Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 20
THE Twentieth Lecture.
AMOS 1.14, 15.
Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof, with ſhouting in the day of battell, and with a tempeſt in the day of the whirlewinde.
And their King ſhall goe into captiuitie, he and his Princes together, ſaith the Lord.
HEre wee hauehave the denunciation of the iudgements of God againſt the children of Ammon for their ſinnes. This iudgement is in the 14. verſe ſet downe, 1. In a generalitie. 2. With ſome circumſtances.
Firſt, in a generalitie; Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof.
Secondly, with ſome circumſtances, as that it ſhould be full of terrour, and ſpeedy, and of l…rge extent.
Full of terrour: with ſhouting in the day of battell.
Speedy: with a tempeſt in the day of the whirlewinde.
Of large extent. For it was to fall vponupon, not only the meaner ſort of the people, but vponupon the Nobilitie alſo, yea and vponupon the King himſelfe, which is plaine by the 15. verſe. Their King ſhall goe into captiuitie, he and his Princes together.
Firſt, let vsus weigh this iudgement of God, as it is ſet downe in a generalitie, I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof. This iudgement for ſubſtance is no other, than that which you hauehave heretofore heard out of this Chapter, to hauehave beene denounced from Almightie God againſt the Syrians, Philiſtines, Tyrians, and Edomites. Againſt the Syrians, verſ. 4. I will ſend a fire into the houſe of Hazael, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces of Ben-hadad. Againſt the Philiſtines, verſ. 7. I will ſend a fire vponupon the wals of Azzah, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof. Againſt the Tyrians, verſ. 10. I will ſend a fire vponupon the wals of Tyrus, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof. Againſt the Edomites, verſ. 12. I will ſend a fire vponupon Teman, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah.
Betweene thoſe denunciations, and this, you ſee no great difference. In thoſe, Thus ſaith the Lord, I will ſend a fire: in this, thus; I will kindle a fire, I will ſend a fire, and I will kindle a fire: the ſubſtance in both is the ſame. And therefore as in thoſe I hauehave done, ſo doe I in this; I commend to your Chriſtian and religious conſiderations certaine circumſtances.
1 Of the puniſher; the Lord, I will kindle.
2 Of the puniſhment; by fire, A fire.
3 Of the puniſhed; The wals of Rabbah, and the palaces thereof.
Theſe circumſtances are in this iudgement of God, as it is ſet downe in a generalitie: The firſt circumſtance concerneth the puniſher, the Lord; for thus ſaith the Lord; I will kindle a fire. The note yeeldeth this doctrine, It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vponupon the wicked for their ſinnes.
This truth hath beene often confirmed vntounto you. Diuers …e the vſes of it.
1 It may leſſon vsus to looke heedfully vntounto our feet, that wee walke not in the way of ſinners, to partake with them in their ſinnes. Sinnes are not tongue-tied, they cry aloud vntounto the Lord for vengeance.
2 It may admoniſh vsus not to intermeddle in the Lords office. It is his office to execute vengeance. We therefore may not interpoſe our ſelues.
3 It may ſerue for a comfort to the Godly, againſt whom the wicked hauehave behaued themſelues proudly and diſpiteouſly. God in due time, for ſuch their behauiour, will render vengeance vntounto them, and puniſh them with euerlaſting perdition.
The ſecond circumſtance concerneth the puniſhment, which is by fire: I will kindle a fire] By fire here we are to vnderſtand, not ſo much a true and naturall fire, as a figuratiue and metaphoricall fire. The ſword, peſtilence, and famine; quodlibet genus conſumptionis, euerie kinde of conſumption, quaelibet ſpecies excidij, euerie kinde of deſtruction, haile, water, thunder ſickneſſe, or any other of the executioners of God his wrath for the ſinnes of men, may be ſignified by this name Fire. The Doctrine, The fire (whether naturall, or figuartiue) that is, the fire, and all other creatures, are at the Lords Commandement, to be employed by him in the puniſhment of the wicked.
Of this Doctrine heretofore. The vſe of it is, to teach vsus, how to behaue our ſelues at ſuch times, as God ſhall viſit vsus with his rod of correction: how to carrie our ſelues in all our afflictions. We muſt not ſo much looke to the meanes, as to the Lord, that worketh by them. If the fire, or water, or any other of Gods creatures ſhall at any time rage and preuaile againſt vsus, we muſt know, that God by them worketh his holy will vponupon vsus. Here wee ſee, hee reſolueth to kindle a fire vponupon the wall of Rabbah, for thus ſaith the Lord; I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof.
There was a Citie of this name (Rabbah) in the Countrie of Moab called Rabbath-Moab. So ſaith Druſius. But the Rabbah in my Text, was a Citie in the Country of the Ammonites, called, 2 Sam. 12.26. Rabbah of the children of Ammon: where it is named the citie of the kingdome. For it was their metropolitical & chiefe city. In the verſe following it is called the citie of waters, becauſe it was ſituate neere vntounto the riuer Ieboc.
The deſtruction here threatned to this citie, is likewiſe denounced by two other Prophets, Ieremie and Ezechiel. In Ieremie, chap. 49.2. Thus ſaith the Lord; I will cauſe a noiſe of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites, and it ſhall bee a deſolate heape, and her daughters ſhall be burnt with fire. Crie, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with ſacke-cloth; mourne, and run to and fro by the hedges: for their King ſhall goe into captiuitie, and his Prieſts and his Princes likewiſe. And Ezechiel, Chap. 25.5. I will make Rabbah a dwelling place for Camels, and the Ammonites a ſheep coat.
By which two places of Jeremie and Ezechiel, the meaning of my Prophet is opened. Here in the perſon of God he ſaith: I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof. It is, as if he had ſaid. TheaIerem. 7.34. voice of mirth, and the voice of gladneſſe ſhall ceaſe to be heard in Rabbah, the noiſe of warre ſhall be heard there; and I will make it a dwelling place for Camels, a ſheepe-coat, an heape of deſolation.
Muſt Rabbah, the chiefe Citie of the Kingdome, be meaſured with the line of deſolation? It yeelds vsus this Doctrine, It is not the greatneſſe of a Citie that can be a ſafeguard vntounto it, if God his vnappeaſable wrath breake out againſt it, for its ſinnes.
For confirmation of this Doctrine, I need not ſend you to the old world, to behold the ruines of cities there. There may you ſee the citie which Caine built, (Gen. 4.17.) and whatſoeuer other cities were erected between that time and the floud, you may ſee them all ſwept away with the floud. After the floud, you may ſee Sodom and Gomorrah, with other cities of that plaine, ouerthrowne with brimſtone and fire from the Lord out of Heauen, Gen. 19.24. I need not preſent you with other like deſolations of cities, townes, or villages, wrought by Almightie God in the dayes of old.
This one chapter, and firſt chapter of this prophecie of Amos, yeelds vntounto vsus plentifull proofe for this point. Here h…ue we ſeene deſolation vponupon deſolation, not the ſhaking only, but the ouerthrow of foure ſtates, namely of the Syrians, of the Philiſtines, of the Tyrians, and of the Edomites. In the ſtate of the Syrians, we hauehave ſeene the ruines of the houſe of Hazael, and of the palaces of Ben-hadad, and of Damaſcus, and of Bikeath-Auen, and of Beth-eden, and of Aram, verſ. 4, 5. In the ſtate of the Philiſtines we hauehave viewed the rubbiſh of Azzah, and the palaces thereof, of Aſhdod alſo, of Aſhkelon, and of Ekron, verſ. 7, 8. In the ſtate of the Tyrians, we hauehave beheld the waſte done vponupon the proud Citie Tyrus, and her palaces; verſ. 10. In the ſtate of the Edomites, we hauehave conſidered the deſtruction of Teman and Bozrah, verſ. 12. All which doe euidently and ſtrongly proclaime vntounto vsus the truth of my propounded Doctrine: namely, that, It is not the greatneſſe of a Citie, that can be a ſafeguard vntounto it, if God his vnappeaſable wrath breake out againſt it, for its ſinnes.
One vſe of this Doctrine is, to leſſon vsus, that wee put not any confidence in any worldly helpe: but that ſo wee vſe all good meanes of our defenſe, that ſtill we rely vponupon the Lord, for ſtrength and ſucceſſe thereby.
A ſecond vſe is, to put vsus in minde of the fearefull puniſhments which God layeth vponupon men for ſinne. He deuoureth their Cities, throweth downe their ſtrong holds, and ſpares them not. Hath God dealt thus with ſtrong Cities, and ſhall poore villages eſcape?
If the ſecure worldling ſhall here obiect, that our dayes are the dayes of peace, that our King is a King of peace, that peace is in all our ports, in all our quarters, in all our dwelling places; and that therefore there is no need to feare the ſubuerſion either of our cities, or of our villages: to ſuch I muſt anſwer in the Prophet Eſayes words, Chap. 48.22. There is bEſa. 57.21.no peace to the wicked, ſaith the Lord. No peace to the wicked. For though God, thecRom. 15.33. God of peace, whichdPſal. 46.9. maketh an end of warre in all the world, and breaketh the bow, and knappeth the ſpeare aſunder, and burneth the chariots with fire, doth now protect vsus from forraine inuaſion and hoſtilitie, yet beingeAmos 3.13. Deus exercituum, a God of hoſts, he hath armies of another kinde at command, to worke the ſudden ſubuerſion and ouerthrow of all our dwellings.
Hereof hath God made good proofe in theſe our dayes. To ſay nothing of his arrow of peſtilence, which is grandis terror mortalium, the great terrour of men, as being Deaths chiefe Purſuiuant and Sumner, who in Iob 18.14. is called Rex Terrorum, the King of feares; to ſay nothing of this arrow, how it hath for theſefThis Sermon was preached Ann. Dom. 1610. Ian. 13. ſeuen yeeres roued vp and downe, to markes farre and neere, from citie to village, and from village to citie, to the killing of many thouſands of our brethren and ſiſters, and yet is not put vp into the quiuer: to ſay nothing now of this arrow, becauſe it ſtrikes mens perſons, and ſpares their houſes: will you be pleaſed to looke backe vponupon thoſe ſwellings of waters, which of late,gAnn. Chr. 1607. within theſe foure yeeres, brake out into the boſome of the firme land in diuers parts of this Realme? Then muſt you acknowledge with mee, that God hath an armie of waters, whereby at his pleaſure hee can ouerthrow our dwelling houſes.
Beloued, I could here make report vntounto you from beyond the ſeas out of Germanie, of ſtrange and maruellous inundations, deluges, and ouerflowings of waters; how abouthAnn. Chr. 1595. Ianſon. Gallobelg. Tom. 3. lib. 12. p. 173. this time fifteene yeeres in the plaines neere vntounto Colen, Mentz, and Franckford, by a ſudden floud, non modò horrea, & ſtabula, nullo firmo nixa fundamento, ſed firmiſſima etiam aedificia, not only barnes and ſtables, which had no firme foundation, but the ſureſt and ſtrongeſt edifices and buildings were violently c…rried away.
I could tell you of much more hame of that yeeres floud; how iniIanſon. ibid. pag. 180. Berenburg, a towne vponupon the riuer Sala, in the Principalitie of Anhalt, kIbid. p. 183.Centum ſexaginta aedes funditù… euerſae fuerunt; One hundred and threeſcore houſes were vtterly ouerthrowne.
But what need we goe ſo farre for ex…mples of this kinde, wh…reof Almightie God hath ſent home vntounto vsus ſuch plentie? Reflect we our eyes vponupon our owne harmes; vponupon the harmes done to many of our neighbours in the late fore-mentioned fl…ud to the ouerthrowing & breaking downelSee the Report of flouds in England, Ann. Chr. 1607. of whole townes and villages yea ofmSee, Wofull newes of flouds, C. 1. a. 26. pariſhes in onenMonmouth-ſhire. Shire, and we cannot but grant it for a truth, tha… God hath his armies of waters, whereby at his pleaſure he can ouerthrow our dwelling houſes.
But what is this to ſome of vsus, who are ſeated vponupon an hill, farre enough from any dangers by inundations, or ouerfl…wings of waters? Beloued in the Lord, of ſuch minde were they of the old world, who did eat, and drinke, and maried wiues, and gaue in mariage, vntounto the day that Noah went into the Arke. But what became of them? Our Sauiour Chriſt will tell you, Luke 17.27. The floud came, and deſtroyed them.
But God hath made a couenant with man, and will remember it; That there ſhall bee no more waters of a floud, to deſtroy all fleſh, Geneſ. 9.15. It is true: there ſhall bee no more waters of a floud to deſtroy all fleſh; that is, there ſhall bee no more an vniuerſall floud, to couer the face of the whole earth: there ſhall be no more generale diluuium inundans, & obruens vniuerſam terram. But here is no exemption for particular cities, no not for particular prouinces, or countries.
Almightie God, who once did breake vp the fountaines of the great deepe, and did open the windowes of Heauen, Gen. 7.11. he is the ſame God ſtill, Almightie ſtill, his arme is ſtretched out ſtill. He can at his pleaſure command the clouds, and they ſhall poure forth abundance of waters, to the waſhing away of our dwelling houſes.
But ſay, he will not come againſt vsus with his armie of waters: yet being Deus exercituum, a God of hoſts, hee hath armies of another kinde at command, to worke the ſudden ſubuerſion, and ouerthrow of all our dwellings.
I yet preſent you not with lightning, with thunder, with winds, with earthquakes, wherewith the Lord of Hoſts, the mightie one of Iſrael, hath laid waſte, and made deſolate many the habitations of ſinfull men; my Text preſents you with fire; and let it ſuffice for this time.
Say, I beſeech you, is it not a fearefull thing, that in ſtead of the fatneſſe of the clouds, of the greater and ſmaller raine, of the ſweet dewes of Heauen, of comfortable ſhowers which God hath engendered in the aire, and diuided by pipes to fall vponupon the earth in their ſeaſons, our grounds ſhould be withered, our fruits conſumed, our Temples and our buildings reſolued into cinders? Yea, and ſometimes our skins and bones too, molten from our backs? Yet (Beloued) this ſometimes comes to paſſe, when fire, one of the executioners of Gods vengeance, is ſent vponupon vsus for our ſinnes.
What became of Sodom and Gomorrah, and other Cities of that Plaine? Were they not turned into aſhes by fire from the Lord? The ſtorie is knowne, Gen. 19.24.
But what need old ſtories to confirme ſo plaine a matter; whereof we hauehave daily and lamentable experience? Doe not the grieuous complaints of many of our neighbours vndone by fire, ſeeking from our charitable deuotions ſome ſmall releefe, make good proofe hereof? Dearely Beloued, learne we by their example to caſt away from vsus all our tranſgreſſions, whereby we hauehave tranſgreſſed, and to turne vntounto the Lord our God, leſt delighting and treading in the wickedneſſe of their wayes, wee bee made partakers alſo of their puniſhments. It is neither care, nor policie, that can ſtay Gods reuengefull hand, when he bringeth fire in it.
To this purpoſe memorable is the example of a countryman of ours, who in King Edwards dayes was a Profeſſour of the true religion; that religion, which by Gods goodneſſe wee doe this day profeſſe. This man in theoFox, Martyrolog. p. 1893. Acts and Monuments of our Church is namedpA Smith dwelling at Well in Cambridge-ſhire. Richard Denton, and is there noted to hauehave beene an Inſtructor of oneqOf Wisbich in the Ile of Elie, ſometime Conſtable of Well, and dwelling there. William Wolſey in the ſame his holy religion. Not long after in Queene Maries dayes, when fire and faggot were the portion of true Profeſſours, Wolſey was apprehended and impriſoned. In time of his durance, he ſent commendations to Denton his Inſtructor, withall demanding by his meſſenger, why hee tarried ſo long after him, ſeeing he had beene his firſt Inſtructor in the Scriptures. Dentons anſwer was, I cannot burne.
Cannot burne? You ſee his policie: he halted between God and man, he diſſembled the profeſſion of his Chriſtian faith, becauſe forſooth he could not burne. Well. Q. Maries dayes were ſoone at an end; and God cauſed the light of the Goſpell to ſhine againe vnderunder the peaceable gouernment of Queene Elizabeth. Then did our diſſembler thinke himſelfe ſafe enough from any flame of fire. But behold the hand of God. His houſe was on fire; and he with two others, venturing to ſaue ſome of his goods, periſhed in the flame. Thus you ſee policie preuailes not, when Gods reuengefull hand brings fire with it.
And thinke you that ca…e will helpe? What? Care againſt the Lord? Farre be it from vsus (beloued) ſo to thinke. Let vsus rather make our humble con…eſſion, with King Nabuchodonoſor, Dan. 4.34, 35. that the Moſt High liueth for euer: that his power is an euerlaſting power, and his Kingdome from generation to generation: that all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing to him: that according to his will he worketh in the armie of Heauen, and in the inhabitants of the earth: and none can ſtay his hand, nor ſay vntounto him; what doeſt thou? None can ſtay his hand.
This is it which before I noted: namely, that, It is neither care nor policie, that can ſtay Gods reuengefull hand, when hee bringeth fire in it: as here it is threatned vntounto Rabbah: I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah. Thus farre by occaſion of my firſt Doctrine, which was, It is not the greatnes of a citie, that can be a ſafeguard vntounto it, if Gods vnappeaſable wrath breake out againſt it for its ſins.
And it was grounded vponupon theſe words: I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah.
It is further added of this fire, that it ſhall deuoure the palaces of R…bbah. Which branch repeated in each of the precedent prophecies (as verſ. 4, 7, 10, 12.) hath formerly yeelded vsus this Doctrine; God depriueth vsus of a great bleſſing, when he taketh from vsus our dwelling houſes.
This truth is experimentally made good vntounto vsus, by the great commoditie, or contentment, that commeth to euerie one of vsus by our dwelling houſes. The vſe whereof is, to teach vsus, 1. To be humbled before Almightie God, whenſoeuer it ſhall pleaſe him by water, by fire, by wind, by lightning, by thunder; by earthquakes, or otherwiſe, to ouerthrow our dwelling houſes. 2. Since we peaceably enioy our dwelling houſes, to vſe them for the furtherance of Gods glory. 3. To render all hearty thankes vntounto Almighty God, for the comfortable vſe we hauehave of our dwelling-houſes. Thus farre of the commination, or denuntiation of iudgement, as it is ſet downe in generall.
The ſpeciall circumſtances, whereby it is further notified or illuſtrated, doe concerne, partly the puniſhment, and partly the puniſhed. Concerning the puniſhment; it is full of terrour, and ſpeedy. Firſt, full of terrour, in theſe words; With ſhouting in the day of battell.
With ſhouting] in claſſico, ſaith Brentius: cum clangore, ſaith Druſius; that is, with the ſound or noiſe of Trumpets. The Septuagint doe reade foreign; the vulgar Latine, in vlulatu: Mercer, cum vociferatione; Gualter, cum clamore; Caluin, cum clamore, vel Iubilo: that is, with a cry, with a great cry, with a vociferation, with a ſhout, ſuch as ſouldiers doe make, when on a ſudden they ſurpriſe a Citie.
In the day of battell] in die belli. The like phraſe we hauehave Pſal. 78.9. where it is ſaid of the children of Ephraim, that being armed and ſhooting with the bow, they turned backe, in die belli, in the day of battell. Dauid confeſſeth, Pſal. 140.7. O Lord God the ſtrength of my ſaluation, thou haſt couered my head, in die belli, in the day of battell. Salomon ſaith, Prou. 21.31. The horſe is prepared, in diem belli, againſt the day of battell. So here the Lord threatneth againſt Rabbah, a ſhouting m…ie belli, in the day of battell.
This day of battell, is that day of warre, and time of trouble, mentioned by Iob, chap. 38.23. We ſee now the purpoſe of our Prophet in vſing theſe words, With ſhouting in the day of battell. It is to proclaime warre againſt Rabbah, the chiefe citie of the Ammonites, and conſ…quently againſt their whole kingdome. This proclamation is more plainly deliuered, Ierem. 49.2. Behold the dayes come, ſaith the Lord, that I will cauſe a noiſe of warre to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites: and it ſhall be a deſolate heape, and her daughters ſhall be burnt with fire. From this proclamation of warre made by our Prophet Amos, as in the Lords owne words, ſaying; I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof, with ſhouting in the day of battell, wee may take this leſſon, God ſendeth warre vponupon a Land for the ſinnes of a people.
For proofe of this truth, let vsus looke into the word of truth. In the 26. of Leuit. verſ. 25. thus ſaith the Lord vntounto Iſrael: If yee walke ſtubbornly againſt me, and will not obey me, then I will ſend a ſword vponupon you, that ſhall auenge the quarrell of my couenant. And Ierem. 5.15. vntounto the houſe of Iſrael, thus ſaith the Lord; Loe, I will bring a Nation vponupon you from farre. You heare the Lord ſpeaking in his owne perſon, I will ſend, I will bring, as here, I will kindle. Will you any other witneſſe?
Then heare what Moſes telleth the Iſraelites, Deut. 28.49. The Lord ſhall bring a nation vponupon you from farre, from the end of the world, flying as an Eagle: a nation, whoſe tongue thou ſhalt not vnderſtand, a nation of a fierce countenance, which will not regard the perſon of the old, nor hauehave compaſſion on the young: the ſame ſhall eat the fruit of thy cattell, and the fruit of thy land, vntill thou be deſtroyed: and he ſhall leaue thee neither wheat, nor wine, nor oile, nor the increaſe of thy kine, nor the flockes of thy ſheepe, vntill he hauehave brought thee to nought. By this ſpeech of Moſes, we plainly ſee that warre, and all the euills of warre, are from the Lord: that warre isrCominaeus Hiſt. lib. 1. cap. 3. one of the accompliſhments of Gods iudgements, and that it is ſent by God vponupon a Land for the ſinnes of the people, as my doctrine goeth. Let vsus now make ſome vſe of it.
Is it true, beloued? Doth God ſend warre vponupon a Land, for the ſinnes of a people? How then can we looke that the happy peace, which we now enioy, ſhould be continued among vsus, ſith by our daily ſinning wee prouoke Almightie God vntounto diſpleaſure?
Let the conſideration hereof lead vsus to repentance. Repentance, the gift of God, the ioy of Angels, the ſalue of ſinnes, the hauen of ſinners, let vsus poſſeſſe it in our hearts. The Angels of heauen need it not, becauſe they ſinne not: the Deuills in Hell care not for it; for their iudgement is ſealed. It only appertaineth to the ſonnes of men; and therefore let vsus, the ſons of men, poſſeſſe it in our hearts: that is, let vsus truly and vnfainedly forſake our old ſinnes, and turne vntounto the Lord our God, ſo ſhall this bleſſed peace, and all other good things be continued among vsus.
But if we will perſiſt in our euill wayes, not regarding what the Lord ſhall ſpeake vntounto vsus, either in his holy Word, or by his faithfull Miniſters, we may expect the portion of theſe Ammonites, that God ſhould kindle a fire in our Rabbahs; our beſt fenced cities, which ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof, with ſhouting in the d…y of battell. Thus much of the terrour of this iudgement. Now followeth the ſpeed in the next circumſtance.
With a tempeſt in the day of the whirle-wind] Suiting hereto is the reading of Mercer, cum tempeſtate in die turbinis: and that of Tremelius: cum procella in die turbinis, with a ſtorme or tempeſt in the day of the whirle-wind. Caluin hath, in turbine in die tempeſtatis: in a whirle-wind in a day of tempeſt: Brentius, in turbine, & in die tempeſtatis; in a whirle-wind, and in a day of tempeſt: Gualter, cum turbine in die tempeſtatis, with a whirle-wind in a day of tempeſt. And this reading Druſius rather approueth, than the former.
Take which you will; the meaning is one and the ſame: namely, that the warre here denounced to the Ammonites in the former clauſe, ſhould come vponupon them, tanquam turbo in die tempeſtatis, like vntounto a whirle-wind in a tempeſtuous and ſtormie day. Turbine nihil celerius; a whirle-wind comes ſuddenly and with ſpeed; ſo was this warre to come vponupon the children of Ammon. Thus hauehave we the meaning of our Prophet: let vsus now take a view of ſuch doctrines, as may from hence be taken for our further inſtruction.
Firſt, whereas the puniſhment here threatned to the Ammonites, is to come vponupon them with a whirle-wind in a day of tempest, in a tempeſtuous and ſtormie day, wee may learne, that, Stormes, Tempeſts, Whirle-winds, and the like, are the Lords creatures, ready at his command to be employed by him in the auenging of his quarrell againſt ſinners.
foreign, the primarie and principall efficient cauſe of ſtormes, tempeſts, whirle-winds, and the like, is God. God as he is the ſole maker totius vniuerſitatis rerum, of this world, and all that is in it; ſo is he alſo a moſt free and omnipotent ruler of the ſame. He alone is able to raiſe tempeſts, and at his pleaſure to allay them againe. Who raiſed the ſtorme, that endangered the ſhip wherein Ionah was? was it not the Lord? Yes. For ſo it is written, Ion. 1.4. The Lord ſent out a great wind into the ſea, and there was a mighty tempeſt in the ſea, ſo that the ſhip was like to be broken. Neither was this tempeſt calmed, till rebellious Ionah was caſt out of the ſhip into the ſea, as it appeareth, verſ. 15.
Well therefore is it ſaid of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 148.8. of fire, and haile, and ſnow, and vapours, and ſtormy winds, that they execute Gods word; they are all ready at his commandement, to execute what he will hauehave them to doe. Winds and tempeſts, they depend not vponupon chance, or blinde fortune; but on the ſoueraigne power of the Almighty Creator. So true is my doctrine; Stormes, Tempeſts, Whirle-winds, and the like, are the Lords creatures, ready at his command, to be employed by him in the auenging of his quarrell againſt ſinners.
One vſe of it, is for our inſtruction: Whoſoeuer he be, that walketh by land, or paſſeth by ſea, if winds, ſtormes or tempeſts doe hinder his purpoſe, or diſquiet him in his enterpriſe, he muſt aſſigne it to the prouidence of Almightie God.
A ſecond vſe ſerueth for reproofe of ſuch, as are of opinion, that Witches, Sorcerers, Coniurers, and the Deuill canſGrynaeus in Ion. cap. 1. 4. Lect. 13. pro libidine ſuâ, at their pleaſures, raiſe vp tempeſts. It is nothing ſo.
Nothing ſo? Why then doth Saint Paul, Epheſ. 2.2. call the Deuill, the Prince that ruleth in the aire? I anſwer, S. Paul calleth the Deuill the Prince that ruleth in the aire, not becauſe he can at his pleaſure raiſe tempeſts, but becauſe he then doth it, when God giues him licenſe. I eaſily grant, that Witches, Sorcerers and Coniurers by the helpe of the Deuill, can raiſe ſtormes and tempeſts in the aire, thoughtKing Iames, Daemonolog. lib. …. cap 5 pag. 46. not vniuerſally, yet in ſuch a particular place and preſcribed bounds, as God will permit them ſo to trouble.
uArch-Biſhop Ab…ot in Ion. Lect. 3. pag. 51.The Deuill and his factors worke their exploits only by limitation and by leaue; for they depend vponupon the Lord; and as if they were tied in a chain…, they cannot exceed one haires breadth of that which is granted vntounto them. Witneſſe the ſtory of Iob. The Deuill could not raiſe a wind to ouerthrow the houſe wherein Iobs children were, but by leaue from the Lord, as it appeareth, Iob 12.
And this may be our comfort, that Satan, the Deuill, thatx1 Pet. 5.8. roaring Lion, who walketh about, ſeeking whom he may deuoure, hathyEſay 37.29. a hooke put into his noſtrils, and a bridle in his lips, and is boundzIud. 6. with euerlaſting chaines, ſo that he cannot hurt vsus, no not ſo much as by raiſing of a tempeſt, vnl…ſſe Almighty God for our ſinnes doe let him looſe. Wherefore, let vsus commend our ſelues wholly to the protection of the Almightie, and he will*Eſay 49 2. hide vsus vnderunder the ſhadow of his hand. For it is he only, that maketh vsus to dwell in ſafety. Thus much of my firſt doctrine.
Againe, whereas the puniſhment here threatned to the Ammonites, was to come vponupon them as a whirle-wind in a tempeſtuous, or ſtormy day, that is, ſpeedily, we may from hence take this leſſon.
The d…ſtruction of the wicked commeth ſuddenly vponupon them.
This truth is auowed by Dauid, Pſal. 37.2. Where to perſwade the godly not to fret, or be grieued at the proſperitie of the wicked, he brings this reaſon: They ſhall ſoone be cut downe like graſſe, and ſhall wither as the greene hearbe, which in other words, verſ. 20. of the ſame Pſalme, he thus deliuereth: They ſhall periſh, and ſhall be conſumed, as the fat of lambes; euen with the ſmoake ſhall they conſume away. They ſhall be conſumed as the fat of lambes;] there is vtter deſtruction for them; they ſhall be conſumed as ſmoake] there is the ſuddenneſſe of their deſtruction.
The ſtate of the wicked is very tickliſh and vncertaine. For as it is, Pſal. 73.18. God hath ſet them in ſlippery places, and caſteth them downe into deſolation. Their end is there deſcribed to be wonderfull, ſudden and fearefull; Quomodo vaſtabuntur? Subitò deficient, conſumentur terroribus. How ſhall they be deſtroyed? They ſhall quickly periſh, they ſhall be conſumed with terrours.
Solomon ſpeakes to this purpoſe, as plainly as may bee Prou. 6.15. The deſtruction of the wicked ſhall come ſpeedily: he ſhall be deſtroyed ſuddenly without recouery. He ſhall be deſtroyed ſuddenly without recouery] that is, to ſpeake in my Prophets phraſe, He ſhall be deſtroyed, as if he were carried away with a whirlewind in a tempeſtuous and ſtormy day: or in Solomons phraſe, Prou. 1.27. Their deſtruction ſhall come like a whirlewind.
The holy Scriptures are very plentifull in this point. But this which hath beene ſpoken, may ſerue for the eſtabliſhment of my propounded doctrine, that, The deſtruction of the wicked commeth ſuddenly vponupon them.
One vſe of this doctrine is, to admoniſh vsus, that we giuegive all diligence to walke in the Lords way, the ſanctified and holy way, the way of perfection, that we be not reputed among the wicked and ſo partake with them in the ſuddenneſſe of their downfalls.
A ſecond vſe is to miniſter a word of comfort. Doe the wicked proſper and increaſe in riches? Is pride a chaine vntounto them? Is crueltie their garment? Doe their eyes ſtand out for fatneſſe? HaueHave they more than heart can wiſh? Art thou meane while in trouble? Art thou in want? Do they oppreſſe thee? Doe they wrong thee? Yet be of good comfort. Say not, I hauehave cleanſed my heart in vaine; in vaine hauehave I waſhed my hands in innoc ncie: but commit thy way vntounto the Lord; truſt in him; wait patiently vponupon him: yet a little while, and the wicked ſhall not appeare: thou ſhalt looke after his place, and ſhalt not finde him. For ſudden deſtru tion ſhall befall him, he ſhall be carried away as with a whirlewind in a tempeſtuous and ſtormie day. Thus much of the fourteenth verſe.