The Prophecy of Obadiah Opened and Applied, Sermon 6
VERSE 10. 11.
10 For thy cruelty against thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut of for ever.
11 When thou stoodest on the other side, in the daie that the strangers caried away his substance, and strangers entred into his gates, & cast lots vponupon Ierusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
OVR Saviour to kindle the minds of his Disciples with a desire to goe on towards heaven and not to looke backe to the intisemēts of the world, willeth them to remember Lots wife. Whereby hee teacheth vsus, that in the stories of Luk. 17. 32.the Scriptures, we are not only to note the event, as namely that shee was turned into a pillar of salt, but the causes also, as for that shee being delivered from Sodome, yet contrary to GODS commā dement, looked backe againe to it. The which thing the Prophet setteth here before vsus in the destruction of the Idumeans: for having hitherto declared the event, which should fall on them, namely that they should be brought downe and destroyed by such meanes, as GOD had appointed, notwithstanding all their wisdome, and strength: hee in this place sheweth the cause hereof, which was their crueltie against their brethren. For thy Gen. 25 25. 30crueltie against thy brother]—The nations of the Iewes and Idumeans came by descent from Abraham & Isaac for which cause they are called brethren, & as the proper name of Edom, is vsed to signifie his ofspring, so are the Iewes noted by the name of Iacob brother of Edom: wherefore denouncing here vtter destruction to the Idumeans, for their hard dealing towardes the Iewes, he saith, for thy crueltie against thy brother.
The crueltie shewed was, that when strangers and aliens even the Chaldeans tooke Ierusalem and spoiled it, dividing the prey by lot, after the manner of souldiers, and carying away their substance, they stood on the other side, not only not helping thē in this their great necessitie, but even furthering, what they could, their destruction. For when Nebuchadnezzar (as it is recorded in the 2 of the Chronicles, the last chap.) caried away 2. Chr. 36. 17. 18. 19.the treasure of Ierusalem, burnt the temple, pulled downe the wals, made havocke of the people: the Idumeans stood by crying, rase it even to the foundations. Psal. 137. 7.Neither only exhorted they the Chaldeans to this crueltie, but put their hands also therevnto, and did even as they, which appeareth in the 12, 13, and 14 verses, by the rehearsall of the particulars. But at this time it shall be enough to obserue in generall the crueltie of the Idumeans against the Iewes in these two verses, for thy crueltie against thy brother Iacob.
The Hebrew word vsed in this place signifieth anie wrong done by force and iniurie; and so for the agreement foreignof Simeon and Levi in that cruell murther of the Sichemites, it is said that the Instruments of cruelty were in their habitations. Sometimes also it is vsed for such Gen. 49. 5 7.wrong as is done by fraud and subtiltie, as when false witnesses are called witnesses of cruelty or cruell witnesses. Ps 35 11.In this place it is takē for both: for they are accused of cru…lty not only for that they entred into the g…te in the day of destruction, laid hand on their substance, stood in crosse waies to cut of them that should escape, but also for that they helped them not, but looked on their affliction, and reioiced at it. Whereby we are taught to withhold both our hands and hearts from all kind of cruelty, whether it be wrought by force or fraud, neither to hauehave any by deedes, nor by affection, and that we are not to suffer any to be harmed, whom wee may rescue and deliver. Which is a lesson for vsus to be learned and practised towards all men. For GOD created man in his owne Image, standing in perfect righteousnesse, which although by the sinne of Adam it bee defaced, yet is Gen. …. 27.this Image remaining in some part, and very notable monuments thereof as yet remaine even in the most corrupt: wherevpō the heathē, by the light of nature, gathered, that because of that coniunction of men in human…ty, they were one to louelove another, and detest all …. …. li…. 1. & 2.cru…lty; whence those general lawes of curtesie arose, to shew the way to him that wandreth, to suffer another to light at our candle, not to debarre any of our water stream…, to helpe with our counsell, such as needed it. And so we see the Samaritane finding the wounded per Luk. 10. 30. 33son (though likely a Iew, who were because of their religion so great enimies, that they would neither eate nor talke, nor hauehave any familiarity one with another) yet moved with natural affectiō, when he saw him he had compassion on him, and went to him, bound vp his wounds, powred in oile and wine, put him on his own beast, brought him to an Inne and made provision for him. Which duty, that it bindeth all by the generall law, which is, louelove thy neighbour as thy selfe, our Saviour sheweth, when herevpon he willeth the Scribe to whom he telleth this hi Vers. 37.story to go his waies and doe likewise. Wherefore seeing by the law of nature, and reason, and the bond of humanity, we are to louelove all men, it is manifest, that then we are to abhorre, and refraine from all iniuries whatsoever.
But if neither the law of GOD, reason nor nature can moue vsus herevnto, let vsus consider the punishmēt which is threatned, and hath light on them that hauehave not fulfilled this law. For albeit the punishment, which is here laid downe, is not threatned to each sort of mē that shew cruelty to another whatsoever, yet in the holy Scriptures there are some plagues denounced against every one whatsoever. The cruelty of the olde world was chiefly shewed vponupon the brood of Cain, yet Gen. 6. 13.the Lord said to Noah, that the earth was filled with cru elty, wherfore he would destroy it. The Sichemites were aliens to Israel, yea they vnlawfully possessed that, which belonged to Iacob and his sonnes: yet because Simeon and Levi murthered them in so cruell manner, Iacob curseth their wrath, because it wa… cruell, and their rage, for that it was fierce, wherefore he saith, that they Gen. 34 …5. Gen. 49 7. Gen. 49. 7.should be divided in Iacob, and scattered in Israel: a mā would hauehave thought the zeale of Saul had been praise worthy, when he sl…w the Gibeonites, which were a remnant of the cursed Amorites, but the Lord plagued Israel for it, neither ceased the famine, till such 2. Sam. 21. 1.time as David delivered vp to be hanged, of Sauls sons, seaven, as the Gibeonites demanded; which being done the plague ceased. So greatly doth the Lord detest tyrannie and cruelty, though it be shewed to the broode of Cain, toward vncircumcised Sichemites, or profane Gibeonites, yea on such whom he hath in his iudgmēt appointed to destruction, though not by that meanes.
Whosoever he shalbe therefore with whom thou shalt hauehave to deale, I say not if he be a Papist, but a Iew, but be he a Turke, or Atheist, or whatsoever infidell, remember to vse him as a man, even because hee is a man. Man cannot be GOD to man; it was an higher title then ought to hauehave beene given either of Cicero to Lentulus, or Virgil to Augustus: but if any man play the part of Lycaon and become a wolfe, then shall not Eclog. 1.the punishment of Lycaon be removed from him. The Pausanias in …, Ovid Metaph. lib. 1.Idumeans how wicked they were, and how they were threatned we see here: yet when the king of Moab had taken the king of the Idumeans son, and burnt him on the wal, in hope to get by that meanes the victory, the Lord threatned by Amos, For three transgressions of Moab, and for foure, I will not turne it away, because it Amos, … 1.burnt the bones of the king of Edom into lime. Therefore I will send a fire into Moab: I will cut of the Iudge out of the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him. For with what measure we meate, with the same shall it be measured to vsus againe. The Idumeans were wicked, yet because they burnt the kings sonne so cruelly, they shalbe burnt for it themselues.
As God is the creator of all, so is he also the Saviour of all concerning the blessings of this life. But as he is called the Saviour of all, but chiefly of the elect, so detesteth 1. Tim. 4. 10.he all cruelty that is done to any but especiallie that, which is shewed towards his people. Which is cleere by this, which is here said, that because of his cruelty towards Iacob, &c. Such are all his chosen servants, as Psal. 135 4.the Prophet in the Psalme saith, that the Lord hath chosen Iacob for him selfe, and Israel his chosen treasure. By the name then of Iacob are all the chosen represented, for all beleevers are of the seed of Abraham, the children Rom 9 4 7. 8.of Iacob, they that are his chosen. Of whom hee hath such care, that he rebuketh even kings for their sakes. Abimelech when as vnaware he would hauehave takē Sara, whom Abraham said to be his Sister, the Lord in a Gen. 20. 30.dreame forbiddeth him, that vnlesse he withheld himselfe, he was but a dead man. Pharaoh oppresseth them, Exod. 14. 27.the Lord delivereth them, and drowneth him. For GOD remembreth for ever the covenant which hee made with Abraham, and the oath which he sware vntounto Iacob. Yea though they were but a few and strangers in the Ps. 105. 12. 15.land, yet he suffered no man to do them violence, bu… r…pro ved kings, &c: Touch not mine annointed, and doe my prophets no harme. All Christians are the Lords annointed, and all are Prophets in some sort, though not in special, as was Abraham: and this promise is made to a thousand generations. Wherefore as the Lord promiseth, that he will punish Damascus, Tyrus, &c: for their iniquitie, and cruelty towardes his people, so assuredly A… cha. 1. and cha 2.shall iust punishment follow all them, that shall behaue themselues in such order; yea the punishment that is threatned Moab is in some respect for Israels sake, because that cruelty was shewed on the king of Edoms sonne, when the Idumeans tooke part with Israel. For three trāsgressions, & for foure, - as though he should say, though they hauehave committed many iniquities, which I hauehave spared, yet because they cōtinue to oppresse my people, I will powre out my vengeance on them, so that the fire shall fall vponupon their wals and consume them, even according to their iniquitie against the people of GOD. And the Metaphor of fire here vsed, putteth vsus in minde of the generall promise of GOD to all his children, namely that he will be a wall of fire about them, to shield and defend them, that who 7 ac. 2 5.approacheth to them shall be consumed. For GOD taketh it as done to himselfe, whatsoever is practised against his servants: whosoever toucheth them, toucheth …. When Senacherib had bragged against the Iewes 8.& threatned them in most cruel maner, the Lord speaking to him by the Prophet, saith, not because thou handlest my servant so cruelly, but because thou ragest against me. I will put my hooke in thy nose, and bring thee home. As the Lord did indeed, where his owne sons, while he Is…. 37. 29.was worshippings his Idols, murthered him. I need not speake of Herod, Diocletiā, Iulian, &c: of whom the Ecclesiasticall histories write, which plainely shew, that …. … lib 2.like sinnes, provoke like plagues. To be cruell therefore against Iacob is an offéce, which draweth with it great vengeance.
Which as it is great, by whomsoever it be committed, so is it of necessity much more, if it be committed by him, that is brother to Iacob. Wherfore the Prophet saith, for thy cruelty to thy brother: the indignity whereof is amplified in the words following, where speaking of them, that spoiled and ransacked their city and slew them, he saith, and thou also wast as one of them. For although we be bound to abstaine from all inhumanity, yet are we more bound to refraine from it, towards such as are of the same country, city, society, kindred, &c: and though we be to louelove all men, yet are we not to louelove all men alike. For our Saviour himselfe, though he loved all those, whom the Father had giuen him: yet certaine it is, that he loued Iohn more entirely then anie of the rest, so that he is noted by that title the Disciple Ioh. 21. 20.whom Iesus loved. So that here by the name of brother, added by our Prophet we may gather the sin of Edom to be the greater, because he dealt thus with him, that was his kinsman according to the flesh. For the bondes of Nature remaine stil, notwithstanding religiō which commeth by grace. The heathen entreating of the duties which men owe one to another, maketh the first degree to containe all men because they bee men. The Cic. lib. 1. Offic.nexte such as are of one people, language, citie, kindred, the nearest of all, man, and wife, children, &c: which doctrine is a remnant of that light, wherewith Adam in his perfect knowledge was endowed. For even so GOD requireth greater curtesies to be shewed by the Israelites, to the Idumeans, then to other straungers, and Moses giveth the reason, because he is thy brother: and yet greater of the Iewes one to another; greater also of such as are of the same kinred, as S. Paule teacheth, If any hauehave Nephews or kinsmē, &c. Whereby he sheweth, that he is first to provide for them, & againe, if there be any man that provideth not for his owne, and namely for them of his houshold, he denieth the faith, and is 1. Tim 5. 8.worse then an Infidell. He hath denied the faith, for faith dissolveth not these duties, which children owe to their parents, parents to their children, &c: He is worse then an infidell, because amongst them the fathers cast not of their children, the children do their best to help their parents in their need. Let vsus learne therefore to be wise in performing the duty we owe to all men according to the degrees by God prescribed; considering the Prophet here sheweth, that the Idumeans shoulde hauehave beene more curteous & gentle to Iewes, because they were brethren.
Si fratrem Pollux alternà morte redemitV…g. Aen 6. v. 121.
It que redit que viam toties—
GOD forbid we shoulde shew such deadly hatred as was betweene Eteocles, and Polynices! From this affinity which is of them, which come of the same parents, … C….we are to rise to them of one city, nation, &c: and so to them also of one league and one accord. Hiram & David though not brethren by the flesh, yet in amity & league, so that Salomō the successor so also calleth him. If I require the same of vsus towards the French & Scots, 1. King. 9. 13.and other our confederates, it is no more, then the Tyrian Prince received at the hands of David and Salomon. Now how much more if an Englishman do an iniurie to an Englishman, may he that standeth by say, vvhy striue you togither, seeing you be brethren? I come neerer to thē, that are of one corporation, yea of one Society having as it were one father, ioined in one fellowship of study and learning, wherein Cicero requireth a likelyhood of manners and affection. But the neerest band of all is Religion, where of they be al brethren by one father of heaven, borne of one mother the church, fed with one Mal. 2 1…. Gal. 4 26. 1. Cor. 10. 3 17bread of life, preserved by one hope, iustified by one faith, sanctified by one spirit, serving one God, the onelyonly Lord of all, &c. For, though the Papists speake skornefully of this name, that the faithfull call one another brethren, they being desirous to defend that peevish and superstitious distinction of such as cal themselues Friers or brethren, yet in the Acts of the Apostles we know, that the name is common to all Christians, and not proper, as they would hauehave it, to any one sect, no more thē the name of Iesuites, which some of them woulde appropriat to themselues.
Now as S. Paul would hauehave vsus to do good to all men, Eph 4 4.but especially to them, that are of the houshold of faith; so are we with this bond of Religion, tyed so much the faster, as grace is superior to nature. Wherefore wee are to remember the exhortation of the Apostle herevpō, that no man oppresse his brother, for the Lord is a revenger 1. Thess. 4. 6.of such things. What then shall become of them who neglecting the bonds of nature and grace, deale with their brethren no otherwise, then did the Idumeans with the Israelites, carrying away the substance, reioycing at their harmes, standing on the other side? What shall we say of thē who deale with their brother Naboth, as Achab and Iezabel did? Whose hands be full of 1. King. 21. 1.bloud, and their houses stuffed with bribes, which grinde the faces of the poore, pull the skinne from their flesh, breake Mich. 3. 2, 3.their bones in pieces, and chop them as meate for the pot, of such as eate & devoure vp their brethren with vsurie, which consume them by law and suit, which spoile thē by monopolies, by engrossing, by false wares, subtill bargaines, by enclosing of commons, enhaunsing of rents, by robbing the Church, in pulling away the mainetenance of the Ministers, possessing their right, by impropriations, by impoverishing Colleges, by thrusting labourers and husbandmē out of their house & groūd, and placing there a shepheard with his dogge, by ioining house to house, land to land, living to living, as Is 5. 8.though they meant alone to liue vponupon the earth; and shall not the dogges once licke these mens bloud, & the fowles of the aire feede on their carkases, or shall not hell open her mouth wide, to swallow down their glo ry, riches, and themselues also? shall not the Lord saie in that last day to all these depart from mee yee wicked to dwell with the devill and his Angels. Nay shall it not be more dreadfull for them then this, if any thing may be? For he cannot say to these men, depart from Mat. 25. 41.me▪ for I was an hungred, & yee gaue me no meat: I thirsted Mat. 25, 4 &cand yee gaue me no drinke, &c. but rather hee may say, depart from me, for I had meat, and by force you tooke it from me, I had drinke and you spoiled me of it, I had a house and you thrust me out of it, I had clothes, and you puld them from my backe, I was in health, and yee droue me into sicknesse, I was at libertie, & you imprisoned mee. Who is wise to consider this while it is time! least that houre come on him vnawares, which shall come on all of them as a snare: wherefore let vsus remember the words of the Prophet For thy cruelty towards thy brother Iacob, shame shall cover thee. But the hand of the Papists hath been chiefe in crueltie, & therefore we may be sure shal be chiefe in the punishment. For their brethren which only desired redresse, and sought after reformation of their disorders, they hauehave not only cast of, but destroyed & that in most savage manner. Yea they hauehave done that which hardly hath been found in any Barbarians. Having taken vp bodies when they were dead (yea rotten) Vid. narrat. de ex…mat. Buceri & Phagii, Tracaei, Wiclesi, An. D…. 1528. wit nesse Guliel…. Li…wood (who then lived) Glos in Provinc. cō stit Angl tit. de Magist. cap 2. for Wi…ffe died 1385 Walsing. in Hypodig…. N…str. p. 537.and hauehave burnt them as lime. To speake nothing of their lesser crueltie, as of those great nūbers which they hauehave rosted, but to take away al pretense, the first whom they murthered Iohn Hus, called to their councell by safe conduct of the Emperour, did they not cō trary to all right, and their owne faith burne him, whē he had cōmitted himselfe into their hands. Insomuch that the Emperour Sigismund could not bee satisfied for the breaking of his promise, till by their decree which is in the 10 Sess. of that councell they signified that their authoritie was such that they might disanull what he had appointed. And a seely shift is that of our countrie man, who to salue the matter saith, Imperator promisit, orbis Christianus maior Imperatore Campian rat 4. Caesar …, Christ anus orbis resignavit maior Ca…e.dissoluit. What I pray you calleth he orbem Christianū, but the Bishops gathered together thither? and had they authoritie over their Emperour to cause him breake his word and faith, &c. Even so Saul thought it lawful for him to breake the oath, which Ioshua had 2. Sam 21. Ios 9.made to the Gibeonites. But themselues doe at last begin to be ashamed of this dealing: howbeit it is recorded to their eternall shame and reproach, that they not only hauehave burned mens bones as lime, but that against all equitie, their owne word and promise: so that they are enforced to defend it with that Axiome of theirs, which the very heathē would bee ashamed of, fides data haereticis non est servanda.
Oh Ierusalem, Ierusalem, which killest the Prophets and Mat. 23. 27.stonest them that are sent to thee, how often would—therefore is thy habitation left desolate. If their habitation was left desolate because they slew the Prophets, then much more Papists, for they hauehave slaine both Prophets and people. I will not speake of the fires, which they hauehave kindled in all places, neither of the Spanish Inquisition (which for the cruelty of it is even become Vid Comment de Relig & Rep…b in R… Gall.a proverbe) The Massacres in France, leaue no excuse in the world. But they hauehave not here made an end, but from Prophets and people, they hauehave set vponupon Princes, as the late attempt against her Maiestie plainely declared. For though God suffered not the light of Israel (as Davids people spake of him) to be extinguished, 2. Sam. 21. 17.yet it was no lesse crueltie in them, who had fully purposed to hauehave done it, & whereas they hauehave had some pretence for their other dealings, there is none in the world for this. The Rebels in the North made Protestation, that they meant not to take away the Prince, but See Cardir. Alanes Epistles.certaine bald counsellers (as they said) who were about her. The late libeller (concerning Ireland) saith that the Pope hath of old had title vntounto it, and princes are not wont to loose their titles, though they hauehave no possession, but this commending of the practise of the altar, the suborning of such a subiect, to dispossesse his lawfull Prince, not only of living, but of life too, what man not besotted, can choose but detest? When there was warre betwixt Pyrrhus king of Epirus and the Romans, Pyrrhus Phisition made promise vntounto Fabritius Cic. de offic lib. 3. & in L…lio.that he would privily dispatch him: which Fabritius refused, and sent him backe to his Master declaring the matter vntounto him, & coūselling him to look to him selfe. Oh Lord! how much worse are the Popish Romans, then the old Romans! they would not receiue a man that offered to doe such a mischiefe, these pricke men forward, and seeke after with great rewards such as will attempt it, they discovered it to their enimies, and warned them to looke to themselues, these hastē the matter, by what meanes they can, they thought it altogether vnlawfull, and detested it as abhominable, these commend it as lawfull, and defend it to be meritorious. When Pyrrhus for a recompense sent them backe some of their souldiers which they had taken they would not receiue thē as a reward, for that which they thought humanitie required, but sent him backe as many prisoners of theirs; these labour by all means to keepe the matter close, and thinke it happy for him that can doe it: and may we not then say that vndoubtedly Fabritius shall rise at the last day in iudgement against them. The blood of Abel cryeth for vengeance against all these, who thirst after the blood both of Prophets, people, and of prince. Behold O Lord thy sanctuarie with the eies of mercy and compassion, infatuate the counsell of Aehitophel, disappoint the practises of the blood thirstie and cruell men, that we being safe vnderunder the shadow of thy wings against all the crueltie of thy enimies, may see thy iudgements vponupon the cruell Idumeans, and glorifie thy name therefore.