thy selfe The most absolute and excellent platforme of prayer that ever was made and is by the maker thereof our LORD and Saviour Iesus Christ commended vnto vs for our dayly vse confirmeth this point vnto vs. The fift petition therein is that God would be pleased to forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Wherefore as in all sincerity we desire our selues to be looked vpon with the eies of grace and mercy from heaven without any fraud or hollownes or dissimulation in the LORD so are wee taught by that clause our selues to deale with others so truely so honestly so heartily so sincerely and vnfainedly forgiving ever as we may boldly say so LORD do thou to me as I to others Now if these hearts of ours bee so sturdy strong in their corruption as that they wil not relent and yeeld to forgiue such as haue trespassed against vs how can we looke that our praiers should take effect A third reason why we should forgiue our enimies is that our good workes may be acceptable vnto God Let a man every day do as many good works as there are stars in HeaveÌ„ yet as long as in heart he beareth hatred to his enimie God will not accept anie one of theÌ„ Maâ—â—â— noÌ„ acceptatur nisi aute discordia ab animo pellatur saith Gregorie thy gift is no waies acceptable vnto God vnlesse thy heart be first freed from discord Let no man circumvent himselfe seduce himselfe deceiue himselfe i Augustin serm 5. de S. Stephano Whosoever hateth but one maÌ„ in the whole world whatsoever he offereth to God in Good workes all will be lost Witnesse S. Paul 1. Cor. 13.3 Though I feed the poore with all my goods and though I giue my body that I be burned haue not loue it profiteth me nothing If then wee would haue our good workes pleasing vnto God we must be reconciled to our neighbours Our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ so adviseth vs Matth. 5.24 Goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift A fourth reason why we should forgiue our enimies is that our soules may liue for by hatred rancour we slay our soules S. Ioh. ep 1. chap. 3. verse 15. avoweth it that he whosoever hateth his brother is a manslayer Homicidiest scilicet propriae animae saith k Pet. de Pal. vbi supra one he is a murtherer of his owne soule An exposition not absolutely to be disallowed for as much as it followeth in the same verse Yee know that no manslayer hath eternall life abiding in him The life of the soule is loue therefore hee that loueth not is dead So saith the same blessed Apostle Ep. 1. cap. 3. verse 14. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death And greater is the dammage by the losse of one soule then of a thousand bodies The whole world in respect of one soule is not to be esteemed This is proved by our Saviours question Marc. 8.36 What shal it profit a maÌ„ though he shold win the whole world if he loose his owne soule A fift reason why we should loue our enimies is the reioycing of Saints and Angels To loue our enimies is an infallible signe of our conversion Now we know by Luk. 15.7 that there shall be ioy in Heaven for one sinner that converteth and verse the 10. that there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that converteth Thus whether we respect the reioicing of Saints and Angels or the life of our soules or the acceptance of our good works or the fruit of our prayers or the forgiuenesse of our sinnes we must loue our enimies after St Stephen his example Act. 7.60 LORD lay not this sinne to their charge after S. Paule his example 1. Cor. 4.12 13. We are reviled and yet we blesse wee are persecuted and suffer it we are evill spoken of and we pray after Christs example Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Adde hereto Christs commandemeÌ„t Math. 5.44 Loue your enimies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you Leaue yee vengeance to the God of vengeance so shall yee bee the vndoubted children of your heavenly Father And thus farre of the second vse which was to admonish vs not to intermeddle in the Lords office of executing revengement 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 treasurie of comfort of terrour of coÌ„fort to the Godly of terrour to the wicked For though the LORD doe vse the wicked to correct the Godly yet will he in due time overthrow the wicked with a large measure of his iudgements and free the godly Gods holy practise in this kind must be hereof a warrant vnto vs. The Israelites were kept in thraldome and bondage many yeares by the Egyptians The Egyptians 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 overthrow in the redde sea at large set downe in the book of Exodus from the 7. chapter to the 14. This was it which God said to Abraham Gen. 15. vers 13 14. Knowe for a suretie that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs foure hundred yeares 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 him selfe 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 Iezebel were Gods instruments were they therefore to escape vnpunished NO Witnes both their ends The end of Ahab recorded 1. King 22 38. In the place where dogges licked the blood of Naboth did dogges licke the blood of Ahab also And the end of Iezebel registred 2. King 9.35 Shee was eaten vp with dogges all saving her skull her feete and the palmes of her hands It was a part of Daniel his afflictions to be cast into the denne of Lyons 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 denne of Lyons the Lyons had the masterie of them and brake all their bones in pieces yer ever they came to the ground of the denne Here might I recall to your remembrances other iudgements of God of this qualitie written downe in the register of God's workes his holy word How and what he
to torment his own bowels in the similitude of sinfull flesh Because of sinne hee drowned the old world and because of sinne ere long will burne this Thus doe many sinner plucke dâ—â—â—e froÌ„ heauen the more â—â—rtaine wrath and vengeanes of God vpon the sinners Oâ—â— vse of this doctrine is to teach vs heedfullnesse in all our waies that wee doe not by our many sinnes provoke Almightie God to high displeasure A second vse is to moue vs to a serious contemplatioÌ„ of the wonderfull patience of Almightie God who did so graciously forbeare these Philistines of Azzah â—ll by three and foure transgressions by their many sinnes they had provoked him to indignation It 's true our God is a good God a gracious God a mercifull God a God of wonderfull patience yet may not wee thereby take encouragement to goe on in our evill doings The LORD who punished his Angels in heaven for one breach Adam for one morsell Miriam for one sclander Moses for one angrie word Achan for one sacrilege Ezechias for once shewing his treasures to the embassadours of Babel Iosias for once going to warre without asking counsell of the LORD Ananias with his wife Sapphira for once lying to the holy Ghost out of doubt wil not spare vs if we shall persist to make a trade of sinning day after day heaping iniquitie vpon iniquitie to the fulfilling of our sinnes If so wee doe it shall bee with vs as the Apostle speaketh 1. Thes 2.16 The wrath of God must come on vs to the vtmost Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued let vs walke in loue even as Christ hath loued vs. As for the workes of the flesh cast we them farre from vs adulterie fornication vncleanenesse wantonnes hatred debate emulation wrath contentions envie drunkennesse gluttonie such like for which the wrath of God commeth vpoÌ„ the children of disobedience let them not once be named among vs as it becoÌ„meth Saints But the fruits of the Spirit let vs wholy delight in them hauing layd vp in the treasurie of our memories this lesson Three transgressions and foure Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heauen the most certaine wrath vengeance of God vpon the sinners It followeth Because they carried away prisoners the whole captivity to shut them vp in Edom These wordes are the third part of this prophecie doe 〈…〉 by which God was provoked 〈…〉 the men of Azzah 〈◊〉 the rest of the Philistiâ—â—◠〈…〉 the sinne of â—â—ailtie rigour vnmercifulnesse hardnesse of heart They carried away prisoners the whole captiviâ—â—â— to sâ—â—t 〈…〉 Here the abstract is put for the 〈…〉 or persons in captivitie aâ— Psal â—â— 1◠〈…〉 captiue The whole 〈◊〉 It 's well translated for the sense the word in the originall signifieth absolute perfect and compleat By this whole captivitie the holy Spirit meaneth an absolute perfect and compleat captivitie â—â—ram captivitatâ—â— apâ—rtam atque manifâ—â—â—â—â— saith Ariâ—â— Montaâ—â—â— a captivitie indeed open manifest such a captivitie faith Calâ—â—â—â— as wherein they spared not either â—â—men or children or the agâ—d they tooke no pitie no compassion vpon either sexe or age but all of al sorts male and female young and old they carried away prisoners What was their end and purpose in so doing Even to sâ—â—t theÌ„ vp in Edom that is to sell them for bondâ—â—â—ues vnto the Idameans In Edom Esau Iacobs brother and Isaackâ— son by his wife a Gen. 25.21 Rebekah for selling his birthright for a messe of b vers 30. red broath was surnamed Edom and of him lineally descended the Edomites or Idâ—means Gen. 36 4â— Of this posterity of Esau or Edom the land which they inhabited was called the land of EdoÌ„ or Idumaea and it was a southerne province of the land of promise devided as c Theatr. Terrae SaÌ„ctae Adricham and d Observat lib. 14 cap 13. Drusius haue observed out of Iosephus his â— book of the Iewish antiquities into two parts Idumaeam Superiorem and Inferior 〈◊〉 the higher and the lower Idumaea The higher wherein were two of the cities meÌ„tioned in my text Gaza and Askelon in the division of the land of Canaan fell to the lot of the tribe of Iudah The lower Idumaea coÌ„monly known by the name of Idumaea fel to the lot of the tribe of Simeon and this lower Idumaea I take to be the Idumaea in my text Esau pursued Iacob with a deadly hate so did the posteritie of Esau the posterity of Iacob the Edomites were evermore most maliciously beÌ„t against the Israelites Here then appeareth the heinousnes of that sin wherwith the Philistines are charged It was the sin of cruelty in a very high degree It is a cruell deed to carry away any one froÌ„ his natiue couÌ„try but him that is so carried away to sell to his mortall enemy this is a cruelty then which there cannot be a greater Such was the sin of those Philistines the inhabitants of Azzah They sold whether the Iewes or the Israelites the posterity of Iacob and servants of the living God to their professed enemies the Edomites with this policie that being carried far froÌ„ their own country they should liue in eternal slavery bondage without hope ever to returne home againe This very crime of cruelty is in the prophecie of Ioel also ch 3.6 laid to the charge of these Philistines The children of Iudah and the children of Ierusalem haue yee sold to the Grecians that yee might send them far from their border that is Gods inheritance his owne seed and servants the children of Iudah Ierusalem the cruell and hard hearted Philistines did mancipate and sell away for bondslaues to the Grecians dwelling farre of that with them they might liue in perpetuall servitude and slaverie without all hope of liberty or redemption Now in this that the LORD calleth the Philistines to a reckoning because they had solde away his people though they were their captiues vnto infidels we may learne this lesson It is not lawful to coÌ„mit the children of beleevers into the haÌ„ds of infidels The vnlawfulnesse hereof appeareth by the charge which Moses giveth the Israelites Deut. 7.3 His charge is coÌ„cerning the Hittites the Gergasites the Amorites the Canaanites the Perizzites the Hivits and the Iebusites that they should not at al make any covenant with them nor giue theÌ„ their children in marriage And why so Because by such covenants marriages they might be withdrawn from the true service of God to the prophane worship of Idols For so it 's saide verse the 4. They will cause thy sonne to turne away from me to serue other Gods The danger of such covenants and marriages S. Paule knew to be very great and therefore from such he dehorteth the Corinthians 2. Cor. 6.14 Be ye not vnequally yoked with the infidels He vseth the similitude of Oxon coupled together The yoke holdeth them so together that looke which way the one draweth the other must
no fellowship with thē Must we reproue thē rather What saith old Adam What saith flesh and blood to this Our Gallants of this age can entertaine no such advise that it may be fulfilled which our Saviour Christ foretold of the ende of the world Luk. 21.10 16. Nation shall rise against nation kingdome against kingdome a father against his sonne a brother against his brother a kinsman against his kinsman and a friend against his friend A fitter remedie for this maladie I find none then to imitate blessed Abraham There grew a debate betweene his servants and the servants of Lot their heardmen could not agree What doth Abraham in this case As the manner of Masters is now adaies No he breaketh not out into choler he saith not my servants are abused my cosin LOT his servants doe seeke to crow over them and to rule the rost as they list This is an iniurie to mee their master and a shame to suffer it So a man may be made a foole indeed and counted a wretch and a dastard of no reputation Never will any man care to serue me if I sticke not better to my men then so Such language as the world now goeth is very rife among vs. But Abraham spake not so Grace was in his face mildnesse in his words For thus spake he vnto his nephew Lot Gen. 13.8 I pray thee let there be no strife betweene thee and me neither hetweene thy heardmen and my heardmen for we are brethrē We are brethren I pray let there be no strife between vs. Let vs be mindfull of the covenant wherein nature hath vnited our affections we are brethren the bond of brotherhood and consanguinitie let it moderate our passions why shall we iarre and be at odds betweene our selues Are we not brethren An excellent patterne of imitation for all estates high and low rich poore one with another Noblemen Gentlemen Yeomen all whosoever may say they are brethren either in nature or in Christ and religion haue in Abraham a patterne for their imitation We must abstaine not only from raising strife and debate our selues but also from fostering and cherishing it in others Such was Abrahams choice Hee would not maintaine his servants against Lots servants hee tooke it to be farre more credit for him to haue vnitie and good loue then the bitter effects of the contrarie Among the beatitudes Matth. 5. the seaventh is Blessed are the peacemakers Blessed are they who loue concord regard peace seeke it and insue after it Blessed are they who bestirre thēselues to cherish maintaine peace and concord betweene others Blessed are they who doe their best to revnite in loue such as are fallen out to make an end of quarrels and dissentions Blessed are the peacemakers the reason is annexed for they shall be called the children of God that is they will by their loue of vnitie and concord make it appeare vnto the world that they are the sonnes of God From whence it followeth by an argument from the place of contraries Accursed are makebates for they shall be called the children of the Divell Cursed are they who are of themselues quarrelsome and contentious Cursed are they who bestirre thēselues to cherish and maintaine strife debate in others Cursed are they who doe their best to set at variance such as haue long lived in peace and vnitie Cursed are makebates I annexe the reason for they shall be called the sonnes of the Devill that is They will by their loue of strife and debate make it appeare to the world that they are the sonnes of the Devill Now dearely beloued in the LORD I beseech you to remoue farre from you all cogitation and thought of strife variance and debate to remember your brotherly covenant Know yee that the bond of one body one spirit one hope one God one faith one baptisme is as farre aboue the bond of one father one mother one village one house and the like as the spirit is aboue the flesh spirituall things aboue carnall and God aboue man I will shut vp this point with the exhortation of S. Peter 1. ep chap. 3.8 Be yee all of one minde one suffer with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous render not evill for evill nor rebuke for rebuke but contrarywise blesse yee blesse I say and knowe that you are therevnto called that yee should be heires of blessing Thus farre of the thirde part of this Prophecie Now followeth the fourth Vers 10. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the wals of Tyrus and it shall devoure the palaces thereof This is a particular denunciation of a conquest and desolation against the city Tyrus for her sins According to this prediction it came to passe saith Drusius either in the warre of Salmanassar against the Tyrians or in the warre of Nabuchodonosor Yet this he affirmeth not Nabuchodonosor besieged Tyrus three yeares and three moneths then tooke it so saith Winckleman out of Iosephus lib. 1. contra Appionem the Latine copies of Iosephus which I haue seene make mention of the continuance of this siege for thirteene yeares The Greeke copy hath nothing of the continuance of it For therein I read only that when Thobalus was king Nabuchodonosor besieged Tyrus This was about the yeare of the world 3345. Tyrus after this was reedified and did flourish But shee was in her pride againe besieged and taken by Alexander the great in the yeare of the world 3632. And lōg since A.C. 1290 she was sacked and levelled with the ground by Alphix then Sultan of Egypt Thus hath Gods hand beene strong prevailing against Tyrus according to the tenour of this prophecie The very words whereof you haue heard before expounded in the fourth and seaventh verses of this chapter Now I pray you only recount with me such heads of doctrine as heretofore haue beene observed out of these words Therefore will I send a fire c. Wherein three circumstances are to be observed 1. The punisher 2. The punishment 3. The punished The first circumstance is the punisher the LORD For thus saith the LORD I will send The doctrine is It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sins The second circumstance is the punishment and that is by fire I will send a fire The doctrine is The fire and all other creatures are at the Lordes commaundement to be employed by him in the punishment of the wicked The third circumstance is the punished the wals and palaces of Tyrus I will send a fire vpon the wals of Tyrus and it shall devoure the palaces thereof First must the glorious city Tyrus be destroied The doctrine is No munition can saue that city which God will haue destroyed Secondly must the Wals of Tyrus bee devoured with the fire of Gods displeasure The doctrine is It is the good blessing of God vpon a kingdome to haue wals strong holds munitions fortresses and bullwarkes for
vpō the earth But it fareth with vs as it did with Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.5 We are brethren in evill the instruments of cruelty are in our habitations They in their wrath slew a man and what do we If our wrath be kindled against our brother we will not sticke Edom-like to pursue him with the sword we will make our sword to be fed with his flesh and drunke with his bloud Thinke not dearely beloved you of the other sex thinke not your selues exempt from this reproofe because in it I haue not made any mention of sisters for vnder the name of brethren I meant you also My speach was vnto Christians in Christianisme diversity of sex maketh no difference So saith the Apostle Gal. 3.28 Male and female all are one in Christ To you therfore this reproofe of brethren at variance doth also appertaine If you lay violent hands vpon any your husbands your children or other or if with your tongue which the holy Spirit Ps 57.4 calleth a sharpe sword you are given to vexe them of your owne house or shal backbite or sclander any know that Edom-like you do pursue your brother with the sword And take I beseech you my propounded doctrine as belonging vnto you also It is a thing very distastefull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues A second vse is to worke in vs brotherly kindnesse that vertue whereby every good Christian embraceth the Church of God and the members thereof with the bowels of loue This brotherly kindnesse S. Peter 2. Ep. 1.7 commendeth vnto vs as whereto we ought to giue all diligence David Psal 133.1 stileth it with the sweet name of Vnitie Behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to liue in vnity And therefore commendeth it by two similitudes in the one shewing the sweetnes pleasantnes of it in the other the fruit and profit which commeth by it First it is like that precious ointment which was powred on the head of the high Priest and ran downe vpon his beard and so to the borders of his garments Behold the sweetnes and pleasantnes of vnity That sweet perfume ointment that holy oile powred out vpon the high Priest and his garment was not only pleasant and delightfull to himselfe but did also yeeld a sweete smelling savour to all that were about him So is it with vnitie Is not only pleasant to them who doe religiously esteeme and keepe it but to others also which are about them Secondly it is like the dew of Hermō which fell vpon the moūtaines of Sion where the LORD appointed the blessing and life for evermore Behold the fruit and profit which commeth by Vnity The dew and wet that fell downe from heaven vpō Hermon and Sion made those hils and the plaine countries neere them fertill so doth Vnity bring with it great fruit and profit It makes them among whom it is sincerely observed it makes them through Gods blessing fruitfull and plentifull in good workes towards God and in him and for him towards men one of them towards another This vnity cōcord brotherly loue mutuall consent and agreement if it be vnfeigned hath the promises both of this life and of that to come of peace and quietnes in this life and of eternall ioies in the life to come One of the notes by which wee may bee assured of God his speciall loue and favour is the loue of our brethren Now that we deceiue not our selues in this loue S. Iob. Epist 1. giues vs three rules to direct vs. 1 Christian brotherly loue must not be for any worldly respects or considerations but principally for and in God Wee must loue our brethren principally because they are the sons of God and members of Christ This rule he intimateth chap. 5.1 Every one that loveth him which begat loveth him also which is begotten of him that is whosoever loveth God the Father hee loveth also the sons of God his naturall son Christ Iesus his sons by grace and adoption all Christians 2 Christiā brotherly loue must not be outward in shew only but inward in the heart This rule he giveth vs chap. 3.18 Let vs not loue in word nor in tongue only but indeed in truth 3 Christian brotherly loue must be not only in time of prosperity but when most need is This rule he giveth vers the 17 Whosoever hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Let these rules beloved be your direction Loue yee everie one that is called a Christian not because he is rich or in authority but because he is a Christian the son of God by grace and adoption Loue yee him not outwardly in shew only but inwardly in heart in deed in truth Loue him not only in his prosperous and flourishing estate but in his greatest need and be yee assured that the speciall loue and favour of God will be your shield and protection Three things there are that do reioice God saith Ecclesiasticus chap. 25.1 The vnity of brethren the loue of neighbours a mā his wife agreeing togither The first which is the vnity of brethren according to my former construction compriseth the other two All Christians are brethren in Christ a neighbour to a neighbour a husband to his wife a wife to her husband For as I said in Christ there is no differēce of sexe there is neither male nor female all are brethrē in Christ and therfore that neighbour that loveth not his neighbour the husbād that is at ods with his wife the wife that agreeth not with her husband they are guilty of the breach of brotherly loue That exhortation made by S. Paule to the Romanes cha 12.10 concerneth all of you all of both sexes without any difference Be ye affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue I conclude this point with the same Apostles words 1. Cor. 1.10 and 2. Cor. 13.11 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our LORD Iesus Christ that yee speake all one thing and that there bee no dissentions among you Be of one minde liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you Thus far of the first branch in the description of Edoms sin and of the doctrine grounded therevpon The doctrine was It is a thing very distastefull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues It was grounded vpon these words He did pursue his brother with the sword It followeth And did cast of all pity or after the Hebrew text did corrupt his compassions which reading is expressed in the margin of our Church Bible and the Geneva translation The English translation set out by Tyndall reads it otherwise He destroyed his mothers wombe and Winckleman reads it violaverit vterum and violated or abused the mothers wombe both do allude to the Greeke edition of the
with the tongue of men and Angels and haue not loue yet are you as souÌ„ding brasse or a tinkling cimbal Though you haue the gift of Prophecie and know all secrets and all knowledge yea if you haue all faith so that you can remove mountaines and haue not loue yet are you nothing Though you feed the poore with all your goods though you giue your bodies to be burned and haue not loue yet it profiteth you nothing My exhortation must be vnto you in the same blessed Apostles words cha 14.1 of the same Epistle Follow after loue And I shut vp this exercise with a sweet Fathers sweete meditation o Bernard serm 9. in Coena Dom. Charitas te domum Domini facit DominuÌ„ domum tibi Loue it makes thee a house for God and God a house for thee according to that 1. Ioh. 4.16 God is loue he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him A happy artificer thou art sweet loue that art able to frame for thy selfe such a house as God is This house is not built of morter and bricke nor of stone nor of wood nor of silver nor of gold nor of precious stones It exceedeth and farre surpasseth silver gold in coÌ„parison of it precious stones are vile and of no reputation This house is an everlasting house before all ages before all times it containeth all things it comprehendeth all things it createth all things it giveth life to all things In this house the blind receiue light the lame strength to walke the crooked straitnes the weake health the dead their resurrection there is none wretched in it all therein are blessed for they are entred into their Masters ioy Into which ioy that we may in due time enter let vs follow after loue wee know that God is loue and that whosoever dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Now God graunt that we may all dwell in him THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.12 Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall devoure the palaces of Bozrah I Am now come to the last part of this prophecie against Edom which is the denuntiation of Gods iudgments against Edom for his sinnes expressed in this 12. verse This 12. verse doth not much differ froÌ„ some precedent verses in this chapter 4 7 and 10. The same punishment which in the 4. verse is threatned to the Syrians vnder the names of Hazael and Benhadad and in the 7. verse to the Philistines vnder the name of Azzah and in the 10. verse to the Tyrians vnder the name of Tyrus is here in this 12. verse denouÌ„ced to the Edomites vnder the names of TemaÌ„ and Bozrah And therefore as in the fore-named verses I haue done so do I in this recommende vnto you three circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD I will send 2 The punishment by fire I will send a fire 3 The punished the Temanites and Bozrites the inhabitants of both cities I will send a fire vpon Teman and it shall devoure the palaces of Bozrah The punisher is the LORD for Thus saith the LORD I will send The doctrine naturally arising hence is this It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This truth hath heretofore once and againe beene confirmed vnto you The lesse need haue I now to insist vpon it Yet may I not passe it over vnsaluted It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance c. This office of executing vengeance vpon the wicked for their sins God taketh vpon himselfe Deut. 32.35 Where hee saith Vengeance and recompence are mine This is coÌ„fessed to be God his due by S. Paule Rom. 12.19 It is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the LORD and by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 10.30 Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD and by the sweete singer of Israel Psal 94.1 O LORD God the avenger O God the avenger The Prophet Nahum chap. 1.2 to the terrour of the wicked proclaimeth it God is iealous and the LORD revengeth the LORD revengeth even the LORD of anger the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries and reserveth wrath for his enemies These places are so many pregnant proofes to make good my propounded doctrine namely that It is proper to the LORD to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes Many are the vses of this doctrine The first It may lesson vs to looke heedfully vnto our feete that we walke not in the way of sinners to partake with them in their sinnes Sinnes are not tongue-tied they cry vnto the LORD for vengeance Wee read in holy writ of foure sorts of sinnes which aboue other do cry vnto God and do call for his great and quicke vengeance The first is Homicide murther or manslaughter whereof Almighty God Gen. 4.10 thus speaketh vnto Caine The voice of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me from the earth The second is Sodomie the sinne of Sodom the sinne against nature a sinne not once to be named among Christians Wherof thus saith the LORD vnto Abraham Gen. 18.20 Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorah is great and because their sinne is exceeding grievous I will go downe now and see whether they haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto me The third is oppression of the poore widowes fatherlesse and strangers Oppression of the poore cryeth Psal 12.5 Now for the oppression of the â—â—â—die and deepe sighes of the poore I will vp saith the LORD and will set at libertie him whom the wicked hath snared Oppression of the widowes and the fatherlesse cryeth Exod. 22.22 Yâ—â— shall not trouble any widow nor fatherles child if you vexe on trouble such and so he call and cry vnto mee I will surely heare his cry Then shall my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse Oppression of strangers cryeth Exod. 3.7 The LORD said vnto Moses I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt haue heard their cry because of their taskmakers and verse the 9. Nâ—m loe the cry of the children of Israel is come vnto me and I haue also seene the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppresse them Thus is oppression whether it be of the poore or of the widowes or of fatherlesse children or of strangers a crying sinne and this was the third The fourth is the keeping backe of the labourers hire Whereof St Iames chap. 5.4 thus witnesseth Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud cryeth and the cryes of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the LORD of hoasts You see dearely beloued foure crying sinnes murther Sodomie oppression and the detaining or keeping backe of the poore labourers wages These are crying sinnes and they cry aloud to the eares of Almightie God and