Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 16
THE Sixteenth Lecture.
AMOS 3.14, 15.
That in the day, that I ſhall viſit the tranſgreſſions of Iſrael vponupon him, I will alſo viſit the Altars of Bethel, and the hornes of the Altar ſhall be cut off and fall to the ground.
And I will ſmite the winter houſe with the ſummer houſe; and the houſes of iuory ſhall periſh, and the great houſes ſhall hauehave an end, ſaith the Lord.
THis paſſage of holy Writ is a Proſopopaeia. The Almighty is here brought in, calling vponupon his Prieſts and Prophets to giuegive care vntounto him, and to beare witneſſe of the calamities which hee was reſolued to lay vponupon the houſe of Iacob. His reſolution was, when he ſhould puniſh the Iſraelites for their euill deeds, then to viſit their Temple and ſtatelieſt buildings with ruine and deſolation.
The words I heretofore diuided into two generall parts▪
One was, A mandate for a Teſtification.
The other, The matter to be teſtified.
That was verſ. 13. this verſ. 14. and 15.
For the firſt theſe particulars hauehave beene obſerued;
1 Who it is that giues the Mandate. Euen the Lord; the Lord God, the God of hoſts.
2 To whom he giues it: Sacerdotibus & Prophetis; to his Prieſts and Prophets. For to them is this paſſage by an Apoſtrophe directed.
3 How he giues it: Audite, & conteſtamini, Heare and teſtifie.
4 The place where this teſtification was to be made, in domo Iacob, in the houſe of Iacob. Heare and teſtifie in the houſe of Iacob, ſaith the Lord God, the God of Hoſts, verſ. 13.
In the other part, which concerneth the matter to be teſtified, we may obſerue:
1 A reſolution of God, to puniſh Iſrael for ſinne: There ſhall be a day, wherein the Lord will viſit the tranſgreſſion of Iſrael vponupon him, verſ. 14.
2 That this puniſhment ſo reſolued vponupon by the Lord, ſhall reach vntounto their holieſt places, to their houſes of religion; to their Altars in Bethel: the hornes of the Altar ſhall be cut off and fall to the ground, verſ. 14.
3 That this puniſhment ſhall extend to the chiefeſt places of their habitation; euen to the demolition and ruine of their dwelling houſes: The winter houſe ſhall be ſmitten, ſo ſhall the ſummer houſe: the houſes of iuory ſhall periſh, and the great houſes ſhall hauehave an end, verſ. 15.
4 The ſeale and aſſurance of all, in the two laſt words of this Chapter, Neum Iehouah, ſaith the Lord.
In the day that I ſhall viſit the tranſgreſſions of Iſrael vponupon him, I will alſo viſit the Altars of Bethel, and the hornes of the Altar ſhall be cut off and fall to the ground.
And I will ſmite the winter houſe with the ſummer houſe; and the houſes of iuory ſhall periſh, and the great houſes ſhall hauehave an end, ſaith the Lord.
Such are the parts of this Scripture. Of the firſt generall, which was the Mandate for the teſtification, and of the particulars therein, I diſcourſed in my laſt Sermon out of this place. Now I am to deſcend to the ſecond generall, which is of the matter to be teſtified. The firſt branch therein is, of Gods reſolution to puniſh Iſrael for ſinne: and that is in the beginning of the fourteenth verſe.
In the day that I ſhall viſit the tranſgreſſions of Iſrael vponupon him.]
By the words its plaine, that a day ſhould come, wherein God would puniſh Iſrael for his tranſgreſſions.R. Dauid. R. Abraham. That day ſome ancient Rabbines referre to the earthquake, that was in the daies of Vzziah King of Iudah, whereof we finde mention made in the firſt Chapter of this Prophecie, verſe 1. and Zach. 14.5.
Some referre it to the time of King Ioſiahs reigne, when he brake downe the Altar that was at Bethel, and the high place there, 2 King. 23.15.
Others hereby doe vnderſtand that day, wherein Samaria was captiuated by the Aſſyrian King, Salmanaſſar, 2 King. 17.6.
Whenſoeuer that day fell out, it was the day of the Lords viſitation, the day wherein the Lord viſited Iſrael for his iniquities.
This word, to viſit, ſignifieth a remembrance, prouidence, care and performance of a thing ſpoken, be it good or euill: and it belongeth vntounto God to viſit both waies, either for good or for euill, either in mercy or in iudgement.
It was for good that the Lord viſited Sarah, Gen. 21.1. The Lord viſited Sarah,Gen. 17.19. & 18.10. as he had ſaid; and the Lord did vntounto Sarah, as he had ſpoken. For Sarah conceiued, and bare Abraham a ſonne in his old age, at the ſet time, of which God had ſpoken to him. This was a viſitation for good; a viſitation in mercy.
Such is that whereof dying Ioſeph tells his brethren, Gen. 50.24. I die: and God viſiting will viſit you, and will make you goe vp out of this land, vntounto the land which he ſware to Abraham, to Iſaak, and to Iacob. God viſiting will viſit you. He meaneth a viſitation in mercy; God will ſurely viſit you in mercy. And ſo he did when they had beene bond-ſlaues in Aegypt foure hundred and thirty yeeres.Exod. 12.41. For at the end of thoſe yeeres, euen the ſelfe ſame day that thoſe yeeres were ended, it came to paſſe, that all the Hoſts of the Lord, the Tribes of Iſrael, went out from the land of Aegypt. Out they went with an high hand in the ſight of all the Aegyptians. And ſo God viſiting viſited his people Iſrael, Numb. 33.3.according to his promiſe made by Moſes, Exod. 3.16. This was a viſitation for good; a gracious and mercifull viſitation.
But gracious and mercifull aboue all was the viſitation of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, when with a true and euerlaſting redemption he redeemed all true Iſraelites from ſinne, and death, and Satan. It is the viſitation for which Zachary in his Canticle bleſſeth God, Luk. 1.68. Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael. And why bleſſed? for he hath viſited, and redeemed his people. He hath viſited his people; viſited in the better part; viſited in mercy; in exceeding great mercy.
Beloued, ſith Chriſt hath viſited vsus in our perſons,Math. 25.40. Luk. 16.1. it is our parts to viſit him in his members. We are all his Stewards; and the good things he hath lent vsus are not our owne, but his: if the goods of the Church, we may not appropriate them: if of the Common-wealth, we may not encloſe them. You know it is a vulgar ſaying: He is the beſt ſubiect, that is higheſt in the ſubſidie booke. Let it paſſe for true. But I am ſure he is the beſt Chriſtian that is moſt forward in Subſidiis, in helping of his brethren with ſuch good things as God hath beſtowed vponupon him.
Beſides this viſitation for good, and in mercy; there is alſo a viſitation for euill and in iudgement. Thus to viſit, is to viſit in anger or diſpleaſure. And ſo by a Synecdoche of the Genus for Species, to viſit is to puniſh. Thus is God ſaid to viſit, when with ſome ſudden and vnlooked ſcourge or calamity, he taketh vengeance vponupon men for their ſinnes, which for a long time he ſeemed to take no notice of.
So God viſited the iniquity of the fathers vponupon the children, Exod. 20.5. He viſiteth, not onelyonly by taking notice of, and apprehending children in their fathers faults, but alſo by puniſhing them for the ſame; in as much as they are giuen ouer to commit the tranſgreſſions of their fathers.
Dauid in his deuotions calleth vponupon the Lord to viſit the Heathen, Pſal. 59.5. O Lord God of Hoſts, the God of Iſrael, awake thou to viſit the Heathen. Where, to viſit, is to viſit for euill, to viſit in iudgement, in anger and diſpleaſure, it is to correct, it is to puniſh.
To ſuch as depart from the Law of the Lord, and from that rule of righteouſneſſe which it preſcribeth them to walke in, the Lord himſelfe threatneth, that he will viſit their tranſgreſſion with the rod, and their iniquity with ſtripes, Pſal. 89 32. And there to viſit is taken in the worſe part, for, to viſit in iudgement, in anger or diſpleaſure, for as much as it bringeth a rod and ſtripes with it. It is to correct, it is to puniſh.
There is, Eſay 10.12. a commination againſt the King of Aſſyria, that ſame rod of hypocrites, that his pride ſhould be broken. It is thus deliuered: I will viſit vponupon the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Aſhur, and the glory of his high lookes. And there alſo to viſit is in the worſe part, for, to viſit in iudgement, in ire, anger, or diſpleaſure: It is to correct, it is to puniſh.
As in the now alleaged places to viſit ſignifieth in the worſe part, to viſit in iudgement, in ire, anger, or diſpleaſure, and by a conſequent, to correct or puniſh; ſo doth it in my Text. And therefore for Viſitabo, Iunius hath animaduertam. This ſame viſiting is with him a puniſhing.
In the day that I ſhall viſit] or puniſh. What? Prauaricationes Iſrael, ſaith the Vulgar Latine. The preuarications of Iſrael. The preuarications of Iſrael are his ſwaruings from truth, reaſon, and honeſty. Iunius tranſlates them, Defectiones, the reuoltings or ſlippings of Iſrael. Our Engliſh hath the tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, by which name ſinnes are called, becauſe they exceed the bounds and markes which God by his Law hath appointed vntounto vsus,Druſius. Caluin. O…aller. Bre…ti…s. for the moderating of our deſires and affections. Some here hauehave Scelera Iſrael, the wickedneſſe, lewdneſſe, or naughtineſſe of Iſrael.
Theſe generall appellations doe direct vsus to particular ſins, to couetouſneſſe, to pride, to cruelty, to vniuſt exactions, to robbing and ſpoiling of the poore; theſe were the ſinnes that reigned and raged in Iſrael; in the Kingdome of the Ten tribes, or the Kingdome of Iſrael, called in the precedent verſe, The houſe of Iacob: and theſe were the ſinnes, for which the Lord was reſolued to puniſh Iſrael; as it is alſo ſignified in the ſecond verſe of this Chapter. There is a Viſitabo as well as here: Viſitabo ſuper vos omnes iniquitates veſtras. I will viſit vponupon you, or I will puniſh you, for all your iniquities: Viſitabo, I will doe it; I will viſit, I will puniſh. I, the Lord God, the God of Hoſts, will viſit the tranſgreſſions of Iſrael vponupon him. Whence ariſeth this obſeruation: Whatſoeuer viſitation or puniſhment befalleth any of vsus in this life, it is laid vponupon vsus by the hand of God, by his good will and pleaſure.
The Viſitabo in my Text doth warrant this truth. A day there ſhall be, wherein Viſitabo, I ſhall viſit the tranſgreſſions of Iſrael vponupon him. I ſhall doe it.
When the world was growne ſo foule with ſinne, that it deſerued to be waſhed with a floud, God himſelfe vndertooke the viſitation, Gen. 6.7. I will deſtroy man, whom I hauehave created from the face of the earth. And verſ. 17. Behold I, euen I, doe bring a floud of waters vponupon the earth to deſtroy all fleſh.
Concerning the ſinne of the people, that great and grieuous ſinne, when they made them Gods of gold, the Lord ſaith vntounto Moſes, Exod. 32.34. In the day when I viſit, then will I viſit their ſinne vponupon them: When I ſee good to puniſh them, I my ſelfe will puniſh them.
For the diſobedient and deſpiſers of the will of the Lord, the Lord hath a Viſitabo too, Leuit. 26.16. Ʋiſitabo vos velociter; I will viſit you quickly with terrours, with conſumptions, with burning agues, that ſhall conſume the eyes, and cauſe ſorrow of heart, with the ſword, with famine, and with peſtilence. Viſitabo vos velociter, I will quickly viſit you. I will doe it.
Monſtrous and grieuous were the ſinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah, that were to be reuenged by ſo fearefull a iudgement, as is a raine of brimſtone and fire. But how fell that raine vponupon them? The Text is, Gen. 19.24. The Lord rained vponupon Sodome and vponupon Gomorrah, brimſtone and fire from the Lord out of Heauen. The Lord rained, ſaith the Text. Then not man, not deuill, not necromancy, not any thing in nature was the cauſe that this befell thoſe Cities; but the very power and wrath of God, of a diſpleaſed God, at ſo great abomination as was there committed, ſent downe that raine vponupon them. The Lord was he that gaue that raine.
Prodigious were the plagues wherewith the land of Aegypt was viſited. I looke into the Sacred ſtory, and there I ſee aboue them,aExod. 9.23. thunder, haile, lightning, tempeſts: one whilebExod. 10.22. no light at all, another while ſuch fearefull flaſhes as had more terrour than the darkneſſe. I ſee vnderunder them,c7.20. the waters changed into bloud; the earth ſwarming withd8.6. frogs ande10.13. graſhoppers. I ſee about themf8.24. ſwarmes of flies, by which the land was corrupted. I ſee theirg9.23.10.15. fruits deſtroyed, theirh9.6. cattell dying, theiri12.30. children dead. Turning mine eyes vntounto themſelues, I ſee them very loathſome withk8.17. lice; and deformed withl8.10. ſcabs, boiles, and botches. Grieuous indeed were theſe viſitations, but who was he that wrought them? It was the Lord. For ſo the Text runneth, Exod. 7.5. The Aegyptians ſhall know that I am the Lord, when I ſtretch forth mine hand vponupon Aegypt.
Who was it but the Lord that ſmote Nabal, that he died? 1 Sam. 25.38. Aske of Eſay, who it is that formeth the light, and createth darkneſſe; that maketh peace, and createth euill? he will tell you it is the Lord that doth all theſe things, Chap. 45.7. It is the Lord doth all. Light and peace are the ſymbols of proſperity; darkneſſe and euill, of aduerſity; ſo the meaning of the place will be, that the Lord is a doer, not only in the proſperity, but alſo in the aduerſity, wherewith this life is ſeaſoned.
Thus hauehave you the confirmation of my obſeruation, which was, that Whatſoeuer viſitation or puniſhment befalleth any of vsus in this life, it is laid vponupon vsus by the hand of God, by his good will and pleaſure.
One reaſon hereof is; becauſe nothing is done in this world, but the Lord is the principall doer of it. Nothing is done without him: no, not in the carriage of a lottery, which in mans iudgement ſeemeth of all things to be the moſt caſuall; yet therein doth Gods hand appeare. Salomon auoucheth it, Prou. 16.33. The lot is caſt into the lap, but the whole diſpoſition thereof is of the Lord. Let Lots be caſt into the lap, ſome hat, or cap, or pot, or box, ſome ſecret and cloſe place, from whence the drawing of them forth may ſeeme to be meerely accidentall: yet it is nothing ſo. For God by his infinite and eternall prouidence doth both generally and particularly, wholly and altogether direct and order them. Now if Gods hand be found in the diſpoſing of Lots; ſhall it not be found in the ordering of the viſitations and puniſhments that are incident to vsus in this life for our euill deeds?
Another reaſon hereof may be, becauſe all power is of God and from him alone. There is no creature in the world, deuill, man, or other, that hath power any way to hurt or moleſt vsus, but from the Lord. All power is his. Hee alone makes the earth to open her mouth, andaExod. 15.12. Numb. 16.32. ſwallow vp his aduerſaries. He alonebIob 9.5. remoueth mountaines and ouerturneth them. He it is, that ſaith to the North, cEſa. 43.6.GiueGive vp; and to the South, Keepe not backe; and to the Deepe, d44.27.Be dry. He diuideth the e51.15.roaring Sea, meaſureth the fIob 28.25.winds and waters; gDan. 4.25.ruleth in the kingdomes of men. Whatſoeuer he is pleaſed to doe,hPſal. 135.6. that doth He in Heauen and in Earth: in the Seas, and all deepe places. There is no power, but from him. And therefore for this reaſon alſo it is true, that Whatſoeuer viſitation or puniſhment befalleth vsus in this life, it is laid vponupon vsus by the hand of God, by his good will and pleaſure.
From the reaſons of this obſeruation, proceed we to ſee what profit we may reape from hence, for the bettering and amendment of our ſinfull liues.
Firſt, from hence we learne in all our troubles and calamities to looke vp to God, as the chiefe and principall Author of them, from whom they come; and vponupon our ſelues and our ſinnes, the ſole procurers of them, and for whoſe ſake they are ſent. Eliphar among his aduertiſements giuen vntounto Iob, hath this for one, Miſery commeth not forth of the duſt, neither doth trouble ſpring out of the ground, Iob 5.6. Warning Iob thereby to hauehave an eye to God, as the Author of his affliction.
Its very true, affliction comes not vponupon vsus at all aduentures: it proceedeth not from the Earth, or the Aire, or the Heauen: it is the hand of God that is heauy vponupon vsus for our ſinnes. Great is our folly, that we gaze about here and there, wandring vp and downe in our owne imaginations, and ſearching all the corners of our wits to finde out the cauſes of our calamities without vsus, whereas indeed the true and right cauſe of them is within vsus. Wee are euermore accuſing either heat or cold, or drought or moiſture, or the aire, or the ground, one thing or other to be the cauſe of our miſeries, but we will not be brought to acknowledge their true and proper cauſe, euen the ſinne that reigneth in vsus. I deny not, but the Lord hath ſecret cauſes, whereof wee know not, either the manifeſtation of his owne workes, or the triall of our faith; yet the reuealed and originall cauſe of all our miſeries, hath his beginning and ſpring-head from within vsus; from our iniquities.
The Prophet Ieremy, Lament. 3.39. makes this enquiry: Wherefore ſhould a liuing man complaine, a man for the puniſhment of his ſinne, wherefore ſhould he complaine? Whereunto he fits this anſwer, man ſuffereth for his ſinnes: implying thus much, that it is meere folly for a man to vex his ſoule, in miſ-iudging of his eſtate, and ſeeking by-paths to winde himſelfe out of miſeries; ſith miſeries befall no man, but for his ſinnes. Whereupon ſweetly Pellican, Non murmuret afflictus contra Dominum, Let not the man that is in affliction murmure againſt the Lord, for the Lord doth all things well. Sed ſi quid patitur imputet peccatis ſuis, quae Deus impunita non ſinit: But if he ſuffer any thing, let him lay the blame thereof vponupon his ſinnes, which God leaueth not vnpuniſhed.
Our bleſſed Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, hauing cured the man that had beene diſeaſed eight and thirty yeeres, and finding him in the Temple, aduiſed him to conſider the cauſe of his ſo long and lamentable a viſitation; ſaying vntounto him, Behold, thou art made whole, ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing come vntounto thee, Ioh. 5.14. intimating, that his diſeaſe of ſo long continuance was laid vponupon him for his ſinnes. Out of doubt this diſeaſed man thought himſelfe happy, when hee was reſtored to health: yet leſt he ſhould reſt therein, our Sauiour telleth him, he muſt change his heart, and ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing ſhould befall him. Sciebat Dominus ei quem ſalvum fecerat, meritis peccatorum illum etiam carnis accidiſſe languorem: Auguſtine de fide & operibus, cap. 20. The Lord knew, that that ſame infirmity of body vponupon the man, whom he had healed, befell him for his ſinnes ſake.
I need not preſſe other inſtances of holy Writ for the further illuſtration of the point in hand, ſith my Text is plaine for it. By my Text its plaine, that the viſitation which the Lord was reſolued to lay vponupon the houſe of Iacob, was for the preuarications thereof; it was for their reuoltings, and tranſgreſſions, and wickedneſſe: it was for the ſinnes of Iſrael. The ſinnes of Iſrael were the cauſe of Gods viſitation vponupon them.
Wherefore, Beloued, let eueryevery viſitation of God vponupon vsus, be vntounto vsus a Sermon of repentance, to put vsus in remembrance of our ſinnes, and to admoniſh vsus, not to ſow any more vponupon the furrowes of vnrighteouſneſſe, leſt we reape a more plentifull harueſt of affliction, and whenſoeuer any viſitation ſhall be vponupon vsus, let vsus deſire God to ſanctifie the croſſe vntounto vsus, that it may conſume ſinne in vsus, and prouoke vsus to a more holy conuerſation. Thus hauehave you your firſt vſe.
Now in the ſecond place, the conſideration of this truth, that whatſoeuer viſitation or puniſhment befalleth any of vsus in this life, it is laid vponupon vsus by the hand of God, may teach vsus to hauehave patience in our troubles, not to repine or grudge when we are vnderunder the rod of affliction. Sith it is the hand of God that doth viſit vsus, we are to take it patiently, as a dutifull child beareth the chaſtiſements of his louing father.
This was the practiſe of holy Dauid, Pſal. 39.9. where he ſaith, Obmutui & non aperui os meum, quoniam tu feciſti; Lord I was dumbe and opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it: Quoniam tu feciſti, becauſe thou didſt it: this was the fountaine, whence he drew his patience. To the reuilings of the wicked, to their reproaches, to their malicious detractions, to their ſcoffings, to their iniurious ſpeeches, Obmutuit, he anſwered not a word, but was as the man that is dumbe, as he that hath no tongue, as he whoſe mouth is ſhut: he excuſed not himſelfe, he returned no euill language, but he held his peace and bore it patiently. The fountaine of this his patience was, Quoniam tu feciſti, becauſe thou didſt it. Lord, thou didſt it: But thou art a Father, I am thy ſonne: therefore what thou didſt, thou didſt it for my good; and therefore I hold my peace.
Out of this fountaine Iob drew his patience. When he had loſt his children, and was depriued of all his goods, he murmured not, nor charged he God fooliſhly. All he ſaid was, Dominus abſtulit, the Lord hath taken away, and he hath done ſo by good right, Quia etiam dedit, for firſt he gaue it, Iob 1.21. The ground of this his patience was, Domine tu feciſti; Lord, thou haſt done it. Thou Lord haſt taken from me my children, and all my ſubſtance; and therefore I hold my peace.
Out of this very Fountaine Chriſt himſelfe drew his patience; when commanding Peter to put vp his ſword into the ſheath, he asked him this queſtion, Calicem, quem dedit mihi Pater, Ioh. 18.11.non bibam illum? The cup which my Father hath giuen me, ſhall I not drinke it? Domine tu feciſti; my Father hath tempered this cup for me, and I will drinke it. This cup is the cup of the Paſſion of Chriſt, the cup of his ſufferings, which God gaue vntounto him, Vt Pater, non vt Iudex, ſaith Rupertus. God gaue this cup vntounto him, as a Father, not as a Iudge: and he gaue it to him, Amore, non irâ; voluntate, non neceſſitate; gratiâ, non vindictâ. It was of louelove, not of wrath; it was voluntary, not of neceſſity; it was of grace, not for vengeance, that this cup was giuen him. But how did he drinke it? Here may we with Cornelius Muſſus, Biſhop of Bitonto, in his Paſſion Sermon cry out; O infinitam dulcis Ieſu noſtri patientiam! O the infinite patience of our ſweet Ieſus! Dedit illis carnem ſuam, vt tractarent eam pro ſuâ libidine; he committed vntounto the Iewes his fleſh, to doe with it at their pleaſure. They inſulted ouer him, and he reſiſted not; they threatned him, and he anſwered not: they loaded him with iniuries, and he ſuſtained them; they bound him faſt, and he withſtood them not; they ſmote him, and he endured it; they flouted him, and he held his peace; they railed againſt him, and he defended not himſelfe; they curſed him, and he prayed for them. O the infinite patience of our ſweet Ieſus, which he drew from this fountaine, Domine tu feciſti; Lord, thou haſt prouided this cup for me, and I refuſe it not!
Domine tu feciſti; Lord thou haſt done it: It is the bottomleſſe fountaine of patience, neuer to bee exhauſted or drawne dry. If thy wife, thy children, thy kinsfolkes, thy friends or others be taken from thee by the ſtroke of death; if thou loſe thy goods by water, by fire, by warre, or otherwiſe, thou maiſt refreſh thy languiſhing ſoule with the water of this fountaine; Domine tu feciſti; Lord thou haſt done it.
If thy ſelfe be viſited with ſickneſſe, and ſo, that there is no ſoundneſſe in thy fleſh, nor reſt in thy bones; Pſal. 38.3.yet if thou draw from this fountaine, the ſorrow and bitterneſſe of thy viſitation will be aſſwaged. It muſt needs be a great comfort to eueryevery childe of God to meditate hereupon, that our ſickneſſe, yea that eueryevery pang and fit of our ſickneſſe is from God; that the manner of it, the meaſure of it, the time of it, and the matter of it is of God. And it may giuegive vsus good aſſurance that God will be mercifull and gracious vntounto vsus, ſeeing he that ſtriketh vsus is our louing Father, and in the ſtroke cannot forget his former compaſſions, but will make all things fall out to further our ſaluation. God is faithfull; hee layeth not vponupon vsus more ſtrokes than we are able to beare, 1 Cor. 10.13.but maketh a way for our eſcape.Pſal. 41.3. He ſtrengtheneth vsus vponupon the bed of languiſhing, and maketh all our bed in our ſickneſſe. He putteth our teares into his bottle. Pſal. 56.8. Cant. 2.6.Are they not all in his booke? His left hand is vnderunder our head, and his right hand embraceth vsus. Beloued Chriſtians, we ſhould comfort one another in theſe things.
Thirdly, is it true, Beloued? Are all our viſitations and puniſhments in this life laid vponupon vsus by the hand of God? Here then may we take direction, whither to make our recourſe in the day of viſitation. And whither may that be, but to the ſame hand of God that viſiteth? God ſmiteth, and no man healeth; God maketh the wound, and no man reſtoreth. No man healeth! no man reſtoreth! Therefore put not thy truſt in man; for there is no helpe in him: but put thy truſt in God; for as he killeth, ſo he maketh aliue againe; as hee bringeth downe to the graue, ſo he raiſeth vp againe. So ſings Hannah, 1 Sam. 2.6. The Lord killeth and maketh aliue; he bringeth downe to the graue, and bringeth vp.
What then ſhall become of the Phyſitian? May I not ſeeke to him in time of ſickneſſe? Seeke not firſt to him, as Aſa did, 2 Chron. 16.12. leſt thou be condemned, as Aſa was, for ſeeking not to the Lord, but to the Phyſitian. But ſeeke thou firſt vntounto the Lord. Firſt, be thou reconciled to him, who is the chiefe Phyſitian of ſoule and body, and then take thy courſe. For my part I hauehave no hope, that the Phyſitians helpe ſhall profit me, and proſper with me, vntill I be at peace with God, and hauehave renewed my repentance from dead workes for my daily ſinnes.
And let this ſuffice to hauehave beene ſpoken of the firſt branch of my ſecond generall part, which was, the reſolution of God to puniſh Iſrael for ſinne. Now followeth the ſecond branch: and that is, that the puniſhment ſo reſolued vponupon by the Lord, ſhall reach to their holieſt places, to their houſes of religion; in theſe words: I will alſo viſit the Altars of Bethel, and the hornes of the Altar ſhall be cut off and fall to the ground.
Viſitabo ſuper Altaria Bethel] Here is a Viſitabo like the former; a viſiting in the worſe part, a viſiting for euill, and in iudgement. Viſitabo, I will viſit vponupon the Altars of Bethel, that is with Petrus Luſitanus, Deſtruam illa, vt meum ſentiant furorem: I will deſtroy thoſe Altars: they ſhall feele my fury. The like phraſe is that, Exod. 12.12. In cunctis Dijs Aegyptifaciam judicia: Againſt all the Gods of Aegypt will I doe iudgement; and that, Num. 33.4. Dominus in Diis eorum exercuerat vltionem; VponUpon the Gods of the Aegytians, the Lord hath executed vengeance. In both places the Gods of Aegypt, are the Idols of Aegypt; and the Lords doing of iudgements, or executing of vengeance vponupon them, is all one with the Viſitabo here. I will viſit the Altars of Bethel, that is, I will doe iudgements, or I will execute vengeance vponupon the Altars of Bethel.
Bethel] Some Iewes, as R. Kimhi, and R. Eſaias are of opinion, that there were two Townes of this name; the one belonging to the Tribe of Beniamin, as appeareth Ioſh. 18.22. the other in the Tribe of Ephraim, as it is manifeſted, Iudges 1.22. This opinion of two Bethels, Cap. 16.2. & 18.13.Andrew Maſius in his Comment vponupon Ioſhuah reiecteth as needleſſe.
Bethel here is that, which in former time was called Luz, which name it had from the abundance of Nuts or Almonds which grew there,Hieron. qu Heb. in Gen. Tom. 3. for Luz in Hebrew ſignifieth a Nut or an Almond. Neere to this City Iacob ſlept, when he ſaw the viſion of Angels aſcending and deſcending vponupon the ladder, from whence he called the name of that place Bethel, Gen. 28.19. and Bethel is by interpretation the houſe of God.
This Bethel is not Ieruſalem, nor is it the mountaine of Moria, as ſome Hebrewes, and Lyranus, and Catetan doe affirme: but as Abulenſis, Adrichomius, and others, it is a City diſtant from Ieruſalem ſome eighteene miles, ſituate in the Lot of the Tribe of Ephraim, neere vntounto Sichem. Here in this City, King Ieroboam, he that was the ſonne of Nebat, ſet vp a calfe of gold to be worſhipped by the reuolted Tribes, 1 King. 12.26.that they need not be at the paines to goe vp to Ieruſalem to worſhip. Thus the place, whereof faithfull Iacob ſaid, Surely this is no other, but Bethel, the houſe of God, Gen. 28.17.is by faithleſſe Ieroboam turned into Beth-auen, the houſe of an idoll, and is named Beth-auen by the Prophet Hoſeah, chap. 4.15. and in other places.Hoſ. 5.8. & 10.5. Such is the Bethel, the viſitation of whoſe Altars the Lord here vndertaketh: Viſitabo ſuper Altaria Bethel, I will viſit the Altars of Bethel.
The Altars!] What Altars? The words immediatly following make mention but of one Altar, and that whoſe hornes ſhould be cut off: and the ſacred ſtory, 1 King. 12.32. ſpeaketh but of one Altar in Bethel. How then is it that the Altars of Bethel are here to be viſited?
It may be, here is Enallage numeri, one number for another, which is in vſe ſometimes with the Latine; as when they ſay, Flumina Nili, or Montes Sion, the riuers of Nilus, for the riuer Nilus, or the mountaines of Sion, for Mount Sion: Or rather in progreſſe of time, other Altars were erected for other Idols, when the Calfe of gold was worſhipped but vponupon one. And this is the coniecture of Druſius, becauſe he findeth, Hoſ. 8.11. that Ephraim had made many Altars to ſin: and Hoſ. 10.1. that Iſrael had increaſed Altars according to the multitude of his fruit. And it is not vnlikely, but that in courſe of time, they had multiplied and increaſed their Altars: to which this viſitabo caſts an eye; I will viſit the Altars of Bethel. It followeth: And the hornes of the Altar ſhall be cut off]
Cornua altaris maximi & principalis: ſo Luſitanus, the hornes of the Altar; of the greateſt and moſt principall Altar. For of the reſt it was ſaid but now, Viſitabo ſuper altaria Bethel, I will viſit the Altars of Bethel.
The hornes of the Altar ſhall be cut off] The Altar of burnt offering, Exod. 27.2. had foure hornes vponupon the foure corners thereof. Theſe hornes were Eleuationes quaedam, as Abulenſis ſpeaketh in his fourth queſt. vponupon Exod. 29. they were peeces of wood aſcending aboue the Altar, made like vntounto hornes, of the very wood of the Altar ouer-laid with braſſe, and were with the Prieſts finger anointed with the bloud of the ſacrifice, to betoken Quatuor Euangeliis velatam Chriſti paſſionem, Leuit. 4.7, 9.as Cyrillus or rather Heſychius vponupon Leuiticus hath obſerued; the foure hornes of the Altar beſprinkled with bloud, betokened the paſſion of Chriſt couered in the foure Euangeliſts.
Salomons Altar, Ezech. 43.15. had likewiſe foure hornes. Theſe Villalpandus taketh to bee quatuor tanrorum cornua, foure bulls hornes, which roſe vpward from the foure corners of the Altar to the height of a cubit, as if they grew from the head of a bull. Theſe hornes were not onelyonly for ornament, but they alſo ſerued to keepe vp the ſacrifice from falling off.
Such were the hornes of this Altar of Bethel, made in emulation of Salomons Altar, as*In Pſal. 78.27. 474 B. Salomonici altaris aemulabatur formam. Lorinus affirmeth: and vponupon theſe is the ſentence of the Lord here gone forth, Amputabuntur, they ſhall be cut off and fall to the ground, vtter deſolation ſhall betide them. Thornes and thiſtles ſhall grow vponupon them, as the Prophet Hoſea ſpeaketh, Chap. 10.8. A diſſipation there ſhall be, both of Idoll and Idolater.
And now, O ye miſerable and wretched Iſraelites, Dii, qui neque ſe, neque altaria ſua tueri poſſunt, Ribera.quomodo vos tuebuntur? The gods which can neither defend themſelues, nor their Altars, how ſhall they defend you? The Lord will take your Idols from you, will ouerthrow your Altars, the very places of your delight: yea the hornes of your Altars, ſpeciefiſſima inſtrumenta voluptatum, the faireſt and goodlieſt ſpectacles, wherein you take pleaſure, ſhall be cut off, and fall to the ground. According to this prediction it fell out, either through the Earthquake in the daies of Vzziah King of Iudah, Zach. 14.5. 2 King. 17.6.23.15.or when Salmanaſſer King of Aſſyria carried Iſrael into captiuity, or vnderunder the reformation of Ioſiah, as already it hath beene touched.
Now from this commination of iudgement againſt Bethel and the Altars there, namely, that the Lord will viſit the Altars of Bethel, and that the hornes of the Altar ſhall be cut off and fall to the ground, ariſeth this doctrine: Places of Idols, together with the Idolaters, ſhall be puniſhed with deſolation and confuſion: the places with deſolation, the Idolaters with confuſion.
Places of Idols ſhall be puniſhed with deſolation. Gilgal, once famous Gilgal, ennobled by many accidents, which hapned there, became afterwards through the Idolatry there committed, ſo infamous, and of ſuch bad note, that the people of Iudah are forbidden to reſort vntounto it, Hoſ. 4.15. But where is ſhe now? Lieth ſhe not vnderunder the ruines of deſolation? And Bethel once famous too, for that ſhe was the houſe of God, by the like abuſe became Beth-auen, the houſe of an Idoll. But where is ſhe now? Doubtleſſe ſhe is meaſured with the line of deſolation, according to this prophecie.
As the places of Idols are puniſhed with deſolation: ſo are the Idolaters with confuſion.
Idolaters, whilſt they flouriſh with proſperity, they flatter themſelues in their ſinnes, and become hereby more obſtinate in their ſuperſtitions, imagining that they are priuileged from Gods iudgements, and hauehave the fruition of all his bleſſings for their falſe worſhip ſake: and if the hand of God hap to lie heauy vponupon them, then doe they double their deuotions to their Idols, that by their helpe they may be deliuered. But when they finde their hope fruſtrate, and themſelues forſaken of their Idols when moſt they need their helpe, then ouerwhelmed with confuſion, they bewaile their former folly, that they ſpent vponupon them ſo much vnrewarded coſt and bootleſſe labour.
Of this confuſion or ſhame, the portion of Idolaters, I thus reade, Pſal. 97.7. Confundantur omnes, qui adorant ſculptilia: Confounded be all they that ſerue grauen images, that boaſt themſelues of Idols. And Eſay 42.17. They ſhall be turned backe, they ſhall be greatly aſhamed, that truſt in grauen images, Eſay 1.29.44.9.45.16. Ierem. 51.47. Hoſ. 4.19, &c.and ſay to the moulten images, Ye are our gods. Other places I might produce to warrant this confuſion and ſhame of the Idolater, but the time forbids me. Yet an example hereof you hauehave in Baals Prieſts, 1 King. 18.29. who were confounded with ſhame, when they were in the ſight of the people abandoned of his helpe, when they moſt needed, and implored it.
Thus is my doctrine confirmed. Will you now ſee how vſefull it is? Here then ſee condemned all ſuch, as doe religiouſly worſhip for God, that which is not God: ſuch are Infidels, who worſhip deuils, men, and other creatures, erecting to their honour grauen and carued images, pictures, and ſtatues. From this Idolatry we may not exempt the now-Church of Rome, for that ſhe yeeldeth religious worſhip to creatures, Angels, and men: and to men not ſuch onelyonly, as hauehave beene held for Saints in reſpect of their faith and holy life: but alſo ſuch as hauehave beene noted for their wicked conuerſation, as their Saint George, Saint Francis, Saint Dominick, Ignatius Loiola, and the like: yea ſuch as neuer had any being in the world, as their Saint Hippolytus, Saint Chriſtopher, Saint Catharine, fictitious and counterfeited Saints: to ſuch they hauehave ſet vp pictures, images, and ſtatues, and thoſe forſooth muſt be worſhipped, and that with religious worſhip.
And doe they not, thinke you, deſerue it, ſith they are ſo wonderouſly decked and adorned? Garlands and Coronets are ſet on their heads, precious pearles hang about their necks, their fingers ſhine with rings beſet with precious ſtones; their bodies are clothed with garments ſtiffe with gold. And are not theſe worthy to be adored? If you ſhould ſee the images of their men Saints, you would beleeue they were ſome Princes of Perſia, by their proud apparell: and the idols of their women-ſaints you would take to be ſome nice and well trimmed harlots, tempting their Paramours to wantonneſſe.
The Churches and Chappels that are thus bedeckt and trimmed, are they not as this Bethel with her golden calfe? Yes. And if there be no reformation, a time will come, when the lot of Bethel ſhall be theirs, euen to thoſe Idoll-houſes, deſolation, and confuſion to the Idolaters.
Secondly, ſhall idolatrous places and perſons be puniſhed, they with deſolation, theſe with confuſion? Let the conſideration hereof inflame our hearts to be more zealouſly thankfull to the Lord, for that hauing freed vsus from Heatheniſh and Antichriſtian darkneſſe, from idolatry, and the ſeruice of grauen images, he hath giuen vsus the cleare light of his gracious Goſpell, through the illumination whereof wee may bee brought to the right knowledge of the true worſhip of him, the onelyonly liuing God. For ſo, by his ſole goodneſſe are wee deliuered from all feare of the puniſhment allotted to Bethel, and the worſhippers of the Idoll there.
Thirdly, from this conſideration we are to be admoniſhed, that abhorring and renouncing idols, and all manner of idolatrous ſuperſtition, which will leaue vsus without helpe and hope in our greateſt extremities, we doe cleaue faſt vntounto the true Iehouah, performing vntounto him ſuch faithfull and ſincere ſeruice as he requireth in his Word, without the mixture of humane inuentions: ſo ſhall we in the day of viſitation bee preſerued from all euill.
But ſay, that the Lord for his glory and our triall will bring vsus to the touchſtone of aduerſity, and ſuffer vsus to taſte of ſome calamity and miſery, yet will he giuegive vsus ſuch a comfortable feeling of his fauour, and will ſo arme vsus with power and patience to beare our troubles, that we ſhall not need to feare confuſion.
There is no feare of confuſion or ſhame where true religion is. No: there is none, True religion cleanſed from all dregs of Idolatry, maketh not aſhamed. So ſaith the kingly Prophet, Pſal. 34.5. They ſhall looke vntounto him, and run vntounto him, and their faces ſhall not not be aſhamed. They, the truly religious, the humble and faithfull, ſhall looke vntounto the Lord, ſhall diligently and carefully attend for aid and ſuccour from him: they ſhall runne vntounto him with haſte in their troubles, in aſſurance of finding eaſe; and their faces ſhall not be aſhamed. They ſhall not hang downe their heads and countenances for ſhame, as they were wont to doe, but ſhall lift vp their heads, ſhall looke on high, and ſhall goe with confidence to the God of their ſaluation.
That promiſe of the Lord, Ioel 2.26. My people ſhall neuer be aſhamed, repeated in the verſe following, My people ſhall neuer be aſhamed, is a promiſe to the religious; for the religious only are his people. My people, ſaith he, ſhall neuer be aſhamed. O what a maruellous benefit a man hath by religion, which he cannot hauehave by any other thing in the world? There is nothing in all our life, whereof we hauehave not need to repent, except it be our religion, the feare of God. Our words, our workes, our gettings, our ſpendings, our wandrings vp and downe, our negligence in our vocations, our ſleeping, our eating, our drinking out of meaſure; of all theſe we hauehave need to repent. Our thoughts, our toyes, our trifles, our wantonnes, our luſt, our hatred, our wrath, our malice, our many other enormities; of all theſe we may well be aſhamed: but of true religion and the feare of the Lord, we neither need to repent, nor to be aſhamed. If thou forſakeſt the world, and hateſt Idols, and beleeueſt in the Lord, and mourneſt for thy ſins, and ſtudieſt the Scriptures, and heareſt the Preachers, and obeyeſt the Goſpell, and prayeſt, and watcheſt, and faſteſt, and endureſt many troubles, and art ready to die if need be; and all for louelove of the Lord Ieſus: thou needeſt not to repent, or to be aſhamed hereof. For happy art thou. Thou haſt fought a good fight. Goe on with courage; finiſh thy courſe, keepe the faith Henceforth there is laid vp for thee a Crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord, the righteous Iudge, ſhall giuegive thee in that grea… day of his viſitation: and not vntounto thee onelyonly, but to them alſo that louelove his appearing: euen to vsus all, holy Father, let that Crowne be giuen for thy ſweet Sonne Ieſus Chriſt his ſake. Amen.