Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 8
THE Eighth Lecture.
AMOS 3.6.
Shall there be euill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it?
THis ſhort ſentence you may call the Concluſion or the explication of the ſimilitudes that went before. The ſimilitudes were ſix; all taken from vulgar experience, and ſuch as is incident to a Shepherds walke. The explication, as it is giuen by Theodoret and Remigius, ſtands thus: As it cannot be, that two ſhould walke together, except they bee agreed; or that a Lion ſhould roare in the foreſt, when he hath no prey; or that a lions whelpe ſhould cry out of his denne, if he hauehave gotten nothing; or that a bird ſhould fall in a ſnare vponupon the earth, where no ginne is for him; or that a fowler ſhould take vp his ſnare from the ground, before he hauehave taken ſomewhat; or that the Trumpet ſhould ſound an alarme in the City, and the people not feare: ſo it cannot be, that there ſhould bee any euill in a City, except the Lord command it ſo to be. This dependance of theſe words vponupon the former is approued by Chriſtophorus à Caſtro in his Paraphraſe.
Conrad Pellican and others, looke not ſo farre backe for the coherence of theſe words, but confine them within this ſixth verſe; thus: As a trumpet is not blowne in a City, but that the people thereof ſhould be afraid, and runne together: ſo neither is there any euill ſent by the Lord to any place, city, or country, but that the people thereof ſhould repent and amend their liues.
The foreign, the reddition, ſuiting with the foreign, with the propoſition of the ſimilitude here drawne from the ſound of the trumpet, ſhould be thus: Shall a Prophet in the name of the Lord foreſhew any future euill, and ſhall not the people bee afraid? But, becauſe whatſoeuer euils a Prophet foretelleth, he foretelleth from the Lord; and the euils which he foretelleth, fall not out but by the Lord; therefore Amos here omitting the Antecedent, ſets downe the conſequent: Shall there be euill in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?
Shall there be euill, &c. Some yeeres hauehave paſſed away ſince I handled this Text in the chiefeſt aſſembly of this Dioceſſe. My then endeuours were to arme my ſelfe, and that deuout auditory with patience againſt the day of affliction. And becauſe that day, is a day, which eueryevery child of God muſt looke for, I was induced to publiſh what I then deliuered, if it might be, for the comfort of ſuch as then heard me not: and I did it, vnderunder the title of the hauen of the afflicted.
What need then is there, that I ſhould at this time recommend the ſame Text vntounto you? What the wiſe ſonne of Syrach in the eighteenth of his Eccleſiaſticus, verſ. 6. ſaith of ſuch as ſearch into the workes of God, is true of vsus, whoſe office is, to ſearch into the words of God, Cum conſummauerit homo, tunc incipiet: When a man hath done what he can, hee muſt beginne againe. For as Saint Hierome hath well obſerued in his Comment vponupon the 90. Pſalme, Singula verba Scripturarum, ſingula Sacramenta ſunt: eueryevery word in Scripture is a Sacrament, and containeth a myſtery. EueryEvery word a Sacrament! The Rabbins ſtay not here: they ſay as much of eueryevery letter; Nullum eſt iota in Scripturâ, à quo non pendeant mont es doctrinarum: there is not an iota, any the leaſt letter in the Scriptures, but thereon doe depend mountaines of doctrines. Saint Hierome in the ſecond booke of his Commentaries vponupon the Epiſtle to the Epheſians yet goes further; Singuli apices, ſingula puncta in diuinis Scripturis, plena ſunt ſenſibus: there is not a tittle, not a point in the diuine Scriptures, but its full of ſpirituall meaning, full of ſenſes.
Not a word, but its a Sacrament! not a letter, but it yeelds mountaines of doctrines! not a point, but its full of ſenſes! Well then may the words which I hauehave now read vntounto you, yeeld variety of matter, fit for our deepeſt meditations a ſecond time: and becauſe they follow in courſe in this Chapter, the expoſit on whereof I hauehave for this place vndertaken, I may not in ſilence paſſe them ouer, but muſt take a reuiew of them, and recommend them to your Chriſtian and deuout attentions.
Shall there be euill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it?
Herein obſerue with me three circumſtances; Quis, Quid, Vbi. Quis, the Agent; Quid, the Action; Vbi, the place of performance. The Agent, is the Lord; the Action, is a doing of euill; the place of performance is a City. Shall there bee euill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it?
You ſee the bounds of my preſent diſcourſe. I will goe ouer them with as much breuity and perſpicuity as I may, Gods holy grace aſſiſting me, and your Chriſtian and accuſtomed patience giuing leaue.
The firſt point I am to handle is Quis: it is the Agent. His name in my Text is Iehouah, and it is the moſt proper name of God.
Is his name Iehouah? How then is it that Iacob the Patriarch, Gen. 32.29. asking after the name of God, receiues anſwer in the Vulgar Latine, Cur quaeris nomen meum, quod eſt mirabile? Wherfore is it, that thou doeſt aske after my name, ſeeing it is wonderfull? And how comes it to paſſe, that the like anſwer is giuen vntounto Manoah, Iudges 13 18. Cur quaeris nomen meum, quod eſt mirabile? Why askeſt thou thus after my name, ſeeing it is ſecret? And why doth Agur enquire with admiration, Prou. 30.4. Who hath aſcended vp into Heauen? or who hath come downe from thence? Who hath gathered the wind in his fiſt? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath eſtabliſhed all the ends of the earth? Quod nomen eius? What is his name? Canſt thou tell? as if it were impoſſible to finde out a fit name for God.
Much diſputing is there in the Schooles about the name of God, which they reckon vp by a threefold diuinity. The firſt isaSalmeron Diſp. 4. in 1. Epheſ. Tom. 15. pag. 187. Et in 1. Ioan. 1. Diſp. 5. Tom. 16. pag. 170. Theologia affirmatiua, an affirmatiue Diuinity: the ſecond is, Theologia myſtica ſiue negatiua, a myſticall or negatiue diuinity: the third is, Theologia Symbolica, a ſymbolicall diuinity.
In the affirmatiue diuinity, God is called by ſuch names as doe ſound out his perfection, ſuch as are,bGen. 17.1. Omnipotent, cGen. 21.33.Euerlaſting, Good, dRom. 16.27.Wiſe, eApocal. 15.4.Holy, fDeut. 32.4.Iuſt, andgExod. 34.6. True.
In the myſticall or negatiue diuinity, no certaine name is giuen him, to deſcribe him, what he is, but to ſhew what he is not. Such appellations are theſe,h1 Tim. 1.17. Immortall, Inuiſible, iRom. 1.23.Incorruptible, kBernard. Ser. 6. Super Cantic.Incorporeall, lAug. Tom. 10. de verbis Apoſt. Serm. 1.Ineffable, Ineſtimable, Incomprehenſible, Infinite, mBernard paru. Serm. 51.Immenſe, Vndiuided, Vnuariable, Vnchangeable.
In the ſymbolicall diuinity any name may be giuen him: he may be callednSalmeron. D…ſp. 5. in 1 Ioan. 1. To. 16. p. 170. a Lion, a Lambe, a Worme, a Calfe, Light, Heauen, a Starre, any thing elſe, byoTrelcat. inſtit. lib. 1. pag. 20. Analogie or ſimilitude, Nulla pSalmeron. in Epheſ. 1. Diſp. 4. pag. 187. Apud. Aquin. 1. q. 13.11. in C.ſiquidem res eſt, quae in aliquo Deum non referat: for there is not any thing, but in ſomewhat it reſembles God.
To the firſt of theſe three belongeth this name of God in my Text; his name Iehouah, Iehouah is among the affirmatiue names of God; and is of them the moſt principall. So ſaith Damaſcene lib. 1. Orthodox. fidei cap. 12. And well. For it comprehendeth totum, all in it ſelfe, Velut qu…ddam pelagus, as a Sea of ſubſtance, infinite and indeterminate.
Iehouah! It is the eſſentiall name of God, the name of his eſſence, for three reaſons. Firſt, becauſe God is of himſelfe, not of any other. Secondly, becauſe other things are from God, not from any thing elſe, nor from themſelues. Thirdly, becauſe God giues Eſſe reale, a reall being to (and is euer true in) his promiſes, and his threats.
All this is confirmed, Eſay 43.10. Yee are my witneſſes, ſaith Iehouah, that yee may know and beleeue me, and vnderſtand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither ſhall there be after me. I, euen I am Iehouah; and beſides mee there is no Sauiour. Yea, before the day was, I am he; and there is none that can deliuer out of my hand: I will worke, and who ſhall let it? It is from hence plaine, that the Lord, Iehouah, is foreign, and foreign, he is of himſelfe alone, and euer of himſelfe and of no other, the beginning and fountaine of all things elſe, that hauehave any being.
See then here his Eſſence, verſ. 10. I am he, verſ. 11. I, euen I, am the Lord, verſ. 12. Ye are my witneſſes, that I am God, verſ. 13. I am he. See here his Eternity, verſ. 10. Before me there was no God formed, neither ſhall there bee any after me: and verſ. 13. Before the day was, I am. See alſo his Omnipotency, verſ. 13. Beſide me there is no Sauiour: verſ. 13. There is none that can deliuer out of my hand. Againe in the ſame verſe, I will worke; and who ſhall let it?
Great is the comfort that this name of God, his name Iehouah, may adminiſter vntounto vsus. Our God is Iehouah; of himſelfe, eternall, and omnipotent: and therefore will not faile to giuegive vntounto vsus the good things which he hath promiſed in his holy Word.
Much too blame then are the Iewes, who through their vaine ſuperſtition, holding this name of God, this great name, foreign as they call it, to be foreign, ineffable, and not to be pronounced, doe neither write it, nor reade it, nor ſpeake it: but as oft as they meet with it in holy Scripture, they either reade for it Elohim, or Adonai, or doe only name the foure letters of which it conſiſteth, Iod, He, Vau, He: whereas yet God hath therefore made knowne this his name to men, that men might reade it, and pronounce it with a reuerent and an holy feare.
This our God the Lord, Iehouah, who is of himſelfe alone, and giueth a reall being to all things elſe, who is euer true; true in himſelfe, true in his workes, and true in his words: this our God is a good God. Good in himſelfe, and good out of himſelfe. Good in himſelfe of his owne eſſence, and the higheſt degree of goodneſſe.
He is ſuâ eſſentiâ bonus, good of his owne eſſence. For his goodneſſe is not by participation of good from any other, but naturally of himſelfe from euerlaſting: nor is his goodneſſe accidentall, but hee is ſuâ ipſius bonitas, Hee is his owne goodneſſe.
And he is Summè bonus; he is good in the higheſt degree o… goodneſſe. For he is that ſame Summum Bonum, that ſame chiefeſt good, that is of all men to be ſought for.
He is good alſo, Extraſe, out of himſelfe. For he is the Author of all good, as well in making ſo many good creatures, as in doing good to them being made. And this his goodneſſe is either generall or ſpeciall.
His generall goodneſſe extends it ſelfe to all his creatures: not onelyonly to ſuch as hauehave continued in that goodneſſe, wherein they were created; but alſo to ſuch as hauehave fallen away from their primigeniall goodneſſe, euen to euill Angels, and to wicked men. Of this goodneſſe I vnderſtand that, Pſal. 33.5. The earth is full of the goodneſſe of the Lord.
His ſpeciall goodneſſe I call that, by which he doth good to the holy Angels, confirmed in grace, and to his elect children among the ſonnes of men. Such is that, whereof wee reade, Pſal. 73.1. Truly God is good to Iſrael, euen to ſuch as are of a cleane heart. He is good, that is, hee is gracious, fauourable, and full of compaſſion to Iſrael, to his elect and holy people, his holy Church, yet militant vponupon the earth, deliuering her from euill, and beſtowing good vponupon her.
Now if hony of its owne nature and eſſence ſweet, hath no bitterneſſe in it; if the Sunne of its owne nature and eſſence light, hath no darkneſſe in it: then out of doubt it cannot be, that our God the Lord, Iehouah, who is euer good; good in ſe, and good, extra ſe; good of his owne nature and eſſence, and good towards all his creatures, ſhould hauehave any euill in him. No, Lord, Wee confeſſe before thee with thy holy ſeruant Dauid; Pſal. 5.4.Thou art not a God that hath pleaſure in wickedneſſe, neither ſhall euill dwell with thee.
Thus you ſee, Quis, who this Agent is. He is our God, the Lord, I…houah. He, who is his owne being, and giueth a reall being to all things elſe; He, who is abſolutely good, good of his owne eſſence, and good to all his creatures; He, in whom there is no ſtaine of euill. This is He, the Agent. Now followeth his Action, which ſeemeth to be a doing of euill, and is my ſecond circumſtance. For my Text is,
Shall there be euill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it?
Mat. 7.18.It is an obſeruation in Nature, that a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit. And there is an axiome in Philoſophy, Omne agens agit ſibi ſimile, EueryEvery Agent produceth the like vntounto it ſelfe. God, the Agent here, being abſolutely good; good in ſe, good extra ſe; good in himſelfe, good to all his creatures, cannot but produce a like action, euen very good. How then is it, that here he is ſaid to doe euill? For the vntying of this knot, I will produce a few diſtinctions; from them I will gather ſome concluſions; and the doubt will bee cleered.
My firſt diſtinction is; Things may bee termed euill two manner of waies: ſome are euill indeed, and of their owne nature: in this ranke we muſt place our ſins: ſome are euill not indeed, and in their owne nature, but in regard of our ſenſe, apprehenſion and eſtimation; and in this ranke we muſt place whatſoeuer affliction God layeth vponupon vsus in this life for our ſinnes. This diſtinction is Saint Baſils, in his Homily, wherein he proueth, that God is not the Author of euils.
The next diſtinction is out of Saint Auguſtine, chap. 26. againſt Adimantus the Manichee: There are two ſorts of euils; there is malum, quod facit homo, and there is malum, quod patitur. There is an euill, which the wicked man doth; and there is an euill, which he ſuffereth. That is ſinne; this, the puniſhment of ſinne. In that, the wicked are Agents; in this, they are Patients: that, is done by them; this, is done vponupon them. They offend Gods Iuſtice, and God in his Iuſtice offends them:
This is otherwiſe deliuered by the ſame Father, De fide ad Petrum, cap. 21. Geminum eſſe conſtat naturae rationalis malum: vnum, quo voluntariè ipſa deficit à ſummo Bono, creatore ſuo: Alterum quo iuuita punietur ignis aeterni ſupplicio; illud paſſura iuſtè, quia hoc admiſit iniuſtè. It is, ſaith he, manifeſt, that there is a two-fold euill of the reaſonable nature, that is, of man. One, whereby man voluntarily forſaketh the chiefeſt good, God, his Creator: the other, whereby he ſhall againſt his will be puniſhed in the flames of euerlaſting fire. So ſhall he iuſtly ſuffer, that vniuſtly offended.
In his firſt Diſputation againſt Fortunatus the Manichee, he ſpeaketh yet more plainly. Sith, ſaith he, there are two kinds of euill Peccatum, & poena peccati; Sinne, and the puniſhment of ſinne; the one, namely ſinne, pertaines not vntounto God: the other, the puniſhment of ſinne belongs vntounto him.
Tertullian lib. 2. contra Marcionem, cap. 14. more than a hundred yeeres before Saint Auguſtines time, deliuers this diſtinction with much perſpicuity. There is malum delicti, and malum ſupplicij: or, there is malum culpae and malum poenae. There is an euill of ſinne, and an euill of puniſhment: and of each part he nominateth the Author; Malorum quidem peccati & culpae, Diabolum; malorum verò ſupplicij & poenae Deum creatorem: Of the euils of ſinne or default the Deuill is the Author: but of the euills of paine and puniſhment, hee acknowledgeth the hand of God, the Creator.
This ſecond diſtinction of euills, Rupertus well expreſſeth in other termes: There is malum, quod eſt iniquitas, and there is malum, quod eſt Afflictio propter iniquitatem: There is an euill of Iniquity, and an euill of Affliction. So he agreeth with the ancient Fathers.
My third diſtinction is of the euills of puniſhment. Of theſe there are two ſorts. Some are onelyonly the puniſhments of ſinne, either eternall in Hell, or temporall in this world: and ſome are ſo the puniſhments of ſinne, that they are alſo ſinnes and cauſes of ſinnes.
My fourth diſtinction is, De malo culpae: it concernes the euill of ſinne. The euill of ſinne may bee conſidered three manner of waies. Firſt, as it is a ſinne repugnant to the Law of God; and ſo onelyonly is it malum culpae, the euill of ſinne. Secondly, as it is a puniſhment of ſome precedent ſinne, for God vſeth to puniſh ſinne with ſinne.
So did he puniſh it in the Gentiles, when hee gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde, Rom. 1.28.to vncleanneſſe, to the luſts of their owne hearts, to doe ſuch things as were not conuenient, becauſe when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, Rom. 1.12. Thirdly, as it is a cauſe of ſome ſubſequent ſinne: ſuch as was excoecatio in Iudaeis, whereof we reade, Eſay 6.10. Excoeca cor populi huius, Make thou the heart of this people blind, or make it fat; make their eares heauy, and ſhut their eyes, leſt they ſee with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderſtand with their hearts, and conuert, and be healed. This ſame excoecation or blindneſſe in the Iewes, was the puniſhment of a pr…cedent ſinne, namely, of their infidelity towards Chriſt; and it was a ſinne, becauſe eueryevery ignorance of God is a ſinne; and it was the cauſe of other ſinnes: ſo Saint Auguſtine teacheth, lib. 5. cap. 3. contra Iulianum. And this diſtinction is found in Saint Greg. Moral. lib. 25. cap. 9.
My fifth diſtinction concerneth alſo the euill of ſinne. In ſinne there are two things to be obſerued: there is Ens, and there is foreign; there is Actio, and there is Actionis malitia: or, there is Actio, and there is Actionis irrectitudo, which is, declinatio à rectitudine voluntatis Dei in lege reuelatae. In eueryevery ſinne there is an entitie, being, or action; and there is of that entitie, being, or action, a crookedneſſe, obliquity, or naughtineſſe. EueryEvery entity, being, or action, as ſuch is good from a good author,Act. 17.28. God Almighty, in whom we liue, moue, and hauehave our being. But the foreign, the crookedneſſe, obliquity, and naughtineſſe of our Actions, the ſwaruing of them from the line of Gods reuealed will, as ſuch, is wicked, from a wicked Author,Gen. 6.5. mans decayed nature: All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart, are onelyonly euill continually.
Thus hauehave you my diſtinctions. I promiſed to draw from them ſome concluſions.
The firſt is: God is the Author of eueryevery euill of puniſhment. EueryEvery ſuch euill God willeth. The will of God is the primarie efficient cauſe thereof. It may thus be proued. EueryEvery good thing is of God. Now eueryevery euill of puniſhment, eueryevery puniſhment, is a good thing; for it is a worke of iuſtice, by which ſinnes are puniſhed, and ſo a iuſt worke; and therefore eueryevery puniſhment is of God, and God willeth it.
The ſecond concluſion: The euill of ſinne, as it is a puniſhment of ſome former ſinne, God willeth and inflicteth. This is that ſame receiued and much vſed axiome in Diuinty; God puniſheth ſinnes with ſinnes. In ſo doing hee doth no more, then what becommeth a iuſt Iudge to doe. Hereof Saint Auguſt…ne, Contra aduerſarium legis & Prophetarum lib. 1. cap. 24. thus ſpeaketh: It is a fearefull iudgement, when God takes courſe, Vt crimina criminibus vindicantur, & ſupplicia peccantium non ſunt tormenta, ſed incrementa vitiorum. Fearefull is the iudgement, when God taketh courſe, that ſinnes be reuenged with ſinnes, and the puniſhment of euill doers bee no torment to them, but additions to their euill doings. O, this is a fearefull iudgement, which Saint Gregory, Moral. lib. 25. cap. 9. expreſſeth after this manner: Hoc quippe agitur, vt culpae culpis feriantur, quatenus ſuplicia fiant peccantium ipſa incrementa vitiorum: It is the moſt admirable iudgement of God, and moſt dreadfull of all other, when he taketh courſe that ſinne be ſtricken with ſinne, ſo as that the increaſe of ſinne is the puniſhment of the ſinner: it being ordered by diſpoſition aboue, but yet by reaſon of the confuſion of iniquity beneath, both that the former ſinne is the cauſe of the latter, and the latter is the puniſhment of the former. This of all the iudgements of God is the moſt admirable, the moſt dreadfull.
My third concluſion, The euill of ſinne as it is an Action God willeth; he worketh it, he doth it. For whatſoeuer God properly willeth, the ſame he worketh, he doth it, either immediatly by himſelfe; or Sua virtute, through his power, by others. Now if Quaecunque voluit, fecit, as it is Pſal. 115.3. if God hath done whatſoeuer he hath willed, then ſurely, Quaecunque fecit, vult, whatſoeuer he doth, that hee willeth. And the truth is, not in Philoſophy onelyonly, alſo in the holy Scriptures, that God is the primary cauſe of all actions, whatſoeuer they are, as farre forth as they are actions. This is that which Saint Paul affirmeth, 1 Cor. 12.6. God worketh all in all. For though he ſpeaketh concerning the gifts of the holy Ghoſt, yet is his propoſition generall, God worketh all in all: like to that, Rom. 11.36. God is he, of whom are all things, through whom are all things, and to whom are all things. All things? He meaneth not onelyonly all ſubſtances, but alſo all the actions of all things. For as all actions are gouerned by him, and doe tend vntounto him; ſo alſo are they all of him, as of the firſt mouer; according to that, Act. 17.28. In him we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being.
The fourth Concluſion: The euill of ſinne, as it is ſinne, God properly willeth not, neither indeed can he will it. For Sinne, as it is ſinne, is that ſame foreign whereof I ſpake in my fifth diſtinction: it is the crookedneſſe, the obliquity, the naughtineſſe of an action; it is the ſwaruing of an action from the line of the will of God reuealed in his holy Word: whereof to make God a doer, or author, is execrable and blaſphemous impiety. Non Deus volens iniquitatem tu es, Pſal. 5.4. is a deſcription of God according to his proper nature; God is not a God that willeth iniquity. It is proper vntounto him Nolle inquitatem, Not to will iniquity. Habbakkuk auoucheth it, Chap. 1.13. O Lord my God mine holy one, thou art of purer eyes than to behold euill, and canſt not looke on iniquity; Mundi ſunt oculi tui, thine eyes are pure, free from all ſpot and vncleanneſſe; that thou canſt not behold euill, to approue it; nor canſt looke on iniquity, to allow it. So true is my fourth Concluſion: The euill of ſinne, as it is ſinne, God properly willeth not, neither indeed can he will it.
Now out of theſe concluſions, and the fore-alleaged diſtinctions, I frame the reſolution to the doubt propounded. The doubt was, How is it that God abſolutely good, good in Se, and good Extra ſe: good in himſelfe, and good to all his creatures, is here in my Text ſaid to doe euill? The reſolution is: The euill in my Text is not malum culpae, delicti aut iniquitatis; it is not the euill of default, the euill of ſinne, or the euill of iniquity: but it is malum poenae ſupplicij ſine afflictionis: It is the euill of paine, the euill of puniſhment, the euill of affliction. Not of that, but of this, is my Text to be vnderſtood. Shall there be euill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? No there ſhall be no euill in a City; no euill of paine, puniſhment, or affliction, but the Lord hath done it.
And thus you are to vnderſtand that Eſay 45.7. I, the Lord, create euill. And that, Ierem. 18.11. I, the Lord, frame euill againſt you. I create euill; I frame euill. By euill in both places, Tertullian againſt Marcion, lib. 2, cap. 24. vnderſtandeth mala non peccatoria, ſed vlt…ria; he vnderſtandeth, euill not of ſinne, but of reuengement. So likewiſe are we to vnderſtand by the name of euill in all thoſe places of holy Scripture in which God eithera1 King. 9.9. Iudg. 9.56. 1 Sam. 6.9. Dan. 9.13. bringeth, orb1 King. 14.10. 1 King. 21.21. 2 King. 21.12. 2 King. 22.16. threatneth to bring euill vponupon any. By euill in all ſuch places as here in my Text, we are to vnderſtand the euill of reuengement; the euill of paine, puniſhment, or affliction.
The euill of reuengement! The euill of paine, puniſhment, or affliction! But why euill? Surely eueryevery reuengement, eueryevery paine, eueryevery puniſhment, eueryevery affliction that befalleth vsus in this life, is good. It is good. Firſt, becauſe it is laid vponupon vsus by God, who is of himſelfe, and abſolutely good. Secondly, becauſe it is iuſt, and whatſoeuer is iuſt muſt needs be good. Thirdly, becauſe it hath a good end; the glory of God and the ſaluation of the elect. For theſe reaſons it cannot be denied, but that eueryevery reuengement, paine, puniſhment, and affliction is good. Why then is it in my Text, and elſewhere called euill?
I anſwer according to my ſecond diſtinction. Reuengements, paines, puniſhments, and afflictions are called euils, not becauſe they are euills indeed and of their owne nature, but only in regard of our ſenſe, eſtimation and apprehenſion. The very torments of Hell, eternall fire, and outer darkneſſe are not indeed and of their nature euill: Mala ſunt, his, qui incidunt in ea, ſaith Irenaeus aduerſus haereſes, lib. 4. cap. 77. they are euill to ſuch as fall into them; but Bona, ex juſtitia Dei, good they are, as they are from Gods iuſtice.
What Irenaeus ſaith concerning Hell-torments, the ſame is true of the aduerſities, the croſſes, the ſcourges, the afflictions that befall men in this life. Euils they are called, and God is ſaid to doe them. But how euils? Saint Hierome, lib. 4. Com. in Ierem. will tell vsus how: they are called euills, non quòd per ſe mala ſint, not becauſe they are of themſelues euill, ſed quod patientibus mala eſſe videantur, but becauſe they ſeeme euill to vsus who ſuffer them.
With theſe two, Irenaeus and Saint Ierome, doe agreecContr. Ad… mantum Manich. cap. 27. & contr. Epiſt. Manich. c. 38. & lib. 1. contr. aduerſ. legis & Prophet. c. 23. Saint Auguſtine, dSerm. 16. in Pſal. 118.Saint Ambroſe, eLib. 3. Moral. cap. 7.Gregory the Great,fLib. 1. in Gen. cap. 7. Eucherius Biſhop of Lions, gCap. 4. de Diuinis nominibus.Dionyſius the Areopagite, hLib. 1. & 10. Recognit.Clemens the Romane, iIn Dialogo & lib. de Monarchia.Iuſtin Martyr, kHomil. Quod Deus non ſit autor malorum.Great Baſil, andlLib. 4. in Eſaiam cap. 45. Cyril of Alexandria, euen all the ancient and Orthodoxall Fathers. All theſe with one conſent doe teach, that the aduerſities, the croſſes, the ſcourges, the afflictions, which befall men in this life, though in the Scripture they are called Mala, Euils; yet indeed they are not Mala, they are not euils ſuá naturâ, ſimply & of their owne nature, but only are mala nobis, euill in reſpect of vsus, euill in regard of our ſenſe, eſtimation, and apprehenſion. And ſuch is the euill in my Text: improperly euill, but indeed good: good in its owne nature, but euill, only, as wee call euill, whatſoeuer liketh vsus not, or is not for our eaſe.
I hauehave long ſtood vponupon the ſecond circumſtance, the Quid, the Action, which was a doing of euill. I muſt be the ſhorter in the third, the Vbi, the place where this Action is performed. In my Text its called a City.
Shall there be euill in a City;
In a Citie! In ciuitatibus, in Cities; So Nicolaus de Lyrâ expoundeth it. In ciuitate aliquâ, in any City; So Mercerus. In habitatoribus ciuitatis; among the inhabitants of a City; So Petrus à Figueiro. In populi communitate, among the people of the world; So Albertus Magnus. I hauehave expounded it, In ciuitate huius mundi, in the City of this world.
This vniuerſe and admirable frame of nature, wherein Iehouah, the Lord our God, them1 Tim. 6.15. King of KingsnPſal. 97.1. & Pſal. 99. reigneth, conſiſteth of two Cities, the one isoAuguſtin. Retract. lib. 2. c. 43. Ciuitas Dei, the City of God, the other ispIdem de Temp. Serm. 106. Ciuitas hujus mundi, the City of this world. The one isqIdem de Ciuitate Dei, lib. 14. cap. 28. celeſtiall, the other is terrene. The one is ofrIdem de Catech. Rud. lib. 1. cap. 19. Saints, the other is of the wicked. The one isſIdem in Pſal. 61. Ieruſalem, the other is Babylon.
In the firſt, that moſt glorious City, the City of God, and his Saints, the celeſtiall Ieruſalem, all teares are wiped away from the eyes of the inhabitants; there they neither weepe nor lament; there is neither death, nor ſorrow, nor crying, nor paine; there is no euill there, no not the euill of affliction: So ſaith the Spirit, Reuel. 21.4. And therefore that City, cannot be the City in my Text.
In the other City, the City of this world, the terrene City, the City of the wicked, Babylon, great Babylon, the City of confuſion, there is no ſure repoſe for the godly there. There may they become a reproach to theirtPſal. 44.13. & Pſal. 79.4. neighbours: there may they bee a ſcorne and deriſion to them that are round about them: They may bee a by-worduPſal. 44.14. among the Heathen, a ſhaking of the head among the people. There they mayxHebr. 11.37. be tempted, they may bee ſtoned, they may bee ſlaine with the ſword, they may bee ſawne aſunder: There may they dailyyPſal. 88.9. mourne by reaſon of affliction: For euen the godly, who arezAuguſt. de Ciuit. Dei. lib. 15. cap. 1. by grace Ciues ſurſum, Citizens aboue, Citizens of the ſupernall and celeſtiall City of God; they are alſo by grace peregrini deorſum, pilgrims or ſtrangers here below in this terrene City, the City of this world. Here they muſt bee cut,1 Pet. 2.5. hewne, and ſquared with ſundry tribulations, ſickneſſes and diſeaſes before they can be made fit, and as liuely ſtones for the Heauenly Ieruſalem. And this is the City in my Text, my third circumſtance, the Vbi, the circumſtance of the place, where the Agent, Iehouah, performeth his Action, a doing of euill: Shall there be euill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it?
Thus is my Text for the vnderſtanding thereof made eaſie; as thus: Shall there be euill] any euill of reuengement, paine, puniſhment, or affliction, In a City] in the terrene City, in the City of this world; Shall there bee any ſuch euill, any where, and the Lord hath not done it? or as the Marginall reading is, Shall not the Lord doe ſomewhat? The point of obſeruation is: There is no affliction any where in the world, but its from the Lord, and either he doth it, or doth ſomewhat in it.
By affliction in this my Theſis, I vnderſtand the ſuffering of any thing, the ſenſe or cogitation whereof our nature ſhunneth. Whatſoeuer is any way grieuous or offenſiue to our humane nature I call affliction. The temptations of the fleſh, the world, and the Deuill; the diſeaſes of the body; a froward husband or wife; rebellious children; vnthankfull friends; loſſe of goods; reproches, ſlanders, warre, peſtilence, famine, impriſonment, death; eueryevery croſſe and paſſion, bodily and ghoſtly, proper to our ſelues, or pertaining to our kindred, priuate or publike, ſecret or manifeſt, either by our owne deſerts gotten, or otherwiſe impoſed vponupon vsus, I call afflictions. To be ſhort, the miſeries, the calamities, the vexations, the moleſtations of this life, from the leaſt to the greateſt, from the paine of the little finger to the very pangs of death, I call afflictions. Of eueryevery ſuch affliction, whatſoeuer it betideth any one in this life, God is foreign, hee is the primary efficient cauſe thereof, he doth it, or doth ſomewhat in it.
VponUpon the proofe of this point I hauehave now no time to ſpend: nor needs it any proofe, it is ſo firmely grounded vponupon my Text. Nor will I recount vntounto you the many vſes it affordeth. Let one ſuffice for the ſhutting vp of this exerciſe.
Is it true, Beloued. Is there no affliction that betideth any one any where in this world, but its from the Lord? Here then we hauehave wherewith to comfort our ſelues in the day of affliction. Whatſoeuer affliction ſhall befall vsus, its from the Lord. The Lo…d whoſe name is Iehouah, who is himſelfe and of none other, whoſe being is from all eternity, who only is omnipotent, who is good in himſelfe, and good to all his creatures, he will not ſuffer vsus to be tempted aboue our abilities, but will with the temptation alſo make away to eſcape that we may be able to beare it, Saint Paul is our warrant for it, 1 Cor. 10.13. And 2 Cor. 4 8. he ſheweth it by his owne experience. We are troubled on eueryevery ſide, yet are we diſtreſſed: We are perplexed, yet are we not in deſpaire: We are perſecuted, yet are we not forſaken: we are caſt downe, yet are we not deſtroyed. In ſuch a caſe was Saint Paul. What if we be in the like? If we be troubled, perplexed, perſecuted, and caſt downe, what ſhall we doe? We will ſupport our ſelues with the confidence of Dauid, Pſal. 23.4. Though we walke through the valley of the ſhadow of death, yet will we feare no euill; for thou, Lord, art with vsus. Thou Lord, art with vsus! Quis contra nos? Who ſhall be againſt vsus? We will not feare, what man can doe vntounto vsus. I draw to a concluſion.
Sith there is no affliction, that betideth any one any where in this world, but its from the Lord; and as the Author to the Hebrewes ſpeaketh, chap. 12.8. He is a baſtard and not a ſonne, that is not partaker of afflictions; let vsus, as Saint Iames aduiſeth, chap. 1.2. account it exceeding ioy, when wee are afflicted.
The Patriarches, the Prophets, the Euangeliſts, the Apoſtles, the holy Martyrs, hauehave found the way to Heauen, narrow, rugged, and bloudy, and ſhall we thinke that God will ſtrew Carpets for our nice feet to walke thither?
He that is the doore and the way, our bleſſed Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, hath by his owne example taught vsus, that we muſt through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of Heauen. There is but one paſſage thither, and it is a ſtreight one. If with much preſſure we can get thorow, and leaue but our ſuperfluous ragges as torne from vsus in the throng, it will be our happineſſe.
Wherefore whenſoeuer any aduerſity, croſſe, calamity, miſery, or affliction ſhall befall vsus, let vsus with due regard to the hand of the Lord, that ſmiteth vsus, receiue it with thankes, keepe it with patience, digeſt it in hope, apply it with wiſdome, bury it in meditation, and the end thereof will be peace and glory: the peace of our conſciences in this life, and eternall glory in the higheſt Heauens. Whereof God make vsus all partakers.