Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 2, Collection of lectures · Lecture 3
THE III. LECTVRE.
AMOS. 2.2, 3.
Therefore will I send a fire vponupon Moab, and it shall deuoure the palaces of Kerioth, and Moab shall dye with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet.
And I will cut off the Iudge out of the midst thereof, and will slay all the Princes thereof with him.
WE are now to consider the fourth part of this burden of the Moabites; namely, the commination, or denuntiation of such punishments, as God would bring vponupon the Moabites for their sinnes. The punishments are described, first generally, and then more specially. The general description is; Therefore will I send a fire vponupon Moab, and it shall deuoure the palaces of Kerioth.
In the former chapter wee met with this forme of comminationaVerse 4.7.10.12.14. fiue times. Wee now finde nothing new, but new names, Moab and Kerioth.
Of Moab you heard somewhat in my last Sermon; that Moab was Lots sonne, and that from him lineally descended the Moabites, a people inhabiting that part of the East, which is commonly knowne by the name of Caelesyria, and was in former times the possession of the Amorites. I now adde, that from the same Moab, the sonne of Lot, a city in Arabia, afterward called Areopolis, was named Moab, and thence the whole prouince, region, countrey, or kingdome was likewise named Moab. So saithbDe locis. Eusebius. Moab in this branch of my text, may signifie either: either the Metropolis, the chiefe and mother-city of the Kingdome of Moab, or the Kingdome it selfe. S. Hierome heere vnderstands both.
The other new name is in the Hebrew, foreign, in the vulgar Latin, Carioth; in the English-Geneua translation, Kerioth; in Ʋatablus, Cerijoth; in Tremellius and Iunius, Kerijoth; the Septuagint in their Greeke translation, take the word for an appellatiue; they translaate it foreign, her cities. According to them, these words should thus be read: I will send a fire vponupon Moab, and it shall deuoure the foundations of her cities. But with S. Hierome, and sundry others of the best Expositors, we retaine the proper name Kerioth or Carioth.
Wee read in holy writ of two cities thus named. One was belonging to the Tribe of Iuda, and lay towards the coasts of Edom south-ward, mentioned Iosh. 15.25. The other was in the land of Moab; so sayth Eusebius in his Hebrew places: Carioth in regione Moabitarum, sicut Ieremias scribit; Carioth is in the countrey of the Moabites, as Ieremy writeth. And where doth Ieremy write so? In his fortieth chapter, which is wholly spent in denouncing destruction to the Moabites, vers. 24. it is sayd, that iudgement is come vponupon Kerioth. And verse 41. that Kerioth is taken. The same iudgement is heere and there denounced; but heere more briefly, there more fully. Here we may obserue,
1. The punisher: the Lord; I will send.
2. The punishment: by fire; A fire.
3. The punished: the Moabites; Moab, and Kerioth.
The first circumstance concerneth the punisher: the Lord: for thus saith the Lord, I will send a fire.
The Doctrine.
cSee my Lectures vponupon the first of Amos.It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance vponupon the wicked for their sinnes.
This truth hath sundry times been recommended vntounto you. Diuerse were the vses of it.
The first was, to lesson vsus to looke heedefully vntounto our feet; that wee walke not in the way of sinners, to partake with them in their sinnes. Sinnes are not tongue-tyed; they cry aloud vntounto the Lord for vengeance.
The second was, to admonish vsus, not to intermeddle in the Lords office; Its his office to execute vengeance. Wee therefore may not interpose our selues.
The third was, to minister a word of comfort to the godly, against whom the wicked, do behaue themselues proudly and despiteously. God in due time, for such their behauior will render vengeance vntounto them, and will punish them with euerlasting perdition.
The second circumstance concerneth the punishment, which is by fire: I will send a fire.
By fire heere wee are to vnderstand, not so much a true and naturall fire, as a figuratiue and metaphoricall fire. The sword, pestilence, and famine, quod libet genus consumptionis, eueryevery kinde of consumption, quaelibet species exci…ij, eueryevery kinde of destruction; hayle, water, thunder, sicknesse, or any other of the executioners of Gods wrath, for the sinnes of men, may bee signified by this word, Fire. Fire in this place is put for the sword, for warre, as its plain by the sequell of this text. The Doctrine arising hence is this:
Th… fire (whether naturall or figuratiue) that is, the fire and all other creatures are at the Lords commandement, to bee employed by him in the punishment of the wicked.
Of this doctrine heeretofore.
The vse of it is, to teach vsus how to carry our selues at such times, as God shall visit vsus with his rod of correction; how to behaue our selues in all our afflictions. Wee are not so much to looke to the meanes, as to the Lord, that worketh by them. If the fire, or water, or any other of Gods creatures, shall at any time rage, and preuaile against vsus, we must know, that God by them worketh hi… holy will vponupon vsus.
Heere wee see; God resolueth to send a fire vponupon Moab, which should deuoure the palaces of Kerioth: which was the third circumstance.
Must Moab and Kerioth, two chiefe cities of the Kingdome of Moab, through the fire of Gods wrath be brought to ruine? It yeelds this doctrine:
No munition, no fortification, no strength can saue that city, which God will hauehave destroyed.
One vse of this Doctrine is to lesson vsus; that we put not any confidence in any worldly helpe; but that so we vse all good meanes of our defense, that still wee rely vponupon the Lord, for strength and successe thereby.
A second Vse is, to put vsus in minde of the fearefull punishments, which God layeth vponupon men for sinne. He deuoureth their cities, throweth downe their strong holds, and spares them not.
A third Vse is, to stirre vsus vp to thankfulnes, for that it pleaseth God in mercy to spare, not onelyonly our Cities, and strong holds, but also our country villages and poore cottages.
It is not to be passed ouer without obseruation, that the palaces of Kerioth are here threatned, to be deuoured with this fire, sent from the Lord. Were I now to speake before Princes, or great Estates, I could from hence giuegive them an Item, that they set not their hearts ouermuch vponupon their castles, towers, mansion houses, faire palaces, or other goodly buildings, for as much as, if their sinnes deserue it, the fire of Gods wrath will deuoure all those. But my auditorie is of another rancke. Yet may you take a lesson hence. Must the palaces of Carioth, for the sinnes of the inhabitants be deuoured with fire from the wrath of God? Your lesson is:
God depriueth vsus of a great blessing, when he taketh from vsus our dwelling houses.
The great commoditie or contentment, that commeth to eueryevery one of vsus by our dwelling houses, hath experimentally made good vntounto vsus this truth. The Vses of it are diuers.
One is, to teach vsus to be humble before Almighty God, whensoeuer it shall please him to take from vsus our dwelling houses.
A second is, to admonish vsus, sith we peaceably enioy our dwelling houses, that we vse them to the furtherance of Gods glory.
A third is, to stirre vsus vp to blesse and praise God day by day for the comfortable vse we hauehave of our dwelling houses.
These things I hauehave heretofore laboured to lay vntounto your hearts, occasioned by the like generall commination or denuntiation of iudgement (fiue times repeated) in the former chapter, against the Syrians, the Philistines, the Tyrians, the Edomites, and the Ammonites. Now we are to consider what is more specially prophecied against these Moabites. For the easier explication whereof, I obserued two points:
1. The manner of the punishment.
2. The extent of it.
Order requireth that first I speake to the manner of their punishment, expressed in these words: And Moab shall dye with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet.
Moab shall dye] Moab is here put for the Moabites, the people of Moab, the inhabitants of the Kingdome of Moab. Moab shall dye] There is a ciuill death, there is a corporall death, there is a spirituall death, and there is an eternall death. Which of these deaths were the Moabites to dye? The letter of my text is for the corporall death. This corporall death is a separation of the soule from the bodie: it is called corporall, in respect of the spirituall: it is also called a temporarie death, in respect of the eternall. This death corporall, or temporarie, is twofold; either naturall, or accidentall; if accidentall, it is subdiuided into a violent, or a voluntarie death: and is common as well to the godly, as to the wicked; inflicted vponupon them, by Gods iust iudgment for the sinne of Adam. This is the wages of sin, and this is the way of all sinfull flesh. All must once dye.
We may a long time wrastle with the dangers of this world both by Land and Sea: thousands may fall on our right hand, and ten thousands on our left, while we stand: we may hauehave so good store of friends, that we may well say with the Shunamite, 2. King. 4.13. I neede no speaking for me, either to the King, or to the Captaine of the Hoste; I dwell among mine owne people, where I can command: we may walke in the light of the sunne, that is, our prosperitie may be waxen so great, that we want nothing: we may hauehave sailes and oares at pleasure, as Antiochus seemed to hauehave, who thought in his pride to make men saile vponupon the dry land, and to walke vponupon the Sea: 2. Mac. 5.21. we may thinke our selues to be in league with death, and in couenant with the graue, and so promise to our selues, many a prosperous, and pleasant day, as many as are the sands of the Ocean: yet a time shall come, when all these things shall proue but vanitie: and Moab shall dye. All must once dye.
A greatdDr. King B. of London. Lect. 20 vponupon Ionas, pag. 264. Prelate of this Land, for this point, hath well fitted this comparison. As one that shooteth at a marke, sometimes is gone, and sometimes is short, sometimes lighteth on the right hand, sometimes on the left, at length hitteth the marke: so Death shootes at Noble men beyond vsus, at meane men short of vsus, at our friends on the right hand, at our enemies on the left; at length hitteth our selues. The longer her hand is in practise, the more certainely she striketh.
Looke into the fift of Genesis; there shall you finde, that Death was ayming atevers. 11. Enosh 905. yeares, and at last smote him: atfvers. 14. Kenan 910. yeares, atgvers. 5. Adam 930. yeares, athvers. 20. Iered 962. yeares, ativers. 27. Methushelah 969. yeares, but in the end ouerthrew them all. Now shee strikes sooner; within the compasse of fewer yeares, within 60. yeares, or 70. she seldome stayes 80. yeares: And sometimes shee strikes vsus in our youthfull dayes; yea, in the day of our natiuitie. All must once dye.
Moab shall dye] All must once dye. Death! It is of all miseries the last, and the most terrible. A holykApud Lud. Granatensem Exercit de Orat. & Medit. Father hath made against it this exclamation. O Death how bitter is the remembance of thee? How quickly and suddainely stealest thou vponupon vsus? How secret are thy paths and wayes? How doubtfull is thy houre? How vniuersall is thy signiorie and deminion? The mighty cannot escape thee; the wise cannot hide themselues from thee; the strong loose their strength before thee; the rich with their money shall not corrupt thee. Thou art the hammer, that alwayes striketh: Thou art the sword, that neuer blunteth: thou art the snare, wherein all must be taken: thou art the prison, wherein all must lye: thou art the Sea, wherein all must perish: thou art the paine, that all must suffer: thou art the tribute, that all must pay. In a word; thou art such a one, as Almighty God washeth his hands of thee, and cleareth himselfe in plaine words, by the mouth of the Wiseman, saying, (Wisd. 1.13.) that he neuer made thee. Surely thou hast thine entry into the world by the very enuie, and craft of the Deuill.
This exclamation against Death is very iust in some sense: for Death may be considered in a double respect; one way, as it is in its owne nature; another way, as it is changed, and qualified by the death of Christ. Death in its owne nature is a punishment of sin, a plague, a curse, or fore-runner of condemnation, the very gates, and suburbs of Hell it selfe: and in this respect the forecited exclamation hath due place. But on the other side, death being changed, and qualified by Christ his death, it is no more such; it is no more a punishment of sinne; it is no more a plague; it is no more a curse. For it is become a blessing; it brings an end to all our miseries; it giues full deliuerance to all our miseries; it giues full deliuerance from all dangers; it is made vntounto vsus a passage, a way, an entrance into euerlasting life; it is like a portall, or litle gate, by which we passe from out this litle prison of our bodies into the kingdome of Heauen. The graue meane while is, but a resting chamber, sweetly perfumed by the Death of Christ for our bodies; from whence at the sound of the last trumpet, our bodies shall awake, and rise, and be receiued into the paradise of heauen, to enioy the most comfortable presence of Almighty God there.
If death now changed and qualified by Christ his death, be a blessing: if it be but a passage from this wretched life to that happiest estate in heauen, why should death be feared?
This is a Case of Conscience, and may be resolued. There are two sorts of men in the world: the one of them, who liue in their sinnes, and dye without repentance: the other of them, who with vnfeigned repentance and faith in Christ, doe leaue this world. The first hauehave great reason to feare Death: Death being vntounto them the very gate, and introduction into the Hell of the damned: of whom we may well say, as Christ said of Iudas, Math. 26.24. foreign, it had bin good for them, had they neuer bin borne. The second hauehave no reason to feare Death; Death being vntounto them, as the gate of Heauen. To such, Optimum est nasci, its best that they are borne; and the next best for them is, maturè mori, to dye in a good houre. Their birth is to them a preparation to eternall happinesse, whereof their Death giues them full possession.
The consideration whereof made King Salomon the wisest of Kings, or men, [praferre diem mortis, diei ortûs;] it made him preferre the day of death, before the day of birth; his words are Eccles. 7.3. Better is the day of death, then the day that one is borne. Hence is it, that most righteous Iob, chap. 17.14. calls Corruption his father; for as children hauehave fathers for their comfort, so had Iob death, and rottennesse: Corruption it selfe, as a father, made Iob fit for his graue and death; which of him was more wished then life: as Origen, and Olympiodor hauehave well obserued. And hence it is that blessed Paul, liuing in this world, and vsing it, as if he vsed it not, (for he had his conuersation in heauen, and had a true, and liuely taste of the ioyes of the world to come) desired to be dissolued, and to be with Christ: and this (hee was well assured) was best of all for him, Phil. 1.23.
Thus farre (beloued) hauehave I ledde you by occasion of these words, Moab shall dye: vponupon which I grounded this generall doctrine.
All must once dye.
In the illustration whereof, I signified that of euils, death was the most terrible. To arme your Christian soules against the terrour or feare of death, I told you, that death is to be considered in a double respect; either as it is in its owne nature, or as it is changed, & qualified by the death of Christ: in the first respect, it is very fearefull to the naturall man: in the latter, it is very welcome to the resolued Christian. I further added, that there are two sorts of men obnoxious vntounto death: the one sort doe liue in sinne, and dye without repentance: the other with vnfained repentance, and true faith in Christ doe leaue this world; to the first sort death is very terrible: to the latter it is a very welcome guest. Now proceed we to examine the manner of Moabs death.
Moab shall dye with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet.] In tumultu, with a tumult, so some do reade, Ʋatablus, Caluin, Mercer, Gualter; in strepitu, with a noyse, so Iunius, and Drusius; in sonitu, with a sound, so Brentius, and the author of the vulgar Latine. The 70. hauehave foreign, Moab shall dye through imbecillity, or weakenes. The word in the originall is foreign, & it signifieth a sound, a tumult, an inundation, or multitude of waters, which ouerrunne their bankes with violence and roaring. The meaning of the world is, that Moab should die a death strange and extraordinary: which is more specified in the next word.
foreign With shouting.] This very word we met with with in the 14. verse of the first Chapter, where it is brought to set forth the terrour of that iudgement, which God would bring vponupon the Ammonites. The word I expounded in my 20. Sermon on the first Chapter, and shewed out of diuers Authorss that it signifieth a sound, a cry, a great cry, a vociferation, a shoute, such as Souldiers doe make, when on a suddaine they surprize a City. To make good this exposition it is added.
With the sound of a trumpet.] The vse of trumpets in warre hath beene very ancient. The vse of them is commanded to the children of Israel, Num. 10.9. When ye goe to warre against the enemie, yee shall blow a larme with the trumpets. After, they were vsed in the battle against Iericho, Iosh. 6.5. Ioshua saith to the people: When yee heare the sound of the trumpet, ye shall all shout with a great shout, and the wall of Iericho shall fall downe flat. To this vse Ezechiel alludeth Chap. 7.14. They hauehave blowne the trumpet, and prepared all, but none goeth to the battell. And S. Paul speaks of it, 1. Corinth. 14.8. If the trumpet giuegive an vncertaine sound, who shall prepare himselfe to battle? The Prophet Zephanie also hath respect vntounto it, Chap. 2.16. where he calls the great day of the Lord, a day of the trumpet, and a larme against the strong Cities, and against the high towers.
From this ancient vse of trumpets, we may gather the meaning of our Prophet in this place. Moab shall dye, with a tumult, with a shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet] Moab] that is, the Moabites, the people of Moab, shall dye] shall depart this life, and leaue this world, not quietly, and peaceably, in their beds, but with a tumult, with a shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet] euen in warre, or as the phrase is in the 14. verse of the 1. chapter, in the day of battaile. The doctrine arising hence is this:
Warre, one of the executioners of Gods vengeance, is euermore sent vponupon a Land, for the sinnes of the people.
That warre is one of the executioners of Gods vengeance, its plaine in Ezech. 14.21. There God himself makes it one of his foure sore iudgements. The foure are; the sword, famine, the noysome beast, and the pestilence; the first is the sword, an instrument for warre, for warre it selfe. These foure are likewise couched togither in Ezech. 5.17. where thus saith the Lord against Ierusalem: I will send vponupon you famine, and euill beasts, and they shall spoyle thee, and pestilence and bloud shall through thee, and I will bring thee sword vponupon thee; I the Lord hauehave spoken it. I will bring the sword vponupon thee: the sword, that is, warre; an instrument of warre, for warre it selfe: as in the former place.
These two places of Ezechiel, (to omit many other, as pregnant, here and there dispersed throughout the sacred Volumes of Gods eternall word) these two doe speake plainely, that warre is one of the executioners of Gods vengeance. That it is sent vponupon a Land for the sinnes of the people, I made it plaine vntounto you by like euidence of holy Writ in my 20. Sermon vponupon the former chapter. My proofes were taken from Levit. 26.25. Deut. 28.49. Ierem. 5.15. Whence I inferred, that warre, and all the euills of warre are from the Lord; that warre is one of the accomplishments of Gods iudgements; that warre is sent by God vponupon a Land for the sinnes of a people. So goeth my doctrine.
Warre, one of the executioners of Gods vengeance, is euermore sent vponupon a Land for the sinnes of the people.
The Vse of this Doctrine is, to raise vsus vp to the admiration of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God. We grieue the Holy Spirit of that sacred Maiestie with our manifold and daily sinnes: our sinnes of omission, our sins of infirmitie, and our sinnes of presumption; our sinnes of ignorance, and our sinnes of wilfulnesse; our strife, variance, and debate; our vsurie, oppression, and cruelty; our vncleannesse, wantonnes, and drunkennes; our sins multiply as the sands of the Sea, they hauehave pressed into Gods presence to fetch downe his vengeance vponupon vsus. Behold, looke about you, and admire his exceeding great patience. The loud crying of our sinnes hath not yet vrged the Lord so farre, as to make him come against vsus with his sorest iudgement of warre.
He hath out of his fatherly louelove ouer vsus mildely chastized vsus. Not long since hee brake the staffe of our bread, and sent among vsus a dearth and scarcitie; yet hauehave wee not returned vntounto him. Not long since he commanded his armies of waters to issue from out their channell, and to ouer runne man and beast for many miles within this land; yet hauehave we not returned vntounto him. Not long since he let flye his arrowes of pestilence, and yet they flye abroad to the killing of many round about vsus; yet hauehave wee not returned vntounto him.
Not returned vntounto him? What? Can no medicine, that God applyeth, mollifie our hard hearts? Can none of his corrections amend vsus? Will we needs try whether he will send a sword vponupon vsus? He shaked his sword ouer vsus, (many of vsus may well remember it) when the great Spanish Armada floated on our Seas: but then as S. Iames speaketh, chap. 2.13. Super exaltauit misericordia iudicio, mercy exalted it selfe aboue iudgement, and we were spared.
Were we spared? What shall we render to the Lord for so great mercy? We will with Dauid, Ps. 116.13. We will take the cup of saluation, we will call vponupon the name of the Lord, and will offer vntounto him the sacrifice of prayse. Which sacrifice of ours, that it may be acceptable to the Lord, let vsus cast away from vsus all our transgressions, whereby we hauehave transgressed; and with a new heart, and a new spirit, returne we to the Lord our God. But if we will persist with delight, and goe on in our old wayes; our crooked, peruerse, and froward wayes; our wayes of wickednesse; and will not bee turned out of them by any of God his milder chastisements and corrections, what can we expect, but the portion of these Moabites, euen fire & a sword from the Lord, and with them to die with a tumult, with a shouting, and with the sound of a Trumpet?
Thus farre de modo poenae, of the manner of this punishment to be inflicted vponupon the Moabites. The extent followeth.
I will cut the iudge out of the midst thereof, and will slay all the Princes thereof. with him.]
I] the Lord, the Lord Iehovah, yesterday, and to day, and the same for euer; I am not changed; all my words, yea, all the titles of all my words are Yea, and Amen; Exscindam] I will cut off, I will root out, and destroy, Iudicem] the Iudge, the chiefest gouernour and ruler in Moab, the King. Nam Reges quo{que} populum indicabant, For Kings also did iudge the people, and it is euident by sundry places of holy Scripture, that the state of the Moabites was swayed by Kings. I will cut off, root out, and vtterly destroy, the iudge, the King, out of the midst thereof] Out of the midst of what? Of Moab? of Kerioth? Both are mentioned vers. 2. Dauid, Camius, and some other, say of Kerioth, which was Sedes Regum, the cittie of the Kings habitation. The meaning is: there was no cittie in the Kingdome of Moab so strong, but that from out the midst of it, God would fetch the King, and cut him off.
I will cut off, roote out, or destroy, the iudge, the King, out of the middest of the strongest cittie of the Kingdome of Moab, be it Moab, Kerioth, or any other; I will slay all the Princes thereof with him; together with the King I will root out all the Princes of the land. None shall escape my iudgements, neither Prince, nor King. You see the extent of this iudgement here denounced against Moab. Not onelyonly the meaner sort of people, but the Princes also; yea and King himselfe, were to hauehave their portion in it: and that as certainely, as if they had alreadie had it. For Iehovah, the Lord hath spoken it. For its added for a conclusion to this Prophecie, foreign sayth the Lord. The Lord hath said it, that neither Prince nor King shall be extempt from his iudgements; but shall as well as the lowest of the people be cut off, and come to nought.
The doctrine to be obserued from hence is this:
God exerciseth his iudgements, not onelyonly vponupon men of low and base estate, but also vponupon the great ones of this world; vponupon princes and Kings.
This truth I hauehave heretofore confirmed vntounto you, in my 21. Lecture, on the former Chapter, handling those words Chap. 1. vers. 15. Their King shall goe into captiuitie he, and his Princes together, I proued vntounto you this doctrine, When God punisheth a nation with captiuitie for their sinnes, he spareth neither Priest, nor Prince, nor King. My now-doctrine for substance is the same, but more generall; God exerciseth his iudgements not onelyonly vponupon men of low & base estate, but also vponupon the great ones of this world; vponupon Princes & Kings. The vses.
One is to admonish the great and mightie ones of this world, that they presume not to sinne against the Lord, as if they were priuiledged by their greatnes, and might. There is no such priuiledge. He that is Lord ouer all, will spare no person. Princes, and Kings must feele the smart of his iudgements.
A second vse is, to minister comfort to such as are of low and base estate. If the mightie by violence, and oppression grind your faces, and compasse you about, yet be not yee discouraged; God the iudge of all accepteth no persons. He in his good time will auenge your causes, be your oppressours neuer so mightie. For Princes and Kings must feele the smart of his iudgements.
A third vse is, a warning for our selues; that we set not our hearts vponupon the outward things of this world, for as much as God, the Creator of all, will not respect vsus for them. Dost thou glory in this that thou art a mightie man, or a rich man? For both, might and riches, Princes, and Kings are far beyond thee: yet must Princes and Kings feele the smart of Gods iudgements.
Let vsus make a fourth vse of this doctrine, euen to poure out our soules in thankefulnesse before almightie God, for his wonderfull patience towards vsus. Our sinnes are as impudent, as euer were the sinnes of the Moabites, Our three and foure transgressions, our many sinnes doe cry aloud to Heauen against vsus, as the sins of the Moabites cryed against them. For their sinnes God sent a sword vponupon them, and did cut them off from being a nation; Gods wrath against our sinnes, hath not yet proceeded so farre. We yet enioy our happie peace. EueryEvery man dwels vnderunder his owne vine, and vnderunder his owne figtree; and liues in the habitations of his forefathers in peace, free from all feare of the enemies sword. Such is our condition, through the neuer-too-much admired patience of Almightie God. O let vsus not despise the riches of the bountifulnesse, patience, and long sufferance of our God. St Paul tells vsus. Rom. 2.4. That these doe lead vsus to Repentance.
These doe lead vsus; shall we not follow? Beloued, while we hauehave time, let vsus betake our selues to Repentance. It was good counsaile which Iudith gaue to Ozias, Chabris, and Charmis the ancients of the cittie Bethulia. (Iudith 8.12.) Quia patiens Dominus est, in hoc ipso paniteamus, & indulgentiam eius fusis lachrymis postulemus. The counsaile is as good for vsus. Beloued, because the Lord is patient, therefore let vsus repent, and with shedding of teares beg of him indulgence, and pardon for our sinnes past. Its no wisedome for vsus, any longer to presume vponupon his patience. It is true Dominus patiens, the Lord is slow to anger; but the Prophet Nahum. Chap. 1.3. addeth also, that he is great in power, and surely will not cleare the wicked.
This long forbearance of God towards vsus, patientia est, non negligentia: you must call it patience, it is not negligence. Non ille potentiam perdidit, sed nos ad poenitentiam reseruauit, saith St Austine serm. 102. de Tempore: God hath not lost his power, but hath reserued vsus for repentance: and quanto diu…ius Deus expectat, tanto grauius vindicat: How much the longer God expects and waits for our conuersion, so much the more grieuously will he be auenged vponupon vsus if we repent not. I shut vp all with that exhortation of Ecclesiasticus. chap. 5.7. Make no tarrying to turne vntounto the Lord, and put not off from day to day. To moue vsus to this speedie couersion, he addes this reason: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth, and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed, and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance. What remaineth but that we pray with Ieremie? Chap. 31.18. Conuert thou vsus O Lord, and we shall be conuerted; for, thou art the Lord our God.