Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 5
THE Fifth Lecture.
AMOS 1.2.
And he ſaid, the Lord ſhall roare from Sion, and vtter his voice from Ieruſalem; and the dwelling places of the ſhepherds ſhall periſh, and the top of Carmel ſhall wither.
OF the ſpeaker, and place from whence he ſpeaketh, I hauehave heretofore ſpoken. Now proceed wee to the ſequels of the ſpeech, which ſhall for this time be the ground of my diſcourſe.
The dwelling places of the ſhepherds ſhall periſh.] So doe the words ſound for their ſubſtance. Yet after the letter in the originall, and Hebrew copy, we are to read otherwiſe: the fruitfull or pleaſant places of the ſhepherds hauehave mourned. Let vsus briefly take a view of the words, as they lie in order.
The dwelling places.] So is the Hebrew foreign engliſhed not vnfitly. For though properly it ſignifieth fruitfull and pleaſant fields, and paſtures; yet becauſe ſhepherds did vſe in the wilderneſſe, neare vntounto ſuch fields and paſtures to erect themſelues little cottages and cabins, that they might be at hand to defend their harmleſſe ſheep, from ſauage and rauenous beaſts, it may here well be engliſhed, the dwelling places.
The dwelling places of the ſhepherds.] In my firſt lecture vponupon this prophecy, I told you there were two ſorts of ſhepherds. In the firſt ranke, I placed ſheepmaſters; in the ſecond, their ſeruants. Among the firſt ſort of ſhepherds was Meſa King of Moab: who 2 King. 3.4. is called a ſhepherd, and there regiſtred to hauehave rendred to the King of Iſrael an hundred thouſand lambes, and an hundred thouſand rammes, with the wooll. The other ſort of ſhepheards, is of ſuch, as are hired to keepe ſheep; to ſee to their ſeeding & ſafetie. Such we properly call ſhepheards, and ſuch are the ſhepheards in my text. It followeth.
HaueHave mourned] The text is ſo; the meaning is; ſhall mourne. This enallage or change of the time, of the time paſt for the time to come, hath its reaſon from a truth contained in a ſaying of the Schoolemen, Apud Deum non eſt tempus: God is beyond times limits. Hee was when time was not; and ſhall be when time ſhall be no more. Its common with the Prophets to ſpeake of a future thing, as of a thing paſt, or preſent. A learneda Grammarian doth well expreſſe the reaſon;Otho Gualt. perius. quia Prophetia ipſorum tam certa eſt ac ſi ſpectatores rerum futurarum in praeſenti omnia fieri cernere…t. The propheſies in the old time, which came not by the will of man, were of as great certainty as if the Prophets had beene preſent ſpectators of the things to come.
The ſweet …inger of Iſrael, to ſhew Gods promiſe made for the encouragement of the man, that loueth to liue a godly life, ſaith Pſal. 1.3. Hee hath beene like a tree planted by the riuers of waters. He hath beene, that is the text; the ſenſe is, he ſhall be like ſuch a tree. Iacob in the 48. of Gen. ver. 22. thus bleſſeth Ioſeph: I hauehave giuen thee one portion aboue thy brethren. I hauehave giuen thee, that is the text; the ſenſe is, I doe, or will giuegive thee. In Hoſea 10.5. we read thus, The people of the Calfe of Bethauen hauehave mourned ouer it. The text is, hauehave mourned; the ſenſe is, ſhall mourne. So here my text is, The dwelling places of the ſhepheards hauehave mourned: the ſenſe is, they ſhall mourne.
Shall mourne] Mourne? How can dwelling places mourne? Euen as the earth can mourne. The lamentations & mournings of the earth are eternized with holy Prophets pennes. With Eſayes penne, chap. 24.4. For the ſinnes of the people the land lamenteth and fade…h away: and againe, chap. 33.9. For the ſinnes of the people the earth mourneth and fainteth. With Ieremies pen, fi…ſt, chap. 4.28. For the ſinnes of Iudah the earth ſhall mourn; againe, chap. 12.4. For the wick…dneſſe of the inhabitants ſhall the land mourne; a third time, chap. 23.10. becauſe of oathes the land mourneth. W th Ioels penne, chap. 1.10. for ſi…ne the land mourneth. With Hoſeas penne, chap. 4 3. becauſe there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in Iſrael, eu…ry one breaking out by ſwe…ring, by lying, by killing, by ſteal…ng, by whoring blood touching blood, therefore ſhall the land mourne.
Lamentation, and mourning, proper p…ſſions of the reaſonable creature, are by a tranſlation aſcribed to the Earth; to note either that ſhe is ill fauoured, and out of faſhion for lacke of dreſſing; or that men for her deſolation doe lament, and mourne, as D…uſius lib. 1. quaeſt. Hebr. qu. 27. obſerueth out of S. Auſtine. Suitable to the mournings of the Earth, is the mourning in my text: the dwelling places of the ſhepheards ſhall mourne] It is a tranſlation from liuing things to things without life; from ſhepheards to their dwelling houſes: The dwelling places of the ſhepheards ſhall mourne, that is, the ſhepheards themſelues ſhall mourne, when they ſhall behold the ſpoile, ouerthrow, and deſolation of their dwelling houſes. Our Engliſh reading then for the ſenſe is good, The dwelling places of the ſhepheards ſhall periſh.
You ſee now the deſolation of the dwelling places of the ſhepheards. Will you hauehave the reaſon of it? Looke backe then to the but-now cited places of Eſay, Ieremie, Hoſea, Ioel, for the reaſon, why the earth is ſaid to mourne. The reaſon is the ſame for the earths mourning, and the mourning of the ſhepheards dwelling houſes: euen ſinne and iniquitie. Whence you may learne this leſſon: Sinne and iniquitie are meanes to lay waſte and make deſolate [our dwelling houſes] yea the faireſt, and goodlieſt buildings; all manner of buildings.
This point I might at large demonſtrate & make plaine vntounto you, by the ruines of time: by the ruines of the old world of Sod…me, Gomorah, and their ſiſters; of Babel; of the firſt, and ſecond Temples; of the Eaſterne Churches; of the Abbeyes, and Monaſteries of this land. But for this preſent I will content my ſelfe only to deliuer vntounto you, and that briefly, a few briefe notes for your further inſtruction, and meditation.
Is it true? Are ſi…ne and iniquitie meanes to lay waſte, & make deſolate all manner of buildings? Why then (beloued) you muſt acknowledge and confeſſe, that the crying ſinnes of your forefathers hauehave beene the cauſe why Gods owne houſe, andbThe Chappell at Marſton Meiſey ruined. Chappell among you, is become waſte, and deſolate. This meditation concerneth ſome of you ſpecially: you among whom God ſometimes had his Sion, and Ieruſalem, his houſe of prayer, and ſacred Chappell. O it is a fearefull iudgement of God vponupon you, that he hath remoued his kingdome, and your candleſticke from among you. But you will lay this blame vponupon your forefathers. I cannot excuſe them. Yet muſt I tell you, that except yee amend your liues, a worſe thing may befall you.
And you (beloued) who hauehave your dwelling neere vntounto this Houſe of God, the place of aſſembly for his Saints, will you match your neighbours in ſinne, and iniquitie; and not feare their puniſhments? When firſt I beheld, and conſidered the condition of this Houſe, wherein we are now aſſembled, it ſeemed to me that deſolation had begunne to ſet her foot here. What elſe could your ſelues thinke of, or hope for, as oft as you beheld her decayed eſtate?
Such Churches as this, if any be ſo bad as this, within this Realme, may giuegive ſome occaſion to that ſame ſcandalous aſſertion, of one of our EngliſhcGul. Reginald. Caluino turc. lib. 2. cap. 15. in argumento Libri. In Anglicano & Turcico miniſterio ſumma eſt conuenien…ia. Templa vtrin que ſunt ſimilia, ſed Turcis ornatiora & magnificentiora. pag. 313. fugitiues beyond the ſeas: that the Churches in Turkie are m…re ſumptuous and ſtately, then ours in England. Of ours he ſaith, that they are*Apud veſt…os Euangelices—Eccleſiae plerū que turpes, ſordidae, & immundae tacent. At hominum nobilium, mercatorum, iuridicorum, Baronum, Comitū que d…ibus, nih…l ornatius, nihil op…roſius, & in his po…endis h… min…s priuatiregias aliquando gazas conſumūt. Ibid. pag. 318. turpes, ſordidae, immundae; foule, vncleane, & ſluttiſh. To perſwade you to repaire her decayed places, I would it were within the compaſſe of my Rhetoricke. Yet let me propound one queſtion vntounto you, Hag. 1.4. Is it time for your ſelues to dwell in your ſciled houſes, and this houſe to lye waſte? Conſider your own waies in your own hearts, and giuegive your anſwer vntounto God.
A ſecond note for your further inſtruction, and meditation followeth. Is it true? Are ſinne and iniquitie meanes to lay waſte & make deſolate all manner of buildings? How then is it, that our dwelling houſes doe yet ſtand, and flouriſh? Our ſinnes, and iniquities, are exceeding impudent, and ſawcie; they are aſcended into the preſence of God, and doe ſtand like Sathan among his children before his face. Yet for all this impudencie, and ſawcineſſe of our ſinnes and iniquities, God is pleaſed to ſuffer our dwelling houſes to be in ſafetie. The conſideration of this point may ſtirre vsus vp to a gratefull agnition, and acknowledgment of Gods ſingular bountie, and longanimitie. It is out of the bountie of the Lord that the earth, ſince the time it firſt was curſed for the fall of man, doth to this day yeeld f…uit in abundance for the vſe of man. That our poſſeſſions, habitations, dwelling houſes, and Churches are not laid waſte, and made deſolate, it is to be aſcribed to Gods long ſufferance, and long animitie. Of which I ſhall (God willing) anon ſpeake more fully, when I ſhall hauehave conſidered the words of the ſecond ſequel, or conſequent of Gods ſpeech, which are: The top of Carmel ſhall wither.
The top of Carmel] There were two hils of this name, as St Hierome teacheth; both in Iudea; the one in the ſoutherne climate of that country where on Nabal the husband of Abigail did dwell, 1 Sam. 25.2. the other neere vntounto Ptolemais, towards the ſea coaſt, vponupon which Elias prayed for raine, 1 Kings 8.42. St Hierome ſeemeth to doubt; which of theſe two Carmels our prophet here intendeth. But Ribera reſolueth for that Carmel, which was neere vntounto Ptolemais, becauſe it did appertaine to the lot of the ten tribes, againſt whom Amos in this booke prophecieth.
This Carmel was a hill of much fatneſſe, and fertilitie: whervpon it may, as proverbially, be taken for any ſuch place. St Hierome writing vponupon Eſay. 16. ſaith, it is the Scriptures idiome, and proper forme of ſpeech euermore to compare the rich hill Carmel, to fertilitie, and abundance. One of the HebrewdR. D…uid apud Dra…u…. Doctors ſaith, that Carmel is a generall name for all fruitfull arable fields, and vineyards. A greatePagnin. Hebrician ſaith, that becauſe the hill, Carmel, had by it a valley of exceeding feracitie and fruitfulneſſe, therefore Carmel is appellatiuely taken for any place ſet with corne, trees, or vines; and ſpecially withſtanding corne, with new & fat wheat while it is in eare: though anotherfMarinus in Arca Noe. Hebrician of like note, affirmeth that becauſe Carmel collectiuely ſignifieth ſtanding corne, or new wheat yet in the eare, therfore a certaine region in the prouince of Canaan of extraordinary fertility (as alſo a hill, & city there) was called after this name Carmel. Whatſoeuer Carmel be in this place, whether a proper name, or an appellatiue, out of doubt it betokeneth a place of much fruitfulnes. Following the ſtreame of expoſitors, I am of opinion, that Carmel in my text, is that ſame fruitfull mountaine of Iudea by Ptolemais.
The top of Carmel] A place fit by reaſon of the woodes there to lurke, and lie hid in; as is plaine by Amos, 9.3. Though they hide themſelues in the top of Carmel, I will ſearch, and take them out thence.
The top of Carmel] In the Hebrew it is the head of Carmel. The head, or top of Carmel, is the Scripture phraſe, to expreſſe whatſoeuer is beſt in Carmel. By the like phraſe we ſay Caput vnguenti, the head or the top of the ointment, to ſignifie the beſt of the ointment.
The top of Carmel] Pagnine thus tranſlateth it, vertex loci fertilis: the top of the fruitfull place. And Iunius thus: proſtantiſſimum aruorum: the beſt of the fields. Both Pagnine, and Iunius, doe take Carmel here for an appellatiue, and not for a propper name.
The top of Carmel ſhall wither] ſhall wax dry, or be dried vp. That is, where moſt fruitfull fields, and paſtures are, there ſhall be a defect, and want of neceſſaries for mans life.
Thus hauehave you the expoſition of this laſt clauſe. Now bee patient, I pray you, while from hence I commend one leſſon vntounto you. It is this: For the ſinnes of a people, God will make the top of their Carmel to wither. I ſpeake it more plainly.
For the ſinnes of a people, God will make. their beſt grounds to yeeld them little, or no profit.
For proofe of this point, you will bee pleaſed to heare the euidence of the holy Spirit, giuen in the word of life, Deut. 28.20. Thus ſaith the Lord: becauſe of the wickedneſſe of thy workes, whereby thou haſt forſaken mee, the Lord ſhall ſmite thee with blaſting, and with mildew: the Heauen which is ouer thy head ſhall bee braſſe, and the earth that is vnderunder thee, ſhall bee iron: in ſtead of raine, the Lord ſhall giuegive thee duſt and aſhes, euen from heauen ſhall it come downe vponupon thee vntill thou be deſtroyed.
In the 2 chapter of Hoſea, and the 5 verſe, becauſe Iſrael had plaid the harlot, and done ſhamefully, departing from the Lord, thus ſaith the Lord: I will take away from Iſrael my corne in the time thereof, and my wine in the ſeaſon thereof, & wil recouer my wooll, & my flax, which I lent her, to couer her ſhame. Marke I beſeech you, the manner of the Lords ſpeech, my corne, my wine, my wooll, my flax; they are none of ours, they are all the Lords. The Lord hath lent them vsus to ſerue our turnes, and neceſſit…es: if we abuſe them to idolatrie, or prophanes, he will take them from vsus, & recouer them againe vntounto himſelfe.
In the 4. Chapter of Hoſea, and the 3. verſe, becauſe there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land; but eueryevery on breaketh out by ſwearing, by lying, by killing, by ſtealing, by whoring, and blood toucheth blood, thus ſaith the Lord: the land ſhall mourne, and eueryevery one that dwelleth therein ſhall be cut off, with the beaſts of the field, and with the fowles of heauen, and alſo the fiſhes of the ſea ſhal be taken away. If ſo, what good then comes to you from Carmel, from your beſt & moſt fruitfull grounds?
In the 8. chapter of Hoſea, and the 7. verſe, becauſe Iſrael tranſgreſſing the couenant of the Lord, and treſpaſſing againſt his law, had ſowen the wind, thus ſaith the Lord: they ſhall reape the whirlewind: it hath no ſtalke; the bud ſhall bring forth no meale; if ſo be it bring forth, the ſtrangers ſhal deuoure it. If ſo, what profit then can we, matching Iſrael in their moſt grieuous tranſgreſſions, & treſpaſſes, expect from Carmel, our moſt fruitfull, and pleaſant fields?
The wiſeſt King that euer ſacred writ made mention of, hath this ſaying, Prou. 13.25. The belly of the wicked ſhall want. True great Solomon. The belly of the wicked man ſhall be emptie. His Carmel, the very beſt of his poſſeſſions, ſhal yeeld him little profit.
To make an end of this diſcourſe, I would I could write it in your harts, what the ſweeteſt ſinger, Pſa. 107.34. deliuereth vntounto you, touching this point: it is worthy your beſt remembrance: A fruitfull land God turneth into barrennes, for the wickedneſſe of them that dwell therein. This one place (had I troubled you with no more) would hauehave been a pregnant, and ſufficient proofe of my propounded doctrine. What fruit can you looke for out of barrenneſſe? And by this one place you ſee, that God turneth a fruitfull land into barrenneſſe, for the w…ckedneſſe of them that dwel therein. You muſt then acknowledge the leſſon commended vntounto you to be good, and true; namely, that for the ſinnes of a people, God will make their Carmel to wither; that for the ſinnes of a people, God will make beſt grounds to yeeld them little, or no profit.
Now let vsus ſee, what vſe we may make of this doctrine for our further inſtructions.
A firſt vſe, is to admoniſh ſuch as doe dwell in delectable, pleaſant, well watred, and fruitfull places, that they boaſt not ouermuch of their fertile, and ſweet poſſeſſions: ſince there is no land ſo d…lectable to the eie, or fruitfull to the purſe, but it may be turned into a wilderneſſe. If for our ſinnes God ſhall come againſt vsus in the fierceneſſe of his wrath; we ſhall be asgEſay 1.9. Sodom, and like vntounto Gomorah: our land ſhall burne with brimſtone, andhDeut. 29.23. ſalt; it ſhall not be ſowen, nor ſhall bring forth; neither ſhall any graſſe grow therein. O Lord, deale not with vsus after our ſinnes, neither reward vsus according to our iniquities.
A ſecond vſe, is to warne rich men, the richer ſort among you, that weighing rightly the power of Almighty God, by which he maketh the top of Carmel to wither, & turneth your fruitfull fields into barrenneſſe; you will beware of inſolencie, and containe your ſelues in modeſtie, and ſubmiſſion. Know this; there is no man hath a foot of ground, or neuer ſo ſmall a poſſeſſion to dwell in, but he hath it at Gods hand; and vponupon this condition; that he keep his ſtatutes, and commandements. Which if you diſobey, contemne, and caſt behinde you, aſſure your ſelues, your riches are none of yours, you are not the right owners of them but meere vſurpers. The Lord of hoaſts will ſend an hoaſt of enemies againſt you.
Art thou rich in mony? thou art in danger of theeues art thou plentifull in h…uſh…ld ſtuffe? thou are in danger of fire: haſt thou much gold? the ruſt doth venime it, and thee: is thine apparell gorgious? the moth will eat it: haſt thou ſtore of cattell? rottenneſſe may cōſume them: is thy maintenance by husbandrie? blaſtings and mildewes will hinder thee, thei…c… 1.…. palmer worm, will eat thy fruits, that which the palmer worme ſhall leaue, the graſh…pper ſhall eat; that which the graſhopper ſhall leaue, the canker worme ſhall eat; and that which the canker worme ſhall leaue, the caterpiller ſhall eat. So many, and many more enemies can the Lord of hoaſts ſend to fight againſt you; if you hate to be reformed, and caſt his commandements behind you.
A third and the laſt vſe of my propounded doctrine, is, to ſtirre vp my ſelfe, and all you that heare me this day, gratefully, and thankfully to recount the mercifulneſſe, patience, and long ſufferance of our God. Our ſinnes hauehave deſerued it at his hands, that hee ſhould make the top of our Carmel to wither; that he ſhould make our beſt grounds to yeeld vsus little or no profit; that he ſhould ſmite vsus with blaſting, and mildew; that hee ſhould make the Heauen ouer our head, braſſe; and the Earth vnderunder vsus, yron: that inſteed of raine, hee ſhould giuegive vsus auſt and aſhes; that he ſhould take from vsus, his corne, his wine, his wool, his flax, and whatſoeuer good thing elſe, hee hath lent vsus for our vſe. All this, and much more hauehave our ſinnes deſerued: and yet God withholdeth from vsus his reuenging hand. O the depth of the riches of the mercifulneſſe, patience, and long ſufferance of our God.
Yet ſtay ye ſo…n…s of Belial, and imps of Hell; yee wicked ones, who ſerue vnderunder Satans Banner. Gods mercifulneſſe, patience, and long ſufferance, is to you very ſmall advantage. S. Baſil treating vponupon the words of the couetous rich man, Luk. 12.18. thoſe words: I will pull downe my barnes, and build greater, tels you that God his goodneſſe, extended to you in your fields, or elſewhere, bringeth vponupon you in the end the greater puniſhment.
True great Baſil. God his iuſtice goeth on foreign, ſlowly, and in order. Long before thy time was this leſſon learned in Natures ſchoole.kLib. 1. c. 1. Valerius Maximus who liued vnderunder Tiberius Caeſar, recounting ſome of the ſacrileges of Dionyſius, clearely carried with frompes, and mockeries, ſaith, Lento gradu ad vindictam ſui diuina procedit ira: the wrath of God proceedeth to the execution of vengeance, with a remiſſe & ſlow pace; but euermore, as he well addeth, tarditatem ſupplicij grauitate compenſat: it recompenſeth the ſlackneſſe of puniſhment, with the heauineſſe thereof.
I will not weary your religious eares with prophane, though fit ſentences for this argument, out oflLib. 3. od. 2. Raro antecedentem ſceleſtum Deſeruit pede poena claudo. Horace, mLib. 1. cleg. 9. Ah miſer, et ſi quis primo perjuria celat, Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibusTibullus, nLib. 3.— Quis enim laeſos impune putaret Eſſe deos?—Lucan, &oLib. deijs qui tardè a numine corripiuntur. Plutarch; nor with thoſe well knowne prouerbs, Dij lenti, ſed certi vindices, Dij lane os pedes habent: Tacito pede, and Cunctabundus naturâ Deus. From Natures ſchoole I recall my ſelfe to the God of Nature; who though in his word of eternal truth he proclaimeth himſelfe foreign apExod. 34.6. God ſlow to anger, and is for ſuch acknowledged by the neuer fayling teſtifications, and reports of diuinely inſpiredqNehem. 9.17. Pſal. 86.15. Pſal. 103.8. & 145.8. Rom. 2 4. 2. Pet. 3.9. Prophets and Apoſtles: is notwithſtanding in the ſame word noted torExod 20.6. & 34.7. Deut. 5.9. Ierem. 32.18. recompenſe the iniquity of the Fathers into the boſome of their children after them.
It muſt ſtand euer good: Quo tardius, eo grauius, that the longer God is before hee puniſheth, hee puniſheth ſo much the more grieuouſly. Though for a time he bee pleaſed to hold his tongue, and to walke as with woollen feet; yet at length ſhall we, or our poſteritie, find by wofull experience, that he hath a rod of yron ro rule vsus, yea, and to breake vsus in peeces, like potters veſſels.
Wherefore (dearely beloued in the Lord) while God is pleaſed, to withhold from vsus his owne hand of Iuſtice, & to ſtretch ouer vsus his other of Mercy, to the bleſſing of vsus in our fields in our cattle, in our ſtore, let vsus not be wedded to the hardneſſe of our owne hearts; let vsus not dwell in our old ſinnes, nor heape new vponupon them, leſt ſo we treaſure vp vntounto our ſelues wrath againſt the day of wrath.
Let vsus rather euen now, while it is now, caſt away all workes of darkneſſe, and put on the armour of light: let vsus take no further thought for our fleſh to fulfill the luſts of it. Let vsus walke no more, as formerly we hauehave done, in gluttony, in drunkennes, in chambering, in wantonneſſe, in ſtrife, in enuying, in deceit, in falſhood, in vanitie; but let vsus walke honeſtly as in the day; and put we on the Lord Ieſus. Whatſoeuer things are true, & honeſt, and iuſt, and pure, and doe pertaine to louelove, and are of good report; if there be any vertue, or praiſe, thinke we on theſe things. Thinke we on theſe things to doe them, and we ſhal not need to feare any de olation to our houſes, or barrenneſſe to our grounds; our dwelling houſes ſhall not mourne, or periſh; the top of our Carmel ſhall not wither; our fields ſhall bring forth increaſe vntounto vsus. For God, euen our owne God, ſhall giuegive vsus his bleſſing God will bleſſe vsus to paſſe the time of our pilgrimage here in peace, and plentie; and when the day of our ſeparation ſhall be, that we muſt leaue the earth, a vale of teares, and miſeri…, he will tranſlate vsus to Jeruſalem aboue, the place of eternal …, and felicitie, where this corrup…ible ſhal put on incorruption and our mortalitie ſhall be ſwallowed vp of life. So be it.