Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 21
THE XXI. LECTVRE.
AMOS 2.15, 16.
And he that is ſwift of foote ſhall not deliuer himſelfe, neither ſhall he, that rideth the Horſe, deliuer himſelfe.
And he, that is couragious among the mightie, ſhall flee away naked in that day, ſaith the Lord.
I Now bring you the remainder of the fourth part of Amos his firſt Sermon. I called it heretofore a Commination. I ſtill call it ſo. It conteineth menacings, or threats againſt the kingdome of the ten tribes, the children of Iſrael for the foulneſſe of their ingratitude. Theſe menacings or threats proceeding from him who onelyonly is omnipotent, and al-ſufficient to effect what he threatneth, euen from the Lord, Iehovah, doe plainely demonſtrate, that Gods iudgements are ineluctable, not to be auoyded. If God will the puniſhment of any, there is no place for refuge, no cuaſion, no meanes to eſcape. Neither he that is of an expedite and agile bodie, nor the ſtrong man, nor the mightie, nor the bow-man, nor the ſwift of foote, nor the horſe-man, nor the couragious, and ſtout of heart ſhall be able to helpe himſelfe in that day, in the day of Gods vengeance.
Seauen particulars are here diſabled from helping themſelues, in that day, when the Lord will be pleaſed to execute vengeance for ſinne. Of foure of them, you heard at large in my laſt Lecture out of this place, that, neither he that is of an expedite and agile bodie, nor the ſtrong man, nor the mightie, nor the bow-man, can any way helpe themſelues. Let it pleaſe you now to giuegive eare; and you ſhall heare as much of the other three; of the ſwift of foote, of the horſeman, of the couragious and ſtout of heart. Begin we with the ſwift of foote. It is the next branch that followeth, verſ. 15.
And he that is ſwift of foote ſhall not deliuer himſelfe.
THe originall is; the ſwift of foote ſhall not deliuer. Shall not deliuer! What ſhall he not deliuer; Supply the defect according to the laſt clauſes of this and the former verſe: and the full ſhall be, Velox pedibus, non liberabit animam ſuam, the ſwift of foote ſhall not deliuer his ſoule; His ſoule, that is, his life, or himſelfe.
The Author of the Vulgar Latin here readeth, Velox pedibus ſuis non ſalvabitur the ſwift of foot ſhall not be ſaued. So doth S. Hierome; ſo the Septuagint; ſo an oldaIn Biblioth… câ Nicolſonianâ in aede Chriſti Oxon. Engliſh Manuſcript. Some read thus: The ſwift of foote ſhall not eſcape, as the Caldee Paraphrast, and Montanus, and Munſter, and our late Church Bible.
Admit of which reading you will, you cannot miſſe of the true vnderſtanding of the place. Read if you will; the ſwift of foote ſhall not be ſaued, or, ſhall not eſcape, or, ſhall not deliuer himſelfe; you will forth-with vnderſtand, that, a man cannot by the ſwiftneſſe of his feete out-runne God. This is the very marrow of that leſſon, which we are to learne from hence. The leſſon is: The ſwift of foote hath no aduantage aboue others, for the ſauing of himſelfe, if God doe once reſolue to puniſh.
This agreeth with that which I hauehave obſerued vponupon the firſt clauſe of the 14. verſe: The flight ſhall periſh from the ſwift. With that, this which we hauehave now in hand is coincident. The flight ſhall periſh from the ſwift, and, The ſwift of foote ſhall not deliuer himſelfe; theſe two, to the vnderſtanding are but one, and doe yeeld vntounto vsus one and the ſame obſeruation. The obſeruation is,
When God reſolues to puniſh man for ſinne, there is no refuge for him, no euaſion, no eſcaping by flight, though he be of a ſwift, an expedite, and an agile bodie.
This truth ſtands ratified with that in the ninth Chapter of this Prophecie, verſ. 1. Non erit fuga eis, qui fugient, & non ſalvabitur ex eis, qui fugerit. He that fleeth of them, ſhall not flee away; and he that eſcapeth of them ſhall not be deliuered. And with that Eccleſ. 9.11. There is no race to the ſwift, or, In running it helpeth not to be ſwift: that is, as Ionathan expounds the place; Though men be as ſwift as Eagles, yet ſhall they not by running helpe themſelues, or deliuer themſelues from death in the day of battell.
The many euidences of holy Writ, which are vſually brought to proue, that God is eueryevery where preſent, and in all places at once, may ſerue for a further ratification of my propounded doctrine. For if God be eueryevery where preſent, if he be at once in all places, then certainely there is no refuge for man againſt him, no euaſion, no eſcaping by flight. Nor the caues of the earth, nor the ſecrets of walls, nor the darkeneſſe of the night, nor the diſtance of place by land or by ſea, can hide vsus from his preſence.
Can they not? How then may that be excuſed which we read of Adam and his wife, Gen. 3.8. that they HID themſelues from the preſence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden? How that which we read of Cain, Gen. 4.16. that he went out from the preſence of the Lord? How that which we read of Ionah, chap. 1.3. that he, when he was ſent to Ni…iveh, roſe vp to flee to Tarſhiſh from the preſence of the Lord.
Theſe ſcruples I am now to remoue: The firſt concerneth Adam and his wife, their hiding themſelues among the trees of Paradiſe. Some ſay; Adam hid himſelfe through feare, not as if he could flee from God, but becauſe hee thought himſelfe vnworthie to come into Gods ſight. So Irenaeus lib. 3 adverſus haereſes cap. 37. He ſeemes to take in good part this flight of Adam, and his endeuour to hide himſelfe, as if it proceeded from a pious and profitable feare and dread of an humble and repentant ſoule.
Other ſay, that Adam exceedingly troubled in mind, much aſhamed and afraid, that he had tranſgreſſed the commandement of God, like vntounto a mad man, that knows not which way to turne himſelfe, went about to hide himſelfe. So S. Auſtine lib. 11. de Geneſi ad literam cap. 33.
A third opinion there is, that taxeth Adam and Eue of infidelitie and impenitencie, for hiding of themſelues: as if guiltie of tranſgreſſion, they had thought ſimply to hide themſelues from the preſence of God. Of this opinion I find Rupertus, who Comment. in Geneſin lib. 3. cap. 12. thus expreſſeth himſelfe. Abſcondendo ſe, vter que de Deo malè ſenſit, & ſibi inſipienter providit, tanquam impaenitens, tanquam infidelis. Adam and his wife in hiding themſelues thought amiſſe concerning God, and prouided fooliſhly for themſelues, as if they had beene impenitent and vnbeleeuing.
It is no ill or idle opinion, to ſay that, Perhaps Adam and his wife, for want of experience (for they had neuer fallen before) might thinke, that by running among the trees of Paradiſe they might hide themſelues. But when God had once found them out (and quickly he found them out) they could not any longer ſo thinke. Then they could not but be reſolued vponupon this; that there is no fleeing away, no hiding of our ſelues from the preſence of God.
Thus is the firſt ſcruple remoued. Adam and his wife hid themſelues from the preſence of the Lord God among the trees of a garden. They hid themſelues, that is, they would hauehave hid themſelues, they would but could not.
The ſecond ſcruple, concerneth Caine his going out from the preſence of the Lord. If Cain could goe out from the preſence of the Lord, how is the Lord eueryevery where preſent?
For anſwere hereunto we are to note, that the preſence of God doth ſometime in holy Scripture betoken the place of his preſence; the place where God was firſt worſhipped by ſacrifice, and ſhewed viſible ſignes of his preſence: And that it doth ſometime ſignifie the grace of God, his fauour, his care, his prouidence, and protection. In both theſe reſpects may Cain be ſaid to hauehave gone out from the preſence of the Lord. For firſt he was expelled from the land of his natiuitie, from that land where God was wont to ſhew his face, and vnderunder the viſible forme of humane nature, to talke with man familiarly: and ſecondly he was excluded from Gods grace and fauour.
Thus much doth Cain himſelfe confeſſe, verſ. 14. Lord, ſaith he, Behold, thou haſt driuen me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face ſhall I be hid, and I ſhall be a fugitiue and a vagabond in the earth. Thou haſt driuen me out this day from the face of the earth, that is, Thou expelleſt me from my natiue ſoyle, which to me is moſt deare & ſweete, wherein I was borne, hauehave beene bred vp, and hauehave liued with my parents and kinſ-folke euen vntounto this day: thou driueſt me out from a moſt fruitfull and pleaſant land, a land, that is next to the Paradiſe of the earth; a land, which thou haſt conſecrated to thy ſelfe, to be the land of thy ſacrifices oblations, and holy worſhip; a land wherein thou art wont to manifeſt thy ſelfe vntounto men, and to inſtruct them by thy ſacred oracles, and anſwers. From this land, the land of my natiuitie, thou driueſt me out.
And from thy face ſhall I be hid] I ſhall for euer and eueryevery where, find thee diſpleaſed with me, angry at me, and mine enemy, to the intollerable horrour and amazement of my minde: thou wilt not deigne to looke vponupon me with the eyes of thy merciemercy, but wilt for euer hide thy face from me, and ſo depriue me of thy ſingular beneuolence, care, tutele and protection. So was Cain hid from the face of the Lord, and ſo went he out from his preſence. Otherwiſe hee could not be hid, he would not goe out from the preſence of the Lord.
The third ſcruple concerneth Ionah his fleeing to Tarſhiſh. from the preſence of the Lord. If Ionah could flee to Tarſhiſh from the preſence of the Lord, how is the Lord eueryevery where preſent?
Of this fleeing of Ionah from the preſence of the Lord, there is a twofold vnderſtanding. Some thus vnderſtand it; that he left the whole border and ground of Iſrael, where the preſence of the Lord, though it were not more then in other places, was yet more euident by the manifeſtations of his fauours and graces towards them. There was the arke of the couenant, and the ſanctuary, there the Lord gaue them anſwere by dreames, and oracles: there were other more ſpeciall fauours of the Lords abode there.
Others by this fleeing of Ionah from the preſence of the Lord, doe vnderſtand his turning his backe vponupon the Lord, his ſhaking off the yoke of the Lord, his wilfull renouncing the Commandement of the Lord; his departing from his dutie and from the execution of his office, enioyned him by the Lord.
In the language of the Scripture, they are ſaid to be in the Lords preſence, or to ſtand before the Lord, who doe carefully attend his pleaſure, and are readie to receiue and execute whatſoeuer he impoſeth. In the 10. of Deut. verſ. 8. The Tribe of Levi is ſeparated by the Lord, to ſtand before the Lord. To ſtand before the Lord, that is, as it is there expounded, to miniſter vntounto the Lord, and to bleſſe in his name.
So is the phraſe vſed by Elias, 1. King. 17.1. Where thus ſaith he, vntounto Ahab: As the Lord God of Iſraell liueth, before whom I stand, there ſhall not be dew nor raine theſe yeares, but according to my word. The Lord God, before whom I ſtand; that is, the Lord God, whom faithfully I doe ſerue. And ſo is it by Elizeus in thoſe his words to Naaman the Syrian. 2. King. 5.16. As the Lord liueth before whom I ſtand, I will receiue no bleſſing of thee. As the Lord liueth before whom I ſtand, a witneſſe to my actions, the ſearcher of my heart, whoſe honour and ſeruice I tender more then mine owne gaine, I will receiue no bleſſing, no reward of thee.
Now if they, who duely ſerue the Lord, are ſaid to ſtand before the Lord, and to be in his preſence, then may they who caſt off the yoke of the ſeruice due vntounto him, well be ſaid to hide themſelues from the face of the Lord, and to flee from his preſence.
We ſee now what this phraſe of fleeing from the preſence of the Lord doth meane. It giues vsus to vnderſtand, that Ionas, as a fugitiue and refractary ſeruant ranne from the Lord, breaking his bonds of dutie, and making no conſcience or care to doe him ſeruice.
Thus are the ſcruples done away and my doctrine ſtands good,
There is no refuge, no euaſion, no eſcaping, no hiding, no fleeing from the face of the Lord, from his preſence, from his iudgments, no not for the ſwift of foote.
Well. What if the footman for all his ſwiftneſſe cannot ſaue himſelfe; fares it not better with the horſeman? Cannot he deliuer himſelfe? No. He cannot. He is diſabled in the next words, Neither ſhall he that rideth the horſe deliuer himſelfe.
This rider of the Horſe is in the Septuagint foreign, the horſeman. Cyrill calls him ſo. So doth Castalio, and Taverner, in his Engliſh tranſlation. In the Vulgar Latin he is Aſcenſor equi. So is he in S. Hierome. The appellation pleaſeth Luther, and Calvin, and Oſiander. Nor doth Gualter diſlike it. For he hath, Qui aſcendit ſuper equum. Aſcenſor equi, or qui aſcendit ſuper equum, he that mounts on horſebacke. He is with Tremellius, and Iunius, inſidens equo; ſo is he with Vatablus, with M…rcer, and with Piſcator: Inſidens equo, he that ſits on horſebacke. With Druſius he is Vector equi, with Brentius Vectus equo. Vector equi, or Vectus equo, he that is carried on horſebacke. With Oecolampadius, he is equitans Equum, he that rideth the horſe. This laſt reading is that which the learned tranſ…ators of our now Engliſh Bible hauehave made choyſe of. He that rideth the horſe. This rider of the horſe, this horſeman, mounting, ſitting, or, carried on horſebacke ſhall not deliuer himſelfe.
Shall not deliuer himſelfe. In the Hebrew it is, he ſhall not deliuer his ſoule. So is it in the Chaldee. The reading is retained by Brentius, Calvin, Druſius, Vatablus, and Mercer. In the Septuagint it is foreign, he ſhall not ſaue his ſoule. It is the very reading of S. Hierome, and S. Cyrill, and the author of the Vulgar Latin: and is followed by Luther and by Munſter.
He ſhall not deliuer, he ſhall not ſaue his ſoule. His ſoule, that is his life. Whence ſome doe read: He ſhall not ſaue his life; ſo Caſtalio, ſo Oſiander, and ſo our countryman Taverner in his old Engliſh tranſlation. Let the reading be Soule, or Life, man himſelfe is meant: and therefore ſome hauehave read, He ſhall not deliuer himſelfe. So Tremellius and Iunius, and Piſcator: and ſo we read in our neweſt Engliſh Bible, He ſhall not deliuer himſelfe.
Thus hauehave you the Grammaticall ſenſe and vnderſtanding of theſe words, He that rideth the horſe ſhall not deliuer himſelfe: This rider of the horſe, this horſeman mounting, ſitting, or carried on horſebacke, ſhall not deliuer, ſhall not ſaue his ſoule, his life, himſelfe. The leſſon we are to learne from hence, is, He that is mounted on horſebacke, hath no aduantage aboue others, for the ſauing of himſelfe, if God doe once reſolue to puniſh.
Be thine horſe eueryevery way anſwerable to that Horſe (of which thou maiſt read in the Booke of Iob chap. 39.) whoſe necke is clothed with thunder, the glory of whoſe noſtrils is terrour; that paweth in the valley, and reioyceth in his ſtrength, and goeth on to meet the armed men; that mocketh at feare and is not affrighted, and turnes not backe from the ſword: no, though the quiuer rattle againſt him, though the ſpeare and ſhield doe gliſter, yet ſwalloweth he the ground with fierceneſſe and rage. The ſound of the trumpet terrifieth him not, but rather reioyceth him: for he ſmelleth the battell a farre off, the thunder of the Captaines, and the ſhouting. Be thine horſe eueryevery way anſwererable to this horſe, yet repoſe not any confidence in him for thy ſaftie: for he will fayle thee.
He will doe ſo. What elſe is it that thou readeſt, Pſal. 33.17. An horſe is a vaine thing to ſaue a man, neither ſhall he deliuer any by his great ſtrength. Let S. Auſtine inſtruct thee, Mentitur tibi equus, quandò promittit ſalutem: if thy horſe promiſe thee ſafetie, he lyeth vntounto thee. The promiſe of a horſe! Nunquid equus alicui loquitur, & promittit ſalutem? Doth a horſe ſpeake to man? doth he promiſe him ſafetie? It cannot be. Yet when thou conſidereſt the comely feature and proportion of thy horſe, his ſtout courage, his admired ſwiftneſſe, iſta omnia, velut promittunt tibi de illo ſalutem, all theſe things doe, as it were promiſe thee ſaftie by him. Sed fallunt, ſi Deus non tuetur, but without the eſpeciall bleſſing of God all theſe things will fayle thee. For, Mendax equus ad ſalutem, an horſe is a lying thing for ſafetie, a vaine thing to ſaue a man, and ſhall not deliuer any man by his great ſtrength.
This is it, which you may read in the Booke of Prouerbs chap. 21.31. The horſe is prepared againſt the day of battell, but ſafetie is of the Lord. Let the horſe be made readie, let him be throughly furniſhed for the warre, yet relie not vponupon him for thy ſafetie. For ſafetie, all ſafetie is of the Lord, and of him alone. Let the Lord rebuke, yea, let him but ſpeake the word, both the chariot and horſe ſhall be caſt into a dead ſleepe. So we read, Pſal. 76.6. The meaning is: By the onelyonly word of the Lord it often comes to paſſe, that they who truſt in their Chariots and Horſes, doe vaniſh & come to naught, like a dreame, yea, like the ſhadow of a dreame.
Pharaoh, proud and cruell Pharaoh, ſory that he had let the children of Iſrael goe, would needs goe fetch them backe againe. He aſſured himſelfe before hand of ſucceſſe, either to ſpoyle them, or to reduce them to bondage. In the ſtrength of this conceit, furniſhing himſelfe with horſes and chariots of warre, ſix hundred chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, accompanied with his nobles, captaines, and ſouldiers he marched furiouſly and purſued the Iſraelites, euen to the middeſt of the Red Sea: To the middest of that Sea they came, & no one waue roſe vp againſt them, to wet ſo much as the hoofes of their horſes. When they were come ſo far (too farre to returne) they were ſodainely ſtriken with their laſt terrour. Their chariots and horſes, in which they truſted, fayled them, as hauing done them ſeruice enough, to carry them into perdition. For the Sea ſhut her mouth vponupon them, and ſwallowed them vp in her waues: you know it to be ſo, Exod. 14.26. Where is now the ſafetie, which they promiſed themſelues by their Horſes and Chariots? I muſt againe ſay, Mendax equus ad ſalutem, A horſe is a lying thing for ſafetie, a vaine thing to ſaue a man. Thus is my doctrine confirmed; He that is mounted on horſebacke, hath no aduantage aboue others, for the ſauing of himſelfe, if God doe once reſolue to puniſh.
Now let vsus make ſome vſe of this doctrine. It may firſt ſerue for reproofe of ſuch, as for the time of warre doe glory in the multitude and ſtrength of their horſes, and preſume that they ſhall preuaile and get the victory by the valour of their horſemen. The holy Scripture would hauehave them to be of an other minde, and to be perſwaded, that victory is euer from the Lord, and from him alone, and that without him the horſe and the rider can doe nothing. But they will not change their mind, they will not be thus perſwaded. To theſe therefore thus ſaith the Lord God, the holy one of Iſrael, Eſa. 30.15. In returning and reſt ſhall yee be ſaued, in quietnes and confidence, ſhall be your ſtrength; and ye would not. But ye ſaid; No, for we will flee vponupon horſes, and will ride vponupon the ſwift. Will you flee vponupon horſes? therefore ſhall yee flee. Will ye ride vponupon the ſwift? therefore ſhall they that purſue you be ſwift. A thouſand of you ſhall flee at the rebuke of one: or at the moſt at the rebuke of fiue ſhall ye flee till yee be left as a beacon vponupon the top of a mountaine, and as an enſigne on a hill.
Againſt theſe there is a curſe gone forth, Eſa. 31.1. Woe be vntounto them that goe downe to Egypt for helpe, and truſt in horſes, and comfort themſelues with chariots, becauſe they are many; and with horſemen, becauſe they are luſtie and ſtrong: but looke not vntounto the holy one of Iſrael, nor ſeeke the Lord.
Concerning theſe I now ſay no more. I goe on with a ſecond vſe: and that is, to admoniſh our ſelues, that we put no truſt, no confidence in horſe, chariot, horſemen, or like externall meane for ſafetie. Sith it is euident, that theſe cannot deliuer vsus, from any the leaſt iudgement, that God in his diſpleaſure ſhall lay vponupon vsus. Let vsus for euer truſt in the Lord alone, and his power. It is a ſweete ſtraine which the faithfull hauehave in their ſong, Pſal. 20.7. Hi, curruum, & illi equorum; nos vero nominis Iehovae Dei noſtri recordamur. Let it be the matter of our meditation in the day of trouble and diſtreſſe. Say we in faith and a ſure hope; Some truſt in Chariots, and ſome in horſes, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. We will remember him, to put our truſt in him, and to ſettle our hope on him alone. So ſhall a bleſſing attend vsus. It is promiſed, Ierem. 17.7. Bleſſed is the man that truſteth in the Lord, and whoſe hope the Lord is. Bleſſed is he! What is that to ſay? It followeth: Hee ſhall be as a tree planted by the waters, that ſpreadeth out her rootes by the riuer, whom the heat, when it commeth, cannot hurt, whoſe leaues are alwayes greene, that is not carefull in the yeare of drought, and neuer ceaſeth from yeelding fruit.
In this compariſon betweene a faithfull man, that truſteth in the Lord, and a tree planted by the waters ſide, we may note the ſtedfaſtneſſe and ſtabilitie wherewith the faithfull people of God are ſupported, ſo, that they can neuer fall away from faith, and from the grace of God: whereby is condemned the doctrine of doubting, that Popiſh doctrine, very pernicious, yea, deadly to eueryevery ſoule, that ſhall drinke it in. But I will not here make any excurſion. Let that which hath alreadie beene deliuered ſuffice for the explication of the 15. verſe. The ſixteenth followeth.
And he that is couragious among the mightie ſhall flee away naked in that day, ſayth the Lord.
HE that is couragious among the mightie] This couragious man is in the Hebrew thus deſcribed, the ſtout of heart among the mightie. In the Vulgar Latin thus: Robuſtus corde inter fortes, the ſtrong of heart among the ſtout. This reading is embraced by Brenſius, and Oſiander, and Luther, and Calvin, and Gualter. Some vary the phraſe; as thus; fortis animo inter robuſtes, the ſtout of courage among the ſtrong; ſo Druſius. Some thus, fortis animo inter potentiſſim…s, the ſtout of courage among the mightie; ſo Tremellius, Iunius, and Piſcator. Some thus, qui roborat cor ſuum inter robuſtos, he that ſtrengthneth his heart among the ſtrong, ſo Vatablus Munſter thus tranſlates it, qui inter fortes virili eſt corde, he that is of a manly heart among the ſtout. In Tauerners tranſlation thus I read; He that is as manly of ſtomacke as a Gyant. In our late Church-Bible thus; He that is of mighty courage among the ſtrong men.
The reading of the Septuagint is farre different. They thus: foreign. It is ſo in the Franckford Edition. S. Hierome thus renders it; Inventum cor eius inter potentes, his heart is found among the mighty; for foreign, ſome hauehave foreign, ſo it muſt be, inventum cor eius in potentatibus, his heart is found in potentates or dominions. Its obſcure enough. S. Cyrill vnfolds it: he findes his heart mightily oppreſſed with terrors, and without reſiſtance giues the victorie to the ſpoyler.
The former readings, Latin and Engliſh, are more naturall, and doe better expreſſe the originall. Ours is good; He that is couragious among the mighty foreign bagibborim in potentibus, or inter potentes, among the mighty. The Hebrewes by the particle ב In or Inter, doe vſe to ſignifie the higheſt degree, the ſuperlatiue. Ia…l the wiſe of Heber the Kenite, Iudg. 5.24. is ſtiled, benedicta inter mulieres, bleſſ…d among women. The phraſe is vſed by the Angell in his Ave Maria, Luc. 1.28. Benedicta tu in mulieribus. Elizabeth repeats it, verſ. 42. Benedicta tu inter mulieres. Benedicta in mulieribus or inter mulieres, Bleſſed in, or among women, that is, Benedictarum benedictiſſim…, of women, that are bleſſed, the moſt bleſſed; bleſſed aboue all.
Such is the expoſition that Petrus Luſitanus giues of theſe words, robuſtu… corde inter ſortes, the ſtrong of heart among the ſtout, that is, ſaith he, robuſtorum corde robuſtiſſimus, & fortium fortiſſimus, of the ſtrong of heart the ſtrongeſt and of ſtout men the ſtouteſt: or as Caſtalio hath it, militum anim…ſiſſimus, of ſoulders the moſt couragious & hardieſt. With vsus, he is the couragious among the mighty.
Of this couragious man, couragious among the mighty, notwithſtanding his ſtrength, his mighty, his manhood, his valour, his ſtoutneſſe, his hardineſſe, his couragiouſnes, it is ſaid, that he ſhall flie away.
foreign ianus, he ſhall flee away. Shall he flee away? How is it poſſible? Is not the contrary already confirmed by all the paſſages of the two precedent verſes, the 14. and the 15? Yes it hath. I therefore vnderſtand by this flying away, not ſimply a flying away, but onelyonly a deſire, or an endeauour to flie away. He ſhall flie away, that is, he ſhall deſire to flie away, or, he ſhall endeauour to flie away; yet to his litle or no aduantage, though his deſire or endeauour be to flie away naked.
He ſhall flee away foreign hharom naked. A man is ſometimes ſaid to be naked, when he wanteth neceſſaries for the ſupply of preſent occaſions. It is ſaid of Saul, 1. Sam. 19.24. that he ſtript off his clothes, and prophecied, and was all that day and all that night naked. I cannot imagine, that Saul was indeed altogither naked, but he is ſaid to be ſo, becauſe he had laid aſide his princely robes; as R. Chimchi thinketh; or becauſe he had put off his militarie apparell, and was now as another common perſon, as Iunius ſuppoſeth; or becauſe he was ſine pallio prophetico, becauſe he had not on a Prophets cloake, as Druſius affirmeth obſeruat. lib. 14. c. 14. So is Eſay ſaid to hauehave gone naked, chap. 20.2. becauſe he was nudatus veſte ſuâ propheticâ, becauſe he had looſed the ſackcloth from off his loynes, and had put off his propheticall attire.
In the ſecond of Samuel, chap. 6.20. Michal telleth Dauid, that he had vncouered himſelfe, or made himſelfe naked. And why? but becauſe he had put of his princely apparell, and danced in a linnen Ephod.
Naked alſo may they, be ſaid to be, that hauehave no good apparell, no good clothing on. So are the Apoſtles ſaid to be naked, 1. Cor. 4.11. Euen to this preſent houre we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and hauehave no certaine dwelling place. VVe are naked, that is, ſaith Druſius, non ita bene veſtiti, we are not very well clothed. No more were that brother and ſister, of whom S. Iames ſpeaketh, chap. 2.15. They were naked: Naked, that is, male veſtiti, or neceſſario veſtitu deſtituti; they were ill clothed, or wanted neceſſarie apparell.
By the places now alleaged you ſee, that he may be ſaid to be naked, that is not ſimply and altogither ſo. So of the couragious man in my text it is ſaid, that he ſhall flee away naked. Naked, that is, vnarmed, without armour: hauing caſt away his weapons, and all other inſtruments of militarie diſcipline; content to eſcape with life, if he may be ſo happy; but ſhall not: for there is no eſcaping, as you well know by that you hauehave already heard.
But when ſhall this couragious man be in ſuch a ſtreight, as that he ſhall be faine to flee away naked? It ſhall bee, ſaith my text foreign Baijom habu, in that day. In that day, the day of Gods iudgement: in that day, when God will exerciſe his iudgment againſt the rebellious, and refractarie.
This day may be called the day of the Lord, whereof we read, Eſai. 13.6. Howle yee, for the day of the Lord is at hand: it ſhall come as a deſtruction from the Almighty. It is ſo called, Ioel 1.15. Alas for the day: for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a deſtruction from the Almighty ſhall it come.
This day, the day of the Lord, for the horror thereof, is by our Prophet Amos called darkneſſe, chap. 5.18. Woe vntounto you, that deſire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darknes and not light. A day, and yet darkneſſe! a day and no light in it! Its euen ſo: and is repeated by an foreign, verſ. 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkneſſe and not light? euen very darke and no brightneſſe in it. I cannot better ſet forth vntounto you the ſtate of this day, then the Prophet Zephaniah doth, chap. 1.15. Read him, and you ſhall finde this day, the day of the Lord, to be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and diſtreſſe, a day of waſtneſſe and deſolation, a day of darkneſſe and gloomineſſe, a day of clouds and thicke darkneſſe, a day of the trumpet and alarme. No maruaile then if our couragious man, the couragious among the mighty, ſhall endeauou or deſire to flee away naked in that day.
But ſhall he endeauour, or ſhall he deſire to do it? Yes. He muſt be fame to doe it. For it followeth by way of confirmation foreign Neum Iehovah, ſaith the Lord.
Saith the Lord.
THis is the concluſion and confirmation of all. The Lord, theaDeut. 32 4. God of truth, whobNum. 2….…9. Tit. 1.2. Ha…. 6.18. lyeth not nor deceiueth, whoſe words arec2. Cor. 1.20. yea and amen, who euerdNum 23.19. doth according to that he ſaith, and accompliſheth what he ſpeaketh, he it is, that here threatneth the couragious among the mighty, that they ſhall flee away naked in the day of their viſitation. And ſo out of doubt it came to paſſe.
It came to paſſe in the dayes of Peka K. of Iſrael, at what time Tiglath Pileſar K. of Aſſyria came vp againſt the Iſraelites, tooke diuers of their Cities, the whole Region that was beyond Iordan, the poſſeſſion of the Reubenites, Gadites, and halfe tribe of Manaſſeh, yea all the land of Nephthali: and carried ſome of their inhabitants captiue into Aſſyria. 2. King. 15.29.
After that in the dayes of Hoſeah ſonne of Elah, the laſt of the Kings of Iſrael, this prediction was fulfilled, at what time Salmanaſſer King of Aſſyria invaded Iſrael, the Kingdome of the ten Tribes, tooke Samaria, and carried much people away into Aſſyria. Of this we read 2. King. 17.6.
In that day, that day when Tiglath Pileſar preuailed againſt Iſrael, and that day wherein Salmanaſſer was conqueror, he that was couragious among the mighty, was faine no doubt to runne away, and that naked, according to this prediction, He that is couragious among the mighty, ſhall flee away naked in that day. My obſeruation from hence is this: It is not a ſtout courage, a valiant heart, or a bold ſpirit, that can ſteed a man in the day of Gods vengeance.
Beleeue it, it is not. For in that day, the ſtouteſt, the moſt valiant and bold, ſhall be ſtriken with aſtoniſhment of heart, Deut. 28.28.29.and ſhall grope at noone dayes, as the blind man doth in darkeneſſe. It ſhall then be with him, as it was with Belſhazzar the King, Daniel 5.6. His countenance ſhall bee changed, his thoughts ſhall trouble him, the ioynes of his loynes ſhall be looſed, and his knees ſhall ſmite one againſt the other. Yea then (for then will the Lord ariſe to ſhake terribly the earth) then ſhall he goe into the holes and clefts of the ragged rockes, and into the caues of the earth, for feare of the Lord, and for the glory of his Maieſtie. So ſaith Eſay elegantly, chap. 2.19, 21. And ſay you now, what can a ſtout courage, a valiant heart, a bold ſpirit ſteed a man in that day, in the day of Gods vengeance? You muſt needs confeſſe, it can ſteed him nothing.
Nothing! Let vsus then for our good make ſome profitable vſe hereof. We ſhall the better make it if we will ſumme vp together thoſe naturall abilities, which our Prophet Amos hath here diſabled, from yeelding any helpe vntounto vsus in the day of God his reuengement: If neither he that is of an expedite and agile bodie, nor the ſtrong man, nor the mightie man, nor the bow-man, nor the ſwift of foot, nor the horſeman, ſhall in that day be able to deliuer or helpe himſelfe: if he that is couragious among the mightie, ſhall be faine to runne away naked in that day, whence then ſhall we in that day looke for ſafetie? It muſt not be from any ayde of man.
Now the Vſe we are to make hereof is, that we truſt not in man, or in any thing that is in or about man. To this dutie we are aduiſed by the Prophet Eſai, chap. 2.22. Ceaſe yee from man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? If you will be ſafe and without danger in the day of trouble, Ceaſe from man; See that yee hauehave no confidence, no affiance in him, as though againſt God or without God he were able to helpe you. His breath is in his noſtrils; his ſoule, his vitall ſpirit, his life is but a blaſt, and is gone with a puffe. Then where is his helpe? Weake, fraile, and brittle man, wherein is he to be accounted of? Is he to be accounted of for any thing that is in him? for his actiuitie, for his dexteritie, for his valour, for his wiſedome, or the like? No: for if he be gone, all theſe are likewiſe vaniſhed.
But may he not be accounted of for ſomewhat that is about him? for his riches, for his munition, and weapons of defence, for his honour, and the reputation he holdeth in the ſtate wherein thou liueſt? No, no. For what cares the Almightie for theſe? The Pſalmiſt was not ill aduiſed, Pſal. 146.3. Where he thus aduiſeth vsus: Put not your truſt in Princes, nor in any ſonne of man, in whom there is no helpe, his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts periſh. See man here pictured and drawne forth in liuely colours: Put not your truſt in Princes] not in Princes? Why? Is not their authoritie and pre-eminence here exceeding great? Yes. But they are ſonnes of men] Well. Be it ſo. The ſonnes of men are creatures not farre inferiour to the Angels. True. But there is no helpe in them] no helpe in them? Why ſo? Their breath goeth forth] They dye. What if they dye? Is there no place for them in Heauen among the ſtarres? No, they returne to their earth] there to participate with rottenneſſe and corruption. What if corruption be in their fleſh, may not their intendments and deuiſes be canonized and kept for eternitie? No, they may not. For in that very day their thoughts periſh] their thoughts are as tranſitorie as their bodies, and come to nought. And therefore put not your truſt in them; not in Princes, nor in any ſon of man.
Wherein then ſhall we put our truſt? Euen in the Lord our God. To this truſt in the Lord, we are inuited, Pſal. 118.8, 9. It is botter to truſt in the Lord then to put confidence in man. It is better to truſt in the Lord, then to put confidence in Princes. Is one better then the other? Why, then both may be good, and it may be good to put confidence in man. Not ſo. You may not take the word better in this place to be ſo ſpoken. For if you put any confidence in man, you rob God of his glory; which to doe can neuer be good. I therefore thus expound the words: It is better] by infinite degrees, abſolutely and ſimply better, to truſt in the Lord] to truſt ſtedfaſtly in him alone, then to put any confidence] any manner of truſt or confidence, in man] of what eſtate or dignity ſoeuer he be, though he be of the rancke of Princes, who hauehave all the power and authoritie in the world. Its eueryevery way better to truſt in the Lord, then to truſt in ſuch, euer good to truſt in the Lord, but neuer good to truſt in man. Truſt we in the Lord, and bleſſed ſhall we be: but curſed is the man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme; the Lord himſelfe hath ſaid it, Ierem. 17.5.
Now therefore, O Lord, ſince thou haſt from hence taught vsus, that from the ayd of man there is no ſafetie to be expected, neither from him, that is of an expedite, and agile bodie, nor from the ſtrong man, nor from the mightie man, nor from the bow-man, nor from the ſwift of foote, nor from the horſeman, nor from the couragious among the mightie, nor from any thing elſe that is in man, or about him, giuegive vsus grace we beſeech thee, that in thee alone wee may place all our hope and confidence. In thee alone our God and Father of mercies doe we truſt: and doe thou according to the multitude of thy compaſſions looke vponupon vsus. Heare the ſupplications of vsus thy poore ſeruants, liuing far, as baniſhed men in a ſauage Countrey. Protect, wee beſeech thee, and keepe our ſoules among the many dangers of this mortall life, and bring vsus by the conduct of thy gracious fauour into that thy ſacred habitation, and ſeate of eternall glory. Grant this vntounto vsus, moſt deare Father, for thy beſt beloued Sonne Ieſus Chriſt his ſake.
FINIS.