Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 8
THE VIII. LECTVRE.
AMOS. 2.6, 7, 8.
Thus ſayth the Lord, For three tranſgreſsions of Iſrael, and for foure, I will not turne away the puniſhment thereof; becauſe they ſould the righteous for ſiluer, and the poore for a paire of ſhooes.
That pant after the duſt of the earth on the head of the poore; and turne aſide the way of the meeke, and a man and his father will goe in vntounto the ſame maid, to prophane my holy Name.
And they lay themſelues downe vponupon clothes layd to pledge, by eueryevery altar, and they drinke the wine of the condemned in the houſe of their God.
FOr Iſraels ſake, Amos the peculiar Prophet of Iſrael, hath hitherto made knowne vntounto Iſrael, what God his pleaſure was, concerning their neighbour-Nations. The iudgements of God againſt the Syrians, the Philiſtines, the Tyrians, the Edomites, the Ammonites, and the Moabites were firſt manifeſted: then followed his iudgments againſt Iudah. Theſe might hauehave ſerued Iſrael in ſtead of ſo many mirrours, or looking glaſſes, wherein they might hauehave beheld the iudgements, that hung ouer their heads alſo.
From the iudgements of God denounced to forreine nations, the people of Iſrael might thus within themſelues hauehave reaſoned: Our God! All hisaDeut. 32.4. wayes are iudgement; he is a God of truth, without iniquitie; iuſt and right is he. The Syrians, the Philiſtines, the Tyrians, the Edomites, the Ammonites, and the Moabites, muſt they, for their miſdoings, be puniſhed? How then ſhall we eſcape? They ſillie people, neuer knew the holy will of God; and yet, muſt they be meaſured with the line of deſolation? What then ſhall be the portion of our cup, who knowing Gods holy will, hauehave not regarded it.
Againe, from the iudgements of God pronounced againſt Iudah, the people of Iſrael might thus within themſelues hauehave argued: GodbPſal. 9.7. miniſtreth his iudgements in vprightneſſe. He threatneth deſtruction to our brethren, the people of Iudah: that people, whom all that ſaw them, acknowledged to be thecEſa. 61.9. bleſſed ſeed of the Lord; that people, that was thedEſa. 5.7. plant of the Lords pleaſures; that people, with whom God placed hisePſal. 114.2. ſanctuarie; vponupon that people will the Lord ſend a fire, to deuoure them? What then ſhall be the end of vsus? They our brethren of Iudah, hauehave preſerued among them Religion, the worſhip and feare of the Lord, in greater puritie then we hauehave done; and yet will the Lord ſend a fire vponupon them, to deuoure them? Certainly, our iudgement cannot be farre off.
Amos hauing thus prepared his auditors the Iſraelites, to attention, maketh no longer delay; but beginneth to deliuer his meſſage to them, in the words, which I hauehave now read vntounto you: For three tranſgreſſions of Iſraell and for foure, I will not turne away the puniſhment thereof, &c. Herein, for our more direct proceeding, may it pleaſe you to obſerue with me,
1. Autoritatem ſermonis; The authoritie of this Prophecie: Thus ſayth the Lord.
2. Sermonem ipſum; The Prophecie it ſelfe: For three tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, &c.
In the Prophecie, as farre as this Chapter leadeth vsus, we hauehave,
1. Reprehenſionem; A reproofe of Iſrael for ſinne, verſ. 6, 7, 8.
2. Enumerationem; A recitall of the Benefits, which God had heaped vponupon Iſrael, verſ. 9.10.11.
3. Exprobrationem; A twitting of Iſrael with their vnthankefulneſſe, verſ. 12.
4. Comminationem; A threatning of puniſhment to befall Iſrael for their ſinnes, ver. 13. to the end of the Chapter.
The Reprehenſion is firſt; and firſt by vsus to be conſidered. In it we may note,
1. A generall accuſation of Iſrael: For three tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, and for foure.
2. A proteſtation of Almightie God againſt them: I will not turne away the puniſhment thereof.
3. A rehearſall of ſome grieuous ſinnes, which made a ſeparation betweene God and Iſrael: Becauſe they ſold the righteous for ſiluer, and the poore for a paire of ſhoes; and ſo forward to the end of the eyghth verſe.
You hauehave the deuiſion of my Text. Now followeth the expoſition. The firſt thing we meete with, is, Autoritas ſermonis, the authoritie of this prophecie.
Thus ſaith the Lord] Iehovah. Now the thirteenth time is this great Name of God, Iehovah, offered to our deuouteſt meditations. We met with it in the firſt chapter of this book nine times; and thriſe before in this: and yet, by this name Iehovah, is not God knowne to vsus. We know him by the name of a ſtrong, omnipotent, and All-ſufficient God, but by his Name, Iehovah, we know him not. Abraham, Iſaac, & Iacob, by this Name knew him not: it is ſo recorded, Exod. 6.3. Nor can we by this Name know him. For this Name is a Name of Eſſence. It deſigneth God vntounto vsus, not by any effect of his, but by his Eſſence: and who euer knew the Eſſence of God? who was euer able to define it?
ThefPet. Galatinus de arcanis Cathol. verit. lib. 2. cap. 1. ſchoole-men ſay, there are three things whereof they can giuegive no definition: One is, that firſt matter, out of which all things were produced: The ſecond is, Sinne, that hath deſtroyed all: The third is, God, who preſerueth all. The firſt, which is the Philoſophers Materia prima, they define not obſummam informitatem, becauſe it is without all forme: The ſecond, which is mans bane, Sinne, they define not ob ſummam deformitatem, for its exceeding deformitie: The third, euen God, the prime cauſe of all his creatures, they define not ob ſummam formoſitatem, for his tranſcendēt beautie. It pleaſeth the Schoolmen ſometimes thus to play with words. For the matter they are in the right.
It is true:gAquin. par. 1. qu: 1. art. 7. ad …. De deo non poſſumus ſcire, Quid eſt: We cannot attaine to ſo great a meaſure of the knowledge of God, as to define what he is. When the Poet hCic. de Nat. Deorum. lib. 1.Simonides was asked of K. Hiero, what God is? He wiſely for anſwere deſired one dayes reſpite, after that two, then foure; ſtill he doubled his number: at laſt; of his delay he gaue this for a reaſon: Quanto diutiùs conſidero, tanto mihi res videtur obſcurior; the more I conſider of this matter, the more obſcure it ſeemeth vntounto me. Cotta iniIbid. Tullie ſaid not amiſſe, Quid non ſit Deus, citiùs quàm quid ſit, dixerim; I can with more eaſe tell, what God is not, then what he is. This goeth for a truth in the ſchooles.kAquin. par. 1. qu: 3. in principio De Deo ſcire non poſſumus quid ſit, ſed quid non ſit: we cannot know of God what he is; but what he is not. So ſaith SaintlIn pſal. 85. Auguſtine; Facilius dicimus quid non ſit, quam quid ſit Deus; We can more eaſily ſay, what God is not, then what he is.
And what is he not? The ſame father in his 23. Tract vponupon the Goſpell of S. Iohn will tell you: Non eſt Deus corpus, non terra, non coelum, non luna, non Sol, non Stellae, non corporalia iſta. God is not a bodie, he is not the earth, he is not the Heauen, he is not the Moone, he is not the Sunne, he is not the Starres, he is not any of theſe corporall things.
From hence ſprang thoſe Negatiue attributes of God, which we meete with, either in the ſacred volumes of the New Teſtament, or in the writings of the ancient Fathers: from hence is God ſaid to bem1. Tim. 1.17. immortall, inviſible,nRom. 1.23. vncorruptible,oBernard ſerm. 6. Supra Cantica. incorporeall,pAug. de verb. Apoſtoli. Serm. 1. ineffable, ineſtimable, incomprehenſible, infinite,qBernard paruorum ſermonum ſerm. 51. immenſe, vndiuided, vnuariable, vnchangeable. All theſe ſhew vntounto vsus, not what God is, but what he is not. And whoſoeuer thus thinketh of God, as he is ſet forth in theſe his Negatiue appellations, though hereby he cannot altogether find out what God is, piè tamen cauet, quantum poteſt, aliquid de eo ſentire, quod non ſit, ſaith S. Auſtine de Trin lib. 3. cap. 1. yet his religious care is, to conceiue ſomewhat of God, that he is not.
You ſee, it is eaſier for vsus to ſay, what God is not, then what he is: eaſier for vsus to conceiue of him by his Negatiue attributes, then by his affirmatiue. Yet by his affirmatiue attributes are we brought to ſome knowledge of God. For hereby we know, that he is therGen. 21.33. euerlaſting God, theſPſal. 83.18. moſt high God, thetRom 16.27. onelyonly wiſe God; that he isuGen. 17.1. omnipotent, andxApoc. 15.4. holy, andyDeut. 32.4. iuſt, andzExod. 34.6. mercifull, and gracious, and long-ſuffering, and good, and true.
Whatſoeuer is verified of God in either ſort of his Attributes; Affirmatiue or Negatiue, it is all compriſed in this one name of God in my text; his name Iehovah. For this name Iehovah, is the name of the Eſſence of God: and whatſoeuer is in God, it is his Eſſence.
It was one ofaDe Deo Not. ad Diſp. 3. p. 209 Vorſtius his foule errours to deny the truth of that vulgarly receiued Axiome: Nullum omnino in Deo accidens eſſe. It is ſimply and eueryevery way true: There is no accident at all in God. God he is primum ens, his being is from all eternity; he is forma ſimplex, a pure forme, no ſubiect; there is nothing in God, which is not God; there is nothing in God really diuerſe from the eſſence of God; there is nothing in God obnoxious to imperfection, ſeparation, or change; therefore it followeth againſt Ʋorſtius, there is no accident at all in God. God he i… Iehouah: hee is abſolutely and totally eſſence.
Thus ſaith Iehouah] By this name Iehouah, we are taught three things.
Firſt, that God of himſelfe, and through himſelfe, hath alwayes beene, now is and euer ſhall be. So is this name by a Periphraſis expounded, Reuel. 1.4. Grace be vntounto you, and peace from him, which is, which was, and which is to come. And, Reuel. 16.5. Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and waſt, and ſhalt be. This expoſition of this name Iehou…h, is giuen bybStr…mat. lib. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus, andcIn Exod. qu. 15 & Epiſt. Diuinorum dogmatum. Theodoretus Cyra… ſis, that Iehouah, for its ſignification is, foreign, He that is.
Secondly, we are taught by this name Iehouah, that the eſſence, or being of all things created is from God; according to that, Acts 17.28. In him we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being; and that, Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things.
Thirdly, we are taught by this name Iehouah, that God doth giuegive Eſſe reale, a reall being to his promiſes & threatnings: that he is veraciſſimus and conſtantiſſimus, moſt true and moſt conſtant, in doing whatſoeuer he hath promiſed or threatned.
This conſideration of this great Name, Iehouah, may yeeld much comfort to all the Elect of God, and his faithfull ones. Though they ſeeme todEſa. 51.17. drinke the dregs of the cup of trembling, aRom. 8.35, 36and to be euen ſwallowed vp of c tribulation, of diſtreſſe, of perſecution, of famine, of nakedneſſe, of perill, of the ſword; though they be as killed all the day long, and accounted as ſheepe for the ſlaughter; yet heereby, they may be well aſſured, that all the good things promiſed to them in the holy word of God ſhall in their due time be accompliſhed. For God who hath promiſed, hee is the Lord, he is Iehouah.
Againe this conſideration of this great name Iehouah, may ſtrike a terror into the hearts of the reprobate and vnbeleeuers. TheyfPſal. 73.12. proſper in this world, they encreaſe inriches, they hauehave more then heart can wiſh, their eyes ſtand out with fatneſſe, they are clothed with violence, as with a garment, they are compaſſed with pride, as with a chaine, they are not in trouble, they are not plagued like other men: yet may they heereby bee aſſured, that all the euill threatned to them in the holy word of God, ſhall in due time ouertake them. For God, who hath threatned hee is the Lord, hee is Iehouah.
Thus ſaith the Lord] Iehouah. Sundry other obſeruations vponupon theſe very words in ſo many ſyllables deliuered fiue times in the firſt chapter of this book, and twice before in this ſecond chapter, hauehave heeretofore been commended to your Chriſtian conſiderations. They are in part publiſhed to your view: therefore I neede not ſpend time in repetition of them. By this which hath this time beene ſpoken, you ſee whence this propheſie againſt Iſrael hath its authority. The authority of it, is from the Lord, Iehouah: whom once to name vntounto you, ſhould bee enough to procure your moſt religious attentions. Proceede wee therefore to the propheſie it ſelfe.
The firſt thing therein is the Accuſation of Iſrael in a generality, For three tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, and for foure.]
By Iſrael heere we are to vnderſtand thoſe ten tribes of Iſrael, who after King Salomons death, forſooke the Kings ſonne R…hoboam, and ſubiected themſelues to the rule of Iereboam, ſonne of Nebat. Thoſe ten tribes, from the time of that rent, were commonly called the Kingdome of Iſrael. Theſe in Holy Scripture are called ſometimegHoſ. 10.15. Bethel, ſometimehH…ſ. 10.5. Bethauen, ſometimeiAmos 3.9. Samaria, ſometimekHoſ 2.22. Ieſreel, ſometimelAmos 5.6. Ioſeph, ſometimemHoſ. 10.11. Ephraim, ſometimenHoſ. 12 2. Iacob, ſometimeoHoſ. 10.1. Iſrael. Iſrael is, their moſt common name, and their name in my text.
For three tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, and for foure] Diuerſe are the opinions concerning theſe foure tranſgreſſions of Iſrael. Nicolaus de Lyra ſaith, their firſt tranſgreſſion was, their pGen. 37.26.ſelling of Ioſeph; the ſecond, their qExod. 32.4.worſhipping of the Calfe; the third, their r1 King. 12.16.forſaking of Dauid; the fourth, their ſelling of Chriſt. Paulus de Palatio ſaith, the firſt tranſgreſſion was, their defection from the houſe of Dauid, and the King of Iudah; the ſecond, their defection from the worſhip of God, to the worſhip of Idols; the third, their defection from the law of Moſes, which was Gods law; the fourth, their defection from the law of nature, which is the light of Gods countenance ſealed in our hearts. ſDomini. 8. poſt Trin. Con. 1.Abraham Bronius ſaith, the firſt of theſe tranſgreſſions was their idolatry; the ſecond, the ſlaughter of the Prophets; the third, the murther of Chriſt; the fourth, their contempt. They made a trade of tranſgreſſing. Theſe expoſitions ſeeme to bee farre fetched. Albertus Magnus findes them neerer hand, in the letter of my text. The firſt tranſgreſſion he will hauehave to be, the ſelling of the iuſt; the ſecond, the oppreſſion of the poore; the third, their peruerting the way of the meeke; the fourth, the violation of matrimony. Theſe are but ſo many deſcants vponupon the words of my text, For three tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, and for foure.
Three and foure make ſeuen. It ſeemeth then, that Iſrael tranſgreſſed againſt God ſeuen times. Seuen times! It is plaine by Scripture, that they tranſgreſſed Saepiùs ac ſaepiùs, as Mercerus ſpeaketh, many a time & oft: yea, from the diuiſion of their Kingdome vnderunder Ieroboam, ſonne of Nebat, their firſt King, vntounto Hoſhea, ſonne of Elah, their laſt King, they did nothing but tranſgreſſe againſt the Lord their God, what by Idolatry, and what by other wickedneſſes. Heere then, by three and foure, which make ſeuen, we are to vnderſtand many.
The rule holds true in Diuinity: A finite number is oftentimes put for an infinite. S. Auſtin hath obſerued it, lib. 3. de doctrina Chriſti, cap. 35. I thus explicate it. In Leuit. 26.18. to the rebellious and diſobedient, thus ſaith the Lord: If ye will not yet, for all this, hearken vntounto me, then I will puniſh you ſeuen times more for your ſinnes. Seuen times more, that is, many times more, will I puniſh you. Hannah in her ſong, 1 Sam. 2.5. hath this ſtraine; The barren hath borne ſeuen children. By ſeuen there, you are to vnderſtand many: Shee that was barren, hath borne many children. Dauid in Pſal. 119.164. ſayth; Seuen times a day doe I praiſe thee. Seuen times, that is, many times; as if had ſayd, Semper laus eius in ore meo, All the day long am I in the praiſes of my God. Salomon in Prou. 26, 25. aduiſeth vsus not to beleeue the gracious words of an enemy, becauſe, ſaith hee, there are in his heart ſeuen abominations. Seuen abominations, that is, many abominations, many ſly purpoſes lie hidden in the heart of an enemy. What neede more examples? By theſe few the phraſe in my text is plaine. The ſeuen tranſgreſſions of Iſrael (for three & foure are ſeuen) the ſeuen tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, are the many tranſgreſſions of Iſrael. In this phraſe then doth the Lord obiect vntounto Iſrael innumera peccata, the multitude of their ſinnes. For which he is vnwilling any longer to forbeare them: whereupon followeth his proteſtation againſt them, I will not turne away the puniſhment thereof.
For three tran…greſſions of Iſrael, and for foure, I will not turne away the puniſhment thereof] The meaning is; if once, if twice, yea, if a third time only the Iſraelites had offended mee with the greeuouſneſſe of their tranſgreſſions, I could hauehave tolerated them, and would not hauehave caſt them from out my ſight: but now; whereas a fourth time, ſ…piùs & ſapiùs, againe and againe, they relapſe and fall backe to their impieties, and with a ſhameleſſe forehead, make no end of ſinning; certa ſtat ſententia, I am reſolued, no more to recall them to my fauour, but to leaue them to themſelues: that obſtinate and indurate, as they are, in the multitude of their abominations, wherein they hauehave ſo deepely plunged themſelues, they may ſuddenly bee caſt into the pit of deſtruction.
Now from theſe two firſt parts of this propheſie, the generall accuſation of Iſrael for ſinne, and the Lords proteſtation againſt them for the ſame, ariſeth this leſſon, God is euer in open hoſtility with ſinners.
A ſinner ouer-valuing the vanities wherein his delight is placed, firſt neglecteth God, then hateth him. Thus affected, he would, if poſſible, diſarme God of his authority, pull his power from him, and caſt him out of his ſtate. Hee could wiſh, there were no immortality of the Soule, no account to be made of our actions, no reward, no reuenge, no Iudge to puniſh. So willing is hee to bathe himſelfe in the imaginary contentment and pleaſures of ſinne. I can put no great difference between this ſinner and an Atheiſt. The Atheiſt thinketh, there is no God; this ſinner wiſheth, there were no God.
Now God, who feeleth the pulſe of this ſinners heart, and ſearcheth his inmoſt thoughts, & ſeeth his traytorous affection, can he be at peace with him? King Ioram ſayd to Iehu, 2 King. 9.22. Is it peace Iehu? Iehu anſwered, what peace, ſo long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel, and her witch-crafts are ſo many? This ſinner happily will looke to be at peace with God: but he is ſoone anſwered, What haſt thou to doe with peace? What peace with God doeſt thou looke for, ſo long as thou caſteſt away his feare, and lieſt wallowing in thy ſinnes?
I muſt grant it: God is the God of peace; the Scripture ſaith it more then once, Rom. 15.33, and chap. 16.20. and in*2 Cor. 13.11. Phil. 4.9. 1 Theſſ. 5.23. 2 Theſſ. 3.16. Hebr. 13.20. other places. But what is this to the ſinner? Nothing at all. For the ſame Scripture will aſſure him, there is no peace to him; Eſai 48.22. and 57.12. To the ſinner the Lord will ſhew himſelfe, quaſi bellator fortis, as hee is called, Ierem. 20.11. hee will ſhew himſelfe as a ſtout warriour. And for ſuch he is deſcribed, Deut. 32.41. There thus ſaith the Lord concerning ſinners: If I whet my glittering ſword, and mine hand take hold on iudgement, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrowes drunk with their blood, and my ſword ſhall deuoure their fleſh? To like purpoſe is that, which we read of Gods dealing with ſinners, Pſal. 7.12. He whets his ſword, he bends his bow, and makes it ready, hee prepareth for them the inſtruments of death, he ordaineth his arrowes againſt them. So hauehave you my doctrine eſtabliſhed, God is euer in open hoſtility with ſinners.
Is God euer in open hoſtility with ſinners? Conſider this all yee that feare God; remember it all ye, that beare the image of the Almighty. The ſinner, that is ouertaken with three tranſgreſſions, and with foure, that lieth in his ſinnes, and walloweth in his iniquities, his caſe is fearefull, his eſtate lamentable. God proclaimeth againſt him open warre, moſt certaine deſtruction, and will not turne away his puniſhments from him. Let it (Beloued) rouze vsus vp from that ſleepe of ſinne, wherein we hauehave too long reſted. All the good gifts, and benefits of God, which God hath beſtowed vponupon vsus for our good, we hauehave abuſed to ſinne. God hath giuen vsus vnderſtanding to meditate vponupon his holy lawes, but our vnderſtanding we hauehave peruerted to the tranſgreſſion of his holy Lawes. God hath giuen vsus the will to louelove him aboue all things, and our neighbours, as our ſelues; but we hauehave diuerted our will to the contempt of God, and the hate of our neighbours. God hath giuen vsus the tongue to powre forth his praiſes, but our tongues we hauehave defiled with impure oathes, and ougly blaſphemies. God hath giuen vsus hands for inſtruments to feed the poore, and to defend them, but the ſtrength of our hands we hauehave waſted in crueltie and rapine. In a word, God hath giuen vsus our ſoules, and our bodies, all the faculties of the one, all the members of the other, all, to doe him ſeruice; but we hauehave imployed all to his diſhonor.
Dearely beloued, what ſhall we doe? The beſt aduiſe I can giuegive, is that, which Chriſt giueth his Spouſe in the Canticles, chap. 6.13. Returne, returne, O Shulamite; returne, returne, that we may behold thee. I thus paraphraſe it: Returne, O my Spouſe, daughter of Ieruſalem returne, returne to me, returne to thy ſelfe, returne to thy former feeling of my Grace, returne, that both my ſ…lfe and all the companie of Angels, may ſee thee, and reioyce in thee.
This Spouſe of Chriſt is the mother of vsus all, the holy Catholique Church, in whoſe boſome we are nouriſhed, Take we then the aduiſe giuen vntounto her, for an aduiſe vntounto our ſelues. Returne we from our euill wayes, returne we from our three and foure tranſgreſſions, returne we from all our ſinnes, returne we to the Lord our God, that both he and all the companie of Angels may ſee vsus, and reioyce in vsus. Mutet vitam, qui vult accipere vitam, ſaith S. Auguſtine Serm. 1. de tempore: if wee will enioy the bleſſed life of Heauen, we muſt change our wicked life on earth. If we will not change it, but will ſtill beare about vsus whoriſh lookes, theeuiſh faces, proud hearts, couetous thoughts, malicious mindes, luſtfull eyes, ſlandering tongues, bloody hands, and drunken deſires (from which God Almightie defend vsus all) our portion muſt bee the accurſed death of Hell. God will not turne away his puniſhments from vsus
Thus far of the generall accuſation of Iſrael, and the Lords proteſtation againſt them; in thoſe words, For three tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, and for foure, I will not turne away the puniſhment thereof. It followeth, Becauſe they ſold the righteous for ſiluer, and the poore for a paire of ſhoes.
Here beginneth the reherſall of thoſe grieuous ſinnes, which made a ſeparation betweene God and Iſrael. In theſe words two ſinnes are ſpecified; Crueltie, and Couetouſnes. Their Cruelty I note in ſelling of the righteous, and the poore: their Couetouſnes, in as much as they did it for ſiluer, and for a paire of ſhoes. I take the words in their order.
They ſold the righteous for ſiluer] A man may be ſaid to be righteous, either by imputation, or by vertue, or by compariſon, or by courſe of law. The righteous man by imputation is he, whom Habakkuk ſpeaketh of, chap. 2.4. The iust ſhall liue by his faith. There the iuſt or righteous man is he, to whom the Lord imputeth not his ſinnes, which he hath committed. The righteous man by vertue is he, whom Dauid- ſpeaketh of, Pſal. 11.3. If the foundations be deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe? There the righteous man is he, whom we call virum bonum, a good man. The righteous man by compariſon is he, whom Habakkuk ſpeaketh of, chap. 1.13. Wherefore holdeſt thou thy tongue, when the wicked deuoureth the man, that is more righteous, then he. There the righteous man is he, that is the leſſe wicked: the Iewes, though wicked, are yet called righteous in compariſon of the Chaldaeans, who were more wicked. The righteous man by courſe of law is he, whom Eſay ſpeaketh of, chap. 5.23. Wo vntounto them which iuſtifie the wicked for reward, and take away the righteouſneſſe of the righteous from him. There the righteous is he, that hath a righteous cauſe: and this is the righteous man in my text; whom the Iſraelites are ſaid to hauehave ſold for ſiluer.
They ſold the righteous for ſiluer] For ſiluer, that is, for money. The like phraſe we hauehave in Micah, chap. 3.11. where it is ſaid of the Prophets of Iſrael, they diuine for ſiluer, that is, they diuine only for monyes ſake. For monyes ſake to condemne the righteous, it is ingens piaculum; it is a very heynous offence, not to be purged without deepe ſatisfaction. And therefore in the forecited place of Eſai, chap. 5.23. a woe is denounced to ſuch offenders. Salomon ſaith they are an abomination to the Lord, Prou. 17.15. He that iuſtifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the iuſt: euen they both are abomination to the Lord. I may not now enlarge my notes.
You vnderſtand, what it is, to ſell the righteous for ſiluer It is, to to take away the righteouſnes of the righteous from him; and that is, to be hired by money, bribes, or rewards, to giuegive ſentence againſt the man, whoſe cauſe is iust, and righteous.
They ſold the righteous for ſiluer, and the poore for a paire of ſhoes] By the poore here we may vnderſtand the cauſe of the poore: as in Amos 5.12. They afflict the iuſt, they take a bribe, and they turne aſide the poore in the gate. They turne aſide the poore in the gate] that is, they turne the poore man out of his right: they ouerthrow the poore mans cauſe in iudgement.
Againe, by the poore here, we may vnderſtand the man, that is in miſerie; the man, that is vnworthily afflicted; the man, that is toſſed, turmoiled, grieuouſly diſquieted by ſome mighty wicked man.
This poore man, the Iſraelites did ſell, foreign, ſay the Septuagint; pro calciamentis, ſaith the Vulgar Latin: they ſold him for ſhoes. The word in the originall is foreign of the duall number. It ſignifieth, two ſhoes. Our new Engliſh tranſlation well rendereth it, A paire of ſhoes.
They ſold the poore for a paire of ſhoes] If they ſold, ſome bought. Such buyers we finde, Amos 6.8. They tooke order to buy the needie for ſiluer, and the poore for a paire of ſhoes. There they are bought, here they are ſold: and all for a paire of ſhoes.
For a paire of ſhoes] It is a prouerbiall ſpeech; a ſpeech fit to be vſed, if we would ſignifie a thing to be litle or nothing worth, of ſmall eſtimation, of vile price. The like prouerbiall ſpeech we hauehave, Prou. 28.21. There it is ſaid of the man, that reſpecteth perſons, that he will tranſgreſſe for a peece of bread. For a peece of bread, that is, for the vileſt gift, for the baſeſt commoditie. In which ſence Cato ſaid once to Coelius: fruſto panis conduci poteſt, vel vt taceat, vel vt loquatur: A man may hire him with a peece of bread, either to ſpeake, or to hold his peace.
We now vnderſtand what our Prophet meaneth in theſe words; They ſold the righteous for ſiluer, and the poore for a paire of ſhoes. They] The Iſraelites, the*Micah 3.11. heads of Iſrael, the Iudges of Iſrael; they ſold] they circumvented, they beguiled, they betrayed the righteous] him, whoſe cauſe was righteous, and iuſt: they ſold the righteous for ſiluer] for money, for a bribe, for a reward: and they ſold the poore] the needy man, the man afflicted, or his honeſt cauſe, for a paire of ſhoes] for a morſell of bread, for any baſe commoditie, for a trifle.
They ſold the righteous for ſiluer, and the poore for a paire of ſhoes] Here the Iudges of Iſrael are taxed for Crueltie, and Couetouſneſſe: for Cruelty, becauſe they ſold the righteous, and the poore: for Couetouſnes, becauſe they ſold them for ſiluer, and for a paire of ſhoes. The leſſon which we may take from hence, is this, Cruelty and Couetouſnes in Iudges and Magiſtrates, are two of the ſinnes, for which God bringeth States to ruine.
You ſee it plaine in my text. God would not turne away his puniſhments from Iſrael, becauſe of the Cruelty and Couetouſnes in the Iudges of Iſrael. Theſe ſins are moſt eminent in Iudges and Magiſtrates, but are reproveable in all ſorts of men. The Cruell and the Couetous, be they of whatſoeuer rancke in a Common wealth, they are very burdenſome to God himſelfe. God himſelfe in this chapter verſ. 13. cryes out againſt them: Behold I am preſſed vnderunder you as a cart is preſſed, that is full of ſheaues.
The time will not ſuffer me to inlarge my meditations vponupon the diſcouerie of theſe two ſinnes; Cruelty and Couetouſnes. I ſhall hauehave occaſion to meete with them againe in the beginning of the next verſe; where they are amplified, and may hope for the benefit of your new attention.
For the preſent, let vsus be admoniſhed, that we ſuffer not our ſelues to be ouercome of theſe or any other ſins.
Sinne! It produceth very ſad and dolefull effects. It blindeth our vnderſtanding, while it taketh from vsus the ſupernaturall light of diuine grace; it ſtaineth and defileth our conſciences, with its filthineſſe; it accuſeth vsus before the Lord of grieuous iniuries done againſt his Maieſtie: it impoueriſheth vsus, when it ſpoiles vsus of all ſpirituall good; it diſhonoreth vsus, when it diffameth vsus in the ſight of the Angels, and the whole Court of Heauen; it holdeth vsus captiue, and depriueth vsus of all liberty of well-doing; it bindeth vsus with the chaines of euill cuſtome; and brings vsus within the danger of falling daily from bad to worſe; vulnerat nos in bonis naturalibus, occidit in gratuitis, ſaith Cornelius Muſſus B. of Bitonto: it woundeth vsus in all the good faculties of our nature, and ſlayeth vsus in the free graces, wherewith God hath beautified our ſoules.
You ſee (dearely beloued in the Lord) you ſee what a tyrant Sinne is. It ſtoppeth vp the fountaines of Grace, and hindereth the ſtreames of heauenly comfort from comming to vsus. Yet; yet our life is nothing, but a trade of ſinning. In vsus, in our fleſh, there dwelleth no good. Day by day, yea many times a day, we tranſgreſſe Gods holy Commandements, we heape ſinne vponupon ſinne, and repent not.
What remaineth, but that we powre forth our prayers to Almightie God, that he will be pleaſed to giuegive vsus true repentance for the wickednes of our fore-paſſed liues, and in his good time to looſe vsus from this bodie of ſinne, and to couple vsus to himſelfe in Heauen: where we may with the whole multitude of Saints, ſing vntounto him an Halleluiah: Bleſſing, ſaluation, honor, glory, and power be vntounto him that ſitteth on the throne, and to the Lambe for euer and euer. Euen ſo be it.