Seventeen Sermons on Amos 3, Sermon 6
THE Sixth Lecture.
AMOS 3.5. Shall one take vp a ſnare from the earth, and hauehave taken nothing at all?
YOu may at the firſt bluſh thinke it a needleſſe labor for me to ſtand vponupon the expoſition of this ſecond branch of this fift verſe, becauſe it ſeemeth to be coincident with the former. It is true, that as well in this branch as in that, the ſimilitude is taken from the manner of a fowler; yet I doubt not euen from hence to gather ſome good and profitable fruit for our inſtruction in the way of piety and godly liuing.
My cuſtome hitherto requireth that firſt I cleare the reading; and then proceed to ſome wholſome obſeruation.
If the Hebrew be rendred word for word, it will ſound thus: Nunquid aſcendet laqueus è terrâ, & capiendo non capiet? Shall a ſnare aſcend from the earth, and in taking ſhall it not take? So are the words tranſlated by Mercerus, and by Vatablus, and by Druſius. Shall a ſnare aſcend from the earth] To aſcend in the Hebrew tongue, ſignifieth to be taken away, to be remoued. duplicate page duplicate page Laqueus aſcendit, quum tollitur: a ſnare aſcendeth from the earth, when it is taken thence. For this ſame aſcendet, the Septuagint hauehave foreign; Shall a ſnare be looſed from the earth, ſhall it be broken vponupon the earth? Herewith agreeth the Chaldee Paraphraſt. The Vulgar Latine hath Auferetur, Shall a ſnare be taken from the earth? Shall it be taken? By whom? By whom, but by a fowler? The fowler is expreſſed by Tremelius and Iunius, and by Caluin; the reſt that expreſſe him not, muſt of neceſſity vnderſtand him.
Shall a fowler remoue his ſnare from the earth, Et capiendo non capiet? and in taking ſhall he not take? It is an Hebraiſme: for which the Greekes hauehave foreign, without taking ſomewhat; the old Latine hath antequam quid ceperit, before he hauehave taken ſomewhat; Caluin and Brentius, priuſquam capturam ceperit, before he hath taken a prey: Gualter, ſi omnino nihil cepe…it, If he hath taken nothing at all. Thoſe hit the ſenſe of our Prophet, though they leaue his Hebraiſme: and herein I reprehend them not. For I diſſent not from S. Hierome, Comment. in c. 1. ad Gal. who there ſaith, Non in verbis Scripturarum eſſe Euangelium, ſed in ſenſu; non in ſuperficie, ſed in m… dulla, non in ſermonum folijs, ſed in radice rationis. His ſaying is, that the Goſpell is not in the words of the Scriptures, but in the ſenſe; not in the outſide, but in the marrow; not in the leaues of the booke, but in the root of reaſon. Well then hauehave the Greekes, and the Vulgar Latine, and Caluin, and Brentius, and Gualter, left the word, to giuegive the ſenſe. So hath our countryman Tauerner, whoſe reading is, Taketh a man his ſnare vp from the ground, afore he catch ſomewhat? The meaning he well expreſſeth. So doe our neweſt Tranſlators; but the better, by how much the neerer they cleaue vntounto the words: Shall one take vp a ſnare from the earth, and hauehave taken nothing at all?
Shall be? To this interrogation, as to the former, the anſwer ſhould be negatiue; No, he ſhall not. Shall hee not? How ſo? A fowler may be deceiued; hee may miſſe of his prey, and ſo may be driuen to take vp his ſnares, his ginnes, his nets, though he hauehave taken nothing.
Luther for the remouing of this ſcruple here reſpecteth the intention of the fowler, not his labour, nor the euent thereof. The fowler laies his ſnares, ſets his ginnes, ſpreads his nets with an intent, with a minde to catch ſomewhat, though ſometime it may fall out he catcheth nothing.
Petrus Luſitanus here obſerueth it to bee the cuſtome of fowlers, non facilè laqueos amouere, not willing to remoue their ſnares, till they catch ſomewhat. The like doth Mercerus, Hand ſane id moris eſt, ſurely its not the cuſtome, that a fowler ſhould take vp his ſnares, if hee hauehave taken nothing. So doth Druſius: Non tollitur, A ſnare is not taken vp, before ſomewhat be catched. Non tollitur, that is, non t…lli ſolet communiter, foreign, commonly and for the moſt part a ſnare vſeth not to be taken vp, till ſomewhat bee catched. And ſo ſaith Carthuſian: A net ſpread to catch birds, is not taken vp till ſome be catched; Hoc communiter it a eſt, ſo commonly it falls out.
It is now eaſie to giuegive anſwer to the interrogation. The interrogation is, Shall one, a man, a fowler, take vp his ſnare from the ground, and hauehave taken nothing at all? The anſwer is▪ Surely no. Commonly, and for the moſt part he doth it not: hee vſeth not, its not his cuſtome to take vp his ſnare from the ground, if he hauehave taken nothing at all.
The reading is cleered, the interrogation is anſwered; and now let vsus ſee whereto this ſimilitude taken from this cuſtome of the fowler is appliable. It may ſerue, as in my former Lecture I ſignified, for the illuſtration of the certainty, the ſtability and the efficacy of the iudgements of God, which he threatneth to bring vponupon the wicked for their ſins; thus. A fowler vſeth not to take vp his ſnares, till he hath catched ſomewhat: no more is it Gods vſe, when he maketh ſhew of his iudgements, to withdraw his hand, till he hath put them in execution. God giues not forth his threats in vaine, nor gathers he vp his nets, nor takes he vp his ſnares, till he hath taken what he would; till he hath effected what he threatned by his Prophets. The ſumme of all is; Verbum Dei non cadere fine efficacia. The word of God falleth not without its efficacy; what he ſpeaketh, that he doth. Such is the application of this preſent ſimilitude.
Saint Hierome applies it, as he doth the former. Hee applies it to ſuch as liue in diſcord and variance. Their puniſhment it is, vt capiantur laqueo, to be taken in a ſnare; in a ſnare, that is placed not in the aire but on the ground; from which whoſoeuer is deliuered, good cauſe hath he to reioyce; and to ſay as it is, Pſal. 124.7. Our ſoule is eſcaped, as a bird out of the ſnare of the fowlers: the ſnare is broken, and we are deliuered. This is contritus ille laqueus, that ſame broken ſnare, whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Rom. 16.20. Deus conteret Satanam ſub pedibus veſtris velociter; God ſhall bruiſe, he ſhall breake Satan vnderunder your feet ſhortly. And hitherto he bringeth that, Pſa. 140.5. Iuxta ſemitam ſcandulum poſuerunt mihi, they hauehave ſpred a net for me, by the way-ſide. By the way ſide hauehave they done it. For they are not able any other way to deceiue the ſimple, then by propounding vntounto them the name of Chriſt, Vt dum putamus nos Chriſtum inuenire, pergamus ad Antichriſtum: the while we thinke we are in the way to finde out Chriſt, we goe on the high way to Antichriſt. Thus hath Saint Hierome applied this ſimilitude: and he is followed by Strabus Fuldenſis, the Author of the ordinary Gloſſe.
The doctrine which that good Father would from hence commend vntounto vsus is this; Diſcordiae poena, in laqueum incidere. It is the puniſhment of diſcord to fall into a ſnare. I thus explicate it. The man that liues in diſcord and variance ſhall fall into ſuch calamities, out of which there is no eſcaping for him, as there is no eſcaping for a bird out of a ſnare.
Muſt calamity bee the guerdon, the recompence of the man that liueth in diſcord and variance? It muſt needs be ſo. The fouleneſſe, the leproſie of this ſinne will not ſuffer it to be otherwiſe. How foule and leprous this ſinne is, it may appeare, firſt by the deteſtation wherein God holdeth it. Six things there are which the Lord hateth, yea the ſeuenth his ſoule abhorreth. A proud looke, a diſſembling tongue, hands that ſhed innocent bloud; an heart that deuiſeth wicked imaginations; feet that be ſwift in running to miſchiefe; a falſe witneſſe, that ſpeaketh lies: Theſe are the ſix which the Lord hateth: the ſeuenth which his ſoule abhorreth is, Hee that ſoweth diſcord among brethren, Prou. 6.16. And no maruell is it, that hee ſhould with his ſoule abhorre ſuch a one. Non enim eſt diſſentionis Deus, ſed pacis, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1 Cor. 14.33. For God, he is not a God of tumult, of vnquietneſſe, of confuſion, of diſſention, of diſcord, but a God of peace.
Againe, this ſinne appeareth to be very ſoule and leprous, in that it excludeth from the Kingdome of Heauen. That it doth ſo, Saint Paul proueth, Gal. 5.19. becauſe it is a worke of the fleſh: among which he numbreth, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, ſtrife, and ſeditions: and concludeth, that they which doe ſuch things ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God.
A third way to finde out the foulneſſe and leproſie of this ſinne, is, to take a view of the appellations, which in holy Scripture are giuen to this kinde of ſinner. He is carnall, he is froward, he is proud, he is fooliſh.
Firſt, he is Carnall. Saint Paul auoucheth it, 1 Cor. 3.3. Ye are yet Carnall. For whereas there is among you enuying, and ſtrife, and diuiſions, are ye not carnall and walke as men? Are ye not carnall? Deny it not. For you are carnall, and ye walke as men. You are carnall, you follow the force and prouocation of your fleſh, your ſenſuality, your concupiſcence, and ye walke as men: Ye walke not after God, not after the Spirit, 1 Pet. 4.6. Rom. 8.4. Gal. 5.16. Coloſ. 1.10.not in the Spirit, not worthy of the Lord, not worthy of the Goſpell; as long as there is among you e…uying, and ſtrife, and diuiſions.
Secondly, the ſinner in this kinde is froward. So doth Salomon ſtile him, P…ou. 16.28. A froward man ſoweth ſtrife. This froward man, in the Hebrew, Vir peru…rſitatum, A man of frowardneſſes; a man giuen altogether to frowardneſſe, ſoweth ſtrife betweene man and man, betweene neighbour and neighbour, and is a very batemaker. Wil you a fuller deſcription of him? you may hauehave it, Prou. 6.12. There ſhall you find him to be a naughty perſon, a wicked man, one that walketh with a froward mouth, that winketh with his eyes, that ſpeaketh with his feet, that teacheth with his fingers, that hath frowardneſſe in his heart, that continually deuiſeth miſchiefe, that ſoweth diſcord. Beleeue it: it is a ſure marke of a naughty, a wicked, a froward man, to be the Author of contentions and ſtrife.
Thirdly, this kinde of ſinner is a proud man. For, as it is, Prou. 13.10. OnelyOnly by pride commeth contention. OnelyOnly by pride? The meaning is not, that pride is the onelyonly cauſe of contention, but one of the chiefeſt. So is that place by ſome expounded. But well may it without gloſſe or expoſition paſſe for a truth, that onelyonly by pride commeth contention, if Saint Auguſtine in his booke de Nat. & Grat. againſt the Pelagians bee not deceiued. Out of the 26. Chapter of that booke, I thus frame his argument. EueryEvery contempt of God is pride; but eueryevery ſinne is a contempt of God; Therefore eueryevery ſinne is pride; according to that of Eccleſiaſticus, chap. 10.15. Initium omnis peccati eſt ſuperbia, The beginning of eueryevery ſinne is pride. Now if eueryevery ſinne, if the beginning of eueryevery ſinne be pride, then certaine it is, that contention, variance, ſtrife, debate, and the like, are all from pride.
Fourthly, the ſinner in this kinde is a foole. For a foole he is taken, Prou. 18.6. Where it is ſaid; Labia ſtulti miſcent ſe rixis, A fooles lips are euer brawling. The words which a foole vttereth with his lips, hauehave alwaies ſtrife annexed vntounto them, as an inſeparable companion.
Thus you ſee the account wherein the Spirit of God holdeth brawlers, make-bates, and ſowers of diſcord, in that it ſtileth them carnall, and froward, and proud, and fooliſh. It was the third way, I propounded, to finde out the foulneſſe and leproſie of this ſinne.
There is yet a fourth way: and that is by the effects thereof, as Buſaus the Ieſuite in his Panary hath obſerued.
One effect thereof is to increaſe our ſinnes. Well then doth Eccleſiaſticus exhort vsus to abſtaine from ſtrife. His exhortation is, Chap. 28.8. Abſtaine from ſtrife, foreign, and thou ſhalt diminiſh thy ſinnes. If by abſtaining from ſtrife we diminiſh our ſinnes, then ſurely by liuing in ſtrife we increaſe our ſinnes.
A ſecond effect of ſtrife he maketh to be the ſubuerſion of the bearers: according to that charge which Paul giueth to Timothy, 2 Epiſt. 2.14. Charge them before the Lord, that they ſtriue not about words to no profit, but to the ſubuerting of the hearers.
A third effect is, that it diſturbeth the quietneſſe euen of a wiſe man, ſaith Salomon, Prou. 29.9 A wiſe man, if he contend with a fooliſh man, there is no quietneſſe for him.
A fourth effect is, that it bringeth ruine, deſtruction, and deſolation, not onelyonly to houſes or families, but to Cities alſo, yea to Countries, yea to Kingdomes. This our Sauiour Chriſt ſheweth by a prouerbiall ſaying, Mat. 12.25. The ſaying is, EueryEvery Kingdom diuided againſt it ſelfe is brought to deſolation: and eueryevery City, or houſe diuided againſt it ſelfe, ſhall not ſtand.
Such, Beloued, are the effects of this ſinne of diſc…rd, and may well diſcouer vntounto you the foulneſſe and leproſie of it. For if it increaſe our ſinnes, if it be the ſubuerſion of thoſe that heare vsus, if it diſturbe our quietneſſe, if it bring ruine, deſtruction, and deſolation to all eſtates, then ſurely it is a foule and a leprous ſinne.
And thus hauehave I led you in foure ſeuerall pathes to finde out the foulneſſe, and leproſie of this ſinne. The firſt was by Gods deteſtation of it. His ſoule abhorreth it. The ſecond was by the gates of Heauen faſt ſhut againſt it; They that ſinne this ſinne ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God. The third was by the titles giuen to thoſe ſinners; they are carnall, and froward, and proud, and fooliſh. The fourth was by the effects which this ſinne produceth: it increaſeth our faults, it ſubuerteth our hearers, it diſturbeth our quietneſſe; it brings deſolation vponupon all, vponupon family, vponupon nation, vponupon Kingdome.
You now ſee the foulneſſe; you ſee the leproſie of this ſin; and will yeeld your aſſents to the truth of my propounded doctrine: which was, The man that liueth in diſcord and variance, ſhall fall into ſuch calamities, out of which there is no eſcaping for him as there is no eſcaping for a bird out of a ſnare.
Is it thus, Beloued? Muſt the man that liues in diſcord and variance fall into calamities, out of which there is no eſcaping for him? Muſt he? Our beſt way then will be, euer to beare about with vsus, that ſame Antidote or preſeruatiue which Saint Ambroſe hath preſcribed, Offic. lib. 1. cap. 21. Caueatur iracundia, aut ſi pracaueri non poteſt cohibeatur. Take heed of wrath, beware of diſcord, or if thou canſt not before hand prouide againſt it, keepe it ſhort, bridle it. But firſt, Caueatur, Beware, or take heed of it. This is the counſell which Paul giueth in his firſt booke concerning the remedy of louelove;
Principijs obſta, ſerò medicina paratur
Cum malaper long as inualuere moras.
Withſtand beginnings; thy medicines may come too late, if thy diſeaſe be grown ſtrong. And this is the third remedy preſcribed by Buſaeus againſt this malady: Reſiſte contentionum principijs, Reſiſt the beginnings of diſcord. If thou bee to talke with any man, keepe vnderunder the firſt motions of thy minde, that they breake not forth into indignation; and ſo thou giuegive the occaſion of diſcord.
Diſcord is a Serpent. This ſerpent, like Goliah, muſt bee ſmote dead in thea1 Sam. 17.49. forehead, he muſt be cruſhed in the head, leſt if he get in the head, as he did intob2 Cor. 11.3. Eue, he bring in the whole body, and when ſinne is finiſhed, hee leaue from his taile, thec1 Cor. 15.55. ſting of death in our ſoules.
Diſcord is a Cockatrice. This Cockatrice muſt be cruſhed in thedEſay 59.5. Egge; If we ſuffer it to be hatched, and to grow a Baſiliske, it will be our poyſon.
Diſcord is a Fox. We muſt take this Fox,eCant. 2.15. this little Fox before he doe any hurt. If we let him grow till he be great, then likefLuk. 13.32. Herod the Fox, he will become bloud-thirſty and rauenous, or like Samſons gIudg. 15.4.Foxes, he will ſet all on fire.
Diſcord is as Leauen, whereof it is ſaid,h1 Cor. 5.6. Gal. 5.9. Paullulò fermenti tota maſſa fermentatur, If we purge not out this little leauen, it will ſowre the whole lumpe.
Diſcord isiNum. 3.18, 19 Aqua amaritudinis. We muſt giuegive this water of bitterneſſe no paſſage,kEccleſ. 25.25. no not a little, leſt like that inlCap. 47.3, 4, &c. Ezechiel, it grow from the anckles to the knees, and from the knees to the loines, and proue a riuer that cannot bee paſſed ouer without drowning.
Diſcord is Parunlus Babylonis. Wee muſt betimes take this youngling of Babylon, andmPſal. 137.9. daſh him againſt the ſtones, leſt after growth he ſhould cry againſt vsus, downe with them, downe with them euen vntounto the ground.
Thus, and thus, are we to deale with this youngling of Babylon, with this water of bitterneſſe, with this leuen, this little leauen, with this fox, this little fox, with this Cockatrice, with this ſerpent; we are to reſiſt diſcord euen in the beginning. And this was Saint Ambroſe his Caueatur; Caueatur iracundia, beware of diſcord, take heed of it. But if wee cannot before hand prouide againſt it, then followes his Cohibeatur, Keepe it ſhort, bridle it.
But how ſhall we keepe it ſhort? how ſhall we bridle it? The ſame good Father will for this point inſtruct vsus. Si prauenerit & praeoccupauerit mentem tuam iracundia, non relinquas locum tuum. If anger, if wrath ſhall preuent thee, and prepoſſeſſe thy minde, leaue not thou thy place. Thy place! Whats that? Locus tuus patientia eſt, locus tuus ſapientia eſt, locus tuus ratio eſt, locus tuus ſedatio indignationis eſt. Thy place is patience, thy place is wiſdome, thy place is reaſon, thy place is the aſſwaging, the quieting of thine anger. By patience, by wiſdome, by reaſon, thou maiſt aſſwage and quiet anger.
But my neighbour is ſo ſullen, ſo froward, ſo ſelfe-willed, that I cannot chuſe but be moued. In this caſe what ſhall I doe? The Fathers reply vntounto thee is, Reprime linguam tuam, Reſtraine, keepe vnderunder, tame thy tongue. For ſo it is written, Pſal. 34.13. Keepe thy tongue from euill, and thy lips that they ſpeake no guile.
Reſtraine, keepe vnderunder, tame my tongue, keepe my tongue from euill. The aduice I confeſſe to be very good. But how ſhall I be able to follow it? S. Iames ſeemeth to imply an impoſſibility in this performance, Chap. 3.8. where he ſaith, The tongue can no man tame: it is an vnruly euill, full of deadly poiſon. No man can tame it: How then ſhall I? It is an vnruly euill; how ſhall I rule it. It is full of deadly poiſon; how ſhall I cleanſe it?
It were blaſphemy to gaine-ſay, what Saint Iames hath ſaid. He hath ſaid, the tongue is an vnruly euill; and ſo it is. It is an euill, and an euill of a wilde nature, it is an vnruly euill. An vnruly euill it is, Saint Bernard in his Treatiſe De triplici cuſtodia, ſaith of it; facile volat, atque ideo facilè violat; It flieth quickly, and therefore it woundeth quickly. Speedy is the pace it goeth, and therefore ſpeedy is the miſchiefe it doth. When all other members of the body are dull with age, this though it be but little, this tongue alone is quicke and nimble. An vnruly euill it is; an vnruly euill to our ſelues, an vnruly euill to our neighbours, an vnruly euill to all the world.
And it is full of deadly poiſon. Poiſon! What? is there poyſon in the tongue? Poyſon, that is contrary to the nature of a man, is it in the tongue of a man? Yes. But it may be this poiſon is no mortall poyſon, but ſuch a poyſon, whoſe venome may without much adoe be expelled. Nay, ſaith Saint Iames, it is mortall, it is a deadly poyſon. Say it be a deadly poyſon; peraduenture there is but little of it, and ſo the danger is the leſſe. Nay, ſaith Saint Iames, it is full of it; it is full of deadly poyſon.
The tongue is an vnruly euill, full of deadly poyſon; who can tame it? No man, ſaith the Apoſtle. No. Man hath no bridle, no cage of braſſe, no barres of iron to tame the tongue withall. And yet you ſee, the Pſalmographer calleth vponupon vsus to tame this tongue of ours, to keepe it from euill. Keepe thy tongue from euill, and thy lips that they ſpeake no guile.
In this caſe what ſhall we doe, Beloued? Whether ſhall we hauehave recourſe for helpe in this time of need? Whether but to the throne of grace, euen to him that ſitteth thereon? He made the tongue, and he alone can tame the tongue. Hee that gaue man a tongue to ſpeake, can giuegive him a tongue to ſpeake well. Hee that placed that vnruly member in the mouth of man, can giuegive man a mouth to rule it. He can giuegive vsus ſongs of Sion for loues-ſonnets, and heauenly Pſalmes for the Ballads of Hell. Wherefore let vsus moue our tongues to entreat of him helpe for our tongues. Dauid hath ſcored out this way for vsus, Pſal. 141.3. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keepe the doore of my lips. Da Domine quod jubes, & jube quod vis, It was Saint Auguſtines petition, and be it ours. GiueGive Lord what thou commandeſt, and then command vsus what thou wilt. Thou commandeſt that I keepe my tongue from euill, and my lips that they ſpeake no guile: Lord keepe thou my tongue from euill, keepe thou my lips, and my lips ſhall ſpeake no guile.
Yet Beloued, wee muſt not be idle ourſelues. The difficulty of keeping our tongues from euill, ſhould ſpurre vsus on to a greater diligence. I know you would keepe your houſe from theeues, your garments from moths, your treaſure from ruſt: See that ye be as carefull to keepe your tongues from euill. GiueGive not ouer your hearts vntounto ſecurity, and your tongues will be the better. As farre as the heart is good, ſo farre will the tongue be good. If the heart beleeue,Rom. 10.10. the tongue will confeſſe. If the heart be meeke, the tongue will be gentle. But if the heart be angry, the tongue will be bitter.Iames 3.6. A tongue ſet on fire of Hell, to tell tales; to ſpeake euill, to backe-bite, to ſlander, to curſe, to brawle, to reuile, diſcouers a heart as foule, full of all maliciouſneſſe: according to that which our Sauiour told the Phariſees, Matth. 12.34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh. It is a polluted heart that maketh a foule mouth.
Wherefore, dearely Beloued, make cleane within, and all will be cleane: hate euill cogitations, and there will proceed from you no euill communication. Foſter charity in your hearts; and your lips will bee like the Spouſes lips in the Canticles; they will be like a thred of ſcarlet, Chap. 4.3.and your talke comely; the ſpeech that proceeds from you will be gracious in it ſelfe, and ſuch as may adminiſter grace vntounto the hearers, Epheſ. 4.29.full of grauity, full of diſcretion, full of zeale, full of louelove. So ſhall all bitterneſſe, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and euill ſpeaking bee put away from you, with all malice. And ye will be kinde one to another, you will be tender-hearted one towards another, you will forgiue one another, euen as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiuen you. Happy are ye that are in ſuch a caſe. You ſhall not need to feare any calamity that hangeth ouer the heads of ſuch as liue in diſcord and variance: concerning whom, my doctrine was: The man that liues in diſcord and variance ſhall fall into ſuch calamities, out of which there is no eſcaping for him, as there is no eſcaping for a bird out of a ſnare.
I hauehave with ſome prolixity inſiſted vponupon this argument of diſcord and variance, the rather being perſwaded of the truth of that which S. Auguſtin. Serm. 57. de verbis Domini hath deliuered in theſe words, Non poteſt concordiam habere cum Chriſto, qui diſcors voluerit eſſe cum Chriſtiano: It cannot be that he that is at variance with a Chriſtian, ſhould hauehave any agreement with Chriſt.
The motiue that now drew me to entreat of this argument, was Saint Hieroms application of my Text to ſuch as liue in diſcord and variance, whereupon his collection was, Diſcordiae poenam eſſe, in laqueum incidere, that it is the puniſhment of diſcord, to fall into a ſnare. Thus far I hauehave beene his. I muſt now leaue him, and looke backe to the other application of my Text, wherewith I acquainted you in the beginning of this exerciſe. My Text is:
Shall one take vp a ſnare from the earth, and hauehave taken nothing at all. The application is:
A fowler vſeth not to take vp his ſnares from the earth, till hee hath catched ſomewhat; No more is it Gods vſe, when he maketh ſhew of his iudgements, to withdraw his hand, till he hath put them in execution. God giues not forth his threats in vaine, nor gathers hee vp his nets, nor takes he vp his ſnares, till hee hath taken what hee would, till he hath effected what he threatned by his Prophets. The ſumme of all is, Verbum Dei non cadere ſine efficacia: The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy. And it is the Doctrine, which I would now further commend vntounto your Chriſtian and deuout attentions.
The Word of God falls not out without its efficacy.
I thus explicate it. The Word of God is a certaine, a ſure, a faithfull word. All the propheſies, all the predictions of future things therein propounded, are wonderfully made good in their accompliſhment and euent. All promiſes therein made, all threats therein denounced are euer true in their performance.
That the propheſies, the predictions of future things propounded in the Word of God are euer true, and hauehave their due accompliſhment, I ſhall make plaine in few words.
In the daies of Noah the world was growne ſo foule with ſinne, that God would needs waſh it with a floud. With this his purpoſe to waſh the world with a floud, hee acquainted Noah one hundred and twenty yeeres before hee ſent the floud. When that time had its period, when thoſe one hundred and twenty yeeres were expired, then, euen then, and not before, hee brought in the floud, as it appeareth by the collation of Geneſis 7.6, 11. with 1 Peter 3.20.
In the fifteenth of Geneſis, verſ. 13. God ſaith vntounto Abram: Know of a ſurety, that thy ſeed ſhall be a ſtranger in a land that is not theirs, and ſhall ſerue them, and they ſhall afflict them foure hundred yeeres: and afterward ſhall they come out with great ſubſtance. Here is a prediction vntounto Abram concerning his poſterity; that they ſhould goe into a ſtrange land, ſhould liue in thraldome, and ſhould from thence be deliuered at the end of foure hundred yeeres. According to this prediction it came to paſſe. But firſt I note here, that this time of foure hundred yeeres, muſt beginne at the birth of Iſaak; though from hisaAn. M. 2049. birth to the deliuerance of the children of Iſrael bAn. M. 2454.out of Aegypt were foure hundred and fiue yeeres, which few yeeres in ſo great a ſumme maketh no great difference. Againe, I note here, that by this land, not theirs, is meant not Aegypt onelyonly, but Canaan too. And thirdly I note, that where the Text rehearſeth theſe three, they ſhall be ſtrangers, they ſhall ſerue, they ſhall be afflicted; we muſt iointly, not ſeuerally, apply them all to the time limited of foure hundred yeeres, that this whole time of foure hundred yeeres, they were either ſtrangers, or ſerued, or were afflicted. And ſo Saint Auguſtine, quaeſt. 47. in Exod. vnderſtandeth this place. But you ſee the accompliſhment of the prediction.
Chriſt the Meſſias, the Sauiour of mankind was promiſed to our firſt parents, euen vponupon the beginning of the world, Gen. 3.15. where God tells the Serpent, that the ſeed of the woman ſhould bruiſe his head. Hee was promiſed vntounto Abram, Geneſis 12.3. In thee ſhall all the Nations of the earth be bleſſed. This promiſe vntounto Abraham is ſeuen times reiterated. The ſeuenth repetition of it is, Gen. 22.18. In thy ſeed ſhall all the Nations of the earth be bleſſed. He was promiſed vntounto Iſaack, Gen. 26.4. In thy ſeed ſhall all the Nations of the earth bee bleſſed. The time of his comming is noted by Iacob the Patriarch, Gen. 49.10. The Scepter ſhall not depart from Iudah, nor a Law-giuer from betweene his feet vntill Shiloh come. It is noted likewiſe by the Angell Gabriel, Dan. 9.25. Who there wiſheth Daniel to know and vnderſtand, that from the going forth of the commandement to reſtore and to build Ieruſalem, vntounto the Meſſiah, the Prince ſhall be ſeuen weekes.
All theſe promiſes, propheſies, and predictions touching Chriſt, the Meſſias, the Sauiour of mankind, we beleeue and know, they hauehave had their due accompliſhment.
I could here remember you of propheſies or predictions, wherein certaine perſons were by name expreſſed long before they were borne. Such is that, 1 King. 13.2. O altar, altar, thus ſaith the Lord, Behold a child ſhall be borne vntounto the houſe of Dauid, Ioſiah by name, and vponupon thee ſhall he offer the Prieſts of the high places that burne incenſe vponupon thee; and mens bones ſhall be burnt vponupon thee. Ioſiah, you ſee, is named: but it wascAn. M. 2971. three hundred and thirty three yeeres before Ioſiah wasdAn. M. 3304. borne, and before theeAn. M. 3330. execution of this prediction three hundred fifty and nine yeeres. The execution of it we hauehave, 2 King. 22.15.
Such is that, Eſa. 44.28. There thus ſaith the Lord of Cyrus, He is my ſhepheard and ſhall performe all my pleaſure, euen ſaying to Ieruſalem, Thou ſhalt be built, and to the Temple, thy foundation ſhall be laid. The prediction is, that Cyrus ſhould take order for the reedifying of the City of Ieruſalem, and the Temple there. Cyrus is the man that muſt giuegive leaue for this great worke to be ſet on foot. Cyrus, Cyrus is named, and yet at this time Cyrus was not borne. Nor was he borne within one hundred yeeres after this time. Nay, ſaith Ioſephus, Antiq. Iudaic. lib. 11. cap. 1. the propheſie of Eſay was written two hundred and ten yeeres before Cyrus his time. Yet was the truth of this PropheſiefAn. M. 3426. fulfilled in Cyrus, as it appeareth, 2 Chron. 36.22. and Ezra 1.1.
Thus hauehave I briefly, and in a few inſtances made it plaine, that the propheſies, the predictions of things to come, propounded in the Word of God, are euer true, and hauehave their due accompliſhment: that all the promiſes made therein, all the threats denounced therein, are euer true in their performance. So, true is my doctrine.
The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy.
True; For God himſelfe hath ſaid it, Eſay 55.10. As the raine commeth downe, and ſnow from Heauen, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth, and bud, that it may giuegive ſeed to the ſower, and bread to the eater: So ſhall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it ſhall not returne vntounto mee void; but it ſhall accompliſh that which I pleaſe, and it ſhall proſper in the thing whereto I ſent it. By this ſimilitude taken from the raine and ſnow, the Lord giueth vsus to vnderſtand that his Word hath euer an effectiue power. It is euer working one way or other. It either mollifieth or hardeneth: it either conuerteth or conuinceth: it either cureth or killeth. None euer heard it, but they were either the better or the worſe by it. Wee preach, ſaith Saint Paul, 1 Corinth. 1.23. We preach Chriſt crucified, vntounto the Iewes a ſtumbling blocke, and vntounto the Greekes fooliſhneſſe: and theſe are the worſe by the preaching of the Word. But vntounto them which are called, both Iewes and Greekes, it is the power of God, and his wiſdome; and theſe are the better by it.
After that heauenly Sermon made by our Sauiour, Ioh. 6. in the 66. verſe, Some went backe and walked no more with him; theſe were the worſe by his preaching. Others ſtucke more cloſe, ſaying verſ. 68. Lord, to whom ſhall we goe? Thou haſt the words of eternall life: and we beleeue, and are ſure, that thou art Chriſt, the Sonne of the liuing God: and theſe were the better by his preaching.
At Paphos in the Ile of Cyprus, Barnabas and Saul vponupon the requeſt of the Deputy preached the Word of God. By their preaching Sergius was conuerted, Elimas was the more obdurate; the Deputy was the better by it: the Sorcerer much the worſe, Act. 13.7, 8.
This word of God is called a ſword, Heb. 4.12. foreign, a double edged ſword. It hath an edge, and an edge: alijs ad ſalutem, alijs ad perditionem. It hath an edge for ſome vntounto ſaluation; an edge for others vntounto perdition: an edge for receiuers vntounto redemption, an edge for contemners vntounto reiection. This is it that our Sauiour ſaith, Ioh. 12.48. He that reiecteth me, and receiueth not my words, hath one that iudgeth him: the word that I hauehave ſpoken, the ſame ſhall iudge him at the laſt day. The word which he hath heard and contemned, the ſame ſhall be his Iudge.
Shall it be his Iudge? Tell vsus then, Vbi nam iſte talis judex ſedebit? Where ſhall this Iudge, a Iudge of this nature, the Word of God, where ſhall it ſit? Quali de ſolio ſuo voces aut ſententias indicij ſui dabit? From what bench, from what tribunall ſhall it giuegive ſentence?Lib. 10. Com. in Ioan. ad cap. 12. Rupertus ſhall make the anſwer: Propè aderit, intùs ſedebit, in conſcientiâ cujuſ que iuſtas ſententias terribiliter perſonabit. It will be neere vntounto thee, it will hauehave a ſeale within thee, euen in thy conſcience: and there it will terribly pronounce iuſt iudgement againſt thee, if thou bee a contemner of the word of God.
Beleeue it, dearely Beloued beleeue it, The Word of God preached among vsus, ſhall either ſaue vsus or iudge vsus. It ſhall bee either a copie of our pardon, or a bill of our inditement at the laſt day. For non cadit ſine efficacia, as my doctrine goeth: The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy: it effecteth whatſoeuer it promiſeth, whatſoeuer it threatneth.
This is it which Saint Auſtin hath, Enarrat. in Pſal. 94. Sicut verum eſt quod promiſit, ſic certum eſt quod minatur: As it is true what God in his holy Word hath promiſed, ſo certaine is it what therein he threatneth. And as thou ſhouldeſt be certainly aſſured of thy reſt, of thy welfare, of thy felicity, of thine eternity, of thine immortality, if thou be obedient to this Word of God; ſo muſt thou be certainly aſſured of thy moleſtation, of thy vexation, of thy ruine, of thy burning in eternall fire, and of thy damnation with the deuils, if thou be diſobedient hereunto.
Thus hauehave you as well the illuſtration, as the confirmation of my ſecond doctrine; which was, The Word of God falleth not out without its efficacy.
The vſes may be two. One for terrour, the other for comfort. The terrour is for the wicked, the comfort for the godly. I can but point at them.
The firſt is terrour to the wicked. The wicked when hee ſhall conſider, that the threatnings of God againſt ſinners denounced in the Word of God, are euer true in their performance, and muſt therefore be performed vponupon him, how ſhall he ſtand affected? Shall not a feare ſeize vponupon him,Ier. 49.24. ſhall not anguiſh and ſorrow enuiron him about? Shall not his heart be as the heart of a woman in her pangs? His agony will bee no leſſe, than was Belſhazzars, Dan. 5.6. His countenance will be changed, his thoughts will be troubled, the ioints of his loines will bee looſed, his knees will ſmite one againſt the other. Such will bee his agony, when the threatnings in Gods Word are brought home vntounto him, and laid vntounto his conſcience: as that, Pſal. 11.6. VponUpon the wicked the Lord ſhall raine ſnares, fire, and brimſtone, and a burning tempeſt; this ſhall be the portion of their cup. And that Rom. 2.9. Tribulation and anguiſh vponupon eueryevery ſoule of man that doth euill: And that Matth. 5.10. EueryEvery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewne downe and caſt into the fire: And that Matth. 25.30. Caſt ye the vnprofitable ſeruant into vtter darkneſſe, duplicate page duplicate page where ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. O, what terrours ſhall affright the wicked when hee ſhall behold ſuch an army of ſorrowes comming on againſt him with due vengeance from the Lord?
Thoſe terrours that are vponupon the wicked may be profitable vntounto vsus ſundry waies.
Firſt, they may teach vsus rightly to poiſe the weight of our ſinnes in the balance of the Sanctuary: and by the fearefull iſſue and after-claps that they bring, to iudge how hainous they are in the ſight of God.
Secondly, they may rouſe vsus vp to a due conſideration of our naturall miſery.
Thirdly, they may prouoke within vsus an appetite, euen to hunger and thirſt after reconciliation by Chriſt.
Fourthly, they may deterre vsus from the practiſe of ſinne. And ſo paſſing from the terrors of the wicked, let vsus hauehave an eye to the comforts of the godly.
The godly man, he that is the childe of God, when hee conſidereth that the promiſes of God made in his holy Word are euer true in their performance, and therefore will be performed in his particular, how great cauſe hath hee of exultation and reioycing? Sweet is that promiſe made by Chriſt, Matthew 11.28. Come vntounto mee all yee that labour and are heavy laden, and I will giuegive you reſt. As ſweet is that, Iohn 6.35. Hee that beleeueth on me ſhall neuer thirſt; and that, verſ. 37. Him that commeth to mee, I will in no wiſe caſt out. Turne but to the ſecond Chapter of the Epiſtle to the Romans, and there ſhall you finde a promiſe of glory, honour, peace, and eternall life, to ſuch as with patience continue in well doing.
Reſt from labour, the aſſwaging of ſpirituall thirſt, an irreuocable admiſſion into the fellowſhip of Chriſt, glory, honour, peace, and life eternall! Such is the iſſue of our obedience, the end of our well-doing. Of this iſſue, or end, to ſpeake as it deſerueth, what tongue of men or Angels is able? A very ſmall quantity hereof here in life obtained, O, how paſſeth it all vnderſtanding! And who is he that can vtter the ſweetneſſe of that peace of conſcience, and ſpirituall reioycing in God, which himſelfe hath here in this life taſted? And if the beginning bee ſo ſweet, how ſweet ſhall the fulneſſe bee? Of which fulneſſe vouchſafe moſt gracious Father in thy good time to make vsus all partakers, for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake.