Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 3
THE Third Lecture.
AMOS 1.2.
And he ſaid, the Lord ſhall roare from Sion, …nd vtter his voice from Ieruſalem; and the dwelling places of the ſhepherds ſhall periſh, and the top of Carmel ſhall wither.
VPonUpon the preface to this prophecie [theſe words, and he ſaid] my laſt lecture was beſtowed: wherein becauſe whatſoeuer Amos, the heardman ſpake, was the word of God, I endeuoured to ſhew forth the worth, dignity, and excellency of the word of God, commonly called by the name of holy Scripture. A point that yeeldeth a very harſh and vnpleaſant ſound to eueryevery popiſhly affected eare, as then at large I made plaine out of popiſh mouths, and practiſe. Order now requireth, that I goe on to the next generall part of this text, to the prophecie it ſelfe. The firſt point therein to be recommended at this time vntounto you, is the Lord ſpeaking.
The Lord ſhall roare, and vtter his voice] wherein I deſire you to obſerue with me, who it is that ſpeaketh, & how he ſpeaketh.
Who ſpeaketh? It is the Lord.
How ſpeaketh he? He roareth, and vttereth forth his voice.
Firſt of him that ſpeaketh: He is in the Hebrew text called Iehouah; which is theaforeign. King B. of London, vponupon Jonas, Lect. 11. pag. 152. honourableſt name belonging to the great God of Heauen. Much might be ſpoken of it, would I apply my ſelfe to the curioſity of Cabaliſts and Rabbins; as that it is a name bforeign, Zanch. de nat. Dei lib. 1 c. 13.not to be pronounced, or taken within polluted lips; that it is acCael. Rhodiginus L…ct. antiq. lib, 2. cap. 9. Quem nos Deum nun cupamus, Aegyptii Th…t, Perſae dicunt Syre, Magorum diſciplina Orſi, vnde profluxit Oromaſis. Tam apud Hebraeorum gentem ellebre eſt quatuor vocalium Dei ſacr… ̄ nomen foreign, quod inde Tetragrammaton dicunt, & alia voce exprimitur foreign Graetis vero foreign appellatur, Arabibus Alla. Sic & Zanch. de natura Dei lib. 1. c. 13. Apud Graecos, poſt Hebra…s, nomen Dei, nempe foreign quatuor conflat literis. Sic apud Latinos Deut, vnde & Hiſpani dicunt Dios; Itali Idio; Galli Dieu; Germanis quo que & Anglic quatuor eſt li…erarum GOTE. Sic Chaldaei…, & Syris foreign, Arabibus foreign, Aethi…pibus foreign, Aegytiis foreign, Aſſyrijs foreign, Perſis foreign, Magis eſt Orſ…, Dalmatis ſcu Illyricis Bogi, Maometanis Ab…d. Gentibus in mundo no…o repertis Zimi. name of foure letters in all tongues and languages; and that theſe foure letters in Hebrew, are alldLit. rae qui…ſcentes. letters of Reſt, to ſignifie vntounto vsus, that the reſt, repoſe, and tranquillity of all the creatures in the world, is in God alone; that it is aeZanch. vbi ſupra. powerfull name for the working of miracles, and that Chriſt and Moſes had by it done great wonders.
But my tongue ſhall neuer enlarge that which my ſoule abhorreth, ſuch brain-ſick, ſuperſtitious, and blaſphemous inuentions. Yet this I dare auouch before you, that there is ſome ſecret in this name. It is plaine, Exod. 6.3. There the Lord ſpeaking vntounto Moſes ſaith: I appeared vntounto Abraham, to Iſaac, and to Iacob, by the name of a ſtrong; omnipotent, and all-ſufficient God, but by nay name Iehouah was I not knowne vntounto them. I vnfold this ſecret. This great name Iehouah; firſt it importeth the eternity of Gods eſſence in himſelfe, that he isfHeb. 13.8. yeſterday, and to day, and the ſame for euer, gApoc. 1.8.which was, which is, and which is to come. Againe, it noteth the exiſtence, and perfection of all things in God, as from whom all creatures in the world hauehave theirhAct. 17.28. life, motion, and being, God is the being of all his creatures; not that they are the ſame that he is, but becauſe ofiRom. 11.36. him, and in him, and by him are all things. And laſt of all it is the Mem…riall of God vntounto all ages; as himſelfe cals it, Exod. 3.15. the memoriall of his faithfulneſſe, his truth, & his conſtancy in the performance of his promiſes. And therefore whenſoeuer in any of the Prophets, God promiſeth or threatneth any great matter, to aſſure vsus of the moſt certaine euent of ſuch his promiſe or threatning, he addes vntounto it his name, Iehouah.
In ſtead of this Hebrew name Iehouah, the moſt proper name of God, the 70. Interpreters of the old Teſtament doe eueryevery where vſe foreign, a Greeke name, a name of power, well …iting with the liuing, true, and only God. For he hath plenum foreign. The power and authority which hee hath ouer all things, is ſoueraigne, and without controlement. Hee that made the heauens, and ſpread them out like a kPſal. 104.2.curtaine, to cloath himſelfe with light as with a garment, hee can againelEſai. 50:3. cloath the heauen with darkneſſe, and make a ſacke their couering. He that made the ſea tomPſal. 104.3. lay the beames of his chamber therein, andnIerem. 5.22. placed the ſand for bounds vntounto it by a perpetuall decree, not to be paſſed ouer, howſoeuer the waues therof ſhall rage and roare; he can with a wordoIob 16.12. ſmite the pride thereof. At his rebuke the flouds ſhall be turnedpEſai 50.2. into a wilderneſſe, the Sea ſhall be dried vp, the fiſh ſhall rot for want of water, and die for thirſt. Hee that made the drie land, and ſo ſet it vponupon qPſal. 104.5.foundations, that it ſhould neuer moue, he can couer her againe with the deepe as with a garment, and ſo rocke her that ſhe ſhallrPſal. 107.27. reele to and fro, and ſtagger like a drunken man. So powerfull a God may well bee named from power, foreign, the abſolute Lord, ruler and commander of all things.
This name of power, foreign, fitly put for the Hebrew name Iehouah, commonly rendred in our Engliſh tongue, Lord, is in the writings of the Apoſtles ſimply, and abſolutely, (if the learned hauehave made aſZarch. de Attrib. lib. 1. c. 17. iuſt calculation) aſcribed vntounto Chriſt a thouſand times: and may ſerue for ſufficient proofe of the deitie of Chriſt. tHeb. 1.3.For it imports thus much; that Chriſt the engraued forme of his Father, ſitting at the right hand of the Maieſtie in the higheſt places, is together with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, the author and gouernour of all things; and in a very ſpeciall manner, he is the heire of the houſe of God, the mighty protector of the Church.
Chriſt, the only begotten Sonne of God, hee is the Lord: yet ſo, that neither the Father, nor the Holy Ghoſt are excluded from dominion. The Father is Lord, the Holy Ghoſt is Lord too. For in all the works of God ad extra, (ſo we ſpeake in the ſchooles; but to ſpeake more vnderſtandingly to your capacities) in all externall works, each perſon of the Trinitie hath his operation.
Yet ſo that a common diſtinction …re obſerued. For theſe externall workes of God doe admit a double conſideration,uZanch. de Incarn. lib. 2. c. 3. q. 1. Theſ. 2. either they are begunnexExtra diuinas perſonas. without the Diuine perſons, and endedyIn aliqua perſonarum. in ſome one of them: or they are both begunne and ended, without the Diuine perſons. The workes of God begunne externally, and ended in ſome one of the perſons, what are they? They are ſuch as was the Ʋoice of the Father concerning Chriſt, zMatth. 3.17.This is my beloued ſonne: a voice formed by all three perſons, yet vttered only by the Father. They are ſuch as was thataMatth. 3.16. Doue, deſcending vponupon Chriſt, at his baptiſme: a Doue framed by all three perſons, yet appropriate only to the Holy Ghoſt. They are ſuch as were the body and ſoule of Chriſt: a body and ſoule created by all three perſons, yet aſſumed only by the ſonne of God.
This is that obuious, and much vſed diſtinction, in ſchoole diuinity: I…ch…ti…è, & termin…è. I thus expound …t. In theſe now named workes of God, the voice that was ſpoken vntounto Chriſt, the Doue that deſcended vponupon Chriſt, the body and ſoule of Chriſt, wee are to conſider two things: their beginning, and their end. If wee reſpect their beginning, they are the workes of the whole Trinitie, common vntounto all, but …ſpect … their perfection, and …, they are … I … common, but hypoſtaticall and perſonall for ſo the voice is the Fathers …one; the Doue is the Holy Ghoſts alone; the reaſonable ſoule, and humane fleſh, are the Sonnes alone.
Beſides theſe there are other workes of God, as begun, ſo ended alſo extra perſonas; externally: and they are of two ſor…s: either ſupernaturall (ſuch I call the …raculous workes of God;) or naturall; ſuch as are the creation of the world, the preſeruation of the ſame, and the gouernment of it. All theſe workes of which kinde ſoeuer, whether miraculous, or workes of nature, are common to the whole Trinity. The Father worketh, the Son… worketh, and the Holy Ghoſt worketh, as in doing of wonders; ſo in creating all things, in preſeruing all things, in gouerning all things. Whereupon followeth that which before I affirmed; that as the Father is Lord ſo the Son is Lord, and the Holy Ghoſt i… Lord alſo. So the Lord, whom I commend vntounto you fo… the ſpeaker in my text, is the Vnity in Trinity, one God in three perſons, God Almighty, the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt.
Before I goe on, to ſhew you, how he ſpeaketh, I muſt make bold vponupon your patience, to tell you of ſome duties, neceſſarie duties, to be performed by vsus towards him, as Lord. God is the Lord, we are his ſeruants. The duties wee ow… him in this reſpect are three: to obey him, to ſerue him, to profit him.
The firſt duty required of vsus, is obedience vntounto God his word, laws and commandements. This duty whoſoeuer performeth, ſhall eaſily performe the ſecond duty, to wit, faithfull ſeruice, with all care and diligence to doe whatſoeuer worke it pleaſeth God to employ him in: and ſhall not leaue vndone the third duty, but ſhall doe good, and be profitable vntounto the Lord.
All theſe duties were well diſcharged by our firſt parent Adam. As long as he was inueſted with his robe of innocency, he was perfectly obedient, a faithfull ſeruant, and profitable to his Lord.
Now if it will be doubted here how a man ſhould be profitable to God, thus I anſwer: That Gods riches doe conſiſt in his glory, and therefore if his glory be increaſed and enlarged, his aduantage is procured. The parable of the talents, Mat. 25.14. confirmeth this point. The parable is there plainly deliuered vntounto you. The meaning of it is; that God giueth vsus his graces to this end, that wee ſhould vſe and increaſe them for his aduantage. Yea God there compareth himſelfe to a couetous vſurer, …o greedy of gaine, as that he reapeth, where he ſowed not, and gathereth where he ſcattered not. By all meanes he laboureth to gaine glory to himſelfe.
Eliphaz in the 22. chapt. of Iob verſ. 2, 3. ſeemeth in word to thwart, and croſſe this doctrine. For ſaith he, may a man be profitable vntounto God? Is it any thing to the Almighty, that thou are righteous? Or is it profitable to him, that thou makeſt thy waies vpright? I anſwer, that God indeed is not ſo tied to man, but that he can ſet forth his glory, without him, or his righteouſneſſe; yea hee can glorifie himſelfe in the vnrighteouſneſſe, and deſtruction of man: yet I ſay, that to ſtirre vp man to holineſſe, it pleaſeth God in mercy to count only that glory gained, which is gained by the obedience of his ſeruants. And therefore I ſay againe, that Adam in the ſtate of his innocency was perfectly obedient, a faithfull ſeruant, and profitable to his Lord.
But alas, man once beautified with innocency, with holineſſe, and with the grace of God, is now ſpoiled of his robes; the Queene once cloathed with a veſture of needle worke wrought about with divers colours, is now ſtr…pt of her iewels: and the ſoule of man once full of grace, is now robbed of her ornaments, & rich attire. My meaning is, that man once able to preſent himſelfe ſpotl…ſſe, and without blame before the lambe, is now fallen from that grace.
The Preacher, Eccl. 7.20. doth aſſure vsus that there is no man iuſt in the earth, that doth good and ſinneth not. So much doth Solomons queſtion import, Prou. 20.9. Who can ſay I hauehave purged my heart? I am cleane from my ſin? O, ſaith Eliphaz vntounto Iob cap. 15.14. What is man that he ſhould be cleane? and he that is borne of a woman that he ſhould be iuſt? Behold, (ſaith he) God hath found no ſtedfaſtneſſe in his Saints, yea the heauens are not cleane in his ſight; how much more is man vnſtedfaſt, how much more abominable, and filthy, drinking iniquity like water? When the Lord looked downe from heauen, to ſee whether there were any childe of man, that would vnderſtand, and ſeeke God, Pſ. 14.2. could he finde any one framed according to the rule of that perfection, which he requireth? He could not. This hee found, that all were gone out of the way, that all were corrupt, that there was none that did good, no not one.
So ſinfull is man in his whole race: ſinfull in his conception; ſinfull in his birth; in eueryevery deed, word, and thought, wholly ſinfull. The actions of his hands, the words of his lips, the motions of his heart, when they ſeeme to be moſt pure and ſanctified, yet then are they as vncleane things, and filthy …uts, Eſay 64.6. So that that which is ſpoken of curſed Cain, Gen. 4.14. may in ſome ſenſe be applied to man in generall; that for his ſinne he is caſt forth from the preſence of God, and is now become a fugitiue, and a vagabond vponupon the earth.
I will not proſecute this point of mans nakedneſſe any farther. By this which hath beene ſpoken it appeareth plainly, how vnfit man is, to fulfill thoſe good duties required of him by his Lord God. For his firſt dutie, in ſtead of obedience hee continually breaketh the commandements of his God, in thought, word, and deed. For his ſecond duty, in ſtead of waiting vponupon God to doe him ſeruice, he ſerueth Sathan, ſinne, and his owne corrupt deſires. For his third duty, in ſtead of bringing any aduantage of glory vntounto God, he diſhonoureth him by all meanes, leading his life as if there were no God.
You hauehave ſeene now the miſerable and wretched eſtate of man, by nature the vaſſall, and ſlaue of ſinne: with whom it fareth, as it did with Pharaohs ſeruants when they had ſinned againſt their Lord, Gen. 40. You know the ſtory, how Pharaohs chiefe Butler was reſtored to his former dignity, when as the Baker was hanged.
Theſe two ſeruants of Pharaoh, may reſemble two ſorts of men exiled from paradiſe, and from the preſence of God, becauſe of their ſinne, to liue vponupon the face of the earth, as it were in a dungeon full of miſerie; namely the reprobate, and the elect. For the reprobate; as they liue, ſo they die in this dungeon, and doe die eternally; but the elect, they are pardoned, and reſtored to their former dignity, and enabled by Chriſt their redeemer, and reconciler to God, to performe their duties to their Lord, their duties of obedience, of faithfull ſeruice, and of profitableneſſe; to obey the commandements of God, to performe whatſoeuer ſeruice is enioyned them, and to procure aduantage of glory to their Lord.
Beloued, I doubt not, but that all we, who are now religiouſly aſſembled in this place, are the elect of God, choſen by him in Chriſt Ieſus*Epheſ. 1.4. before the foundation of the world, to bee holy and without blame before him in louelove: yet I feare me, ſhould we enter into our owne hearts, and examine our ſelues, how we hauehave walked in dutifulneſſe towards him; our beſt courſe will be to runne vntounto him with a Peccanimus in our mouthes. Lord we hauehavezLuk. 15.18. ſinned againſt heauen and before thee, and are not worthy to be called thy ſeruants.
By the firſt branch of our duty we are required to be obedient ſeruants, but we hauehave beeneaEzech. 2.4. hard offace, and ſtiffe hearted, a rebellious of-ſpring like vntounto our fathers. By the ſecond branch of our duty wee are required to be faithfull ſeruants; but we hauehave made a couenant withbRom. 6.19. vncleanneſſe, and iniquity, to ſerue them. By the third branch of our duty we are required to bee profitable ſeruants; but when wee ſhould hauehavecMat. 25.27. put our Lords mony to the exchangers for his greater vantage, we hauehave dVerſ. 25.hid it in the earth. Lord enter not into account with vsus,eIob 9.3. wee cannot anſwer thee one of a thouſand.
Now (dearely beloued) ſuffer a word of exhortation, let the remembrance of your holy duties by you to be performed to the Lord your God, be like fEccluſ. 49.1.the compoſition of the perfume that is made by the art of the Apothecary, ſweet as hony in your mouths, and as muſicke at a banket of wine. Bee it vntounto yougEzech. 16.11, 12. as bracelets vponupon your hands, as chaines about your necks, as frontlets vponupon your faces, as earings in your eares, as beautifull crownes vponupon your heads; let it bee written in your hearts ashIerem. 17.1. with a pen of iron, or point of a Diamond, neuer to bee razed out.
Shall I deliuer this your duty vntounto you in bleſſed Pauls words? In bleſſed Pauls words this is your duty, toi1 Theſ. 2.12. walke worthy of the Lord, Coloſſ. 1.10. To walke worthy your vocation, Epheſ. 4.1. To walke as children of the light, Epheſ. 5.8. To walke in newneſſe of life, Rom. 6.4. To walke in louelove, Epheſ. 5.2. To hauehave your conuerſation as it becommeth the Goſpell of Chriſt, Phil. 1.27. To behaue your ſelues honeſtly towards them that are without, 1 Theſſ. 4.12. To walke honeſtly as in the day, Rom. 13.13. If you take thoughtkRom. 13.14. for your fleſh to fulfill the luſts of it; if your eyes arel1 Ioh. 2.11. blinde… withm2 Tim. 3.4. louelove of pleaſures; if you hauehave nEpheſ. 5.11.fellowſhip with the vnfruitfull workes of darkneſſe, you are out of the way, and doe much faile in the performance of your holy duty.
And to keepe you the better in the right way, let me plainly tell you out of 1 Cor. 6.9. and Epheſ. 5.5. That neither Idolaters, nor the couetous, nor extortioners, nor theeues, nor adulterers, nor fornicators, nor buggerers, nor wantons, nor drunkards, nor raylers, ſhall hauehave any inheritance in the kingdome of God. HaueHave not ſome of vsus beene ſuch? yet to ſuch there is miniſtred a word of comfort, 1 Cor. 6.11. Firſt is our accuſation, Such were ſome of you: then followeth our comfort, but yee are waſhed, but ye are ſa…ctified, but ye are iuſtified in the name of the Lord Ieſus, and by the ſpirit of God.
Is this true beloued? Are we waſhed, and ſanctified, and iuſtified in the name of the Lord Ieſus, and by the ſpirit of God? why then; reſolue we to follow S. Paules aduice, Phil. 4.8. Whatſoeuer things are true, and honeſt, and iuſt, and pure, and doe pertaine to louelove, and are of good report: if there be any vertue, or praiſe, reſolue we to thinke on theſe things: thinke we on theſe things to doe them, and we ſhall well performe our holy duties to our Lord. Thus farre of my firſt note touching the ſpeaker, who ſpeaketh. Now followeth my other note; How he ſpeaketh?
He ſhall roare, and vtter his voice] The metaphor of roaring with reference vntounto God, is frequent and much vſed in holy Scripture. You find it as here, ſo Ierem. 25.30. ioyned with the voice of the Lord: The Lord ſhall roare from aboue, and thruſt out his voice from his holy habitation. And ſo againe, Ioel. 3.16. where you hauehave the very words of my text: The Lord ſhall roare out of Sion, and vtter his voice from Ieruſalem. You ſhall find it without any mention of the Lords voice, Hoſ. 11.10. The Lord ſhall roare like a Lion: when he ſhall roare, then the children of the Weſt ſhall feare. You ſhall find it with application, Amos 3.8. The Lyon hath roared; who will not bee afraid? The Lord God hath ſpoken, who can but prophecie?
S. Hierome acknowledgeth this metaphor to be very fit out of Amos his mouth, for as much as it is fit for eueryevery man to vſe in his ſpeech ſuch examples and ſimilitudes, as are moſt familiar to him in his owne art, dayly courſe, and trade of life. Its fit for a ſea faring man, to compare his heauineſſe to a tempeſt, his loſſe to a ſhipwracke, his enemies to contrary winds: fit for … ſouldier, to tell of his ſword, his buckler, his coat of male, his launce, his helmet, his musket, his wounds, his victorie: fit for a husbandman, to be talking of his oxen, his kine, his ſheepe, his grounds. Not vnfitly then doth Amos our Prophet, ſometimes a ſhepherd, one that kept his ſheepe in the waſte wilderneſſe of Tekoa, where many a time he had heard the Lions roare, compare the terrible and dreadfull voice of the liuing God, to the roaring of Lions.
The Lord ſhall roare] By this hyperbolicall forme of ſpeech the holy Spirit conuinceth vsus of ſtupidity, and dulneſſe, as vnable to entertaine any admonition from God, except he ſpeak vntounto vsus after an extraordinary manner. For this reaſon, euen for our dulnes ſake▪ is God herein my text compared to a Lion.
He ſhall roare] The meaning of this phraſe is opened by the next words; He ſhall vtter his voice. It will be no loſt labour to conſider how God an incorporeall, and ſpirituall eſſence, deuoid of ſuch parts of nature, by which we are enabled to ſpeak, may himſelfe be ſaid to ſpeake; and vtter a voice. That he ſpake it is well known to them, to whom the Scriptures are not vnknowne. He ſpake with Adam, Eue, and the ſerpent: with Noah, with Abraham 8. times, with Iſaac, with Iacob, with Moſes, and the Prophets; with Chriſt, and the Apoſtles. But how he ſpake, that is diſputed of by the ancient and learned Fathers.
S. oIn cap. 7. Eſai.Baſil is of opinion that the Prophets did not at all with their outward eares heare God ſpeaking to them; but that the word of the Lord is ſaid to hauehave come vntounto them, becauſe their mindes were illuminated, and their vnderſt…nding enlightned by the ſhining of the true light in great meaſure, readily to conceiue what God would hauehave reuealed, and faithfully to publiſh it according to the will of God.
S. pDe Geneſi ad literam lib. 11. cap. 33.Auſten enquiring how God ſpake with Adam and Eue, writeth to this purpoſe. It may be, God talked with them as he talketh with his Angels, by ſomeqJntrinſecus, & infabilibus modis. internall and ſecret meanes, as by giuing light to their minds and vnderſtandings: or it may be, he talked with them by his creature; which God vſeth to doe, two manner of waies: either by ſome viſion to men in a trance: ſo he talked with Peter, Act. 10. or elſe by preſenting ſome ſhape, and ſemblance to bodily ſenſes. So God by his Angels talked with Abraham, Gen. 18. and with Lot, Gen. 19.
S. rExpoſ. Moral. lib. 28. incap. …8. …. Iob cap. 2.Gregory moſt accurately handleth this queſtion to this ſenſe: God ſpeaketh two manner of wayes.
1. By himſelfe, as when he ſpeaketh to the heart by the inward inſpiration of the holy Spirit. After which ſenſe we muſt vnderſtand that which we read, Act. 8.29. The ſpirit ſaid vntounto Philip; go neere and ioyne thy ſelfe to yonder chariot: that is, Philip was inwardly moued, to draw neare and ioyne himſelfe to the chariot wherein the Aethiopian Eunuch ſate, and read the Prophecie of Eſay. The like words we finde, Act. 10.19. The ſpirit ſaid vntounto Peter, Behold three men ſeeke thee: the meaning is the ſame: Peter was inwardly moued by the holy Spirit to depart from Ioppa, and to goe to Caeſarea, to preach vntounto the Gentiles to Cornelius and his company. Where we may note thus much for our comforts, that whenſoeuer we are inwardly moued, and doe feele our hearts touched with an earneſt deſire, either to make our priuate requeſts vntounto God, or to come to the place of publike prayer, or to heare a ſermon, we may be aſſured that the Holy Spirit, God by himſelfe ſpeakes vntounto vsus.
2 God ſpeaketh to vsus by his creatures Angelicall, and other, and that in diuers manners.
1 In word only, as when no forme is ſeene, but a voice only is heard: as Iohn 12.28. when Chriſt prayed, Father, glorifie thy name; immediately there came a voice from heauen; I both hauehave glorified it, and will glorifie it againe.
1 In deed only: as when no voice is heard, but ſome ſemblance only is obiected to the ſenſes. S. Gregory for illuſtration of this ſecond way of Gods ſpeaking by his creatures, bringeth for example the viſion of Ezechiel 1.4. He ſaw a whirlewind come out of the North, with a great cloud, and fire wrapped about it, and in the middeſt of the fire the likeneſſe of Amber. All this hee ſaw; but you heare no mention of any voice. Here was res ſine verbo; a deed, but no voice.
3 Both in word and deed; as when there is both a voice heard, and alſo ſome ſemblance obiected to the ſenſes: as happened vntounto Adam preſently after his fall: Hee heard the voice of the Lord walking in the Garden, Gen. 3.8.
4 By ſhapes preſented to the inward eyes of our hearts. So Iacob in his dreame ſaw a ladder reach from earth to heauen, Gen. 28.12. So Peter in a trance ſaw a veſſell deſcend from heauen, Act. 10.11. So Paul in a viſion ſaw a man of Macedonia ſtanding by him, Act. 16.9.
6 By ſhapes preſented to our bodily eyes. So Abraham ſaw the three men that ſtood by him in the plaine of Mamre, Gen. 18.2. And Lot ſaw the two Angels that came to Sodome, Gen. 19.1.
6 By Celeſtiall ſubſtances. So at Chriſts baptiſme aſMatth. 3.17. voice was heard out of a cloud, as alſo at histMatth. 17.5 transfiguration vponupon the mount, This is my beloued ſon, &c. By Celeſtiall ſubſtances I doe here vnderſtand not only the Heauens with the workes therein, but alſo fire, the higheſt of the elements, and the Aire next vntounto it, togeher with the winds and Clouds.
7. By Terreſtriall ſubſtances. So God to reproue the dulneſſe of Balaam, enabled Balaams owne Aſſe to ſpeak, Num. 22.28.
8 Both by Celeſtiall and Terreſtriall ſubſtances, as when God appeared vntounto Moſes in a flame of fire, out of the middeſt of a buſh, Exod. 3.2.
You ſee now how God of old at ſundry times, and in diuers manners did ſpeake to man: either by himſelfe, or by his creatures: and by his creatures many wayes: ſometimes in word, ſometimes in deed, ſometimes in both word and deed; ſometimes in ſleepings, ſometimes in watchings; ſometimes by Celeſtiall ſubſtances, ſometime by Terreſtriall, ſometimes by both, Celeſtiall and Terreſtriall.
To make ſome vſe of this doctrine; let vsus conſider, whether God doth not now ſpeke vntounto vsus, as of old he did to our forefathers. We ſhal finde that now alſo he ſpeaketh vntounto vsus by himſelfe, whenſoeuer by the inſpiration of his holy Spirit he moueth our hearts to religious and pure thoughts; and alſo by his creatures: ſometime by fire, when he conſumeth our dwelling houſes: ſometime by thunder, when he throweth downe our ſtrong holds: ſometime by heat, ſometime by drouth, ſometime by noyſome worms, Locuſts, and Caterpillers, when he takes from vsus the ſtaffe of bread; ſometime by plagues, when in a few months he taketh from vsus many thouſands of our brethren; and ſometime by enemies, when he impoueriſheth vsus by warre.
All theſe, and whatſoeuer other like theſe, are Gods voices, and doe call vsus to tepentance. But as when there came a voice from heauen to Chriſt, Ioh. 12.28. the people that ſtood by and heard, would not be perſwaded that it was Gods voice; ſome of them ſaying that it thundred, others that an Angell ſpake: ſo we, howſoeuer God layes his hand vponupon vsus, by fire, by thunder, by famine, by peſtilence, by war, or otherwiſe, we will not be perſwaded that God ſpeakes vntounto vsus; we will rather attribute theſe things to nature, to the heauens, to ſtarres and planets, to the malice of enemies, to chance, and the like.
As peruerſe as we are, there is a voice of God, which we cannot but acknowledge to be his, and at this time to be directed vntounto vsus. Mention of it is made, Heb. 1.2. In theſe laſt dayes God hath ſpoken to vsus by his ſonne. The Goſpell of Chriſt is the voice of God. It is the voice of God, the rule of all inſtruction, the firſt ſtone to be laid in the whole building: that cloud by day, that pillar by night, whereby all our actions are to be guided. This Goſpell of Chriſt, and voice of God, cals vsus now to obedience.
O the crookedneſſe of our vile natures! Our ſtiffe necks will not bend. God ſpeaketh vntounto vsus by his Miniſters, to walke in the old way, the good way; but we anſwer like them, Ier. 6.16. We will not walke therein. He ſpeaketh to vsus by his watchmen, to take heed to the ſound of the trumpet; but we anſwer like them, Ier. 6.17. We will not take heed.
Turne vsus good Lord vntounto thee, and wee ſhall bee turned. Good Lord open thou our eares, that if it be thy holy will, either to Roare vntounto vsus, or to ſpeake with a milder voice: either to come againſt in iudgement, or to viſit vsus in mercy; wee may readily heare thee, and yeeld obedience: and as obedient children receiue the promiſe of eternall inheritance. So when the time of our ſeparation ſhall be, that we muſt leaue this world, a place of darkneſſe, of trouble, of vexation, of anguiſh, thou, Lord wilt tranſlate vsus to a better place, a place of light where darkneſſe ſhall be no more; a place of reſt, where trouble ſhall be no more; a place of delight, where vexation ſhall be no more; a place of endleſſe and vnſpeakable ioyes, where anguiſh ſhall be no more. There this corruptible ſhall put on incorruption, and our mortality ſhall be ſwallowed vp of life. Euen ſo be it.