Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 11
THE XI. LECTVRE.
AMOS 2.8.
And they lay themſelues downe vponupon clothes laid to pledge by eueryevery Altar, and they drinke the wine of the condemned, in the houſe of their God.
IT is a great height of impietie, whereto men are growne, when by vnlawfull meanes, or pretences, or allurements, they adde ſinne to ſinne. A man may ſinne once and a ſecond time; and may doe it through infirmitie: but if he go on with a third tranſgreſſion, and with a fourth; if he be obſtinate in heaping ſinne vponupon ſinne, lamentable is his eſtate. A woe muſt be his portion. Its denounced by the Prophet Eſay, cap. 5.18. Woe vntounto them, that draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie, and ſinne, as it were with a cart-rope.
Was there euer a people, ſo far giuen ouer to worke impietie? Behold, ſuch were the people of Iſrael, they to whom this prophecie of Amos was directed. Their cruelty, their couetouſnes, their oppreſſions, their calumnies, their filthy luſts reproued in the two precedent verſes, do proclaim as much. And yet they hauehave not done ſinning. They would, I grant, make faire weather; they would make a faire ſhew, as if their deſire were to ſerue God. For that purpoſe they came vntounto the houſe of their God, his temple; they drew neere vntounto his Altars: but euen then did their hearts worke iniquitie. My text conuinceth them.
They lay themſelues downe [or they lye, or they ſit downe] vponupon clothes laid to pledge by eueryevery Altar: and they drinke the wine of the condemned [or of ſuch as they hauehave fined, or mulcted] in the houſe of their Gods.
The words import thus much. The people of Iſrael to cloke and couer their manifold ſinnes, make a ſhew of religion: they goe vntounto their temples, the temples of their Idols; there they offer their ſacrifices, there they feaſt it ſumptuouſly. They are at great charges. But whence doe they defray them? Is it out of their owne ſubſtance, which either is deſcended to them by inheritance, or is gotten by their iuſt and honeſt labour? No ſuch matter. The fines, the mulcts of the poore, their pawnes, their pledges, their pewter, their garments, their bedding, their goods pay for all.
The words doe ſpecially concerne the Peeres, the Nobles, the Iudges, the Magiſtrates, the Rulers of Iſrael. They may alſo concerne the rich among them: but cannot be vnderſtood of the poore, the baſe, and vulgar ſort. The words are not many; yet many are the ſinnes they ſmite at. The taking of pawnes, the deteyning of them, vnrigheous iudgement, ſuperſtition, idolatry, riot and exceſſe are the ſins, they ſmite at; as may in part appeare in the now-enſuing explication.
They lay themſelues downe] foreign word for word, They bowe downe themſelues, they ſtretch out themſelues. St Hierome renders it by the verbe Accumbere, intimating their ſitting downe, as at a feaſt or banquet.
They lay themſelues downe; they lye downe, or they ſit downe vponupon clothes] This manner of ſitting or lying downe at meate was very ancient. The old Romans vſed it; ſo did the Greekes. Non ſedebant, ſed accubabant. They ſat not as we doe now a-dayes, but they lay downe. In ſome parlor, chamber-garret, or other conuenient roome, a low round table was placed. This table for the common ſort of people was made of ordinarie wood, and ſtood vponupon three feete. For men of better faſhion, it was made of better wood, of the Limon tree, or of the Maple tree, and was ſometimes inlaid with ſiluer, it ſtood vponupon one whole entire foote made of Ivorie, in the forme of a Leopard or a Lyon. aLipſius antiq. lect. l 3. c. 1. Hieronym. Mercurialis artis Gymnaſt: lib. 1. cap. 11. Roſin. antiq. Rō. lib. 5. cap. 28.About this round table were placed three beds, couered with tapeſtrie, with purple, or with ſome other kinde of carpet, according to the wealth and abilitie of the feaſt-maker. Each bed conteined three gueſts, ſometimes foure, ſeldome more. And thus the gueſts were placed. The first & vppermoſt lying at the beds head, reſted the vpper part of his bodie at his left elbow, & diſpoſed his feet behinde the ſeconds backe: the ſecond reſted his head in the others boſome vponupon a cuſhion, and diſpoſed his feete behinde the thirds backe. The reſt did likewiſe. Such was the cuſtome of ſitting or lying downe at meat among the old Greeks and Romans.
This very cuſtome of ſitting or lying at meat was alſo among the Iewes. We gather it from the Scripture phraſe in the New Teſtament. bMark. 2.14. Luk. 9.27, 29.Levi, called alſocMatth. 9.9. Matthew, that bleſſed Euangeliſt, made in his owne houſe a great feaſt for Ieſus, whereat were many publicans, and others. At that feaſt Ieſus lay downe. So ſaith S. Matthew, chap. 9.10. foreign, as hee lay downe. S. Marke ſaith, chap. 2.15. foreign, as he lay downe. Ieſus lay downe at meat. So did his diſciples: ſo did publicans and ſinners too. S. Matthew and S. Marke in the now-alleaged places doe affirme it: foreign, they lay downe with Itſus. Publicans and ſinners lay downe with Ieſus. S. Luk. chap. 5.29. thus expreſſeth it; foreign, a great companie of Publicans, and others, lay downe at meate with Ieſus and his diſciples.
The time was when Ieſus fed withdMatth. 14.17. fiue loaues, and two fiſhes, abouteverſ. 21. fiue thouſand men, beſides women and children; then he commaunded the multitude foreign, to lye downe on the graſſe, Matth. 14.19. Another time he fed withfMath. 15.36. ſeauen loaues, and a few little fiſhes gverſ. 38.foure thouſand men beſide women and children: then he commaunded the multitude, foreign, to fall downe on the ground, Mat. 15.35. At both times, Ieſus his words had reference to that auncient manner of ſitting, or lying downe at meate.
Which manner of ſitting, or lying downe at meate, Ieſus himſelfe ſeemeth to hauehave obſerued at his celebration of his laſt Paſchall ſupper. For we finde, Ioh. 13.23. that at that ſupper one of the Diſciples of Ieſus, the Diſciple whom Ieſus loued, euen Iohn the Euangeliſt, leaned on the boſome of Ieſus. Ieſus lay downe. Iohn did likewiſe; and leaned on Ieſus his boſome. You ſee, that in the time of the new Teſtament, euen among the Iewes, it was a cuſtome to lye downe at meate.
Euen among the Iewes, it was a cuſtome long before. Eight hundred years before the incarnation of the Meſſiah, the poſteritie of Iacob vſed it. My text affirmeth it. The Iſraelites, the of-ſpring of Iacob, layd themſelues downe vponupon clothes.
Did they lay themſelues downe vponupon clothes? And why might they not doe ſo? Was not the common cuſtome of ſo doing, a warrant for them ſo to doe? Out of doubt it was. It was no fault of theirs to lye downe at meate, and vponupon clothes. But herein were they blame worthie; firſt, that the clothes whereon they lay, were not their owne, ſecondly, that they lay vponupon them vnſeaſonably.
Firſt, they were not their owne; they were the pawnes, they were the pledges of the poore: they were clothes laid to pledge.
Secondly, they lay vponupon them vnſeaſonablie; euen before their Altars. The firſt argueth their crueltie towards the poore: The ſecond their Idolatrie in reſpect of God. Firſt of the firſt.
They lay themſelues downe vponupon clothes layd to pledge] Wee ſhall the better vnderſtand what that ſinne is, which our Prophet here reprooueth in the Iſraelites, if we will hauehave recourſe to the Law concerning pledges. That Law is written, Exod. 22.26. If thou at all take thy neighbours raiment to pledge, thou ſhalt deliuer it vntounto him by that the Sunne goeth downe: The Law is repeated, Deut. 24.10, 11, 12, 13. When thou lendeſt any thing to thy neighbour, thou ſhalt not enter into his houſe to take his pledge. But thou ſhalt abide without, and the man to whom thou lendeſt, ſhall bring the pledge out of the dores vntounto thee. And if the man be poore thou ſhalt not ſleepe with his pledge. But ſhalt reſtore him the pledge when the Sunne goeth downe. The ground of this Law is mercy: the Law-giuer, is the God of mercy: its giuen, to ſtirre vsus vp to mercy.
If at all thou take thy neighbours raiment to pledge, thou muſt deliuer it vntounto him by the going downe of the Sunne. That is the Law. Thereof, Exod. 22.27. hauehave you two reaſons: One is taken from common humanitie. The poore mans raiment! It is his onelyonly couering; It is his raiment for his skinne. Take that from him, and wherein ſhall he ſleepe? Reſtore therefore his pledge before the Sunne goeth downe. The other reaſon is taken from the iudgement of God. If the poore man crie, God will heare him, for he is gracious. Reſtore thou therefore his pledge before the Sunne goeth downe.
In the 24. of Deut. ver. 13. three reaſons are brought to the ſame purpoſe. The poore mans pledge; See that in any caſe thou deliuer it, when the Sunne goeth downe.
Firſt, that he may ſleepe in his owne raiment.
Secondly, that he may bleſſe thee, may pray for thee, may teſtifie vntounto God the ſence and feeling he hath of thy humanitie, and kind dealing.
Thirdly, that it may be righteouſneſſe vntounto thee, euen before the Lord thy God.
See therefore, that in any caſe thou reſtore the poore mans pledge, when the Sunne goeth downe. You hauehave the law, and the reaſons of the Law.
This Law theſe Iſraelites violated. They tooke to pledge poore mens clothes, they deteined them, they vſed them, they lay vponupon them, as if they had beene their owne. The ſinne then here laid vntounto their charge, is Detentio pignoris pauperum, the keeping backe of the poore mans pledge. The doctrine which we may take from hence, is this, The pledge of a poore man, ſuch as is neceſſarie for his vſe, is not to be withholden from him.
I ſay, ſuch as is neceſſarie for his vſe. Moſes, in the alledged places of Exodus and Deuteronomie, makes mention of his raiment. The raiment of the poore man! it is operimentum, his couering; it is veſtimentum, his clothing: he hath nothing elſe, wherewith to hide his nakedneſſe: nothing elſe, wherewith to ſaue himſelfe from cold. Such a pledge, as is the poore mans raiment, his coat, his dublet, his bed, his couering, or any other thing, that is neceſſarie for the preſeruing of his life, God will hauehave it reſtored. Yet it will pleaſe him well, if ſuch a pledge be neuer taken.
The Law runnes thus in the 22. of Exodus. If at all thou take thy neighbours raiment to pledge, thou muſt deliuer it vntounto him by the going downe of the Sunne. It is as if the Lord had thus ſaid: I ſhall like it well, if thou lend vntounto thy poore neighbour without taking any pledge of him; but if thou be ſo cruell, and hard hearted, as that thou wilt not be induced to lend without taking of a pawne, yet ſee in any caſe, that thou reſtore vntounto him his pawne before the Sunne goeth downe.
The Lords deſire to hauehave no pawne at all taken of the poore man, is more plainely manifeſted, Deut. 24.6. The Law there is: No man ſhall take the two mil-ſtones, or the vpper mil-ſtone to pledge. Mention is made firſt of two milſtones, and then of the vppermoſt. It is all one as if the Lord had ſayd: You ſhall not take to pledge both milſtones, no nor one of them. As good take both, as one. There is no grinding without both. If thou take one and leaue the other, how ſhall the poore man grind? Milſtones are named: vnderunder them by a Synecdoche you may comprehend all kind of vtenſils, or inſtruments, with which a poore man gets his liuing. In this ranke I place the Husbandmans plow, the Smithes anvill, the Taylors ſheares, and eueryevery other handy-crafts mans toole, which is neceſſarie for the exerciſe of his trade or occupation. None ſuch may you take to pawne. Moſes adde the reaſon: For, he that takes ſuch a pawne of a poore man, takes the poore mans life to pawne.
May not ſuch a pawne be taken by thehDeut. 24.6. Law of the milſtones, and for the reaſon ſpecified? Then out of doubt whoſoeuer is ſo cruell and hard of heart, to take ſuch a pawne, he is bound by theiExod. 22.26. Deut. 24.13. Law of the poore mans raiment, to reſtore it ere the Sunne goe downe. Thus is my doctrine eſtabliſhed.
The pledge of a poore man, ſuch as is neceſſarie for his vſe, is not to be withholden from him.
This doctrine hath its vſe in this wringing world. It may ſerue to reproue the wealthie, the great deuourers, the Sea-gulfs of this age. No money ſhall out of their purſes to the poore without a pawne. Tell them it is crueltie. They will ſay; No. He comes to borrow of me; I may deny him if I will. I lend him my money; I looke for no profit; I take no vſury. Shall I hauehave no aſſurance? Shall I not be ſuffered to take a pawne?
Fooliſh man! Why pleadeſt thou ſo? It is the will of God, that thou lend without a pawne: or if thou lend vponupon a pawne, that thou reſtore it before the Sunne goe downe. This is the will of God: Why wilt thou not obey it?
Say; thou lendeſt a poore man thy money, and he buyeth bread therewith, & eateth; and in the meane time through want of his raiment, which thou haſt to pawne, the poore man be frozen to death: how haſt thou relieued him? What difference is there, whether he die for hunger, or for cold? If thou ſlacke his hunger, and ſtarue him with cold, thou doſt but change his torment; thou doſt not ſuccour him. In like ſort: if thou lendeſt a poore man thy money, and for thy ſecuritie takeſt to pawne the tooles, thoſe neceſſarie tooles, with which he getteth his liuing, thou doeſt not relieue him, but doeſt, as much as in thee lyeth, cut the poore mans throate.
Flatter not thy ſelfe (beloued) whoſoeuer thou art, that haſt accuſtomed thy ſelfe to ſecure the loane of thy money by taking of pawnes. If the courſe be ſimply and abſolutely lawfull, what meaneth the Law, Deut. 24.17. Thou ſhalt not take a widdowes raiment to pledge? And why doth Iob, Chap. 24.3. reproue them, who take the widdowes oxe for a pledge? It is in thy power I grant, to take a pledge of thy debtor, to aſſure thy ſelfe, that thou maieſt receiue thine owne againe: but if in taking thy pledge, thou tranſgreſſe the Law of charitie; if thou take ſuch a pledge, as thy neighbour cannot ſpare without the hazard and perill of his liuelihood, it is thy ſinne; and thou art bound with ſpeed to reſtore it. If thou reſtore it not, what then? Ezechiel chap. 18.13. will tell thee: Moriendo morieris, thou ſhalt ſurely die, thy bloud ſhall be vponupon thee.
But here thou wilt apologize, defend thy ſelfe, & plead that for thy taking of pawnes, thou haſt thy warrant out of Prov. 20.16. I muſt confeſſe, thou art there permitted to take a mans garment as a pledge or pawne, for the aſſurance of thy money. But of whom? of him, to whom thou lendeſt thy money? No. But of him, who raſhly, vnaduiſedly, and lauiſhly becomes ſuertie vntounto thee, for the man he knoweth not. And what is this to the poore man, that borroweth of thee? Of him if thou take any ſuch pledge, thou maieſt bee ſtrained with the abomination of Vſurie.
I put thee a caſe: Thou lendeſt tenne pounds, vponupon a pawne of bedding, or linnen, and thou lendeſt it freely: but as the borrower vſeth thy money, ſo thou vſeſt his pawne. This is Vſury in thee. For the bedding or linnen, which thou haſt in pawne is the worſe for the wearing: ſo is not thy money in the borrowers hand. I know the very name of Vſury is deteſted of thee, and thou hateſt to be called an Ʋſurer. Take heed then, that by thy taking of pawnes, thou become not one of that damned crew.
If therefore you hauehave taken any pawne of a poore man, any ſuch pawne, as by the Law thou oughteſt not to hauehave taken of him, reſtore it vntounto him according to the Law, euen before the Sunne goe downe. So ſhall the poore man, to whom thou haſt ſhewed mercy in lending thy money, bleſſe thee, and it ſhall be righteouſneſſe vntounto thee before the Lord thy God. Hereof art thou aſſured, Deut. 24.13. Yea, Ʋiuendo vives, thou ſhalt ſurely liue. The Lord God hath ſayd it, Ezechiel. 18.9.
Hitherto (Beloued) you hauehave heard of the crueltie of the Iſraelites, towards the poore; their crueltie in deteining the pledges of the poore: they layd themſelues downe vponupon clothes laid to pledge. And this they did vnſeaſonablie, euen before their Altars, which argueth their Idolatrie; the next thing to be conſidered.
By eueryevery Altar] Multa erant altaria Idolorum; altare autem Domini non niſi vnum. It is a Biſhops note; the note of Albertus Magnus vponupon my text. Many were the Altars that were erected for the ſeruice of Idols, but for the worſhip of God, there was but one Altar: but one Altar, whereon to offer ſacrifice.
This one Altar at firſt was to be made of earth, or of ſtone rough and vnhewen, as appeareth, Exod. 20.24.25. Such an Altar was fitteſt for the then-eſtate of the children of Iſrael. They were then in the deſert iourneying toward the holy Land, and were to remoue from place to place. An Altar of earth would ſoone be made: ſo would an Altar of ſtone, rough, and vnhewen. They might make their Altar of earth, that when they ſhould change their ſtation, they might with eaſe deſtroy it, Ne aut abuſui aut ſuperſtitioni eſſet, that it might not be ſuperſtitiouſly abuſed. Or, they might make it of rough and vnhewen ſtone tumultuarily, Ne ſollicitaret quemquam ad conſervationem religionem que conſtantem illius altaris, that it might not allure any one to a conſtant reuerence, and dread of the holineſſe of that Altar.
In the 27. of Exod. ver. 1. there is a preſcription of an Altar of better faſhion. foreign, the Altar of Holocauſtes, of burnt offerings, of ſacrifices, is there deſcribed according to the matter, the meaſure, the forme, the inſtruments and veſſels thereof. Thou ſhalt make an Altar of wood, of the choiſeſt Cedar. An Altar, not Altars, It was but one Altar.
And why would God hauehave but one Altar? He would hauehave but one, quod vnum at que eundem cultum inter omnes eſſe vellet. Becauſe he would hauehave but one & the ſame worſhip among all, therefore would he hauehave but one Altar: ſo ſaythkSee Willet vponupon Exod. 20.24. Galaſius. He would hauehave but one Altar, to note vntounto vsuslBabington vponupon Exod. 20.24. one truth, one religion. But one Altar mMarlorat. in Eſa. 1.29.Vt vinculum eſſet ſacrae vnitatis, that it might be vntounto the rude people, a bond of ſacred vnity. That one and the ſame religion might remaine among them inviolable. God would hauehave but one Altar.
It was therefore ſinne in Ieroboam to ſet vp two other Altars, one in Bethel, the other in Dan, 1. King. 12.29. It was ſinne in Ʋrijah, the high Prieſt, when to pleaſe the idolatrous King Ahaz, he cauſed a new Altar to be ſet vp after the patterne of the Altar of Damaſcus, 2. King. 16.11. It muſt needs be a ſinne in the children of Iſrael, to multiplie their Altars according to the multitude of their fruit, Hoſ. 10.1. And I may not excuſe the Iſraelites, whom my text concerneth, they laid themſelues vponupon clothes, laid to pledge by eueryevery Altar. They had there many Altars too. But, Altare Domini non niſi vnum: For the worſhip of God there was but one Altar.
And that one Altar was a type of our bleſſed Sauiour; a liuely figure, or repreſentation of Chriſt crucified. In regard whereof, Heb. 13.10. Chriſt is called an Altar; yea, our Altar: We hauehave an Altar. We hauehave an Altar, whereof they hauehave no right to eate, that ſerue at the tabernacle. Chriſt is this Altar; he is our Altar; Chriſt with all his benefits. Which his benefits are nothing auaileable, nothing profitable for them which are vnderunder the Law, who yet are in bondage vnderunder the rudiments, vnderunder the ceremonies of Moſes Law. Thoſe benefits of Chriſt are ſpirituall; Regeneration, fayth, remiſſion of ſinnes, iuſtification, the fauour of God, ſecuritie againſt our enemies, (the world, the Deuill, death, and hell) life and eternall glory: theſe are the benefits, which Chriſt through his moſt glorious death and paſſion hath purchaſed for his elect. This purchaſe he wrought not by the bloud of Goats, and Calues, but by his owne bloud, whereby he entred in once into the holy place, and ſo obtained for vsus eternall redemption, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Heb. 9.12.
Thus hath Chriſt, the ſacrificer, the ſacrifice, and the Altar made full ſatisfaction to God for all our ſinnes. Now a…e we not to relie vponupon our owne good workes, vponupon the merits of Saints, or vponupon their mediation. For this were nothing elſe quàm aliud novum Altare praeter Chriſtum inſtituere; It were to appoint another new Altar beſide Chriſt. And that Chriſtians may not doe.
May not Chriſtians doe it? How then is it that in Poperie there are ſo many Altars? It is (Beloued in the Lord) one of the blemiſhes, one of the ſhames of that religion. They hauehave their many Altars, ſome ofnDe conſecrat. Diſt. 1. C. Altaria. ſtone, ſumptuouſly built, and dedicated with the vnction of oyle, and theoAltaria placuit. Prieſts benediction: as appeareth by the decrees of two Councells, the one called Apaunenſe, the other Agathenſe, Stone-Altars they make for ſteddineſſe and continuance; and why ſo? But, Quia Petra erat Chriſtus, becauſe the Rocke was Chriſt? It is the deuiſe of Durandus. A profound reaſon ſure. The witt of fore-ages could not reach vntounto it.
The Primitiue times of the Church knew no ſuch Altars of ſtone, no nor of wood. Then there were no Altars at all. Origen may witneſſe it. He flouriſhed in the yeare of Chriſt 230. Then it was obiected vntounto him bypLib. 6. contra Celſum: & lib. 8. Celſus, that the Chriſtians had neither Altars, nor Images, nor Temples. Arnobius flouriſhed after Origen in the yeare 290. andqArnob. lib. 4. contragentes. Babington in Exod. 27.1. pag. 403. Hoſpintan. Hiſt. Sacram. lib. 2. pag. 54. in his time the Heathen accuſed the Chriſtians, for that they had neither Churches, nor Altars, nor Images. So for two hundred and ninetie yeares, there were no Altars in the primitiue Church.
None for 290. yeares? Yet Martin of Polonia ſometimes an Arch-biſhop, and Penitentiarie to Innocent the fourth, affirmeth in his Chronicle, that Pope Sixtus did inſtitute, Vt miſſa ſuper Altare celebreter: that the Maſſe ſhould be celebrated vponupon an Altar. rHoſpin. ibid. pag. 121.Sixtus of whom he ſpeaketh was Biſhop of Rome Anno Chriſti 125. So by Martins opinion, Altars ſhould hauehave bin in the Church aboue a hundred yeares, before either Arnobius, or Origen were writers.
But what ſmall credit is to be giuen to this Chronicler Martin, let Bellarmine tell you. Fuit Martinus vir ſimplex & fabellas pro hiſtorijs obtrudit. This cenſure he giueth in his Booke of Eccleſiaſticall writers vponupon the yeare 1250. Martin was a ſimple man, and one that obtrudeth fables for hiſtories.
If Martin be falſe in this point of the inſtitution of Altars, how ſhall we find out the truth? Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 3. will ſeeme to deliuer it. There reprouing Kemnitius for making Felix the fourth to hauehave inſtituted the conſecration of Altars, calleth that a lye, and ſayth;ſ§ Octavum eſt. Conſtat, Sylveſtrum autorem huius ritûs fuiſſe. It is manifeſt that Sylveſter was the author of this rite, of the conſecration of Altars. Now Sylveſter aſcended to the Popedome in the yeare 314. So by Bellarmines opinion, (and what writer among the Papiſts is of greater authoritie then Bellarmine?) by Bellarmines opinion there were no Altars of vſe in the Church before the yeare 314. So my propoſition ſtands good: The primitiue times of the Church knew not the vſe of ſtonie, or wooden Altars.
Which truth, as it hath ſerued to condemne the Papiſts of blind ſuperſtition, for creeping vntounto, and worſhipping before, their Altars, whereof they hauehave out of Gods booke no warrant: ſo may it be a motiue to vsus to lift vp our hearts vntounto the Lord, and to giuegive him thankes, for that it hath pleaſed him to deliuer vsus from the more then Egyptian darkneſſe of Poperie, wherein our forefathers liuing, committed abomination before ſtockes and ſtones.
We hauehave not now an Altar properly ſo called, no materiall Altar: our Altar is metaphoricall, it is ſpirituall. As our ſacrifices are, which we are to offer vp vntounto the Lord, ſo is our Altar: our ſacrifices are ſpirituall; our Altar therefore muſt be ſpirituall.
There were vnderunder the Law many kindes of ſacrifices: tExod. 20.24.Burnt offerings,uNum. 6.11. Sinne offerings,xVerſ. 15. Meat offerings, Drinke offerings,yExod. 20.24 Peace offerings. All are reduceable to two heads; they were either foreign, or foreign, either propitiatorie, or Euchariſticall; either expiatorie, or gratulatorie; either ſacrifices of ſatisfaction, or ſacrifices of thankeſgiuing. The firſt ſort of ſacrifices, which I call propitiatorie, expiatorie, or ſatisfactorie, had their end in the death of Chriſt: the other which I call Euchariſticall, gratulatorie, or ſacrifices of thankſgiuing doe remaine for euer; but without legall rites and ceremonies: that which was legall in them is done away; there remaineth onelyonly that which was Euangelicall, that which was Spirituall. Theſe ſacrifices gratulatorie, theſe ſacrifices of praiſe and thankeſgiuing are the ſacrifices, which we can, and muſt, offer vntounto Almightie God.
Of theſe ſacrifices I obſerue three ſorts, according to the three ſorts of goods which man vſually enioyeth. ThezAriſt. Eth. lib. 1. cap. 8. Philoſopher deuides them into goods of the mind, goods of the bodie, and externall goods. By externall goods, you may vnderſtandaAriſt. Magn. Moral. lib. 1. cap. 3. riches, rule, honor: by the goods of the bodie, you may vnderſtand health, beautie, comelineſſe: by the goods of the minde, you may vnderſtand vertues, and vertuous actions, functions, and operations, together with all the powers and faculties of the ſoule.
All theſe goods muſt we offer vp vntounto the Lord in ſacrifice. Firſt, we muſt offer vp foreign, our externall goods, the goods of this world. The author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes wiſheth vsus not to forget it, chap. 13.16. To doe good and to diſtribute forget not. And to make vsus remember it the more willingly, he giues this reaſon: for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed. It is true, God accepteth, and taketh in good part, as beſtowed vponupon himſelfe, whatſoeuer is beſtowed vponupon the poore. GiueGive meate to the hungrie, drinke to the thirſtie, take in the ſtranger, cloth the naked, viſite the ſicke, yeeld comfort to the poore priſoner; thou doeſt all to Chriſt. The day ſhall come wherein Chriſt will tell thee ſo, Mat. 25.40. Verily I ſay vntounto you, in as much as yee hauehave done it vntounto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, yee hauehave done it vntounto me. Doe good to the poore, you doe it vntounto Chriſt. Say not; if I giuegive, I ſhall want my ſelfe. GiueGive, and it ſhall be giuen to thee. The promiſe is, Luk. 6.38. GiueGive, and it ſhall be giuen vntounto you, good meaſure, preſſed downe and ſhaken together, and running ouer. So your giuing will be but a lending, and good paiment will be made vntounto you. Salomon beares record hereunto, Prou. 19.17. He that hath merciemercy vponupon the poore, lendeth vntounto the Lord, and that which hee hath giuen, will he pay him againe. Thus muſt we offer vp vntounto the Lord foreign, our externall goods, the goods of this world.
Secondly, we muſt offer vp vntounto the Lord in ſacrifice foreign, the goods of the bodie. The goods of our body we may offer vp in ſacrifice two manner of wayes, patiendo or faciendo, by ſuffering, or by doing; by dying for the Lord, or by doing that which is acceptable to the Lord.
This ſacrifice of ſuffering or dying for the Lord is a precious ſacrifice; according to that, Pſal. 116.15. Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. It is acceptable with God. St Peter affirmeth it, 1. Epi. chap. 2.20. If when ye doe well, and ſuffer for it, yee take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. In the verſe following he exhorts vsus to this ſuffering: Chriſt hath ſuffered for vsus, leauing vsus an example, that we ſhould follow his ſteps. Chriſt hath ſuffered for vsus: wee muſt if need be, ſuffer for him. Martyrdome! It is ſo pleaſing a ſacrifice, as that it made Ambroſe ſay of his ſiſter: Appellabo Martyrem, & praedicabo ſatis: I will call her Martyre, and ſo ſhall I be ſure to commend her enough. S. Hierome in his Ep. to Heidibia ſayth, Triumphus Dei eſt paſſio Martyrum: The ſuffering of Martyrs is Gods triumph.
What doe I? In time of peace exhort to Martyrdome? Why not? Though through Gods goodneſſe (bleſſed be his name for it) there is not now among vsus any occaſion of perſecution, habet tamen & pax noſtra Martyrium ſuum, as Gregorie the Great ſpake of his time, Homil. 3. in Euangelia, yet hath our peace her Martyrdome. Albeit we doe not yeeld carnis colla ferro, our neckes to the yron, or our bodies to the ſtake, yet doe we gladio ſpirituali, with the ſpirituall ſword ſlay the carnall deſires within vsus. You hauehave ſeene what it is to offer vp vntounto the Lord the goods of our bodie patiendo, by ſuffering, by dying for the Lord.
Now let vsus ſee what it is to offer them vp faciendo, by doing that, which is acceptable to the Lord. It is that, whereto S. Paul exhorteth vsus, Rom. 12.1. euen our reaſonable ſeruice of God. I beſeech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that yee preſent your bodies a liuing ſacrifice, holy, acceptable vntounto God.
Our Bodies a ſacrifice! How may that be? S. Chryſoſtome Hom. 20. in Ep. ad Rom. doth elegantly expreſſe it. Let the eye behold no euill, foreign, and the eye is a ſacrifice: let the tongue ſpeake no euill, foreign, and the tongue is an oblation: let the hand doe no euill, foreign, and the hand is a burnt offering. So that ſweete Father. We may enlarge the meditation; let the eare heare no euil, and the eare is a ſacrifice: let the arme embrace no euill, and the arme is a ſacrifice: let the foote follow no euill, and the foote is a ſacrifice. In a word, let all other parts of the bodie be preſerued from euill, and they are all ſacrifices. The eye that isb2. Pet. 2.14. full of adulterie, is no fit offering; the tongue that iscPſal. 120.3. deceitfull, is no fit offering: the hand that is euer ſhut againſt the poore, is no fit offering: the vncircumciſed eare, the wanton arme, the cruell foote, they are no fit offerings: neither is any part of our bodie, that is vnſanctified, a fit offering for the Lord. Wherefore (dearely beloued in the Lord) let it be the care of eueryevery one of vsus, to preſent our bodies vntounto the Lord a liuing and a holy ſacrifice; for that onelyonly will be acceptable vntounto him.
Now that our ſacrifice may be liuing and holy, and ſo acceptable to the Lord, it is not enough for vsus todPſal. 34.15. And 37.27. abſtaine from doing of euill, but we muſt willingly and chearefully betake our ſelues to the doing of good: and this muſt wee doe betimes.
You deceiue your ſelues if you thinke to offer your youthfull yeares vntounto the Deuill, and to lay your old bones vponupon Gods Altar. Gods ſacrifice muſt be the fatteſt; it muſt bee the faireſt. He muſt hauehave both head and hinder parts; to teach you, that your dutie is to remember your Creator, as well in the dayes of your nonage, as in the dayes of your dotage; as well while you are yong, as when you ſhall be old. For if you deferre your offerings till the laſt houre, till ſickneſſe, deaths-Bailiffe, ſhall areſt you, your offering may proue ſicke, it may proue dead, it may proue an vnholy ſacrifice. Receiue therefore S. Pauls word of exhortation, I beſeech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that yee preſent your bodies, a liuing and an holy ſacrifice vntounto God.
You hauehave heard, that foreign, our externall goods, and foreign, the goods of our bodies, are to be offered vp in ſacrifice vntounto the Lord: the ſame I am now in briefe to ſhew concerning foreign, the goods of our minde.
The goods of our minde I called vertues, and vertuous actions, functions, and operations; together with all the faculties and powers of the ſoule: all theſe we muſt offer vp vntounto the Lord.
But how ſhall we offer them vp? devotione & contritione: by deuotion and contrition. For as it is, Pſal. 51.17. The ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit: a broken and a contrite heart is ſuch a ſacrifice, as God will not deſpiſe. Whoſoeuer by diuine meditation, and deuout prayer, beateth downe the proud conceits of his rebellious heart, he killeth, and offereth vp, as it were, his ſonne Iſaac, that which is moſt nere vntounto him, that which is moſt deare vntounto him: he offereth vp a broken ſpirit: and that is Sacrificia Dei, the ſacrifices of God. The ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit.
Sacrifices in the Plurall number: becauſe this one ſacrifice of a broken ſpirit, is inſtar omnium, in ſteed of all; its worth all other ſacrifices in the world. And well may it be ſo: for it is the ſacrifices of God: of God, that is, accepta Deo, acceptable, and well pleaſing vntounto God.
But what is this broken ſpirit I ſpeake off? It is animus contritus, commut…, & abjectus propriae infirmitatis ac indignitatis conſcientiâ. It is a mind contrite, beaten as it were to duſt, or powder, broken in peeces, and caſt downe with the conſcience of its owne infirmitie and vnworthineſſe. It is a minde, that is voyd of any conceite of its owne worth, that thinketh it ſelfe worthy of any puniſhment; that eſteemeth all its owne goods moſt baſe, that followeth the word of God vponupon any occaſion, that is comforted at the leaſt ſigne of Gods fauour; that is caſt downe at any token of his diſpleaſure; that is eaſily mooued with affections of louelove, feare, ioy, and hope; that is alwayes full of pitty to others; that maketh conſcience of the ſmalleſt tranſgreſſion. The man that is of ſuch a broken ſpirit, and ſo contrite a minde, he may well be ſaid to offer vp in ſacrifice vntounto the Lord, the goods of his mind.
Thus you ſee that we are, and how we are, to offer vp in ſacrifice vntounto the Lord the goods of this world, the goods of the bodie, and the goods of the mind. But whereon ſhall we offer them? where is our Altar? Our Altar is within vsus: euen our heart: that is our Altar.
Durandus in hiseLib. 1. cap. 7. N. 18. Rationall of Diuine offices deduceth it out of the firſt to the Corinthians, Chap. 3.17. The Temple of God is holy, which yee are. Yee are the Temple of GOD. Si Templum Dei ſumus, Altare habemus. Altare noſtrum est cor noſtrum. Hoc enim est cor in homine, quod Altare in Templo. If we are the Temple of God, wee hauehave an Altar. Our Altar is our Heart. For the Heart is that in man, as the Altar is in the Temple. Our Heart then is our Altar: no Legall Altar, but an Evangelicall Altar. Anſwereable to our Altar muſt our ſacrifices be: Evangelicall too.
Now ſayth Lactantius Divin. inſtitut. lib. 6. cap. 24. Now the Lord requireth not of vsus any ſacrifice of a dumbe beaſt, of death and bloudſhed, but Victimam hominis & vitae, the ſacrifice of man and his life. In our now-ſacrifices we need not garlands of Ʋervim, nor the inwards of beaſts, nor turffs of earth, but ſuch things onelyonly, as proceed from the inner man, righteouſneſſe, patience, faith, innocencie, chaſtitie, abſtinence; ſuch are the ſacrifices to be offered vp vponupon Gods holy Altar, placed in our hearts.
In the Chapter following, Chap. 25. his obſeruation is, that there are two things to be offered vp vntounto God; donum & ſacrificium, a gift and a ſacrifice; the one perpetuall, the other temporall. According to ſome, the gift is, whatſoeuer is made of gold, ſiluer, purple, or ſilke; and the ſacrifice is a beaſt ſlaine, or whatſoeuer is burnt vponupon the Altar. But God hath no vſe of theſe. Theſe are ſubiect to corruption, but God is incorrupt. Wee muſt therefore offer both, gift and ſacrifice, in a ſpirituall manner; ſo ſhall God hauehave vſe of both. Our gift muſt be integritas animi, the vprightneſſe of our minde: our ſacrifice, laus & hymnus, prayſe and thankeſgiuing.
That I may conclude (Beloued brethren) let me ſum vp together the Euangelicall ſacrifices, which the giuer of the new law requireth of vsus. A broken ſpirit, obedience to the will of God, louelove towards God and man, iudgement, iuſtice, merciemercy, prayer, thankeſgiuing, almeſ-deedes, our bodies, and our ſoules; theſe are the Euangelicall ſacrifices, the ſacrifices of Chriſtianitie, to be offered vp vntounto the Lord vponupon the Altar of a faithfull heart.
A faithfull heart, I ſay. For if the heart be vnfaithfull, the ſacrifices will not be acceptable; they will not be eſteemed aboue the ſorceries of Simon Magus. Call them not ſacrifices, they are ſacriledges, if the heart be vnfaithfull. But let the heart be faithfull, and the ſacrifices which it offereth vp, will be as the beneficence was,Phil. 4.18. which the Philippians ſent by Epaphroditus vntounto Paul: they will be odours of a ſweete ſmell, acceptable ſacrifices, and well pleaſing vntounto God.
Neither did that precious oyntment, that ranne downe Aarons beard. Pſal. 133.2. nor that, that the woman powred vponupon Chriſts head, Mat. 26.7. nor that ſweete incenſe, Exod. 25.6. nor that wine of Lebanon, Hoſ. 14.7. yeeld ſo pleaſant a ſauour, as doe the ſacrifices of Chriſtianitie, that aſcend from a faithfull heart. O! the ſweete ſauour of a good life, that ſprings and ſprouts from a true beliefe, farre ſurpaſſeth all other ſweets in the world.
O! Let our ſacrifices be ſuch. Let them ſpring from a true beliefe, let them proceede from a faithfull heart, ſo ſhall our minds when we thinke on God; and our wils, when we obey God; and our ſoules, when we louelove God; & our tongues when we prayſe God; and our feete, when wee walke with God; and whatſoeuer elſe we hauehave, when we vſe it for the glory of God, be an odour of a ſweet ſmell, an acceptable ſacrifice, and well pleaſing vntounto God. I end.
Vouchſafe, we beſeech thee, moſt mercifull Father, ſo throughly to ſanctifie vsus with thine holy Spirit, that all our ſacrifices, our preaching, our hearing, our prayers, our prayſes, our thankeſgiuings, our deeds of merciemercy, and pittie, and charitie, may euer be acceptable in thy ſight. Graunt this deare Father, for thy beſt beloued Sonne, Ieſus Chriſt his ſake: to whom with thee, in the vnitie of the holy Spirit, be all prayſe, and power, might, and maieſtie, dignitie, and dominion, for euermore. Amen.