Seventeen Sermons on Amos 3, Sermon 13
THE Thirteenth Lecture.
AMOS 3.11.
Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God, An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the Land: and hee ſhall bring downe thy ſtrength from thee, and thy palaces ſhall be ſpoiled.
THis third part of this third Chapter, but ſecond Sermon of Amos to the kingdome of the ten Tribes, I ſtiled an foreign, an Exornation, pertaining to the propoſition deliuered in the ſecond verſe. It amplifieth the iniquitie of the Iſraelites from the teſtification of forren nations: as thus; You, you of Iſrael, your ſinnes are ſo notorious, ſo groſſe, ſo palpable, that very ſtrangers, Philiſtines, and Aegyptians, may take notice of them. Sith you of your ſelues are not touched with a conſcience of your euill deeds, them, the Philiſtines and Aegyptians, I call as witneſſes and Iudges of your impurity and vncleanneſſe. It is the ſcope of this paſſage.
The paſſage conſiſteth of two parts,
An Accuſation, verſ. 9, 10.
A Commination, verſ. 11.
In the ninth verſe, a part of the Accuſation, two things hauehave beene obſerued:
An Iniunction for a Proclamation, Publiſh in the palaces at Aſhdod, and in the palaces in the Land of Aegypt, and ſay.
The Proclamation it ſelfe; Aſſemble your ſelues vponupon the Mountaines of Samaria: and behold the great tumults in the midſt thereof, and the oppreſſed in the midſt thereof.
In the Proclamation, two ſinnes were controuled: Cruelty, and Couetouſneſſe. Their Cruelty in their great tumults; their Couetouſneſſe in their oppreſſions.
In the tenth verſe, the other part of the Accuſation, thoſe two enormities, Cruelty and Couetouſneſſe, are amplified from two Topickes; à genere, & à ſpecie; from the Genus, thus: They know not to doe right. From the Species, thus: They ſtore vp violence and robbery in their palaces. That ſo it is, God is produced for witneſſe, for Neum Iehouah, The Lord hath ſaid it.
Theſe particulars yeelded materialls for my two former Sermons. Now from the Accuſation I proceed to the Commination, verſ. 11.
Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God, An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the Land: and he ſhall bring downe thy ſtrength from thee, and thy palaces ſhall be ſpoiled.
The words are a denunciation of puniſhment: concerning which we may obſerue,
The Cauſe.
The Author.
The Puniſhment it ſelfe.
The Cauſe is implied in the particle, Therefore.
The Author is the Lord God.
The Puniſhment, is a conqueſt by warre, and is deſcribed,
1 By the Siege.
2 By the Victory.
3 By the Spoile.
An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the Land: there is the Siege, the whole Land beſet round about.
And he ſhall bring downe thy ſtrength from thee: there is the Victory, the ouerthrow of their ſtrong men.
And thy palaces ſhall be ſpoiled. The Spoile is at the luſt of the conquerour. An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the Land, and he ſhall bring downe thy ſtrength from thee, and thy palaces ſhall be ſpoiled.
I hauehave ſhewed you the limits and bounds of my future diſcourſe. I will handle them as they lye in order, beginning with the cauſe of the puniſhment, implied in this particle, Therefore.
Therefore] It is a particle befitting a Commination. It hath relation to the former verſes, and pointeth to the ſinnes there touched: to the great tumults in the middeſt of Samaria, and the oppreſſions there, verſ. 9. to the ignorance of God, and his will; to their violence and robbery ſtored vp in their palaces, verſ. 10. The relation that this particle hath to thoſe ſinnes, ſheweth that thoſe ſinnes are the cauſe of the puniſhment here denounced: as if our Prophet had thus ſpoken: Becauſe you, that are the Princes and Potentates of Samaria, doe oppreſſe the poore and needie, Therefore will I bring againſt you mightier than your ſelues, that ſhall oppreſſe and ſpoile you.
Therefore! The obſeruation is, Sin is the cauſe of all the euill that befalleth man in this life.
In this my Theſis, by euill I vnderſtand malum poenae, the euill of puniſhment, or the euill of affliction. Affliction or puniſhment, whereof ſinne is the cauſe, is two fold, internall or externall; either inward or outward. The inward pertaineth to the minde, the outward to the body. For the puniſhment of ſinne is to be meaſured and defined, not only by the torments of the body, or by the mortality of this life, but alſo by the moſt grieuous affliction of the ſoule: as by the crookedneſſe, obliquitie, and blemiſh of the ſoule, by an euill conſcience, by the wrath of God which is importable; by the guilt of ſinne, whereby wee are obliged to puniſhment; by vitious habits whereby we are inclined to a multitude of ſinnes. Foecundum est peccatum; non ibi definit, vbi incipit. Sin is fruitfull; if it once begin, it leaues not there; the worſt thing of it is behinde, euen the extreme anguiſh and horrour of the ſoule.
Againe, affliction or puniſhment, whereof ſinne is the cauſe, is either publike or priuate.
Publike afflictions, I call ſuch wherof many men at once hauehave a ſenſe and feeling: Such are the flouds of great waters; the ruine of Cities by earth-quakes; the waſte done in them by fire, warre, euill beaſts, peſtilence, famine, tyrannie, perſecution, the death of good Princes, hereſie, ſchiſme, eueryevery common miſery. All theſe are publike.
Priuate afflictions are ſuch, as priuate men in their owne particular doe ſuffer; as ſickneſſe, griefe, infamie, pouerty, impriſonment, death.
Of all theſe afflictions or puniſhments, whether publike, or priuate, or outward, or inward, ſinne is the cauſe.
Sinne! It is cauſa foreign, it is efficiens impellen…; it is the impulſiue cauſe of all afflictions or puniſhments: it fetcheth downe vengeance from the Maieſtie of Heauen. It brought that ſame vniuerſall deluge vponupon the whole world, Gen. 7.17. It brought downe fire and brimſtone vponupon Sodome and Gomorrah, Gen. 19.24. It cauſed the Land of Canaan to ſpue out her inhabitants, Leuit. 18.25. It will make any Land ſit mourning like a deſolate widow, or a diſtreſſed mother, robbed of her children, and ſpoiled of all her comforts. It is auouched by the Pſalmist, Pſal. 107.34. A fruitfull Land God turneth into barrenneſſe, for the wickedneſſe of them that dwell therein. It is that, whereof the Prophet Ieremie complaineth, Chap. 12.4. How long ſhall the Land mourne, and the herbes of eueryevery field wither, for the wickedneſſe of them that dwell therein? Turne to the Prophecie of Micah, Chap. 1.4. Behold there, the mountaines melting as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are powred downe a ſteepe place, for no other cauſe, but for the tranſgreſſion of Iacob, and for the ſinnes of the houſe of Iſrael.
Thus farre for the confirmation of my doctrine: Sinne is the cauſe of all the euill that befalleth man in this life.
Saint Auguſtine Serm. 139. de tempore, thus deliuers it: Malorum omnium noſtrorum cauſa peccatum eſt: Sinne is the cauſe of all our euills. Non enim ſine cauſâ homines mala iſta patiuntur; It is not to be imagined that men ſuffer affliction without cauſe. God is iuſt; he is omnipotent. Nullo modo iſta pateremur, ſi non mereremur. Surely, no euill could befall vsus, if we deſerued it not. There is not a man that ſinneth not; and the leaſt ſinne that he committeth, deſerueth all the miſery that can be laid vponupon him.
This truth may teach vsus, Firſt, in time of affliction to acknowledge our ſins to be the cauſe thereof, and to profit thereby vntounto amendment.
Secondly, it may teach vsus to iuſtifie God, whenſoeuer hee ſhall afflict vsus, and to beare his viſitation with patience. Wherefore doth a liuing man complaine, a man for the puniſhment of his ſinnes? Lament. 3.39. A man for the puniſhment of his ſinnes, wherefore doth he complaine? Let vsus ſearch and trie our wayes, and turne againe vntounto the Lord; we hauehave tranſgreſſed, and rebelled againſt him, and therefore he afflicteth vsus. My reſolution ſhall be in the words of Micah the Prophet, Chap. 7.9. I will beare the indignation of the Lord, becauſe I hauehave ſinned againſt him.
And let this ſuffice to hauehave beene ſpoken of my firſt generall, the cauſe of the puniſhment here denounced, implied in this particle, Therefore. I proceed to my next generall, the Author of this puniſhment, the Lord God. Therefore, thus ſaith the Lord God.
Thus ſaith the Lord] It is a note wherewith the Prophets for the moſt part doe begin their preachings, and prophecyings, to ſhew that they deliuer nothing, but what is of diuine credit and authority.
Thus ſaith the Lord] Dicit Dominus, ſaith the Lord. Dicere, with the Prophets, ſignifieth conſilium certum, certámque ſententiam, as Arias Montanus vponupon this text obſerueth. To ſay, ſignifieth a certaine, a determined ſentence or iudgement: it implieth, not ſo much any verball ſpeech, as the ſtrength and efficacie of reaſon and cogitation. Saith the Lord, that is, the Lord hath in his ſecret and infallible counſell decreed and determined to effect what is by the Prophet here denounced.
Thus ſaith Adonai Iehouih, the Lord God. With theſe two names of God, Adonai Iehouih, wee hauehave met twice alreadie in this Chapter, verſe 7. and 8. Sith they are here againe, they are againe by vsus to be ſaluted: but briefly.
Adonai, the Lord. The name is found in holy Scripture 134. times. It is the obſeruation of the Maſſorets. R. Moſche ben Maimon.Rambam maketh this name to be equiualent to the name Iehouah: ſo doth the Talmud. Yet is there a difference betweene them.Lib. K…dduſch in cap. Eſre Iochaſin, &c. Adonai is the name of God of his ſuſtentation and dominion; but Iehouih is his name of exiſting or being. By Adonai wee know that God alone is abſolutely Lord, Ruler and Gouernour of all things; yea and our Lord. By Iehouih, that of himſelfe and by himſelfe, He euer was, is, and ſhall be: Reuel. 1.4.16.5. Act. 17.28. Rom. 11.36.that of him all creatures hauehave their being; and that he giueth a reall being to all his promiſes and threats.
Adonai Iehouih, the Lord God, he that is iudex iuſtiſſimus, the moſt iuſt Iudge, and ſuffereth not a ſinne to paſſe without due puniſhment, He is here preſented vntounto you for the Author of the puniſhment here denounced. The obſeruation is, Of all the euill that befalleth man in this life, God is the Author.
And here by euill I vnderſtand as in my former obſeruation, the euill of puniſhment, or the euill of affliction, priuate or publike, internall, or externall: God is the Author of all.
It is proued aboue in this Chap. verſ. 6. Shall there be euill in a citie, and the Lord hath not done it? No, there ſhall be none; no euill of paine, puniſhment or affliction, but the Lord doth it. This is it, the Lord aſſumeth to himſelfe, Eſai. 45.7. I the Lord; I forme the light, and create darkneſſe: I make peace, and create euill; I the Lord doe all theſe things. It is thus in the Paraphraſe: I am the Lord; and there is none elſe. I ſend into the world light and darkneſſe, proſperity and aduerſitie: I giuegive peace, and with it tranquillity and abundance, and I giuegive that which is contrary to peace, euill, warre, and miſery, and perturbation, and pouertie: I, the Lord doe all theſe things.
It is no more than what he takes vntounto himſelfe, Ier. 18.11. For there alſo, thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I frame euill againſt you, and deuiſe a deuice againſt you: where by euill vnderſtand with Tertullian lib. 2. aduerſus Marcionem cap. 24. Mala non peccatoria, ſed vltoria, Euill not of ſinne, but of reuengement. In which ſenſe wee are to take euill in all thoſe places of holy writ, wherein God either bringeth or threatneth to bring euill vponupon any. By euill in all ſuch places, as in this my Theſis, we are to vnderſtand the euill of reuengement, the euill of puniſhment, or the euill of affliction. Of eueryevery ſuch euill God is the Author.
God is the Author of puniſhment. I ſay of puniſhment, non quòd poena ſit ens quoddam, not as if the euill of puniſhment had a being, as other things hauehave which God made. For God is improperly ſaid to be the efficient of puniſhment; ſith puniſhment of its owne nature,Aquin. 1. qu. 48. Art. 1. C. is nothing elſe than priuatio boni, the priuation, or abſence, of that we call good; or the with-holding of Gods bleſſings from vsus. The Father of the Schooles thus deliuers it:Idem 1. qu. 49. Art. 2. C. Cum ſummum bonum perfectiſſimum ſit, mali cauſa eſſe non poteſt, niſi per accidens. God being the chiefeſt good and moſt perfect, cannot be the author of euill but by accident.
The author of euill by accident! How is that? Why thus? When God withdraweth from the earth his heauenly benedictions, forbidding the clouds to giuegive their raine, or the Sunne his influence, and taking from vsus our health, our peace, or any other temporall bleſſing, hee is the author of euill. And this may ſerue for the proofe and explanation of my ſecond Doctrine, which was, Of all the euill that befalleth man in this life, God is the Author.
The reaſon hereof is, becauſe nothing is done in the world, but God is the principall doer of it: and therefore no euill can befall vsus, but God is the author of it.
Is it thus? Hence then in the firſt place, are they to be reproued, who thinke, that the Lord doth onelyonly ſuffer many things to be done. He is not only a ſufferer, but an orderer, guider, and gouernour of all things and actions.
Secondly, from hence may be confuted, the vaine opinion of Fortune, whereunto many Philoſophers and carnall ignorant people vſe to aſcribe thoſe things whereof they ſee not an apparant cauſe. What more caſuall in this world than Lottery? Yet, therein nothing falleth out by fortune, but all is wholly and altogether directed by the infinite and eternall prouidence of Almighty God: Salomon expreſly affirmeth it, Prou. 16.33. The lot is caſt into the Lap, but the whole dispoſing thereof is of the Lord.
Thirdly, from hence wee learne that all our afflictions are from God; and are therefore by vsus to be borne with patience. God verily loueth thoſe that are his, and yet notwithſtanding he ſuffereth them to be afflicted, becauſe it is expedient for them ſo to be: yet in their afflictions he yeeldeth them comfort. Saint Paul bleſſeth God for it, 2 Cor. 1.3. Bleſſed be God, euen the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth vsus in all our tribulation. Who comforteth vsus in all our tribulation; he ſaith not, who ſuffereth vsus not to be afflicted, but who comforteth vsus, while we are afflicted. It is the obſeruation of S. Chryſoſtome and Theophylact. God though he ſuffer vsus to be afflicted, yet he comforteth vsus whē we are afflicted. Our afflictions, they are Emendatoriae potiùs, quàm interfectoriae, as Saint Auguſtine ſpeaketh, lib. 3. de lib. Arbit. cap. 25. They tend rather to amend vsus, than to deſtroy vsus. And ſweetly Saint Cyprian. Ep. 8. Deus quem corripit, diligit: quando corripit, ad hoc corripit, vt emendet, ad hoc emendat vt ſeruet: Whom God correcteth, him he loueth: when he correcteth him, hee doth it to amend him, and he amendeth him that he may ſaue him.
And thus much be ſpoken of my ſecond generall, the Author of this puniſhment, The Lord God. My third followeth, the puniſhment here denounced; which is a conqueſt by warre; and is deſcribed by the Siege, by the victory, and by the ſpoile. Of the Siege firſt, for it is the firſt in order. The words are,
An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the Land] The old Interpreter tranſlates it, Tribulabitur & circuietur terra; the Land ſhall be troubled and compaſſed about. Brentius, Obſidebitur & circumdabitur terra, the Land ſhall be beſieged and beſet round about.
foreign Tſar in the originall is rendred Arctator by Montanus; Tribulator, by Occolampadius; Aduerſarius, by Caluin and Druſius; Hoſtis, by Tremelius, Piſcator, and Gualter; It is Tribulatio with Vatablus and Mercer; but Anguſtiae with Ionathan. Well; be it either Arctator, or Tribulator, or an Aduerſary, or an Enemie; or be it Tribulation, or be it Anguiſh; it is not in a little part or corner of the Land, but in circuitis terrae, it is in the circuit of the Land, it enuironeth the whole Land. The Septuagint hauehave a reading by themſelues, foreign: Tyre ſhall be made deſolate; round about ſhall thy Land be waſted. Saint Cyril will hauehave them thus to be vnderſtood: From Tyre and the Land thereabout the whole countrey ſhall by the incurſions of robbers be brought to deſolation. Tyrus is in Hebrew Tzor; ſo is it in the firſt Chapter of this prophecie, verſ. 9. It ſeemes the S…ptuagint did in this place reade Tzor, as alſo Aquila once did reade.Hieron. But now the common reading of this place is Tzar: and Tzar is an enemie or aduerſary, and hath other ſignifications, whereof euen now you heard. Thus our Engliſh tranſlation is cleared, it is good.
An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the Land] This aduerſary is the Aſſyrian, the King of Aſſyria, Salmanaſſar; He with his armies is to come againſt the Citie and Kingdome of Samaria: he ſhall ſo beſet and beleaguer the whole countrey round about, that there ſhall be no eſcaping for any of the inhabitants. According to this prediction it came to paſſe ſome ſixty fiue yeares after, Eſay 7.8. 2 King. 18.10.in the ninth yeare of the reigne of Hoſhea ſon of Elah King of Iſrael, as it is, 2 King. 17.6.
An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the Land] Now from this circumſtance of the Siege of Samaria ſo long before threatned, ariſeth this obſeruation, Gods threatning to puniſh long before he puniſheth, are inuitations to repentance.
Origen lib. 4. contra Celſum, ſaith, God puniſheth no man, but whom he doth firſt warne, terrifie, and aduertiſe of the perill. And ſurely, herein appeareth Gods mercy, that he threatneth before hee puniſheth, that by his threatning men might learne to amend. He threatneth, ſaith S. Chryſoſtome, Hom. 12. in Geneſ. Vt nobis correctis, min as ad opus minimè perducat, that we being amended, his menacing need not take effect.
If this were not the end of Gods threatnings, why doth Zephaniah Chap. 2.1, 2. thus exhort the Iewes? Gather yourſelues together, yea gather together, O Nation not deſired. Before the decree bring forth, before the day paſſe as the chaffe, before the fierce anger of the Lord come vponupon you; before the day of the Lords anger come vponupon you. Seeke yee the Lord, ſeeke righteouſneſſe, ſeeke meekeneſſe: it may be, yee ſhall be hid in the day of the Lords anger. He calleth vponupon the Iewiſh Nation to returne from their euill waies by true repentance. Where behold (ſaith Saint Hierome) the clemencie of God, Quia non vult inferre ſupplicia, ſed tantum terrere paſſuros, ipſe ad poenitentiam prouocat, ne faciat quod minatus eſt. Becauſe Gods will is, rather to terrifie them, than to lay puniſhments vponupon them, he incites them to repentance, that he be not driuen to doe, as he hath threatned.
This is that ſame foreign, it is the goodneſſe, the forbearance, the long ſuffering of God, whereof Saint Paul ſpeaketh, Rom. 2.4. Despiſeſt thou, O man, the riches of his goodneſſe and forbearance, and long ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſſe of God leadeth thee to repentance? It leadeth to repentance. It is vouchſafed vntounto vsus to the amendment of life. And thus is my obſeruation eſtabliſhed, Gods threatnings to puniſh, long before he puniſheth, are inuitations to repentance.
One reaſon hereof is; becauſe if after threatning repentance follow, it procureth the forgiueneſſe of ſinne, and taketh away the cauſe of the puniſhment. Sinne is the cauſe of Gods iudgements; this wee heard euen now. If the cauſe bee remoued, the effect will ceaſe. For ſo ſaith the Lord, Ez…ch. 33.14, 15. When I ſay vntounto the wicked, Thou ſhalt ſurely die, if hee turne from his ſinne and doe that which is lawfull and right, hee ſhall ſurely liue, he ſhall not die.
A ſecond reaſon I take from the end of Gods threatnings. The end whereat he aimeth, when he threatneth, is not the deſtruction of them that are threatned, but their amendment. For thus ſaith the Lord, Ezech. 18.23. HaueHave I any pleaſure at all that the wicked ſhould die, and not that he ſhould returne from his wayes and liue? This by way of interrogation. But it is by way of aſſertion, Ezech. 33.11. and is backed with an oath; As I liue ſaith the Lord God, I hauehave no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and liue. As I liue, it is ſo. Here may wee ſay, as Auguſtine ſome-where ſaid of Chriſt: Felices nos, propter quos ipſe Deus iurat; Happie are we for whom God himſelfe ſweareth. But infoelices, ſi ne iuranti quidem credimus; Wretched are we, if wee beleeue him not vponupon his oath.
I ſhall but point at the vſes of this doctrine, becauſe I hauehave handled them at large in my fourth Sermon vponupon this Chapter.
The firſt is to teach vsus, that in the greateſt and moſt fearefull threatnings of Gods iudgements, there is comfort remaining, hope of grace and mercy to be found, health in ſickneſſe, and life in death.
The ſecond is a warrant for vsus of the Miniſtery to propound vntounto you the threatnings of God with condition of repentance: and thus we offer vntounto you grace and mercy, to as many of you, as ſhall be of humble and contrite hearts.
The third is a warning vntounto you, to all that hauehave this grace and fauour with God to be hearers of his holy word. It is your parts whenſoeuer you ſhall heare of the threatnings of Gods iudgements againſt ſinners, to ſtirre vp your ſelues vntounto repentance, thereby to preuent the wrath of God and to ſtay his iudgements.
The fourth is to aſſure vsus, that if God threaten and no repentance follow, then certainly the threatnings pronounced will come to paſſe. God threatneth not in vaine, nor doth he terrifie vsus without cauſe. If we preuent not his threatnings by true repentance, his threatnings will preuent vsus by iuſt execution.
And ſo much be ſpoken of the firſt doctrine ariſing from this circumſtance of the ſiege of Samaria, foretold ſo long before it tooke effect. A ſecond doctrine ariſing from the ſame, is, Hoſtes diuinitùs à Deo excitari, ad regum & populorum peccata punienda:
Enemies are by God himſelfe raiſed vp to inuade a land for the puniſhment of the ſinnes of Prince and people. Vnleſſe God ſend them, they cannot come neere our Cities, they cannot beſiege vsus. God doth raiſe them vp.
He raiſeth vp the Medes againſt the Babylonians, Eſay 13.17. I ſtirre vp the Medes, who ſhall not regard ſiluer, nor ſhall they delight in gold. Their bowes ſhall daſh the young men to peeces; they ſhall hauehave no pitie on the fruit of the wombe; their eye ſhall not ſpare children; Babylon the glory of Kingdomes, the beauty of the Chaldees excellencie, ſhall be as when God ouerthrew Sodome and Gomorrah.
Hee raiſeth vp the Chaldeans againſt the kingdome of Iudah, Habac. 1.6. I raiſe vp the Chaldeans, that bitter and haſty Nation, which ſhall march thorow the breadth of the land, to poſſeſſe the dwelling places that are not theirs.
He raiſeth vp the Romans againſt Ieruſalem, Luke 19.43. The dayes ſhall come vponupon thee, that thine enemies ſhall caſt a trench about thee, and compaſſe thee round, and keepe thee in on eueryevery ſide; and ſhall lay thee euen with the ground, and thy children within thee; they ſhall not leaue in thee one ſtone vponupon another.
God is he that raiſeth vp enemies againſt a Land to inuade it. Did not God ſend them, they could doe nothing againſt vsus.
The reaſon is, becauſe they hauehave no power againſt vsus, except it be giuen them by God. So Chriſt told Pilate, Ioh. 19.11. Thou couldeſt hauehave no power at all againſt me, except it were giuen thee from aboue.
The vſes follow. One is to teach vsus not to feare man, but God, that giues power vntounto man.
A ſecond is to admoniſh vsus, that wee be not like the dogge that ſnatcheth at the ſtone that is caſt at him without regard vntounto the thrower. If God ſend an enemie to inuade vsus, our ey… muſt be vponupon God that ſendeth him.
A third is to aduiſe vsus, to labour to be at one with God. It will be our beſt bulwarke againſt an inuader.
And ſo I come to gather a third doctrine from this circumſtance of the ſiege, An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the land.
In circuitu terrae: He ſhall ſo beſet the land round about, that there ſhall be no euaſion for any of the inhabitants. My obſeruation ſhall be that of Brandmyller in his Typicall Analyſis,
In Regni amplitudine non eſſe gloriandum:
Men ought not to glory in the greatneſſe of the Kingdome wherein they liue.
The extent or greatneſſe of the Kingdome whereof thou art, what can it auaile thee? Hee that once for ſinne couered the whole earth with an armie of waters, can now for ſinne enuiron the greateſt kingdome of the earth with an armie of warriours. And flagellum inundans cum tranſierit, eritis ei in conculcationem, Eſay 28.18. When the ouer-flowing ſcourge ſhall paſſe thorow, then yee ſhall be troden downe by it. Eritis ei in conculcationem, that is, ſaith Saint Hierome, you ſhall ſuffer all thoſe torments, which you thought you ſhould neuer hauehave ſuffered. The threatnings which you thought ſhould neuer come to paſſe, ſhal come to paſſe vponupon you. An aduerſary there ſhall be euen round about the Land.
Shall be! But yet there is none. O let vsus therefore with a ſweet feeling acknowledge the infinite louelove and compaſſion of God towards this Kingdome, in ſo long preſeruing it from all hoſtile inuaſion. There was indeed an inuaſion in the yeare 88. intended againſt this Kingdome by a ſuppoſed inuincible Armad…. It gloried in ſtrength, munition, ſhips, preparations and confederates. It was the Lords mercy towards vsus to croſſe, to curſe that proud attempt. The winds and ſeas by his appointment fought againſt them, and we were deliuered. For that deliuerance, wee then ſang ſongs of thankſgiuing: then were our mouthes filled with laughter, and our tongues with ioy.
Now ſith it hath pleaſed God to continue vntounto vsus hitherto our peace and plenty; and we ſit eueryevery one vnderunder his Vine, and vnderunder his Fig-tree, whilſt our neighbour-nations are ſhaken and toſſed with the tempeſt of warres, and all things round about vsus are in an vproare; Let vsus bleſſe Gods holy name for it: and pray we for the continuance of this our happineſſe: that there be no taſte of the ſharpnes and miſery of war among vsus, that there be no aſſaulting of our Cities, that there be no ſorrow of heart, nor weeping of eyes, nor wringing of hands, nor ſhriking of voices among vsus. Will you take direction for your prayer from the royall Prophet? Pray then as hee hath directed, Pſalm. 144.12. Pray, that our ſonnes may be as plants growen vp in their youth, that our daughters may be as corner ſtones poliſhed after the ſimilitude of a palace, that our garners may be full, affoording all manner of ſtore: that our ſheepe may bring forth thouſands and ten thouſands in our ſtreets: that our Oxen may be ſtrong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our ſtreets. O happy is that people that is in ſuch a caſe: yea, happie is that people whoſe God is the Lord.
I hauehave done with the Siege, and am come to the Victory.
foreign Vehoridh mimmek gnuzzek, word for word, and he ſhall cauſe thy ſtrength to come downe. Dejiciet à te robur tuum, He ſhall caſt downe thy ſtrength from thee, ſo Tremelius, Piſcator, Druſius, and Gualter; Tollet, he ſhall take it away from thee, ſo Caluin; Detrahet, he ſhall pull it downe, ſo Vatablus; Deducet, he ſhall bring it downe, ſo Oecolampadius. The Vulgar Latine turnes it paſſiuely, Detrahetur ex te fortitudo tua, thy ſtrength ſhall be brought downe from thee. So doth Brentius with his Dejicietur, thy ſtrength ſhall be throwne downe.
By this ſame ſtrength, be it robur, or fortitudo, Iunius vnderſtandeth that, whereby they heaped vp the treaſures of violence and robbery. Druſius vnderſtandeth their ſtrong Caſtles and fortified Cities. Some vnderſtand Riches. And ſo qui opibus valent, p…tentes vocantur, they that excell in riches, are called mightie men.
Albertus Magnus will hauehave this ſtrength to be, whatſoeuer it was wherein they put their truſt, as in ſome fortification: whether it were the ſubſtance of their riches, or the munitions of their Citie…, or the multitude of their ſouldiers, or the armies of their adherents. Whatſoeuer it be, downe it muſt. When God meaneth to giuegive victory to an inuader, no ſtrength ſhall be able to withſtand him. My obſeruation here ſhall be that of Albertus,
Vltioni diuinae nulla obſiſtere poteſt fortitudo:
No ſtrength ſhall be able to withſtand diuine reuengement. For there is no ſtrength againſt the Lord.
No ſtrength! None at all. So ſaith Eſay, Chap. 2.12. The day of the Lord of Hoſts ſhall bee vponupon eueryevery one that is proud and loftie, vponupon eueryevery one that is lifted vp; vponupon all the Cedars of Lebanon, vponupon all the Okes of Baſhan; vponupon all high Mountaines and Hilles; vponupon eueryevery high Tower, and vponupon eueryevery fenced wall; vponupon all the ſhips of Tarſhiſh, and vponupon all Pictures of deſire: the loftineſſe of man ſhall be bowed downe, and the haughtineſſe of man ſhall be made low. The Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that day. In that day when the Lord ſhall ſend a power againſt a Land, for the iniquity thereof, all ſtrength ſhall faile before him.
This is that we reade, Eſai. 26.5. In the Lord Iehouah is euerlaſting ſtrength; For he bringeth downe them that dwell on high; the lofty City he layeth it low; he layeth low euen to the ground; he bringeth it euen to the duſt. There is no ſtrength againſt him.
Erit fortitudo veſtra, vt fauilla ſtupae, your ſtrength ſhall be as the imbers of tow, & opus veſtrum, and the worke of your ſtrength ſhall be as a ſparke; they ſhall both burne together, and none ſhall quench them, Eſai. 1.23. There is no preuailing by ſtrength againſt the Lord: it is the acknowledgement of Hannah in her ſong of thankſgiuing, 1 Sam. 2.9. Our Prophet Amos, Chap. 2.14. hath thus deliuered it; The ſtrong ſhall not ſtrengthen his force. And thus is my obſeruation confirmed; No ſtrength ſhall be able to withſtand diuine reuengement.
One reaſon is, becauſe God ouerthroweth the greateſt ſtrength that man can erect, euen at his pleaſure.
A ſecond is, becauſe there is no ſtrength, but it is of God and from God. Vaſtatum ſuperrobuſtum roborat, Amos 5.9. God aboue is he that ſtrengthneth the ſpoiled againſt the ſtrong, and maketh the ſpoiled to come with might againſt the fortreſſe.
I will but name the vſes. One is, to teach vsus, neuer to put any affiance in our owne ſtrength, but ſo to vſe all good meanes for our defence, that ſtill wee rely vponupon the Lord for ſucceſſe.
A ſecond is, to ſtop vsus from glorying in our ſtrength. There is a caueat againſt it, Ierem. 9.23. Let not the ſtrong man glory in his ſtrength. If he will needs glory, let him glory in the Lord. Let his glorying be in imitation of the royall Prophet, Pſa. 18.2. The Lord is my rocke, and my fortreſſe, and my deliuerer: my God, my ſtrength in whom I will truſt, my buckler and the horne of my ſaluation, and my high tower. The Lord is my ſtrength.
A third is to admoniſh vsus of a duty of ours, which is, in trouble ſometimes, yea alwayes, to approach vntounto the throne of grace by humble prayer, to begge of God his protection againſt all the aſſaults of our enemies, that they neuer preuaile againſt vsus to take away our ſtrength.
I am come to my laſt circumſtance, the circumſtance of the ſpoile, in theſe words,
Et diripientur palatia tua, And thy palaces ſhall be ſpoiled. The Vulgar Latine ſaith, Diripientur aedes tuae, thy houſes ſhall be ſpoiled. Petrus Luſitanus preferreth Palaces, as beſt agreeing with the Hebrew. He is in the right. palaces are named, becauſe Conquerours when they hauehave wonne a City by aſſault, doe enter into the faireſt, ſtatelieſt, and moſt princely houſes, preſuming to finde in them the greateſt booties.
Theſe Palaces are by ſome taken Metonymically to ſignifie either the goods heaped vp in them,Albertus Magnus. or the poſſ…ſſions belonging to them.
Wee ſhall not doe amiſſe if wee follow the letter, and take theſe Palaces, as they are, for the Palaces of Samaria, wherein the Princes, Magiſtrates, and Rulers of Samaria, did ſtore vp the treaſures of violence and robbery, as wee ſaw vponupon the former verſe. So the meaning may be thus: Palatia tua, Thy Palaces, O Samaria, which were as the receptacles, caues, or dens, in which thou didſt treaſure vp thy goods gotten from the poore by violence and wrong, diripientur, they ſhall be ſpoiled: thou haſt ſpoiled others, therefore ſhalt thou thy ſelfe be ſpoiled. Sic erit poena ſceleri conſentiens; ſo ſhall the puniſhment be agreeable to the offence. Obſerue here, Puniſhments are moſt vſually in the like; proper and proportionable to the offences.
This is that which is vulgarly ſaid, In quo quis peccat, in eo punitur; as a man offendeth, in the ſame manner will God puniſh him.
They who ſought the life of Daniel, ſinned in cauſing him to be caſt into the Lions den. How were they for ſo ſinning puniſhed? God might hauehave reuenged himſelfe vponupon them by his owne immediate hand, but would not. They were puniſhed the ſame way: they were caſt into the Lions den, and ſo periſhed, Dan. 6.24.
It was Dauids ſinne to commit adultery with Ʋriahs wife, and to ſlay her husband with the ſword of the Ammonites. How was he for ſo ſinning puniſhed? He was paid home and puniſhed in his owne kinde. To reward and ſerue him, as he had ſerued others, God as a iuſt Iudge raiſeth vp euill againſt him out of his owne houſe.2 Sam. 12.10. His owne ſonnes breake out into the ſame ſinnes; they riſe vp againſt him, and one againſt another. A tent is ſpread for Abſolom vponupon the houſe top, and he lyeth with his fathers Concubines in the ſight of all Iſrael, 2 Sam. 16.22. Amnon deflowreth his ſiſter Tamar, 2 Sam. 13.14. to reuenge this, Abſolom cauſeth his brother Amnon to be ſlaine, verſ. 28.
Bloud requireth bloud. Hereof are we aſſured, Gen. 9 6. Who ſo ſheddeth mans bloud, by man ſhall his bl…ud be ſhed. So ſaith our Sauiour in the Goſpell, Matth. 26.51. All they that take the ſword, ſhall periſh with the ſword. The like is that in the Reuelation, Chap. 13.10. He that killeth with the ſword, muſt be killed with the ſword. Bloud requireth bloud. And though peraduenture a murtherer doe eſcape the hand of the Magiſtrate, yet will the vengeance of God finde him out. We ſee this in Ioab: he ſhed innocent bloud, the bloud of Abner, and Amaſa, two Captaines of the Hoſts of Iſrael. Hee eſcaped a long time, as if his murthers had beene forgotten, but at length vengeance came home vntounto him, and ſuffered not his hoare head to goe downe to the graue in peace; for his bloud was ſhed, 1 King. 2.34.
Memorable is the example of Adoni-Bezek, who being taken by Iudah and Simeon, had his thumbes and great toes cut off. Herein he confeſſed that the iuſtice of God had found him out, and requited him in his kinde, according to his own cruelty. For ſaith he, Threeſcore and ten Kings, hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat vnderunder my table: as I hauehave done, ſo God hath requited me, Iudg. 1.7. Thus was cruelty repaid with crueltie in the ſame kinde.
A like example is that of Agag, King of the Amalekites. He hauing made many a woman childleſſe, is repaid in the like; and is himſelfe hewed in peeces by Samuel, with this Item; As thy ſword hath made women childleſſe, ſo ſhall thy mother be childleſſe among women, 1 Sam. 15.33.
If Haman ſet vp a gallowes to hang vp Mordecai, Haman may be the firſt that ſhall be hanged thereon, Esther 7.10.
It is the law of equalitie and equitie, that men ſuffer the ſame things of others, which they hauehave offered vntounto others. Our Sauiour Chriſt in his Sermon vponupon the Mount thus deliuers it; With what meaſure yee mete, Luke 6.38.it ſhall be meaſured to you againe, Matth. 7.2. Whereupon one ſaith after this manner; He that raſhly and vniuſtly cenſureth others, feeleth at one time or other the ſmart of it in the like kinde. For God doth iuſtly raiſe vp others to cenſure him, that thereby he may be recompenſed. According to this law of equitie it is ſaid, Reu. 3.10. He that leadeth into captiuity, ſhall be led into captiuity: And Eſay 33.1. They that deale treacherouſly with others, ſhall hauehave others to deale treacherouſly with them; and they that ſpoile others, ſhall themſelues be ſpoiled. This laſt is the very meaſure, that is in this my text threatned to the ten Tribes. They ſpoiled the poore, treaſuring vp in their palaces the goods taken from them by violence and robbery, and therefore ſhall their palaces be ſpoiled. Thus farre is the confirmation of my doctrine, which was, Puniſhments are moſt vſually in the like: proper and proportionable to the offences.
Are puniſhments proportionable to the offences? One reaſon hereof may be, becauſe the iuſtice of God is hereby cleared, duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page and the mouth of iniquitie ſtopped. When God retaileth vsus according to the ſinne that we hauehave committed, what can we alleage or anſwer for our ſelues? Surely, we cannot hauehave any excuſe, pretence or allegation for our ſelues, but muſt confeſſe with our owne mouth, and againſt our ſelues, that God is righteous, and that our ſelues are wicked.
A ſecond reaſon may be taken from the equity of this kinde of proceeding. It is meet that malefactors hauehave their deſerts; nor can they complaine of iniuſtice, ſo long as they receiue their owne. God will giuegive to eueryevery man according to his workes: he will giuegive them wages according to their deſeruings. VponUpon this equity is grounded the Law of retaliation, by which God requireth of the hands of Magiſtrates, that they recompence life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, ſtripe for ſtripe, Exod. 21.23. The Law is repeated, Leuit. 24.19, 20. If a man cauſe a blemiſh in his neighbour: as hee hath done, ſo ſhall it be done vntounto him. Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath cauſed a blemiſh in a man, ſo ſhall it be done to him againe. Now if God hath made a law for Magiſtrates to recompence the ſinner according to the manner of his ſinne, we may not doubt but that God himſelfe will meaſure his puniſhments according to the rule of iuſtice and equitie. VponUpon the ground of theſe reaſons, my doctrine ſtandeth, Puniſhments are moſt vſually in the like; proper and proportionable to the offences.
Now one vſe of this doctrine is to teach vsus, to ſet a watch ouer our ſelues, to keepe out the practiſe of ſinne, that carrieth ſuch a taile and traine after it. The ſinner ſhall euer finde a puniſhment anſwerable to his ſinne. This is a notable bridle to induce vsus to abſtaine from all kinde of ſinne: to abſtaine from whoredome and drunkenneſſe, the ſinnes that rage among carnall men. Becauſe Magiſtrates are ſlacke and careleſſe in puniſhing of theſe ſinnes, God bringeth vponupon ſuch as continue in them very loathſome and noyſome diſeaſes; meet puniſhments for ſuch filthy ſinnes. And if we be wiſe to commit new ſinnes, God only wiſe, will catch vsus in our wiſdom; he will be wiſe enough to finde out puniſhments that ſhall be proportioned to our tranſgreſſions. Pro menſurâ peccati erit & plagarum modus; Deut. 25.3. Vulg.as our ſinne is, ſo ſhall be our puniſhment.
Againe, from hence we learne to be patient vnderunder the puniſhments that doe befall vsus. Sith God doth puniſh vsus in that wherein we hauehave offended, when we feele that God hath found vsus out, and that neither our ſelues, nor our ſins can any longer be hidden from his eyes, let vsus humble our ſelues vnderunder his mighty hand, and hold our peace, becauſe he hath done it.Pſal. 39.9.
Thirdly, this may ſerue to checke all cruell and mercileſſe oppreſſours, ſuch as grinde the faces of the poore, Eſay 3.15.and ſpoile the needie by their couetous and corrupt dealing, pulling from them, that which is their owne, without conſcience of ſinne, or feeling of iudgement to come. God ſuffereth ſuch to hauehave their times while he holdeth his peace, and letteth them alone, to fill vp the meaſure of their ſinnes. Yet hath God his ſeaſons too, and hath determined what to doe, and how to deale with ſuch offenders: the ſpoiler ſhall be ſpoiled, the robber ſhall be robbed, the oppreſſour ſhall be oppreſſed: and they that deale violently with others, ſhall hauehave others to deale violently with them. Wherefore, whatſoeuer you would that men ſhould doe vntounto you, euen ſo doe vntounto them, for this is the Law of equitie.