Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 2, Collection of lectures · Lecture 19
THE XIX. LECTVRE.
AMOS 2.13, 14, 15, 16.
Behold, I am pressed vnderunder you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues.
Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mightie deliuer himselfe.
Neither shall he stand, that handleth the bow, and he that is swift of foote shall not deliuer himselfe, neither shall he, that rideth the Horse, deliuer himselfe.
And he, that is couragious among the mightie, shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord.
VVE are now come to the fourth part of this first Sermon of Amos, concerning the kingdome of the tenne tribes of Israel. I heretofore called it a Commination. So I call it still. For here are the Israelites threatned with punishment for the enormitie of their sinnes, expressed, vers. 6, 7, 8. and for the foulenesse of their ingratitude, layd to their charge, vers. 12. In this Commination we may obserue two things.
First, how the Lord, in respect of the sinnes of Israel, and of their vnthankfulnesse for benefits bestowed on them, esteemeth of them, vers. 13. Behold, I am pressed vnderunder you as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues.
The other is, a menacing or threatning of punishment to befall them: I may terme it, A sending of defiance vntounto them; a denouncing of warre against them, vers. 14, 15, 16. Wherein we may note three things.
The first is, impotentia fugiendi, their vnablenesse to escape the flight in the day of battell: thus set downe in the 14. vers. The flight shall perish from the swift. And vers. 15. thus: He that is swift of foote, shall not deliuer himselfe: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliuer himselfe.
The second is, Debilitas in resistendo, their weakenesse in resisting the enemie thus set downe, vers. 14. The strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mightie deliuer himselfe, and vers. 15. thus: Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow.
The third is, Fugafortium: the flight of the valiant, and stout of heart, set downe in the last verse, and there amplified by the adiunct of nakednesse: He that is couragious among the mightie, shall flee away naked in that day. Then followeth the confirmation of all, foreign sayth the Lord: the Lord, who is the truth, and is omnipotent. He is the Lord of Hosts; if heaPsa. 14.27. 2. Chro. 20.6. I…b. 9.12. Pro 21.30. Dan. 4.32. purpose to doe a thing, who shall disanull it? if his hand be stretched out, who shall turne it backe?
My meditations for this time will be confined within the limits of the 13. vers. Behold, I am pressed vnderunder you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues. In the handling whereof, my order shall be first to runne ouer the words; then to draw from them, some profitable note of doctrine.
Behold.
THis particle, set in the front of this verse, is as it were a watchword to stirre vp our attentions, for as much as we are to heare of some important matter. A learned Diuine in his exposition vponupon the fift of Nehemiah hath a like note: This word Ecce, Loe, Marke, or Behold, euer betokeneth throughout the Scripture some notable thing very good, or very ill, that is spoken of immediately afterward, and such a one as commonly falleth not out among men: and the holy Ghost of purpose vseth to marke such notable things, with this word Ecce, Loe, Marke, or Behold, to put men in remembrance, and to awake them to the consideration of the weightie matter that followeth, that they should not lightly passe ouer it, but deepely marke and consider it.
The Iesuit Lorinus Comment. in Act. Apost. obserueth out of holy Scripture, diuerse acceptions and vses of this particle, Ecce, Behold.
First, it noteth rem novam, ac inopinatam, at{que} mirabilem: some thing that is new and vnlooked for, and wonderfull: as Act. 1.10. while the Apostles looked stedfastly toward heauen, at the time of Christs ascension, Ecce, Behold, two men, or two Angels in the forme of men, stood by them in white apparell. So it is vsed by the blessed Virgin in her Magnificat, Luk. 1.48. Behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Where Ecce, Behold, rem magnam, novam, & admiratione dignam, designat, sayth Alfonsus Salmeron. Behold! it designeth and poynteth out vntounto vsus, some great matter, new, and admirable, such as is, creaturam in lucem edere creatorem famulam Dominum generare, Virginem Deum parere. What greater, what newer, what matter more wonderfull, then that a Creature should conceiue in her wombe and bring forth her Creator, a handmaid her Lord, a virgin, God? It is so full of wonder, that the Prophet Esay foretelling it, chap. 7.14. stamps it with an Ecce, Behold, Behold, a virgin shall conceiue and beare a sonne.
The Euangelist S. Matthew, chap. 1.23. reciting the Prophets prediction, leaues not out this stampe, Behold: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a sonne.
The Angell Gabriel, who was sent from God to the virgin Mary, to report vntounto her, this great wonder, omits not this stamp, Ecce, Behold. See the Angels words, Luk. 1.31. Behold, thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Iesus. This the Postillers doe call Ecce admirativum, an Ecce of Admiration: and it is the first vse of the particle Behold, obserued by Lorinus.
Secondly, it betokeneth propinquum tempus, some time neere at hand, as Esai 41.27. The first shall say to Sion foreign Behold, behold them, or behold these things, and I will giuegive to Ierusalem one that bringeth good tydings. The place I vnderstand of Christ, who is Alpha, or primus, the first; and Euangelista, he that bringeth the good tydings: him God giueth to Sion, and to Ierusalem, and in him, Ecce ecce ista erunt: Behold, behold all the promises of God shall come to passe, and that speedily. This is true of Christ, who sayth in the Reuelation, chap. 22.7. Behold, I come quickly; and Vers. 12. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me to giuegive eueryevery man according as his worke shall be. If I would imitate the Postillers, I could call this Ecce Admonitivum, an Ecce of Admonition, a warning word for eueryevery one to be in a readinesse to embrace Christ at his comming.
Thirdly, Ecce, Behold, is a note of asseueration, or certaintie, and is put for Sanè or Certè, verily or certainly. Such it is Iere. 23.39. Ecce, Behold I, euen I will vtterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and cast you out of my presence, And I will bring an euerlasting reproch vponupon you, and a perpetuall shame, which shall not be forgotten. Behold I will doe it; I will surely doe it.
Fourthly, Ecce, Behold, is a particle, ordinarily vsed by God in his Comminations, when he threatneth some great and heauie punishment to come. as Ezech. 5.8. Thus sayth the Lord against Ierusalem, Behold, I, euen I am against thee, and will execute iudgments in the midst of thee, in he sight of the Nations, And, chap. 6.3. Thus saith the Lord against Israel, Behold, I, euen I, will bring a sword vponupon you, and I will destroy your high places. And against Tyrus, chap. 26.3. Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many Nations to come vp against thee, as the Sea causeth hee waues to come vp. And against Zidon, chap. 28.22. Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon, and I will be glorified in the midst of thee. And against Pharaoh chap. 29.3. Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh, King of Egypt - I will put hookes in thy Iawes. Many other like places I might alledge yet farther, to shew vntounto you, the frequent vse of this particle, Ecce, Behold, in the Comminations of Gods punishments But I will not hold you any longer with this discourse.
Sufficient shall it be for you at this time to bee aduertised, that as often as you meete with this word Ecce, Behold, in the sacred Volume of the word of God; so often you hauehave a watch-word, to stirre vp your attention, to listen to the matter that ensueth, for its weight and worth. Such is it in my text. Behold. Your attention is called vponupon, to giuegive eare to that which followeth.
I am pressed vnderunder you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues.
I am pressed] foreign It is in Hifhil, the roote of it is foreign which in Hifhil is sometimes Transitiue, sometimes Intransitiue or Neutrall: from whence there is a twofold Interpretation of this place. One is, I am pressed vnderunder you as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues; the other, I will presse your place, as a Cart full of sheaues presseth. That is our Textuall reading, this our Marginall. Some incline to that; some to this. Each hath a proper, and a profitable vnderstanding. First of the first.
Behold, I am pressed vnderunder you as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues.
THis meaning the Ʋulgar Latin seemeth to expresse; Ecce, ego stridebo subter vos, sicut stridet plaustrum onustum foeno: which I find thus handsomely translated in an old English Manuscript (some take it to be Wickliphes) Loe, I shall sound strongly vnderunder you, as a wayne charged with hay soundeth strongly. S. Hierome thus glosseth it. As a cart or wayne, that is full laden with stubble or hay, maketh a noyse, soundeth out, and howleth: so I, not any longer enduring your sinnes, but as it were committing stubble to the fire, shall cry out.
With this exposition of S. Hierome, agreeth that of Gregorie the great, Moral. 32.6. Who there takes these words of my text to intimate, that God vnderunder the burden of sins maketh a noyse and cryeth out. Aliquando (sayth he) etiam insensatis rebus propter infirmitatem nostram altâ condescensione se comparat: God sometimes condescends to our weake capacities, and for our infirmities sake compares himselfe to things voyd of sense: as here: Behold, I shall skreeke, or cry out vnderunder you, as a cart or wayne full laden with sheaues skreeketh or cryeth out. For, because fenum est vita carnalium, the life of carnall men is as hay, according to that, Esa. 40.6. Omnis caro fenum, All flesh is grasse, the Lord patiently enduring the life of carnall men, testifieth of himselfe, more plaustri fenum se portare, that like vntounto a cart or wayne he is charged with hay. Now for him, Sub feni onere stridere, to skreeke out vnderunder a load of hay, it is nothing else, but pondera & iniquitates peccantium cum querelâ tolerare, with complaint to tolerate the burdens and iniquities of sinfull men.
This his construction seemes probable to Ribera. Probable to him: but it is good with Brentius, good with Gualter, good with Drusius, good with Winckelman, good with others with Remigius, with Albertus, with Hugo, with Lyra, with Dionysius, as Castrus hath obserued.
According to whom; the true meaning of my text is, as if the Lord should thus hauehave said: Behold, O yee Israelites;aAma… 3.2. you, whom onelyonly of all the families of the earth I hauehave knowne; you, whom I hauehave borne,bDeut. 1.31. as a man doth beare his sinne; you, whom I hauehave carryed in my bosome,cNum. 11.12. as a nursing father beareth the sucking Child; You, once mydDe…t. 9.26.29 people, and mine inheritance, whom I brought forth out of Egypt, by my mightie power, and by my stretched out arme, Behold: Behold such hath beene, and is youreDeut. 9.29. stubbornnesse, such your wickednesse, such the multitude of your sinnes, that I am fEsa. 1.14.weary to beare them: Behold, I am pressed vnderunder you, as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues. As many sheaues, as much hay or stubble is vntounto a cart, so are you to me, in regard of your sinnes you are so to me; so troublesome, so grieuous, that I euen faint vnderunder you, and am not able any longer to beare you.
Its a very grieuous complaint; and may teach vsus thus much: that our sinnes are sometimes burdensome and grieuous vntounto God. It is my doctrine: Our sinnes are sometimes burdensome and grieuous vntounto God.
Such were the sinnes of the old world, we know it by, Gen. 6.5, 6. For God saw, that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth, and that eueryevery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onelyonly euill continually. And it repented the Lord, that he had made man on the earth, and it grieued him at his heart. It repented him, and grieued him at his heart.
Such were the sinnes of Iudah. We know it by the first Chapter of the Prophecie of Esai. The complaints which God maketh there, doe prooue it: vers. 21. How is the faithfull Citie become an Harlot? It was full of iudgements, righteousnesse lodged in it; but now murtherers. Thy siluer is become drosse, thy wine is mixt with water. Thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of theeues: EueryEvery one loueth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they iudge not the fatherlesse, neither doth the cause of the widow come vntounto them. And verse 14. Your new moones, and your appointed feasts, my soule hateth, they are a trouble vntounto me, I am weary to beare them. You see; the sins of Iudah were a trouble vntounto God, he was weary to beare them. They were burdensome and grieuous vntounto him.
Such were the sinnes of Israel, we know it by the 43. chap. of Esai. There verse 24. thus saith the Lord to Israel: Thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes; thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. What! Was God made to serue with the sinnes of Israel? Was he wearied with their iniquities? Its more then euident: the sonnes of Israel, were burdensome, and grieuous vntounto God.
Are not the sinnes of the whole world such? Are not our sinnes such? Sweet Iesus, thou knowest they are such. The labours, the troubles, the miseries, the griefes, the torments which in the dayes of thy flesh, from the first houre of thy Natiuitie, to the last moment of thy suffering vponupon the Crosse, thou hast endured for vsus, are so many demonstrations, that our sinnes are such; that they are burdensome and grieuous vntounto thee.
Dearely beloued, behold we Christ Iesus in thegPhil 2.7. forme of a seruant, laid in a hLuk 2.7.manger, exilediMatth. 2.14 from his countrey,kM…t. 13.55. reputed for a Carpenters sonne, yea for alMark 6.3. carpenter;mMat. 4.2. hungering,nI…h. 4.7 & 19.28. thirsting,oI…h 8.23. &c. reuiled, rayled vponupon,p…k 22.63. shamefully abused; and in an agonie,q…e…s. 44. sweating great drops of bloud; we must confesse our sinnes to hauehave beene the cause of all.
Behold we his glorious head crownedrMat. 27.29 with thornes; behold we his sweete facesMat. 26 67 Mark 14.65. buffetted and spit vponupon; behold we his harmelessetI…h 20.20, 25 hands distilling forth goare bloud; behold we his naked side uJoh. 19 34 37pearced through with a sharpe speare; behold we his vndefiled feet, which neuer stood in the way of sinners, dented through with cruell nayles; wee must confesse our sinnes to hauehave beene the cause of all.
Our sinnes the cause of all! Esay confesseth it, chap. 53. 4 Surely, He [Christ Iesus] hath borne our griefes, and carried our sorrowes: he was woundedxEsa. 53.5. for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was vponupon him, and with his stripes we are healed. S. Matthew repeats it, chap. 8.17. Himselfe tooke our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. So doth S Peter, 1. Epist. chap. 2.24. Christ his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne bodie on the tree: by his stripes are we healed. S. Paul speakes as plainely, Rom. 4.25. Christ was deliuered for our offences: and 1. Cor. 15.3. Christ died for our sinnes. Our sinnes are the cause of all Christs sufferings.
Our sinnes the cause of all Christs sufferings! Its euen so S. Augustin Meditat. cap. 7. doth thus elegantly deliuer it: The sinner offendeth, the iust is punished; the guiltie transgresseth, the innocent is beaten; the wicked sinneth, the godly is condemned; that which the euill deserueth, the good suffereth; the seruant doth amisse, the master maketh amends; man committeth sinne, and God beareth the punishment. So true is my doctrine, Our sinnes are sometimes burdensome and grieuous vntounto God.
So burdensome, so grieuous, as that he is inforced to complaine, as here he doth against Israel, I am pressed vnderunder you, as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues. Stands it thus Beloued? May our sins be burdensome and grieuous vntounto God? May they presse him, as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues? Make we hereof this vse; to hate sinne, to detest it, to flie from it, as from the Deuill, who is the Author of it.
Syracides in his Ecclesiasticus, chap. 21. to incite vsus to the hatred of sinne, to the detestation of it, and to flie from it, compareth sinne to a Serpent, to a Lyon, to a two edged sword. To a Serpent, vers. 2. Flee from sinne, as from the face of a Serpent; for if thou commest too neere it, it will bite thee. To a Lyon in the same verse, Flee from sinne as from a Lyon; the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon, slaying the soules of men. To a two edged sword, vers. 3. Flee from sinne as from a two edged sword; for all iniquitie is as a two edged sword, the wounds whereof cannot be healed.
But what is a two edged sword? what the teeth of a Lyon? what the face of a Serpent? what the Deuill himselfe, to the louelove of God? Flee from sinne for the louelove of God, that with thy sinnes thou be not burdensome and grieuous vntounto God. If we cannot but sinne (as, the truth is we cannot, such is our imperfection) yet let vsus not increase the measure of our sin, by any wicked malice. If we cannot stay our selues from going in the paths of sinne, yet let vsus stay our selues for going on therein. Stop we the course of our sinnes, as the Lord shall enable vsus; and let vsus not, by the fulnesse of their measure, pull vengeance from Heauen, whether God will or no. A heauie day and houre will it be to you, to me, to any, if the Lord shall once say vntounto vsus, as here he doth to Israel, I am pressed vnderunder you, as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues.
Againe, stands it thus, beloued? May our sinnes be burdensome and grieuous vntounto God? May they presse him as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues? Make we then here of a second vse, euen to admonish such sinners as are obstinate and impenitent. They may from hence be remembred, that if they be burdensome and grieuous vntounto God, [with their obstinacie and impenitencie] God will be burdensome and grieuous vntounto them with his plagues.
Obstinacie, impenitencie! O let sinnes of such an eleuation be farre from our Coasts. If we driue God to call a conuocation of Heauen and Earth, as Esa. 1.2. Heare O heauens, and giuegive eare O earth: I hauehave nourished and brought vp Children, and they hauehave rebelled against me; if we driue him to call on the mountaines & the foundations of the earth to heare his controuersie, as Micah 6.2. Heare yee, O mountaines, the Lords controuersie, and yee strong foundations of the earth; the Lord hath a controuersie with his people, and will plead with them: if we driue him to his old complaint, Hos 4.1. There is no truth, nor merciemercy, nor knowledge of God in the land, By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring yee breake out, and bloud toucheth bloud: if we thus and thus force God, what shall become of vsus in the end? Will hee not againe force vsus, to cry out, houle, and repent, that euer wee thus and thus forced him? Yes, without all controuersie he will. He will poure outxNahum 1 6. his furie like fire, he will throw downe rockes before him; and shall we then be able to stand? Its impossible we should, vnlesse truly and vnfeinedly renouncing all shew of obstinacy and impenitencie, we become dutifull and obedient children to the Lord our God. O how desirous, how earnest is our sweete Sauiour, we should be such? How pathetically doth he perswade our, and the whole Churches reformation? Cant. 6.13. Returne, returne O Shulamite; returne, returne. Let our reply be, with Saint Austine, Domine. da quod jubes, & jube quod vis, Lord, giuegive vsus abilitie to returne to thee, and then command vsus to returne: or with Ieremie chap. 31.18. Turne thou vsus vntounto thee, ô Lord, and we shall be turned; thou art the Lord our God.
Thus hauehave you my doctrine, and the vses thereof. My doctrine was: Our sinnes are sometimes burdensome and grieuous vntounto God. My first vse was; an incitement to the detestation of sinne in generall. My second was, a caueat against the foulest of sinnes, obstinacie and impenitencie. My doctrine branding our sinnes with burdensomenesse and grieuousnesse in respect of God; I grounded vponupon the complaint, which in my text, God maketh against Israel; I am pressed vnderunder you, as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues. God is pressed vnderunder our sinnes; therefore our sinnes are burdensome vntounto him, they are grieuous vntounto him.
But here it may be questioned, how God can be said to complaine of our sinnes, to be burdened with them, to be grieued at them, sith in himselfe he hath all pleasure and content? He dwelleth in suchy1. Tim. 6.16. light, such brightnesse of glory, as neuer mortall foote could approach vntounto: the sight of his face is to vsus on earth vnsufferable; no mortall eye euer saw him, nor can see him: hezEsa. 57.15. inhabiteth the eternitie, is theaEsa. 44.6. first, and is the last, andbMala. 3.6. changeth not; yea, hath not so much as acIam. 1.17. shadow of change. How then is it, that he oft complaineth? how can he be burdened? how grieued?
Complaints, we know, are the witnesses of a burdened, and grieued soule. God here complaineth of pressure, that he is pressed vnderunder Israell, as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues: from whence the collection is, that the sinnes of Israel are burdensome and grieuous vntounto God. But can this be so indeed? Can our sinnes be burdensome vntounto God? Can they be grieuous vntounto him? or can God complaine that they are such? What can be said vntounto it?
Will you, that I speake properly, without a figure? Then thus I say: God cannot complaine, because he cannot be burdened, or grieued. Could he be burdened or grieued, hee could suffer: But he cannot suffer. EueryEvery blow of ours, though we were as strong and high, as the sonnes of Anak, light short of him. If some could hauehave reached him, it had gone ill with him long ere this. But God cannot suffer. So true is that axiome of the Schooles: No passion can befall the Deitie. Aquinas 1. qu. 20. art. 1. thus deliuers it: Nulla passio est in Deo; there is no passion in God: and lib. 1. Contra Gentiles cap. 89. In Deo non sunt Passiones affectuum; there are no aff…ctiue passions in God. By affectiue passions he vnderstandeth the passions of the sensitiue appetite, which therefore are not in God, because God hath no such appetite, as Ferrariensis hath well obserued.
Well then, if these passions of complaining, of repenting of grieuing, of fainting, and the like, cannot properly be sayd to be in God, how are they so frequently in holy Scripture ascribed vntounto him?
My answere is, they are ascribed vntounto him foreign, per foreign, abusiuely, by an Anthropopathie. It is Athanasius his golden rule foreign. Say God complaineth; say he repenteth; say he grieueth; say he fainteth, or is wearied; all these are spoken of God for our capacities, but are to be vnderstood, as its fit for God.
God in holy Scripture speaking of himselfe as if these passions were familiar with him, he appeares as transfigured into the likenesse of our nature, and in our owne familiar termes speaketh to our shallow vnderstandings. As an old man speaking to a child, frames his voyce in a childish phrase. So God speaking to vsus men, speakes as the manner of men is to speake. foreign (saith Athanasius Disput. contra Ariam in Niceno concilio) for our imbecillitie God thus speaketh: he descends to our capacities: and that men may in some measure know him, he will bee knowne as man; by passions or affections, by complaining, by repenting, by grieuing, by fainting. By these he signifies not what he is indeed, but what is needfull for vsus to know of him. For we well acquainted with the vse of these naturall passions in our selues, may the better guesse at the knowledge of that God, to whom we heare them ascribed by translation. By translation, not properly: or as one well sayth, per figuram, non naturam, by a figure, not by nature: or as the Schooles speake quoad effectum, non quoad affectum, in the effect, not in the affection; So Aquinas Par. 1a. qu. 21. art. 3. C.
But hauing intreated else where of this question, Whether there be any affection or passion in God, in my 17. Sermon vponupon Hoseah chap. 10. I now say no more of it. OnelyOnly I conclude it affirming with Gregorie Moral. lib. 20. cap. 23. that God is, Sine Zelo Z…lans, sine irâ irascens, sine dolore & poenitentiâ poenitens, sine misero corde misericors, sine praevisionibus praesciens: that God is zealous without zeale, angry without anger, grieuing without sorrow, repenting without penitencie, pitifull without pitie, foreknowing without foresight. There is no passion at all in God.
Thus hauehave you my answere to the question euen now propounded. The question was: How God may be sayd to complaine of our sinnes, to be burdened with them, or to be grieued at them, sith in himselfe he hath all pleasure and content? My answere is, He cannot be said so to doe in a proper sense and vnderstanding, because God is not obnoxious to any passion, but improperly, in a figure, abusiuely, metaphorically, by an Anthropopathie, and metonymically, he may well be sayd so to doe: he may well be sayd to complaine of our sinnes, to be burdened with them, and to be grieued at them. So he complaineth against Israel, here in my text; I am pressed vnderunder you, as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues.
Hitherto hauehave I stood vponupon the first Interpretation of these words, depending vponupon the intransitiue or newtrall signification of the Hebrew verbe foreign I am pressed. The other Interpretation growing vponupon the transitiue signification of the same verbe, is put in the Margent of our newest English translation, and thus it is, I will presse your place, as a Cart full of sheaues presseth.
It is the very reading of Tremellius and Iunius. Ionathan doth not much varie from it; nor R. Abraham, and other Hebrew Doctors, nor the wise men of Spaine, as Pagnine hath obserued. Our new expositors for the most part doe mention it, Calvin, and Danaeus, Brentius and Winclelman, Mercerus and Quadratus, Christopherus à Castro, and Petrus à Figuiero, I will presse you.
In an old English Bible, It may be Taverners translation) I find this place thus Interpreted; I will crashe you in sunder, like as a wayne crasheth, that is full of sheaues. I will crash you, or, I will presse you: the meaning is the same: and thus I paraphrase it,
I] the Lord, Iehovah, your Lord God, will presse your place, wheresoeuer it shall be; But how? Either as a cart full loaden with sheaues presseth] the earth, and whatsoeuer else it passeth ouer; or as a cart full loaden presseth the sheaues in the threshing floare: or as a cart full loaden with sheaues is it selfe pressed. I will presse you, as a cart full of sheaues presseth, or is pressed.
By this second Interpretation of my text, my text is Comminatorie. The Lord threatneth to punish Israel for their sinnes; to punish them non levi manu, aut viribus languidis, not with a light hand, or languishing force, sed magno nisu ac robore, but with great endeuour and strength. I will presse you, as a cart full of sheaues presseth, or is pressed.
God euer iust, and immutable, assigneth to like sinnes like punishments. We for sinning come not short of the Israelites. May we not then well expect their punishments? Yes doubtlesse, we may: and this Commination may be aswell to vsus, as to them; I will presse you, as a cart full of sheaues presseth, or is pressed. From this Commination we may take this lesson: God will neuer suffer sinne to escape altogether vnpunished.
He will not. His commination of punishment giuen in Paradise to the transgressor of his law, is a proofe of this truth. The Commination is, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eatest thereof, [of the tree of knowledge of good and euill] thou shalt dye the death. Adam transgressed the Law; it was his sinne; the punishment of it, in him and his whole posteritie, is death.
Hitherto belongeth that malediction, Deut. 27.26. which is repeated, 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. Now God is euer true in his sayings, and he euer performeth, what he saith. If thou then faile in the performance gf any one Commandement of his Law, or of any braunch thereof, the Curse layeth hold on thee, and obligeth thee to punishment.
In the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Rom. vers. 32. we know it to be foreign, the Law of God, his righteous and iust Law, his Law of Nature, that, they which doe such things, (as are there rehearsed) are worthie of death. Art thou filled with vnrighteousnesse, with fornication, with wickednesse, with couetousnesse, with maliciousnesse? Thou art worthie of death. Art thou full of enuie, of murther, of debate, of deceit, of malignitie? Thou art worthie of death. Art thou a whisperer, a backbiter, a hater of God? Thou art worthy of death. Art thou despiteful, or proud or a boaster, or an inuentor of euil, or disobedient to thy parents? thou art worthy of death. Art thou without vnderstanding, or without naturall affection? Art thou a couenant breaker, or implacable, or vnmercifull? Thou art worthie of death. It is foreign, the Law of God, his righteous and iust Law, his Law of Nature, that they which commit such things, are worthie of death. They are worthie of death: and death must be their wages. It must be so.
So true is my Doctrine, God will neuer suffer sinne to escape altogether vnpunished.
For the further illustration of this truth, I might produce the suffrages of the auncient; of Austine, and of Gregorie. But hauing elsewhere done that in my 18. Sermon vponupon the 10. of Hoseah, I will not now againe doe it: and what need I draw from the Riuers, when I am full of the fountaine? Yet may I not end, without making some vse hereof.
My first vse shall be, to reprooue such as teach otherwise, as Socinus Osterodius, Gittichius, and other the enemies of Christs satisfaction. They will thus argue: if God will neuer suffer sinne to escape vnpunished, then belike hee casteth all men into Hell, there to be punished with infernall torments.
I answere, No. Sed quosdam infernalibus poenis punit, caeteris peccata remittit: Farre bee it from God, that he should punish all, the Elect as well as the Reprobate, with infernall torments. Some, all the Reprobate, he so punisheth: but to others, to all the Elect, he forgiues their sinnes.
Their reply here is: Doth God forgiue the Elect their sinnes? Why then it is likely, he leaues them altogether vnpunished.
Our answere is: Not so. God doth not leaue the sinnes of the Elect altogether vnpunished; but doth punish them all, by translating their sinnes from them, to his owne sonne, Christ Iesus: according to that, Esay 53.6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquitie of vsus all. He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities. The summe of all is; Our transgressions, our iniquities, our sinnes God punisheth in Christ, and for his sake forgiues them vsus. Thus farre the reproofe.
My second Vse is, a short word of exhortation. Will not God suffer any sinne to escape altogether vnpunished? What then shall become of vsus, beloued? Our sinnes! Are they not impudent and vnblushing? Are they not acted with lifting vp the hand, and heele against God? The hand in opposition, the heele in contempt? Our sinnes! They keepe not low water; the tyde of them is euer swelling: they are obiects to the eye of the world, and are proud, that they are obserued.
I hauehave read of two ladders, by which men climbe to Heauen; prayers and sinnes: the godly by their prayers; the wicked by their sinnes. By thi… latter ladder did Sodome and Niniv…h climbe. O let not our sinnes bee such climbers! Rather then they should presse into the presence chamber of Heauen, and grow acquainted with God, let vsus keepe them downe, and here punish them. For they must be punished.
Must be! Yea, sayth S. Austine Enarrat. in Psal. 58. Iniquitas omnis, parva magnáue fit, puniatur necesse est: EueryEvery sinne, be it great, or be it little, must of necessitie bee punished.
Must it! By whom? He there tells you, aut ab ipso homine poenitente, aut a Deo vindicante; eyther by man repenting, or by God reuenging. For quem poenitet, scipsum punit, who so repenteth of his sinnes, he punisheth himselfe for his sinnes. Ergo, fratres, puniamus peccata nostra: therefore brethren, let vsus be our owne punishers: punish we our selues, our sinnes, that God may hauehave merciemercy on vsus.
He cannot shew merciemercy vponupon workers of iniquitie, quasi blandiens peccatis, aut non eradicens peccata, as if he flattered men in their sinnes, or had no purpose to roote out sinne.
Prorsus aut punis, aut punit. Beleeue it either thou must punish thy selfe, or God will punish thee. Vis non puniat, punitu. Wilt thou that God should not punish thee, then punish thou thy selfe: and wash away thy sinnes with the salt and bitter teares of vnfeined Repentance, through a liuely faith in the bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ: So shall not thy sinnes be layed vntounto thy Charge: but they shall be as a bundle that is bound vp and is cast into the bottome of the Sea: they shall neuer rise vp against thee.
If thou thus punish thy selfe, God will not complaine of thee, that he is pressed vnderunder thee as a Cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues: nor will he threaten, to presse thee, as a Cart full of sheaues presseth, or is pressed.
Now forsaking the ladder of our sinnes, climbe we to Heauen with the ladder of our prayers.
O Lord, our God, the giuer of all grace, grant, we beseech thee, that we may vnfainedly bewayle our sinnes, be they neuer so small, and may amend all without excuse, as well our secret sinnes, as those that are knowne, that we may in thy good time be translated from this valley of sinnes, to that thy blessed habitation aboue, where we may with all Saints for euer sing: Halleluja, Saluation, and glory, and honour, and power, vntounto the Lord our God for euermore. Amen.