlarged In the sequele of this chapter I shall haue occasion to repeat them to you THE NINTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.5 I will breake also the barre of Damascus and cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captivity vnto Kir WE are now come to the second braunch of the fourth part of this prophecie in the 5. verse wherein are set down more specially the punishmentes to bee inflicted vpon the Syrians for their sinnes And this is done in foure severall clauses In each wee may obserue three circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD either immediatly by himselfe or mediatly by his instruments 2 The pâ—â—ished the Syrians not of any one city only but of the whole country which we gather froÌ„ these names Damascus Bikeath-Aven Beth-eden and Aram. 3 The punishment the spoile of the country and ruine of the whole state The barre of Damascus must bee broken the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and the King keeping his court at Beth-Eden must be cut of and the people of Aram must go into captivitie Of the words as they lie in order I will also breake the barre of Damascus I the LORD a Iob 9.5 6. c remoue mountaines and they feele not when I overthrow them I remoue the earth out of her place make her pillers to shake I command the sun it riseth not I close vp the starres as vnder a signet I my selfe alone spread out the heavens and walke vpon the height of the sea I make Arcturus Orion and Pleiades and the climates of the South I the LORD who do great things vnsearcheable marvailous things without number b Amos 5.8 9.6 IEHOVAH is my name I the Lord IEHOVAH who haue resolved to send a fire into the house of Hazael and palaces of Benhadad I will also breake the barre of Damascus You know what a barre is in its proper signification an instrument wherewith we make fast the gates of our cities and doors of our houses against the violence of our enemies If the barre be broken the entrance into the city or house will be the easier Kedar is discovered to be weake for want of barres Ier. 49. â—1 And so are they against whom Gog and Magog were to fight Ezech. 38.11 they had neither barres nor gates Ierusalem had both and God made them strong Psal 147.13 Therefore praise the LORD O Ierusalem praise thy God O Sion for he hath made the barres of thy gates strong so strong that no enemy is able to breake them or to make any irruption into them A barre is also vsed to a figuratiue sense Metaphorically Synecdochically betokeneth munition fortification the forts strong holds of a country the strength of any thing To which sense the sea hath barres We read of them Iob 38.10 God hath appointed the sea her barres and dores saying hitherto shalt thou come here wil I stay thy proude waues And the earth hath barres We read of theÌ„ Ion. 2.6 And what are the barres of the earth but the c D. King B. of London in Ion. lect 27. strongest muniments and senses it hath her promontories and rockes which God hath placed in her frontiers to withstand the force of the waters And Moab hath barres Esai 15.5 There the barres of Moab are put for the forts in the borders of Moab And Egypt hath barres Ezech. 30.18 Where Egypts barres after the exposition of Illyricus in his d Verbo Vectis key of Scriptures are munitiones robur the fortifications and strength of Egypt So here the barres of Damascus are Damasci e Mercer robâ—r munitiones porta â—lâ—â—stra â—â—â—tissima the streÌ„gth of Damascus the munitions of Damascus the gates of Damascus the most fensed fortresses of Damascus Yea f Gualter Vniversum regni robur the whole strength of the kingdome of Syria is to be vnderstoode in these barrâ—s of Damascus Of Damascus no base or contemptible city Lewes Vertomannus a gentleman of Rome in his travaile to those esterne parts of the world a hundred yeares ago saw this city and admiring the marveilous beauty therof hath Navigat cap. 5. left a record of it to posterity It is saith he in manner incredible and passeth all beleefe to thinke how faire the city of Damascus is and how fertile is the soile This Damascus is a city of great antiquity g See my sixth lecture vpon this chapter built as some coniecture by Eliezer the steward of Abrahams house who was surnamed Damascus Gen. 15.2 So that this city was built more then 3444. yeares agoe for h In the yeare of the world 2124. Funcc in Cronolog And this Sermon was preached A. C. 1606. Febr. 8. so long agoe Abraham died The first mention of this city is Gen. 14.15 Others holding the name of this city to haue been more ancient then Abraham do attribute the building of this city to Huz one of the sonnes of Aram Gen. 10.23 wherevpon Damascus was called also AraÌ„ as S. Hierome vpon Esai 17. witnesseth Whatsoever were the antiquity of this city it is plaine by Esai 7.8 that it was the Metropolitane and chiefest city of Syria The Prophet Ieremie giues it a high commendation chap. 49.25 where he cals it a glorious city and the city of his ioy Damascus in this place is not the bare city but i Tremellius tractus Damascenus sive Decapolitanus the whole cuntry about Damascus the coasts of Decapolis whereof we read Mark 7.31 I will also breake the barres of Damascus To breake in the Hebrew phrase by a Metaphore is to consume to destroy to wast to spoile In the 24 of Es vers 19.
I will breake the barre of Damascus I the LORD will with my mightie power breake Lay wast coÌ„sume the barre barre for barres even all the munition and strength of Damascus of the chiâ—â—â—st city of Syria the country adioyning Must Damascus the strongest city of all Syria haue her barres broken Must shee be laid wast and spoiled Here fixing the eies of our minds vpon the power of the LORD learne we this lesson There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Nothing not gates of brasse nor barres of yron these he breaketh asunder Psal 107.16 No creature What creature more mightie then a King Yet in the day of his wrath God woundeth Kingâ— witnesse the Psalmist 110.5 Doth he wound Kings yea he slayeth mightie Kings Psal 135.10 136.18 My text avoweth the same in one of the next clauses where God threatneth to the mightie King of Syria a cutting off I will cut of him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden These few now alleaged instances doe sufficiently though briefly confirme my propounded doctrine There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose The reason hereof is because God only is omnipotent and whatsoever else is in the world it is weake and vnable to resist Of Gods omnipotencie we make our daily profession in the first article of our beleefe professing him to be God the Father Almightie In which profession wee doe not exclude either the Sonne or Holy Ghost from omnipotencie For God the Father who imparteth his Godhead vnto the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost doth communicate the proprieties of his Godhead to them also And therefore our beleefe is that as the Father is Almightie so the Sonne is Almightie and the Holy Ghost is Almightie too Now God is said to be omnipotent or Almightie in two respects First because he is able to doe whatsoever he will Secondly because hee is able to doe more then he will For the first that God is able to doe whatsoever he will who but the man possessed with the spirit of Atheisme and infidelitie dares deny This truth being expresly delivered twise in the booke of Psalmes First Psal 115.3 Our God in heaven doth whatsoever hee will againe Psal 135.6 Whatsoever pleaseth the LORD that doth he in heaven in earth in the sea in all the depthes For the second that God is able to doe more then hee will doe every Christian acquainted with the Evangelicall story doth acknowledge it It is plaine by Iohn Baptists reproofe of the Pharisees and Sadducees Matth. 3.9 Thinke not to say within your selues we haue Abraham to our Father for I say vnto you that God is able of these stones to raise vp childreÌ„ vnto Abraham Able but will not So likewise when Christ was betrayed the story Matth. 26.53 is that God the Father could haue giveÌ„ him more then twelue legions of Angels to haue delivered him Hee could but would not The like may be said of many other things The Father was able to haue created another world yea a thousand worlds Was able but would not You see for Gods omnipotencie that he is able to do whatsoever he will do yea that he is able to do more then he will do God only is omnipotent whatsoever els is in the world it 's weake vnable to resist which is the very summe of my doctrine already propounded and confirmed There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose For as Iob saith chap. 9.13 The most mighty helps do stoope vnder Gods anger This is it which Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.34 35. coÌ„fesseth In comparison of the most high who liveth for ever whose power is an everlasting power whose kingdome is froÌ„ generatioÌ„ to generatioÌ„ all the inhabitaÌ„ts of the earth are reputed as nothing according to his will he worketh in the army of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou This is it whereat S. Paul aimeth in his question demanded Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted the will of God And this is it which Iob intendeth chap. 9.4 demanding a like question who hath beene fierce against God and hath prospered I will not further amplifie this point it must stand good against all the might and strength of this world There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Now let vs consider some duties wherevnto we are moved by this doctrine of Gods omnipotencie 1 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we froÌ„ hence crue humiliation that same Christian vertue to which S. Peter 1. ep 5.6 giues his exhortation Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God What are we beloved but by nature in our selues most wretched conceived and borne in sin hitherto running on in wickednes dayly rebelling against God against Almighty God against him who alone is able to do whatsoever he will able to do more then he will able to cast both body and soule into hell fire Let the consideration of this our wretched estate worke in vs the fruits of true humiliatioÌ„ This true humiliation standeth in our practise of three things 1. The sorrow of our heart wherby we are displeased with our selues and ashamed in respect of our sinnes 2. Our confession to God in which we must also doe three things 1. We must acknowledge all our maine sins originall and actuall 2. We must acknowledge our guiltinesse before God 3. We must acknowledge our iust damnation for sinne The third thing in our humiliation is our supplication to bee made to God for mercy which must be with all possible earnestnes as in a matter of life and death A patterne whereof I present vnto you Dan. 9.17 18 19. O our God heare the praiers of vs thy servants and our supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon vs. O our God encline thine eare to vs and heare vs open thine eies and behold our miseries we do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousnesse but for thy great teÌ„der mercies O LORD heare vs O LORD forgiue vs O LORD consider and do it differ not thy mercies for thine owne sake O our God Thus beloved if wee humble our selues vnder the hand of Almighty God God will lift vs vp 2 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we from hence to treÌ„ble at Gods iudgements to feare them to stand in awe of them to quake quiver at them For as God is so are his iudgements God is terrible and his iudgements are terrible God is terrible in the assembly of his Saints Psal 88.8 terrible in his workes Psal 66.3 terrible in his doings toward the sonnes of men Psal 66.5 terrible to the Kings of the earth Psalm 76.13 To passe over
with silence many places of holy Scripture in which God is tearmed a terrible God let vs confesse with the Psalmist Psalm 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to be feared who shall stand in thy sight wheÌ„ thou art angrie Here are they worthely to be taxed and censured who are so far from fearing Gods iudgements as that they plainly scoffe and iest at them Such a one was he of Cambridge shire who o This Sermon was preached Febr. 8. 1606. some 14. yeares since in the yeare 1592. made a mocke of the Lords glorious voice the THVNDER The story is delivered by Perkins in his p Printed at Cambridg in 4o. 1596. pag. 36. exposition of the Creed in these words One beeing with his companion in a house drinking on the Lordes day when he was ready to depart thence there was great lightning and thunder wherevpon his fellow requested him to stay but the man mocking and iesting at the thunder and lightning said as report was it was nothing but a knaue cooper knocking on his tubs come what would he would go and so went on his iourney but before he came halfe a mile froÌ„ the house the same haÌ„d of the LORD which before he had mocked in a cracke of thunder strooke him about the girdlesteed that he fell downe starke dead A memorable example brought home as it were to our doores to put vs in minde of Gods heavy wrath against those which scorne his iudgements Let vs beloved be wise vpon it and at every iudgement of God tremble and feare confesse as before out of Psal 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to bee feared who shall stand in thy sight when thou art angry 3 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Here is matter enough to vphold and stablish our faith in Gods promises to the abolishing of all wavering and doubting touching our salvation Thus No thing nor creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose God is able to do whatsoever he wil do he wil do whatsoever hee hath promised to do he hath promised to giue eternall life to all that beleeue in Iesus Christ How then can I who do beleeue or any other who doth beleeue in Iesus Christ doubt of mine or their salvation Vpon this rocke of Gods omnipotency Abrahams faith stood vnshaken as appeareth Rom. 4. Abraham he doubted not of the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strengthned in the faith And how Because he was fully assured that the same God who had promised was able also to doe it This ablenes of God Abraham opposed to his owne weaknes And so aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spoken to him so shall thy seed be This promise Abraham laid hold of not considering his owne bodie eveÌ„ now dead being almost a hundred years old neither the deadnesse of Sarahs womb he laid hold of the promise How By faith Which was increased and confirmed to him by the consideration of the power of God And why is all this written of Abraham S. Paul saies why ver 23. Now it is not written for him only that it was imputed to him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shall bee imputed for righteousnes if wee beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our LORD from the dead who was delivered to death for our sins and is risen againe for our iustification Wherefore to all our sins infirmities and impotencies from whence may arise diffidence infidelity or vnbeliefe we must ever oppose Gods omnipotency and thereby support our faith in his promises I shut vp this point and my whole lecture with S. Austines discourse Serm. 123. de tempore Nemo dicat non potest mihi dimittere peccata Let no man say vnto me God cannot forgiue me my sinnes Quomodo non potest omnipotens How is it possible that the Almighty should not bee able to forgiue thee thy sinnes But thou wilt say I am a great sinner and I say Sed ille omnipotens est But God is Almighty Thou replyest and saiest My sinnes are such as from which I cannot be delivered and clensed and I answere Sed ille omnipotens est But God is Almightie Almightie able to doe all things greater or lesser celestiall or terrestiall immortall or mortall spirituall or corporall invisible or visible Magnus in magnis neque parvus in minimis great in great businesses and not litle in the least No thing or creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose THE TENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.5 I will breake also the barre of Damascus and cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captivity vnto Kir NOw proceed we to the other clauses of the last part of this prophecy against the Syrians The second clause is I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven The third is and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden the fourth is and the people of Aram c. In each of these I doe obserue as before I did three circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD either immediatly by himselfe or mediatly by his instruments 2 The punishment to be vnderstood in those phrases of cutting of and going into captivity 3 The punished the Syrians noted in these names Bikeath-Aven Beth-eden Aram. Let vs examine the words of the text as they lie in order I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven I the LORD IEHOVAH a See Leâ—â— 9. who remoue mountaines and they feele not wheÌ„ I overthrow them who remoue the earth out of her place and make her pillars to shake who my selfe alone spread out the heavens and walke vpon the height of the sea I the LORD IEHOVAH who doth great things and vnsearchable marvailous things and without nuÌ„ber I the LORD IEHOVAH who haue resolued to send a fire into the house of Hazael which shall devoure the palaces of Benhadad haue resolued to breake the barres of Damascus I will also cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden c I will cut off To cut off is in sundry places of holy Scripture a Metaphore drawne ab excisione arborum from the cutting downe or rooting vp of trees and signifieth vtterly to consume to wast to dissipate to destroy to exstinguish So it 's vsed Ps 101.8 where David purposing not to be negligent or sloathfull in the execution of iustice against all malefactors in Ierusalem resolueth to cut of all the workers of iniquitie from the city of the LORD Betimes will I destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut of all the workers of iniquitie from the city of the LORD So it s vsed Psal 109.15 where Davids prayer against the wicked is that their iniquitie and sinne be alwaies before the
LORDS annointed 2. Sam. 8.6 You may read of Aram of Damascus out of which part there went a great multitude to succour Hadadezer king of Soba against David Their successe is recorded in the same place David slew of the Aramites two and twentie thousand men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them al likewise perish who make heâ—d 〈◊〉 themseluâ—s togâ—ther against the LORDS annointed 1. Chron. 〈…〉 which is by in◠〈…〉 lying betweene the 〈…〉 commonly knowne by the name of b Bertram Comparat Gram. Hebr. Aram. in Praefat. Mesopotamia And these Syrians gaue aid vnto the Ammonites against David and were partakers in their overthrow Gen. 28.5 You may read of Padan Aram whither the Patriach Iacob was by his father Isaac sent to make choise of his wife of the daughters of Laban Tremellius and Iunius in their note vpon Gen. 25.20 do make this Padan-Aram to be a part of Mesopotamia that part which is called by Ptolemee Ancobaâ—â— Thus doth the holy Spirit in the sacred Scriptures describe vnto vs the couÌ„try of Aram in its parts Aram Soba Aram Rehâ—b Aram Ishâ—â—b Aram Maacah Aram of Damascuâ— Arâ—m Nâ—â—araiâ— and Padan Aram. Here Aram put without any adiuncâ— to 〈…〉 oâ—e region may 〈…〉 all Syria devided by our Prâ—phet Amos in this one verse into three parts vnder the three 〈◊〉 of Damascus â—ikâ—â—th 〈◊〉 and â—â—th 〈◊〉 as Tremellius and Iunius haue noted vnderstaÌ„ding by Damascâ—â— the couÌ„try adioining the whole coast of Dâ—â—â—polis by Râ—kâ—â—th-Aneâ— the couÌ„try called Châ—â—â—â—thâ— which way Syria bordereth vpon Arabia surnamed the Dâ—sâ—râ— by Beth-edâ—n the whole couÌ„try of Coelesyria wherein stood the citie Eden The people that is 〈◊〉 of all sorts not only the ruder multitude but the â—â—ble also 〈◊〉 word is generall and conteineth all Shall go into captivity They shal be carryed away from their natiue couÌ„try into a strange lâ—nd in slâ—very and bondage Vnto Kir not vnto Cyrâ—â—â— c Ribera a noble city in that part of Africa which is called Pâ—â—â—apoliâ— the â—â—tiue couÌ„try of d Arias Montanus Callimachus the poet and Eâ—â—â—â—st hâ—â—es the historian as e Apud Drusium Ionathan Syâ—â—â—châ—â— and S. Hierome do seeme to vnderstand and Eusebius and the author of the ordinary glosse and Winckleman do expresly affirme but vnto Kir a city in the seigniories or dominions of the king of Assyria as the Hebrewes best approued expositors doe avouch Tremellius Iunius vpon the 2. Kings 16.9 doe vnderstand by this Kir that part of Media which from this captivitie was called Syromedia it was named Kir that is by interpretation a wall because it was round about compassed with the hill Zagrus as with a wall This deportation and captivitie of the Syrians was foretold by our Prophet f Anno regni Oziae 23. almost fiftie yeares before it was fulfilled It was fulfilled in the dayes of Ahaz King of Iudah who sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser King of Assyria for helpe Tiglath Pileser consented vnto him went vp against Damascus tooke it slew Rezin King of Aram and carried a way captiue the people of Aram into Kir Thus is the story expresly delivered 2. King 16. Thus farre the exposition of the words The people not only the ruder multitude but the nobles also of Aram not of Damascus onely but of all Syria shall goe into captivitie shall bee carried away captiue by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria vnto Kir a part of Media This accordingly came to passe For it could no otherwise be the LORD true in all his promises and threatnings whose words are yea and Amen he hath said it The people of Aram shal goe into captivitie vnto Kir saith the LORD Now to the notes of instruction Here must I commend vnto you as I haue done out of the precedent clauses three circumstances the punisher the punished the punishment 1 The punisher the LORD by his instrument Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria 2 The punished the Aramites or Syrians of all sorts the ruder and the noble 3 The punishment a deportation or carrying into captivitie This third circumstance is amplified by the place Their captivitie bondage and slaverie was to be in an vnknown strange and farre countrey Kir in MEDIA From the first 〈…〉 of the punisher the LORD of hoasts imploying in his 〈◊〉 the King of Assyria for the carrying away of the Arâ—â—iâ—â—â— or Syriâ—â—s into captivitie wee are put in mind of a well knowne truth in divinitie Almighty God in his government of the world worketh ordinarily by mâ—anes or second causes I say ordinarily because extraordinarily hee worketh sometime without meanes sometime against meanes Ordinarily hee worketh by meanes And they are of two sorts Definite such as of their naturall and internall principles doe of necessitie produce some certaine effects So the fire burneth the water drowneth Indefinite such as are free and accidentall agents hauing in themselues freedome of will to doe or nor to doe In this rancke you may place Iosephs brethren at what time they sold him to the Israelites Gen. 37.28 they sold him not of necessitie they might haue done otherwise In this rancke you may place Shimei for his carriage towards King David 2. Sam. 16.6 His throwing of stones at the King and rayling vpon him was not of necessitie hee might haue done otherwise And the King of Assyria carried into captivitie this people of Aram not of necessitie hee might haue left vnto them their natiue countrie lands and possessions All these fire water Iosephs brethren rayling Shimei the King of Assyria and whatsoever else like these meanes or second causes definite or indefinite necessarie or contingent are but instruments by which Almightie God in his governement of the world worketh ordinarily God laid wast Sodom Gomorah and their sisâ—er cities he did it by fire Gen. 19.24 God destroyed every thing that was vpoÌ„ the earth from man to beast to the creeping thing and to the foule of the heaven only was Noah saved and they that were with him in the Arke the rest he destroyed by water Gen. 7.23 God sent Ioseph into Egypt to preserue his fathers posteritie and to saue them aliue by a great deliverance as Ioseph himselfe confesseth Gen. 45.7 This was Gods doing but hee did it by Iosephs owne brethren who you knowe sold him to the Ismaelites God sent an affliction vpon David for his good by cursed speaking throwing of stones where in David acknowledgeth Gods speciall singer 2. Sam. 16.11 The thing was Gods doing He did it by Shimei the sonne of Iemini God spake the word concerning the people of Aram that they should goe into captivitie as appeareth in my text God spake the word it was done God therefore sent the people of Aram into captivitie but he did it by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria All these though I said it before I say it againe All these fire water Iosephs brethren rayling Shimei the King of Assyria and whatsoever else like these meanes or
God is a BODY This his erroneous and false opinion died not with him It was on foot many a yeare after him in the time of Arius patronised by those Hereticks which by Epiphanius are called Audiani and by Augustine k Augustin de haeres cap 50. Vadianis after whom also it was egerly maintâ—ined by certaine Monkes of Egypt who were there vpon called Anthropomorphita But all these are dead gone their monstrous errour lies buried with them There is no man of any knowledge now a daies so blinded as to fall into errour with them It is an axiome in divinitie Quaecunque de Deo corporaliter dicuÌ„tur dicta sunt symbolicè whatsoever is spoken of God bodily that same must be vnderstood figuratiuely Bellarmine saith as much lib. 2. de imag sanct cap. 8. Membra quae tribuuntur Deo in Scripturâ metaphoricè esse accipienda that those members which the Scripture assigneth vnto God are to bee taken in a Metaphor Thus farre we are yours Bellarmine We maintaine with you that the members attributed vnto God in holy Scripture are to be takeÌ„ figuratiuely But you build herevpon chaffe and stubble Should we doe the like it could never abide the tryall of the fire To proue a non licet to be your licet Licere pingere imagineÌ„ Dei patris in formâ hominis senis to proue it to bee lawfull to represent God the Father by the image of an old man you drawe an argument from those places of Scripture which doe attribute vnto God bodily members Your conclusion is by way of question The Scripture in words attributeth vnto God all man's members while it saith that he stands he sits he walkes and nameth his head his feet his armes giueth to him a seat a throne a footstoole therefore why cannot a picture bee made to represent God Why not an image in the shape of man Why It is easily answered Because every such picture or image or stocke call it as you will is censured by Ieremie to be a doctrine of vanitie chap. 10.8 by Zacharie to be a speaker of vanity chap. 10.2 by Habakkuk to be a teacher of lies chap. 2.18 and Gods expresse commandemeÌ„t is against it Deut. 4.16 You shall not make you a grauen image or representatioÌ„ of any figure A reason of this prohibition is adioined vers 12. and 15. by which it is manifest that God simply and absolutely forbiddeth any image at all to bee made of himselfe For yee saw no similitude in the day that the LORD spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middest of the fire yee saw no similitude only yee heard a voice The Prophet Esai is plentiful in this demonstration to shew how vnseemly and absurd it is to l Rom. 1.25 turne the truth of God into a lie as they doe who forsake the blessed Creator to worship the creature to turne the Maiestie of God invisible into a picture of visible man to m vers 23. turne the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man His vehement expostulation with idolaters to this purpose is in the 40. chapter of his prophecie and the 18. verse To whom will yee liken God or what similitude will yee set vp vnto him the workeman melteth an image the goldsmith beats it out in gold or silver plates the poore see now the rage fury madnesse of idolaters though they haue not wherewith to suffice their own necessities they will defraud themselues to serue their idols the poore chooseth out a tree that will not rot for an oblation puts it to a cunning workeman to prepare an image that cannot be moved The like expostulation the same Prophet ascribeth to God himselfe chap. 46.5 To whom will yee make me like or make me equall or coÌ„pare me that I should be like him They draw gold out of the bagge weigh silver in the ballance hire a goldsmith to make a God of it and they bow downe and worship it they beare it vpon their shoulders they carry him set him in his place so doth he stand and cannot remoue from his place RemeÌ„ber this and be ashamed ô yee Idolaters n Esai 40.21 Know ye nothing haue yee not heard it hath it not beene told you from the beginning haue yee not vnderstood it by the foundation of the earth God sitteth vpon the circle of the earth and beholdeth the inhabiters thereof as grashoppers he stretcheth out the heavens as a curtaine and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in He o Esai 40.12 measures the waters in his fist counts heaveÌ„ with his span comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure weighes the mountaines in a weight and the hils in a ballance God incorporeall invisible spirituall passing al measure there is nothing p Esai 46.9 like vnto him No thing And therefore O Idolaters not your old mans image For the truth of your antecedent we stand on your side It 's very true the Scripture in expresse wordes attributeth vnto God many the members and offices of mans body It saith of him that he stands he sits he walkes it nameth his head his feet his armes it giues him a seate a throne a footstoole but all these and other like bodily offices parts and members being spoken of as belonging vnto God must be vnderstood figuratiuely It hath pleased the spirit of wisdome to deale with vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fit the holy Scriptures to our weake capacities to vse knowne familiar and sensible tearmes thereby to raise vp our conceipts to some knowledge of the everliving God In this regard by the wisdome of the same spirit among many other members Hands are also ascribed vnto God and that in many places yet not in every place to one and the same sense and vnderstanding It 's noted by the q Cent. 13. cap. 4. Magdeburgenses out of Innocentius that the hand of God doth beare divers offices among vs officia creatoris largientis protegentis minantis the offices of a Creator liberall giver protector and threatner Hands are ascribed vnto God sometime to shew that he is the Creator of all things as Psal 119.73 Thy hands haue made me fashioned me sometime to shew his liberality to all living things as Psal 145.16 Thou openest thy hand and fillest all things living of thy good pleasure sometime to shew the care he hath to protect and defend the faithfull as Esai 49.2 Vnder the shadow of his hand hath hee hid me and sometime to shew his readines to be avenged vpon the wicked as Esai 10.4 His hand is stretched out still But these and all other the significations of the hand of God I reduce to two heads to the loue of God and his displeasure vnder them comprehending all their consequents and effects That the hand of God betokeneth sometime his loue the benefits redounding thence to man mans being and his well-being
may easily be proved In the second chapter of the book of Iudges ver 15. we read that the Lords hand was against the Israelites for evill the collection thence may be that the Lords hand is sometime toward some for good It 's made plaine out of Nehem. 2.8 where the Prophet to shew how ready Artaxerxes was to do him pleasure saith the king gaue me according to the good hand of my God vpon me I might by many like instances out of holy Scripture giue strength to this position but it may seeme to be a needlesse labour Therefore I proceed Now that the hand of God should betoken his displeasure the effects thereof may be proved as easily When the Israelites forsaking God betooke themselues to serue Baalim the hand of the LORD was sore against theÌ„ Iudg. 2.15 the Lords haÌ„d that is his iudgement punishment and revengement was sore vpon them the wrath of the LORD was hote against them he delivered them into the the hands of the spoilers they were spoiled sold to their enemies and sore punished When the Philistines had brought the arke of God into the house of Dagon the hand of the LORD was heavy vpon them 1. Sam. 5.6 the Lords hand that is his iudgement punishment revengement was heavy vpon them * Psal 78.64 65. The LORD awaked as one out of sleepe and like a gyant refreshed with wine he smote his enemies with Emerods and put them to a perpetuall shame Of like signification is the phrase in my text I will turne my hand to Ekron my hand shall be sore against Ekron I will come against Ekron in Iudgement I will punish Ekron I will take vengeance on Ekron I will turne my hand Sometime this phrase betokeneth the good grace and favour of God as Zach. 13.7 I will turne my hand vpon my little ones My little ones when the shephearde shall be smitten and the sheepe scattered I will recover with my hand and preserue them for ever I will gather them together I will comfort them I wil defend them rursus ad pastorem et praeceptorem suum reducam saith Ribera though they be scattered I will bring them backe againe to their owne shepheard and master There you see Gods turning of his hand vpon his little ones is for good Here it 's otherwise God turneth his hand to Ekron for evill This is averred and iustified by the infallible predictions of other Prophets Zachary chap. 9.5 foretelleth that much sorrow shall betide Ekron Zephani chap. 2.4 saith that Ekron shall bee rooted vp Ieremy chap. 25.20 takes the cup of the wine of Gods indignation and giues it Ekron to drinke to make Ekron like her neighbour countries even desolate an astonishment a hâ—ssing a curse So great is Ekrons calamity threatned in these words of my text I will turne my hand to Ekron Ekron Will you know what this Ekron was You shall find in the booke of Ioshua chap. 13.3 that it was a dukedome in the land of the Philistines and 1. Sam. 6.16 that there was in this dukedome a city of the same name no base city but a princes seate able at one time to giue entertainement to fiue princes Against both city dukedome Gods hand was stretched out I will turne my hand to Ekron Will God smite Ekron both city and dukedome We may take from hence this lesson There is no safe being in city or country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish The reason is because there is no place to fly vnto from his presence None No corner in Hell no mansion in Heaven no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the sea no darke dungeon in the land of captivity no place of any fecrecie any where can hide vs from the presence of God Witnesse two holy Prophets David and Amos. The one Psal 139. the other chap. 9. You haue the reason of my doctrine the vses follow Is it true Is there no safe being in city or country from the haÌ„d of God when he is disposed to punish One vse hereof is to teach vs to take patiently whatsoever afflictions shall befall vs. Afflictions I cal whatsoever is any way opposite to humane nature such as are the temptations of the flesh the world and the Devill the diseases of the body an infortunate husband or wife rebellious children vnthankfull friends losse of goods reproaches sclanders warre pestilence famine imprisonment death every crosse passion bodily or ghostly proper to our selues or appertaining to such as are of our bloud private or publike secret or manifest either by our owne deserts gotten or otherwise imposed vpon vs. All and every of these true Christians will patiently vndergoe For they with their sharp sighted eie of faith doe clearelie see the Hand of God in every of their molestations and in great contentment they take vp the words of patient Iob chap. 2.10 Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue evill Here let every afflicted soule examine it selfe how it is affected with the affliction vnder which iâ— groaneth If you esteem of your afflictions as of God his fatherly chastisements and so endure them blessed are yee Of this blessednes S. Iames chap. 1.12 doth assure you Blessed is the man that endureth tentatioÌ„ for when he is tryed he shall receiue the crowne of life which the LORD hath promised to them that loue him Againe is it true Is there no safe being in citie or country froÌ„ the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A second vse of this doctrine is to admonish vs that we labour aboue al things to obtaine Gods favour and to abide in it so shall we bee safe from the feare of evill Now for the obtaining of Gods favour wee must doe foure things We must 1. Humble our selues before God 2. Beleeue in Christ 3. Repent of our sinnes 4. Performe new obedience vnto God The time will not suffer me to enlarge these points Humiliation faith in Christ repentance and a new life these foure wil be vnto you as Iacobs ladder was vnto the Angels Of that ladder you may read Gen. 28.12 that it stood vpon the earth the top of it did reach to heaven and the Angels of God went vp it So may you by these foure Humiliation faith repentance and newnesse of life as it were by so many steps and rounds of a ladder clime vp to heaven Here you haue no continuing citie you are but strangers pilgrims on the earth your countrey is aboue the Celestiall Ierusalem there let your hearts be As for the afflictions vexations tribulations miseries and crosses wherewith this mortall life of your is seasoned let them be your ioy They are sure pledges of Gods loue vnto you Even so saith the Spirit Hebr. 12.6 Whom the LORD loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth every sonne that he receiueth Thirdly is it true Is there no safe being in city or
Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did violate the mothers wombe which reading may haue reference to the nativity of Iacob and Esau borne at one birth of their mother Rebekah And then the meaning is that the Edomites Esau's posterity neglecting that bond knot of brotherhood and consanguinity did exercise rigour and cruelty against the Israelites Iacobs posterity or it may haue reference to a savage and outragious cruelty as if the Edomites were here noted for ripping vp mothers wombs or women with childe in Israel That such cruelty was vsed by the Ammonites it is plaine by the 13. verse of this chapter But this text in the original doth not fasteÌ„ this blame vpon the Edomites and I loue not to force my text I wil not trouble you with other expositions The originall 〈…〉 â—â—rrupt his compassions The sense and meaning is wâ—ll â—â—ndâ—ed and delivered in our receiued English Bibles He did cast of all pitie Is Edom here condemned for corrupting his compassions for casting of all pitie The lesson hence to be commended to your Christian considerations is this Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God I could bring you many places out of holy writ for the confirmation of this doctrine But two only or three and they but touched shall serue for this present In Iob 6.14 the vnmercifull are noted to haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie In Rom. 1.31 among such as God hath giuen vp to a reprobate minde to commit things worthy of death the vnmercifull are named In Iames 2.13 a punishment is denounced to the vnmercifull There shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy These few texts of Scripture doe plentifully establish my doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God If any will aske me what is this vnmercifulnes whereof I now speake my answer shall be out of the learned Out of o Apud Aquin 22. qu. 118.8.3 Isidore that it is one of the nine daughters of covetousnesse Out of p 22. qu. 159 1. 2. 2. Aquinas that it is the withholding of a deed of charitie an q 22. qu. 118.8.3 obduration or the hardning of the heart against mercy Out of r Comment in hunc locuÌ„ Mercer that it is a breach of natures law and an abolishing of all kindnesse And so I come to make some vse of this doctrine The vse is to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanity mercy I will not now make any long declamation against inhumanitie and vnmercifulnesse yet my text requireth that I speake somewhat to it There was a time when righteousnesse seemed to be taken vp into the clouds and the earth to be void of it It was in the daies of the Prophet Esay He then cryed out chap. 45.8 O yee heavens send the dew from aboue and let the cloudes drop downe righteousnesse The time is now when loue seemeth to be taken vp into the cloudes and the earth to bee void of it Now may we cry out O yee heavens send the dew from aboue let the cloudes drop downe Iouâ— that the 〈…〉 obâ—rlisâ—â— Nabals of this present generation may now at length knowe that they are not borne for themselues only but for their poore neighbours also Your poore neighbours who stand in need of you by very prerogatiue of mankind haue an interest in your succour and service But it may be that some are so farre from all humanitie that this prerogatiue of mankind will not moue them to doe any worke of charitie Such hard hearts let them heare what the law is Deut. 15.7 If one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giâ—eth thee thou shalt not harden thine hearts nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother But thou shalt open thy hand vnto him shalt lend him sufficient for his need I knowe flesh and blood will obiect Shall I lend my neighbour sufficient for his need I soone exhaust my substance and liue in wâ—nâ— my selfe I reply O thou of little faith why fearest thou Looke backe vpon the blessing of God relie vpon it he through his benediction will make thee large recoÌ„pense Of this thou maist be assured if thou wilt haue recourse to the fore cited chapter Deut 15.10 There art thou infallibly promised for thy almes deeds done to the needy that the LORD thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand to My exhortation is no other then that of the Prophet Esai chap. 58.7 Deale thy bread to the 〈◊〉 bring the poore wanderer to thine house If thou seest him naked cover him hee is thine owne flesh hide not thy selfe from him Thy liberalitie will bring thee great advantage whereof thou wilt not doubt if thou consider the â—ext verse Thy light shal breake forth as the morning thy health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee the glorie of the LORD shall embrace thee Seest thou not an heape of blessings one vpon another Looke into the booke of Psalmes In the beginning of the 41. Psal many a sweet promise is made thee coÌ„ditionally that thou 〈…〉 LOâ—D shall deliver thee in the 〈…〉 preserue thee aliue hee shall bliâ—◠〈◊〉 â—pon 〈◊〉 earth he will not deliver thee to the will of thine 〈…〉 will strengthen thee vpon thy bad of sorrow and will 〈…〉 of thy sickâ—â—â—se I might wearie you and my selfe in the pursuit of this point Here I stop my course with recommendatioÌ„ of one only place that a very remâ—â—keable one Prov. 19.17 He that hath mercy vpon the poore â—â—deth to the LORD and the LORD will recompense 〈◊〉 â—hat which he hath giuen Behold and â—ee how gracious and good the LORD is If you show pitie and compassion vpon the poore God will recoÌ„pense you to the full yea in the largenes of his mercies he will reward you plentifully It wâ—â— grâ—â—e â—xhortation of a Å¿ Tobitto his sonne Tobias cap. 4.7 father to his sonne Giue 〈…〉 gâ—â—st almes let not thine eie 〈…〉 poore lâ—â—st that God turne his 〈…〉 according to thy substance if thou haâ—◠〈◊〉 a little 〈◊〉 not afraid to giue a little So shalt thou lay vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessitie Almes will 〈…〉 from death and will not suffer thee to come into the place of darknesse Almâ—s is a good gift before the most high to all them which vse it Vse it I beseech you in the bowels of our LORD and Saviour Iesus Christ Bee yee not like Edom in my text Corrupt not your compassions cast not of al pitie suffer yee one with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courâ—â—ous doe yee good to all men and faint not great shall be your reward in heaven This your service will bee acceptable vnto God God for it will giue you his blessing God will blesse you for the time of your being here and when the day of
no not for particular provinces or countries Almightie God who once did breake vp the fountaines of the great deepe and did open the windowes of Heaven Gen. 7.11 he is the same God still Almightie still his arme is stretched out still He can at his pleasure command the cloudes and they shall poure forth abundance of waters to the washing away of our dwelling houses But say he wil not come against vs with his armie of waters yet being Deus exerciâ—â—â— a God of boastes he hath armies of another kind at command to worke the suddaine subversion and overthrow of all our dwellings I yet present you not with lightning with thunder with windes with earthquakes wherewith the LORD of Hoasts the mightie one of Israel hath laid wast and made desolate many the habitations of sinfull men my text presents you with fire and let it suffice for this time Say I beseech you is it not a fearefull thing that insteed of the fatnesse of the cloudes of the greater and smaller raine of the sweet dewes of heaven of coÌ„fortable shewers which God hath engendred in the aire and divided by pipes to fall vpon the earth in their seasons our grounds should be withered our fruits consumed our temples and our buildings resolved into cinders yea and sometimes our skinnes bones too molten from our backes Yet beloued this sometimes comes to passe when fire one of the executioners of Gods vengeance is sent vpon vs for our sinnes What became of Sodom and Gomorah other cities of that plaine Were they not turned into ashes by fire from the LORD The storie is knowne Gen. 19.24 But what need old stories to confirme so plaine a matter whereof we haue daily and lamentable experience Doe not the grievous coÌ„plaints of many of our neighbours vndone by fire seeking from our charitable devotions some smal reliefe make good proofe hereof Dearely beloved learne we by their example to cast away from vs all our transgressions whereby we haue transgressed and to turne vnto the LORD our God lest delighting and treading in the wickednesse of their waies we be made partakers also of their punishments It is neither care nor policie that can stay Gods revengeful hand when he bringeth fire in it To this purpose memorable is the example of a country man of ours who in K. Edwards daies was a professour of the true religion that religion which by Gods goodnesse we doe this day professe This man in the o Foxe Martyrolog pag. 1893. Acts Monuments of our Church is named p A Smith dwelling at WELL in Cambridge shire Richard Denton and is there noted to haue beene an instructour of one q Of Wishich in the I le of Elie. Sometime Constable of WELL and dwelling there William Wolsey in the same his holy religion Not long after in Queene Maries daies when fire and fagot were the portion of true professours Wolsey was apprehended and imprisoned In time of his durance hee sent commendations to Denton his instructour withall demaunding by his messenger why he tarried so long after him seeing hee had beene his first instructour in the Scriptures Dentons answere was I cannot burne Cannot burne You see his policie hee halted betweene God and man he dissembled the profession of his Christian faith because forsooth he could not burne Well Queene Maries daies were soone at an end and God caused the light of the Gospell to shine againe vnder the peaceable governement of Queene Elizabeth The did our dissembler thinke himselfe safe enough from any flame of fire But behold the haxd of God His house was on fire and he with two others ventring to saue some of his goods perished in the flame Thus you see policie prevailes not when Gods revengefull hand brings fire with it And thinke you that câ—re will helpe What Care against the LORD Farre be it from vs beloved so to thinke Let vs rather make our humble coÌ„fession with king Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.31 32. that the Most High liveth for ever that his power is an everlasting power and his kingdome from generation to generatioÌ„ that all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing to him that according to his will he worketh in the armie of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou None can stay his hand This is it which before I noted namely that It 's neither care nor policie that can stay Gods revengefull hand when hee bringeth fire in it as here it 's threatned vnto Rabbah I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah Thus farre by occasioÌ„ of my first doctrine which was It is not the greatnes of a city that can be a safegard vnto it if Gods vnappeaseable wrath breake out against it for its sins And it was grounded vpon these words I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah It 's further added of this fire that it shall devoure the palaces of Rabbah Which branch repeated in each of the precedent prophecies as vers 4 7 10 12. hath formerly yeelded vs this doctrine God depriveth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses This truth is experimeÌ„tally made good vnto vs by the great commodity or coÌ„tentment that coÌ„meth to every one of vs by our dwelling houses The vse whereof is to teach vs. 1. To be huÌ„bled before Almighty God whensoever it shall please him by water by fire by winde by lightning by thuÌ„der by earthquakes or otherwise to overthrow our dwelling houses 2. Since wee peaceably enioy our dwelling houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory 3. To render all hearty thankes vnto Almighty God for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling houses Thus farre of the commination or denuntiation of iudgement as it is set downe in generall The speciall circumstances whereby it is further notified or illustrated do coÌ„cerne partly the punishment partly the punished CoÌ„cerning the punishment it is full of terrour speedy First full of terrour in these words With shouting in the daie of battell With shouting in classico saith Brentius cum clâ—ngore saith Drusius that is with the sound or noise of trumpets The Septuagint do read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latin in ululatu Mercer cum vociferatione Gualter cum clamore Calvin cum clamore vel Iubilo that is with a cry with a great cry with a vociferatioÌ„ with a shout such as souldiers do make when on a suddaine they surprise a citie In the day of battell in die belli The like phrase we haue Psa 78.9 where it is said of the children of Ephraim that being armed shooting with the bow they turned backe in die belli in the day of battell David confesseth Ps 140.7 O LORD God the strength of my salvation thou hast coverd my head in die belli in the day of battell SalomoÌ„ saith Pro. 21.31 The horse is prepared in dieÌ„
belli against the day of battell So here the LORD threatneth against Rabbah a shouting in die belli in the day of battell This day of battell is that day of warre and time of trouble mentioned by Iob chap. 38.23 We see now the purpose of our Prophet in vsing these wordes With shouting in the day of battell It is to proclaime warre against Rabbah the chiefe city of the Ammonites and consequently against their whole kingdome This proclamation is more plainely delivered Ierem. 49.2 Behold the daies come saith the LORD that I will cause a noise of warre to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites and it shall be a desolate heape her daughters shall be burnt with fire FroÌ„ this proclamation of warre made by our prophet Amos as in the Lords owne words saying I wil kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell we may take this lesson God sendeth warre vpon a land for the sinnes of a people For proofe of this truth let vs looke into the word of truth In the 26. of Levitic ver 25. thus saith the LORD vnto Israel If ye walke stubbornly against me will not obey me then I will send a sword vpon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my couenant And Ierem. 5.15 vnto the house of Israel thus saith the LORD Lo I will bring a nation â—pon you from farre You heare the LORD speaking in his owne person I will send I wil bring as here I wil kindle Will you any other witnes Then heare what Moses telleth the Israelites Deut. 28.49 The LORD shall bring a nation vpon you from farre from the end of the world flying as an Eagle a nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand a nation of a fierce countenance which will not regarde the person of the old nor haue compassion on the yonge the same shall eate the fruit of thy cattle and the fruit of thy land vntil thou be destroied and he shal leaue thee neither wheat nor wine nor oile nor the increase of thy kine nor the flockes of thy sheepe vntill hee haue brought thee to nought By this speech of Moses we plainely see that warre and all the evils of warre are from the LORD that warre is r Cominaeus Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. one of the accomplishments of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts and that it is sent by God vpon a land for the sinnes of the people as my doctrine goeth Let vs now make some vse of it Is it true beloved Doth God send warre vpon a land for the sinnes of a people How then can we looke that the happy peace which we now enioy should be continued among vs sith by our dayly sinning wee provoke Almighty God vnto displeasure Let the consideration hereof lead vs to repentance Repentance the gift of God the ioy of Angels the salue of sinnes the haven of sinners let vs possesse it in our hearts The Angels of heaven need it not because they sinne not the Devils in Hell care not for it for their iudgement is sealed It only appertaineth to the sonnes of men therefore let vs the sonnes of meÌ„ possesse it in our hearts that is let vs truely vnfeinedly forsake our old sinnes and turne vnto the LORD our God so shall this blessed peace all other good things be continued among vs. But if we will persist in our evill waies not regarding what the LORD shall speake vnto vs either in his holy word or by his faithfull Ministers we may expect the portion of these Ammonites that God should kindle a fire in our Rabbahs our best fenced cities which shall devoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battaile Thus much of the terrour of this iudgemeÌ„t Now followeth the speed in the next circumstance With a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde Suiting hereto is the reading of Mercer cum tempestate in die turbinis and that of Tremellius cum procella in die turbinis with a storme or tempest in the day of the whirlewinde Calvin hath in turbine in diâ— tempestatis in a whirlewinde in a day of tempest Brentius in turbine in die tempestatis in a whirlewinde and in a day of tempest Gualter cum turbine in die tempestatis with a whirlewinde in a day of tempest And this reading Drusius rather approveth then the former Take which you wil the meaning is one the same Namely that the warre here denounced to the Ammonites in the former clause should come vpon them tanquam turbo in die tempestatis like vnto a whirlewinde in a tempestuous and stormie day Turbine nihil celerius a whirlewinde comes suddainely and with speed so was this warre to come vpon the children of Ammon Thus haue we the meaning of our Prophet let vs nowe take a view of such doctrines as may from hence bee taken for our further instruction First whereas the punishment here threatned to the Ammonites is to come vpon them with a whirlewinde in a day of tempest in a tempestuous and stormy day we may learne that Stormes Tempests Whirlewindes and the like are the Lords creatures ready at his commande to be employed by him in the avenging of his quarrell against sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the primary principal efficient cause of stormes tempests whirlewindes and the like is God God as he is the sole maker totius vniversitatis rerum of this world and all that is in it so is he also a most free and omnipotent ruler of the same He alone is able to raise tempests and at his pleasure to allay them againe Who raised the storme that endangered the ship wherein Ionah was was it not the LORD Yes For so it 's written Ion. 1.4 The LORD sent out a great winde into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea so that the shippe was like to be broken Neither was this tempest caâ—â—â—ed till rebellious Ionah was cast out of the ship into the Sea 〈◊〉 it appeareth ver 15. Well therefore is it â—â—â—ll of the Psalmist Psal 148.8 of fire haile and snow and vapours stormie windes that they execute Gods word they are all ready at his commandement to execute what he wil haue them to do Windes and tempests they depend not vpon chance or blind fortune but on the soveraigne power of the Almighty Creatour So true is my doctrine Stormes Tempests Whirlewinds the like are the Lords creatures ready at his command to be employed by him in the avenging of his quarrell against sinners One vse of it is for our instruction Whosoeuer hee bee that walketh by land or passeth by sea if windes stormes or tempests doe hinder his purpose or disquiet him in his enterprise hee must assigne it to the providence of Almightie God A second vse serveth for reproofe of such as are of opinion that witches sorcerers coniurers and the Devill can Å¿ Grynaeus in
your dissolution shal be that you must leaue your earthly tabernacles then will the Son of man sitting vpon the throne of his glorie welcome you with a VENITE BENEDICTI Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was hungry and yee gaue me meat I was thirstie and yee gaue me drinke 〈…〉 yee clothed 〈…〉 and yee came vnto me In as much as yee haâ—e done these things to the needy and distressed yee haue done them vnto me Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world THE SEAVENTEENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.11 12. And his anger spoyled him evermore and his wrath watched him alway Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall devoure the palaces of Bozrah IN my last lâ—cture I began the exposition of the third part of this prophecie which is a declaration of Edoms sinnes in foure branches The two first I passed over the last time The first branch was He did pursue his brother with the sword Thereon I grounded this doctrine It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to bee at variance among themselues One vse of this doctrine was a iust reproofe of the want of brotherly loue in these our daies A second vse was an exhortation to brotherly kindnesse The second branch was He did cast of all pitie Thereon I grounded this doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God The vse I made of it was to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanitie and mercie Which meditation ended I ended that Lecture Now come I to the third branch in the declaration of Edoms sinnes His anger spoiled him evermore or In his anger he spoiled him continually The preposition is not expressed in the originall but is wel vnderstood and supplied by some expositors to this sense Edom furious and angry Edom doth evermore vi apertâ with open violence attempt the spoile of Israel and if open violence prevaile not intus simultatem alit within him hee fostereth and cherisheth privie and secret malice such as of old was harboured and setled in old a Gen. 27 41. Esau's heart Edom in his anger spoiled him continually Spoiled him The word in the originall is from the roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Mercer forarum proprium est is proper and peculiar to wild beasts and it signifieth Rapere discerpere to spoile ravenously to rent or teare in pieces Thus is Edom compared to some truculent or savage beast some devouring Lyon some ravenous Wolfe some fierce Beare or the like that hunteth greedily after their prey The comparison is As a Lyon a Wolfe a Beare or some other cruell beast hunteth greedily after his prey and when he hath gotten it teareth it in pieces and so devoureth it so doth Edom he hunteh for his brother as with a snare or net and hauing once enclosed him hee throwes him headlong into vtter desolation and this hee doth in the bitternesse of his anger In his anger he spoiled him evermore This clause is otherwise rendred by the old Latin Interpreter tenuerit vltra furorem suum Hee possessed his furie beyond measure longer then was meet he should An exposition followed by many of the learned and of late writers by Brentius and Mercer In Matthews Bible it is well expressed Hee bore hatred very long the meaning is He constantly egerly obstinately persisted in his anger and held it fast as a savage beast holdeth fast his prey Both readings this and the former this He bore hatred very long the former In his anger he spoiled his brother evermore both doe appeach and accuse Edom of rash vnadvised evill sinfull anger The doctrine which hence I would commend to your Christian considerations is this Every childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger of rash vnadvised evill and sinfull anger I say of 〈…〉 eviâ—â— and sinfull anger For there is a good kind of angâ—r â—â—â—ger praise worthy an anger to be embraced of every one of you Whereto the Prophet David exhorted the faitâ—full of his time Psalm 4.4 Be angry and sin not And S. Paulâ— his Ephesians chap 4.26 Be angry but sin not You may be angry and not sin Christian religion doth not make meÌ„ to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It makes them not voide of passion senslesse You may be angry But your anger must lie down by waite vpon reason and vertue as a shepheards dog lyeth by and waiteth vpon his master the comparison is Great * Serm. de Ira Basils As the dogge doth so must your anger do your anger commanded by vertue and reason must accuse barke at and bite vice and all vicious wolues in mans shape Well said the heathen Philosopher in his fourth Academicke that Anger is the whetstone of fortitude if it be tempred and ruled by reason To this purpose speaketh mellifluous Bernard * Ad Guido nem AbbateÌ„ de tribus fontibus Ep. 69. Not to be angry when there is iust cause of anger is to be vnwilling to mend or correct sin This good anger where of I now speake you may call Indignation or zeale which is nothing else but a iust commotion of anger for the breach of some of Gods commaÌ„dements as when God his holy Name is reproached or our harmelesse neighbours are vniustly wronged when some grievous iniury is done either against God or against our innocent neighbours To iustifie you in this anger there are many examples in holy Writ I will make bold to commend a few vnto you Moses a very meeke man b Num. 12.3 aboue all that were vpoÌ„ the earth was possessed with this indignation and zeale The c Exod. 32 9. stiffenecked Israelites vpon Moses his long absence from them for he was absent d Exod. 24.18 forty daies and forty nights they made themselues a molten calfe for their God This Idole they worshipped they offered sacrifice vnto it Hereat Moses his wrath waxed hote In this his wrath the two table of the testimony which were e Exod. 32.16 Gods worke and Gods owne writing were broken in pieces and he caused to bee slaine of the people in one day about three thousand men Exod. 32.28 Elias was possessed with this indignation and zeale when he slew of Baals Prophets to the number f 1. Kings 18.19 of foure hundred and fiftie 1. King 18.40 Elizeus was possessed with this indignation and zeale when he cursed the two forty children torne in pieces by Beares 2. King 2.24 Paule was possessed with this indignatioÌ„ zeale when he strooke Elimas the sorcerer with blindnesse Act. 13.11 In a word Christ himselfe was possessed with this indignation zeale wheÌ„ with a scourge of small cordes hee draue out of the Temple buyers and sellers with their sheepe and oxen the mony-changers Ioh. 2.13 You haue seene Moses