Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 20

Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1 · Sermon 20

p. 339THE XX. LECTVRE.

AMOS 2.14, 15, 16.

Therefore the flight ſhall periſh from the ſwift, and the ſtrong ſhall not ſtrengthen his force, neither ſhall the mightie deliuer himſelfe.

Neither ſhall he ſtand, that handleth the bow, and he that is ſwift of foote ſhall not deliuer himſelfe, neither ſhall he, that rideth the Horſe, deliuer himſelfe.

And he, that is couragious among the mightie, ſhall flee away naked in that day, ſaith the Lord.

THE defiance is ſet, the trumpet is blowne, the warre is proclaimed from the Maieſtie of heauen, againſt the Kingdome of the ten tribes of Iſrael. Such was the height of their impieties, diſcouered, verſ. 6, 7, 8. ſuch the fouleneſſe of their ingratitude, blaſed verſ. 12. that they could not looke for leſſe, then a diſſipation, a diſperſion and ouerthrow by warre.

The proclamation you heard of, of late, out of the 13. verſe, it was made, either by way of a grieuous complaint, Behold, I am preſſed vnderunder you, as a cart is preſſed, that is full of ſheaues: or by way of a terrible commination, Behold, I will preſſe you, as a cart full of ſheaues preſſeth, or is preſſed.

The ſucceſſe and euent of this warre now followeth, verſ. 14, 15, 16. wherein three generals hauehave bin obſerued: Impotentia fugiendi, Debilitas in refistendo, and Fuga fortium.

The firſt was, their impotencie and vnableneſſe to eſcape p. 340by flight in the day of battell: the ſecond, their debilitie and weakneſſe in reſiſting the enemie: the third, the flight of their moſt valiant and ſtout of heart. Three generalls they are, and are by our Prophet diuided into ſeauen ſeuerall branches: in which he deſcribes gravitatem tribulationis, as Caſtrus ſpeaketh, the grieuouſnes of their tribulation; or as Quadratus, ſummam calamitatem & anguſtiam, the extreame miſerie and anguiſh, whereinto they were to fall.

He ſheweth Gods iudgements to be ineluctable. If he will the puniſhment of any, there is no place for refuge, no evaſion, no meanes to eſcape. Neither he that is of an expedite and agile bodie, nor the ſtrong man, nor the mighty, nor the bow-man, nor the ſwift of foote, nor the horſeman, nor the couragious and ſtout of heart, ſhall be able to helpe himſelfe in that day, in the day of Gods reuengement.

Thus hauehave you ſummarily the ſcope of our Prophet in this Scripture, and the meaning thereof. I muſt now deſcend to the particulars. The firſt of the ſeauen miſeries, here foretold to betide the Iſraelites, is in the beginning of the 14. verſe.

The flight ſhall periſh from the ſwift.

IT is an Hebrew phraſe. I meete with the like, Pſal. 142.4. Perijt fuga à me. So Dauid in extreame danger in the Caue, complaineth: The flight periſhed from me, or Refuge failed me; or, I had no place to flie vntounto: that is, I ſaw not which way I might eſcape; all hope of evaſion was gone from me; I was in mine owne eyes, of neceſſity to hauehave periſhed. Perijt fuga à me, The flight periſhed from mee.

The like forme of ſpeech is, Ierem. 25.35. Peribit fuga à paſtoribus, & ſaluatio ab optima…ibus gregis: The flight ſhall periſh from the ſhepheards, and ſafetie from the chiefe of the flocke: that is, The ſhepheards ſhall hauehave no way to p. 341flee, and the principall of the flocke, the Rams of the flocke ſhall hauehave no way to eſcape; Peribit fuga, the flight ſhall periſh from the ſhepheards, and ſaftie from the chiefe of the flocke.

So, Iob 11.20. it is part of the infelicitie of the wicked, Peribit fuga ab cis, flight ſhall periſh from them, that is, they ſhall not eſcape.

The meaning of this phraſe is well expreſſed, Amos 9.1. Non erit fuga cis qui fugient, & non ſaluabitur ex cis, qui fugerit. He that fleeth of them, ſhall not flee away, and he that eſcapeth of them, ſhall not be deliuered. Surely from ſuch peribit fuga, flight ſhall periſh; flee they may, but by their flight they ſhall not eſcape.

Peribit fuga, the flight ſhall periſh from the ſwift. As the flight periſheth, ſo may other things be ſaid to periſh, the Law, and Counſell, and the Word; the Law from the Prieſt, and counſell from the wiſe, and the word from the Prophet. Ier. 18.18.

So, Ezech. 7.26. it is ſaid, The law ſhall periſh from the Prieſt, and counſell from the Ancients. And Ierem. 49.7. Counſell is periſhed from the prudent. And Eſai. 29.14. the wiſdome of the wiſe men ſhall periſh.

Now for the law, and the word, and wiſdome, and counſell to periſh from the Prieſt, from the Prophet, from the Wiſe, from the Prudent, and from the Ancient, what elſe is it, then for ſuch men to be deſtitute of ſuch things; the Prieſt of the Law, the Prophet of the Word, the wiſe, the prudent, and the ancient, of wiſedome and counſell?

So touching my text, I ſay, for the flight to periſh from the ſwift, it is nothing elſe, then for the ſwift to be deſtitute of flight, to be depriued of flight, to be altogither vnable to flee away, when he would.

The flight ſhall periſh from the ſwift.

The ſwift! Who is that? The old Hebrewes ſay, it is Ieroboam, ſonne of Nebat aa1. King 11.40.1 Kgs 11:40, who fled from Salomon into Aegypt, as S. Hierome, and after himbbChriſt…ph. à Caſtro. Remigius, Rupertus, p. 342Albertus, Hugo, and Dionyſius hauehave obſerued. This Iewiſh conceit is in this place enlarged: As by the Swift they vnderſtand Ieroboam, ſonne of Nebat, who fled from Salomon; ſo by the Strong, they vnderſtandcc1. King 15.16.1 Kgs 15:16 Baaſha, that warlike King, who all his dayes had warre with Aſa King of Iudah; by the Mighty, Kingdd1. King. 16.16.1 Kgs 16:16 Omri; by the Bowman, eeCap. 19.16.Iehu, the ſonne of Nimſhi, who ſlew King Ioram with anff2. King. 9.24.2 Kgs 9:24 arrow; by the Swift of foote, King gg2 King. 15.19.2 Kgs 15:19Menahem; by the Horſeman, King hhCap. 15.25.Pekah, the ſonne of Remaliah; and by the Couragious and ſtout of heart, K. iiCap. 17 1. &c.Hoſhea, ſonne of Elah, the laſt of the Kings of Iſrael.

But theſe are Hebraeorum ſomnia, as Lyra calls them; or, as Mercerus, Nugamenta: they are Iewiſh dreames and toyes, vnworthy the maieſtie of holy Scripture. I therefore paſſe them ouer: and doe vnderſtand this branch, of the flight periſhing from the ſwift, with the other ſix that follow, of the vtter ſubuerſion of the ſtate of Iſrael, and the finall captiuitie of that people when they were caried away by Salmanaſſar into Aſſyria. In that day (a heauy day to them) neither he that was of a ſwift, an expedite and an agile bodie, nor the ſtrong man, nor the mighty, nor the archer, nor the ſwift of foote, nor the rider, nor the couragious and ſtout of heart, found any meanes to ſaue or helpe himſelfe.

From the firſt of theſe ſeauen miſeries thus expreſſed in this firſt branch, The flight ſhall periſh from the ſwift, we may take this leſſon, When God reſolueth to puniſh man for ſinne, there is no refuge for him, no evaſion, no eſcaping by flight, though he be of a ſwift, an expedite, and an agile bodie.

This truth Albertus would ratifie with thoſe words, Prov. 92. Velox pedibus offendet. He that is ſwift of foote offendeth, ſtumbleth, hitteth againſt ſome ſtone, or ſtump, and ſo falleth, and is ouertaken. But the allegation is impertinent. The words are againſt raſh and vnaduiſed actions in the courſe of mans life; and doe beare with them p. 343this ſenſe: As he that runneth haſtily, if he looke not to his feete, that he may chuſe the good way, and leaue the bad, is in great danger of continuall falling: ſo he, that haſtily and without due deliberation goeth about this or that, may eaſily tranſgreſſe before he be aware. This ſenſe is naturall to the words, as we render them: He that haſteth with his feete, ſinneth. If thou runne haſtily to euill, thou ſinneſt againſt God and thine owne ſoule.

The other place alleaged by Albertus to proue, that there is no evaſion, no eſcaping for the ſwift, is more pertinent. It is in Eſay chap. 30.16. Velociores erunt, qui perſequentur vos. Thinke you not by flight to ſaue your ſelues: for they, that ſhall purſue you, ſhall be as ſwift as you, or ſwifter.

As pertinent is that of the Preacher, Eccl. 9.11. There is no race to the ſwift, or, in running it helpeth not to be ſwift. The meaning of it the Chaldee Paraphraſe thus expreſſeth: though men be as ſwift as Eagles, yet ſhall they not by running helpe themſelues, or deliuer themſelues from death in the day of battell. The Hebrewes refer this to Haſahel, one of the ſonnes of Tzeruiah, who though he were an exceeding ſwift runner, as light of foote as a wilde Roe, as he is deſcribed, 2. Sam. 2.18. yet could he not eſcape, but he muſt be ſlainekk2. Sam. 2.23.2 Sam 2:23 by Abner.

We read of diuers, ſwift of foote beyond admiration: of Atalanta in thellOvid. Metam. lib. 10. fab. 14. Poet, who ſeemed Scythicâ non ſegniùs ire ſagittâ, to runne as faſt, as an arrow flyeth from a ſtrong bow: of Camilla in an othermmVirg. Aeneid. lib. 7. Poet, that ſhe did curſu pedum, with her ſwift feete, out-runne the winds; that ſhe flew ouer ſtanding corne, nec teneras curſu laeſiſſet ariſtus and did no hurt to the eares thereof; that ſhe iournied vponupon the reſtles and ſwelling Ocean, and neuer dipped the ſole of her foote therein. Of Iphictus innnIn ſacro ſermone. Orpheus, ooDionyſius lib. 28.Nonnus, andppHeſiodus. Demaratus. Hygin. Aſtrom. lib. 2. in Orione. others, that he likewiſe ranne ouer ſtanding corne without hurt vntounto the eares, and walked vponupon the Sea: of Orior, Neptuns p. 344ſonne in Hyginus, that he could runne vponupon the waues of the Sea: of Arias, Menecles his ſonne, in the Greeke qqI…. 1. Epig. 3. Antipater.Epigram, that running in a race from the b…ginning to the end no man could ſee him, ſo ſwift he was of foote.

But theſe I take to be either fabulous, or hyperbolicall. Yet ſay, there were ſuch; ſay, there are ſuch; I ſay, neither was there for them, neither is there for theſe, any evaſion, or eſcaping from God. No, not any at all. My Prophet in the next verſe, the 15. of this Chapter, ſpeaks it in plaine tearmes; He, that is ſwift of foote, ſhall not deliuer himſelfe.

Not deliuer himſelfe! and yet ſwift of foote. It is euen ſo. Why may he not attempt to flee? Perchance he may: yet ſhall his attempt be fruſtrate: for thus ſaith the Lord, Amos 9.1. He, that fleeth, ſhall not flee away, and he that eſcapeth, ſhall not be deliuered. Yea, ſaith he, though they digge into Hell, thence ſhall mine hand take them: though they climbe vp to Heauen, thence will I bring them downe. And though they hide themſelues in the top of Carmel, I will ſearch and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my ſight in the bottome of the Sea, thence will I command the ſerpent and he ſhall bite them. And though they goe into captiuitie before their enemies, thence will I command the ſword, and it ſhall ſlay them. In this Hyperbolicall exaggeration, (for ſuch it is in the iudgements of S. Hierome, Remigius, Albertus, Hugo, and Dionyſius) he ſheweth, how impoſſible it is for man, by ſeeking to flee, to lurke, or to hide himſelfe, to exempt himſelfe from the power or wrath of GOD.

This impoſſibilitie of hiding our ſelues from the power, or wrath of God, either in Heauen, or Hell, or Sea, or darke place, or any where elſe, is elegantly and fully illuſtrated by the ſweeteſt ſinger of Pſalmes, David, Pſal 139.7.

Whither ſhall I goe from thy ſpirit? or whither ſhall flie from thy preſence?

p. 345If I aſcend vp into Heauen, thou art there: if I make my bed in Hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the vttermoſt parts of the Sea,

Euen there ſhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand ſhall hold me.

If I ſay, Surely the darknes ſhall couer me: euen the night ſhall be light about me.

Yea the darkneſſe hideth not from thee, but the night ſhineth as the day: the darkneſſe and the light are both alike to thee.

You ſee, nor Heauen, nor Hell, nor Sea, nor darkneſſe could hide Dauid from the preſence of God. Could they not hide Dauid, and ſhall they be able to hide others? They ſhall not. God makes it good by that his vehement aſſeueration, Ierem. 23.23. Am I a God at hand, ſaith the Lord, and not a God a far off?

Can any hide himſelfe in ſecret places, that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the Lord? Doe not I fill Heauen, and Earth ſaith the Lord? You ſee againe: At hand or further off, in Heauen, or Earth, in places of most ſecrecie, our Lord he is God, he ſeeth all things, he fills both Heauen and Earth. Thus hauehave you the confirmation of my doctrine, which was, When God reſolueth to puniſh man for ſinne, there is no refuge for him, no evaſion, no eſcaping by flight, though he be of a ſwift, an expedite, and an agile bodie.

Is there no refuge for vsus, no evaſion, no eſcaping by flight, when God will puniſh? No, there is none. How can there be any? ſith our perſecutors ſhall be ſwifter then the Eagles of the Heauen to purſue vsus vponupon the mountaines, and to lay waite for vsus in the wilderneſſe: according to the mone that the daughter of Sion maketh, Lament. 4 19. Flee we, as we may, to mountaines, to the wilderneſſe, to hide our ſelues; our flight ſhall be in vaine: for our perſecutors ſhall be ſwifter then the Eagles of the Heauen; they whom God will employ, to be the executioners of his diſpleaſure towards p. 346vsus, ſhall ſtill hauehave meanes to ouertake vsus, and to finde vsus out.

Will there be no refuge for vsus, no evaſion, no eſcaping by flight, when God will viſit for our ſinnes? What ſhall we then doe beloued? What? Vis audire conſilium? Wilt thou heare counſell, ſaith S. Auſtine in his ſixth Treatiſe vponupon S. Iohns Epiſtle, Si vis ab illo fugere, ad ipſum fuge; If thou wilt flee from him, flee to him. Ad ipſum fuge confitendo, non ab ipſo latendo. Flee to him by confeſſing thy ſins, but hide not thy ſelfe from him. Latere enim non potes, ſed confiteri potes. For its impoſſible thou ſhouldſt lye hid from him, yet mayſt thou confeſſe thy ſelfe vntounto him. Say vntounto him,rrPſal. 91.2.Ps 91:2 Refugium meum es tu, Lord thou art my refuge and my fortreſſe: my God, in thee will I truſt. Refugium meum es tu, Lord thou art my refuge.

To like purpoſe the ſame S. Auſtine vponupon Pſal. 71. ſaith, Non est quo fugiatur ab illo, niſi ad illum, there is no flying from God, but by flying to Him. Si vis evadere iratum, fuge ad placatum, if thou wilt flee from him, as he is angry, flee to him as pacified.

So vponupon Pſal. 75. Non eſt, quo fugias à Deo irato, niſi ad Deum placatum; there is no flying from God angry, but to God pacified. Prorſus non est, quo fugias, beleeue it, there is no flying from God. Vis fugere ab ipſo? fuge ad ipſum. Wilt thou needs flee from him? then flee to him.

Flee to him! From whence and whither? Can I flee from any place where God is not, to ſome place where he is? Or is he not eueryevery where? Fills he not Heauen and Earth? How then can I flee to him?

Vnderſtand not any locall flying de loco ad locum, but a flying de vitâ ad vitam, de actu ad actum, de bonis ad meliora, de vtilibus ad vtiliora, de ſanctis ad ſanctiora, as Origen ſpeaketh, Homil. 12. in Geneſin, and ſo mayſt thou flee to God. Flee from life to life, from an euill life to a good life; from act to act, from an euill act to a good act; from good to better; from profitable courſes to more profitable; from p. 347ſanctified thoughts to more ſanctified; and thou doeſt flee to God. The performance of this thy flight muſt be, non paſſibus pedum, ſed mentis profectibus, not by the agilitie or ſwiftnes of thy feete, but by the increaſe or bettering of will and vnderſtanding.

Thus to flee to God, is nothing elſe, then to draw neere vntounto him, to hauehave acceſſe vntounto him, to come vntounto him.

To draw neere vntounto him we are exhorted, Iam. 4.8. Draw nigh vntounto God, and he will draw nigh to you. Draw nigh to God! but how? Pedibus, aut paſſibus corporis, with your bodily feete or paces? No, ſed cordis, but with the feete and paces of our heart. Per bona opera, ſaith the Gloſſe, by good workes: per morum imitationem, ſaith Aquinas, by honeſtie of life and conuerſation: fide, affectu, pijs precibus, ſaith another, by true faith, by ſincere affection, by godly and deuout prayers. Such are the feete, ſuch the paces of our hearts; by which, if we are contrite, broken, and ſorrowfull in ſpirit, for our ſinnes already paſt, and are carefull to preuent all occaſion of ſinne hereafter, we draw nigh to God; yea, we hauehave acceſſe vntounto him.

To hauehave acceſſe to God we are invited, Pſal. 34.5. Accedite ad cum & illuminamini, & facies veſtrae non confundentur. Let your acceſſe be to God, and be lightned, and your faces ſhall not be confounded. And this acceſſe to God, according to S. Auſtine vponupon Pſal. 145.16. is to be, animo, non vehiculo; affectibus, non pedibus; with the minde, not with a chariot; with our affections, not with our feete.

So the ſame Father vponupon the 59 Pſalme. Our acceſſe to God muſt be, non greſſu pedum, non ſubvectione vehiculorum, non celeritate animalium, non elevatione pennarum, not by running with our feete, not by hurrying in a coach, not by riding vponupon the ſwifteſt of horſes, not by mounting vp with feathered wings; ſed puritate affectuum, & probitate ſanctorum morum, but with puritie of affections, and ſanctitie of behauiour.

This our acceſſe vntounto God, is nothing elſe, then our comming vntounto God. The invitation to come vntounto him is generall, p. 348Matth. 11.28. It is there made by our Lord ſſRom. 1.3, 7.Rom 1:3Rom 1:7Ieſus Chriſt, ourttMatth. 1.21.Matt 1:21 Sauiour, anduuGalat. 3.13.Gal 3:13 Redeemer, thexxRevel. 17.14.Rev 17:14 Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, the head of all principalitie and power, the ioy and crowne of all Saints, the aſſured truſt and certaineyyCol…ſſ. 1.27. hope of all the faithfull: and its made vntounto all: Come vntounto me, all yee that labour and are heauy laden, and I will giuegive you reſt.

Come, Come vntounto me. Quibus greſſibus ad ſemetipſam nos veritas vocat? Chriſt the Truth, calls vsus; but how ſhall we come vntounto him? Quibus greſſibus? by what ſteps or paces? Gregorie frames the queſtion, Moral. lib. 21. cap. 4. and there giues this anſwer: Ad ſe quippe venire nos Dominus praecipit, nimirùm non greſſibus corporis, ſed profectibus cordis: its true; the Lord commands vsus to come vntounto him, not with the motion of our bodies, but with the proceedings of our hearts.

Thus I hauehave made plaine vntounto you, what it is Ad Deum fugere, to flee to God. Its nothing elſe, then Deo appropinquare, ad Deum accedere, ad Deum venire: to draw nigh to God, to approch vntounto him, to come vntounto him: but whether we flee, or draw nigh, or approch, or come vntounto him, the vnderſtanding of all muſt be ſpirituall. Our wings, our charriots, our coaches, our feete, wherewith we are to flie, to draw nigh, to approch, to come to God, are all ſpirituall.

And what are they? They are contrition, faith, and obedience. With theſe we approch, we draw nigh, we flie, we come to God. Ʋt miſeri ad miſericordiam, vt nudi ad divitem, vt famelici ad panem, vt infirmi ad medicum, vt ſerui ad dominum, vt diſcipuli ad magiſtrum, vt caeci ad lumen, vt frigidi ad ignem; as the wretched to the mercifull, as the naked to the rich, as the hunger-ſtaruen to bread, as the ſicke to the Phyſition, as the ſeruant to his Lord, as the ſcholar to his Maſter, as the blinde to the light, as the cold to the fire: ſo Hugo Cardinalis vponupon the 4^th of S. Iames.

Now with theſe three, Contrition, Faith, and Obedience, the inſeparable companions of true and vnfeigned Repentance, let vsus make haſte to God, and flie we with all ſpeede p. 349from the wolfe to the ſhepheard, from death to life, from our ſinnes to our Sauiour, from the paths of Hell, full of all darkneſſe and horror, to the way of Heauen, full of all true ioy and pleaſure. So will God draw nigh to vsus, Liberando ab anguſtijs, gratiam dando, & de virtute ad virtutem promovendo, ſaith the ſame Hugo: he will free vsus from diſtreſſe, will giuegive vsus of his grace, and will promote vsus from vertue to vertue.

Thus ſhall it be with vsus, if with the affection of the ſpouſe in the Canticles we call vponupon the Lord. Her affection is ſeene Chap. 1.4. Draw me, ſaith ſhe, and we will runne after thee. Say we with like affection, Lord draw vsus and we will runne after thee. Draw vsus and we will runne.

That we may begin zealouſly to runne after God, we hauehave neede to be drawne, and that with great force. For vnleſſe he draw vsus, we cannotzzJoh. 6.44.John 6:44 come to him, we cannot follow him. But if he once draw, Lo, then we haſten, then we runne, then we wax hot. Wherefore let the Lord draw vsus, let him pull vsus out from the bondage of our ſinnes, let him deliuer vsus from this wicked world; let him powerfully incline our wills and affections towards him, let him giuegive vsus ſtrength to cleaue vntounto him; and then we, and all the faithfull, will at once with ſpeed and earneſtneſſe, flie vntounto him, draw nigh vntounto him, hauehave our acceſſe vntounto him, and come vntounto him.

Hitherto of the firſt branch of this fourteenth verſe, expreſſing the firſt of the ſeauen miſeries here foretold to betide the Iſraelites, that, the flight ſhould periſh from the ſwift. Now followeth the ſecond, and it concerneth their ſtrong men; And the ſtrong ſhall not ſtrengthen his force.

THE ſtrong, foreign He in whom is ſtrength; ſtrength not of minde, but of bodie; he ſhall not ſtrengthen his force] though he be foreign, very ſtrong and Iuſtie, yet foreign, he ſhall not reteine his force: ſo p. 350daunted ſhall he be in heart, and his courage ſo abated, that he ſhall not dare for his owne defence to vſe the ſtrength he hath. He ſhall be, as if he had no ſtrength at all. The leſſon to be taken hence, is: When God meanes to puniſh, a mans ſtrength will not helpe him.

It will not. For as it is in the ſong of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, 1. Sam. 2.9. By ſtrength ſhall no man preuaile. No man againſt God. For God is Almightie. He remoueth the mountaines, and they know not: He ouercommeth them in his anger. He ſhaketh the Earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. He commands the Sunne, and it riſeth not: and ſealeth vp the Starres. He alone ſpreadeth out the Heauens, and treadeth vponupon the waues of the Sea. He maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Ple…ades, and the chambers of the South. He doth great things paſt finding out: yea, and wonders without number. He is the Almightie: Who euer hath hardned himſelfe againſt him, and hath proſpered? So deuout Iob, chap. 9 4. It is as if he had thus bri…fly argued: God is Almighty: and therefore there is no contending againſt him, no withſtanding him, by any ſtrength of man.

Here may the ſtrong be admoniſhed, that they glory not in their ſtrength, nor put their truſt in it. I would wiſh them to liſten to the words of S. Auſtine in his Enarration vponupon the 33 Pſalme: Ad Dominum omnes, In Deo omnes: Get yee all to the Lord, truſt yee all in God. Spes tua Deus ſit, fo…titudo tua Deus ſit, firmitas tua Deus ſit, exeratio tua ipſe ſi, laus tua ipſe ſit; finis, in quo requieſcas, ipſe ſit; adiutorium, cûm laboras, ipſe ſit: Let God be thy hope, let him be thy fortitude, let him be thy ſtrength, let him be thy reconcil…m…nt, let him be thy praiſe, let him be thy end, wherein thou maiſt pleaſure and ſolace thy ſelfe, let him be thy refuge in time of trouble. Ad Dominum omnes, in Deo omnes: Get yee all to God, reſt ye all in God. Truſt not in thy ſelf, nor in thine owne ſtrength.

But thou wouldſt ſtill be reputed for ſtrong and valiant. p. 351Wouldeſt thou ſo? Then be thou ſo: but take this for thy character; Thou ſtrong and valiant man, be thou the maſter of thy ſelfe; ſubdue thy paſſions to reaſon; and by this inward victorie worke thou thine owne peace. Be thou afraid of nothing, but of the diſpleaſure of the Almighty, and runne away from nothing but from ſinne. Looke not on thy hands but thy cauſe; not how ſtrong thou art, but how innocent. Let goodneſſe euer be thy warrant, and I aſſure thee, though thou maiſt be ouer-maſtered, yet ſhalt thou neuer be foyled. For Deus fortitudo tua, God will be thy ſtrength.

Thus hauehave you heard in briefe of the ſecond miſerie, here foretold to betide the Iſraelites, that, the ſtrong ſhould not ſtrengthen his force. The third is, Neither ſhall the mighty deliuer himſelfe.

THE mighty foreign Gibbor. Hee that excelleth in ſtrength; in ſtrength, not of bodie onelyonly, but of minde too. This ſtout and douty man is called by the Septuagint, foreign, a man of armes, a fighter, a warriour; ſuch a one as hath foreign, as S. Cyrill ſpeaketh, and is skilfull in militarie affaires. This man for all his skill, ſtrength, and valour ſhall not deliuer himſelfe.

Himſelfe] The Hebrew is foreign Naphſcho, his ſoule or life. His ſoule, that is, his life. Well. For what is life, but as the Philoſopher defineth it, foreign; the compoſition and colligation of the ſoule to the bodie. The ſoule for life! It is often ſo put in holy Scripture. As 1. King. 19.4. Elias, in the wildernes, requeſting for himſelfe, that he might dye, ſaid, It is enough now, O Lord, take away my ſoule from me. My ſoule, he meant his life. So Ionas, chap. 4.3. O Lord, Take away my ſoule from me. That by his ſoule, he meant his life, it is plaine: for he addeth, It is better for me to dye, then to liue. Satan, Iob 2.4. thus ſaith vntounto the Lord; Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath, will he giuegive for his ſoule. For his ſoule, that is, for his life: and ſo p. 352the Greeke Scholia vponupon the firſt of S. Iames doe expound it: foreign, The ſoule is alſo called life, as in theſe words; All that a man hath will he giuegive foreign, for his ſoule or life.

God telleth the rich man in the Goſpell, who was talking of larger buildings, when the building within him was neere pulling downe, and thought he had goods enough for his ſoule to delight in, when he had not ſoule enough to delight in his goods, Thou foole, this night foreign, this night doe they require and redemaund thy ſoule of thee, Luk. 12.10. Thy ſoule, that is, thy life, for the meaning is, this night thou muſt dye.

S. Auſtine in his ſecond Booke concerning Chriſt his Sermon vponupon the Mount, vponupon theſe words, Nonne anima plus eſt, quàm eſca? Is not the ſoule more then meat? ſaith, Anim… hoc loco pro iſtâ vita poſitā noverimus, know we, that the ſoule in this place is put for this life, whoſe retinacle or ſtay, is the corporall ſuſtenance we daily take. According to this ſignification is that alſo ſpoken, Ioh. 12.25. Qui amat animam ſuam, perdet illam, he that loueth his ſoule ſhall looſe it. In each place, the ſoule is put for life; and accordingly is it rendered in our neweſt Engliſh: in the one place, Is not the life more then meate? in the other, He that loueth his life, ſhall looſe it.

As in theſe now-cited places, andaa… 31.13. Act. 20 24. in …. &c.Acts 20:24 many other, Anima pro Vitâ, the ſoule is put for the life; ſo is it in my text: The mighty ſhall not deliuer his ſoule, that is, his life. The meaning is, He ſhall not ſaue his life; he ſhall not ſaue himſelfe.

The doctrine to be taken from hence is this, No man can be priuiledged by his might, againſt the Lord.

No man can. The Wiſeman affirmeth it, Eccleſ. 9.11. There is no battell to the ſtrong; foreign Laggibborim; to the mighty, to the man of armes there is no battell, no victorie in battell. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaks it plainely, Pſal. 33.16. A mighty man is not deliuered by much ſtrength, foreign p. 353Gibbor, a mighty man is not deliuered from the danger and power of his enemies, by much or great ſtrength, of himſelfe, or others for him. This mighty man in the Vulgar Latin, is ſtiled a Giant: Gigas non ſaluabitur in multitudine virtutis ſuae; A Giant ſhall not be ſafe in the multitude of his ſtrength. Little Dauid, but abb1. Sam. 17.42.1 Sam 17:42 youth, withoutccverſ. 39. armour, only withddverſ. 50. a ſling and a ſtone, ſlew the Philiſtim, great Goliah. It is true; No man is priuiledged by his might againſt the Lord.

The reaſon hereof is that, 1. Sam. 2.2. Non eſt fortis, ſicut Deus noſter: There is none ſtrong, like our God. None ſo mighty, none ſo potent, as our God. Men of this world, may ſeeme to be mighty, and of great power: but, our God in Heauen is mightier, and doth whatſoeuer pleaſeth him, euen vponupon the mighty here on the Earth.

From hence may the mighty man take inſtruction; the inſtruction that is giuen him, Ierem. 9.23. Let not the mighty man glory in his might: But if he will needs glory, let him glory in this, that he vnderſtandeth and knoweth the Lord. VponUpon this Lord, the Lord of Heauen and Earth,eeIudeth 9.12.Jdt 9:12 creator of the waters, and King of eueryevery creature, let vsus wholy depend; being well aſſured, that none of theſe outward things, agilitie of bodie, ſtrength, might, or the like, can be any way avayleable to vsus, if Gods ſpeciall bleſſing be not vponupon them.

Thus much of the third miſerie, here foretold to betide the Iſraelites, which hath ended the fourteenth verſe. The fourth followeth, and is expreſſed in the firſt branch of the fifteenth verſe: theſe words, Neither ſhall he ſtand, that handleth the bow.

HE that handleth the bow, is in the language of the Septuagint, foreign, the bowman, the archer, the ſhooter. He ſhall not ſtand] Hee ſhall not dare to abide his ground: or, if he abide it, he ſhall not be able to bend his bow; ſo through feare ſhall the ffDan. 5.6.Dan 5:6ioynts of his loynes be looſed, p. 354and his knees ſhall ſmite the one againſt the other. This anguiſh or perplexitie ſhall betide him, according to Ionathan in his Targum foreign Bicrabha, in time of skirmiſh and fight, euen then, when his bow ſhould ſtand him moſt in ſteed. By this bow. I vnderſtand, not the bow alone and arrowes, but eueryevery other weapon and inſtrument of warre. From hence ariſeth this doctrine, Its not the bow and arrowes, or ſword, or any other inſtrument of warre, that can any whit avayle vsus, when God will puniſh.

For proofe hereof I produce the iudgement of God vponupon Gog, the cheife Prince of Meſhech and Tubal, Ezech. 39.3. where thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, and I will ſmite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cauſe thine arrowes to fall out of thy right hand. Bow and arrowes! There is no helpe in them. None at all: nor in the ſword; nor in any other militarie engine. Therefore doth the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 44 6. renounce all truſt in them. His words are, I doe not truſt in my bow, neither can my ſword ſaue me. His bow and ſword, he doth not much care for. Wherein then is his truſt? It is in the might and ſtrength of God. Gods power was his buckler, whereto he truſted for his owne defence, and for the diſcomfiture of his enemies.

It is the Vſe we are to make of the doctrine now propounded. We muſt not repoſe our truſt in any externall helpe, the bow, the ſword, or the like, for this were indeed, to rob God of his glory, and to runne to the creature for helpe. Our helpe is but one; and that is the Lord of Hoſts. Dominus Deus auxiliator meus: Eſay proclaimeth it twiſe in one chapter, chap. 50. Firſt verſ. 7. The Lord God is my helper: ſecondly, verſ. 9. Behold, the Lord God is my helper. The Lord God is my helper, behold, he is my helper. Surely Eſay looked for no helpe, but from the Lord his God.

Nor did Ieremie looke for any, but from the ſame eternall fountaine of helpe: and therefore, chap. 20.11. he p. 355ſaith: Dominus mecum eſt, quaſi bellator fortis: the Lord is with me, as a ſtout or mighty warriour.

Nor did Dauid looke for any, but from the ſame. He Pſal. 18.2. acknowledgeth the Lord, and him onelyonly, to be his ſtrength, his ſuccour, his fortreſſe, his deliuerer, his God, his rocke wherein he truſteth, his buckler, the horne of his ſaluation, and his high tower.

The like he doth, Pſal. 144.1, 2. Where, what is his ſtrength, but the Lord? What his goodneſſe, his fortreſſe, his high tower, his deliuerer, his ſhield, but the Lord? The Lord alone is he, in whom Dauid truſteth. The bow, the ſword, the ſpeare, and eueryevery other militarie weapon, he knew to be meere vanitie without help… from the Lord: and therefore the Lord was to him in ſteed of all.

And let the Lord be to vsus in ſteed of all, in ſteed, of bow, of ſword, of ſpeare, of buckler, of ſhield, of fortreſſe, of tower, and of eueryevery other militarie engine, and vnderunderggPſal. 36.7.Ps 36:7 the ſhadow andhhPſal. 61.4.Ps 61:4 couert of his wings, weiiPſa. 119.117.Ps 119:117 ſhall be ſafe.

Muſt the Lord be vntounto vsus in ſteed of all? In ſteed of bow, of ſword, of ſpeare, and the reſt? Ergóne omnis armorum vſus abijciendus? VVhat? Shall we therefore condemne, caſt away, or neglect, the bow, the ſword, the ſpeare, all kind of artillerie, furniture, or munition that men doe vſe, either for the priuate defence of themſelues, or for the publicke of the Country?

No, in no wiſe. This were too too Anabaptiſticall. And I am no Anabaptiſt, that I ſhould maintaine it to be vnlawfull for a Chriſtian, either to make weapons for the vſe of man, or to vſe them being made. They denie it to be lawfull to vſe the ſword. I affirme it to be lawfull. My aſſertion is; All men into whoſe hands God putteth the ſword, may vſe the ſword, euen to ſtrike and kill, if neede be. Now God putteth the ſword firſt and principally into the hand of the publicke Magiſtrate, who when iuſt occaſion ſerues, may draw it out. And ſometime he putteth it into the hand of a priuate man. A priuate man when he is aſſailed of his enemie, may take the ſword in way of his owne p. 356defence, and may (if there be no other helpe) kill his enemie therewith, ſo he doe it not vponupon any malice, but onelyonly becauſe he cannot otherwiſe eſcape, and ſaue his owne life.

Now to the queſtion: My anſwer is; Non reijcitur vſus, ſed fiducia. The bow, the ſword, the ſpeare, and other inſtruments of warre, are not to be condemned, not to be cast away, not to be neglected, but to be vſed. Non reijcitur vſus, ſed fiducia; their vſe is not forbidden, but our truſt in them. The vſe of all kinde of weapons is common as well to the wicked as to the godly: the difference is in the truſt. The wicked, they vſe them, and truſt in them; the godly, they vſe them too, but their truſt mounts higher, euen to the Lord of Hoſts. The diſtinction then here to be obſerued is, Ʋt vſus creaturis fiducia verò creatori deputetur. Vſe the bow, the ſword, the ſpeare, and eueryevery other martiall weapon when then ſhalt hauehave iuſt occaſion; but ſee that thy truſt be euer in the Lord.

S. Chryſoſtome vponupon thoſe words of the 44. Pſalme, I truſt not in my bow, neither ſhall my ſword ſaue me, ſaith: Why then doſt thou vſe them? Why art thou armed? VVhy handleſt thou the bow? VVhy the ſword? The anſwer there is returned; Becauſe our God hath ſo commanded, therefore I vſe them: foreign, yet I caſt my whole care on him; in him I doe wholy truſt. Thus foreign, thus fortified & fenſed with power from aboue, we are to fight againſt our viſible enemies: and thus fortified and fenſed with power from aboue, we are to fight againſt our Spirituall enemies. The chiefe of them is the Deuill.

Our fight againſt him is a daily fight. For our direction in this fight, we hauehave S. Chryſoſtomes direction. VVhen thou art to combat with the Deuill, ſay, I truſt not in my weapons. I truſt not in mine owne ſtrength, or mine owne righteouſneſſe, but in the mercy of God: ſay with Daniel, chap. 9.18. O my God, encline thine eare and heare: open thine eyes, and behold our deſolation; we preſent our ſupplications p. 357before thee, not for our owne righteouſneſſe, but for thy great mercies.

Saue vsus, O Lord, ſaue thy people, from the power and furie of this immortall enemie. Though as a roaring Lyon he walketh about ſeeking whom he may devoure, yet ſhall we, placing all our hope and confidence in thee our Lord and God, be ſafe vnderunder thy protection. Protect & keep vsus, O Lord, among the manifold dangers of this life, and in thy good time, by the conduct of thy fauour, bring vsus home from this valley of miſerie and mourning, to that our hoped for country of eternall glory, where we may with all Saints ſing vntounto thee a perpetuall Halleluiah. Saluation and glory and honour vntounto the Lord our God.