Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 18
THE Eighteenth Lecture.
AMOS 1.12.
Therefore will I ſend a fire vponupon Teman, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah.
I Am now come to the laſt part of this prophecie againſt Edom: which is the denuntiation of God iudgements againſt Edom for his ſins, expreſſed in this twelfth verſe.
This twelfth verſe doth not much differ from ſome precedent verſes in this Chap. 4, 7, and 10. The ſame puniſhment which in the fourth verſe is threatned to the Syrians, vnderunder the names of Hazael, and Benhadad; and in the ſeuenth verſe to the Philiſtines, vnderunder the name of Azzah; and in the tenth verſe to the Tyrians, vnderunder the name of Tyrus, is here in this twelfth verſe denounced to the Edomites, vnderunder the names of Teman and Bezzah. And therfore, as in the forenamed verſes I hauehave done, ſo doe I in this recommend vntounto you three circumſtances.
1 The puniſher: the Lord, I will ſend.
2 The puniſhment: by fire, I will ſend a fire.
3 The puniſhed: the Temanites, and Bozrites, the inhabitants of both cities: I will ſend a fire vponupon Teman, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah.
The puniſher, is the Lord; for, Thus ſaith the Lord; I will ſend. The doctrine naturally ariſing hence is this; It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vponupon the wicked for their ſinnes.
This truth hath heretofore once, and againe, beene confirmed vntounto you. The leſſe need hauehave I now to inſiſt vponupon it. Yet may I not paſſe it ouer vnſaluted. It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance, &c.]
This office of executing vengeance vponupon the wicked for their ſinnes, God taketh vponupon himſelfe, Deut. 32.35. Where hee ſaith, Vengeance and recompence are mine. This is confeſſed to be God his due by S. Paul, Rom. 12.19. It is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, ſaith the Lord; and by the Author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, Chap. 10.30. Vengeance belongeth vntounto me, I will recompenſe, ſaith the Lord; and by the ſweet Singer of Iſrael, Pſal. 94.1. O Lord God the auenger, O God the auenger. The Prophet Nahum, Chap. 1.2. to the terrour of the wicked, proclaimeth it: God is iealous, and the Lord reuengeth: the Lord reuengeth: euen the Lord of anger; the Lord will take vengeance on his aduerſaries, and reſerueth wrath for his enemies.
Theſe places are ſo many pregnant proofes to make good my propounded doctrine, namely, that It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vponupon the wicked for their ſinnes. Many are the vſes of this doctrine.
The firſt. It may leſſon vsus to looke heedfully vntounto out feet, that we walke not in the way of ſinners, to partake with them in their ſinnes. Sinnes are not tongue tied; they cry vntounto the Lord for vengeance. We reade in holy writ of foure ſorts of ſinnes, which aboue other, doe cry vntounto God, and doe call for his great and quicke vengeance.
The firſt is Homicide, murther, or man ſlaughter; whereof Almighty God, Geneſ 4 10. thus ſpeaketh vntounto Caine; The voice of thy brothers bloud crieth vntounto me from the earth.
The ſecond is Sodomie, the ſinne of Sodome, the ſinne ag…inſt nature, a ſinne not once to be named among Chriſtians. Whereof thus ſaith the Lord vntounto Abraham, Gen. 18.20. Becauſe the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and becauſe their ſinne is exceeding grieuous, I will goe downe now, and ſee whether they hauehave done altogether according to the cry which is come vntounto me.
The third is oppreſſion of the poore, Widowes, fatherleſſe, and ſtrangers. Oppreſſion of the poore crieth, Pſal. 12.5. Now for the oppreſſion of the needy, and deepe ſighes of the poore, I will vp ſaith the Lord, and will ſet at liberty him whom the wicked hath ſnared. Oppreſſion of the widowes and the fatherleſſe crieth, Exod. 22.22. Yee ſhall not trouble any widow, nor fatherleſſe childe: if you vex or trouble ſuch, and ſo he call and cry vntounto me, I will ſurely heare his cry. Then ſhall my wrath be kindled, and I will kill you with the ſword, and your wiues ſhall be widowes, and your children fatherleſſe. Oppreſſion of ſtrangers crieth, Exod. 3.7. The Lord ſaid vntounto Moſes, I hauehave ſurely ſeene the trouble of my people which are in Aegypt, and hauehave heard their cry, becauſe of their taske-maſters; and verſe the ninth, Now loe the cry of the children of Iſrael…is come vntounto me, and I hauehave alſo ſeene the oppreſſion, wherewith the Aegyptians o preſſe them. Thus is oppreſſion, whether it be of the poore, or of the widowes, or of fatherleſſe children, or of ſtrangers, a crying ſinne: and this was the third.
The fourth is, the keeping backe of the labourors hire. Whereof S. Iames, Chap. 5.4. thus witneſſeth: Behold the hire of the labourers, which hauehave reaped your fields, (which is of you kept backe by fraud) crieth; and the cries of them which hauehave reaped, are entred into the eares of the Lord of hoaſts.
You ſee (dearely beloued) foure crying ſinnes; murther, Sodomie, oppreſſion, and the detaining, or keeping backe of the poore labourers wages. Theſe are crying ſinnes, and they cry aloud to the eares of Almightie God, and doe call for vengeance, to light vponupon the doers of them.
But what of other ſinnes? Doe not they cry alſo? Are they dumbe? No, ſaith Gregory, Moral. 5. cap. 8. Omnis nam que iniquitas, apud ſecreta Dei indicia, habet voces ſuas. EueryEvery iniquitie hath a voice to diſcouer it ſelfe before God his ſecret iudgements. Not a voice only, but feet alſo, yea and the wings too, to make way into Heauen for vengeance.
EueryEvery ſinne is of a high eleuation;Dr. King Biſhop of London vponupon Ionas Lecture 2. it aſcends aboue the top of Carmel, it aſpireth, and preſſeth before the Maieſty of Gods owne Throne. God complaineth of Niniueh, Ion. 1.2. Their wickedneſſe is come vp before me. He telleth Sennacherib, 2 King. 19.28. and Eſay 37.29. Thy tumult is come vp into mine eares. The Prophet Oded, 2 Chron. 28.9. ſaith to the Iſraelites of their rage, that it reacheth vp to heauer.
You ſee as well a ſublimity and reach of ſinne, as a loudneſſe and vocality of it. As it hath a voice, ſo hath it feet, ſo hath it wings; as it crieth, ſo it runneth, ſo it flieth into heauen; and all to fetch downe vengeance againſt vsus, the miſerable and wretched actors of it.
Our wickedneſſe what it is, and in what eleuation of heighth, whether it be modeſt or impudent; priuate or publike; whether it ſpeaketh or crieth, ſtandeth or goeth; lyeth like an Aſpe in her hole, or flyeth like a fiery ſerpent into the preſence of God; your ſelues be Iudges. Recall to your remembrances the iudgements of the Lord.
The anger of the clouds hath beene powred downe vponupon our he…ds, both with abundance, and with violence:bPſal. 93 3. The flouds hauehave lifted vp; the flouds hauehave lifted vp their voic; the flouds hauehave lifted vp their waues; the waues of the Sea hauehave beene maruellous. Her ſurges hauehave broken downe her walls, yea hauehave gone ouer her walls; to the loſſe of the precious liues of many of our brethren. The arrowes of a woful peſtilence hauehave beene caſt abroad at large, in all the quarters of our Realme, euen to the emp ying, and diſpeopling of ſome part thereof. Treaſons againſt our King and Countrey, mighty, monſtrous, and prodigious, hauehave beene plotted by a number of Lions whelpes, lurking in their dens, and watching their houre to vndoe vsus.
All theſe things, and other like viſitations, hauehave beene accompliſhed amongſt vsus for our ſinnes, and yet we amend not. Yea we grow worſe and worſe. We fleet from ſinne to ſinne, as a flie ſhifteth from ſore to ſore. We tempt the Lord, we murmur, we, luſt, we commit idolatry, we ſerue the fleſh, we ſit downe to eat, and riſe to play: of bloud-ſhed, of blasphemie, and rage againſt God, of oppreſſion, of extortion, of fraud againſt poore labourers, of anger, of bitterneſſe, of wrath, of ſtrife, of malice, publike, infamous and enormous ſinnes, we make no conſcience; we commit them with greedineſſe; we draw them on as with cart-ropes, we glory in them, as if we had euen ſold our ſelues to worke wickedneſſe before the Lord.
Lord! whither will we? Are we frozen in our ſinnes, and growne ſenſeleſſe? Quot vitia homo committit, tot facit paſſus ad infernum, ſaithcP…t …e P…lu de Theſ. N. par. aſtiu…l. ena…r. 2. in Dom. 16. Tri. one: Looke how many ſinnes a man committeth, ſo many ſteps he goeth towards Hell. Yea, ſay I, for eueryevery ſinne we commit, we deſerue to be throwne head-long into Hell fire.
What ſhall we doe, men and brethren? what ſhall we doe? Our Lord God telleth vsus what is beſt, Ezech. 18.30. Returne, and cauſe others to turne away from all our tranſgreſſions: ſo ſhall not iniquity be your deſtruction: and verſ. 31. Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſſions, wherby you hauehave tranſgreſſed, and make you a new heart, and a new ſpirit; for why ſhould you die? and 32. I deſire not the death of him that dieth, ſaith the Lord God; returne you therefore and liue. Can there be a ſweeter inuitation?
Come therefore, ioyne we heart and hand together: anddEzech. 18.27. turne we away from the wickedneſſe that we hauehave committed; and doe we that which is lawfull and right, that we may ſaue our ſ…ules aliue. Come let vsuseVerſ. 28. turne away from all the tranſgreſſions that we hauehave committed: ſo ſhall we ſurely liue, we ſhall not die. And this we will the ſooner endeuour to doe, if we imprint in our hearts my propounded doctrine; It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vponupon the wicked for their ſinnes.
Thus much of the firſt vſe; which was to leſſon vsus to looke heedfully to our feet, that we walke not in the way of ſinners, to partake with them in their ſinnes. I proceed.
Is it true? Is it proper to God to execute vengeance vponupon the wicked for their ſinnes? Here then in the ſecond place we are admoniſhed, not to intermeddle in the Lords office. It is his office to execute vengeance. We therefore may not interpoſe our ſelues. If a brother, a neighbour, or a ſtranger hath done vsus any wrong, we muſt forgiue him, and muſt leaue reuengement to God, to whom it appertaineth. We muſt leaue reuengement to God, to whom it appertaineth, and forgiue our enemies. What? Forgiue our enemies? How can fleſh and bloud endure it? Well, it ſhould be endured: and many reaſons there are to induce vsus to ſo Chriſtian an office.
The firſt is; The forgiueneſſe of our owne ſinnes. Whereof thus ſaith our Sauiour, Luk. 6.37. Forgiue, and you ſhall be forgiuen. fPet. de Palu. ſerm. aeſtiu. en. nr. in Dom. 22. Trin.Ideo libenter debemus dimittere paruum, vt Deus dimittat nobis magnum; we ought willingly to forgiue vntounto our neighbour a ſmall matter, that God may forgiue vsus our great offences. Looke what grace and indulgence we ſhew vntounto our neighbours, the like will God ſhew vntounto vsus. What elſe is ſaid, Luk. 6.38? With what meaſure you mete, with the ſame ſhall it be meaſured to you againe. Whereof I cannot giuegive a plainer expoſition than in our Sauiours words, Matth. 6.14, 15. If yee doe forgiue men their trespaſſes, your heauenly Father will alſo forgiue you. But if yee doe not forgiue men their trespaſſes, no more will your Father forgiue you your trespaſſes.
A ſecond reaſon why we ſhould forgiue our enemies, is, that when we make our prayers vntounto God, we our ſelues may be heard. For God heareth not the prayers of ſuch as doe abide in rancour, and will not forgiue their enemies. It is well ſaid of angAuguſtin. Ancient: Qui non vult dimittere fratri ſuo, non ſperet orationis effectum. Whoſoeuer he be that will not forgiue his brother, let him not hope for any good ſucceſſe in his prayer.hAmbroſ. Another ſaith: Si iniuriam non dimittis, quae tibi facta eſt; orationem pro te non facis, ſed maledictionem ſuper te inducis. If thou forgiue not the iniury which thy neighbour hath done thee, when thou prayeſt, thou makeſt not any prayer for thy ſelfe, but doeſt bring a malediction, or curſe, vponupon thy ſelfe.
The moſt abſolute and excellent platforme of prayer, that euer was made, and is by the maker thereof, our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, commended vntounto vsus for our daily vſe, confirmeth this point vntounto vsus. The fifth petition therein, is, that God would be pleaſed to forgiue vsus our trespaſſes, as we forgiue them that trespaſſe againſt vsus. Wherefore, as in all ſincerity we deſire our ſelues to be looked vponupon with the eyes of grace and mercy, from heauen, without any fraud, or hollowneſſe, or diſſimulation in the Lord: ſo are we taught by that clauſe, our ſelues to deale with others; ſo truly, ſo honeſtly, ſo heartily, ſo ſincerely, and vnfainedly forgiuing euer, as we may boldly ſay, So Lord, doe thou to mee, as I to others. Now if theſe hearts of ours be ſo ſturdy and ſtrong in their corruption, as that they will not relent, and yeeld to forgiue ſuch as hauehave trespaſſed againſt vsus, how can we looke that our prayers ſhould take effect?
A third reaſon, why we ſhould forgiue our enemies, is, that our good workes may be acceptable vntounto God. Let a man eueryevery day doe as many good workes, as there are Stars in Heauen; yet as long as in heart he beareth hatred to his enemie, God will not accept any one of them. Munus non acceptatur, niſi antè diſcordia ab animo pellatur, ſaith Gregory; thy gift is no waies acceptable vntounto God, vnleſſe thy heart be firſt freed from diſcord. Let no man circumuent himſelfe, ſeduce himſelfe, deceiue himſelfe.iAuguſt ſerm. 5. de S. Stephino. Whoſoeuer hateth but one man in the whole world, wha…ſoeuer he offereth to God in Good workes, all will be loſt. Witneſſe S. Paul, 1 Cor. 13.3. Though I feed the poore with all my goods, and though I giuegive my body, that I be burned, and hauehave not louelove, it profiteth me nothing. If then wee would hauehave our good workes pleaſing vntounto God, wee muſt be reconciled to our neighbours. Our bleſſed Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt ſo aduiſeth vsus, Matth. 5.24. Goe thy way, firſt be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift.
A fourth reaſon, why we ſhould forgiue our enemies, is, that our ſoules may liue: for by hatred and rancour, wee ſlay our ſoules. Saint Iohn Epiſt. 1. Chap. 3. verſ. 15. auoweth it; that he whoſoeuer hateth his brother, is a man-ſlayer. Homicida eſt, ſcilicet propriae animae, ſaithkPet. de Pal. vbi ſupra. one, he is a murtherer of his owne ſoule. An expoſition not abſolutely to be diſallowed, for as much as it followeth in the ſame verſe; Yee know that no man-ſlayer hath eternall life abiding in him. The life of the ſoule is louelove; therefore he that loueth not, is dead. So ſaith the ſame bleſſed Apoſtle, Ep. 1. Chap. 3. verſ. 14. Hee that loueth not his brother, abideth in death. And greater is the dammage by the loſſe of one ſoule, than of a thouſand bodies. The whole world in reſpect of one ſoule, is not to be eſteemed. This is proued by our Sauiours queſtion, Mark. 8.36. What ſhall it profit a man, though he ſhould win the whole world, if he loſe his owne ſoule?
A fift reaſon why we ſhould louelove our enemies, is the reioycing of Saints and Angels. To louelove our enemies is an infallible ſigne of our conuerſion. Now wee know by Luk. 15.7. that there ſhall be ioy in Heauen for one ſinner that conuerteth: and verſ. the 10. That there is ioy in the preſence of the Angels of God for one ſinner that conuerteth.
Thus whether we reſpect the reioycing of Saints and Angels; or the life of our ſoules; or the acceptance of our good workes; or the fruit of our prayers; or the forgiueneſſe of our ſins; wee muſt louelove our enemies: after S. Stephen his example, Act. 7.60. Lord lay not this ſin to their charge: after S. Paul his example, 1 Cor. 4.12, 13. We are reuiled, and yet we bleſſe: we are perſecuted, and ſuffer it: we are euill ſpoken of, and we pray: after Chriſts example, Luk. 23.34. Father forgiue them, for they know not what they doe. Adde hereto Chriſts Commandement, Mat. 5.44. LoueLove your enemies; bleſſe them that curſe you; doe good to them that hate you; and pray for them that hurt you and perſecute you. Leaue ye vengeance to the God of vengeance; ſo ſhall ye be the vndoubted children of your heauenly Father. And thus farre of the ſecond vſe, which was to admoniſh vsus, not to intermeddle in the Lords office of executing reuengement. A third followeth.
Is it true? Is it proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vponupon the wicked for their ſinnes? Here then in the third place is a treaſury of comfort and of terror: of comfort to the godly, of terror to the wicked. For though the Lord doe vſe the wicked to correct the godly; yet will he in due time ouerthrow the wicked with a large meaſure of his iudgements, and free the godly. Gods holy practice in this kinde, muſt bee hereof a warrant vntounto vsus.
The Iſraelites were kept in thraldome and bondage many yeeres by the Aegyptians. The Aegyptians, they were but the weapons of Gods wrath, wherewith hee afflicted his people. They were Gods weapons. Were they therefore to eſcape vnpuniſhed? No. Witneſſe thoſe ten great plagues which at length God wrought vponupon them, and their fearefull ouerthrow in the red Sea, at large ſet downe in the booke of Exodus, from the ſeuenth Chapter to the fourteenth. This was it which God ſaid to Abraham, Gen. 15. verſ. 13, 14. Know for a ſurety, that thy ſeed ſhall be a ſtranger in a land that is not theirs, foure hundred yeeres, and ſhall ſerue them; notwithſtanding the Nation whom they ſhall ſerue will I iudge.
Ahab, the moſt wicked of the Kings of Iſrael, who ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Lord, and his accurſed wiſe Iezebel, were Gods inſtruments to afflict Naboth with the loſſe of his life and vineyard. Ahab and Iezebel were Gods inſtruments: were they therefore to eſcape vnpuniſhed? No. Witneſſe both their ends. The end of Ahab, recorded 1 King. 22.38. In the place where dogs licked the bloud of Naboth, did dogs licke the bloud of Ahab alſo. And the end of Iezebel regiſtred 2 King. 9.35. She was eaten with dogs, all ſauing her skull, her feet, and the palmes of her hands.
It w s a part of Daniel his afflictions, to be caſt into the den of Lions; his accuſers vntounto Darius were the inſtruments of this his affliction. Theſe his accuſers were the Lords inſtruments for this buſineſſe. Were they therefore to eſcape vnpuniſhed? No. Their fearefull end is ſet downe, Dan. 6.24. By the commandement of King Darius, they with their wiues and children were caſt into the den of Lions; the Lions had the maſtery of them, and brake all their bones in peeces, ere euer they came to the ground of the den.
Here might I recall to your remembrances, other iudgements of God of this quality, written downe in the regiſter of Gods workes, his holy word. How and what he rendred to Haman, to Se…nacherib, to Ioachim, to the Ammonites, to the Chaldeans, and other wicked worldings for their hard meaſure offered to the godly: though they were therein Gods inſtruments. But I muſt haſten; and the aforementioned inſtances of the Aegyptians, of Ahab, and his wife Iezebel, and of Daniels accuſers, are ſufficient to worke terror to the wicked, and to the godly comfort: and to aſſure vsus, when the Lord ſhall ſhew himſelfe from Heauen with his holy Angels in flaming fire, that then to the wicked, whoſe behauiour to the godly hath beene proud and diſpiteous, he will render vengeance and puniſh them with euerlaſting perdition. Thus farre of the firſt circumſtance and doctrine thereupon.
The ſecond circumſtance is the puniſhment, I will ſend a fire] By fire in this place, as verſ. 4, 7, 10. learned Expoſitors doe vnderſtand, not ſo much a naturall fire, as a figuratiue fire. For in the name of fire, they vnderſtand the ſword, peſtilence and famine, quodlibet genus conſumptionis, eueryevery kind of conſumption; quamlibet ſpeciem excidij, eueryevery kind of deſtruction; be it haile, or thunder, or ſickneſſe, or any other of Gods meſſengers. So large is the ſignification of fire taken figuratiuely. The Doctrine ariſing hence is this; The fire (whether naturall, or figuratiue) that is, the fire and all other creatures are at the Lords commandement, to be employed by him in the puniſhment of the wicked.
This Doctrine hath heretofore beene commended and confirmed vntounto you.
The vſe of it is, to teach vsus how to behaue our ſelues at ſuch times as God ſhall viſit vsus with his rod of corrections: how to carry our ſelues in all our afflictions. Wee muſt not ſo much looke to the inſtruments, as to the Lord that ſmiteth by them. If the fire, or water, or any other of Gods creatures ſhall at any time rage, and preuaile againſt vsus, we muſt remember that it is God that ſendeth them to work his holy will vponupon vsus. Here he ſent a fire vponupon Teman and vponupon Bozrah to deuoure her palaces. For thus ſaith the Lord: I will ſend a fire vponupon Teman, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah.
Here hauehave you the third circumſtance; the circumſtance of the puniſhed: Teman and the palaces of Bozrah. Teman was the Metropolitan, the chiefe City of Idumaea, ſo named from Teman, who was ſon of Eliphaz, the ſon of Eſau, Gen. 36. 10, 11. Renowned and famous was Teman for her wiſdome; witneſſe the Prophecie of Obadiah, verſ. 8.9. and Ierem. 49.7. whereby it is credible, ſhee omitted no opportunity, no meanes to make her ſelfe ſtrong by bulwarkes and fortreſſes, againſt whatſoeuer incurſion or ſiege of enemies. Yet could ſhe not hereby be ſecured againſt the day of Gods viſitation; when for the complement of her ſins, God ſhould lay his heauy rod vponupon her. What the wit of man could inuent for ſafety, no doubt but Teman had it. But what can mans wit doe againſt the Almighty? Behold here in my Text, thus ſaith the Almighty: I will ſend a fire vponupon Teman. And can all the water of the huge Ocean quench the fire of the Almighty?
This reſolution of the Lord for the ouerthrow of Teman, is excellently ſet downe by the Prophet Obadiah, verſ. 8, 9, 10. Shall not I in that day, ſaith the Lord, euen deſtroy the wiſe men out of Edom, and vnderſtanding from the mount of Eſau? And thy ſtrong men, O Teman, ſhall be afraid, becauſe eueryevery one of the mount of Eſau ſhall bee cut off by ſlaughter. For thy cruelty againſt thy brother Iacob, ſhame ſhall couer thee, and thou ſhalt be cut off for euer. The Prophet Ieremy to this purpoſe, Chap. 49.7. bringeth in the Lord of hoſts thus queſtioning with Edom: Is wiſdome no more in Teman? Is counſell periſhed from their children? Is their wiſdome vaniſhed? As if he had ſaid, the wiſdome of Teman is become fooliſhneſſe; their counſell is nothing worth. And why? But becauſe, as my Text ſaith, God will ſend a fire vponupon Teman. The doctrine hence ariſing is: No wiſdome, no counſell, no humane inuention can ſaue that City which God will hauehave deſtroyed.
The reaſon hereof is; becauſe there is no ſtrength, but of God and from God. The vſe is, to teach vsus neuer to truſt in any worldly helpe, but ſo to vſe all good meanes of our deſenſe, that ſtill we rely vponupon the Lord for ſtrength and ſucceſſe thereby.
Againe, this fire of the Lord is ſent to deuoure the palaces of Bozrah. This Bozrah was alſo a Metropolitane and chiefe City, ſeated in the confines of the lands of Edom and Moab: and therfore in holy writ it is ſometime attributed to Edom, ſometime to Moab, here to Edom. Prodigious was the feare, and great the pride of Bozrahs heart. She dwelt in the clefts of the rocke, and kept the height of the hiſ…. But was ſhe thereby ſafe? No. For thus ſaith the Lord vntounto her, Ierem. 49.16. Though thou ſhouldeſt make thy neſt as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee downe from thence. This iudgement of the Lord againſt Bozrah, is denounced with an Ecce of admiration, verſ. 22. Behold, he (the Lord) ſhall come vp, and flye as the Eagle, and ſpread his wings ouer Bozrah, and at that day ſhall the heart of the ſtrong men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in trauell. Will you hauehave it confirmed by an oath? Then looke backe to the 13. verſe, I ſweare by my ſelfe, ſaith the Lord, that Bozrah ſhall be waſte, and for a r…proach, and a deſolation, and a curſe; and all the Cities thereof ſhall bee a perpetuall deſolation. Thus elegantly is Gods fearefull iudgement againſt Bozrah deſcribed by the Prophet Ieremy; which our Prophet Amos thus deliuereth, A fire ſhall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah.
Bozrah, great Bozrah, ſhe who dwelt in the clefts of the rock, and kept the height of the hill, muſt ſhee bee deuoured by fire from the Lord? Muſt ſhee become a reproach, a deſolation, a curſe, a vaſtity? We may hence take this Doctrine: It is not the ſituation of a City vponupon rocke, or hill, that can be a ſafegard to it, if Gods vnappeaſable anger breake out againſt it for her ſinnes.
The vſe of this doctrine is the ſame with the former; euen to teach vsus now, and at all other times, to put our truſt only in the Name of the Lord, who hath made Heauen and Earth. Its neither wit, nor wiſdome, nor ſtrength, nor height of Teman, or of Bozrah, or of all the beſt defenſed Cities in the world, that can ſaue vsus in the day of viſitation. Wherefore …et our ſong be as Dauids was, Pſal. 18.2. The Lord is our rocke, and our fortreſſe; he that deliuereth vsus; our God, and our ſtrength; in him will we truſt: our ſhield; the horne alſo of our ſaluation, and our refuge.
Thirdly, in that the Lord ſendeth his fire into the palaces of Bozrah to deuoure them, we may learne this Doctrine: God depriueth vsus of a great bleſſing, when he taketh from vsus our dwelling houſes.
A truth experimentally made good vntounto vsus by the great commodity or contentment that commeth to eueryevery one of vsus, by our dwelling houſes. The vſe is, to teach vsus, 1. To be humbled before Almighty God, whenſoeuer our dwelling houſes are taken from vsus. 2. Since we peaceably enioy our dwelling houſes, to vſe them for the furtherance of Gods glory. 3. To praiſe God day by day for the comfortable vſe we hauehave of our dwelling houſes. Thus is my Expoſition of the Prophecie againſt Edom ended.