Seventeen Sermons on Amos 3, Sermon 12
THE Twelfth Lecture.
AMOS 3.10.
For they know not to doe right, ſaith the Lord; who ſtore vp violence and robbery in their Palaces.
MEn are as fiſhes of the Sea, that hauehave no ruler ouer them: it is the complaint of the Prophet Habakkuk, Chap. 1.14. Fiſhes of the Sea! It is their property to deuoure one another: the ſtronger and the greater deuoure the weaker and the leſſe; ſo ſaith the Emperour Iuſtine the ſecond, in Cedrenus his Annals. Saint Ambroſe in his Hexameron, lib. 5. cap. 5. ſheweth this to be true in two kinds of fiſhes; in the Scarus, which ſome call the Guilt-head or Golden-eye, which cheweth like a beaſt; and in the Silurus, the Sheath-fiſh, or Whale of the riuer. Among theſe, Minor eſca majoris eſt, the leſſer is food for the greater, and the greater is ſet vponupon by a ſtronger than he, and becommeth his food. So fares it with men. Great men ſet vponupon their inferiours, and mightier than they vponupon them. Such men, men for quality like fiſhes, deuourers one of another, cruell and couetous men, bore the ſway in Samaria. It is plaine by this paſſage of Amos his ſecond Sermon to the Kingdome of the ten Tribes, the people of Iſrael. Of this paſſage there are two parts:
An Accuſation, verſ. 9, 10.
A Commination, verſ. 11.
In the ninth verſe, a part of the accuſation, two things hauehave beene obſerued:
An iniunction for a proclamation: Publiſh in the palaces, &c.
The proclamation it ſelfe. Aſſemble your ſelues, &c.
In the proclamation two ſinnes were controlled:
Cruelty and Couetouſneſſe.
Their Cruelty appeared in their great tumults; their Couetouſneſſe in their oppreſſions. I gaue a touch at both in my laſt Sermon. I now goe on with the tenth verſe, wherein theſe two enormities, Cruelty and Couetouſneſſe, are amplified by two Topickes; à genere, and à ſpecie. From the Genus thus, They know not to doe right: and thus from the Species, They ſtore vp violence and robbery in their palaces. That ſo it is God is witneſſe, for foreign Neum Iehouah, the Lord hath ſaid it.
I beginne with the amplification from the Genus; They know not to doe right. Saint Hierome readeth according to the Hebrew, Neſcierunt, they hauehave not knowne. So doe they who hauehave either non nouerunt, as Caluin, Gualter, and Brentius; or non norunt, as Vatablus, Mercer, and Piſcator: They hauehave not knowne. Tremelius and Iunius hauehave, vt ignorent, how they are ignorant; Druſius hath, Nam neſciunt, for they know not. There is our tranſlation. They hauehave not knowne, or they are ignorant, and know not, Facere rectum, to doe right. So all ſaue Ionathan, who in his Paraphraſe hath Facere legem, to doe the Law. The meaning is good; for whoſoeuer knoweth not to doe according to the Law of God, he knoweth not to doe right.
They know not to doe right] Omninò rectum facere neſciunt, ſaith Saint Hierome; they hauehave no knowledge at all to doe what right is; no knowledge to doe any good at all. So then, they of Samaria, the people of Iſrael, are accuſed of Ignorance. Ignorance of the Law of God, and of doing thereafter, is here laid vntounto their charge. It yeeldeth vntounto vsus this obſeruation: Ignorance of God and his reuealed will, is a ſinne that is damnable and to be auoided.
It is ſo. I proue it:
1. Becauſe it is againſt the Commandement.
2. Becauſe God expreſly reproueth it.
My third proofe ſhall be from the foulneſſe of this ignorance.
Firſt, it is againſt the Commandement, againſt the firſt Commandement, which is, Thou ſhalt hauehave none other Gods but me, Exod. 20.3. The Commandement is negatiue. And the rule is, In the negatiue the affirmatiue muſt be vnderſtood, and in the affirmatiue the negatiue. Thou ſhalt hauehave none other Gods but me, that's the negatiue; the affirmatiue to bee vnderſtood is, Thou ſhalt hauehave me alone for thy God: where our knowledge of God is commanded. We are to acknowledge him, that is, we are to know and confeſſe him to be ſuch a God, as he hath reuealed himſelfe to be in his word, and in his Creatures. Now as in this affirmatiue part the knowledge of God is commanded, ſo in the negatiue is the ignorance of God forbidden. This ignorance of God, is not only not to know, but alſo to doubt of ſuch things as God hath reuealed in his word. And ſuch is the ignorance of God that is forbidden in that firſt Commandement.
It is likewiſe forbidden, if Polanus deceiue not, in the 32. Pſalme, verſ. 9. Be ye not as the horſe, or as the mule, which hauehave no vnderſtanding.
Its forbidden in the Epiſtle to the Epheſ. cap. 4.17, 18. Walke not from henceforth as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their minde, hauing their vnderſtanding darkned, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindneſſe of their heart. Walke not on in ignorance; For as the knowledge of God is the true life of the ſoule; ſo on the other ſide, the ignorance of God is the death of the ſoule.
Hence is that of Saint Paul, 1 Theſ. 4.13. I would not hauehave you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are aſleepe, that you ſorrow not, euen as others which hauehave no hope. It ſeemeth the Theſſalonians were in great heauineſſe, and mourned out of meaſure when they beheld the perſecution of the Church among them. In this their heauineſſe and mourning they grew towards miſtruſt, and to be like the Heathen, which had no hope. This abuſe of theirs grew of ignorance, for that they knew not the happy eſtate of ſuch as die in the Lord. Saint Paul to reforme this their error, ſaith, Brethren, I would not hauehave you ignorant concerning them which are aſleepe. Be yee not ignorant what is become of them; what God hath done for them. God hath tried them as gold, and made them worthy for himſelfe. Its ignorance that makes you heauy, becauſe you know not what is become of the dead. Be ye not ignorant concerning them, and your heauineſſe will be turned into ioy. And let this ſuffice to hauehave beene ſpoken to ſhew, that in reſpect of the Commandement, Ignorance of God, and his holy Will, is damnable, and to be auoided.
So is it in regard that God hath expreſly reproued it. There is a ſharpe reproofe of it, Eſay 1.3. The Oxe knoweth his owne…, and the Aſſe his maſters Crib, but Iſrael hath not knowne, my people hath not vnderſtood. Quid ſtolidius boue, quid ſtupidius aſino? What is more fooliſh than the Oxe, what more ſtupid than the Aſſe? Yet thoſe bruit beaſts doe know them, by whom they are fed and nouriſhed; but Iſrael, the Lords owne people, know not the Lord their God. Not much vnlike is that, Ierem. 8.7. The Storke in the aire knoweth her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow obſerue the time of their comming, but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. My people, Iſrael, is more ignorant of my iudgements, than thoſe birds are of their appointed ſeaſons. Both theſe reproofes are comparatiue. In the firſt, is Iſrael compared vntounto beaſts; in the ſecond, to birds. Beaſts and birds hauehave more knowledge than Iſrael.
But the reproofe is abſolute, Ierem. 4.22. My people is fooliſh, they hauehave not knowne me: they are fooliſh children, and hauehave no vnderſtanding: they are wiſe to doe euill, but to doe well they hauehave no knowledge. As abſolute is that, Ierem. 9.3. They proceed from euill to worſe, and hauehave not knowne me, ſaith the Lord. They hauehave no vnderſtanding, they hauehave no knowledge, they hauehave not knowne me, ſaith the Lord. Theſe, and the like reproofes of the ignorance of God, from Gods owne mouth, may ſerue for my ſecond proofe, that the ignorance of God is damnable, and to be auoided.
My third proofe I take from the fouleneſſe of this ignorance. The fouleneſſe thereof I diſcouer in one poſition. The poſition is; The ignorance of God, and of the things reuealed in his holy Word, is a puniſhment of ſinne, a cauſe of ſinne, and ſinne in it ſelfe. The poſition hath three branches. I ſhall endeuour to ſpeake of each in their order.
The firſt branch is: Our ignorance of God and of things reuealed in his holy Word, is a puniſhment of ſinne. It is a puniſhment of that ſinne, which by the default of our firſt Father, Adam, was from him deriued downe to vsus; and that is originall ſinne; by reaſon whereof we are all borne blind: blind in our vnderſtanding, blind in our will, and blind in our affections. There is no faculty of our ſoule which is not diſabled by this ſinne.
The chiefeſt faculties of our ſoule are three, Mens, Voluntas, Affectiones; the Vnderſtanding, the Will, and the Affections. Mens, Our vnderſtanding is by this ſinne diſabled: For it labours with a defect, or want of light or knowledge, and with a want of ſanctitie or holineſſe; that quality, by which light or knowledge in the vnderſtanding ſhould be ſeaſoned, as indeed it was at mans firſt creation.
That in the often repetition of the names of light and knowledge I ſeeme not tedious, may it pleaſe you to take what I ſhal ſpeak of the one, as ſpokē of the other alſo. For between light & knowledge in the vnderſtanding, I put no eſſentiall difference.
Now I note in the vnderſtanding a twofold light; the one naturall, the other Spirituall.
The Naturall is defectiue and wanting, not vniuerſally, but in pa…t only. For notwithſtanding our firſt fathers fall, there doe yet remaine in the vnregenerate man, certaine generall notions of good and euill things commanded or forbidden in the Law of God. And theſe notions are ſuch, that they make man vnexcuſable, ſith they are both maimed and corrupted. The defect or want of this Naturall light is proued, Rom. 1.21. When they knew God, they glorified him not as God. They knew God, there is the light of their vnderſtanding: they glorified him not as God; there is the defect and want of that light, the maime, the corruption of it.
The ſpirituall light of the vnderſtanding, that is likewiſe defectiue and wanting, not as the naturall light in part only, but vniuerſally. This is proued, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man receiueth not the things of the ſpirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe vntounto him, neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. foreign, The naturall man, man of himſelfe in his pure naturals, ruled only by nature, reaſon, and ſenſe, without grace, without the Spirit of God, man vnregenerate, is altogether deſtitute of the ſpirituall light of the vnderſtanding.
Beſides this want of light in the vnderſtanding, whether naturall or ſpirituall, there is alſo carentia ſanctitatis, a want of holineſſe, wherewith the forenamed light ought now to be, as once it was, ſeaſoned. The want of this holineſſe is manifeſted, Rom. 8.7. where you ſhall find, that whatſoeuer light or knowledge is in man, it is all vncleane, impure, and prophane; the Apoſtles words are foreign, The wiſdome of the fleſh is enmity againſt God: for it is not ſubiect to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. Not ſubiect to the Law of God, nor can be ſubiect to it! What! Can man exempt himſelfe from ſubiection vntounto God? No: be he neuer ſo rebellious, he muſt abide vnderunder Gods dominion. But the meaning of the Apoſtle is, to note ſuch a rebellion of mans corrupt nature, as is not ſubiect according vntounto order, as giues not orderly ſubiection vntounto God. Thus there is in man a want of that holineſſe wherewith the light of his vnderſtanding ſhould bee ſeaſoned.
What I hauehave now deliuered de mente, concerning the minde or vnderſtanding, which is a ſpeculatiue facultie of the ſoule, the ſame may be ſpoken De voluntate & affectionibus, of the will and affections, which are practicall faculties of the ſame. And therefore as in the vnderſtanding there is a defect of light and ſanctitie, ſo is there in the will and affections, euen the abſence of created holineſſe. Nor is there in theſe faculties of the ſoule only an abſence of light, knowledge, and ſanctitie; but alſo the preſence of their contrary qualities, as darkneſſe, ignorance, and ſinfulneſſe.
If the light be put out, darkneſſe comes in place; if knowledge be departed, ignorance ſucceeds; if holineſſe be loſt, ſinfulneſſe will domineere. Proofes hereof there are many in holy Scripture. But in this ſunſhine I need not light a candle. I hauehave ſaid enough to ſhew, that ignorance of God and his will is in all the powers and faculties of the ſoule of man, a puniſhment of ſinne, of originall ſinne. But this puniſhment of ſinne is generall, its common to all men, for as much as all men hauehave ſinned in Adam.
I adde further, that Ignorance is alſo a puniſhment of actuall ſinne. Sometimes its ſo. Then it is ſo, when a man for ſome particular offence is more and more blinded, and depriued of the knowledge of God and his truth. So God puniſhed the Gentiles with ignorance, Rom. 1.24. Becauſe when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, therefore God gaue them vp to vncleanneſſe through the luſts of their owne hearts to diſhonour their owne bodies betweene themſelues. So they became vaine in their imaginations; and profeſſing themſelues wiſe, they became fooles. And ſo God puniſhed the wicked among the Theſſalonians, 2 Theſ. 2.10. Becauſe they receiued not the truth, that they might be ſaued, therefore God did ſend them ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould beleeue lies. Thus is ignorance the puniſhment alſo of actuall ſin. And now is the firſt branch of my poſition cleare:
Ignorance is a puniſhment of ſinne; euermore of Originall, and ſometimes of Actuall ſinne.
The next branch is: Our ignorance of God and his truth is a cauſe of ſinne.Aquin. 1. 2. q. 76. art. 1.
Ignorance is a cauſe of ſinne. For whoſoeuer knoweth not God, he cannot worſhip God, he cannot but ſerue ſtrange Gods. We ſee that in the Galatians, chap. 4.8. who therefore did ſeruice to them who by nature were not Gods, becauſe they knew not the true God, Rom. 3.11. The like collection is made from ſome words in the fourteenth Pſalme, that therefore men ſeeke not God becauſe they know him not. There is none that vnderſtandeth, there is none that ſeeketh God. In both places Saint Paul makes Ignorance to be the mother of ſuperſtition and idolatry. Men know not God; therefore they ſeeke not God, Aquin. 1. 2. qu. 84. art. 1. 2.but ſerue ſtrange Gods. Thus is ignorance a cauſe of ſinne, I ſay, a cauſe of ſinne, as one ſinne may bee a cauſe of another. And one ſinne may be a cauſe of another diuers waies.
1 One ſinne is the cauſe of another, in as much as for a ſinne committed, the grace and preſence of the Holy Spirit leaueth and forſaketh vsus. It being departed, we cannot but runne into foule and filthy ſinnes. If our ſtay by which alone we are ſupported in the way of godlineſſe be taken from vsus, how ſhall we ſtand?
2 One ſinne is the cauſe of another, in as much as God puniſheth ſinne with ſinne; as when God gaue vp the Gentiles to their owne hearts luſts, to vncleanneſſe, to defile their owne bodies betweene themſelues, Rom. 1.24. as euen now you heard.
3 One ſinne is the cauſe of another, in as much as by committing of any ſinne, we are drawne on againe to doe the like, and to ingeminate and double action vponupon action, vntill at length we make the ſinne habituall vntounto vsus.
4 One ſinne is the cauſe of another, in as much as it cannot be, that a ſinne ſhould be committed without attendants. In which ſenſe the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 6.10. ſaith of foreign, that it is foreign; he ſaith that Couetouſneſſe, or the louelove of money, is the root of all euill. They that will be rich, ſaith he, fall into tentation and ſnares, and into many fooliſh and noiſome luſts, which draw men into perdition and deſtruction; for the louelove of money is the root of all euill, which while ſome luſted after, they erred from the faith, and pierced themſelues thorow with many ſorrowes.
5 One ſinne is the cauſe of another, in as much as for one, the other is committed. Pilat for ambition condemned Chriſt, Iudas for money betrayed his Maſter, and Balaam for a like reward curſed Gods people. So many waies may one ſinne be ſaid to be the cauſe of another.
Now our ignorance of God is a cauſe of ſinne the fourth way, namely as it is not without attendants. You heard euen now that Paul makes it to be the mother of ſuperſtition and idolatry. I may ſay it is the mother of all hereſies and errors. To this purpoſe Saint Hierome in a proeme of his to the Virgin Euſtochium before his Commentaries vponupon Eſay ſaith, that the ignorance of th… Scriptures, is the ignorance of Chriſt. If,1 Cor. 1.24. ſaith he, according to the Apoſtle Paul, Chriſt be the power of God, and the wiſdome of God, and hee that knoweth not the Scriptures, knoweth not the power of God, nor his wiſdome, Ignoratio Scripturarum ignoratio Chriſti eſt; the ignorance of the Scriptures, is the ignorance of Chriſt. It is ſo worthy a ſaying, that it is put into the body of the Canon Law, Diſt. 38. C. Si iuxta. Thus much for the ſecond branch of my poſition, wherein I affirmed, that Ignorance is a cauſe of ſinne.
The third branch is: Our ignorance of God, and his truth, is in it ſelfe ſinne. Here the Schoolemen doe diſtinguiſh.Aquin. 1.2. qu. 76. Art. 2. Lombard. Sent. lib. 2. diſt. 22. c. eſt autem. There is one kinde of ignorance in ſuch men as may know and will not: another in ſuch as may know and care not; a third in ſuch as would know, but cannot. The firſt is an ignorance by wilfulneſſe, the ſecond by negligence, the third by neceſſity. The firſt and ſecond they hold for ſinnes: the third they excuſe, yea they deny it to be a ſinne.
To their iudgement concerning the two former kinds, we giuegive our aſſent. It is a malicious ſinne, a ſinne of commiſſion, a very heynous ſinne, when men may know and will not. It is a negligent ſinne, a ſinne of omiſſion, yet a grieuous ſinne, when men may know and care not. But their opinion touching the third kinde we allow not. What if a man would know, and cannot, is he therefore ſimply and abſolutely excuſed? No; he is not. Its a truth, and all the powers of Hell ſhall not be able to preuaile againſt it: whoſoeuer knoweth not what he ought to know by the Law of God, he is holden in foreign, he tranſgreſſeth the Law of God. And eueryevery tranſgreſſion of the Law of God is ſinne. This truth is ſealed by the holy Spirit in the mouth of Saint Iohn, 1 Epiſt. chap. 3.4. foreign, EueryEvery tranſgreſſion of the Law is ſin.
The Text of Scripture which they alleage for their opinion is, Ioh. 15.22. There ſaith Chriſt, If I had not come and ſpoken vntounto them, they ſhould not hauehave had ſinne, but now hauehave they no cloake for their ſinne.
My anſwer is: Theſe words make nothing for them. For Chriſt by ſaying ſo, doth not abſolutely excuſe the Iewes from ſinne vponupon the condition that they had not beene able to hauehave heard Chriſt. The excuſe which Chriſt fitteth to them ſerues onelyonly to excuſe them from the greatneſſe and grieuouſneſſe of ſinne, as if he had thus ſaid, If I had not come and ſpoken vntounto them, they ſhould not hauehave had ſin; ſin, that is, ſo grieuous ſinne as now they hauehave, ſince they hauehave heard me, and yet doe continue in their obſtinacy, refuſing to giuegive aſſent to the truth, which I hauehave told them from my Father. They ſhould not hauehave had ſinne; Sinne in compariſon they ſhould not hauehave had. Their ſinne of ignorance ſhould hauehave beene none in reſpect of their ſinne which now they hauehave.
The place may receiue light from Chriſts owne mouth, Luk. 12.47. Our Sauiour there affirmeth, that the ſeruant which knoweth his maſters will and doth it not, ſhall bee beaten with many ſtripes; with more ſtripes than he ſhall that knoweth not his maſters will, and therefore doth it not. Where we are put in minde of two ſorts of ſinners: Some there are that know the will of their Lord; and ſome that know it not. Both are ſinners, and are to be beaten for their ſinnes; they with more ſtripes; theſe with fewer. And theſe to whom fewer ſtripes are aſſigned, are of three ſorts. For either they know not their Lords will, becauſe they will not know it: or they know it not, becauſe they care not to know it; or they know it not, becauſe they cannot know it.
They which know not their Lords will becauſe they will not know it, their ignorance is, as the Schoolemen call it,Biel. Sent. 2. Diſt. 22. qu. 2. Ignorantia affectata, an affected ignorance. Theſe ſhut their eares when God calleth, and being houſed in their ſecurity, will not ſtep to the doore to ſee if the Sunne ſhine. This ignorance reſideth rather in their will and affections, than in their vnderſtanding part. Theſe are wilfully ignorant, ſaith Peter, 2 Ep. 3.5. They know but will not know, and they run with broad eyes vntounto deſtruction.
They which know not their Lords will becauſe they care not to know it, their ignorance is Ignorantia craſſa vel ſupina; a groſſe, idle, wretchleſſe, and negligent ignorance. And they that are thus ignorant, doe alſo trace the high way to the pit of deſtruction: and there ſhall they be ſure to be beaten with many ſtripes.
They which know not their Lords will, becauſe they cannot know it, their ignorance is called Ignorantia inuincibilis, an inuincible ignorance, and its called inuincible, ſaith Biel, Sent. 2. Diſt. 22.not becauſe it is ſimply ſo, but becauſe it remaineth, after a man hath done all he can to remoue it: and this ignorance, ſaith he, doth ſimply excuſe a man from ſinne, Non ſolùm in tanto, Concluſ. 1.ſed in toto, it excuſeth wholly from ſinne. So he and the reſt of the ſchoole.
But by their leaues it is their errour; and ſtands conuicted by that ſaying of our Sauiour already produced, The ſeruant that doth not his Maſters will, by reaſon he knowes it not, ſhall be beaten with ſtripes, though fewer.
But ſay an ignorance is inuincible, an ignorance of neceſſity, an ignorance that a man would, but cannot remoue: ſhall not ſuch an ignorance excuſe? No, it ſhall not, For all men are bound by the Commandement to know God. That ſome men know him not, nor can know him, it is not Gods fault, but the fault of their owne parents, and conſequently their owne fault. Adam had the perfect knowledge of God imprinted in his nature: but through his owne default he loſt the ſame for himſelfe and his poſterity. A man may not for this complaine againſt Gods iuſtice, ſince that our fi…ſt ſinne hath deſerued a greater puniſhment. I ſay then, that this inuincible ignorance cannot excuſe à toto; it may à tanto. It may be ſome excuſe for the degree and meaſure of the ſinne, but not for the ſinne it ſelfe. And this may ſerue for the illuſtration of the third part of my poſition, wherein I affirmed, that our ignorance of God and his truth is of it ſelfe ſinne. Now the whole together ſtands good: Our ignorance of God, and of the things reuealed in his holy word, whether it be an affected and a wilfull ignorance, or a negligent and careleſſe ignorance, or an inuincible and a neceſſary ignorance, is an effect and puniſhment of ſinne, it is a cauſe of ſinne, and is in it ſelfe ſinne. It was bred by tranſgreſſion, it doth breed tranſgreſſion, and is no leſſe than tranſgreſſion of its owne nature. So foule a thing is ignorance. And therefore in this reſpect alſo its true, that Ignorance of God and his reuealed will is a ſinne that is damnable and to be auoided.
My obſeruation thus eſtabliſhed; Let vsus now ſee what profit may from hence redound vntounto vsus.
Firſt, this may ſerue to warne all Miniſters of the Word, that they be carefull to root out ignorance out of the mindes of the people, and to plant the knowledge of God among them. The Miniſter that neglects his duty, and either through inſufficiency or idleneſſe, ſuffereth the people to goe on in the waies of darkneſſe to their perdition, he becommeth acceſſary, yea a principall cauſe of their deſtruction.
Secondly, this may teach vsus all to deteſt this ignorance of God and his reueuled will, and to ſeeke by all meanes to know God. They that content themſelues to liue in their ignorance, and voluntarily ſubmit themſelues to be led by blind guides, ſuch as cannot enforme them in the waies of the Lord, their eſtate is lamentable. Beloued, it is eueryevery mans duty to hauehave care of his owne ſoule, though others ſhould neglect it. You ſhall do well to account this one thing neceſſary, to be inſtructed in the knowledge of Gods truth, and preferre it before your worldly affaires. Should you want this precious pearle of Gods Word, you would rather ſell all you hauehave to purchaſe it, than content your ſelues to be without it. Now you hauehave it brought home vntounto you, will you not make the beſt of it?
Thirdly, it may ſerue to reproue a Popeſh practiſe, by which they endeuour by all meanes poſſible to keepe the people in blindneſſe and ignorance, by taking away from them the light of Gods Word both read and preached; that ſo keeping them blind-folded, they may doe with them at their pleaſure, and like carrion Crowes hauing picked out their eyes, may make a prey of them.
What elſe meane they, when they teach, that Ignorance is the mother of deuotion? Pag. 18.I know that N. D. in his Wardword denieth this to be taught by any Catholique. Hee ſaith it is forged by ſome Miniſter of ours, and laid vponupon them. But he ſeemeth to hauehave beene paſt ſhame in denying that, which is ſo openly knowne. A Deane of Pauls, Doctor Cole by name, one choſen not onelyonly to maintaine the aſſertions of the Papiſts againſt the Proteſtants in a diſputation at Weſtminſter, but appointed by the Biſhops and other his Collegues, to be the mouth for them all; whoſe ſpeech in the end, they all being asked, did auow to be the minde and ſaying of them all: euen he in that honourable aſſembly of the Councell and Nobles, and frequent concourſe of the Commons, did with great vehemency maintaine this poſition in theſe words: I ſay, Ignorance is the mother of deuotion. See, this Popiſh Doctor, appointed by the conſent of Popiſh Biſhops and other his Collegues to be their mouth, and auouched, to hauehave ſpoken nothing, but what was the minde and ſaying of them all, ſaith peremptorily, that Ignorance is the mother of deuotion; yet the Author of the Wardword ſhameleſly denieth, that the Papiſts hauehave any ſuch aſſertion.
All the harme I wiſh them, is, that they had no ſuch. But it appeareth by the whole practiſe and policy of that ſide, that they are fully perſwaded, that without deepe Ignorance of the people, it is not poſſible for their Church to ſtand. Therfore as B. Iewel in his Reply to Maſter Harding, Art. 37. hath well obſerued, they chaſe the ſimple from the Scriptures; they drowne them in ignorance, and ſuffer them vtterly to know nothing; neither the profeſſion they made in Baptiſme; nor the meaning of the holy Myſteries; nor the price of Chriſts bloud; nor wherein, nor by whom they may be ſaued: nor what they deſire of God, either when they pray together in the Church, or when they priuately pray alone. Verily it is with them, as it was with the Scribes and Phariſes, thoſe Hypocrites, vntounto whom a woe is denounced by our Sauiour, Matth. 23.13. They ſhut vp the Kingdome of Heauen before men. For they neither goe in themſelues, neither doe they ſuffer them that w…uld, to enter. For all the faire ſhewes they make, for all they curiouſly paint ouer this rotten poſt with the colours of their deuotion; yet the truth is, by depriuing the people of knowledge, they depriue them alſo of ſaluation, and make them ſubiect to vtter deſtruction: and ſo by conſequent they make themſelues guilty of the ſinne and ruine of the people of both which they hauehave beene the principall cauſes.
I hauehave purpoſely beene liberall in ſetting before you the amplification from the Genus: nor need I beg pardon for prolixity. It was neceſſary for this Text; no leſſe for theſe times. Now followeth the amplification from the Species; who ſtore vp violence and robbery in their palaces.
foreign Haotzerim in the originall is from the root foreign Aizar, which ſignifieth to treaſure vp, to hoard vp, to ſtore vp, to lay vp as in a ſtore houſe. And accordingly runne the tranſlations: the Greeke, foreign, who treaſure vp. So the old Latine, Theſaurizantes; Druſius, qui theſauirzant; Tremelius, Piſcator, and Buxtorfius, qui theſauros faciunt: all theſe are for the gathering or making of treaſures. Vatablus and Mercer hauehave, qui recondunt, who lay vp: Targum hath Implentes cellaria ſua, filling their Cellars or ſtorehouſes. Our Engliſh tranſlation is for ſtoring vp. But what is it that is thus treaſured, laid or ſtored vp?
foreign Chamas vaſchod. Chamas with the Greekes is foreign, Vnrighteouſneſſe; with the old Interpreter, Iniquitas, its Iniquity; with Caluin, Oecolampadius, and Gualter Rapina, its Rauine; with Brentius Iniuria, its Iniury; with Tremelius, Druſius, and Piſcator, Violentia, its Violence; and ſo it is with vsus. So, ſee ſtored vp in the firſt place, Vnrighteouſneſſe, Iniquity, Rauine, Iniury, and Violence. Next is,
foreign Schod: and that is likewiſe diuerſly tranſlated: with the Greekes it is foreign, Miſery; with the old Latine it is Rapina, Rauine; with Caluin and Galter, Praeda, a prey, booty, or ſpoile; with Brentius, Deuaſtatio; with Tremelius and Piſcator, Vaſtatio; with Druſius and Oecolampadius, Vaſtitas, a waſting, a ſpoiling, a ranſacking; with Vatablus and Mercer, Direptio, a polling, pilling, or robbing; with vsus it is Robbery. So, ſee ſtored vp in the ſecond place, Miſery, Rauine, Preyes, Booties, Spoiles, Waſting, Ranſacking, Polling, Pilling, Robberie.
But where is all this to be ſeene? foreign, in their places, ſo the Septuagint: in aedibus ſuis, in their houſes, ſo the Vulgar: in palatijs ſuis, in their palaces, ſo all the reſt; and this laſt beſt agreeth with the Hebrew. Thus hauehave you the expoſition of theſe words from their diuers readings.
The manner of ſpeech which our Prophet here vſeth would be obſerued: They ſtore vp violence and robbery in their palaces.] But how can violence and robbery be ſtored vp? In their effects they may. By violence and robbery vnderſtand the effects of violence and robbery; goods, riches, and treaſures gotten by violence and robbery; and theſe were too familiarly ſtored vp.
They ſtore or treaſure vp violence and robbery, that is, they gather together treaſures of violence and robbery. And wee ſay, treaſures of violence and robbery, as Salomon ſaith, treaſures of iniquity, Prou. 10.2. The treaſures of iniquity profit not. By treaſures of iniquity, Caietan. Ianſen. Rodolphus. Salazar.hee meaneth ſuch treaſures as wicked men doe get by wicked meanes, contra jus faſque, againſt right and reaſon. The like phraſe our Sauiour vſeth, Luk. 16.9. Make to your ſelues De mammona iniquitatis, of the Mammon of vnrighteouſneſſe, or of the riches of vnrighteouſneſſe. By the mammon or riches of vnrighteouſneſſe, he meaneth ſuch riches as vnrighteous men doe get by vnrighteous or vnlawfull meanes.Stella.
So here may we call the treaſures of violence and robbery, ſuch treaſures as violent and cruell men, ſuch as couetous men and robbers doe gather together by pilling, by polling, by robbing, by waſting, by ſpoiling, by ranſacking the poore, fatherleſſe, widowes, and other diſtreſſed perſons. And theſe riches thus gathered together they lay vp in palatijs ſuis.
In their palaces] By mentioning their palaces our Prophet here taxeth and twiteth the great ones of Iſrael, as if they had built ſtately and ſumptuous houſes, Ex pauperum ſanguine, ſaith Mercer, of the bloud of the poore; yea ſaith Quadratus, Ex pauperum viſceribus, of the very bowels of the poore; Ex bonis rapto partis, by goods gotten from the poore by catching and by pillage. And he further intimateth that all this couetous and cruell dealing againſt the poore was from their great ones, Kings, Princes, Nobles, and Magiſtrates, whoſe duty it was, not onelyonly not to hauehave committed ſuch enormities, but alſo to hauehave defended the poore from all ſuch violence and wrong: as Petrus Luſitanus hath well obſerued.
Here then are the rulers of Samaria accuſed of violence and robbery, iuſt as the rulers of Ieruſalem are, Eſay 1.23. Thy Princes are rebellious and companious of theeues: EueryEvery one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards: they iudge not the fatherleſſe, neither doth the cauſe of the widow come vntounto them. Whence my obſeruation is: Magiſtrates, rulers, men in authority, ſuch as grow to wealth by oppreſſion, bribery, and vniuſt dealing, may from hence be noted to be men of violence and robbery.
What? can Magiſtrates be robbers? Yes, they can be and are ſo, if they deale vniuſtly. Sweetly Saint Auguſtine, De Ciuitate Dei, lib. 4. cap. 4. Remotâ iuſtitiâ, quid ſunt regna, niſi magna latrocinia? Away with iuſtice, and what are Kingdomes but mighty robbings?
Elegantly and truly did the pirate reply to Alexander the great. Alexander asked him, Quid ei videretur, vt mare haberet infeſtum? What he meant to be ſo troubleſome at Sea to rob all that paſſed by? The Pirat freely and ſtoutly replyed; Quid tibi vt orbem terrarum? Nay, what meane you Alexander, to be ſo troubleſome to rob all the world? What I doe, I doe it but with one ſhip, Et latro vocor, and muſt be called a theefe: you doe the like with a fleet, with a number of ſhips, and you muſt be called Emperour. The onelyonly difference betweene vsus is: I rob out of neceſſity to ſupply my wants; you out of your vnmeaſurable couetouſneſſe.
Of Magiſtrates in Courts of Iuſtice, if they be corrupt, Saint Cyprian Ep. 2. ad Donatum giues this cenſure: Qui ſedet crimina vindicaturus, admittit, & vt reus innocens pereat, fit nocens judex. It is ſignificantly Engliſhed by Democritus Iunior: See a Lambe executed and a Wolfe pronounce ſentence; Latro arraigned, and Fur ſit on the bench; the Iudge ſeuerely puniſh others, and doe worſe himſelfe. Such Iudges may iuſtly be noted for men of violence and robbery. But my ſpeech is not to ſuch, for they heare me not.
It is to you, beloued. Shall I ſay, that among you there are men of violence and robbery? I auow it not; yet flatter not your ſelues. He that filcheth or pilfereth, the leaſt pinne, point or ſticke of wood from his neighbour,Mark. 10.19. he that moueth ancient bounds, the ancient bounds which his fathers hauehave made,Prou. 22.18. with a purpoſe to encroach vponupon his neighbours land; hee that ſtealeth another mans wife, childe or ſeruant; hee that committeth ſacrilege in detaining the rights of the Church;1 Tim. 1.10. Ioſ. 7.19. he that tranſgreſſeth thus, or thus, he may goe for a man of violence and robbery.
Dearely beloued, if any of you hath beene ouertaken with theſe or the like tranſgreſſions, looke into your owne hearts; examine your ſelues in what meaſure you hauehave or doe tranſgreſſe. For we muſt not feare to tell you, you doe offend. And if your conſcience tell you, your offence is great, runne not headlong into Hell without returning. Vita non eſt niſi in Conuerſione, De Conuerſ. cap. 1.ſaith Saint Bernard; There is no hope of life, but by turning to the Lord. And your turning to the Lord muſt bee by true and vnfained repentance. So turne vntounto him; and if thou be a Publican, thou maiſt become an Euangeliſt; if a b…aſphemer, an Apoſtle, if a theefe and robber, a poſſeſſor of Paradiſe.
And ſo much be ſpoken of my ſecond part, the ſpeciall amplification of cruelty and couetouſneſſe, the ſinnes of Samaria, taken from their violence and robberies, treaſured vp in their palaces.
My third part is the ratification of the whole accuſation. foreign Neum Iehouah, the Lord hath ſaid it. They know not to doe right, ſaith the Lord, who ſtore vp violence and robbery in their palaces. Saith the Lord.
See, the Lord is not idle in the Heauens, as ſome imagine, but takes notice of what is done here below. He beholdeth the great tumults that are in Samaria, and the oppreſſions there, their violence and robberies he beholdeth. My obſeruation here ſhall be that, Iob 34.21. The eyes of the Lord are vponupon the waies of man, and he ſeeth all his goings.
He ſeeth all. He ſeeth our ſinnes in the booke of Eternity, before our owne hearts conceiued them. He ſeeth our ſinnes in our hearts, as ſoone as our inuentions hauehave giuen them forme. He ſeeth our ſinnes in action on the Theater of this earth, quite through the ſcene of our liues: and hee ſeeth them to our paine, when his wrathful eye takes notice of them, and his hand is lift vp to puniſh them. He ſeeth them all. There is nothing ſo ſecret, nothing ſo abſtracted from the ſenſes of men, Vt creatoris aut lateat cognitionem, aut effugiat poteſtatem, that it may either lurke from the eye, or eſcape the hand of God; Auguſt. de Ciuit. Dei, lib. 22. cap. 20. As plaine is that, Iob 34.22. There is no darkneſſe nor ſhadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themſelues.
The Powder-traitors in the mine and Celler, were not vnſeene to the reuenging eye of God. The villaines of the cloiſters were all naked vntounto him. As darke as their Vaults were, his all-ſeeing eye deſcried their filthineſſe, and laid waſte their habitations. The obſcurity of their Cells and Dorters, the thickneſſe of their walls, the cloſeneſſe of their Windowes, with the cloake of a ſtrict profeſſion, couering all, could not hide their ſinnes from the eye of Heauen.
Nor can our ſins be hid, though done with gre…teſt ſecrecy. Sinne as cloſely as thou canſt, there will bee witneſſes of thy ſinne; Videt te angelus malus, videt te angelus bonus, videt & bonis & malis major angelis Deus; Bernard. de conuerſ. ad Clericos cap. 16. The bad angell ſees thee, and the good ſees thee, and he that is better than the Angels, farre aboue all principalities and powers, God Almighty, he ſees thee.
Wherefore dearely beloued, let our conuerſation with men be, as in the ſight of God. And ſith in this mortality we cannot but ſinne, let vsus endeuour to ſee our ſinnes, to know them, to confeſſe them, to bewaile them, and cry we to God to giuegive vsus grace to lay hold vponupon Ieſus Chriſt his Sonne, that beleeuing we may be ſaued by his righteouſneſſe. Good God pardon our ſinnes, giuegive vsus faith, change our liues to the better, for thy bleſſed name and mercies ſake; euen for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake. Amen.