Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1
What then shall become of the Physician? May I not seek to him in time of sickness? Seek not first to him, as Asa did, 2 Chron. 16.12. lest thou be condemned, as Asa was, for seeking not to the Lord, but to the Physician. But seek thou first unto the Lord. First, be thou reconciled to him, who is the chief Physician of soul and body, and then take thy course. For my part I have no hope, that the Physicians help shall profit me, and prosper with me, until I be at peace with God, and have renewed my repentance from dead works for my daily sins.
And let this suffice to have been spoken of the first branch of my second general part, which was, the resolution of God to punish Israel for sin. Now followeth the second branch: and that is, that the punishment so resolved upon by the Lord, shall reach to their holiest places, to their houses of religion; in these words:
Visitabo super Altaria Bethel] Here is a Visitabo like the former; a visiting in the worse part, a visiting for evil, and in judgment. Visitabo, I will visit upon the Altars of Bethel, that is with Petrus Lusitanus, Destruam illa, vt meum sentiant furorem: I will destroy those Altars: they shall feel my fury. The like phrase is that, Exod. 12.12. In cunctis Dijs Aegyptifaciam judicia: Against all the God's of Egypt will I do judgment; and that, Num. 33.4. Dominus in Diis eorum exercuerat vltionem; Upon the God's of the Aegytians, the Lord hath executed vengeance. In both places the God's of Egypt, are the Idols of Egypt; and the Lord's doing of judgments, or executing of vengeance upon them, is all one with the Visitabo here. I will visit the Altars of Bethel, that is, I will do judgments, or I will execute vengeance upon the Altars of Bethel.
Bethel] Some Jews, as R. Kimhi, and R. Isaiah are of opinion, that there were two Towns of this name; the one belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin, as appeareth Josh. 18.22. the other in the Tribe of Ephraim, as it is manifested, Judges 1.22. This opinion of two Bethels, Andrew Masius in his Comment upon Joshua rejecteth as needless.
Bethel here is that, which in former time was called Luz, which name it had from the abundance of Nuts or Almonds which grew there, for Luz in Hebrew signifieth a Nut or an Almond. Neere to this City Jacob slept, when he saw the vision of Angels ascending and descending upon the ladder, from whence he called the name of that place Bethel, Gen. 28.19. and Bethel is by interpretation the house of God.
This Bethel is not Jerusalem, nor is it the mountain of Moria, as some Hebrews, and Lyranus, and Catetan do affirm: but as Abulensis, Adrichomius, and others, it is a City distant from Jerusalem some eighteen miles, situate in the Lot of the Tribe of Ephraim, near unto Shechem. Here in this City, King Jeroboam, he that was the son of Nebat, set up a calf of gold to be worshipped by the revolted Tribes, that they need not be at the pains to go up to Jerusalem to worship. Thus the place, whereof faithful Jacob said, Surely this is no other, but Bethel, the house of God, is by faithless Jeroboam turned into Beth-auen, the house of an idol, and is named Beth-auen by the Prophet Hosea, chap. 4.15. and in other places. Such is the Bethel, the visitation of whose Altars the Lord here undertaketh: Visitabo super Altaria Bethel, I will visit the Altars of Bethel.
The Altars!] What Altars? The words immediately following make mention but of one Altar, and that whose horns should be cut off: and the sacred story, 1 King. 12.32. speaketh but of one Altar in Bethel. How then is it that the Altars of Bethel are here to be visited?
It may be, here is Enallage numeri, one number for another, which is in use sometimes with the Latin; as when they say, Flumina Nili, or Montes Zion, the rivers of Nile, for the river Nile, or the mountains of Zion, for Mount Zion: Or rather in progress of time, other Altars were erected for other Idols, when the Calf of gold was worshipped but upon one. And this is the conjecture of Drusius, because he findeth, Hos. 8.11. that Ephraim had made many Altars to sin: and Hos. 10.1. that Israel had increased Altars according to the multitude of his fruit. And it is not unlikely, but that in course of time, they had multiplied and increased their Altars: to which this visitabo casts an eye; I will visit the Altars of Bethel. It followeth:
Cornua altaris maximi & principalis: so Lusitanus, the horns of the Altar; of the greatest and most principal Altar. For of the rest it was said but now, Visitabo super altaria Bethel, I will visit the Altars of Bethel.
The horns of the Altar shall be cut off] The Altar of burnt offering, Exod. 27.2. had four horns upon the four corners thereof. These horns were Eleuationes quaedam, as Abulensis speaketh in his fourth quest. upon Exod. 29. they were pieces of wood ascending above the Altar, made like unto horns, of the very wood of the Altar over-laid with brass, and were with the Priests finger anointed with the blood of the sacrifice, to betoken Quatuor Euangeliis velatam Christi passionem, as Cyrillus or rather Hesychius upon Leviticus hath observed; the four horns of the Altar besprinkled with blood, betokened the passion of Christ covered in the four Evangelists.
Solomon's Altar, Ezech. 43.15. had likewise four horns. These Villalpandus taketh to be quatuor tanrorum cornua, four bulls horns, which rose upward from the four corners of the Altar to the height of a cubit, as if they grew from the head of a bull. These horns were not only for ornament, but they also served to keep up the sacrifice from falling off.
Such were the horns of this Altar of Bethel, made in emulation of Solomon's Altar, as Lorinus affirmeth: and upon these is the sentence of the Lord here gone forth, Amputabuntur, they shall be cut off and fall to the ground, utter desolation shall betide them. Thorns and thistles shall grow upon them, as the Prophet Hosea speaketh, Chap. 10.8. A dissipation there shall be, both of Idol and Idolater.
And now, O ye miserable and wretched Israelites, Dii, qui neque se, neque altaria sua tueri possunt, quomodo vos tuebuntur? The gods which can neither defend themselves, nor their Altars, how shall they defend you? The Lord will take your Idols from you, will overthrow your Altars, the very places of your delight: yea the horns of your Altars, speciefissima instrumenta voluptatum, the fairest and goodliest spectacles, wherein you take pleasure, shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. According to this prediction it fell out, either through the Earthquake in the days of Uzziah King of Judah, or when Shalmaneser King of Assyria carried Israel into captivity, or under the reformation of Josiah, as already it hath been touched.
Now from this commination of judgment against Bethel and the Altars there, namely, that the Lord will visit the Altars of Bethel, and that the horns of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground, ariseth this doctrine:
Places of Idols shall be punished with desolation. Gilgal, once famous Gilgal, ennobled by many accidents, which happened there, became afterwards through the Idolatry there committed, so infamous, and of such bad note, that the people of Judah are forbidden to resort unto it, Hos. 4.15. But where is she now? Lieth she not under the ruins of desolation? And Bethel once famous too, for that she was the house of God, by the like abuse became Beth-auen, the house of an Idol. But where is she now? Doubtless she is measured with the line of desolation, according to this prophecy.
As the places of Idols are punished with desolation: so are the Idolaters with confusion.
Idolaters, whilst they flourish with prosperity, they flatter themselves in their sins, and become hereby more obstinate in their superstitions, imagining that they are priuileged from God's judgments, and have the fruition of all his blessings for their false worship sake: and if the hand of God hap to lie heavy upon them, then do they double their devotions to their Idols, that by their help they may be delivered. But when they find their hope frustrate, and themselves forsaken of their Idols when most they need their help, then overwhelmed with confusion, they bewail their former folly, that they spent upon them so much unrewarded cost and bootless labor.
Of this confusion or shame, the portion of Idolaters, I thus read, Psal. 97.7. Confundantur omnes, qui adorant sculptilia: Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of Idols. And Isaiah 42.17. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, and say to the moulten images, Ye are our gods. Other places I might produce to warrant this confusion and shame of the Idolater, but the time forbids me. Yet an example hereof you have in Baals Priests, 1 King. 18.29. who were confounded with shame, when they were in the sight of the people abandoned of his help, when they most needed, and implored it.
Thus is my doctrine confirmed. Will you now see how useful it is? Here then see condemned all such, as do religiously worship for God, that which is not God: such are Infidels, who worship devils, men, and other creatures, erecting to their honor graven and carved images, pictures, and statues. From this Idolatry we may not exempt the now-Church of Rome, for that she yieldeth religious worship to creatures, Angels, and men: and to men not such only, as have been held for Saints in respect of their faith and holy life: but also such as have been noted for their wicked conversation, as their Saint George, Saint Francis, Saint Dominick, Ignatius Loiola, and the like: yea such as never had any being in the world, as their Saint Hippolytus, Saint Christopher, Saint Catharine, fictitious and counterfeited Saints: to such they have set up pictures, images, and statues, and those forsooth must be worshipped, and that with religious worship.
And do they not, think you, deserve it, since they are so wonderously decked and adorned? Garlands and Coronets are set on their heads, precious pearls hang about their necks, their fingers shine with rings beset with precious stones; their bodies are clothed with garments stiff with gold. And are not these worthy to be adored? If you should see the images of their men Saints, you would believe they were some Princes of Persia, by their proud apparel: and the idols of their women-saints you would take to be some nice and well trimmed harlots, tempting their Paramours to wantonness.
The Churches and Chapels that are thus bedeckt and trimmed, are they not as this Bethel with her golden calf? Yes. And if there be no reformation, a time will come, when the lot of Bethel shall be theirs, even to those Idol-houses, desolation, and confusion to the Idolaters.
Secondly, shall idolatrous places and persons be punished, they with desolation, these with confusion? Let the consideration hereof inflame our hearts to be more zealously thankful to the Lord, for that having freed us from Heathenish and Antichristian darkness, from idolatry, and the service of graven images, he hath given us the clear light of his gracious Gospel, through the illumination whereof we may be brought to the right knowledge of the true worship of him, the only living God. For so, by his sole goodness are we delivered from all fear of the punishment allotted to Bethel, and the worshippers of the Idol there.
Thirdly, from this consideration we are to be admonished, that abhorring and renouncing idols, and all manner of idolatrous superstition, which will leave us without help and hope in our greatest extremities, we do cleave fast unto the true Jehovah, performing unto him such faithful and sincere service as he requireth in his Word, without the mixture of human inventions: so shall we in the day of visitation be preserved from all evil.
But say, that the Lord for his glory and our trial will bring us to the touchstone of adversity, and suffer us to taste of some calamity and misery, yet will he give us such a comfortable feeling of his favor, and will so arm us with power and patience to bear our troubles, that we shall not need to fear confusion.
There is no fear of confusion or shame where true religion is. No: there is none, True religion cleansed from all dregs of Idolatry, maketh not ashamed. So saith the kingly Prophet, Psal. 34.5. They shall look unto him, and run unto him, and their faces shall not not be ashamed. They, the truly religious, the humble and faithful, shall look unto the Lord, shall diligently and carefully attend for aid and succor from him: they shall run unto him with haste in their troubles, in assurance of finding ease; and their faces shall not be ashamed. They shall not hang down their heads and countenances for shame, as they were wont to do, but shall lift up their heads, shall look on high, and shall go with confidence to the God of their salvation.
That promise of the Lord, Joel 2.26. My people shall never be ashamed, repeated in the verse following, My people shall never be ashamed, is a promise to the religious; for the religious only are his people. My people, saith he, shall never be ashamed. O what a marvelous benefit a man hath by religion, which he cannot have by any other thing in the world? There is nothing in all our life, whereof we have not need to repent, except it be our religion, the fear of God. Our words, our works, our gettings, our spendings, our wanderings up and down, our negligence in our vocations, our sleeping, our eating, our drinking out of measure; of all these we have need to repent. Our thoughts, our toys, our trifles, our wantonness, our lust, our hatred, our wrath, our malice, our many other enormities; of all these we may well be ashamed: but of true religion and the fear of the Lord, we neither need to repent, nor to be ashamed. If thou forsakest the world, and hatest Idols, and believest in the Lord, and mournest for thy sins, and studiest the Scriptures, and hearest the Preachers, and obeyest the Gospel, and prayest, and watchest, and fastest, and endurest many troubles, and art ready to die if need be; and all for love of the Lord Jesus: thou needest not to repent, or to be ashamed hereof. For happy art thou. Thou hast fought a good fight. Go on with courage; finish thy course, keep the faith Henceforth there is laid up for thee a Crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give thee in that grea • day of his visitation: and not unto thee only, but to them also that love his appearing: even to us all, holy Father, let that Crown be given for thy sweet Son Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
THE Seuenteenth Lecture
AMOS 3.15.
And I will smite the winter house with the summer house, and the houses of Ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.
WHen God punisheth the sins of a Nation, he useth such severity, that he spa • eth not the very places, wherein the sins were acted. Hereof this Scripture yields a demonstration. It presents unto us a resolution of God to punish the sins of Israel. The places where they sinned, were either religious or profane. Religious were the places of their public assembly for the worship of their God's. Profane places were all other of ordinary and common use, as their edifices and houses of habitation of all sorts. Both places, religious and profane, had their parts in the punishment here resolved upon.
The resolution for the punishment is in the beginning of the fourteenth verse; there it is intimated, that a day should come, wherein the Lord would visit the transgressions of Israel upon him.
In this visitation or punishment their religious places, or houses of religion, were to have a portion. It is plain by by the latter part of the fourteenth verse, I will visit the altars of Beth-el: and the horns of the Altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.
Nor were their religious places only to partake of this visitation; but other places also, profane and civil, their places of ordinary and common use • their edifices and dwelling hou •• Their doom is forespoken in the beginning of the 15. verse. The winter house shall be smitten; so shall the summer house▪ one houses of Ivory shall perish, and the great houses shave an end.
For the seal and assurance of all, the conclusion of this Chapter is Neum Jehovah, saith the Lord.
Of God's resolution to punish the sins of Israel, together with the visitation of their religious places, I entreated in my last Sermon. Now am I to proceed with the punishment inted to their profane and civil places, to their places of ordinary and common use, to their edifices and dwelling houses, thus delivered, in this fifteenth verse, And.
For the easier handling of these words, I am to speak of an action, and of the object thereof: of a smiting, and of the thing to be smitten: The smiting is the Lord's, the the things to be smitten belong to the Israelites. Of both in their order. First for the Action, for the smiting, which is God's.
Persecution, I will smite. The actions of God and two sorts Immanent, or Transcient. Immanent, are those, that remain within himself, as to understand, to will to love. For always, and from all eternity God in himself understandeth, willeth, and loveth. The Transient actions of God are such as he, in •• me produceth without himself. So he created the world he ••• leth it, and worketh all in all: he justifieth, he regnerateth, he punisheth. And of this rank in his action of smiting.
Persecution, I will smite. God in holy Scripture is said to smite, either immediately of himself, without means; or mediately, when he useth means; as Angels, good or bad; or men, godly or wicked, or other creatures.
God immediately, of himself and without means, smote all the first-borne in the Land of Egypt, from the first-borne of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, unto the first-borne of the captive, that was in the dungeon, Exod. 12.29. God of himself smote them all. And though he ofttimes uses means, the ministry of Angels, men, or other creatures for the smiting of transgressors, yet is God justly said to smite them. For the axiom of the Schools is, Actio non attribuitur instrumento proprie, sed principali agenti: the action is not properly attributed to the instrument, but to the principal agent. The building of a house is not to be ascribed to the axe, but to the Carpenter that useth the axe. Angels, men, and other creatures are to God but as the axe is to the Carpenter, but as his instruments. Whensoever therefore through their ministry any evil shall betide us, we are to acknowledge God to be the pricipall doer therereof. He it is that smiteth us.
It is true, that an Angel in one night smote in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand, Isaiah 37.36. The Angel smote them, that is the letter; But it was Angelus Domini; it was the Angel of the Lord. The Lord sent that Angel to cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the Leaders and Captains in the campe of King Sennacherib. The Lord sent him. The Lord then was agens principalis, he was the principal doer in that slaughter, the Angel was but his messenger to put in execution the work of the Lord. So the Lord was he that smote the Assyrians.
Israel under the conduct of Moses smote two mighty Kings, Sibon of the Amorites, and Og of Bashan, Numb. 21.35.— There Israel smote them; yet Psal. 136.17. the Lord is said, to have smitten them; percusset Reges magnos, He smote great King, and slew famous Kings, Sibon King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bashan. The Lord smote them. The Lord then was Agens principalis: he was the pricipall doer in this great overthrow; Israel did but execute what the Lord would have done. So the Lord was he that smote those Kings
If a Lion smite us upon the way: if either hunger, or thirst, if the heat or the Sun smite us: if our Vines be smitten with hail, our Sycomore trees with frost, our flocks with hot thunder-bolts, our corn-fields with blasting and with mildew: if our selves be smitten with consumptions, with fevers, with inflamations, with extreme burnings, with the botch of Egypt, with the Emrods, with the scab, and with the itch, whereof we cannot be healed: if we be smitten with madness, with blindness, with astonishment of heart: if we be any way smitten, whatsoever the means may be, it is the Lord that smiteth us.
Percutiet te Dominus, the Lord shall smite thee. It is in one Chapter, in the 28. of Deuteronomy four times repeated, to show unto us that if we be smitten with any the now mentioned miseries, or any other, it is the Lord that smiteth us.
The Percutiam in my text serves for the corroboration of this truth. Percutiam, I will smite the winter house with the summer house. If then but a house be smitten, be it a winter house, or a summer house, the Lord is he that hath smitten it.
So from this percutiam, I will smite, I, I, the Lord will smite, ariseth this doctrine:
Thus have the godly ever done. Holy Job in his time did it. The loss of all his substance and children by the Sabaeans, Chaldeans, fire from Heaven, and a great wind from beyond the wilderness, could not turn away his eyes from the God of Heaven to those second causes. Those he knew to be but instruments; the Lord was agens principalis; he was the chief doer. This he acknowledgeth, and blesseth God for it: Dominus abstulit, The Lord that gave me all, hath taken all away, blessed be the name of the Lord, Job 1.21.
Such was the practice of King David, Shimei, a man of the family of the house of Saul, comes forth from Bahurim, curseth still as he comes, meets the King, casts stones at him, raileth upon him, calleth him to his face a man of blood, and a man of Belial, a murderer and a wicked man. At so high a strain of insolency, how bears the King himself? Doth he suffer the railers head to be cut off? or, makes he any show of impatiency? No, His eye is to him, that is agens principalis, or Primus motor, even to the Lord, the Principal agent and first mover in all this business. Shimei, he knows, is but the instrument to work the will of the Lord. And therefore he saith to Abishai, 2 Sam. 16.10. Let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? Suffer him to curse, for the Lord hath bidden him.
Not unlike was the carriage of the blessed Apostles, Peter, John, and the rest, Act. 4.27. Though Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, had crucified and put to death the Lord of life, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; yet did not the Apostles therefore grow into a rage, or bitter speeches against them. In that great execution of the Lord Jesus, there was upon the hand of God. They knew, that Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and the Jews were but instruments. So their acknowledgement before the Lord, verse. 28. Of a truth both Herod and Pontius Pilate, & the Gentiles, & the People of Israel were gathered together against thine holy Child Jesus, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Thus according to the examples of holy Job, King David, and the blessed Apostles, we are in the miseries and calamities that do befall us in this life, to look not so much to the instruments, as to the Lord that smiteth by them.
And why so? The reason is, because all instruments are second causes; Angels, men, or other creatures have no power at all against us, but what is given them of God. So Jesus told Pilate, who had proudly said unto him, Knowest thou not, that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? No, saith Jesus, thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , frō above, Io. 19.11. I will but touch the uses.
One is, for the reproof of such, who are of opinion, that God doth only suffer many things to be done. If he be agens principalis, the principal Agent in all actions, and all other agents are but his instruments, then is he not only a sufferer, but also an orderer, guider, and governor of all actions.
The second is for the confutation of such as in their vain thoughts imagine, that the miseries and calamities which befall men in this life, are but their mis-fortunes. If God be agens principalis, if he be the principal agent in all that is done upon the earth, then wretched man blear not thine own eyes to ascribe that to haphazzard wherein the strokes of God's hand appear.
The third is for the admonishing of us all, that in our miseries, or calamities, we behave our selves with patience toward the instruments, wherewith God smiteth us. It will very ill beseem a man to be like unto the dog, that snatcheth at the stone thrown at him, without regard unto the thrower.
The fourth is for consolation. It will be a comfort to us in misery and distress, to remember that God is agens principalis, that he hath a chief hand in all our troubles, and that others, of what rank soever, are but his instruments; and therefore they can no further prevail against us, than the hand and counsel of God gives them leave. This our comfort may rest upon that of S. Paul, 1 Cor. 10.13. God is faithful: he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to bear, but will even give an issue with the temptation, that we may be able to bear it. Qui enim dat tentanti Diabolo licentiā, ipse dat tentatis misericordiā; Pet. Lomb. upon the place: For God who gives the devil leave to smite, gives also his mercy to them, that are smitten.
And thus from the Action, the smiting, which is the Lord's, we are come to the object of the Action, to the thing to be smitten, which do belong to the Israelites. The things to be smitten were their houses: which are here described from their use, and precious matter whereof they were; and state. For use they had their winter houses and summer houses. For precious matter, they had their houses of Ivory. For state they had their great houses. We will first take a view of their houses for use, their winter houses, and their summer houses. Of them it is here said, in the first branch of this fifteenth verse;
Princes and great Lord's of the East of old time had their change of houses: a house for winter, and a house for summer. The winter house was turned toward the South, and open to the heat of the Sun for warmth. The summer house was turned toward the North from the Sun, and lay open to the cool air. So, for the variety of seasons they would be provided either for cold or heat.
Jehoiakim, King of Judah, had his winter house. For so we read, Ier. 36.22. The King sat in the winter house in the ninth month, and there was a fire on the hearth before him. And it is likely he had his summer house. Else why is this called his winter house? His summer house may be that, Ier. 22.14. where the King saith, Aedificabo mihi domum latam, coenacula spatiosa: I will build me a wide house, & large chambers. Those chābers R. David calls coenacula ventosa, windy chambers, others, perflabilia, chambers with thorough air; chambers with windows made of purpose to let in the air. Look the place and you will find them ceiled with Cedar, and painted with Vermilion. And this might well be his summer house. But if you will have a summer house in precise terms, turn ye to the book of Judges, Chap. 3.20. There shall you find Eglon King of Moab sitting alone in a summer Parlour. Our English Bible in the margent calleth it a Parlour of cooling: just as Junius doth, coenaculum refrigerationis, a chamber or parlor of refrigeration. The old Latin calls it aestiuum coenaculum, a summer chamber or parlor: the Septuagint. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a summer garret in the highest part of the house.
Our Prophet here speaketh of both houses together, the winter house and the summer house, and threateneth the demolition or ruin of them both. Tossarius thus delivers it in his Paraphrase, Demolibor domum hyemalem simul & aestiuam, in quibus rex cum suis lasciuire consueuit: I will demolish both winter-house and summer house in which the King was wont with his minions to play the wanton: I will overthrow them both.
It is not to be doubted, but that Amos by these winter and summer houses noteth the places of Princes and great ones of the State of Israel. As for the poorer sort, it is enough for them, if they have but a cottage for their shelter as well in the winter as in the summer season. They have no change of houses, nor change they parts of their houses to dwell more warmely in the winter, and more coolely in the summer. Non est ea commoditas pauperibus. No, the poor are not so accommodated. One habitacle or mansion house sufficeth thē for all their life time. And therefore is this passage directed to the rich, to the Princes and chief states of the kingdom of the ten Tribes, to check them for their cost & pomp in building, & to assure them, that their spacious and magnificent houses shall not stand them in any stead, whē the vengeance of God shall show itself against them.
That the rich are here intended, it is yet more plain by the second branch of this fifteenth verse, which now followeth.
Et peribunt domus eburneae, and the houses of Ivory shall perish] Thus are their houses described ex materiâ pretiosâ, from the precious matter, whereof they were. They were domus eburneae; houses were they of Ivory.
The Hebrew calls them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bat hasschen, the houses of a tooth, meaning the tooth of the Elephant: and therefore these houses with the Greeks are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , houses of the Elephant, that is, of the tooth of the Elephant, which is Ivory.
Theophrastus affirmeth that there is a mineral Ivory found within the ground as well black as white. But this is not of that. This is of the tooth, and white.
The teeth of Elephants were of a very high price, for that they yielded the matter of greatest request, and most commendable for the making of the statues and images of the Heathen gods. In their Temples were to be seen Elephants teeth of the greatest size; and yet in the marches of Afric where it confineth with Ethiopia, the very principals and corner posts of their houses were made of Ivory, yea therewith they made mounds and pales both to inclose their grounds, and also to keep in their beasts within their parks, if it be true which Polybius reporteth from the authority of King Gulussa.
If Gulussa his testimony be true, it seems they had in those days no want of Ivory.
In the Sacred volume of God's word, I read of benches of Ivory, Ezech. 27.6. of beds of Ivory, Amos 6.4. of a Tower of Ivory, Cant. 7.4. of a house of Ivory which King Ahab made, 1 King. 22.39. of Palaces of Ivory, Psal. 45.8. Why then may not the houses of Ivory in my text stand according to the history? Saint Jerome thinks they may.
But the stream of Expositors runneth another way. They will have these domus eburneas to be but eburatas: Those houses of Ivory they will have to be only houses covered with Ivory. With Jonathan in his paraphrase, they are not aedes eburneae, houses of Ivory, but aedes ebore tectae & caelatae, houses covered and engraved with Ivory. Nor doth Mercerus think, that these houses of Ivory were so called, as if they were all of Ivory, but because they were ebore tessellatae, decked with Ivory checkerwise. Homer when he extolleth and setteth out in the highest degree the most stately palaces of Kings and Princes, for the matter, wherewith they were wont to be adorned, he nameth brass, gold, amber, silver, & Ivory. Ivory then was rather for ornament, than for a main building. And therefore well may these domus eburneae be but Eburatae, these houses of Ivory may be but houses checkered, decked, inlaid, or trimmed with Ivory. And though they were but such, yet such they were, that the poor could not compass; so that from hence also it is evident, that this passage is directed to the rich, to the Princes and chief States of the kingdom of the ten Tribes, to check them for their sumptuous and proud buildings, and to assure them that their houses of Ivory shall not stead them, when the vengeance of God will show it self against them: For Peribunt domus eburneae, their houses of Ivory shall perish.
There is yet a third branch of this 15. verse, which makes it probable that this passage is directed to the rich, to the Princes and chief States of the kingdom of the ten Tribes; and that is, Et deficient domus magnae; and the great houses shall have an end. And how should the poor come by great houses? With Junius and Piscator, they are domus amplae, large, wide, lofty houses, and of great compass: and are such houses for the poor? With the Hebrew Schools they are not only amplae, but also splendidae & magnificae, they are gorgeous and magnificent. They are houses, not only of commodity and use, such as the houses of the Vulgar and common sort use to be, but such as have in them superfluity, splendor, and pomp. And experience teacheth that rich and great men use to exceed, not only in their diet and apparel, but also in their palaces and dwelling houses. Thus are the houses of the Israelites described from the state; they are Domus magnae, great houses they are.
Great! yea, and many. For so the Vulgar Latin here readeth, Dissipabuntur aedes multae, many houses shall be brought to naught. Many houses! The reading is embraced by Luther, Oecolampadius, Brenz, Pelican, Vatablus, Mercer, and Drusius. Nor will I reject it, since the word in the original 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Rabbim, signifieth both great and many. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 great houses or many houses shall be brought to naught, shall cease, shall have an end.
But is all this to be so for certain? Yes. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Neum Jehovah, the Lord hath said it.
Saith the Lord] It is the seal and assurance of all, and makes for the authority of this passage. Authority it had enough from the 13. verse, Saith the Lord God, the God of Hosts. It is here redoubled, Saith the Lord.
Hath the Lord said it? Then surely he will do it. Hath the Lord spoken it? Then out of doubt he will accomplish it. For he is not, as man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should repent. All his words, yea, all the titles of all his words are Yea, and Amen; Heaven and Earth shall perish, before one jot or one tittle of his words shall pass unfulfilled. He hath said it, and he will not fail to make it good: I will smite the winter house with the summer house, and the houses of iuory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end.
Thus much be spoken for the exposition of the words. Now let us see what point of observation may from hence arise for our further profit.
In that our Prophet here seemeth to reprove and tax the rich men, Princes, and others in the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes for their variety, cost, and state in their buildings, by threatening destruction to their winter houses and summer houses, to their houses of iuory, and to their great houses, this question is propounded: Whether it be lawful for Kings, Princes, and other men of state to build such houses?
Petrus Lusitanus thus resolves it. If Kings, Princes, and other men of state be otherwise godly and faithful, and studious of God's worship, and mindful of the poor, they may without sin build such sumptuous and magnificent houses and palaces, according to their own revenues and estate.
Such houses King Solomon built, and is not reproved. He was building of his own house thirteen years. He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon: and he made a house for Pharaohs daughter. All these houses were of precious stones according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with Sawes within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, 1 King. 7.9. These doubtless were costly and magnificent houses, yet is Solomon commended for building them.
And yet nevertheless is all such building blame-worthy, and to be reproved, if it exceed the measure of the ability and dignity of the builder. For then there is a necessity of oppressing the poor. Against such builders there is a woe gone forth, Ier. 22.13. Woe unto him that buildeth by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong.
Again, though a builder exceed not the measure of his ability and dignity, yet may his building be reproueable through the vanity of his intention; if his intendment be not God's honor, but his own praise; for haughtiness and pride of mind makes the best action faulty.
So much for the question: proceed we to the observation.
From the demolition and overthrow here threatened, and after in due time brought to pass upon the winter house, with the summer house, upon the houses of iuory, and upon the great houses in the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes, we may make this observation: that
If once the wrath of God break forth against us, alas, what shall fair, rich, and great buildings avail us? If these might have yielded any succor in the day of the Lord's visitation, the Israelites might have found it. But they together with their buildings, thoughfull of state and pomp, are perished and come to naught. And is it not in like sort fallen out with other most flourishing common wealths, and most mighty Kingdoms? The daily change of things doth abundantly euict, that there is nothing in this world perpetual.
Here then may Filii huius seculi, this worlds darlings, some rich men, be reproved for a vanity of theirs. They see that death comes alike to all; to the rich, as to the poor; and yet they dream of nothing else, than of a perpetuity of life here. For so they order all their ways, as if they were to live here forever. They build them houses, great and goodly houses, and spare no cost to adorn and deck them gorgeously, supposing hereby to continue a perpetuity of their name.
This vanity of theirs the Psalmist of old hath very well discovered, Psal. 49.10, 11. They see that wise men also die and perish together, as well as the ignorant and foolish, and leave their riches for other. And yet they think, that their houses shall continue forever: and that their dwelling places shall endure from generation to generation: and call their lands after their own names.
By which their vanity they seem to acknowledge no other life but this; Whatsoever we preach unto them of that better life, that heavenly and eternal life, they believe it not; but rather they deride it as fabulous. But if at any time they are convinced in conscience, that there remaineth after this a better life, yet they desire it not. Their only desire and wish is, to dwell here forever. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations: and for this purpose, they call their lands after their own names. They will no other Paradise but this.
As vain were they that built the Tower of Babel, Gen. 11.4. Go to, say they, Let us build us a City, and a Tower, whose top may reach unto Heaven, and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. Let us build us a City and a Tower! One reason is a desire of dominion. Hugo saith, Factum esse cupiditate regnandi: that Nimrod set forward the work, that it might be the beginning and chief of his Kingdom. Another reason is, Ne diuidaemur, lest we be scattered. They built them a City and a Tower to maintain society that they might dwell together, and not be scattered upon the face of the whole earth. Josephus thinks they did it of purpose, to oppose themselves against the ordinance and commandment of God, who would have them dispersed into diverse parts, that the world might be replenished. A third reason is, Vt celebremus nomen nostrum, to get us a name. They built them a City and a Tower to grow famous thereby. Philo saith, they did write their names in this Tower, to revive their memory with posterity.
In this their proud enterprise they sinned grievously. They sinned through their impiety towards God. Erigebant turrim contra Dominum, saith S. Augustine, De Ciuit, Dei l. 16. c. 4. they erected a Tower in despite of God. The Prophet Isaiah, according to this pattern bringeth in the King of Babel thus vaunting himself, I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the most high, Chap. 14.14.
Secondly, they sinned through vanity. For what more vain than to neglect Heaven, where only immortality is to be found, and to seek to be famous on earth, where there is nothing that is not vain, and transitory? See, saith Chrysostom, the root of evil, they seek to be famous, aedificiis, non cleemosynis, by buildings, not by alms.
Thirdly, they sinned through disobedience. For knowing, that it was God's ordinance, that the earth by them should be replenished, they did willfully oppose themselves against it. They would live together, and would not be dispersed, as even now I told you out of Josephus.
Fourthly, they sinned through impudency. Philo cries out upon it; O insignem impudentiam! O notorious impudency! whereas they should rather have covered their sins, they proclaim their pride, their tyranny, their voluptuousness, to all posterity.
Absalom was a vain builder too. Too much given to ambitious ostentation, he built him a pillar to be a monument of his fame unto posterity. And why did he so? because forsooth he had no son to keep his name in remembrance, 2 Sam. 18.18. Carthusian gives the reason, because he was cupidissimus laudis humanae, most desirous of the praise of men. But how fared he with this his pride? The vengeance of God did soon attache him. For besides that, he was smitten through with darts, as he hung by the hair of the head, so was he also stoned by God's just judgment, by whose Law, they which were disobedient to their parents, were stoned to death: and now instead of that pillar, he lieth shrouded under a heap of stones.
I have yet one builder more to acquaint you with, and he is as vain as those that are gone before. It is the rich man in the Gospel, Luk. 12.16. When his ground had brought forth plentifully, he said within himself: What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? This will I do: I will pull down my Barns, and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Out of doubt this man thought himself passing wise, in his resolution to build new barns. But let us a little examine his care. I have, saith he, no room where to bestow my fruits. Mentitur, saith Stella. He lies; Had he not the houses of the poor and their bodies, where he might bestow his fruits? These were the Barns provided for him by the Lord, where if he would lay up his fruits, neither moth nor rust could hurt them. Thou canst not any way better preserve thy fruits than if thou distribute them among the poor. Herewith agreeth that of Solomon, Prov. 3.9. Give unto the poor of the first fruits of thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty.
But the rich man cares not what Solomon says. He holds on his resolution: Destruam horrea mea & majora faciam; I will pull down my barns, and build greater. He speaks, saith Stella, as if he were mad, and as one fitter to be purged with Hellebor. I will pull down my barns and make greater! He should rather have said, Aperiam horrea mea, & dabo indigentibus: I will open my barns, and give to them that want: or, as Saint Ambrose elegantly enlargeth it; Aperiam horrea mea; ingrediantur, qui famem tolerare non queunt; veniant inopes, intrent paupers, repleant sinus suos, &c. I will open my barns; if any cannot endure famine, let them come in; let the needy come, let the poor enter, let them fill their bosoms: down with the walls which exclude the hungry. Why shall I hide that wherewith God abundantly enableth me to relieve others? Why shall I with lock and bolt shut up the Corn, which God maketh to grow and abound in the common fields without a keeper?
Thus should the rich man have said. But his note is of another strain: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and over-joyed with the abundance of his increase, he thus flattereth his soul: Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years.
For many years! O coecit as auari! It is Saint Augustine's exclamation, Homil. 48. O the blindness of a covetous man I Vna nox ei supererat, & de multorum annorum vitâ satagebat: he had but one night to live, and yet he was as careful, as if he were to live many years. And in this vein he cheers up his soul: Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. It is the voice of some Sardanapalus, or, of some Hog of Epicurus his heard.
Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry! 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ! O the folly of this covetous wretch, saith Basil; If thou hadst had a Swines soul, what else couldst thou have said unto it? Of mercy, of alms, of charity, of virtue, here is not a word; All here is for jollity: Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But what is the issue, what the end hereof? It is no more but this, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouded?
Thou fool! It is all the commendation he hath for his overmuch care and solicitude. And a fool he is called for diverse reason • .
First, he is a fool, because in his own eyes he seemeth to be wise. He will seem to be liberal and magnificent, whereas indeed he is greedy of money and a niggard. Solomon hath a fit censure of him, Prov. 26.12. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Secondly, he is a fool, because he keepeth those things which are lost by keeping, and by losing are preserved. Such is your corn. If you keep it, it will be lost; if you lose it, that is, if you sow it and spread it abroad upon the earth, it will be multiplied, and will return home unto you with increase. Whence the advice of Ecclesiasticus is, Chap. 29.10. Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend: and let it not rust under a stone to be lost. You see there is a losing that there be no losing.
Thirdly this rich man is a fool, because he taketh no care for a house or mansion, wherein he may dwell forever, and yet builds him great houses and palaces, where he is to abide but for a night. For, if this life be compared with that which is to come, it may well be styled a night. Vana nox est, it is a night that soon vanisheth. So is the hope of this rich man: it passeth away as the rembrance of a guest, that tarrieth but a day or a night, Wisd. 5.14.
Fourthly, he is a fool, because though he hath no power over days or times, yet he promiseth unto his soul the enjoying of many years. Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years.
For this, and other reasons, God himself puts the fool upon this man; for God said unto him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee.
What! A rich man a fool! And that, by the sentence of God! So is everyone that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God. And so are these other vain builders, of whom even now you heard: who erecting cities, towers, pillars; winter houses, summer houses, houses of Ivory, great and goodly houses, only for monuments to continue a perpetuity of their names here upon earth, as if there were no other life but this, do evidently declare, that in heart they say, there is no God. And are they not fools that say so?
The royal Prophet in express and plain terms saith, they are, Psal. 14.1. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Is it not all one, as if he had said, Whosoever saith in heart there is no God, he is a fool? Now that it may appear to be no sudden, or rash censure of his, but a thing well conceited and meditated by him, he iterateth the same again, Psal. 53.1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God.
But why saith he so? Cur, saith Anselm, nisi quia stultus & insipiens est? Why is it, that the fool doth say there is no God? Surely, even for this reason, because he is a fool. But why saith he so in heart, rather than in mouth? Saint Hilary will tell you why: Because if he should utter it in his words, as he smothers it in his thoughts, Stultus esse (sicut est) publici assensus iudicio argueretur, he should publicly be taken to be a fool, as he is, even by general consent.
But leave we these fools, these Cosmopolites to their heaven upon earth, since they look for no other heaven. Leave we them to their planting, trāsplanting, building, rebuilding, studying for room to lay up their fruits, non in visceribus pauperū, not in the bowels of the poor, but in their enlarged barns. We are sure they will build neither Church nor Hospital, either in cultum Christi, or culturam Christiani, either to the service of Christ, or to the comfort of any Christian.
Wherefore leave we them, and reflect we our eyes for a while to our own houses, to see how we may build them fair to the Lord. These our houses whereof I now speak we build, and God buildeth: Nos, been vinendo; Deus, vt been viuamus, opitulando, August. de Ciuit. Dei l. 17. c. 12. We build by living well; and God by assisting us by his grace, that we may live well. For Nisi Dominus aedificauerit, Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it, Psal. 127.1.
These our houses are not material, but spiritual, they are our hearts; Domus nostrae, corda nostra sunt, so the same Father upon the 74. Psalm: Our houses are our hearts. Here is good dwelling, if they be cleansed from iniquity. If we love the Lord Jesus, and keep his words, his Father will love us, & they both will come unto us, and make their abode with us, John. 14.23 their abode will be by grace in these houses of ours, our hearts Yet may they in a spiritual understanding be those same houses of Ivory, Psal. 45. Houses of Ivory, great and regal houses the tabernacles of God, are corda sanctorum, they are the hearts of the Saints.
Other houses we have for our solace as that, Cant. 1.17. The beams of our house are Cedars, our galleries are of Fir. Such houses are the congregations of the Saints; the places where we do sweetly converse and walk together. They are firm and during like Cedars among the trees, not subict through God's protecting grace to utter corruption: and they are like to galleries of sweet wood, full of pleasure & contentment, through the favorable acceptance of God & his word
Those beams of Cedar and Galleries of F •• e, ha •• respect unto the buildings and places of Kings, covered •• at with battlements, with galleries on the top: and do show to us▪ by the similitude of these two odoriferous and not putrifying trees, that the joining and coupling of the Bridegroom, Christ Jesus, and his Spouse, the Church, with-draweth us from the stench and corruption of this vile world, and maketh our souls and bodies, so many houses and Temples, dedicated unto God. And for this reason • S. Paul calleth you the Temple of God, 1. Cor. 3.16. Know ye not, that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile y e Temple of God, him shall God destroy • for the Temple of God, is holy, which Temple ye are. In the same Epist. Chap. 6.19. Ye are the Temple of the Holy Ghost. What? Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, & in your spirit which are God's.
Once more the same Apostle calleth you the Temple of God 2. Cor. 6.16. Ye are the Temple of the living God, & he proves it from the testimony of God himself: I will dwell in you, and walk in you: and I will be your God, and you shall be my people.
Is the testimony of God himself produced by the Apostle to prove that ye are Templum Dei viui, the Temple of God, of the living God, and that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost? O, look ye to the trimming up of this house, to the decking and adorning of this temple. Your body, it is the temple of the Holy Ghost; it is the Temple of God, defile it not. Sweetly S. Ambrose: Si non parcis tibi propter te, vel parce tibi propter Deum, qui sibi fecit te domum: If thou spare not thyself for thine own sake, yet spare thyself for God's sake, who hath vouchsafed to make thee, thy body, a house, a Temple for his holy habitation. What shall I say more, but put you in remembrance that we have yet another house in store for the fulfilling of our joy? For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle we dissolved, we have a building of God, and house not made with hand, but eternal in the Heavens, 2 Cor. 5 1. This same, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 this house not made with hand whether it be the glory of the soul and life eternal, as some do understand it: or the body glorified in the resurrection, as others: it is the house full of contentment and beatitude. And we have it. Habemus spe, habebimus re: we have in hope, we shall have it in possession. We have it, saith the Apostle, because we shall as certainly have it, as if we had it already in full fruition. To this fullness of contentment and beatitude God in his good time, bring us all for Christ Jesus sake.