Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 16

Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1 · Sermon 16

p. 263THE XVI. LECTVRE.

AMOS 2.11.

And I raiſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets, and of your yong men for Nazarites. Is it not euen thus, O yee children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord?

THe bleſſings and benefits which Amos in this Chapter remembreth to hauehave beene beſtowed by Almightie God vponupon his people, the ten tribes of Iſrael, are partly Corporall, and partly Spirituall. Of their Corporall benefits I hauehave heretofore in your hearing diſcourſed in my two former Sermons. They were the deſtruction of the Amorites before them, and for their ſake, verſ. 9. their deliuerance out of Egypt, their protection and preſeruation in the wilderneſſe for fortie yeares, to the end that they might at length poſſeſſe the land of the Amorite, ver. 10. Theſe were notable benefits, though they were but Corporall. But the benefit, whereof I am now to ſpeake, is Spirituall. It is the doctrine of the ſincere worſhip of God, and of eternall ſaluation, together with the free vſe and paſſage thereof: or if you will, it is the ordinary miniſtery of the Word, thus expreſſed, verſ. 11.

And I raiſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets, and of your yong men for Nazarites, &c.

In theſe words I commend vntounto you two generall parts. One is, A deſcription of the now mentioned Spirituall benefit: I raiſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets, and of your yong men for Nazarites.

The other is, A teſtification, that ſuch a benefit was beſtowed; Is it not euen thus, ô ye children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord?

p. 264In the deſcription we may note:

1. Quis: Who was the beſtower of this benefit, I, the Lord.

2. Quomodo: How it was beſtowed; by a raiſing vp. I raiſed vp.

3. Quid: What was beſtowed: Prophets and Nazarites.

4. Quibus auxilijs; what helpe was vſed; No ſtranger, no forrainer had here ought to doe: they were their owne ſonnes, and their owne yong men, that were employed. I raiſed vp of your ſonnes, &c.

The teſtification followeth: you may alſo call it an aſſeueration. Its ſet downe in the forme of a queſtion: where you may obſerue, who moues the queſtion, to whom it is moued, and what the queſtion is. The Lord is he, that moues the queſtion; the children of Iſrael are they, to whom it is moued: the queſtion is, Is it not euen thus? Is it not euen thus, O ye children of Iſrael, ſayth the Lord?

Such is the diuiſion of my text. I might handle each part preciſely: but that happily would ſeeme ouer-curious. I make choiſe therfore, to applie my ſelfe, after my old and wonted faſhion, to fit an expoſition to the words, as here they are conueyed vntounto vsus, by the miniſtery of Amos: and this with all breuitie and plainneſſe.

And I] I, the Lord. I, who deſtroyed the Amorite before you, and for your ſake; I, who brought you vp from the land of Egypt, I, who for fortie yeares together led you through the wilderneſſe, that you might poſſeſſe the land of the Amorites; I, who thus bleſſed you with corporall benedictions, hauehave not beene wanting to you in Spirituall; I alſo raiſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets, and of your yong men for Nazarites.

I raiſed vp] foreign word for word: feci ſurgere, or feci vt ſurgerent, I made to ariſe, I made Prophets to riſe out of your ſonnes. I made them to riſe; that is, feci vt exiſterent, I p. 265made them to be. In this ſenſe I finde the word vſed, Deut. 34.10. foreign And there aroſe not a Prophet ſince in Iſraell like vntounto Moſes. There aroſe not, that is, there was not. There was not a Prophet ſince like vntounto Moſes. So Mat. 11.11. where the Greeke is foreign, the Vulgar Latin hath, Non ſurrexit. Our now Engliſh renders it, There hath not riſen. Among them that are borne of women, there hath not riſen a greater then Iohn the Baptiſt. There hath not riſen, that is, there hath not beene. Among them that are borne of women, there hath not beene a greater then Iohn the Baptiſt. So here; I hauehave raiſed vp, that is, I hauehave made to be. I hauehave made your ſonnes to be Prophets.

I hauehave raiſed vp of your ſonnes] aliquot è filijs veſtris, ſayth Mercer, ſome of your ſonnes; ſuch your ſonnes as Ioel ſpeaketh of, Chap. 2.28. I will powre out of my Spirit vponupon all fleſh, and your ſonnes, and your daughters ſhall prophecie. Or, of your ſonnes] de hominibus veſtri generis, ſaith Peter à Figuero, of men like your ſelues; of your brethren; ſo they are called, Deut. 18.15. The Lord thy God will raiſe vp vntounto thee a Prophet from the middeſt of thee, of thy brethren like vntounto me. Of your ſonnes] or of thy brethren. The ſignification is one ſayth Druſius. Of your ſonnes] not ſtrangers, or forrainers, but ſuch as were home bred, and of your owne lineage, ſayth Brentius. Of your ſonnes] that is (ſay ſome Hebrewes, R. Dauid, and R. Solomo) ex parvulis, of your little ones; ſuch as were Samuel and Ieremie. I raiſed vp of your ſonnes.

For Prophets] Such, as ſhould, not onelyonly preach my will vntounto you, and inſtruct you in the way of righteouſnes, but alſo admoniſh you, and fore-tell you, what was to come to paſſe in future times.

Prophets] I read in the old Teſtament of two ſorts of Prophets. Some were taught in Schooles vnderunder the diſcipline of other Prophets; who were heretofore called Filij Prophetarum, ſonnes of the Prophets. They are ſo called, 2. King. 4.1. & 6.1. Others had their calling immediately from God, and were by him extraordinarily inſpired with gifts from aboue, p. 266and ſo were ſent forth to the exerciſe of their holy function. Of both theſe Amos chap. 7.14. maketh mention. There he ſaith vntounto Amaziah: I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophets ſonne, but I was an heardman, and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit. This he ſpeaketh of himſelfe, as he was before his calling. I was no Prophet, immediately called of God; nor was I the ſonne of a Prophet; I was not trained vp or taught in any of the Schooles of the Prophets: but I was an heardman, and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit. He had no other calling, till the Lord was pleaſed to aduance him to the dignitie and office of a Prophet: and then was his calling extraordinarie. Amos tels, how it was, verſ. 15. The Lord tooke me as I followed the flocke, and the Lord ſaid vntounto me, Goe prophecie vntounto my people Iſrael.

The Prophets mentioned in my text, may be of both ſorts: ſuch as had their inſtitution in the Schooles of the Prophets, and ſuch as were called of God immediately and extraordinarily. God was the raiſer vp of both. Yet eſpecially by Prophets here, I vnderſtand, ſuch as had their calling of God immediate, and extraordinarie. And theſe were fitted to their holy function ſundrie wayes: as, by dreames, by viſions, by inſpiration of the holy Spirit, by expreſſe word, vttered by ſome Angell repreſenting God; and by God himſelfe, ſpeaking to them face to face.

That they were fitted to their Propheticall function by dreames and viſions. We know by, Num. 12.6. where the Lord thus ſpeaketh vntounto Aaron, and to Miriam: Heare now my words. If there be a Prophet among you, I the Lord will make my ſelfe knowne vntounto him in a viſion, and will ſpeake vntounto him in a dreame. We know it likewiſe by Elihues words vntounto Iob, chap. 33.14. God ſpeaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiueth it not. In a dreame, in a viſion of the night, when deepe ſleepe falleth vponupon men, in ſlumbrings vponupon the bed: Then he openeth the eares of men, and ſealeth their inſtruction. It may alſo be gathered out of the euen-now cited place of Ioel, chap. 2.28. I will powre of my Spirit vponupon all fleſh, and your ſonnes and your daughters ſhall prophecie, your old men ſhall p. 267dreame dreames, your yong men ſhall ſee viſions. Dreames and viſions, you ſee, were meanes by which Almightie God fitted his Prophets to the exerciſe of their holy function.

They were likewiſe fitted thereunto, by the inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt. S. Peter ſayth it, Epiſt. 2. chap. 1. verſ. 21. Holy men of God in old time ſpake, as they were mooued by the holy Ghoſt. So were they, by the expreſſe word of ſome Angell repreſenting God; as, Gen. 19.13. There ſhall you find two Angels inſtructing Lot concerning the ouerthrow of Sodome. And ſometime they were enabled to their holy calling by God himſelfe, ſpeaking to them face to face. So was Moſes. The Lord ſpake vntounto Moſes face to face, as a man ſpeaketh vntounto his friend. Exod. 33.11.

Now whether Prophets of old time, were enabled to the exerciſe of their ſacred function by God himſelfe, ſpeaking vntounto them face to face, or by the apparition of Angels repreſenting God, or by the inſpiration of the holy Spirit, or by viſions, or by dreames, it was out of doubt a great bleſſing vntounto Iſrael, to hauehave Prophets ſent vntounto them: and therefore ſaith the Lord vntounto them, I raiſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets. It followeth, And of your yong men for Nazarites.

Of your yong men] It is emphatically ſpoken. For though yong men for the moſt part are addicted vntounto pleaſures, yet did God raiſe vp of them, ſome, that ſhould withdraw themſelues from the pleaſures of this world, either for a time, or for euer; and theſe were called Nazirites, Naziraei. They were called Nazaraei, quaſi Separatitij, ſaith Mercer; as Separatists, or men ſeparated from wine, and vulgar delights, that they might the more freely apply their wits and ſtudies to the law of God and his worſhip.

Nazarites] Nazarai: They are ſo called by the author of the Vulgar Latin, and ſo almoſt by all the Ancient, and by many moderne interpreters, by Benedictus, Caſtalio, and Caluin, by Iunius and Tremellius in their Bible printed by Wechell at Francford A. C. 1579. But the ſame Iunius and p. 268Tremellius in their later editions of the Bible, do call them Neziraeos, Nezirites, ſo doth Vatablus. Druſius calls them Naziraeos, Nezirites, ſo doth Pagnine in foreign Nezirites or Nazirites. Well may they be ſo called for diſtinctions ſake, euen to diſtinguiſh them from Nazarites.

Chriſt is called a Nazarite, Matth. 2.23. foreign, which is by many tranſlated Nazaraeus, a Nazarite. He dwelt in a Citie called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was ſpoken by the Prophets, He ſhall be called a Nazarite. foreign, a Nazarite. Our now Engliſh well tranſlates it a Nazarene; for Ieſus, Marc. 1.24. is called foreign, a Nazarene. Nazaraeus and Nazarenus, ech name is deriued from Nazareth the Citie, wherein Ieſus had his habitation.

Wherefore they who interpret that, Matth. 2. foreign, he ſhall be called a Nazarite, & do think that S. Matthew had reſpect to the Nazarites of the old Teſtament, as to the types of Chriſt, may well be deceiued. Some, I grant, are of opinion, that S. Matthew doth allude to thoſe voluntarie and vowed Nazarites, of whom we read, Num. 6. and ſome, that S. Matthew hath reference to Samſon, who was a Nazarite by Gods ſingular ordination. But in theſe opinions I finde no ſoliditie: for they hauehave no ground either in the name of Nazarite, or in the matter.

Not in the name. The name of Nazarites in the old Teſtament is Nezirim, by the letter Zaijn, from the root Nazar, which ſignifieth to ſeparate: but the name in S. Matthew according to the Syriack Paraphraſt is Notzraia, by the letter Tſadi, from the roote foreign which ſignifieth to keepe. There is therefore no ground in the name, why any ſhould thinke, S. Matthew alludeth to the Nazarites of the olde Teſtament.

Nor is their any ground in the matter. For Chriſt did, what was not lawfull for Nazarites to doe. It was not lawfull for Nazarites toaaNum. 6.3.Num 6:3 drinke wine; Chriſt bbMath. 11.19.Matt 11:19dranke it. It was not lawfull for the Nazarites to come p. 269neereccNum. 6.6.Num 6:6 vntounto a dead bodie: Chriſt came neere vntounto theddIoan. 11.38.John 11:38 dead, and touched them. It was not lawfull for the Nazarites to ſuffer aeeNum. 6.5.Num 6:5 raſour to come vponupon their heads; they were to let the locks of the haires of their head grow: but its likely that Chriſt did not weare long haire; it may be gathered from 1. Cor. 11.14. and from the common cuſtome of the Iewes. There is therefore no ground in the matter, why any ſhould thinke, that S. Matthew alludeth to the Nazarites of the olde Teſtament.

The Nazarites of the old Teſtament, I told you, were for diſtinction ſake called by Iunius, Tremellius and Vatablus, Nezirites, and by Druſius and Pagnine, Nazarites. It is according to the Hebrew points. The Hebrew is foreign The right of this appellation is approued by the Septuagint, Iudg. 13.5. where the Angell of the Lord tells Manoahs wife, that ſhe ſhall conceiue and beare a ſonne, on whoſe head no raſour ſhall come, foreign, for the childe ſhall be called a Nazarite vntounto God. Some in that place for foreign, do read foreign, a Nazir or a Nazarite of God; and this reading is approued byffNot. in editionem LXX. Euſebius. Likewiſe Iudg. 16.18. Samſon tells Delilah all his heart, and ſaith vntounto her, There hath not come a raſour vponupon my head, foreign, for I am a Nazarite of God. In that place for foreign, ſome read foreign, as Euſebius witneſſeth in his 7. booke of Euangelicall Demonſtration, chap. 5. A Nazirite. foreign, ſaith he, is according to the Septuagint foreign, holy; according to Aquila, foreign, a ſeparation; according to Symmachus, foreign, vntouched: from hence foreign, a Nazirite, ſignifieth either one that is holy, or one that is ſeperate, or one that is vntouched, integrious and vnſpotted.

foreign, a Nazarite is one, that is holy, according to the Septuagint. Whence they hauehave a threefold reading of my text: I raiſed vp of your yong men; foreign, for a ſanctification: or, I raiſed vp of your yong men, foreign, for men ſanctified; or I raiſed vp of your yong men, foreign, for Nazirites.

p. 270For Nazarites] Certainely they were ſo called of Nazar, which ſignifieth to ſeparate. For they were ſeparated from the vulgar ſort of men, by a certaine courſe of life, whereto they were to be tyed by vow. The law that concerneth them is in the ſixth of Numbers. The law hath ſundry branches.

One is, Whoſoeuer ſhall ſeparate himſelfe to vow the vow of a Nazirite, to ſeparate himſelfe vntounto the Lord, he ſhall not drinke wine or ſtrong drinke, or any thing that ſhall make him drunken: he ſhall not eat grapes moyſt or dryed, he ſhall not eat any thing that is made of the Vine tree from the kernels to the huske. This branch you hauehave verſ. 3. & 4.

The ſecond branch of the Law is: Whoſoeuer ſhall ſeparate himſelfe to vow the vow of a Nazarite, there ſhall no raſour come vponupon his head, the locks of the haire of his head ſhall be ſuffered to grow. It is in the 5. verſe.

The third branch is: He ſhall not defile himſelfe with the dead: that is, He ſhall not come into the houſe where a dead man is, neither ſhall he follow a dead corps to the graue. This you hauehave verſ. 6, 7, 8.

The fourth branch is: If he that hath vowed the vow of a Nazarite, ſhall very ſuddenly and vnawares come neere vntounto a dead bodie, he ſhall renew his Naziriteſhip; thus: firſt he ſhall ſhaue his head: ſecondly, he ſhall offer vp ſacrifices. Theſe ſacrifices were two Turtles or two yong Pigeons, and a Lambe of the firſt yeare. One of Turtles or Pigeons was to be offered for a ſinne-offering, the other for a burnt offering; and the Lambe for a treſpaſſe offering. This you hauehave verſ. 9, 10, 11, 12.

The fift branch is: When a Nazarite ſhall hauehave fulfilled the vow of his Naziriteſhip, foure things are to be performed; three of them by the Nazirite, the fourth by the Prieſt: Firſt, the Nazirite ſhall offer vp certaine ſacrifices, verſ. 14, 15, 16, 17. Secondly, he ſhall ſhaue his head, verſ. 18. Thirdly, he ſhall burne the haire of his head in the fire which is vnderunder one of the ſacrifices, verſ. 18. Fourthly, the Prieſt ſhall take certaine parts of the ſacrifice, and ſhall p. 271waue them for a waue offering before the Lord, verſ. 19, 20. I hauehave giuen you the law of the Nazarite in fiue branches. It is the law, to the obſeruance whereof the Nazirites in my text were obliged. I raiſed vp of your yong men for Nazirites.

Nazirites] You now ſee what they are. They were yong men conſecrated to the ſtudie of the word of God, and trained vp therevnto, euen from their childhood, vnderunder a ſeuere diſcipline, and an auſtere courſe of life, that at length they might be able to goe before the people, as well by ſoundnes of doctrine, as by the example of a good life.

I raiſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets, and of your yong men for Nazirites.] Prophets, and Nazirites. Some hauehave put this difference betweene them: that the Prophets indeed taught the people the law of God, and withall foretold things to come: whereas the Nazirites did only teach the law. Be it ſo or otherwiſe; the meaning of my text is this. God would hauehave the miniſterie of his word to be ordinarie, and perpetuall, among the Iſraelites, and for that end, he gaue them Prophets of their ſonnes, men of riper yeares; and Nazirites of their yong men, who were to be trained vp in Scholes among them, there to be fitted for the holy miniſterie. Such is the bleſſing (and it is a very great one) which is here mentioned to hauehave bin beſtowed by the Lord vponupon Iſrael. It is (as I ſaid in the beginning of this exerciſe) it is the doctrine of the ſincere worſhip of God, and of eternall ſaluation, togither with the free vſe and paſſage thereof: or, if you will, it is the ordinarie miniſterie of the word. The doctrine which hence I would commend vntounto you, I deliuer in this poſition; The miniſterie of the word of God freely exerciſed in any nation, is to that nation a bleſſing of an ineſtimable value.

I neede not be long in the proofe of this truth; you already giuegive your aſſent vntounto it. The word of God, its a Iewell, then which nothing is more precious, vntounto which p. 272any thing elſe compared is but droſſe; by which any thing elſe tryed is found lighter then vanitie: its a trumpet, wherby we are called from the ſlippery paths of ſinne into the way of Godlineſſe. Its a lampe vntounto our feete, its a light vntounto our paths, Pſal. 119.105. Its theggMatth. 4.4. Luk. 4.4. Ierem. 15.16. Ezech. 3.3. Revel. 10.9. Ezech. 2.8. Wiſd. 16.26.Matt 4:4Luke 4:4Jer 15:16Ezek 3:3Rev 10:9Ezek 2:8Wis 16:26 foode of our ſoules; by it our ſoules do liue, Deut. 8.3. Its foreign, 1. Pet. 1.23. incorruptible ſeede. Seede committed to the earth, taketh roote, groweth vp, bloſſometh, and beareth fruit. So is it with the word of God. If it be ſowen in your hearts, and there take roote, it will grow vp, bloſſome, and beare fruit vntounto eternall life. In which reſpect S. Iames, chap. 1.21. calls it foreign, an engrafted word, engrafted in your hearts, able to ſaue your ſoules.

Sith the word of God is ſuch, doth it not follow of neceſſitie, that the miniſterie of it, freely exerciſed in any Nation, will be to that Nation a bleſſing of an ineſtimable value? Can it be denyed? The Prophet Eſay, chap. 52.7. with admiration auoucheth it: How beautifull vponupon the mountaines are the hhNahum 1.15.Nah 1:15feete of him, that bringeth good tidings, that publiſheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publiſheth ſaluation, that ſaith vntounto Zion, Thy God reigneth? S. Paul is ſo reſolued vponupon the certainty of this truth, that Rom. 10.15. he reſumeth the words of the Prophet. How beautifull are the feete of them, that preach the Goſpell of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things?

Conferre we theſe two places, one with the other, that of Eſay, with this of Paul, and we ſhall behold a heape of bleſſings ſhowring downe vponupon them, to whom God ſendeth the miniſters of his Goſpell; for they bring with them the word of ſaluation, the doctrine of peace, the doctrine of good things, and the doctrine of the kingdome. Such is the Goſpell of Chriſt.

Firſt, it is the word of ſaluation. The Goſpell of Christ is called the word of ſaluation, firſt, becauſe it is the power of God vntounto ſaluation, as S. Paul ſpeaketh Rom. 1.16. It is the power of God vntounto ſaluation, that is, it is the inſtrument of the power of God; or it is the powerfull inſtrument of God, p. 273which he vſeth to bring men vntounto ſaluation. And ſecondly, becauſe it teacheth vsus concerning the author of our Saluation, euen Chriſt Ieſus.

An Angell of the Lord appeared vntounto Ioſeph in a dreame, and ſaith vntounto him: Ioſeph, the ſonne of Dauid, feare not to take vntounto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceiued in her, is of the Holy Ghoſt: And ſhe ſhall bring forth a ſonne, and thou ſhalt call his nameiiLuk 1.31.Luke 1:31 Ieſus: for he ſhall ſaue his people from their ſinnes, Matth. 1.21. He ſhall ſaue his people, that is, he ſhall be their Sauiour.

Ieſus, he is the Sauiour of his people, merito, & efficacia, by merit and by efficacie. By merit; becauſe he hath by his death purchaſed for his people, for all the elect, the remiſſion of their ſinnes, and the donation of the holy Spirit, and life eternall. And by efficacie; becauſe by the Holy Spirit, and by the preaching of the Goſpell, he worketh in the elect true faith, by which they doe not onelyonly lay hold on the merit of Chriſt in the promiſe of the Goſpell, but alſo they ſtudie to ſerue God according to his holy commandements.

An Angell of the Lord relating the natiuitie of Christ vntounto the Shepheards, Luk 2.10, 11. ſaith vntounto them. Feare not, For I bring you glad tidings of great ioy, which ſhall be to all people. For vntounto you is borne this day, in the Citie of Dauid, a Sauiour, which is Chriſt the Lord. VntoUnto you is borne a Sauiour: where you hauehave, what you are to beleeue of the Natiuitie of Chriſt. He is borne a Sauiour vntounto you. VntoUnto you: not onelyonly to thoſe ſhepheards, to whom this Angell of the Lord ſpeakes the words; but vntounto you. VntoUnto you: not only to Peter and Paul and ſome other of Chriſts Apoſtles and Diſciples of old, but vntounto you, vntounto you: vntounto eueryevery one of you in particular, and vntounto me. When I heare the Angels words, Chriſt is borne a Sauiour vntounto you, I apply them vntounto my ſelfe, and ſay, Chriſt is borne a Sauiour vntounto me. In this perſwaſion and confidence I reſt, and ſay with S. Paul, Gal. 2.20. I liue, yet not I now, but Chriſt liueth in me, and that life which I now liue in the fleſh, I liue by the faith of the p. 274Sonne of God, who loued me, and gaue himſelfe for me. Chriſt is borne a Sauiour vntounto me.

Peter filled with the Holy Ghoſt ſeales this truth, Act. 4.12. There is no Saluation in any other, then in the name of Ieſus Chriſt of Nazareth. There is no other name vnderunder Heauen giuen among men, whereby we muſt be ſaued, then the name of Ieſus Chriſt of Nazareth. Againe Act. 15.11. he profeſſeth it: We beleeue, that through the grace of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, we ſhall be ſaued. It muſt be our beleefe too, if we will be ſaued. We, we in particular muſt beleeue, that through the grace of the Lord Ieſus, we ſhall be ſaued. We ſhall be ſaued! Whats that? It is in S. Pauls phraſe, we ſhall be made aliue, 1. Cor. 15.22. As in Adam all dye, ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made aliue.

S^t Auſtine Ep. 157. which is to Optatus, doth thus illuſtrate it: Sicut in regno mortis nemo ſine Adam, ita in regno vitae nemo ſine Chriſto: As in the kingdome of death there is no man without Adam, ſo in the kingdome of life, there is no man without Chriſt: as by Adam all men were made vnrighteous, ſo by Chriſt are all men made righteous: ſicut per Adam omnes mortales in poenâ facti ſunt filij ſeculi, ita & per Chriſtum omnes immortales in gratiâ fiunt filij Dei: As by Adam, all men mortall in puniſhment, were made the ſonnes of this world: ſo by Chriſt all men immortall in grace are made the ſonnes of God.

Thus hauehave I prooued vntounto you, that the Goſpell of Chriſt is the word of Saluation, as well becauſe it is the power of God vntounto Saluation, as alſo becauſe it teacheth vsus of the author of our Saluation.

Secondly, it is the doctrine of Peace. The Goſpell of Chriſt is called the doctrine of peace, becauſe the miniſters of the Goſpell do publiſh and preach Peace. This Peace which they publiſh and preach is threefold: Betweene

God and man.

Man and man.

Man and himſelfe.

p. 275Firſt, they preach Peace betweene God and man: that Peace, which Chriſt hath procured vsus by the blood of his Croſſe, Coloſſ. 1.20. In which reſpect he is called our Peace, Epheſ. 2.14. For in him hath God reconciled vsus vntounto himſelfe, 2. Cor. 5.18.

Secondly, they preach Peace betweene man and man. They exhort you with the Apoſtle, Rom. 12.18. If it be poſſible, as much as lyeth in you, hauehave peace with all men, and 2. Cor. 13.11. Be of one minde, liue in Peace. Liue in Peace, and the God of Peace ſhall be with you.

Thirdly, they preach peace betweene man and himſelfe: betweene man and his owne conſcience. It is that Peace, whereof we read, Pſal. 119.165. Great Peace hauehave they which louelove thy Law, O Lord, and nothing ſhall offend them; they ſhall hauehave no ſtumbling blocke laid in their wayes: though outwardly they be aſſaulted by aduerſitie, croſſes and troubles, yet within they are quiet: they hauehave the Peace of conſcience; they are at Peace with themſelues.

From this threefold peace publiſhed and preached by the miniſters of the Goſpell of Chriſt, the Goſpell of Christ may well be called, the doctrine of Peace.

Thirdly, it is the doctrine of good things. The Goſpell of Chriſt is called the doctrine of good things. Of good things! The name of Goſpell in the Greeke tongue imports as much. The Greekes call it foreign; the word ſignifieth a good meſſage, that is, a happy, and a ioyfull meſſage of good things.

What elſe I pray you is foreign, that, which you call the Goſpell, but a celeſtiall doctrine, which God firſt reuealed in Paradice, afterward publiſhed by the Patriarches and Prophets, ſhadowed out in ſacrifices and ceremonies, and laſt of all accompliſhed by his only begotten Sonne? God who is onelyonly good, yea, is goodnes it ſelfe, is the author of the Goſpell, and therefore the Gospell muſt needs bring with it a meſſage of good things. The meſſage it bringeth is this; that mankinde is redeemed by the death of Chriſt, the only begotten Sonne of God, our Meſſias and Sauiour, in whom p. 276is promiſed and preached to all that truly beleeue in him, perfect deliuerance from ſinne, death, and the euerlasting curſe. Could there be any more happy or welcom tidings to mankinde, then this was? Out of doubt the Gospell of Chriſt is the doctrine of good things.

Fourthly, it is the doctrine of the Kingdome. The Gospell of Chriſt is the doctrine of the Kingdome. Its ſo called, Luk. 4.43. where Chriſt ſaith of himſelfe, I muſt preach the kingdome of God to other Cities alſo. So is it, Mark 1.14. there the Euangeliſt ſaith of Chriſt, that he preached the kingdom of God in Galilee. This Kingdome is twofold; of Grace, and of Glory: of Grace here on earth, and of glory hereafter in Heauen. Of grace here: here Chriſt reigneth in the ſoules of the faithfull by his word and holy Spirit. Of glory hereafter, when Christ ſhall hauehave deliuered vp the Kingdome to God the Father, as Saint Paul ſpeaketh, 1. Cor. 15.24.

If ſo it be: if the Goſpell of Chriſt be the word of Saluation: if it be the doctrine of Peace, of Peace betweene God and man, betweene man and man, betweene man and himſelfe: if it be the doctrine of good things, of our deliuerance from ſinne, from death, and from the curſe of the Law: if it be the doctrine of the Kingdome; the Kingdome of grace, and the Kingdome of glory. then muſt it be granted, that the Ministers of the Goſpell do bring with them bleſſings of an ineſtimable value. And ſuch is my doctrine; The miniſterie of the word of God freely exerciſed in any nation, is to that nation a bleſſing of an ineſtimable value.

The vſe hereof concerneth the Miniſters of the Goſpell, and their auditors. Firſt, the Miniſters of the Gospell. They may here be put in minde of their dutie, which is willingly and cheerefully to preach the Goſpell. This their dutie may be called a debt. S. Paul calls it ſo, Rom. 1.14, 15. I am debtor both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians, both to the wiſe men, and to the vnwiſe. Therefore as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospell to you alſo that are at Rome. S. Paul p. 277(you ſee) acknowledgeth a debt, and makes a conſcience of diſcharging it. The obligation or bond whereby he was made a debter was his Apoſtolicall calling: his debt was, to preach the Goſpell: the perſons to whom he was indebted, were Greekes and Barbarians, the wiſe and the vnwiſe. His good conſcience to diſcharge his debt, appeareth in his readineſſe to doe it: I am ready, as much as in me is, to preach the Goſpell.

S. Paul may be vntounto vsus a patterne of imitation. We alſo muſt acknowledge a debt, and muſt make a conſcience of diſcharging it. The obligation or bond whereby we are made debtors is our miniſteriall calling. Our debt is, to preach the Goſpell. The perſons to whom we are indebted, are our owne flocke, our owne people, the people ouer whom the Lord hath made vsus ouer-ſeers. Our good conſcience to diſcharge our debt will appeare in our readineſſe to doe it. I, and eueryevery other miniſter of the Goſpell muſt ſay, as S. Paul doth, I am ready, as much as in me is, to preach the Goſpell to you. So farre forth as God ſhall permit and make way for diſcharge, I am ready to preach the Goſpell to you. Nothing hath hitherto, or ſhall hereafter with hold me from paying you this debt, but onelyonly the impediments which the Lord obiecteth.

Secondly, the vſe of my doctrine concerneth you, who are the hearers of the word. You alſo may here be put in minde of your dutie, which is patiently and attentiuely to heare the word preached. Of your readineſſe in this behalfe I ſhould not doubt, if you would but remember what an vnvaluable treaſure it is, which we bring vntounto you. Is it not the word of Saluation, the Saluation of your ſoules? Is it not your peace inward, and outward, your peace with God, your peace with man, your peace with your owne conſciences? Is it not the doctrine of good things, your deliuerance from ſinne, from death, and from the curſe of the Law? Is it not the publication of the Kingdome of God, his kingdome of gra…e, wherein you now may liue, tha hereafter you may liue in the Kingdome of glory? Is it not p. 278euen thus? Can it be denyed?

Beloued in the Lord, the Lord who raiſed vp vntounto the ten Tribes of Iſrael of their ſonnes for Prophets, and of their yong men for Nazarites, he raiſeth vp vntounto you of your ſonnes Miniſters, Prophets, and Teachers; and of your yong men, ſuch as may be trayned vp and fitted in the Scholes of the Prophets, in our Naioths, in our Ʋniuerſities for a preſent ſupply, when God ſhall be pleaſed to remoue from you, thoſe which hauehave laboured among you, and are ouer you in the Lord.

Its an admirable and a gracious diſpenſation from God, to ſpeake vntounto man, not in his owne perſon, and by the voice of hiskkExod. 20.18, 19.Exod 20:18Exod 20:19 thunderings and lightnings, or with the noyſe of a trumpet, as he did vponupon Mount Sinai, when he gaue the Law (for then ſhould we runne away, and cry vntounto Moſes, or ſome other ſeruant of God, Speake thou with vsus, and we will heare: but let not God ſpeake with vsus, leſt we dye) but by Doctors, Paſtors, and other Miniſters, men of our own nature, fleſh of our fleſh, & bones of our bones, men ſubiect to the ſamellJames 5.17.Jas 5:17 paſſions, whereto we are. Admirable and gracious is this diſpenſation.

God thus borrowing, and vſing the tongues of men to ſpeake vntounto men, doth it quaſi imperans, non quaſi mendicans, (as Bernard ſpeaketh Serm. 5. vponupon the Canticles) he doth it not begging, but commanding: and in that he doth it, indulgentia eſt, non indigentia; it is not from any want in himſelfe, but it is from his indulgence and fauour vntounto vsus: and in doing it non efficaciam quaerit, ſed congruentiam, he ſeekes not any ſtrength to his owne words, but congruence and proportion to our infirmities? Its euen ſo. For we were not able to beare the glory of that Maieſtie, if it did not in ſome ſort hide and temper it ſelfe vnderunder theſe earthly inſtruments.

Now therefore when we take the counſels of God from the lips of our ſonnes, and of our yong men, from the lips of our Brethren, from the lips of the Miniſters of the word of God, we may ſay of them, as the men of Liſtra once ſaid of p. 279Paul and Barnabas, but renouncing the idolatry of the ſpeach, Act. 14.11. God is come downe to vsus in the likeneſſe of men. God is he that ſpeaketh from aboue, that bleſſeth and curſeth, that bindeth and looſeth, that exhorteth and dehorteth by the mouth of his Miniſters.

For this reſpect and relations ſake betweene God and his Miniſters, whom it hath pleaſed him to dignifie and honour in ſome ſort with the repreſentation of his owne perſon vponupon earth, they hauehave euer heretofore bin holden in very reuerend eſtimation. Such was the eſtimation holden of S. Paul by the Galatians. S. Paul himſelfe confeſſeth it, Gal. 4.14, 15. where he beares them record, that albeit through infirmitie of the fleſh, he preached the Goſpell vntounto them at the firſt, yet they deſpiſed him not, or reiected him, but receiued him as an Angell of God, euen as Chriſt Ieſus: yea, that if it had bin poſſible (Nature and the Law forbidding it) they would hauehave plucked out their owne eyes, and giuen them to him.

But why ſpeake I of the reuerend regard giuen to Saint Paul, or to any other the Miniſters of the word of God in the primitiue times of the Church? Looke ye but to the dayes of late, to the dayes of your Fathers; and you will ſee them in very high eſteeme. Then, though your Prieſts, were but Lignei ſacerdotes, wooden prieſts, prieſts of Babylon, that were your leaders and your guides, you highly honoured them. You beſtowed vponupon them your eareings, and your frontlets, your lands and reuenewes to maintaine them in their Couents, and Cloyſters. To eueryevery Fryer that drew you aſide to confeſſe you, you ſubmitted your ſelues, with Pater meus es tu, you are my Father, my ghoſtly Father. So farre were you from deſpiſing or reiecting them, that yee receiued them as Angels of God, yea as Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe. Such honour had the Prieſts in your fore-fathers dayes.

No maruaile, will ſome ſay. For then Religion had eaten vp Policie, the Church had deuoured the Common-wealth, Cloyſters were richer in treaſure, then Kings houſes, p. 280all the wealth & fatnes of the Land was ſwallowed downe into the bellies of Frieryes and N…neryes. No maruaile if then Prieſts were held in high eſteeme. But now the times are changed, and we with them.

True, I grant: the times are changed indeed. For as a worthy Prelat yet liuing (Lect. 34. in Ionam) ſpeaketh: Now Policie hath eaten vp Religion, the Common-wealth the Church, and men rob God, as God expoſtulateth, Malac. 3.8. Men rob God againſt all equitie and conſcience. But wherein doe they rob him? In tithes and offerings. His tithes and offerings are tranſlated to ſtrangers: they eat the materiall bread of the Prophets, who neuer giuegive them ſpirituall foode: and they that ſerue not at the Altar, do liue by it: whereas many a Miniſter, that ſerueth at the Altar, hath not whereon to liue. Hence is the Miniſterie growne into contempt; and they who ſhould be honoured for their calling ſake, are for their wants ſake very baſely thought of.

I ſpeake not this to taxe you of this place: you rob not God, but do duely pay your tithes and offerings; the Church here hath its right; and euer may it hauehave to your comfort. But I do it to moue you to lift vp your hearts to the throne of grace, and to bleſſe the Lord, for as much as when the tythes and offerings of ſome of your neighbour Villages are made appropriate, yours are by Gods goodnes exempted from the ſpoyle, and reſerued to their proper vſe: whereby you may in all ages be prouided, though not of Prophets and Nazirites, ſuch as God raiſed vp vntounto Iſrael, but of Paſtors and Teachers, ſuch as may be able to breake vntounto you the bread of life, and to preach vntounto you the Goſpell of Chriſt, which is the Goſpell of Saluation, the Goſpell of Peace, the Goſpell of good things, and the Goſpell of the Kingdome of God.

Hitherto you hauehave heard, that God beſtowed a benefit of ineſtimable value vponupon the ten tribes of Iſrael, in raiſing vp vntounto them of their ſonnes for Prophets, and of their yong men for Nazirites.

Now followeth the Teſtification that ſuch a benefit was p. 281beſtowed; you may call it an aſſeueration. Its propounded by way of queſtion, wherein you may obſerue,

Who moues the queſtion.

To whom it is moued, and

What the queſtion is.

The Lord is he, that moues the queſtion, the children of Iſrael are they to whom the queſtion is moued: the queſtion is, Is it not euen thus? Is it not euen thus, ô ye children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord?

Neither the time, nor your patience will giuegive way to the ſeuerall handling of theſe particulars: nor is there any neede of enlargment, the words are ſo plaine and without obſcuritie. The queſtion is vehement, it vrgeth the Iſraelites, it calls their conſciences to witnes.

Is it not euen thus, ô ye children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord?

Say, O ye children of Iſrael; hauehave I not done ſo and ſo for you? HaueHave I not beſtowed ſuch and ſuch benefits vponupon you? Can any of you denie it? Vti que nemo, ſaith Rupertus: ther's none of you can be ſo impudent as to denie it. I, the Lord, who deſtroyed the Amorite before you and for your ſake; I, who brought you vp out of the land of Aegypt, and led you forty yeares through the wilderneſſe, to poſſeſſe the land of the Amorites; I, euen I, alſo raiſed vp of your ſonnes for Prophets, and of your yong men for Nazirites. Is it not euen thus, O yee children of Iſrael? I, the Lord, aske you the queſtion, Is it not thus?

The points of doctrine from hence to be collected are diuers;

1. God will hauehave the bleſſings and benefits which he beſtoweth vponupon vsus, euer to be had in remembrance.

2. We muſt acknowledge, that whatſoeuer good we hauehave, we hauehave it from the Lord.

3. The bleſſings which God beſtoweth vponupon vsus, are nothing inferiour to thoſe he beſtowed vponupon the Iſraelites.

I make this plaine by a briefe collation of the bleſſings beſtowed by the Lord vponupon them and vsus.

The Lord brought Iſrael out of Aegypt, the houſe of bondage, p. 282with a mighty hand, and he ouerthrew Pharaoh in the red ſea: the ſame Lord hath deliuered vsus from as great a bondage, hath freed vsus from the houſe of Hell, and hath ſpoyled that infernall Pharaoh, the Deuill.

The Lord gaue vntounto the Iſraelites the land of the Amorites for their poſſeſſion, when he had driuen out the Amorites from before their face: the ſame Lord hath giuen vsus a good land for our poſſeſſion, and hath from out our Churches expulſed the ſpirituall Amorite, Antichriſt, Balaam of Rome.

The Lord raiſed vp vntounto Iſrael of their ſonnes for Prophets: the ſame Lord hath raiſed vp vntounto vsus of our ſonnes for Prophets; he giues vsus orthodoxall and ſound interpreters of his holy word, and Paſtors, to declare vntounto vsus, what his ſacred will is.

The Lord raiſed vp vntounto Iſrael of their yong men for Nazirites: the ſame Lord hath giuen vsus Schooles and Nurſeries of good literature for the trayning vp of our yong men, as Nazirites, in knowledge and in piety; yea, he hath giuen vsus foreign, one moſt holy Nazirite, euen Christ Ieſus; in whom he maketh vsus all foreign, that is, Nazirites, that is, Chriſtians, ſanctifying vsus by his Holy Spirit in Baptiſme, wherein we promiſed to forſake the Deuill, and all his workes, and to giuegive vp our ſelues wholy to the obedience and ſeruice of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt.

Haec frequenter & ſeriò cogitemus fratres. Dearely beloued, let vsus frequently & ſeriouſly thinke of theſe things. So ſhall we the more eſteeme Gods benefits beſtowed vponupon vsus, and ſhall the leſſe abuſe them, and ſhall the longer enioy them. Which God of his infinite mercy grant vntounto vsus through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.