Seventeen Sermons on Amos 3, Sermon 4
THE Fourth Lecture.
AMOS 3.4.
Will a Lion roare in the Foreſt, when he hath no prey? Will a young Lion cry out of his den, if he hauehave taken nothing?
THat a people, choſen by God himſelfe to be his peculiar, aboue all the Nations vponupon the earth, honoured with many ſingular and ſuper-eminent priuileges, aduanced to the cuſtody of Gods holieſt Oracles, ſhould be ſo ſtif-necked, ſo vncircumciſed of hearts and eares, ſo diſobedient, ſo rebellious, as to ſet at nought the threatnings of the Lord, to account them vaine, to eſteeme of them as of ſports, could it euer be imagined? Yet thus ſtood the caſe with the people of the ten Tribes, the children of Iſrael, with whom this our Prophet Amos was to deale.
Amoſ, to meet with ſuch their groſſe ſtupidity, and to reforme their erronious conceits of thoſe fearefull threatnings; which the Almighty by the mouth of his holy Prophets vſeth to giuegive forth againſt ſinners and wicked men, inſtructeth them by ſimilitudes. The ſimilitudes which here he bringeth, are in number ſix. They are all taken from vulgar experience, and ſuch as is incident to a Shepherds walke. Of the firſt, taken from way-faring men, from two trauellers vponupon the way, I ſpake in my laſt exerciſe, occaſioned thereunto by the third verſe of this Chapter.
This fourth verſe, now read vntounto you, will yeeld vsus two other, taken from the cuſtome of Lions, old and young. From the cuſtome of the old Lion in theſe words; Will a Lion roare in the foreſt, when he hath no prey? From the cuſtome of the young Lion, in theſe; Will a young Lion cry out of his den, if he hauehave taken nothing at all? Of both in their order: and firſt of the old Lion.
Will a LIon roare in the foreſt, when he hath no prey?] The anſwer ſhould be negatiue; No; he will not. Will he not? It ſeemes he will. Elſe how may that bee vnderſtood which is ſpoken of our aduerſary, the Deuill, 1 Pet. 5.8. that he, as a roaring Lion walketh about, ſeeking whom he may deuoure? There it ſeemes the Lion roareth before hee hauehave his prey. That he doth ſo, many of the Ancient hauehave affirmed it. Its affirmed by R. Dauid, he ſaith; When the beaſts of the forreſt heare the Lions voice, they by and by through feare ſtand ſtill, and the Lion taketh for his prey, which of them hee will. So ſaith Lyra; Ad rugitum Leonis prada ſequitur; the Lion roareth, and then he takes his prey. So Dionyſius the Carthuſian; Leo cum famem patitur, mox vt beſtiam viderit, rugitum dat, quo audito territa beſtia gradum figit, & capitur. The Lion, ſaith he, when he is hungry, if he ſee a beaſt, roareth: the beaſt, terrified with the Lions voice, ſtands ſtill and is taken. Saint Baſil ſaies as much for ſubſtance. His words are in his ninth Homily vponupon the Hexaëmeron: Nature hath beſtowed vponupon the Lion, ſuch organs or inſtruments for his voice, that oftentimes beaſts farre ſwifter than the Lion are taken, foreign, onelyonly by the roaring of the Lion. The Lion roares; the beaſt ſtoopes, and is taken.
Saint Cyril likewiſe, he that was Archbiſhop of Alexandria, he hath the like obſeruation, and he takes it from thoſe, who with much curioſity and diligence hauehave ſought into the nature of wild beaſts. The obſeruation is, that the hungry Lion, eſpying ſome beaſt fit for his food, through his hideous and vncouth roaring ſeizeth vponupon it for his prey. Now if a Lion will roare before he hauehave taken his prey, as by the now produced authorities it ſeemes he will, to what end ſerues this interrogation, Will a Lion roare in the forreſt, when he hath no prey?
I muſt anſwer as I did out of Carthuſian to the former ſimilitude, that Amos here ſpeaketh, ſecundum communem curſum, according to the commong courſe, and communiter verum eſſe, that its commonly true that a Lion will not roare in the forreſt, when he hath no prey. Commonly it is true, yet not euer ſo. Mercerus hath a Solet to expreſſe the meaning with: Will a Lion roare in the forreſt, when he hath no prey? Non ſolet haud dubiè; Without doubt he vſeth not ſo to doe. Druſius hath likewiſe a Solent for the ſaluing of this queſtion; Leones non ſolent rugire, niſi praedam ceperint, capturine ſint; Lions, they vſe not to roare, vnleſſe they hauehave taken ſome prey, or are ready to take it. They vſe it not, though it may be ſometime they doe it.
But why will a Lion roare when he hath gotten his prey? Should he not then rather be quiet, and fall to the deuouring of his prey? Plutarch in a treatiſe of his, concerning this queſtion, Which creatures hauehave more reaſon, they that line on the earth, or they that in the water? thus ſpeaketh of the Lion: The Lion, when he hath gotten a prey vſeth to roare, thereby to call his fellow-lions to be his partakers in the prey. But I will not now diue into the ſecrets of nature. Why the Lion roareth when he hath his prey, it much skilleth not: it is plaine, he roareth.
It is plaine by the 22. Pſalme, where Dauid complaining of the cruelty of his enemies vnderunder the name of the Bulls of Baſhan, ſaith of them, verſ. 13. They gaped vponupon mee with their mouthes, as a rauening and a roaring Lion. It is likewiſe plaine by the 31. of Eſay. At the fourth verſe of that Chapter, you may ſee the Lion roaring on his prey. In the 22. of Ezechiel, verſe 25. you may behold in Ieruſalem a conſpiracy of Prophets like a roaring Lion, rauening the prey. Well then is it demanded by Amos in my Text, Will a Lion roare in the forreſt, when he hath no prey? Thus farre of the old Lion. It followeth of the young.
Will a young Lion cry out of his den, if he hauehave taken nothing?
This young Lion in the originall is foreign Chephir, Leo-iuuenis, leunculus; in the Septuagint, he is foreign: in the Vulgar, Catulus Leonis, the Lions whelpe. The property of this young Lion or Lions whelpe is, to lie cloſe in his den without making any noiſe at all, till ſuch time as the old Lion brings him a booty for his food; then doth this whelpe rouze vp himſelfe, giues forth his voice, cryeth and roareth. It is Saint Cyrils obſeruation. Petrus Luſitanus likes it well. Hee thus deliuers it: Leunculus in latibulo ſuo jacens, tacet; The Lions whelpe couching in his den makes no noiſe: at vbi praedam à Leone adductam ceperit, tunc vocem dat, & exultat; but when he hath taken his prey, brought vntounto him by the old Lion, then for ioy he leapeth, then he giues forth his voice, cryeth and roareth.
Now to the queſtion, as it is made by Tauerner, Cryeth a Lions whelpe out of his den, except he hauehave gotten ſome thing? or as it is in our neweſt Engliſh, Will a young Lion cry, or giuegive forth his voice out of his den, if he hauehave taken nothing? My anſwer muſt be, as it was to that of the old Lion, and out of Mercer too, Non ſolet hand dubiè, Out of doubt, the young Lion, or Lions whelpe vſeth not, as he lieth in his den, to giuegive forth his voice, to cry or roare except hee hauehave gotten ſomewhat. Hee vſeth not ſo to doe.
Some Expoſitors there are, that will hauehave theſe two branches of the Lion, and the Lions whelpe to be all one; and the latter to be but a repetition of the former, mutatis verbis, in others words. So R. Dauid, and Lyranus. But Saint Cyril is of opinion, they are not all one, but are different; So is Saint Hierome. So R. Abraham. So Albertus, Rupertus, Carthuſian, and others: and with theſe accordeth our preſent expoſition.
The expoſition thus giuen, deſcend we to the application, that we may vnderſtand what this Lion is, and what the Lions whelpe.
Will a Lion roare in the foreſt, when he hath no prey?
The Lion is God, the foreſt the world, the prey of the Lion the people of the world, the roaring of the Lion Gods threatnings by his Prophets. You may thus apply it: As a Lion will not roare in the foreſt, vnleſſe he hauehave a prey; So neither will God by his Prophets threaten any euill, vnleſſe he bee thereunto vrged by the ſinnes of the people. Such commonly is the application of this ſecond ſimilitude.
With Rupertus likewiſe this Lion is God; but the Lions prey is omnis electus, eueryevery one of the Elect: who, whereſoeuer he be, becauſe he is predeſtinate vntounto life, ab ipſo Deo requiritur, is ſought for of God himſelfe, that at his voice, whether it be vttered by an Angell, or by a Prophet, or by the Scriptures, he may tremble, may be humbled, may repent him of his ſinnes, and be ſaued. The application which he maketh is after this manner: Nunquid rugiet Leo in ſaltu, niſi habuerit praedam? Will a Lion roare in the foreſt, vnleſſe he hath a prey? Idem eſt, ac ſi dicet, It is as if he ſaid, Is it worthy of God, there to ſpeake, or thither to ſend a Prophet, where he knoweth there is none worthy of eternall life? Is it ſeemely, is it any way fit, that God ſhould there vtter his voice, or ſend his Meſſengers thither, where hee knoweth, there is not any one ordained vntounto ſaluation? By all congruity of reaſon the anſwer muſt be negatiue; No, its altogether vnſeemly; its not any way fit. The Lion in the foreſt roares not, vnleſſe he hauehave his prey. This expoſition of Rupertus is by Ribera mentioned with ſome approbation: but Petrus à Figueiro ſaith, it is nimis violenta, too violent, too far fetched. And well may it be ſo.
Arias Montanus by this Lion, and Lions whelpe, vnderſtandeth Sennacherib and Nabuchodonozor, two Aſſyrian Kings, two mighty enemies to the ſtate of the Kingdome of Iudah. According to him thus muſt the application be: As a prey, that is betweene the Lions teeth, or within his pawes, cannot eſcape away; ſo ſhall not the people of Iudah eſcape from out the hands of Sennacherib, or Nabuchodonozor. Bur this application of his is not ſo fit for this place, becauſe whatſoeuer is here ſpoken, it is ſpoken not to the people of Iudah, but the people of the ten Tribes.
If great Albert muſt be followed, this Lion muſt be vel Deus comminans, vel meliùs inimi us inuadens, vel homo, vel Diabolus. This Lion muſt be either God threatning, or rather ſome enemy inuading, be he man or Deuill.
The Deuill muſt be this Lion in the conſtruction of diuers, as Carthuſian hath obſerued, for as much as the Deuill like a roaring Lion walketh about ſeeking whom he may deuoure, Semperque ſitit animarum damnationem, & rugit vt eas deglutiat, and euer thirſteth of the damnation of the ſoules of men, and roareth that he may ſwallow them vp. I may not deny, but that the Deuill for his extreme fierceneſſe and cruelty ioyned with force and hurt to annoy mankind, is by Saint Peter likened to a Lion, to a roaring Lion; yet I cannot thinke that he is the Lion in my Text; no, though this in my Text be a roaring Lion.
But may not ſome man, an enemy, a tyrant, an oppreſſor, one or more, be meant by this Lion, this roaring Lion in my Text? Its not to be doubted, but that ſuch are diuers times in the holy Scriptures compared to Lions. The wicked man, who is euermore an enemy to the godly, is likened to a Lion, Pſal. 10.9. He lieth in wait ſecretly as a Lion in his den; he lieth in wait to catch the poore. Dauids enemies are as Lions; He ſo ſpeakes of them, Pſal. 22.13. They gaped vponupon mee with their mouthes, as a rauening and a roaring Lion. Tyrants and oppreſſors of the Church are as Lions. Such a one was Nero, Saint Paul calls him a Lion, 2 Tim. 4.17. I was, ſaith hee, deliuered out of the mouth of the Lion. The Lion, not the Deuill, as Ambroſe ſaith; nor Feſtus the Preſident of Iudaea, as Primaſius affirmeth: but Nero, proud and cruell Nero, perſecuting Nero, as its expounded by Chryſoſtome, Theodoret, Theophylact, Oecumenius, Aquinas, and Euſebius, Hiſt. Eccleſ. lib. 2. cap. 22. Be it then granted, that Men, enemies to the godly, Tyranas and oppreſſors are in holy Scripture ſometimes compared to Lions; yet can it not thence be inferred, that therefore by this roaring Lion in my Text, Men are to be vnderſtood.
It remaineth then, that God either ſolely or principally be here intended. Sic communiter omnes intelligunt, ſaith Chriſtophorus à Caſtro. So doe all Expoſitors commonly vnderſtand this Text: that God ſhould be this Lion. And not only the old Lion, but the young one too. God is compared to both, as wel to the young Lion as to the old. To both he is compared, Hoſ. 5.14. There thus ſaith the Lord: I will be vntounto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the houſe of Iudah. I, euen I will teare and goe away: I will take away, and none ſhall reſcue him. So likewiſe, Eſay 31.4. Thus hath the Lord ſpoken: Like as the Lion and the young Lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of Shepherds is called forth againſt him, hee will not be afraid of their voice, nor abaſe himſelfe for the noiſe of them: ſo ſhall the Lord of hoſts come downe to fight for mount Sion and for the hill thereof. In both places you ſee, God is compared not onelyonly to the old Lion, but to the young one too, to the Lions whelpe. So is he here in this Text of mine. Now the meaning is; As a Lion will not roare in the foreſt, except hee hath a prey, nor the young Lion cry out of his denne, except he hath gotten ſomewhat: No more will Almighty God roare from Sion, or vtter his voice from Ieruſalem, except there be a prey ready for him: He will not by his Prophets and Miniſters giuegive forth his threatnings, except there be iuſt cauſe for him, to be auenged vponupon a people for their ſinnes. My obſeruation is: If by our ſinnes we prouoke Gods wrath againſt vsus, wee ſhall finde that his threatning of vsus will not be in vaine.
The threatnings of God, they are not vana dunt axat puerorum ſimpliciſque ruſticitatis terricula, as Quadratus hath well noted, they are not onelyonly as ſcar-crowes or bugs for the terrifying of little children and the ruder ſort of people; but are certaine euidences of Gods reſolution for the puniſhment of ſinne. Neuer are they in vaine.
Of two ſorts they are: for either they concerne a ſpirituall and eternall puniſhment; or a puniſhment, that is temporary and corporall.
Of the firſt ſort is that commination, Deut. 27.26. Curſed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them. The puniſhment there threatned is ſpirituall, it is eternall. Saint Paul ſo expounds it, Gal. 3.10. where he ſaith: As many as are of the workes of the Law, are vnderunder the curſe: for it is written, Curſed is eueryevery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them. The curſe there ſpoken of is no temporall, no corporall matter, it is ſpirituall, it is eternall. The reaſon is, becauſe the curſe is oppoſed to the bleſſing. Now to bee bleſſed with faithfull Abraham, is to be iuſtified, to bee abſolued from ſinne and death, to be in fauour with God, to obtaine eternall ſaluation, and therefore to be accurſed, is to be condemned for ſinne, to be caſt out from God, to be adiudged to euerlaſting death and Hell. The bleſſing is ſpirituall and eternall, and therefore muſt the curſe alſo be ſpirituall and eternall.
Comminations of the ſecond ſort are in holy Writ more frequent and obuious. If you will not hearken to the Lord your God to doe his Commandements, but will deſpight his ſtatutes and abhorre his iudgements, then will the Lord doe thus and thus vntounto you. In the 26. of Leuit. verſ. 16. he will viſit you with vexations, conſumptions, and burning agues, that ſhall conſume your eyes, and cauſe you ſorrow of heart. Ʋerſ. 17. he will ſet his face againſt you, and ye ſhall bee ſlaine before your enemies: they that hate you ſhall reigne ouer you, and ye ſhall flee when none purſueth you. Verſ. 19. Hee will breake the pride of your power, and will make your Heauen as iron, and your Earth as braſſe: and your ſtrength ſhall be ſpent in vaine; for, neither ſhall your land yeeld her encreaſe, nor your trees their fruits. Verſ. 32. Hee will ſend wilde beaſts among you which ſhall rob you of your children, and deſtroy your cattell, and make you few in number. Theſe and other like threatnings againſt the wilfull contemners of Gods holy Will you may better read of in the now alleaged 26. Chapter of Leuiticus, and 28. Chapter. of Deuteronomy, and other places of holy Scripture, than I can at this time ſtand vponupon to relate them. They are many: they are fearefull. Many and fearefull are the puniſhments, though but temporary and corporall, which the Lord threatneth to the wilfull contemners of his holy Will.
Thus you ſee, Gods threatnings are of two ſorts; either of ſpirituall and eternall puniſhments, or puniſhments that are temporary and corporall. Theſe threatnings of puniſhments, corporall or ſpirituall, temporary or eternall, are by the Lord himſelfe accompliſhed at times certaine and vnchangeable.
When the old world in the daies of Noah had growne to much impiety and wickedneſſe, the Lord appointed a certaine ſpace, the ſpace of 120. yeeres for their repentance and conuerſion, Gen. 6.3. My ſpirit ſhall not alwaies ſtriue with man, for that he alſo is fleſh: yet his daies ſhall be an hundred and twenty yeeres. Though he ſaw, that the wickedneſſe of man was great in the earth, and that eueryevery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was euill, was onelyonly euill, was euill continually, ſo that with great iuſtice he might forth with hauehave ſwallowed them vp with a floud, yet would hee not, but would yet forbeare longer, and looke for their amendment. A hundred and twenty yeeres yet would he giuegive them, to ſee if they would returne and auoid his wrath. But they would not returne, and therefore at the very end and terme of thoſe hundred and twenty yeeres he brought the floud vponupon them. Then, then, and not before, he brought the floud vponupon them. For compare we the particular circumſtances of time noted, Gen. 7.3, 6, 11. with that which Saint Peter writeth in his firſt Epiſtle, chap. 3.20. we ſhall finde, that the inundation of waters came vponupon the earth at the very point of time before determined.
Memorable is that commination of the Lord againſt the Iewes, Ierem. 25.11. Becauſe you hauehave not heard my voice, behold I will take from you the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladneſſe, the voice of the bridegroome, and the voice of the bride, the ſound of the Milſtones, and the light of the candle: you ſhall be a deſolation, and an aſtoniſhment, & ſhall ſerue the King of Babylon ſeuenty yeeres. The ſumme of the Commination is, that the Iewes for their ſins ſhould be led captiue, & ſerue the King of Babylon ſeuenty yeeres. Now if we take the iuſt computation of time, it will appeare that ſo ſoone as thoſe yeeres, thoſe ſeuenty yeeres were expired, the foreſaid threat was accompliſhed. And therefore Daniel alluding to this propheſie of Ieremie, exactly ſetteth it downe, Chap. 5.30. ſaying, The ſame night was Belſhazzar King of the Chaldeans ſlaine, the ſame night, the very night wherein thoſe ſeuenty yeeres came to their full period, was Belſhazzar King of the Chaldeans ſlaine.
To theſe fearefull examples of Noahs floud, and the carrying away of the Iewes into Babylon, may be added the burning of Sodome by fire and brimſtone, the deſtruction of the ten Tribes, the ruine of Ieruſalem, and the Kingdome of Iudah, the deſolation of the ſeuen Churches of Aſia; all which, beſides many other calamities vponupon many other places, and perſons, accompliſhed and come to paſſe according to the threatnings of the Lord, may well aſſure vsus, that whatſoeuer he hath threatned, will certainly take effect. And certainly, if we by ſerious and true repentance doe not preuent the execution of his threats, he will not faile to preuent vsus, and take vsus away ſuddenly. Thus is my obſeruation made good; If by our ſinnes we prouoke Gods wrath againſt vsus, wee ſhall finde that his threatning of vsus will not be in vaine.
No, it will not. If God threaten, and no repentance followeth, then certainly the threatnings pronounced will come to paſſe. Hee threatens not in vaine; hee terrifies not without cauſe; no more than the Lion roareth when he hath no prey, or the Lions whelpe cryeth out of his denne if he hauehave gotten nothing.
Is it thus, Beloued? Shall we finde that Gods threatnings will be effectuall and powerfull againſt vsus, if we by our ſinnes goe on ſtill to prouoke him to diſpleaſure? It ſeemes then, that if we repent vsus of our ſinnes, and ceaſe any further to grieue Gods holy Spirit, his threatnings will bee vaine and without effect. Vnderſtand wee therefore, that the threatnings and denuntiations of Gods iudgements are either abſolute or conditionall. If abſolute, then are they irreuocable, and muſt take effect: but if conditionall, then vponupon humiliation and repentance they will bee changed, they will bee altered.
Abſolute was the denunciation that concerned the eating of the forbidden fruit, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die. This threatning was abſolute and peremptory, not to be reuoked. If Adam had prayed all his life long that he might not die, but returne to his former condition, yet the ſentence of God had not beene reuerſed.
Peremptory and abſolute was that threatning of the Lord againſt Moſes and Aaron, Numb. 20.12. Becauſe yee beleeue me not to ſanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Iſrael, therefore ye ſhall not bring this congregation into the land which I hauehave giuen them. Moſes and Aaron, both are threatned that they ſhall neuer enter into the land of Canaan. Moſes vnderſtanding the threat conditionally, beſought the Lord that hee might goe ouer Iordan into that good land. But the Lord was wroth with him, and would not heare him; but ſaid vntounto him, Deut. 3.26. Let it ſuffice thee, ſpeake no more vntounto me of this matter. Speake no more: the ſentence was peremptory and might not be reuerſed.
As abſolute and peremptory was that threatning by Nathan from the Lord vntounto Dauid, 2. Sam. 12.14. Becauſe by thine adultery thou haſt giuen great occaſion to the enemies of the Lord to blaſpheme, the childe alſo that is borne vntounto thee ſhall ſurely dye. The childe ſhall ſurely die. Dauids hope was, that this threat was but conditionall, and therefore with faſting, weeping, and prayer he beſought God for the child, and ſaid; Who can tell whether God will be gracious vntounto mee, that the child may liue? Yet, as the Prophet had denounced, the child died. So peremptory was the ſentence, and not to be reuerſed. So then its euident, that ſome of Gods iudgements denounced againſt the ſonnes of men are abſolute and peremptory, not to be reuerſed.
Others are conditionall, to be vnderſtood with this exception, except they repent and amend. The condition is ſometimes expreſſed; ſometimes it is not. The condition is expreſſed, Ierem. 18.7, 8. At what inſtant I ſhall ſpeake concerning a nation, and concerning a Kingdome, to plucke vp and to pull downe, and to deſtroy it: If that Nation againſt whom I hauehave pronounced, turne from their euill, I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vntounto them. It is likewiſe expreſſed, Ezech. 33.14, 15. When I ſay vntounto the wicked, Thou ſhalt ſurely die; if he turne from his ſinne, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he ſhall ſurely liue, he ſhall not die. Each of theſe Comminations is with an expreſſe condition. The firſt was: Such a Nation, ſuch a Kingdome, I will plucke vp, I will pull downe, I will deſtroy. The Nation, the Kingdome performes the condition; repenteth and turnes from euill, and God reuerſeth his ſentence; I will not plucke vp, I will not pull downe, I will not deſtroy it. The ſecond was; The wicked man ſhall ſurely die. The wicked man performes the condition, repenteth, and turnes from euill, and God reuerſeth his ſentence; He ſhall ſurely liue, he ſhall not die.
Sometimes the condition is not expreſſed, but onelyonly to be vnderſtood. So it is, Ierem. 26.18. There we reade of Micah the Moruſhite, that he in the daies of Hezekiah King of Iudah, propheſied and ſpake to all the people of Iudah ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts; Zion ſhall be plowed like a field, and Ieruſalem ſhall become heapes, and the mountaine of the houſe, the high places of a foreſt. Fearefull is the Commination; it threatens ruine to their Temple, deſolation to their City, the vtter ouerthrow of their whole Kingdome. How did the King and his people hereupon behaue themſelues? Did they fall into deſperation? No, they did not. Did they conclude an impoſſibility of obtaining pardon? Nor did they ſo. How then? They conceiuing aright of the commination, as fearefull as it was, that it was vntounto them a Sermon of repentance, they feared the Lord, they beſought the Lord: and the Lord repented him of the euill which hee had pronounced againſt them. So was the Commination conditionall, though the condition was not expreſſed.
The like we meet with, Eſay 38.1. There is a comminatory meſſage from the Lord vntounto the but-now-named Hezekiah; Set thine houſe in order, for thou ſhalt die and not liue. The good King conceiues aright of the meſſage, that it was no otherwiſe vntounto him, than as a Sermon of repentance; and therefore he turnes his face vntounto the wall, prayes, and weepes ſorely: and the Lord repented him of the meſſage he had ſent; and ſends him a new meſſage, verſ. 5. Goe and ſay to Hezekiah: Thus ſaith the Lord, the God of Dauid thy father; I hauehave heard thy prayer, I hauehave ſeene thy teares: behold, I will adde vntounto thy daies fifteene yeeres. And ſo was the commination conditionall, though the condition was not expreſſed.
And ſuch is that in the Propheſie of Ionah, Chap. 3.4. Yet forty daies, and Nineueh ſhall be ouerthrowne. The King of Nineueh, though an heathen and an idolatrous King, yet conceiues aright of this threat, that it was to him and his people, no otherwiſe than a Sermon of repentance. The King therefore touched with repentance, vnſeateth himſelfe, vnthroneth himſelfe, commeth as low as the meaneſt, ſtrips himſelfe of his kingly robes, puts on ſack-cloth, ſits in aſhes; cauſeth it to be proclaimed and publiſhed through Niniueh, that there be a generall faſt kept by man and beaſt, that man and beaſt be couered with ſack-cloth, and cry mightily vntounto God, and turne eueryevery one from his euill way, and from the violence that is in their hands: for, ſaith the King, Who can tell, if God will turne and repent, and turne away from his fierce anger, that we periſh not? Who can tell? And God ſaw their workes, that they turned from their euill way, and God repented of the euill that he had ſaid that he would doe vntounto them, and he did it not. So alſo was this commination conditionall, though the condition was not expreſſed.
But why are theſe and many other threatnings of the Lord againſt ſinners conditionall? Why are they with condition of amendment? Why is the condition either expreſſed, or ſuppreſſed and only incluſiuely vnderſtood?
Its thus. Firſt, becauſe Repentance, if it follow after Gods comminatory ſentence pronounced againſt ſinners, it procureth forgiueneſſe of ſin, and taketh away the cauſe of puniſhment. The cauſe of puniſhment is ſinne; remoue the cauſe, and the effect muſt ceaſe. Let ſinne be waſhed away with the teares of vnfained repentance, and puniſhment ſhall neuer hurt vsus. This is it, which but euen now you heard out of Ezech. chap. 33.14 15. They were the words of the Lord; When I ſay vntounto the wicked, Thou ſhalt ſurely die, if he turne from his ſinne, and doe that which is lawfull and right; if he reſtore the pledge, and giuegive 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 aPſal. 86.15. … 34.6. Numb. 14.18. … 103.8. Pſal. 145.8.God, a God of long ſuffering, and much patience, a God of vnſpeakable kindneſſe, euer ready to receiue vsus to mercy, as ſoone as we returne vntounto 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 vponupon 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. Its plaine by that, Ezech. 18.23. HaueHave 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 its out of queſtion and confirmed by oath, Ezech. 23.11. As I liue, ſaith the Lord God, I hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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 hauehave already heard. They repented of their euill waies, and God repented of the euils which he threatned to bring vponupon them; and he brought them not vponupon 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 vponupon 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, Deut. 29.29.and ſometimes inuiſible, yet is but one Church. 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;Rom. 9.19. its abſolute, its peremptory, its alwaies fulfilled; no man hindreth it, no man ſtoppeth it: the very reprobate, yea the Deuils themſelues are ſubiect vntounto 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 vponupon 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: Its ſecret at firſt before it be reuealed: but as it is made knowne to vsus 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 vsus, 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 giuegive leaue to him that made vsus to doe with vsus and diſpoſe of vsus at his pleaſure; and then afterwards, when by the continuall ſucceſſe of things it ſhall be reuealed vntounto vsus, what our lot, our portion, our expectation here muſt bee; much more are we to be therewith contented, and to giuegive thankes to God, howſoeuer it fareth with vsus.
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 hauehave 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. Its our duty to propound vntounto 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 vntounto you grace and mercy, to as many of you as be humble and broken-hearted. Thus we preach not onelyonly 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 to eueryevery one that is truly penitent. The third followeth.
It concerneth you, You Beloued, you and eueryevery one that hath this grace and fauour with God, to be a hearer of his holy Word. Its your duty whenſoeuer you heare the threatnings of Gods iudgements againſt ſinners, to ſtirre vp your ſelues to repentance and to the amendment of your liues. So ſhall you preuent his wrath and ſtay his iudgements. O! take heed beloued, that you ruſh not on, as the horſe in the day of battell, to your owne deſtruction. If the Lord God from out of Sion ſhall roare, as a Lion roareth in the foreſt when he hath taken a prey; if he ſhall vtter his voice from Hieruſalem, as a young Lion couching in his denne, cryeth out when he hath gotten ſomewhat; will it not then be too late for vsus to returne vntounto him? Neuer is it too late to returne to God, ſo it be done truly, ſeriouſly, and from the ground of the heart. But this be we well aſſured of, that if there be no change in vsus, it will be in vaine for vsus to looke for a change from God. Its certaine, God will neuer change his threatnings, except we change our liues and conuerſations.
Wherefore (dearely beloued) ſuffer we a word of exhortation for concluſion of all. I will deliuer it in the Lords owne words, his words to Iſrael in Ieremy chap. 4.1, 4. If thou wilt returne, ſaith the Lord, returne vntounto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my ſight, then ſhalt thou not remoue. Circumciſe your ſelues to the Lord, and take away the fore-skinnes of your hearts, leſt my fury come forth like fire, and burne that none can quench it, becauſe of the euill of your doings. Waſh thine heart from wickedneſſe, that thou maiſt be ſaued; how long ſhall thy vaine though lodge within thee?
O come, ſee and taſte, how good and gracious the Lord is vntounto vsus, how ſeriouſly he exhorteth vsus, how ſweetly he inuiteth vsus to turne vntounto him, how louingly he calls vsus to repent, and amend our liues that we may be ſaued. Beloued, nothing is wanting, but what is wanting on our parts: and that is the reall performance of true and vnfained repentance through a liuely faith in Chriſt Ieſus: Concerning which let me giuegive you a rule, a rule that is grounded and infallible; Without repentance there is no ſaluation, without ſorrow for ſinne there is no repentance; without earneſt prayer there is no ſorrow, no godly ſorrow, and without a due feeling of the Lords wrath, there is no prayer that can pierce the skie or moue the Lord. O therefore let vsus pray for repentance, let vsus ſue for repentance, let vsus worke for repentance, let vsus beſtow all wee hauehave vponupon repentance. All we hauehave! Its nothing to thee, O Lord. We feele, O Lord, ſuch a benummedneſſe in our hearts, ſuch a dulneſſe in our ſoules, that albeit we ſee our ſinnes, and know them to be exceeding great, yet cannot we ſo bemone them, ſo lament them, ſo grieue at them, ſo deteſt them as we ſhould. Smite, O gracious God, ſmite we beſeech thee, our flinty hearts, make them euen to melt within vsus at the ſight of our owne tranſgreſſions, that ſo being cleanſed from the filthineſſe of ſin, we may grow vp vntounto full holineſſe in thy feare through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord and Sauiour.