Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 2, Collection of lectures · Lecture 17
THE XVII. LECTVRE.
AMOS 2.12.
But yee gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke, and commaunded the Prophets, saying, Prophecie not.
IN this propheticall Sermon written by Amos concerning the Israelites, I hauehave heretofore in my eight Lecture vponupon this Chapter, obserued foure principall parts;
A Reprehension.
An Enumeration.
An Exprobation, and
A Commination.
The first is, a reproofe of Israell for sinne, vers. 6.7.8.
The second, a recitall of the benefits which God hath bestowed vponupon Israel, vers. 9.10.11.
The third, a twyting of Israel with their vnthankefulnesse, vers. 12.
The fourth, a threatning of punishment to befall them, from the 13. verse, to the end of the Chapter.
Of the two former, the Reprehension and the Enumeration, you hauehave at sundry times alreadie heard. Now are we to proceed to the Exprobation, conteined in the words at this time read vntounto you.
For our easier vnderstanding whereof, we are to cast backe an eye vponupon those benefits which in the precedent verses are mentioned to hauehave beene bestowed by the Lord vponupon his people Israel. They were either Corporall or Spirituall Corporall, as the destruction of the Amorites before the Israelites, and for their sakes, vers. 9. their deliuerance out of Egypt, their protection and preseruation in the wildernesse for fortie yeares together, that at length they might possesse the land of the Amorite, vers. 10. And Spirituall, as the doctrine of the sincere worship of God, and of eternall saluation, together with the free vse and passage thereof, expressed, vers. 11. by the raising vp of their sonnes for Prophets; and of their yong men for Nazirites.
These were very great benefits, and worthy all thankfull acknowledgement. But the people of Israel, were so farre from giuing thankes for them, that theyaRuffinus. vilely esteemed them, and too too contemptuously reiected them. This appeareth in this 12. verse, which I therefore call an Exprobration, an vpbraiding, or twyting of Israel, with the foulnesse of theirbAlbertus Magnus. ingratitude. Two things here are laid vntounto their charge: one is, Their solliciting the Nazirites to breake their vow. The other is their hindering the Prophets in the execution of their function. The first in these words, yee gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke. The second in these, yee commaunded the Prophets, saying Prophecie not. Of these in their order.
The first is, their solliciting the Nazirites to breake their vow: Ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke.
Of the name of Nazirites, and of their institution, I spake in my last exercise out of this place. I will not now spend time vponupon the repetition of that, I then deliuered. It shall suffice, if I adde but a word or two for the further illustration thereof.
ThecBabington in Num. 6. Nazirites had their name of Nazar, which signifieth to separate. They were yong men, separate from the ordinarie course of men, and bound to a certaine peculiar course and profession of life. They were Ecclesiae ornamenta, saythdHarmon. in 4 lib. Moses. Calvin, ornaments of the Church, and God would in them, as in a glasse make his honor and glorie in some sort to appeare. They were, quasi pretiosae gemmae, to shine as rich Iewels among the people of God. They were, tanquam signiferi, antesignani, & duces, as standard-bearers, ring-leaders, and chiefetaines to shew the way of diuine worship vntounto others.
Singular was the honor and dignitie of this order and calling of Nazirites. Ieremie in his Lamentations chap. 4.7. thus sets them forth. Her Nazirites were purer then snow, they were whiter then milke, they were more ruddie in body then Rubies, they were like polished Saphyres.
The author of this order and calling is God. This appeareth by the verse next before my text. There the Lord hath sayd, I hauehave raised vp of your yong men for Nazirites.
The first branch of the Law, that concerneth this order and calling is accurately described, Num, 6.3, 4. Whosoeuer shall vow the vow of a Nazirite, he shall absteine from wine and strong drinke, he shall drinke no vineger of wine, or vineger of strong drinke, neither shall he drinke any liquor of grapes, nor eate moist grapes nor dried. All the dayes of his Naziriteship shall he eate nothing that is made of the vine tree from the kernels euen to the huske.
These Nazirites for the time of their Naziriteship were to apply themselues wholy to the studie of the law of God, and therfore was abstinence from wine and strong drinke enioyned them. God would hauehave them refraine all things that might trouble the braine, stirre vp lust, and make them vnfitly disposed for so holy a studie: of which sort are wine and strong drinke.
Salomon so accounts of them, Prov. 20.1. For there he saith, Wine is a mocker, strong drinke is raging, and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby is not wise. Salomons Mother doth likewise so account of them, Prov. 31.4. There her counsaile to her sonne is: It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drinke wine, nor for Princes to drinke strong drinke: lest they being drunken, forget the Law, and peruert the iudgement of any of the afflicted. For this cause also were the Priests forbidden wine, when they were to goe into the tabernacle of the Congregation, and that vponupon paine of death. The prohibition is, Levit. 10.9. There thus saith the Lord to Aaron; Doe not drinke wine, nor strong drinke, thou nor thy sonnes with thee, when yee goe into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, lest ye die. It shall be a statute for euer throughout your generations. Hitherto I referre that, Exech. 44.21. No priest shall drinke wine, when he entereth into the inner court.
From the places now alledged ariseth this position: Sobrietie is a vertue fit for all men, but especially for Ministers of the word and Sacraments. Especially for Ministers. The reasons are:
First, it is not for Ministers to speake foolishly, or to doe any thing vndecently. Yet can they not but offend both in the one and the other, if they suffer themselues to be ouercome with swilling of wine or strong drinke.
Secondly, it is for Ministers, to be vigilant in their vocations; to be diligent in their ministeriall imployments, in reading, in studie, in meditation, to be deuout in their praiers vntounto God for themselues & the people, ouer whom God hath made them ouerseers; to handle the word of life reuerently, and to dispense it in due season to eueryevery weary soule. Yet must they needs faile in the performance of these duties, if they giuegive themselues to the drinking of wine and strong drinke.
Here may all that serue at the Altar be admonished, euermore to be mindfull of their calling, and of the hatred which God hath of excesse in men deuouted to his seruice, aboue all others; as also of the fearefull iudgement, that will in the end without all faile ensue. For if of all it be true, that the drunkard shal neuer enter into the kingdome of God (which you know to be true, and the holy Spirit hath passed it for a truth, 1. Cor. 6.10.) then must it needs be sealed vp in the conscience of any Minister, that a Minister through his excesse in drinking causing the holy things of God to be despised, shall neuer, neuer come within the gates, of that eternall ioy, but in stead thereof shall reape the reward of his sinne in euerlasting torments, both of bodie and soule. But this by the way.
The thing wherewith the Israelites in my text stand charged, is, their giuing the Nazirites wine to drinke. The Israelites knew full well, that it was the peremptorie mandate and expresse commandement of the Lord, that the Nazirites should absteine from wine, and strong drinke: yet did they contrary thereunto giuegive vntounto the Nazirites wine to drinke.
Gaue they the Nazirites wine to drinke? was this such an offence, that God should take displeasure at it? To what end then serues the precept of giuing wine to him, that is readie to perish through the anxietie and bitternesse of his minde, that thereby he may be cheared and comforted? The precept is, Prov. 31.6. GiueGive strong drinke vntounto him that is readie to perish, and wine vntounto those that be of heauie hearts. Let him drinke, and forget his pouertie, and remember his misery no more. In vaine were this precept, were the drinking of wine an offence, whereat God should take displeasure. And S. Paul doth amisse, 1. Tim. 5.23. to wish him to drinke no longer water, but to vse a little wine for his stomackes sake, and his often infirmities; if the drinking of wine be an offence. If the drinking of wine be an offence, why doth the same Apostle tell the Romans, chap. 14.17. that the kingdome of God consisteth not in meate and drinke, thereby giuing them libertie, not onelyonly to eate, but also to drinke what they would, euen to drinke wine?
To this I say: It is not of it selfe any offence to drinke wine, or to giuegive others wine to drinke; but herein consisteth the offence of the Israelites, that they gaue the Nazirites wine to drinke contrary to the Law of God, and his holy commandement. Tolle verbum Domini, et liberum est vinum bibere: adde verbum Domini, & vinum exhibere aut bibere, tam grande est nefas, quàm adulterium aut latrocinium. So Brentius. Let there be no law, no commandement of God against the drinking of wine, and you may at your pleasure drinke wine: But if Gods law and commaundement be against it, then for a man to drinke wine himselfe, or to giuegive others wine to drinke, its as great a sinne, as adulterie, or robbery.
Adam in Paradise had a law giuen him, that hee should not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill. The law is expressed, Gen. 2.17. Of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. To eate an Apple was of it selfe but a small matter; but the Law of God, whereby the eating of the Apple was forbidden, was a matter of great weight. The very eating of the Apple God did not much care for: it was the obseruance of his commandement, and the obedience thereunto, that he required.
Saul had a commandement giuen him, that he should goe downe to Gilgal, and tarry there seauen dayes, till Samuel should come, and direct him what to doe. The commandement is expressed, 1. Sam. 10.8. Thou shalt goe downe before me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come downe vntounto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seauen dayes shalt thou tarrie, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt doe. According to this commandement, Saul went to Gilgal, and tarried theree1. Sam. 13.8. seauen dayes according to the set time that Samuel had appoynted. The seauenth day a little before Samuel came, Saul fVers. 9.offered a burnt ofring.gVers. 10. As soone as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Samuel came. Saul vnderstanding thereof went out to meete him, that he might salute him. Samuel seeing what was done, tells Saul, that he had donehVers. 13 foolishly in not keeping the commandement of the Lord his God, which he commaunded him: and withall foretells him of a heauie iudgement to befall him,iVers. 14. Thy kingdome shall not continue. The offering of the Holocauste or burnt offering to the Lord, was it not of it selfe a good worke? Yet because Saul offered it out of due time, namely before Samuel was come, it was sinne vntounto him, and the losse of his kingdome. Did the Lord care for the preoccupation, or preuention of so little time, as if it were a matter of it selfe to be regarded? No: it was the obseruance of his commandement, and the obedience thereunto, that he required.
So for my text I say: The giuing the Nazirites wine to drinke, was not of it selfe a matter that the Lord much regarded: but it was the obseruance of his commaundement, and the obedience thereunto, that he required. The commandement I euen now repeated vntounto you out of Num. 6. The summe of it is, The Nazarite shall absteine from wine and strong drinke. Contrary to this commandement, did the Israelites here giuegive vntounto the Nazarites wine to drink: which is the thing, wherewith they are here twyted, to this sense: Ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke: in so doing you made proofe of your contempt of my Law, and your disobedience thereunto. I looked you should hauehave beene thankefull vntounto mee, for bestowing so great a benefit vponupon you, as is the order and calling of the Nazarites, for the trayning vp of your yong men in pietie and religion: but you, vnthankfull you, hauehave repaid me with contempt, and disobedience, you hauehave sollicited the Nazarites to breake their vow and contrary to my Law, yee gaue them wine to drinke. The doctrine we are to gather from hence, is, Disobedience against Gods holy lawes and commaundements, is a sinne, carefully to be eschewed by eueryevery child of God.
As by the knowledge of light we may know what darkenesse is, and by the knowledge of good what euill is, so by the knowledge of obedience towards God, we may know what disobedience against him is. Of obedience towards God I entreated in my fift Lecture vponupon this Chapter. I then handled this conclusion. Obedience to the commandements of the Lord, is a dutie, which the Lord requireth to be performed by eueryevery child of his. Whence by the Law of contraries followeth my now conclusion; Disobedience against the commandements of the Lord, is a sinne, which the Lord requireth to be eschewed by eueryevery child of his.
For the illustration of this conclusion we are to note in man a twofold disobedience; one in the state of corruption, the other in the state of regeneration. Disobedience in man in the state of corruption, is an euill qualitie inbred in him by nature, whereby he is made of himselfe altogether vnable and vnwilling to liue in subiection vntounto God, to heare his voice to obey his will, or to doe what he commandeth. By this disobedience man is not able to doe any thing, but hate God, his word, his will, and whatsoeuer is pleasing to him. He euer rebels against God, he euer resisteth the will of God, he euer despiseth the commandements of God, and embraceth with all his might what God forbiddeth.
How great this disobedience is, the holy Scripture doth euidently demonstrate, when it describeth the nature of man, his thoughts, his counsailes, his affections, his desires, his actions in the state of corruption, and before his regeneration. So it calls vsuskNum. 20.10. rebels, Ezech. 2.3. impudent children, and stiffe-hearted, vers. 4. Gods aduersaries and his enemies, Esay 1.24. Children of lEphes. 5.6. Colos. 3.6.diffidence and incredulitie, Ephes. 2.2. Children of wrath, ver. 3. Children of darknesse, Ephes. 5.8. Children of the m1. Ioh. 3.8. Ioh. 8.49.Deuill, 1. Iohn, 3.10. It sayth of vsus, Gen. 6.5. that eueryevery imagination of the thoughts of our hearts is onelyonly euill continually. It saith of vsus, Iob 15.25. that we stretch out our hands against God, and strengthen our selues against the Almightie. It saith of vsus, Ephes. 4 17. that we walke in the vanitie of our mindes; that hauing our vnderstanding darkned, we are alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in vsus, because of the blindnesse of our hearts, that as men past feeling, we hauehave giuen our selues ouer vntounto lasciuiousnesse, to worke all vncleannesse, euen with greedinesse.
Such is the disobedience that is in man, while he is in the state of corruption before he is regenerate. There is another kind of disobedience in man, when he is in the state of Regeneration.
This disobedience is common to eueryevery child of God, while he liueth in this world, albeit in some it be greater, in some lesse, as regeneration is perfecter in some, then in others. This I thus describe: disobedience in man in the state of regeneration, is an euil qualitie inbred in him by nature, wherby he is made vnable to yeeld due subiection vntounto God wholy on eueryevery part, with all his heart, and all his might, or, so to obey his holy will simply in all things, and alwayes without tergiuersation, as neuer to decline from the rule of true obedience.
By this disobedience we are all made guiltie of the wrath of God, of damnation, and of eternall death. The consideration hereof made Dauid Psal. 130.3. to crie out vntounto the Lord: If thou, Lord, shouldest marke iniquities: O Lord, who shall stand? It drew from him that humble supplication, Psal. 143.2. O Lord, Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant: for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified. It wrested from him that same confession, Psal. 32.6 namely, that the very godly, hauehave need to pray for the remission of their sinnes. There speaking of the remission of sinnes he saith; For this shall eueryevery one that is godly pray vntounto thee. For this, for the remission of sinnes, shall eueryevery one that is godly pray vntounto thee, O Lord. From hence is it, that our blessed Lord, and Sauiour Iesus Christ taught his Apostles, the most perfect Christians that euer were, and therefore the most godly, to pray for remission of their sinnes.
This disobedience, which as yet resideth in vsus, in the best of vsus, S. Paul elegantly describeth, Rom. 7.14. where thus he speaketh in his owne person as a man regenerate: we know that the law is spirituall: but I am carnall, sold vnderunder sin. nRom. 17.15.For that which I doe, I allow not: for what I would, that doe I not; but what I hate, that doe I. oVers. 16.If then I doe that which I would not, I consent vntounto the law, that it is good. pVers. 17.Now then, it is no more I, that doe it, but sinne, that dwelleth in me. qVers. 18.For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present with me: but how to performe that which is good, I find not. rVers 19.For the good that I would, I doe not: but the euill that I would not; that I doe, &c.
I am not ignorant, that the Pelagians of old, and diuerse of late, as Erasmus, Ochinus, Castellio, Faustus, Socinus the Samosatenian, Iacobus Arminius, and their adherents doe affirme, that S. Paul speaketh these words, not of himselfe, as a man regenerate, but doth in them describe a man that is a prophane, incontinent, sensuall, vnregenerate, or doth describe the nature of man after his fall, what and how much he is able to doe without the grace of God.
This their opinion is erroneous. The truth is, that S. Paul in the place alledged, speaketh not of any other but of himselfe, not as he was in Pharisaisme, vnderunder the law; but as he was now, when he wrote this Epistle, in the state of grace, a man regenerate. This great combate in S. Paul, now regenerate; betweene thesRom. 7.23. law of his minde, and the law of his members, betweene thetVers. 22.25. law of God and the law of sinne, betweene theuVers. 22. inward man and the outward, betweene thexVers. 18. flesh and spirit, doth clearely shew, that the holiest man liuing hath a tincture of disobedience against the Lord his God. This is the second kind of disobedience, which I noted to be in man, as he is in the state of regeneration: and serueth for the illustration of my propounded doctrine, which was, Disobedience against Gods holy lawes and commaundements, is a sinne, which the Lord requireth to be eschewed by eueryevery child of his.
Disobedience, not onelyonly that, which is in eueryevery man that is yet in the state of corruption, but that other too, which is incident to the truely regenerate, is a sinne carefully to be eschewed by eueryevery child of God. EueryEvery child of God should be vnwilling to displease God: and what can more displease him then disobedience?
Disobedience! Gods curse is vponupon it. The curse is, Psal. 119 21. Maledicti, qui declinant amandatis tuis; cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements. Maledicti, a Deo scilicet, Cursed of God are all they, of what estate or condition soeuer they are, that doe erre, in their life and conuersation, from his commaundements, which he hath prescribed as footsteps and paths for men to tread in. Cursed are they that doe erre, he saith not, they that hauehave erred; for they that hauehave erred, may hauehave repented; but cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements.
And here by erring we vnderstand, not, eueryevery offence indifferently, but an vnbridled licence to offend; we vnderstand, not eueryevery slip, but a falling away from God. We vnderstand, not eueryevery disobedience, of ignorance, or infirmity, but the disobedience of pride and presumption. Maledicti, Cursed are they, that doe erre from thy commandements.
The like Curse is, Deut. 27.26. Maledictus, qui non permanet in sermonibus legis huius, nec eos opere perficit. Cursed be he that continueth not in the words of this law to doe them. It is cited by S. Paul, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is eueryevery one, that continueth not in all things, which are written in the Booke of the law to doe them. In both places the end of the Law is poynted at. It is not foreign, but foreign not so much contemplation, as action. for the Law was giuen, not onelyonly to be knowne, but also to be performed: and therefore, Rom. 2.13. it is auouched, that not the hearers of the Law are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law shall be iustified. The couenant of the Law requireth from vsus absolute obedience. In this obedience these things must concurre according to the tenor of the Law.
1. It must be performed by our selues; for the law reueales not the Mediator.
2. It must be inward, as well as outward.
3. It must be perfect in parts and degrees.
4. It must be constant and continuall from the first moment of our conception, without the least interruption through the whole course of our liues.
The least thought dissonant to the law inuolues vsus in disobedience, and layes vsus open to the Curse. Maledictus, Cursed be he, that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law, to doe them.
Vae vobis is no better then a Curse, and that shall you find denounced to the disobedient, Ecclus. 41.8. Vae vobis impij Viri qui dereliquistis legem Altissimi; scilicet per inobedientiam, sayth Antoninus Sum. part. 2. Tit. 4. cap. 2. Woe be vntounto you, vngodly men, which hauehave forsaken the law of the most high God, through your disobedience: Vae vobis, woe be vntounto you. And why so? The reason is added: For if you increase, it shall be to your destruction: And if you be borne you shall be borne to a curse: and if you die, a curse shall be your portion, Ʋae vobis, woe be vntounto you, ye vngodly men, which hauehave forsaken the law of the most high God, through your disobedience.
Is disobedience thus cursed? Then must it be punished. For as Dicere Dei is facere, so Maledicere Dei is malum poenae facere. If God saith a thing, he doth it: and if he curseth he punisheth. He curseth disobedience, and therefore he punisheth disobedience.
He punisheth it, sayth Antoninus, three manner of wayes.
First, per afflictionem corporis, by afflicting man in his bodie.
Secondly, per impugnationem orbis, by setting the whole world against man. and
Thirdly, per privationem numinis, by depriuing him of the vision of God.
First, God punisheth disobedience, by laying affliction vponupon man in his bodie. For the disobedience of Adam, he sayth vntounto Adam, Gen. 3.17. Maledicta terra in opere tuo. Cursed be the earth for thy worke, for the worke of thy transgression, for thy sinne, for thy sake. Cursed be the earth of thy bodie, for thy bodie is but earth: cursed shall it be, and many waies afflicted. Thornes and Thistles, diuerse passions and infirmities, shall it bring forth vntounto thee. All the euils of punishment, whereto these weake bodies of ours are subiect, hunger, and thirst, and heate and cold, and trauaile, and trouble, and misery, and calamitie, and weakenesse, and diseases, yea, and death too: together with that neuer-ceasing rebellion of the flesh against the Spirit, called in Scripture, the Concupiscence of the flesh, wh…ch cleaueth fast vntounto vsus all our life long, and is the fountaine and root of all our euill deeds, all these are vponupon vsus for disobedience.
Secondly, God punisheth disobedience by setting the whole world against man. For as it is Wisd. 5.21. Pugnabit cum illo orbis terrarum contra insensatos. The world shall fight with him against the vnwise; the world shall take part with God against the disobedient. The world, that is, all the creatures in the world whereof we read, vers. 18. Armabit creaturam ad vltionem inimicorum; The Lord, he shall take to him his iealousie for compleat Armour, and make theyWisd. 5.17. creature his weapon, for the reuenge of his enemies. Where by the creature, I vnderstandzLorinus. vniuersitatem creaturarum, the vniuersitie of Creatures, all the Creatures in the world; orbem terrarum, euen the whole world of Creatures. God shall make the creature his weapon for the reuenge of his enemies, and the world shall fight with him against the vnwise.
The thunderbolt is his weapon against the disobedient, vers. 21. Then shall the right-ayming thunder-bolts goe abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawne bow, shall they flie to the marke, They shall flie to the marke, as from a bow: therefore are they called the Lords arrowes, Psal. 18.14. The Lord thundred in the Heauens, and the highest gaue his voyce: he sent out his arrowes, and she shot out lightnings; so did shee scatter and discomfit the wicked. The like sentence you hauehave, Iob 27.2. where the thunder is called, the noyse of this voyce of the Lord, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth, aIob 37.4.the voyce of his excellencie, the voyce wherwith he thundreth bVers. 5.marueilously. This his voyce, the thunder, hecVers. 3. directeth vnderunder the whole Heauen, and his lightning vntounto the ends of the earth. The thunder, the Creature of the Lord, is the Lords weapon wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient.
So is the Haile: so is the water; so is the wind. These also fight with the Lord, against the disobedient. Their fight is described, Wisd 5.22. Haile-stones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone-bow against the wicked, and the water of the sea, shall rage against them, and the flouds shall cruelly drowne them. Yea, a mightie wind shall stand vp against them, & like a storme shall blow them away.
Haile! It was one of the great plagues of Egypt, Exod. 9.23. Haile with Thunder, and fire mingled with haile, a very grieuous haile was vponupon the land of Egypt: it smote all that was in the field, dExod. 9.25.both man and beast: it smote eueryevery herbe of the field, and brake eueryevery tree thereof. With Haile stones the Lord fought for Iosuah, when he went vp to the rescue of Gibeon against the fiue Kings of the Amorites, Iosh. 10.11. The enemies were discomfited, and a great slaughter was made of them: yet more died witheEcclus 46.6. hailestones, then were slaine with the sword.
The Lord hath a treasurie of Haile, for the time of his battailes. You may read of it in the Booke of Iob, chap. 38.22. There the Lord thus questioneth with Iob: Hast thou seene the treasures of the haile, which I hauehave reserued against the time of trouble, against the day of battaile and warre? I could yet farther tell you out of the Reuelation of S. Iohn, chap. 16.21. of a Haile, a great Haile, that fell from out of Heauen vponupon men, eueryevery stone thereof was about the weight of a Talent, and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the Haile: for, the plague thereof was exceeding great. But I hauehave said enough to proue that the Haile, the creature of the Lord, is the Lords weapon, wherewith sometimes, he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient.
From the Haile come we to the Water. Of the fifteene signes, that shall be before the last Iudgement, and are byfJn 4. Sent. Dist. 48. Dub. 3. Bonauenture, Holkot, gIn eundem Dist. qu. 3.Richardus de Mediâ Villâ, andhLorinus com. in Sup. 5.23. others cited out of S. Hierome (though Eusebius Emissenus in his Sermon vponupon the second Dominical of Advent citeth them out of the Annales of the Iewes) the first is, that the Sea shall swell fifteene Cubites high aboue the tops of mountaines, and shall not runne backe, but there consist like vntounto walles. For the truth whereof I can say nothing. But thus much Christ telleth vsus, Luk. 21.25. that before that great day, the Sea and waues shall roare. Granatensis in his exercises thus meditateth vponupon the words: Most of all other elements, the Sea shall at that time shew greatest rage and fury, and the waues thereof shall be so high and so furious, that many shall thinke, they will vtterly ouerwhelme the whole earth. Such as dwell by the Sea-side shall be in great dread and terror for the incredible and vnusuall swelling and eleuation of the waters: and such as dwell farther off shall bee wonderfully affrayd, and euen astonished at the horrible roaring and noyse of the waues, which shall be so extreamely outragious, that they shall be heard for many a myle off.
But what speake I now of waters, that shall be hereafter? There was a floud of waters in the dayes of Noah, that preuailed vponupon the earth for an hundred and fiftie dayes together; you all know it, Gen. 7.24. The Waters then preuailed against man for the sinne of man, the fruit of his disobedience.
And they shall againe preuaile, if Gods pleasure be such; and the disobedience of man shall so require. For the Almightie, he, who shut vp the Sea with dores, when it brake forth as a child issueth forth of his mothers wombe, as Iob speaketh, chap. 38.8. and made the clouds to be a couering for it, and swadled it with a band of thicke darknesse; and established his decree vponupon it, and set barres and dores vntounto it, and said: Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shall thy proud Waues be stayed, he, the Almightie, can easily vnbarre those dores, and let the waters loose to fight his battells. Hereof we hauehave had a late woefull and lamentable experience.iSee my twentith Lecture vponupon Amos 1.14. pag. 241. The woefull newes and report of flouds in this Countrey of ours nine yeares since, may hereof be your remembrancers. It shall euer stand for good, that the water, the creature of the Lord, is the Lords weapon, wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient.
The wind is next. The wind! The Lord bloweth it out of his mouth, Iob 37.10. it is called the breath of his mouth, Iob 15.30. he bringeth them out of his kIerem. 10.13.treasuries, Psal. 135.7. He flyeth vponupon the wings thereof, Psal. 18.10. and walketh vponupon the wings thereof, Psal. 104.3. He weigheth the windes Iob 28.25. HelMark. 4.39. Luk. 8.24. rebuketh the winds, Matth. 8.26. he commandeth the winds, and they obey him, Luk. 8.25.
Memorable was the victorie of the Emperour Theodosius, against the traytor, and rebell Eugenius. Eugenius was like to hauehave had the vpper hand. It pleased the Almightie vponupon the prayers which the Emperour made vntounto him for ayde and assistance, to worke a strange act. He sent a Wind to take part with the Emperour. It was a most vnusuall and mightie Winde. It blew with such force and violence, that it brake the array of Eugenius his souldiers, did beate back their arrowes, their darts, and their iauelings, vponupon themselues; did strike their targets out of their hands; did bring vponupon them incredible abundance of dust and filth: and did driue the arrowes of the Emperours side, with such forcible flight against them, that they soone gaue the field for lost. The storie is Ecclesiasticall, written by Socrates lib. 5. cap. 24. by Theodorite lib. 5. cap. 24. by Sozomene lib 7. cap. 24. by Nicephorus lib. 12. cap. 39. and recounted by Cassiodore in his Tripartite lib. 9. cap. 45. and by Claudian the Poet in his Panegyricke to Honorius. I could here tell you how the windes fought for vsus against that great Armada and inuincible Nauie, that was prouided for our ouerthrow: but I may not now stand vponupon amplifications. Its out of doubt: the wind, the creature of the Lord, is the Lords weapon, wherewith sometimes he reuengeth the wicked and disobedient.
EueryEvery other creature of the Lord, hath his place, to fight the Lords battels against the disobedient. To auenge Gods quarrell against the disobedient, the Heauen, that is ouer our heads, shall become as brasse, and the earth that is vnderunder vsus, as yron, Deut. 28.23. Heauen and earth shall fight for him.mLevit. 26 22. Ezech. 5.17. Wild beasts, euill beasts, all the beasts of the field shall fight for him, Esay. 56.9. EueryEvery feathered fowle shall fight for him, Ezech. 39.17. The silliest of creatures etiam vermes, & pulices, & musca, & araneae, saythnSumma Theol. part. 2. Tit. 4. cap. 2 §. 1. Antoninus, wormes, and fleas, and flyes, and spiders, shall all fight for him. So true is that which in the second place I affirmed; God punisheth disobedience per impugnationem orbis, by setting the world against man.
Thirdly, God punisheth disobedience per privationem Numinis, by depriuing man of the vision of God. This appeareth by the seueritie of that sentence which the Iudge of all flesh, the Iudge of quicke and dead, shall at the last day pronounce against the Reprobate for their disobedience to Gods holy Lawes and Commaundements. The sentence is expressed, Mat. 25.41. Depart from me ye cursed, into euerlasting fire, prepared for the Deuill and his Angels.
Depart from me] There is preuatio numinis; a separation from the face of God, an exclusion from the beatificall and blessed vision of God.
Depart from me ye cursed] Cursed are yee, and therefore depart. Cursed, because yee hauehave not obeyed the Law of the Lord: Cursed, because yee hauehave contemptuously reiected the holy Gospell: Cursed, because ye hauehave trodden vnderunder foote the sweete grace of God freely offered vntounto you: Cursed, because yee hauehave beene so farre from relieuing the weake and poore members of Christ, as that yee hauehave rather oppressed and crushed them with wrong & violence. Cursed are yee and therefore depart.
Depart from me yee Cursed, into euerlasting fire] Behold, the torment, where into the disobedient shall be cast, and the infinite of it. Its fire, and fire euerlasting. But why fire? Are there not other kinds of punishments in Hell. Yes, there are. Dionysius the Carthusian in his third Novissimum art. 6. reckoneth vp eleuen kinds: the Centuriators in their first Centurie lib. 1. cap. 4. nine kinds. Durandus de S. Porciano in 4. Sent. Dist. 50. qu. 1. diuerse kinds. Why then doth the Iudge in pronouncing the sentence of the damned speake onelyonly of fire? Caietane saith it is, propter supplicij vehementiam; for the vehemencie of the punishment: because, of all the punishments in Hell that shall torment the bodie, the fire is the sharpest. So saithoJn Mat. 25. qu. 403. Abulensis, In afflictivis, nihil est nobis tam terribile, quam ignis; of things that may afflict our bodies, there is nothing so terrible vntounto vsus, as fire. So Durandus in the place now cited, §. 9. Of all the punishments in Hell, wherewith the bodie shall be tormented, the punishment of fire is the greatest; quia, quod est magis activum, est magis afflictivum; the more actiue any thing is, the more it tormenteth: but the fire is maximè activus, and therefore maximè afflictivus; the fire is the most actiue, and therefore it most of all tormenteth. For this cause, when other punishments are in Scripture passed ouer with silence, the sole punishment of fire is expressed, because in it, as in the greatest of all, all other punishments are vnderstood.
Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire, prepared for the Deuill and his Angels] Prepared of God the Father by his eternall decree of absolute reprobation. Prepared for the Deuill and his Angels] God from euerlasting determined concerning such Angels, as should fall, not to confirme them in good, but to turne them out of heauen, and to exclude them from eternall beatitude, together with their head & prince, the Deuill. The Deuill and his Angels] Horrenda societas! Such shall be the companions of the cursed and damned after this life ended.
I must draw towards an end. Dearely beloued, you hauehave hitherto heard concerning Disobedience, that it is a foule sin; that God curseth it, and doth punish it: that he punisheth it, first per afflictionem corporis, by laying affliction vponupon man in his bodie: secondly, per impugnationem orbis, by setting the whole world against him, and thirdly, per privationem numinis, by depriuing him of the beatificall and blessed vision of God: which of all the punishments of Hell is farre the greatest, farre greater then the punishment of fire.
What now remaineth for vsus, but that we labour to eschew and to flie from so damnable a sinne? and to embrace the contrary vertue, due obedience to the holy will of God? Let not the pleasures of sinne, the lusts of the flesh, the riches, the snares, the cares of this world, nor any transitorie delight that may tickle man for an houre, but will wound him for euer, let not all these, nor any one of these, inuolue vsus in the gulfe of disobedience against the holy Gospell of Christ, and the eternall will of God.
But thinke wee, oh thinke we euer, that there is a Heauen, a God, a Iesus, a Kingdome of glorie, a societie of Angels, a communion of Saints, ioy, peace, and happinesse, and an eternitie of all these: and striue we with all humilitie and obedience to the attainement of these; so shall God in this world shower downe vponupon vsus his blessings in abundance, and after this life ended, he shall transplant vsus to his Heauenly Paradise. There shall this corruptible put on incorruption, and our mortalitie shall bee swallowed vp of life.