Seventeen Sermons on Amos 3, Sermon 7
THE Seuenth Lecture.
AMOS 3.6.
Shall a trumpet be blowne in the Citie, and the people not be afraid?
OF the ſix ſimilitudes here brought by Amos, this is the laſt. The firſt was from trauailers vponupon the way, Verſ. 3. The ſecond and third were from Lions, Verſ. 4. The fourth and fifth, from Fowlers, Verſ. 5. This, the ſixth and the laſt is from Warriours, Verſ. 6. All doe ſerue for the poliſhing and adorning of the propoſition ſet downe in the ſecond Verſe of this Chapter, the ſubſtance whereof is, God being good and gracious to a people, if hee be repaid with vnthankfulneſſe, will aſſuredly viſit that people, and puniſh them for all their iniquities. My method for the handling of this ſixth ſimilitude ſhall be no other, then what it was for the other fiue. I will firſt cleare the reading, and then proceed to ſuch obſeruation, as may be for the amendment of out liues.
For the reading firſt. Shall a trumpet be blowne in a citie, and the people not be afraid?
This Trumpet with the Vulgar Latine is Tuba, but with Tremelius and Iunius, with Mercerus and with Druſius it is Buccina. Tuba is the Hebrewesaforeign. Ioſeph. Antiq. Iudaic. l. 3. cap. 11. Chatſotſrah; Buccina is theirbSophar, Graecè foreign. Hier. Hoſ. 5.8. Schophar, and ſo are theſe two, Chatſotſrah and Schophar tranſlated by the author of the Vulgar Latine, Hoſ. 5.8. Clangite buccinâ in Gabaâ, Tubâ in Româ. Saint Hierome vponupon that place puts a difference betweene Buccina and Tuba. Buccina paſtoralis eſt, & cornu recurno efficitur, Tuba autem de are efficitur, vel argento. According to this diſtinction Buccina is the Cornet, and Tuba the Trumpet. So is that place Engliſhed in our neweſt tranſlation: Blow yee the Cornet in Gibeah, and the Trumpet in Romah. And ſo my text ſhould ſpeake of a Cornet, not of a Trumpet. Shall a Cornet be blowne in a City, and the people not be afraid? Shall a Cornet be blowen? The Hebrew is Schophar.
But this diſtinction of theſe two is not perpetually obſerued. The old interpreters of the Bible doe ſometime confound them: and doe rendercforeign Schophar by Tuba, the Trumpet, anddforeign Chatſotſrah by Buccina, the Cornet. And therefore the reading here will be indifferent either way, whether you reade Cornet, or Trumpet. But I take the Trumpet to be the fitteſt for vsus now to follow; becauſe the Tranſlators of our new Church Bible, following the ancient Interpreters, doe preferre the Trumpet.
That which followeth, admitteth a two-fold reading: One is, Shall not the people be afraid? the other is, Shall not they run together? Each reading is commended vntounto you by our late Tranſlators: the firſt in the text; the ſecond in the margent. The difference ariſeth from the Hebrew wordeforeign Charadh, which ſignifieth either to be afraid, or, to run together. Shall a trumpet be blowne in a citie, and ſhall not the people either befPanere, expaneſcere. afraid, orgProperè accurrere. run together.
We ſhall the more eaſily vnderſtand what this interrogation intendeth; and what anſwer is to be made vntounto it, if wee conſider what the ancient vſe of Trumpets was.
The ancient vſe of Trumpets is deliuered by a writer of greateſt antiquitie from Gods owne preſcription. Moſes in the duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page tenth of Numbers is commanded to make two Trumpets of ſiluer, which were to be for preſent vſe, and for vſe in time to come. For the preſent they were to ſeruehNumb. 10.2. for the calling of the aſſembly, and for the iourncying of the campes.
There is a double vſe of them commanded for the time to come; one in time of warre, the other in time of peace. The vſe of Trumpets in time of warre was, to aſſure them, that God would then remember them for good, and ſaue them from their enemies, Verſ. 9. The vſe of them in time of peace, was, for their times of ioy, and appointed feſtiuities. In the day of your gladneſſe, and in your ſolemne dayes, and in the beginnings of your monthes, yee ſhall blow with the Trumpets ouer your burnt offerings, and ouer the ſacrifices of your peace offerings, that they may be to you for a memoriall before your God, Verſ. 10.
Of this double vſe of the Trumpet Saint Hierome maketh mention, in his Comment vponupon Hoſ. 5. Tubâ in bellis ac ſolonnitatibus concrepabant: they blew with the Trumpet in time of warre, and in their ſolemnities. So doth Iſidore in the eleuenth booke of his Etymologies, chap. 20. Tuba adhibebatur, non ſolum in praefijs, ſed in omnibus feſtis diebus: The Trumpet was vſed not onelyonly in warre, but alſo vponupon their feaſt-dayes. Whence is that, Pſalm. 81.3. Blow vp the Trumpet in the new moone, in the time appointed, on our ſolemne feaſt-day.
And why was the Trumpet to be blowne vponupon the ſolemne feaſt-day, but to call the people together to their holy aſſemblies? So ſaith Druſius; Ad ſonum buccinae accurrebat populus, cùm ad ſacra vocaretur: At the ſound of the Trumpet, the people met together for the hearing of diuine ſeruice. The Trumpet then called them together, as now the Bells call vsus.
This vſe of the Trumpet was meerely Eccleſiaſticall. There were alſo ciuill vſes of it euen in the time of peace; as when the people were to be called together, to heare ſome charge giuen them; or to giuegive or take aduiſement concerning the affaires of the Common-wealth.
Theſe vſes of the Trumpet, as well Ciuill as Eccleſiaſticall, Druſius hath touched in his ſacred obſeruations, lib. 14. cap. 18. There he ſaith, that at the found of the Trumpet, the people were wont ſpeedily to come together, Vel ad audiendum aliquid, vel ad prandum, vel deni que ad agendum ſiue conſultandum, de republicâ: they came together, either to heare ſomewhat, or to pray, or to deliberate and conſult about publike matters.
You ſee, what anciently were the vſes of the Trumpet. Now it will not be any hard matter for vsus to giuegive an anſwer to the Interrogation, which way ſoeuer it be made. If it be made according to the reading in the margent, [Shall a Trumpet be blowne in a citie, and the people not runne together?] the anſwer muſt be negatiue, No; a Trumpet ſhall not be blowne in a citie, but the people will run together. They will aſſemble themſelues, they will come together at the ſound of the Trumpet, either to heare what ſhall be deliuered to them from the Magiſtrate; or to enter into conſultation about the affaires of the citie; or to proſtrate themſelues in deuotion before the Lord in his holy Temple. If the Trumpet be blowne, they will run together.
This our marginall reading, Tremelius and Iunius hauehave embraced as the chiefeſt, yet ſo that they reiect not the other. Nay, ſo farre are they from reiecting the other, as that they ioyne both together. They make the interrogation to be thus: Shall a Trumpet be blowne in a city, and populus trepidè non accurrerint? ſhall not the people tremblingly run together? The interrogation thus framed, may hauehave an anſwer affirmatiue: A Trumpet may be blowne in a city, and the people ſhall not need tremblingly to run together. For why ſhould here be any trembling where there is no cauſe of feare?
There was a feaſt of Trumpets yearely to be obſerued in the ſeuenth month, on the firſt day of the month, Leuit. 23.24. It was a dayiNumb. 29.1. of blowing the Trumpets vntounto the people. The Trumpets were blowne and the people ranne together, but without feare, without trembling.
There was a yeare of Iubile eueryevery fiftieth yeare to be hallowed. EueryEvery fiftieth yeare on the tenth day of the ſeuenth monethmonth, the Trumpet of Iubile was to ſound, Leuit. 5.19. The Trumpet ſounded; the people met, but without feare, without trembling.
You will ſay theſe were ſet times of feſtiuitie, times of ioy, and the blowing of Trumpets at theſe times was ordinary, and therefore the people now had no reaſon to be afraid at the ſound of the Trumpets: but ſay, the ſound of the Trumpets were extraordinary; would not the people then be afraid, and tremblingly runne together? No; not euer then.
Extraordinary was the ſound of the Trumpets, when Dauid with great ſolemnity fetched the Arke from Kiriath jearim. He brought vp the Arke from thence with ſongs and with Harpes, and with Pſalteries, and with Timbrels, and with Cymbals, and with Trumpets, 1 Chron. 13.8. The Trumpets were blowne. Here was much ioy expreſſed; here was no ſhew of feare at all.
Extraordinary was the ſound of the Trumpets at the dedication of Solomons Temple. Then beſides the Leuites who had their Cymbals and Pſalteries and Harpes, there were an hundred and twenty Prieſts ſounding with Trumpets, 2 Chron. 5.12. The Trumpets were blowne; much ioy was thereby expreſſed, there was no ſhew of feare at all.
Extraordinary was the ſound of the Trumpets at the reſtitution of religion by Hezekiah King of Iudah; and then were the Leuites preſent with their Cymbals, their Pſalteries, and their Harpes, and the Prieſts with their Trumpets, 2 Chron. 29.26. The Trumpets were blowne, ioy was expreſſed, no feare appeared.
Thus we ſee Trumpets hauehave been blowne, not only at ordinary times, but alſo at times extraordinary, and yet hauehave the people had no cauſe of feare. What ſhall we then ſay to this interrogation, as it is made by Tremelius and Iunius? Shall a Trumpet be blowne in a Citie, and ſhall not the people tremblingly with feare run together?
The interrogation thus framed, for the ſubſtance of it, well agreeth with our new tranſlation; Shall a Trumpet be blowne in a City, and the people not be afraid? and therefore we may alike reſolue for both.
Our reſolution may be thus: This Trumpet muſt be blowne, not in time of peace when all is quiet; but in time of warre, when all is in combuſtion: and it muſt be blowne, not in the ſtreets of the citie, but from the watch-tower: and it muſt be blowne not at an ordinary time, but when men leaſt thinke of it, to giuegive warning of the ſudden approach of the enemie vntounto the citie. To this vnderſtanding we are directed by Ionathan, the Chaldee Paraphraſt, who addes vntounto my text non ſuo tempore, to giuegive the meaning of it: Shall a Trumpet be blowne in a citie, non ſuo tempore, out of its ordinary time, and ſhall not the people be afraid?
So, our Prophet here ſpeaketh de clangore buccina extraordinario, of an extraordinary blowing of the Trumpet; of its being blowne alieno tempore, at a ſtrange time. Such a blowing of the trumpet, at ſuch a time, was euer a ſure token, aduentantis hoſtis, that the enemie was not farre of: Vnde pauor & metus, ſaith Druſius; whence feare and trembling were vponupon the people.
Now to the interrogation, Shall a trumpet be blowne in a citie, and the people not be afraid; or, ſhall they not tremblingly runne together? Our anſwer is negatiue; No. It cannot be, that in time of warre a trumpet ſhall be blowne in a citie at an extraordinary, an vnuſuall and a ſtrange houre, but the people will be afraid, and will tremblingly run together.
Hitherto hath the reading beene cleared, and the interrogation anſwered: and now let vsus ſee whereto this ſixth ſimilitude taken from warriours is appliable. Saint Hierome applies it, as he doth the former. He applies it to ſuch as liue in diſcord and variance. He makes it to be their puniſhment; Ve in ciuitate Domini conſtituti, tubae ſonitu terreantur: that being placed in the city of the Lord, they be terrified with the ſound of the trumpet. By this city of the Lord, he meaneth the holy Catholike Church, and by this trumpet, the word of God ſounding in the Church. For thus headdeth, Whatſoeuer is ſpoken in holy Scriptures, it is tuba comminans, a threatning trumpet, that with a mighty voice penetrateth the eares of beleeuers. If we be righteous, this Trumpet of Chriſt calleth vsus vntounto bleſſedneſſe; but if wicked, vntounto torments. With the ſound of this trumpet ſhall they be terrified that liue in diſcord, and variance. Of the fouleneſſe and leproſie of which ſin, I ſpake at large in my laſt Sermon out of this place. Now therefore I leaue it, and proceed to ſome other application of this ſixth ſimilitude.
Saint Cyril applies it to the Prophets of the Lord, and his Miniſters, thus: If a trumpet be blowne in a citie, to giuegive warning of the approach of the enemy, who is there ſo without all ſenſe of griefe, as not to conceiue exceeding feare of future euils? But you, you the people of Iſrael, are ſo void of all ſenſe and feeling, that though my trumpets ceaſe not continually to ſound aloud in your eares, and to fore-warne you of euils, that ſhall come to paſſe, you receiue no profit thereby. Though you vnderſtand by the ſound of my trumpets, that your cities which are now inhabited,Ezech. 12.20. ſhall be laid waſte, and your Land ſhall be deſolate; yet you take courage to your ſelues againſt ſuch terrours,Amos 6.3. you put far away from you the euill day, you ſay within your ſelues,Ezech. 12.27. the viſion which this man ſeeth, is for many daies to come, and he prophefieth of the times that are far off. To this purpoſe Saint Cyril.
With him agree three great Rabbins, R. Dauid, R. Abraham, R. Selomo. They make the Lord here to ſpeake after this manner: If a trumpet be blowne in a citie at an vnſeaſonable houre to giuegive warning that the enemie is comming, the people will exceedingly tremble and be afraid. Why then, are not you afraid? why tremble yee not at the voices of my Prophets? My Prophets are my trumpetors: by them I giuegive you warning of the euils that hang ouer your heads, and will ere long fall vponupon you. Why are you not afraid? why tremble you not?
To this application of this ſixth ſimilitude, our new Expoſitors for the moſt part hauehave ſubſcribed. They vnderſtand by this Citie the Church of God, by the Trumpet the Word of God, by the people the hearers of the Word: and ſo, thus ſtands the application: When a trumpet giueth a ſudden ſigne by the ſound of it out of a watch-tower, all the people harken, and are troubled, and prepare themſelues this way or that way, according as the trumpet giueth the token: So at the voice of God ſounding by his Miniſters, we ought to giuegive eare and be attentiue, and be moued at the noiſe of it, and as he giueth warning, prepare our ſelues and looke about vsus while it is time, left afterward it be too late.
Now the leſſon which we are to take from hence is this, The word of God vttered by his Miniſters, deſerueth more reuerence, feare, and trembling, then doth a trumpet ſounding an alarme from a watch-tower.
For the word of God is a trumpet too, and a trumpet of a farre ſhriller ſound. The blowers of this trumpet are the Miniſters of the Word, who in this regard are called ſometimes Tuba Dei, and ſometimes Speculatores. They are Gods trumpet, and they are watch-men. They are Tuba Dei, Gods trumpet: and hereby are they put in minde of their dutie; euen to denounce perpetuall warre againſt the wicked; and to excite men, euen to fight againſt the Deuill, and to bid defiance vntounto ſinne. And they are Speculatores, they are Watch-men, placed by God in his holy Citie, the Church, Ʋolut in ſpeculâ, as in a Watch-tower, to watch for the ſafetie of the people, and to blow the trumpet vntounto them, when any danger is at hand.
Both appellations are met together in Ierem. 6.17. Conſtitui ſuper vos ſpeculatores; audite vocem tubae: I hauehave ſet ouer you watch-men: hearken to the ſound of the trumpet. Biſhops, Paſtors, Miniſters; they are theſe watch-men: and wee are to hearken to the ſound of their trumpets.
Their trumpets? True. For Miniſters hauehave trumpets. Their trumpets are two. One is Territoria, the other is Conſolatoria. One is a terrifying trumpet; the other trumpet is comforting.
Of the former God ſpeaketh by his Prophet Eſay chap. 58.1. Crie aloud, ſpare not, lift vp thy voice like a trumpet, and ſhew my people their tranſgreſſion, and the houſe of Iacob their ſinnes. So doth hee by Zephania, chap. 1.16. A day of the Trumpet and alarme againſt the fenced cities, and againſt the high towers: And I will bring diſtreſſe vponupon men, that they ſhall walke like blinde men, becauſe they hauehave ſinned againſt the Lord. This trumpet you may call tubam legis, the trumpet of the Law: becauſe by it the Miniſter denounceth the curſes of the Law, the wrath of God, miſery, and calamitie to eueryevery vnrepentant ſinner.
Of the other trumpet of the miniſtery, we may vnderſtand that, Eſay. 27.13. The great Trumpet ſhall be blowne, and they ſhall come, which were readie to periſh in the Land of Aſſyria, and the out-caſts in the Land of Aegypt, and ſhall worſhip the Lord in the holy Mount at Ieruſalem. This trumpet you may call tubam Euangelij, the trumpet of the Goſpell: becauſe by it the Miniſter pronounceth the bleſſings of the Goſpell; the louelove of God, a quiet conſcience, and true felicity to eueryevery true beleeuer.
Theſe two trumpets, terrifying and comforting, that of the Law, this of the Goſpell, are ſtill of vſe in the Church of Chriſt, the Miniſter ſounding ſometimes woe, ſometimes weale, according as our ſinnes ſhall giuegive him cauſe.
But why is it, that the miniſtery of the Word, and the preaching thereof, is compared to a trumpet? Hector Pintus in his Comment vponupon the eight and fiftieth of Eſay giueth hereof two reaſons. One is, becauſe, as the materiall trumpet calleth and encourageth vntounto warre; ſo this ſpirituall trumpet, the preaching of the Word, calleth and encourageth vsus to fight valiantly againſt the world, the fleſh and the Deuill. The other is, becauſe as the materiall trumpet is blowne at ſolemnities to betoken ioy: ſo this ſpirituall trumpet, the preaching of the Word, ſhould ſtirre vsus vp ad laborem in praeſenti, & ad gaudium in futuro: to labour in this life, and to ioy in that to come. For as he addeth, hic eſt locus vincendi, ibi triumphandi: hic breuis laboris, illic ſempiterna quietis: hic poenae tranſeuntis, ibi gloriae permanentis. Here is the place for ouercomming, there for the triumph: here of ſome little labour, there of eternall quiet: here of paine that paſſeth away, there of glory that endureth.
The compariſon ſtanding thus betweene the preaching of the Word, and a trumpet, warranteth the truth of the doctrine propounded; which was, The word of God vttered by his Miniſters deſerueth more reuerence, feare, and trembling, then doth a trumpet ſounding an alarme from a watch-tower.
This repreſentation of the word of God by a trumpet ſhould euer ſound, and as it were, goe before vsus, in all our actions, in warre, in peace, in all meetings and ioyfull feaſts, that all our doings may be acceptable to the Lord our God.
The doctrine now deliuered, ſtanding vponupon the compariſon that is betweene the preaching of the Word and a trumpet, may in termes abſolute be thus; The preaching of the word of God is to be harkened vntounto with all reuerence. It is the point I handled in my firſt Sermon vponupon this third Chapter of Amos. My Theſis then was, The word of God is diligently to be harkened vntounto. What proofes and reaſons out of Scripture I then produced for the confirmation of that truth, and what vſe was made thereof, I now ſtand not to repeat. Nor need I ſo to doe. The holy Scripture being as the Ocean of waters which can neuer bee exhauſted, yeeldeth vsus great varietie of matter, though we ſpeake againe and againe to the ſame point. I proceed then with my Theſis, as it is giuen in termes abſolute, The preaching of the word of God is to be harkened vntounto with all reuerence.
I vrge this dutie,
Firſt, from the honour of him that ſpeaketh.
Secondly, from the danger of him that heareth negligently.
Thirdly, from the profit of him that heareth with diligence.
Firſt, the preaching of the word of God is to be harkened vntounto with all reuerence for the honours ſake of him that ſpeaketh. For the honours ſake of him that ſpeaketh? Why? Who is he? Is he not ſome Prophet, ſome Apoſtle, ſome Prieſt, or Miniſter; one whom wee know to be of meane deſcent, ſomeaAmos 1.1. Heard-man, ſomebMatth 4.18. Fiſher-man, ſomec1 Theſſ 2.9. Act. 18.3. Tent-maker, ſomedMatth. 13.55. Carpenters ſonne. Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren Iames and Ioſes, and Simon, and Iudas? And his ſiſters, are they not all with vsus? How then is it that you vrge vsus to giuegive eare with reuerence to the preaching of the Word, for the honours ſake of him that ſpeaketh?
Our bleſſed Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus, vntieth this knot for me. He to comfort his Apoſtles againſt the time of perſecution, thus ſaith vntounto them, Matth. 10.19, 30. Take no thought how or what yee ſhall ſpeake, for it ſhall be giuen you in the ſame houre what yee ſhall ſpeake. For it is not yee that ſpeake, but the Spirit of your Father, that ſpeaketh in you. In the thirteenth of Marke, Verſe 11. thus. It is not yee that ſpeake, but the holy Ghoſt. In the twelfth of Luke, verſe 12. thus. The holy Ghoſt ſhall teach you in the ſame houre what yee ought to ſay. Now ſee; It is the Spirit of your Father; the Spirit of God; the holy Ghost that ſpeaketh in his Miniſters. Why then, yee are with reuerence to giuegive eare to them, when they preach vntounto you, for the honours ſake of him that ſpeaketh.
Qui vos audit, me audit, ſaith Chriſt vntounto his Diſciples, Luke 10.16. Hee that heareth you, heareth mee; and hee that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me. He that heareth you heareth mee! It is an admirable and gracious diſpenſation from God, to ſpeake vntounto man, not in his owne perſon, and by the voice of his thunders and lightnings, Exod. 20.18.or with the exceeding loud ſound of a trumpet: but by Prophets, by Apoſtles, by Diſciples, by Miniſters; by men of our owne nature, fleſh of our fleſh, and bones of our bones, by men of our owne ſhape and language,Iames 5.17. by men ſubiect to the ſame paſſions, whereto wee are ſubiect. God is hee that ſpeaketh from aboue, that bleſſeth and curſeth, that bindeth and looſeth, that exhorteth and diſſwadeth by the mouth of man. For this reſpect and relations ſake betweene God and his Miniſters, whom it hath pleaſed of his mercy in ſome ſort to dignifie with the repreſentation of his owne perſon here vponupon the earth, the world hath euer held them in very reuerent eſtimation.
Remember the Galatians. Though Saint Paul preached the Goſpell vntounto them through infirmitie of the fleſh, Galat. 4.13.without the honour, without the oftentation, without the pompe of this world, rather as one that ſtudied to bring his perſon into contempt, than otherwiſe; yet were they ſo farre off from deſpiſing or reiecting him, that they rather receiued him as an Angell of God, yea, as Chriſt Ieſus. And he bare them record, that if it had beene poſſible, they would hauehave plucked out their owne eyes, and hauehave giuen them to him. If it had beene poſſible, that is, if Nature and the Law of God had not forbidden it: or, if it had beene poſſible, that is, if they might hauehave done it ſine ſuo diſpendio, as Haymo and Remigius doe interpret it, if they might hauehave done it without their owne vtter vndoing: or if it had beene poſſible, that is, if it might hauehave beene ad Eccleſiae vtilitatem, ſo ſpeake Aquinas and Gorran, if it might hauehave beene for the good of the Church, they would hauehave plucked out their owne eyes, and hauehave giuen them to Paul. Would they hauehave plucked out their owne eyes? Nihil habet quiſquam charius oculis ſuis: There is nothing more deare vntounto a man than are his eyes. And yet if it had beene poſſible, would the Galatians hauehave plucked out their owne eyes, and hauehave giuen them to Paul.
When the Children of Iſrael murmured againſt Moſes and Aaron, Moſes ſaid vntounto them, Exod. 16.8. The Lord heareth your murmurings which yee murmure against him; and what are wee? Your murmurings are not againſt vsus, but againſt the Lord. What are we, but Serui & Miniſtri, the Seruants and Miniſters of the Lord? Your murmurings are not againſt vsus, but againſt the Lord.
This is that, which the Lord ſaith concerning his Prophet, Deut. 18.19. Whoſoeuer will not harken to the words which hee ſhall ſpeake in my name, Ego vltor existam, I will require it of him, I will bee his auenger. Whereupon Didacus Stella: Hominom non debos aſpicere, ſod Deum, Enarrat. in cap. 10. Lucae.qui in eo loquitur; Looke not vponupon man, ſe… not thy thoughts vponupon him, but vponupon God that ſpeaketh in him. For the words which hee ſpeaketh, hee ſpeaketh in the name of God.
But ſay the Preacher bee a naughtie, a wicked man; what ſhall I then doe? Deum qui per ipſum loquitur, debes reſpicere. Thou muſt hauehave regard to God, that ſpeaketh by him. God diuinâ & admirabili ſuâ virtute, God of his diuine and maruellous power, is able to bring to paſſe excellent and diuine workes by euill inſtruments.
God fed Elias by the miniſtery of Rauens. Rauens brought him bread and fleſh in the morning; and bread and fleſh in the euening, 1 King. 17.6. Did Rauens bring him food? Cur ita? Why ſo Lord? Couldeſt thou nor command Doues, and other cleane birds to feed thy Prophet, but thou muſt prouide for him by Rauens? Note here the myſtery. God vſeth many times to giuegive vntounto his people the ſpirituall food of their ſoules, ſound and wholeſome doctrine, by euill and wicked men, as he gaue good bread and fleſh to Elias by Rauens: tu vero comede, onelyonly eat thou, and receiue thou from the hand of God what he ſendeth: and be not curious to know, whether hee that brings thee thy ſoules meat, be a Rauen or a doue, a wicked or a good man, ſo the food hee bringeth thee be ſound and come from God. By this time you ſee, you are to giuegive eare with reuerence to the preaching of the word of God for the honours ſake of him that ſpeaketh.
You are now in the ſecond place to be vrged to the performance of this dutie, from the danger of him that heareth negligently. The danger is great. Saint Auguſtine diſcouers it by comparing the word of God for the eſtimation that is to be held of it, to the Body of Chriſt in the Euchariſt. His words are in the ſix and twentieth of his fifty Homilies; Non minus reus erit, qui verbum Dei negligenter audierit, quàm qui Corpus Chriſti in terram cadere ſuâ negligentiâ permiſerit: Whoſoeuer ſhall heare the word of God negligently, ſhall bee no leſſe guiltie, than hee that by his owne negligence ſhall ſuffer the Bodie of Chriſt to fall vponupon the ground. And therefore with what ſolicitude and care wee take heed that no part of Chriſts bodie which is giuen to vsus by the Miniſter, doe fall vntounto the ground; with the like wee ſhould take heed, that no part of Gods word that is offered vntounto vsus by the Preacher, doe either by our wandering thoughts, or our irreuerent talking fall from out our hearts and periſh.
But ſay, this ſolicitude and care be wanting in vsus; what then? Then the danger is, our very prayers will be an abomination to the Lord. So ſaith the holy Ghoſt, Prou. 28.9. He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law, euen his prayer ſhall bee an abomination: where by turning away the eare from hearing, hee meaneth not onelyonly the open contemning and deſpiſing of the word of God, but alſo eueryevery negligent, careleſſe, and vnprofitable hearing thereof. And ſo it is true: Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law, his prayer ſhall be an abomination to the Lord, the Lord will loath and abhorre the prayer he maketh, and will not heare him.
There is yet a further danger of our negligent hearing, and that is the loſſe of the word of God from among vsus. Negligent hearing deſerues no leſſe: for it is a rebellion againſt God, and God will tye the tongues of his ſeruants, that they ſhall not preach his Word to ſuch. So tyed hee the tongue of Ezechiel, chap. 3.26. O ſonne of man, I will make thy tongue cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth, that thou ſhalt bee dumbe, and ſhall not be to this people a reprouer, for they are a rebellious houſe. Whereupon Great Gregorie; Propter malos auditores bonis ſermo doctoribus tollitur: for ill hearers God ſometimes ſtoppeth the mouthes of good teachers. So ſtopped hee the mouth of Saint Paul, that hee ſhould not teach in Ieruſalem, Act. 22.18. Make haſte, and get thee quickly out of Hieruſalem, for they will not receiue thy teſtimonie concerning mee. The Apoſtles that would hauehave preached in Aſia, could not, for the Spirit would not ſuffer them, Act. 16.7.
Chriſt forbids vsus dare ſanctum canibus, Matth. 7.6. GiueGive not that which is holy vntounto dogges, neither caſt yee your pearles before ſwine. Who are thoſe dogges, who theſe ſwine, but men liuing in incurable impietie without all hope of amendment, and wallowing in the mire of vnbridled luxurie? who if they vouchſafe to come to this Watch-tower of the Lord to heare the ſound of the Trumpet, they giuegive eare but negligently, but vnprofitably, but contemptuouſly? Such are they whom this inhibition concerneth, GiueGive not that which is holy vntounto dogges, neither caſt yee your pearles before ſwine. For what is this holy thing, that wee muſt not giuegive vntounto them, what theſe pearles, but veritatis myſteria, the myſteries of truth incloſed within the profunditie of the Scriptures, as pearles within ſhell-fiſhes? Theſe holy myſteries be kept backe from them, that will be negligent, vnprofitable and contemptuous hearers. And thus you ſee, you are to giuegive eare with reuerence to the preaching of the word of God, for the dangers ſake of him that heareth negligently.
You will now in the third place be perſwaded to the performance of this dutie, for the profits ſake of him that heareth diligently. Here is a three-fold profit for him.
1. His heart hereby ſhall be ſoftned.
2. It ſhall be ſweetned.
3. It ſhall be cleanſed.
Enarrat. 1. Dom. 5. poſt. Trin. pag. 237.That the preaching of the Word ſofteneth the heart, Petrus de Palude would proue by the confeſſion of the Spouſe, Cant. 5.6. Anima mea liquefacta eſt, vt dilectus locutus eſt; As ſoone as my beloued ſpake, as ſoone as I heard the voice of my Sauiour, my ſoule euen melted. But fitter to our purpoſe is the example of Ahab, 1 King. 21. Elias comes vntounto him with the word of God in his mouth: In the place where dogges licked the bloud of Naboth, ſhall dogges licke thy bloud, euen thine, O King, verſ. 19. and verſ. 21. I will bring euill vponupon thee, and will take away thy poſteritie, all thy poſteritie. Ahab hereupon rents his cloathes, puts ſack-cloth vponupon his fleſh and lyes therein, faſteth, and goeth comfortleſſe, verſ. 27. See you not the heart of Ahab humbled, his hard heart ſoftened by the word of God.
In the ſecond Chapter of the booke of Iudges, a Meſſenger of the Lord comes vp from Gilgal to Bochim, with words of reproofe againſt the people of Iſrael, and ſaith, I made you to goe vp out of Aegypt, and hauehave brought you vntounto the Land, which I ſware vntounto your Fathers, and I ſaid, I will neuer breake my couenant with you; and yee ſhall make no league with the inhabitants of this Land; you ſhall throw downe their Altars: but yee hauehave not obeyed my voice; why hauehave yee done this? This was the word of God vntounto them: they heard it, and cryed out, and wept. Their hearts were humbled: their hard hearts were ſoftened. This is it that the Lord hath ſaid, Ierem. 23.29. Is not my ſword like fire? and like a hammer that breaketh the rocke in peeces? Yes Lord: thy Word is like fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rocke in peeces: It mollifieth and ſofteneth the hard ſtonie and flintie heart.
A ſecond profit that the Word preached bringeth vntounto vsus, is, that it ſweetneth the heart. For the word of God is Manna, habens in ſe omne delectamentum ſaporis, it is as the Celeſtiall Manna, that Angells food, that bread from Heauen,Wiſd. 16.20. very pleaſant and well guſted. Dauid eſteemes it to be ſweeter than Hony, and the dropping of the hony-combe, Pſalm. 19.10. And Pſal. 119.103. out of the admiration thereof, hee ſaith, O how ſweet are thy words vntounto my taſte! yea ſweeter are they than Hony to my mouth. Faum mellis verba compoſita, Prou. 16.24. Faire, pleaſant, and well compoſed words are as an Hony-combe, ſweet to the ſoule, and health to the bones. Qua verba compoſita, dulcia ſunt, ſi tua non ſunt? So Claudius Aquauiua in his Meditations vponupon the 119. Pſalme: What faire, what pleaſant, what well compoſed words are ſweet, Lord, if thine bee not? Thy words, Lord, de melle coeli mellea, & de lumine tuo luminoſa animam non dulcorant modò, ſed dulcedine inebriant. Thy words, Lord, ſweet as is the Hony of Heauen, and full of light through thy light, doe not only ſweeten the ſoule, but doe euen inebriate it with ſweetneſſe.
The third profit that the Word preached bringeth vntounto vsus, is, that it cleanſeth the heart. It maketh cleane the heart, according to that ſaying of Christ, Iohn 15.3. Now yee are cleane through the Word which I hauehave ſpoken vntounto you. Cleane are yee, Non propter baptiſmum, quo loti estis, Not for the Baptiſme wherewith you hauehave beene baptiſed, ſed propter verbum quod locutus ſum vobis, but for the Word which I hauehave ſpoken vntounto you. You are cleane, not for your Baptiſme, but for the Word. So Saint Auguſtine Tract. 80. in Iohannem, Detrahe verbum & quid eſt aqua niſi aqua? Accedit verbum ad elementum & ſit ſacramentum: Take away the Word, and what is the water but water? the Word commeth to the element, and it is made a Sacrament. You are cleane then, not by your Baptiſme, but by the Word. And you are cleane by the Word, Non quia dicitur, ſed quia creditur. You are cleane by the Word, not becauſe the Word is preached vntounto you, but becauſe you beleeue it when it is preached. The Phariſees and other hypocrites did heare the Word of Chriſt, yet were they not thereby made cleane, becauſe they did not beleeue the Word of Chriſt. And ſo doth Rupertus expound theſe words. You are cleane. You are cleane, becauſe you beleeue that which I hauehave ſaid vntounto you, concerning my death and reſurrection, how I muſt die for your ſinnes, and riſe againe for your iuſtification, and goe away to prouide a place for you. You hauehave not only heard, but alſo hauehave beleeued the Word which I hauehave ſpoken vntounto you, and therefore are yee cleane.
The fruit then, and the profit, that ariſeth vntounto vsus from our reuerent hearing of the Word preached is by our faith. It is faith that purifieth our hearts, ſaith Peter, Act. 15.9. Faith it is, by which we apprehend the bloud of the Lambe of God, and are thereby cleanſed from all our ſinnes.
But I may not hold you ouer-long with the proſecution of this point. Let it pleaſe you to be remembred, that wee hauehave hitherto beene moued to the performance of a holy dutie, euen to the reuerent hearing of the word of God: and this, firſt for the honours ſake of him that ſpeaketh; ſecondly, for the dangers ſake of him that heareth negligently; thirdly, for the profits ſake of him that heareth diligently: and that wee vnderſtand this profit to be three-fold, that it ſofteneth our hard hearts, that it ſweeteneth them, that it cleanſeth them. What now remaineth, but that wee pray God to diſmiſſe vsus with a bleſſing?
Wee humbly beſeech thee, moſt gracious God, ſo to open our hearts, and to vnlocke the eares of our vnderſtanding, that now and euer hearing thy Word profitably, we may obſerue, learne, and embrace ſuch paſſages therein, as are neceſſary to the confirming of our weake faith, and the Amendment of our ſinfull liues. Grant this deare Father, for thy beſt beloued Sonne Ieſus Chriſt. AMEN.