Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 2, Collection of lectures · Lecture 16

Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 2 · Collection of lectures · Lecture 16

p. 263THE XVI. LECTVRE.

AMOS 2.11.

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

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

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

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

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

p. 264In the description we may note:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God and man.

Man and man.

Man and himselfe.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For this respect and relations sake betweene God and his Ministers, whom it hath pleased him to dignifie and honour in some sort with the representation of his owne person vponupon earth, they hauehave euer heretofore bin holden in very reuerend estimation. Such was the estimation holden of S. Paul by the Galatians. S. Paul himselfe confesseth it, Gal. 4.14, 15. where he beares them record, that albeit through infirmitie of the flesh, he preached the Gospell vntounto them at the first, yet they despised him not, nor reiected him, but receiued him as an Angell of God, euen as Christ Iesus: yea, that if it had bin possible (Nature and the Law forbidding it) they would hauehave plucked out their owne eyes, and giuen them to him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who moues the question.

To whom it is moued, and

What the question is.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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