neither Empire nor Kingdome nor place in them of dignitie prioritie or preeminence Ecclesiasticall or politique is gottē by the industrie wisedome wit or strength of man but that all are administred ruled and governed by the deputation and ordination of the highest power God almightie A second vse is to stop blasphemous mouthes such as are evermore open against heaven with i Cic. de nat Deor. Epicurus and k Cic. ibid. Diagoras and their adherents to affirme that the God of heaven in as much as he is absolutely blessed is not to trouble himselfe with cares for this lower world that it standeth not with Gods maiestie to care for the vile abiect and despised things of this world This impious rabble and Sathans brood doe think that all things below the moone are ruled by their blind Goddesse Fortune and by Chance Heere must I beseech you to let your hearts bee ioined with mine in the consideration of God his sweet never sleeping care and providence over this lower world Let vs not suppose our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the moone a God vpon the mountaines and not in the vallies a God in the greater not in the lesser employments The holy scriptures doe teach vs that our God examineth the lest moments and titles in the world that we can imagin to a l 1 King 17.14 handfull of meale to a m Ibid. cruse of oyle in a poore widdows house to the falling of n Matth. 10.29 sparrows to the ground to the o Matth. 6.26 feeding of the birds of the aire to the p Psal 29.9 calving of hinds to the q Matth. 6.30 clothing of the grasse of the field to the r Luk. 12 7. numbring of the haires of four heads to the trickling of ſ Psal 56.8 teares downe our cheekes Why then are wee troubled with the vaine conceits of luck fortune or chance Why will any man say this fell vnto mee by good lucke or by ill lucke by good fortune or by misfortune by good chance or by mischance We may and should know that in the course of Gods providence all things are determined and regular This is a sure ground we may build vpon it The fish that came to devour Ionas may seeme to haue arrived in that place by chance yet the scripture saith the Lorde had prepared a great fish to swallow Ionas Ion. 1.17 The storme it selfe which droue the pilots to this streight may likewise seeme contingent to the glimse of carnall eies yet the prophet saith I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Ion. 1.12 The fish which Peter tooke might seeme to haue come to the angle by chance yet he brought in his mouth the tribute which Peter paid for his Lord and for himselfe Mat. 17.27 By the diversity of the opinions among the brethren touching the manner of dispatching Ioseph out of the way we may gather that the selling of him into Egypt was but accidentall only agreed vpō by reason of the fit arrival of the merchāts while they were disputing and debating what they were best to do yet saith Ioseph vnto his brethren you sent me not hither but God Gen. 45.8 What may seeme more contingent in our eies then by the glancing of an arrow from the common marke to strike a travailer that passeth by the way yet God himselfe is said to haue delivered the man into the hand of the shooter Exod. 21.13 Some may think it hard fortune that Achab was so strangely made away because a certaine man having bent his bow let slip his arrow at hap hazard without aime at any certaine marke t 1. King 22.34 strooke the King but here wee finde no lucke nor chance at all otherwise then in respect of vs for that the shooter did no more then was denounced to the King by Micheas from Gods owne mouth before the battaile was begunne 1. King 22.17 What in the world can be more casuall then lottery yet Salomon teacheth that when the lots are cast into the lap the providence of God disposeth them Prov. 16.33 See now and acknowledge with me the large extent of Gods good providence Though his dwelling be on high yet abaseth he himselfe to behold vs below From his good providence it is that this day we are here met togither I to preach the word of God you to heare it some of vs to be made partakers of the blessed body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Let vs poure out our souls in thankfulnesse before God for this his blessing You are nowe invited to the marriage supper of the lambe every one that wil approach vnto it let him put on his wedding garment A garment nothing like the old ragges of the Gibeonites which deceived Ioshua Ios 9.5 A garment nothing like the suit of apparell which Micah gaue once a year to his Levite Iud. 17.10 A garment nothing like the soft cloathing worne in kings courts Mat. 11.8 But a garment something like the garment of the high Priest which had all the names of the tribes of Israel written vpon his brest Exod. 28.21 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on in whose brest and book of merits are written and registred all the names of the faithful but a garment something like Elias Mantle which devided the waters 2. King 2.8 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on who devideth your sinnes and punishments that so you may escape from your enimies sin and death but a garment something like the garments of the Israelites in the wildernesse which did not weare 40 yeares together they wandred in the desert yet saith Moses neither their clothes nor their shoes waxed old Deut. 29.5 For this your garment is nothing else but Christ put on whose righteousnes lasteth for ever and his mercies cannot be worne out Having put on this your wedding garment doubte not of your welcome to this great feast maker If any that heareth me this day hath not yet put on his wedding garment but is desirous to learne how to do it let him following S. Paul his coūsaile Rom. 13.12 cast away the workes of darknes put on the armour of light let him walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife envying let him take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it so shall he put on the Lord Iesus u Psal 24.7 Lift vp your heads you gates and bee you lift vp yee everlasting doors that a guest so richly apparelled may come in sup with the King of glory And the king of glory vouchsafe so to cloth vs all that those gates and everlasting doores may lie open to vs all So at our departure from this vally of mourning we shal haue free and easie passage
in the citie of God where our corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall bee swallowed vp of life Even so be it blessed father for thy welbeloved sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whoÌ„ with thee in the vnitie of the holy spirit be all praise and power might and Maiestie dignity and dominion for evermore Amen THE SECOND LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said The Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the â—op of Carmel shall wither IN my former Sermon vpon the first verse of this chapter beloved in the Lord I commended to your religious considerations fiue circumstances 1 Touching the prophets name It was Amos not Amos Esâ—â—â— father but another Amos. 2 Concerning his former condition of life He was among the heardmen that is hee was a heardman or shepheard 3 Of the place of his vsuall abode At Tekoa a litle village in the confines of the kingdome of Iuda beyond which there was not so much as a little cottage onely there was a great wildernesse called 2. Chr. 20.20 the wildernesse of Tekoa a fit place for a shepheards walke 4 About the matter or argument of this prophecie implyed in these worder The words which he saw vpon Israel Then you heard that Amos was by the holy spirit deputed and directed with his message peculiarly and properly to the 10. revolted tribes the kingdome of Israel 5 Of the time of the prophecie which I told you was set downe in that verse generally and specially 1 Generally In the daies of Vzziah king of Iuda and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash king of Israel 2 Specially Two yeares before the earthquake After my exposition given vpoÌ„ those fiue parts of that text I recald to your remembrances that Amos of a heardman or shepheard became a blessed prophet to carry a terrible word and fearefull message from the living God to the king nobles priests and people of Israel Therevpon I commended to you this doctrine God chooseth vile and despised persons to condemne the great and mightie That doctrine proved I recommended to you the vses of it The first was to lift vp your mindes to the contemplation of Gods good providence Poore shepheards and fishermen God exalteth and advanceth into the highest places of dignitie in church and common wealth This might perswade you that neither empire nor kingdome nor place in theÌ„ of dignity priority or preeminence ecclesiasticall or politique is gotten by the industrie wisdome wit or strength of man but that all are administred ruled and governed by the deputation and ordination of the highest power God almightie The second was to stop blasphemous mouthes such as are ever more open against the God of Heaven to affirme that all things belowe the moone are ruled by their blinde Goddesse fortune and by chance Here my desire was that your heartes might be ioined with mine in the consideration of Gods most sweet never sleeping care over vs in this lower world that we would not suppose our God to be a God to halfes and in part only a God aboue and not beneath the moone a God in the greater and not in the lesser employments To this holy meditation I exhorted you taught by the holy scriptures that our God examineth the lest moments titles in the world that you can imagine to a handful of meal to a cruse of oile in a poore widdowes house to the falling of the Sparrows to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the calving of Hindes to the cloathing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of teares downe our cheekes Thus farre as Gods holie spirit assisted me I led you the last time Now let it please you with patience and reverence to giue eare to the word of God as it followeth ver 2. And hee said The Lord shall roare from Sion and vtter his voice froÌ„ Ierusalem and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of Carmel shall wither In this verse I commend vnto you two generall parts 1 A preface to a prophecie And he said 2 The prophecie it selfe The Lorde shall roare from Sion c. In the prophecie I must further commend vnto you 3. things 1 The Lord speaking He shall roare and vtter forth his voice 2 The place from whence he speaketh from Sion and Ierusalem 3 The sequels of his speech They are two 1 Desolation to the dwelling places of the shepheards The dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish 2 Sterility and barrennesse to their fruitfull grounds The top of Carmel shall wither The first generall part the preface to the prophecie I must first speake vnto And he said He that is Amos Amos the heardmaÌ„ or shepheard whose dwelling was at Tekoa He said what said he Even the words which he saw vpoÌ„ Israel that is he spake the words of God committed to him by that kinde of propheticall instinct and motion which is commonly tearmed vision the words of God which were disclosed or reveiled vnto him in a vision Amos spake but his words were Gods words Here dearely beloved wee may learne whence the holy scriptures haue their soveraigne authoritie Their authoritie is froÌ„ aboue eveÌ„ from the LORD whose name is IEHOVAH whose a Matth. 5.34 throne is the heaven of heavens and the b Habak 3.15 sea his floare to walke in the c Esai 66.1 earth his footstoole to tread vpon who hath a chaire in the conscience and sits in the d Psal 7.9 heart of man possesseth his secret reines and divides betwixt the flesh and the skinne and shaketh his inmost powers as the e Psal 29.8 thuÌ„der shaketh the wildernesse of Cades This powerfull and great IEHOVAH God almightie spake in old time to our fathers by the mouth of Moses Exod. 4.12 and in the mouthes of all his Prophets Hebr. 1.1 Know this saith S. Peter in his second epistle 1. chap. ver 20. That no Prophecie in the Scripture is of any private motion Marke his reason vers 21. for the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holie men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Hence sprang these vsuall and familiar speeches in the bookes of the Prophets The word of the LORD came vnto me The LORD God hath spoken Thus saith the LORD and the like This LORD who thus spake in old time by his Prophets did in fulnes of time when he sent his Sonne to coÌ„summate perfect the work of mans redeÌ„ption speak by his blessed Evangelists Apostles This appeareth by the faithfull promise made them Mat. 10.19 Take no thought how or what yee shall speake for it shall be given you what yee shall say It is not yee that speake but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you It must stand
for truth in dispite of al the powers of darkenes which is recorded 2. Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole Scripture every parcell therof is given by inspiration of GOD and hath inward witnesse from that Spirit which is the author of all truth Hence ariseth this true position Scriptura est authentica regula tum fidei tum vitae nostrae The word of God which by an excellencie we call the Scripture is an infallible rule both of our faith and also of our life And another position followeth herevpon The authoritie of holy Scripture is greater then the authoritie of the Church Our observation here may be Since such is the worth of holy Scripture by reason of the author of it as that it is the perfect rule for our faith and life and is of greater authoritie then the Church it must be our part to take heed vnto it to heare it and to read it with reverence obsequie and docilitie This worth dignitie and excellencie of holy Scripture which is Gods holy word now commended vnto you yeeldeth a very harsh and vnpleasant sound to every Popishly affected eare and may serue to condemne the Romish Church of impiety and sinne for her neglect and contempt of so inestimable a treasure How little they esteeme of Gods written word the word of life and sole food of our soules the graue and learned f B. Iewel Defence of the Apologie par 4. cap. 19. 20. § 1. Brentius in his preface vpon Iacobus Andreas against Hosius makes it plaine vnto vs while he tels of the crying out against the holy Scriptures as if they were blind doubtfull and a dumbe schoolemaster and a killing writ and a dead letter yea and if it may like those reverend fathers no better then Aesops fables Now lest Brentius may be thought to charge them wrongfully be patient I beseech you while I shew you out of themselues how they harpe vpon this g This poynt see touched in my SermoÌ„ vpon Psal 21 6. pag. 12. c. blasphemous string A Cardinall of great name in his time Hosius the Popes Legat and President of the Councill of Trent in his booke De expresso verbo Dei saith h Vanus est labor qui scripturis impenditur Scriptura eniâ— est creatura egenum quoddaÌ„ elementum It is but lost labour that is spent in the Scriptures he giues this reason for the Scripture is a creature and a poore kind of outward element i Citatur ab Illyrico in norma coÌ„cilii Ludovicus Maioranus a Canon of the Church of Lateran in Rome in an k Printed at Dilinga Ann 1563. Vide H. 2. b. where also hee calleth the Scripturs in disgrace literarum monumenta scriptiones chartulâ—s macrocolla membranulas oration of his pronounced at Trent said l Scriptura est quasi mortuum atramentum the Scripture is as it were m And Mart. Peresius praef ad libr. de traditionibus â—3 b. Vnus hic in primis est fons origâ—â—mniâ—â— errorum quod nihil sit pro certo indubitato in iis quae ad Christianum attinent pietatem à quoquam fideâ—â— reciplendum nisi ATRAMENTO MORTVO in sacris codicibus expressum invâ—niatur DEAD INKE The Bishop of n Apud Sleidanum comment lib. 23. Poitiers in a speech of his at the same Trent spake to like purpose The Scripture is o Res inanimis muta a dead and a dumbe thing And thinke ye was p Apud Chemnitium exam Conc. Trid. part 1. de sacra Scriptura Eckius more modestly conceited when he called the Scriptures q Evangelium nigruÌ„ Theologiam Atramentarium the blacke gospell inken divinitie or r Controv. 3. de Eccles Pighius when hee called the Scriptures Å¿ Mutos iudices dumbe and speechlesse iudges t Sunt scripturae velut nasuâ— cereâ—s quise horsum illorsum in quamcunque volueris partem trahi retrahi fingique facilè permittit Pigli Hierarch Eccles l. 3. c. 3. like vnto a nose of wax that is easily moulded and fashioned what way soever you will or u In his answer to Iewels defense Artic. 15. Divis 9. The dangers and hurts which the common peoples reading of their Scripture in their owne language bringeth be great sundry and many Harding or x De sacrorun Bibliorum in vulg idiom translatione pag 492 In propatulo est quantum perniciem in totum orbem Christianum ea res invexerit adhuc invectura sit si Laicis illiteratis liberum sit pro ipsorum arbitrio curiositate sacras literas rimari ac perscrataâ—i Staphylus who spake of the Scriptures as of mischevous and poysonfull bookes if so they bee committed to the view of the common people in a vulgar and knowne language But all these blasphemers are long since dead and gone Is their blasphemy dead and gone with them No that stickes fast by their posteritie as a leaprousie that will not be cleansed In the Colloquie held at Ratisbone of late Anno 1602. betweene the Ministers of the Augustane confession and Papists when it was alleaged Scripturam esse normam fides that Scripture is the rule of faith it was answered by a Iesuite hoc esse foÌ„tem omnium haereseâ—n that this was the fountaine of all heresie as M. Willet makes relation in his y F o A 3. b. answere to the libellers Introduction It may be hee meanes the Iesuite Tannerus whose foule reproachfull and dishonourable speech against the holy Spirit the author of holy Scripture is set downe by Hunnius in his z Pag. 26. historicall narration of that Colloquie at Ratisbone Nulla nulla nulla vnquam fuit haeresis quae ex sola Scriptura sufficienter refutari potuit A speech vehement enough Never never never was there any heresie sufficiently refuted only out of Scripture Hee requires their imagined infallible authority of their Church to be ioined There was another Iesuite at the same Colloquie by name Gretserus of no lesse impudencie egregiously blasphemous For when it was alleaged that the holy Scripture or the holy Ghost speaking in the Scripture is the highest and the infallible iudge of controversies of religion this GRETSERVS as one possessed with the spirit of contradiction vtters this proposition a Colloq Ratisb per David Rungium K. 1. b. Neque Scriptura sola vt est verbuÌ„ Spiritus Sancti neque ipse Spiritus Sanctus vt loquitur per Scripturam est index supremus infallibilis controversiarum religionis Neither the holy Scripture as it is the word of the holy Ghost nor the holy Ghost himselfe as he speaketh by the Scripture is the supreme and infallible iudge of controversies of religion This hee vndertooke to proue by experience b Ecce flamus in conspectu huius iudicis haec dicens assurgebat codicem biblicum alterâ manu tenebat alterâ
pulsabat Ecce adsum veniat Sp. Sanct. faciat id si potest iudicet me per hanc Scripturam condemnet me si potest per eam dicat si potest erras IACOBE GRETSERE tu causâ cecidisti id si dixerit statim transibo ad vestrum scamnuÌ„ non potest me Spiritus Sanct. iudicare per hanc ScripturaÌ„ Rang. ib. k. 2. a. Behold saith he we stand before the face of this Iudge with that he rose vp and tooke the Bible in one of his hands stroke it with the other wee stand saith he before the face of this Iudge See now I am here I vse his owne words as they are set downe by David Rungeus in his description of the forenamed Colloquie Ecce adsum behold now I am here let the holy Spirit iudge me if he can by this Scripture let him condemne me if he can by Scripture the holy Spirit cannot iudge me by Scripture he cannot let him doe it if he can he cannot condemne me by Scripture Increpet te Deus Sathâ—â— Gretser we doubt not but that the LORD hath or will rebuke thee Dearely beloved in the Lord Schollers can tell you of BroÌ„tes Steropes Pyracmoâ— Polyphemus and others of that rabble of Cyclops and Giants who made a head banded themselues together to plucke Iupiter from out his throne Behold in this Iesuite Venè Cyclopicam audaciam as great impudencie as ever was seene in any Cyclops face that a man by profession a Christian and among Popish Christians of the precise sect a sanctified Iesuite should challenge to a single coÌ„bat God Almighty who would thinke it Some that were at the Colloquie at Worms An. 1557 haue often remembred in their common talke c Rung Colloq Ratisb Q. 2 a. a newe insolent and vnheard of assertion maintained by the Papists Sacram Scripturam non esse vocem iudicis sed materiam litis that the holy Scripture is not a iudges voice but rather the matter of strife and contention It was indeed a strange assertion and by a consequent striking God himselfe the author of holy Scripture Yet you see it is by our modern Iesuits this day matched forasmuch as with their impious assertions touching holy Scripture they do directly strike the holy Spirit It is an old saying ex vngue Leonem A man may knowe a Lyon by his claw Surely let men of vnderstanding consider the audaciousnes impudencie and furie of railing with which those Iesuits before named haue beene throughly replenished they must acknowledge and confesse that those Iesuits were guided by the Spirit of lyes and blasphemies You alreadie see the readinesse of popish Doctors to tread Scripture vnder foot and to do it all the disgrace they can Yet giue me leaue I beseech you by some instance to shew the same vnto you The instance which I make choice of is Gods soveraignety over the Kings and Kingdomes of this world q Hereof I entreated in a Sermon vpon Hos 10.7 Kings and kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almighty A truth included within the generall doctrine commended by S. Paule to the Romans chap. 13.1 All powers that be are ordeined of God acknowledged by Elihu Iob. 34.24 God shall breake the mightie and set vp other in their steed expressed in the praier of Daniel chap. 2.21 God taketh away Kings setteth vp Kings proclaimed as in the Lords owne words Prov. 8.15 16. By me Kings reigne by me princes nobles and iudges do rule This truth hath 3 branches displaied in so many propositions by Lipsius in his r In Monitis Politicis politique advertisements Lib. 1. c. 5. 1 Kings and Kingdomes are given by God 2 Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God 3 Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled governed by God All three are further made good in the infallible evidence of the written word of God The first was Å¿ Regna à Deo Reges dari Lipsius Monit Polit. lib. 1. c. 5. p. 24 Kings and Kingdomes are given by God Thus saith the LORD of Saules successour 1. Sam. 16.1 I haue provided me a King among the sonnes of Ischai and of the revolt of the ten tribes in the rent of the kingdome of Israel 1. King 12.24 This thing is done by me of the victories which Nabuchodonosor was to get over the King of Iudah and other his neighbour Kings the Kings of Edom of Moab of the Ammonites of Tyre of Zidon Ier. 27.6 I haue given all these lands into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the King of Babel my servant It is true which we learne Psal 75.6 Advancement is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the wildernesse Our God is iudge he alone advanceth You see now it is plaine by holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are given by God The second was t Regna à Deo Reges tolli Lips ib. pag. 28. Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God That Gods hand is likewise exercised in the removall of Kings translation of kingdomes it s wel known as by the aboue-cited texts of Scripture so by divine examples whereof I might make a long recitall would I remember you out of Gen. 14. of the fall of those Kings delivered into the hands of Abraham out of Exod. 14. 15. of Pharaohs overthrow in the red sea out of Dan. 4. 5. of Nabuchadnezzar Belshazzar his sonne dispossessed of their crownes and out of other places of the divinely inspired worde of like patterns It s plaine without any further proofe that Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God The third was r Regna à Deo Reges temperari Lips Ibid. p. 34. Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled governed by God For proofe hereof I need no more but remember you of that which I recoÌ„mended to you in the beginning of this Sermon even of the wonderfull extent of Gods care providence to the least and basest things in this world as I said to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oile in a poore widdowes house to the falling of sparrowes to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the calving of hinds to the clothing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of tears down our cheeks Shall God care for these vile and base things and shall he not much more order rule and governe Kings and kingdomes Now beloved in the Lord you see by the evidence of holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almightie Giue eare I beseech you while I shew you how this doctrine and the holy word of God whereon it is grounded is in popish religion neglected disgraced troden vnder foot Romes chiefest champion Cardinall Bellarmine in his fifth booke De Rom. Pontif. cap. 7. doth exempt Kings and kingdomes from the disposition of the Lord of heaven notwithstanding the eternall truth
ruinate nations to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinnefull flesh because of sinne he drowned the old world and because of sin ere long will burne this All this maketh for the truth of my propounded doctrine Three transgressions and fowre that is Many sinnes do pluck downe from heaven the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners A lesson dearely beloved able to make vs if grace be in vs to be wary and to take heed that we bee not overtaken with three transgressions with fowre It is a very dangerous thing to adde sinne to sinne This is done h Perkins Cas Consc three manner of waies 1 By committing one sinne in the necke of another 2 By falling often into the same sinne 3 By lying in sinne without repentance Here we must remember that we are not simply coÌ„demned for our particular sinnes but for our continuance residence in them Our sins committed do make vs worthy of damnation but our living and abiding in them without repentance is the thing that brings damnation Great is the i D. King B. of London in Ion. Lect. 31. strength that sin gathereth by growing and going forwards The growth of sin k In Amos 1.3 Albertus Magnus shaddoweth in marshaling the order of sinning first is peccatum cogitationis next loquutionis thirdly operis then desperationis The beginning of sinne is inward an evil thought it hasteth out into an evil word then followeth the wicked worke what is the end of all Desperation waited on by finall impenitencie This growth of sin S. Hierome plainely expresseth The first step is cogitare quae mala sunt a wicked thought the next cogitationibus adquiescere peruersis to like wel of wicked thoughts the third quod mente decreveris opere complere to put that in action which thou hast wickedly imagined What is the ende of all Non agere poenitentiam in suo sibi complacere delicto even impenitencie and a delight or pleasure to do naughtely Hugo the Cardinall in sins proceeding noteth 1 Suggestion 2 Consent 3 Action 4 Custome and pleasure therein Suggestion is from the Devill who casteth into our hearts impure and vngodly thoughts the rest are froÌ„ our selues such is the corruption of our nature we readily consent to the Devils motion what he moues vs to we act accordingly we take pleasure in it and make it our custome This Custome is not only a graue to bury our soules in but a great stone also rolled to the mouth of it to keepe them downe for ever I say no more to this point but beseech you for Gods sake to be wary and heedfull that you bee not overtaken with three transgressions and with fowre You haue now my propounded doctrine and the first vse to bee made of it My doctrine was Three transgressions and foure that is Many sinnes do pluck downe from heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners The first vse is to make vs wary and heedfull that we be not overtaken with with three transgressions and with foure A second vse is to moue vs to a serious coÌ„templation of the wonderfull patience of Almightie God who did so graciously forbeare to punish those Syrians of Damascus till they had provoked him to displeasure by three transgressions and by foure God is mercifull and gracious long suffering of great goodnesse He cryeth vnto the fooles and are not wee such fooles Prou. 1.22 O yee foolish how long wil yee loue foolishnes He cryeth vnto the faithlesse and is our faith living Matth. 17.17 O generation faithlesse and crooked how long now shall I suffer you He cryeth 〈◊〉 the Iewes and are not we as bad as the Iewes O 〈◊〉 Iâ—â—â—salem 〈◊〉 often Hee dressed his vineyard with the bâ—â—t and â—â—â—dliest husbandry that his heart could invent 〈…〉 he looked for fruit hee required it 〈…〉 first hâ—â—â—e but â—arrying the full time hee looked that it should being forth grapes in the autumne and time of vintage He wayteth for the fruite of his l Luk. 13.6 figgtree three yeares and is content to be entreated that digging and dunging and expectation a fourth yeare may be bestowed vpon it Thus we see Gods patience is wonderfull He is mercifull gracious long suffering and of great goodnes Yet may we not hereon presume Our safest way shall be to rise at the first call if we differre our obedience to the second call we may be prevented Then may God iustly say to vs as hee said vnto the Iewes Esai 65.12 I called and ye did not answere I spake and yee heard not And albeit some fal seaven times a day rise againe albeit to some sinners it pleaseth the Lord to iterate his sufferance yet may not we take encouragement thereby to iterate our misdoings Wee know that God punished his Angels in heaven for one breach Adam for one morsell Miriam for one sclander Moses for one angry word Achan for one sacrilege Ezechias for once shewing his treasures to the Embassadours of Babel Iosias for once going to warre without asking counsell of the LORD and Ananias and Sapphira for once lying to the holy Ghost Is the Lords hand now shortned that he cannot be as speedy and quicke in avenging himselfe vpon vs for our offences Farre be it from vs so to thinke God is not slacke in comming as some count slacknes He maketh the clowds his Chariots he rideth vpon the Cherubins he flieth with the wings of the winde and so he commeth and commeth quickly and his reward is with him to giue to every one according as his workes shall be THE SEAVENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.3 Because they haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of yron THis is the third part of this Prophecie the description of that great sinne by which the Syrians so much offended Let vs first examine the words Gilead Gilead or Galaad or Galeed in holy Scripture is sometime a hill sometime a city and sometime a regioÌ„ or cuntry A hill Gen. 13. So named as appeareth vers the 47. of the heape of stones which was made thereon as a witnesse of the league betweene Iacob and Laban for Gilead is interpreted an a Acervus testimonii heape of witnesse This mountaine Gilead is the b Adrichom greatest of al beyond Iordan it is in length 50 miles and as it is continued and runneth a long it receiueth diverse names From Arnon to the city Cedar it is called Galaad theÌ„ to Bozra it is named Seir afterward Hermon and so reaching to Damascus it is ioined to Libanus and therefore as St. * Comment in hunc locuÌ„ Hierome saith in the 22. of Ierem. verse 6. Lebanon is called the head or beginning of Galeed Gilead or Galaad or Galeed is also a city built vpon mount Gilead as St Hierome witnesseth Here was borne and buried the valiant captaine and iudge of Israel Iephte when hee had iudged Israel six yeares as
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 proclivitie and propensnes vnto mercy We must breake out into the mention of his greate goodnesse and sing alowd of his mercies as David doth Ps 145.7 The Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse he is louing good to all his mercy is over all his works The Lord strong and mightie blessed aboue all yea being blessednesse it selfe and therefore hauing no need of any man is louing and good vnto every man Our sinnes haue provoked 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 sunne to rise on the evill 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 evill do flourish and are in great prosperitie Thus is Gods graciousnesse great bountie extended vnto every man whether he be a blessed Abel or a cursed Cain a loued Iacob or a hated Esau an elected David or a reiected Saul God is louing and good vnto every man the Psalmist addeth and his mercies are over all his workes There is not any one of Gods workes but it sheweth vnto others 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 over all his workes David knewe it well sang accordingly Psal 145.8 The Lord is gracious and mercifull long suffering 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 evill The Church knowes it well and praies accordingly O God whose nature and propertie is ever to haue mercy and to forgiue receiue our humble petitions David 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 graciâ—us â—â—ow to anger abundant in goodnesse and truth reserâ—â—ng mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne In which place of Scripture although afterward there followeth a little of his iustice which hee may not forget yet wee see the maine streame runneth concerning mildnesse and kindnesse and compassion whereby wee may perceaue what it is wherein the LORD delighteth His delight is to be a saviour 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 feâ—te 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 David overcame the Philistines he shall be angry as once he was in the valley of Gibeon when Ioshua discoÌ„fited 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 to forgiue or else strange and somewhat diverse from his nature as to be angry and to punish I knowe some doe expound these words otherwise vnderstanding by that strange worke and strange act of God there meÌ„tioned Opus aliquod insolens admirabile some such work as God seldome worketh some great wonder Notwithstanding this naturall exposition of that place the former may wel 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 overweigh He who is ever iust is mercifull more then ever if it may be possible Hee may forget our iniquities but his tender mercies he will never forget This our LORD good mercifull gracious and long suffering is here in my text the punisher sendeth fire into the house of Hazael wherevpon 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 St Paule Rom. 12.19 It is written vengeance is mine I will repaie 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 sweete singer Psal 94.1 O LORD God the avenger O God the avenger 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 delivered by the wise sonne of Sirach chap. 39. where he saith vers 28. There be spirits that are created for veÌ„geance which in their rigour lay on sure strokes in the time of destruction they shew forth their power and accomplish the wrath of him that made them Fire and haile and famine death 29. al these are created for vengeance The teeth of wilde beasts 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 meale and wheate and hony and milke and the bloud of the grape and oile and cloathing 27. All those things though they be for good vnto the godly yet to the sinners they are turned vnto evill Soe 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 service against vs. The consideration hereof should moue our hearts to wisdoÌ„e It shoulde mooue vs b Hereof I spake in a Sermon vpoÌ„ Hebr. 10.30 to beware of those crying sinnes vsually committed against the first table that wee provoke not Gods vengeance against vs by Idolatrie in worshiping the creature aboue the creator blessed for ever by tempting God in making triall whether his word be true or not by murmuring against God in laying
the place where the body of the Prophet Zacharie lay the tower wherin S. Paule was committed to prison the like that would be beside my purpose For the present know yee that Damascus was the Metropolitane and chiefest city of Syria whence by a figure the figure Synecdoche it is here in my text put for the whole cuntry of Syria By this figure Synecdoche in the name Damascus our Prophet here threatneth all inhabitantes in the country about Damascus he citeth al the Syrians to appeare before the tribunall seat of Almightie God because they had vniustly troubled and vexed the city Gilead But of this hereafter Now let vs see what is meant by the three transgressions and foure here mentioned in the general accusation of the Syrians For three transgressions and for foure The word Transgressions signifieth whatsoever detestable thoughts words or deeds may be conceived vttered or acted against Gods law our holy faith and Christian duties These three transgressions of Damascus are in the iudgement of Arias Montanus the same with the three transgressions of Azzah and of Tyrus of Edom and of Ammon and of Moab and of Iudah of Israel so often repeated in this and the next chapters namely the vaine worship of strange Gods whordomes murders The fourth saith he is added in the text even their barbarous cruelty They threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of yron For three transgressions of Damascus for foure S. Hierome expoundeth these wordes as if the Syrians of Damascus had dealt cruelly against the people of God not once or twise only but also a third and fourth time to this sense if the Syrians had persecuted my people but once or a second time I should haue pardoned them but now when they haue not ceased a third fourth time to practise their cruelty vpon my chosen people even to thresh them with threshing instruments of yron shall I not visit for these things is it not time that I beat them with rods is it not necessary that I turne from them the countenaunce of my clemencie For three transgressionâ— of Damascus and for foure d Apud Mercerum Some referre these three and foure transgressions to three and foure generations thus though God vseth to forbeare and pardon mens sinnes to the third fourth generation yet in the fourth he wil vndoubtedly execute his vengeance e Ibid. Some others doe make this sense of these words God vseth to remit and to forgiue any man his sins for thrise but if the fourth time he sinne likewise there is no hope of remissioÌ„ According to that which we read Iob 33.29 All these things will God worke twise or thrise with a man that he may turne back his soule from the pit to be illuminated in the light of the living Twise or thrise will God chastice vs for our sinnes but if we sinne the fourth time Wo vnto vs we are left vnto our selues For three transgressions and for foure f Mercer Wincklema Some doe ioyne these numbers to make seaven because the number of seaven in holy Scripture is a number of plenitude perfection as Levit. 26.18 If you will not obey me I will punish you seaven times for your sins To which sense here by three transgressions foure that is by seaven they affirme the multitude and greatnesse of the sinnes of Damascus to be designed and pointed at For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure The last exposition wherewith I wil now hold you is the most g Mercer Calvin Drusius generall proper and significant to vnderstand by three and foure which make a certain number a number infinite vncertaine For as oft as he will God forgiveth though we sinne a hundred times It is but the custome of the Scripture thus to speak God waiteth for vs twise thrise that is a good while to haue vs returne from our evill waies vnto repentance but the fourth time that is at length when he seeth vs persist in our impenitencie he reproveth vs casteth vs away and leaveth vs in our sinnes You haue hitherto the generall accusation of the Syrians whereby you know they were defiled with three transgressioÌ„s and with foure with very many sins Now followeth the protestation of Almighty God against them for their sinnes I will not turne to it to them to the inhabitants of Damascus to the Syrians that is I will haue no mercy on them These words are diversly rendred by expositors by the author of the vulgar Latine and by Gualter Non convertam eum I will not turne it that is I will not recall the Syrians of Damascus to the right way they shal runne on to their owne perdition By Calvin Non propitius ero ei I will not be favourable to the Syrians of Damascus I will not returne vnto mercy By Mercer Non parcam ei I will not spare the Syrians of Damascus According to their deserts so shall it be measured to them By Iunius Non avertam istud I will not turne away the punishment wherewith I haue resolved to punish them I am the LORD am not changed I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devour the palaces of Benhadad c. The summe of both the Accusation Protestation is if the Syrians had offended but once or a second time I would haue beene favourable to them would haue recald them into the way that so they might haue been converted and escaped my punishments but now whereas they do dayly heape transgression vpon transgression finde no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to bee converted but indurate and obstinate as they are I wil vtterly destroy them For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure I will not turne to it Having thus expounded these words giue me leaue out of them to gather such notes as may make for our further instruction and reformation My first note is Three transgressions and foure do plucke downe from Heaven the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the transgessors The doctrine Three transgressions and foure that is Many sinnes do pluck downe from heaven the most certaine wrath vengeance of God vpon the sinners God is of pure eies and beholdeth not iniquity he hath laid righteousnes to the rule and weighed his iustice in a ballance The sentence is passed forth and must stand vncontrouleable even as long as sunne and moone Tribulation and anguish vpon every soule that doth evill The soule that sinneth it shall bee punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 32.41 that he will whâ—t his glittering sword his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance vpon sinners His soule hateth and abhorreth sinne his law curseth and condemneth sinne his hand smiteth and scourgeth sin Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne cities into ashes to
LORD that he may out off their memorial from the earth So it 's vsed Ezech. 14.13 Sonne of man when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse then will I stretch out mine hand vpō it and will breake the staffe of bread thereof and wil send famine vpon it and will cut off man and beast from it I will cut off that is I will destroy both man and beast from a sinfull land I omit many like places of holy writte and commend vnto you but one more parallell to this in my text It is in the 3. ver of the 2. chap. of this prophecie There thus saith the LORD I will cut of the iudge out of the midst of Moab as here in my text I will cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and verse the 8. I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod I will cut off whether the iudge out of the middest of Moab or the inhabitant from Ashdod or the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven the meaning is one and the same I will cut off that is I will vtterly destroy or extinguish Which to bee the meaning of the word the author of the Vulgar Latin acknowledgeth translating the word in the originall not excindam as indeed it signifieth I will cut off but disperdā I will destroy So do the Seaventy Interpreters in their Greeke edition of the Bible here translating the Hebrew word not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as indeed it signifieth I will cut off but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will vtterly or altogether destroy overthrowe and extinguish I will cut off the inhabitant the inhabitant what but one yes all and every one of the inhabitants The Holy Spirit in the sacred Scripture vseth so to speake by a word of the singular nūber to vnderstand more then one yea all of that kinde which kind of speech is analogically reduced to the figure Synocdoche Let vs see the truth of this in a few instances In Exod. 8.6 it is said when Aarō stretched out his hand vpō the waters of Egypt that then the frogge came vp and covered the land The frogge It were senselesse to thinke that one frogge could cover the land of Egypt and therefore by the frogge we are to vnderstand many frogges In Num. 21.7 the Israelites desired Moses to pray to the LORD that he would take away from them the Serpent The serpent what but one It is out of doubt that the people meant all the fierie serpents sent among them by the LORD to sting them to death of which wee read verse the 6. Ieremie in chap. 8.7 saith that the storke the turtle the crane the swallow doe knowe obserue their appointed times The storke the turtle the crane the swallow We may not thinke the Prophet singleth out one storke one turtle one crane one swallow from the rest but his meaning is of all storkes turtles cranes swallowes that they knowe obserue their appointed times As in the now cited places so here in my text the holy Ghost vseth one number for another the singular for the plurall vnderstanding by one inhabitant all the inhabitants of Bikeath-Aven Of Bikeath-Aven the Greek Translators taking the words partly appellatiuely and partly properly doe render them the field of On. In like sort Gualter the valley of Aven The author of the Vulgar Latin vnderstanding them wholy appellatiuely rendreth them the field of the Idol and so they may signifie the plaine of Aven the plaine of griefe the plaine of sorrow as Calvin observeth Innius and Tremellius doe render it as before Gualter è convalle Avenis the valley of Aven vnderstanding thereby the whole coast of Chamatha which way Syria bordereth vpon Arabia surnamed the Desert Calvin saith it is vncertain whether Bikeath-Aven be a proper name of a place or no yet saith he it is probable Drusius following the Hebrew Doctors affirmeth that it is the proper name of a city in Syria Mercer the learned professour of Paris ioineth with him And our English Geneva Translatiō draweth vs to be of the same mind that Bikeath-Aven is a proper name of a city in Syria The same opinion must we hold of Beth-Eden in the next clause that it is a proper name of a city in Syria of which opinion I find Mercer and Drusius and our English Translators at Geneva to haue beene And Calvin holds it to bee credible though he translates it the house of Eden so Gualter doth so doth Tremellius who by the house of Eden vnderstandeth the whole country of of Coelesyria wherein stood the city Eden The author of the Vulgar Latin takes Beth-Eden for an appellatiue and translates it the house of pleasure Such indeed is the significatiō of the word and it is by Arias Montanus Ribera applied to signifie the city of Damascus as if Damascus were there called not only Bikeath-Aven that is the field of the Idol because of the Idolatrie there vsed but also Beth-Eden that is the house of pleasure because of the pleasant situation thereof But I retaine the proper name Beth-Eden and take it for a city in Syria wherein the King of Syria had a palace and mansion house Which I take to be plaine in my text where the LORD threatneth to cut off him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden Him that holdeth the scepter that is the King keeping his court at Beth-Eden For I see not any absurditie in it if I say that the King of Syria had a mansion house as well at Beth-Eden as at Damascus and that at this time the court lay at Beth-Eden Him that holdeth the scepter This is a periphrasis or circumlocution of a King A scepter is Regium gestamen and insigne potestatis Regiae a Kingly mace the proper ensigne or token of Kingly power Whence in the best of Greeke Poets Homer Kings are called * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 86. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scepter-bearers Hereby wee vnderstand what we read in the storie of Hester chap. 8.4 King Assuerus hold out his golden scepter toward Hester And that Gen. 49.10 The scepter shall not depart from Iudah In the former place Assuerus maketh shew of his kingly favour vnto Hester by holding out his mace vnto her in the later Iacob prophecieth of the stabilitie and continuance of the Kingdome in the tribe of Iudah till the comming of the Messias Here then he that holdeth the scepter in Beth-Eden is the King abiding in Beth-Eden Hitherto beloved haue I laboured to vnfold the words of my text I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden I the LORD with my mighty power will cut off will vtterly consume and destroie the inhabitant not one only but every one that dwelleth in Bikeath-Aven the so named city of Syria There will I not staie my hand but I will also with my mighty power cut of vtterly consume and destroy him that holdeth the scepter not only the
Matt. 10.20 but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you And againe Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me S. Paule coÌ„mendeth the Thessalonians 1. ep chap. 2.13 for that when they receaved of the Apostles of Christ the word of the preaching of God they receaved it not as the word of man but as it was indeed as the word of God Well therefore did S. Iames chap. 1.21 thus to exhort the Iewes Receiue with meeknes the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules God spake vnto Israel in a vision by night Genes 46.2 and said Iacob Iacob Iacob answered I am here Hee was prest and ready with all â—â—â—ient attentioÌ„ to heare what his God should say vnto him and to follow the same with all faithfull obedience Such readinesse well becommeth every child of God eveÌ„ at this day in the Church where God speaketh Thus must hee thinke within himselfe It is thine ordinance o LORD by thy word preached to instruct me concerning thy holy will I am here LORD in all humble feare to heare thy blessed pleasure what this day it shall please thee to put in the mouth of the preacher to deliver vnto me I am here speake on LORD thy servant heareth If a Prince or some great man of this world shall speake vnto you you will attend and giue eare vnto him with your best diligence how much more then ought yee so to doe when the King of Heaven and LORD of the earth calleth vpon you by his ministers Thus farre by occasion of the preface Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of the children of Ammon for foure Whether these children of Ammon wore distinguished from the Ammonites as Drusius would proue 2. Chron. 20.1 and as R. David avoweth filij Ammon nusquam vocantur Ammonitae the children of Ammon are no where named Ammonites I hold it needlesse to dispute in this place It is one of doubt that these children of Ammon or Ammonites did lineally descend from Ben-ammi who was Dots sonne begotten in meest vpon his yonger daughter Gen. 19.38 Lot was Abrahams brothers sonne Gen. 14.12 Whereby it is evident that the posteritie of them both the children of Israel and the children of Ammon the Israelites and the Ammonites were linked together by affinitie and alliance The more to blame were those Ammonites without all respect of kindred to exercise such crueltie as they did against the Israelites for which cause Almightie God here sent his blessed Prophet to thunder out his threates against them For three transgressions of the children of Ammon for foure In the front of this prophecie you haue the generall accusation of these children of Ammon For three transgressions and for foure Three of these transgressions if you will beleeue Albertus Magnus are Crueltie Avarice and persecution the fourth is an obstinate pertinacie a constant stubbornesse ever to dwell in those sinnes Againe three of these transgressions are a coveting of other mens goods an vnlawful seeking for those things that are not our owne and a hardnes of heart to retaine them so sought for the fourth is the vnsatiable desire of a covetous man Many are the expositions of the learned vpon these words three and foure transgressions The most naturall proper significant I take to bee if by three and foure a finite and certaine number you vnderstand a number infinite vncertaine God as often as he will forgiueth though wee sinne tenne thousand times It is but a custome of the Scripture thus to speake God waiteth for vs twise and thrise that is a long time to see if wee will returne froÌ„ our evill waies vnto repentance but the fourth time that is at length when he seeth vs persist in our impeniteÌ„cie he reproveth vs casteth vs away leaveth vs in our sinnes Thus haue you the generall accusation of the children of Ammon for their many sinnes for which the LORD'S protestatioÌ„ against them followeth I will not 〈…〉 Those 〈◊〉 are diversly rendred by expositors by the author of the vulgar Latin and by Gualtâ—r NoÌ„ convert 〈…〉 I will not turne the Ammonite that is I wil not recall the children of Ammon to the right way they shall run on to their owne perdition By Calvin Non â—rocipropitius I wil not be favourable to the Ammonites By Mercer Non parcam ei I will not spare the Ammonites According to their deserts so shall it be vnto them By Iunius Non avertam istud I wil not turne away the punishment wherewith I haue resolued to punish them I am the LORD I am not changed The summe is if the Ammonites had offended but once or a second time I would haue beene favourable to them would haue recald them into the right way that so they might be coÌ„verted and escape my punishments but now whereas they doe dayly heape transgression vpon transgression and make no end of sinning I haue hardned my face against them and will not suffer them to be converted but indurate and obstinate as they are I will vtterly destroy them For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for foure I will not turne to it Here are you to be remembred of a doctrine sundry times heretofore commended to your christian considerations Many sinnes doe plucke downe from heaven the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vpon the sinners God is of pure eies and beholdeth not iniquity Hee hath laid righteousnes to the rule and weighed his iustice in a balance The sentence is passed forth and must stand vncontrouleable even as long as the sunne and moone Tribulation and anguish vpon every soule that doth evill The soule that sinneth it shall be punished God makes it good by an oath Deut. 32.41 That he will what his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance for sinne His soule hateth abhorreth sinne his law curseth condemneth sinne his hand smiteth scourgeth sinne Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell to thrust Adam out of Paradise to turne cities into Ashes to ruinate nations to torment his own bowels in the similitude of sinnefull flesh Because of sinne he drowned the old worlde and because of sinne ere long will burne this Thus do many sinnes plucke c. One vse of this doctrine is to teach vs heedfulnesse in al our waies that we doe not by our many sinnes provoke Almightie God to high displeasure A second vse is to moue vs to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God who did soe graciously forbeare these children of AmmoÌ„ til by three foure transgressions by their many sinnes they provoked him to indignation These thinges I haue heretofore laboured to lay vnto your hearts Now therefore I proceede to the thirde part of this prophecie wherein you haue the declaration of that grievous sinne by which the children of Ammon so highly offended This their sinne was the sinne of cruelty
no not for particular provinces or countries Almightie God who once did breake vp the fountaines of the great deepe and did open the windowes of Heaven Gen. 7.11 he is the same God still Almightie still his arme is stretched out still He can at his pleasure command the cloudes and they shall poure forth abundance of waters to the washing away of our dwelling houses But say he wil not come against vs with his armie of waters yet being Deus exerciâ—â—â— a God of boastes he hath armies of another kind at command to worke the suddaine subversion and overthrow of all our dwellings I yet present you not with lightning with thunder with windes with earthquakes wherewith the LORD of Hoasts the mightie one of Israel hath laid wast and made desolate many the habitations of sinfull men my text presents you with fire and let it suffice for this time Say I beseech you is it not a fearefull thing that insteed of the fatnesse of the cloudes of the greater and smaller raine of the sweet dewes of heaven of coÌ„fortable shewers which God hath engendred in the aire and divided by pipes to fall vpon the earth in their seasons our grounds should be withered our fruits consumed our temples and our buildings resolved into cinders yea and sometimes our skinnes bones too molten from our backes Yet beloued this sometimes comes to passe when fire one of the executioners of Gods vengeance is sent vpon vs for our sinnes What became of Sodom and Gomorah other cities of that plaine Were they not turned into ashes by fire from the LORD The storie is knowne Gen. 19.24 But what need old stories to confirme so plaine a matter whereof we haue daily and lamentable experience Doe not the grievous coÌ„plaints of many of our neighbours vndone by fire seeking from our charitable devotions some smal reliefe make good proofe hereof Dearely beloved learne we by their example to cast away from vs all our transgressions whereby we haue transgressed and to turne vnto the LORD our God lest delighting and treading in the wickednesse of their waies we be made partakers also of their punishments It is neither care nor policie that can stay Gods revengeful hand when he bringeth fire in it To this purpose memorable is the example of a country man of ours who in K. Edwards daies was a professour of the true religion that religion which by Gods goodnesse we doe this day professe This man in the o Foxe Martyrolog pag. 1893. Acts Monuments of our Church is named p A Smith dwelling at WELL in Cambridge shire Richard Denton and is there noted to haue beene an instructour of one q Of Wishich in the I le of Elie. Sometime Constable of WELL and dwelling there William Wolsey in the same his holy religion Not long after in Queene Maries daies when fire and fagot were the portion of true professours Wolsey was apprehended and imprisoned In time of his durance hee sent commendations to Denton his instructour withall demaunding by his messenger why he tarried so long after him seeing hee had beene his first instructour in the Scriptures Dentons answere was I cannot burne Cannot burne You see his policie hee halted betweene God and man he dissembled the profession of his Christian faith because forsooth he could not burne Well Queene Maries daies were soone at an end and God caused the light of the Gospell to shine againe vnder the peaceable governement of Queene Elizabeth The did our dissembler thinke himselfe safe enough from any flame of fire But behold the haxd of God His house was on fire and he with two others ventring to saue some of his goods perished in the flame Thus you see policie prevailes not when Gods revengefull hand brings fire with it And thinke you that câ—re will helpe What Care against the LORD Farre be it from vs beloved so to thinke Let vs rather make our humble coÌ„fession with king Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.31 32. that the Most High liveth for ever that his power is an everlasting power and his kingdome from generation to generatioÌ„ that all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing to him that according to his will he worketh in the armie of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou None can stay his hand This is it which before I noted namely that It 's neither care nor policie that can stay Gods revengefull hand when hee bringeth fire in it as here it 's threatned vnto Rabbah I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah Thus farre by occasioÌ„ of my first doctrine which was It is not the greatnes of a city that can be a safegard vnto it if Gods vnappeaseable wrath breake out against it for its sins And it was grounded vpon these words I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah It 's further added of this fire that it shall devoure the palaces of Rabbah Which branch repeated in each of the precedent prophecies as vers 4 7 10 12. hath formerly yeelded vs this doctrine God depriveth vs of a great blessing when he taketh from vs our dwelling houses This truth is experimeÌ„tally made good vnto vs by the great commodity or coÌ„tentment that coÌ„meth to every one of vs by our dwelling houses The vse whereof is to teach vs. 1. To be huÌ„bled before Almighty God whensoever it shall please him by water by fire by winde by lightning by thuÌ„der by earthquakes or otherwise to overthrow our dwelling houses 2. Since wee peaceably enioy our dwelling houses to vse them for the furtherance of Gods glory 3. To render all hearty thankes vnto Almighty God for the comfortable vse we haue of our dwelling houses Thus farre of the commination or denuntiation of iudgement as it is set downe in generall The speciall circumstances whereby it is further notified or illustrated do coÌ„cerne partly the punishment partly the punished CoÌ„cerning the punishment it is full of terrour speedy First full of terrour in these words With shouting in the daie of battell With shouting in classico saith Brentius cum clâ—ngore saith Drusius that is with the sound or noise of trumpets The Septuagint do read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latin in ululatu Mercer cum vociferatione Gualter cum clamore Calvin cum clamore vel Iubilo that is with a cry with a great cry with a vociferatioÌ„ with a shout such as souldiers do make when on a suddaine they surprise a citie In the day of battell in die belli The like phrase we haue Psa 78.9 where it is said of the children of Ephraim that being armed shooting with the bow they turned backe in die belli in the day of battell David confesseth Ps 140.7 O LORD God the strength of my salvation thou hast coverd my head in die belli in the day of battell SalomoÌ„ saith Pro. 21.31 The horse is prepared in dieÌ„