Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 19
THE Nineteenth Lecture.
AMOS 1.13, 14, 15.
Thus ſaith the Lord, For three tranſgreſſions of the children of Ammon, and for foure, I will not turne to it, becauſe they hauehave ript vp the women with childe of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border.
Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it ſhall deu…ure the palaces thereof, with ſhouting in the day of battell, and with a tempeſt in the day of the while wind.
And their King ſhall goe into captiuity, he and his Princes together, ſaith the Lord.
THis bleſſed Prophet of Almighty God, in this his prophecy againſt the Ammonites, obſerueth the ſame order, as hee hath done in two precedent predictions, the one againſt the Syrians, verſe the third, fourth, and fifth, the other againſt the Philiſtines, verſe the ſixth, ſeuenth, and eighth. As in thoſe, ſo in this are three parts:
1 A preface, Thus ſaith the Lord.
2 A prophecie, For three tranſgreſſions, &c.
3 A concluſion, verſe the fifteenth, Saith the Lord.
The Prophecie conſiſteth of foure parts:
1 A generall accuſation of the Ammonites; who are here noted as reproueable for many ſinnes: For three tranſgreſſions of the children of Ammon, and for foure.
2 God his proteſtation againſt them for their ſinnes; I will not turne to it.
3 A particular declaration of one ſinne, which with others procured this Prophecie. This ſinne was the ſinne of cruelty, expreſſed in theſe words: Becauſe they hauehave ript vp the women with childe of Gilead: and amplified by the end of ſo foule a fact: That they might enlarge their borders.
4 A denuntiation of iudgement, which was to come vponupon them deſeruedly for their ſinnes, verſ. 14. and 15. This iudgement is ſet downe,
Firſt in a generality, verſ. 14. Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it ſhall deuoure the palaces thereof.
Secondly with ſome circumſtances: as, that it ſhould be full of terror, and ſpeedy. Full of terror in theſe words; With ſhouting in the day of battell. Speedy in the words following: With a tempeſt in the day of the whirlewind.
This iudgement is further amplified by the extent of it. It was to fall vponupon, not only the meaner ſort of the people, but vponupon the Nobility alſo; yea, and vponupon the King himſelfe. Which is plaine by the 15. verſe; Their King ſhall goe into captiuity, be and his Princes together.
Theſe are the branches and parts of this Prophecie. I returne to the Preface.
Thus ſaith the Lord] Iehouah. This great and moſt honourable name of God we hauehave many times met with. Wee hauehave heard what the Cabaliſts and Rabbines, out of their too much curioſity hauehave thought of it. With them it is nomen foreign, a name not to bee pronounced, not to bee taken within our polluted lips. They call it Tetragrammaton, a name in Hebrew of foure letters; of foure letters foreign, by an excellence; becauſe the name of God aAlſted. Lex. Theol. cap. 2. pag. 76. Mi…um certè eſt, q…odomnes gentes tacito conſ…nſu praecipuum Dei nomen quat…or medò lit…is en…ne…ent. Fluxiff…autem id exiſtimatur è nomine Iehouah, quod ipſum eſt foreign. Latini dicunt Deus, Graeci foreign, Germani GOTT, Aegyptu foreign, vel foreign, Perſae foreign, Magi Orſi, Habraei foreign, Arabes foreign, G…lli Dieu, Jtali Idio, Hiſpani Dios Dalmati… ſiue Illyricis eſt Bogi, Boiemi… Bohu, Mabum tanis Abgd, Gentibus in nou… mundo repe…tis Zimi, Chaldaeu & Syris foreign. Certè hoc fine ſ… g…lari Dei O. M. prouident…â factum n…n eſt. Ego exiſtimo illo ſignificari, nomen Dei in quatuor mundi plagis decantandum eſſe.in all tongues and languages generally conſiſteth of foure letters. More they ſpeake of it. You hauehave heard it before.
Iehouah] bDeut. 10 17.God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, a GodcEccleſ. 43.29. moſt wonderfull; verydDeut. 10.17. great, mighty, and terrible: a God thateEccleſ. 43.31. cannot either bee conceiued in thought, or expreſſed by word:fAug. Soliloq. cap. 24. of whom all the Angels in heauen doe ſtand in feare; whom all dominations andgReuel. 5.11. thrones doe adore; at whoſe preſence all powers doe ſhake. A God in greatneſſe infinite; inhAuguſt. meditat. c. 21. goodneſſe ſouereigne; in wiſ…ome wonderfull; in power Almighty; in courſailes terrible; in iudgements righteous; in cogitations ſecret; in works holy; in mercy rich; in promiſe true; alway the ſame; eternall, euerlaſting, immortall, vnchangeable. Such is the Lord, from whom our Prophet Amos here deriueth authority to his Prophecie; Thus ſaith the Lord.
Hath the Lord ſaid, and ſhall he not doe accordingly? hath hee ſpoken it, and ſhall he not accompliſh it? Balaam confeſſeth vntounto Balak, Num. 23.19. God is not as man, that he ſhould lie; nor as the ſonne of man that he ſhould repent. Indeed ſaith Samuel, 1 Sam. 15.29. The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie, nor repent; for he is not as man that he ſhould repent. All his words, yea all the tittl…s of his words, are Yea, and Amen. Verily ſaith our Sauiour, Matth. 5 18. Heauen and earth ſhall periſh, before one iot or one tittle of Gods word ſhall …ſcape vnfulfilled.
Thus ſaith the Lord] Amos is here a patterne to vsus, that are Preachers of the word of ſaluation. Wee muſt euer come vntounto you, with Thus ſaith the Lord, in our mouthes; we may not ſpeake either the imaginations of our owne braines, or the vaine perſwaſions of our owne hearts. We muſt ſincerely preach vntounto you Gods gracious word, without all corruption, or deprauing of the ſame. This is it whereto S. Peter exhorteth vsus, 1 Epiſt. cha. 4.11. If any man ſpeake, let him ſpeake as the word of God. For if we, yea if an Angell from heauen, ſhall preach otherwiſe vntounto you, than from the Lords owne mouth, ſpeaking in his holy Word, foreign: Let him be acccurſed; let him be had in execration.
This note, beloued, doth alſo concerne you, that are the auditors and hearers of Gods word. For if wee, the Preachers thereof, muſt alwaies come vntounto you, with Thus ſaith the Lord, then are you to heare vsus with reuerence and attention. And this for the authority of him that ſpeaketh. It is not you that ſpeake, ſaith our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, to his bleſſed Apoſtles, Matth. 10.20. but the Spirit of your Father which ſpeaketh in you. And againe, Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me. S. Paul commendeth the Theſſalonians, 1 Epiſt. chap. 2.13. for that when they receiued of the Apoſtles of Chriſt, the word of the preaching of God, they receiued it not as the word of men, but as it was indeed, as the word of God. Well therefore did S. Iames chap. 1.21. thus to exhort the Iewes; Receiue with meekeneſſe the word that is grafted in you, which is able to ſaue your ſoules.
God ſpake vntounto Iſrael in a viſion by night, Gen. 46.2. and ſaid, Iacob, Iacob. Iacob anſwered, I am here. He was preſt and ready with all reuerent attention to heare what his God ſhould ſay vntounto him, and to follow the ſame with all faithfull obedience. Such readineſſe well becommeth eueryevery childe of God, euen at this day in the Church where God ſpeaketh. Thus muſt he thinke within himſelfe: It is thine ordinance, O Lord, by thy word preached, to inſtruct me concerning thy holy will: I am here Lord, in all humble feare, to heare thy bleſſed pleaſure, what this day it ſhall pleaſe thee to put in the mouth of the Preacher to deliuer vntounto me: I am here, ſpeake on Lord, thy ſeruant heareth.
If a Prince, or ſome great man of this world, ſhall ſpeake vntounto you, you will attend and giuegive eare vntounto him with your beſt diligence: how much more then ought yee ſo to doe, when the King of Heauen, and Lord of the earth, calleth vponupon you by his miniſters? Thus farre by occaſion of the preface, Thus ſaith the Lord.
For three tranſgreſſions of the children of Ammon, and for foure] Whether theſe children of Ammon were diſtinguiſhed from the Ammonites, as Druſius would proue, 2 Chron. 20.1. and as R. Dauid anoweth, filii Ammon unſquam vocantur Ammonitae, the children of Ammon are no where called Ammonites, I hold it needleſſe to diſpute in this place. It is out of doubt, that theſe children of Ammon, or Ammonites, did lincally deſcend from Ben-ammi, who was Lots ſonne, begotten in inceſt vponupon his younger daughter, Gen. 19.38. Lot was Abrahams brothers ſonne, Gen. 14.12. Whereby it is euident, that the poſterity of them both, the children of Iſrael, and the children of Ammon, the Iſraelites, and the Ammonites, were linked together by affinity, and alliance. The more to blame were thoſe Ammonites, without all reſpect of kindred, to exerciſe ſuch cruelty as they did againſt the Iſraelites; for which cauſe Almighty God here ſent his bleſſed Prophet, to thunder out his threats againſt them.
For three tranſgreſſions of the children of Ammon, and for foure] In the front of this Prophecie you hauehave the generall accuſation of theſe children of Ammon: For three tranſgreſſions, and for foure] Three of theſe tranſgreſſions, if you will beleeue Albertus Magnus, are Cruelty, Anarice, and perſecution; the fourth is, an obſtinate pertinacie, a conſtant ſtubbornneſſe, euer to dwell in thoſe ſinnes. Againe, three of theſe tranſgreſſions, are a coueting of other mens goods, an vnlawfull ſeeking for thoſe things that are not our owne, and a hardneſſe of heart to retaine them ſo ſought for: the fourth is, the vnſatiable deſire of a couetous man.
Many are the expoſitions of the learned vponupon theſe words, three and foure tranſgreſſions. The moſt naturall, proper, and ſignificant, I take to be, if by three and foure, a finite and certaine number, you vnderſtand a number infinite and vncertaine. God as often as he will forgiueth, though we ſin ten thouſand times. It is but a cuſtome of the Scripture thus to ſpeake. God waiteth for vsus twice and thrice, that is, a long time, to ſee if we will returne from our euill waies vntounto repentance: but the fourth time, that is, at length, when he ſeeth vsus perſiſt in our impenitency, he reproueth vsus, caſteth vsus away, and leaueth vsus in our ſinnes. Thus hauehave you the generall accuſation of the children of Ammon, for their many ſinnes, for which the Lords proteſtation againſt them followeth.
I will not turne to it] Theſe words are diuerſly rendred by expoſitors: by the author of the vulgar Latine, and by Gualter, Non conuertam eum, I will not turne the Ammonite; that is, I will not recall the children of Ammon to the right way; they ſhall runne on to their owne perdition. By Caluin, Non ero ei propitius, I will not be fauourable to the Ammonites. By Mercer, Non parcam et, I will not ſpare the Ammonites. According to their deſerts ſo ſhall it be vntounto them. By Iunius, Non auertam iſtud, I will not turne away the puniſhment wherewith I hauehave reſolued to puniſh them. I am the Lord, I am not changed.
The ſumme is; if the Ammonites had offended but once, or a ſecond time, I would hauehave beene fauourable to them, and would hauehave recald them into the right way, that ſo they might be conuerted, and eſc…pe my puniſhments: but now whereas they doe daily heape tranſgreſſion vponupon tranſgr…ſſion, and make no end of ſinning, I hauehave hardned my face againſt them, and will not ſuffer them to be conuerted; but indurate & obſtinate as they are, I will vtterly deſtroy them. For three tranſgreſſions of the children of Ammon, and for foure, I will not turne to it] Here are you to bee remembred of a doctrine, ſundry times heretofore commended to your Chriſtian conſiderations; Many ſinnes doe plucke downe from heauen the moſt certaine wrath and vengeance of God vponupon the ſinners.
God is of pure eies, and beholdeth not iniquity. Hee hath laid righteouſneſſe to the rule, and weighed his iuſtice in a ballance. The ſentence is paſſed forth, and muſt ſtand vncontrolable, euen as long as the Sun and Moone: Tribulation and anguiſh vponupon eueryevery ſoule that doeth euill. The ſoule that ſinneth it ſhall be puniſhed. God makes it good by an oath, Deut. 3.2.41. That he will whet his glittering ſword, and his hand ſhall take hold on iudgement, to execute vengeance for ſin. His ſoule hateth and abhorreth ſin; his law curſeth and condemneth ſin; his hand ſmiteth and ſcourgeth ſin. Sinne was his motiue to caſt downe Angels into Hell; to thruſt Adam out of Paradiſe; to turne cities into aſhes; to ruinate nations; to torment his owne bowels in the ſimilitude of ſinfull fleſh. Becauſe of ſinne hee drowned the old world; and becauſe of ſinne ere long will burne this. Thus doe many ſinnes plucke, &c.
One vſe of this doctrine is, to teach vsus heedfulneſſe in all our wayes; that we doe not by our many ſinnes prouoke Almighty God to high diſpleaſure.
A ſecond vſe is, to moue vsus to a ſerious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God, who did ſo graciouſly forbeare theſe children of Ammon, till by three and foure tranſgreſſions, by their many ſins they prouoked him to indignation. Theſe things I hauehave heretofore laboured to lay vntounto your hearts.
Now therefore I proceed to the third part of this Prophecie; wherein you hauehave the declaration of that grieuous ſinne, by which the children of Ammon ſo highly offended. This their ſinne was the ſinne of cruelty; expreſſed in theſe words; Becauſe they hauehave ript vp the women with childe of Gilead; and amplified by the end of ſo foule a fact; That they might enlarge their border.
They hauehave ript vp women with childe of Gilead; that, &c.] Women with childe; the word in the originall is foreign and isiPagnin. in foreign. Mercer Caluin. rendred by ſome, mountaines; by ſome, cities fortified, and high as mountaines: as if the meaning were, either that the Ammonites had made for themſelues a paſſage into the territories of the Gileadites, through the mountaines that lay betweene them; (a thing not impoſſible: for we read of Annibal, thatkLiuius lib. 21. he with fire and vinegar made way through a great rocke vponupon the Alpes, for his army, and carriage,) or that the Ammonites had vanquiſhed and ſubdued the fortified cities of the Gilead…, to the enlarging of their borders. But I retaine our Engliſh tranſlation; women with childe; as very agreeable to the Hebrew foreign.
They hauehave ript vp women with childe] Immane facinus: ſurely this was an outragious cruelty: yet ſuch as hath its parallel: we read of the like in 2 King. 8.12. Elizaus telling Hazael King of Syria, of the euill that he ſhould doe the children of Iſrael, ſaith; Their young men thou ſhalt ſlay with the ſword, and ſhalt daſh their infants againſt the ſtones, and rent in peeces their women with childe. The like cruelty did Menahem King of Iſrael exerciſe againſt the inhabitants of the citie Tiphſah, & her borderers, euen vntounto Thirtz…, as appeareth, 2 King. 15.16. He ript vp all their women with childe. Hoſeah alſo, chap. 14.1. thus propheſieth againſt Samaria; Samaria ſhall be deſolate, for ſhe hath rebelled againſt her God: they ſhall fall by the ſword; their infants ſhall be daſhed in peeces, and their women with child ſhall be ript. You ſee (dearely beloued) that this outragious cruelty of ripping vp women with childe, mentioned in my text, was not altogether vnuſuall. The women vponupon whom this cruelty was practiſed, are here ſaid to hauehave beene of Gilead.
Of this land of Gilead I hauehave heretofore largely ſpoken in my ſeuenth Lecture vponupon this prophecie, occaſioned by the 3. ver. of this chapter, where it is obiected to the Syrians of Damaſcus, that they threſhed Gilead with threſhing inſtruments of iron. Then I ſhewed, that the land of Gilead was poſſeſſed by the Reubenites, Gadites, and halfe tribe of Manaſſeh, Num. 32.33. Whereby it is plaine, that the Gileadites were Iſraelites. Here then theſe women, with whom the Ammonites dealt ſo barbarouſly, as to rip them vp, when they were great with childe, were of Iacobs poſterity: they were Jſraelites, the lot and portion of Gods owne inheritance. For ſo prodigious a cruelty, we ſee Almighty God is here reſolued to be auenged on the children of Ammon. The doctrine ariſing hence is this; Cruelty is a ſinne very hatefull vntounto God.
This doctrine I hauehave heretofore out of this place confirmed vntounto you: it is alſo plainly grounded vponupon my text, and therefore I paſſe it ouer.
The vſe of it is to worke in vsus the louelove of clemency and mercifulneſſe. You may be many waies guilty of cruelty. If you fight with, or beat your neighbour, or maime his body, Leuit. 24.19, 20. If by any meanes you procure the death of your neighbour, Gen. 4.8. If you vſe your neighbour diſcourteouſly, or make him your laughing ſtocke, or taunting recreation, Leuit. 19.14. If you vſe any of Gods creatures hardly, Deut. 22.6. If you doe wrong to ſtrangers, Exod. 22.21. If you moleſt fatherleſſe children, and widowes, Exod. 22.22. If you be too ſeuere in puniſhing your ſeruants, or children, Deut. 25.3. If you wrong the poore, either by lending him your money vponupon Vſury, Exod. 22.25. or by not paying him his hire, Deut. 24.14. or by not reſtoring his pledge, Exod. 22.26. or by withdrawing your corne from him, Pro. 11.26. If you offend but in the leaſt of theſe, your are guilty of cruelty, and doe tranſgreſſe Gods holy commandements, the ſixt commandement, wherein you are forbidden to doe murther.
Wherefore (beloued in the Lord) put you on the tender bowels of mercy and compaſſion: let cruelty be farre from you. My exhortation vntounto you, and concluſion of this point, ſhall be in the words of S. Paul, Coloſſ. 3.12, 13. Now as the elect of God, holy and beloued, put on tender mercy, kindneſſe, humbleneſſe of minde, meekneſſe, long ſuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another, if any man hauehave a quarrell to another: as Chriſt forgaue you, euen ſo doe yee.
Theſe words of my text; They hauehave ript vp women with childe of Gilead, doe yeeld vsus another profitable doctrine. They, that is, the children of Ammon, profeſſed enemies to God and godlineſſe, hauehave raged againſt the Gileadites, Iacobs poſterity, the lot and portion of Gods inheritance, euen to the ripping vp of their women with childe. The doctrine is; God often humbleth his choſen children vnderunder the rod of the wicked.
This truth appeareth in Lot, ſore preſſed vponupon by the Sodomites, Gen. 19.9. in the Iſraelites, hardly dealt with by the Egyptians, Exod. 1.11. in the ſeuenty brethren, ſonnes of Ierubbaal, perſecuted by Abimelech, moſt of them to the death, Iudg. 9.5. in Ieremie twice euill intreated, firſt beaten and put in the ſtockes by Paſhure, Ierem. 20.2. and a ſecond time beaten and impriſoned by Zedechias his Nobles, chap. 37.15. in the three children, caſt into the fiery furnace by Nabuchodonoſor, Dan. 3.21.
Many like examples might bee extracted out of Gods holy reg ſter for proofe of this point: which alſo may be made further to appeare vntounto you, in thoſe bloudy perſecutions after Chriſt his death, by the Roman Emperours, who deuiſed ſtrange torments to keepe downe religion, and religious profeſſours, men and women. They plucked off their skinnes quicke: they beared out their eyes with wimbles: they broyled them aliue on gredirons: they ſcalded them in boyling liquors: they encloſed them in barrels, through which great nailes were driuen, and therein they tumbled them downe mountaines, till their owne bloud ſo cruelly drawne out, had ſtifled and choaked them in the barrels: womens breſts were ſeared off with burning irons, their bodies were rent, and their ioynts racked.
Sundry other, and as ſtrange kindes of torments were endured by the faithfull in the time of the ten firſt perſecutions in the primitiue Church. This is it which S. Peter hath Epiſt. 1. chap. 4. verſ. 17. The time is come that iudgement muſt begin at the houſe of God. Yet let not the faithfull hereat be diſcouraged. It is for their good. Iob, an vpright and a iuſt man, one that feared God, and eſchewed euill, vponupon his experience of the afflictions which he endured vnderunder the rod of Gods correction, chap. 5.17. ſaith, Behold, bleſſed is the man whom God correcteth: therfore refuſe not thou the chaſtening of the Almighty. For he maketh the wound, and bindeth it vp; he ſmiteth, and his hands make whole. And thus from my doctrine, I proceed to the vſes. I will but point at them.
Is it true (beloued?) Doth God often humble his choſen children vnderunder the rod of the wicked? It may firſt ſhew vsus, how great Gods anger is for ſinne, that he puniſheth it ſo ſeuerely euen in his deareſt children, and thereby may worke in vsus a loathing, hatred, and deteſtation of ſinne. Neuer more need than now, to ſmite our breſts, and pray with the Publicane, O God, be mercifull vntounto vsus ſinners.
Secondly, it may teach vsus not to meaſure the fauour of God towards our ſelues or others, by the aduerſities or croſſes of this life. Here we ſee that the women of Gilead of the race of Iſrael Gods owne lot and inheritance, were moſt barbarouſly and cruelly ript vp by the Ammonites. Yet are we not to doubt, but that Gods fauour was great towards them, euen in this ſeuere puniſhment.
Thirdly, it may make vsus powre out our ſoules in thankfulneſſe before Almighty God for our preſent eſtate and condition. It is not with vsus as in the dayes of Gilead, wee are not threſhed with threſhing inſtruments of iron; our women with childe are not ript vp. Our daies are the daies of peace; our King is a King of peace. Peace is in our ports, peace in all our borders, and peace within our wals.lPſal. 144.12. Our ſonnes doe grow vp as y…ung plants; our daughters are as the poliſhed corners of the temple. Our garners are full and plenteous with all manner of ſtore. Our ſheepe bring forth thouſands and ten thouſands. Our oxen are ſtrong to labour. Here is no inuaſion, no leading into captiuitie, no complaining in our ſtreets.
Are not the people happy that are in ſuch a caſe? Yes ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 144.15. Happy are the people that are in ſuch a caſe. The caſe you ſee is ours. The God of peace, which maketh anmPſal. 46.10. end of warre in all the world, and breaketh the bow, and knappeth the ſpeares aſunder, and burneth the chariots with fire, he doth now protect vsus from warre, and ſlaughter. Quid rependemus? What ſhall we render vntounto the Lord, for all his benefits towards vsus? We will take the cup of ſaluation, and praiſe his holy name. O our ſoules, praiſe the Lord; for hee onelyonly maketh vsus to dwell in ſafetie. Thus farre of the cruell fact of the Ammonites, in ripping vp the women with childe of Gilead. This their fact is amplified by the end, wherefore they did it; They hauehave ript vp the women with childe of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border.
That they might enlarge their border? What could ſuch crueltie againſt innocent and harmeleſſe women, further them to the attaining of ſuch an end? Verie much. For hereby it might come to paſſe, that there ſhould not be any off-ſpring of the Gileadites to inherit and poſſ…ſſe the land; ſo might the land without any reſiſtance become the poſſeſſion of the Ammonites.
This is by a propheticall conteſtation touched, Ier. 49.1. VntoUnto the children of Ammon thus ſaith the Lord; Hath Iſrael no ſonnes? or hath he no heires? Why then h…th their King poſſeſſed Gad; and his people dwelt in his Cities? So might this our Prophet Amos here conteſt, and make complaint: Hath Gilead no ſonnes? Hath Gilead no heires? Why then hauehave the Ammonites poſſeſſed Gilead? Why hauehave they dwelt in the cities of Gilead? The anſwer is plaine out of my Text; The Ammonites hauehave ript vp the wom…n with childe of Gilead, they hauehave left them no ſonnes, no heires. And ſo they poſſeſſed the land of Gilead; ſo hauehave they enlarged their borders. Wee ſee now the meaning of our Prophet: He obiecteth to the Ammonites, not only that they did cruelly rip vp the women with childe in Gilead, but alſo, that they did it for this end, that they might enlarge their borders. The Doctrine is, That nation, which is not content with her owne borders, but inuadeth her neighbour countries, ſinneth grieuouſly.
The Ethnickes of old, taught but in Natures ſchoole, did hold it for a wicked act, deteſtable, and inexpiable, to remoue a neighbours land-marke…. In which reſpect the old Romans worſhipped Terminus for a God. Terminus which ſignifieth a bound, limit, meere, buttle, or land-marke, was in their account a God, God of their bounds, limits, or markes of their ſeuerall fields, meddowes, and paſtures; and ſuch a God, as ſhould not giuegive place to Iupiter himſelfe. To this Terminus they held a feaſt in Februarie, and called it Terminalia, as Auſtine witneſſeth in his bookes De Ciuitate Dei, Lib. 5. c. 21. & lib. 7. c. 7. Now if the heatheniſh, blinde, and ſuperſtitious Romans, trained vp in Natures ſchoole, did ſo highly eſteem of the preſeruation and maintenance of bounds and limits: how are we trained vp in the ſchoole of Grace, to eſteeme thereof? In the ſchoole of Grace a law is giuen, Deut. 19.14. Thou ſhalt not remoue thy neighbours marke. To obey this law we are charged vponupon a curſe, Deut. 27.17. Curſed bee hee that remoueth his neighbors marke. It is Gods owne ordinance, that bounds, and limits, and marks are appointed to euerie mans poſſeſſions. This may be gathered out of Deut. 32.8. The moſt high [God,] diuided to the nations their inheritances: hee ſeparated the ſons of men: hee did ſet the bounds of nations. The meaning is, the Lord pitched the bounds o… Kingdomes, at ſuch time as it pleaſed him, that the nations ſhould be diuided aſunder. Yet wee ſee how the couetous ambition, and vnſatiable deſire of ſome Princes in the world, hauehave put all out of order, how there is nothing ſo holy, that can ſtay them from incroaching vponupon the bounds of their neighbours and next borderers.
Sennacherib King of Aſſyria was a ſtout offended in this kinde. Hee boaſted of his inuaſions and victories vponupon his neighbour countries. But that other Princes may take example by him, he was made a peculiar example of diuine iudgement. For as he trangreſſed the bounds of his neighbor Princes to their ouerthrow, ſo did his owne ſons tranſgreſſe the bounds of nature, to the loſſe of his their fathers life. As it appeareth by Eſai. 37.38. As Sennacherib was in the temple worſhipping Niſroch his God, Adramelech and Sharezer, his ſons, ſlue him with the ſword. And by my Text you ſee, what iudgements God threatneth to the Ammonites, for their vnlawfull practices to enlarge their borders. So my doctrin is eſtabliſhed.
The nation that is not content with her owne borders, but inuadeth her neighbour countries, ſinneth grieuouſly.
The vſe of this Doctrine may concerne vsus here aſſembled. As Princes ought to hold themſelues contented with their owne bounds, ſo ought euerie priuate man alſo. God hath alſo ſeparated their poſſeſſions one from another, to the end that all might liue and communicate one with another, and that there might be no confuſed diſorder.
But (beloued in the Lord) how do we ſtand to this order, ſet by Almightie God? Do we not ſeek daily to peruert it? God would hauehave it kept moſt holy; but we care not for it. Our couetouſneſſe carrieth vsus away; we would ſtill be greater. Wee ioyne houſe to houſe, and field to field, as it is in Eſai. 5 8 that we may be placed by our ſelues in the middeſt of the earth. Were our Fathers ſo ambitious? They were content with ſuch bounds, as their anceſtors left them; but we muſt hauehave them altered, if not enlarged. The diuinely-inſpired Dauid tels vsus, Pſal. 37.3. that if we dwell in the land, where God hath placed vsus, we ſhall verily be fed. We ſhould learne of S. Paul, Philip. 4 11. in whatſoeuer ſtate we are, therewith to be content. Knowing it to bee true, which the ſame Apoſtle auoweth vntounto Timothy, Ep. 1. chap. 6. verſ. 6. that Godlineſſe is great gaine, if wee will be content with that we hauehave. Thus much of the 13. verſe.