Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 12

Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1 · Sermon 12

p. 180THE XII. LECTVRE.

AMOS 2.8.

And they drinke the wine of the condemned in the houſe of their God.

THis is the laſt branch in the enumeration of the ſinnes of the Iſraelites. It concerneth the Iudges of Iſrael, and the Rulers of that ſtate; them principally. It is appliable to others alſo, to the richer ſort. The words are a reproofe of the groſſe ſuperſtition of that people. They thought their dutie touching the ſeruice of God, well diſcharged, ſo they repaired to their temples. Such holy places they thought were of themſelues ſufficient to clenſe them, albeit they ſhould euen there betake themſelues to inordinate eating, to vnmeaſurable drinking, to infamous luxurie, yea, to eueryevery kinde of villanie.

For my more plaine proceeding in the handling of the words of this text, will you be pleaſed to note in them,

Firſt, the action, for which the Iſraelites are here reproued; it is a drinking of wine. They drinke wine.

Secondly, whoſe wine it is, they drinke. Its not their owne; its vinum damnatorum; it's the wine of the condemned. They drinke the wine of the condemned.

Thirdly, where they drinke it. They drinke it not at home, which were more tolerable; but in domo deorum ſuorum, in the houſe of their Gods. They drinke the wine of the condemned in the houſe of their Gods.

The firſt convinceth them of riot, and exceſſe. They drinke wine immoderately. They are ſo giuen to it, that p. 181they abſteine not euen then, when they are in their temples, and would ſeeme moſt religious. For they drinke it in the houſe of their Gods.

The ſecond convinceth them of oppreſſion. The wine they drinke, is vinum damnatorum; it is the wine of the condemned: it is vinum mulctatorum, the wine of ſuch as they hauehave fined or mulcted: wine, bought with the money of them, whom they hauehave in their vnrighteous iudgments ſpoyled of their goods.

The third conuinceth them of idolatry. They drinke their wine in the houſe of their Gods; not in the Temple at Ieruſalem, that once glorious Temple of the true and liuing God, but in the temple of their gods, in Dan and Bethel, and other places, before their golden calues and other their Idols. They drinke the wine of the condemned in the houſe of their Gods.

Firſt, They drinke wine.

Wine! Why might they not? Is it not one of the good aa1. Tim. 4.4.1 Tim 4:4creatures of God, that may well be vſed with thanksgiuing? God himſelfe giues it to the obedient, to them that louelove and ſerue him, Deut. 11.14. I will giuegive you the raine of your land in due ſeaſon, the first raine and the latter raine, that thou maiſt gather in thy corne, and thy wine, and thine oyle. That thou maiſt gather in thy wine.

Chriſt his miraculous turning of water into wine at the marriage of Cana in Galilee, Ioh. 2.11. is euidence enough that he allowed the drinking of wine. Yea, himſelfe dranke wine. Elſe the people would neuer hauehave called him a wine-bibber, as it appeareth they did, Matth. 11.19. S Paul, 1. Tim. 5.23. wiſheth Timothie no longer to drinke water, but to vſe a little wine for his ſtomackes ſake. Wine hath its praiſes in the Scripture. It makes glad the heart of man, Pſal. 104.15. It cheareth God and man, Iudg. 9.13.

How then is it, that the Iſraelites are here reproued for drinking wine? I anſwer, not for drinking wine, but for the abuſe in drinking are the Iſraelites here reproued. It is with wine, as it is with eueryevery other good creature of God. It may p. 182he abuſed. Wine is abuſed, when men are drunken with it. This abuſe of wine, S. Paul deſirous either to preuent, or to reforme in the Epheſians, thus ſpeaketh to the Epheſians, chap. 5.18. Be yee not drunke with wine, wherein is exceſſe. It is as if he had ſaid: Take heed of wine; be not ouercome of it. In vino luxus. Conſider the man that is giuen ouer to drunkenneſſe. His life its profuſe, its diſſolute, its vncleane, its luxurious, its vnworthy a Chriſtian. Take heed of wine.

Salomon, Prouerb. 20.1. ſaith: Wine is a mocker. It is ſo: wine taken immoderately deceiues him that takes it. He takes it to be ſweet and pleaſant, but will finde it in the effect exceeding bitter. What more bitter then drunkennes? and what cauſeth drunkenneſſe more then wine? Aufert memoriam, diſſipat ſenſum, confundit intellectum, incitat libidinem, omnia membra debilitat, vitam que exterminat. It isbbDruſius Prou. Claſs. 2. li. 1. 257. ſaid to be S. Auſtines. Drunkenneſſe! it takes away the memorie, it conſumes the ſenſes, it confounds the vnderſtanding, it prouoketh luſt, it weakneth the bodie, it driues life away.

The drunkard is notably deciphered by the ſame Father in his booke de poenitentiâ. Quùm abſorbet vinum, abſorbetur à vino; the drunkard while he deuoureth his wine, is deuoured of his wine: abominatur à Deo, deſpicitur ab Angelis, deridetur ab hominibus, deſtituitur virtutibus, confunditur à daemonibus, conculcatur ab omnibus. God deteſteth him, the Angels deſpiſe him, men deride him, virtues forſake him, the Diuels doe confound him, all doe ſpurne him.

The ancient Fathers generally are eloquent in beating downe this ſinne of drunkenneſſe. ccHom. 14. in ebrietatem.Baſil calls it a voluntarie Diuell, the mother of naughtineſſe, the enemie of vertue. Chryſoſtome, Homil. 57. ad populum Antiochenum ſaith: where drunkenneſſe is, there is the Deuill. Drunkenneſſe, its a diſeaſe remedileſſe, a ruine without excuſe, the common reproch of mankinde. The drunken man, he is a voluntarie Diuell, a dead-liuing man:ddChryſ ſt. Hom. 58. in Math. worſe then an Aſſe, worſe then a p. 183dogge, worſe then any brute beaſt. The brute beaſt cannot be compelled to drinke, when he hath no thirst: but this drunkard is ſo intemperate, that when he is replete, euen to the mouth, yet will he powre in more. He will verifie the ſaying of the Prophet, Eſay 28.8. Your tables are full of filthy vomitings, no place is cleane. S. Ambroſe in his booke de Elia & Ieiunio, cap. 17. to worke in vsus a deteſtation of this ſinne, ſaith: Ebrietas fomentum libidinis, ebrietas incentivum inſaniae, ebrietas venenum inſipientiae. Drunkenneſſe, its a cheriſher of luſt, a prouoker of madneſſe, the poyſon of folly. Hereby are men ſtrangely affected. Vocem amittunt, colore variantur, oculis igneſcunt, ore anhelant, fremunt naribus, in furore ardeſcunt, ſenſu excidunt. They looſe their voyce, their colour is changed, their eyes are fiery, at the mouth they fetch breath a pace, in the noſthrils they ſnore aloud, they are fierce in their furie, they are depriued of their ſenſe. They hauehave for their attendants, dangerous frenſies, grieuous paines of the ſtone, deadly crudities, frequent caſtings. Mentior, ſaith Ambroſe; I lye, if the Lord hath not ſaid as much by his Prophet Ieremie, chap. 25.27. Drinke yee, and be drunken, and ſpew, and fall, and riſe no more.

I may not paſſe by S. Hierome. He in an Epiſtle of his, which he wrote to that noble virgin Euſtochium, to perſwade her ſtill to continue a Virgin, warneth and exhorteth her, to flie from wine, as from poyſon. He tels her, the Diuels hauehave not a better weapon wherewith to conquer or corrupt youth. Youth! Couetouſneſſe may ſhake it, pride may puffe it vp, ambition may delight it; but drunkenneſſe will ouerthrow it. Other vices we may in time forſake: hic hoſtis nobis incluſus eſt. If this enemie once get poſſeſſion of vsus, it will along with vsus, whither ſoeuer we goe. Wine and youth! ech of them is incendium voluptatis, fit to ſet luſt on fire: yong men and yong women, flie from wine. Quid oleum flammae? why caſt we oyle vponupon the flame? Quid ardenti corpuſculo fomenta ignium? why bring we tinder, why touchwood, to a fire already kindled? So diſcourſeth p. 184that good Father to perſwade the Virgin Euſtachium to hate wine as poyſon. The diſcommodities of wine he briefly toucheth in his Comment vponupon Galat. 5. Vino, hominis ſenſus evertitur, pedes corruunt, mens vacillat, libido ſuccenditur: by wine, a mans ſenſe and feeling is impaired, his feete doe faile him, his vnderſtanding is aboliſhed, his luſt is inflamed.

It were infinite to relate, howeeSuper Geneſin Homil. 6. cap. 19. ſuper Levit. hom. 7. cap. 0. Origen, howffPet. Rauennus in Serm. quodam. Chryſologus, howggDe modo bene viuendi Ser 25. Bernard, howhhHilarius in Pſal. 125. Hugo de S. Victore. Clemens Alex. Paedag. l. 2. c. 2.Ps 125 others hauehave painted out this vice, with the miſchiefes which it bringeth.

But what neede any ſuch relation? Why heare we the Fathers ſpeake, when the Scripture is plaine? Salomon, Prou. 23. propoundeth a queſtion. It is verſe 29. Who hath wee? who hath ſorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babling? who hath wounds without a cauſe, who hath redneſſe of eyes? His anſwer is, verſ. 30. They that tarry long at the wine. You ſee a troupe of miſchiefes at the heeles of a drunkard. Salomon well weighing this, in the next verſe, in the 31. he preſcribeth a remedie againſt drunkenneſſe. Looke not thou vponupon the wine, when it is red, when it giueth his colour in the cup, when it moueth it ſelfe aright. Let not the pleaſant colour of the wine, glorious and faire to thine eye, let it not deceiue thee. If it do, what then? Then, as it is, verſ. 32. it will bite thee like a ſerpent, it will ſting thee like an adder, like a cockatrice, like a viper. And as it is, verſ. 33. Thine eyes ſhall behold ſtrange women] thou wilt become ſhameleſſe and vnchaſt: or, Thine eyes ſhall behold ſtrange viſions] Bina, pro ſingulis putabis te videre: EueryEvery thing will ſeeme double to thee. Thou wilt thinke thou ſeeſt two candles, when there is but one in the roome. And thine heart ſhall vtter peruerſe things] Out of the abundance of thine heart, openly, in the preſence of others, thou ſhalt ſpeake things filthy and vnſeemly: out will thy greateſt ſecrets. Yea, ſaith he, verſ. 34. Thou ſhalt be as he that lyeth downe in the middeſt of the Sea, or as he that lyeth vponupon the top of a maſt] careleſſe and ſecure in greateſt danger. It followeth, verſ. 35. Though thou be ſtriken, though beaten grieuouſly, yet wilt thou not p. 185feele it; ſo dead thou art in the ſleepe of thy drunkenneſſe: and which is to be admired, when thou awakeſt thou wilt to thy wine againe. So excellently doth Salomon giuegive the picture of a Drunkard.

Beloued in the Lord, I hope there is none of you that heareth me this day, giuen ouer to this vile ſinne. If any one hath at any time through infirmitie bin ouertaken with it, let him be warie for the time to come, that he fall ſo no more. This ſinne, it is morbus regius, asiiDist. ſalutis … Bonaventure calls it. Its a coſtly ſinne. Coſtly indeed. For he that draweth his patrimonie through his throat, eating and drinking more in a day, then he is able to earne in a whole weeke, his end muſt needs be beggery; according to that of the wiſe man, Prov. 23.21. The duunkard and the glutton ſhall come to pouertie. You hauehave heard of many other inconveniences that doe accompanie this ſinne. They may moue the meere naturall man, the man whoſe Heauen is here on earth, to take good heed, that this ſinne hauehave no dominion ouer him. Much more ſhould the true Chriſtian, he, who hath his Heauen aboue, withſtand the rage and furie of this ſinne. It is a worke of the fleſh. So its called, Galat. 5.21. and there the Apoſtle hath paſt his doome vponupon it: They which doe ſuch things ſhall not inherit the kingdome of God. Parallel to which is that of the ſame Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 6.9. Know yee not that the vnrighteous ſhall not inherit the kingdome of God? Be not deceiued; no drunkard ſhall inherit the kingdome of God.

I ſhut vp this point with a word of exhortation. I borrow it from Luk. 21.34. The words are the words of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, to his Diſciples: Take heed to your ſelues, leſt at any time your hearts be ouer-charged with ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe, and ſo the laſt day come vponupon you vnawares. For as a ſnare ſhall it come on all them, that dwell vponupon the face of the whole earth. Watch yee therefore, and pray alwayes that yee may be accounted worthy, to eſcape all theſe things that ſhall come to paſſe, and to ſtand before the ſonne of man.

p. 186Thus farre of the firſt generall part, the action of theſe Iſraelites, their drinking of wine. Now in the ſecond place we are to conſider, whoſe wine it was. It was not their owne; it was vinum damnatorum, the wine of the condemned.

They drinke the wine of the condemned.

By this wine of the condemned, ſome vnderſtand the wine, that was of cuſtome giuen to condemned perſons, to refreſh and comfort them, when they were to ſuffer execution, for their offences. Of this cuſtome a certaine Hebrew in a booke of his entituled,kkSee Nichol. de Lyra in Math. 27.34.Matt 27:34 Liber iudicum ordinariorum, maketh mention, after this manner: It is the aduiſe of Lemuel the King, Prov. 31.6. GiueGive ſtrong drinke vntounto him that is ready to periſh, and wine vntounto thoſe that be of heauy heart. Let him drinke and forget his pouertie, and remember his miſerie no more. VponUpon occaſion of theſe words the Seniours of the Iewes made this conſtitution, vt condemnatis ad mortem daretur vinum aromaticum ad bibendū, vt faciliùs tolerarent paſſionem: that ſweet and odoriferous wine ſhould be prouided for ſuch as were condemned to death, which they might drinke, and ſo the more eaſily endure their ſuffering. This conſtitution was put in practiſe by the Iewes.

At the time of Chriſts ſuffering, there were in Ieruſalem certaine devout Matrons, full of compaſſion, who did out of their devotion beſtow this wine. This wine ſo prouided, for Chriſt, and thoſe that ſuffered with him, ſome cruell Iewes tooke vntounto themſelues, according to theſe words of Amos, They drinke the wine of the condemned. This wine they tooke vntounto themſelues, and in the place thereof they did put vinegar mixt with gall, as S. Matthew ſaith, chap. 27.34. If vinegar mixt with gall might ſerue Chriſts turne, ſo it was: the Iewes would hauehave the wine: They would drinke the wine of the condemned.

This cuſtome of giuing wine to ſuch as were condemned to dye, you ſee was very ancient. The learnedllMuſ…ulus, Aretius, Hunnius, Mutheſius. expoſitors of the Goſpell in their Commentaries vponupon the 27. of S. Matthew doe generally remember it. Lucas Brugenſis p. 187very preciſely: Moris erat, qui & hodie apud nos in vſu est; It was a cuſtome, and is this day in vſe with vsus, that to malefactors, brought to the place of execution, wine ſhould be giuen them, and that of the beſt, partly to refreſh their thirſtie, and wearied bodies; and partly to exhilarate and cheare vp their hearts, that they might the leſſe thinke of death, and with more eaſe endure it. If to this cuſtome our Prophet here alludeth, then are the Iſraelites here reproued for their cruelty, for taking to themſelues; to their owne priuate vſe, what was of cuſtome belonging to poore condemned priſoners.

But I take it more agreable to the meaning of the Holy Ghoſt in this place, if we vnderſtand by the wine of the condemned, wine bought with the money of ſuch as the Iudges of Iſrael had in their vnrighteous iudgements put to the worſe.

This wine the Septuagint doe call foreign, vinum de calumnijs, wine gotten by deceitfull dealing, by malitious ſurmiſes, by falſe accuſations. The Chaldee Paraphrast tearmes it vinum rapinae, the wine of oppreſſion, of pillage, of robberie. Luther ſtiles it vinum mulctatorum; and Caſtalio, vinum mulctatitiū, wine iſſuing from mulctes, from fines. In our now Engliſh tranſlation, it is the wine of the condemned: caſt your eye but to the margent, and you will finde it to bee the wine of ſuch as were fined or mulcted. Here then by the wine of the condemned, we are to vnderſtand, that the Iudges of Iſrael laid vponupon the poore men vniuſt penalties, by which they might be prouided of wine and other delicates, and ſo ſpend their dayes in iollity.

You ſee now, what ſinne it is, whereat this ſecond generall part doth aime. It is an oppreſſing ſinne; the ſinne of oppreſſion: when Iudges, rulers of ſtates, and men in autoritie make hauocke of the poore. Of this ſinne I ſpake at large in my Ninth Lecture vponupon this ſecond chapter of Amos; at what time I deliuered this doctrine.

God pleadeth the cauſe of the poore, againſt their oppreſſors.

p. 188The leſſe neede hauehave I now to ſpend my time vponupon it. Yet a word of it. My now-doctrine I deliuer in this poſitiō: It is not lawfull for any man to oppreſſe another.

Oppreſſion I call eueryevery iniuſtice, vſed of the mightier, either by violence, or by colour of law, or by any other cunning dealing, againſt ſuch as are not able to withſtand them.

This deſcription of oppreſſion, I gather from Levit. 25.14. from Micah 2.1, 2. and from 1. Theſſ. 4.6. In ech place the vnlawfulneſſe of oppreſſion is manifeſted.

The firſt place is, Levit. 25.14. The commandement there is: If thou ſell ought vntounto thy neighbour, or buyeſt ought of thy neighbors hand, yee ſhall not oppreſſe one another. Whether you ſell or buy, you may not oppreſſe: the very forbidding of oppreſſion, is a ſufficient argument, that oppreſſion is vnlawfull.

The ſecond place is, Micah 2.1, 2. Woe to them that deuiſe iniquitie, and worke euill vponupon their beds: when the morning is light, they practiſe it, becauſe it is in the power of their hands. And they couet fields, and take them by violence; and houſes, and take them away. So they oppreſſe a man and his houſe, euen a man and his heritage. where you hauehave an imprecation againſt oppreſſors, a woe thundred out againſt them. It is enough to proue oppreſſion to be vnlawfull.

The third place is, 1. Theſſ. 4.6. This is the will of God, that no man oppreſſe, or ouer-reach his brother in any matter. Is it Gods will? Then ſurely it is not lawfull for you to oppreſſe or ouer-reach one another in any buſineſſe. Men of trade may not gaine by their falſe weights, falſe meaſures, falſe ſpeeches, or falſe oathes; neither may men in any other courſe of life gaine by violence, or by colour of Law, or by any other cunning dealing. Thus is my doctrine confirmed, It is not lawfull for any man to oppreſſe another.

Firſt, it may ſerue for a reproofe of the Oppreſſors of this age, who make gold their hope, and the wedge of gold their confidence, as Iob ſpeaketh, chap. 31.24. S. Paul, he taught, 1. Tim. 6.6. that Godlineſſe is great gaine: but theſe men ſuppoſe p. 193the contrary, that gaine is great godlineſſe: and therefore they feare not to gaine with the hurt of others.

They build their houſes, as the moth. So ſaith Iob, chap. 27.18. As the moth! How is that? The moth is made full by ſpoyling the barkes, and bookes wherein it liueth. So is it with theſe men; they make themſelues full, by ſpoyling others, with whom they liue, and hauehave to deale. I expreſſe it in Ieremies phraſe, chap. 22.13. They build their houſes by vnrighteouſnes, and their chambers by wrong: and in Habakkuks phraſe, chap. 2.12. They build them townes with blood, and ſtabliſh their Cities by iniquitie. Againſt theſe is that complaint of the Lord, Eſai. 3.14, 15. Ye hauehave eaten vp the vineyard; the ſpoyle of the poore is in your houſes. What meane yee, that yee beat my people to peeces, and grinde the faces of the poore? Woe to theſe men; a woe from Micah, a woe from Ieremie, a woe from Habakkuk in the now-alleaged places; a woe from Eſay too, Chap. 5.8. Woe vponupon woe and yet will they not ceaſe from ioyning houſe to houſe, and laying land to land, as if the way to the ſpirituall Canaan were all by Land, and not through a red Sea of death, as one wittily ſpeaketh.

From this contempt of the Prophets of the Lord, or rather, of the Lord himſelfe ſpeaking by his Prophets, it is now come to paſſe, that many a poore tenant is thruſt out of his houſe; that Villages are depopulated, that thoſe ſtreets which were wont to be ſowen with the ſeeds of men, are now become paſtures for the ſending forth of oxen, and for the treading of ſheepe, as Eſay ſpeaketh, chap. 7.25.

Now may Hythlodaeus his complaint hauehave place:mmMori Vtopia lib. 1. Our ſheepe in England were ſometimes the meekeſt beaſts of the field, and contented themſelues with a litle: but now are they become ſo fierce and greedy, that they devoure men, and Towne-fields, and houſes, and villages, and lay all waſte. Alas, ſilly ſheepe, it is no fault of yours; you are as meeke as euer you were. Whoſe then is the fault? It is yours, yee grinding oppreſſors: yours, whoſe hearts are like the vaſt Ocean, p. 194fit to ſwallow vp eueryevery baſe commoditie, that the earth is able to afford you.

O that theſe men would at length call themſelues to a ſtrict account of the oppreſſions, wherewith they hauehave oppreſſed the poore, either by depopulating, or by raiſing rents, or by hoyſing fines, or by intereſt, or otherwiſe: and would once begin to make ſome reſtitution. Did they but know in what eſtimation they ſtand in Church and Common-wealth, they would remit ſomewhat of their Cruelty.

The Church heretofore denied them Chriſtian buriall. Its apparant in the Canon Law: Extra de Ʋſuris, Cap. Quia in omnibus.

How the Common-wealth brooketh them, they may perceiue by two inſtances. Catillus a Britiſh King 170. yeares before Chriſt, did hang them vp: He hung vp all oppreſſors of the poore. MynnStow in his Summarie. Chronicler writes in the margent; A good example. Long after him, King Edward, commonly called good King Edward, baniſhed them his Land. So writeth Glanvil lib. 7. de Leg. & conſuet. Angliae c. 37. The ſame author in the ſame booke cap. 16. affirmeth; that by the moſt ancient lawes of England, the goods of a defamed o…preſſor, dying without reſtitution, were eſcheated vntounto the King; and all his lands vntounto the Lord of the towne.

Wherefore let the oppreſſor now at laſt forſake his oppreſſions. What can all the wealth, all the mucke of the earth auaile him, if for it he looſe the kingdome of Heauen? Momentaneum eſt, quod delectat; aeternum, quod cruciat. The wealth he here heapeth vp may for a time yeeld him ſome delight: but what is a moment of delight to the eternitie of ſorrow that muſt follow? Muſt follow! Yea it muſt follow, if amendment hinder it not. If he amend not, I ſay, as God is God, ſo certainely ſhall the oppreſſor be deſtroyed, though not in the red Sea, as the oppreſſing Aegyptians once were, yet in a Sea, a blacke Sea of Helliſh deeps, where he ſhall be pained vnſpeakably, tormented intolerably, both euerlaſtingly.

Thus hauehave you the firſt vſe of my doctrine. My p. 195doctrine was, It is not lawfull for any man to oppreſſe another.

The vſe was a generall reproofe of our now-oppreſſors.

A ſecond vſe may be to admoniſh Iudges, Iuſtices, and other Magiſtrates and Rulers, that they ſuffer not themſelues to be ſtained with this ſin of oppreſſion. It is theooPilkinton expoſit. in Nehem. cap. 5. fol. 80. A.Neh 5 dutie of the Magiſtrate to deliuer the oppreſſed out of the hand of the oppreſſor.

This dutie is laid vponupon him, Ierem. 21.12. There thus ſaith the Lord to the houſe of Dauid: Execute iudgem…nt in the morning, and deliuer him that is oppreſſed out of the hand of the oppreſſor. It is likewiſe laid vponupon him, Eſai. 1.17. Seeke iudgement, releeue the oppreſſed, iudge the fatherleſſe, and defend the widow. Where firſt Gods commandement is, that Magiſtrates ſhould execute iudgement in the morning. In the morning: Therefore they are not to vſe delayes in doing iuſtice. Secondly, Gods commandement is, that Magiſtrates ſhould ſeeke iudgement. Muſt they ſeeke iudgement? Therefore in caſes of oppreſſion they are not to ſtay till they be called for. Thirdly, God commendeth vntounto Magiſtrates, all that are oppreſſed, but ſpecially the fatherleſſe and widow: the fatherleſſe, becauſe they want the defence of their parents; and the widow, becauſe ſhe is deſtitute of the helpe of her husband; and we know, eueryevery man goeth ouer, where the hedge is loweſt. Therefore are Magiſtrates to take vponupon them the defence of the fatherleſſe, the defence of the widow, the defence of eueryevery one, that is oppreſſed.

Is it ſo? Then are Magiſtrates to take ſpeciall heed, that themſelues be neither principalls, nor acceſſaries, in the ſin of Oppreſſion. They muſt abhor the practiſe of the Princes of Ieruſalem, who Eſay 1.23. are ſtiled companions of theeues, becauſe they loued gifts, and followed after rewards. They are to deteſt the corruption of the rulers of Iſrael, who Hoſ. 4.18. louelove with ſhame to cry, Bring yee, Bring yee. They muſt hate the wayes of Samuels ſonnes, who 1. Sam. 8.3. turned aſide after lucre, tooke bribes, and peruerted iudgement. p. 196They muſt loath the courſes of curſed Balaam, who 2. Pet. 2.15. Loued the wages of vnrighteouſneſſe.

Happy is the land that is ruled by ſuch Magiſtrates. Such may with boldnes ſtand vp, and make proteſtation with iuſt and vncorrupt Samuel, 1. Sam. 12.3. Behold, here we are; witneſſe againſt vsus: whoſe oxe hauehave we taken? whom hauehave we defrauded? whom hauehave we oppreſſed? of whoſe hand hauehave we receiued any bribes to blinde our eyes therewith? and no man ſhall be able to accuſe them.

Are ours ſuch? I ſtand not here to plead againſt them. OnelyOnly this I ſay: If ours be not ſuch, but are of another ſtampe: if they louelove the wages of vnrighteouſneſſe, if they louelove gifts, if they follow after rewards, if they turne aſide after lucre, if they take bribes, if they ſhame not to cry, Bring ye, bring yee; I may ranke them with theſe Iſraelites in my text: They will ſell the righteous for ſiluer; they will ſell the poore for a paire of ſhoes; they will pant after the duſt of the earth on the head of the poore; they will turne aſide the way of the meeke, and they will drinke the wine of the condemned.

Thus hauehave you the ſecond vſe of my doctrine. My doctrine was, It is not lawfull for any man to oppreſſe another. The vſe was an admonition to Magiſtrates, rulers, and other officers, that they ſuffer not themſelues to be ſtained with the ſinne of oppreſſion.

A third vſe followeth. It reacheth to the poore oppreſſed. They may from hence receiue conſolation; from hence they may be comforted. Is it not an exceeding great comfort to a poore oppreſſed wretch, to know, that God taketh notice of the oppreſſions, vnderunder which he groaneth? That God doth ſo, I hauehave already made it manifeſt in the proofe of my doctrine, in the reproofe of oppreſſors, and in the Magiſtrates admonition. It is cleare alſo in the letter of my text. Here God taketh notice of the oppreſſions of the poore in Iſrael, in as much as the Iudges, the Rulers, and great men there did drinke the wine of the condemned.

Hereto I adde that Pſal. 12.5. For the oppreſſion of the p. 197poore, for the ſighing of the needie, now will I ariſe (ſaith the Lord) I will ſet him in ſafetie from him that puffeth at him, from him that would enſnare him. Behold here, firſt Gods readineſſe to helpe the poore, and ſecondly, how forcible with God the poore mans prayers are. Are not both theſe to a poore oppreſſed man points of ſingular comfort? Out of doubt they are.

But ſome poore man preſſed downe with the burden of oppreſſion, may here ſay vntounto me. Hath God promiſed to deliuer me from mine oppreſſors? Why then am I ſtill oppreſſed?

Stay a while, and thou ſhalt behold the goodnes of the Lord. Its not for thee to make haſte, or to ſeeke by vile, and vnwarrantable courſes to winde thy ſelfe out of thine oppreſſors hands. Vntill it ſhall pleaſe the Lord to put an end to thy preſent grieuances, its thy dutie to poſſeſſe thy ſoule in patience. Preſcribe not thou vntounto the Lord, what he ſhall doe. Let his grace, let his fauour be ſufficient for thee, whatſoeuer it bring with it; be it want, or pouertie, or aduerſitie. One drop of his fauour is better worth vntounto thee, and more of valew, then this whole world. If thou hauehave but a taſt, but a touch of it, it will make thee ſing with Dauid, Pſal. 119.71. Its good for me that I hauehave bin afflicted: good, that I hauehave bin in want, in pouertie, in aduerſitie, vnderunder the griping hand of the oppreſſor. O! how ſweet is the quiet fruit of righteouſnes, that ſpringeth forth from the bitter roote of tribulation!

I hauehave done with the poore oppreſſed, when I ſhall hauehave giuen them a Caveat. The Caveat is, that they themſelues oppreſſe not themſelues. There is no oppreſſion to the oppreſſion, that one poore man exerciſeth towards another. For a poore man that oppreſſeth the poore, is like a ſweeping raine, that leaues no foode. Salomon avoweth it, Prov. 28.3. A poore man] a man of meane eſtate, if he oppreſſe] by force, by fraud, by bargaining, or otherwiſe, a poore man] ſuch as he himſelfe is, whom he ſhould tender and pitie, becauſe p. 198by him he may be put in minde of his owne eſtate, he is like a ſweeping raine] like a floud that riſeth through abundance of raine, or he is like a great ſtorme and tempeſt of raine, that ſuddenly carieth away corne, hay, and whatſoeuer it meeteth with, and leaues behinde it no foode for men or cattle to liue on. A poore man if he oppreſſe the poore, is like a ſweeping raine, that leaues no foode.

A poore man, and yet an oppreſſor! Such a one is much more intolerable then a rich man, that oppreſſeth. For, whereas by the law of God, eueryevery oppreſſor is bound to make actuall reſtitution for the wrongs he hath done, the rich man may bee in caſe to doe it, the poore man neuer.

My exhortation is, to rich, to poore, to all; that all would be of the ſame minde one towards another. So S. Paul exhorted the Romans, chap. 12.16. Be of the ſame minde one towards another. Minde not high things, but condiſcend to men of low eſtate. Recompence to no man euill for euill. If it be poſſible, as much as lyeth in you, liue peaceably with all men. Sith here we hauehave no continuing citie, Heb. 13.14. ſith here we are but pilgrims and ſtrangers, 1. Pet. 2.11. ſith here is not our reſt, Micah 2.10. why vſe we fraudulencie and forgerie in our contracts? why bribery in iuſtice? why crueltie in our dealings? why ouer-beare we right by might? why grinde we the poore like corne with the milſtones of oppreſſion? why eat we them vp like bread? yea, why doe the poore grinde themſelues? why oppreſſe they one another? Will we neuer leaue cruſhing one another? Dearely beloued, we forget our ſelues: we thinke we are at home, but are not. Our home is aboue; it is Heaven. Here we are but ſtrangers: and ſay; Is it fit that ſtrangers, when they are but paſſing through a ſtrange country, ſhould devoure and conſume one another?

Beloued in the bowels of Ieſus Chriſt, let vsus for the time to come ſo liue and louelove togither, whileſt we ſhall be here iornying towards our wiſhed-for-home, that Celeſtiall Canaan, p. 199that when it ſhall pleaſe God to call vsus to our accounts, how we hauehave here caried our ſelues, we may with bleſſed Paul, 2. Cor. 7.2. boldly make our profeſſion: We hauehave wronged no man, we hauehave conſumed no man, we hauehave defrauded no man.

Thus far of the ſecond generall part, whoſe wine it was that theſe Iſraelites did drinke. It was the wine of the condemned. I can but ſalute the third; it noteth the place where the Iſraelites dranke their wine: it was in domo deorum ſuorum, in the houſe of their Gods. They drinke the wine of the condemned in the houſe of their Gods.

In the houſe of their Gods.

The Septuagint hauehave foreign. In the houſe of their God. So readeth the author of the Vulgar Latine: So Luther, and Calvin, and Munſter, and Caſtalio, and Gualter, and ſo our new Engliſh. The reading I diſallow not. Yet becauſe the Iſraelites, the ten tribes of Iſrael, they to whom this propheſie of Amos was directed, went not now vp to Ieruſalem, to the Temple there, there to worſhip the true and liuing God; but had Temples of their owne, Temples in Dan, in Bethel, in other places, to which they repaired for the worſhip of their golden calues, and Baal, and other their Idols; I rather read (and the Hebrew text will well beare it) in the houſe of their Gods. Mercer ſo readeth it; ſo doth Vatablus, ſo Druſius, ſo Tremellius and Iunius. Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphraſt he reads; In the houſe of their Idols. He hath reſpect to the purpoſe of the Holy Ghoſt. His purpoſe in this place is to taxe the Iſraelites for their ſuperſtition, for their idolatrie, for their riot and exceſſe in ſpending their goods, gotten by the oppreſſion of the poore in the houſes, Temples, or Churches of their Idol Gods. The doctrine, we may take from hence is this, p. 200Goods gotten vnlawfully are not fit to be employed in the ſeruice of God. No, nor in the ſeruice of Idols.

Not in the ſeruice of God. They are reiected by Eccleſiaſticus, chap. 34.18. He that ſacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is ridiculous. Ridiculous! And will you thinke a ridiculous offering fit for Gods ſeruice? In the 20. verſ. of the ſame Chapter Eccleſiaſticus ſaith further: Who ſo bringeth an offering of the goods of the poore, doth as one that killeth the ſonne before the fathers eyes. Can a father be pleaſed to hauehave his ſonne ſlaine before his eyes? You will ſay, no. No more will it be pleaſing to God to hauehave an offering of ill gotten goods preſented to him.

Salomon Prov. 15.8. ſaith, The ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. He ſaith it againe, chap. 21.27. The ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination. Its true. Whatſoeuer Sacrifice the wicked man offereth to the Lord, be it offered neuer ſo ſolemnly, neuer ſo ſumptuouſly, it will be an abomination to the Lord, the Lord will abhor it, he will deteſt it. Much more will he abhor and deteſt any offering that ſhall be made of goods ill gotten, of the goods of the poore. Of ſuch ſacrificers he ſaith in Eſay, chap. 66.3. He that killeth an oxe, is as if he ſlue a man: he that ſacrificeth a lambe, as he that cut off a dogs neck, he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered ſwines fleſh, he that burneth incenſe, as if he bleſſed an Idol.

You acknowledge the truth of the firſt part of my doctrine.

Goods gotten vnlawfully are not fit to be employed in the ſeruice of God.

But may they be employed in the ſeruice of Idols? No, they may not. My reaſon is: The Idolater hauing no perfect knowledge of the true and liuing God, takes his Idol to be his God, and worſhippeth him as God. Now …en worſhip him amiſſe, if careleſly, if with goods of oppr… p. 201with ill-gotten goods, he diſhonoureth the true and liuing God: and the true and liuing God will be the auenger of ſuch diſhonour done vntounto him. This is the very reaſon why our Prophet here reproueth the Iſraelites for bringing into the Temples of their Idols, their ill-gotten goods, the wine of the condemned. They thought thereby to do ſeruice, not ſo much to their Idols, as to the great God of Heauen, whom by their Idols they repreſented. Thus hauehave you my whole doctrine eſtabliſhed, Goods gotten vnlawfully are not fit to be employed in the ſeruice of God: No, nor in the ſeruice of Idols.

1. This may ſerue to admoniſh ſuch, as ſhall hereafter found Colleges, build Hoſpitals, erect Scholes, ordaine Aniuerſaries, that they endow them not, that they enrich them not with lands and poſſeſſions, purchaſed with ill-gotten treaſure.

2. Here is a leſſon for all ſuch as hauehave heaped vp vntounto themſelues abundance of wealth by oppreſſion, by extortion, by vſury, by deceit, or otherwiſe vnlawfully. Such may here be put in minde to make actuall reſtitution in their life time. Happily they will by their laſt Will and Teſtament bequeath part of their ill-gotten wealth to the Church, and part to the poore, and will leaue but a portion to their heires. A poore ſhift. Can they thinke that God will be ſo mocked? He will not.

What remaineth then, but that eueryevery one, who hath increaſed his ſubſtance by wrong, doe while he is liuing, make actuall reſtitution. Zacheus the Publican profeſſeth vntounto Chriſt, Luk. 19.8. Behold Lord, the halfe of my goods I giuegive to the poore, and if I hauehave taken any thing from any man, by forged cavillation, I reſtore him foure-fold. Zacheus of Iericho, he being converted to Chriſtianitie was content to reſtore foure-fold. It is a good conſequent, they are ſcarſe halfe Chriſtians, that will not reſtore the principall. Thou wilt ſay, what neede reſtitution? I will repent for my oppreſſing p. 202ſinnes, and God is gracious; he neuer turnes away the ſinner that repenteth. Take heede, deceiue not thy ſelfe: if thou be able to make actuall reſtitution, and doeſt it not, poenitentia non agitur, ſed fingitur. S. Auſtine tells thee ſo, Ep. 54. which is to Macedonius. Thy repentance is no repentance; thou doeſt but feigne repentance. It will neuer procure thee pardon for thy ſinne. Make thou therefore actuall reſtitution.

Thus far of the 8. verſe.