The other The matter to be testified That was vers 13. this vers 14. and 15. For the first these particulars haue beene obserued 1 Who it is that giues the Mandate Euen the Lord the Lord God the God of hosts 2 To whom he giues it Sacerdotibus Prophetis to his Priests and Prophets For to them is this passage by an Apostrophe directed 3 How he giues it Audite contestamini Heare and testifie 4 The place where this testification was to be made in domo Iacob in the house of Iacob Heare and testifie in the house of Iacob saith the Lord God the God of Hosts vers 13. In the other part which concerneth the matter to be testified we may obserue 1 A resolution of God to punish Israel for sinne There shall be a day wherein the Lord will visit the transgression of Israel vpon him vers 14. 2 That this punishment so resolued vpon by the Lord shall reach vnto their holiest places to their houses of religion to their Altars in Bethel the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground vers 14. 3 That this punishment shall extend to the chiefest places of their habitation euen to the demolition and ruine of their dwelling houses The winter house shall be smitten so shall the summer house the houses of iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end vers 15. 4 The seale and assurance of all in the two last words of this Chapter Neum Iehouah saith the Lord. In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end saith the Lord. Such are the parts of this Scripture Of the first generall which was the Mandate for the testification and of the particulars therein I discoursed in my last Sermon out of this place Now I am to descend to the second generall which is of the matter to be testified The first branch therein is of Gods resolution to punish Israel for sinne and that is in the beginning of the fourteenth verse In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him By the words its plaine that a day should come wherein God would punish Israel for his transgressions R. Dauid R. Abraham That day some ancient Rabbines referre to the earthquake that was in the daies of Vzziah King of Iudah whereof we finde mention made in the first Chapter of this Prophecie verse 1. and Zach. 14.5 Some referre it to the time of King Iosiahs reigne when he brake downe the Altar that was at Bethel and the high place there 2 King 23.15 Others hereby doe vnderstand that day wherein Samaria was captiuated by the Assyrian King Salmanassar 2 King 17.6 Whensoeuer that day fell out it was the day of the Lords visitation the day wherein the Lord visited Israel for his iniquities This word to visit signifieth a remembrance prouidence care and performance of a thing spoken be it good or euill and it belongeth vnto God to visit both waies either for good or for euill either in mercy or in iudgement It was for good that the Lord visited Sarah Gen. 21.1 The Lord visited Sarah Gen. 17.19 18.10 as he had said and the Lord did vnto Sarah as he had spoken For Sarah conceiued and bare Abraham a sonne in his old age at the set time of which God had spoken to him This was a visitation for good a visitation in mercy Such is that whereof dying Ioseph tells his brethren Gen. 50.24 I die and God visiting will visit you and will make you goe vp out of this land vnto the land which he sware to Abraham to Isaak and to Iacob God visiting will visit you He meaneth a visitation in mercy God will surely visit you in mercy And so he did when they had beene bond-slaues in Aegypt foure hundred and thirty yeeres Exod. 12.41 For at the end of those yeeres euen the selfe same day that those yeeres were ended it came to passe that all the Hosts of the Lord the Tribes of Israel went out from the land of Aegypt Out they went with an high hand in the sight of all the Aegyptians And so God visiting visited his people Israel Numb 33.3 according to his promise made by Moses Exod. 3.16 This was a visitation for good a gracious and mercifull visitation But gracious and mercifull aboue all was the visitation of our Lord Iesus Christ when with a true and euerlasting redemption he redeemed all true Israelites from sinne and death and Satan It is the visitation for which Zachary in his Canticle blesseth God Luk. 1.68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel And why blessed for he hath visited and redeemed his people He hath visited his people visited in the better part visited in mercy in exceeding great mercy Beloued sith Christ hath visited vs in our persons Math. 25.40 Luk. 16.1 it is our parts to visit him in his members We are all his Stewards and the good things he hath lent vs are not our owne but his if the goods of the Church we may not appropriate them if of the Common-wealth we may not enclose them You know it is a vulgar saying He is the best subiect that is highest in the subsidie booke Let it passe for true But I am sure he is the best Christian that is most forward in Subsidiis in helping of his brethren with such good things as God hath bestowed vpon him Besides this visitation for good and in mercy there is also a visitation for euill and in iudgement Thus to visit is to visit in anger or displeasure And so by a Synecdoche of the Genus for Species to visit is to punish Thus is God said to visit when with some sudden and vnlooked scourge or calamity he taketh vengeance vpon men for their sinnes which for a long time he seemed to take no notice of So God visited the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children Exod. 20.5 He visiteth not onely by taking notice of and apprehending children in their fathers faults but also by punishing them for the same in as much as they are giuen ouer to commit the transgressions of their fathers Dauid in his deuotions calleth vpon the Lord to visit the Heathen Psal 59.5 O Lord God of Hosts the God of Israel awake thou to visit the Heathen Where to visit is to visit for euill to visit in iudgement in anger and displeasure it is to correct it is to punish To such as depart from the Law of the Lord and from that rule of righteousnesse which it prescribeth them to walke in the Lord himselfe threatneth that he will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Psal 89 32. And
Gen. 7.23 God sent Ioseph into Aegypt to preserue his fathers posterity and to saue them aliue by a great deliuerance as Ioseph himselfe confesseth Gen. 45.7 This was Gods doing but he did it by Iosephs owne brethren who you know sold him to the Ismaelites God sent an affliction vpon Dauid for his good by cursed speaking and throwing of stones wherein Dauid acknowledgeth Gods speciall finger 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 go into captiuity as appeareth in my text God spake the word and it was done God therefore sent the people of Aram into captiuity 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 whatsoeuer else like these meanes or second causes definite or indefinite necessary or contingent are but instruments by which Almightie God in his gouernment of the world ordinarily worketh This doctrine of Almightie God working ordinarily by meanes may serue to our vse sundry wayes 1 It may moue vs to a due consideration of that absolute right and power which God holdeth ouer all his creatures This truth I haue heretofore deliuered vnto you in my eighth Lecture vpon this Prophecie in this proposition At is the fire so are all other creatures at the Lords commandement to be imployed by him in the punishment of the wicked 2 It may teach vs that God hath a louing regard and respect to our infirmities as well knowing for he knoweth all things that in doubtfull matters we vse often to looke backe and to haue recourse to meanes or second causes 3 It may moue vs to obedience and thankfulnesse that we contemne not the meanes or second causes by which God worketh for this were to tempt God but that we thankfully embrace them and commit their issue euent and successe to God that worketh by them 4 It meeteth with a peruerse opinion of such as doe hold that all second causes are needlesse and vnprofitable because God by his particular prouidence directeth and bringeth to passe all things in the world Thus will these men reason If it be determined by Gods prouidence that I shall recouer my health there is no need that I vse Physick and if it be otherwise determined that I shall not recouer in vaine also shall I vse the helpe of Physick Againe if it be determined that theeues shall haue no power ouer me I shall escape from out the middest of many but if it be otherwise determined that I shall be spoiled by them I shall not escape them no though I be in mine owne house Great is the iniury which these disputers doe offer vnto God For answer to them I must grant that God hath a very speciall care ouer vs to defend vs and that we are no time safe but by his prouidence but meane while to make vs well assured of his good will towards vs he hath ordained second causes and meanes for vs at all opportunities and times conuenient to vse in which and by which it pleaseth his heauenly Maiestie to worke effectually The rule in diuinity is good Posit â prouidentiâ particulari non tolluntur de medio omnes causae secundae It is not necessarie that the first and principall cause being put the second and instrumentall cause should be remoued and taken away The Sun doth not in vaine daily rise and set though God createth light and darknesse the fields are not in vaine sowed and watred with raine though God bringeth forth the corne out of the earth our bodies are not in vaine with food refreshed though God be the life and length of our dayes Neither are we in vaine taught to beleeue in Christ to heare the preaching of the Gospell to detest sinne to loue righteousnesse to conforme our liues vnto sound doctrine though our saluation and life eternall be the free gift of God For God hath from euerlasting decreed as the ends so the meanes also which he hath prescribed vnto vs by them to bring vs to the ends This the great Father of this age Pag. 480. Zanchius de attributis Dei lib. 5. cap. 2. qu. 5. expresly auoweth His Thesis is concerning life eternall Whosoeuer are predestinated to the end they are also predestinated to the meanes without which the end cannot possibly be obtained For example whosoeuer are predestinated to eternall life as all we this day assembled hope we are they are also predestinated to the meanes by which life eternall may be obtained These meanes vnto eternall life are of two sorts 1. Some are necessary vnto all of whatsoeuer age or sex and they are Christ as our Mediatour and high Priest his obedience and righteousnesse our effectuall vocation vnto Christ by the holy Ghost our iustification our glorification These are so necessary vnto all that without them none can be saued And therefore all elect infants are inwardly and after a secret manner by the holy Ghost called and iustified that they may be glorified 2. Some annexed vnto these are necessary too but not to all Not to Infants because they are not capable of them yet to all that are growne to yeares of vnderstanding and these are Actuall faith the hearing of the Word a hatred of sinne the loue of righteousnesse patience in aduersitie a desire of doing good workes All these meanes we that are growne to yeares of vnderstanding must embrace and take hold of euery one according to our capacities or else we shall neuer enter into euerlasting life but our portion shall be in that lake which is prouided for the Dâ—uill and his Angells from which God Almighty keepe vs all Thus farre occasioned by my first circumstance the circumstance of the punisher God by the King of Assyria sent into captiuitie the people of Aram. My doctrine was Almightie God in his gouernment of the world worketh ordinarily by meanes or second causes The second circumstance is of the punished the Aramites of all sorts the ruder the noble The people of Aram. To ground some doctrine hereon you must note with me the quality and condition of these Aramites They were professed enemies to the people of God This appeareth before in the third verse where they are noted to haue exercised most barbarous crueltie against the Gileadites a parcell of Israel to haue threshed them with threshing instruments of Iron These Aramites or Syrians for so highly offending God sendeth into captiuity The doctrine is Though the Lord doe vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne seruants and children yet will he in his due time ouerthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements Gods holy practice in this kinde specially registred in sundry places of his eternall Word most euidently declareth this truth The Israelites were kept in thraldome and bondage many yeares by
the Aegyptians The Aegyptians they were but the weapons of Gods wrath wherewith he afflicted his people they were Gods weapons were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse those ten great plagues which at length God wrought vpon them and their fearefull ouerthrow in the red sea at large set downe in the booke of Exodus from the seuenth Chapter to the end of the fourteenth This was it which God said vnto Abraham Gen. 15.13 14. Know for a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeares and shall serue them and they shall intreat them euill notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serue will I iudge Ahab the most wicked of the Kings of Israel who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and his accursed wife Iezebel were Gods instruments to afflict Naboth with the losse of his life and Vineyard Ahab and Iezebel were Gods instruments Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse both their ends the end of Ahab recorded 1 King 22 38. In the place where dogges licked the bloud of Naboth did dogges licke the bloud of Ahab also and the end of Iezabel registred the 2 Kings 9.35 Shee was eaten vp with dogges all sauing her skull her feet and the palmes of her hands It was a part of Daniel his afflictions to be cast into the den of Lions His accusers vnto Darius were the instruments of his affliction These his accusers were the Lords instruments for this businesse Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Their fearefull end is set downe Dan. 6.24 By the Commandement of King Darius they with their wiues and children were cast into the den of Lions the Lions had the mastery of them and brake all their bones in peeces ere euer they came to the ground of the den The time will not suffer me to recall to your remembrances all the iudgements of God of this qualitie written downe in the Register of Gods workes his holy Word how and what he rendred to g Ester 7.10 Haman to h 2 Kings 19.35 37. Sennacherib to i Ierem. 36.29 Ioachim to the k Ierem. 49.2 Ammonites to the l Ierem. 49.9 51.20 Chaldeans to the m Ezech. 35.2 Idumeans and other wicked worldlings for their hard measure offered to his children though they were therein his owne instruments The afore-mentioned instances of the Aegyptians of Ahab and his wife Iezebel and of Daniel his accusers may serue for the declaration of my propounded doctrine Though the Lord doe vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne seruants and children yet will he in his due time ouerthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements The reason hereof is because Gods iustice cannot let them escape vnpunished Saint Paul expresseth it 2 Thess 1.6 It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you Let this be our comfort whensoeuer the wicked shall rage against vs. For hereby are we assured when the Lord shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angells in flaming fire that then to the wicked whose behauiour towards the godly is proud and despiteous he will render vengeance and punish them with euerlasting perdition Saint Peter to make vs stedfast in this comfort disputeth this point Ep. 1. chap. 4.17 The point he proueth by an argument drawne à minori inferring from a truth to carnall mens vnderstanding lesse probable a truth of greater probabilitie Iudgement saith he beginneth at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarsly be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Our Sauiours words Luk. 23.31 doe containe a like argument If they doe these things to a greene tree what shall he done to the dry To like purpose in Ierem. 25.29 saith the Lord of Hoasts Loe I begin to plague the city where my name is called vpon and shall you goe free Yee shall not goe free Hitherto I referre also one other text Esai 10.12 where it is said that God when he hath done and dispatched all his worke vpon Mount Sion will visit the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Assyria the meaning of the place is that God when he hath sufficiently chastised and corrected those of his owne house his beloued children will turne his sword against the scorners of his Maiestie When God hath serued his owne turne by the wicked then comes their turne also howsoeuer for a while they flourish in hope to escape Gods hand and to abide vnpunished yet will God in due time well enough finde them out to pay them double The vses of this doctrine I can but point at One is to admonish vs that we spite not any of the wicked who now doe liue in rest because their turne to be punished must come and faile not The further it is put off from them the heauier in the end it will fall vpon them A second vse is to teach vs patience in afflictions for as much as God will shortly cause the cup to passe from vs to our aduersaries But say he will not Yet neuerthelesse are we to possesse our soules in patience reioycing and giuing thankes to God who hath made vs worthy not only to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake For we haue learned Act. 14.22 That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of God c. The Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs which were not only reuiled and scourged but also beheaded cut in peeces drowned in water consumed in fire by other tyrannicall deuices cruelly put to death they all by this way receiued the manifest token of their happy and blessed estate and entred into the kingdome of God And we vndoubtedly know 2 Cor. 5.1 Tâ—at if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens Thus farre of my second circumstance the circumstance of the punished the Aramites professed enemies vnto God yet by him employed in the correction of his owne children the Israelites are here themselues punished My doctrine was Though the Lord doe vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne seruants and children yet will be in due time ouerthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements The third circumstance is the punishment a going into captiuity amplified by the place This captiuitie bondage and slauery was to be in an vnknowne strange and a farre countrey Kir in Media The people of Aram shall goe into captiuitie vnto Kir The doctrine is For the sinne of a Land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuitie Captiuitie to be an effect or punishment of sinne King Salomon in his prayer made to the Lord at his consecration or dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.46
earth euermore a remnant that shall be saued as it 's intimated by the Prophet Esay Chap. 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant we shouâ—d haue beene as Sodom and like vnto Gomorah You see a remnant reserued though a small one Yea sometimes there is a reseruation of so small a remnant as is scarcely visible As in the daies of Eliah who knew of none but himselfe I only am left saith he 1 King 19.14 Yet God tells him in the 18. verse of seuen thousand in Israel which neuer bowed their knees to Baal Hitherto belongeth that Ioel 2.32 In mount Sion and in Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call t Ierem. 25.34 Howle yee wicked and cry and wallow your selues in the ashes for your dayes of dispersion and slaughter are accomplished and yee shall fall like the Philistines euery mothers childe of you the u Ierem. 46.10 sword shall deuoure you it shall be satiate and made drunke with your bloud there shall not be a remnant of you left But you the elect and chosen children of God your Father take vnto you x Esay 61.3 beauty for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse reioyce yee and be glad together Let the prince of darknesse and all the powers of hell assisted with the innumerable company of his wicked vassals vpon the earth ioyne together to worke your ouerthrow they shall not effect it For God euen your God will reserue vnto himselfe a remnant This remnant is the chaste Spouse of Christ the Holy Catholike Church enriched from aboue with all manner of benedictions Extra eam nulla est salus whosoeuer hath not her for his Mother shall neuer haue God for his Father Of this remnant and Catholike Church notwithstanding the challenge of Romish Idolaters we beloued are sound and liuely members Happy are the eyes which see that we see and enioy the presence of him whom we adore happy are the eares that heare what we heare and the hearts which are partakers of our instructions No Nation vnder Heauen hath a God so potent so louing so neere to them which worship him as we of this Iland haue The many and bloudy practices of that great Antichrist of Rome so often set on foot against vs and still defeated are so many euidences that our soules are most precious in the sight of God He he alone hath deliuered vs out of the Lions iaw to be a holy remnant vnto himselfe Now what shall wee render vnto the Lord for so great a blessing We will take vp the cup of saluation and call vpon his Name THE Fifteenth Lecture AMOS 1.9 10. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure I will not turne to it because they shut the whole captiuity in Edom and haue not remembred the brotherly couenant Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof THis blessed Prophet Amos sent from God in Embassage to the ten reuolted Tribes doth first thunder out Gods iudgements against neighbour countries the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites Which he doth for certaine reasons giuen in my Sixt Lecture that he might be the more patiently heard of his country-men the Israelites that they might haue no cause to thinke much if God should at any time lay his rod vpon them and that they might the more stand in awe of the words of this prophecie When they should heare of such heauy iudgements to light vpon their neighbours they could not but enter into a consideration of their owne estate and thus reason within themselues Is it true which this Amos saith Will the Lord bring such heauy iudgements vpon the Syrians Philistines Tyrians and other of our neighbours In what a fearefull estate are we then They seely people neuer knew the will of God and yet must they be so seuerely punished How then shall wee escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it Of the iudgements denounced against the Syrians and Philistines you haue heard at large in former Lectures Now in the third place doe follow the Tyrians vers 9 and 10. For three transgressions of Tyrus c. These words containing a burdensome prophecie against Tyrus I diuide into two parts 1 A preface Thus saith the Lord. 2 A prophecies For three transgressions of Tyrus c. In the prophecie I obserue foure parts 1 A generall accusation of the Tyrians For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them I will not turne to it 3 The declaration of that grieuous sinne by which they so highly offended This sinne was the sin of vnmercifulnesse and crueltie expressed in two branches 1 They shut the whole captiuitie in Edom. 2 They remembred not the brotherly couenant 4 The description of the punishment to befall them for their sinne in the tenth verse Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof The preface giues credit vnto the prophecie and is a warrant for the truth of it Thus saith the Lord The Lord Iehouah whose Throne is the Heauen of heauens and the Sea his floore to walke in and the Earth his foot-stoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man and possesseth his most secret reines and diuideth betwixt the flesh and the skin and shaketh his inmost powers as the thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades This Lord Iehouah so mighty so powerfull shall he say a thing and shall he not doe it Shall hee speake it and shall hee not accomplish it The Lord Iehouah the strength of Israel is not as man that hee should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the tittles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of his Word shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lord Out of doubt then must it come to passe And because it is the Lord that speaketh it is required of vs that we hearken to him with reuerence Thus briefly of the Preface whereof I haue more largely spoken in two former Lectures my sixth and twelfth Lectures vpon the third and sixt verses of this Chapter In which these very words are prefixed for a Preface to two prophecies the one against the Syrians the other against the Philistines I proceed to the present prophecie against the Tyrians It is much like the two former both for words and matter In regard whereof I shall be short in many of my notes For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure Here is nothing new but the name of Tyrus This Tyrus is called in the Hebrew text * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tzor whence came the name
blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you Leaue ye vengeance to the God of vengeance so shall ye be the vndoubted children of your heauenly Father And thus farre of the second vse which was to admonish vs not to intermeddle in the Lords office of executing reuengement A third followeth Is it true Is it proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes Here then in the third place is a treasury of comfort and of terror of comfort to the godly of terror to the wicked For though the Lord doe vse the wicked to correct the godly yet will he in due time ouerthrow the wicked with a large measure of his iudgements and free the godly Gods holy practice in this kinde must bee hereof a warrant vnto vs. The Israelites were kept in thraldome and bondage many yeeres by the Aegyptians The Aegyptians they were but the weapons of Gods wrath wherewith hee afflicted his people They were Gods weapons Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse those ten great plagues which at length God wrought vpon them and their fearefull ouerthrow in the red Sea at large set downe in the booke of Exodus from the seuenth Chapter to the fourteenth This was it which God said to Abraham Gen. 15. vers 13 14. Know for a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serue them notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serue will I iudge Ahab the most wicked of the Kings of Israel who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and his accursed wise Iezebel were Gods instruments to afflict Naboth with the losse of his life and vineyard Ahab and Iezebel were Gods instruments were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse both their ends The end of Ahab recorded 1 King 22.38 In the place where dogs licked the bloud of Naboth did dogs licke the bloud of Ahab also And the end of Iezebel registred 2 King 9.35 She was eaten with dogs all sauing her skull her feet and the palmes of her hands It w s a part of Daniel his afflictions to be cast into the den of Lions his accusers vnto Darius were the instruments of this his affliction These his accusers were the Lords instruments for this businesse Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Their fearefull end is set downe Dan. 6.24 By the commandement of King Darius they with their wiues and children were cast into the den of Lions the Lions had the mastery of them and brake all their bones in peeces ere euer they came to the ground of the den Here might I recall to your remembrances other iudgements of God of this quality written downe in the register of Gods workes his holy word How and what he rendred to Haman to Seâ—nacherib to Ioachim to the Ammonites to the Chaldeans and other wicked worldings for their hard measure offered to the godly though they were therein Gods instruments But I must hasten and the aforementioned instances of the Aegyptians of Ahab and his wife Iezebel and of Daniels accusers are sufficient to worke terror to the wicked and to the godly comfort and to assure vs when the Lord shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his holy Angels in flaming fire that then to the wicked whose behauiour to the godly hath beene proud and dispiteous he will render vengeance and punish them with euerlasting perdition Thus farre of the first circumstance and doctrine thereupon The second circumstance is the punishment I will send a fire By fire in this place as vers 4 7 10. learned Expositors doe vnderstand not so much a naturall fire as a figuratiue fire For in the name of fire they vnderstand the sword pestilence and famine quodlibet genus consumptionis euery kind of consumption quamlibet speciem excidij euery kind of destruction be it haile or thunder or sicknesse or any other of Gods messengers So large is the signification of fire taken figuratiuely The Doctrine arising hence is this The fire whether naturall or figuratiue that is the fire and all other creatures are at the Lords commandement to be employed by him in the punishment of the wicked This Doctrine hath heretofore beene commended and confirmed vnto you The vse of it is to teach vs how to behaue our selues at such times as God shall visit vs with his rod of corrections how to carry our selues in all our afflictions Wee must not so much looke to the instruments as to the Lord that smiteth by them If the fire or water or any other of Gods creatures shall at any time rage and preuaile against vs we must remember that it is God that sendeth them to work his holy will vpon vs. Here he sent a fire vpon Teman and vpon Bozrah to deuoure her palaces For thus saith the Lord I will send a fire vpon Teman and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah Here haue you the third circumstance the circumstance of the punished Teman and the palaces of Bozrah Teman was the Metropolitan the chiefe City of Idumaea so named from Teman who was son of Eliphaz the son of Esau Gen. 36. 10 11. Renowned and famous was Teman for her wisdome witnesse the Prophecie of Obadiah vers 8.9 and Ierem. 49.7 whereby it is credible shee omitted no opportunity no meanes to make her selfe strong by bulwarkes and fortresses against whatsoeuer incursion or siege of enemies Yet could she not hereby be secured against the day of Gods visitation when for the complement of her sins God should lay his heauy rod vpon her What the wit of man could inuent for safety no doubt but Teman had it But what can mans wit doe against the Almighty Behold here in my Text thus saith the Almighty I will send a fire vpon Teman And can all the water of the huge Ocean quench the fire of the Almighty This resolution of the Lord for the ouerthrow of Teman is excellently set downe by the Prophet Obadiah vers 8 9 10. Shall not I in that day saith the Lord euen destroy the wise men out of Edom and vnderstanding from the mount of Esau And thy strong men O Teman shall be afraid because euery one of the mount of Esau shall bee cut off by slaughter For thy cruelty against thy brother Iacob shame shall couer thee and thou shalt be cut off for euer The Prophet Ieremy to this purpose Chap. 49.7 bringeth in the Lord of hosts thus questioning with Edom Is wisdome no more in Teman Is counsell perished from their children Is their wisdome vanished As if he had said the wisdome of Teman is become foolishnesse their counsell is nothing worth And why But because as my Text saith God will send a fire vpon Teman The doctrine hence arising is No wisdome no counsell no humane inuention can saue that City which God will
haue destroyed The reason hereof is because there is no strength but of God and from God The vse is to teach vs neuer to trust in any worldly helpe but so to vse all good meanes of our desense that still we rely vpon the Lord for strength and successe thereby Againe this fire of the Lord is sent to deuoure the palaces of Bozrah This Bozrah was also a Metropolitane and chiefe City seated in the confines of the lands of Edom and Moab and therfore in holy writ it is sometime attributed to Edom sometime to Moab here to Edom. Prodigious was the feare and great the pride of Bozrahs heart She dwelt in the clefts of the rocke and kept the height of the hisâ— But was she thereby safe No. For thus saith the Lord vnto her Ierem. 49.16 Though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle I will bring thee downe from thence This iudgement of the Lord against Bozrah is denounced with an Ecce of admiration vers 22. Behold he the Lord shall come vp and flye as the Eagle and spread his wings ouer Bozrah and at that day shall the heart of the strong men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in trauell Will you haue it confirmed by an oath Then looke backe to the 13. verse I sweare by my selfe saith the Lord that Bozrah shall be waste and for a râ—proach and a desolation and a curse and all the Cities thereof shall bee a perpetuall desolation Thus elegantly is Gods fearefull iudgement against Bozrah described by the Prophet Ieremy which our Prophet Amos thus deliuereth A fire shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah Bozrah great Bozrah she who dwelt in the clefts of the rock and kept the height of the hill must shee bee deuoured by fire from the Lord Must shee become a reproach a desolation a curse a vastity We may hence take this Doctrine It is not the situation of a City vpon rocke or hill that can be a safegard to it if Gods vnappeasable anger breake out against it for her sinnes The vse of this doctrine is the same with the former euen to teach vs now and at all other times to put our trust only in the Name of the Lord who hath made Heauen and Earth It s neither wit nor wisdome nor strength nor height of Teman or of Bozrah or of all the best defensed Cities in the world that can saue vs in the day of visitation Wherefore â—et our song be as Dauids was Psal 18.2 The Lord is our rocke and our fortresse he that deliuereth vs our God and our strength in him will we trust our shield the horne also of our saluation and our refuge Thirdly in that the Lord sendeth his fire into the palaces of Bozrah to deuoure them we may learne this Doctrine God depriueth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses A truth experimentally made good vnto vs by the great commodity or contentment that commeth to euery one of vs by our dwelling houses The vse is to teach vs 1. To be humbled before Almighty God whensoeuer our dwelling houses are taken from vs. 2. Since we peaceably enioy our dwelling houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory 3. To praise God day by day for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling houses Thus is my Exposition of the Prophecie against Edom ended THE Nineteenth Lecture AMOS 1.13 14 15. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure I will not turne to it because they haue ript vp the women with childe of Gilead that they might enlarge their border Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuâ—ure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell and with a tempest in the day of the while wind And their King shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together saith the Lord. THis blessed Prophet of Almighty God in this his prophecy against the Ammonites obserueth the same order as hee hath done in two precedent predictions the one against the Syrians verse the third fourth and fifth the other against the Philistines verse the sixth seuenth and eighth As in those so in this are three parts 1 A preface Thus saith the Lord. 2 A prophecie For three transgressions c. 3 A conclusion verse the fifteenth Saith the Lord. The Prophecie consisteth of foure parts 1 A generall accusation of the Ammonites who are here noted as reproueable for many sinnes For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure 2 God his protestation against them for their sinnes I will not turne to it 3 A particular declaration of one sinne which with others procured this Prophecie This sinne was the sinne of cruelty expressed in these words Because they haue ript vp the women with childe of Gilead and amplified by the end of so foule a fact That they might enlarge their borders 4 A denuntiation of iudgement which was to come vpon them deseruedly for their sinnes vers 14. and 15. This iudgement is set downe First in a generality vers 14. Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof Secondly with some circumstances as that it should be full of terror and speedy Full of terror in these words With shouting in the day of battell Speedy in the words following With a tempest in the day of the whirlewind This iudgement is further amplified by the extent of it It was to fall vpon not only the meaner sort of the people but vpon the Nobility also yea and vpon the King himselfe Which is plaine by the 15. verse Their King shall goe into captiuity be and his Princes together These are the branches and parts of this Prophecie I returne to the Preface Thus saith the Lord Iehouah This great and most honourable name of God we haue many times met with Wee haue heard what the Cabalists and Rabbines out of their too much curiosity haue thought of it With them it is nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name not to bee pronounced not to bee taken within our polluted lips They call it Tetragrammaton a name in Hebrew of foure letters of foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellence because the name of God a Alsted Lex Theol. cap. 2. pag. 76. Miâ—um certè est qâ—odomnes gentes tacito consâ—nsu praecipuum Dei nomen quatâ—or medò litâ—is enâ—neâ—ent Fluxiffâ—autem id existimatur è nomine Iehouah quod ipsum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latini dicunt Deus Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Germani GOTT Aegyptu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magi Orsi Habraei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—lli Dieu Jtali Idio Hispani Dios Dalmatiâ— siue Illyricis est Bogi Boiemiâ— Bohu Mabum tanis Abgd Gentibus in nouâ— mundo repeâ—tis
Let vs rather make our humble conâ—ession with King Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.34 35. that the Most High liueth for euer that his power is an euerlasting power and his Kingdome from generation to generation that all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing to him that according to his will he worketh in the armie of Heauen and in the inhabitants of the earth and 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 is neither care nor policie that can stay Gods reuengefull hand when hee bringeth fire in it as here it is threatned vnto Rabbah I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah Thus farre by occasion of my first Doctrine which was It is not the greatnes of a citie that can be a safeguard vnto it if Gods vnappeasable 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 is further added of this fire that it shall deuoure the palaces of Râ—bbah Which branch repeated in each of the precedent prophecies as vers 4 7 10 12. hath formerly yeelded vs this Doctrine God depriueth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses This truth is experimentally made good vnto vs by the great commoditie or contentment that commeth to euerie one of vs by our dwelling houses The vse whereof is to teach vs 1. To be humbled before Almightie God whensoeuer it shall please him by water by fire by wind by lightning by thunder by earthquakes or otherwise to ouerthrow our dwelling houses 2. Since we 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 doe concerne partly the punishment and partly the punished Concerning the punishment it is full of terrour and speedy First full of terrour in these words With shouting in the day of battell With shouting in classico saith Brentius cum clangore saith Drusius that is with the sound or noise of Trumpets The Septuagint doe reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latine in vlulatu Mercer cum vociferatione Gualter cum clamore Caluin cum clamore vel Iubilo that is with a cry with a great cry with a vociferation with a shout such as souldiers doe make when on a sudden they surprise a Citie In the day of battell in die belli The like phrase we haue Psal 78.9 where it is said of the children of Ephraim that being armed and shooting with the bow they turned backe in die belli in the day of battell Dauid confesseth Psal 140.7 O Lord God the strength of my saluation thou hast couered my head in die belli in the day of battell Salomon saith Prou. 21.31 The horse is prepared in diem belli against the day of battell So here the Lord threatneth against Rabbah a shouting mâ—â—ie 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 words With shouting in the day of battell It is to proclaime warre against Rabbah the chiefe citie of the Ammonites and consâ—quently against their whole kingdome This proclamation is more plainly deliuered Ierem. 49.2 Behold the dayes 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 and her daughters shall be burnt with fire From this proclamation of warre made by our Prophet Amos as in the Lords owne words saying I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell wee 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 Leuit. vers 25. thus saith the Lord vnto Israel If yee walke stubbornly against me and will not obey me then I will send a sword vpon you that shall auenge the quarrell of my couenant And Ierem. 5.15 vnto the house of Israel thus saith the Lord Loe I will bring a Nation vpon you from farre You heare the Lord speaking in his owne person I will send I will bring as here I will kindle Will you any other witnesse 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 regard the person of the old nor haue compassion on the young the same shall eat the fruit of thy cattell and the fruit of thy land vntill thou be destroyed and he shall leaue thee neither wheat nor wine nor oile nor the increase of thy kine nor the flockes of thy sheepe vntill he haue brought thee to nought By this speech of Moses we plainly see that warre and all the euills of warre are from the Lord that warre is r Cominaeus Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. one of the accomplishments of Gods iudgements 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 beloued 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 daily sinning wee prouoke Almightie 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 hauen of sinners let vs possesse it in our hearts The Angels of heauen need it not because they sinne not the Deuills in Hell care not for it for their iudgement is sealed It only appertaineth to the sonnes of men and therefore let vs the sons of men possesse it in our hearts that is let vs truly and vnfainedly forsake our old sinnes and turne vnto the Lord our God so shall this blessed peace and all other good things be continued among vs. But if we will persist in our euill wayes 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 deuoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the dâ—y of battell Thus much of the terrour of this iudgement Now followeth the speed in the next circumstance With a tempest in the day of the whirle-wind Suiting hereto
Corruption it selfe as a father made Iob fit for his graue and death which of him was more wished then life as Origen and Olympiodor haue well obserued And hence it is that blessed Paul liuing in this world and vsing it as if he vsed it not for he had his conuersation in heauen and had a true and liuely taste of the ioyes of the world to come desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ and this hee was well assured was best of all for him Phil. 1.23 Thus farre beloued haue I ledde you by occasion of these words Moab shall dye vpon which I grounded this generall doctrine All must once dye In the illustration whereof I signified that of euils death was the most terrible To arme your Christian soules against the terrour or feare of death I told you that death is to be considered in a double respect either as it is in its owne nature or as it is changed qualified by the death of Christ in the first respect it is very fearefull to the naturall man in the latter it is very welcome to the resolued Christian I further added that there are two sorts of men obnoxious vnto death the one sort doe liue in sinne and dye without repentance the other with vnfained repentance and true faith in Christ doe leaue this world to the first sort death is very terrible to the latter it is a very welcome guest Now proceed we to examine the manner of Moabs death Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet In tumultu with a tumult so some do reade Vatablus Caluin Mercer Gualter in strepitu with a noyse so Iunius and Drusius in sonitu with a sound so Brentius and the author of the vulgar Latine The 70. haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moab shall dye through imbecillity or weakenes The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth a sound a tumult an inundation or multitude of waters which ouerrunne their bankes with violence and roaring The meaning of the world is that Moab should die a death strange and extraordinary which is more specified in the next word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With shouting This very word we met with within the 14. verse of the first Chapter where it is brought to set forth the terrour of that iudgement which God would bring vpon the Ammonites The word I expounded in my 20. Sermon on the first Chapter and shewed out of diuers Authorss that it signifieth a sound a cry a great cry a vociferation a shoute such as Souldiers doe make when on a suddaine they surprize a City To make good this exposition it is added With the sound of a trumpet The vse of trumpets in warre hath beene very ancient The vse of them is commanded to the children of Israel Num. 10.9 When ye goe to warre against the enemie yee shall blow a larme with the trumpets After they were vsed in the battle against Iericho Iosh 6.5 Ioshua saith to the people When yee heare the sound of the trumpet ye shall all shout with a great shout and the wall of Iericho shall fall downe flat To this vse Ezechiel alludeth Chap. 7.14 They haue blowne the trumpet and prepared all but none goeth to the battell And S. Paul speaks of it 1. Corinth 14.8 If the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to battle The Prophet Zephanie also hath respect vnto it Chap. 2.16 where he calls the great day of the Lord a day of the trumpet and a larme against the strong Cities and against the high towers From this ancient vse of trumpets we may gather the meaning of our Prophet in this place Moab shall dye with a tumult with a shouting and with the sound of a trumpet Moab that is the Moabites the people of Moab shall dye shall depart this life and leaue this world not quietly and peaceably in their beds but with a tumult with a shouting and with the sound of a trumpet euen in warre or as the phrase is in the 14. verse of the 1. chapter in the day of battaile The doctrine arising hence is this Warre one of the executioners of Gods vengeance is euermore sent vpon a Land for the sinnes of the people That warre is one of the executioners of Gods vengeance its plaine in Ezech. 14.21 There God himself makes it one of his foure sore iudgements The foure are the sword famine the noysome beast and the pestilence the first is the sword an instrument for warre for warre it selfe These foure are likewise couched togither in Ezech. 5.17 where thus saith the Lord against Ierusalem I will send vpon you famine and euill beasts and they shall spoyle thee and pestilence and bloud shall through thee and I will bring thee sword vpon thee I the Lord haue spoken it I will bring the sword vpon thee the sword that is warre an instrument of warre for warre it selfe as in the former place These two places of Ezechiel to omit many other as pregnant here and there dispersed throughout the sacred Volumes of Gods eternall word these two doe speake plainely that warre is one of the executioners of Gods vengeance That it is sent vpon a Land for the sinnes of the people I made it plaine vnto you by like euidence of holy Writ in my 20. Sermon vpon the former chapter My proofes were taken from Levit. 26.25 Deut. 28.49 Ierem. 5.15 Whence I inferred that warre and all the euills of warre are from the Lord that warre is one of the accomplishments of Gods iudgements that warre is sent by God vpon a Land for the sinnes of a people So goeth my doctrine Warre one of the executioners of Gods vengeance is euermore sent vpon a Land for the sinnes of the people The Vse of this Doctrine is to raise vs vp to the admiration of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God We grieue the Holy Spirit of that sacred Maiestie with our manifold and daily sinnes our sinnes of omission our sins of infirmitie and our sinnes of presumption our sinnes of ignorance and our sinnes of wilfulnesse our strife variance and debate our vsurie oppression and cruelty our vncleannesse wantonnes and drunkennes our sins multiply as the sands of the Sea they haue pressed into Gods presence to fetch downe his vengeance vpon vs. Behold looke about you and admire his exceeding great patience The loud crying of our sinnes hath not yet vrged the Lord so farre as to make him come against vs with his sorest iudgement of warre He hath out of his fatherly loue ouer vs mildely chastized vs. Not long since hee brake the staffe of our bread and sent among vs a dearth and scarcitie yet haue wee not returned vnto him Not long since he commanded his armies of waters to issue from out their channell and to ouer runne man and beast for many miles within this land yet haue we not returned vnto him Not long since he
let flye his arrowes of pestilence and yet they flye abroad to the killing of many round about vs yet haue wee not returned vnto him Not returned vnto him What Can no medicine that God applyeth mollifie our hard hearts Can none of his corrections amend vs Will we needs try whether he will send a sword vpon vs He shaked his sword ouer vs many of vs may well remember it when the great Spanish Armada floated on our Seas but then as S. Iames speaketh chap. 2.13 Super exaltauit misericordia iudicio mercy exalted it selfe aboue iudgement and we were spared Were we spared What shall we render to the Lord for so great mercy We will with Dauid Ps 116.13 We will take the cup of saluation we wil call vpon the name of the Lord and will offer vnto him the sacrifice of prayse Which sacrifice of ours that it may be acceptable to the Lord let vs cast away from vs all our transgressions whereby we haue transgressed and with a new heart and a new spirit returne we to the Lord our God But if we will persist with delight and goe on in our old wayes our crooked peruerse and froward wayes our wayes of wickednesse and will not bee turned out of them by any of God his milder chastisements and corrections what can we expect but the portion of these Moabites euen fire a sword from the Lord and with them to die with a tumult with a shouting and with the sound of a Trumpet Thus farre de modo poenae of the manner of this punishment to be inflicted vpon the Moabites The extent followeth I will cut the iudge out of the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him I the Lord the Lord Iehovah yesterday and to day and the same for euer I am not changed all my words yea all the titles of all my words are Yea and Amen Exscindam I will cut off I will root out and destroy Iudicem the Iudge the chiefest gouernour and ruler in Moab the King Nam Reges quoque populum iudicabant For Kings also did iudge the people and it is euident by sundry places of holy Scripture that the state of the Moabites was swayed by Kings I will cut off root out and vtterly destroy the iudge the King out of the midst thereof Out of the midst of what Of Moab of Kerioth Both are mentioned vers 2. Dauid Camius and some other say of Kerioth which was Sedes Regum the cittie of the Kings habitation The meaning is there was no cittie in the Kingdome of Moab so strong but that from out the midst of it God would fetch the King and cut him off I will cut off roote out or destroy the iudge the King out of the middest of the strongest cittie of the Kingdome of Moab be it Moab Kerioth or any other I will slay all the Princes thereof with him together with the King I will root out all the Princes of the land None shall escape my iudgements neither Prince nor King You see the extent of this iudgement here denounced against Moab Not onely the meaner sort of people but the Princes also yea and King himselfe were to haue their portion in it and that as certainely as if they had alreadie had it For Iehovah the Lord hath spoken it For it s added for a conclusion to this Prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth the Lord. The Lord hath said it that neither Prince nor King shall be exempt from his iudgements but shall as well as the lowest of the people be cut off and come to nought The doctrine to be obserued from hence is this God exerciseth his iudgements not onely vpon men of low and base estate but also vpon the great ones of this world vpon princes and Kings This truth I haue heretofore confirmed vnto you in my 21. Lecture on the former Chapter handling those words Chap. 1. vers 15. Their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together I proued vnto you this doctrine When God punisheth a nation with captiuitie for their sinnes he spareth neither Priest nor Prince nor King My now-doctrine for substance is the same but more generall God exerciseth his iudgements not onely vpon men of low base estate but also vpon the great ones of this world vpon Princes Kings The vses One is to admonish the great and mightie ones of this world that they presume not to sinne against the Lord as if they were priuiledged by their greatnes and might There is no such priuiledge He that is Lord ouer all will spare no person Princes and Kings must feele the smart of his iudgements A second vse is to minister comfort to such as are of low and base estate If the mightie by violence and oppression grind your faces and compasse you about yet be not yee discouraged God the iudge of all accepteth no persons He in his good time will auenge your causes be your oppressours neuer so mightie For Princes and Kings must feele the smart of his iudgements A third vse is a warning for our selues that we set not our hearts vpon the outward things of this world for as much as God the Creator of all will not respect vs for them Dost thou glory in this that thou art a mightie man or a rich man For both might and riches Princes and Kings are far beyond thee yet must Princes and Kings feele the smart of Gods iudgements Let vs make a fourth vse of this doctrine euen to poure out our soules in thankefulnesse before almightie God for his wonderfull patience towards vs. Our sinnes are as impudent as euer were the sinnes of the Moabites Our three and foure transgressions our many sinnes doe cry aloud to Heauen against vs as the sins of the Moabites cryed against them For their sinnes God sent a sword vpon them and did cut them off from being a nation Gods wrath against our sinnes hath not yet proceeded so farre We yet enioy our happie peace Euery man dwels vnder his owne vine and vnder his owne figtree and liues in the habitations of his forefathers in peace free from all feare of the enemies sword Such is our condition through the neuer-too-much admired patience of Almightie God O let vs not despise the riches of the bountifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God St Paul tells vs. Rom. 2.4 That these doe lead vs to Repentance These doe lead vs shall we not follow Beloued while we haue time let vs betake our selues to Repentance It was good counsaile which Iudith gaue to Ozias Chabris and Charmis the ancients of the cittie Beâ—hulia Iudith 8.12 Quia patiens Dominus est in hoc ipso paeniteamus indulgentiam eius fusis lachrymis postulemus The counsaile is as good for vs. Beloued because the Lord is patient therefore let vs repent and with shedding of teares beg of him indulgence and pardon for our sinnes past It s no wisedome for vs any
impietie for their bloudy tyrannie towards the Lords Prophets for their idolatrous seruice of false Gods And these S. Stephen in his speech intendeth These are they who in the 78. Psal vers 8. are called a stubborne and rebellious generation a generation that set not their heart aright a generation whose spirit was not stedfast with God These are they who S. Iohn the Baptist meaneth Matth. 3.7 where he calleth the Pharisies a Generation of Vipers These are they whom our blessed Sauiour also intendeth Matth. 12.33 23.33 where he stileth the Pharisies as Iohn Baptist did a Generation of Vipers And what is this generation of vipers but as p Comment in Act. 7.51 Lorinus saith pessimorum parentum pessimi filij wicked sonnes of as wicked parents Such were these Fathers in my text of whom it is further said that they walked after Lyes They walked after Lyes To walke in the Scripture phrase is metaphorically taken and hath diuers significations For the vnderstanding of the phrase in my text you may know there is a walking after truth and a walking after Lyes or which is all one there is a walking after God and a walking after Idols We walke after truth or God when from the bottome of our hearts we thinke vpon and do those things which God hath prescribed vnto vs in the word of truth when we liue a godly life in this present world On the other side we walke after lyes or after Idols when we worship that which is not God or when we worship the true God but vpon a false foundation polluting and defiling his sacred worship with the foolish imaginations and inventions of our owne braines Thus did the ancient Iewes walke after Lyes which is here laid vnto their charge Their Lyes cause them to erre after which their Fathers walked Hitherto haue you heard the exposition of the text Giue eare now I beseech you to such lessons as may from hence be taken for our further instruction and the reformation of our liues The first lesson I take from these words Their Lyes caused them to erre their lyes that is their idolatrous and false worship of God hath caused them to erre hath deceiued them The doctrine is When men decline or swerue from the prescript of Gods word they are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot but erre I thus explicate it If we embrace not the truth of God if we despise his holy Lawes if we keepe not his commandements we must of necessitie fall into supine and grosse lyes For so God permitteth Whosoeuer beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes whosoeuer receiue not the loue of the truth that they may be saued to such shall God send strong delusion that they shall beleeue lyes 2. Thess 2.11 Now Almighty God to keepe his elect and beloued ones from such efficacie of errour from such strong delusions how oft doth he admonish them that in no wise they depart from his holy word q Deut. 12.32 Prov 30.6 Reuel 22.18 19. Adde not to my word neither diminish ought from it Deut. 4.2 r Deut. 5.32 28.14 Iosh 23.6 Esai 30.21 Turne not from my word to the right hand or to the left Iosh 1.7 Lay vp my words in your heart and in your soule binde them for a signe vpon your hand let them be as frontlets betweene your eyes Deut. 11.18 What more obvious in holy Scripture then those Mementoes from the Lord Å¿ Deut. 4.1 6. Hearken vnto my statutes and vnto my iudgements keepe them do them Remember t Num. 15.39 my commandements u Deut. 6.17 keep them diligently x Prov. 3.1 lay them vp y Prov. 3.1 in thy heart forget not my law z Prov. 3.1 a Prov. 4.2 forsake it not b Prov. 4. â—0 attend to my words c Prov. 7.1 keepe my words d Prov. 4.20 encline thine eare vnto my sayings And why I pray is the Lord so earnest to haue his statutes his iudgements his commandements his lawes his words his sayings to be kept by vs Is it not because hee well knoweth that if we euer so litle decline or swerue from these or from any one of these we are forthwith inwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot chuse but erre Statutes iudgements commandements lawes words sayings Here are multa verba many words but res vna they all signifie one thing and that is expressable in one word euen the word the wâ—rd of God mentioned in my doctrine from whose prescript if wee decline or swerue wee are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit wee cannot chuse but erre A reason hereof I may giue you out of Psal 119.105 where the word of God is compared to a lampe or a light Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path You know the vse of a lampe or light It is to direct vs in the darke that we erre not Now what is this world but a place of darknesse Here the naturall man sitteth in darknes Luk. 1.79 he walketh in darknes Psal 82.5 his eyes are blinded with darknes 1. Ioh. 2.11 his vnderstanding is darkned Ephes 4.18 he is subiect to the power of darknesse Coloss 1.13 he hath fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknes Ephes 5.11 he is euen darknes it selfe Ephes 5.8 How then can he chuse but erre if he haue not this lampe or light of God the word of God to direct him It was not vnvsuall with the Iewes to seeke to them who had e Esai 8.19 familiar spirits and to peeping and muttering wizardâ— To reclaime them from this error the Prophet Esay cap. 8.20 calls them ad legem ad testimonium to the law and to the testimonie that is to the word of God And why doth he so He tells you why in the words following If saith he they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them What can be more plaine Where the word of God is not or directeth not there is no light there is nothing but darknesse nothing but errour You haue enough for the confirmation and illustration of my doctrine which was When men decline or swerue from the prescript of Gods word they are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot but erre Is it so beloued If we leaue the word of God are wee forthwith in errour Let this be a strong motiue to vs to giue more diligence to the word of God then hitherto we haue done Let vs as we are exhorted by S. Peter in his 2. Epist cap. 1. vers 18. Let vs take heed vnto it as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawne and the day-starre arise in our hearts Let vs not thinke any time mis-spent that we bestow vpon this word of God either to heare it or to read it or to keepe it Yong men wherewithall will you clense your wayes but by
seemeth good to vs as we haue done we and our Fathers our Kings and Princes before vs sâ— will we doe We will perseuere in the Religion professed by our Fathers and reviued in Queene Maries dayes For so long as that religion was on foote we had plentie of victuals we were well we saw no euill Wâ—etched men and women as many of you as are thus wilfully addicted to the superstition of popery take you heed that the words of the Lord Esa 6.10 giuen in charge to the Prophet to be conueyed to the Iewes be not in euerie poynt appliable vnto you Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauy shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares vnderstand with their heart and convert and be healed Will the u Ierem. 13.23 Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then will our countrymen of the popish sect change from the religion of their forefathers Their firme resolution to liue and dye in the religion of their fathers is made apparant by their x An. D. 1603. supplication to the most puissant Prince and orient Monarch our gracious Lord King IAMES one branch whereof is this We request no more fauour at your Graces hands then that we may securely professe that Catholike religion which all your happy predecessors professed from Donaldus the first converted vnto your Maiesties peerelesse mother To this purpose doth y Preface to the King before his Survey Dr Kellison recite vnto the KING a long catalogue of his noble Predecessors to moue him if possible to embrace their Religion But God his holy name be blessed for it all in vaine When Fridericke the IV. Elector of the Sacred Romane Empire and Count Palatine of the Rhene was by a certaine Prince aduised for his religion to follow the example of his Father Lewis his z Polan com in Ezech. 20. answer was In religions non parentum non maiorum exempla sequenda sed tantum voluntas Dei In religion we are to follow not the examples of our Parents or our ancestors but onely the will of God And for this resolution he alleaged the fore-cited testimonie of the Lord out of the 20. of Ezechiel Walke yee not in the statutes of your fathers neither obserue their iudgements nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke yee in my statutes I doubt not but that our gracious Soueraigne King IAMES hath euer had and will haue a like answer in readinesse to stop the mouths of Kellison and all others who haue dared or shall attempt to moue his royall Maiestie for his religion to be like his predecessors God giue our King the heart of a Iosh 24.15 Ioshua a heart stedfast and vnmoueable in the true seruice of the Lord our God Though some of his Predecessors haue bin deceiued to fall downe before the beast in the Apocalyps and to worship his image yet good God so guide our King and blesse him with a religious people that He and we and his people may now and euermore feare thee and serue thee in sinceritie and truth to the glory of thy great name and the saluation of our owne soules through Iesus Christ our Lord. THE VII LECTVRE AMOS 2.5 But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem THree former Sermons haue caried me past the preface and the three first parts of this prophecie against Iudah the fourth which is the Commination or Denuntiation of the iudgements of the Lord against Iudah and Ierusalem remaineth to be the subiect of this my present discourse But I will send a fire c. These words are no strangers to you You haue met with them fiue times in the first Chapter and once before in this Their exposition their diuision the Doctrines issuing from them the Vses and applications of the Doctrines haue diuers times from out this place sounded in your eares Yet now the order obserued by the Holy Spirit in deliuering this prophecie so requiring it they are once more to be commended to your religious attentions May it please you therefore to obserue with me three circumstances Quis Quomodo Qui. 1. Quis comminatur Who it is that threatneth to punish It is the Lord. For Thus saith the Lord I will send 2. Quomodo puniet How and by what meanes hee will punish The letter of my text is for fire I will send a fire 3. Qui puniendi Who are to be punished And they are the inhabitants of the Kingdome of Iudah and the chiefe Citie thereof Ierusalem I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem In the precedent prophecies the comminations were against the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites all Gentiles and strangers to God but this commination against the Iewes Gods owne friends and children I will send a fire vpon Iudah I Who a Amos 4.13 forme the mountaines and create the winde and declare to man what is his thought and make the morning darknes and tread vpon the high places of the earth I will send I who b Iob 12.14 breake downe and it cannot be built againe who shuts vp a man and there can be no opening I will send I who c Psal 33.9 speakes and it is done who commands and it standeth fast I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem This fire which the Lord sendeth vpon Iudah is not so much a fire properly taken as a fire in a figuratiue vnderstanding It betokeneth that desolation which was to betide the kingdome of Iudah and the chiefest Citie thereof Ierusalem from hostile invasion I will send a fire This commination began to be fulfilled in the dayes of Zedechias King of Iudah The historie is very memorable and is briefly yet diligently described in the 2. Chron. 36. and in the 2. Kings 25. and Ierem. 39. 52. In those places you may read how d 2. King 25.1 Nabuchadnezzar King of Babylon came against Ierusalem pitched against it besieged it tooke it You may read how he e vers 6. tooke King Zedechiah prisoner slew his sonnes before his face put out the Kings owne eyes bound him with brasen fetters and carried him away to Babylon you may read how f vers 8. Nebuzaradan Captaine of the guard and chiefe Marshall to the King of Babylon dealt with Ierusalem He g 2. Chro. 36.19 2. Reg. 25.9 brake downe the wall thereof and burnt with fire the house of the Lord the Kings house euery great mans house all the houses and palaces there Say now did it not fall out to Iudah and Ierusalem according to this commination I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the pallaces of Ierusalem This desolation being thus wrought vpon Iudah and Ierusalem by the Chaldees the Iewes such as
their miserie tells vs of a woman a mother Marie Eleazars daughter who tooke from her owne brests her owne childe a harmelesse suckling a silly infant did kill it and did eat thereof My author saith that this vnnaturall mother tooke her tender babe as it was sucking from her brest and thus spake vnto it f MiseruÌ„ te infans in bello fame seditione cui te seruauero Litle infant poore wretch in warre in famine in sedition for whom shall I preserue thee for whom shall I saue thee aliue If thou liue thou must be a slaue to the Romans but famine preuents thy seruitude yea and the mutinous Iewes are more cruell than either the Romans or the famine Be thou therefore mihi cibus seditiosis furia humanae vitae fabula Be thou meate to me a furie to the mutinous and euen a mocke of the life of man When shee had thus spoken she embrued her hands in the bloud of her owne sonne she boyled the dead bodie and eat the one halfe the remainder shee reserued for another repaste The mutinous Iewes drawne by the g Contaminatissimi nidoris odore capti sent and sauour of this meate brake into this womans house they threatned to kill her vnlesse shee would shew them where her meate was laid Shee told them shee had meat indeed and had reserued it for her-selfe notwithstanding sith they so vrged her shee would shew it to them So shee brought them to the reliques of her sonne At the sight thereof they shrunke backe with feare horror and astonishment Then the mother mercilesse mother with great boldnesse said thus vnto them This meate which you see is indeede part of my owne sonne it was my h Facinus meum deede to kill it eat yee of it for I haue eaten Will you be more tender than a woman more pitifull than a mother eat yee of it I haue eaten If you will not eate it it shall remaine for mee his mother A mother No mother but a monster shee was that could act such a prodigie Well What with the extremitie of this famine what with the furie of the sword what with sicknesse during the time of this warre against Ierusalem there i See Pedro Mexi â— in the life â—f Veâ—paâ—ian perished in Ierusalem and the Prouince adioyning as k In Chrâ—nicâ—â— An. Do. 73. Eusebius l Lib. 7. cap. 9. Pag. 594. Orosius and m Câ—rneâ—â—us Suetonias apud Oâ—â—siam loco citato other Authors affirme six hundred thousand men able to beare Armes But if we will beleeue n De bello Iudaic lib. 7. cap. 17. Vndecies centum millia Euseb Histor Ecâ—lâ—s lib. 3. cap. 7. Iosephus a Iew and present at that warre there died eleuen hundred thousand or a million and one hundred thousand And Iosephus his report is subscribed vnto by o Apud Lipsium nâ—â—u ad Tacitum lib. 5. pag. 539. Zonaras and Iornardes Besides these now dead fame morbo ferro partly by famine partly by sicknesse partly by the sword there were taken captiue to the number of p Iosâ—ph vbi supâ—a Cassiodor chronic Titâ—s filius Vespâ—siani Iudea cap ta centum milâ—ia caphitâ—râ—m publice vâ—â—nâ—ndedit Abbas Vâ—sperg Chrâ—nic ad An 29. Chr. 73. 97. thousand or as q some one hundred thousand sould and dispersed in the wide world The Iewes thus dead and scattered what became of their glorious cittie Ierusalem The holy Temple there was burnt their strong and high wals were throwne downe all the citie became wast and desolate and so it remaines to this day Certainly it is befallen Iudah and Ierusalem according to this commination in my text I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem Thus farre haue you the words of my text expounded Now to the doctrine You haue heard Gods iudgments against the kingdome of Iudah and the glorious Citie Ierusalem denounced in the same words as his iudgements were against the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites The Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites were aliens from the Common wealth of Israell they were strangers from the couenant of promise they had no hope they were without God in the world But these Iewes these Inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem were of the Common wealth of Israel God made his couenant with them they were not without hope they were the people of the Lord and the Lord was their God yet because they sinned against the Lord as the forenamed Gentiles did the Lord was pleased to deale with them as with the Gentiles euen to send a fire vpon Iudah which hath long since deuoured the palaces of Ierusalem The doctrine which from hence I commend vnto you is Whosoeuer doe imitate the Heathen in their impieties they are in the Lords account no better then the Heathen and shall be punished as the Heathen God is absolutely vnpartiall both in mercy and iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without respect of persons hee iudgeth according to euery mans worke 1. Pet. 1.17 Iew or Gentile it s not materiall if they be obedient they shall liue and flourish if they be rebellious they shall die perish Sundry other r Deut. 10.17 2. Chro. 19.7 Iob 34.19 Esai 11.3 Mat. 22.16 Mar. 12.14 Luc. 20.21 Act. 10.34 Rom. 2.11 Galat. 2.6 Eqhes 6.9 Coloss 3.25 places there are in both Testaments old and new which I might alledge to shew that with God there is no respect of persons By Persons I meane not the substance of man or man himselfe but his outward qualitie or condition as Countrey sex parentage wealth pouertie nobilitie wisedome learning and the like According to these God in iudgement respecteth no man Whosoeuer he be Iew or Gentile male or female poore and rich bond or free learned or vnlearned that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse hee is accepted with God Act. 10.35 but let Iew or Gentile male or female poore or rich bond or free the learned or vnlearned worke wickednesse before the Lord and he shal be without partialitie punished Iob 34.19 Such hath euer beene the practise of the Lord. Lazarus his pouerty did not hinder him from saluation neither did the rich mans abundance free him from damnation It was no impeachment to Cornelius that he was a Gentile nor immunitie to Iudas that he was a Iew Saules throne could not shield him from the wrath of God neither did Dauids sheepfolds avert from him the blessings of God Esau was the elder brother yet God hated him Iacob was the younger yet God loued him Neuer did any perish in obedience neuer did any prosper in rebellion Certainely God hath no respect of any mans person for his outward estate qualitie or condition God spared not the Angels for their excellencie nor the old world for their multitude nor Saul for his personage nor Absolon for his beautie nor
the Iewes for their prerogatiue nor Ierusalem for her goodly buildings From this vnpartialitie of God in his workes of iustice my proposition stands good Whosoeuer doe imitate the Heathen in their impieties are in the Lords account no better then the Heathen and shall be punished as the Heathen Will you a reason hereof It is because the Lord takes impietie for impietie wheresoeuer he finds it and for such doth punish it And he finds it euery where For the eyes of the Lord Å¿ 2. Chrâ—n 16.9 runne to and fro throughout the whole earth and are in t Prâ—u 15.3 euery place to behold as well the euill as the good His eyes are u Iere. 16.17 vpon all our wayes he seeth x Iob 34.21 all our goings he y Iob 31.4 counteth all our steps no iniquitie is z Iere. 16.17 hid from him This doth the Prophet Ieremie Chap. 32.19 wall expresse Thine eyes O Lord are open vpon all the wayes of the sonnes of men to giue euery one acccording to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings This the very Ethnickes guided onely by Natures light haue acknowledged Sybilla in her Oracles could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Almightie and inuisible God he onely seeth all things Hesiod could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath an All-seeing eye Plautus could say a Capte ivi Est profecto Deus qui quae nos gerimus auditque videt Doubtlesse there is a God who both heareth and seeth whatsoeuer we doe And b Metamorph. lib. 13. Ovid could say Aspiciunt oculis superi mortalia iustâ—s There is a God aboue who hath iust eyes beholdeth all the doings of mortall men c Thales interregatus an furta â—â—mâ—â—um Deos fallerent Nec cogiâ—ata â—nqâ—it Valer. Mar. lib. 7 cap. 2. Dioge Laert. lib. 1. in Thal s. Thales of Miletum the wisest of the seauen being asked whether mens euill deeds could be kept close from God! No sayd he nor their euill thoughts The Hieroglyphicke the mysticall or aenigmaticall letter whereby the Egyptians would haue God to be vnderstood was an eye And why so But as d Hierâ—glyph lib. 33. Pierius saith because Deus ille optimus maximus the great God of Heauen is mundi oculus the eye of the world It may be such was the conceit of that auncient e Augustin Father who sayd of God that he was totus oculus wholy an eye He giues his reason quia omnia videt because hee seeth all things All things are to the eies of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked and opened seene as well within as without So saith the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 4.13 All the impieties of man in deed word or thought are manifest vnto the Lord he seeth them all and for impieties will punish them Well saith f De constantiâ lib. 2. cap. 16. Lypsius Culpae comes iustissimè poena semper est Paine is alwayes the companion of a fault And g Jbid. cap. 14. againe Cognatum immo innatum omni sceleri sceleris supplicium Euery wickednesse brings a punishment with it As the worke is so is the pay if the one be readie the other is present h Lipsius de constant lib. 2 c. 13. Neuer did any man foster within his breast a crime but vengeance was vpon his backe for it If there be impietie there cannot be impunitie Witnesse the blessed Apostle S. Iames chap. 1.15 Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death And S. Paul Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death Many are the texts of holy Scripture which I might alledge to this purpose I will for this present trouble you but with one It is Psal 34.16 The face of the Lord is against them that doe euill to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth From these now-touched considerations first that Almightie God in iudgement accepteth no persons then that his Al-seeing eye beholdeth whatsoeuer impietie is done not onely in our workes and words but also in our most retyred thoughts thirdly that in iustice euery impietie is to receiue a due punishment from these considerations my position stands firme and vnmoueable Whosoeuer doe imitate the Heathen in their impieties they are in the Lords account no better then the Heathen and shall be punished as the Heathen Here let all good Christians be admonished with their greatest carefulnesse to looke vnto their wayes that they walke not in the by-pathes of sinne to imitate the Heathen in their impieties Qui attrahit ad se culpam non potest effugere poenam sayth i Comment in Hebr. 12. Hugo Cardinalis Thinke not that thy prerogatiue of being a Christian can be a shield vnto thee Christianus k August enchir ad Laurent ca. 5. nomine non opere A Christian in name not in deed may be called a Christian but is no Christian l Bernard Sentent Christianus as he is haeres nominis Christi so must he be imitator sanctitatis A Christian is heire to the name of Christ and therefore must be a follower of Christ in holinesse A Christian sayth S. Austine if he be the Author of the Booke m Lib. 1. cap. 6. de vita Christianâ A Christian is a name of iustice of goodnesse of integritie of patience of chastitie of prudence of humilitie of courtesie of innocencie of pietie A Christian is he who is a follower of Christ who is holy innocent vndefiled vnspotted in whose brest there is no wickednesse who hurts no man but helpeth all He that can truely say I hate not mine enemies I doe good to them that hurt me I pray for them that persecute me I doe wrong to no body I liue iustly with all men hic Christianus est he is a Christian But if in the profession of Christianitie a man liues the life of a Heathen the name of a Christian shall doe him no pleasure If he take delight in the n Galat. 5.19 workes of the flesh in adulterie fornication vncleannesse laciuiousnesse drunkennesse hatred variance wrath strife or any like sinne God will forsake him the holy Angels will flie him the blessed Saints will detest him the Reprobate shall bee his companie the Deuils his fellowes hell his inheritance his soule a nest of scorpions his bodie a dungeon of foule spirits and at last both bodie and soule shal eternally burne in fire vnquencheable Wherefore dearely beloued suffer a word of exhortation o Ecclus. 21.1.2.3 Haue you sinned Doe so no more Flee from sinne as from the face of a Serpent For if you come too neere it it will bite you the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon slaying the soules of men So sayth Ecclus chap. 21.2 Flee from sinne as from the face of a Serpent Sinne It s like a leauen that will leauen the whole lumpe It s like a scab that will infect the whole flocke It s like
against Iudah These might haue serued Israel in stead of so many mirrours or looking glasses wherein they might haue beheld the iudgements that hung ouer their heads also From the iudgements of God denounced to forreine nations the people of Israel might thus within themselues haue reasoned Our God! All his a Deut. 32.4 wayes are iudgement he is a God of truth without iniquitie iust and right is he The Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites must they for their misdoings be punished How then shall we escape They sillie people neuer knew the holy will of God and yet must they be measured with the line of desolation What then shall be the portion of our cup who knowing Gods holy will haue not regarded it Againe from the iudgements of God pronounced against Iudah the people of Israel might thus within themselues haue argued God b Psal 9.7 ministreth his iudgements in vprightnesse He threatneth destruction to our brethren the people of Iudah that people whom all that saw them acknowledged to be the c Esa 61.9 blessed seed of the Lord that people that was the d Esa 5.7 plant of the Lords pleasures that people with whom God placed his e Psal 114.2 sanctuarie vpon that people will the Lord send a fire to deuoure them What then shall be the end of vs They our brethren of Iudah haue preserued among them Religion the worship and feare of the Lord in greater puritie then we haue done and yet will the Lord send a fire vpon them to deuoure them Certainly our iudgement cannot be farre off Amos hauing thus prepared his auditors the Israelites to attention maketh no longer delay but beginneth to deliuer his message to them in the words which I haue now read vnto you For three transgressions of Israell and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof c. Herein for our more direct proceeding may it please you to obserue with me 1. Autoritatem sermonis The authoritie of this Prophecie Thus sayth the Lord. 2. Sermonem ipsum The Prophecie it selfe For three transgressions of Israel c. In the Prophecie as farre as this Chapter leadeth vs we haue 1. Reprehensionem A reproofe of Israel for sinne vers 6 7 8. 2. Enumerationem A recitall of the Benefits which God had heaped vpon Israel vers 9.10.11 3. Exprobrationem A twitting of Israel with their vnthankefulnesse vers 12. 4. Comminationem A threatning of punishment to befall Israel for their sinnes ver 13. to the end of the Chapter The Reprehension is first and first by vs to be considered In it we may note 1. A generall accusation of Israel For three transgressions of Israel and for foure 2. A protestation of Almightie God against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof 3. A rehearsall of some grieuous sinnes which made a separation betweene God and Israel Because they sold the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes and so forward to the end of the eyghth verse You haue the deuision of my Text. Now followeth the exposition The first thing we meete with is Autoritas sermonis the authoritie of this prophecie Thus saith the Lord Iehovah Now the thirteenth time is this great Name of God Iehovah offered to our deuoutest meditations We met with it in the first chapter of this book nine times and thrise before in this and yet by this name Iehovah is not God knowne to vs. We know him by the name of a strong omnipotent and All-sufficient God but by his Name Iehovah we know him not Abraham Isaac Iacob by this Name knew him not it is so recorded Exod. 6.3 Nor can we by this Name know him For this Name is a Name of Essence It designeth God vnto vs not by any effect of his but by his Essence and who euer knew the Essence of God who was euer able to define it The f Pet. Galatinus de arcanis Cathol verit lib. 2. cap. 1. schoole-men say there are three things whereof they can giue no definition One is that first matter out of which all things were produced The second is Sinne that hath destroyed all The third is God who preserueth all The first which is the Philosophers Materia prima they define not obsummam informitatem because it is without all forme The second which is mans bane Sinne they define not ob summam deformitatem for its exceeding deformitie The third euen God the prime cause of all his creatures they define not ob summam formositatem for his transcendeÌ„t beautie It pleaseth the Schoolmen sometimes thus to play with words For the matter they are in the right It is true g Aquin. par 1. qu 1. art 7. ad â—â— De deo non possumus scire Quid est We cannot attaine to so great a measure of the knowledge of God as to define what he is When the Poet h Cic. de Nat. Deorum lib. 1. Simonides was asked of K. Hiero what God is He wisely for answere desired one dayes respite after that two then foure still he doubled his number at last of his delay he gaue this for a reason Quanto diutiùs considero tanto mihi res videtur obscurior the more I consider of this matter the more obscure it seemeth vnto me Cotta in i Ibid. Tullie said not amisse Quid non sit Deus citiùs quà m quid sit dixerim I can with more ease tell what God is not then what he is This goeth for a truth in the schooles k Aquin. par 1. qu 3. in principio De Deo scire non possumus quid sit sed quid non sit we cannot know of God what he is but what he is not So saith Saint l In psal 85. Augustine Facilius dicimus quid non sit quam quid sit Deus We can more easily say what God is not then what he is And what is he not The same father in his 23. Tract vpon the Gospell of S. Iohn will tell you Non est Deus corpus non terra non coelum non luna non Sol non Stellae non corporalia ista God is not a bodie he is not the earth he is not the Heauen he is not the Moone he is not the Sunne he is not the Starres he is not any of these corporall things From hence sprang those Negatiue attributes of God which we meete with either in the sacred volumes of the New Testament or in the writings of the ancient Fathers from hence is God said to be m 1. Tim. 1.17 immortall invisible n Rom. 1.23 vncorruptible o Bernard serm 6. Supra Cantica incorporeall p Aug. de verb. Apostoli Serm. 1. ineffable inestimable incomprehensible infinite q Bernard paruorum sermonum serm 51. immense vndiuided vnuariable vnchangeable All these shew vnto vs not what God is but what he is not And
except they be agreed Hitherto you haue had the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proposition of this first similitude now followeth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reddition of it Hitherto hath beene rei extrariae consideratio now followeth rei praesentis accommodatio hitherto the explication of the former part now the application of the latter Thus As it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed so it cannot be that the Prophets of the Lord should forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them This is the second of those fiue expositions wherof you heard in the beginning of this exercise It was the exposition of Lyra Hugo and Dionysius and is embraced by later Expositors by Paulus de Palatio Marthurinus Quadratus and Christophorus à Castro by Brentius and Winckleman by Caluin and Mercer The obseruation is The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them This truth Saint Peter expresly deliuereth Ep. 2. Chap. 1. vers 20 21. No prophecie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation for the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost The Prophets of the Lord spake not of their owne heads God spake in them Prophets They are criers and criers speake nothing but what is put into their mouthes Esay is a cryer He makes a noise after the manner of a cryer Esay 55.1 Hoe euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters The Lord bids him cry Esay 40.6 and he saith What shall I cry Then are the words put into his mouth All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field Iohn Baptist is a cryer So he stiles himselfe Ioh. 1.23 I am the voice of a cryer in the wildernesse And how crieth he Euen as the words are put into his mouth Prepare yee the way of the Lord make his pathes strait Prophets They are Trumpetors Their voice is like a Trumpet Esay 58.1 Crie aloud spare not Lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes They must set the trumpet to their mouthes Hos 8.1 They must blow the trumpet Ioel 2.1 But they must blow it with the breath of the Lord Otherwise it giueth but an vncertaine sound and a false alarum Prophets They are Watch-men Their office is to heare the Word at the Lords mouth and then to warne the people The charge is giuen them Ezech. 3.17 Sonne of man I haue made thee a watch-man vnto the house of Israel therefore heare the Word at my mouth and giue them warning from me This their charge is reiterated Ezech. 33.7 O sonne of man I haue set thee a watch-man vnto the house of Israel therefore thou shalt heare the Word at my mouth and warne them from me You see they are not to speake a word but they haue it from the Lord and accordingly must they warne the people Ieremie a Prophet He eats the words of the Lord Chap. 15.16 and is thereby fitted to his function Ezechiel a Prophet A hand is sent vnto him and loe a roule of a booke therein The roule is spread before him and is written within and without Within is written Lamentations and mournings and woe This roule he is commanded to eat He eats it So he goes and speakes vnto the house of Israel Ezech. 3.3 Saint Iohn the Diuine a Prophet too He sees an Angell with a little booke in his hand and begs the booke The Angell giues it him and bids him eat it He takes it and eats it Then is he fit to prophesie before many peoples and nations and Kings and tongues Reuel 10 11. The Prophets professe of themselues that they speake nothing besides the pure word of God Ioshua he saith to the children of Israel Come hither and heare the Word of the Lord your God Chap. 3.9 The words which I shall deliuer vnto you concerning what shall come to passe hereafter they are not my words they are the words of the Lord your God Esay calls vpon Heauen and Earth to heare Chap. 1.2 Heare O Heauens and giue eare O Earth for the Lord hath spoken The words which I now speake vnto you they are not my words they are the words of the Lord. Amos our Prophet he likewise calleth vpon the children of Israel in the beginning of this Chapter Heare this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel Heare it It is not my word it is the word of the Lord the Lord hath spoken it What more familiar in the writings of the Prophets than these formes of speech Thus saith the Lord Saith the Lord the burthen of the Word of the Lord the Word of the Lord came vnto me They all make for the authority of the Prophets of old and their prophesies From hence as also from that they are Eaters of the Word of God and are Watchmen and are Trumpeters and are Cryers its euident their prophesies were not of their owne wils they spake not of their owne heads God spake in them Thus the truth of my Doctrine stands inuiolable The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgement that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them Here first is a lesson for vs who succeed the Prophets in the Ministery of the Church We may not deliuer any thing vnto you but what wee haue gathered out of the Word of God Euery Minister of the New Testament should bee as Moses was of the Old Moses his charge was not to conceale any thing but to speake all Exod. 7.2 Thou shalt speake all that I command thee It is our part to doe the like It is our part to speake in the Name of God and in his Name alone to feed the flocke of Christ with his pure word and with his word alone and to doe it as learnedly as faithfully as sincerely as constantly as we may leauing the successe of all to him that hath sent vs and disposeth of all mens hearts at his pleasure So running our race we shall one day be at rest in eternall comfort fully deliuered from this vile world from wicked men from euill natures from such who are euer ready to take our best endeuours in the worst sense and to require our honest affections with their foule disgraces Here secondly is a lesson for you For you Beloued for all such as are the Auditors and hearers of the Word of God This duty of hearing is to be put in practice not dully but with diligence not heauily but with chearefulnesse as to the Lord. There is a generation of hearers that would seeme desirous to heare the Word preached but they would haue it of free
reuolted tribes the kingdome of Israel Some mention is made of Iuda incidently and by the way but the scope of the prophecie is Israel The time which was my last circumstance followeth In the dayes of Vzziah King of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel The time is set downe in generall and in particular First in generall thus In the dayes of Vzziah c. Vzziah or Ozias called also Azarias 2 King 14.21 succeeded his father Amazias in the throne of Iuda This he did in the 27th yeare of the reigne of Ieroboam in Israel as appeareth 2 King 15.1 That same Ieroboam that you may distinguish him from a former King of the same name is called in my text Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash Hereby we see in generall the time of his prophecie which is more particularly set downe in the last words two yeare before the earthquake Hee meaneth that same notable and famous earthquake mentioned also Zach. 14.5 Yee shall flie saith hee like as yee fled from the earthquake in the dayes of Vzziah King of Iuda In what yeare of Vzziahs reigne this earthquake hapned it is not to be collected out of holy scripture Flauius Iosephus Lib. 9. antiq Iudaie cap. 11. saith that this earthquake happened then when King Vzziah vsurping the Priests office went into the temple of the Lord to burne incense Ribera disproues Josephus his iudgement and saith that the earthquake happened within the fourteenth yeare of the reigne of Vzziah Some doe hold it was in the 22th yeare And the Hebrewes whom Funccius followeth in his Chronologie doe ascribe it to the 25. yeare For my part I say not in what yeare it happened Why should I speake where the holy spirit is silent It is out of doubt that there was such an earthquake in the dayes of Vzziah witnesse the Prophet Zacharie two yeares after Amos had begunne this propheticall function witnesse Amos here in my text Thus dearely beloued in the Lord haue I briefly run ouer the exposition of this first verse let mee now vpon it build some doctrine for the building vp of our selues in our holy faith You will be pleased to remember with me that Amos of a heardman or a shepherd became a blessed Prophet to carrie a terrible word and fearfull message from the liuing God to the King Nobles Priests and people of Israel The doctrine to be grounded hereupon I deliuer in this proposition God chuseth vile and despised persons to confound the great and mighty Vile and despised persons I call such as to the world to humane wisdome and to the eye of reason are of no price esteeme or worth Such as Ioseph was when he kept sheepe in Canaan with his brethren and was by them sold to the Ismaelites Gen. 37.2 27. Such as Moses was when first he was cast into the flags Exod. 2.1 Such as Dauid was while he medled with sheepfolds and followed the ewes great with young Psal 78.70 Such as were Peter Andrew Iames and Iohn while they busied themselues about mending of nets and catching of fish Matth. 4.18.21 These Joseph Moses and Dauid shepherds Peter Andrew Iames and Iohn fishermen vile and despised in the account of the world were chosen by the wisdome of the great God of heauen one to be a ruler in Egypt another to be a leader of Gods people the third to be a King the rest to be Christs Apostles Heare now a word of eternall verity and full of comfort You shall finde it Psal 113.7 8. The Lord who is high aboue all nations and glorious aboue the heauens he raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung to set him with Princes S. Pauls discourse touching this point is more large and spatious You shall find it 1 Cor. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and the weake things to confound the strong and vile things and things despised and things which are not to bring to nought the things that are The reason of Gods dealing thus in the aduancement of the foolish weak vile despised needy poor to places of dignity is expressed 1 Cor. 1.29 It is that no flesh should reioyce in his presence that is that no man should glory before the Lord. In this reason are two things worthy our religious considerations as Musculus well obserueth For hereby our God first suppresseth and beateth downe the pride of flesh and takes from it all glory of wisdome power and nobility and secondly whatsoeuer glory there is of wisdome power and nobilitie he doth claime and challenge it for his owne peculiar Thus haue you dearely beloued the confirmation of my doctrine The doctrine was God chooseth vile and despised persons to confound the great and mighty Be patient I beseech you while I point at some vses of it The first vse is to lift vp our minds to the contemplation of Gods good prouidence Poore shepherds and fishermen God exalteth and aduanceth into the highest places of dignitie in Church and common-wealth Hereby wee know that neither Empire nor Kingdome nor place in them of dignitie prioritie or preeminence Ecclesiasticall or politique is gotten by the industrie wisdome wit or strength of man but that all are administred ruled and gouerned by the deputation and ordination of the highest power God almightie A second vse is to stop blasphemous mouths such as are euermore open against heauen with i Cic. dâ—nat Deor. Epicurus and k Cic. ibid. Diagoras and their adherents to affirme that the God of heauen in as much as he is absolutely blessed is not to trouble himselfe with cares for this lower world that it standeth not with Gods maiesty to care for the vile abiect and despised things of this world This impious rabble and Sathans brood doe thinke that al things below the Moone are ruled by their blind Goddesse Fortune and by Chance Here must I beseech you to let your hearts be ioyned with mine in the consideration of God his sweet and neuer-sleeping care and prouidence ouer this lower world Let vs not suppose our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the moone a God vpon the mountaines and not in the vallies a God in the greater and not in the lesser employments The holy scriptures doe teach vs that our God examineth the least moments and tittles in the world that we can imagine to a l 1 King 17.14 handfull of meale to a m Ibid. cruse of oyle in a poore widowes house to the falling of n Mat. 10.29 sparrowes to the ground to the o Mat. 6.26 feeding of the birds of the aire to the p Psal 29.9 caluing of hinds to the q Mat. 6.30 See my 2 Ser. on Luk. 9. p. 32. clothing of the grasse of the field to the r Luk. 12.7 numbring of the haires of
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 in iudgement or to visit vs in mercy wee 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 darknesse of trouble of vexation of anguish thou Lord wilt translate vs to a better place a place of light where darknesse shall be no more a place of rest where trouble shall be no more a place of delight where vexation shall be no more a place of endlesse and vnspeakable ioyes where anguish shall be no more There this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall be swallowed vp of life Euen so be it THE Fourth Lecture AMOS 1.2 And hee said the Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepherds shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither IN my last exercise I entreated of the Speaker Now am I to entreat of the places from whence hee speaketh expressed in two names Sion and Ierusalem The Lord shall roare from Sion and 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 â—op whereof was another mountaine e Drusius obseru 14.21 Not. Iunius 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 enemies Against these Iebusites King Dauid came with a warlike power speedily surprised their fort built round about it dwelt in it and called it his g The City of Dauid owne City as appeareth 2 Sam. 5.9 This is the city of Dauid 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 owne City mount Sion Dauid 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 harps as is plaine by the story 1 Chron. cap. 15. and 16. Now began the holy exercises of religion duly to be obserued in this city of Dauid mount Sion was now the place of the Name of the Lord of boasts Hitherto belongeth that same excellent description and commendation 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 Dauid the holy mount Sion the Lord of hoasts whom the k 1 Kâ—ng 8.27 2 Chron. 6.18 Heauens and the Heauen of Heauens 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 literally 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 ouer Sion the hill of his holinesse Sion there is not to be vnderstood the terrestriall 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 euen the holy Church of Christ whereto doe appertaine the holy Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the vniuersall multitude of beleeuers throughout not only Israel but the whole world Sion in this signification is obuious in holy Scripture To which sense by the daughters of Sion in the m Psal 149. â— Psalmes of Dauid in n Cantic 3.11 Salomons song in the prophecies of o Esay 3 16 17. Psaâ— 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 Heauen as learned Drusius in his notes vpon my text obserueth The like obseruation 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 wherof Sion is a type Sion the holy one of Israel whose walls are saluation and gates praise or the Heauen of Heauens 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 Martyr in 2 Sam. 5.6 from both these names Iâ—bus and Salem 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 distich Solyma Luza Bethel Ierosolyma Iebus Helia Vrbs sacra Ierusalem dicitur atque Salem In this distich 9. names of this one city are couched together Solyma Ierosolyma Ierusalem Iebus Salem Bethel Helia Luza the holy City Drusius obseruat 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 diuersly tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the city of Dauid 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 when Ierusalem flourished to haue q Psal 48.12 numbred her towers to haue considered her wals to haue marked her bulwarks and to haue told their posterity of it might haue made a report scarcely to haue bin beleeued This we know by Ps 48.4 5. When the Kings of the earth were gathered together and saw it they maruelled they were astonied and suddenly driuen backe Thus is Ierusalem taken
inflicted vpon the Syrians are generally set downe I note 1 Who punisheth 2 How he punisheth 3 Whom he punisheth The punisher is the Lord he punisheth by fire The punished are the Syrians to be vnderstood in the names of their Kings Hazael and Benhadad I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Benhadad The punisher is the Lord for thus saith the Lord I will send The note yeeldeth vs this doctrine It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes In speaking of the vengeance of God our first care must bee not to derogate any thing from his procliuitie and propensnes vnto mercy We must breake out into the mention of his great goodnesse and sing a lowd of his mercies as Dauid doth Ps 145.7 The Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse he is louing and good to all his mercy is ouer all his works The Lord strong and mighty blessed aboue all yea being blessednesse it selfe and therefore hauing no need of any man is louing and good vnto euery man Our sinnes haue prouoked his vengeance against vs yet he slow to anger and of great goodnes reserueth mercy for thousands for all the elect and forgiueth all their iniquities transgressions and sinnes His goodnesse here resteth not it reacheth also vnto the reprobate though they caÌ„not feele the sweet comfort of it For he maketh his a Matth 5.45 sun to rise on the euill the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust yea many times the sunne and raine and all outward and temporary blessings are wanting to the iust and good when the vniust and euil do flourish and are in great prosperitie Thus is Gods graciousnesse great bountie extended vnto euery man whether he be a blessed Abel or a cursed Cain a loued Iacob or a hated Esau an elected Dauid or a reiected Saul God is louing and good vnto euery man the Psalmist addeth and his mercies are ouer all his workes There is not any one of Gods workes but it sheweth vnto others and findeth in it selfe very large testimonies of Gods mercy and goodnes I except not the damnation of the wicked much lesse the chastisements of the Godly Gods mercies are ouer all his workes Dauid knew it well and sang accordingly Psal 145 8. The Lord is gracious and mercifull long suffering and of great goodnesse Ionah knew it well and confessed accordingly chap. 4.2 Thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of euill The Church knowes it well and praies accordingly O God whose nature and propertie is euer to haue mercy and to forgiue receiue our humble petitions Dauid Ionah and the Church all haue learned it at Gods owne mouth who hauing descended in a cloud to mount Sinai passed before the face of Moses and cryed as is recorded Exod. 34.6 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne In which place of Scripture although afâ—erward there followeth a little of his iustice which hee may not forget yet we see the maine streame runneth concerning mildnesse and kindnesse and compassion wherby wee may perceiue what it is wherein the Lord delighteth His delight is to be a sauiour a deliuerer a preseruer a redeemer and a pardoner As for the execution of his iudgements his vengeance and his furie he comes vnto it with heauy and leaden feet To which purpose Zanchius alleageth that of the Prophet Esai chap. 28.21 The Lord shall stand as once he did in mount Perazim when Dauid ouercame the Philistines he shall be angry as once he was in the valley of Gibeon when Ioshua discomfited the fiue Kings of the Amorites he shall stand he shall be angry that he may doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act out of which words of the Prophet he notes that Gods workes are of two sorts either proper vnto himselfe and naturall as to haue mercy and to forgiue or else strange and somewhat diuers from his nature as to be angry and to punish I know some doe expound these words otherwise vnderstanding by that strange worke and strange act of God there mentioned Opus aliquod insolens admirabile some such worke as God seldome worketh some great wonder Notwithstanding this naturall exposition of that place the former may well be admitted also For it is not altogether vnnaturall being grounded vpon such places of Scripture as doe make for the preeminence of mercy aboue iustice It 's true God hath one skale of iustice but the other proues the heauier mercy doth ouerweigh He who is euer iust is mercifull more then euer if it may be possible He may forget our iniquities but his tender mercies he will neuer forgeâ— This our Lord good mercifull gracious and long suffering is here in my text the punisher and sendeth fire into the house of Hazael whereupon I built this doctrine It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This office of executing vengeance vpon the wicked for sinnes God arrogateth and assumeth to himselfe Deut. 32 35. where he saith vengeance and recompense are mine This due is ascribed vnto the Lord by S. Paul Rom. 12.19 It is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. By the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 10.30 Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the Lord. By the sweet singer Psal 94.1 O Lord God the auenger O God the auenger You see by these now-cited places that God alone is hee who executeth vengeance vpon the wicked for their sins This doctrine is faithfully deliuered by the wise sonne of Syrach chap. 39 where he saith Vers 28. There be spirits that are created for vengeance which in their rigour lay on sure strokes in the time of destruction they shew forth their power accomplish the wrath of him that made them Fire and haile and famine death Vers 29. all these are created for vengeance The teeth of wilde beasts Vers 30. and the scorpions and the serpents and the sword execute vengeance for the destruction of the wicked Nay saith he Vers 26. The principall things for the whole vse of mans life as water and fire and yron and salt and meale and wheat and hony and milke and the bloud of the grape and oile and cloathing Vers 27. All those things though they be for good vnto the godly yet to the sinners they are turned vnto euill So my doctrine standeth good It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes And you see he hath waies enough to do it All things that may be for our good are glad to do him seruice against vs. The consideration hereof should moue our hearts
to wisdom It should moue vs b Hereof I spake in a Sermon vpon Hebr. 10.30 to beware of those crying sinnes vsually committed against the first table that we prouoke not Gods vengeance against vs by Idolatrie in worshiping the creature aboue the creator blessed for euer by tempting God in making triall whether his word be true or not by murmuring against God in laying iniustice to his charge quod bonis male fit malis bene for afflicting the godly when the wicked liue at ease by rebellion and contumacie in taking counsell together against the Lord against his Christ by blasphemy in doing despite to the Spirit of grace It may moue vs also to beware of those other sins crying sins too vsually committed against the second table that we prouoke not Gods vengeance against vs by dishonouring our parents and such as God hath put in place of gouernment aboue vs by grieuing our children and such as are by vs to be gouerned by oppressing the fatherlesse and the poore by giuing our selues ouer vnto filthy lusts Beloued in the Lord let vs not forget this though God bee good gracious mercifull and long suffering yet is hee also a iust God God the auenger and punisher Here we see he resolueth to send a fire into the house of Hazael which is the second thing to be considered How God punisheth By fire I will send a fire c. Albeit sometime God himselfe doth by himselfe immediately execute his vengeance vpon the wicked as when he smote all the first borne of Egypt Exod. 12.29 and Nabal 1. Sam. 25.38 and Vzzah 2. Sam 6.7 yet many times he doth it by his instruments c Wigand Syntagm Vet. Test Instrumenta sunt tota creatura Dei All the creatures of God are ready at his command to be the executioners of his vengeance Among the rest and in the first ranke is fire God sent a fire to lay wast Sodom and Gomorah and their sister cities Gen. 19.24 to eate vp Nadab and Abihu Leuit 10.2 to cut of the two hundred and fifty men that were in the rebellion of Korah Num. 16.35 to deuoure two captaines twise fifty men 2. King 1.10 12. I will not load your memories with multitude of examples for this point My text telleth you that fire Gods creature becommeth Gods instrument executioner of his vengeance I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Benhadad By fire in this place the learned d Lyranus Drusius Ar. Montanus Mercer Caluin Gualter expositors doe vnderstand not only naturall fire but also the sword and pestilence and famine quod libet genus consumptionis euery kind of consumptiō euery scourge wherewith God punisheth the wicked and disobedient be it haile or thunder or sicknes or any other of Gods messengers So farre is the signification of fire though not in the naturall yet in the Metaphorical vnderstanding extended The doctrine which from hence I gather is As is the fire so are all other creatures at the Lords commandement to bee imployed by him in the punishment of the wicked This truth well appeareth by that which I euen now repeated out of Eccles 39. whence you heard that some spirits are created for vengeance as also are fire and haile and famine and death and the teeth of wild beasts and the scorpions and the serpents and the sword yea that the principall things for the whole vse of mans life as water and fire and yron and salt and meale wheat and hony and milke and the bloud of the grape and oile cloathing are all for euill vnto the wicked If that proofe because the booke whence it is taken is Apocryphall like you not giue care I pray you while I proue it out of Canonicall Scripture The doctrine to be proued is Fire and all other creatures are at the Lords commandement to be imploied by him in the punishment of the wicked I proue it by the seruice of Angels and other creatures 2 King 19.35 we read of an hundred fourscore and fiue thousand in the camp of Ashur slaine by an Angell of the Lord. The thing is related also Esay 37.36 This ministerie of Gods Angels Dauid acknowledgeth Psal 35.5 6. where his prayer against his enemies is that the Angell of the Lord might scatter and persecute them 1. Sam. 7.10 we read that the Lord did thunder a great thunder vpon the Philistines Ezech. 14. wee read how the Lord punisheth a sinfull land with his e Ezech. 14.21 foure sore iudgements the sword pestilence famine and noysome beasts The story of Gods visitation vpon Pharaoh and the Egyptians in Exod. chap. 8 9. and 10. is fit for my purpose You shall there find that frogs lice flies grashoppers thunder haile lightning murraine botches sores did instrumentally auenge God vpon man and beast in Egypt Adde hereto what you read Psal 148.8 fire and haile and snow and vapours and stormy winds doe execute Gods commandement Thus is my doctrine proued As is the fire so are all other creatures at the Lords commandement to be imployed by him in the punishment of the wicked The vse of this doctrine is to teach vs how to behaue our selues at such times as God shall visit vs with his rod of correction how to carry our selues in all our afflictions We must not so much looke to the instruments as to the Lord that smiteth by them Here set we before our eyes holy King Dauid His patience be it the patterne of our Christian imitation When Shimei a man of the family of the house of Saul came out against him cast stones at him and railed vpon him calling him to his face a man of blood and a man of Belial a murtherer and a wicked man the good King did not as he was wished to doe he took not away the murtherers life but had respect to the primus motor euen Almighty God the first mouer of this his affliction Shimei he knew was but the instrument And therefore thus saith he to Abischai 2. Sam. 16.10 He curseth because the Lord had bidden him curse Dauid and who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him Here also set we before our eies holy Iob. His patience be it the patterne of our Christian imitation The losse of all his substance his children by the Sabeans Chaldeans fire from heauen and a great wind from beyond the wildernesse could not turne away his eies from the God of heauen to those second causes They he knew were but the instruments And therefore possessing his soule in patience he said Iob. 1.21 Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. To these instances of Dauid and Iob adde one more that of the blessed Apostles Peter Iohn the rest Act. 4.27
lift vs vp Iames 4.10 1 Pet. 5.6 2 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we from hence to tremble at Gods iudgements to feare them to stand in awe of them to quake and quiuer 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 89.8 terrible in his works Psal 66.3 terrible in his doings toward the sons of men Psal 66.5 terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.13 To passe ouer with silence many places of holy Scripture in which God is termed a terrible God let vs confesse with the Psalmist Psal 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to be feared who shall stand in thy sight when thou art angry Here are they worthily to be taxed and censured who are so far from fearing Gods iugdements 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 Thunder The story is deliuered by Perkins in his p Printed at Cambridâ—e in 4o. 1596. p. 36. Alsted Theolog. Catechet Sect. 2. pag. 180. exposition of the Creed in these words One being with his companion in a house drinking on the Lords day when he was ready to depart thence there was great lightning and thunder whereupon 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 goe and so went on his iourney but before he came halfe a mile from the house the same hand of the Lord which before he had mocked in a cracke of thunder strucke him about the girdle steed that he fell downe starke dead A memorable example brought home as it were to our doores to put vs in minde of Gods heauy wrath against those which scorne his iudgements Let vs beloued be wise vpon it and at euery iudgement of God tremble and feare and confesse as before out of Psal 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to be 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 wauering and doubting touching our saluation Thus No thing nor creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose God is able to doe whatsoeuer he will doe he will doe whatsoeuer he hath promised to doe he hath promised to giue eternall life to all that beleeue in Iesus Christ How then can I who doe beleeue or any other who doth beleeue in Iesus Christ doubt of mine or their saluation Vpon this rocke of Gods omnipotency Abrahams faith stood vnshaken as appeareth Rom. 4. Abraham he doubted not of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith And how Because he was fully assured that the same God who had promised was able also to doe it This ablenesse of God Abraham opposed to his owne weaknesse 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 body euen now dead being almost a hundred yeares old neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe he had 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 righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse if we beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead who was deliuered 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 vnbeleefe we must euer 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 be able to forgiue thee thy sinnes But thou wilt say I am a great sinner and I say Sedille omnipotens est But God is Almighty Thou repliest and saiest My sins are such as from which I cannot be deliuered and cleansed and I answer Sed ille omnipotens est But God is Almighty Almighty able to doe all things greater or lesser celestiall or terrestriall immortall or mortall spirituall or corporall inuisible or visible Magnus in magnis neque paruus in minimis great in great businesses and not little in the least No thing or creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose THE Tenth Lecture AMOS 1.5 I will breake also the barre of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captiuity vnto Kir NOw proceed we to the other clauses of the last part of this prophecie against the Syrians The second clause is I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen 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 immediately by himselfe or mediately by his instruments 2 The punishment to be vnderstood in those phrases of cutting off and going into captiuitie 3 The punished the Syrians noted in these names Bikeath-Auen Beth-eden Aram. Let vs examine the words of the text as they lie in order I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen I the Lord Iehouah a See lect 9. who remoue mountaines and they feele not when I ouerthrow them who remoue the earth out of her place and make her pillars to shake who my selfe alone spread out the heauens and walke vpon the height of the sea I the Lord Iehouah who doe great things and vnsearchable maruellous things and without number I the Lord Iehouah who haue resolued to send a fire into the house of Hazael which shall deuoure the palaces of Benhadad and haue resolued to breake the barres of Damascus I will also cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and 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 Metaphor drawne ab excisione
Whatsoeuer things are true and honest and iust and pure and doe pertaine to loue and are of good report if there bee any vertue or praise thinke we on these things Thinke we on these things to doe them and we shall not need to feare any going into captiuity yea the destroying Angell shall haue no power ouer vs the raging waters shall not hurt vs our cattell and whatsoeuer else we enioy shall prosper vnder vs. For God euen our owne God shall giue vs his blessing THE Twelfth Lecture AMOS 1.6 7 8. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure I will not turne to it because they carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Azzah and it shall deuoure the Palaces thereof And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon and turne mine hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God THese words doe containe a burthensome prophecie against the Philistines I diuide them into three parts 1 A preface to a prophecie vers 6. Thus saith the Lord. 2 The prophecie vers 6 7 8. For three transgressions c. 3 The conclusion in the end of the eighth verse Saith the Lord God In the prophecie I obserue foure parts 1 An Accusation of the Philistines vers the 6. For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure 2 The Lords protestation against them vers the 6. I will not turne to it 3 The declaration of that grieuous sin by which the Philistines so highly displeased God vers the 6. They carried away prisoners the whole captiuity to shut them vp in Edom. 4 The description of the punishments to be inflicted vpon them in fiue branches One in the seuenth verse and foure in the eighth verse The great Cities Azzah and Ashdod and A hkelon and Ekron and all the rest of the Philistines are partners in this punishment This prophecy for the tenor and current of the words is much like the former against the Syrians the exposition whereof in sundry sermons heretofore deliuered may serue for the exposition of this prophecie also The preface is first Thus saith the Lord Not Amos but in Amos the Lord. The Lord Iehouah who made the heauens and spread them out like a curtaine to cloath himselfe with light as with a garment and can againe cloath the heauens with darknesse and make a sacke their couering the Lord Iehouah who made the sea to lay the beames of his chamber therein and placed the sands for bounds vnto it by a perpetuall decree neuer to be passed ouer howsoeuer the waues thereof shall rage and roare and can with a word smite the pride thereof at his rebuke the flouds shall be turned into a wildernesse the sea shall be dried vp the fish shall rot for want of water and die for thirst the Lord Iehouah who made the drie land and so set it vpon foundations that it should neuer moue and can couer her againe with the deepe as with a garment and so rocke her that she shall reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man Thus saith the Lord The Lord Iehouah whose throne is the heauen of heauens and the sea his floure to walke in and the earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sitteth in the heart of man and possesseth his most secret reines and diuideth betwixt the flesh and the skinne and shaketh his inmost powers as the thunder shaketh the wildernesse of Cades Thus saith the Lord Hath he said it and shall he not doe it hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it The Lord Iehouah the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are yea and Amen Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or any one tittle of his word shall escape vnfulfilled Thus saith the Lod Out of doubt then must it come to passe Here see the authority of this prophecie and not of this only but also of all other the prophecies of holy Scripture that neither this nor any other prophecy of old is destitute of diuine authority This point of the authority of holy Scripture I deliuered vnto you in my second and sixt Lectures vpon this Prophecie and then noted vnto you the harmony consent and agreement of all the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles from the first vnto the last not one of them spake one word of a naturall man in all their ministeries the words which they spake were the words of him that sent them they spake not of themselues God spake in them Whensoeuer were the time whatsoeuer were the meanes whosoeuer were the man wheresoeuer were the place whatsoeuer were the people the words were the Lords Thus saith the Lord Then must we giue eare vnto him with reuerence But what saith hee Euen the words of this Prophecie For three transgressions of Azzah and foure I will not turne it Azzah Palestina the country of the Philistines was diuided into fiue Prouinces or Dutchies mentioned Iosh 13.3 the Dutchies of Azzah of Ashdod of Askelon of Gath of Ekron These fiue chiefe and the most famous Cities of Palestina are recorded also 1 Sam. 6.17 where the Philistines are said to haue giuen for a sinne offering to the Lord fiue golden Emerods one for Azzah one for Ashdod one for Askelon one for Gath and one for Ekron Against foure of these Cities all saue Gath and against Gath too in the generall name of the Philistines this prophecie was giuen by the ministery of Amos. In the offence or blame Azzah is alone nominated but in the punishment are Ashdod and Askelon and Ekron and the residue of the Philistines remembred as well as Azzah Azzah It 's first named Gen. 10.19 In the vulgar Latine and in the Greeke it 's commonly called Gaza it hath no other name in the new Testament but Gaza It 's so called Act. 8.26 And you may call it by which name you will Azzah or Gaza it 's not materiall Now by this Azzah or Gaza you are to vnderstand the inhabitants of the City and not them only but also the borderers all the inhabitants of the country adiacent to all which our Prophet here denounceth Gods iudgements for their sins For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure These words containing an accusation of the Philistines for their sins and the protestation of Almighty God against them for the same I haue heretofore in my sixt Lecture at large expounded occasioned thereto by the beginning of the third verse and therefore I shall not need at this time to make any long iteration thereof Yet let me relate vnto you the summe and substance of them For three transgressions of Azzah c. It is as if the Lord had thus said If the
all the munitions in the world to the great God of Heauen and Earth b Psal 68.2 As the smoake vanisheth so doe they vanish and as the wax melteth before the fire so melt they at the breath of the Lord. The munitions of Edom they faile before him Edom the kingdome of Edom vpon which God stretched the line of vanitie and the stones of emptinesse as witnesseth the Prophet Esay Chap. 34.11 it is no more a kingdome it bringeth forth thornes in her Palaces nettles and thistles in her strong holds The munitions of Edom are vanished as smoake The munitions of Moab they faile before him Moab the kingdome of Moab had a strong staffe and beautifull rod as speaketh Ierem. Chap. 48.17 but they are broken Moab is destroyed his Cities are burnt vp his strong holds are gone The munitions of Moab are vanished as smoake The munitions of Israel faile before him Israel the kingdome of Israel was Gods peculiar and shadowed vnder the wings of his protection yet at length infected with the leprosie of sinne they were spoiled of their strong holds so saith Hoseah Chap. 10.14 A tumult shall arise among the people and all thy munitions shall be destroyed The munitions of Israel are vanished as smoake The munitions of Iudah faile before him Iudah the kingdome of Iudah great among the Nations and a Princesse among the Prouinces she is now become tributary as complaineth the Prophet Lament 1.1 The Lord hath destroyed c Lament 2.2 all the habitations of Iaacob and hath not spared he hath throwne downe in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Iudah he hath cast them downe to the ground The munitions of Iudah are vanâ—shed as smoake Let these few instances in the states of Edom Moab Israel and Iudah serue for proofe of my doctrine No munition can saue that city which God will haue destroyed You will remember the reason of it because there is no strength but of God and from God The vse of this doctrine is to teach vs neuer to trust in any worldly helpe but so to vse all good meanes of our defense that still we rely vpon the Lord for strength and successe thereby See Serm. 4 vpon Iames 4.10 pag. 116. Beloued in the Lord we haue learned that a horse his helpe is vaine Psal 33.17 that mans helpe is vaine Psal 60.11 that the helpe of Princes is vaine Psal 146.3 that much strength is vaine 2 Chron. 25.7 that much wealth is vaine Psal 49.6 that all worldly helpes are vaine Esai 31.1 All vnder God is vanitie Wherefore now and all othertimes let our trust be onely in the name oâ— the Lord who hath made heauen and earth Thus much of my first doctrine grounded vpon the third circumstance of this seuenth verse the circumstance of the punished No munition can saue that citie which God will haue destroyed Againe this ouerthrow of the walls of Azzah in Gods anger teacheth vs thus much It is the good blessing of God vpon a kingdome to haue walls strong holds munitions fortresses and bulwarkes for a defe se against enemies The reason is because these be the meanes which God vsually blesseth to procure outward safety The vse is to teach vs carefully to prepare such against time of trouble yet with this caution that we rest not in them but depend wholly vpon Gods blessing And here we are to powre out our soules in thankfulnesse before Almightie God for blessing this our Countrey with the strength of walls of walls by sea and walls by land by sea with ships and at land with strong holds castles and fortresses by sea and land with men of wisdome and valour to bid battell to the proudest enemie that dare aduance himselfe against vs. Confesse we with Dauid Psal 18.2 The Lord is our rocke our fortresse hee that deliuereth vs our God our strength our shield the horne of our saluation and our refuge In him we trust and d Psal 56.11 feare not what man can doe vnto vs. Yet further The fire in Gods anger deuouring the palaces of Azzah teacheth vs that God depriueth vs of a great blessing when hee taketh from vs our dwelling houses This doctrine I commended to you in my Eight Lecture vpon this prophecie The truth is experimentally made good vnto vs by that great commodity or contentment that commeth to euery one of vs by our dwelling houses The vse of this doctrine is three-fold It teacheth vs 1. To be humbled before Almighty God whensoeuer our dwelling-houses are taken from vs 2. Since wee peaceably enioy our dwelling-houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory 3. To praise God continually for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling-houses Thus farre of the seuenth verse The eighth followeth And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holâ—â—th the scepter from Ashkelon Ashdod and Ashkelon were two chiefe Cities of Palaestina One of them as here it appeareth was the place of residence for the chiefe Ruler ouer that State To both Ashdod and Ashkelon to the inhabitants of Ashdod and the Scepter-bearer in Ashkelon to King and subiect Gods sore iudgement euen a cutting off is here threatned I will cut off the inhabitant of Ashdod Of the like iudgement in the same words you haue heard before in vers 5. threatned to the Syrians I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and him that holdeth the Scepter out of Beth-eden The words I then expounded at large the briefe or summe whereof is I the Lord Iehouah will cut off will vtterly destroy and root out the inhabitant not one alone but all and euery one of the inhabitants of Ashdod one of the fiue chiefe Cities of the Philistines And I will vtterly destroy or root out him that holdeth the Scepter the Philistines their chiefe Ruler their King making his residence at Ashkelon another of the fiue Cities of Palaestina I will cut off the inhabitant of Ashdod and him that holdeth the Scepter from Ashkelon In the words I obserue as before three circumstances 1 The punisher the Lord I. 2 The punishment a cutting off I will cut off 3 The punished the inhabitants of Ashdod and the Scepter-bearer of Ashkelon By the first circumstance the Lord himselfe taking vengeance into his owne hands you may be remembred of a doctrine often commended to you in this and other Lectures It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes From all three circumstances of the punisher the punishment and the punished ioyntly considered we may take a profitable lesson We see that the cutting off of the inhabitants of Ashdod and of him that holdeth the Scepter from Ashkelon is the Lords proper worke The lesson which we learne from hence is No calamity or misery befalleth any one or whatsoeuer estate or degree by chance or at aduenture This doctrine I handled at large in my tenth Lecture The truth of it dependeth vpon this
dust of the earth in a measure weighes the mountaines in a weight and the hils in a ballance God! incorporeall inuisible spirituall passing all 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 words 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 seat 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 conceits to some knowledge of the euerliuing God In this regard by the wisdome of the same spirit among many other members Hâ—nds are also ascribed vnto God and that in many places yet not in euery place to one and the same sense and vnderstanding It s noted by the q Cont. 13. cap. 4. Magdeburgenses out of Innocentius that the hand of God doth beare diuers offices among vs officia creatoris largientis protegentis minantis the offices of a Creator liberall giuer protector and threatner Hands are ascribed vâ—â— God sometime to shew that he is the Creator of all things 〈◊〉 Psal 119.73 Thy hands haue made me and fashioned me sometime to shew his liberality to all liuing things as Psal 145.16 Thou openest thy hand and fillest all things liuing 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 he hid me and sometime to shew his readinesse to bee auenged 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 and the benefits redounding thence to man mans being and his well-being may easily be proued In the second chapter of the book of Iudges ver 15. we read that the Lords hand was against the Israelites for euill the collection thence may be that the Lords hand is sometime toward some for good It is made plaine out of Neh. 2.8 where the Prophet to shew how ready Artaxerxes was to doe 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 and the effects thereof may be proued as easily When the Israelites forsaking God betooke themselues to serue Baalim the hand of the Lord was sore against them Iudg. 2.15 the Lords hand that is his iudgement punishment and reuengement was sore vpon them the wrath of the Lord was hot against them he deliuered them into the hands of the spoilers they were spoiled sold to the enemies and sore punished When the Philistines had brought the arke of God into the house of Dagon the hand of the Lord was heauy vpon them 1 Sam. 5.6 the Lords hand that is his iudgement punishment and reuengement was heauy vpon them * Psal 78.64 â—â— The Lord awaked as one out of sleepe and like a Giant refreshed with wine hee 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 fauour of God as Zach. 13.7 I will turne my hand vpon my little ones My little ones when the shepherd shall be smitten and the sheepe scattered I will recouer with my hand and preserue them for euer I will gather them together I will comfort them I will defend them rursus ad pastorem praeceptorem suum reducam saith Ribera though they be scattered I will bring them backe againe to their owne shepherd 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 euill This is auerred and iustified by the infallible predictions of other Prophets Zachary chap. 9.5 foretelleth that much sorrow shall betide Ekron Zephany chap. 2.4 saith that Ekron shall be 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 euen desolation and astonishment a hissing and 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 finde 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 seat able at one time to giue entertainment to fiue Princes Against both city and dukedome Gods hand was stretched out I wi l 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 flie vnto from his presence None No corner in Hell no mansion in Heauen no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the sea no darke dungeon in the land of captiuity no place of any secrecy any where can hide vs from the presence of God Witnesse two holy Prophets Dauid 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 hand of God when he is disposed to punish One vse hereof is to teach vs to take patiently whatsoeuer afflictions shall befall vs. Afflictions I call whatsoeuer is any way opposite to humane nature such as are the temptations of the flesh the world and the Deuill the diseases of the body an infortunate husband or wife rebellious children vnthankfull friends losse of goods reproaches slanders warre pestilence famine imprisonment death euery crosse and passion bodily or ghostly proper to our selues or appertaining to such as are of our bloud priuate or publike secret or manifest either by our owne deserts gotten or otherwise imposed
vpon vs. All and euery of these true Christians will patiently vndergoe For they with their sharp-sighted eie of faith doe clearely see the Hand of God in euery of their molestations and in great contentment they take vp the words of patient Iob Chap. 2.10 Shall wee receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill Here let euery afflicted soule examine it selfe how it is affected with the affliction vnder which it groaneth If you esteeme of your afflictions as of God his fatherly chastisements and so endure them blessed are ye Of this blessednesse Saint Iames Chap. 1.12 doth assure you Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Againe is it true Is there no safe being in City or Country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A second vse of this doctrine is to admonish vs that we labour aboue all things to obtaine Gods fauour and to abide in it so shall we be safe from the feare of euill Now for the obtaining of Gods fauour we must doe foure things We must 1. Humble our selues before God 2. Beleeue in Christ 3. Repent of our sinnes 4. Performe new obedience vnto God The time will not suffer me to enlarge these points Humiliation faith in Christ repentance and a new life these foure will be vnto you as Iacobs ladder was vnto the Angels Of that ladder you may reade Gen. 28.12 that it stood vpon the earth the top of it did reach to heauen and the Angells of God went vp it So may you by these foure Humiliation Faith Repentance and Newnesse of life as it were by so many steps and rounds of a ladder climbe vp to heauen Here you haue no continuing Citie you are but strangers and pilgrims on the earth your countrey is aboue the Celestiall Ierusalem there let your hearts be As for the afflictions vexations tribulation miseries and crosses wherewith this mortall life of yours is seasoned let them be your ioy They are sure pledges of Gods loue vnto you Euen so saith the Spirit Hebr. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth Thirdly is it true Is there no safe being in citie or countrie from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A third vse of this doctrine is for the terrour of such as lie wallowing in the filthinesse of their sins Many there are wicked wretches who if God shall for a time deferre the punishments due vnto their sinnes are ready to thinke that God takes no notice of their sinnes These say in their heart there is no God Against these is made that challenge Psal 50.21 I hold my tongue and thâ—u thoughtest me like thy selfe I the Lord who see the secrets of all hearts I hold my tongue I did not by my iudgements punish thee for the wickednesse of thy steps I hold my tongue and thou thoughtest me like thy selfe thou thoughtest I tooke pleasure in wickednesse as thou doest but thou shalt finde and feele the contrary Strange are the effects wrought in the wicked by the mercies and long suffering of God thereby they grow worse and worse obdurate and hardned in their sinnes Yet let them be aduised for they day will come and it comes apace wherein they shall feele the heauinesse of that hand which here was turned against Ekron I will turne my hand to Ekron It followeth And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish The Philistines had their beginning from Casluchim a grand-childe of Chane the accursed issue of Noah as appeareth Gen. 10.14 They were seated in a part of the Land of Canaan the west part that which bordereth vpon the great Sea the Sea commonly called the Mediterranean Their Country was called by Ptolemee and others Palaestina and by the Greeks Phoenicia It was a part of that countrey which once was called Terra promissionis the Land of promise but now Terra Sancta the Holy Land The inhabitants in our Prophets time were professed enemies to Almighty God and his beloued Israel They thought themselues safe from ruine through the strength of their fiue Dukedomes Azzah Ashdod Ashkelon Gath and Ekron But vaine and foolish are the thoughts which possesse the wicked When the God of all truth shall giue his word for a matter shal man presume to doubt of the euent Here God sets his word vpon it that there shall be an vtter ouerthrow not onely of Azzah Ashdod Ashkelon and Ekron but of Gath also and all the villages belonging thereunto for the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God Ait Dominus Iehouth saith the Lord God This is the conclusion of this prophecie and it redoubleth its authoritie and credit Authoritie and credit sufficient it hath from its very front verse 6. Thus saith the Lord it is here redoubled saith the Lord God Saith the Lord God hath the Lord God said it and r 〈◊〉 23 19. shall he not doe it hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it The Lord Iehouâ—h the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lye not as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are Yea and Amen Å¿ Matth. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of his word shall escape vnfulfilled Dominus Iehouth the Lord hath said it that the remnant of the Philistines shall perish Out of doubt then must it come to passe And so is it The first blow which the Philistines receiued towards their ouerthrow after this prophecie was giuen them aboue three-score yeares after by Ezechius that good King of Iudah of whom the Prophet Esay Chap. 14.29 foretelleth the Philistines that he should be vnto them as a Cockatrice and a fiery â—â—ring Serpent This Ezechius smote the Philistines vnto Azzah and the coasts thereof from the watch-tower vnto the defensed Citie This is plaine 2 King 18.8 A second blow was giuen by Tartan one of the Captaines of Sennacherib or Sargon King of Assyria who came vp against Ashdod and tooke it This is plaine Esay 20.1 A third blow was giuen them by Pharaoh Neco and hee smote Azzah Ashkelon and other places This is it which the Prophet Ieremy saith Chap. 47.5 Baldnesse is come vpon Azzah Ashkelon is cut vp with the rest of their valleys In a word God hath from time to time raised vp his men of war in due time to extirpate and raze out the Philistines from the face of the earth that according to the tenour of this Prophecy there might be no remnant of them The remnant of the Philistines shall perish Here may we obserue a difference in Gods punishments he punisheth the reprobate and he punisheth his elect but differently the reprobate to their vtter excision and extirpation not so the elect For of them there is vpon the
remoue a neighbours land-markeâ— In which respect the old Romans worshipped Terminus for a God Terminus which signifieth a bound limit meere buttle or land-marke was in their account a God God of their bounds limits or markes of their seuerall fields meddowes and pastures and such a God as should not giue place to Iupiter himselfe To this Terminus they held a feast in Februarie and called it Terminalia as Austine witnesseth in his bookes De Ciuitate Dei Lib. 5. c. 21. lib. 7. c. 7. Now if the heathenish blinde and superstitious Romans trained vp in Natures schoole did so highly esteem of the preseruation and maintenance of bounds and limits how are we trained vp in the schoole of Grace to esteeme thereof In the schoole of Grace a law is giuen Deut. 19.14 Thou shalt not remoue thy neighbours marke To obey this law we are charged vpon a curse Deut. 27.17 Cursed bee hee that remoueth his neighbors marke It is Gods owne ordinance that bounds and limits and marks are appointed to euerie mans possessions This may be gathered out of Deut. 32.8 The most high God diuided to the nations their inheritances hee separated the sons of men hee did set the bounds of nations The meaning is the Lord pitched the bounds oâ— Kingdomes at such time as it pleased him that the nations should be diuided asunder Yet wee see how the couetous ambition and vnsatiable desire of some Princes in the world haue put all out of order how there is nothing so holy that can stay them from incroaching vpon the bounds of their neighbours and next borderers Sennacherib King of Assyria was a stout offended in this kinde Hee boasted of his inuasions and victories vpon his neighbour countries But that other Princes may take example by him he was made a peculiar example of diuine iudgement For as he trangressed the bounds of his neighbor Princes to their ouerthrow so did his owne sons transgresse the bounds of nature to the losse of his their fathers life As it appeareth by Esai 37.38 As Sennacherib was in the temple worshipping Nisroch his God Adramelech and Sharezer his sons slue him with the sword And by my Text you see what iudgements God threatneth to the Ammonites for their vnlawfull practices to enlarge their borders So my doctrin is established The nation that is not content with her owne borders but inuadeth her neighbour countries sinneth grieuously The vse of this Doctrine may concerne vs here assembled As Princes ought to hold themselues contented with their owne bounds so ought euerie priuate man also God hath also separated their possessions one from another to the end that all might liue and communicate one with another and that there might be no confused disorder But beloued in the Lord how do we stand to this order set by Almightie God Do we not seek daily to peruert it God would haue it kept most holy but we care not for it Our couetousnesse carrieth vs away we would still be greater Wee ioyne house to house and field to field as it is in Esai 5 8 that we may be placed by our selues in the middest of the earth Were our Fathers so ambitious They were content with such bounds as their ancestors left them but we must haue them altered if not enlarged The diuinely-inspired Dauid tels vs Psal 37.3 that if we dwell in the land where God hath placed vs we shall verily be fed We should learne of S. Paul Philip. 4 11. in whatsoeuer state we are therewith to be content Knowing it to bee true which the same Apostle auoweth vnto Timothy Ep. 1. chap. 6. vers 6. that Godlinesse is great gaine if wee will be content with that we haue Thus much of the 13. verse THE Twentieth Lecture AMOS 1.14 15. Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battell and with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde And their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together saith the Lord. HEre wee haue the denunciation of the iudgements of God against the children of Ammon for their sinnes This iudgement is in the 14. verse set downe 1. In a generalitie 2. With some circumstances First in a generalitie Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof Secondly with some circumstances as that it should be full of terrour and speedy and of lâ—rge extent Full of terrour with shouting in the day of battell Speedy with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde Of large extent For it was to fall vpon not only the meaner sort of the people but vpon the Nobilitie also yea and vpon the King himselfe which is plaine by the 15. verse Their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together First let vs weigh this iudgement of God as it is set downe in a generalitie I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof This iudgement for substance is no other than that which you haue heretofore heard out of this Chapter to haue beene denounced from Almightie God against the Syrians Philistines Tyrians and Edomites Against the Syrians vers 4. I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ben-hadad Against the Philistines vers 7. I will send a fire vpon the wals of Azzah and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof Against the Tyrians vers 10. I will send a fire vpon the wals of Tyrus and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof Against the Edomites vers 12. I will send a fire vpon Teman and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah Betweene those denunciations and this you see no great difference In those Thus saith the Lord I will send a fire in this thus I will kindle a fire I will send a fire and I will kindle a fire the substance in both is the same And therefore as in those I haue done so doe I in this I commend to your Christian and religious considerations certaine circumstances 1 Of the punisher the Lord I will kindle 2 Of the punishment by fire A fire 3 Of the punished The wals of Rabbah and the palaces thereof These circumstances are in this iudgement of God as it is set downe in a generalitie The first circumstance concerneth the punisher the Lord for thus saith the Lord I will kindle a fire The note yeeldeth this doctrine It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This truth hath beene often confirmed vnto you Diuers â—e the vses of it 1 It may lesson vs to looke heedfully vnto our feet that wee walke not in the way of sinners to partake with them in their sinnes Sinnes are not tongue-tied they cry aloud vnto the Lord for vengeance 2 It may admonish vs not to intermeddle in the Lords office It is his office to execute
the wicked and so partake with them in the suddennesse of their downfalls A second vse is to minister a word of comfort Doe the wicked prosper and increase in riches Is pride a chaine vnto them Is crueltie their garment Doe their eyes stand out for fatnesse Haue they more than heart can wish Art thou meane while in trouble Art thou in want Do they oppresse thee Doe they wrong thee Yet be of good comfort Say not I haue cleansed my heart in vaine in vaine haue I washed my hands in innoc ncie but commit thy way vnto the Lord trust in him wait patiently vpon him yet a little while and the wicked shall not appeare thou shalt looke after his place and shalt not finde him For sudden destru tion shall befall him he shall be carried away as with a whirlewind in a tempestuous and stormie day Thus much of the fourteenth verse THE XXI Lecture AMOS 1.15 And their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together saith the Lord. IN my last Lecture I began the Exposition of the fourth part the commination or denunciation of iudgement and then I noted that this iudgement was set downe first in a generality Therefore will I kindle a fire c. vers 14. and secondly with some circumstances as that it should be full of terrour and speedy and of large extent Full of terrour With shouting in the day of battell Speedy With a tempest in the day of the whirlewind Of large extent For it was to reach vnto not only the meaner sort of people but to the Nobles also yea vnto the King himselfe vers 15. Their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together Of this iudgement as it is deliuered in a generalitie as also of the terrour and speedinesse of it I discoursed in my last exercise The extent was left vntouched whereof at this time Their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together King and Princes both must into captiuitie What shall become of the Priests They shall be carried away too The Septuagint in their translation doe expresly affirme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings of Ammon shall goe into captiuitie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Priests and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Princes Their King shall goe into captiuitie their Priests and Princes likewise And this the Prophet Ieremie precisely auoucheth Chapter 49 3. where thundring out the threats of Gods iudgements against the children of Ammon he saith Their King shall goe into captiuity and his Priests and his Princes likewise The vulgar Latine and S. Hierome for their King doe reade Melchom Melchom shall goe into captiuity And what is Melchom It is the same with Milchom with Molech with Moloch Diuers words of one signification though differing in sound and termination Be it Melchom or Milchom or Molech or Moloch al is one It is but an Idoll So it is called by the Author of the vulgar Latine Leuit. 18.21 De semine tuo non dabis vt consecretur Idolo Moloch Thou shalt not giue thy children to consecrate them to offer them to the Idoll Moloch It is the abomination of the Ammonites So it is called 1 King 11.5 where it is said of old Salomon peruerted by his wiues that he followed Milchom the abomination of the Ammonites and vers 7. that he built an high place vnto Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon It is the God of the children of Ammon So it is called vers 33. where it is giuen for a reason why the Lord would rent from Salomon the kingdom of Israel because he forsooke the Lord and worshipped Milchom the god of the Ammonites You see what Melchom is It is the god of the Ammonites not the true God for he is the God of all the world but the God of the Ammonites an abomination an Idoll Yet did they worship it But how Moses tells you Deut. 12.31 They burnt their sonnes and daughters with fire and offered them to their gods This abomination of the Painyme Nations hatefull to the liuing God spread it selfe euen to the corrupting of the Lords people For to the children of Israel and to the children of Iudah it is obiected Ier. 32.35 That they built the high places of Baal which are in the valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sonnes and their daughters to passe thorow the fire of Molech And the expostulation of God with the house of Israel Ezech. 20.30 layes this home vnto them Are yee not polluted after the manner of your fathers Commit yee not whoredome after their abominations For when you offer your gifts and make your sonnes to passe thorow the fire you pollute your selues with your Idols It is registred among the praises of good King Iosiah 2 King 23.10 that he defiled or put downe and destroyed Topheth which was in the valley of the children of Hinnom that no man should make his sonne or his daughter passe thorow the fire of Molech By this which hath beene spoken you see what Melchom is and how it was worshipped An Idoll-god worshipped with the effusion of the bloud of innocents mens sons and daughters were consecrated vnto it thorow fire So haue you two readings of my text one Their King shall goe into captiuitie he and his Princes together the other Melchom shall goe into captiuitie c. Let vs now see what profitable doctrines may be taken from either for our further instruction and the reformation of our liues The first reading is according to the Hebrew Their King shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together according to the Septuagint Their King shall goe into captiuity their Priests and Princes likewise The doctrine arising hence is When God punisheth a nation with captiuitie for their sinnes he spareth neither Priests nor Prince nor King Tha◠captiuitie is an effect or punishment of sin I haue heretofore made plaine vnto you in my 11. Lecture vpon this first Chapter of Amos. Salomon saith it 1 King 8.46 When a people sinneth against the Lord and the Lord is angry with them the Lord deliuereth them vp to be caried away prisoners into the land of their enemies It is affirmed 1 Chron. 9.1 That the Israelites were caried away to Babylon for their transgressions And Deut. 28.41 among the curses threatned to such as will not obey the voice of the Lord their God Captiuity is reckoned Thou shalt beget sonnes and daughters but shalt not haue them for they shall goe into captiuity Looke backe but to the fifth verse of this Chapter there shall you finde it denounced against the people of Aram that they shall goe into captiuity And why But for their three and foure transgressions for their many sinnes and specially for threshing Gilead with threshing instruments of iron As you haue heard out of the third verse Thus you see againe that captiuity is an effect or punishment of sinne This punishment resteth not vpon the meaner sort of the
longer to presume vpon his patience It is true Dominus patiens the Lord is slow to anger but the Prophet Nahum Chap. 1.3 addeth also that he is great in power and surely will not cleare the wicked This long for bearance of God towards vs patientia est non negligentia you must call it patience it is not negligence Non ille potentiam perdidit sed nos ad poenitentiam reseruauit saith St Austine serm 102. de Tempore God hath not lost his power but hath reserued vs for repentance and quanto diuâ—ius Deus expectat tanto grauius vindicat How much the longer God expects and waits for our conuersion so much the more grieuously will he be auenged vpon vs if we repent not I shut vp all with that exhortation of Ecclesiasticus chap. 5.7 Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day To moue vs to this speedie conuersion he addes this reason for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance What remaineth but that we pray with Ieremie Chap. 31.18 Conuert thou vs O Lord and we shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord our God THE IIII. LECTVRE AMOS 2.4 5. Thus sayth the Lord For three trangressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they haue despised the Law of the Lord and haue not kept his commaundements and their lies caused them to erre after the which their Fathers haue walked But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem OVr Prophet Amos hath hitherto dealt with forraine Nations with the Syrians with the Philistines with the Tyrians with the Edomites with the Ammonites and with the Moabites Six in number All borderers vpon and professed enemies vnto the people of the Lord the type of the Church To each of these you haue heard the iudgements of God menaced his punishments threatned all which are accordingly fallen out Was not Amos his message from the Lord to the Israelites Why then doth he first foretell forraine nations their iudgements The reasons are three First that he might be the more patiently heard of his Countrymen friend and allies the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enemies could not but the more quietly heare him when he should prophecie against them also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici It is some comfort to a naturall distressed man to see his enemie in distresse also Secondly that they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against them in vengeance sith he would not spare the Syrians and other Nations though destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will Thirdly that they might the more stand in awe at the words of this prophecie when they should behold the Syrians and other their neighbours afflicted and tormented according to the haynousnesse of their iniquities Scitum est ex alijs periculum facere tibi quod ex vsu fiet It is a principle in Natures Schoole that we take example from other mens harmes how to order our wayes From this natures principle the people of Israell might thus haue argued Will not the Lord spare the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites How then can we presume that he will spare vs They silly people neuer knew the holy will of God yet shall they drinke of the cup of Gods wrath How then shal we escape who knowing Gods holy will haue contemned it You see now good reason our Prophet had though sent with a message to the ten tribes of Israel first to let forraine Nations vnderstand Gods pleasure towards them in respect of their sinnes From them he commeth to Gods owne peculiar people diuided after the death of King Salomon into two families or kingdomes Iudah and Israel First he prophecieth against Iudah in the 4. and 5. verses Thus sayth the Lord For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure c. Wherein I obserue two parts 1. A Preface Thus sayth the Lord. 2. A Prophecie For three transgressions of Iudah c. In the Prophecie we may obserue foure parts 1. A generall accusation of Iudah For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure 2. The Lords protestation against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof 3. An enumeration of some particular sinnes by which the Iewes prouoked God vnto displeasure Because they haue despised the Law of the Lord c. 4. A commination or denuntiation of iudgement against them vers the 5. But I will send a fire vpon Iudah and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem First of the Preface Thus saith the Lord It is like that gate of the Temple in a Act. 3.11 And 5.12 Salomons poarch which for the goodly structure thereof was called beautifull Act. 3.2 So is this enterance to my text very beautifull We haue alreadie beheld it six seuerall times fiue times as wee passed through the former Chapter and once at our first footing in this There is engrauen in it that same Tetragrammaton that great and ineffable name of God Iehovah Iohovah Curious haue the b See Lect. 1. Cabalists and Rabbins bin in their inuentions about this name They will not haue it to be pronounced nor taken within polluted lips They note that it is nomen tetragrammaton a name of foure letters of foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the name of God in all tongues and languages for the most part consisteth of foure letters and they adde that these foure letters in the Hebrew tongue are literae quiescentes letters of rest whence they picke this mystery that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all the creatures in the world is in God alone They further say that this name is powerfull for the working of myracles and that by it Moses and Christ haue done great wonders These their inuentions are partly superstitious partly blasphemus but all braine sicke and idle Yet must we needs acknowledge some secret in this name We are driuen to it by Exod. 6.3 There the Lord thus speaketh vnto Moses I appeared vnto Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob by the name of a strong omnipotent and all-sufficient God but by my name Iehovah was I not knowne vnto them The secret is thus vnfolded Iehovah this great name Iehovah importeth the eternitie of Gods essence in himselfe that he is c Heb. 13.8 yesterday and to day and the same for euer d Apoc. 1.8 which was which is and which is to come Againe it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God as from whom all creatures in the world haue their e Act. 17.28 life their motion and their being God is the being of all his creatures not that they are the same that he is but because
great thunder with lightning from heauen in the presence of all the people of God 6. This Law is of all lawes most neccssarie Necessarie for the preseruing and maintayning of discipline both in and without the Church Necessarie to convict man of sinne and to disrobe him of that pride which makes him to presume of his owne naturall strength Necessarie to represse and keepe vnder the obstinate and selfe-willed sinner with feare of punishments Necessarie to informe and instruct the regenerate in the true seruice and worship of God This law of the Lord so far surpassing all other lawes for the excellencie thereof these inhabitants of Iudah did despise they contemned it You see the sinne here laid vnto their charge Contempt of the law of the Lord. They haue despised the law of the Lord. The doctrine arising hence is The contempt of the law of the Lord is a very grieuous sinne This truth will be plaine if you will consider what punishments God in his holy word threatneth and layeth vpon the despisers or contemners of his Sacred Maiestie of his ceremonies of his commandements of his holy word Such despisers or contemners are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 3.32 The Lord will despise them 1. Sam. 2.30 The Lord will scorne them Prov. 3.34 The Lord will bring vpon them terrors consumptions burning agues and sorrow of heart Levit. 26.15 The Lord will send a fire vpon them to deuoure them Amos 2.5 and hauing so done He will laugh at their destruction Prov. 1.26 For this contempt Pharaohs chariots his chosen Captaines and his hoste were couered in the deepe they sanke to the bottome of the Sea as a stone they were all drowned Exod. 15.4 5. For this contempt Saul was reiected from being King ouer Israel he became his owne executioner he fell vpon his owne sword 1. Sam. 31.4 For this contempt Salomons kingdome was i 1. King 11.11 12. to be rent from him and to be giuen to his seruant it was accomplished in his sonnes dayes in the dayes of Rehoboā the Israelites made vnto themselues a new King euen Ieroboam sonne of Nebat 1. Kings 12.20 What was it but this contempt that brought k 2. Chr. 28.13 ruine to the state of Ahaz What but this contempt hath brought to nought many ancient and flourishing kingdomes and nations What else hath laid their honor in the dust Infinite should I be would I produce all that is deliuered in the Sacred Scriptures concerning this contempt of the Lord and his holy lawes The litle which I haue already brought out of that invaluable treasurie may serue for the establishment of my propounded doctrine namely that The contempt of the law of the Lord is a very grieuous sinne You see the doctrine Let vs now make some vse of it to our selues Is it true beloued Is it a grieuous sinne to despise the law of the Lord Let this be a motiue to vs to gage the very depth and bottome of our hearts there to see whether we haue sinned this sinne whether we haue carried our selues contemptuously towards the law of the Lord. Can we say concerning this law of the Lord as that sweet singer of Israel that holy man of God King Dauid once said that we haue not l Psal 119.61 forgotten it that we haue not m vers 51. declined from it that we haue n vers 55. kept it that we o vers 113. loue it we p vers 70 174 delight in it our q vers 97. meditation is in it all the day that its better vnto vs then r vers 72. thousands of gold and siluer Can we thus truely say Then doubtlesse are we free from this sinne of Contempt of the law of the Lord. But if we wilfully breake the law of the Lord if we haue no feare nor feeling of the iudgements threatned in that his holy law if we runne on securely in our vngodly courses if we prostitute our selues to all vncleannesse if we be filled with ſ Rom. 1.29 vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnes if we be puft vp with error murther debate deceit malignitie if wee walke according to the t Ephes 2 2. course of the world in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of our flesh taking delight in doing the u Galat. 5.19 workes of the flesh then are we out of doubt guilty of this sinne of despising the law of the Lord. Wherefore let vs let euery one of vs enter into the closet of our own hearts examine we our selues how we haue heretofore stood and how we do now stand affected to the law of the Lord. Iudge we our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord condemne we our selues that we be not condemned of the Lord. If we finde our selues hitherto to haue bin x 2. Tim. 2.26 intangled in the snares of Satan to haue fashioned our selues to the manners of this sinfull world to haue spent our dayes in vanities and our nights vpon the beds of wantonnesse without any due regard of Gods holy lawes enacted in the high Court of Heauen to the contrary our best way will be to betake our selues to the throne of mercy there to begge of Him that sitteth vpon the throne the grace of vnfeined repentance that sorrowing with a godly sorrow for our sinnes past for our rebellion and disobedience to the law of the Lord expressed in the wicked conuersation of our fore-passed liues we may now at length become new creatures creatures of new hearts and new spirits resoluing for the time to come to yeeld all obedience to the Law of the Lord to frequent his Sanctuarie where this law is vsually read and expounded to vs that God thereby may bee glorified and our soules saued Thus farre of the sinne of Iudah as it is expressed in the first branch of this third part of my text They haue despised the law of the Lord. The doctrine grounded thereupon was this The contempt of the law of the Lord is a very grieuous sinne The vse made thereof vnto our selues was to stirre vp in vs a desire of conforming our obedience to this law of the Lord. The sinne of Iudah is further expressed in the next clause They haue not kept his Commandements Commandements The word in the originall and Hebrew fountaine is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word repeated Psal 119. two and twenty times The Septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latin and S. Hierome mandata iust as we do mandates or commandements Tremellius and Iunius haue statuta statutes some haue Ceremonias Ceremonies which soeuer of these translations we receiue it will be consonant to the analogie of faith and the precedent clause For whosoeuer despiseth the law of the Lord he obserueth not his ceremonies he keepeth not his statutes he keepeth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his mandats or commandements So this clause is but an exposition of the former
This was not the practise of olde Of old time in the primitiue times of the Church the Holy Scriptures had their free passage All sorts of people might read them might search into them might iudge of them The vnlearned as the learned the laitie as the clergie women as men base as noble yong as old all had their shares in reading in hearing in meditating in practising the sacred doctrines contained in the Holy Scriptures There can be no iust reason to the contrary For as S. Chrysostome in his first Homilie vpon S. Mathew saith The Scriptures are easie to the slaue and to the husbandman to the widdow and to the slaue and to him that may seeme to be very simple of vnderstanding To which purpose S. Austine Epi. 3. ad volusian affirmeth that Almightie God in the Scriptures speaketh as a familiar friend without dissimulation vnto the hearts both of the learned and also of the vnlearned The like S. Basil avoucheth vpon the 1. Psal The Scripture of God is like an Apothecaries shop full of medicines of sundry sorts that euery man may there choose a conuenient remedie for his disease Vpon this ground S. Chrysostome Hom. 2. in Iohan would perswade his auditors not onely in the Church to bee attentiue to the word of God but that at home also the husband with the wife and the father with the childe would talke together thereof and would to and fro inquire and giue their iudgments and would to God sayth he they would once beginne this most approued and most excellent custome Theodoret in his fift Booke de curatione Graecarum affectionum seemeth much to reioyce at the knowledge which the Christians generally had in the sacred Scriptures Our doctrine saith he is knowne not onely of them who are the doctors of the Church and Masters of the people but also euen of Taylers and Smiths and Weauers and all Artificers of women too not such onely as were learned but also of labouring women and Sewsters and seruants and hand-maides Neither onely Cittizens but Country folkes also doe very well vnderstand the same Ditchers deluers Cowheards Gardiners can dispute of the Trinitie and the creation of all things Thus was it of old and why should it not be so now in our daies The Holy Scriptures are the same now that then they were Now as in the dayes of q Sermon de Confessorib sive Dispensat p. 610. Fulgentius In Sacris Scripturis abundat quod rebustus comedat quod parvulus sugat There is in the Scriptures plentie whereof the strong may eate and the little ones may sucke Now as in the dayes of r Epist ad leandrum Gregorie Scripturae flumen sunt in quo agnus ambulet Elephas natet the Scriptures are as a great Riuer wherein a Lambe may walke and an Elephant may swim Now as in the dayes of Å¿ De Lazarâ— Theophylact Scripturae sunt Lucerna quo fur deprehenditur The Scriptures are as a lanterne whereby you may descry and discouer that great theefe the Deuill who is euer readie to steale away your hearts from God Let vs deaâ—ely beloued follow this lanterne Let this Lampe of Gods word direct your footsteps So shall we bee safe from errour But if we will not follow it if we will decline if we will swerue from it we shall be suddainly involued and inwrapped in deceit and cannot choose but erre This was my first doctrine I can but touch the second Their lies caused them to erre after which their Fathers walked You haue vnderstood by my precedent exposition of these words that the Inhabitants of Iudah are here blamed for adhering to the blind superstitions of their forfathers The doctrine arising hence is this In matters of Religion we are not tyed to follow our forefathers This truth is plainely deriued from my text for if we will make it our rule in Religion to follow our forefathers their lyes that is their blind superstitions and idolatrous worship of God may deceiue vs and cause vs to erre Were not the elders of Israel thus deceiued and brought into errour The twentie Chapter of the prophecie of Ezechiel makes it plaine that they were so there shall you finde it obiected to them that they were polluted after the manner of their fathers and committed whoredome after the abomination of their fathers ver 30. And to draw them from adhering to the ill courses of their fathers the Lord himselfe is pleased ver 18. 19. thus to speake vnto them Walke yee not in the statutes of your fathers neither obserue their iudgements nor defile yourselues with their Idoles I am the Lord your God Walke in my statutes keepe my iudgements and doe them What will you more for the confirmation of my propouÌ„ded doctrine You haue alreadie the warrant of Almightie God from heauen for it that in matters of Religion we are not tyed to follow our forefathers It is backed with another text Zach. 1.4 Be not as your Fathers your Fathers they heard me not they hearkened not vnto me saith the Lord. Be not you therefore as your fathers Your father 's tempted me in the desert Psal 95.9 Will you also tempt me Be not as your Fathers Your Fathers were a stubborne and rebellious generation Psal 78.8 Will you also be stubborne and rebellious Be not as your Fathers It is out of doubt Our fathers must not be followed in euill Yea in matters of Religion we are not bound to follow our Fathers If our fathers in their religion were blinded with superstition and worshipped God otherwise then they were directed by Gods holy word we are not to follow them yea we are plainely charged not to be as they were Thus briefly of my Doctrine In matters of religion we are not tyed to follow our forefathers This truth serueth for a reproofe of Iesuits Priests Recusants and all other popishly affected within this our country who are so strangely devoted to the Religion whereof their fathers were that they purposely shut their eyes against the light of Gods word will not suffer it to shine vpon them To whom shall I liken them They are like to certaine Iewes that dwell in Pathros in the land of Egypt who when Ieremie in the name of the Lord dehorted them from their Idolatrie did as it were defying the Prophet thus protest Ierem. 44 17. We will not hearken vnto thee We will doe what seemeth good to vs as we haue done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes so will we doe We will burne incense to the Queene of Heauen we will powre out drinke offerings vnto her For so long had we plentie of victuals we were well we saw no euill Doe not our popelings in England now sing the same song Call them t Esa 8.20 ad lâ—gem ad testimonium call them to the word of God Their answere is readie at their tongues end we will not hearken to it we will doe what
escaped from the sword were carried away to Babylon where they liued in seruitude and bondage to the Kings of Babylon for h threescore 2. Câ—ro 36.21 and ten yeares This was that famous deportation commonly stiled the Captiuitie of Babylon from which vnto CHRIST are numbred Matth. 1. fourteene generations When the yeares of this captiuitie were expired and the Monarchie of Persia was setled vpon King Cyrus King Cyrus stirred vp by the Lord made a proclamation whereby he permitted the Iewes to returne into their country and to i â—â—ra 1.3 reedifie the Temple of the Lord at Ierusalem The Iewes now returned from their captiuitie wherein they liued threescore and ten yeares without a King without a Prince without a sacrifice without an Image without an Ephod without Teraphim as it is witnessed Hos 3.4 could not but with much ioy and great alacritie vnder the gouernment of their new Prince k Ezra 3.2 Zerubbabel sonne of Shealtiel and their new High-Priest Iesbuah sonne of Iozadak betake themselues to the building againe of the Lords house in Ierusalem The building was begun it proceeded but was soone hindred by the decree of l Ezra 4.23 24. 1. â—sar 2.30 Artaxerxes King of Persia So the worke of the house of God at Ierusalem m Ezra 4.24 1. Esar 2.30 ceased for some ten yeares till the second yeare of the raigne of Darius sonne of Histaâ—pes King of Persia by whose gracious n Ezra 6.8 decree for the aduancement of the building the building was againe set on foote and so diligently attended that in the o vers 15. sixth yeare of the raigne of the same King King Darius it was finished as it is deliuered Ezra 6.15 Thus was the house of God the Temple of the Lord in Ierusalem after p Iohan. 2.20 46. yeares consummate and dedicated Now once againe was the Lord of hostes iealous of Ierusalem and for Sion q Zach. 1.14 8.2 with a great iealousie now againe were r Zach. 8.4 5. old men and old women to dwell in Ierusalem and boyes and girles to play in the streets thereof now againe was Ierusalem to be called Å¿ Zach. 8.3 a Citie of truth the mountaine of the Lord of Hostes the holy mountaine and the Iewes which in former times were t Zach. 8.13 a curse among the heathen now became a blessing now againe were they u Zach 8.8 the people of the Lord and the Lord was their God in truth and in righteousnesse Thus were the people of Iudah through God his speciall goodnes blessed with ioy and enlargment for so much we finde registred Zach. 8. What did the people of Iudah for so many streames of Gods bounty deriued vpon them render vnto the Lord their God Did they as meete was x Ps 116.13 14. take vp the cup of saluation did they call vpon the name of the Lord did they pay their vowes vnto the Lord Did they as they were commanded Zach. 8.16 did they speake the truth euery man to his neighbour did they execute the iudgment of truth and peace within their gates did they imagine no euill in their hearts one against another did they loue no false oathes What saith the Prophet Malachie to this He confesseth chap. 2.10 11. that the people of Iudah dealt treacherously euery one against his brother that they violated the couenant of their fathers that they committed abomination in Ierusalem that they prophaned the holinesse of the Lord that they married the daughters of a strange God and chap. 3.5 that they were sorcerers adulterers false swearers oppressors and vers 7. that euen from the dayes of their fathers they departed from the ordinances of the Lord and kept them not Is not enough said against them Then adde yet further they corrupted the Law they contemned the Gospell they beheaded Iohn Baptist they crucified Christ they persecuted the Apostles Impiety of such an height and eleuation could not but presage a fearefull downefall This their downefall is in a figure foretold by the Prophet Zacharie chap. 11.1 2. Open thy dores O Lebanon that the fire may deuoure thy Cedars Howle Firre tree for the Cedar is fallen howle yee Okes of Bashan for the forrest of the vintage is come downe What Zacharie doth in a figure that doth Christ foretell in words proper and significant Luk. 19.42 where beholding the Citie of Ierusalem and weeping ouer it he saith The dayes shall come vpon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side and shall lay thee euen with the ground and thy children with thee and they shall not leaue in thee one stone vpon another This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this vtter desolation of the Citie Ierusalem foretold by Zacharie and by Christ by the one in a figure by the other in plaine termes was brought vpon that stately Citie by Titus sonne of Vespasian after the incarnation of Christ threescore and eleuen yeares as Genebrard threescore and twelue as Funccius threescore and thirteen as y Pedro Mexia in vitis Imperat. in Vespasiano pag. 126. others in the second yeare of the Emperor Vespasian It was besieged for the space of fiue moneths in which time there passed many assaults many skirmishes much slaughter with wonderfull obstinacie and resolution The famine meane while afflicting the Citie was such as no historie can parallell When their ordinarie sustenance was spent the flesh of z Pedro Mexia ibid. horses asses dogs cats rats snakes adders seemed good vnto their tasts When this foode failed they were driuen to eat euen those things which vnreasonable creatures will not eat a Famâ— impellebantur vt vel equâ—rum lora suos baltheos calceos coria câ—mederent PoÌ„tan Bibliothec. Conc. Tom. 4. ad Domin 10. Trinit Of their lether lether bridles lether girdles lether shoes and the like they made for themselues meate b Fame impellebantur vt comederent stercora beum quodcunque stereus reperiebatur illiuâ— partum pâ—ndus quatâ—or nummis veâ—debatur PoÌ„t ibid. Oxe dunge was a precious dish vnto them Purgamenta olerum the shreddings of pot-hearbs cast out trodden vnder foote and withered were taken vp againe for nourishment c Egesippus de exciâ—io Hieroslym lib. 5. c. 21. Miserabilis cibus esca lachrymabilis Here was miserable meat lamentable foode yet would the childe d Rapiebant parentibus filij parentes filijs de ipsis fanâ—â—bus câ—bâ—s proferebatur Egesip ibid. snatch it from his parent and the parent from his childe euen from out his iawes Plerisque etiam vomitus esca fuit saith Egesippus some to prolong their liues would eat vp that which others had vomited Among many other accidents in this famine at Ierusalem one is so memorable that I cannot well passe it ouer e De bello Iudaico lib. 7. cap. 18. Iosephus an eye-witnes of this
a flaming fire that will burne the whole house it s like a wild Horse that will cast his rider into hell it s like a wild gourd that will poyson the whole pott it s like a plague that will destroy the whole cittie it s like a p Ecclus. 21.3 two edged sword the wounds thereof cannot be healed Flie therefore from sinne as from the face of a Serpent And euer remember what befell Iudah and Ierusalem for their sinnes They despised the Law of the Lord they kept not his commaundements their lies caused them to erre after which their fathers walked therefore hath the Lord sent a fire vpon Iudah which hath deuoured the palaces of Ierusalem Thus farre of my first doctrine A second followeth I take it from the condition of Ierusalem She had faire appellations She was called the Virgin and the daughter of Iudah Lament 1.15 The daughter of Sion ver 6. the cittie that was great among the nations and a Princes among the Prouinces ver 1. The holy Cittie Mat. 4.5 The Cittie of the great King Mat. 5.35 The Lord he chose it he desired it for his habitation he said of it This is my rest for euer here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein Psal 132.14 And yet notwithstanding Ierusalem is rased from the foundation shee is vtterly destroyed It is befallen her according to this commination in my text I will send a fire vpon Iudah which shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem My doctrine is God will seuerely punish sinne euen in his dearest children This S. Peter avoweth 1. Epistle 4.17 saying Iudgement must begin at the house of God Hiâ— meaning is that the punishment and chastisement of sinnes beginneth with the Saints and seruants of God in whom as it were in a house or Temple God dwelleth If they who are most familiar with vs do sinne against vs we fret and grow discontented The most familiar with God are his faithfull ones who fill the house of God which is his Church If these sinne against God can God take it well He cannot He will punish euen his faithfull ones So sayth St Austine Epist 122. Ad victorianum Propter peccata sua etiam sancti flagellantur the verie Saints of God are scourged for their sinnes You see my doctrine confirmed God will seuerely punish sinne euen in his dearest children The reason is giuen by S. Austine in his Booke of fiftie Homilies Homil. 21. because Iustitia est vt puniat peccatum it is a part of Gods iustice to punish sinne a part of his Actiue iustice So doe the Schooles call the Iustice of God by which he iudgeth and punisheth offenders Of this Iustice of God it is said in our English Liturgie It belongeth to God iustly to punish sinnes Yea so doth it belong to God that God is not iust vnlesse he punish sinne The vse of this doctrine is vrged to vs by S. Pet. 1. Epist Chap. 4. vers 17.18 If God will seuerely punish his owne children for their sinnes If iudgement must begin at the house of God what shall become of strange children children of Belial What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare To this purpose is that of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ Luk. 23.31 If they doe these things to a greene tree what shall be done to the dry It is as if he had said more plainly thus If God my Father suffer me who am innocent and without sinne who am like a greene and a fruitfull tree so grieuously to be afflicted and to be hewen downe as if I were a dry tree how much more will he suffer you who are sinfull and rightly compared to dry and barren trees to be afflicted and to be hewen downe The like argument doth the Lord bring against Edom. Ierem. 49.12 Behold they whose iudgement was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken and shalt thou altogether goe vnpunished Thou shalt goe vnpunished but thou shalt surely drinke of it What shall I more say Let vs diligently weigh what hath alreadie beene sayd Lay we it to our soules and consciences We haue seene that the infinite Iustice of God repayeth vengeance for sinne euen vpon the heads of his dearest children The inhabitants of Iudah Gods inheritance great Ierusalem the cittie of God the glorious temple there the house of God for sinnes pollution haue beene brought to destruction Christ himselfe the onely begotten sonne of God the well-beloued sonne of God he in whom alone God is well pleased because he q 2. Cor. 5.21 serued with our sinnes and was r Esai 53.5 made sinne for vs he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities his backe was loaden with stripes his head with thornes his bodie with crossing his soule with cursing Thus sweete Sauiour hast thou suffered for our rebellions for our transgressions for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon thee and with thy stripes we are healed It fell out happily for vs beloued that Christ who knew no sinne should be made sinne for vs that we who bore about with vs a Å¿ Rom. 6.6 bodie of sin might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Being thus by Christ reconciled to God and washed and clensed from our sinnes through his precious bloud take we heed that it happen not to vs t 2. Pet. 2.22 according to the true Prouerbe The dog is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Let vs not henceforth be u Rom. 6.6 seruants vnto sinne let vs not yeeld our members as x Ver. 13. instruments of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne Why should we y Heb. 6.6 crucifie to our selues the sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Let vs rather yeeld our selues our soules and our bodies seruants vnto God for so shall our z Rom. 6.22 fruit be in holinesse and our end euerlasting life So be it THE VIII LECTVRE AMOS 2.6 7 8. Thus sayth the Lord For three transgressions of Israel and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they sould the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shooes That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore and turne aside the way of the meeke and a man and his father will goe in vnto the same maid to prophane my holy Name And they lay themselues downe vpon clothes layd to pledge by euery altar and they drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God FOr Israels sake Amos the peculiar Prophet of Israel hath hitherto made knowne vnto Israel what God his pleasure was concerning their neighbour-Nations The iudgements of God against the Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites were first manifested then followed his iudgments
The first transgression he will haue to be the selling of the iust the second the oppression of the poore the third their peruerting the way of the meeke the fourth the violation of matrimony These are but so many descants vpon the words of my text For three transgressions of Israel and for foure Three and foure make seuen It seemeth then that Israel transgressed against God seuen times Seuen times It is plaine by Scripture that they transgressed Saepiùs ac saepiùs as Mercerus speaketh many a time oft yea from the diuision of their Kingdome vnder Ieroboam sonne of Nebat their first King vnto Hoshea sonne of Elah their last King they did nothing but transgresse against the Lord their God what by Idolatry and what by other wickednesses Heere then by three and foure which make seuen we are to vnderstand many The rule holds true in Diuinity A finite number is oftentimes put for an infinite S. Austin hath obserued it lib. 3. de doctrina Christi cap. 35. I thus explicate it In Leuit. 26.18 to the rebellious and disobedient thus saith the Lord If ye will not yet for all this hearken vnto me then I will punish you seuen times more for your sinnes Seuen times more that is many times more will I punish you Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2.5 hath this straine The barren hath borne seuen children By seuen there you are to vnderstand many Shee that was barren hath borne many children Dauid in Psal 119.164 sayth Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Seuen times that is many times as if had sayd Semper laus eius in ore meo All the day long am I in the praises of my God Salomon in Prou. 26 25. aduiseth vs not to beleeue the gracious words of an enemy because saith hee there are in his heart seuen abominations Seuen abominations that is many abominations many sly purposes lie hidden in the heart of an enemy What neede more examples By these few the phrase in my text is plaine The seuen transgressions of Israel for three foure are seuen the seuen transgressions of Israel are the many transgressions of Israel In this phrase then doth the Lord obiect vnto Israel innumera peccata the multitude of their sinnes For which he is vnwilling any longer to forbeare them whereupon followeth his protestation against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof For three tranâ—gressions of Israel and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof The meaning is if once if twice yea if a third time only the Israelites had offended mee with the greeuousnesse of their transgressions I could haue tolerated them and would not haue cast them from out my sight but now whereas a fourth time sâ—piùs sapiùs againe and againe they relapse and fall backe to their impieties and with a shamelesse forehead make no end of sinning certa stat sententia I am resolued no more to recall them to my fauour but to leaue them to themselues that obstinate and indurate as they are in the multitude of their abominations wherein they haue so deepely plunged themselues they may suddenly bee cast into the pit of destruction Now from these two first parts of this prophesie the generall accusation of Israel for sinne and the Lords protestation against them for the same ariseth this lesson God is euer in open hostility with sinners A sinner ouer-valuing the vanities wherein his delight is placed first neglecteth God then hateth him Thus affected he would if possible disarme God of his authority pull his power from him and cast him out of his state Hee could wish there were no immortality of the Soule no account to be made of our actions no reward no reuenge no Iudge to punish So willing is hee to bathe himselfe in the imaginary contentment and pleasures of sinne I can put no great difference between this sinner and an Atheist The Atheist thinketh there is no God this sinner wisheth there were no God Now God who feeleth the pulse of this sinners heart and searcheth his inmost thoughts seeth his traytorous affection can he be at peace with him King Ioram sayd to Iehu 2 King 9.22 Is it peace Iehu Iehu answered what peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witch-crafts are so many This sinner happily will looke to be at peace with God but he is soone answered What hast thou to doe with peace What peace with God doest thou looke for so long as thou castest away his feare and liest wallowing in thy sinnes I must grant it God is the God of peace the Scripture saith it more then once Rom. 15.33 and chap. 16.20 and in * 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 4.9 1 Thess 5.23 2 Thess 3.16 Hebr. 13.20 other places But what is this to the sinner Nothing at all For the same Scripture will assure him there is no peace to him Esai 48.22 and 57.12 To the sinner the Lord will shew himselfe quasi bellator fortis as hee is called Ierem. 20.11 hee will shew himselfe as a stout warriour And for such he is described Deut. 32.41 There thus saith the Lord concerning sinners If I whet my glittering sword and mine hand take hold on iudgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me I will make mine arrowes drunk with their blood and my sword shall deuoure their flesh To like purpose is that which we read of Gods dealing with sinners Psal 7.12 He whets his sword he bends his bow and makes it ready hee prepareth for them the instruments of death he ordaineth his arrowes against them So haue you my doctrine established God is euer in open hostility with sinners Is God euer in open hostility with sinners Consider this all yee that feare God remember it all ye that beare the image of the Almighty The sinner that is ouertaken with three transgressions and with foure that lieth in his sinnes and walloweth in his iniquities his case is fearefull his estate lamentable God proclaimeth against him open warre most certaine destruction and will not turne away his punishments from him Let it Beloued rouze vs vp from that sleepe of sinne wherein we haue too long rested All the good gifts and benefits of God which God hath bestowed vpon vs for our good we haue abused to sinne God hath giuen vs vnderstanding to meditate vpon his holy lawes but our vnderstanding we haue peruerted to the transgression of his holy Lawes God hath giuen vs the will to loue him aboue all things and our neighbours as our selues but we haue diuerted our will to the contempt of God and the hate of our neighbours God hath giuen vs the tongue to powre forth his praises but our tongues we haue defiled with impure oathes and ougly blasphemies God hath giuen vs hands for instruments to feed the poore and to defend them but the strength of our hands we haue wasted in crueltie and rapine
Ioshua and the elders of Israel to testifie their griefe for the ouerthrow giuen them by the men of Ai rent their clothes fell to the earth vpon their faces and put dust vpon their heads They put dust vpon their heads So 1. Sam. 4.12 the Beniamite that brought the heauy newes of the Arke of the Lord taken by the Philistines and of the death of Hophni Phinehas the two sons of Eli in tokeÌ„ of his griefe came to Shiloh with his clothes rent and with earth vpon his head He came with earth vpon his head The like we read 2. Sam. 13.19 Tamar the sister of Absolon because she was hated of Amnon by whom shee had bin rauished to signifie her griefe she rent her garment and put ashes vpon her head Shee put ashes on her head Other like c Iob 2.12 Ezech. 27.30 Apoc. 18.19 places of holy writ I might produce yet further to shew that the aspersion or sprinkling of earth dust or ashes vpon the head was a ceremonie in vse with such as had in themselues iust cause of griefe heauinesse mourning or lamentation But this is by the places already alleaged sufficiently declared vnto you If to this ceremonie of besmering the head with earth dust or ashes our Prophet here alludeth then are the rulers of Israel and the rich among them here taxed for their hard-heartednesse towards the poore for their couetousnes and cruelty whereby they oppressed the poore to this sense They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore They the rulers of Israel and the rich men there They pant after the dust of the earth they greedily desire to see the dust of the earth sprinckled on the head of the poore they make it their pleasure to giue the honest poore man iust cause of griefe and mourning They pant after the dust of the earth The dust sometime it betokeneth a low and base estate 1. Sam. 2.8 Hannah in her song of thankfulnes praising the Lord for his beneficence towards the humble despised saith He raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill So in so many words saith the Psalmist Ps 113.7 He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill In both places the latter phrase is a repetition or exposition of the former The Lord raiseth vp the poore out of the dust that is the Lord lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill The meaning is The Lord through his Almighty power and of his goodnes exalteth the poore and abiect amongst men from their vile contemptible estate to some degree of honour Hitherto may we adde that of Dauid Psal 7.5 Let him lay mine honor in the dust Let him lay mine honor in the dust What 's that If saith Dauid I haue rewarded euill to him that was at peace with me let the enemie lay mine honor in the dust that is let mine honor be so put out that there may be no more remembrance of it in the posteritie to come let me euer be held for a base vile and contemptible wretch If to this signification of Dust our Prophet here alludeth then are the rulers of Israel and the rich among them here censured for their cruell and vnsatiable desire to grind the faces of the poore Thus They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore That is though the poore doe already sit vpon the dust of the earth and are thereby in the eyes of the world base vile and contemptible yet do the rulers of Israel and the rich among them still pant after the dust of the earth vpon their heads their delight is to behold them euer wallowing in the dust of the earth to see them yet more base more vile more contemptible Yea they can bee contented that the dust whereof Dauid speaketh Psal 22.15 The dust of death be vpon their heads that the d Psal 49.15 graue haue power ouer them that the e Psal 69.15 pit shut her mouth vpon them Hitherto dearely beloued you haue had variety of interpretations Which will you admit You cannot chuse amisse They are all agreable to the analogie of faith They all checke Israel the heads of Israel the Magistrates Rulers and Gouernors of Israel the rich of Israel for their cruelty their couetousnes and their oppression of the poore of Israel and they yeeld vnto vs this lesson God pleadeth the cause of the poore against the cruell the couetous and oppressors By the poore in this proposition I vnderstand all that be in any need necessitie or want widdowes also fatherlesse children that haue lost their head strangers likewise and exiles out of their country for religion and good causes All these if they behaue themselues meekly and seeke to liue peaceably with all men and put themselues wholy into the hands of God God receiueth into his protection and pleadeth their cause Concerning strangers the commandement is Exod. 2â— 21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppresse him It is repeated Levit. 19.33 If a stranger sâ—iourne with thee ye shall not vexe him he shall be as one borne amongst you and thou shalt loue him as thy selfe Such is the commandement Doe men regard it Doe they not rather with their churlish and vnkinde words and deeds torment the a king heart of the stranger If they doe so the Lord is ready to auenge the strangers cause and to execute vengeance vpon his oppressors For so much the Lord vndertaketh Exod. 22.23 If thou afflict the stranger in any wise and he cry at all vnto me I will surely heare his cry and my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the sword You see God pleadeth the strangers cause Againe God pleadeth the cause of the widowes and fatherlâ—sse children The commandement concerning them is Exod. 22.22 Yee shall not afflict any widow or fatherlesse childe It is repeated Zach. 7.10 Oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse Such is the commandment Do men regard it Doe they not rather adde affliction to the afflicted fatherlâ—sse and widow Doe they not oppresse wrong vexe and grieue them If they doe so God is ready to right their cause and to lay vengeance vpon their oppressors For so much God vndertaketh Exod. 22.23 If you afflict the widow or fatherlesse childe in any wise and they cry at all vnto me I will surely heare their cry my wrath shall waxe hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse This protection ouer the fatherlesse and widowes is also ascribed vnto the Lord Deut. 10 18. The Lord doth execute the iudgement of the fatherlesse and widow It is very comfortably deliuered Psal 68.5 God in his holy habitation is a father of the fatherlesse and a iudge of the widowes You see God pleadeth the cause of the widowes and the fatherlesse So also he pleadeth the cause of
were to serue God For that purpose they came vnto the house of their God his temple they drew neere vnto his Altars but euen then did their hearts worke iniquitie My text conuinceth them They lay themselues downe or they lye or they sit downe vpon clothes laid to pledge by euery Altar and they drinke the wine of the condemned or of such as they haue fined or mulcted in the house of their Gods The words import thus much The people of Israel to cloke and couer their manifold sinnes make a shew of religion they goe vnto their temples the temples of their Idols there they offer their sacrifices there they feast it sumptuously They are at great charges But whence doe they defray them Is it out of their owne substance which either is descended to them by inheritance or is gotten by their iust and honest labour No such matter The fines the mulcts of the poore their pawnes their pledges their pewter their garments their bedding their goods pay for all The words doe specially concerne the Peeres the Nobles the Iudges the Magistrates the Rulers of Israel They may also concerne the rich among them but cannot be vnderstood of the poore the base and vulgar sort The words are not many yet many are the sinnes they smite at The taking of pawnes the deteyning of them vnrigheous iudgement superstition idolatry riot and excesse are the sins they smite at as may in part appeare in the now-ensuing explication They lay themselues downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word for word They bowe downe themselues they stretch out themselues St Hierome renders it by the verbe Accumbere intimating their sitting downe as at a feast or banquet They lay themselues downe they lye downe or they sit downe vpon clothes This manner of sitting or lying downe at meate was very ancient The old Romans vsed it so did the Greekes Non sedebant sed accubabant They sat not as we doe now a-dayes but they lay downe In some parlor chamber-garret or other conuenient roome a low round table was placed This table for the common sort of people was made of ordinarie wood and stood vpon three feete For men of better fashion it was made of better wood of the Limon tree or of the Maple tree and was sometimes inlaid with siluer it stood vpon one whole entire foote made of Ivorie in the forme of a Leopard or a Lyon a Lipsius antiq lect l 3. c. 1. Hieronym Mercurialis artis Gymnast lib. 1. cap. 11. Rosin antiq Rō lib. 5. cap. 28. About this round table were placed three beds couered with tapestrie with purple or with some other kinde of carpet according to the wealth and abilitie of the feast-maker Each bed conteined three guests sometimes foure seldome more And thus the guests were placed The first vppermost lying at the beds head rested the vpper part of his bodie at his left elbow disposed his feet behinde the seconds backe the second rested his head in the others bosome vpon a cushion and disposed his feete behinde the thirds backe The rest did likewise Such was the custome of sitting or lying downe at meat among the old Greeks and Romans This very custome of sitting or lying at meat was also among the Iewes We gather it from the Scripture phrase in the New Testament b Mark 2.14 Luk. 9.27 29. Levi called also c Matth. 9.9 Matthew that blessed Euangelist made in his owne house a great feast for Iesus whereat were many publicans and others At that feast Iesus lay downe So saith S. Matthew chap. 9.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hee lay downe S. Marke saith chap. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he lay downe Iesus lay downe at meat So did his disciples so did publicans and sinners too S. Matthew and S. Marke in the now-alleaged places doe affirme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lay downe with Itsus Publicans and sinners lay downe with Iesus S. Luk. chap. 5.29 thus expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great companie of Publicans and others lay downe at meate with Iesus and his disciples The time was when Iesus fed with d Matth. 14.17 fiue loaues and two fishes about e vers 21. fiue thousand men besides women and children then he commaunded the multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lye downe on the grasse Matth. 14.19 Another time he fed with f Math. 15.36 seauen loaues and a few little fishes g vers 38. foure thousand men beside women and children then he commaunded the multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fall downe on the ground Mat. 15.35 At both times Iesus his words had reference to that auncient manner of sitting or lying downe at meate Which manner of sitting or lying downe at meate Iesus himselfe seemeth to haue obserued at his celebration of his last Paschall supper For we finde Ioh. 13.23 that at that supper one of the Disciples of Iesus the Disciple whom Iesus loued euen Iohn the Euangelist leaned on the bosome of Iesus Iesus lay downe Iohn did likewise and leaned on Iesus his bosome You see that in the time of the new Testament euen among the Iewes it was a custome to lye downe at meate Euen among the Iewes it was a custome long before Eight hundred years before the incarnation of the Messiah the posteritie of Iacob vsed it My text affirmeth it The Israelites the of-spring of Iacob layd themselues downe vpon clothes Did they lay themselues downe vpon clothes And why might they not doe so Was not the common custome of so doing a warrant for them so to doe Out of doubt it was It was no fault of theirs to lye downe at meate and vpon clothes But herein were they blame worthie first that the clothes whereon they lay were not their owne secondly that they lay vpon them vnseasonably First they were not their owne they were the pawnes they were the pledges of the poore they were clothes laid to pledge Secondly they lay vpon them vnseasonablie euen before their Altars The first argueth their crueltie towards the poore The second their Idolatrie in respect of God First of the first They lay themselues downe vpon clothes layd to pledge Wee shall the better vnderstand what that sinne is which our Prophet here reprooueth in the Israelites if we will haue recourse to the Law concerning pledges That Law is written Exod. 22.26 If thou at all take thy neighbours raiment to pledge thou shalt deliuer it vnto him by that the Sunne goeth downe The Law is repeated Deut. 24.10 11 12 13. When thou lendest any thing to thy neighbour thou shalt not enter into his house to take his pledge But thou shalt abide without and the man to whom thou lendest shall bring the pledge out of the dores vnto thee And if the man be poore thou shalt not sleepe with his pledge But shalt restore him the pledge when the Sunne goeth downe The ground of this Law is mercy the
light they practise it because it is in the power of their hands And they couet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppresse a man and his house euen a man and his heritage where you haue an imprecation against oppressors a woe thundred out against them It is enough to proue oppression to be vnlawfull The third place is 1. Thess 4.6 This is the will of God that no man oppresse or ouer-reach his brother in any matter Is it Gods will Then surely it is not lawfull for you to oppresse or ouer-reach one another in any businesse Men of trade may not gaine by their false weights false measures false speeches or false oathes neither may men in any other course of life gaine by violence or by colour of Law or by any other cunning dealing Thus is my doctrine confirmed It is not lawfull for any man to oppresse another First it may serue for a reproofe of the Oppressors of this age who make gold their hope and the wedge of gold their confidence as Iob speaketh chap. 31.24 S. Paul he taught 1. Tim. 6.6 that Godlinesse is great gaine but these men suppose the contrary that gaine is great godlinesse and therefore they feare not to gaine with the hurt of others They build their houses as the moth So saith Iob chap. 27.18 As the moth How is that The moth is made full by spoyling the barkes and bookes wherein it liueth So is it with these men they make themselues full by spoyling others with whom they liue and haue to deale I expresse it in Ieremies phrase chap. 22.13 They build their houses by vnrighteousnes and their chambers by wrong and in Habakkuks phrase chap. 2.12 They build them townes with blood and stablish their Cities by iniquitie Against these is that complaint of the Lord Esai 3.14 15. Ye haue eaten vp the vineyard the spoyle of the poore is in your houses What meane yee that yee beat my people to peeces and grinde the faces of the poore Woe to these men a woe from Micah a woe from Ieremie a woe from Habakkuk in the now-alleaged places a woe from Esay too Chap. 5.8 Woe vpon woe and yet will they not cease from ioyning house to house and laying land to land as if the way to the spirituall Canaan were all by Land and not through a red Sea of death as one wittily speaketh From this contempt of the Prophets of the Lord or rather of the Lord himselfe speaking by his Prophets it is now come to passe that many a poore tenant is thrust out of his house that Villages are depopulated that those streets which were wont to be sowen with the seeds of men are now become pastures for the sending forth of oxen and for the treading of sheepe as Esay speaketh chap. 7.25 Now may Hythlodaeus his complaint haue place m Mori Vtopia lib. 1. Our sheepe in England were sometimes the meekest beasts of the field and contented themselues with a litle but now are they become so fierce and greedy that they devoure men and Towne-fields and houses and villages and lay all waste Alas silly sheepe it is no fault of yours you are as meeke as euer you were Whose then is the fault It is yours yee grinding oppressors yours whose hearts are like the vast Ocean fit to swallow vp euery base commoditie that the earth is able to afford you O that these men would at length call themselues to a strict account of the oppressions wherewith they haue oppressed the poore either by depopulating or by raising rents or by hoysing fines or by interest or otherwise and would once begin to make some restitution Did they but know in what estimation they stand in Church and Common-wealth they would remit somewhat of their Cruelty The Church heretofore denied them Christian buriall It s apparant in the Canon Law Extra de Vsuris Cap. Quia in omnibus How the Common-wealth brooketh them they may perceiue by two instances Catillus a British King 170. yeares before Christ did hang them vp He hung vp all oppressors of the poore My n Stow in his Summarie Chronicler writes in the margent A good example Long after him King Edward commonly called good King Edward banished them his Land So writeth Glanvil lib. 7. de Leg. consuet Angliae c. 37. The same author in the same booke cap. 16. affirmeth that by the most ancient lawes of England the goods of a defamed oâ—pressor dying without restitution were escheated vnto the King and all his lands vnto the Lord of the towne Wherefore let the oppressor now at last forsake his oppressions What can all the wealth all the mucke of the earth auaile him if for it he loose the kingdome of Heauen Momentaneum est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat The wealth he here heapeth vp may for a time yeeld him some delight but what is a moment of delight to the eternitie of sorrow that must follow Must follow Yea it must follow if amendment hinder it not If he amend not I say as God is God so certainely shall the oppressor be destroyed though not in the red Sea as the oppressing Aegyptians once were yet in a Sea a blacke Sea of Hellish deeps where he shall be pained vnspeakably tormented intolerably both euerlastingly Thus haue you the first vse of my doctrine My doctrine was It is not lawfull for any man to oppresse another The vse was a generall reproofe of our now-oppressors A second vse may be to admonish Iudges Iustices and other Magistrates and Rulers that they suffer not themselues to be stained with this sin of oppression It is the o Pilkinton exposit in Nehem. cap. 5. fol. 80. A. dutie of the Magistrate to deliuer the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor This dutie is laid vpon him Ierem. 21.12 There thus saith the Lord to the house of Dauid Execute iudgemâ—nt in the morning and deliuer him that is oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor It is likewise laid vpon him Esai 1.17 Seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widow Where first Gods commandement is that Magistrates should execute iudgement in the morning In the morning Therefore they are not to vse delayes in doing iustice Secondly Gods commandement is that Magistrates should seeke iudgement Must they seeke iudgement Therefore in cases of oppression they are not to stay till they be called for Thirdly God commendeth vnto Magistrates all that are oppressed but specially the fatherlesse and widow the fatherlesse because they want the defence of their parents and the widow because she is destitute of the helpe of her husband and we know euery man goeth ouer where the hedge is lowest Therefore are Magistrates to take vpon them the defence of the fatherlesse the defence of the widow the defence of euery one that is oppressed Is it so Then are Magistrates to take speciall heed that themselues
refused him Eliab notwithstanding the prioritie of his birth and notwithstanding the comelinesse of his person he is refused and Dauid little Dauid little in his fathers eyes and little in the eyes of his brethren neglected and despised of all for hee was the yongest of all he is chosen to be the Lords anointed He is taken o Psal 78 70.71.72 1. Sam. 16.11 2. Sam 7.8 from the sheepe-folds from following the Ewes great with yong and is placed in rule and gouernment to feed Iacob the people of the Lord and Israel the Lords inheritance Thus much may serue for the confirmation of my propounded doctrine God respecteth not the tall man for his tallnesse nor the strong man for his strength You may adde nor the great man for his greatnesse nor the rich man for his wealth nor the wise man for his wisedome The reason I haue alreadie touched It is expressed 1. Sam. 16.7 The Lord seeth not as man seeth For man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart He looketh on the heart and therefore he chooseth not as man chooseth the tall the great the strong the rich the wise but the low man the little man the weake man the poore man the foolish man Whereto else tendeth the Apostles speech to the faithfull among the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1.26 You see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mightie and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to naught things that are And what is the end of all It s this that no flesh should glory in the presence of God It is the vse we are to make of the doctrine now deliuered We are vrged vnto it Ierem. 9.23 There thus sayth the Lord Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome neither let the mightie man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise louing kindnesse iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth In like sort say we Let not the tall man glorie in his tallnesse neither let the strong man glorie in his strength though the height of the one be like the height of the Cedars and the other be strong like the Okes yet let them not glorie therein but let them glory in this that they vnderstand know God to be the Lord which exerciseth louing kindnes iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth that is in the Apostles phrase 1. Cor. 1.31 He that glorieth let him glorie in the Lord. And againe 2. Cor. 10.17 He that glorieth let him glorie in the Lord. All other glorying is vaine Glorie not in thy tallnesse what can it auaile thee Glory not in thy strength it cannot helpe thee Say thou wert as tall as the Amorites in my text and thy height were like the height of the Cedars say thou wert as strong as they strong as the Okes yet notwithstanding the one or the other height or strength thou maist perish and come to nought as they did Glorie thou therefore in the Lord. Here may the man that is low of stature or weake of body be comforted for as much as God seeth not as man seeth nor chuseth as man chuseth Be thou little or be thou weake thou art neuer a whit the further from the grace fauour of God No further then Zacheus was Zacheus was a verie little man In the 19. of Luke ver 3. it is sayd of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee was little of stature Iesus passed through Iericho Zacheus was very desirous to see him but could not for the presse of the people because he was little of stature To supply this defect of his he gets him vp into a tree and seeth Iesus Iesus for it spake graciously vnto him Zacheus make hast and come downe for to day I must abide at thy house You see Iesus respected Zacheus for all his little stature He was of little stature Statura brevis magnus in opere S. p Tâ—m 8. fol. 310. H. Austin saith it Enarr in Psal 129. Zacheus was in deede little of stature but was great in good workes Great in his loue toward Iesus whom he was so desirous to see and great in charitie towards men to whom he was readie to make a fourefold restitution if he had done wrong to any Zacheus little of stature Chrysologus Serm. 54. thus meditates vpon it q Pag. 225. Satis hic animo magnus erat qui pusillus videbatur in corpore Nam mente tangebat coelos qui corpore homines non aequabat Zacheus was great enough in mind albeit he was but little in bodie in bodie he was no match for men and yet his minde reached vp to Heauen Whereupon he frames this exhortation Nemo de brevitate corporis cui addere nil potest curet sed vt fide emineat hoc procuret Let not any man be grieued because he is little of stature whereto he cannot adde one cubite but let euery mans care be to be eminent aboue others in faith You haue hitherto heard of the varietie of mens statures you haue heard of the Amorites that their height was like the height of the Cedars Of King Saul that he was higher then any of his people from the shoulders and vpward of Eliab that he was high of stature of Zacheus that he was low of stature This varietie of mens statures is by euery dayes experience confirmed vnto you And why is there such varietie of mens statures One reason may be to stirre vs vp to this consideration that God is the most prouident author of euery mans stature It is not in man to adde any thing to his stature not one cubite sayth our Sauiour Mat. 6 27. He sayth it againe Luke 12.25 Which of you with taking thought can adde one cubite to his stature No man No man can doe it Nay it is not in man to amend the imperfections wherewith he is borne into the world The man that was borne blind confesseth it Ioh. 9.32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind We cannot supply any defect wherwith we are borne into this world much lesse can we adde any thing vnto our stature It may thus farre serue for our instruction Vt ex illo capite neminem contemnamus vel exagitemus saith Franzius Disp 2. in Deuter. Thes 92. that we despise not any man nor speake ill of him for his stature be it great or little or for any defect he hath in nature from his natiuitie A second reason why there is
m Geverharl Elmenhorst com ad Minutium Felicem pag. 41. Salisberiensis in his first Booke de nugis cvrial cap. 10. call Egypt Matrem superstitionis the mother of superstition For as n Tom. 5. pag. 170. c. S. Hierome in his Comment vpon Esay 45. witnesseth Neuer was there any Nation so giuen to Idolatrie or worshipped such a number of monsters as Egypt did This notorious superstition and Idolatrie of the Egyptians so much spoken of by Christian writers and others is also in the sacred volumes of Holy writ censured and controlled In Exod. 12.12 the meanacing of the Lord is against them Against all the Gods of Egypt I will execute iudgment I the Lord. The gods of Egypt that is the Images and the Idoles which the Egyptians adored and worshipped Concerning which o De quadraginta duabus mansionibus Mans 2 Tom. 3. pag. 42. S. Hierome in an Epistle of his to Fabiola reporteth out of the Hebrew writers that in very same night the Children of Israel departed out of Egypt all the Temples of Egypt were ouerthrowne siue terrae motu siue iactu fulminum either with earth quakes or thunderbolts These Hebrew writers say further eâdem nocte lignea idola putrefacta fuisse metallica resoluta fusa lapidea comminuta that in the same night all the wooden Images were rotten all the mettall Images were dissolued and moulten all the stone Images were broken If so it were it was doubtlesse a great worke a great iudgement of God vpon those Egyptian monsters In Esay 19.1 their confusion is againe foretold Behold saith the Prophet the Lord rideth vpon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the Idoles of Egypt shall moue at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it Where the Idoles of Egypt are the heart of Egypt They are called the heart of Egypt because the heart of the Egyptians did wholy depend vpon them for reliefe and succour The Lord rideth vpon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the Idoles of Egypt shall moue at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it The Idols of Egypt shall moue and melt at the presence of the Lord. In Ierem. 43.13 their desolation is likewise denounced There the Lord threatneth to send Nabuchadnezzar the K. of Babylon his seruant into Egypt What shall he doe there He shall breake the Images of Bethshemesh that is in the land of Egypt and the houses of the Gods of the Egyptians shall be burnt with fire Thus you see it confirmed not onely by Christian writers and others but also by the sacred volumes of holy Scripture that the Egyptians were a superstitious and an Idolatrous people Superstitious were they and Idolatrous Happie then wast thou O Israell that the Lord brought thee vp from the land of Egypt Liue in Egypt thou couldst not with a good conscience nor would the Egyptians willingly suffer thee to worship God otherwise then themselues did To haue worshipped as they did must needs haue beene a Hell vnto thy soule and to haue done otherwise must needs haue brought certaine daunger to thine outward estate Acknowledge it therefore for a great benefit and blessing of God vpon thee that he brought thee vp from the land of Egypt God in reckoning vp this fauour of his his bringing vp Israel out of the land of Egypt teacheth vs what an intollerable thing it is to liue among Idolaters and what a speciall fauour it is to be deliuered from amongst them And this should stir vs vp to a thankfull recognition of Gods goodnesse towards vs who hath deliuered the Church wherein we liue from the Babylonish and Romish Idolatrie wherein our auncestors were nus-led and trained vp to worship and adore not the true and liuing God but Angels and Saints damned â—â—â—les it may be silver and gold stocks and stones Images and Idoles and what not From such grosse and palpable Idolatry we are by Gods goodnesse deliuered and now doe as a long time we haue done enioy the bright Sunne-shine of the p 1. Tim. 1 11. glorious Gospell of the blessed God our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Being now deliuered from the q Colos 1.13 power of darknesse vnder Antichrist and translated into the light of Christs Gospell Let it be our daily care for it is our dutie to walke worthy the light h Ephes 5.8 as children of light to walke in truth Ep. 3. Ioh. ver 3. to walke in loue Colos 5.2 to walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 If we walke after the flesh we shall mind the things of the flesh we shall be carnally minded and our end shall be death but if we walke after the spirit we shall mind the things of the spirit we shall be spiritually minded and our end shall be life and peace The choise is not difficult Life is better then death If you chuse life you must abandon and forsake the i Gal. 5.19 workes of the flesh which cause death Adulterie fornication vncleannesse lasciuiousnesse k Vers 20. hatred variance emulations wrath strife l Vers 21. envyings murthers drunkennesse revellings vsurie extortion oppression and such like are workes of the flesh and doe shut you out from life Yet may life be yours if you will be m Vers 18. led by the spirit n Vers 22. Loue ioy peace long suffering gentlâ—nesse goodnesse fayth meeknesse temperance are the fruit of the spirit Let these dwell among you and life shall be yours The God of life shall giue it you Hitherto you haue the first respect why it was beneficiall good for the people of Israel that they were brought vp from the land of Egypt It was good for them because the people of the land were superstitious and idolatrous and among such there is no good liuing The other respect now followeth It was beneficiall and good for the people of Israel that they were brought vp from the land of Egypt because the people of the land were full of crueltie and held Israel in subiection and seruitude Egypt was long a harbour to the Israelites but at length it prooued a Gaole vnto them The posteritie of Iacob finds too late what it was for their forefathers to sell Iacob a slaue into Egypt There arose vp a new Pharaoh a new king ouer Egypt he knew not Ioseph Then then were the Israelites contemned as drudges o Exod. 1.11 Task masters must be set ouer them to afflict them with their burdens Why so How had they offended They prospered too fast For thus sayth Pharaoh to his people Exod. 1.9 Behold the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier then we Come on let vs deale wisely with them lest they multiplie and it come to passe that when there falleth out any warre they ioyne also v to our enemies and fight
which sort are wine and strong drinke Salomon so accounts of them Prov. 20.1 For there he saith Wine is a mocker strong drinke is raging and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby is not wise Salomons Mother doth likewise so account of them Prov. 31.4 There her counsaile to her sonne is It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drinke wine nor for Princes to drinke strong drinke left they being drunken forget the Law and peruert the iudgement of any of the afflicted For this cause also were the Priests forbidden wine when they were to goe into the tabernacle of the Congregation and that vpon paine of death The prohibition is Levit. 10.9 There thus saith the Lord to Aaron Doe not drinke wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy sonnes with thee when yee goe into the Tabernacle of the Congregation lest ye die It shall be a statute for euer throughout your generations Hitherto I referre that Exech 44.21 No priest shall drinke wine when he entereth into the inner court From the places now alledged ariseth this position Sobrietie is a vertue fit for all men but especially for Ministers of the word and Sacraments Especially for Ministers The reasons are First it is not for Ministers to speake foolishly or to doe any thing vndecently Yet can they not but offend both in the one and the other if they suffer themselues to be ouercome with swilling of wine or strong drinke Secondly it is for Ministers to be vigilant in their vocations to be diligent in their ministeriall imployments in reading in studie in meditation to be deuout in their praiers vnto God for themselues the people ouer whom God hath made them ouerseers to handle the word of life reuerently and to dispense it in due season to euery weary soule Yet must they needs faile in the performance of these duties if they giue themselues to the drinking of wine and strong drinke Here may all that serue at the Altar be admonished euermore to be mindfull of their calling and of the hatred which God hath of excesse in men deuouted to his seruice aboue all others as also of the fearefull iudgement that will in the end without all faile ensue For if of all it be true that the drunkard shal neuer enter into the kingdome of God which you know to be true and the holy Spirit hath passed it for a truth 1. Cor. 6 10. then must it needs be sealed vp in the conscience of any Minister that a Minister through his excesse in drinking causing the holy things of God to be despised shall neuer neuer come within the gates of that eternall ioy but in stead thereof shall reape the reward of his sinne in euerlasting torments both of bodie and soule But this by the way The thing wherewith the Israelites in my text stand charged is their giuing the Nazirites wine to drinke The Israelites knew full well that it was the peremptorie mandate and expresse commandement of the Lord that the Nazirites should absteine from wine and strong drinke yet did they contrary thereunto giue vnto the Nazirites wine to drinke Gaue they the Nazirites wine to drinke was this such an offence that God should take displeasure at it To what end then serues the precept of giuing wine to him that is readie to perish through the anxietie and bitternesse of his minde that thereby he may be cheared and comforted The precept is Prov. 31.6 Giue strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish and wine vnto those that be of heauie hearts Let him drinke and forget his pouertie and remember his misery no more In vaine were this precept were the drinking of wine an offence whereat God should take displeasure And S. Paul doth amisse 1. Tim. 5.23 to wish him to drinke no longer water but to vse a little wine for his stomackes sake and his often infirmities if the drinking of wine be an offence If the drinking of wine be an offence why doth the same Apostle tell the Romans chap. 14.17 that the kingdome of God consisteth not in meate and drinke thereby giuing them libertie not onely to eate but also to drinke what they would euen to drinke wine To this I say It is not of it selfe any offence to drinke wine or to giue others wine to drinke but herein consisteth the offence of the Israelites that they gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke contrary to the Law of God and his holy commandement Tolle verbum Domini et liberum est vinum bibere adde verbum Domini vinum exhibere aut bibere tam grande est nefas quà m adulterium aut latrocinium So Brentius Let there be no law no commandement of God against the drinking of wine and you may at your pleasure drinke wine But if Gods law and commaundement be against it then for a man to drinke wine himselfe or to giue others wine to drinke it s as great a sinne as adulterie or robbery Adam in Paradise had a law giuen him that hee should not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill The law is expressed Gen. 2.17 Of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die To eate an Apple was of it selfe but a small matter but the Law of God whereby the eating of the Apple was forbidden was a matter of great weight The very eating of the Apple God did not much care for it was the obseruance of his commandement and the obedience thereunto that he required Saul had a commandement giuen him that he should goe downe to Gilgal and tarry there seauen dayes till Samuel should come and direct him what to doe The commandement is expressed 1. Sam. 10.8 Thou shalt goe downe before me to Gilgal and behold I will come downe vnto thee to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings seauen dayes shalt thou tarrie till I come to thee and shew thee what thou shalt doe According to this commandement Saul went to Gilgal and tarried there e 1. Sam. 13.8 seauen dayes according to the set time that Samuel had appoynted The seauenth day a little before Samuel came Saul f Vers 9. offered a burnt ofring g Vers 10. As soone as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering Samuel came Saul vnderstanding thereof went out to meete him that he might salute him Samuel seeing what was done tells Saul that he had done h Vers 13 foolishly in not keeping the commandement of the Lord his God which he commaunded him and withall foretells him of a heauie iudgement to befall him i Vers 14. Thy kingdome shall not continue The offering of the Holocauste or burnt offering to the Lord was it not of it selfe a good worke Yet because Saul offered it out of due time namely before Samuel was come it was sinne vnto him and the losse of his kingdome Did the
Lord care for the preoccupation or preuention of so little time as if it were a matter of it selfe to be regarded No it was the obseruance of his commandement and the obedience thereunto that he required So for my text I say The giuing the Nazirites wine to drinke was not of it selfe a matter that the Lord much regarded but it was the obseruance of his commaundement and the obedience thereunto that he required The commandement I euen now repeated vnto you out of Num. 6. The summe of it is The Nazarite shall absteine from wine and strong drinke Contrary to this commandement did the Israelites here giue vnto the Nazarites wine to drink which is the thing wherewith they are here twyted to this sense Ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke in so doing you made proofe of your contempt of my Law and your disobedience thereunto I looked you should haue beene thankefull vnto mee for bestowing so great a benefit vpon you as is the order and calling of the Nazarites for the trayning vp of your yong men in pietie and religion but you vnthankfull you haue repaid me with contempt and disobedience you haue sollicited the Nazarites to breake their vow and contrary to my Law yee gaue them wine to drinke The doctrine we are to gather from hence is Disobedience against Gods holy lawes and commaundements is a sinne carefully to be eschewed by euery child of God As by the knowledge of light we may know what darkenesse is and by the knowledge of good what euill is so by the knowledge of obedience towards God we may know what disobedience against him is Of obedience towards God I entreated in my fift Lecture vpon this Chapter I then handled this conclusion Obedience to the commandements of the Lord is a dutie which the Lord requireth to be performed by euery child of his Whence by the Law of contraries followeth my now-conclusion Disobedience against the commandements of the Lord is a sinne which the Lord requireth to be eschewed by euery child of his For the illustration of this conclusion we are to note in man a twofold disobedience one in the state of corruption the other in the state of regeneration Disobedience in man in the state of corruption is an euill qualitie inbred in him by nature whereby he is made of himselfe altogether vnable and vnwilling to liue in subiection vnto God to heare his voice to obey his will or to doe what he commandeth By this disobedience man is not able to doe any thing but hate God his word his will and whatsoeuer is pleasing to him He euer rebels against God he euer resisteth the will of God he euer despiseth the commandements of God and embraceth with all his might what God forbiddeth How great this disobedience is the holy Scripture doth euidently demonstrate when it describeth the nature of man his thoughts his counsailes his affections his desires his actions in the state of corruption and before his regeneration So it calls vs k Num. 20.10 rebels Ezech. 2.3 impudent children and stiffe-hearted vers 4. Gods aduersaries and his enemies Esay 1.24 Children of l Ephes 5.6 Câ—lâ—s 3.6 diffidence and incredulitie Ephes 2.2 Children of wrath ver 3. Children of darknesse Ephes 5.8 Children of the m 1. Ioh. 3.8 Ioh. 8.49 Deuill 1. Iohn 3.10 It sayth of vs Gen. 6.5 that euery imagination of the thoughts of our hearts is onely euill continually It saith of vs Iob 15.25 that we stretch out our hands against God and strengthen our selues against the Almightie It saith of vs Ephes 4 17. that we walke in the varitie of our mindes that hauing our vnderstanding darkned we are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in vs b cause of the blindnesse of our hearts that as men past feeling we haue giuen our selues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse Such is the disobedience that is in man while he is in the state of corruption before he is regenerate There is another kind of disobedience in man when he is in the state of Regeneration This disobedience is common to euery child of God while he liueth in this world albeit in some it be greater in some lâ—sse as regeneration is perfecter in some then in others This I thus describe disobedience in man in the state of regeneration is an euil qualitie inbred in him by nature wherby he is made vnable to yeeld due subiection vnto God wholy on euery part with all his heart and all his might or so to obey his holy will simply in all things and alwayes without tergiuersation as neuer to decline from the rule of true obedience By this disobedience we are all made guiltie of the wrath of God of damnation and of eternall death The consideration hereof made Dauid Psal 130.3 to crie out vnto the Lord If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand It drew from him that humble supplication Psal 143.2 O Lord Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified It wrested from him that same confession Psal 32.6 namely that the very godly haue need to pray for the remission of their sinnes There speaking of the remission of sinnes he saith For this shall euery one that is godly pray vnto thee For this for the remission of sinnes shall euery one that is godly pray vnto thee O Lord. From hence is it that our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ taught his Apostles the most perfect Christians that euer were and therefore the most godly to pray for remission of their sinnes This disobedience which as yet resideth in vs in the best of vs S. Paul elegantly describeth Rom. 7.14 where thus he speaketh in his owne person as a man regenerate we know that the law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sin n Râ—m 17.15 For that which I doe I allow not for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. o Vers 16. If then I doe that which I would not I consent vnto the law that it is good p Vers 17. Now then it is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me q Vers 18. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I find not r Vers 19. For the good that I would I doe not but the euill that I would not that I doe c. I am not ignorant that the Pelagians of old and diuerse of late as Erasmus Ochinus Castellio Faustus Socinus the Samosatenian Iacobus Arminius and their adherents doe affirme that S. Paul speaketh these words not of himselfe as a man regenerate but doth in them describe a man that is a prophane incontinent sensuall vnregenerate or doth describe the nature of man after his fall what and how
as from a well drawne bow shall they flie to the marke They shall flie to the marke as from a bow therefore are they called the Lords arrowes Psal 18.14 The Lord thundred in the Heauens and the highest gaue his voyce he sent out his arrowes and she shot out lightnings so did shee scatter and discomfit the wicked The like sentence you haue Iob 27.2 where the thunder is called the noyse of this voyce of the Lord and the sound that goeth out of his mouth a Iob 37.4 the voyce of his excellencie the voyce wherwith he thundreth b Vers 5. marueilously This his voyce the thunder he c Vers 3. directeth vnder the whole Heauen and his lightning vnto the ends of the earth The thunder the Creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient So is the Haile so is the water so is the wind These also fight with the Lord against the disobedient Their fight is described Wisd 5.22 Haile-stones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone-bow against the wicked and the water of the sea shall rage against them and the flouds shall cruelly drowne them Yea a mightie wind shall stand vp against them like a storme shall blow them away Haile It was one of the great plagues of Egypt Exod. 9.23 Haile with Thunder and fire mingled with haile a very grieuous haile was vpon the land of Egypt it smote all that was in the field d Exod. 9.25 both man and beast it smote euery herbe of the field and brake euâ—ry tree thereof With Haile stones the Lord fought for Iosuah when he went vp to the rescue of Gibeon against the fiue Kings of the Amorites Iosh 10.11 The enemies were discomfited and a great slaughter was made of them yet more died with e Ecclus 46.6 hailestones then were slaine with the sword The Lord hath a treasurie of Haile for the time of his battailes You may read of it in the Booke of Iob chap. 38.22 There the Lord thus questioneth with Iob Hast thou seene the treasures of the haile which I haue reserued against the time of trouble against the day of battaile and warre I could yet farâ—her tell you out of the Reuelation of S. Iohn chap. 16.21 of a Haile a great Haile that fell from out of Heauen vpon men euery stone thereof was about the weight of a Talent and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the Haile for the plague thereof was exceeding great But I haue said enough to proue that the Haile the creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient From the Haile come we to the Water Of the fifteene signes that shall be before the last Iudgement and are by f Jâ— 4. Sent. Dâ—â— 48. Dub. 3. Bonauenture Holkot g In â—undem Dâ—â—â— qu. 3. Richardus de Mediâ Villâ and h â—orinus câ—m in Sup. 5.23 others cited out of S. Hierome though Eusebius Emissenus in his Sermon vpon the second Dominical of Advent citeth them out of the Annales of the Iewes the first is that the Sea shall swell fifteene Cubites high aboue the tops of mountaines and shall not runne backe but there consist like vnto walles For the truth whereof I can say nothing But thus much Christ telleth vs Luk. 21.25 that before that great day the Sea and waues shall roare Granatensis in his exercises thus meditateth vpon the words Most of all other elements the Sea shall at that time shew greatest rage and fury and the waues thereof shall be so high and so furious that many shall thinke they will vtterly ouerwhelme the whole earth Such as dwell by the Sea-side shall be in great dread and terror for the incredible and vnusuall swelling and eleuation of the waters and such as dwell farther off shall bee wonderfully affrayd and euen astonished at the horrible roaring and noyse of the waues which shall be so extreamely outragious that they shall be heard for many a myle off But what speake I now of waters that shall be hereafter There was a floud of waters in the dayes of Noah that preuailed vpon the earth for an hundred and fiftie dayes together you all know it Gen. 7.24 The Waters then preuailed against man for the sinne of man the fruit of his disobedience And they shall againe preuaile if Gods pleasure be such and the disobedience of man shall so require For the Almightie he who shut vp the Sea with dores when it brake forth as a child issueth forth of his mothers wombe as Iob speaketh chap. 38.8 and made the clouds to be a couering for it and swadled it with a band of thicke darknesse and established his decree vpon it and set barres and dores vnto it and said Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud Waues be stayed he the Almightie can easily vnbarre those dores and let the waters loose to fight his battells Hereof we haue had a late woefull and lamentable experience i See my twentith Lecture vpon Amos 2.14 pag. 241. The woefull newes and report of flouds in this Countrey of ours nine yeares since may hereof be your remembrancers It shall euer stand for good that the water the creature of the Lord is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient The wind is next The wind The Lord bloweth it out of his mouth Iob 37.10 it is called the breath of his mouth Iob 15.30 he bringeth them out of his k Ierem. 10.13 treasuries Psal 135.7 He flyeth vpon the wings thereof Psal 18.10 and walketh vpon the wings thereof Psal 104.3 He weigheth the windes Iob 28.25 He l Mark 4.39 Luk. 8.24 rebuketh the winds Matth. 8.26 he commandeth the winds and they obey him Luk. 8.25 Memorable was the victorie of the Emperour Theodosius against the traytor and rebell Eugenius Eugenius was like to haue had the vpper hand It pleased the Almightie vpon the prayers which the Emperour made vnto him for ayde and assistance to worke a strange act He sent a Wind to take part with the Emperour It was a most vnusuall and mightie Winde It blew with such force and violence that it brake the array of Eugenius his souldiers did beate back their arrowes their darts and their iauelings vpon themselues did strike their targets out of their hands did bring vpon them incredible abundance of dust and filth and dâ—d driue the arrowes of the Emperours side with such forcible flight against them that they soone gaue the field for lost The storie is Ecclesiasticall written by Socrates lib. 5. cap. 24. by Theodorite lib. 5. cap. 24. by Sozomene lib 7. cap. 24. by Nicephorus lib. 12. cap. 39. and recounted by Cassiodore in his Tripartite lib. 9. cap. 45. and by Claudian the Poet in his Panegyricke to Honorius I could here tell you how the windes fought for vs
Lyon he walketh about seeking whom he may devoure yet shall we placing all our hope and confidence in thee our Lord and God be safe vnder thy protection Protect keep vs O Lord among the manifold dangers of this life and in thy good time by the conduct of thy fauour bring vs home from this valley of miserie and mourning to that our hoped for country of eternall glory where we may with all Saints sing vnto thee a perpetuall Halleluiah Saluation and glory and honour vnto the Lord our God THE XXI LECTVRE AMOS 2.15 16. And he that is swift of foote shall not deliuer himselfe neither shall he that rideth the Horse deliuer himselfe And he that is couragious among the mightie shall flee away naked in that day saith the Lord. I Now bring you the remainder of the fourth part of Amos his first Sermon I called it heretofore a Commination I still call it so It conteineth menacings or threats against the kingdome of the ten tribes the children of Israel for the foulnesse of their ingratitude These menacings or threats proceeding from him who onely is omnipotent and al-sufficient to effect what he threatneth euen from the Lord Iehovah doe plainely demonstrate that Gods iudgements are ineluctable not to be auoyded If God will the punishment of any there is no place for refuge no cuasion no meanes to escape Neither he that is of an expedite and agile bodie nor the strong man nor the mightie nor the bow-man nor the swift of foote nor the horse-man nor the couragious and stout of heart shall be able to helpe himselfe in that day in the day of Gods vengeance Seauen particulars are here disabled from helping themselues in that day when the Lord will be pleased to execute vengeance for sinne Of foure of them you heard at large in my last Lecture out of this place that neither he that is of an expedite and agile bodie nor the strong man nor the mightie nor the bow-man can any way helpe themselues Let it please you now to giue eare and you shall heare as much of the other three of the swift of foote of the horseman of the couragious and stout of heart Begin we with the swift of foote It is the next branch that followeth vers 15. And he that is swift of foote shall not deliuer himselfe THe originall is the swift of foote shall not deliuer Shall not deliuer What shall he not deliuer Supply the defect according to the last clauses of this and the former verse and the full shall be Velox pedibus non liberabit animam suam the swift of foote shall not deliuer his soule His soule that is his life or himselfe The Author of the Vulgar Latin here readeth Velox pedibus suis non salvabitur the swift of foot shall not be saued So doth S. Hierome so the Septuagint so an old a In Bibliothâ—câ Nicolsonianâ in aede Christi Oxon. English Manuscript Some read thus The swift of foote shall not escape as the Caldee Paraphrast and Montanus and Munster and our late Church Bible Admit of which reading you will you cannot misse of the true vnderstanding of the place Read if you will the swift of foote shall not be saued or shall not escape or shall not deliuer himselfe you will forth-with vnderstand that a man cannot by the swiftnesse of his feete out-runne God This is the very marrow of that lesson which we are to learne from hence The lesson is The swift of foote hath no aduantage aboue others for the sauing of himselfe if God doe once resolue to punish This agreeth with that which I haue obserued vpon the first clause of the 14. verse The flight shall perish from the swift With that this which we haue now in hand is coincident The flight shall perish from the swift and The swift of foote shall not deliuer himselfe these two to the vnderstanding are but one and doe yeeld vnto vs one and the same obseruation The obseruation is When God resolues to punish man for sinne there is no refuge for him no euasion no escaping by flight though he be of a swift an expedite and an agile bodie This truth stands ratified with that in the ninth Chapter of this Prophecie vers 1. Non erit fuga eis qui fugient non salvabitur ex eis qui fugerit He that fleeth of them shall not flee away and he that escapeth of them shall not be deliuered And with that Eccles 9.11 There is no race to the swift or In running it helpeth not to be swift that is as Ionathan expounds the place Though men be as swift as Eagles yet shall they not by running helpe themselues or deliuer themselues from death in the day of battell The many euidences of holy Writ which are vsually brought to proue that God is euery where present and in all places at once may serue for a further ratification of my propounded doctrine For if God be euery where present if he be at once in all places then certainely there is no refuge for man against him no euasion no escaping by flight Nor the caues of the earth nor the secrets of walls nor the darkenesse of the night nor the distance of place by land or by sea can hide vs from his presence Can they not How then may that be excused which we read of Adam and his wife Gen. 3.8 that they HID themselues from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden How that which we read of Cain Gen. 4.16 that he went out from the presence of the Lord How that which we read of Ionah chap. 1.3 that he when he was sent to Niâ—iveh rose vp to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. These scruples I am now to remoue The first concerneth Adam and his wife their hiding themselues among the trees of Paradise Some say Adam hid himselfe through feare not as if he could flee from God but because hee thought himselfe vnworthie to come into Gods sight So Irenaeus lib. 3 adversus haereses cap. 37. He seemes to take in good part this flight of Adam and his endeuour to hide himselfe as if it proceeded from a pious and profitable feare and dread of an humble and repentant soule Other say that Adam exceedingly troubled in mind much ashamed and afraid that he had transgressed the commandement of God like vnto a mad man that knows not which way to turne himselfe went about to hide himselfe So S. Austine lib. 11. de Genesi ad literam cap. 33. A third opinion there is that taxeth Adam and Eue of infidelitie and impenitencie for hiding of themselues as if guiltie of transgression they had thought simply to hide themselues from the presence of God Of this opinion I find Rupertus who Comment in Genesin lib. 3. cap. 12. thus expresseth himselfe Abscondendo se vterque de Deo malè sensit sibi insipienter providit tanquam impaenitens tanquam
trust in horses and comfort themselues with chariots because they are many and with horsemen because they are lustie and strong but looke not vnto the holy one of Israel nor seeke the Lord. Concerning these I now say no more I goe on with a second vse and that is to admonish our selues that we put no trust no confidence in horse chariot horsemen or like externall meane for safetie Sith it is euident that these cannot deliuer vs from any the least iudgement that God in his displeasure shall lay vpon vs. Let vs for euer trust in the Lord alone and his power It is a sweete straine which the faithfull haue in their song Psal 20.7 Hi curruum illi equorum nos vero nominis Iehovae Dei nostri recordamur Let it be the matter of our meditation in the day of trouble and distresse Say we in faith and a sure hope Some trust in Chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God We will remember him to put our trust in him and to settle our hope on him alone So shall a blessing attend vs. It is promised Ierem. 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Blessed is he What is that to say It followeth Hee shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spreadeth out her rootes by the riuer whom the heat when it commeth cannot hurt whose leaues are alwayes greene that is not carefull in the yeare of drought and neuer ceaseth from yeelding fruit In this comparison betweene a faithfull man that trusteth in the Lord and a tree planted by the waters side we may note the stedfastnesse and stabilitie wherewith the faithfull people of God are supported so that they can neuer fall away from faith and from the grace of God whereby is condemned the doctrine of doubting that Popish doctrine very pernicious yea deadly to euery soule that shall drinke it in But I will not here make any excursion Let that which hath alreadie beene deliuered suffice for the explication of the 15. verse The sixteenth followeth And he that is couragious among the mightie shall flee away naked in that day sayth the Lord. HE that is couragious among the mightie This couragious man is in the Hebrew thus described the stout of heart among the mightie In the Vulgar Latin thus Robustus corde inter fortes the strong of heart among the stout This reading is embraced by Brensius and Osiander and Luther and Calvin and Gualter Some vary the phrase as thus fortis animo inter robustes the stout of courage among the strong so Drusius Some thus fortis animo inter potentissimâ—s the stout of courage among the mightie so Tremellius Iunius and Piscator Some thus qui roborat cor suum inter robustos he that strengthneth his heart among the strong so Vatablus Munster thus translates it qui inter fortes virili est corde he that is of a manly heart among the stout In Tauerners translation thus I read He that is as manly of stomacke as a Gyant In our late Church-Bible thus He that is of mighty courage among the strong men The reading of the Septuagint is farre different They thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is so in the Franckford Edition S. Hierome thus renders it Inventum cor eius inter potentes his heart is found among the mighty for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it must be inventum cor eius in potentatibus his heart is found in potentates or dominions It s obscure enough S. Cyrill vnfolds it he findes his heart mightily oppressed with terrors and without resistance giues the victorie to the spoyler The former readings Latin and English are more naturall and doe better expresse the originall Ours is good He that is couragious among the mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bagibborim in potentibus or inter potentes among the mighty The Hebrewes by the particle ב In or Inter doe vse to signifie the highest degree the superlatiue Iaâ—l the wise of Heber the Kenite Iudg. 5.24 is stiled benedicta inter mulieres blessâ—d among women The phrase is vsed by the Angell in his Ave Maria Luc. 1.28 Benedicta tu in mulieribus Elizabeth repeats it vers 42. Benedicta tu inter mulieres Benedicta in mulieribus or inter mulieres Blessed in or among women that is Benedictarum benedictissimâ— of women that are blessed the most blessed blessed aboue all Such is the exposition that Petrus Lusitanus giues of these words robustuâ— corde inter sortes the strong of heart among the stout that is saith he robustorum corde robustissimus fortium fortissimus of the strong of heart the strongest and of stout men the stoutest or as Castalio hath it militum animâ—sissimus of soulders the most couragious hardiest With vs he is the couragious among the mighty Of this couragious man couragious among the mighty notwithstanding his strength his mighty his manhood his valour his stoutnesse his hardinesse his couragiousnes it is said that he shall flie away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ianus he shall flee away Shall he flee away How is it possible Is not the contrary already confirmed by all the passages of the two precedent verses the 14. and the 15 Yes it hath I therefore vnderstand by this flying away not simply a flying away but onely a desire or an endeauour to flie away He shall flie away that is he shall desire to flie away or he shall endeauour to flie away yet to his litle or no aduantage though his desire or endeauour be to flie away naked He shall flee away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hharom naked A man is sometimes said to be naked when he wanteth necessaries for the supply of present occasions It is said of Saul 1. Sam. 19.24 that he stript off his clothes and prophecied and was all that day and all that night naked I cannot imagine that Saul was indeed altogither naked but he is said to be so because he had laid aside his princely robes as R. Chimchi thinketh or because he had put off his militarie apparell and was now as another common person as Iunius supposeth or because he was sine pallio prophetico because he had not on a Prophets cloake as Drusius affirmeth obseruat lib. 14. c. 14. So is Esay said to haue gone naked chap. 20.2 because he was nudatus veste suâ propheticâ because he had loosed the sackcloth from off his loynes and had put off his propheticall attire In the second of Samuel chap. 6.20 Michal telleth Dauid that he had vncouered himselfe or made himselfe naked And why but because he had put of his princely apparell and danced in a linnen Ephod Naked also may they be said to be that haue no good apparell no good clothing on So are the Apostles said to be naked 1. Cor. 4.11 Euen to this present houre we both hunger and thirst and are
No Euasion from God 342 The cause of Euill is sinne 60 Extortion 133 God wholy an Eye 105 The Eyes of the Lord behold all things 104 F Faith the power of it 260 Assurance of our Faith 7 Perseuerance in our Faith 8 Faithfull their stedfastnesse and stability 368 Our first parents Fall 10 The Famine of Ierusalem 100 Fathers 83 Our Father 's not simply to be followed in matters of religion 92 The Papists follow their Fathers in religion 93 Fire 34. 97 No Fleeing from God 342. 360 Flee to God 346 The father of a Foole reioyceth not 70 Fornication 149 152 abstaine from fornication 152 name not Fornication ibid. Fornication vnlawfull by the law of nature 153. Fornicators 149 Freedome 253 Fridericke the fourth 94 Fruite 237 G Gentiles their calling 254 Their Gods 247 Giants 234 Glorie only in the Lord. 231 God his counsells 238 all power is his 239 the honour of victories is his 239 is present euery where 344 seeth all things 104. 345 is all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies 218 and in the vpholding his children 218. 219 faithfull in his promises 260 a present helpe 261 What God is 113 No accident in God 114. Gods attributes negatiue 113 Affirmatiue 114 God is vnpartiall 103 Goods externall we must offer vp in sacrifice 173 Goods of the body must be offered 174 Goods of the mind to be offered 176 Goods vnlawfully gotten not fit to be employed in Gods seruice 200 nor in the seruice of Idols ibid. The Gospell of Christ 272 it s the word of saluation ibid the doctrine of peace ibid the doctrine of good things 275 Great personages punished by God 44 Grubenheimer 88 H Haile 295 Hanani 308 Hearers of the word must be attentiue 16 50 A faithfull Heart 178 Our Hearts must not be set on the outward things of this world 45 Heauen 139 Hell 210 Hercules the print of his foot 227 A Horse a vaine thing 366 A Horse described 365 The Horseman 364 Hyperbole 224. 225 I K. Iames. 94 Idoles 80 Idolaters It s a blessing to be freed from them 249 Iehouah 5. 49. 112 Ieremie 307 Iewes their captiuitie 98 their returne from captiuitie ibid The Iewes a stifnecked people 83 The destruction of the Iewes foretold 97 Ierusalem ibid. 107 had faire appellations 99. 107 Afflicted with famine 100 The destruction of Ierusalem 101. 102 the desolation foretold 100 Impiety taken for Impiety by God wheresoeuer he findeth it 104 Like Impieties like punishment 105 Incest 148 Incestuous persons ibid Incestuous mariages 149. 155 Incestuous mariages among the heathen 149 Incontinen 153 Iohn of Leyden 88 Iohn the thirteenth 156 Iohn the three and twentieth 157 Iohannes de Casa ibid. Ionah 360. 362 Iphictus 343 Israel 150 their sinnes 161 their prerogatiues 150 Israels vnthankfulnesse 207. 209 The people of Israel their number when they went out of Egypt 254 Iudah 55 80. 111 The kingdome of Iudah 55. 97 Iudas 2â—â— Iudges admonished 19â— Iudgement beginneth with God children 108 The Iudgement of God exercised vpon great ones 44 The last Iudgement 296 Iulia. 149 Gods Iustice goeth on slowly 62 Iustices admonished 195 K Kerioth 33 Kinred 29 148 L The Law of the Lord. 66 The Law of the Lord not to be contemned 67 It surpasseth all other Lawes 66 A Lie in words 81 in manners ibid in things ibid Lies 81 in the worship of God ibid of two sorts ibid in commerce with men of three sorts ibid An exhortation to Loue. 30 The prayses of christian Loue. ibid Lying downe at meat 162 Lyons thankefull 208 stronger then Lyons 234 Carnall Lusts 159 Fleshly Lusts ibid M Magistrats 195 their dutie ibid Man should be curteous 24 Men of two sorts 39 Martirdome 174 in peace ibid. Martin of Polonia 171 Meanes vsed by God 238 Ministers of the Gospell 272 Their dutie 276. 286 The Ministerie of the word 271 Micaiah 308 Mirraim 246 Moab 18. 32. 36 The Moabites 22 there inhumanitie 19 their pride ibid their crueltie 22 A cruel Mother 101 Munition 35 N Naked 370 The Names of God 4. 114 how prophaned 146 how sanctified 147 Nazarene 268 Nazarites ibid their law 270 284 Nazirites 268 Nazirites 268 O Obedience 76 Obedience better then sacrifice 73. 74 Obedience to the commandements of the Lord. 73 Og K. of Bashan 226. 236 height and strength 226 his bedsteed 227 Oke strong as the Okes 225 Oppression 133 187. 188 vnlawfull ibid Oppressions of this age 187 188 Oppressours hated 194 Oppressors of the poore God seeth 197 One poore man may not oppresse another ibid The Order of Gods benefits inuerted 242 Orion 343 P Paine the companion of a fault 105 A Painter of Prussia 88 The Paradise of Heauen 139 The Patience of God 21 42 45 61 Paulus the third 157 Taking of Pannes 165 We enioy Peace 45 Perseuerance in faith 8 Persons 103 Persons not respected by God ibid Pharaoh 366 Pius the third 157 Pledges 165 A Poore mans Pledge not to be taken 166 Poore God pleadeth their cause 130. 135 doe good to them 138 they will cary thee to heauen 139 For the Poore oppressed consolation 135 The Poore not to be turned out of his way 138 The Poore that are wicked 136 Popes wicked 156 incestuous ibid Popes dispensations 155 Powder treason 219 Promises of God 260 Preachers must deliuer the word of God 15 50 God Present euery where Prophets 265 303 how instructed 266 True Prophets two sorts 306 False Prophets two sorts 305 Lying Prophets 303 Punishment followeth wickednes 103 R To Raise vp 264 Rechabites 76 Rehoboam 56 Repent 46 Repentance 46 78 202 Restitution 201 The Rider 364 Roote 235 S Sacrifices vnder the law 172 of two sorts 172 Propiciatorie Expiatorie or Satisfactorie 172 Eucharisticall or gratulatorie 172 Eucharisticall of three sorts 173 Euangelicall 177 The Sacrifices of God 176 Gods Sacrifice must be the fattest 175 Salmanasser 372 Saul 288 Saul a good man of person 228 reiected by the Lord. ibid. God the author of Holy Scriptures 14 50 Speaketh in the Scriptures 13 The holy Scriptures of no priuate motion 13 The Scriptures vilified by Papists 14 51. magnified 54. 55 Easie 90 had free passage in old time ibid diuersly resembled 91 In the Scriptures Christians generally had knowledge 94 The red Sea 255 Sheepe in England cruel 193 A Shouting 40 Shur 255 Sihon K. of the Amorites 236 Sinne a greiuous burden 1 punished by God in the Angels 21 The cause of our crosses 60 to be punished 104 resembled 106 the effects of it 124 Grieuous Sinnes haue grieuous punishments 62 Elee from Sinne 106 God will punish Sinne in his deerest children 107 s a part of Gods iustice to punish It sinne 108 The filthinesse of Sinne. 150 An exhortation against Sinne. 60 Our Sinnes presse into Gods presence 42 God punisheth for one Sinne. 62 Euery Sinne is to be punished ibid Our state of Sinne and death 10 Sinnes procure Gods wrath 20 Sinnes hated of God 20.
59 Sixtus the fourth 157 Sobrietie 286 Sonnes 265 The eldest Sonnes prerogatiue 14 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28 The Spanish inuasion 298 Stand before the Lord. 363 Stature 233 Our States of regeneration and election 11 Stratonice 149 Stwes in Rome 157 patronised ibid confuted 158 Swift of foote 359 T Testament the Old 53 the New ibid. Thankefulnesse in doggs 207 in Lyons 208 An exhortation to Thankefulnes 211 Three and foure Transgressions 57. 116 Thunder 295 Tiglath Pileser 372 The Translations of the Scriptures into vulgar tongues withstood by Papists 88 their exceptions ibid. Treasures of wickednes profit not 71 God is True 6 We must striue to be True as God is True 11 Trust not in wealth nor in any wordly helpe 220 Trust not in externall helps 367 Trust in the Lord. 368. 374 Trust not in man 373 Trumpets vsed in warre 40. 41 God is Truth in himselfe in his words and in his workes 6 We must be thankefull to God for our knowledge of the Truth 8 We must striue to represent God in Truth 10. 12 A Tumult 40 An exhortation to Turne to the Lord 46 Tydeus 234 Tyrannie 253 V The execution of Vengeance proper to the Lord. 33. Victories 239 Vilages depopulated 193 Vnthankefulnesse 205. 211 Odious before God 205. 211 forbidden 206 reprehended ibid punished 209 Vsurie 133 W To walke 84 how we are to walke 249 The Water 296 Warre the executioner of Gods vengeance 41 A Way taken properly figuratiuely 137 Wealth trust not in it 220 The wicked man 235 Wildernesse of Etham 254 of Shur 256 The Winde 297 Wine allowed 181 to be auoided 184 forbidden to the Nazirites 285 to Priests 286 to Kings 285 Wine giuen to the condemned 186 of the condemned ibid The abuse of Wine 181 A Woman of Munster 88 An english Woman 89 The Word of God praised 16 272 magnified 54 55 not to be declined from 85 to be embraced with diligence 87 compared to a lampe or light 86 We must be thankefull for hauing the Word of God 87 The Church of Rome with-holds the Word of God ibid The Workes of God internall and externall 7 Z Zacheus 201 232 Zedechiah K. of Iudah 97. FINIS A Commentary OR EXPOSITION VPON THE THIRD Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS Deliuered In XVII Sermons in the Parish Church of MEYSEY-HAMPTON in the Diocesse of Glocester BY SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD Doctor of Diuinitie 2 COR. 12.14 I seeke not yours but you LONDON ¶ Printed by John Hauiland and are to be sold by Hugh Perry at the Harrow in Britaines Burse 1629. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL THINGS contained in the Exposition of the third Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS A ABimelech 184 Absolom 309 Actions of God 297 Adouai 146 Affliction of the Lord. 142. 281 Alexander the Great 212 All. 30 Ashdod 180 Azotus 181 B BEnefits temporall remember 17 Benefits vpon Israel 24 Bethel 289. 292 Bethschemites 240 Builders Of houses 307 Of Babel 307. 308 Building stately 306 C CAlamities from God 281 Cham. 182 Children 4 Choise of God 22 Christ patient 286 Citie 140 Cloysters 214 Cockatrice 98 Comminations 61 Conuersion 213 D DAuid patient 286 Decree of God 76 Deuill a fowler 78 Discord 76. â—â— 97 Diuinitie 131 E EGypt 182 Election of God 22 Enemies their reproaches 183 Euill two wayes 134 Two kindes 135 F FAith 265 266 Foole the Atheist 312 The rich man 309 310 311 A Fox 98 The Fowler 73 G GEdeon 240 Gilgal 292 The Grace of God 76 God A Fowler 79 A Lion 59. 61 God he is good 133 His Name 130 Seeth all 214 God of Hosts 258 259 260 Of Sabaoth 258 c. God the principall Agent 298. 300 The goodnes of God generall 133 Speciall 133 H HEare the word of God 8 Hearers of the word 265. 270 Of diuers sorts 13 Hearing twofold 265 Heart to be kept 101 Our Hearts our houses 312 Hosts God of Hosts 258. c. Houses spirituall 312 Stately 306 I IDolatrie Iehouah 130 131 Iehouih 147 Ignorance of God 199 Instruments how regarded 299 300 c. Iob. 299 His patience 286 Israel Prerogatiues 23 K To KNow 21 2â— Knowledge of God 19. 21 199 Knowen of God 2â— L LEauen 9â— Lions roaring 5â— Their names 16â— Comparisons from them 59 60. 16 M MAgistrates 213 Man 77 A Fowler 79 A Lion 60 Ministers their calling 240 Mitzraijm 18â— N NAmes of God 130 Numbers changed 290 P PAlaestina 180 Patience in trouble 285 Whence 286 Places of Idols 291. 292 Poore rich mens barnes 309 Powder Traitors 214 Power all of God 283 Prophets 42 Prouidence of God 75. 80 Of two sorts 81 Generall 81 Speciall 84 Particular 86 Ouer his Church 85 Punishment all of God 31 The Author of it 136 Euill of punishment 135. 139 God punisheth all sinne 34 His owne seruants 33 R REligion true 294 295 Rich man his barnes 309 S SAbaoth God of Sabaoth 258 c. Samaria 191 Saul 184 Scripture praised 130 Selfe-killing a sinne 185 Serpent 98 Shimei 299 Similitudes 75 Sinne Euill of sinne 135 Sinners 76 Smite God smiteth 16 Snare 74. 76 Snares Of Punishment 78 Of Sinne. ibid. Sodome 281 282 Sonnes 6 T THreatnings of God not in vaine 61 Accomplished 63 Absolute 65 Conditionall 66 Tongue to be tamed 99 Troubles from God 281 Endured with patience 285 286 c. Trumpeters 42 Trumpets 117 V VAriance 76. 94. 97 Visit 29 Our Visitations of God 281 God visiteth for euill 278 279 For good 278 279 In iudgement 278 279 Vzzah 240 W WAlke with God 47 Watchmen 43. 117 Water of bitternesse 98 Will of God is one 69 Word of God a Iewell 25. 45 To be heard 8 Appropriate to the Iewes 27 A two-edged sword 106 Effectuall 94. 102. 105 Y YOungling of Babylon 99 Yuorie houses 303. 304 Z ZEchariah 4 Zerubhabel 4 THE First Lecture AMOS 3.1 Heare this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt saying You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities HAuing heretofore by the gracious assistance of the Almighty finished my Exposition vpon the first and second Chapters of this Prophesie of Amos I doe now aduenture vpon the third in a sure hope and confidence of the continuance of the same assistance vnto me not doubting but that the Lord will enable me to goe forward in this course if he shall see it to be to his glory and to the good of his Church This third Chapter is Amos his second Sermon against the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It was made as it seemeth when their then King Ieroboam sonne of Ioash the thirteenth King of Israel though wicked for his life yet happy in warre had vanquished and subdued many of the Syrians and had recouered the coast of Israel from the a 2 King 14.25 entring of Hamath vnto the
after time as Esay speaketh Chap. 42.23 It is to marke and vnderstand and remember and beleeue and follow that which you heare This duty of hearing as we should we shall the better performe if as Moses at the commandement of the Lord did put off his shoâ—es the shooes from off his feet because the place wherein be stood was h ly ground Exod. 3.5 so shall we as oft as we come to this or the like holy place the House of God to heare his Word read and preached vnto vs put off our shooes too not our shooes from off our feet but our much fouler shooes our lusts our thoughts our cares our fancies our businesses euen all that corruption and sinne wherewith in this life we are clogged which as the dust to the shooe and the sh oe to the foot cleaues fast to vs. If thus prepared we come to heare the Word of God wee shall be sure of a blessing When the woman said to Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Christ replyed Luk. 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it By this his reply he sheweth that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him than his Mother for bearing him Yet hereby hee denieth not his Mother to haue beene blessed euen for bearing him but insinuates onely that she was more blessed in being his childe than in being his Mother Saint Austine De Sancta Virginitate cap. 3. well expresseth it Beatior percipiende fidem Christi quà m concipiendo carnem Christi The blessed Virgin the Mother of Christ was more blessed by receiuing the faith of Christ then by conceiuing the flesh of Christ Christ said vnto his Disciples Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your eares for you heare shewing that they were more blessed than all the world besides because they had this one blessing to heare the truth This is the blessing which you come hither for God in the abundance of his goodnesse brings it home vnto you And well may you call it a blessing For the word which we bring vnto you is verbum regni Mat. 13.19 The word of a Kingdome it brings a Kingdome with it It is verbum vitae Ioh. 6.68 the word of life it brings life with it It is not onely a word of authority to command and bind the conscience nor onely a word of wisdome to direct you nor onely a word of power to conuert you nor onely a word of grace to comfort and vphold you but the word of a neuer-fading Kingdome and of eternall life to make you perfectly and for euer blessed Thus farre hath my first Doctrine carried mee The Doctrine was deliuered in these words The word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkened vnto It was grounded vpon the first branch of my Text wherein is contained the first perswasory argument of attention drawne from the authority of the word to be hearkned vnto Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you The next argument of perswasion to enforce attention in the hearer is drawne from the persons of them who are here inuited to giue eare They are Filty Israel the children the sonnes the posterity of Israel a people descended from the holy Patriarke Iacob chosen aboue all other nations to bee Gods peculiar people with whom God had made a couenant and had on his part most absolutely performed it preseruing them from their enemies and multiplying vpon them all his benefits So graciously did God deale with these sonnes of Israel not onely whilst they loued him kept their coniugall faith with him and serued him according to his word but euen then too when they had despised him and forsaken him had violated their faith with him and committed spirituall whoredome with false gods Yet when those their impieties disobediences and rebellions were growne to the height God was resolued to come against them in iudgement and to punish them This his resolution appeareth in the many menaces and threats which from time to time the Lord sent vnto them by his holy Prophets One of which is in my Text Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel Against you to punish you O children of Israel euen you My obseruation here is God will not spare to smite his dearest children when they sinne against him One reason hereof may bee that the Lord may declare himselfe an aduersary to sinne in all men without partiality A second is that the Lord may reduce his children from running on headlong to perdition with the wicked And the vses may be two One to teach vs to magnifie the righteousnesse of God as generally in all his workes so particularly in the afflictions of his people The other to admonish vs that we looke not for any certaine earthly peace though we are by faith the children of Israel but that we prepare our selues for a continuall succession of crosses and calamities The third argument of perswasion to moue attention in these children of Israel is taken from the commemoration of their greatest deliuerance their deliuerance out of Aegypt Heare this w rd that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt My obseruation is The temporall benefits and manifold deliuerances which the Lord bestoweth vpon his people are euer to be had in remembrance and in thankefull acknowledgement This very doctrine for the substance of it I haue heretofore in your hearing propounded and proued in my fifteenth Lecture vpon the second chapter of this booke occasioned thereunto by the tenth verse wherein this great deliuerance out of Aegypt is mentioned I will not therefore at this time stand to inlarge it Onely let me now tell you that this deliuery of the Israelites out of Aegypt is not appropriate onely vnto them but that in some sort it appertaineth to the Church of God in all ages for as much as it was a type of a more surpassing deliuery from that fearefull Kingdome of sinne and darknesse It appertaineth euen vnto vs whom God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy through the precious bloud of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus hath deliuered from this spirituall Aegypt the Kingdome of sinne and darknesse and will in his good time giue vs safe passage from hence to that heauenly Canaan the true Country and Inheritance of all Saints Whither most gracious God vouchsafe to bring vs all Amen THE Second Lecture AMOS 3.2 You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities THis second verse is the second part of Amos his second Sermon concerning the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It is the proposition and containeth the very substance of the whole Sermon which is to let the Israelites vnderstand that for as much as the Lord hath beene good vnto them aboue all the Nations of the
the words of God vnto his people Israel Heare O my people and I will speake O Israel I am God euen thy God I know all the fowles of the Mountaines I know them I so know them that I can count them and call them when I list they are in my power I enioy them as mine owne they are mine owne possession And so they expound my Text You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth I haue knowne you onely Vos tantummodò mihi in viros cultores assumpsi aut possedi saith Illyricus You only haue I taken to be the men for my worship you alone haue I possessed For I haue knowne you the Chaldee Paraphrast hath I haue chosen you I haue chosen you Not amisse if by this choice you vnderstand not that speciall election i Ephes 1.4 and choise of God by which he hath ordained to life eternall those whom of his free good will and pleasure he hath decreed to endow with a celestiall inheritance For it s not to bee denied but that among the people of Israel there were many that had no part in this eternall election and choice of God Many of them had no part in it and therefore this election and choice is not here to be vnderstood But there is another election and choice of God an election and choice more generall an election a choice whereby God preferreth some one Nation aboue others graciously to manifest himselfe and to reueale his sauing word vnto them And thus may God be said only to haue elected and chosen the people of Israel You only haue I chosen of all the families of the earth That the people of Israel were alone thus elected and chosen of God Moses confesseth Deut. 4.7 8. What nation saith he is there so great who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that wee call vpon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this Law is which is set before vs this day It is as if he had thus said Let vs bee compared with the rest of the Nations of the world and we shall finde that God is good and gracious vnto vs aboue them all As soone as we pray vnto our God and resort vnto him we feele him neere vs by and by It is not so with other Nations Againe we haue his Lawes and Statutes and righteous Ordinances other Nations haue not so This doth the same Moses more plainly deliuer in sundry places of the same booke of Deuteronomy Chap. 7.6 Chap. 10.15 Chap. 14.2 Chap. 26.18 In all which places his purpose is to fasten it in the memories of the people of Israel that they were an holy people vnto the Lord their God that the Lord their God had chosen them to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe aboue all people that were vpon the face of the earth In the three first places is expresly said that the Lord did chuse Israel to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe aboue all the Nations that are vpon the earth in the fourth that the Lord auouched them to be his peculiar people He chose them he auouched them to be his peculiar people and all for his promise sake The promise is Exod. 19.5 Ye shall be a peculiar or chiefe treasure vnto me aboue all people though all the earth be mine A peculiar or a chiefe treasure The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Segullah which signifieth ones owne proper good which he loueth and keepeth in store for himselfe and for speciall vse You shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Segullah a peculiar a chiefe treasure vnto me aboue all people The meaning of this promise is that although the whole earth be the Lords by the right of creation yet this people the people of Israel should aboue all other haue a speciall interest in him Or the meaning is that the Lord would commit vnto this people his people Israel as a chiefe and principall treasure his Lawes and Statutes which he would not doe to any other people in the world besides So much is acknowledged Psal 147.19 20. He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation Certainly hereby the Lord sheweth how deare and how precious the people of Israel were in his eyes and what prerogatiues they were to haue aboue other people A chiefe prerogatiue of theirs is that the Oracles of God were committed vnto them Saint Paul affirmes it Rom. 3.1 2. What aduantage then hath the Iew or what profit is there of circumcision Much euery way chiefly because that vnto them were committed the Oracles of God Many other and very excellent prerogatiues had they They are heaped vp together Rom. 9.4 They were Israelites to them pertained the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises Theirs were the Fathers and of them as concerning the flesh Christ came who is ouer all God blessed for euer So many preeminences are so many euidences and demonstrations that of all the nations of the Earth the Israelites were knowne of God were chosen by him and were his possession They were knowne of him by the knowledge of his approbation they were chosen by him and were separated from among all the people of the earth to be his inheritance So Salomon confesseth 1 King 8.53 and the Lord himselfe here in my Text auoucheth You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You will now confesse with me that these words are as in the beginning I said they were a Commemoration of Gods benefits vpon Israel Euery prerogatiue of theirs was a benefit a blessing of God vpon them It was Gods blessing vpon them that to them were committed the Oracles of God It was Gods blessing vpon them that they were Israelites that to them pertained the adoption and the glory and the Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises It was Gods blessing vpon them that theirs were the Fathers and that of them concerning the flesh Christ came These great benefits these blessings of God vpon the Israelites Albertus Magnus in his Enarration vpon the words of my Text reduceth to the number of fiue Thus You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the Earth per beneplacitum Onely you of all the families of the Earth haue I knowne by my good pleasure Quia me vobis reuelaui lege◠vobis posui promissiones adhibui pramiis remuneraui prophetiis illuminaui I haue reuealed my selfe vnto you I haue giuen you the Law I haue made to you the promises I haue recompenced you with rewards I haue illuminated you with Prophesies Then addes he that of the Psalme Non taliter fecit omni nationi Hee hath not dealt so with euery Nation With euery Nation Nay hee hath not so
I forme the light and create darknesse I make peace and create euill I the Lord doe all these things I create euill In this place by Euill we are not to vnderstand malum culpae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not robbery not couetousnesse nor any like wickednesse but malum poene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Chrysostome speaketh Homily 23. vpon Matthew the stripes or wounds that we receiue from aboue Gasper Sanchius doth here reckon vp whatsoeuer disturbeth our tranquillity or quiet whatsoeuer externall or domesticall vexation we haue whatsoeuer taketh from vs the faculty and opportunity of those things that are necessary for our life as warre and exile and depredation and seruitude and want and the like Of all these it may be truly affirmed that the Lord createth them the Lord doth them all Of such euils is that also to be vnderstood which our Prophet Amos hath in the sixt verse of this Chapter Shall there be euill in a City and the Lord hath not done it The interrogation is vsed the more to vrge the point Shall there be euill in a City and the Lord hath not done it There shall be none No euill of punishment no calamity no misery no crosse no affliction shall bee in any City or in any other place of the world but the Lord is the actor of it he doth it Hereof was holy Iob well aduised The checke hee giues his Wife shewes it She seeing him all smitten ouer with sore biles from the sole of his foot vnto the crowne of his head falls a tempting him Doest thou yet retaine thine integrity Curse God and die Iobs reply vnto her is Chap. 2.10 Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh What Shall wee receiue good at the hand of God and shall we not receiue Euill Shall we not receiue Euill By Euill hee meaneth the Euill not of sinne but of punishment as calamities miseries crosses afflictions and the like which he calleth euill not because they are so indeed but because many thinke them so to bee For things may be tearmed Euill in a two-fold vnderstanding Some are indeed Euill such are our sinnes and of them God is not the cause Some are not indeed Euill but onely in regard of vs in regard of our sense of our feeling of our apprehension of our estimation Such are the punishments the calamities the miseries the afflictions whereto we are in this life subiect and of these God is the cause This is it which Iob acknowledgeth in the reproofe of his wiues folly Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and shall wee not receiue Euill and it fitly serueth for the establishment of my doctrine Whatsoeuer punishment befalleth any one in this life it s from the Lord. The reason hereof is because the Lord is the principall doer of all things He is the primary agent the chiefest actor in all things and therefore in all the punishments which doe befall vs in this life The vses of this obseruation are two One is to reproue some Philosophers of old and some ignorant people now adaies for a vaine opinion of theirs whereby they attribute to accident chance and fortune all those their afflictions from the least to the greatest whereof they fee not any apparant cause The other is to admonish vs that when any affliction is vpon vs we take it patiently as comming from the Lord and repine not at the instruments by whom we are afflicted They without him could doe nothing against vs. Whatsoeuer they doe they doe it by his permission The hand of his particular prouidence is with them to appoint the beginning and end and measure and continuance of all our afflictions Wherefore in all our afflictions let our practise be as holy Dauids was Psal 39.9 euen to hold our peace and say nothing because the Lord hath done it From the Agent and his Action I passe to the Patient You. I will punish You. You mine owne possession You my peculiar treasure You my chosen people aboue all the Nations of the earth I will punish you My obseruation from hence is The Lord doth punish his seruants in this life aboue others This truth I further proue out of Saint Peter Epist 1. Chap. 4. Vers 17. He there saith The time is come that iudgement must beginne at the house of God At the house of God it must beginne His seruants therefore must haue the first taste of it and the time is come for them to haue it Is the time now come Was it not before Yes it was euer Nadab and Abihu two of Aarons sonnes they offer strange fire before the Lord and a fire comes out from the Lord and deuoures This is it that the Lord spake saying In propinquis meis sanctificabor Leuit. 10.3 I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me If they that come nigh vnto me transgresse my lawes I will not spare them they euen they shall feele the heauinesse of my hand So saith the Lord Ierem. 25.29 Loe I beginne to bring euill on the City in which my name is called vpon And there you see It is not the seruice of God not the calling vpon his holy Name that can exempt a place from punishment if it be polluted with iniquity Beginne at my Sanctuary It is the Lords direction for the punishment of Ierusalem Ezech. 9.6 Goe thorow the City and smite Let not your eye spare neither haue yee pity Slay vtterly old and young yea maids and little children and women But come not neere any man vpon whom is the marke the rest slay vtterly old and young Spare not Pity not and beginne at my Sanctuary Now lay we all this together Beginne with them that are nigh vnto me beginne at my City at my house at my Sanctuary spare none pity none smite all You see my obseruation made good The Lord doth punish his seruants in this life aboue others I say in this life One reason hereof may bee because the Lord out of his loue to his seruants will not suffer them to goe on in sinne A second may be eternall punishments are prepared for the wicked hereafter and therefore here in this life are they the lesse punished And the vses may be two One to lessen vs that in the multitude and the greatnesse of our afflictions we acknowledge Gods great mercy and endeuour to beare them all with patience and contentment Whensoeuer Gods hand shall be vpon vs in iudgement for our sinnes let that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.32 be our comfort When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world A second vse may be to shew vnto vs how fearefull their case is who passe all their time here in this world without any touch of affliction Affliction it is the badge of euery sonne of God Whosoeuer hath no part herein he is a bastard he is no sonne So saith the Apostle Heb. 12.8 I haue done with
cost they like not the charges it bringeth with it O let not any such repiner any such grudger be found in the assembly of the Saints Such if they conferre any thing to the maintenance of the Ministery they doe it not for conscience sake but of necessity not for any loue they beare vnto the Word preached but by compulsion of Law not as a free will offering to God for the recompence of his Kingdome among them but as a taxation which they cannot resist To such the preaching of the Word is not a benefit but a burthen So farre are they from taking any delight therein as that by their good wills they would wholly shake and shift it off Carnally minded men carelesse and prodigall of the saluation of their owne soules The horse-keeper that dresseth their horses the shepheard that watcheth their sheepe the heardman that looketh to their swine the Cobler that clouteth their shooes shall willingly be considered for their paines but the Minister or Pastor that breaketh vnto them the bread of life shall haue no supply from them to the releefe of his necessities No supply Nay well were he if he could hold his owne euen that portion of maintenance which is allotted to him by the Word of God But I hope there cannot be found in this assembly any one so sacrilegiously affected I haue good reason to be perswaded much better of you all Yet you as well affected as you are in this behalfe are to be admonished that to these exercises of our religion ye come willingly and ioyfully Willingly for your owne duties sake and ioyfully because from hence you may carry home with you a Iewell of an inualuable price euen the precious Word of God wherein quicquid docetur veritas quicquid praecipitur bonitas quicquid promittitur felicitas est as Hugo lib. 3. de Anima speaketh Whatsoeuer is taught its truth whatsoeuer is commanded its goodnesse whatsoeuer is promised its happinesse Nam Deus veritas est sine fallaciâ bonitas sine malitiâ felicitas sine miseriâ for God is truth without falshood goodnesse without malice happinesse without misery O come ye then hither as willingly for your duties sake so also ioyfully for your profits sake Willingly and ioyfully It is somewhat I grant to come hither to this house of God to diuine seruice but to come willingly and ioyfully it is a double vertue and that which giueth life vnto your comming If you come vnwillingly or grudgingly if you be drawne hither either for shame of the world or through feare of Law you come as men more than halfe dead without either operation of the spirit or desire of profit or feeling of comfort or increase of faith or bettering of obedience Wherefore dearely Beloued let your care be euer willingly and ioyfully to present your selues in these Courts of the Lord in his holy Temple Be ye well assured that as hee is accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently so is hee also accursed that commeth into the house of the Lord either vnwillingly or grudgingly as if he were discouraged with the tediousnesse either of the way or of the word It is recorded of the people of God Psal 84. that they trauelling towards the place of Gods worship passed through many dangers endured much heat suffered wants in the wildernesse and all for the delight they tooke in his seruice The delight that they tooke in the seruice of God did swallow vp all their wants their trauell their labour and their paines It made them say A day in thy courts is better than a thousand And I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse A day in thy courts is better than a thousand A day one day onely and no more in thy courts in the courts of God in his Temple and the publike meetings and assemblies there is better is more sweet more comfortable more profitable than a thousand elsewhere yea though the place bee neuer so full of pleasure And I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God I had rather be of the meanest account in the Church the place where my God the onely true and euerliuing God is serued than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse than to make my abode in most stately and gorgeous Palaces wherein wickednesse is practised and professed O! how amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts How excellent was this zeale of Gods people how great their forwardnesse to doe him seruice We would be accounted Gods people as well as they But where is our zeale Were ours as theirs was certainly neither blasts of wind nor feare of raine nor heat of Summer nor cold of Winter nor a Lion in the way nor any like trifle should stop vs from comming to the house of God his Temple the place where by his Ministers he speaketh to his people Thus farre by the occasion of my first obseruation which was grounded vpon the second of those fiue expositions whereof you heard in the beginning of this exercise My obseruation was The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vs of any iudgements that shall befall vs except they be first agreed with God and God speake in them I proceed A second application of this first similitude to the matter here intended by the Holy Ghost may be thus As it cannot be that two should walke together except they be agreed So it cannot be that God should walke with Israel for as much as there is a disagreement betweene them The time indeed was when God walked with Israel and Israel with God Then it was when the people of Israel were desirous to please God to doe his holy will and to depend vpon him But afterward when rebelliously they forsooke God and applied themselues to the seruice of false gods it could not be that God should any longer walke with them or they with God This is the third of those fiue expositions whereof euen now you heard It was the exposition of Albertus Rupertus and Isidore and is embraced by later Expositors by Franciscus Ribera by Petrus Lusitanus by Oecolampadius Danaeus Gualter Tremellius and Iunius and Piscator The obseruation is When man through his euill courses leaueth off to walke with God or forsaketh him then will God no longer walke with man but will also forsake him To walke with God is louingly to adhere vnto him and to please him So is the phrase vsed in the Prophesie of Micah Chap. 6.8 What doth the Lord require of thee O man but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God To walke with thy God that is Ionathan translates it to walke in the worship and feare of God Petrus Lusitanus saith it is to liue according to the Law and will of God And this doubtlesse is to please God It is said of Enoch Gen. 5.22 24. that he walked with God He walked with God that
Gods wrath against vs wee shall finde that his threatning of vs will not be in vaine The threatnings of God they are not vana dunt axat puerorum simplicisque rusticitatis terricula as Quadratus hath well noted they are not onely as scar-crowes or bugs for the terrifying of little children and the ruder sort of people but are certaine euidences of Gods resolution for the punishment of sinne Neuer are they in vaine Of two sorts they are for either they concerne a spirituall and eternall punishment or a punishment that is temporary and corporall Of the first sort is that commination Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them The punishment there threatned is spirituall it is eternall Saint Paul so expounds it Gal. 3.10 where he saith As many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them The curse there spoken of is no temporall no corporall matter it is spirituall it is eternall The reason is because the curse is opposed to the blessing Now to bee blessed with faithfull Abraham is to be iustified to bee absolued from sinne and death to be in fauour with God to obtaine eternall saluation and therefore to be accursed is to be condemned for sinne to be cast out from God to be adiudged to euerlasting death and Hell The blessing is spirituall and eternall and therefore must the curse also be spirituall and eternall Comminations of the second sort are in holy Writ more frequent and obuious If you will not hearken to the Lord your God to doe his Commandements but will despight his statutes and abhorre his iudgements then will the Lord doe thus and thus vnto you In the 26. of Leuit. vers 16. he will visit you with vexations consumptions and burning agues that shall consume your eyes and cause you sorrow of heart Vers 17. he will set his face against you and ye shall bee slaine before your enemies they that hate you shall reigne ouer you and ye shall flee when none pursueth you Vers 19. Hee will breake the pride of your power and will make your Heauen as iron and your Earth as brasse and your strength shall be spent in vaine for neither shall your land yeeld her encrease nor your trees their fruits Vers 22. Hee will send wilde beasts among you which shall rob you of your children and destroy your cattell and make you few in number These and other like threatnings against the wilfull contemners of Gods holy Will you may better read of in the now alleaged 26. Chapter of Leuiticus and 28. Chapter of Deuteronomy and other places of holy Scripture than I can at this time stand vpon to relate them They are many they are fearefull Many and fearefull are the punishments though but temporary and corporall which the Lord threatneth to the wilfull contemners of his holy Will Thus you see Gods threatnings are of two sorts either of spirituall and eternall punishments or punishments that are temporary and corporall These threatnings of punishments corporall or spirituall temporary or eternall are by the Lord himselfe accomplished at times certaine and vnchangeable When the old world in the daies of Noah had growne to much impiety and wickednesse the Lord appointed a certaine space the space of 120. yeeres for their repentance and conuersion Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwaies striue with man for that he also is flesh yet his daies shall be an hundred and twenty yeeres Though he saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that euery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was euill was onely euill was euill continually so that with great iustice he might forthwith haue swallowed them vp with a floud yet would hee not but would yet forbeare longer and looke for their amendment A hundred and twenty yeeres yet would he giue them to see if they would returne and auoid his wrath But they would not returne and therefore at the very end and terme of those hundred and twenty yeeres he brought the floud vpon them Then then and not before he brought the floud vpon them For compare we the particular circumstances of time noted Gen. 7.3 6 11. with that which Saint Peter writeth in his first Epistle chap. 3.20 we shall finde that the inundation of waters came vpon the earth at the very point of time before determined Memorable is that commination of the Lord against the Iewes Ierem. 25.11 Because you haue not heard my voice behold I will take from you the voice of mirth and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegroome and the voice of the bride the sound of the Milstones and the light of the candle you shall be a desolation and an astonishment shall serue the King of Babylon seuenty yeeres The summe of the Commination is that the Iewes for their sins should be led captiue serue the King of Babylon seuenty yeeres Now if we take the iust computation of time it will appeare that so soone as those yeeres those seuenty yeeres were expired the foresaid threat was accomplished And therefore Daniel alluding to this prophesie of Ieremie exactly setteth it downe Chap. 5.30 saying The same night was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slaine the same night the very night wherein those seuenty yeeres came to their full period was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slaine To these fearefull examples of Noahs floud and the carrying away of the Iewes into Babylon may be added the burning of Sodome by fire and brimstone the destruction of the ten Tribes the ruine of Ierusalem and the Kingdome of Iudah the desolation of the seuen Churches of Asia all which besides many other calamities vpon many other places and persons accomplished and come to passe according to the threatnings of the Lord may well assure vs that whatsoeuer he hath threatned will certainly take effect And certainly if we by serious and true repentance doe not preuent the execution of his threats he will not faile to preuent vs and take vs away suddenly Thus is my obseruation made good If by our sinnes we prouoke Gods wrath against vs wee shall finde that his threatning of vs will not be in vaine No it will not If God threaten and no repentance followeth then certainly the threatnings pronounced will come to passe Hee threatens not in vaine hee terrifies not without cause no more than the Lion roareth when he hath no prey or the Lions whelpe cryeth out of his denne if he haue gotten nothing Is it thus Beloued Shall we finde that Gods threatnings will be effectuall and powerfull against vs if we by our sinnes goe on still to prouoke him to displeasure It seemes then that if we repent vs of our sinnes and cease any further to grieue Gods holy Spirit his threatnings will bee vaine and without
God himselfe hath said it Esay 55.10 As the raine commeth downe and snow from Heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may giue seed to the sower and bread to the eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto mee void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it By this similitude taken from the raine and snow the Lord giueth vs to vnderstand that his Word hath euer an effectiue power It is euer working one way or other It either mollifieth or hardeneth it either conuerteth or conuinceth it either cureth or killeth None euer heard it but they were either the better or the worse by it Wee preach saith Saint Paul 1 Corinth 1.23 We preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and vnto the Greekes foolishnesse and these are the worse by the preaching of the Word But vnto them which are called both Iewes and Greekes it is the power of God and his wisdome and these are the better by it After that heauenly Sermon made by our Sauiour Ioh. 6. in the 66. verse Some went backe and walked no more with him these were the worse by his preaching Others stucke more close saying vers 68. Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and are sure that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God and these were the better by his preaching At Paphos in the I le of Cyprus Barnabas and Saul vpon the request of the Deputy preached the Word of God By their preaching Sergius was conuerted Elimas was the more obdurate the Deputy was the better by it the Sorcerer much the worse Act. 13.7 8. This word of God is called a sword Heb. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double edged sword It hath an edge and an edge alijs ad salutem alijs ad perditionem It hath an edge for some vnto saluation an edge for others vnto perdition an edge for receiuers vnto redemption an edge for contemners vnto reiection This is it that our Sauiour saith Ioh. 12.48 He that reiecteth me and receiueth not my words hath one that iudgeth him the word that I haue spoken the same shall iudge him at the last day The word which he hath heard and contemned the same shall be his Iudge Shall it be his Iudge Tell vs then Vbi nam iste talis judex sedebit Where shall this Iudge a Iudge of this nature the Word of God where shall it sit Quali de solio suo voces aut sententias iudicij sui dabit From what bench from what tribunall shall it giue sentence Lib. 10. Com. in Ioan. ad cap. 12. Rupertus shall make the answer Propè aderit intùs sedebit in conscientià cujusque iustas sententias terribiliter personabit It will be neare vnto thee it will haue a seale within thee euen in thy conscience and there it will terribly pronounce iust iudgement against thee if thou bee a contemner of the word of God Beleeue it dearely Beloued beleeue it The Word of God preached among vs shall either saue vs or iudge vs. It shall bee either a copie of our pardon or a bill of our inditement at the last day For non cadit fine efficacia as my doctrine goeth The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy it effecteth whatsoeuer it promiseth whatsoeuer it threatneth This is it which Saint Austin hath Enarrat in Psal 94. Sicut verum est quod promisit sic certum est quod minatur As it is true what God in his holy Word hath promised so certaine is it what therein he threatneth And as thou shouldest be certainly assured of thy rest of thy welfare of thy felicity of thine eternity of thine immortality if thou be obedient to this Word of God so must thou be certainly assured of thy molestation of thy vexation of thy ruine of thy burning in eternall fire and of thy damnation with the deuils if thou be disobedient hereunto Thus haue you as well the illustration as the confirmation of my second doctrine which was The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy The vses may be two One for terrour the other for comfort The terrour is for the wicked the comfort for the godly I can but point at them The first is terrour to the wicked The wicked when hee shall consider that the threatnings of God against sinners denounced in the Word of God are euer true in their performance and must therefore be performed vpon him how shall he stand affected Shall not a feare seize vpon him Ier. 49.24 shall not anguish and sorrow enuiron him about Shall not his heart be as the heart of a woman in her pangs His agony will bee no lesse than was Belshazzars Dan. 5.6 His countenance will be changed his thoughts will be troubled the ioints of his loines will bee loosed his knees will smite one against the other Such will bee his agony when the threatnings in Gods Word are brought home vnto him and laid vnto his conscience as that Psal 11.6 Vpon the wicked the Lord shall raine snares fire and brâ—mstone and a burning tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. And that Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doth euill And that Matth. 5.10 Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire And that Matth. 25.30 Cast ye the vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth O what terrours shall affright the wicked when hee shall behold such an army of sorrowes comming on against him with due vengeance from the Lord Those terrours that are vpon the wicked may be profitable vnto vs sundry waies First they may teach vs rightly to poise the weight of our sinnes in the balance of the Sanctuary and by the fearefull issue and after-claps that they bring to iudge how hainous they are in the sight of God Secondly they may rouse vs vp to a due consideration of our naturall misery Thirdly they may prouoke within vs an appetite euen to hunger and thirst after reconciliation by Christ Fourthly they may deterre vs from the practise of sinne And so passing from the terrors of the wicked let vs haue an eye to the comforts of the godly The godly man he that is the childe of God when hee considereth that the promises of God made in his holy Word are euer true in their performance and therefore will be performed in his particular how great cause hath hee of exultation and reioycing Sweet is that promise made by Christ Matthew 11.28 Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest As sweet is that Iohn 6.35 Hee that beleeueth on me shall neuer thirst and that vers 37. Him that commeth to
2. yet we reade that Pharaoh and Nabuchodonosor had such Et Pharaoh Nabuchodonosor in iudicium sui somnijs futura cognoscunt tamen Deum non intelligunt reuelantem saith S. Hierome vpon the first of Ionas Both Pharaoh and Nabuchodonosor to their owne condemnation doe by their dreames know things to come and yet they vnderstand not God the reuealer Dreames of the second sort are Naturall and such no doubt the Heathen in their sleepe had as wee in ours haue But in these there is no diuination no fore-knowing of things to come The third sort is of dreames diabolicall Hieron CoÌ„ment in Esai Distinct 7. part 2 art 1. q. 3. lib. 2. such as the Gentiles sought for in the Temple of Aesculapius Bonauenture calls them Somnia quae fiunt ex illusione Diabolicâ Dreames which happen to men in time of sleepe by the illusion of the Deuill Dreames of this sort as they were euer vncertaine so were they as vncertainly interpreted Such was the Dreame that Darius had before he encountred with Alexander Curtius lib. 3. some expounded it to signifie the victory that he should haue against him some gaue a contrary sense Curtius lib. 3. Tully giues another instance One going to the Olympicke games had a dreame that he was turned into an Eagle One Wizâ—rd interpreted it that he should ouercome because the Eagle is supreme to all other fowles another turned it the contrary way that hee should haue the worse because the Eagle driuing other birds before her commeth last of all Such dreames as these are well censured by Siracides in the 34. of his Ecclesiasticus vers 5. Diuinations and sooth-sayiâ—â—â— and dreames are vaine Dreames are vaine If they be not sent from the most High in thy visitation set not thy heart vpon them For dreames haue deceiued many and they haue failed that put their trust in them For who so regardeth dreames is like him that catcheth at a shadow and followeth after the winde Thus finding no sound ability either in the dreames of the Heathen or in their Oracles to reueale secrets or foretell things to come we must euer acknowledge it for a truth irrefragable and not to be gain-said that God is the only reuealer of secrets that he only foretelleth things to come And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of my second generall the thing reuealed the secret of God The third followeth and is of them to whom the Reuelation is made they are his seruants the Prophets Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets The Prophets that were the seruants of the Lord God were of three sorts Some were extraordinarily raised vp by God for the gouernment of the Church in the infancie thereof Their office was in the common necessities of the Church to consult God as occasion should be giuen and to giue answers concerning things to come These from the inward counsell of God vttering oracles were wont to be called a 1 Sam. 9.9 Amos 7.12 Seers Others extraordinarily also raised vp by God were ordained for the instruction of the Church Their office was to interpret and apply the Law and to foreshew the sufferings and glory of Christ These continued from b Act. 3.24 10.43 1 Pet. 1.10.11 Samuel vnto Malachie Malachie was the last of them The third sort is of the c Ephes 4.11 1 Cor 12.28 Prophets of the New Testament such as were endued with a singular dexterity and readinesse and wisdome to interpret the Scriptures of the Prophets and to apply them In this third ranke euery d Luke 4.24 1 Cor. 14.32 true Minister of the Gospell hath a place Of all these Prophets Christ is the head he is the chiefe of all To him e Deut. 18.15 Act. 3.22 〈◊〉 7.37 Moses yea and all the Prophets all the f Act. 3.24 Prophets from Samuel and all those that follow after as many as haue spoken giue witnesse But the Prophets of which my text speaketh are of the two first sorts of Prophets those whom God extraordinarily raised vp as well for the gouerning as for the instruction of the Church Both are here stiled the seruants of the Lord God His seruants Not only because they serued God in the common profession of godlinesse but also because they serued him in their particular functions and callings To be the seruants of the Lord God it is certainly a notable dignity and prerogatiue How doe men delight to shroud themselues vnder the liueries of great men and how much doe they take themselues to be honoured thereby How much more ought we to labour to approue our selues in the presence of the Lord our God and to shew our selues euery man in his seuerall vocation and course of life to be his faithfull seruants And thus haue you the particular exposition of this my text Surely the Lord God will doe no thing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets I may not leaue vntouched the maine obseruation which this text affordeth It is this God neuer bringeth any grieuous iudgement vpon any people or nation nor vpon any priuate person but he doth alwaies first fore-warne the same and foretelleth it God alwayes teacheth before hee punisheth hee warneth before hee striketh When hee was resolued to wash the World with a Deluge of waters for the sinne thereof hee fore-told it vnto Noah Gen. 6.13 Though the crie of Sodome and Gomorrah were great and their sinne very grieuous yet would not God destroy them till he had made knowne his purpose vnto Abraham Gen. 18.17 and to Lot Gen. 19.13 The seuen yeares of famine that should consume the Land of Aegypt seuen yeares before hee foretold to Ioseph Gen. 41.25 So hee reuealed the intended subuersion of Niniueh to Ionah Ionah 3.1 the famine that should be in the dayes of Claudius Caesar vnto Agabus Act. 11.28 the captiuitie of the ten Tribes to this our Prophet Amos. Amos in the full assurance of this truth saith with boldnesse Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the P ophets Will hee doe nothing but hee reuealeth it Wee may not so take it that God reuealeth to his Prophets all things which he hath a purpose to doe all things simply all his secrets But with a certaine limitation that hee reuealeth omnia vtilia nobis as Hugo de S. Charo out of the Glosse hath obserued that hee reuealeth all things profitable for vs or that hee reuealeth Omnia quae bonum communitatis concernunt as Carthusian speaketh that hee reuealeth all things which concerne the common good All things which either concerne the common good or are profitable vnto vs such as are the iudgements of God to be laid vpon a multitude or a priuate person God reuealeth This is the substance of the doctrine euen now deliuered God neuer bringeth any grieuous iudgement vpon any people or
Nation or vpon any priuate person but he doth alwaies first fore-warne the same and foretelleth it The reasons hereof are two One is in regard of the godly the other in regard of the wicked The first is in regard of the godly God is vnwilling at any time to take them at vnawares He loueth them and would not haue any of them to perish but would haue them all come to repentance as Saint Peter witnesseth 2 Epist 3.9 God would haue them all come to repentance that so they might preuent his iudgements And therefore he neuer striketh but first he warneth The other reason is in regard of the wicked namely that the wicked might be without excuse their mouthes might be stopped and the iustice of God cleared they hauing nothing to answer for themselues or to accuse God of any vniust dealing If I had not come saith our Sauiour Christ Iesus Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sinne but now they haue no cloake nor excuse for their sinne Wherefore let these men wicked men learne as oft as the rod of God lieth heauie vpon them to accuse themselues because when God gaue them warning they would not be warned when God would haue healed them they would not be healed You haue the reasons The vses follow I can but point at them the time will not suffer any enlargement Is it so beloued Doth God neuer bring any grieuous iudgement vpon any people or Nation or any priuate person but he alwayes first fore-warneth the same and fore-telleth it Here then acknowledge we Gods great mercie and his wonderfull patience Thus God needeth not to deale with vs. For vpon our owne perill we are bound to take heed of his iudgements before they come Yet so good is our God so louing so mercifull so patient that he is desirous wee should preuent his iudgements before they fall by sending our prayers vnto him as Embassadours to treat of conditions of Peace with him A subtill enemie would steale vpon vs at vnawares and take vs at the aduantage but God our good God euer fore-warneth before hee striketh Hee doth so saith Carthusian Vt emendemur ab imminentibus eripiamur tormentis hee euer fore-warneth vs that our liues may bee amended and wee deliuered from the torments that hang ouer vs readie to fall vpon vs. Againe doth God neuer bring any grieuous iudgement vpon any people or Nation or any priuate person but he alwayes first fore-warneth the same and foretelleth it Let vs then whensoeuer wee see any ouertaken with any grieuous iudgement confesse with Saint Augustine de verâ falsâ poenitentiâ cap. 7. Qui verus est in promittendo verus etiam est in minando that God is true as in his promises so also in his threatnings If his desire were not that wee should preuent his iudgements doubtlesse he would neuer giue vs warning of them If hee had a will and purpose to destroy vs he would neuer tell before-hand how wee should auoid his iudgements Let no man say that the silence of God and the holding of his peace is a cause of his securitie No it cannot be so God neuer commeth with any iudgement but he alwayes sendeth a warning peece before He sendeth vnto vs his seruants the Prophets Prophets we haue among vs and Apostles we haue among vs and God giueth vs his Ministers Pastors and Preachers as it were to put life againe into the dead Prophets and Apostles euen to open and declare vnto vs those things which they deliuered Wherefore when we shall be admonished by his Ministers that such and such iudgements shall come when they shall threaten plagues according to the generall directions which they haue in the word of God let vs not withstand the Spirit speaking in them It is the wonderfull goodnesse of God that hee vouchsafeth to send them vnto vs and to tell vs before of his iudgements THE Tenth Lecture AMOS 3.8 The Lion hath roared who will not feare the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie IT was a thing too common with the Israelites if their Prophets or Preachers did at any time speake sharply against their euill courses euermore to finde fault and quarrell them What meane these men Why doe they so farre vrge vs Why doe they not suffer vs to be quiet Will they euer prouoke the wrath of God against vs Sic enim solent homines surely so worldlings vse to doe If Prophets if Preachers be austere in their reprehensions they will command them to hold their peace as you haue heard by occasion of the twelfth verse of the precedent Chapter If Amos foretell Ieroboam King of Israel Amos 7.9 that the high places of Isaack shall be desolate that the Sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste that Ieroboams house shall perish with the sword there will be an Amaziah to forbid him to prophesie any more in Bethel Amos 7.12 If Hanani the Seer reproue King Asa for not relying on the Lord his God Asa will be in a rage with him and will put him in a prison house 2 Chron. 16.10 If Micaiah foreshew vnto King Ahab the euill that shall befall him the King will hate him for it 1 King 22.8 Zedechiah will smite him on the cheeke vers 24. Amon the Gouernor will put him in prison and will feede him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction vers 27. If Ieremiah foreshew vnto the Iewes their desolation for their sinnes some will deuise deuices against him and will smite him with the tongue Ieremy 18.18 Some will smite him with the fist and put him in the stocks chap. 20.2 Some will apprehend him threaten him with death and arraigne him chap. 26.8 Some will shut him vp in prison chap. 32.2 Some will let him downe with cords into a miry and dirty dungeon chap. 38.6 It is the lot of the Prophets of the Lord the portion of his Preachers Esay 30.10 Leuit. 19.17 if they speake not placentia pleasing and smooth words vnto the people but doe rebuke them and not suffer them to sinne it is their lot and portion neuer to haue want of enemies that shall make warre against them This ill custome in the people Amos here finds fault with and condemneth for vniust saying The Lion hath roared c. as if he had said You take me for your enemy because I foreshew vnto you the iudgements of God which shall light vpon you and therefore you contend you chide you quarrell with mee but all in vaine for I may not hold my peace If I should the voice of God will of it selfe be terrible enough vnto you The euill whereof I tell you proceedeth not so much from my mouth as from the Mandate of God Will I nill I I am constrained to obey my God God he hath chosen me to be his Prophet and hath put into my mouth what I speake vnto you The Lion hath roared
with perseuerance euen vnto the end He that hath put his hand to this Plough may not looke backe lest he proue vnfit for the Kingdome of God Luk. 9.62 In this race and course of life we are to contend and striue with the whole earth Though we be despised despighted hated cursed of euery man because we preach what the Lord hath bidden vs and proclaime his vengeance against sinners yet will we not be discouraged Our hand against euery man and euery mans hand against vs Our tongue against euery vice and euery tongue walketh rangeth at liberty through our actions The Disciple is not aboue his Master Math. 10.24 nor the Seruant aboue his Lord. If our Master and Lord Christ Iesus haue suffered such things we his Disciples and seruants must possesse our soules in patience If wee bee thought too clamorous against the disorders of common life if too busie if too seuere in striking at offences forgiue vs this fault A necessity is laid vpon vs The Lord God hath spoken and wee cannot but prophesie Is a necessity laid vpon vs That 's not all For a Woe is due vnto vs if we preach not Vae mihi saith Paul 1 Cor. 9.16 Woe is mee if I preach not the Gospell If I preach not the Gospell What then shall become of the Law Wee must preach both as the Gospell so the Law As wee are to publish the tidings of ioy to those that reioyce in our message so are wee to denounce the terrors of iudgement to those that contemne it As wee are to preach liberty to captiues so are wee to threaten captiuity to libertines As wee are to pipe to those that will dance after vs so are wee to sound a trumpet of warre to those that will resist vs. As we are to build an Arke for those that will bee saued so are we to powre out a floud of maledictions against those that will bee damned Finally as wee are to open the doores to those that knocke and are penitent so are wee to stand in the doores with a flaming sword in our mouthes against those that are obstinate Thus you see a necessity is laid vpon vs to preach vnto you to preach not the Gospell onely but the Law too Yet is not this necessity necessitas coactionis a necessity of coaction constraint or compulsion but necessitas obligationis mandati diuini a necessity of obligation and diuine Commandement It is our vocation and conscience that imposeth this necessity vpon vs. If then we preach vnto you wee haue not whereof to glory or boast our selues For we doe no more than we are of duty to doe Now if we of duty preach vnto you then are you of duty likewise to heare vs and a necessity of hearing is laid vpon you I say not a necessity of coaction constraint or compulsion but a necessity of obligation and diuine Commandement A necessity is laid vpon you to heare the word of God God commandeth you to heare it And Vae vobis Woe vnto you if you refuse to heare it Yet when you heare take heed how you heare Quid juvat auditus verbi si non datur vsus What aduantage is it to you to heare the Word of God if you make no good vse thereof Ideo audis vt agas Therefore you heare that you may put in practise what you heare Sweetly Saint Augustine vpon Psal 104. Valdè malè digerit is qui bene audit non bene operatur Surely he very ill digesteth that heareth well and workes not well Now gracious Father we most humbly beseech thee to open our hearts and to vnlocke the eares of our vnderstanding that whether we preach or heare thy Word wee may preach it and heare it profitably that we may obserue learne and embrace such things as are necessary to the confirming of our weake faith and the amendment of our sinfull liues Amen THE Eleuenth Lecture AMOS 3.9 10 11. Publish in the palaces of Ashdod and in the palaces of the Land of Aegypt and say Assemble your selues vpon the mountaines of Samaria and be hold the great tumults in the midst thereof and the oppressed in the midst thereof For they know not to doe right saith the Lord who store violence and robbery in their palaces Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and hee shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled THe equitie of Gods iudgements is such that if strangers see them they cannot but approue them It appeareth to be so by this passage of Amos his second Sermon to or against the people of Israel This passage is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an Exornation pertaining to the proposition which was in the second verse of this Chapter It amplifieth the iniquitie of the Israelites from the testification of forren Nations thus You you of Israel your sinnes are so notorious so grosse so palpable that the Philistines and Egyptians may behold them sith you of your selues are not touched with a conscience of your euill deeds them the Philistines and Egyptians I call as witnesses and Iudges of your impuritie and vncleannesse This is the scope of the words now read vnto you The parts are two An Accusation vers 9. and 10. A Commination vers 11. The Accusation is deliuered by an Apostrophe by a turning of the speech from the Israelites to others vers 9. Others are called vpon to make a proclamation in these words Proclaime in the Palaces of Ashdod and in the Palaces of the Land of Aegypt and say the tenour of their proclamation is in these Assemble your selues vpon the mountaines of Samaria and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof and the oppressed in the midst thereof The sinnes pointed at in this proclamation are two Crueltie and Couetousnesse Cruelty in their great tumults Couetousnesse in their oppressions Both are amplified vers 10. from two places à genere à specie First from the generall They know not to doe right Secondly from the speciall They treasure vp violence and robbery in their Palaces Their violence argueth their cruelty their robbery is a demonstration of their Couetousnesse The truth hereof is not to be questioned For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neum Iehouah the Lord hath said it For they know not to doe right saith the Lord who store vp violence and robbery in their Palaces We haue a large field for discourse to trauell in we will begin at the gate or first entrance into it which is the iniunction for the proclamation Proclaime in the Palaces of Ashdod and in the Palaces of the Land of Aegypt and say At the entrance into this field the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haschmignu and is as much as make to heare The old Interpreter puts for it Auditum facite make a hearing so doth Saint Hierome these keepe neere vnto the word The Septuagint with their 〈◊〉
any place be of sufficient secrecie to conceale the vices of Kings Now if Kings secrets done in Court if their secret vices be made knowne much more shall it be knowne that is proclaimed in Court And therefore is the Proclamation here enioyned to be made in the Palaces of Palaestina and Aegypt in their Princes Courts that the same thereof flying abroad into all the coasts of those dominions the rest of the people might vnderstand thereof and beare witnesse to the iudgements of God which he executeth vpon his people for their sinnes that they are very iust By this iniunction for the Proclamation now expounded you see that Heathens the Philistines and Aegyptians aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and vtter enemies to that State are inuited to be spectators of the euils which God in iudgement was to bring vpon that his people the Israelitish Nation And this was to make the euils which the Israelites were to suffer the more grieuous vnto them Hence ariseth this obseruation The calamities or miseries which the Lord in iustice layeth vpon vs for our euill deeds will be the more grieuous vnto vs if our enemies be made priuie vnto them This is it the Lord saith to Ierusalem Ezech. 5.8 Behold I euen I will execute iudgement in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations thine enemies In the sight of thine enemies will I doe it It could not be but an exceeding great griefe to the Virgin daughter of Zion that the Lord had caused her enemie to reioyce ouer her and had set vp the horne of her aduersaries Lament 2.17 The reproach and ignominie that commeth from an enemie in time of misery is to some farre more grieuous than death it selfe who rather choose to die though it be by their owne hands or the hands of a friend than they will endure dishonour from an enemie Examples of such a resolution there are many in prophane Histories as in Plutarch of a Tom. 3. vit in Catone Catâ— Minor b In Antonio Antonius and Cleopatra in c Annal. lib. 16. Tacitus of Thraseas These of the Heathen killed themselues through impatiencie as not being able to endure the reproach and shame which they feared the one from Caesar two of them from Augustus the fourth from Nero. Nor is the Sacred story void of examples of this kinde Abimelech sonne of d Ierubesheth 2 Sam. 11.21 Ierubbaal he whom the Sichemites e Iudg. 9.6 made their King when at an assault of his giuen to the tower of Theber he had his scull broken by a peece of a Milstone which a certaine woman had cast vpon his head he called hastily vnto a young man his armour-bearer and said vnto him Draw my sword and slay me that men say not of me A woman slew him And his young-man thrust him thorow and he died Iudg. 9.54 Such was the end of that ambitious and cruell tyrant He is slaine of a woman and when he sees he is to die hee is desirous to blot out that infamie he will not haue it said of him that a woman slew him That a woman of the enemies side slew him he will not by any meanes haue it said of him Kill him rather than it should be said A woman slew him Such was the impatience of Saul Saul he that was the first King of the Israelites when the Philistines had gotten the day against him 1 Sam. 31.2 1 Chron. 10.2 had slaine three of his sonnes Ionathan Abinadab and Malchishua and himselfe was wounded by their archers he thus spake vnto his Armour-bearer Draw thy sword and thrust me thorow therewith lest these vncircumcised come and thrust me thorow and mocke me Which vile act his Armour-bearer refusing Saul became his owne executioner took his owne sword and slew himselfe 1 Sam. 31.4 He takes his own sword and slayes himselfe And why so Lest saith he these vncircumcised Philistines come and thrust me thorow and mocke me See he will die that he may not die he will be thrust thorow that he may not be thrust thorow he will kill himselfe that the Philistines may not kill him Hee will not endure to come within the power of his enemies I commend not Saul for his valour in killing himselfe nor Abimelech for his in causing his Armour-bearer to thrust him thorow It was not valour in them but cowardise or impatiencie For if they could with patience haue borne and endured their troubles they would not haue hastened their owne death Selfe-killing is a sinne so grieuous that scarce there is any more hainous before the Lord. Many reasons may be alleaged to shew the vnlawfulnesse of this fact and I hold it not amisse to bring a few especially in the iniquitie of these times wherein wretchednesse hath so fearefully preuailed in some persons and almost daily doth preuaile that they dare plunge themselues into this pit of terrible destruction My first reason shall be because it is forbidden in that Commandement Thou shalt not kill Exod. 20.13 In that Commandement is forbidden the killing of any man without lawfull authority But no man hath authority ouer himselfe because no man is superiour to himselfe and therefore no man may kill himselfe Out of S. Augustine lib. 1. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 20. I thus frame the reason Thou shalt not kill that is the Law The Law is not Exod. 20.13 thou shalt not kill thy neighbour limiting it as it were to some but indefinitly Thou shalt not kill extending it largely to all and therefore a man may not kill himselfe My second reason I take from that other Law Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe It is giuen in the Old Leuit. 19.18 Matth. 5.43 22.39 Rom. 13.9 Galat. 5.14 Iames 2.8 and is oft repeated in the New Testament Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Where the loue of our selues is made measure for the loue of our neighbours Thou oughtest to loue thy neighbour but as thou louest thy selfe The example of thy charity is drawne from thy selfe at home Thy soule thy preseruation the good wished to thy selfe should be the true direction of thy deeds vnto thy neighbour But it is vnlawfull for thee to lay bloudy or murthering hands vpon thy neighbour and therefore thou mayest not make away thy selfe It is more vnnaturall for thee to shed thine owne bloud than thy neighbours Thy neighbours thou mayest not shed much lesse mayest thou shed thine owne Thirdly for a man to kill himselfe it is an iniury to the Common-wealth wherein he liueth for thereby he maimeth the Common-wealth and cutteth off one of her members The King thereby shall want a man when he hath vse of him This is an iniury to the State therfore a man may not kill himself Fourthly our life is giuen vs of God God hath placed vs in this world as in a watch or standing from whence we may not stirre a foot till God call vs
Saint Hierome See their many madnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint many miraculous and strange demeanours Oecolampadius saith Stupenda multa many prodigious deportments Drusius Strages multas many slaughters Caluin Concussiones multas many concussions violent and publike extortions Vatablus and Mercer Contritiones multas many Contritions brusings or cursings of the afflicted Iunius and Piscator Vexationes plurimas very many vexations Gualter Tumultus multos many tumults Brentius Tumultus magnos great tumults Great tumults It s our translation See See then many madnesses strange and prodigious behauiours slaughters concussions contritions very many vexations many and great tumults All these see In medio ejus in the middest of Samaria Yet is not this all you are there to see For see also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnaschukim the oppressed in the middest thereof For the oppressed Caluin hath Oppressiones the oppressions it is the marginall reading in our now-Bible Brentius hath Calumnias so hath Oecolampadius Saint Hierome and the Vulgar Latine Calumniam patientes Their meaning is that in Samaria in the middest thereof in penetralibus eius in the in most parts thereof there were many that were calumniated were accused falsly were appeached wrongfully were charged maliciously were reproached vniustly were reuiled iniuriously Such doing was there in Samaria not onely in the country abroad but also within the walls thereof Euery where did cruelty aduance it selfe and so did Couetousnesse And thus haue I expounded the Proclamation the words thereof in which the Philistines and Aegyptians Gentes extra Oeconomiam Dei prophane Nations are cited to be witnesses yea and Iudges too of the impurity and vncleannesse that was in the Lords owne people the people of Israel My obseruation is God â—ometimes conuinceth his owne people of impiety by comparing them with forreine Nations Such a comparison is that Ierem. 2.10 Passe ouer the Iles of Chittim and see and send vnto Kedar and consider diligently and see if there be any such thing Hath any Nation changed their Gods which are yet no Gods But my people haue changed their glory for that which doth not profit It is a vehement expostulation and in the paraphrase may be thus You my people of the Iewish Nation passe ye ouer vnto Chittim to the Macedonians and Cyprians see of what Religion and constancy they are and send ye vnto Kedar to the Hagarâ—ns obserue them marke them diligently Can you finde thinke you any Nations so like your selues so inconstant so mutâ—ble Is there any Nation in the whole world that so rashly changeth her Gods Gods Gods of the Nations They are no Gods but Idols the froth and skumme of mans braine And yet are the Nations constant in the worship of these their false Gods their no Gods But you you of the Iewish Nation mine owne people you haue changed your Glory Me the true faithfull and euerliuing God in whom alone you should haue gloried Mee haue you changed for a thing of nought Be astonished O ye Heauens at this be ye horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord. A like comparison is that brought by our Sauiour in the Gospell Matth. 12.41 Where from the example of the Niniuites he inferreth the condemnation of the Iewes The men of Niniueh shall rise vp in iudgement with this generation Luk. 11.33 and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater than Ionas is here The Niniuites were Gentiles and Barbarians the Iewes were Gods owne people the Preacher to the Niniuites was Ionas a meere man and a stranger but Christ God and man of the line and race of Dauid was the Preacher to the Iewes Ionas his preaching continued bur for three daies and the Niniuites repented Christ preached for three yeeres together and the Iewes blasphemed Therefore shall the men of Niniueh rise vp in iudgement with the Iewes and shall condemne them Saint Paul likewise presseth the example of the Gentiles the more to accuse the Corinthians of grieuous sinne among them 1 Cor. 5.1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles The Gentiles who know not God nor haue heard of the faith of Christ will not commit so foule a sinne and will you Christians you who hope for saluation by faith in Christ will you defile your selues with such abomination For the loue of God for the loue of your owne soules flye from fornication And thus haue you the confirmation of my second obseruation which was God sometimes conuinceth his owne people of impiety by comparing them with forreine Nations The vse of this obseruation may be to teach vs who professe the faith of Christ that the glorious name of Christianity is but vaine and idle if a mans life through his corrupt and dissolute behauiour be not answerable Saint Augustine in his time propounded this question to an Auditory of his in his second Sermon vpon the thirtieth Psalme Quam multos putatis fratres mei velle esse Christianos sed offendi malos moribus Christianorum My brethren how many thinke ye there are that would willingly become Christians but that they take exception at the euill liues of the Christians Long after him great Gregory Moral lib. 25. cap. 10. complained Nonnulli fidem medullitèr tenent sed viuere fideliter nullatenùs curant Many there are that make profession of the faith of a Christian but they take no care at any hand to liue the life of a Christian The life of a Christian if you take it in its full perfection is not such a kinde of life as the Christians vse to liue at this day in the world but such a life as our Sauiour Christ liued such as his Disciples liued such as the holy Martyrs vnder the Primitiue Church did liue a life that is a continuall crosse and death of the whole man whereby man thus mortified and annihilated is fit to be transformed into the similitude and likenesse of God But where is the Christian that now adayes liueth such a life Hath not dissimulation and hypocrisie in a manner couered the face of the Earth Christi nomen auditis you heare the name of Christ but where shall you see the man that liueth the life of Christ Crepamus Euangelium we cry the Gospell the Gospell but where is he that yeeldeth obedience to the Gospell Doctrinam fidei ebuccinamus we trumpet out the Doctrine of faith but the discipline of a Christian life we exterminate we banish Multa passim fides absque operibus euery where there is much speech of the efficacie of faith without workes but where is the man that sheweth me his faith by his workes Beloued what shall I say more If we haue a delight to be called the people of God if wee take any ioy in the name of a Christian let it be our care to liue as it becommeth the people
what God hath done for them God hath tried them as gold and made them worthy for himselfe It s ignorance that makes you heauy because you know not what is become of the dead Be ye not ignorant concerning them and your heauinesse will be turned into ioy And let this suffice to haue beene spoken to shew that in respect of the Commandement Ignorance of God and his holy Will is damnable and to be auoided So is it in regard that God hath expresly reproued it There is a sharpe reproofe of it Esay 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Quid stolidius boue quid stupidius asino What is more foolish than the Oxe what more stupid than the Asse Yet those bruit beasts doe know them by whom they are fed and nourished but Israel the Lords owne people know not the Lord their God Not much vnlike is that Ierem. 8.7 The Storke in the aire knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. My people Israel is more ignorant of my iudgements than those birds are of their appointed seasons Both these reproofes are comparatiue In the first is Israel compared vnto beasts in the second to birds Beasts and birds haue more knowledge than Israel But the reproofe is absolute Ierem. 4.22 My people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children and haue no vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge As absolute is that Ierem. 9.3 They proceed from euill to worse and haue not knowne me saith the Lord. They haue no vnderstanding they haue no knowledge they haue not knowne me saith the Lord. These and the like reproofes of the ignorance of God from Gods owne mouth may serue for my second proofe that the ignorance of God is damnable and to be auoided My third proofe I take from the foulenesse of this ignorance The foulenesse thereof I discouer in one position The position is The ignorance of God and of the things reuealed in his holy Word is a punishment of sinne a cause of sinne and sinne in it selfe The position hath three branches I shall endeuour to speake of each in their order The first branch is Our ignorance of God and of things reuealed in his holy Word is a punishment of sinne It is a punishment of that sinne which by the default of our first Father Adam was from him deriued downe to vs and that is originall sinne by reason whereof we are all borne blind blind in our vnderstanding blind in our will and blind in our affections There is no faculty of our soule which is not disabled by this sinne The chiefest faculties of our soule are three Mens Voluntas Affectiones the Vnderstanding the Will and the Affections Mens Our vnderstanding is by this sinne disabled For it labours with a defect or want of light or knowledge and with a want of sanctitie or holinesse that quality by which light or knowledge in the vnderstanding should be seasoned as indeed it was at mans first creation That in the often repetition of the names of light and knowledge I seeme not tedious may it please you to take what I shal speak of the one as spokē of the other also For between light knowledge in the vnderstanding I put no essentiall difference Now I note in the vnderstanding a twofold light the one naturall the other Spirituall The Naturall is defectiue and wanting not vniuersally but in part only For notwithstanding our first fathers fall there doe yet remaine in the vnregenerate man certaine generall notions of good and euill things commanded or forbidden in the Law of God And these notions are such that they make man vnexcusable sith they are both maimed and corrupted The defect or want of this Naturall light is proued Rom. 1.21 When they knew God they glorified him not as God They knew God there is the light of their vnderstanding they glorified him not as God there is the defect and want of that light the maime the corruption of it The spirituall light of the vnderstanding that is likewise defectiue and wanting not as the naturall light in part only but vniuersally This is proued 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The natural man man of himselfe in his pure naturals ruled only by nature reason and sense without grace without the Spirit of God man vnregenerate is altogether destitute of the spirituall light of the vnderstanding Besides this want of light in the vnderstanding whether naturall or spirituall there is also carentia sanctitatis a want of holinesse wherewith the forenamed light ought now to be as once it was seasoned The want of this holinesse is manifested Rom. 8.7 where you shall find that whatsoeuer light or knowledge is in man it is all vncleane impure and prophane the Apostles words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be Not subiect to the Law of God nor can be subiect to it What! Can man exempt himselfe from subiection vnto God No be he neuer so rebellious he must abide vnder Gods dominion But the meaning of the Apostle is to note such a rebellion of mans corrupt nature as is not subiect according vnto order as giues not orderly subiection vnto God Thus there is in man a want of that holinesse wherewith the light of his vnderstanding should bee seasoned What I haue now deliuered de mente concerning the minde or vnderstanding which is a speculatiue facultie of the soule the same may be spoken De voluntate affectionibus of the will and affections which are practicall faculties of the same And therefore as in the vnderstanding there is a defect of light and sanctitie so is there in the will and affections euen the absence of created holinesse Nor is there in these faculties of the soule only an absence of light knowledge and sanctitie but also the presence of their contrary qualities as darknesse ignorance and sinfulnesse If the light be put out darknesse comes in place if knowledge be departed ignorance succeeds if holinesse be lost sinfulnesse will domineere Proofes hereof there are many in holy Scripture But in this sunshine I need not light a candle I haue said enough to shew that ignorance of God and his will is in all the powers and faculties of the soule of man a punishment of sinne of originall sinne But this punishment of sinne is generall its common to all men for as much as all men haue sinned in Adam I adde further that Ignorance is also a punishment
there to visit is taken in the worse part for to visit in iudgement in anger or displeasure for as much as it bringeth a rod and stripes with it It is to correct it is to punish There is Esay 10.12 a commination against the King of Assyria that same rod of hypocrites that his pride should be broken It is thus deliuered I will visit vpon the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Ashur and the glory of his high lookes And there also to visit is in the worse part for to visit in iudgement in ire anger or displeasure It is to correct it is to punish As in the now alleaged places to visit signifieth in the worse part to visit in iudgement in ire anger or displeasure and by a consequent to correct or punish so doth it in my Text. And therefore for Visitabo Iunius hath animaduertam This same visiting is with him a punishing In the day that I shall visit or punish What Prauaricationes Israel saith the Vulgar Latine The preuarications of Israel The preuarications of Israel are his swaruings from truth reason and honesty Iunius translates them Defectiones the reuoltings or slippings of Israel Our English hath the transgressions of Israel by which name sinnes are called because they exceed the bounds and markes which God by his Law hath appointed vnto vs Drusius Caluin Oâ—aller Breâ—tiâ—s for the moderating of our desires and affections Some here haue Scelera Israel the wickednesse lewdnesse or naughtinesse of Israel These generall appellations doe direct vs to particular sins to couetousnesse to pride to cruelty to vniust exactions to robbing and spoiling of the poore these were the sinnes that reigned and raged in Israel in the Kingdome of the Ten tribes or the Kingdome of Israel called in the precedent verse The house of Iacob and these were the sinnes for which the Lord was resolued to punish Israel as it is also signified in the second verse of this Chapter There is a Visitabo as well as here Visitabo super vos omnes iniquitates vestras I will visit vpon you or I will punish you for all your iniquities Visitabo I will doe it I will visit I will punish I the Lord God the God of Hosts will visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him Whence ariseth this obseruation Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure The Visitabo in my Text doth warrant this truth A day there shall be wherein Visitabo I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I shall doe it When the world was growne so foule with sinne that it deserued to be washed with a floud God himselfe vndertooke the visitation Gen. 6.7 I will destroy man whom I haue created from the face of the earth And vers 17. Behold I euen I doe bring a floud of waters vpon the earth to destroy all flesh Concerning the sinne of the people that great and grieuous sinne when they made them Gods of gold the Lord saith vnto Moses Exod. 32.34 In the day when I visit then will I visit their sinne vpon them When I see good to punish them I my selfe will punish them For the disobedient and despisers of the will of the Lord the Lord hath a Visitabo too Leuit. 26.16 Visitabo vos velociter I will visit you quickly with terrours with consumptions with burning agues that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart with the sword with famine and with pestilence Visitabo vos velociter I will quickly visit you I will doe it Monstrous and grieuous were the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah that were to be reuenged by so fearefull a iudgement as is a raine of brimstone and fire But how fell that raine vpon them The Text is Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained vpon Sodome and vpon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heauen The Lord rained saith the Text. Then not man not deuill not necromancy not any thing in nature was the cause that this befell those Cities but the very power and wrath of God of a displeased God at so great abomination as was there committed sent downe that raine vpon them The Lord was he that gaue that raine Prodigious were the plagues wherewith the land of Aegypt was visited I looke into the Sacred story and there I see aboue them a Exod. 9.23 thunder haile lightning tempests one while b Exod. 10.22 no light at all another while such fearefull flashes as had more terrour than the darknesse I see vnder them c 7.20 the waters changed into bloud the earth swarming with d 8.6 frogs and e 10.13 grashoppers I see about them f 8.24 swarmes of flies by which the land was corrupted I see their g 9.23.10.15 fruits destroyed their h 9.6 cattell dying their i 12.30 children dead Turning mine eyes vnto themselues I see them very loathsome with k 8.17 lice and deformed with l 8.10 scabs boiles and botches Grieuous indeed were these visitations but who was he that wrought them It was the Lord. For so the Text runneth Exod. 7.5 The Aegyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch forth mine hand vpon Aegypt Who was it but the Lord that smote Nabal that he died 1 Sam. 25.38 Aske of Esay who it is that formeth the light and createth darknesse that maketh peace and createth euill he will tell you it is the Lord that doth all these things Chap. 45.7 It is the Lord doth all Light and peace are the symbols of prosperity darknesse and euill of aduersity so the meaning of the place will be that the Lord is a doer not only in the prosperity but also in the aduersity wherewith this life is seasoned Thus haue you the confirmation of my obseruation which was that Whatsoeuer visitation or punishment befalleth any of vs in this life it is laid vpon vs by the hand of God by his good will and pleasure One reason hereof is because nothing is done in this world but the Lord is the principall doer of it Nothing is done without him no not in the carriage of a lottery which in mans iudgement seemeth of all things to be the most casuall yet therein doth Gods hand appeare Salomon auoucheth it Prou. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Let Lots be cast into the lap some hat or cap or pot or box some secret and close place from whence the drawing of them forth may seeme to be meerely accidentall yet it is nothing so For God by his infinite and eternall prouidence doth both generally and particularly wholly and altogether direct and order them Now if Gods hand be found in the disposing of Lots shall it not be found in the ordering of the visitations and punishments that are incident to vs in this life for our
abstulit the Lord hath taken away and he hath done so by good right Quia etiam dedit for first he gaue it Iob 1.21 The ground of this his patience was Domine tu fecisti Lord thou hast done it Thou Lord hast taken from me my children and all my substance and therefore I hold my peace Out of this very Fountaine Christ himselfe drew his patience when commanding Peter to put vp his sword into the sheath he asked him this question Calicem quem dedit mihi Pater Ioh. 18.11 non bibam illum The cup which my Father hath giuen me shall I not drinke it Domine tu fecisti my Father hath tempered this cup for me and I will drinke it This cup is the cup of the Passion of Christ the cup of his sufferings which God gaue vnto him Vt Pater non vt Iudex saith Rupertus God gaue this cup vnto him as a Father not as a Iudge and he gaue it to him Amore non irâ voluntate non necessitate gratiâ non vindictâ It was of loue not of wrath it was voluntary not of necessity it was of grace not for vengeance that this cup was giuen him But how did he drinke it Here may we with Cornelius Mussus Bishop of Bitonto in his Passion Sermon cry out O infinitam dulcis Iesu nostri patientiam O the infinite patience of our sweet Iesus Dedit illis carnem suam vt tractarent eam pro suâ libidine he committed vnto the Iewes his flesh to doe with it at their pleasure They insulted ouer him and he resisted not they threatned him and he answered not they loaded him with iniuries and he sustained them they bound him fast and he withstood them not they smote him and he endured it they flouted him and he held his peace they railed against him and he defended not himselfe they cursed him and he prayed for them O the infinite patience of our sweet Iesus which he drew from this fountaine Domine tu fecisti Lord thou hast prouided this cup for me and I refuse it not Domine tu fecisti Lord thou hast done it It is the bottomlesse fountaine of patience neuer to bee exhausted or drawne dry If thy wife thy children thy kinsfolkes thy friends or others be taken from thee by the stroke of death if thou lose thy goods by water by fire by warre or otherwise thou maist refresh thy languishing soule with the water of this fountaine Domine tu fecisti Lord thou hast done it If thy selfe be visited with sicknesse and so that there is no soundnesse in thy flesh nor rest in thy bones Psal 38.3 yet if thou draw from this fountaine the sorrow and bitternesse of thy visitation will be asswaged It must needs be a great comfort to euery childe of God to meditate hereupon that our sicknesse yea that euery pang and fit of our sicknesse is from God that the manner of it the measure of it the time of it and the matter of it is of God And it may giue vs good assurance that God will be mercifull and gracious vnto vs seeing he that striketh vs is our louing Father and in the stroke cannot forget his former compassions but will make all things fall out to further our saluation God is faithfull hee layeth not vpon vs more strokes than we are able to beare 1 Cor. 10.13 but maketh a way for our escape Psal 41.3 He strengtheneth vs vpon the bed of languishing and maketh all our bed in our sicknesse He putteth our teares into his bottle Psal 56.8 Cant. 2.6 Are they not all in his booke His left hand is vnder our head and his right hand embraceth vs. Beloued Christians we should comfort one another in these things Thirdly is it true Beloued Are all our visitations and punishments in this life laid vpon vs by the hand of God Here then may we take direction whither to make our recourse in the day of visitation And whither may that be but to the same hand of God that visiteth God smiteth and no man healeth God maketh the wound and no man restoreth No man healeth no man restoreth Therefore put not thy trust in man for there is no helpe in him but put thy trust in God for as he killeth so he maketh aliue againe as hee bringeth downe to the graue so he raiseth vp againe So sings Hannah 1 Sam. 2.6 The Lord killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to the graue and bringeth vp What then shall become of the Physitian May I not seeke to him in time of sicknesse Seeke not first to him as Asa did 2 Chron. 16.12 lest thou be condemned as Asa was for seeking not to the Lord but to the Physitian But seeke thou first vnto the Lord. First be thou reconciled to him who is the chiefe Physitian of soule and body and then take thy course For my part I haue no hope that the Physitians helpe shall profit me and prosper with me vntill I be at peace with God and haue renewed my repentance from dead workes for my daily sinnes And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of the first branch of my second generall part which was the resolution of God to punish Israel for sinne Now followeth the second branch and that is that the punishment so resolued vpon by the Lord shall reach to their holiest places to their houses of religion in these words I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground Visitabo super Altaria Bethel Here is a Visitabo like the former a visiting in the worse part a visiting for euill and in iudgement Visitabo I will visit vpon the Altars of Bethel that is with Petrus Lusitanus Destruam illa vt meum sentiant furorem I will destroy those Altars they shall feele my fury The like phrase is that Exod. 12.12 In cunctis Dijs Aegyptifaciam judicia Against all the Gods of Aegypt will I doe iudgement and that Num. 33.4 Dominus in Diis eorum exercuerat vltionem Vpon the Gods of the Aegytians the Lord hath executed vengeance In both places the Gods of Aegypt are the Idols of Aegypt and the Lords doing of iudgements or executing of vengeance vpon them is all one with the Visitabo here I will visit the Altars of Bethel that is I will doe iudgements or I will execute vengeance vpon the Altars of Bethel Bethel Some Iewes as R. Kimhi and R. Esaias are of opinion that there were two Townes of this name the one belonging to the Tribe of Beniamin as appeareth Iosh 18.22 the other in the Tribe of Ephraim as it is manifested Iudges 1.22 This opinion of two Bethels Cap. 16.2 18.13 Andrew Masius in his Comment vpon Ioshuah reiecteth as needlesse Bethel here is that which in former time was called Luz which name it had from the abundance of Nuts or Almonds which grew there Hieron qu
light in great measure readily to conceiue what God would haue reuealed and faithfully to publish it according to the will of God S. p De Genesi ad literam lib. 11. cap. 33. Austen enquiring how God spake with Adam and Eue writeth to this purpose It may be God talked with them as he talketh with his Angels by some q Jntrinsecus infabilibus modis internall and secret meanes as by giuing light to their minds and vnderstandings or it may be he talked with them 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. and with Lot Gen. 19. S. r Expos Moral lib. 28. incap â—8 â—â— Iob cap. 2. Gregory most accurately handleth this question to this sense God speaketh two manner of wayes 1. By himselfe as when he speaketh to the heart by the inward inspiration of the holy Spirit After which sense we must vnderstand that which we read Act. 8.29 The spirit said vnto Philip go neere and ioyne thy selfe to yonder chariot that is Philip was inwardly moued to draw neare and ioyne himselfe to the chariot wherein the Aethiopian Eunuch sate and read the Prophecie of Esay The like words we finde 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 and his company Where we may note thus much for our comforts that whensoeuer we are inwardly moued and doe feele our hearts touched with an earnest desire either to make our priuate 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 diuers 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 immediately there came a voice from heauen I both haue glorified it and will glorifie it againe 1 In deed only as when no voice is heard but some semblance only is obiected to the senses S. Gregory for illustration of this second way of Gods speaking by his creatures bringeth for example the vision of Ezechiel 1.4 He saw a whirlewind come out of the North with a great cloud and fire wrapped about it and in the middest of the fire the likenesse 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 and deed as when there is both a voice heard and also some semblance obiected to the senses as happened vnto Adam presently after his fall Hee heard the voice of the Lord walking in the Garden Gen. 3.8 4 By shapes presented to the inward eyes of our hearts So Iacob in his dreame saw a ladder reach from earth to heauen Gen. 28.12 So Peter in a trance saw a vessell descend from heauen Act. 10.11 So Paul in a vision saw a man of Macedonia standing by him Act. 16.9 6 By shapes presented to our bodily eyes So Abraham saw the three men that stood 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 Christs baptisme a Å¿ Matth. 3.17 voice was heard out of a cloud as also at his t Matth. 17.5 transfiguration vpon the mount This is my beloued son c. By Celestiall substances I doe here vnderstand not only the Heauens with the workes therein but also fire the highest of the elements and the Aire next vnto it togeher with the winds and Clouds 7. By Terrestriall substances So God to reproue the dulnesse of Balaam enabled Balaams owne Asse to speak Num. 22.28 8 Both by Celestiall and Terrestriall substances as when 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 and in diuers manners did speake to man either by himselfe or by his creatures and by his creatures many wayes sometimes in word sometimes in deed sometimes in both word and deed sometimes in sleepings sometimes in watchings sometimes by Celestiall substances sometime by Terrestriall sometimes by both Celestiall and Terrestriall To make some vse of this doctrine let vs consider whether God doth not now speke vnto vs as of old he did to our forefathers We shal finde that now also he speaketh vnto vs by himselfe whensoeuer by the inspiration of his holy Spirit he moueth 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 he throweth downe our strong holds sometime by heat sometime by drouth sometime by noysome worms Locusts and Caterpillers when he takes from vs the staffe of bread sometime by plagues when in a few months he taketh from vs many thousands of our brethren and sometime by enemies when he impouerisheth vs by warre All these and whatsoeuer other like these are Gods voices and doe call vs to tepentance But as when there came a voice from heauen to Christ Ioh. 12.28 the people that stood by and heard would not be perswaded that it was Gods voice some of them saying that it thundred others that an Angell spake so we howsoeuer God layes his hand vpon vs by fire by thunder by famine by pestilence by war or otherwise we will not be perswaded that God speakes vnto vs we will rather attribute these things to nature to the heauens to starres and planets to the malice of enemies to chance and the like As peruerse as we are there is a voice of God which we cannot but acknowledge to be his and at this time to be directed vnto vs. Mention of it is made Heb. 1.2 In these last dayes 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 cloud by day that pillar by night whereby all our actions are to be guided This Gospell of Christ and voice of God cals vs now to obedience O the crookednesse of our vile natures Our stiffe necks will not bend God speaketh vnto vs by his Ministers to walke in the old way the good way but we answer 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 we answer like them Ier. 6.17 We will not take heed Turne vs good Lord vnto thee and wee shall bee
Cruelty and Couetousnesse are amplified from two Topickes à genere à specie from the Genus thus They know not to doe right From the Species thus They store vp violence and robbery in their palaces That so it is God is produced for witnesse for Neum Iehouah The Lord hath said it These particulars yeelded materialls for my two former Sermons Now from the Accusation I proceed to the Commination vers 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled The words are a denunciation of punishment concerning which we may obserue The Cause The Author The Punishment it selfe The Cause is implied in the particle Therefore The Author is the Lord God The Punishment is a conquest by warre and is described 1 By the Siege 2 By the Victory 3 By the Spoile An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land there is the Siege the whole Land beset round about And he shall bring downe thy strength from thee there is the Victory the ouerthrow of their strong men And thy palaces shall be spoiled The Spoile is at the lust of the conquerour An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled I haue shewed you the limits and bounds of my future discourse I will handle them as they lye in order beginning with the cause of the punishment implied in this particle Therefore Therefore It is a particle befitting a Commination It hath relation to the former verses and pointeth to the sinnes there touched to the great tumults in the middest of Samaria and the oppressions there vers 9. to the ignorance of God and his will to their violence and robbery stored vp in their palaces vers 10. The relation that this particle hath to those sinnes sheweth that those sinnes are the cause of the punishment here denounced as if our Prophet had thus spoken Because you that are the Princes and Potentates of Samaria doe oppresse the poore and needie Therefore will I bring against you mightier than your selues that shall oppresse and spoile you Therefore The obseruation is Sin is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life In this my Thesis by euill I vnderstand malum poenae the euill of punishment or the euill of affliction Affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is two fold internall or externall either inward or outward The inward pertaineth to the minde the outward to the body For the punishment of sinne is to be measured and defined not only by the torments of the body or by the mortality of this life but also by the most grieuous affliction of the soule as by the crookednesse obliquitie and blemish of the soule by an euill conscience by the wrath of God which is importable by the guilt of sinne whereby wee are obliged to punishment by vitious habits whereby we are inclined to a multitude of sinnes Foecundum est peccatum non ibi definit vbi incipit Sin is fruitfull if it once begin it leaues not there the worst thing of it is behinde euen the extreme anguish and horrour of the soule Againe affliction or punishment whereof sinne is the cause is either publike or priuate Pubike afflictions I call such wherof many men at once haue a sense and feeling Such are the flouds of great waters the ruine of Cities by earth-quakes the waste done in them by fire warre euill beasts pestilence famine tyrannie persecution the death of good Princes heresie schisme euery common misery All these are publike Priuate afflictions are such as priuate men in their owne particular doe suffer as sicknesse griefe infamie pouerty imprisonment death Of all these afflictions or punishments whether publike or priuate or outward or inward sinne is the cause Sinne It is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is efficiens impellenâ— it is the impulsiue cause of all afflictions or punishments it fetcheth downe vengeance from the Maiestie of Heauen It brought that same vniuersall deluge vpon the whole world Gen. 7.17 It brought downe fire and brimstone vpon Sodome and Gomorrah Gen. 19.24 It caused the Land of Canaan to spue out her inhabitants Leuit. 18.25 It will make any Land sit mourning like a desolate widow or a distressed mother robbed of her children and spoiled of all her comforts It is auouched by the Psalmist Psal 107.34 A fruitfull Land God turneth into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein It is that whereof the Prophet Ieremie complaineth Chap. 12.4 How long shall the Land mourne and the herbes of euery field wither for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Turne to the Prophecie of Micah Chap. 1.4 Behold there the mountaines melting as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred downe a steepe place for no other cause but for the transgression of Iacob and for the sinnes of the house of Israel Thus farre for the confirmation of my doctrine Sinne is the cause of all the euill that befalleth man in this life Saint Augustine Serm. 139. de tempore thus deliuers it Malorum omnium nostrorum causa peccatum est Sinne is the cause of all our euills Non enim sine causâ homines mala ista patiuntur It is not to be imagined that men suffer affliction without cause God is iust he is omnipotent Nullo modo ista pateremur si non mereremur Surely no euill could befall vs if we deserued it not There is not a man that sinneth not and the least sinne that he committeth deserueth all the misery that can be laid vpon him This truth may teach vs First in time of affliction to acknowledge our sins to be the cause thereof and to profit thereby vnto amendment Secondly it may teach vs to iustifie God whensoeuer hee shall â—fflict vs and to beare his visitation with patience Wherefore doth a liuing man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes Lament 3.39 A man for the punishment of his sinnes wherefore doth he complaine Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord we haue transgressed and rebelled against him and therefore he afflicteth vs. My resolution shall be in the words of Micah the Prophet Chap. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of my first generall the cause of the punishment here denounced implied in this particle Therefore I proceed to my next generall the Author of this punishment the Lord God Therefore thus saith the Lord God Thus saith the Lord It is a note wherewith the Prophets for the most part doe begin their preachings and prophecyings to shew that they deliuer nothing but what is of diuine credit and authority Thus saith the Lord Dicit Dominus saith the Lord. Dicere with the
Prophets signifieth consilium certum certámque sententiam as Arias Montanus vpon this text obserueth To say signifieth a certaine a determined sentence or iudgement it implieth not so much any verball speech as the strength and efficacie of reason and cogitation Saith the Lord that is the Lord hath in his secret and infallible counsell decreed and determined to effect what is by the Prophet here denounced Thus saith Adonai Iehouih the Lord God With these two names of God Adonai Iehouih wee haue met twice alreadie in this Chapter verse 7. and 8. Sith they are here againe they are againe by vs to be saluted but briefly Adonai the Lord. The name is found in holy Scripture 134. times It is the obseruation of the Massorets R. Mosche ben Maimon Rambam maketh this name to be equiualent to the name Iehouah so doth the Talmud Yet is there a difference betweene them Lib. Kâ—ddâ—sch in cap. Esre Iochasin c. Adonai is the name of God of his sustentation and dominion but Iehouih is his name of existing or being By Adonai wee know that God alone is absolutely Lord Ruler and Gouernour of all things yea and our Lord. By Iehouih that of himselfe and by himselfe He euer was is and shall be Reuel 1.4.16.5 Act. 17.28 Rom. 11.36 that of him all creatures haue their being and that he giueth a reall being to all his promises and threats Adonai Iehouih the Lord God he that is iudex iustissimus the most iust Iudge and suffereth not a sinne to passe without due punishment He is here presented vnto you for the Author of the punishment here denounced The obseruation is Of all the euill that befalleth man in this life God is the Author And here by euill I vnderstand as in my former obseruation the euill of punishment or the euill of affliction priuate or publike internall or externall God is the Author of all It is proued aboue in this Chap. vers 6. Shall there be euill in a citie and the Lord hath not done it No there shall be none no euill of paine punishment or affliction but the Lord doth it This is it the Lord assumeth to himselfe Esai 45.7 I the Lord I forme the light and create darknesse I make peace and create euill I the Lord doe all these things It is thus in the Paraphrase I am the Lord and there is none else I send into the world light and darknesse prosperity and aduersitie I giue peace and with it tranquillity and abundance and I giue that which is contrary to peace euill warre and misery and perturbation and pouertie I the Lord doe all these things It is no more than what he takes vnto himselfe Ier. 18.11 For there also thus saith the Lord Behold I frame euill against you and deuise a deuice against you where by euill vnderstand with Tertullian lib. 2. aduersus Marcionem cap. 24. Mala non peccatoria sed vltoria Euill not of sinne but of reuengement In which sense wee are to take euill in all those places of holy writ wherein God either bringeth or threatneth to bring euill vpon any By euill in all such places as in this my Thesis we are to vnderstand the euill of reuengement the euill of punishment or the euill of affliction Of euery such euill God is the Author God is the Author of punishment I say of punishment non quòd poena sit ens quoddam not as if the euill of punishment had a being as other things haue which God made For God is improperly said to be the efficient of punishment sith punishment of its owne nature Aquin. 1. qu. 48. Art 1. C. is nothing else than priuatio boni the priuation or absence of that we call good or the with-holding of Gods blessings from vs. The Father of the Schooles thus deliuers it Idem 1. qu. 49. Art 2. C. Cum summum bonum perfectissimum sit mali causa esse non potest nisi per accidens God being the chiefest good and most perfect cannot be the author of euill but by accident The author of euill by accident How is that Why thus When God withdraweth from the earth his heauenly benedictions forbidding the clouds to giue their raine or the Sunne his influence and taking from vs our health our peace or any other temporall blessing hee is the author of euill And this may serue for the proofe and explanation of my second Doctrine which was Of all the euill that befalleth man in this life God is the Author The reason hereof is because nothing is done in the world but God is the principall doer of it and therefore no euill can befall vs but God is the author of it Is it thus Hence then in the first place are they to be reproued who thinke that the Lord doth onely suffer many things to be done He is not only a sufferer but an orderer guider and gouernour of all things and actions Secondly from hence may be confuted the vaine opinion of Fortune whereunto many Philosophers and carnall ignorant people vse to ascribe those things whereof they see not an apparant cause What more casuall in this world than Lottery Yet therein nothing falleth out by fortune but all is wholly and altogether directed by the infinite and eternall prouidence of Almighty God Salomon expresly affirmeth it Prou. 16.33 The lot is cast into the Lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Thirdly from hence wee learne that all our afflictions are from God and are therefore by vs to be borne with patience God verily loueth those that are his and yet notwithstanding he suffereth them to be afflicted because it is expedient for them so to be yet in their afflictions he yeeldeth them comfort Saint Paul blesseth God for it 2 Cor. 1.3 Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation he saith not who suffereth vs not to be afflicted but who comforteth vs while we are afflicted It is the obseruation of S. Chrysostome and Theophylact. God though he suffer vs to be afflicted yet he comforteth vs wheÌ„ we are afflicted Our afflictions they are Emendatoriae potiùs quà m interfectoriae as Saint Augustine speaketh lib. 3. de lib. Arbit cap. 25. They tend rather to amend vs than to destroy vs. And sweetly Saint Cyprian Ep. 8. Deus quem corripit diligit quando corripit ad hoc corripit vt emendet ad hoc emendat vt seruet Whom God correcteth him he loueth when he correcteth him hee doth it to amend him and he amendeth him that he may saue him And thus much be spoken of my second generall the Author of this punishment The Lord God My third followeth the punishment here denounced which is a conquest by warre and is described by the Siege by the victory and by the spoile Of the Siege first for