Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 3
THE Third Lecture.
AMOS 3.3.
Can two walke together, except they be agreed?
Will a Lion roare in the Forreſt, when hee hath no prey? Will a young Lion cry out of his d…, If he hauehave taken nothing?
Can a bird fall in a ſna…e vponupon the earth, where no gin is for him? Shall one take vp a ſnare from the earth, and hauehave taken nothing at all?
Shall a Trumpet be blowne in the City, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be euill in a Citie, and the Lord hath not done it?
OF the three parts, which heretofore I hauehave obſerued in this third Chapter and ſecond Sermon of Amos concerning the kingdome of the ten Tribes, this is the third, and is continued from this third verſe to the end of this Chapter. I termed it an Enarration, a Declaration, an Expoſition, an Expolition. Call you it as you will. Here ſhall you finde the Propoſition, whereof you heard in my laſt Lecture, powerfully and elegantly made good. The ſubſtance of the Propoſition was; God hauing beene good and gracious to a people, if he be repaid with vnthankfulneſſe, will aſſuredly viſit that people, and puniſh them for all their iniquities.
For the poliſhing and adorning hereof we hauehave here diuers ſimilitudes, by diuers Interpreters, diuerſly expounded. I finde among them fiue different expoſitions.
Some will hauehave all theſe ſimilitudes, all ſix, to be brought to proue one and the ſame thing; namely: That no euill can befall any citie, except the Lord command it. Of this expoſition Saint Hierome makes mention. It is the expoſition of Theodoret, and Remigius: and may runne thus. As it cannot be, that two ſhould walke together, except they be agreed; or that a Lion ſhould roare in the forreſt, when he hath no prey; or, that a Lions whelpe ſhould cry out of his den, if he hauehave gotten nothing; or, that a bird ſhould fall in a ſnare vponupon the earth, where no gin is for him; or, that a Fowler ſhould take vp his ſnare from the ground, before he hauehave taken ſomewhat; or, that the Trumpet ſhould ſound an Alarum in the City, and the people not feare: ſo it cannot be, that there ſhould be any euill, any euill of puniſhment, any plague in a Citie, except the Lord command it ſo to be.
Some there are that expound theſe ſimilitudes, of Gods agreement with his Prophets for the denouncing of ſome euill that is eminent and neare at hand. Lyra, Hugo, and Dionyſius, doe ſo expound them. Their expoſition runnes thus: As it cannot be, that two ſhould walke together for the diſpatch of a buſineſſe, except they be firſt agreed; or, that a Lion ſhould roare in the forreſt when he hath no prey, and ſo forth of the reſt; So it cannot be, that Gods Prophets ſhould forewarne vsus of any iudgement that ſhall befall vsus, except they be firſt agreed with God, and God ſpeake in them. This expoſition Chriſtophorus à Caſtro takes for good, becauſe it is ſaid verſ. 7. of this Chapter, Surely, the Lord God will doe nothing, but he reuealeth his ſecret vntounto his ſeruants the Prophets. By his ſeruants, the Prophets, the Lord roareth as a Lion, he layeth his ſnares as a Fowler, he ſoundeth an alarum as with a trumpet, and proclaimeth euill to a Citie.
Others there are, that referre theſe ſimilitudes to the diſagreement that is betweene God and Iſrael. Albertus, Rupertus, and Iſidore, doe ſo referre them. Their expoſition may runne thus: as it cannot be, that two ſhould walke together, except they be agreed; ſo it cannot be, that God ſhould walke with Iſrael. The time indeed was, when God walked with his people Iſrael, and Iſrael with God. It was then, when they of Iſrael were deſirous to pleaſe God, to doe his holy will, and to depend vponupon him. But afterward, when they forſooke God, and betooke themſelues to the ſeruice of ſtrange gods, Idoll-gods, Deuils, it could not be, that God ſhould walke any longer with them, or they with God. No maruell then, if vponupon this diſagreement, the Lord by his Prophets doe roare at Iſrael, as a Lion roareth at his prey: nor maruell, if he lay a ſnare for them, as a Fowler doth for birds: no maruell, if he ſound an alarum as with a Trumpet, and proclaime againſt them.
There is yet a fourth expoſition; the expoſition of Arias Montanus. He vnderſtands theſe ſimilitudes of the diſagreement, that was betweene the two peoples, of Iſrael and Iudah. Notorious was the reuolt of Iſrael from Iudah: notorious the rent of the ten Tribes from the other two. By this reuolt, or rent, of one kingdome were made two: the kingdome of Iſrael, and the kingdome of Iudah. Here was much a doe, much contention, which kingdome ſhould be the chiefe, which ſhould hauehave the preeminence. Notwithſtanding this their variance, yet was there a concord betweene them: a concord, to forſake the Law of the Lord and his holy worſhip: a concord to tread the pathes of ſuperſtition, and to embrace the ſeruice of Idols. Herein they were agreed. Agreed among themſelues, but not with God. The more they were agreed among themſelues, the further off they were from any agreement with God. Now this expoſition is: As it cannot be, that two ſhould walke together, except they be agreed: ſo it cannot be that God ſhould walke either with Iſrael or Iudah: As well Iudah, as Iſrael, being at oddes with God, as hauing left his holy Law, and polluted themſelues with ſuperſtition, muſt taſte of the ſeuerity of Gods diſpleaſure. God will be vntounto them as a Lion that roareth at his prey; and as a ſnare that is ſpred by the Fowler; he will cauſe an alarum to be heard among them, and will ſummon them to battell, whereby their ruine ſhall be wrought: ruine vponupon Iſrael through Salmanaſſer, and ruine vponupon Iudah through Nabuchodonoſor.
I cannot paſſe by a fifth expoſition. I hauehave it from Saint Hieroms relation; from his reading Legi in cuiuſdam commentario, rem difficilem perſuadere cupientis, I hauehave read, ſaith he, in a Commentary of one, that is willing to perſwade a hard matter; that here are eight comminations, anſwering to eight precedent impieties. Thoſe eight impieties are theſe: the firſt of Damaſcus; the ſecond of Gaza, and other Cities of Palaeſtina; the third of Tyre; the fourth of Idumaea or Edom; the fift of the children of Ammon; the ſixt of Moab; the ſeuenth of Iudah, or of the two Tribes; the eight of Iſrael, or, of the ten Tribes. Fiue of them are diſcouered in the firſt Chapter, the other three in the ſecond. To theſe eight impieties, eight comminations are here rendred; to the firſt, the firſt; to the ſecond, the ſecond; to the reſt, the reſt in their order. Quod vtrum rerum ſit, nouerit ipſe, qui ſcripſit: But whether this be ſo, or not, let him that wrote it, looke to it. So doth Saint Hierome put by this fifth expoſition: neither doe I ſee any reaſon to admit it.
The foure former are more pertinent to this place, and of them the two firſt are moſt of all, as Caſtrus ſuppoſeth. But which is indeed the moſt pertinent, it will appeare by the particular conſideration of each ſimilitude in its order. I begin with the firſt. The firſt ſimilitude is taken from way-faring men, from trauellers: verſ. 3.
Can two walke together, except they be agreed? foreign. So Saint Cyrill begins his expoſition of this verſe. We hauehave here a profound riddle, and an obſcure ſaying; foreign, yet will wee ſpeake of it, wee will expound it, as we may.
Can two walke together, except they be agreed?] The tranſlation of the Septuagint is, foreign, Will two walke wholly to the ſame purpoſe, foreign, vnleſſe they know one the other? The Vulgar Latine hath Nunquid ambulabunt duo pariter, Will two walke together, niſi conuenerit eis, vnleſſe they be agreed? Tremelius and Iunius, and Piſcator; their tranſlation is; An ambulaturi eſſent duo vnà. Would two walke together, niſi conuenirent, vnleſſe they could agree? Druſius he reades: An ibunt duo ſimul, Will two goe together, niſi conuenerint, vnleſſe they meet in ſome certaine place? Tauerner, an ancient Engliſh Tranſlator, he hath, May twaine walke together, except they be agreed among themſelues. Will two, Would two, May twaine, Can two walke or goe together, vnleſſe they know one the other, vnleſſe they be agreed, vnleſſe they could agree, vnleſſe they meet together, except they be agreed among themſelues? Some difference you ſee there is in the tranſlations, but the vnderſtanding of the place is not thereby much varied. I follow our neweſt and beſt approued Engliſh.
Can two walke together, except they be agreed?] Can they? The anſwer muſt be negatiue; No. They cannot. Can they not? How ſo? Carthuſian ſayes they may. For a man may be compelled to walke with another. And its plaine by that, which our Sauiour in his Sermon, in the Mount, ſayes to his Auditors, Mat. 5.41. Whoſoeuer ſhall compell thee to goe a mile, goe with him twaine. Now where compulſion is, there is no agreement: and therefore may two walke together, though they be not agreed. May they ſo? To what end then ſerues this Interrogation; Can two walke together, except they be agreed?
I anſwer with Carthuſian, that our Prophet here ſpeaketh, ſecundum communem curſum, according to the common courſe: and communiter verum eſſe, that it is commonly true, that two cannot walke together, except they be agreed. Commonly it is true, yet not euer ſo. Druſius hath a Solent, to expreſſe the meaning with: Can two walke together, except they be agreed? Minime ſolent, they vſe not ſo to doe. Mercerus hath likewiſe his Solet, Can two walke together, except they be agreed? Ferè fieri non ſolet: it is not vſuall they ſhould doe ſo: For the moſt part they doe it not. This is it, that Paulus de Palatio hath: Solent, qui volunt iter ſimul facere, priùs ſecum de eo itinere conuenire; they who vndertake any iourney together, doe vſe firſt to agree vponupon it. Should they not firſt agree, how could they come together, how walke together? Commonly and for the moſt part they could not.
You ſee now what anſwer is to be made to the interrogation here; Can two walke together, except they be agreed? The anſwer is, They cannot, Commonly they cannot, for the moſt part they cannot; vſually they cannot. They cannot walke t…gether, except they be agreed.
It is a knowne rule: Interrogatio quando que vim habet negandi: An Interrogation hath ſometimes the force of a Negation. So hath it, Gen. 18.14. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? The anſwer muſt be, No; there is nothing too hard for him. The Angell Gabriel well renders it, Luke 1.37. With God nothing ſhall be vnpoſſible.
In the ſeuenth Chapter of Saint Matthew, verſ. 9, 10. you hauehave a two-fold Interrogation: What man is there of you, whom if his ſonne aske bread, will he giuegive him a ſtone? or if he aske a fiſh, will he giuegive him a ſerpent? The anſwer muſt be, No. You will not giuegive any ſonne of yours, a ſtone in ſtead of bread, or a ſerpent in ſtead of fiſh. You will not. You know how to giuegive good gifts vntounto your children.
In the ſame Chapter, verſ. 16. the Interrogation is, Doe men gather grapes of thornes, or figges of thiſtles? The anſwer muſt be, No. They doe not. It is againſt the courſe of nature, that either thornes ſhould bring forth grapes, or thiſtles figges.
Such is the Interrogation here. It hath the force of a Negation. Can two walke together, except they be agreed? The anſwer muſt be, No. They cannot. Two cannot walke together, except they be agreed.
Hitherto you hauehave had the foreign, the propoſition of this firſt ſimilitude; now followeth the foreign, the reddition of it. Hitherto hath beene rei extrariae conſideratio, now followeth rei praeſentis accommodatio: hitherto the explication of the former part; now, the application of the latter. Thus:
As it cannot be, that two ſhould walke together, except they be agreed: ſo it cannot be, that the Prophets of the Lord ſhould forewarne vsus of any iudgement, that ſhall befall vsus, except they be firſt agreed with God, and God ſpeake in them. This is the ſecond of thoſe fiue expoſitions, wherof you heard in the beginning of this exerciſe. It was the expoſition of Lyra, Hugo, and Dionyſius: and is embraced by later Expoſitors; by Paulus de Palatio, Marthurinus Quadratus, and Chriſtophorus à Caſtro, by Brentius, and Winckleman, by Caluin and Mercer. The obſeruation is: The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vsus of any iudgement that ſhall befall vsus, except they be firſt agreed with God, and God ſpeake in them.
This truth Saint Peter expreſly deliuereth, Ep. 2. Chap. 1. verſ. 20, 21. No prophecie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation: for the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God ſpake, as they were moued by the holy Ghoſt. The Prophets of the Lord ſpake not of their owne heads; God ſpake in them.
Prophets! They are criers: and criers ſpeake nothing, but what is put into their mouthes. Eſay is a cryer. He makes a noiſe after the manner of a cryer, Eſay 55.1. Hoe, eueryevery one that thirſteth, come yee to the waters. The Lord bids him cry, Eſay 40.6. and he ſaith, What ſhall I cry? Then are the words put into his mouth: All fleſh is graſſe, and all the goodlineſſe thereof is as the flower of the field. Iohn Baptiſt is a cryer. So he ſtiles himſelfe, Ioh. 1.23. I am the voice of a cryer in the wilderneſſe. And how crieth he? Euen as the words are put into his mouth: Prepare yee the way of the Lord, make his pathes ſtrait.
Prophets! They are Trumpetors. Their voice is like a Trumpet. Eſay 58.1. Crie aloud, ſpare not, Lift vp thy voice like a trumpet, ſhew my people their tranſgreſſion, and the houſe of Iacob their ſinnes. They muſt ſet the trumpet to their mouthes, Hoſ. 8.1. They muſt blow the trumpet, Ioel 2.1. But they muſt blow it with the breath of the Lord: Otherwiſe it giueth but an vncertaine ſound, and a falſe alarum.
Prophets! They are Watch-men. Their office is, to heare the Word at the Lords mouth, and then to warne the people. The charge is giuen them, Ezech. 3.17. Sonne of man, I hauehave made thee a watch-man vntounto the houſe of Iſrael: therefore heare the Word at my mouth, and giuegive them warning from me. This their charge is reiterated, Ezech. 33.7. O ſonne of man, I hauehave ſet thee a watch-man vntounto the houſe of Iſrael: therefore thou ſhalt heare the Word at my mouth, and warne them from me. You ſee; they are not to ſpeake a word, but they hauehave it from the Lord, and accordingly muſt they warne the people.
Ieremie, a Prophet. He eats the words of the Lord, Chap. 15.16. and is thereby fitted to his function.
Ezechiel, a Prophet. A hand is ſent vntounto him, and loe, a roule of a booke therein. The roule is ſpread before him, and is written within and without. Within is written, Lamentations, and mournings, and woe. This roule he is commanded to eat. He eats it. So he goes and ſpeakes vntounto the houſe of Iſrael, Ezech. 3.3.
Saint Iohn the Diuine a Prophet too. He ſees an Angell with a little booke in his hand, and begs the booke. The Angell giues it him, and bids him eat it. He takes it and eats it. Then is he fit to propheſie before many peoples, and nations, and Kings, and tongues, Reuel. 10 11.
The Prophets profeſſe of themſelues, that they ſpeake nothing beſides the pure word of God. Ioſhua, he ſaith to the children of Iſrael: Come hither and heare the Word of the Lord your God. Chap. 3.9. The words which I ſhall deliuer vntounto you concerning what ſhall come to paſſe hereafter, they are not my words; they are the words of the Lord your God. Eſay calls vponupon Heauen and Earth to heare, Chap. 1.2. Heare O Heauens, and giuegive eare, O Earth, for the Lord hath ſpoken. The words, which I now ſpeake vntounto you, they are not my words, they are the words of the Lord. Amos our Prophet: he likewiſe calleth vponupon the children of Iſrael in the beginning of this Chapter. Heare this word that the Lord hath ſpoken againſt you, O children of Iſrael. Heare it. It is not my word, it is the word of the Lord; the Lord hath ſpoken it.
What more familiar in the writings of the Prophets, than theſe formes of ſpeech, Thus ſaith the Lord, Saith the Lord, the burthen of the Word of the Lord; the Word of the Lord came vntounto me? They all make for the authority of the Prophets of old, and their propheſies.
From hence, as alſo from that they are Eaters of the Word of God, and are Watchmen, and are Trumpeters, and are Cryers, its euident, their propheſies were not of their owne wils: they ſpake not of their owne heads; God ſpake in them.
Thus the truth of my Doctrine ſtands inuiolable: The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vsus of any iudgement that ſhall befall vsus, except they be firſt agreed with God, and God ſpeake in them.
Here firſt is a leſſon for vsus, who ſucceed the Prophets in the Miniſtery of the Church. We may not deliuer any thing vntounto you, but what wee hauehave gathered out of the Word of God. EueryEvery Miniſter of the New Teſtament, ſhould bee as Moſes was of the Old. Moſes his charge was not to conceale any thing, but to ſpeake all, Exod. 7.2. Thou ſhalt ſpeake all that I command thee. It is our part to doe the like. It is our part to ſpeake in the Name of God, and in his Name alone, to feed the flocke of Chriſt with his pure word, and with his word alone: and to doe it as learnedly, as faithfully, as ſincerely, as conſtantly as we may; leauing the ſucceſſe of all to him that hath ſent vsus, and diſpoſeth of all mens hearts at his pleaſure. So running our race, we ſhall one day be at reſt in eternall comfort, fully deliuered from this vile world, from wicked men, from euill natures: from ſuch, who are euer ready to take our beſt endeuours in the worſt ſenſe, and to require our honeſt affections with their foule diſgraces.
Here ſecondly is a leſſon for you. For you, Beloued: for all ſuch as are the Auditors and hearers of the Word of God. This duty of hearing is to be put in practice; not dully, but with diligence; not heauily, but with chearefulneſſe, as to the Lord. There is a generation of hearers, that would ſeeme deſirous to heare the Word preached, but they would hauehave it of free coſt: they like not the charges it bringeth with it. O let not any ſuch repiner, any ſuch grudger be found in the aſſembly of the Saints. Such, if they conferre any thing to the maintenance of the Miniſtery, they doe it not for conſcience ſake, but of neceſſity; not for any louelove they beare vntounto the Word preached, but by compulſion of Law: not as a free will offering to God for the recompence of his Kingdome among them, but as a taxation, which they cannot reſiſt. To ſuch the preaching of the Word is not a benefit, but a burthen. So farre are they from taking any delight therein, as that by their good wills they would wholly ſhake and ſhift it off. Carnally minded men, careleſſe and prodigall of the ſaluation of their owne ſoules. The horſe-keeper that dreſſeth their horſes, the ſhepheard that watcheth their ſheepe, the heardman that looketh to their ſwine, the Cobler that clouteth their ſhooes, ſhall willingly be conſidered for their paines: but the Miniſter or Paſtor that breaketh vntounto them the bread of life, ſhall hauehave no ſupply from them to the releefe of his neceſſities. No ſupply! Nay, well were he if he could hold his owne, euen that portion of maintenance, which is allotted to him by the Word of God.
But I hope there cannot be found in this aſſembly, any one ſo ſacrilegiouſly affected. I hauehave good reaſon to be perſwaded much better of you all. Yet you, as well affected as you are in this behalfe, are to be admoniſhed, that to theſe exerciſes of our religion ye come willingly and ioyfully. Willingly for your owne duties ſake, and ioyfully, becauſe from hence you may carry home with you a Iewell of an inualuable price, euen the precious Word of God: wherein quicquid docetur, veritas; quicquid praecipitur, bonitas; quicquid promittitur, felicitas eſt, as Hugo lib. 3. de Anima ſpeaketh: Whatſoeuer is taught, its truth; whatſoeuer is commanded, its goodneſſe; whatſoeuer is promiſed, its happineſſe. Nam Deus veritas eſt, ſine fallaciâ; bonitas, ſine malitiâ; felicitas, ſine miſeriâ: for God is truth, without falſhood; goodneſſe, without malice; happineſſe, without miſery.
O come ye then hither, as willingly for your duties ſake, ſo alſo ioyfully for your profits ſake. Willingly, and ioyfully. It is ſomewhat, I grant, to come hither, to this houſe of God to diuine ſeruice; but to come willingly and ioyfully, it is a double vertue, and that which giueth life vntounto your comming. If you come vnwillingly or grudgingly, if you be drawne hither, either for ſhame of the world, or through feare of Law, you come as men more than halfe dead, without either operation of the ſpirit, or deſire of profit, or feeling of comfort, or increaſe of faith, or bettering of obedience.
Wherefore, dearely Beloued, let your care be, euer willingly and ioyfully to preſent your ſelues in theſe Courts of the Lord, in his holy Temple. Be ye well aſſured, that as hee is accurſed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently; ſo is hee alſo accurſed that commeth into the houſe of the Lord either vnwillingly or grudgingly, as if he were diſcouraged with the tediouſneſſe either of the way, or of the word.
It is recorded of the people of God, Pſal. 84. that they trauelling towards the place of Gods worſhip, paſſed through many dangers, endured much heat, ſuffered wants in the wilderneſſe, and all for the delight they tooke in his ſeruice. The delight that they tooke in the ſeruice of God, did ſwallow vp all their wants, their trauell, their labour, and their paines. It made them ſay; A day in thy courts is better than a thouſand. And, I had rather be a doore-keeper in the houſe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedneſſe. A day in thy courts is better than a thouſand.] A day] one day onelyonly, and no more, in thy courts] in the courts of God, in his Temple, and the publike meetings and aſſemblies there, is better] is more ſweet, more comfortable, more profitable, than a thouſand] elſewhere, yea, though the place bee neuer ſo full of pleaſure. And, I had rather be a doore-keeper in the houſe of my God] I had rather be of the meaneſt account in the Church, the place where my God, the onelyonly true and euerliuing God is ſerued; than to dwell in the tents of wickedneſſe] than to make my abode in moſt ſtately and gorgeous Palaces, wherein wickedneſſe is practiſed and profeſſed. O! how amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hoſts!
How excellent was this zeale of Gods people? how great their forwardneſſe to doe him ſeruice? We would be accounted Gods people, as well as they. But where is our zeale? Were ours as theirs was, certainly neither blaſts of wind, nor feare of raine, nor heat of Summer, nor cold of Winter, nor a Lion in the way, nor any like trifle ſhould ſtop vsus from comming to the houſe of God, his Temple, the place where by his Miniſters he ſpeaketh to his people.
Thus farre by the occaſion of my firſt obſeruation, which was grounded vponupon the ſecond of thoſe fiue expoſitions, whereof you heard in the beginning of this exerciſe. My obſeruation was: The Prophets of the Lord cannot forewarne vsus of any iudgements that ſhall befall vsus, except they be firſt agreed with God, and God ſpeake in them. I proceed.
A ſecond application of this firſt ſimilitude to the matter here intended by the Holy Ghoſt, may be thus: As it cannot be, that two ſhould walke together, except they be agreed; So it cannot be that God ſhould walke with Iſrael, for as much as there is a diſagreement betweene them. The time indeed was, when God walked with Iſrael, and Iſrael with God. Then it was, when the people of Iſrael were deſirous to pleaſe God, to doe his holy will, and to depend vponupon him. But afterward, when rebelliouſly they forſooke God, and applied themſelues to the ſeruice of falſe gods, it could not be, that God ſhould any longer walke with them, or they with God. This is the third of thoſe fiue expoſitions, whereof euen now you heard. It was the expoſition of Albertus, Rupertus, and Iſidore; and is embraced by later Expoſitors, by Franciſcus Ribera, by Petrus Luſitanus, by Oecolampadius, Danaeus, Gualter, Tremellius, and Iunius, and Piſcator. The obſeruation is: When man through his euill courſes leaueth off to walke with God, or forſaketh him; then will God no longer walke with man, but will alſo forſake him.
To walke with God is louingly to adhere vntounto him, and to pleaſe him. So is the phraſe vſed in the Propheſie of Micah, Chap. 6.8. What doth the Lord require of thee, O man, but to doe iuſtly, and to louelove mercy, and to humble thy ſelfe to walke with thy God. To walke with thy God, that is, Ionathan tranſlates it, to walke in the worſhip and feare of God. Petrus Luſitanus ſaith, it is to liue according to the Law and will of God. And this doubtleſſe is to pleaſe God.
It is ſaid of Enoch, Gen. 5.22, 24. that he walked with God. He walked with God, that is, hee pleaſed God. So doth the Author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes expound the place, chap. 11.5. Enoch before his tranſlation, had this teſtimony, that hee pleaſed God. The teſtimony which he had was, that he walked with God; and therefore to walke with God, is to pleaſe God. Syracides in the 44. of his Eccleſiaſticus, verſ. 16. ſaith to the ſame effect. Enoch pleaſed the Lord, and was tranſlated, being an example of repentance to all generations. Enoch pleaſed the Lord, ſaith Eccleſiaſticus; in Geneſis it is, Enoch walked with God: and therefore to walke with God is to pleaſe God. Onkelos ſaith it is, to liue in the feare of God; ſurely he that ſo liueth pleaſeth God.
It is ſaid of Noah, Gen. 6.9. that he walked with God: Noah was a iuſt man, perfect in his generations, and walked with God. He walked with God, Whats that? He liued a ſolitary life, and profeſſed Monkery? No: He left the concourſe of the world, and got him aſide into ſome wilderneſſe? Nor ſo. He lead a ſingle life, and therefore no maruell if hee pleaſed God? Nor this. What is it then, he walked with God? It is this: He ſerued God, as was fit he ſhould, in his vocation; he liued piouſly, and without blame: hee compoſed himſelfe, not to mans becke, to mans example, to mans applauſe, but wholly to the holy Will of God: in a word, he led a life acceptable and pleaſing vntounto God; and ſo he walked with God.
That which God ſaith to Abram, Gen. 17.1. Walke before me, and be thou perfect, is all one, as if he had ſaid, Walke with me, and be thou perfect. To walke with God, or to walke before God, is all one. It is not Foris ſimulare pietatem, hypocritarum more; it is not to make outwardly a ſhew of piety, as Hypocrites vſe to doe; but it is Syncere Deo fidere; it is to truſt in God ſincerely, to depend vponupon him wholly, to ſerue him alone, and to obey him according to his will. Such are thoſe ſeruants of the Lord, of whom Salomon ſpeaketh, 2 Chron. 6.14. that walke before the Lord with all their hearts. Such are they that walke in the Law of God, Exod. 16.4. Such they, that walke after the Lord their God, Deut. 13.4. where they are further deſcribed to feare the Lord, to keepe his Commandements, to obey his voice, to ſerue him, and to cleaue vntounto him. In the language of Canaan you ſee it is all one, to walke in the Law of God, to walke before God, to walke after God, and to walke with God. The Metaphore is very elegant: and may ſerue thus farre to inſtruct vsus; that, as when we walke, we ſtand not ſtill, but are euer in motion, and doe goe forward: ſo in the way of piety, in the courſe of godlineſſe, when wee walke either in the Law of God, or after God, or before God, or with God, we are not to ſtand ſtill, but are euer to bee in motion, in a ſpirituall motion, and to goe forward: to goe forward, as Origen ſpeaketh in his twelfth Homily vponupon Geneſis, De vita ad vitam, de actu ad actum, de bonis ad meliora, de vtilibus ad vtiliora, de ſanctis ad ſanctiora. Our going forward muſt be from life to life, from action to action, from good to better, from profitable to more profitable, from ſanctified actions to more ſanctified: and all this muſt bee, Non paſſibus pedum, ſed mentis profectibus, not with the ſteps of our feet, but with the profit of our vnderſtanding. Our motion in this our walke muſt be perpetuall. Hominis, quâ Chriſtianus eſt, proprium eſt, non quieſcere: it is the propriety of a man, as he is a Chriſtian, not to be at quiet, not to reſt, not to ſtand ſtill, not to be at a ſtay. For in Schola Chriſti non progredi eſt regredi: in the Schoole of Chriſt, not to goe forward, is indeed to goe backward. Saint Bernard in his 341. Epiſtle thus expreſſeth it; In the Schoole of Chriſt, Non proficere, ſine dubio deficere eſt: not to proceed and profit, without doubt it is to retire and to faint. And therefore let no man ſay, Satis eſt, ſic volo manere, ſufficit mihi eſſe, ſicut heri & nudius tertius: It is enough for me; thus will I abide; its ſufficient for me that I am as I was yeſterday and the day before. Let no man ſay thus with himſelfe. In viâ reſidet, qui huiuſmodi eſt; he that is ſuch a one ſits him downe in the way. He goes not forward: he walkes not, as he ſhould, either in the Law of God, or before God, or after God, or with God. Thus farre hath this Metaphor of walking led me. Yet may I not leaue it without giuing ſome rule of it. The rule is: Solet Scriptura verbo Ambulandi conſenſionem animorum explicare: it is the cuſtome of the Scripture, by this word of walking to expreſſe the agreement and conſent of minds.
It is the voice of wiſdome to her ſonne, Prouerb. 1.15. My ſonne, if ſinners ſhall ſay vntounto thee, Come with vsus, caſt in thy lot among vsus, let vsus all hauehave one purſe, Walke not thou in the way with them; refraine thy foot from their path. Walke thou not in the way with them, that is, ne acquieſcas eis, ne illis aſſentiaris, yeeld not to them, agree not with them. This expoſition is good by that, verſ. 10. My ſonne, if ſinners intiſe thee, conſent thou not.
Syracides in his Eccleſiaſticus, Chap. 7.38. according to the vulgar ſaith, Non de ſit plorantibus in conſolatione, & cum lugentibus ambula. Faile not to be a comfort to them that weepe, and walke with them that mourne. Walke with them that mourne, that is, Idem ſentito, quod illi, thinke as they thinke; Eo animo eſto, ac ſi tua eſſent illa mala: be thou affected, as if their loſſes were thine.
The Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 1.1. pronounceth the man bleſſed, that walketh not in the counſell of the wicked. There is therefore a walking in the counſell of the wicked. But what is it ſo to walke? To walke in the counſell of the wicked, is to yeeld thine aſſent, to agree vntounto, to ioyne thy ſelfe in naughty practiſes with the wicked. Bleſſed is the man that ſo walketh not.
Enough for the rule. The rule was: It is the cuſtome of the Scripture by this word of Walking to expreſſe the agreement and conſent of mindes. Its iuſtified by my Text: Can two walke together except they be agreed? and may conclude the truth of my obſeruation: When man through his euill courſes leaueth off to walke with God, then will God no longer walke with him. When man forſaketh God, then will God alſo forſake him.
Then, and not before. The ancient Fathers are frequent in auowing this truth. Saint Auguſtine in his booke, De bono Perſeuerantiae, cap. 6. giues it for granted; Voluntate ſuà quemque deſerere Deum, vt meritò deſeratur à Deo; that a man of his owne will firſt forſakes God, that God may well forſake him. The ſame Father in his 88. Sermon De Tempore, exhorts his then Auditors, faithfully and firmely to beleeue, that God neuer forſakes man, niſi prius deſeratur ab homine, vnleſſe he be firſt forſaken of man. In his Soliloquies, cap. 14. he brings in the ſoule in her priuate talke with God acknowledging as much: Quocunque iero, tu me Domine non deſeris, niſi prior ego te deſeram: O my Lord, goe I whither I will, thou wilt neuer forſake me, vnleſſe I forſake thee firſt.
To this purpoſe writeth Saint Proſper in his anſwer to the obiections of the French, his ſentence vponupon the ſeuenth obiection: Although the omnipotency of God could hauehave giuen to them that would fall, ſtrength to ſtand, Gratia tamen eius non prius eos deſeruit, quàm ab eis deſereretur; Yet did not God forſake them, before hee was forſaken of them.
Saint Bernard in his deuouteſt Meditations, cap. 7. ſpeakes home to this point. God! fidelis ſocius eſt, hee is a faithfull companion; nec deſerit ſperantes in ſe, niſi ipſe prior deſeratur, and forſakes not them that truſt in him, vnleſſe he be firſt forſaken of them.
Neither the time, nor your patience will ſuffer me to alleage, whataHom. 4. in 1. cap. ad Rom. Chryſoſtome, whatbHom. 4. Qui deficiunt a Deo, ab eo deſeruntur. Macarius, what others of the ancient hauehave in their bookes deliuered concerning the point in hand. Sufficient hath beene ſaid already, not onelyonly for the confirmation, but alſo for the illuſtration of my ſecond obſeruation; which was, When man, through his euill courſes, leaueth off to walke with God, then will God no longer walke with him. When man forſaketh God, then will God alſo forſake him.
But why is it thus? Why is it, that man firſt leaues off to walke with God, ere God leaues off to walke with man? Why is it, that man firſt forſakes God, ere God forſake him?
The reaſon hereof may bee taken from the promiſe of God. His promiſe is to Ioſhua, chap. 1.5. I will not leaue thee nor forſake thee. Not to Ioſhuah alone is this promiſe made, but to all; to all the godly. The Author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes ſo applies it, chap. 13.5. I will neuer leaue thee nor forſake thee. He brings it for a motiue againſt Couetouſneſſe; againſt the vnſatiable greedineſſe after the Mammon of this world, which is to many their delight, their louelove, their ſolace, and to ſome their God. Let your conuerſation bee without Couetouſneſſe, and be content with ſuch things as you hauehave. For hee hath ſaid, God hath ſaid it, I will neuer leaue it, I will neuer leaue thee nor forſake thee. God is euer as good as his word. Hee hath ſaid it, I will neuer leaue thee nor forſake thee. Nor will he. Looke what care hee had of Ioſhuah, the like he hath of all that truſt in him. Hee will neuer leaue them, hee will not forſake them. If they leaue God, if they leaue off to walke with him, if they forſake him, ſo it is: the fault is their owne, God is no way to bee blamed.
Now lets make ſome vſe of my ſecond obſeruation: I can but point at it.
If it be thus, Beloued. If God leaues not off to walke with vsus, till we leaue off to walke with him; if he forſake not vsus, till wee forſake him: O then let it be our care, neuer to leaue off to walke with him, neuer to forſake him. Our ſinnes they are, that breake off our walke with God, and cauſe vsus to forſake him. To what purpoſe make wee a ſhew of walking with him, of delighting in him, if in the meane time wee hold faſt by thoſe funes peccatorum ofaProu. 5.22. Salomon, the cords of ſinne, thoſe vincula plauſtri ofbCap. 5.18. Eſay, the Cartropes of ſinne, and ſo driue God from vsus? If by our ſinnes, our drunkenneſſe, our luxury, our vncleanneſſe, our couetouſneſſe, our oppreſſion, our vncharitableneſſe, and other our ſinnes no leſſe odious, which indeed are the very diet and dainties of the Deuill, we feaſt the foule fiends of Hell, wee driue God from vsus. He can no longer walke with vsus, he cannot but forſake vsus.
What ſhall wee then doe, Beloued? What? Certainly, Ne Deum moueamus, vt nos deſerat, opus eſt vt inter nos & ipſum conueniat: that wee cauſe not God to forſake vsus, there muſt bee betweene him and vsus an agreement. Agreement there can bee none, if wee goe on ſtill to prouoke him with our impieties. Wherefore that there may bee betweene vsus an agreement, tread wee the way ſcored out vntounto vsus by Saint Paul, Titus the ſecond Chapter and the twelfth Verſe, which is, that, denying vngodlineſſe and worldly luſts, we liue for the time to come ſoberly, righteouſly, and godlily in this preſent world, looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt. So doing, wee ſhall bee at agreement with God and walke with him.
But here, Beloued, Magna cuſtodia tibi neceſſaria eſt, as Bernard ſpeaketh in the ſixth Chapter of his Meditations: Its neceſſary that thou keepe a diligent watch and ward ouer thy ſelfe, that thou neither doe, nor ſay, nor thinke any thing that is vnlawfull, and may offend. For thou liueſt before the eyes of the Iudge that ſeeth all things. Cum illo tamen ſemper et ſecurus, yet with him, with ſo all-ſeeing a Iudge, thou art ſecure and ſafe, if thou ſo behaue thy ſelfe, that hee may vouchſafe to bee with thee. What ſaid I? So behaue thy ſelfe that hee may vouchſafe to bee with thee? Nay howeuer thou behaue thy ſelfe, hee will not faile to bee with thee. Si tecum non eſt per gratiam, ad-eſt per vindictam; if he be not with thee by his gracious fauour, he will aſſuredly be with thee in vengeance, to pay thee home for thy miſ-doings. Sed vae tibi, ſi ita tecum eſt: but woe is thee, if he be ſo with thee.
What then remaineth for thee, for mee, for eueryevery one of vsus, but that we all endeuour ſo to ſpend the reſidue of the daies of our pilgrimage here in this life, in all righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, that God, our good God, bee not at any time prouoked to bee with vsus, per vindictam, by his vengeance, who is euer moſt willing to be with vsus per gratiam, by his gracious fauour. So hauing finiſhed our courſe here, in this mortality, wee ſhall bee aduanced to a ſtate immortall in the Paradiſe of Heauen, where wee ſhall with all Saints ſing perpetually Hallelujah, Saluation, and Honour, and Glory, and Power, vntounto the Lord our God. To this ſtate immortall, the immortall, inuiſible, and onelyonly wiſe God vouchſafe to bring vsus all, for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake. Amen.