Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 13
THE XIII. LECTVRE.
AMOS 2.9.10.11.
Yet deſtroyed I the Amorite before them, whoſe height was like the height of the Cedars, and he was ſtrong as the Okes, yet I deſtroyed his fruit from aboue, and his rootes from beneath.
Alſo I brought you vp from the land of Egypt, and led you fortie yeares through the wilderneſſe, to poſſeſſe the land of the Amorite.
And I raiſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets, and of your yong men for Nazarites. Is it not euen thus, O yee children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord?
MY meditations hauehave beene heretofore fiue times exerciſed in diſcourſing vntounto you of the ſinnes, wherewith the people of Iſrael in the precedent verſes ſtand charged. Their ſinnes were, Couetouſneſſe, Crueltie, Oppreſſion, Falſe dealing, Filthie luſts, Inceſt, Idolatrie, Riot, and Exceſſe. Groſſe and palpable enormities. My endeuour was by the ſword of the Spirit, the word of God, to arme you againſt them, that yee giuegive them no paſſage, no not a little; that yee ſuffer them not by any meanes to hauehave dominion ouer you.
From their ſinnes we come to their Bleſſings; thoſe bleſſings wherewith God had bleſſed them. Foure are heere mentioned.
One is, the ruine of the Amorites, ſet downe verſe 9. Yet deſtroyed I the Amorite before them, whoſe height was like the height of the Cedars, and he was ſtrong as the Okes, yet I deſtroyed his fruit from aboue, and his rootes from beneath.
The ſecond is, their deliuerance from the ſeruitude of Egypt. ver. 10. Alſo I brought you vp from the land of Egypt.
The third is, their ſafe paſſage through the deſert, touched in the ſame verſe; I led you fortie yeares through the wilderneſſe. And why ſo? but, to poſſeſſe the land of the Amorite.
Theſe were three great bleſſings; yet were they but temporall. The fourth paſſeth; It is ſpirituall, ver. 11. I rayſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites.
The confirmation of all followeth in the ſame verſe: Is it not euen thus, O yee children of Iſrael, ſayth the Lord? Say O yee children of Iſrael; HaueHave I not done ſo and ſo for you? HaueHave I not deſtroyed the Amorite for your ſake? HaueHave I not freed you from your Egyptian yoke? HaueHave I not guided you through the deſert? HaueHave I not giuen you Prophets and Nazarites of your owne ſonnes, and of your owne yong men for your inſtruction in the true ſeruice and worſhip of your God? Is it euen thus, O yee children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord?
You hauehave now the ſcope of my Prophet, and the ſumme of this Scripture. My preſent diſcourſe muſt begin with the firſt mentioned benefit beſtowed by God vponupon that people. It is the ruine of the Amorites for their ſake, thus expreſſed, ver. 9. Yet deſtroyed I the Amorite before them, &c.
Herein I commend vntounto you three principall parts;
The firſt hath a generall touch of the ruine of the Amorites: Yet deſtroyed I the Amorite before them.
The ſecond hath a deſcription of that people. They are deſcribed, from their ſtature, and from their valour. Each is ſet forth vntounto vsus by way of compariſon: their ſtature or tallneſſe by the Cedar, their valour or ſtrength by the Oke; Their height was like the height of the Cedars, and hee was ſtrong as the Okes.
The third hath a particular explication or amplification of their ruine; It was not any gentle ſtripe that they receiued, not any light inciſion, not any ſmall wound; but it was their extermination, their contrition, their vniuerſall ouerthrow, their vtter ruine. Their roote and fruit; Princes and ſubiects; Parents and children, yong and old, were all brought to nought: Yet I deſtroyed his fruit from aboue, and his rootes from beneath.
Of the firſt of theſe three parts at this time. It hath a generall touch of the ruine of the Amorites. Yet I deſtroyed the Amorite before them.
Yet.] The Hebrew letter is Ʋau; it is moſt vſually put foraEt. And: It is here ſo rendred by Leo Iuda, by Calvin, by Gualter, by Brentius, and by Druſius. Thebforeign. Septuagint, the author of thecAutem. Vulgar Latine, and Vatablus doe tranſlate it But. dQuamvis.Tremellius and theeLicet. Tranſlator of the Chaldee Paraphraſe hauehave Although. Our Engliſh Bible hath Yet. Be it either And, or Although, or But, or Yet, it varieth not the meaning of the holy Ghoſt.
The meaning of the holy Ghoſt, is, by this enumeration of Gods benefits vponupon Iſrael, to taxe Iſrael of Ingratitude. God ſhowred downe his benefits vponupon them, yet they returned no thankes. So much is here enforced by this particle, Yet, to this ſenſe: Notwithſtanding all the good I hauehave done vntounto Iſraell, whether for their temporall, or for their ſpirituall eſtate; for their temporall, by deſtroying the Amorite before them, by freeing them from their ſeruitude in Egypt, and by guiding them through the wilderneſſe: and for their ſpirituall eſtate, by giuing vntounto them Prophets euen of their owne ſonnes: yet Iſraell, fHoſ. 11.7.my people Iſraell, hauehavegHoſ. 13.6. forgotten me. Crueltie, Couetouſneſſe, Oppreſſion, Falſe dealing, Filthie luſts, Inceſt, Idolatrie, Riot, and Exceſſe, theſe are the fruits wherwith they repay me: Yet deſtroyed I the Amorite before them.
Here we are to take out a leſſon againſt Vnthankefulneſſe. It is this, Ʋnthankefulneſſe is a ſinne very odious in the ſight of God.
This truth you will acknowledge to be very euident, and out of queſtion, if you will be pleaſed to conſider three things.
The Firſt is, that God doth ſeriouſly forbid Vnthankefulneſſe.
The Second is, that he doth ſeuerely reprehend it.
The Third is, that he doth dulie puniſh it.
Firſt, God forbiddeth vnthankefulneſſe. It is forbidden, Deut. 6.12. Take heed, that thou forget not the Lord thy God when thou art full. hDeut. 6.10.When the Lord thy God ſhall hauehave brought thee into the land which he ſware vntounto thy Fathers, to Abraham, to Iſaac, and to Iacob, to giuegive thee, and ſhall hauehave giuen thee great and goodly Citties, which thou buildeſt not: iV…ſ. 11.And houſes full of all good things, which thou filledſt not, and Wells di…g…d which thou diggedſt not; vineyards & oliue trees planted, which thou plantedſt not, kDeut. 8.10.11.12.when thou hast eaten and be full, lDeut. 6.12.Then beware leſt thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the houſe of bondage. Take heed that thou be not vnthankefull.
Secondly, God reprehendeth vnthankfulneſſe. He reprehendeth it in the Iewes, Eſa. 1.2. I hauehave nouriſhed, I hauehave brought vp children, but they hauehave rebelled againſt me. He reprehendeth it in the Gentiles, Rom. 1.21. There are the Gentiles ſayd to be without excuſe, Becauſe when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankefull. Hee reprehendeth it in the proud Chriſtian, 1. Cor. 4.7. The proud Chriſtian he boaſteth of his dignitie, of his good workes, of his merits. Vnthankfull man, what haſt thou, that thou haſt not receiued? And if thou haſt receiued it, why doeſt thou glory, why boaſteth thou as if thou hadſt not receiued? It is a reprehenſion of Vnthankfulneſſe which you hauehave, Mat. 25 26. There the ſeruant that receiued of his Maſter one Talent to be employed to the beſt aduantage, and employed it not, is thus checked: Thou wicked and ſlothfull ſeruant, thou knoweſt that I reape, where I ſowed not, and gather where I hauehave not ſtrawed: Thou oughteſt therefore to hauehave put my money to the exchangers.
I may not paſſe by Ieſus his cenſure, which he giueth of the Leapers, Luk. 17.17. It is a reprehenſion of their Vnthankfulneſſe. Tenne were clenſed: onelyonly one, and he a Samaritane, returned to giuegive thankes. It drew from Ieſus this expoſtulation: Were there not ten clenſed? but where are the nine?
Let me recall you to review that reproofe of Vnthankefulneſſe, Eſa. 1.2. How begins it? Heare ô men, hearken ô Angels? No. A greater Auditorie muſt yeeld attention. Heare ô Heauens, and hearken ô earth. Why? What is the matter? I hauehave nouriſhed, and brought vp children, and they hauehave rebelled againſt me. What? Children! and they rebell! If ſeruants had done it, if bondmen, if the ſonnes of Agar, of whom it was ſayd of old,mGen. 21.10. Caſt out this bondwoman, and her ſonne, if theſe had rebelled againſt me, it were the leſſe to be maruailed at: but they are children, mine owne children, children of mine owne education, nouriſhed and brought vp by my ſelfe: That theſe ſhould rebell againſt me! Heare ô Heauens, and hearken ô earth, ſtand yee hereat aſtoniſhed.
Marke, I beſeech you, how the Lord goeth on to amplifie this Vnthankefulneſſe of his people, ver. 3. The oxe knoweth his owner, and the aſſe his Maſters crib, but Iſrael doth not know, my people doth not conſider. See you not, how God ſetteth his people, as it were to Schoole, to the Oxe, and to the Aſſe, to learne of them what their dutie is? And no maruaile is it, ſayth a goodnCalvin. Interpreter. For it often times falleth out, that bruit beaſts doe make a greater ſhew of humanitie, then man himſelfe doth.
It is a commendation giuen vntounto dogges, that they are fideliſſimi dominis, & gratiſſimi, moſt faithfull, moſt grateful vntounto their Maſters: that by night they watch and ward, and keepe their Maſters houſes; that by day they attend their Maſters abroad; that they fight for them, yee and ſometimesoBoſqui…r ſ… cundâ naufragij tabulâ Conc. in d…dicativis Templi pag. 158. die for them too. The Dogge that in K. Pyrrhus hispTheat…m mundi Launaei lib. 1. ſub finem. Campe in the middeſt of his armed ſouldiers inuaded the parricide and murderer of his Maſter, is recorded for a paterne of thankefulneſſe. So is that Merchants dogge, that in the Iland Teos, lay vponupon a bagge of money of his Maſters, which his Maſters boy had by negligence left behind him in a by-way: and ſo long he lay vponupon it, that at his maſters returne to ſeeke what he had loſt, tùm cuſtodiae finem fecit, tùm caninam efflavit animam, ſayth myqElias Cretenſ, comment ad …rat. 2. Naziazenus de Theologia. p. 60. Author, hee yeelded vp the cuſtodie of the bagge, and dyed.
I could tell you of as great thankefulneſſe in Lyons. It was a thankful Lyon that ſpared Androclus a runnagate from his Maſter, put into Circus Maximus at Rome, to be deuoured by the Beaſts there. The kindneſſe he had done to the Lyon was in Africa: and it was nothing elſe but the plucking of a thorne out of his foote, It was a kindneſſe, and the Lyon forgat it not. Its regiſtred by Gellius Noct: Attic. lib. 5. cap. 14.
It was a thankefull Lyon, that followed Geraſimus the Abbot to keepe his Aſſes: the kindneſſe that the Abbot had done to the Lyon, was done at the riuer Iordan. It was nothing elſe, but the remoouing of a little bramble from the Lyons foote; It was a kindneſſe, and the Lyon did him ſeruice for it. Its reported by Iohan. Moſcus in his pratum ſpirituale c. 107. And Fran. Coſterus the Ieſuite cites it to be true, in hisrPag. 255. Sermon vponupon the thirteenth Dominicall after Pentecoaſt.
It was a thankefull Lyon that followed a certaine ſouldier that went with Duke Godfrey of Bullein to the Conqueſt of the Holy land. The kindneſſe that the ſouldier had done to the Lyon, was done not farre from Ieruſalem. And what was it? A ſerpent that had gotten this Lyon at the aduantage, and was like to be his executioner, was ſlaine by this ſouldier: This was a kindneſſe, and the Lyon was thankefull for it. It is ſtoried by Bernardus Guidonis in his Chronicle: And Philip Diez, a Fryer minorite of Portugall in his Summa predicantium at the word, Ingratitude, takes it for true: and vponupon the relation thereof breaketh out into this exclamation:ſPag. 4…5. O magnam beſtiae gratitudinem, & ingentem hominum ingratitudinem! Quare haec audientes vos, non confunditis! O the great thankefulneſſe of a beaſt, and the exceeding great vnthankefulneſſe of men! How is it that you heare this, and are not confounded.
Salomon, the wiſeſt among the ſonnes of men, Prov. 6.6. ſends the ſluggard to the Ant, to learne of her to labour. Goe to the Ant, thou ſluggard, conſider her wayes, and be wiſe. SheetProu. 6.7. hauing no guid, ouerſeer, or ruler, prouideth her meate in ſummer, and gathereth her food in the harueſt. Goe, learne of her, doe thou likewiſe. Is the ſluggard ſent to the Ant to learne? Then well may the Vnthankefull man be ſent to the Lyon, to the dogge, to the oxe, and to the aſſe. He may learne to be thankefull of the Lyon, and of the dog: I hauehave ſhewed it vntounto you by humane teſtimonies. The oxe and the aſſe may alſo teach it them: diuine demonſtration makes it good. Remember, I beſeech you that ſame exaggeration of the ingratitude of Iſrael: The oxe knoweth his owner, and the aſſe his maſters cribbe, but Iſrael doth not know, my people doth not conſider. And let this ſuffice to ſhew, that God doth ſeuerely reprehend vnthankefulneſſe.
Now in the third place, I am to ſhew, that he doth puniſh it.
The puniſhments wherewith God repayeth vnthankefulneſſe are of two ſorts. They are eyther Temporall or Eternall.
Among Temporall puniſhments I ranke the loſſe of the commodities of this life.
Such a puniſhment, a temporall puniſhment it was, wherwith God repayed the Vnthankefulneſſe of the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe of Pharan, at Kibroth-Hattaauah, or the graues of luſt, their thirteenth manſion, ſo called becauſe thereuNum. 11.34. they buried the people that luſted for fleſh. This puniſhment, Pſal. 78.30, 31. is thus deſcribed: While their meate was yet in their mouthes, the wrath of God came vponupon them, and ſlew the fatteſt of them, and ſmote downe the choſen of Iſrael. In the 11. of Numbers, ver. 33. thus: While the fleſh was yet betweene their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt the people, and the Lord ſmote the people with a very great plague.
A temporall puniſhment it was, wherewith God repayed the motherxHoſ. 2.5. that played the Harlot, Hoſ. chap. 2. for her vnthankfulneſſe. Shee knew not, that the Lord gaueyVer. 8. her Corne, and wine, and oyle, and multiplyed her ſiluer, and her gold. For ſhee ſayd verſe 5. I will goe after my louers, that giuegive me my bread and my water, my wooll and my flax, mine oyle and my drinke. You may ſee her puniſhment reſolued vponupon, verſ. 9. I will returne, ſaith the Lord, and will take away my Corne in the time thereof, and my wine, in the ſeaſon thereof, and I will recouer my wooll and my flax. Mine ſayth the Lord. They are all his. It was the Harlots Vnthankefulneſſe to call them hers. But ſhee was puniſhed with the loſſe of them.
A temporall puniſhment it is, which is threatned to fall vponupon eueryevery Vnthankefull wretch, Prov. 17.13. Who ſo rewardeth euill for good, euill ſhall not depart from his houſe. Plagues and puniſhments from God ſhall be his portion.
Thus is Ʋnthankefulneſſe repayed with temporall puniſhments. It is repaid likewiſe with Eternall.
An Eternall puniſhment it is, which is adiudged to the vnthankefull, and vnprofitable ſeruant, in the parable of the talents, Matth. 25.30. Caſt him into vtter darkenes; there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.
Eternall is the puniſhment, which Iudas ſuffereth for his vnthankefulneſſe. He fellzAct 1.18. headlong, he burſt aſunder in the middeſt, all his bowels guſhed out, and ſo he went into his owne place, Act. 1.25. His owne place! Ex proprijs meritis damnationis locum, ſuum effecit, ſaith Caietane, Iudas by his owne deſerts made the place of damnation, his owne place. His owne place, not by any deſire or affectation of his owne, but by Gods ordination. He went into his owne place: Abijt in Infernum, ſayth Lorinus, he went into Hell: and there hee ſuffereth theaReuel. 21.8. ſecond death; a death after death, a death and yet euerlaſting. For as Hell is large, ſo its long, and ſtrong too. Betweene vsus and you ſayth Abraham in Paradiſe to Diues in hell, there is a great gulfe fixed, bLuk. 16.26.ſo that they which would paſſe from hence to you, cannot; neither can they paſſe to vsus, that would come from thence. Ex inferno nulla redemptio: there is no getting out of Hell: and therefore Iudas his puniſhment is Eternall.
St Paul 2. Tim. 3.2. ſets downe a catalogue of the wicked: Among them, foreign, the vnthankefull hauehave their place. They hauehave their place among the wicked; and therfore the portion of the wicked, muſt be their portion. And what ſhall become of the wicked? S. Paul ſayth, 1. Cor. 6.10. They ſhall not inherit the kingdome of God. He ſaith it againe, Gal. 5.21. They ſhall not inherit the kingdome of God. S. Iohn in his Reuelation, Chap. 21.8. ſayth, They ſhall hauehave their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone. The Vnthankefull therefore, as wicked, ſhall not inherit the kingdome of God, but ſhall hauehave their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone. Their puniſhment ſhall be Eternall.
Hitherto you hauehave heard; Firſt, that God doth ſeriouſly forbid Ʋnthankefulneſſe. Secondly, that he doth ſeuerely reprehend it. Thirdly, that he doth duly puniſh it. From hence is the leſſon, which I commended vntounto you, made good.
Vnthankefulneſſe is a ſinne very odious in the ſight of God.
The conſideration hereof ſhould worke in vsus a reſolution to giuegive thankes vntounto our God for all his benefits. And although Dignas Deo gratias agere non ſufficimus, though we be not able worthily to giuegive God thanks; yet let eueryevery one of vsus profeſſe with S. Bernard, in his ſecond SermoncDomin. 6. Pentac. pag. 230. h. de ſeptem panibus: Ingratitudinem prorſus odit anima mea, my ſoule doth hate vnthankefulneſſe. Peremtoria ſiquidem res eſt Ingratitudo. Vnthankefulneſſe! its a killing ſinne, its an enemie to grace, its a blacke friend to ſaluation. I tell you, ſayth that Father, quoniam pro meo ſapere, I tell you, that to my vnderſtanding, there is nothing, that ſo much diſpleaſeth God, eſpecially in the children of Grace, and men of Conuerſion, as vnthankefulneſſe doth. His reaſon is: Vias obſtruit gratiae; & vbi fuerit illa, iam gratia acceſſum non invenit, locum non habet. Vnthankfulneſſe, it ſtops, it dams vp the paſſage of grace. Let Vnthankefulneſſe be any where, the good graces of God will hauehave no acceſſe thither; much leſſe will they reſide there.
The ſame ſweete Father Serm. 51. in Cantica dPag 719 h.ſpeaketh to like purpoſe. Vnthankefulneſſe! its the ſoules enemie; its a burning wind, ſiccans tibi fontem pietatis, rorem miſericordiae, fluenta gratiae. It dryeth vp the fountaine of pietie, the dew of mercy, the riuers of grace.
He may ſeeme to hauehave reference to that Heauenly meditation of S. Auſtine in the 18. chapter of hiseTom. 9. fol. 159. …. Soliloquies: Lord I will recount in my minde all the good which thou haſt done for me all my life long, euen from my fPſal. 71.5.youth. For I know right well, that vnthankefulneſſe doth much diſpleaſe thee, as being the roote of all ſpirituall wickedneſſe. It is ventus quidam deſiccans, & vrens omne bonum; It is a certaine wind, that dryeth and burneth vp whatſoeuer good is, and ſtoppeth the fountaine of thy heauenly mercies, ô Lord.
Such ſhould be our eueryevery dayes meditation. EueryEvery day ſhould we recount in our minds, all the good things which God hath done for vsus all our life long, euen from our youth. Here to are we exhorted by S. Paul, 1. Theſ. 5.18. In eueryevery thing giuegive thankes. His exhortation is made ſtrong with a reaſon annexed. For this is the will of God in Chriſt Ieſus concerning you. The like exhortation is made to the Coloſſians, chap. 3.15. Be yee thankefull, and ver. 17. Whatſoeuer yee doe in word or in deed, doe all things in the name of the Lord Ieſus, giuing thankes to God, and the Father by him. The Epheſians are in like ſort exhorted, chap. 5.20. GiueGive thankes alwayes for all things vntounto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
In this Apoſtolicall exhortation to thankeſgiuing foure circumſtances are principally remarkeable, Quando, pro quibus, cui, per quem.
One is, Quando; When we are to giuegive thankes. We are to doe it, foreign, alwayes, at all times.
The ſecond is, pro quibus; for what we are to giuegive thanks, We are to doe it foreign, for all things. For all things which God ſendeth vponupon vsus, or our neighbours, be they proſperous or otherwiſe. For euen aduerſitiegR…m. 8.28. worketh for the good of them, that louelove God.
The third is, cui; to whom we are to giuegive thankes. We are to doe it foreign, to God and the Father, becauſe he is God and Father: God in greatneſſe, and Father in goodneſſe: God, for his creation and generall gouernment of the world, and Father, for his election, redemption, and iuſtification of the faithfull.
The fourth is, Per quem; By whom we are to giuegive thanks, we are to doe it foreign, in the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Not in our owne name, for there is nohRom. 7.8. good in vsus. Of our ſelues we cannot ſo much asi2. Cor. 3.5. thinke a good thought; much leſſe can we ſpeake a good word, or doe a good deed. Nor in any Angels name, for the Angels are butkHeb. 1.14. foreign, they are but miniſtring ſpirits. Nor in any Saints name: for this were to mingle the bloud of Thomas with Chriſts bloud, aslLuk. 13.1. Pilate mingled the bloud of the Galileans with their owne ſacrifice: Chriſt, he alone is our Sauiour, our Redeemer, our Mediator, our Aduocate: in his name alone are we to giuegive thankes. GiueGive thankes alwayes for all things to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
This is our dutie, beloued, euen to giuegive thankes alwayes for all things to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
Is it our dutie? Let vsus then embrace it. Aſcendant gratiae, vt deſcendat gratia: let our thankes aſcend vp to God, that his grace may deſcend downe vponupon vsus. For ceſſat decurſus gratiarum, vbi non fuerit recurſus, ſayth Bernard Serm. 1. in capite ieiunij. The courſe and deſcent of the graces of God ceaſeth, and the ſpring is dryed vp, when there is not a recourſe and tide of our thankefulneſſe.
O! Why ſhould ſo good an exerciſe be a burthen and griefe to any Chriſtian ſoule. Let the vnrighteous vaniſh away in their graceleſſe vnthankefulneſſe, and become as the dung of the earth: but let the righteous alwayes reioyce in the Lord, mPſal. 33.1.for it well becommeth the iuſt to be thankefull.
Early and late let vsus prayſe his holy name, though not with the harpe, nor with the Pſalterie, nor with an inſtrument of ten ſtrings, as the Pſalmiſt aduiſeth, Pſal. 33.2. Yet let vsus doe it with the beſt members, and inſtruments we hauehave, with our bodies, and with our ſoules.
An eminent nB. King in Jon. lect 25. p 328.piller of our Church, hath for this place a ſweete meditation: Let vsus neuer turne ouroEze. 8.16. backes to the Temple of the Lord, nor our faces from his mercy ſeate. Let vsus not take without giuing, as vnprofitable ground drinketh and deuoureth ſeed without reſtoring. Let vsus neither eate nor drinke, nay, let vsus neither hunger nor thirſt, without this condiment to it, The Lord be prayſed. Let the frontlets betweene your eyes, the bracelets vponupon our armes, the gards vponupon our garments, be thankes. Whatſoeuer we receiue to vſe or enioy, let vsus write that poſie & Epiphoneme ofpChap. 4.7. Zacharie vponupon it; Grace, grace vntounto it: for all is grace.
To ſhut vp this point, let our daily deuotion, be the ſame that Dauids was. Pſal. 103.1, 2. let it be our daily ſong: Bleſſe the Lord ô my ſoule, and all that is within me bleſſe his holy name. Bleſſe the Lord ô my ſoule, & forget not all his benefits.
Thus farre hath the vnthankefulnes of Iſrael, noted in the particle Yet, carryed me. I now goe on with the explication of the firſt benefit here mentioned, to hauehave bin beſtowed by God vponupon that vnthankefull people.
I deſtroyed the Amorite before them.
foreign, ſay the Septuagint, I hauehave taken away; Exterminavi, the Vulgar, Calvin, and Gualter, I hauehave caſt out; Delevi, Leo, Iuda, and Caſtalio, I hauehave wiped away; Excidi, O…colampadius, I hauehave cut off; Perdidi, Vatablus, Tremellius, and Iunius, I hauehave deſtroyed; Druſius expounds it, Delevi, Perdidi, profligavi; Mercerus, Diſperdidi, abolevi. The word in the originall ſignifieth, ſo to aboliſh and wipe away a people or a nation, that there be not any memorie left of it.
I deſtroyed the Amorite.
The Amorites were deſcended from Canaan the fourth ſonne of Ham. In Gen. 10.16. Canaan is ſayd to hauehave begotten, the Iebuſite, and the Amorite, and the Gargaſite. He begat the Amorite.
I deſtroyed the Ammorite] What? The Ammorite alone? Not ſo: But the Ammorites and other nations of the land of Canaan: whom, when they had fulfilled the meaſure of their iniquitie, God did cut of, that he might giuegive their land for an habitation to the poſteritie of Iacob, the people of Iſraell, according to his couenant made with Abraham, Gen. 15.18. VntoUnto thy ſeed hauehave I giuen this land from the riuer of Egypt vntounto the great riuer, the riuer Euphrates. The Kenites and the Kenizites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgaſites, and the Iebuſites. The Amorites you ſee were not alone.
According to this couenant with Abraham, a promiſe is made to the Fathers in the deſert, Exod. 23.27. I will ſend my feare before thee, and will deſtroy all the people, to whom thou ſhalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turne their backes vntounto thee. And I will ſend hornets before thee, which ſhall driue out from before thee. Whom? The Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite? Its true. But they are not all. Looke backe to the 23. verſe. There ſhall you finde the Lord thus to ſpeake. Mine Angell ſhall goe before thee, and bring thee vntounto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Iebuſites: and I will cut them off. You ſee againe, the Amorites were not alone.
I pervſe the Catalogue of the Nations, whom the Lord hath caſt out before Iſraell. It is Deut. 7.1. There I finde, that he hath caſt out, the Hittites, and the Girgaſites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Heuites, and the Iebuſites, ſeauen Nations, greater and mightier then Iſraell was. Seuen Nations? Then the Amorites were not alone.
Were they ſeauen Nations, that were driuen out before Iſrael? How then is it, that the Lord here in my text recounting vntounto Iſraell this great benefit, nameth onelyonly the Amorite, ſaying, Yet deſtroyed I the Ammorite.
The Ieſuite Pererius in his third Tome of Commentaries vponupon Geneſis, writing vponupon the 15. Chapter, ver. 16. theſe words, The iniquitie of the Amorite is not yet full, moues this very doubt, but thus: The reader may here wonder, why mention is made onelyonly of one Nation of the Amorite, ſith it is plaine by other places of holy Scripture, that there were ſeauen Nations, which the Lord draue out from before the Iſraelites.
His firſt anſwere is: It may by a Synecdoche. A part may be put for the whole; one Nation of the Amorites for all the ſeauen. A like Synecdoche there is, Ioſh. 1.4. There thus ſayth the Lord vntounto Ioſhuah: From the wilderneſſe and this Lebanon, euen vntounto the great riuer, the riuer Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and vntounto the great Sea, toward the going downe of the Sunne, ſhall be your coaſt. All the land of the Hittites, ſhall be your coaſt; The Hittites onelyonly are named; and yet within the bounds deſcribed all the ſeauen had their habitations. It is therefore a Synecdoche. A part is put for the whole: One Nation of the Hittites for all the ſeauen. Its ſo here: One Nation of the Amorites for all the ſeauen.
This anſwere admitting a Synecdoche is approued by Piſcator, Tremellius, and Iunius. Yet Pererius thinkes to giuegive a better. And therefore his ſecond anſwere is: that the Amorites are praecipuè & ſingulariter, chiefly and principally, named aboue all the reſt, and for them all; becauſe for the largeneſſe of their Nation, and for their height of ſtature, and for their ſtrength of bodie, and for their exceſſiue crueltie, and impietie, they were aboue all, famous and much ſpoken of.
Mercerus, that great Profeſſor of the Hebrew tongue in the Vniuerſitie of Paris, is of opinion, that the Amorite here, and elſe-where, is aboue all, and for all mentioned, becauſe he of all was the moſt terrible, the moſt mighty, and the ſtrongeſt.
The like is affirmed by Arias Montanus, that learned Spaniard; Amorrhaeum potiſſimùm appellat, The Amorite he eſpecially nameth, becauſe that Nation & multitudine, & copijs, at que potentiâ, in multitude, in forces, and in power, excelled all the reſt of the Nations, that were caſt out before Iſraell.
Here then, where the Lord hath ſayd, Yet deſtroyed I the Amorite, in the Amorite we are to vnderſtand alſo, the reſt of thoſe ſeauen Nations, which the Lord draue out from before Iſrael: the Hittites, & the Girgaſites, and the Canaanites, and the Perezzites, and the Hivites, and the Iebuſites. Seauen they were in number, greater and mightier then Iſraell was. All ſeauen were caſt out by the Lord from before Iſrael: and ſo much are we to vnderſtand by this, that the Lord here ſayth, Yet deſtroyed I the Amorite before them.
Before them] foreign, ſay the Septuagint. They well render the Hebrew, which word for word is a faciè ipſorum, from their face. Mercerus ſayth, a conſpectu eorum, from their ſight; that is, ſayth he, corum cauſâ, ad eorum adventum, for their ſake, or at their comming. Albertus Magnus renders it, à praeſentia eorum, from their preſence. Our Engliſh, before them, hits the ſenſe. The ſenſe is: God ſtroke ſuch a terror into thoſe ſeauen Nations, the inhabitants of the land of Canaan; that at the comming of the Iſraelites, at the hearing of the name of Iſrael, they vaniſhed, they fled away, they forſooke their auncient habitations; or elſe were ſuddenly ſlaine without much reſiſtance.
Thus hauehave you the expoſition of the firſt branch of this ninth verſe, which conteineth a generall touch of the ruine of the Amorites. Yet deſtroyed I the Amorite before them.] The Iſraelites, their vnthankefulneſſe towards me is verie notorious, yet hauehave I deſtroyed the Amorite before them. Yet I] the Lord their God, who hauehave freed them from their bondage in Egypt, and hauehave led them fortie yeares through the wilderneſſe, I hauehave deſtroyed] hauehave ouerthrowne, hauehave driuen out, hauehave brought to ruine—The Amorite] not onelyonly the Amorites, but alſo the rest of the Nations, ſixe other mightie Nations, whoſe dwelling was in the land of Canaan: all theſe hauehave I deſtroyed before them] for their ſake, for Iſraels ſake; that Iſrael might without reſiſtance take quiet poſſeſſion of the land of Canaan, the land that floweth with milke and honey. The leſſon which we may take from hence is this: God is all in all, either in the ouerthrow of his enemies, or in the vpholding of his children.
For further proofe hereof we may hauehave recourſe to the 15. chapter of the Booke of Exodus. There Moſes ſings a ſong vntounto the Lord, a ſong of thankeſgiuing, wherein hee acknowledgeth the Lord to be all in all, in the ouerthrow of his enemies, Pharaoh and his hoſt in the red Sea. His acknowledgment is, verſ. 6. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath daſhed in peices the enemie: In the greatneſſe of thine excellencie, thou haſt ouerthrowne them: thou ſenteſt forth thy wrath, which hath conſumed them as ſtubble. With the blaſt of thy noſtrills the waters were gathered together: the flouds ſtood vpright as an heape: the depths were congealed in the heart of the Sea. The enemie feared not to enter. But thou Lord, didſt blow with thy wind: the Sea couered them; they ſanke as lead in the mightie waters. Who is like vntounto thee, O Lord? Who is like thee? God is all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies.
He is alſo all in all in the vpholding of his children. Moſes in the ſame ſong auoucheth it, verſ. 13. Thou, Lord, in thy mercy haſt led forth the people which thou haſt redeemed: Thou haſt guided them in thy ſtrength vntounto thine holy habitation. It was not their qPſal. 44.3.owne ſword that deliuered them, neither did their owne arme ſaue them. But the Lord, He and his merciemercy He and his ſtrength deliuered them, God is all in all in vpholding of his children.
Is it thus dearely beloued? Is God all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies? Then for the ouerthrow of that great Nauie, called the inuincible Nauie, the great Armada of Spaine, which*This Sermon was preached A guſt. 27. 1615. twentie ſeauen yearesrAu. Ch. 1588. ſince threatned deſolation to the inhabitants of this Ile, let God hauehave the glorie. It was the right hand of the Lord; not our vertue, not our merits, not our armes, not our men of might, but the right hand of the Lord it was, that brought that great worke to paſſe. TheirſExod. 15.4.5. choſen Captaines were drowned in the Sea: the depth couered them; they ſanke into the bottome as a ſtone. Some of them that were taken from the furie of the waues, and were brought priſoners to the honourableſt cittie in this land, in their anguiſh of mind ſpared not to ſay,tLetter to Mendoza. pa. 17. that in all thoſe fights, which at Sea they ſaw, Chriſt ſhewed himſelfe a Lutheran. Sure I am, that Chriſt ſhewed himſelfe to be little Englands uPſal. 18.1.rocke, and fortreſſe, and ſtrength, and deliuerer. Quid retribuemus? What ſhall we render? nay, what can we render, vntounto the Lord for ſo great a deliuerance? Let our ſong begin as the Pſalme doth, the 115. Pſalme. Non nobis, Domine, non nobis: Not vntounto vsus, Lord, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy name giuegive the glory, for thy merciemercy and for thy truths ſake.
With like affection recount we the deliuerance of our King and State, from that infernall and helliſh exployt of the powder treaſon. The contriuers thereof I now name not. What could they expect, but vponupon the leaſt diſcouerie of ſo execrable an action, to incurre an vniuerſall deteſtation, to hauehave all the hatred of the earth poured vponupon them and theirs, to be the outcaſts of the Common wealth, and the Maranathaes of the Church, they and their names for euer to be an abhorring to all fleſh. Yet they ſo farre proceeded in that their Diabolicall machination, that they were at the poynt to hauehave giuen the blow; that blow, that ſhould hauehave beene the common ruine of vsus all. But God, our God, who is foreign, as the Greekes deſcribe him, Pſal. 9.9. A helper at opportunities, in the needfull times of trouble, when we were thusxIoh. 4.35. albi ad meſſem, white for their harueſt, readie to be cut downe by them; then, euen then did our God deliuer vsus. Quid retribuemus? What, what ſhall we render? nay, what can we render vntounto the Lord for ſo great a deliuerance? Let our ſong be as before: Non nobis Domine, non nobis: Not vntounto vsus, Lord, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy name giuegive the glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truths ſake.
God, you ſee, is all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies: So is he, all in all in the vpholding of his children.
Of his children, that is, of ſuch, as liue by faith in Chriſt, and doe ſerue the Lord their God in ſpirit and in truth. Such if they be oppreſſed, if they be in need, if in trouble, hauehave God for their refuge, Pſal. 9.9. God will be the ſame God to them, as he was to Dauid, Pſal. 18.2. He will bee their Rocke, their Fortreſſe, their Deliuerer, their God, their Strength, their Buckler, the horne of their ſaluation, and their high Tower.
Here are they to be admoniſhed, who, neglecting the ſtrong God of their ſaluation, put their confidence in the tranſitorie things of this world. They, who truſt in their wealth, and boaſt themſelues in the multitude of their riches, they are here reprooueable. How can their wealth, how can their riches profit them in the euill day? Will they ſerue for a ranſome vntounto God for thee? Looke to the 49th Pſalme, and the 8. verſe, and you ſhall find, that the redemption of a ſoule is much more precious.
And they who relie vponupon great men, thinking themſelues ſafe in the ſhadow of their wings, are here reprooueable. They hauehave their warning, Pſal. 146.3. Put not your truſt in Princes, nor in any ſonne of man. And why not? There is no helpe in them: and why no helpe? Their breath goeth forth, they returne to their earth, and their verie thoughts doe periſh.
They alſo who make any other creature their confidence, are here reproueable. They for their inſtruction may hauehave recourſe to the 33. Pſalme, at the 16. verſe, thereof they may thus read: There is no King ſaued by the multitude of an hoſt: a mightie man is not deliuered by much ſtrength. An horſe is a vaine thing for ſaftie, neither ſhall he deliuer any by his great ſtrength.
What? Is a horſe a vaine thing to ſaue a man? Is much ſtrength vaine? Is there no ſaftie for a King in the multitude of an h…ſt? Is there no truſt to be put in Princes? Nor in any man? Nor in wealth? Nor in the multitude of riches? Nor in any of the tranſitorie things of this world? Quid nos? What ſhall we then doe, beloued? Let vsus ſay with the confidence, that the Church hath in Gods ſuccour, Pſal. 20.7. Some put their truſt in Chariots, and ſome in Horſes, ſome in Princes, ſome in other men, ſome in their ſtrength, ſome in their riches, ſome in ſomething elſe, that is vaine and tranſitorie, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. The Lord our God who was all in all in deſtroying the Amorites before his people Iſraell; is now all in all in vpholding vsus, his Children by adoption and grace, againſt the furie of all our enemies, that hauehave had euill will at our proſperitie. I conclude with the words of the Pſal. 146.5. Happie is he, that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe; whoſe hope is in the Lord his God, which made Heauen and earth, the ſea, and all that therein is. To this Lord our God, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, one true and euerliuing God, ſing we an Hallelujah. Hallelujah, ſaluation and glory, and honour, and power, be vntounto the Lord our God for euermore.