great thunder with lightning from heauen in the presence of all the people of God 6. This Law is of all lawes most neccssarie Necessarie for the preseruing and maintayning of discipline both in and without the Church Necessarie to convict man of sinne and to disrobe him of that pride which makes him to presume of his owne naturall strength Necessarie to represse and keepe vnder the obstinate and selfe-willed sinner with feare of punishments Necessarie to informe and instruct the regenerate in the true seruice and worship of God This law of the Lord so far surpassing all other lawes for the excellencie thereof these inhabitants of Iudah did despise they contemned it You see the sinne here laid vnto their charge Contempt of the law of the Lord. They haue despised the law of the Lord. The doctrine arising hence is The contempt of the law of the Lord is a very grieuous sinne This truth will be plaine if you will consider what punishments God in his holy word threatneth and layeth vpon the despisers or contemners of his Sacred Maiestie of his ceremonies of his commandements of his holy word Such despisers or contemners are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 3.32 The Lord will despise them 1. Sam. 2.30 The Lord will scorne them Prov. 3.34 The Lord will bring vpon them terrors consumptions burning agues and sorrow of heart Levit. 26.15 The Lord will send a fire vpon them to deuoure them Amos 2.5 and hauing so done He will laugh at their destruction Prov. 1.26 For this contempt Pharaohs chariots his chosen Captaines and his hoste were couered in the deepe they sanke to the bottome of the Sea as a stone they were all drowned Exod. 15.4 5. For this contempt Saul was reiected from being King ouer Israel he became his owne executioner he fell vpon his owne sword 1. Sam. 31.4 For this contempt Salomons kingdome was i 1. King 11.11 12. to be rent from him and to be giuen to his seruant it was accomplished in his sonnes dayes in the dayes of Rehoboā the Israelites made vnto themselues a new King euen Ieroboam sonne of Nebat 1. Kings 12.20 What was it but this contempt that brought k 2. Chr. 28.13 ruine to the state of Ahaz What but this contempt hath brought to nought many ancient and flourishing kingdomes and nations What else hath laid their honor in the dust Infinite should I be would I produce all that is deliuered in the Sacred Scriptures concerning this contempt of the Lord and his holy lawes The litle which I haue already brought out of that invaluable treasurie may serue for the establishment of my propounded doctrine namely that The contempt of the law of the Lord is a very grieuous sinne You see the doctrine Let vs now make some vse of it to our selues Is it true beloued Is it a grieuous sinne to despise the law of the Lord Let this be a motiue to vs to gage the very depth and bottome of our hearts there to see whether we haue sinned this sinne whether we haue carried our selues contemptuously towards the law of the Lord. Can we say concerning this law of the Lord as that sweet singer of Israel that holy man of God King Dauid once said that we haue not l Psal 119.61 forgotten it that we haue not m vers 51. declined from it that we haue n vers 55. kept it that we o vers 113. loue it we p vers 70 174 delight in it our q vers 97. meditation is in it all the day that its better vnto vs then r vers 72. thousands of gold and siluer Can we thus truely say Then doubtlesse are we free from this sinne of Contempt of the law of the Lord. But if we wilfully breake the law of the Lord if we haue no feare nor feeling of the iudgements threatned in that his holy law if we runne on securely in our vngodly courses if we prostitute our selues to all vncleannesse if we be filled with ſ Rom. 1.29 vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnes if we be puft vp with error murther debate deceit malignitie if wee walke according to the t Ephes 2 2. course of the world in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of our flesh taking delight in doing the u Galat. 5.19 workes of the flesh then are we out of doubt guilty of this sinne of despising the law of the Lord. Wherefore let vs let euery one of vs enter into the closet of our own hearts examine we our selues how we haue heretofore stood and how we do now stand affected to the law of the Lord. Iudge we our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord condemne we our selues that we be not condemned of the Lord. If we finde our selues hitherto to haue bin x 2. Tim. 2.26 intangled in the snares of Satan to haue fashioned our selues to the manners of this sinfull world to haue spent our dayes in vanities and our nights vpon the beds of wantonnesse without any due regard of Gods holy lawes enacted in the high Court of Heauen to the contrary our best way will be to betake our selues to the throne of mercy there to begge of Him that sitteth vpon the throne the grace of vnfeined repentance that sorrowing with a godly sorrow for our sinnes past for our rebellion and disobedience to the law of the Lord expressed in the wicked conuersation of our fore-passed liues we may now at length become new creatures creatures of new hearts and new spirits resoluing for the time to come to yeeld all obedience to the Law of the Lord to frequent his Sanctuarie where this law is vsually read and expounded to vs that God thereby may bee glorified and our soules saued Thus farre of the sinne of Iudah as it is expressed in the first branch of this third part of my text They haue despised the law of the Lord. The doctrine grounded thereupon was this The contempt of the law of the Lord is a very grieuous sinne The vse made thereof vnto our selues was to stirre vp in vs a desire of conforming our obedience to this law of the Lord. The sinne of Iudah is further expressed in the next clause They haue not kept his Commandements Commandements The word in the originall and Hebrew fountaine is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word repeated Psal 119. two and twenty times The Septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latin and S. Hierome mandata iust as we do mandates or commandements Tremellius and Iunius haue statuta statutes some haue Ceremonias Ceremonies which soeuer of these translations we receiue it will be consonant to the analogie of faith and the precedent clause For whosoeuer despiseth the law of the Lord he obserueth not his ceremonies he keepeth not his statutes he keepeth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his mandats or commandements So this clause is but an exposition of the former
I forme the light and create darknesse I make peace and create euill I the Lord doe all these things I create euill In this place by Euill we are not to vnderstand malum culpae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not robbery not couetousnesse nor any like wickednesse but malum poene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Chrysostome speaketh Homily 23. vpon Matthew the stripes or wounds that we receiue from aboue Gasper Sanchius doth here reckon vp whatsoeuer disturbeth our tranquillity or quiet whatsoeuer externall or domesticall vexation we haue whatsoeuer taketh from vs the faculty and opportunity of those things that are necessary for our life as warre and exile and depredation and seruitude and want and the like Of all these it may be truly affirmed that the Lord createth them the Lord doth them all Of such euils is that also to be vnderstood which our Prophet Amos hath in the sixt verse of this Chapter Shall there be euill in a City and the Lord hath not done it The interrogation is vsed the more to vrge the point Shall there be euill in a City and the Lord hath not done it There shall be none No euill of punishment no calamity no misery no crosse no affliction shall bee in any City or in any other place of the world but the Lord is the actor of it he doth it Hereof was holy Iob well aduised The checke hee giues his Wife shewes it She seeing him all smitten ouer with sore biles from the sole of his foot vnto the crowne of his head falls a tempting him Doest thou yet retaine thine integrity Curse God and die Iobs reply vnto her is Chap. 2.10 Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh What Shall wee receiue good at the hand of God and shall we not receiue Euill Shall we not receiue Euill By Euill hee meaneth the Euill not of sinne but of punishment as calamities miseries crosses afflictions and the like which he calleth euill not because they are so indeed but because many thinke them so to bee For things may be tearmed Euill in a two-fold vnderstanding Some are indeed Euill such are our sinnes and of them God is not the cause Some are not indeed Euill but onely in regard of vs in regard of our sense of our feeling of our apprehension of our estimation Such are the punishments the calamities the miseries the afflictions whereto we are in this life subiect and of these God is the cause This is it which Iob acknowledgeth in the reproofe of his wiues folly Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and shall wee not receiue Euill and it fitly serueth for the establishment of my doctrine Whatsoeuer punishment befalleth any one in this life it s from the Lord. The reason hereof is because the Lord is the principall doer of all things He is the primary agent the chiefest actor in all things and therefore in all the punishments which doe befall vs in this life The vses of this obseruation are two One is to reproue some Philosophers of old and some ignorant people now adaies for a vaine opinion of theirs whereby they attribute to accident chance and fortune all those their afflictions from the least to the greatest whereof they fee not any apparant cause The other is to admonish vs that when any affliction is vpon vs we take it patiently as comming from the Lord and repine not at the instruments by whom we are afflicted They without him could doe nothing against vs. Whatsoeuer they doe they doe it by his permission The hand of his particular prouidence is with them to appoint the beginning and end and measure and continuance of all our afflictions Wherefore in all our afflictions let our practise be as holy Dauids was Psal 39.9 euen to hold our peace and say nothing because the Lord hath done it From the Agent and his Action I passe to the Patient You. I will punish You. You mine owne possession You my peculiar treasure You my chosen people aboue all the Nations of the earth I will punish you My obseruation from hence is The Lord doth punish his seruants in this life aboue others This truth I further proue out of Saint Peter Epist 1. Chap. 4. Vers 17. He there saith The time is come that iudgement must beginne at the house of God At the house of God it must beginne His seruants therefore must haue the first taste of it and the time is come for them to haue it Is the time now come Was it not before Yes it was euer Nadab and Abihu two of Aarons sonnes they offer strange fire before the Lord and a fire comes out from the Lord and deuoures This is it that the Lord spake saying In propinquis meis sanctificabor Leuit. 10.3 I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me If they that come nigh vnto me transgresse my lawes I will not spare them they euen they shall feele the heauinesse of my hand So saith the Lord Ierem. 25.29 Loe I beginne to bring euill on the City in which my name is called vpon And there you see It is not the seruice of God not the calling vpon his holy Name that can exempt a place from punishment if it be polluted with iniquity Beginne at my Sanctuary It is the Lords direction for the punishment of Ierusalem Ezech. 9.6 Goe thorow the City and smite Let not your eye spare neither haue yee pity Slay vtterly old and young yea maids and little children and women But come not neere any man vpon whom is the marke the rest slay vtterly old and young Spare not Pity not and beginne at my Sanctuary Now lay we all this together Beginne with them that are nigh vnto me beginne at my City at my house at my Sanctuary spare none pity none smite all You see my obseruation made good The Lord doth punish his seruants in this life aboue others I say in this life One reason hereof may bee because the Lord out of his loue to his seruants will not suffer them to goe on in sinne A second may be eternall punishments are prepared for the wicked hereafter and therefore here in this life are they the lesse punished And the vses may be two One to lessen vs that in the multitude and the greatnesse of our afflictions we acknowledge Gods great mercy and endeuour to beare them all with patience and contentment Whensoeuer Gods hand shall be vpon vs in iudgement for our sinnes let that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.32 be our comfort When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world A second vse may be to shew vnto vs how fearefull their case is who passe all their time here in this world without any touch of affliction Affliction it is the badge of euery sonne of God Whosoeuer hath no part herein he is a bastard he is no sonne So saith the Apostle Heb. 12.8 I haue done with
if he restore the pledge and giue againe that he hath robbed and walke in the statutes of life without committing iniquitie he shall surely liue he shall not die Secondly the threatnings of God against sinners are for the most part conditionall because he is a God of mercies a gracious a Psal 86.15 Exod 34.6 Numb 14.18 Psal 103.8 Psal 145.8 God a God of long suffering and much patience a God of vnspeakable kindnesse euer ready to receiue vs to mercy as soone as we returne vnto him This is it that the Lord commandeth to be proclaimed by Ieremy chap. 3.12 Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and I will not keepe mine anger for euer Thirdly the threatnings of God against sinners are euermore conditionall because in his threatnings God aimeth not at the destruction of them that are threatned but at their amendment Their amendment is the thing he aimeth at It s plaine by that Ezech. 18.23 Haue I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die saith the Lord God and not that he should returne from his waies and liue This by way of question But it s out of question and confirmed by oath Ezech. 23.11 As I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue turne ye turne ye from your euill waies for why will ye die O house of Israel Why will ye die Returne and liue I take no pleasure in your death Hitherto you haue heard of Gods threatnings that they are of punishments either corporall or spirituall either temporall or eternall and that they are either absolute or conditionall and if conditionall that then the condition is either expressed or only vnderstood Expressed or vnderstood and that for three reasons first because repentance washes away sinne the cause of punishment secondly because God is mercifull and will not keepe his wrath for euer thirdly because he aimeth especially at the amendment of the wicked It is now time that we make some profitable vse hereof Our first vse may be to consider that in the greatest and most fearefull threatnings of Gods heauy iudgements there is comfort remaining hope of grace and mercy to be found life in death and health in sicknesse if we repent and amend Thus did the Princes of Iudah profit by the threatnings of Ieremy Ieremie chap. 26.6 comes vnto them with a threatning from the Lords owne mouth I will make this house like Shiloh and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth He threatned desolation to the Lords house and destruction to their city and therefore the Priests and the people would haue put him to death But the Princes of Iudah were better aduised they pleaded the practise and example of King Hezekiah for the comfort of himselfe and the people of his time and thereby stirred vp themselues to feare the Lord and to turne from their euill waies And thus did the same King Hezekiah profit at the threatning of Esay and the King of Nineueh at the threatning of Ionah as you haue already heard They repented of their euill waies and God repented of the euils which he threatned to bring vpon them and he brought them not vpon them Here we are to meet with an obiection The obiection is If God threaten one thing and doth another if he threaten to bring euill vpon any one and repents him of the euill it may seeme his will is changeable or he hath two wills For answer I say The will of God is euer one and the same as God is one but for our capacities and for the weaknesse of our vnderstandings who cannot conceiue how God doth after a diuers manner will and not will the same thing the will of God is called sometimes secret or hidden and sometimes reuealed as the Church is called sometimes visible and sometimes inuisible yet is but one Church Deut. 29.29 The secret will of God is of things hidden in himselfe and not manifested in his word the reuealed is of things made knowne in the Scriptures or by daily experience The secret will is without condition its absolute its peremptory it s alwaies fulfilled no man hindreth it Rom. 9.19 no man stoppeth it the very reprobate yea the Deuils themselues are subiect vnto it His reuealed will is with condition and therefore for the most part is ioyned with exhortation admonition instruction and reprehension Now to the obiection my answer is Though God threaten one thing and doth another though he threaten to bring euill vpon any one and repents him of the euill yet is not his will therefore changeable nor hath he two wils but his will is euer one and the same The same will is in diuers respects hidden and reuealed It s secret at first before it be reuealed but as it is made knowne to vs either by the written Word of God or by the continuall successe of things so it is called the reuealed will of God Our duty in regard of the will of God as it is secret or hidden is not curiously to pry into it but reuerently to adore it Whatsoeuer this secret this hidden will of God is concerning vs whether to liue or die to be rich or poore to be of high estimation or of meane account in this world it is our part to rest in the same and to be contented and giue leaue to him that made vs to doe with vs and dispose of vs at his pleasure and then aftewards when by the continuall successe of things it shall be reuealed vnto vs what our lot our portion our expectation here must bee much more are we to be therewith contented and to giue thankes to God howsoeuer it fareth with vs. The obiection thus answered our recourse should be to the profit that is yet further to be made by the threatnings of Gods iudgements You haue heard that in the greatest and most fearefull there is comfort remaining hope of grace and mercy to be found health in sicknesse and life in death if we repent and amend I proceed to a second vse It concernes the duty of the Minister It s our duty to propound vnto you the threatnings of the Lord with condition Should we propound them without condition we should be as if we went about to bring you to despaire and to take from you all hope of mercy and forgiuenesse We therefore propound them with condition with condition of repentance and amendment of life and doe offer vnto you grace and mercy to as many of you as be humble and broken-hearted Thus we preach not onely the Law but also with the Law the Gospell thus we bind and loose Mat. 16.19 thus we reteine and forgiue sins We preach and by our preaching we shut vp the Kingdome of Heauen against the obstinate sinner but doe open the same
inflicted vpon the Syrians are generally set downe I note 1 Who punisheth 2 How he punisheth 3 Whom he punisheth The punisher is the Lord he punisheth by fire The punished are the Syrians to be vnderstood in the names of their Kings Hazael and Benhadad I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Benhadad The punisher is the Lord for thus saith the Lord I will send The note yeeldeth vs this doctrine It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes In speaking of the vengeance of God our first care must bee not to derogate any thing from his procliuitie and propensnes vnto mercy We must breake out into the mention of his great goodnesse and sing a lowd of his mercies as Dauid doth Ps 145.7 The Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse he is louing and good to all his mercy is ouer all his works The Lord strong and mighty blessed aboue all yea being blessednesse it selfe and therefore hauing no need of any man is louing and good vnto euery man Our sinnes haue prouoked his vengeance against vs yet he slow to anger and of great goodnes reserueth mercy for thousands for all the elect and forgiueth all their iniquities transgressions and sinnes His goodnesse here resteth not it reacheth also vnto the reprobate though they caÌ„not feele the sweet comfort of it For he maketh his a Matth 5.45 sun to rise on the euill the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust yea many times the sunne and raine and all outward and temporary blessings are wanting to the iust and good when the vniust and euil do flourish and are in great prosperitie Thus is Gods graciousnesse great bountie extended vnto euery man whether he be a blessed Abel or a cursed Cain a loued Iacob or a hated Esau an elected Dauid or a reiected Saul God is louing and good vnto euery man the Psalmist addeth and his mercies are ouer all his workes There is not any one of Gods workes but it sheweth vnto others and findeth in it selfe very large testimonies of Gods mercy and goodnes I except not the damnation of the wicked much lesse the chastisements of the Godly Gods mercies are ouer all his workes Dauid knew it well and sang accordingly Psal 145 8. The Lord is gracious and mercifull long suffering and of great goodnesse Ionah knew it well and confessed accordingly chap. 4.2 Thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of euill The Church knowes it well and praies accordingly O God whose nature and propertie is euer to haue mercy and to forgiue receiue our humble petitions Dauid Ionah and the Church all haue learned it at Gods owne mouth who hauing descended in a cloud to mount Sinai passed before the face of Moses and cryed as is recorded Exod. 34.6 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne In which place of Scripture although afâ—erward there followeth a little of his iustice which hee may not forget yet we see the maine streame runneth concerning mildnesse and kindnesse and compassion wherby wee may perceiue what it is wherein the Lord delighteth His delight is to be a sauiour a deliuerer a preseruer a redeemer and a pardoner As for the execution of his iudgements his vengeance and his furie he comes vnto it with heauy and leaden feet To which purpose Zanchius alleageth that of the Prophet Esai chap. 28.21 The Lord shall stand as once he did in mount Perazim when Dauid ouercame the Philistines he shall be angry as once he was in the valley of Gibeon when Ioshua discomfited the fiue Kings of the Amorites he shall stand he shall be angry that he may doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act out of which words of the Prophet he notes that Gods workes are of two sorts either proper vnto himselfe and naturall as to haue mercy and to forgiue or else strange and somewhat diuers from his nature as to be angry and to punish I know some doe expound these words otherwise vnderstanding by that strange worke and strange act of God there mentioned Opus aliquod insolens admirabile some such worke as God seldome worketh some great wonder Notwithstanding this naturall exposition of that place the former may well be admitted also For it is not altogether vnnaturall being grounded vpon such places of Scripture as doe make for the preeminence of mercy aboue iustice It 's true God hath one skale of iustice but the other proues the heauier mercy doth ouerweigh He who is euer iust is mercifull more then euer if it may be possible He may forget our iniquities but his tender mercies he will neuer forgeâ— This our Lord good mercifull gracious and long suffering is here in my text the punisher and sendeth fire into the house of Hazael whereupon I built this doctrine It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes This office of executing vengeance vpon the wicked for sinnes God arrogateth and assumeth to himselfe Deut. 32 35. where he saith vengeance and recompense are mine This due is ascribed vnto the Lord by S. Paul Rom. 12.19 It is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. By the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 10.30 Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the Lord. By the sweet singer Psal 94.1 O Lord God the auenger O God the auenger You see by these now-cited places that God alone is hee who executeth vengeance vpon the wicked for their sins This doctrine is faithfully deliuered by the wise sonne of Syrach chap. 39 where he saith Vers 28. There be spirits that are created for vengeance which in their rigour lay on sure strokes in the time of destruction they shew forth their power accomplish the wrath of him that made them Fire and haile and famine death Vers 29. all these are created for vengeance The teeth of wilde beasts Vers 30. and the scorpions and the serpents and the sword execute vengeance for the destruction of the wicked Nay saith he Vers 26. The principall things for the whole vse of mans life as water and fire and yron and salt and meale and wheat and hony and milke and the bloud of the grape and oile and cloathing Vers 27. All those things though they be for good vnto the godly yet to the sinners they are turned vnto euill So my doctrine standeth good It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vpon the wicked for their sinnes And you see he hath waies enough to do it All things that may be for our good are glad to do him seruice against vs. The consideration hereof should moue our hearts
fruitfull land God turneth into barrennes for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein This one place had I troubled you with no more would haue been a pregnant and sufficient proofe of my propounded doctrine What fruit can you looke for out of barrennesse And by this one place you see that God turneth a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wâ—ckednesse of them that dwel therein You must then acknowledge the lesson commended vnto you to be good and true namely that for the sinnes of a people God will make their Carmel to wither that for the sinnes of a people God will make best grounds to yeeld them little or no profit Now let vs see what vse we may make of this doctrine for our further instructions A first vse is to admonish such as doe dwell in delectable pleasant well watred and fruitfull places that they boast not ouermuch of their fertile and sweet possessions since there is no land so dâ—lectable to the eie or fruitfull to the purse but it may be turned into a wildernesse If for our sinnes God shall come against vs in the fiercenesse of his wrath we shall be as g Esay 1.9 Sodom and like vnto Gomorah our land shall burne with brimstone and h Deut. 29.23 salt it shall not be sowen nor shall bring forth neither shall any grasse grow therein O Lord deale not with vs after our sinnes neither reward vs according to our iniquities A second vse is to warne rich men the richer sort among you that weighing rightly the power of Almighty God by which he maketh the top of Carmel to wither turneth your fruitfull fields into barrennesse you will beware of insolencie and containe your selues in modestie and submission Know this there is no man hath a foot of ground or neuer so small a possession to dwell in but he hath it at Gods hand and vpon this condition that he keep his statutes and commandements Which if you disobey contemne and cast behinde you assure your selues your riches are none of yours you are not the right owners of them but meere vsurpers The Lord of hoasts will send an hoast of enemies against you Art thou rich in mony thou art in danger of theeues art thou plentifull in hâ—ushâ—ld stuffe thou are in danger of fire hast thou much gold the rust doth venime it and thee is thine apparell gorgious the moth will eat it hast thou store of cattell rottennesse may coÌ„sume them is thy maintenance by husbandrie blastings and mildewes will hinder thee the i â—â—câ— 1. â— palmer worm will eat thy fruits that which the palmer worme shall leaue the grashâ—pper shall eat that which the grashopper shall leaue the canker worme shall eat and that which the canker worme shall leaue the caterpiller shall eat So many and many more enemies can the Lord of hoasts send to fight against you if you hate to be reformed and cast his commandements behind you A third and the last vse of my propounded doctrine is to stirre vp my selfe and all you that heare me this day gratefully and thankfully to recount the mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God Our sinnes haue deserued it at his hands that hee should make the top of our Carmel to wither that he should make our best grounds to yeeld vs little or no profit that he should smite vs with blasting and mildew that hee should make the Heauen ouer our head brasse and the Earth vnder vs yron that insteed of raine hee should giue vs aust and ashes that he should take from vs his corne his wine his wool his flax and whatsoeuer good thing else hee hath lent vs for our vse All this and much more haue our sinnes deserued and yet God withholdeth from vs his reuenging hand O the depth of the riches of the mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God Yet stay ye soâ—nâ—s of Belial and imps of Hell yee wicked ones who serue vnder Satans Banner Gods mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance is to you very small advantage S. Basil treating vpon the words of the couetous rich man Luk. 12.18 those words I will pull downe my barnes and build greater tels you that God his goodnesse extended to you in your fields or elsewhere bringeth vpon you in the end the greater punishment True great Basil God his iustice goeth on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slowly and in order Long before thy time was this lesson learned in Natures schoole k Lib. 1. c. 1. Valerius Maximus who liued vnder Tiberius Caesar recounting some of the sacrileges of Dionysius clearely carried with frompes and mockeries saith Lento gradu ad vindictam sui diuina procedit ira the wrath of God proceedeth to the execution of vengeance with a remisse slow pace but euermore as he well addeth tarditatem supplicij grauitate compensat it recompenseth the slacknesse of punishment with the heauinesse thereof I will not weary your religious eares with prophane though fit sentences for this argument out of l Lib. 3. od 2. Raro antecedentem scelestum Deseruit pede poena claudo Horace m Lib. 1. cleg 9. Ah miser et si quis primo perjuria celat Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibus Tibullus n Lib. 3. Quis enim laesos impune putaret Esse deos Lucan o Lib. deijs qui tardè a numine corripiuntur Plutarch nor with those well knowne prouerbs Dij lenti sed certi vindices Dij lane os pedes habent Tacito pede and Cunctabundus naturâ Deus From Natures schoole I recall my selfe to the God of Nature who though in his word of eternal truth he proclaimeth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a p Exod. 34.6 God slow to anger and is for such acknowledged by the neuer fayling testifications and reports of diuinely inspired q Nehem. 9.17 Psal 86.15 Psal 103.8 145.8 Rom. 2 4. 2. Pet. 3.9 Prophets and Apostles is notwithstanding in the same word noted to r Exod 20.6 34.7 Deut. 5.9 Ierem. 32.18 recompense the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosome of their children after them It must stand euer good Quo tardius eo grauius that the longer God is before hee punisheth hee punisheth so much the more grieuously Though for a time he bee pleased to hold his tongue and to walke as with woollen feet yet at length shall we or our posteritie find by wofull experience that he hath a rod of yron ro rule vs yea and to breake vs in peeces like potters vessels Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord while God is pleased to withhold from vs his owne hand of Iustice to stretch ouer vs his other of Mercy to the blessing of vs in our fields in our cattle in our store let vs not be wedded to the hardnesse of our owne hearts let vs not dwell in our old sinnes nor heape new vpon them lest so we treasure vp vnto our selues wrath
vpon vs. All and euery of these true Christians will patiently vndergoe For they with their sharp-sighted eie of faith doe clearely see the Hand of God in euery of their molestations and in great contentment they take vp the words of patient Iob Chap. 2.10 Shall wee receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill Here let euery afflicted soule examine it selfe how it is affected with the affliction vnder which it groaneth If you esteeme of your afflictions as of God his fatherly chastisements and so endure them blessed are ye Of this blessednesse Saint Iames Chap. 1.12 doth assure you Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Againe is it true Is there no safe being in City or Country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A second vse of this doctrine is to admonish vs that we labour aboue all things to obtaine Gods fauour and to abide in it so shall we be safe from the feare of euill Now for the obtaining of Gods fauour we must doe foure things We must 1. Humble our selues before God 2. Beleeue in Christ 3. Repent of our sinnes 4. Performe new obedience vnto God The time will not suffer me to enlarge these points Humiliation faith in Christ repentance and a new life these foure will be vnto you as Iacobs ladder was vnto the Angels Of that ladder you may reade Gen. 28.12 that it stood vpon the earth the top of it did reach to heauen and the Angells of God went vp it So may you by these foure Humiliation Faith Repentance and Newnesse of life as it were by so many steps and rounds of a ladder climbe vp to heauen Here you haue no continuing Citie you are but strangers and pilgrims on the earth your countrey is aboue the Celestiall Ierusalem there let your hearts be As for the afflictions vexations tribulation miseries and crosses wherewith this mortall life of yours is seasoned let them be your ioy They are sure pledges of Gods loue vnto you Euen so saith the Spirit Hebr. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth Thirdly is it true Is there no safe being in citie or countrie from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish A third vse of this doctrine is for the terrour of such as lie wallowing in the filthinesse of their sins Many there are wicked wretches who if God shall for a time deferre the punishments due vnto their sinnes are ready to thinke that God takes no notice of their sinnes These say in their heart there is no God Against these is made that challenge Psal 50.21 I hold my tongue and thâ—u thoughtest me like thy selfe I the Lord who see the secrets of all hearts I hold my tongue I did not by my iudgements punish thee for the wickednesse of thy steps I hold my tongue and thou thoughtest me like thy selfe thou thoughtest I tooke pleasure in wickednesse as thou doest but thou shalt finde and feele the contrary Strange are the effects wrought in the wicked by the mercies and long suffering of God thereby they grow worse and worse obdurate and hardned in their sinnes Yet let them be aduised for they day will come and it comes apace wherein they shall feele the heauinesse of that hand which here was turned against Ekron I will turne my hand to Ekron It followeth And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish The Philistines had their beginning from Casluchim a grand-childe of Chane the accursed issue of Noah as appeareth Gen. 10.14 They were seated in a part of the Land of Canaan the west part that which bordereth vpon the great Sea the Sea commonly called the Mediterranean Their Country was called by Ptolemee and others Palaestina and by the Greeks Phoenicia It was a part of that countrey which once was called Terra promissionis the Land of promise but now Terra Sancta the Holy Land The inhabitants in our Prophets time were professed enemies to Almighty God and his beloued Israel They thought themselues safe from ruine through the strength of their fiue Dukedomes Azzah Ashdod Ashkelon Gath and Ekron But vaine and foolish are the thoughts which possesse the wicked When the God of all truth shall giue his word for a matter shal man presume to doubt of the euent Here God sets his word vpon it that there shall be an vtter ouerthrow not onely of Azzah Ashdod Ashkelon and Ekron but of Gath also and all the villages belonging thereunto for the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God Ait Dominus Iehouth saith the Lord God This is the conclusion of this prophecie and it redoubleth its authoritie and credit Authoritie and credit sufficient it hath from its very front verse 6. Thus saith the Lord it is here redoubled saith the Lord God Saith the Lord God hath the Lord God said it and r 〈◊〉 23 19. shall he not doe it hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it The Lord Iehouâ—h the strength of Israel is not as man that he should lye not as the sonne of man that he should repent All his words yea all the titles of his words are Yea and Amen Å¿ Matth. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall perish before one iot or one tittle of his word shall escape vnfulfilled Dominus Iehouth the Lord hath said it that the remnant of the Philistines shall perish Out of doubt then must it come to passe And so is it The first blow which the Philistines receiued towards their ouerthrow after this prophecie was giuen them aboue three-score yeares after by Ezechius that good King of Iudah of whom the Prophet Esay Chap. 14.29 foretelleth the Philistines that he should be vnto them as a Cockatrice and a fiery â—â—ring Serpent This Ezechius smote the Philistines vnto Azzah and the coasts thereof from the watch-tower vnto the defensed Citie This is plaine 2 King 18.8 A second blow was giuen by Tartan one of the Captaines of Sennacherib or Sargon King of Assyria who came vp against Ashdod and tooke it This is plaine Esay 20.1 A third blow was giuen them by Pharaoh Neco and hee smote Azzah Ashkelon and other places This is it which the Prophet Ieremy saith Chap. 47.5 Baldnesse is come vpon Azzah Ashkelon is cut vp with the rest of their valleys In a word God hath from time to time raised vp his men of war in due time to extirpate and raze out the Philistines from the face of the earth that according to the tenour of this Prophecy there might be no remnant of them The remnant of the Philistines shall perish Here may we obserue a difference in Gods punishments he punisheth the reprobate and he punisheth his elect but differently the reprobate to their vtter excision and extirpation not so the elect For of them there is vpon the
not because he is rich or in authority but because he is a Christian the son of God by grace and adoption Loue ye 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 ye assured that the speciall loue and fauour of God will be your shield and protection Three things there are that doe reioyce God saith Ecclesiasticus Chap. 25.1 The vnity of brethren the loue of neighbours a man and his wife agreeing together 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 difference of sex there is neither male nor female all are brethren in Christ and therefore that neighbour that loueth not his neighbour the husband 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. Paul to the Romans Chap. 12.10 concerneth all of you all of both sexes without any difference Be yee 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 be no dissentions among you Be of one minde liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you Thus farre of the first branch in the description of Edoms sinne and of the doctrine grounded thereupon 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 off all pity or after the Hebrew text did corrupt his compassions which reading is expressed in the margin of our Church Bible and the Geneua translation The English translation set out by Tyndall reades it otherwise Hee destroyed his mothers wombe and Winckleman reads it Et violauerit vterū and violated or abused the mothers wombe both doe allude to the Greeke edition of the Septuagent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did violate the mothers wombe which reading may haue reference to the natiuity of Iacob and Esau borne at one birth of their mother Rebekah And then the meaning is that the Edomites Esau's posterity neglecting that bond and knot of brotherhood and consanguinity did exercise rigour and cruelty against the Israelites Iacobs posterity or it may haue reference to a sauage and outragious cruelty as if the Edomites were here noted for ripping vp mothers wombes or women with childe in Israel That such cruelty was vsed by the Ammonites it is plaine by the 13. verse of this Chapter But this Text in the originall doth not fasten this blame vpon the Edomites and I loue not to force my Text. I will not trouble you with other expositions The originall is He did corrupt his compassions The sense and meaning is well rendred and deliuered in our receiued English Bibles He did east off all pity Is Edom here condemned for corrupting his compassions for casting off all pitie The lesson hence to bee commended to your Christian considerations is this Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God I could bring you many places out of holy Writ for the confirmation of this doctrine But two only or three and they but touched shall serue for this present In Iob 6.14 the vnmercifull are noted to haue forsaken the feare of the Almighty In Rom. 1.31 among such as God hath giuen vp to a reprobate minde to commit things worthy of death the vnmercifull are named In Iames 2.13 a punishment is denounced to the vnmercifull There shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy These few Texts of Scripture doe plentifully establish my doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God If any will aske me What is this vnmercifulnesse whereof I now speake my answer shall be out of the learned Out of o Apud A shia 22. qu. 118.8.3 Isidore that it is one of the nine daughters of couetousnesse Out of p 22. qu. 159.1.2.2 Aquinas that it is the withholding of a deed of charity and an q 22. qu. 118.8.3 obduration or the hardning of the heart against mercy Out of r Comment in hunc locum Mercer that it is a breach of natures law and an abolishing of all kindnesse And so I come to make some vse of this doctrine The vse is to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanity and mercy I will not now make any long declamation against inhumanity and vnmercifulnesse yet my Text requireth that I speake somewhat to it There was a time when righteousnesse seemed to be taken vp into the clouds and the earth to be void of it It was in the daies of the Prophet Esay He then cryed out Chap. 45.8 O ye heauens send the dew from aboue and let the clouds drop downe righteousnesse The time is now when loue seemeth to be taken vp into the clouds and the earth to bee void of it Now may we cry out O ye Heauens send the dew from aboue and let the clouds drop downe loue that the vncourteous and churlish Nabals of this present generation may now at length know that they are not borne for themselues only but for their poore neighbours also Your poore neighbours who stand in need of you by very prerogatiue of mankinde haue an interest in your succour and seruice But it may be that some are so farre from all humanity that this prerogatiue of mankind will not moue them to doe any worke of charity Such hard hearts let them heare what the Law is Deut. 15.7 If one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother But thou shalt open thy hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his need I know flesh and bloud will oblect Shall I lend my neighbour sufficient for his need So may I soone exhaust my substance and liue in want my selfe I reply O thou of little saith why fearest thou Looke backe vpon the blessing of God rely vpon it he through his benediction will make thee large recompence Of this thou maist be assured if thou wilt haue recourse to the fore-cited Chapter Deut. 15.10 There art thou infallibly promised for thy almes deeds done to the needy that the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou putiest thine hand to My exhortation is no other than that of the Prophet Esay Chap. 58 7. Deale thy bread to the hungry bring the poore
wanderer to thine house If thou seest him naked couer him hee is thine owne flesh hide not thy selfe from him Thy liberality will bring thee great aduantage whereof thou wilt not doubt if thou consider the next verse Thy light shall breake forth as the morning thy health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee Seest thou not an heape of blessings one vpon another Looke into the booke of Psalmes In the beginning of the 41. Psalme many a sweet promise is made thee conditionally that thou tender the poore mans case The Lord shall deliuer thee in the time of trouble he shall keepe thee and preserue thee aliue he shall blesse thee vpon the earth he will not deliuer thee to the will of thine enemies he will strengthen thee vpon thy bed of sorrow and will make thy bed all the time of thy sicknesse I might weary you and my selfe in the pursuit of this point Here I stop my course with recommendation of one onely place and that a very remarkable one Prou. 19.17 Hee that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Behold and see how gracious and good the Lord is If you shew pity and compassion vpon the poore God will recompence you to the full yea in the largenesse of his mercies hee will reward you plentifully It was a graue exhortation of a f Tobit to his sonne Tobias cap. 4.7 father to his sonne Giue almes of thy substance and when thou giuest almes let not thine eye be ennious neither turne thy face from any poore lest that God turne his face from thee Giue almes according to thy substance if thou haue but a little be not afraid to giue a little So shalt thou lay vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessity Almes will deliuer thee from death and will not suffer thee to come into the place of darknesse Almes is a good gift before the most high to all them which vse it Vse it I beseech you in the bowels of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Be ye not like Edom in my Text Corrupt not your compassions cast not off all pity suffer ye one with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous doe ye good to all men and faint not great shall be your reward in Heauen This your seruice will be acceptable vnto God God for it will giue you his blessing God will blesse you for the time of your being here and when the day of your dissolution shall be that you must leaue your earthly Tabernacles then will the Sonne of man sitting vpon the throne of his glory welcome you with a Venite Benedicti Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was hungry and ye gaue me meat I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited mee I was in prison and ye came vnto me In as much as ye haue done these things to the needy and distressed ye haue done them vnto me Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world THE Seuenteenth Lecture AMOS 1.11 12. And his anger spoiled him euermore and his wrath watched him alway Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah IN my last Lecture I began the exposition of the third part of this Prophecie which is a declaration of Edoms sins in foure branches The two first I passed ouer the last time The first branch was Hee did pursue his brother with the sword Thereon I grounded this doctrine It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues One vse of this doctrine was a iust reproofe of the want of brotherly loue in these our daies A second vse was an exhortation to brotherly kindnesse The second branch was He did cast off all pity Thereon I grounded this doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God The vse I made of it was to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanity and mercy Which meditation ended I ended that Lecture Now come I to the third branch in the declaration of Edoms sinnes His anger spoiled him euermore or In his anger he spoiled him continually The preposition is not expressed in the originall but is well vnderstood and supplied by some Expositors to this sense Edom furious and angry Edom doth euermore vi apertâ with open violence attempt the spoile of Israel and if open violence preuaile not iâ—tùs simultatem alit within him he fostereth and cherisheth priuy and secret malice such as of old was harboured and setled in old a Gen. 27 41. Esaus heart Edom in his anger spoiled him continually Spoiled him The word in the originall is from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Mercer ferarum proprium est is proper and peculiar to wild beasts and it signifieth Rapere discerpere to spoile rauenously to rent or teare in peeces Thus is Edom compared to some truculent or sauage beast some deuouring Lion some rauenous Wolfe some fierce Beare or the like that hunteth greedily after their prey The comparison is As a Lion a Wolfe a Beare or some other cruell beast hunteth greedily after his prey and when he hath gotten it teareth it in peeces and so deuoureth it so doth Edom he hunteth for his brother as with a snare or net and hauing once enclosed him he throwes him headlong into vtter desolation and this he doth in the bitternesse of his anger In his anger he spoiled him euermore This clause is otherwise rendred by the old Latine Interpreter Et tenuerit vltrà furorem suum Hee possessed his fury beyond measure longer than was meet he should An exposition followed by many of the learned and of late Writers by Brentius and Mercer In Matthews Bible it is well expressed He bore hatred very long the meaning is Hee constantly eagerly obstinately persisted in his anger and held it fast as a sauage beast holdeth fast his prey Both readings this and the former this Hee bore hatred very long and the former In his anger he spoiled his brother euermore both doe appeach and accuse Edom of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger The doctrine which hence I would commend to your Christian considerations is this Euery childe of God ought to keepe himselfe vnspotted of anger of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger I say of rash vnaduised euill and sinfull anger For there is a good kind of anger an anger praise worthy an anger to be embraced of euery one of you Whereto the Prophet Dauid exhorted the faithfull of his time Psal 4.4 Be angry and sin not And S. Paul his Ephesians Chap. 4.26 Be angry but sin not You
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
after time as Esay speaketh Chap. 42.23 It is to marke and vnderstand and remember and beleeue and follow that which you heare This duty of hearing as we should we shall the better performe if as Moses at the commandement of the Lord did put off his shoâ—es the shooes from off his feet because the place wherein be stood was h ly ground Exod. 3.5 so shall we as oft as we come to this or the like holy place the House of God to heare his Word read and preached vnto vs put off our shooes too not our shooes from off our feet but our much fouler shooes our lusts our thoughts our cares our fancies our businesses euen all that corruption and sinne wherewith in this life we are clogged which as the dust to the shooe and the sh oe to the foot cleaues fast to vs. If thus prepared we come to heare the Word of God wee shall be sure of a blessing When the woman said to Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Christ replyed Luk. 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it By this his reply he sheweth that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him than his Mother for bearing him Yet hereby hee denieth not his Mother to haue beene blessed euen for bearing him but insinuates onely that she was more blessed in being his childe than in being his Mother Saint Austine De Sancta Virginitate cap. 3. well expresseth it Beatior percipiende fidem Christi quà m concipiendo carnem Christi The blessed Virgin the Mother of Christ was more blessed by receiuing the faith of Christ then by conceiuing the flesh of Christ Christ said vnto his Disciples Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your eares for you heare shewing that they were more blessed than all the world besides because they had this one blessing to heare the truth This is the blessing which you come hither for God in the abundance of his goodnesse brings it home vnto you And well may you call it a blessing For the word which we bring vnto you is verbum regni Mat. 13.19 The word of a Kingdome it brings a Kingdome with it It is verbum vitae Ioh. 6.68 the word of life it brings life with it It is not onely a word of authority to command and bind the conscience nor onely a word of wisdome to direct you nor onely a word of power to conuert you nor onely a word of grace to comfort and vphold you but the word of a neuer-fading Kingdome and of eternall life to make you perfectly and for euer blessed Thus farre hath my first Doctrine carried mee The Doctrine was deliuered in these words The word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkened vnto It was grounded vpon the first branch of my Text wherein is contained the first perswasory argument of attention drawne from the authority of the word to be hearkned vnto Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you The next argument of perswasion to enforce attention in the hearer is drawne from the persons of them who are here inuited to giue eare They are Filty Israel the children the sonnes the posterity of Israel a people descended from the holy Patriarke Iacob chosen aboue all other nations to bee Gods peculiar people with whom God had made a couenant and had on his part most absolutely performed it preseruing them from their enemies and multiplying vpon them all his benefits So graciously did God deale with these sonnes of Israel not onely whilst they loued him kept their coniugall faith with him and serued him according to his word but euen then too when they had despised him and forsaken him had violated their faith with him and committed spirituall whoredome with false gods Yet when those their impieties disobediences and rebellions were growne to the height God was resolued to come against them in iudgement and to punish them This his resolution appeareth in the many menaces and threats which from time to time the Lord sent vnto them by his holy Prophets One of which is in my Text Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel Against you to punish you O children of Israel euen you My obseruation here is God will not spare to smite his dearest children when they sinne against him One reason hereof may bee that the Lord may declare himselfe an aduersary to sinne in all men without partiality A second is that the Lord may reduce his children from running on headlong to perdition with the wicked And the vses may be two One to teach vs to magnifie the righteousnesse of God as generally in all his workes so particularly in the afflictions of his people The other to admonish vs that we looke not for any certaine earthly peace though we are by faith the children of Israel but that we prepare our selues for a continuall succession of crosses and calamities The third argument of perswasion to moue attention in these children of Israel is taken from the commemoration of their greatest deliuerance their deliuerance out of Aegypt Heare this w rd that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt My obseruation is The temporall benefits and manifold deliuerances which the Lord bestoweth vpon his people are euer to be had in remembrance and in thankefull acknowledgement This very doctrine for the substance of it I haue heretofore in your hearing propounded and proued in my fifteenth Lecture vpon the second chapter of this booke occasioned thereunto by the tenth verse wherein this great deliuerance out of Aegypt is mentioned I will not therefore at this time stand to inlarge it Onely let me now tell you that this deliuery of the Israelites out of Aegypt is not appropriate onely vnto them but that in some sort it appertaineth to the Church of God in all ages for as much as it was a type of a more surpassing deliuery from that fearefull Kingdome of sinne and darknesse It appertaineth euen vnto vs whom God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy through the precious bloud of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus hath deliuered from this spirituall Aegypt the Kingdome of sinne and darknesse and will in his good time giue vs safe passage from hence to that heauenly Canaan the true Country and Inheritance of all Saints Whither most gracious God vouchsafe to bring vs all Amen THE Second Lecture AMOS 3.2 You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities THis second verse is the second part of Amos his second Sermon concerning the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It is the proposition and containeth the very substance of the whole Sermon which is to let the Israelites vnderstand that for as much as the Lord hath beene good vnto them aboue all the Nations of the
all that passed by The Pirat freely and stoutly replyed Quid tibi vt orbem terrarum Nay what meane you Alexander to be so troublesome to rob all the world What I doe I doe it but with one ship Et latro vocor and must be called a theefe you doe the like with a fleet with a number of ships and you must be called Emperour The onely difference betweene vs is I rob out of necessity to supply my wants you out of your vnmeasurable couetousnesse Of Magistrates in Courts of Iustice if they be corrupt Saint Cyprian Ep. 2. ad Donatum giues this censure Qui sedet crimina vindicaturus admittit vt reus innocens pereat fit nocens judex It is significantly Englished by Democritus Iunior See a Lambe executed and a Wolfe pronounce sentence Latro arraigned and Fur sit on the bench the Iudge seuerely punish others and doe worse himselfe Such Iudges may iustly be noted for men of violence and robbery But my speech is not to such for they heare me not It is to you beloued Shall I say that among you there are men of violence and robbery I auow it not yet flatter not your selues He that filcheth or pilfereth the least pinne Mark 10.19 point or sticke of wood from his neighbour Prou. 22.18 he that moueth ancient bounds the ancient bounds which his fathers haue made with a purpose to encroach vpon his neighbours land hee that stealeth another mans wife childe or seruant 1 Tim. 1.10 Ios 7.19 hee that committeth sacrilege in detaining the rights of the Church he that transgresseth thus or thus he may goe for a man of violence and robbery Dearely beloued if any of you hath beene ouertaken with these or the like transgressions looke into your owne hearts examine your selues in what measure you haue or doe transgresse For we must not feare to tell you you doe offend And if your conscience tell you your offence is great runne not headlong into Hell without returning De Conuers cap. 1. Vita non est nisi in Conuersione saith Saint Bernard There is no hope of life but by turning to the Lord. And your turning to the Lord must bee by true and vnfained repentance So turne vnto him and if thou be a Publican thou maist become an Euangelist if a blasphemer an Apostle if a theefe and robber a possessor of Paradise And so much be spoken of my second part the speciall amplification of cruelty and couetousnesse the sinnes of Samaria taken from their violence and robberies treasured vp in their palaces My third part is the ratification of the whole accusation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neum Iehouah the Lord hath said it They know not to doe right saith the Lord who store vp violence and robbery in their palaceâ— Saith the Lord. See the Lord â—s not idle in the Heauens as some imagine but takes notice of what is done here below He beholdeth the great tumults that are in Samaria and the oppressions there their violence and robberies he beholdeth My obseruation here shall be that Iob 34.21 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the waies of man and he seeth all his goings He seeth all He seeth our sinnes in the booke of Eternity before our owne hearts conceiued them He seeth our sinnes in our hearts as soone as our inuentions haue giuen them forme He sâ—eth our sinnes in action on the Theater of this earth quite through the scene of our liues and hee seeth them to our paine when his wrathful eye takes notice of them and his hand is lift vp to punish them He seeth them all There is nothing so secret nothing so abstracted from the senses of men Vt creatoris aut lateat cognitionem aut effugiat potestatem that it may either lurke from the eye or escape the hand of God August de Ciuit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 20. As plaine is that Iob 34 22. There is no darknesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues The Powder-traitors in the mine and Celler were not vnseene to the reuenging eye of God The villaines of the cloisters were all naked vnto him As darke as their Vaults were his all-seeing eye descried their filthinesse and laid waste their habitations The obscurity of their Cells and Dorters the thicknesse of their walls the closenesse of their Windowes with the cloake of a strict profession couering all could not hide their sinnes from the eye of Heauen Nor can our sins be hid though done with greatest secrecy Sinne as closely as thou canst there will bee witnesses of thy sinne Videt te angelus malus videt te angelus bonus videt bonis malis major angelis Deus Bernard de conuers ad Clericos cap. 16. The bad angell sees thee and the good sees thee and he that is better than the Angels farre aboue all principalities and powers God Almighty he sees thee Wherefore dearely beloued let our conuersation with men be as in the sight of God And sith in this mortality we cannot but sinne let vs endeuour to see our sinnes to know them to confesse them to bewaile them and cry we to God to giue vs grace to lay hold vpon Iesus Christ his Sonne that beleeuing we may be saued by his righteousnesse Good God pardon our sinnes giue vs faith change our liues to the better for thy blessed name and mercies sake euen for Iesus Christ his sake Amen THE Thirteenth Lecture AMOS 3.11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land and hee shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shall be spoiled THis third part of this third Chapter but second Sermon of Amos to the kingdome of the ten Tribes I stiled an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Exornation pertaining to the proposition deliuered in the second verse It amplifieth the iniquitie of the Israelites from the testification of forren nations as thus You you of Israel your sinnes are so notorious so grosse so palpable that very strangers Philistines and Aegyptians may take notice of them Sith you of your selues are not touched with a conscience of your euill deeds them the Philistines and Aegyptians I call as witnesses and Iudges of your impurity and vncleannesse It is the scope of this passage The passage consisteth of 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 at Ashdod and in the palaces in the Land of Aegypt and say The Proclamation it selfe Assemble your selues vpon the Mountaines of Samaria and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof and the oppressed in the midst thereof In the Proclamation two sinnes were controuled Cruelty and Couetousnesse Their Cruelty in their great tumults their Couetousnesse in their oppressions In the tenth verse the other part of the Accusation those two enormities
it is the first in order The words are An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land The old Interpreter translates it Tribulabitur circuietur terra the Land shall be troubled and compassed about Brentius Obsidebitur circumdabitur terra the Land shall be besieged and beset round about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsar in the originall is rendred Arctator by Montanus Tribulator by Oecolampadius Aduersarius by Caluin and Drusius Hostis by Tremelius Piscator and Gualter It is Tribulatio with Vatablus and Mercer but Angustiae with Ionathan Well be it either Arctatoâ— or Tribulator or an Aduersary or an Enemie or be it Tribulation or be it Anguish it is not in a little part or corner of the Land but in circuitu terra it is in the circuit of the Land it enuironeth the whole Land The Septuagint haue a reading by themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tyre shall be made desolate round about shall thy Land be wasted Saint Cyril will haue them thus to be vnderstood From Tyre and the Land thereabout the whole countrey shall by the incursions of robbers be brought to desolation Tyrus is in Hebrew Tzor so is it in the first Chapter of this prophecie vers 9 It seemes the S ptuagint did in this place reade Tzor Hieron as also Aquila once did reade But now the common reading of this place is Tzar and Tzar is an enemie or aduersary and hath other significations whereof euen now you heard Thus our English translation is cleared it is good An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land This aduersary is the Assyrian the King of Assyria Salmanassar He with his armies is to come against the Citie and Kingdome of Samaria he shall so beset and beleaguer the whole countrey round about that there shall be no escaping for any of the inhabitants According to this prediction it came to passe some sixty fiue yeares after Esâ—y 7.8 2 King 18.10 in the ninth yeare of the reigne of Hoshea son of Elah King of Israel as it is 2 King 17.6 An aduersary there shall be euen round about the Land Now from this circumstance of the Siege of Samaria so long before threatned ariseth this obseruation Gods threatning to punish long before he punisheth are inuitations to repentance Origen lib. 4. contra Celsum saith God punisheth no man but whom he doth first warne terrifie and aduertise of the perill And surely herein appeareth Gods mercy that he threatneth before hee punisheth that by his threatning men might learne to amend He threatneth saith S. Chrysostome Hom. 12. in Genes Vt nobis correctis minas ad opus minimè perducat that we being amended his menacing need not take effect If this were not the end of Gods threatnings why doth Zephaniah Chap. 2.1 2. thus exhort the Iewes Gather your selues together yea gather together O Nation not desired Before the decree bring forth before the day passe as the chaffe before the fierce anger of the Lord come vpon you before the day of the Lords anger come vpon you Seeke yee the Lord seeke righteousnesse seeke meekenesse it may be yee shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger He calleth vpon the Iewish Nation to returne from their euill waies by true repentance Where behold saith Saint Hierome the clemencie of God Quia non vult inferre supplicia sed tantum terrere passuros ipse ad poenitentiam prouocat ne faciat quod minatus est Because Gods will is rather to terrifie them than to lay punishments vpon them he incites them to repentance that he be not driuen to doe as he hath threatned This is that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the goodnesse the forbearance the long suffering of God whereof Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou O man the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance It leadeth to repentance It is vouchsafed vnto vs to the amendment of life And thus is my obseruation established Gods threatnings to punish long before he punisheth are inuitations to repentance One reason hereof is because if after threatning repentance follow it procureth the forgiuenesse of sinne and taketh away the cause of the punishment Sinne is the cause of Gods iudgements this wee heard euen now If the cause bee remoued the effect will cease For so saith the Lord Ezâ—ch 33.14 15. When I say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if hee turne from his sinne and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue he shall not die A second reason I take from the end of Gods threatnings The end whereat he aimeth when he threatneth is not the destruction of them that are threatned but their amendment For thus saith the Lord Ezech. 18.23 Haue I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die and not that he should returne from his wayes and liue This by way of interrogation But it is by way of assertion Ezech. 33.11 and is backed with an oath As I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue As I liue it is so Here may wee say as Augustine some-where said of Christ Felices nos propter quos ipse Deus iurat Happie are we for whom God himselfe sweareth But infoelices si ne iuranti quidem credimus Wretched are we if wee beleeue him not vpon his oath I shall but point at the vses of this doctrine because I haue handled them at large in my fourth Sermon vpon this Chapter The first is to teach vs that in the greatest and most fearefull threatnings of Gods iudgements there is comfort remaining hope of grace and mercy to be found health in sicknesse and life in death The second is a warrant for vs of the Ministery to propound vnto you the threatnings of God with condition of repentance and thus we offer vnto you grace and mercy to as many of you as shall be of humble and contrite hearts The third is a warning vnto you to all that haue this grace and fauour with God to be hearers of his holy word It is your parts whensoeuer you shall heare of the threatnings of Gods iudgements against sinners to stirre vp your selues vnto repentance thereby to preuent the wrath of God and to stay his iudgements The fourth is to assure vs that if God threaten and no repentance follow then certainly the threatnings pronounced will come to passe God threatneth not in vaine nor doth he terrifie vs without cause If we preuent not his threatnings by true repentance his threatnings will preuent vs by iust execution And so much be spoken of the first doctrine arising from this circumstance of the siege of Samaria foretold so long before it tooke effect A second doctrine arising from the same is Hâ—stes diuinitùs à Deo excitari ad regum populorum peccata punienda
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