word of my gracious God My God openeth his mouth from Heauen aboue and speaketh to me that he might saue me He speaketh to me to keep me from errour to comfort me in the troubles and aduersities of this life and to guide me to the life eternall If you stand thus affected to the word of God if you desire the sincere milke thereof for your spirituall food as the little infant doth the mothers milke for its bodily food if you finde your selues truly to loue it carefully to desire to vnderstand it and to take comfort in the exercises of it thanke God for it it is a good signe and pray God to increase it But if this word of God be a burden to thee if like a potion it goe downe against thy stomack if thou carest not how little thou be acquainted with it if thou esteemest not the exercises of it take heed bewaile thine estate it is a fearefull token pray God if thou loue thine owne soule to remoue such thy dulnesse from thee And let this suffice to haue beene deliuered vpon my second obseruation which was The Minister of the Gospell is to heare what God speaketh before he presume to deliuer his message to the people It was grounded vpon those words of the Mandate Audite contestamini Heare and testifie First heare what God speaketh and then make your contestation testifie and beare witnesse of that you haue heard Cry aloud spare not Esay 58.1 lift vp your voices like trumpets shew vnto the house of Iacob the calamities which I haue resolued to bring vpon them Heare yee and testifie in the house of Iacob Hereupon I ground my third obseruation it is this God euermore vseth to denounce grieuous calamities before they come to passe He fore-sheweth them before hand The vniuersall deluge was a very grieuous calamity God foreshewed it vnto Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse long before he brought in the Floud Gen. 6.13 The cry of Sodome and Gomorrah was great their sinne was very grieuous and therefore was God resolued to destroy them yet would he not doe it till he had told Abraham and Lot thereof the one Gen. 18.17 the other Gen. 19.13 The seuen yeares of famine which were to consume the land of Aegypt God foretold to Ioseph seuen yeares before they came Gen. 41.25 A man of God is sent to Eli to foretell him of the euill that should befall his house 1 Sam. 2.27 The Prophet Ieremie is sent to the Iewes to foretell them of the seuenty yeares of their captiuitie in Babylon Ier. 25.12 And here in my text Priests and Prophets are called vpon to foretell to the house of Iacob the miseries that were readie to fall vpon them Thus stands the doctrine firme God euermore vseth to aduertise vs of miseries before they doe befall vs. Our Prophet expresly and confidently auoucheth it vers 7. of this Chapter Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets In my exposition of those words I gaue of the point in hand a larger prosecution than the remainder of this houre will affoord As now so then I proued from the euidence of the word that God neuer bringeth any grieuous calamitie vpon any people or nation or priuate person but he doth euermore first forewarne the same and foretelleth it And hereof I gaue two reasons one in respect of the godly the other in respect of the wicked For the Godly God is vnwilling at any time to take them at vnawares He loueth them he would not haue any of them perish but would they should all repent and so preuent his iudgements He is prone to doe good but slow to punish and therefore praedicit flagella vt peccantes resipiscant He fore-sheweth his iudgements to draw vs to the amendment of our liues Now for the wicked He fore-warneth them also of his future iudgements Rangol 1 King â— 27 ne dicere queant se illa euentura non audiuisse that they may not be able to say for themselues they had no fore-warning So are they left without excuse their mouthes are stopped and Gods iustice is cleared Wherefore beloued let vs acknowledge the great mercie and wonderfull patience of our good and gracious God in that he vouchsafeth so to deale with vs to retire vs from sinne He needs not nor is he bound to deale so kindly with vs. For it is our part vpon our owne perill to take heed of his iudgements that they ouertake vs not Yet so good is the Lord so louing so mercifull so patient so desirous is he we should escape the misery which we haue deserued that he sends vnto vs his letters of loue the holy Scriptures by his Ministers to fore-warne vs of the euill day A sly and subtill aduersary would steale vpon vs when we should least thinke of him and take vs at any aduantage but our louing God seekes not for aduantages against vs. He rather prouideth vs meanes for our safetie The meanes are the letters of his loue as euen now I called them the sacred Scriptures Them he conueyeth to vs by his seruants his Ministers by whom hee inuites vs to good and deters vs from euill propoundeth rewards for well doing and punishments for ill threatneth vnto vs the torments of Hell if we continue in sinne and so bridleth our wantonnesse promiseth the ioyes of Heauen if we turne vnto him by repentance and so spurres on our slothfulnesse So gracious a God fore-warneth euer before he striketh And now most gracious and louing Father we most humbly beseech thee not only to fore-warne vs before thou strike but also to giue vs grace to take heed by thy warnings that thou strike vs not So will we arise runne and open vnto thee arise by faith from the sepulcher of sinne runne with hope to the gates of thy mercies and open with loue our broken and contrite hearts that thou mayest come in and dwell with vs. Euen so be it most mercifull Father for thy sweet Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake Amen THE Sixteenth Lecture AMOS 3.14 15. That 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. THis passage of holy Writ is a Prosopopaeia The Almighty is here brought in calling vpon his Priests and Prophets to giue care vnto him and to beare witnesse of the calamities which hee was resolued to lay vpon the house of Iacob His resolution was when he should punish the Israelites for their euill deeds then to visit their Temple and stateliest buildings with ruine and desolation The words I heretofore diuided into two generall parts One was A mandate for a Testification
snow the frost the whirlewind the raine all these God ruleth and gouerneth after his good pleasure And who I pray you ruleth man and mans affaires but the Lord O Lord saith Ierem. chap. 10.23 I know that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps King Salomon confesseth as much Prou. 20.24 The steps of man are ruled by the Lord. From this ruling prouidence of God King Dauid Psal 23.1 drew vnto himselfe a very comfortable argument The Lord feedeth me therefore I shall not want Let vs as comfortably reason with our selues The Lord feedeth vs therefore we shall not want It is spoken to our neuer ending comfort by our blessed Sauiour Matth. 10.29 Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them falleth not on the ground without your father Feare ye not therefore ye are of more value than many sparrowes In the same place he further assureth that all the haires of our head are numbred Doth Gods care reach to the falling of the haires of our head and can we doubt of his perpetuall rule and gouernment in the world It must stand true Almighty God for his vnlimited power gouerneth all things in the world and ruleth them pro libertate voluntatis suae euen as he listeth The third degree by which we may discerne the act of diuine prouidence I called gradum ordinationis the degree of ordination or direction It implyeth thus much that God of his admirable wisdome ordaineth and setteth in order whatsoeuer things in the world seem to be most out of order he bringeth them all to his chiefly intended end all must make for his glorie In this diuine ordination three things doe concurre Constitutio finis mediorum ad finem dispositio and Dispositorum directio First God appointeth an end to euery thing secondly he disposeth meanes vnto the end thirdly hee directeth the meanes so disposed To discourse of these particulars seuerally would carry mee beyond my time and your patience I will but only touch the generall which was God of his admirable wisdome ordaineth or setteth in order whatsoeuer things in the world seeme to be most out of order he bringeth them all to his chiefly intended end they all make for his glory Hereupon dependeth the truth of my propounded doctrine inuiolable No calamitie or miserie be falleth any one of whatsoeuer estate or degree by chance or at aduenture For if it be true as true it is and the gates of Hell shall neur be able to preuaile against it that God by his wonderfull prouidence maintaineth and preserueth ruleth and gouerneth ordereth disposeth and directeth all things in this world euen to the very haires of our heads it cannot be that any calamity or misery should befall any one of vs by aduenture by hap-hazard by chance by fortune The Epicure in the booke of Iob 22.13 was in a foule errour to thinke that God walking in the circle of heauen cannot through the darke clouds see our misdoings and iudge vs for them Dearely beloued we may not thinke our God to be a m See Lect. 1. page 10. 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 We may not thus thinke We haue liued long enough to haue learned better things out of Amos 9. Ierem 23. Psal 139. that God is euery where present and that there is no euasion from him Serm 4. in Iames 4.10 infra Lect. 14. pag. 159. 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 captiuitie no place of any secrecie any where is able to hide vs from the presence of God Wee haue learned Zach. 4.10 that God hath seuen eyes which goe thorow the whole world You may interpret them with me many millions of eyes He is * Hieronymus in illud Psal 94.9 Qui plantauit aurem non audiet aut qui finxit oculum non considerat Ego autem dico quod Deus totus Oculus est totus Manus est totus Pes est Totus Oculus est quia omnia videt Totus Manus est quia omnia operatur Totus Pes est quia vbique est totus OCVLVS altogether eye for he seeth all things We haue learned Esai 40.12 that God hath hands to measure the waters and to span the heauens You may interpret it with me that he hath many millions of hands He is totus Manus altogether hand for he worketh all things We haue learned Matth. 5.35 that God hath feet to set vpon his foot-stoole You may interpret it with me that he hath many milions of feet He is totus Pes altogether foot for he is euery where We shall then be very iniurious to God if we deny him the ouersight of the smallest matters The holy Scriptures doe euidently shew that he examineth the least moments and tittles in the world that we can imagine n Supra pag. 10. to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oyle in a poore widowes house to the falling of sparrowes to the ground to the clothing of the grasse in the field to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the caluing of hindes to the numbring of the haires of our heads Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord whatsoeuer calamity or misery hath already seized vpon vs or shall hereafter ouertake vs let vs not lay it vpon blinde Fortune but looke we to the hand that striketh vs. Hee who is noted in my text to cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Auen and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden euen He it is that for our sins bringeth vpon vs calamities and miseries The late fearefull floud raging vpon this land to the vtter destruction of great store of cattell and much people and the late rot of sheepe in this and other places of this land are Gods visitations vpon vs for our sinnes and admonishments for vs to amend our liues Shall there be euill in a city and the Lord hath not done it saith Amos chap. 3.6 It s out of question there is no euill in the city no not in the world but the Lords finger is in it and that iustly for our sinnes sake What remaineth but that we rent our hearts and turne vnto the Lord our God He is gracious mercifull slow to anger of great kindnesse and repenteth him of euill How know we whether he will returne and repent and leaue a blessing behinde him for vs Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that wee may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need THE Eleuenth Lecture AMOS 1.5 The people of Aram shall goe into captiuity vnto Kir saith the Lord. WEe goe on with that which yet remaineth vnexpounded in this 5. verse
the sixt commandement wherein you are forbidden to doe murther Wherefore beloued in the Lord put you on the tender bowels of mercy and compassion let cruelty be farre from you My exhortation vnto you and conclusion of this point shall be in the words of S. Paul Coloss 3.12 13. Now as the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another as Christ forgaue you euen so doe yee These words of my text They haue ript vp women with childe of Gilead doe yeeld vs another profitable doctrine They that is the children of Ammon professed enemies to God and godlinesse haue raged against the Gileadites Iacobs posterity the lot and portion of Gods inheritance euen to the ripping vp of their women with childe The doctrine is God often humbleth his chosen children vnder the rod of the wicked This truth appeareth in Lot sore pressed vpon by the Sodomites Gen. 19.9 in the Israelites hardly dealt with by the Egyptians Exod. 1.11 in the seuenty brethren sonnes of Ierubbaal persecuted by Abimelech most of them to the death Iudg. 9.5 in Ieremie twice euill intreated first beaten and put in the stockes by Pashure Ierem. 20.2 and a second time beaten and imprisoned by Zedechias his Nobles chap. 37.15 in the three children cast into the fiery furnace by Nabuchodonosor Dan. 3.21 Many like examples might bee extracted out of Gods holy reg ster for proofe of this point which also may be made further to appeare vnto you in those bloudy persecutions after Christ his death by the Roman Emperours who deuised strange torments to keepe downe religion and religious professours men and women They plucked off their skinnes quicke they beared out their eyes with wimbles they broyled them aliue on gredirons they scalded them in boyling liquors they enclosed them in barrels through which great nailes were driuen and therein they tumbled them downe mountaines till their owne bloud so cruelly drawne out had stifled and choaked them in the barrels womens brests were seared off with burning irons their bodies were rent and their ioynts racked Sundry other and as strange kindes of torments were endured by the faithfull in the time of the ten first persecutions in the primitiue Church This is it which S. Peter hath Epist 1. chap. 4. vers 17. The time is come that iudgement must begin at the house of God Yet let not the faithfull hereat be discouraged It is for their good Iob an vpright and a iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill vpon his experience of the afflictions which he endured vnder the rod of Gods correction chap. 5.17 saith Behold blessed is the man whom God correcteth therfore refuse not thou the chastening of the Almighty For he maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth and his hands make whole And thus from my doctrine I proceed to the vses I will but point at them Is it true beloued Doth God often humble his chosen children vnder the rod of the wicked It may first shew vs how great Gods anger is for sinne that he punisheth it so seuerely euen in his dearest children and thereby may worke in vs a loathing hatred and detestation of sinne Neuer more need than now to smite our brests and pray with the Publicane O God be mercifull vnto vs sinners Secondly it may teach vs not to measure the fauour of God towards our selues or others by the aduersities or crosses of this life Here we see that the women of Gilead of the race of Israel Gods owne lot and inheritance were most barbarously and cruelly ript vp by the Ammonites Yet are we not to doubt but that Gods fauour was great towards them euen in this seuere punishment Thirdly it may make vs powre out our soules in thankfulnesse before Almighty God for our present estate and condition It is not with vs as in the dayes of Gilead wee are not threshed with threshing instruments of iron our women with childe are not ript vp Our daies are the daies of peace our King is a King of peace Peace is in our ports peace in all our borders and peace within our wals l Psal 144.12 Our sonnes doe grow vp as yâ—ung plants our daughters are as the polished corners of the temple Our garners are full and plenteous with all manner of store Our sheepe bring forth thousands and ten thousands Our oxen are strong to labour Here is no inuasion no leading into captiuitie no complaining in our streets Are not the people happy that are in such a case Yes saith the Psalmist Psal 144.15 Happy are the people that are in such a case The case you see is ours The God of peace which maketh an m Psal 46.10 end of warre in all the world and breaketh the bow and knappeth the speares asunder and burneth the chariots with fire he doth now protect vs from warre and slaughter Quid rependemus What shall we render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards vs We will take the cup of saluation and praise his holy name O our soules praise the Lord for hee onely maketh vs to dwell in safetie Thus farre of the cruell fact of the Ammonites in ripping vp the women with childe of Gilead This their fact is amplified by the end wherefore they did it They haue ript vp the women with childe of Gilead that they might enlarge their border That they might enlarge their border What could such crueltie against innocent and harmelesse women further them to the attaining of such an end Verie much For hereby it might come to passe that there should not be any off-spring of the Gileadites to inherit and possâ—sse the land so might the land without any resistance become the possession of the Ammonites This is by a propheticall contestation touched Ier. 49.1 Vnto the children of Ammon thus saith the Lord Hath Israel no sonnes or hath he no heires Why then hâ—th their King possessed Gad and his people dwelt in his Cities So might this our Prophet Amos here contest and make complaint Hath Gilead no sonnes Hath Gilead no heires Why then haue the Ammonites possessed Gilead Why haue they dwelt in the cities of Gilead The answer is plaine out of my Text The Ammonites haue ript vp the womâ—n with childe of Gilead they haue left them no sonnes no heires And so they possessed the land of Gilead so haue they enlarged their borders Wee see now the meaning of our Prophet He obiecteth to the Ammonites not only that they did cruelly rip vp the women with childe in Gilead but also that they did it for this end that they might enlarge their borders The Doctrine is That nation which is not content with her owne borders but inuadeth her neighbour countries sinneth grieuously The Ethnickes of old taught but in Natures schoole did hold it for a wicked act detestable and inexpiable to
is Gods triumph What doe I In time of peace exhort to Martyrdome Why not Though through Gods goodnesse blessed be his name for it there is not now among vs any occasion of persecution habet tamen pax nostra Martyrium suum as Gregorie the Great spake of his time Homil. 3. in Euangelia yet hath our peace her Martyrdome Albeit we doe not yeeld carnis colla ferro our neckes to the yron or our bodies to the stake yet doe we gladio spirituali with the spirituall sword slay the carnall desires within vs. You haue seene what it is to offer vp vnto the Lord the goods of our bodie patiendo by suffering by dying for the Lord. Now let vs see what it is to offer them vp faciendo by doing that which is acceptable to the Lord. It is that whereto S. Paul exhorteth vs Rom. 12.1 euen our reasonable seruice of God I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God Our Bodies a sacrifice How may that be S. Chrysostome Hom. 20. in Ep. ad Rom. doth elegantly expresse it Let the eye behold no euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the eye is a sacrifice let the tongue speake no euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the tongue is an oblation let the hand doe no euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the hand is a burnt offering So that sweete Father We may enlarge the meditation let the eare heare no euil and the eare is a sacrifice let the arme embrace no euill and the arme is a sacrifice let the foote follow no euill and the foote is a sacrifice In a word let all other parts of the bodie be preserued from euill and they are all sacrifices The eye that is b 2. Pet. 2.14 full of adulterie is no fit offering the tongue that is c Psal 120.3 deceitfull is no fit offering the hand that is euer shut against the poore is no fit offering the vncircumcised eare the wanton arme the cruell foote they are no fit offerings neither is any part of our bodie that is vnsanctified a fit offering for the Lord. Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord let it be the care of euery one of vs to present our bodies vnto the Lord a liuing and a holy sacrifice for that onely will be acceptable vnto him Now that our sacrifice may be liuing and holy and so acceptable to the Lord it is not enough for vs to d Psal 34.15 And 37.27 abstaine from doing of euill but we must willingly and chearefully betake our selues to the doing of good and this must wee doe betimes You deceiue your selues if you thinke to offer your youthfull yeares vnto the Deuill and to lay your old bones vpon Gods Altar Gods sacrifice must be the fattest it must bee the fairest He must haue both head and hinder parts to teach you that your dutie is to remember your Creator as well in the dayes of your nonage as in the dayes of your dotage as well while you are yong as when you shall be old For if you deferre your offerings till the last houre till sicknesse deaths-Bailiffe shall arest you your offering may proue sicke it may proue dead it may proue an vnholy sacrifice Receiue therefore S. Pauls word of exhortation I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a liuing and an holy sacrifice vnto God You haue heard that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our externall goods and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goods of our bodies are to be offered vp in sacrifice vnto the Lord the same I am now in briefe to shew concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goods of our minde The goods of our minde I called vertues and vertuous actions functions and operations together with all the faculties and powers of the soule all these we must offer vp vnto the Lord. But how shall we offer them vp devotione contritione by deuotion and contrition For as it is Psal 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart is such a sacrifice as God will not despise Whosoeuer by diuine meditation and deuout prayer beateth downe the proud conceits of his rebellious heart he killeth and offereth vp as it were his sonne Isaac that which is most nere vnto him that which is most deare vnto him he offereth vp a broken spirit and that is Sacrificia Dei the sacrifices of God The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit Sacrifices in the Plurall number because this one sacrifice of a broken spirit is instar omnium in steed of all its worth all other sacrifices in the world And well may it be so for it is the sacrifices of God of God that is accepta Deo acceptable and well pleasing vnto God But what is this broken spirit I speake off It is animus contritus commutâ—â—â— abjectus propriae infirmitatis ac indignitatis conscientiâ It is a mind contrite beaten as it were to dust or powder broken in peeces and cast downe with the conscience of its owne infirmitie and vnworthinesse It is a minde that is voyd of any conceite of its owne worth that thinketh it selfe worthy of any punishment that esteemeth all its owne goods most base that followeth the word of God vpon any occasion that is comforted at the least signe of Gods fauour that is cast downe at any token of his displeasure that is easily mooued with affections of loue feare ioy and hope that is alwayes full of pitty to others that maketh conscience of the smallest transgression The man that is of such a broken spirit and so contrite a minde he may well be said to offer vp in sacrifice vnto the Lord the goods of his mind Thus you see that we are and how we are to offer vp in sacrifice vnto the Lord the goods of this world the goods of the bodie and the goods of the mind But whereon shall we offer them where is our Altar Our Altar is within vs euen our heart that is our Altar Durandus in his e Lib. 1. cap. 7. N. 18. Rationall of Diuine offices deduceth it out of the first to the Corinthians Chap. 3.17 The Temple of God is holy which yee are Yee are the Temple of GOD. Si Templum Dei sumus Altare habemus Altare nostrum est cor nostrum Hoc enim est cor in homine quod Altare in Templo If we are the Temple of God wee haue an Altar Our Altar is our Heart For the Heart is that in man as the Altar is in the Temple Our Heart then is our Altar no Legall Altar but an Evangelicall Altar Answereable to our Altar must our sacrifices be Evangelicall too Now sayth Lactantius Divin institut lib. 6. cap. 24. Now the Lord requireth not of vs any sacrifice of a dumbe beast of death and bloudshed but Victimam hominis vitae the sacrifice of man and his life
name alone are we to giue thankes Giue thankes alwayes for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ This is our dutie beloued euen to giue thankes alwayes for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Is it our dutie Let vs then embrace it Ascendant gratiae vt descendat gratia let our thankes ascend vp to God that his grace may descend downe vpon vs. For cessat decursus gratiarum vbi non fuerit recursus sayth Bernard Serm. 1. in capite ieiunij The course and descent of the graces of God ceaseth and the spring is dryed vp when there is not a recourse and tide of our thankefulnesse O! Why should so good an exercise be a burthen and griefe to any Christian soule Let the vnrighteous vanish away in their gracelesse vnthankefulnesse and become as the dung of the earth but let the righteous alwayes reioyce in the Lord m Psal 33.1 for it well becommeth the iust to be thankefull Early and late let vs prayse his holy name though not with the harpe nor with the Psalterie nor with an instrument of ten strings as the Psalmist aduiseth Psal 33.2 Yet let vs doe it with the best members and instruments we haue with our bodies and with our soules An eminent n B. King in Jon. lect 25. p 328. piller of our Church hath for this place a sweete meditation Let vs neuer turne our o Eze. 8.16 backes to the Temple of the Lord nor our faces from his mercy seate Let vs not take without giuing as vnprofitable ground drinketh and deuoureth seed without restoring Let vs neither eate nor drinke nay let vs neither hunger nor thirst without this condiment to it The Lord be praysed Let the frontlets betweene your eyes the bracelets vpon our armes the gards vpon our garments be thankes Whatsoeuer we receiue to vse or enioy let vs write that posie Epiphoneme of p Chap. 4.7 Zacharie vpon it Grace grace vnto it for all is grace To shut vp this point let our daily deuotion be the same that Dauids was Psal 103.1 2. let it be our daily song Blesse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord ô my soule forget not all his benefits Thus farre hath the vnthankefulnes of Israel noted in the particle Yet carryed me I now goe on with the explication of the first benefit here mentioned to haue bin bestowed by God vpon that vnthankefull people I destroyed the Amorite before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint I haue taken away Exterminavi the Vulgar Calvin and Gualter I haue cast out Delevi Leo Iuda and Castalio I haue wiped away Excidi Oâ—colampadius I haue cut off Perdidi Vatablus Tremellius and Iunius I haue destroyed Drusius expounds it Delevi Perdidi profligavi Mercerus Disperdidi abolevi The word in the originall signifieth so to abolish and wipe away a people or a nation that there be not any memorie left of it I destroyed the Amorite The Amorites were descended from Canaan the fourth sonne of Ham. In Gen. 10.16 Canaan is sayd to haue begotten the Iebusite and the Amorite and the Gargasite He begat the Amorite I destroyed the Ammorite What The Ammorite alone Not so But the Ammorites and other nations of the land of Canaan whom when they had fulfilled the measure of their iniquitie God did cut of that he might giue their land for an habitation to the posteritie of Iacob the people of Israell according to his couenant made with Abraham Gen. 15.18 Vnto thy seed haue I giuen this land from the riuer of Egypt vnto the great riuer the riuer Euphrates The Kenites and the Kenizites and the Kadmonites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaims and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgasites and the Iebusites The Amorites you see were not alone According to this couenant with Abraham a promise is made to the Fathers in the desert Exod. 23.27 I will send my feare before thee and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come and I will make all thine enemies turne their backes vnto thee And I will send hornets before thee which shall driue out from before thee Whom The Hivite the Canaanite and the Hittite It s true But they are not all Looke backe to the 23. verse There shall you finde the Lord thus to speake Mine Angell shall goe before thee and bring thee vnto the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Iebusites and I will cut them off You see againe the Amorites were not alone I pervse the Catalogue of the Nations whom the Lord hath cast out before Israell It is Deut. 7.1 There I finde that he hath cast out the Hittites and the Girgasites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Heuites and the Iebusites seauen Nations greater and mightier then Israell was Seuen Nations Then the Amorites were not alone Were they seauen Nations that were driuen out before Israel How then is it that the Lord here in my text recounting vnto Israell this great benefit nameth onely the Amorite saying Yet destroyed I the Ammorite The Iesuite Pererius in his third Tome of Commentaries vpon Genesis writing vpon the 15. Chapter ver 16. these words The iniquitie of the Amorite is not yet full moues this very doubt but thus The reader may here wonder why mention is made onely of one Nation of the Amorite sith it is plaine by other places of holy Scripture that there were seauen Nations which the Lord draue out from before the Israelites His first answere is It may by a Synecdoche A part may be put for the whole one Nation of the Amorites for all the seauen A like Synecdoche there is Iosh 1.4 There thus sayth the Lord vnto Ioshuah From the wildernesse and this Lebanon euen vnto the great riuer the riuer Euphrates all the land of the Hittites and vnto the great Sea toward the going downe of the Sunne shall be your coast All the land of the Hittites shall be your coast The Hittites onely are named and yet within the bounds described all the seauen had their habitations It is therefore a Synecdoche A part is put for the whole One Nation of the Hittites for all the seauen It s so here One Nation of the Amorites for all the seauen This answere admitting a Synecdoche is approued by Piscator Tremellius and Iunius Yet Pererius thinkes to giue a better And therefore his second answere is that the Amorites are praecipuè singulariter chiefly and principally named aboue all the rest and for them all because for the largenesse of their Nation and for their height of stature and for their strength of bodie and for their excessiue crueltie and impietie they were aboue all famous and much spoken of Mercerus that great Professor of the Hebrew
tongue in the Vniuersitie of Paris is of opinion that the Amorite here and else-where is aboue all and for all mentioned because he of all was the most terrible the most mighty and the strongest The like is affirmed by Arias Montanus that learned Spaniard Amorrhaeum potissimùm appellat The Amorite he especially nameth because that Nation multitudine copijs atque potentiâ in multitude in forces and in power excelled all the rest of the Nations that were cast out before Israell Here then where the Lord hath sayd Yet destroyed I the Amorite in the Amorite we are to vnderstand also the rest of those seauen Nations which the Lord draue out from before Israel the Hittites the Girgasites and the Canaanites and the Perezzites and the Hivites and the Iebusites Seauen they were in number greater and mightier then Israell was All seauen were cast out by the Lord from before Israel and so much are we to vnderstand by this that the Lord here sayth Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them Before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint They well render the Hebrew which word for word is a faciè ipsorum from their face Mercerus sayth a conspectu eorum from their sight that is sayth he corum causâ ad eorum adventum for their sake or at their comming Albertus Magnus renders it à praesentia eorum from their presence Our English before them hits the sense The sense is God stroke such a terror into those seauen Nations the inhabitants of the land of Canaan that at the comming of the Israelites at the hearing of the name of Israel they vanished they fled away they forsooke their auncient habitations or else were suddenly slaine without much resistance Thus haue you the exposition of the first branch of this ninth verse which conteineth a generall touch of the ruine of the Amorites Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them The Israelites their vnthankefulnesse towards me is verie notorious yet haue I destroyed the Amorite before them Yet I the Lord their God who haue freed them from their bondage in Egypt and haue led them fortie yeares through the wildernesse I haue destroyed haue ouerthrowne haue driuen out haue brought to ruine The Amorite not onely the Amorites but also the rest of the Nations sixe other mightie Nations whose dwelling was in the land of Canaan all these haue I destroyed before them for their sake for Israels sake that Israel might without resistance take quiet possession of the land of Canaan the land that floweth with milke and honey The lesson which we may take from hence is this God is all in all either in the ouerthrow of his enemies or in the vpholding of his children For further proofe hereof we may haue recourse to the 15. chapter of the Booke of Exodus There Moses sings a song vnto the Lord a song of thankesgiuing wherein hee acknowledgeth the Lord to be all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea His acknowledgment is vers 6. Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in peices the enemie In the greatnesse of thine excellencie thou hast ouerthrowne them thou sentest forth thy wrath which hath consumed them as stubble With the blast of thy nostrills the waters were gathered together the flouds stood vpright as an heape the depths were congealed in the heart of the Sea The enemie feared not to enter But thou Lord didst blow with thy wind the Sea couered them they sanke as lead in the mightie waters Who is like vnto thee O Lord Who is like thee God is all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies He is also all in all in the vpholding of his children Moses in the same song auoucheth it vers 13. Thou Lord in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed Thou hast guided them in thy strength vnto thine holy habitation It was not their q Psal 44.3 owne sword that deliuered them neither did their owne arme saue them But the Lord He and his mercie He and his strength deliuered them God is all in all in vpholding of his children Is it thus dearely beloued Is God all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies Then for the ouerthrow of that great Nauie called the inuincible Nauie the great Armada of Spaine which * This Sermon was preached A gust 27. 1615. twentie seauen yeares r Au. Ch. 1588. since threatned desolation to the inhabitants of this I le let God haue the glorie It was the right hand of the Lord not our vertue not our merits not our armes not our men of might but the right hand of the Lord it was that brought that great worke to passe Their ſ Exod. 15.4.5 chosen Captaines were drowned in the Sea the depth couered them they sanke into the bottome as a stone Some of them that were taken from the furie of the waues and were brought prisoners to the honourablest cittie in this land in their anguish of mind spared not to say t Letter to Mendoza pa. 17. that in all those fights which at Sea they saw Christ shewed himselfe a Lutheran Sure I am that Christ shewed himselfe to be little Englands u Psal 18.1 rocke and fortresse and strength and deliuerer Quid retribuemus What shall we render nay what can we render vnto the Lord for so great a deliuerance Let our song begin as the Psalme doth the 115. Psalme Non nobis Domine non nobis Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory for thy mercie and for thy truths sake With like affection recount we the deliuerance of our King and State from that infernall and hellish exployt of the powder treason The contriuers thereof I now name not What could they expect but vpon the least discouerie of so execrable an action to incurre an vniuersall detestation to haue all the hatred of the earth poured vpon them and theirs to be the outcasts of the Common wealth and the Maranathaes of the Church they and their names for euer to be an abhorring to all flesh Yet they so farre proceeded in that their Diabolicall machination that they were at the poynt to haue giuen the blow that blow that should haue beene the common ruine of vs all But God our God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greekes describe him Psal 9.9 A helper at opportunities in the needfull times of trouble when we were thus x Ioh. 4.35 albi ad messem white for their haruest readie to be cut downe by them then euen then did our God deliuer vs. Quid retribuemus What what shall we render nay what can we render vnto the Lord for so great a deliuerance Let our song be as before Non nobis Domine non nobis Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory for thy mercy and
Christ but our owne bellies as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 16.18 Of such speaketh the same Apostle Phil. 3.19 Many doe walke as enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things Whose God is their belly Thus beloued you see what Idols are yet remaining among vs and how we are defiled with them What remaineth but that we suffer our selues to be exhorted in the words of Barnabas and Paul to the men of Lystra Act. 14.15 that we would turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from those vaine Idols to serue the liuing God Thus farre of my second Doctrine which was Neither Melchom of the Ammonites nor any other Idoll of any other people can saue themselues in the day of captiuity much lesse can they saue the people that doe trust in them and worship them Which doctrine I grounded vpon the second reading of my Text Melchom shall goe into captiuity he and his Princes together Now followeth the third generall part of this prophecy against the children of Ammâ—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith the Lord. This is the conclusion of this Prophecie and it redoubleth its authority and credit Authority and credit sufficient it hath from its very front and preface vers 13. Thus saith the Lord. It is here redoubled Saith the Lord. Hath the Lord 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 tittles of all his words are Yea and Amen Heauen and earth shal passe before one iot or one tittle of Gods Word shall scape vnfulfilled Iehouah the Lord saith whatsoeuer our Prophet Amos hath here denounced against the Ammonites It is the Lord that saith it Amos is but the Lords Minister the Words are the Lords Whence we may take this Doctrine The Author of holy Scripture is neither man nor Angell nor any otber creature how excellent soeuer but only the liuing and immortall God This truth may likewise be grounded vpon the Preface to the ensuing Prophecy And therefore sith my houre is almost spent and your attention well nigh tired I put off the handling of this doctrine till God giue me opportunity to speake againe vnto you Meane time let this which hath beene deliuered vnto you Non meis viribus sed Christi misericordiâ not by any strength of mine but by the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ serue for the exposition of this first Chapter 1 Tim. 1.17 Vnto the King eternall immortall inuisible the only wise God three persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be honour and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS A COMMENTARIE OR EXPOSITION VPON THE SECOND Chapter of the Prophecie of AMOS Deliuered In XXI Sermons in the Parish Church of MEYSEY-HAMPTON in the Diocesse of GLOCESTER BY Sebastian Benefield Doctor of Diuinitie and Professor for the Lady MARGARET in the Uniuersitie of OXFORD IAMES 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you LONDON Printed by EDWARD GRIFFIN for IOHN PARKER and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the three Pigeons 1629. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God and my very good Lord IOHN by the diuine prouidence L. Bishop of London Right Reuerend Honourable ONce more I make bold to present vnto your HONOR a testimonie of my most humble observance It is an Exposition of the second Chapter of the Prophecie of Amos. My labours vpon the first it pleased your Lordship heretofore fauourably to accept and patronize If these vpon the second may find the like entertainement they haue their end The beames of that splendour of goodnesse in you which long since haue shined vpon many in this Vniuersitie and me among the rest methinkes J still behold How can J then but in memorie thereof offer vp to your Honourable Name some Sacrifice of thankesgiuing This is the best I haue at this time Receiue it my good Lord such as it is the sincere token of a thankefull heart God Almightie who hath made you an eminent and an honourable pillar here in his Church militant for the comfort of his people giue you herein many dayes full of honour and comfort and reward you with a Crowne of neuer-fading glory in his Church triumphant From my studie in Christ Church in Oxford Februarie 14. 1619. Your Lordships in all dutie and seruice SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD A COMMENTARIE VPON THE SECOND Chapter of AMOS deliuered in XXI Lectures THE FIRST LECTVRE AMOS 2.1 2 3. 1. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for foure I will not turne to it because it burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime 2. Therefore will I send a fire vpon Moab and it shall devoure the pallaces of Kirioth and Moab shall dye with tumult with shouting and with the sound of a trumpet 3. And I will cut off the Iudge out of the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him saith the Lord. HOw grieuous a burden sinne is you may well perceiue by the heauy punishments which God layeth vpon the committers of sinne Good store of examples the first chapter of this prophecie hath yeelded vnto you The Syrians the Philistines the Tyrians the Edomites and the Ammonites haue for their sinnes bin seuerally repayed with vengeance from Heauen the fire of the wrath of God hath seized vpon them and deuoured them their Cities are become desolate their memorie is perished from off the earth As it is befallen them so it befalleth the Moabites also against whom Amos in the beginning of this second chapter directeth his prophecie and to the same purpose whereto the prophecies of the former Chapter were directed The a See my sixth Lecture vpon Amos 1. reasons why Amos sent of purpose with a message to the Israelites doth first prophecie against the Syrians the Philistins the Tyrians the Edomites the Ammonites and the Moabites all forreine nations are three 1. That he might be the more patiently heard of his countrymen the Israelites The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharpe against the Syrians and other their enemies could not but with more quiet heare him when he should prophecie against them also Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici Some comfort it is to a distressed naturall man to see his enemie in distresse likewise 2. That they might haue no cause to wonder if God should at any time come against them in vengeance seeing that he would not spare the Syrians and other their neighbor countries though they were destitute of the light of Gods word and ignorant of his will 3. That they might the more tremble at the words of this prophecie when they should see the Syrians and other Nations afflâ—cted and tormented according to the heinousnes of their iniqâ—ities Here might the Israelites
In our now-sacrifices we need not garlands of Vervim nor the inwards of beasts nor turffs of earth but such things onely as proceed from the inner man righteousnesse patience faith innocencie chastitie abstinence such are the sacrifices to be offered vp vpon Gods holy Altar placed in our hearts In the Chapter following Chap. 25. his obseruation is that there are two things to be offered vp vnto God donum sacrificium a gift and a sacrifice the one perpetuall the other temporall According to some the gift is whatsoeuer is made of gold siluer purple or silke and the sacrifice is a beast slaine or whatsoeuer is burnt vpon the Altar But God hath no vse of these These are subiect to corruption but God is incorrupt Wee must therefore offer both gift and sacrifice in a spirituall manner so shall God haue vse of both Our gift must be integritas animi the vprightnesse of our minde our sacrifice laus hymnus prayse and thankesgiuing That I may conclude Beloued brethren let me sum vp together the Euangelicall sacrifices which the giuer of the new law requireth of vs. A broken spirit obedience to the will of God loue towards God and man iudgement iustice mercie prayer thankesgiuing almes-deedes our bodies and our soules these are the Euangelicall sacrifices the sacrifices of Christianitie to be offered vp vnto the Lord vpon the Altar of a faithfull heart A faithfull heart I say For if the heart be vnfaithfull the sacrifices will not be acceptable they will not be esteemed aboue the sorceries of Simon Magus Call them not sacrifices they are sacriledges if the heart be vnfaithfull But let the heart be faithfull and the sacrifices which it offereth vp will be as the beneficence was Phil. 4.18 which the Philippians sent by Epaphroditus vnto Paul they will be odours of a sweete smell acceptable sacrifices and well pleasing vnto God Neither did that precious oyntment that ranne downe Aarons beard Psal 133.2 nor that that the woman powred vpon Christs head Mat. 26.7 nor that sweete incense Exod. 25.6 nor that wine of Lebanon Hos 14.7 yeeld so pleasant a sauour as doe the sacrifices of Christianitie that ascend from a faithfull heart O! the sweete sauour of a good life that springs and sprouts from a true beliefe farre surpasseth all other sweets in the world O! Let our sacrifices be such Let them spring from a true beliefe let them proceede from a faithfull heart so shall our minds when we thinke on God and our wils when we obey God and our soules when we loue God our tongues when we prayse God and our feete when wee walke with God and whatsoeuer else we haue when we vse it for the glory of God be an odour of a sweet smell an acceptable sacrifice and well pleasing vnto God I end Vouchsafe we beseech thee most mercifull Father so throughly to sanctifie vs with thine holy Spirit that all our sacrifices our preaching our hearing our prayers our prayses our thankesgiuings our deeds of mercie and pittie and charitie may euer be acceptable in thy sight Graunt this deare Father for thy best beloued Sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee in the vnitie of the holy Spirit be all prayse and power might and maiestie dignitie and dominion for euermore Amen THE XII LECTVRE AMOS 2.8 And they drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God THis is the last branch in the enumeration of the sinnes of the Israelites It concerneth the Iudges of Israel and the Rulers of that state them principally It is appliable to others also to the richer sort The words are a reproofe of the grosse superstition of that people They thought their dutie touching the seruice of God well discharged so they repaired to their temples Such holy places they thought were of themselues sufficient to clense them albeit they should euen there betake themselues to inordinate eating to vnmeasurable drinking to infamous luxurie yea to euery kinde of villanie For my more plaine proceeding in the handling of the words of this text will you be pleased to note in them First the action for which the Israelites are here reproued it is a drinking of wine They drinke wine Secondly whose wine it is they drinke It s not their owne its vinum damnatorum it 's the wine of the condemned They drinke the wine of the condemned Thirdly where they drinke it They drinke it not at home which were more tolerable but in domo deorum suorum in the house of their Gods They drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their Gods The first convinceth them of riot and excesse They drinke wine immoderately They are so giuen to it that they absteine not euen then when they are in their temples and would seeme most religious For they drinke it in the house of their Gods The second convinceth them of oppression The wine they drinke is vinum damnatorum it is the wine of the condemned it is vinum mulctatorum the wine of such as they haue fined or mulcted wine bought with the money of them whom they haue in their vnrighteous iudgments spoyled of their goods The third conuinceth them of idolatry They drinke their wine in the house of their Gods not in the Temple at Ierusalem that once glorious Temple of the true and liuing God but in the temple of their gods in Dan and Bethel and other places before their golden calues and other their Idols They drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their Gods First They drinke wine Wine Why might they not Is it not one of the good a 1. Tim. 4.4 creatures of God that may well be vsed with thanksgiuing God himselfe giues it to the obedient to them that loue and serue him Deut. 11.14 I will giue you the raine of your land in due season the first raine and the latter raine that thou maist gather in thy corne and thy wine and thine oyle That thou maist gather in thy wine Christ his miraculous turning of water into wine at the marriage of Cana in Galilee Ioh. 2.11 is euidence enough that he allowed the drinking of wine Yea himselfe dranke wine Else the people would neuer haue called him a wine-bibber as it appeareth they did Matth. 11.19 S Paul 1. Tim. 5.23 wisheth Timothie no longer to drinke water but to vse a little wine for his stomackes sake Wine hath its praises in the Scripture It makes glad the heart of man Psal 104.15 It cheareth God and man Iudg. 9.13 How then is it that the Israelites are here reproued for drinking wine I answer not for drinking wine but for the abuse in drinking are the Israelites here reproued It is with wine as it is with euery other good creature of God It may he abused Wine is abused when men are drunken with it This abuse of wine S. Paul desirous either to preuent or to reforme in the Ephesians thus speaketh to the Ephesians
for Nazirites Is it not euen thus O yee children of Israel I the Lord aske you the question Is it not thus The points of doctrine from hence to be collected are diuers 1. God will haue the blessings and benefits which he bestoweth vpon vs euer to be had in remembrance 2. We must acknowledge that whatsoeuer good we haue we haue it from the Lord. 3. The blessings which God bestoweth vpon vs are nothing inferiour to those he bestowed vpon the Israelites I make this plaine by a briefe collation of the blessings bestowed by the Lord vpon them and vs. The Lord brought Israel out of Aegypt the house of bondage with a mighty hand and he ouerthrew Pharaoh in the red sea the same Lord hath deliuered vs from as great a bondage hath freed vs from the house of Hell and hath spoyled that infernall Pharaoh the Deuill The Lord gaue vnto the Israelites the land of the Amorites for their possession when he had driuen out the Amorites from before their face the same Lord hath giuen vs a good land for our possession and hath from out our Churches expulsed the spirituall Amorite Antichrist Balaam of Rome The Lord raised vp vnto Israel of their sonnes for Prophets the same Lord hath raised vp vnto vs of our sonnes for Prophets he giues vs orthodoxall and sound interpreters of his holy word and Pastors to declare vnto vs what his sacred will is The Lord raised vp vnto Israel of their yong men for Nazirites the same Lord hath giuen vs Schooles and Nurseries of good literature for the trayning vp of our yong men as Nazirites in knowledge and in piety yea he hath giuen vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one most holy Nazirite euen Christ Iesus in whom he maketh vs all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Nazirites that is Christians sanctifying vs by his Holy Spirit in Baptisme wherein we promised to forsake the Deuill and all his workes and to giue vp our selues wholy to the obedience and seruice of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Haec frequenter seriò cogitemus fratres Dearely beloued let vs frequently seriously thinke of these things So shall we the more esteeme Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs and shall the lesse abuse them and shall the longer enioy them Which God of his infinite mercy grant vnto vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. THE XVII LECTVRE AMOS 2.12 But yee gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke and commaunded the Prophets saying Prophecie not IN this propheticall Sermon written by Amos concerning the Israelites I haue heretofore in my eight Lecture vpon this Chapter obserued foure principall parts A Reprehension An Enumeration An Exprobation and A Commination The first is a reproofe of Israell for sinne vers 6.7.8 The second a recitall of the benefits which God hath bestowed vpon Israel vers 9.10.11 The third a twyting of Israel with their vnthankefulnesse vers 12. The fourth a threatning of punishment to befall them from the 13. verse to the end of the Chapter Of the two former the Reprehension and the Enumeration you haue at sundry times alreadie heard Now are we to proceed to the Exprobation conteined in the words at this time read vnto you For our easier vnderstanding whereof we are to cast backe an eye vpon those benefits which in the precedent verses are mentioned to haue beene bestowed by the Lord vpon his people Israel They were either Corporall or Spirituall Corporall as the destruction of the Amorites before the Israelites and for their sakes vers 9. their deliuerance out of Egypt their protection and preseruation in the wildernesse for fortie yeares together that at length they might possesse the land of the Amorite vers 10. And Spirituall as the doctrine of the sincere worship of God and of eternall saluation together with the free vse and passage thereof expressed vers 11. by the raising vp of their sonnes for Prophets and of their yong men for Nazirites These were very great benefits and worthy all thankfull acknowledgement But the people of Israel were so farre from giuing thankes for them that they a Ruffinus vilely esteemed them and too too contemptuously reiected them This appeareth in this 12. verse which I therefore call an Exprobration an vpbraiding or twyting of Israel with the foulnesse of their b Albertus Magnus ingratitude Two things here are said vnto their charge one is Their solliciting the Nazirites to breake their vow The other is their hindering the Prophets in the execution of their function The first in these words yee gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke The second in these yee commaunded the Prophets saying Prophecie not Of these in their order The first is their solliciting the Nazirites to breake their vow Ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke Of the name of Nazirites and of their institution I spake in my last exercise out of this place I will not now spend time vpon the repetition of that I then deliuered It shall suffice if I adde but a word or two for the further illustration thereof The c Babington in Num 6. Nazirites had their name of Nazar which signifieth to separate They were yong men separate from the ordinarie course of men and bound to a certaine peculiar course and profession of life They were Ecclesiae ornamenta sayth d Harmon in 4 〈◊〉 Moses Calvin ornaments of the Church and God would in them as in a glasse make his honor and glorie in some sort to appeare They were quasi pretiosae gemmae to shine as rich Iewels among the people of God They were tanquam signiferi ante signani duces as standard-bearers ring-leaders and chiefetaines to shew the way of diuine worship vnto others Singular was the honor and dignitie of this order and calling of Nazirites Ieremie in his Lamentations chap. 4.7 thus sets them forth Her Nazirites were purer then snow they were whiter then milke they were more ruddie in body then Rubies they were like polished Saphyres The author of this order and calling is God This appeareth by the verse next before my text There the Lord hath sayd I haue raised vp of your yong men for Nazirites The first branch of the Law that concerneth this order and calling is accurately described Num 6.3 4. Whosoeuer shall vow the vow of a Nazirite he shall absteine from wine and strong drinke he shall drinke no vineger of wine or vineger of strong drinke neither shall be drinke any liquor of grapes nor eate moist grapes nor dried All the dayes of his Naziriteship shall he eate nothing that is made of the vine tree from the kernels euen to the huske These Nazirites for the time of their Naziriteship were to apply themselues wholy to the studie of the law of God and therfore was abstinence from wine and strong drinke enioyned them God would haue them refraine all things that might trouble the braine stirre vp lust and make them vnfitly disposed for so holy a studie of
suffer sinne to escape vnpunished then belike hee casteth all men into Hell there to be punished with infernall torments I answere No. Sed quosdam infernalibus poenis punit caeteris peccata remittit Farre bee it from God that he should punish all the Elect as well as the Reprobate with infernall torments Some all the Reprobate he so punisheth but to others to all the Elect he forgiues their sinnes Their reply here is Doth God forgiue the Elect their sinnes Why then it is likely he leaues them altogether vnpunished Our answere is Not so God doth not leaue the sinnes of the Elect altogether vnpunished but doth punish them all by translating their sinnes from them to his owne sonne Christ Iesus according to that Esay 53.6 The Lord hath laid on him the iniquitie of vs all He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities The summe of all is Our transgressions our iniquities our sinnes God punisheth in Christ and for his sake forgiues them vs. Thus farre the reproofe My second Vse is a short word of exhortation Will not God suffer any sinne to escape altogether vnpunished What then shall become of vs beloued Our sinnes Are they not impudent and vnblushing Are they not acted with lifting vp the hand and hee le against God The hand in opposition the heele in contempt Our sinnes They keepe not low water the tyde of them is euer swelling they are obiects to the eye of the world and are proud that they are obserued I haue read of two ladders by which meâ— climbe to Heauen prayers and sinnes the godly by their prayers the wicked by their sinnes By this laâ—ter ladder did Sodome and Ninivâ—h climbe O let not our sinnes bee such climbers Rather then they should presse into the presence chamber of Heauen and grow acquainted with God let vs keepe them downe and here punish them For they must be punished Must be Yea sayth S. Austine Enarrat in Psal 58. Iniquitas omnis parva magnáue fit puniatur necesse est Euery sinne be it great or be it little must of necessitie bee punished Must it By whom He there tells you aut ab ipso homine poenitente aut a Deo vindicante eyther by man repenting or by God reuenging For quem poenitet scipsum punit who so repenteth of his sinnes he punisheth himselfe for his sinnes Ergo fratres puniamus peccata nostra therefore brethren let vs be our owne punishers punish we our selues our sinnes that God may haue mercie on vs. He cannot shew mercie vpon workers of iniquitie quasi blandiens peccatis aut non eradicens peccata as if he flattered men in their sinnes or had no purpose to roote out sinne Prorsus aut punis aut punit Beleeue it either thou must punish thy selfe or God will punish thee Vis non puniat puni tu Wilt thou that God should not punish thee then punish thou thy selfe and wash away thy sinnes with the salt and bitter teares of vnfeined Repentance through a liuely faith in the bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ So shall not thy sinnes be layed vnto thy Charge but they shall be as a bundle that is bound vp and is cast into the bottome of the Sea they shall neuer rise vp against thee If thou thus punish thy selfe God will not complaine of thee that he is pressed vnder thee as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues nor will he threaten to presse thee as a Cart full of sheaues presseth or is pressed Now forsaking the ladder of our sinnes climbe we to Heauen with the ladder of our prayers O Lord our God the giuer of all grace grant we beseech thee that we may vnfainedly bewayle our sinnes be they neuer so small and may amend all without excuse as well our secret sinnes as those that are knowne that we may in thy good time be translated from this valley of sinnes to that thy blessed habitation aboue where we may with all Saints for euer sing Halleluja Saluation and glory and honour and power vnto the Lord our God for euermore Amen THE XX. LECTVRE AMOS 2.14 15 16. Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift and the strong shall not strengthen his force neither shall the mightie deliuer himselfe Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow 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. THE defiance is set the trumpet is blowne the warre is proclaimed from the Maiestie of heauen against the Kingdome of the ten tribes of Israel Such was the height of their impieties discouered vers 6 7 8. such the foulenesse of their ingratitude blased vers 12. that they could not looke for lesse then a dissipation a dispersion and ouerthrow by warre The proclamation you heard of of late out of the 13. verse it was made either by way of a grieuous complaint Behold I am pressed vnder you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues or by way of a terrible commination Behold I will presse you as a cart full of sheaues presseth or is pressed The successe and euent of this warre now followeth vers 14 15 16. wherein three generals haue bin obserued Impotentia fugiendi Debilitas in refistendo and Fuga fortium The first was their impotencie and vnablenesse to escape by flight in the day of battell the second their debilitie and weaknesse in resisting the enemie the third the flight of their most valiant and stout of heart Three generalls they are and are by our Prophet diuided into seauen seuerall branches in which he describes gravitatem tribulationis as Castrus speaketh the grieuousnes of their tribulation or as Quadratus summam calamitatem angustiam the extreame miserie and anguish whereinto they were to fall He sheweth Gods iudgements to be ineluctable If he will the punishment of any there is no place for refuge no evasion no meanes to escape Neither he that is of an expedite and agile bodie nor the strong man nor the mighty nor the bow-man nor the swift of foote nor the horseman nor the couragious and stout of heart shall be able to helpe himselfe in that day in the day of Gods reuengement Thus haue you summarily the scope of our Prophet in this Scripture and the meaning thereof I must now descend to the particulars The first of the seauen miseries here foretold to betide the Israelites is in the beginning of the 14. verse The flight shall perish from the swift IT is an Hebrew phrase I meete with the like Psal 142.4 Perijt fuga à me So Dauid in extreame danger in the Caue complaineth The flight perished from me or Refuge failed me or I had no place to flie vnto that is I saw not which way I might escape all hope of evasion was gone from me I was in mine
reproches slanders warre pestilence famine imprisonment death euery crosse and passion bodily and ghostly proper to our selues or pertaining to our kindred priuate or publike secret or manifest either by our owne deserts gotten or otherwise imposed vpon vs I call afflictions To be short the miseries the calamities the vexations the molestations of this life from the least to the greatest from the paine of the little finger to the very pangs of death I call afflictions Of euery such affliction whatsoeuer it betideth any one in this life God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee is the primary efficient cause thereof he doth it or doth somewhat in it Vpon the proofe of this point I haue now no time to spend nor needs it any proofe it is so firmely grounded vpon my Text. Nor will I recount vnto you the many vses it affordeth Let one suffice for the shutting vp of this exercise Is it true Beloued Is there no affliction that betideth any one any where in this world but it s from the Lord Here then we haue wherewith to comfort our selues in the day of affliction Whatsoeuer affliction shall befall vs it s from the Lord. The Loâ—d whose name is Iehouah who is himselfe and of none other whose being is from all eternity who only is omnipotent who is good in himselfe and good to all his creatures he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our abilities but will with the temptation also make away to escape that we may be able to beare it Saint Paul is our warrant for it 1 Cor. 10.13 And 2 Cor. 4 8. he sheweth it by his owne experience We are troubled on euery side yet are we distressed We are perplexed yet are we not in despaire We are persecuted yet are we not forsaken we are cast downe yet are we not destroyed In such a case was Saint Paul What if we be in the like If we be troubled perplexed persecuted and cast downe what shall we doe We will support our selues with the confidence of Dauid Psal 23.4 Though we walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet will we feare no euill for thou Lord art with vs. Thou Lord art with vs Quis contra nos Who shall be against vs We will not feare what man can doe vnto vs. I draw to a conclusion Sith there is no affliction that betideth any one any where in this world but it s from the Lord and as the Author to the Hebrewes speaketh chap. 12.8 He is a bastard and not a sonne that is not partaker of afflictions let vs as Saint Iames aduiseth chap. 1.2 account it exceeding ioy when wee are afflicted The Patriarches the Prophets the Euangelists the Apostles the holy Martyrs haue found the way to Heauen narrow rugged and bloudy and shall we thinke that God will strew Carpets for our nice feet to walke thither He that is the doore and the way our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath by his owne example taught vs that we must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of Heauen There is but one passage thither and it is a streight one If with much pressure we can get thorow and leaue but our superfluous ragges as torne from vs in the throng it will be our happinesse Wherefore whensoeuer any aduersity crosse calamity misery or affliction shall befall vs let vs with due regard to the hand of the Lord that smiteth vs receiue it with thankes keepe it with patience digest it in hope apply it with wisdome bury it in meditation and the end thereof will be peace and glory the peace of our consciences in this life and eternall glory in the highest Heauens Whereof God make vs all partakers THE Ninth Lecture AMOS 3.7 Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets GOds dealing with his owne people the people of Israel was not as it was with other Nations Others he punished and gaue them no fore-warning The Idumaeans the Ammonites the Egyptians the rest of the Heathen dranke deepely of the viols of his wrath though thereof they receiued no admonition by any Prophet of his It was otherwise with the Israelites If the rod of affliction were to light heauie vpon them they were euer foretold thereof God euer preuented them with his Word Hee sent vnto them his seruants Ierem. 35.14 15. the Prophets he rose early and sent them with the soonest to let them vnderstand of the euills which hung ouer their heads that returning euery man from their euill wayes and amending their doings they might be receiued to grace and mercy This difference betweene Gods care and prouidence towards his owne people and other nations is thus expressed Psal 147.19 20. God! He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither haue the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes Yet was hee knowne to the Heathen Hee was knowne to them partly by his workes by his creatures in which the power and Deity of God shined and partly by the light of Nature and power of vnderstanding which God hath giuen them Both wayes their Idolatry their Atheisme their disobedience were made before God vnexcusable But to his owne people the people of Israel was he knowne after another manner To them pertained the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the Law Rom. 9.4 and the seruice of God and the promises To them were committed the oracles of God To them at sundry times Rom. 3.2 Hebr. 1.1 and in diuers manners God spake by his Prophets He gaue them time and space to repent them of their sinnes and was ready to forgiue them had they on their parts bin curable Vncurable though they were yet did God seldom or neuer send among them any of his foure sore iudgements either the sword or the famine Ezech. 14.21 or the noysome beast or the pestilence or any other but he first made it knowne vnto his holy Prophets and by them fore-warned the people This our Prophet Amos here auoucheth Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but hee reuealeth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets The words according vnto some are an Exegesis and exposition or a declaration of what was said before Before it was said There shall be no euill in a citie but the Lord doth it no euill of paine punishment or affliction but the Lord doth it The Lord doth it as well for that he sendeth iust punishments vpon men that are obstinate in their euill courses as also for that he reuealeth those euils to his Prophets that by them they may be published Or the words are an Aitiologia and doe conteine a reason of what was said before Shall there be euill in a Citie and the Lord hath not done it Surely no there shall be none All euill of punishment is of the Lord. Yet will not the Lord oppresse his people vnawares but
of God as it becommeth Christians If we shall so lead our liues that our liues shall be to the vnbeleeuing Atheist and blinde Papist a horrour and a scandall shall they not both Atheist and Papist rise vp in iudgement with vs and condemne vs If vnder the cloake of Christian libertie we liue petulantly lasciuiously dissolutely in gluttony in drunkennesse in chambering in wantonnesse in whoredome in luxuriousnesse in strife in maliciousnesse in cruelty in couetousnesse and in other like enormities shall they not both Atheist and Papist rise vp in iudgement with vs and condemne vs Wherefore dearely beloued these enormities and the like let them not once bee named amongst vs Ephes 5.3 as it becommeth Saints But put we on as the elect of God holy and beloued the bowels of mercies Coloss 3.12 kindnesse sanctimony and holinesse of life humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man hath a quarrell against any euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen vs. O! Let vs thus doe and our soules shall liue And that all of vs may doe thus God Almightie grant vs of his grace for his welbeloued Sonne IESVS CHRIST his sake THE Twelfth Lecture AMOS 3.10 For they know not to doe right saith the Lord who store vp violence and robbery in their Palaces MEn are as fishes of the Sea that haue no ruler ouer them it is the complaint of the Prophet Habakkuk Chap. 1.14 Fishes of the Sea It is their property to deuoure one another the stronger and the greater deuoure the weaker and the lesse so saith the Emperour Iustine the second in Cedrenus his Annals Saint Ambrose in his Hexameron lib. 5. cap. 5. sheweth this to be true in two kinds of fishes in the Scarus which some call the Guilt-head or Golden-eye which cheweth like a beast and in the Silurus the Sheath-fish or Whale of the riuer Among these Minor esca majoris est the lesser is food for the greater and the greater is set vpon by a stronger than he and becommeth his food So fares it with men Great men set vpon their inferiours and mightier than they vpon them Such men men for quality like fishes deuourers one of another cruell and couetous men bore the sway in Samaria It is plaine by this passage of Amos his second Sermon to the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the people of Israel Of this passage there are two parts An Accusation vers 9 10. A Commination vers 11. In the ninth verse a part of the accusation two things haue beene obserued An iniunction for a proclamation Publish in the palaces c. The proclamation it selfe Assemble your selues c. In the proclamation two sinnes were controlled Cruelty and Couetousnesse Their Cruelty appeared in their great tumults their Couetousnesse in their oppressions I gaue a touch at both in my last Sermon I now goe on with the tenth verse wherein these two enormities Cruelty and Couetousnesse are amplified by two Topickes à genere and à specie From the Genus thus They know not to doe right and thus from the Species They store vp violence and robbery in their palaces That so it is God is witnesse for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neum Iehouah the Lord hath said it I beginne with the amplification from the Genus They know not to doe right Saint Hierome readeth according to the Hebrew Nescierunt they haue not knowne So doe they who haue either non nouerunt as Caluin Gualter and Brentius or non norunt as Vatablus Mercer and Piscator They haue not knowne Tremelius and Iunius haue vt ignorent how they are ignorant Drusius hath Nam nesciunt for they know not There is our translation They haue not knowne or they are ignorant and know not Facere rectum to doe right So all saue Ionathan who in his Paraphrase hath Facere legem to doe the Law The meaning is good for whosoeuer knoweth not to doe according to the Law of God he knoweth not to doe right They know not to doe right Omninò rectum facere nesciunt saith Saint Hierome they haue no knowledge at all to doe what right is no knowledge to doe any good at all So then they of Samaria the people of Israel are accused of Ignorance Ignorance of the Law of God and of doing thereafter is here laid vnto their charge It yeeldeth vnto vs this obseruation Ignorance of God and his reuealed will is a sinne that is damnable and to be auoided It is so I proue it 1. Because it is against the Commandement 2. Because God expresly reproueth it My third proofe shall be from the foulnesse of this ignorance First it is against the Commandement against the first Commandement which is Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Exod. 20.3 The Commandement is negatiue And the rule is In the negatiue the affirmatiue must be vnderstood and in the affirmatiue the negatiue Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me that 's the negatiue the affirmatiue to bee vnderstood is Thou shalt haue me alone for thy God where our knowledge of God is commanded We are to acknowledge him that is we are to know and confesse him to be such a God as he hath reuealed himselfe to be in his word and in his Creatures Now as in this affirmatiue part the knowledge of God is commanded so in the negatiue is the ignorance of God forbidden This ignorance of God is not only not to know but also to doubt of such things as God hath reuealed in his word And such is the ignorance of God that is forbidden in that first Commandement It is likewise forbidden if Polanus deceiue not in the 32. Psalme vers 9. Be ye not as the horse or as the mule which haue no vnderstanding It s forbidden in the Epistle to the Ephes cap. 4.17 18. Walke not from henceforth as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their minde hauing their vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Walke not on in ignorance For as the knowledge of God is the true life of the soule so on the other side the ignorance of God is the death of the soule Hence is that of Saint Paul 1 Thes 4.13 I would not haue you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleepe that you sorrow not euen as others which haue no hope It seemeth the Thessalonians were in great heauinesse and mourned out of measure when they beheld the persecution of the Church among them In this their heauinesse and mourning they grew towards mistrust and to be like the Heathen which had no hope This abuse of theirs grew of ignorance for that they knew not the happy estate of such as die in the Lord. Saint Paul to reforme this their error saith Brethren I would not haue you ignorant concerning them which are asleepe Be yee not ignorant what is become of them
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
for thy truths sake God you see is all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies So is he all in all in the vpholding of his children Of his children that is of such as liue by faith in Christ and doe serue the Lord their God in spirit and in truth Such if they be oppressed if they be in need if in trouble haue God for their refuge Psal 9.9 God will be the same God to them as he was to Dauid Psal 18.2 He will bee their Rocke their Fortresse their Deliuerer their God their Strength their Buckler the horne of their saluation and their high Tower Here are they to be admonished who neglecting the strong God of their saluation put their confidence in the transitorie things of this world They who trust in their wealth and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches they are here reprooueable How can their wealth how can their riches profit them in the euill day Will they serue for a ransome vnto God for thee Looke to the 49th Psalme and the 8. verse and you shall find that the redemption of a soule is much more precious And they who relie vpon great men thinking themselues safe in the shadow of their wings are here reprooueable They haue their warning Psal 146.3 Put not your trust in Princes nor in any sonne of man And why not There is no helpe in them and why no helpe Their breath goeth forth they returne to their earth and their verie thoughts doe perish They also who make any other creature their confidence are here reproueable They for their instruction may haue recourse to the 33. Psalme at the 16. verse thereof they may thus read There is no King saued by the multitude of an host a mightie man is not deliuered by much strength An horse is a vaine thing for saftie neither shall he deliuer any by his great strength What Is a horse a vaine thing to saue a man Is much strength vaine Is there no saftie for a King in the multitude of an hâ—st Is there no trust to be put in Princes Nor in any man Nor in wealth Nor in the multitude of riches Nor in any of the transitorie things of this world Quid nos What shall we then doe beloued Let vs say with the confidence that the Church hath in Gods succour Psal 20.7 Some put their trust in Chariots and some in Horses some in Princes some in other men some in their strength some in their riches some in something else that is vaine and transitorie but we will remember the name of the Lord our God The Lord our God who was all in all in destroying the Amorites before his people Israell is now all in all in vpholding vs his Children by adoption and grace against the furie of all our enemies that haue had euill will at our prosperitie I conclude with the words of the Psal 146.5 Happie is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God which made Heauen and earth the sea and all that therein is To this Lord our God Father Sonne and holy Ghost one true and euerliuing God sing we an Hallelujah Hallelujah saluation and glory and honour and power be vnto the Lord our God for euermore THE XIIII LECTVRE AMOS 2.9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Okes yet I destroyed his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath OF the benefits here mentioned to haue beene bestowed by God vpon his people the people of Israel in the first place we haue the ouerthrow of the Amorites It is deliuered vers 9. Therein I propounded to your religious attentions three principall parts In the first we haue the ouerthrow of the Amorites Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them In the second the Amorites are described Their description is taken from their stature and from their valour each is set forth vnto vs by way of Comparison their stature or height by the Cedars their valour or strength by the Oke Their height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Okes. The third hath an explication or an amplification of the ouerthrow of the Amorites It was not any gentle stripe that they receiued not any light incision not any small wound but it was their extermination their contrition their vniuersall ouerthrow their vtter ruine Fruit and roote Prince and people Parents and children old yong were all brought to nought Yet destroyed I their fruit from aboue and their roote from beneath The first of these three principall parts deliuering in a generalitie the ouerthrow of the Amorites was the subiect of my last discourse out of this place Now followeth the second the description of that people the people of the Amorites They are for their height or stature compared to the Cedars and for their strength and valour to the Okes. Their height was like the height of the Cedars he was strong as the Okes. Their height was like the height of the Cedars IN Syria and especially in mount Lebanon the Cedar trees grew very high Sennacherib King of Assyria by his message to Hezekiah King of Iudah giueth testimonie hereunto His message is 2. King 19.23 With the multitude of my chariots I am come vp to the height of the mountaines to the sides of Lebanon and will cut downe the tall Cedars thereof Succidam altitudinem Cedrorum eius so he speaketh in the Hebrew I will cut downe the tallnesse of the Cedars of Lebanon The words are repeated Esa 37.24 I will cut downe the tallnesse of the Cedars of Lebanon The tallnesse of the Cedars out of doubt they are very high The Cedars of Lebanon Esa 2.13 are sayd to be sublimes elevatae high and lifted vp In Tremellius his translation they are celsissimae elatissimae most tall and towring Out of doubt they are very high If humane authoritie may be added to diuine Theophrastus in his fift Booke of his historie of Plants chap. 9. sayth that the Cedar for its length or height is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its worthie admiration Rovillius in his Historie of Plants lib. 1. cap. 11. affirmeth that the Cedar of Phoenicia or Syria beareth a bodie streight and very tall mounting aboue all other trees Arias Montanus sayth as much Cedrus vbicumque fuerit the Cedar wheresoeuer it groweth it ouertoppeth all other trees and is aboue all pre-eminent and conspicuous To proue it he bringeth those words of the spouse concerning her Beloued Cant. 5.15 His countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars that is his Heroicall proceritie and the maiestie of his countenance is like vnto the Cedars of Lebanon The Spouse thus comparing the countenance of her beloued to mount Lebanon and the Cedars there intimateth that the encrease of the knowledge of God and his worship shall be so great as that the open profession of