Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1

same Spirit, who distributeth to every man severally, as he will. Then urging this several distribution by way of interrogation, (Are all Apostles? Are all Proph • ts? Are all Teachers? Are all doers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?) He exhorts the Corinthians to covet after the best things; and concludes his Chapter thus: I will yet show you a more excellent way.

This more excellent way, is the way which now I show you, beloved. This way is love. O strive ye to walk in it. Let the remainder of your days be spent therein. Know ye, that whatsoever good parts ye have, or whatsoever good works ye do, it availeth you nothing, if you have not love. Look but to the beginning of the thirteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians. There shall you find it verified, what I have said unto you: Though you speak with the tongue of men and Angels, and have not love, yet are you as sounding Brasse, or a tinkling Cymbal. Though you have the gift of prophecy, and know all secrets, and all knowledge, yea, if you have all faith, so that you can remove mountains, and have not love: yet are you nothing, Though you feed the poor with all your goods, though you give your bodies to be burned, and have not love, yet it profiteth you nothing.

My exhortation must be unto you in the same blessed Apostles words, Chap. 14.1. of the same Epistle; Follow after love. And I shut up this exercise with a sweet Fathers sweet meditation; Charitas te domum Domini facit, & Dominum domum tibi. Love, it makes thee a house for God, and God a house for thee: according to that, 1 John. 4.16. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. A happy Artificer thou art, sweet love, that art able to frame for thyself such a house, as God is. This house is not built of mortar, and brick, nor of stone, nor of wood, nor of silver, nor of gold, nor of precious stones. It exceedeth and far surpasseth silver and gold; in comparison of it precious stones are vile, and of no reputation.

This house is an everlasting house, before all ages, before all times; it containeth all things, it comprehendeth all things, it createth all things, it giveth life to all things. In this house the blind receive light, the lame strength to walk, the crooked straightness, the weak health, the dead their resurrection: there is none wretched in it, all therein are blessed: for they are entered into their Masters joy. Into which joy, that we may in due time enter, let us follow after love, we know that God is love, and that whosoever dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him; Now God grant, that we may all dwell in him.

THE Eighteenth Lecture.

I Am now come to the last part of this prophecy against Edom: which is the denunciation of God judgments against Edom for his sins, expressed in this twelfth verse.

This twelfth verse doth not much differ from some precedent verses in this Chap. 4, 7, and 10. The same punishment which in the fourth verse is threatened to the Syrians, under the names of Hazael, and Benhadad; and in the seventh verse to the Philistines, under the name of Azzah; and in the tenth verse to the Tyrians, under the name of Tyrus, is here in this twelfth verse denounced to the Edomites, under the names of Teman and Bezzah. And therefore, as in the forenamed verses I have done, so do I in this recommend unto you three circumstances.

• 1 The punisher: the Lord, I will send.
• 2 The punishment: by fire, I will send a fire.
• 3 The punished: the Temanites, and Bozrites, the inhabitants of both cities: I will send a fire upon Teman, and it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

The punisher, is the Lord; for, Thus saith the Lord; I will send. The doctrine naturally arising hence is this;

This truth hath heretofore once, and again, been confirmed unto you. The less need have I now to insist upon it. Yet may I not pass it over vnsaluted. It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance, &c.]

This office of executing vengeance upon the wicked for their sins, God taketh upon himself, Deut. 32.35. Where he saith, Vengeance and recompense are mine. This is confessed to be God his due by S. Paul, Rom. 12.19. It is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord; and by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chap. 10.30. Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord; and by the sweet Singer of Israel, Psal. 94.1. O Lord God the avenger, O God the avenger. The Prophet Nahum, Chap. 1.2. to the terror of the wicked, proclaimeth it: God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth: the Lord revengeth: even the Lord of anger; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and reserveth wrath for his enemies.

These places are so many pregnant proofs to make good my propounded doctrine, namely, that It is proper to the Lord to execute vengeance upon the wicked for their sins. Many are the uses of this doctrine.

The first. It may lesson us to look heedfully unto out feet, that we walk not in the way of sinners, to partake with them in their sins. Sins are not tongue tied; they cry unto the Lord for vengeance. We read in holy writ of four sorts of sins, which above other, do cry unto God, and do call for his great and quick vengeance.

The first is Homicide, murder, or man slaughter; whereof Almighty God, Genes 4 10. thus speaketh unto Cain; The voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto me from the earth.

The second is Sodomy, the sin of Sodom, the sin ag • inst nature, a sin not once to be named among Christians. Whereof thus saith the Lord unto Abraham, Gen. 18.20. Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is exceeding grievous, I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry which is come unto me.

The third is oppression of the poor, Widows, fatherless, and strangers. Oppression of the poor crieth, Psal. 12.5. Now for the oppression of the needy, and deep sighs of the poor, I will up saith the Lord, and will set at liberty him whom the wicked hath snared. Oppression of the widows and the fatherless crieth, Exod. 22.22. Ye shall not trouble any widow, nor fatherless child: if you vex or trouble such, and so he call and cry unto me, I will surely hear his cry. Then shall my wrath be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. Oppression of strangers crieth, Exod. 3.7. The Lord said unto Moses, I have surely seen the trouble of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry, because of their task-masters; and verse the ninth, Now loe the cry of the children of Israel • is come unto me, and I have also seen the oppression, wherewith the Egyptians o press them. Thus is oppression, whether it be of the poor, or of the widows, or of fatherless children, or of strangers, a crying sin: and this was the third.

The fourth is, the keeping back of the labourors hire. Whereof S. James, Chap. 5.4. thus witnesseth: Behold the hire of the laborers, which have reaped your fields, (which is of you kept back by fraud) crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.

You see (dearly beloved) four crying sins; murder, Sodomy, oppression, and the detaining, or keeping back of the poor laborers wages. These are crying sins, and they cry aloud to the ears of Almighty God, and do call for vengeance, to light upon the doers of them.

But what of other sins? Do not they cry also? Are they dumb? No, saith Gregory, Moral. 5. cap. 8. Omnis nam{que} iniquitas, apud secreta Dei indicia, habet voces suas. Every iniquity hath a voice to discover it self before God his secret judgments. Not a voice only, but feet also, yea and the wings too, to make way into Heaven for vengeance.

Every sin is of a high elevation; it ascends above the top of Carmel, it aspireth, and presseth before the Majesty of God's own Throne. God complaineth of Nineveh, Ion. 1.2. Their wickedness is come up before me. He telleth Sennacherib, 2 King. 19.28. and Isaiah 37.29. Thy tumult is come up into mine ears. The Prophet Oded, 2 Chron. 28.9. saith to the Israelites of their rage, that it reacheth up to heauer.

You see as well a sublimity and reach of sin, as a loudness and vocality of it. As it hath a voice, so hath it feet, so hath it wings; as it crieth, so it runneth, so it flieth into heaven; and all to fetch down vengeance against us, the miserable and wretched actors of it.

Our wickedness what it is, and in what elevation of heighth, whether it be modest or impudent; private or public; whether it speaketh or crieth, standeth or goeth; lieth like an Asp in her hole, or flieth like a fiery serpent into the presence of God; yourselves be Judges. Recall to your remembrances the judgments of the Lord.

The anger of the clouds hath been poured down upon our he • ds, both with abundance, and with violence: The floods have lifted up; the floods have lifted up their voic; the floods have lifted up their waves; the waves of the Sea have been marvelous. Her surges have broken down her walls, yea have gone over her walls; to the loss of the precious lives of many of our brethren. The arrows of a woeful pestilence have been cast abroad at large, in all the quarters of our Realm, even to the emp ying, and dispeopling of some part thereof. Treasons against our King and Country, mighty, monstrous, and prodigious, have been plotted by a number of Lions whelps, lurking in their dens, and watching their hour to undo us.

All these things, and other like visitations, have been accomplished amongst us for our sins, and yet we amend not. Yea we grow worse and worse. We fleet from sin to sin, as a fly shifteth from sore to sore. We tempt the Lord, we murmur, we, lust, we commit idolatry, we serve the flesh, we sit down to eat, and rise to play: of blood-shed, of blasphemy, and rage against God, of oppression, of extortion, of fraud against poor laborers, of anger, of bitterness, of wrath, of strife, of malice, public, infamous and enormous sins, we make no conscience; we commit them with greediness; we draw them on as with cart-ropes, we glory in them, as if we had even sold our selves to work wickedness before the Lord.

Lord! whither will we? Are we frozen in our sins, and grown senseless? Quot vitia homo committit, tot facit passus ad infernum, saith one: Look how many sins a man committeth, so many steps he goeth towards Hell. Yea, say I, for every sin we commit, we deserve to be thrown head-long into Hell fire.

What shall we do, men and brethren? what shall we do? Our Lord God telleth us what is best, Ezech. 18.30. Return, and cause others to turn away from all our transgressions: so shall not iniquity be your destruction: and verse. 31. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit; for why should you die? and 32. I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; return you therefore and live. Can there be a sweeter invitation?

Come therefore, join we heart and hand together: and turn we away from the wickedness that we have committed; and do we that which is lawful and right, that we may save our s • ules alive. Come let us turn away from all the transgressions that we have committed: so shall we surely live, we shall not die. And this we will the sooner endeavor to do, if we imprint in our hearts my propounded doctrine;

Thus much of the first use; which was to lesson us to look heedfully to our feet, that we walk not in the way of sinners, to partake with them in their sins. I proceed.

Is it true? Is it proper to God to execute vengeance upon the wicked for their sins? Here then in the second place we are admonished, not to intermeddle in the Lord's office. It is his office to execute vengeance. We therefore may not interpose our selves. If a brother, a neighbor, or a stranger hath done us any wrong, we must forgive him, and must leave revengement to God, to whom it appertaineth. We must leave revengement to God, to whom it appertaineth, and forgive our enemies. What? Forgive our enemies? How can flesh and blood endure it? Well, it should be endured: and many reasons there are to induce us to so Christian an office.

The first is; The forgiveness of our own sins. Whereof thus saith our Savior, Luk. 6.37. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Ideo libenter debemus dimittere paruum, vt Deus dimittat nobis magnum; we ought willingly to forgive unto our neighbor a small matter, that God may forgive us our great offenses. Look what grace and indulgence we show unto our neighbors, the like will God show unto us. What else is said, Luk. 6.38? With what measure you mete, with the same shall it be measured to you again. Whereof I cannot give a plainer exposition than in our Saviors words, Matth. 6.14, 15. If ye do forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye do not forgive men their trespasses, no more will your Father forgive you your trespasses.

A second reason why we should forgive our enemies, is, that when we make our prayers unto God, we our selves may be heard. For God heareth not the prayers of such as do abide in rancor, and will not forgive their enemies. It is well said of an Ancient: Qui non vult dimittere fratri suo, non speret orationis effectum. Whosoever he be that will not forgive his brother, let him not hope for any good success in his prayer. Another saith: Si iniuriam non dimittis, quae tibi facta est; orationem pro te non facis, sed maledictionem super te inducis. If thou forgive not the injury which thy neighbor hath done thee, when thou prayest, thou makest not any prayer for thyself, but doest bring a malediction, or curse, upon thyself.

The most absolute and excellent platform of prayer, that ever was made, and is by the maker thereof, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, commended unto us for our daily use, confirmeth this point unto us. The fifth petition therein, is, that God would be pleased to forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. Wherefore, as in all sincerity we desire our selves to be looked upon with the eyes of grace and mercy, from heaven, without any fraud, or hollowness, or dissimulation in the Lord: so are we taught by that clause, our selves to deal with others; so truly, so honestly, so heartily, so sincerely, and unfeignedly forgiving ever, as we may boldly say, So Lord, do thou to me, as I to others. Now if these hearts of ours be so sturdy and strong in their corruption, as that they will not relent, and yield to forgive such as have trespassed against us, how can we look that our prayers should take effect?

A third reason, why we should forgive our enemies, is, that our good works may be acceptable unto God. Let a man every day do as many good works, as there are Stars in Heaven; yet as long as in heart he beareth hatred to his enemy, God will not accept any one of them. Munus non acceptatur, nisi ante discordia ab animo pellatur, saith Gregory; thy gift is no ways acceptable unto God, unless thy heart be first freed from discord. Let no man circumvent himself, seduce himself, deceive himself. Whosoever hateth but one man in the whole world, wha • soever he offereth to God in Good works, all will be lost. Witness S. Paul, 1 Cor. 13.3. Though I feed the poor with all my goods, and though I give my body, that I be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. If then we would have our good works pleasing unto God, we must be reconciled to our neighbors. Our blessed Savior Jesus Christ so adviseth us, Matth. 5.24. Go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift.

A fourth reason, why we should forgive our enemies, is, that our souls may live: for by hatred and rancor, we slay our souls. Saint John Epist. 1. Chap. 3. verse. 15. auoweth it; that he whosoever hateth his brother, is a man-slayer. Homicida est, scilicet propriae animae, saith one, he is a murderer of his own soul. An exposition not absolutely to be disallowed, for as much as it followeth in the same verse; Ye know that no man-slayer hath eternal life abiding in him. The life of the soul is love; therefore he that loveth not, is dead. So saith the same blessed Apostle, Ep. 1. Chap. 3. verse. 14. He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death. And greater is the damage by the loss of one soul, than of a thousand bodies. The whole world in respect of one soul, is not to be esteemed. This is proved by our Saviors question, Mark. 8.36. What shall it profit a man, though he should win the whole world, if he lose his own soul?

A fifth reason why we should love our enemies, is the rejoicing of Saints and Angels. To love our enemies is an infallible sign of our conversion. Now we know by Luk. 15.7. that there shall be joy in Heaven for one sinner that converteth: and verse. the 10. That there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that converteth.

Thus whether we respect the rejoicing of Saints and Angels; or the life of our souls; or the acceptance of our good works; or the fruit of our prayers; or the forgiveness of our sins; we must love our enemies: after S. Stephen his example, Act. 7.60. Lord lay not this sin to their charge: after S. Paul his example, 1 Cor. 4.12, 13. We are reviled, and yet we bless: we are persecuted, and suffer it: we are evil spoken of, and we pray: after Christ's example, Luk. 23.34. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Add hereto Christ's Commandment, Mat. 5.44. Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you. Leave ye vengeance to the God of vengeance; so shall ye be the undoubted children of your heavenly Father. And thus far of the second use, which was to admonish us, not to intermeddle in the Lord's office of executing revengement. A third followeth.

Is it true? Is it proper to the Lord to execute vengeance upon the wicked for their sins? Here then in the third place is a treasury of comfort and of terror: of comfort to the godly, of terror to the wicked. For though the Lord do use the wicked to correct the godly; yet will he in due time overthrow the wicked with a large measure of his judgments, and free the godly. God's holy practice in this kind, must be hereof a warrant unto us.

The Israelites were kept in thralldom and bondage many years by the Egyptians. The Egyptians, they were but the weapons of God's wrath, wherewith he afflicted his people. They were God's weapons. Were they therefore to escape unpunished? No. Witness those ten great plagues which at length God wrought upon them, and their fearful overthrow in the red Sea, at large set down in the book of Exodus, from the seventh Chapter to the fourteenth. This was it which God said to Abraham, Gen. 15. verse. 13, 14. Know for a surety, that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, four hundred years, and shall serve them; notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serve will I judge.

Ahab, the most wicked of the Kings of Israel, who sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, and his accursed wise Jezebel, were God's instruments to afflict Naboth with the loss of his life and vineyard. Ahab and Jezebel were God's instruments: were they therefore to escape unpunished? No. Witness both their ends. The end of Ahab, recorded 1 King. 22.38. In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, did dogs lick the blood of Ahab also. And the end of Jezebel registered 2 King. 9.35. She was eaten with dogs, all saving her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands.

It w s a part of Daniel his afflictions, to be cast into the den of Lions; his accusers unto Darius were the instruments of this his affliction. These his accusers were the Lord's instruments for this business. Were they therefore to escape unpunished? No. Their fearful end is set down, Dan. 6.24. By the commandment of King Darius, they with their wives and children were cast into the den of Lions; the Lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces, ere ever they came to the ground of the den.

Here might I recall to your remembrances, other judgments of God of this quality, written down in the register of God's works, his holy word. How and what he rendered to Haman, to Se • nacherib, to Joachim, to the Ammonites, to the Chaldeans, and other wicked worldlings for their hard measure offered to the godly: though they were therein God's instruments. But I must hasten; and the aforementioned instances of the Egyptians, of Ahab, and his wife Jezebel, and of Daniel's accusers, are sufficient to work terror to the wicked, and to the godly comfort: and to assure us, when the Lord shall show himself from Heaven with his holy Angels in flaming fire, that then to the wicked, whose behavior to the godly hath been proud and dispiteous, he will render vengeance and punish them with everlasting perdition. Thus far of the first circumstance and doctrine thereupon.

The second circumstance is the punishment, I will send a fire] By fire in this place, as verse. 4, 7, 10. learned Expositors do understand, not so much a natural fire, as a figurative fire. For in the name of fire, they understand the sword, pestilence and famine, quodlibet genus consumptionis, every kind of consumption; quamlibet speciem excidij, every kind of destruction; be it hail, or thunder, or sickness, or any other of God's messengers. So large is the signification of fire taken figuratively. The Doctrine arising hence is this;

This Doctrine hath heretofore been commended and confirmed unto you.

The use of it is, to teach us how to behave our selves at such times as God shall visit us with his rod of corrections: how to carry our selves in all our afflictions. We must not so much look to the instruments, as to the Lord that smiteth by them. If the fire, or water, or any other of God's creatures shall at any time rage, and prevail against us, we must remember that it is God that sendeth them to work his holy will upon us. Here he sent a fire upon Teman and upon Bozrah to devour her palaces. For thus saith the Lord: I will send a fire upon Teman, and it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

Here have you the third circumstance; the circumstance of the punished: Teman and the palaces of Bozrah. Teman was the Metropolitan, the chief City of Idumaea, so named from Teman, who was son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, Gen. 36. 10, 11. Renowned and famous was Teman for her wisdom; witness the Prophecy of Obadiah, verse. 8.9. and Ierem. 49.7. whereby it is credible, she omitted no opportunity, no means to make her self strong by bulwarks and fortresses, against whatsoever incursion or siege of enemies. Yet could she not hereby be secured against the day of God's visitation; when for the complement of her sins, God should lay his heavy rod upon her. What the wit of man could invent for safety, no doubt but Teman had it. But what can man's wit do against the Almighty? Behold here in my Text, thus saith the Almighty: I will send a fire upon Teman. And can all the water of the huge Ocean quench the fire of the Almighty?

This resolution of the Lord for the overthrow of Teman, is excellently set down by the Prophet Obadiah, verse. 8, 9, 10. Shall not I in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding from the mount of Esau? And thy strong men, O Teman, shall be afraid, because everyone of the mount of Esau shall be cut off by slaughter. For thy cruelty against thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever. The Prophet Jeremiah to this purpose, Chap. 49.7. bringeth in the Lord of hosts thus questioning with Edom: Is wisdom no more in Teman? Is counsel perished from their children? Is their wisdom vanished? As if he had said, the wisdom of Teman is become foolishness; their counsel is nothing worth. And why? But because, as my Text saith, God will send a fire upon Teman. The doctrine hence arising is:

The reason hereof is; because there is no strength, but of God and from God. The use is, to teach us never to trust in any worldly help, but so to use all good means of our desense, that still we rely upon the Lord for strength and success thereby.

Again, this fire of the Lord is sent to devour the palaces of Bozrah. This Bozrah was also a Metropolitan and chief City, seated in the confines of the lands of Edom and Moab: and therefore in holy writ it is sometime attributed to Edom, sometime to Moab, here to Edom. Prodigious was the fear, and great the pride of Bozrahs heart. She dwelt in the clefts of the rock, and kept the height of the his • . But was she thereby safe? No. For thus saith the Lord unto her, Ierem. 49.16. Though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee down from thence. This judgment of the Lord against Bozrah, is denounced with an Ecce of admiration, verse. 22. Behold, he (the Lord) shall come up, and fly as the Eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah, and at that day shall the heart of the strong men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in travel. Will you have it confirmed by an oath? Then look back to the 13. verse, I swear by myself, saith the Lord, that Bozrah shall be waste, and for a r • proach, and a desolation, and a curse; and all the Cities thereof shall be a perpetual desolation. Thus elegantly is God's fearful judgment against Bozrah described by the Prophet Jeremiah; which our Prophet Amos thus delivereth, A fire shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

Bozrah, great Bozrah, she who dwelt in the clefts of the rock, and kept the height of the hill, must she be devoured by fire from the Lord? Must she become a reproach, a desolation, a curse, a vastity? We may hence take this Doctrine:

The use of this doctrine is the same with the former; even to teach us now, and at all other times, to put our trust only in the Name of the Lord, who hath made Heaven and Earth. Its neither wit, nor wisdom, nor strength, nor height of Teman, or of Bozrah, or of all the best defensed Cities in the world, that can save us in the day of visitation. Wherefore • et our song be as David's was, Psal. 18.2. The Lord is our rock, and our fortress; he that delivereth us; our God, and our strength; in him will we trust: our shield; the horn also of our salvation, and our refuge.

Thirdly, in that the Lord sendeth his fire into the palaces of Bozrah to devour them, we may learn this Doctrine:

A truth experimentally made good unto us by the great commodity or contentment that cometh to everyone of us, by our dwelling houses. The use is, to teach us, 1. To be humbled before Almighty God, whensoever our dwelling houses are taken from us. 2. Since we peaceably enjoy our dwelling houses, to use them for the furtherance of God's glory. 3. To praise God day by day for the comfortable use we have of our dwelling houses. Thus is my Exposition of the Prophecy against Edom ended.

THE Nineteenth Lecture.

THis blessed Prophet of Almighty God, in this his prophecy against the Ammonites, observeth the same order, as he hath done in two precedent predictions, the one against the Syrians, verse the third, fourth, and fifth, the other against the Philistines, verse the sixth, seventh, and eighth. As in those, so in this are three parts:

• 1 A preface, Thus saith the Lord.
• 2 A prophecy, For three transgressions, &c.
• 3 A conclusion, verse the fifteenth, Saith the Lord.

The Prophecy consisteth of four parts:

• 1 A general accusation of the Ammonites; who are here noted as reproueable for many sins: For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four.
• 2 God his protestation against them for their sins; I will not turn to it.
• 3 A particular declaration of one sin, which with others procured this Prophecy. This sin was the sin of cruelty, expressed in these words: Because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead: and amplified by the end of so foul a fact: That they might enlarge their borders.
• 4 A denunciation of judgment, which was to come upon them deservedly for their sins, verse. 14. and 15. This judgment is set down,

First in a generality, verse. 14. Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

Secondly with some circumstances: as, that it should be full of terror, and speedy. Full of terror in these words; With shouting in the day of battle. Speedy in the words following: With a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.

This judgment is further amplified by the extent of it. It was to fall upon, not only the meaner sort of the people, but upon the Nobility also; yea, and upon the King himself. Which is plain by the 15. verse; Their King shall go into captivity, be and his Princes together.

These are the branches and parts of this Prophecy. I return to the Preface.

Thus saith the Lord] Jehovah. This great and most honorable name of God we have many times met with. We have heard what the Cabalists and Rabbin's, out of their too much curiosity have thought of it. With them it is nomen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a name not to be pronounced, not to be taken within our polluted lips. They call it Tetragrammaton, a name in Hebrew of four letters; of four letters 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by an excellence; because the name of God in all tongues and languages generally consisteth of four letters. More they speak of it. You have heard it before.

Jehovah] God of God's, and Lord of Lord's, a God most wonderful; very great, mighty, and terrible: a God that cannot either be conceived in thought, or expressed by word: of whom all the Angels in heaven do stand in fear; whom all dominations and thrones do adore; at whose presence all powers do shake. A God in greatness infinite; in goodness sovereign; in wis • ome wonderful; in power Almighty; in coursailes terrible; in judgments righteous; in cogitations secret; in works holy; in mercy rich; in promise true; always the same; eternal, everlasting, immortal, unchangeable. Such is the Lord, from whom our Prophet Amos here deriveth authority to his Prophecy; Thus saith the Lord.

Hath the Lord said, and shall he not do accordingly? hath he spoken it, and shall he not accomplish it? Balaam confesseth unto Balak, Num. 23.19. God is not as man, that he should lie; nor as the son of man that he should repent. Indeed saith Samuel, 1 Sam. 15.29. The strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent; for he is not as man that he should repent. All his words, yea all the tittl • s of his words, are Yea, and Amen. Verily saith our Savior, Matth. 5 18. Heaven and earth shall perish, before one jot or one tittle of God's word shall • scape unfulfilled.

Thus saith the Lord] Amos is here a pattern to us, that are Preachers of the word of salvation. We must ever come unto you, with Thus saith the Lord, in our mouths; we may not speak either the imaginations of our own brains, or the vain persuasions of our own hearts. We must sincerely preach unto you God's gracious word, without all corruption, or depraving of the same. This is it whereto S. Peter exhorteth us, 1 Epist. cha. 4.11. If any man speak, let him speak as the word of God. For if we, yea if an Angel from heaven, shall preach otherwise unto you, than from the Lord's own mouth, speaking in his holy Word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Let him be acccursed; let him be had in execration.

This note, beloved, doth also concern you, that are the auditors and hearers of God's word. For if we, the Preachers thereof, must always come unto you, with Thus saith the Lord, then are you to hear us with reverence and attention. And this for the authority of him that speaketh. It is not you that speak, saith our Savior Jesus Christ, to his blessed Apostles, Matth. 10.20. but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And again, Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me. S. Paul commendeth the Thessalonians, 1 Epist. chap. 2.13. for that when they received of the Apostles of Christ, the word of the preaching of God, they received it not as the word of men, but as it was indeed, as the word of God. Well therefore did S. James chap. 1.21. thus to exhort the Jews; Receive with meekness the word that is grafted in you, which is able to save your souls.

God spake unto Israel in a vision by night, Gen. 46.2. and said, Jacob, Jacob. Jacob answered, I am here. He was pressed and ready with all reverent attention to hear what his God should say unto him, and to follow the same with all faithful obedience. Such readiness well becometh every child of God, even at this day in the Church where God speaketh. Thus must he think within himself: It is thine ordinance, O Lord, by thy word preached, to instruct me concerning thy holy will: I am here Lord, in all humble fear, to hear thy blessed pleasure, what this day it shall please thee to put in the mouth of the Preacher to deliver unto me: I am here, speak on Lord, thy servant heareth.

If a Prince, or some great man of this world, shall speak unto you, you will attend and give ear unto him with your best diligence: how much more then ought ye so to do, when the King of Heaven, and Lord of the earth, calleth upon you by his ministers? Thus far by occasion of the preface, Thus saith the Lord.

For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four] Whether these children of Ammon were distinguished from the Ammonites, as Drusius would prove, 2 Chron. 20.1. and as R. David anoweth, filii Ammon unsquam vocantur Ammonitae, the children of Ammon are nowhere called Ammonites, I hold it needless to dispute in this place. It is out of doubt, that these children of Ammon, or Ammonites, did lincally descend from Ben-ammi, who was Lots son, begotten in incest upon his younger daughter, Gen. 19.38. Lot was Abraham's brothers son, Gen. 14.12. Whereby it is evident, that the posterity of them both, the children of Israel, and the children of Ammon, the Israelites, and the Ammonites, were linked together by affinity, and alliance. The more to blame were those Ammonites, without all respect of kindred, to exercise such cruelty as they did against the Israelites; for which cause Almighty God here sent his blessed Prophet, to thunder out his threats against them.

For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four] In the front of this Prophecy you have the general accusation of these children of Ammon: For three transgressions, and for four] Three of these transgressions, if you will believe Albertus Magnus, are Cruelty, Anarice, and persecution; the fourth is, an obstinate pertinancy, a constant stubbornness, ever to dwell in those sins. Again, three of these transgressions, are a coveting of other men's goods, an unlawful seeking for those things that are not our own, and a hardness of heart to retain them so sought for: the fourth is, the insatiable desire of a covetous man.

Many are the expositions of the learned upon these words, three and four transgressions. The most natural, proper, and significant, I take to be, if by three and four, a finite and certain number, you understand a number infinite and uncertain. God as often as he will forgiveth, though we sin ten thousand times. It is but a custom of the Scripture thus to speak. God waiteth for us twice and thrice, that is, a long time, to see if we will return from our evil ways unto repentance: but the fourth time, that is, at length, when he seeth us persist in our impenitency, he reproveth us, casteth us away, and leaveth us in our sins. Thus have you the general accusation of the children of Ammon, for their many sins, for which the Lord's protestation against them followeth.

I will not turn to it] These words are diversely rendered by expositors: by the author of the vulgar Latin, and by Gwalther, Non conuertam eum, I will not turn the Ammonite; that is, I will not recall the children of Ammon to the right way; they shall run on to their own perdition. By Calvin, Non ero ei propitius, I will not be favorable to the Ammonites. By Mercer, Non parcam et, I will not spare the Ammonites. According to their deserts so shall it be unto them. By Junius, Non auertam istud, I will not turn away the punishment wherewith I have resolved to punish them. I am the Lord, I am not changed.

The sum is; if the Ammonites had offended but once, or a second time, I would have been favorable to them, and would have recald them into the right way, that so they might be converted, and esc • pe my punishments: but now whereas they do daily heap transgression upon transgr • ssion, and make no end of sinning, I have hardened my face against them, and will not suffer them to be converted; but indurate & obstinate as they are, I will utterly destroy them. For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn to it] Here are you to be remembered of a doctrine, sundry times heretofore commended to your Christian considerations;

God is of pure eyes, and beholdeth not iniquity. He hath laid righteousness to the rule, and weighed his justice in a balance. The sentence is passed forth, and must stand vncontrolable, even as long as the Sun and Moon: Tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doeth evil. The soul that sinneth it shall be punished. God makes it good by an oath, Deut. 3.2.41. That he will whet his glittering sword, and his hand shall take hold on judgment, to execute vengeance for sin. His soul hateth and abhorreth sin; his law curseth and condemneth sin; his hand smiteth and scourgeth sin. Sin was his motive to cast down Angels into Hell; to thrust Adam out of Paradise; to turn cities into ashes; to ruinate nations; to torment his own bowels in the similitude of sinful flesh. Because of sin he drowned the old world; and because of sin ere long will burn this. Thus do many sins pluck, &c.

One use of this doctrine is, to teach us heedfulness in all our ways; that we do not by our many sins provoke Almighty God to high displeasure.

A second use is, to move us to a serious contemplation of the wonderful patience of Almighty God, who did so graciously forbear these children of Ammon, till by three and four transgressions, by their many sins they provoked him to indignation. These things I have heretofore labored to lay unto your hearts.

Now therefore I proceed to the third part of this Prophecy; wherein you have the declaration of that grievous sin, by which the children of Ammon so highly offended. This their sin was the sin of cruelty; expressed in these words; Because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead; and amplified by the end of so foul a fact; That they might enlarge their border.

They have ripped up women with child of Gilead; that, &c.] Women with child; the word in the original is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and is rendered by some, mountains; by some, cities fortified, and high as mountains: as if the meaning were, either that the Ammonites had made for themselves a passage into the territories of the Gileadites, through the mountains that lay between them; (a thing not impossible: for we read of Annibal, that he with fire and vinegar made way through a great rock upon the Alps, for his army, and carriage,) or that the Ammonites had vanquished and subdued the fortified cities of the Gilead ••• , to the enlarging of their borders. But I retain our English translation; women with child; as very agreeable to the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

They have ripped up women with child] Immane facinus: surely this was an outrageous cruelty: yet such as hath its parallel: we read of the like in 2 King. 8.12. Elizaus telling Hazael King of Syria, of the evil that he should do the children of Israel, saith; Their young men thou shalt slay with the sword, and shalt dash their infants against the stones, and rent in pieces their women with child. The like cruelty did Menahem King of Israel exercise against the inhabitants of the city Tiphsah, & her borderers, even unto Thirtz • , as appeareth, 2 King. 15.16. He ripped up all their women with child. Hosea also, chap. 14.1. thus prophesieth against Samaria; Samaria shall be desolate, for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped. You see (dearly beloved) that this outrageous cruelty of ripping up women with child, mentioned in my text, was not altogether unusual. The women upon whom this cruelty was practiced, are here said to have been of Gilead.

Of this land of Gilead I have heretofore largely spoken in my seventh Lecture upon this prophecy, occasioned by the 3. ver. of this chapter, where it is objected to the Syrians of Damascus, that they threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron. Then I shown, that the land of Gilead was possessed by the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, Num. 32.33. Whereby it is plain, that the Gileadites were Israelites. Here then these women, with whom the Ammonites dealt so barbarously, as to rip them up, when they were great with child, were of Jacob's posterity: they were Jsraelites, the lot and portion of God's own inheritance. For so prodigious a cruelty, we see Almighty God is here resolved to be avenged on the children of Ammon. The doctrine arising hence is this;

This doctrine I have heretofore out of this place confirmed unto you: it is also plainly grounded upon my text, and therefore I pass it over.

The use of it is to work in us the love of clemency and mercifulness. You may be many ways guilty of cruelty. If you fight with, or beat your neighbor, or maim his body, Levite. 24.19, 20. If by any means you procure the death of your neighbor, Gen. 4.8. If you use your neighbor discourteously, or make him your laughing stock, or taunting recreation, Levite. 19.14. If you use any of God's creatures hardly, Deut. 22.6. If you do wrong to strangers, Exod. 22.21. If you molest fatherless children, and widows, Exod. 22.22. If you be too severe in punishing your servants, or children, Deut. 25.3. If you wrong the poor, either by lending him your money upon Usury, Exod. 22.25. or by not paying him his hire, Deut. 24.14. or by not restoring his pledge, Exod. 22.26. or by withdrawing your corn from him, Pro. 11.26. If you offend but in the least of these, your are guilty of cruelty, and do transgress God's holy commandments, the sixth commandment, wherein you are forbidden to do murder.

Wherefore (beloved in the Lord) put you on the tender bowels of mercy and compassion: let cruelty be far from you. My exhortation unto you, and conclusion of this point, shall be in the words of S. Paul, Coloss. 3.12, 13. Now as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel to another: as Christ forgave you, even so do ye.

These words of my text; They have ripped up women with child of Gilead, do yield us another profitable doctrine. They, that is, the children of Ammon, professed enemies to God and godliness, have raged against the Gileadites, Jacob's posterity, the lot and portion of God's inheritance, even to the ripping up of their women with child. The doctrine is;

This truth appeareth in Lot, sore pressed upon by the Sodomites, Gen. 19.9. in the Israelites, hardly dealt with by the Egyptians, Exod. 1.11. in the seventy brethren, sons of Ierubbaal, persecuted by Abimelech, most of them to the death, Judge. 9.5. in Jeremiah twice evil entreated, first beaten and put in the stocks by Pashure, Ierem. 20.2. and a second time beaten and imprisoned by Zedekiah his Nobles, chap. 37.15. in the three children, cast into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3.21.

Many like examples might be extracted out of God's holy reg ster for proof of this point: which also may be made further to appear unto you, in those bloody persecutions after Christ his death, by the Roman Emperors, who devised strange torments to keep down religion, and religious professors, men and women. They plucked off their skins quick: they beared out their eyes with wimbles: they broiled them alive on gredirons: they scalded them in boiling liquors: they enclosed them in barrels, through which great nails were driven, and therein they tumbled them down mountains, till their own blood so cruelly drawn out, had stifled and choked them in the barrels: women's breasts were seared off with burning irons, their bodies were rent, and their joints racked.

Sundry other, and as strange kinds of torments were endured by the faithful in the time of the ten first persecutions in the primitive Church. This is it which S. Peter hath Epist. 1. chap. 4. verse. 17. The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. Yet let not the faithful hereat be discouraged. It is for their good. Job, an upright and a just man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil, upon his experience of the afflictions which he endured under the rod of God's correction, chap. 5.17. saith, Behold, blessed is the man whom God correcteth: therefore refuse not thou the chastening of the Almighty. For he maketh the wound, and bindeth it up; he smiteth, and his hands make whole. And thus from my doctrine, I proceed to the uses. I will but point at them.

Is it true (beloved?) Doth God often humble his chosen children under the rod of the wicked? It may first show us, how great God's anger is for sin, that he punisheth it so severely even in his dearest children, and thereby may work in us a loathing, hatred, and detestation of sin. Never more need than now, to smite our breasts, and pray with the Publican, O God, be merciful unto us sinners.

Secondly, it may teach us not to measure the favor of God towards our selves or others, by the adversities or crosses of this life. Here we see that the women of Gilead of the race of Israel God's own lot and inheritance, were most barbarously and cruelly ripped up by the Ammonites. Yet are we not to doubt, but that God's favor was great towards them, even in this severe punishment.

Thirdly, it may make us pour out our souls in thankfulness before Almighty God for our present estate and condition. It is not with us as in the days of Gilead, we are not threshed with threshing instruments of iron; our women with child are not ripped up. Our days are the days of peace; our King is a King of peace. Peace is in our ports, peace in all our borders, and peace within our walls. Our sons do grow up as y • ung plants; our daughters are as the polished corners of the temple. Our garners are full and plenteous with all manner of store. Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands. Our oxen are strong to labor. Here is no invasion, no leading into captivity, no complaining in our streets.

Are not the people happy that are in such a case? Yes saith the Psalmist, Psal. 144.15. Happy are the people that are in such a case. The case you see is ours. The God of peace, which maketh an end of war in all the world, and breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spears asunder, and burneth the chariots with fire, he doth now protect us from war, and slaughter. Quid rependemus? What shall we render unto the Lord, for all his benefits towards us? We will take the cup of salvation, and praise his holy name. O our souls, praise the Lord; for he only maketh us to dwell in safety. Thus far of the cruel fact of the Ammonites, in ripping up the women with child of Gilead. This their fact is amplified by the end, wherefore they did it; They have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border.

That they might enlarge their border? What could such cruelty against innocent and harmless women, further them to the attaining of such an end? Very much. For hereby it might come to pass, that there should not be any offspring of the Gileadites to inherit and poss • sse the land; so might the land without any resistance become the possession of the Ammonites.

This is by a prophetical contestation touched, Ier. 49.1. Unto the children of Ammon thus saith the Lord; Hath Israel no sons? or hath he no heirs? Why then h • th their King possessed Gad; and his people dwelt in his Cities? So might this our Prophet Amos here contest, and make complaint: Hath Gilead no sons? Hath Gilead no heirs? Why then have the Ammonites possessed Gilead? Why have they dwelt in the cities of Gilead? The answer is plain out of my Text; The Ammonites have ripped up the wom • n with child of Gilead, they have left them no sons, no heirs. And so they possessed the land of Gilead; so have they enlarged their borders. We see now the meaning of our Prophet: He objecteth to the Ammonites, not only that they did cruelly rip up the women with child in Gilead, but also, that they did it for this end, that they might enlarge their borders. The Doctrine is,

The Ethnics of old, taught but in Natures school, did hold it for a wicked act, detestable, and inexpiable, to remove a neighbors land-mark • . In which respect the old Romans worshipped Terminus for a God. Terminus which signifieth a bound, limit, mere, buttle, or land-mark, was in their account a God, God of their bounds, limits, or marks of their several fields, meadows, and pastures; and such a God, as should not give place to Jupiter himself. To this Terminus they held a feast in February, and called it Terminalia, as Augustine witnesseth in his books De Ciuitate Dei, Lib. 5. c. 21. & lib. 7. c. 7. Now if the heathenish, blind, and superstitious Romans, trained up in Natures school, did so highly esteem of the preservation and maintenance of bounds and limits: how are we trained up in the school of Grace, to esteem thereof? In the school of Grace a law is given, Deut. 19.14. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbors mark. To obey this law we are charged upon a curse, Deut. 27.17. Cursed be he that removeth his neighbors mark. It is God's own ordinance, that bounds, and limits, and marks are appointed to every man's possessions. This may be gathered out of Deut. 32.8. The most high [God,] divided to the nations their inheritances: he separated the sons of men: he did set the bounds of nations. The meaning is, the Lord pitched the bounds o • Kingdoms, at such time as it pleased him, that the nations should be divided asunder. Yet we see how the covetous ambition, and insatiable desire of some Princes in the world, have put all out of order, how there is nothing so holy, that can stay them from encroaching upon the bounds of their neighbors and next borderers.

Sennacherib King of Assyria was a stout offended in this kind. He boasted of his invasions and victories upon his neighbor countries. But that other Princes may take example by him, he was made a peculiar example of divine judgment. For as he trangressed the bounds of his neighbor Princes to their overthrow, so did his own sons transgress the bounds of nature, to the loss of his their fathers life. As it appeareth by Isaiah. 37.38. As Sennacherib was in the temple worshipping Nisroch his God, Adramelech and Sharezer, his sons, slue him with the sword. And by my Text you see, what judgments God threateneth to the Ammonites, for their unlawful practices to enlarge their borders. So my doctrine is established.

The use of this Doctrine may concern us here assembled. As Princes ought to hold themselves contented with their own bounds, so ought every private man also. God hath also separated their possessions one from another, to the end that all might live and communicate one with another, and that there might be no confused disorder.

But (beloved in the Lord) how do we stand to this order, set by Almighty God? Do we not seek daily to pervert it? God would have it kept most holy; but we care not for it. Our covetousness carrieth us away; we would still be greater. We join house to house, and field to field, as it is in Isaiah. 5 8 that we may be placed by our selves in the midst of the earth. Were our Fathers so ambitious? They were content with such bounds, as their ancestors left them; but we must have them altered, if not enlarged. The divinely-inspired David tells us, Psal. 37.3. that if we dwell in the land, where God hath placed us, we shall verily be fed. We should learn of S. Paul, Philip. 4 11. in whatsoever state we are, therewith to be content. Knowing it to be true, which the same Apostle auoweth unto Timothy, Ep. 1. chap. 6. verse. 6. that Godliness is great gain, if we will be content with that we have. Thus much of the 13. verse.

THE Twentieth Lecture.

HEre we have the denunciation of the judgments of God against the children of Ammon for their sins. This judgment is in the 14. verse set down, 1. In a generality. 2. With some circumstances.

First, in a generality; Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

Secondly, with some circumstances, as that it should be full of terror, and speedy, and of l • rge extent.

Full of terror: with shouting in the day of battle.

Speedy: with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.

Of large extent. For it was to fall upon, not only the meaner sort of the people, but upon the Nobility also, yea and upon the King himself, which is plain by the 15. verse. Their King shall go into captivity, he and his Princes together.

First, let us weigh this judgment of God, as it is set down in a generality, I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. This judgment for substance is no other, than that which you have heretofore heard out of this Chapter, to have been denounced from Almighty God against the Syrians, Philistines, Tyrians, and Edomites. Against the Syrians, verse. 4. I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad. Against the Philistines, verse. 7. I will send a fire upon the walls of Azzah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. Against the Tyrians, verse. 10. I will send a fire upon the walls of Tyrus, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. Against the Edomites, verse. 12. I will send a fire upon Teman, and it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

Between those denunciations, and this, you see no great difference. In those, Thus saith the Lord, I will send a fire: in this, thus; I will kindle a fire, I will send a fire, and I will kindle a fire: the substance in both is the same. And therefore as in those I have done, so do I in this; I commend to your Christian and religious considerations certain circumstances.

• 1 Of the punisher; the Lord, I will kindle.
• 2 Of the punishment; by fire, A fire.
• 3 Of the punished; The walls of Rabbah, and the palaces thereof.

These circumstances are in this judgment of God, as it is set down in a generality: The first circumstance concerneth the punisher, the Lord; for thus saith the Lord; I will kindle a fire. The note yieldeth this doctrine,

This truth hath been often confirmed unto you. Divers • e the uses of it.

1 It may lesson us to look heedfully unto our feet, that we walk not in the way of sinners, to partake with them in their sins. Sins are not tongue-tied, they cry aloud unto the Lord for vengeance.

2 It may admonish us not to intermeddle in the Lord's office. It is his office to execute vengeance. We therefore may not interpose our selves.

3 It may serve for a comfort to the Godly, against whom the wicked have behaved themselves proudly and dispiteously. God in due time, for such their behavior, will render vengeance unto them, and punish them with everlasting perdition.

The second circumstance concerneth the punishment, which is by fire: I will kindle a fire ] By fire here we are to understand, not so much a true and natural fire, as a figurative and metaphorical fire. The sword, pestilence, and famine; quodlibet genus consumptionis, every kind of consumption, quaelibet species excidij, every kind of destruction, hail, water, thunder sickness, or any other of the executioners of God his wrath for the sins of men, may be signified by this name Fire. The Doctrine,

Of this Doctrine heretofore. The use of it is, to teach us, how to behave our selves at such times, as God shall visit us with his rod of correction: how to carry our selves in all our afflictions. We must not so much look to the means, as to the Lord, that worketh by them. If the fire, or water, or any other of God's creatures shall at any time rage and prevail against us, we must know, that God by them worketh his holy will upon us. Here we see, he resolveth to kindle a fire upon the wall of Rabbah, for thus saith the Lord; I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

There was a City of this name (Rabbah) in the Country of Moab called Rabbath-Moab. So saith Drusius. But the Rabbah in my Text, was a City in the Country of the Ammonites, called, 2 Sam. 12.26. Rabbah of the children of Ammon: where it is named the city of the kingdom. For it was their metropolitical & chief city. In the verse following it is called the city of waters, because it was situate near unto the river Ieboc.

The destruction here threatened to this city, is likewise denounced by two other Prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. In Jeremiah, chap. 49.2. Thus saith the Lord; I will cause a noise of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites, and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burnt with fire. Crie, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sack-cloth; mourn, and run to and fro by the hedges: for their King shall go into captivity, and his Priests and his Princes likewise. And Ezekiel, Chap. 25.5. I will make Rabbah a dwelling place for Camels, and the Ammonites a sheep coat.

By which two places of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the meaning of my Prophet is opened. Here in the person of God he saith: I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. It is, as if he had said. The voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness shall cease to be heard in Rabbah, the noise of war shall be heard there; and I will make it a dwelling place for Camels, a sheep-coat, an heap of desolation.

Must Rabbah, the chief City of the Kingdom, be measured with the line of desolation? It yields us this Doctrine,

For confirmation of this Doctrine, I need not send you to the old world, to behold the ruins of cities there. There may you see the city which Cain built, ( Gen. 4.17.) and whatsoever other cities were erected between that time and the flood, you may see them all swept away with the flood. After the flood, you may see Sodom and Gomorrah, with other cities of that plain, overthrown with brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven, Gen. 19.24. I need not present you with other like desolations of cities, towns, or villages, wrought by Almighty God in the days of old.

This one chapter, and first chapter of this prophecy of Amos, yields unto us plentiful proof for this point. Here h • ue we seen desolation upon desolation, not the shaking only, but the overthrow of four states, namely of the Syrians, of the Philistines, of the Tyrians, and of the Edomites. In the state of the Syrians, we have seen the ruins of the house of Hazael, and of the palaces of Ben-hadad, and of Damascus, and of Bikeath-Auen, and of Beth-eden, and of Aram, verse. 4, 5. In the state of the Philistines we have viewed the rubbish of Azzah, and the palaces thereof, of Ashdod also, of Ashkelon, and of Ekron, verse. 7, 8. In the state of the Tyrians, we have beheld the waste done upon the proud City Tyrus, and her palaces; verse. 10. In the state of the Edomites, we have considered the destruction of Teman and Bozrah, verse. 12. All which do evidently and strongly proclaim unto us the truth of my propounded Doctrine: namely, that,

One use of this Doctrine is, to lesson us, that we put not any confidence in any worldly help: but that so we use all good means of our defense, that still we rely upon the Lord, for strength and success thereby.

A second use is, to put us in mind of the fearful punishments which God layeth upon men for sin. He devoureth their Cities, throweth down their strong holds, and spares them not. Hath God dealt thus with strong Cities, and shall poor villages escape?

If the secure worldling shall here object, that our days are the days of peace, that our King is a King of peace, that peace is in all our ports, in all our quarters, in all our dwelling places; and that therefore there is no need to fear the subversion either of our cities, or of our villages: to such I must answer in the Prophet Isaiah’s words, Chap. 48.22. There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord. No peace to the wicked. For though God, the God of peace, which maketh an end of war in all the world, and breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear asunder, and burneth the chariots with fire, doth now protect us from foreign invasion and hostility, yet being Deus exercituum, a God of hosts, he hath armies of another kind at command, to work the sudden subversion and overthrow of all our dwellings.

Hereof hath God made good proof in these our days. To say nothing of his arrow of pestilence, which is grandis terror mortalium, the great terror of men, as being Deaths chief Pursuiuant and Sumner, who in Job 18.14. is called Rex Terrorum, the King of fears; to say nothing of this arrow, how it hath for these seven years roued up and down, to marks far and near, from city to village, and from village to city, to the killing of many thousands of our brethren and sisters, and yet is not put up into the quiver: to say nothing now of this arrow, because it strikes men's persons, and spares their houses: will you be pleased to look back upon those swellings of waters, which of late, within these four years, brake out into the bosom of the firm land in diverse parts of this Realm? Then must you acknowledge with me, that God hath an army of waters, whereby at his pleasure he can overthrow our dwelling houses.

Beloved, I could here make report unto you from beyond the seas out of Germany, of strange and marvelous inundations, deluges, and ouerflowings of waters; how about this time fifteen years in the plains near unto Colen, Mainz, and Franckford, by a sudden flood, non modo horrea, & stabula, nullo firmo nixa fundamento, sed firmissima etiam aedificia, not only barns and stables, which had no firm foundation, but the surest and strongest edifices and buildings were violently c • rried away.

I could tell you of much more hame of that years flood; how in Berenburg, a town upon the river Sala, in the Principalitie of Anhalt, Centum sexaginta aedes funditù • euersae fuerunt; One hundred and threescore houses were utterly overthrown.

But what need we go so far for ex • mples of this kind, wh • reof Almighty God hath sent home unto us such plenty? Reflect we our eyes upon our own harms; upon the harms done to many of our neighbors in the late fore-mentioned fl • ud to the overthrowing & breaking down of whole towns and villages yea of 26. parishes in one Shire, and we cannot but grant it for a truth, tha • God hath his armies of waters, whereby at his pleasure he can overthrow our dwelling houses.

But what is this to some of us, who are seated upon an hill, far enough from any dangers by inundations, or ouerfl • wings of waters? Beloved in the Lord, of such mind were they of the old world, who did eat, and drink, and married wives, and gave in marriage, unto the day that Noah went into the Ark. But what became of them? Our Savior Christ will tell you, Luke 17.27. The flood came, and destroyed them.

But God hath made a covenant with man, and will remember it; That there shall be no more waters of a flood, to destroy all flesh, Genes. 9.15. It is true: there shall be no more waters of a flood to destroy all flesh; that is, there shall be no more an universal flood, to cover the face of the whole earth: there shall be no more generale diluuium inundans, & obruens vniuersam terram. But here is no exemption for particular cities, no not for particular provinces, or countries.

Almighty God, who once did break up the fountains of the great deep, and did open the windows of Heaven, Gen. 7.11. he is the same God still, Almighty still, his arm is stretched out still. He can at his pleasure command the clouds, and they shall pour forth abundance of waters, to the washing away of our dwelling houses.

But say, he will not come against us with his army of waters: yet being Deus exercituum, a God of hosts, he hath armies of another kind at command, to work the sudden subversion, and overthrow of all our dwellings.

I yet present you not with lightning, with thunder, with winds, with earthquakes, wherewith the Lord of Hosts, the mighty one of Israel, hath laid waste, and made desolate many the habitations of sinful men; my Text presents you with fire; and let it suffice for this time.

Say, I beseech you, is it not a fearful thing, that instead of the fatness of the clouds, of the greater and smaller rain, of the sweet dew of Heaven, of comfortable showers which God hath engendered in the air, and divided by pipes to fall upon the earth in their seasons, our grounds should be withered, our fruits consumed, our Temples and our buildings resolved into cinders? Yea, and sometimes our skins and bones too, molten from our backs? Yet (Beloved) this sometimes comes to pass, when fire, one of the executioners of God's vengeance, is sent upon us for our sins.

What became of Sodom and Gomorrah, and other Cities of that Plain? Were they not turned into ashes by fire from the Lord? The story is known, Gen. 19.24.

But what need old stories to confirm so plain a matter; whereof we have daily and lamentable experience? Do not the grievous complaints of many of our neighbors undone by fire, seeking from our charitable devotions some small relief, make good proof hereof? Dearely Beloved, learn we by their example to cast away from us all our transgressions, whereby we have transgressed, and to turn unto the Lord our God, lest delighting and treading in the wickedness of their ways, we be made partakers also of their punishments. It is neither care, nor policy, that can stay God's revengeful hand, when he bringeth fire in it.

To this purpose memorable is the example of a countryman of ours, who in King Edwards days was a Professor of the true religion; that religion, which by God's goodness we do this day profess. This man in the Acts and Monuments of our Church is named Richard Denton, and is there noted to have been an Instructor of one William Wolsey in the same his holy religion. Not long after in Queen Mary's days, when fire and faggot were the portion of true Professors, Wolsey was apprehended and imprisoned. In time of his durance, he sent commendations to Denton his Instructor, withal demanding by his messenger, why he tarried so long after him, seeing he had been his first Instructor in the Scriptures. Dentons answer was, I cannot burn.

Cannot burn? You see his policy: he halted between God and man, he dissembled the profession of his Christian faith, because forsooth he could not burn. Well. Q. Mary's days were soon at an end; and God caused the light of the Gospel to shine again under the peaceable government of Queen Elizabeth. Then did our dissembler think himself safe enough from any flame of fire. But behold the hand of God. His house was on fire; and he with two others, venturing to save some of his goods, perished in the flame. Thus you see policy prevails not, when God's revengeful hand brings fire with it.

And think you that ca • e will help? What? Care against the Lord? Far be it from us (beloved) so to think. Let us rather make our humble con • ession, with King Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.34, 35. that the Most High liveth forever: that his power is an everlasting power, and his Kingdom from generation to generation: that all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing to him: that according to his will he worketh in the army of Heaven, and in the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, nor say unto him; what doest thou? None can stay his hand.

This is it which before I noted: namely, that, It is neither care nor policy, that can stay God's revengeful hand, when he bringeth fire in it: as here it is threatened unto Rabbah: I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah. Thus far by occasion of my first Doctrine, which was,

And it was grounded upon these words: I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah.

It is further added of this fire, that it shall devour the palaces of R • bbah. Which branch repeated in each of the precedent prophecies (as verse. 4, 7, 10, 12.) hath formerly yielded us this Doctrine;

This truth is experimentally made good unto us, by the great commodity, or contentment, that cometh to everyone of us by our dwelling houses. The use whereof is, to teach us, 1. To be humbled before Almighty God, whensoever it shall please him by water, by fire, by wind, by lightning, by thunder; by earthquakes, or otherwise, to overthrow our dwelling houses. 2. Since we peaceably enjoy our dwelling houses, to use them for the furtherance of God's glory. 3. To render all hearty thanks unto Almighty God, for the comfortable use we have of our dwelling-houses. Thus far of the commination, or denunciation of judgment, as it is set down in general.

The special circumstances, whereby it is further notified or illustrated, do concern, partly the punishment, and partly the punished. Concerning the punishment; it is full of terror, and speedy. First, full of terror, in these words; With shouting in the day of battle.

With shouting] in classico, saith Brenz: cum clangore, saith Drusius; that is, with the sound or noise of Trumpets. The Septuagint do read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the vulgar Latin, in vlulatu: Mercer, cum vociferatione; Gwalther, cum clamore; Calvin, cum clamore, vel Iubilo: that is, with a cry, with a great cry, with a vociferation, with a shout, such as soldiers do make, when on a sudden they surprise a City.

In the day of battle] in die belli. The like phrase we have Psal. 78.9. where it is said of the children of Ephraim, that being armed and shooting with the bow, they turned back, in die belli, in the day of battle. David confesseth, Psal. 140.7. O Lord God the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head, in die belli, in the day of battle. Solomon saith, Prov. 21.31. The horse is prepared, in diem belli, against the day of battle. So here the Lord threateneth against Rabbah, a shouting m •• ie belli, in the day of battle.

This day of battle, is that day of war, and time of trouble, mentioned by Job, chap. 38.23. We see now the purpose of our Prophet in using these words, With shouting in the day of battle. It is to proclaim war against Rabbah, the chief city of the Ammonites, and cons • quently against their whole kingdom. This proclamation is more plainly delivered, Ierem. 49.2. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will cause a noise of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites: and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burnt with fire. From this proclamation of war made by our Prophet Amos, as in the Lord's own words, saying; I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, we may take this lesson,

For proof of this truth, let us look into the word of truth. In the 26. of Levite. verse. 25. thus saith the Lord unto Israel: If ye walk stubbornly against me, and will not obey me, then I will send a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant. And Ierem. 5.15. unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord; Loe, I will bring a Nation upon you from far. You hear the Lord speaking in his own person, I will send, I will bring, as here, I will kindle. Will you any other witness?

Then hear what Moses telleth the Israelites, Deut. 28.49. The Lord shall bring a nation upon you from far, from the end of the world, flying as an Eagle: a nation, whose tongue thou shalt not understand, a nation of a fierce countenance, which will not regard the person of the old, nor have compassion on the young: the same shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: and he shall leave thee neither wheat, nor wine, nor oil, nor the increase of thy kine, nor the flocks of thy sheep, until he have brought thee to naught. By this speech of Moses, we plainly see that war, and all the evils of war, are from the Lord: that war is one of the accomplishments of God's judgments, and that it is sent by God upon a Land for the sins of the people, as my doctrine goeth. Let us now make some use of it.

Is it true, beloved? Doth God send war upon a Land, for the sins of a people? How then can we look that the happy peace, which we now enjoy, should be continued among us, since by our daily sinning we provoke Almighty God unto displeasure?

Let the consideration hereof lead us to repentance. Repentance, the gift of God, the joy of Angels, the salve of sins, the haven of sinners, let us possess it in our hearts. The Angels of heaven need it not, because they sin not: the Devils in Hell care not for it; for their judgment is sealed. It only appertaineth to the sons of men; and therefore let us, the sons of men, possess it in our hearts: that is, let us truly and unfeignedly forsake our old sins, and turn unto the Lord our God, so shall this blessed peace, and all other good things be continued among us.

But if we will persist in our evil ways, not regarding what the Lord shall speak unto us, either in his holy Word, or by his faithful Ministers, we may expect the portion of these Ammonites, that God should kindle a fire in our Rabbahs; our best fenced cities, which shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the d • y of battle. Thus much of the terror of this judgment. Now followeth the speed in the next circumstance.

With a tempest in the day of the whirl-wind] Suiting hereto is the reading of Mercer, cum tempestate in die turbinis: and that of Tremellius: cum procella in die turbinis, with a storm or tempest in the day of the whirl-wind. Calvin hath, in turbine in die tempestatis: in a whirl-wind in a day of tempest: Brenz, in turbine, & in die tempestatis; in a whirl-wind, and in a day of tempest: Gwalther, cum turbine in die tempestatis, with a whirl-wind in a day of tempest. And this reading Drusius rather approveth, than the former.

Take which you will; the meaning is one and the same: namely, that the war here denounced to the Ammonites in the former clause, should come upon them, tanquam turbo in die tempestatis, like unto a whirl-wind in a tempestuous and stormy day. Turbine nihil celerius; a whirl-wind comes suddenly and with speed; so was this war to come upon the children of Ammon. Thus have we the meaning of our Prophet: let us now take a view of such doctrines, as may from hence be taken for our further instruction.

First, whereas the punishment here threatened to the Ammonites, is to come upon them with a whirl-wind in a day of tempest, in a tempestuous and stormy day, we may learn, that,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the primary and principal efficient cause of storms, tempests, whirl-winds, and the like, is God. God as he is the sole maker totius vniuersitatis rerum, of this world, and all that is in it; so is he also a most free and omnipotent ruler of the same. He alone is able to raise tempests, and at his pleasure to allay them again. Who raised the storm, that endangered the ship wherein Jonah was? was it not the Lord? Yes. For so it is written, Ion. 1.4. The Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Neither was this tempest calmed, till rebellious Jonah was cast out of the ship into the sea, as it appeareth, verse. 15.

Well therefore is it said of the Psalmist, Psal. 148.8. of fire, and hail, and snow, and vapors, and stormy winds, that they execute God's word; they are all ready at his commandment, to execute what he will have them to do. Winds and tempests, they depend not upon chance, or blind fortune; but on the sovereign power of the Almighty Creator. So true is my doctrine;

One use of it, is for our instruction: Whosoever he be, that walketh by land, or passeth by sea, if winds, storms or tempests do hinder his purpose, or disquiet him in his enterprise, he must assign it to the providence of Almighty God.

A second use serveth for reproof of such, as are of opinion, that Witches, Sorcerers, Coniurers, and the Devil can pro libidine suâ, at their pleasures, raise up tempests. It is nothing so.

Nothing so? Why then doth Saint Paul, Ephes. 2.2. call the Devil, the Prince that ruleth in the air? I answer, S. Paul calleth the Devil the Prince that ruleth in the air, not because he can at his pleasure raise tempests, but because he then doth it, when God gives him license. I easily grant, that Witches, Sorcerers and Coniurers by the help of the Devil, can raise storms and tempests in the air, though not universally, yet in such a particular place and prescribed bounds, as God will permit them so to trouble.

The Devil and his factors work their exploits only by limitation and by leave; for they depend upon the Lord; and as if they were tied in a chain • , they cannot exceed one hairs breadth of that which is granted unto them. Witness the story of Job. The Devil could not raise a wind to overthrow the house wherein Job's children were, but by leave from the Lord, as it appeareth, Job 12.

And this may be our comfort, that Satan, the Devil, that roaring Lion, who walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, hath a hook put into his nostrils, and a bridle in his lips, and is bound with everlasting chains, so that he cannot hurt us, no not so much as by raising of a tempest, vnl • sse Almighty God for our sins do let him loose. Wherefore, let us commend our selves wholly to the protection of the Almighty, and he will hide us under the shadow of his hand. For it is he only, that maketh us to dwell in safety. Thus much of my first doctrine.

Again, whereas the punishment here threatened to the Ammonites, was to come upon them as a whirl-wind in a tempestuous, or stormy day, that is, speedily, we may from hence take this lesson.

This truth is avowed by David, Psal. 37.2. Where to persuade the godly not to fret, or be grieved at the prosperity of the wicked, he brings this reason: They shall soon be cut down like grass, and shall wither as the green herb, which in other words, verse. 20. of the same Psalm, he thus delivereth: They shall perish, and shall be consumed, as the fat of lambes; even with the smoke shall they consume away. They shall be consumed as the fat of lambes;] there is utter destruction for them; they shall be consumed as smoke] there is the suddenness of their destruction.

The state of the wicked is very ticklish and uncertain. For as it is, Psal. 73.18. God hath set them in slippery places, and casteth them down into desolation. Their end is there described to be wonderful, sudden and fearful; Quomodo vastabuntur? Subito deficient, consumentur terroribus. How shall they be destroyed? They shall quickly perish, they shall be consumed with terrors.

Solomon speaks to this purpose, as plainly as may be Prov. 6.15. The destruction of the wicked shall come speedily: he shall be destroyed suddenly without recovery. He shall be destroyed suddenly without recovery] that is, to speak in my Prophets phrase, He shall be destroyed, as if he were carried away with a whirlwind in a tempestuous and stormy day: or in Solomon's phrase, Prov. 1.27. Their destruction shall come like a whirlwind.

The holy Scriptures are very plentiful in this point. But this which hath been spoken, may serve for the establishment of my propounded doctrine, that,

One use of this doctrine is, to admonish us, that we give all diligence to walk in the Lord's way, the sanctified and holy way, the way of perfection, that we be not reputed among the wicked and so partake with them in the suddenness of their downfalls.

A second use is to minister a word of comfort. Do the wicked prosper and increase in riches? Is pride a chain unto them? Is cruelty their garment? Do their eyes stand out for fatness? Have they more than heart can wish? Art thou mean while in trouble? Art thou in want? Do they oppress thee? Do they wrong thee? Yet be of good comfort. Say not, I have cleansed my heart in vain; in vain have I washed my hands in innoc ncie: but commit thy way unto the Lord; trust in him; wait patiently upon him: yet a little while, and the wicked shall not appear: thou shalt look after his place, and shalt not find him. For sudden destru tion shall befall him, he shall be carried away as with a whirlwind in a tempestuous and stormy day. Thus much of the fourteenth verse.

THE XXI. Lecture.

IN my last Lecture, I began the Exposition of the fourth part: the commination, or denunciation of judgment: and then I noted, that this judgment was set down, first in a generality: Therefore will I kindle a fire, &c. verse. 14. and secondly with some circumstances, as that it should be full of terror, and speedy, and of large extent.

Full of terror: With shouting in the day of battle.

Speedy: With a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.

Of large extent. For it was to reach unto, not only the meaner sort of people, but to the Nobles also, yea unto the King himself, verse. 15. Their King shall go into captivity, he and his Princes together. Of this judgment, as it is delivered in a generality, as also of the terror and speediness of it, I discoursed in my last exercise. The extent was left untouched; whereof at this time.

Their King shall go into captivity; he, and his Princes together] King and Princes, both must into captivity. What shall become of the Priests? They shall be carried away too. The Septuagint in their translation do expressly affirm it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the Kings of Ammon shall go into captivity, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , their Priests, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , their Princes. Their King shall go into captivity, their Priests, and Princes likewise. And this the Prophet Jeremiah precisely avoucheth, Chapter 49 3. where thundering out the threats of God's judgments against the children of Ammon, he saith: Their King shall go into captivity, and his Priests, and his Princes likewise.

The vulgar Latin and S. Jerome, for their King, do read Melchom. Melchom shall go into captivity. And what is Melchom? It is the same with Milchom, with Molech, with Moloch. Divers words of one signification; though differing in sound, and termination.

Be it Melchom, or Milchom, or Molech, or Moloch; all is one. It is but an Idol. So it is called by the Author of the vulgar Latin, Levite. 18.21. De semine tuo non dabis, vt consecretur Idolo Moloch. Thou shalt not give thy children to consecrate them, to offer them to the Idol Moloch. It is the abomination of the Ammonites. So it is called, 1 King. 11.5. where it is said of old Solomon, perverted by his wives, that he followed Milchom, the abomination of the Ammonites; and verse. 7. that he built an high place unto Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. It is the God of the children of Ammon. So it is called, verse. 33. where it is given for a reason, why the Lord would rent from Solomon the kingdom of Israel, because he forsook the Lord, and worshipped Milchom, the god of the Ammonites.

You see what Melchom is. It is the god of the Ammonites; not the true God; for he is the God of all the world; but the God of the Ammonites; an abomination, an Idol.

Yet did they worship it. But how? Moses tells you, Deut. 12.31. They burnt their sons and daughters with fire, and offered them to their gods. This abomination of the Painyme Nations, hateful to the living God, spread it self, even to the corrupting of the Lord's people. For to the children of Israel, and to the children of Judah, it is objected, Ier. 32.35. That they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of Ben-hinnom, to cause their sons, and their daughters to pass thorough the fire of Molech. And the expostulation of God with the house of Israel, Ezech. 20.30. lays this home unto them: Are ye not polluted after the manner of your fathers? Commit ye not whoredom after their abominations? For when you offer your gifts, and make your sons to pass thorough the fire, you pollute yourselves with your Idols.

It is registered among the praises of good King Josiah, 2 King. 23.10. that he defiled (or put down, and destroyed) Topheth, which was in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man should make his son, or his daughter pass thorough the fire of Molech.

By this which hath been spoken, you see what Melchom is, and how it was worshipped. An Idol-god worshipped with the effusion of the blood of innocents; men's sons and daughters were consecrated unto it thorough fire.

So have you two readings of my text: one, Their King shall go into captivity, he, and his Princes together: the other, Melchom shall go into captivity, &c. Let us now see, what profitable doctrines may be taken from either, for our further instruction, and the reformation of our lives.

The first reading is according to the Hebrew, Their King shall go into captivity, he, and his Princes together: according to the Septuagint, Their King shall go into captivity, their Priests, and Princes likewise. The doctrine arising hence, is,

Tha • captivity is an effect, or punishment of sin, I have heretofore made plain unto you, in my 11. Lecture upon this first Chapter of Amos. Solomon saith it, 1 King. 8.46. When a people sinneth against the Lord, and the Lord is angry with them, the Lord delivereth them up to be carried away prisoners into the land of their enemies. It is affirmed, 1 Chron. 9.1. That the Israelites were carried away to Babylon for their transgressions. And Deut. 28.41. among the curses threatened to such, as will not obey the voice of the Lord their God, Captivity is reckoned. Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but shalt not have them; for they shall go into captivity. Look back but to the fifth verse of this Chapter: there shall you find it denounced against the people of Aram, that they shall go into captivity. And why? But for their three and four transgressions, for their many sins, and specially for threshing Gilead with threshing instruments of iron? As you have heard out of the third verse. Thus you see again that captivity is an effect or punishment of sin.

This punishment resteth not upon the meaner sort of the people, it reacheth to the highest: to the Priests, to the Princes, to the King himself. Of Priests and Princes carried away into captivity, you will make no doubt, when you see the same proved of Kings. Yet may you know by 2 King. 17.27. that the King of Assyria, when he had vanquished Hosea, King of Israel, did carry into captivity the Priests of Israel.

You understand of Priests carried into captivity: see now the like of Kings and Princes. See 2 King. 24.14. It is a very eminent place. There it is affirmed of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, that he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the Princes, and all the strong men of war, even ten thousand, into captivity; and in the verse following, that he carried away King Jehoiachim ( King of Judah) into Babel, and the Kings mother, and the Kings wives, and the Eunuchs, and the mighty of the Land carried he away into captivity, from Jerusalem to Babel. And all the men of war, even seven thousand, and carpenters and lock-smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, did the King of Babel bring to Babel captives.

I could tell you of the like misery befallen other Kings of Judah; of King Manasseh, 2 Chron. 33.11. how he was taken by the host of the King Ashur, was put in fetters, was bound in chains, and was carried to Babel. And of King Zedekiah, 2 King. 25.5. how he was taken in the deserts of Jericho by the army of the Chaldees, had his eyes put out, was bound in chains, and carried unto Babel.

But what need I amplify this point? By the places already brought, you see my doctrine established: namely,

Is it true, Beloved? Doth God punish a nation with captivity for their sins? Let us make this Christian use of it, even to pour out our souls in thankfulness before Almighty God for his wonderful patience towards us. The sins of such Nations as have been punished with captivity, were they more heinous in God's eyes than ours are? Dearely beloved, far be it from us to justify our selves. Let the example of the proud Pharisee be a warning to us. He for all his smooth prayer, registered Luk. 18.11. [O God I thank thee, that I am not as other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as the Publican: I fast twice in the week, I give tithe of all that ever I possess:] For all this his smooth prayer, he found no favor with God. No marvel. For his heart was swollen with pride: with pride towards God, towards his neighbor, and in himself.

Gracias ago, O God I thank thee] there was his pride towards God: Non sum sicut caeteri, I am not as other men] There was his pride towards his neighbor: Ieiuno bis in sabbato, I fast twice in the week] There was his pride in himself. O God I thank thee] He is not reprehended for giving thanks to God, but for his proud and presumptuous boasting of himself.

The great Patriarch Abraham prayeth leave to speak unto the Lord, and gives a reason of his request, Gen. 18.27. I am but dust and ashes: so lowly was Abraham conceited of himself when he was to speak to God. But this Pharisee puffed up and swollen with pride, boasteth as though he were not made of the same mould with other men: O God I thank thee I am not as other men, &c. But leave we the Pharisee in his pride: he is not to be a pattern of imitation for us.

The Publican is he whom we must follow. Gerit typum omnium poenitentium: all that will truly repent, must take him for an ensample. He stood afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to Heaven, smote his breast, and said, O God be merciful to me a sinner. He stood afar off] not daring to approach to God, that God might approach to him. He would not lift up his eyes to Heaven] for he knew heaven to be the seat of that Majesty, which by sinning he had provoked unto displeasure. He smote his breast] as the ark of all iniquity, as it were punishing himself with stripes, that the Lord might forbear to punish him. And after all this, with a fearful heart and trembling tongue; he called upon his Savior, and said, O God be merciful to me a sinner.

Oratio breuis & valde fructuosa. It is a short prayer, but full of fruit. O God be merciful to me a sinner; be merciful, I say, not to me thy creature, thy servant, or thy child, but be merciful to me a sinner. My whole composition is sin: whatsoever I am in body or soul, so far as my manhood and humanity goeth, a Sinner: and not only by mine office and calling, because I am a Publican, but even by nature and kind it self a Sinner. O God be merciful to me a sinner.

This Publican is set for a pattern unto us. We must with him confess our sins unto the Lord. Let no man boast himself of his own innocence, integrity, or uprightness. Quando mare sine procellis, tunc nos sine peccatis, saith Chrysostom: when the sea is without storms, then are we without sins. But the sea is never free from storms, nor we from sins.

In vain then is it, O sinful man, that thou exaltest thyself, as if thou were just. Remember what Christ saith at his closing up of this parable of the Publican and Pharisee, Omnis, qui se exaltat, humiliabitur; everyone that exalts himself shall be brought low. Adam exalted himself, and death was his recompense, Gen. 3 19. Pharaoh exalted himself, and he was drowned in the red Sea, Exod. 14.28. Dathan and Abiram exalted themselves, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, Num. 16.32. Saul exalted himself, and an evil spirit was sent to vex him, 1 Sam. 16.15. Absalom exalted himself, and he was hanged in an oak, 2 Sam. 18 9. Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself, and he was driven to seek his dwelling with the beasts of the field, Dan. 4.29. Antiochus exalted himself, and he died a miserable death, consumed of worms, 2 Mach. 9.9. Herod Agrippa exalted himself, and the Angel of the Lord smote him, so was he also eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost, Act. 12.23. It is out of all controversy; Omnis, qui se exaltat, humiliabitur: everyone that exalteth himself shall be brought low.

Let the consideration hereof (beloved) work in us a vigilancy to keep the proud Devil under, that we swell not up through a vain persuasion of fleshly righteousness, that we lift not up our Peacocks feathers, nor extol our eye lids through a conceit of our own deserts, but in all humility pray we ever with the Publican; O God be merciful unto us sinners; and ascribe we unto him all laud and praise for suffering us (notwithstanding our manifold sins ) every man to dwell under his vine, and under his fig-tree, to live in our own land in peace, free from all fear of being led into captivity. Thus much of my first use.

A second followeth. My Doctrine was,

Will you have a reason hereof? Hear then what Elihu saith, Job 34.19. God accepteth not the persons of Princes, he regardeth not the rich more than the poor: He accepteth no man's person, saith S. Paul, Gal. 2.6. No man's person? Then neither the person of the Priest, nor of the King. If these sin like others of the people, these shall be punished as well as others; and if others be carried into captivity, these must into captivity also.

The use of this Doctrine is to admonish the great and mighty ones of this world, that they presume not to sin against the Lord, as if they were privileged by their greatness and might. No privilege can serve their turns, when they must drink of the wrath of the Almighty. Then shall they be as stubble before the wind, and as the chaff that the storm carrieth away.

Consider this all ye who take yourselves to be mighty among your neighbors; ye whom God hath blessed with this worlds good above your neighbors. Think not your wealth or authority can protect you, when God's sore displeasure shall break out against you for your sins: but rather let it ever be written in your hearts, what is written, Wisd. 6.6. The mighty shall be mightily tormented. And remember what is added in that place: He that is Lord over all will spare no person, neither shall he fear any greatness: for he hath made the small and the great, and careth for all alike. But for the mighty abideth the sorer trial. And hence ariseth a third use.

It is to minister a word of comfort to the inferior and poorer sort of people. If the mighty shall sell the righteous among you for silver, and the poor for shoes; if they gape over your heads in the dust of the earth; if they grind your faces; if by violence and oppression they compass you about; yet be ye of good comfort: God, the Judge of all, accepteth no persons. He in his good time will avenge your causes, be your oppressors never so mighty; for when he punisheth a land for the sins of a people, he spareth neither Priest, nor Prince, nor King.

There is a fourth use of this Doctrine. It is to warn us not to set our hearts upon the outward things of this world, for as much as God will not respect us for them. Neither Priest, nor Prince, nor King can stand before the displeasure of Almighty God. And shall a mighty man, shall a rich man stand? No. As the smoke vanisheth, so shall he be driven away; and as the wax melteth before the fire; so shall he perish at the presence of God.

Wherefore (dearly beloved in the Lord ) let us only and earnestly seek after such things, as may make us accepted with God, as righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. For whosoever in these things serveth Christ, he is acceptable to God, saith Saint Paul, Rom. 14.18. Thus far by occasion of my first doctrine: which was,

And it was grounded upon the first reading of the words of my text; • fter the Hebrew thus, Their King shall go into captivity, he, and his princes together: after the Septuagint thus, Their King shall go into captivity, their priests, and Princes likewise.

I commended unto you another reading out of the Vulgar Latin: Melchom shall go into captivity, he, and his Princes together: and I told you in the beginning of this exercise what Melchom was. I said it was the same with Milchom, or Molech, or Moloch; an abomination of the Ammonites, their Idol, their God, to whom they yielded divine worship, and consecrated their children through fire. All this I made plain unto you out of the sacred Scriptures. The Doctrine,

First, they cannot save themselves.

Secondly, nor them that put their trust in them.

They cannot save themselves. For what is become of Succothbenoth, the God of Babel? of Nergal, the God of Cuth? of Ashima, the God of Hamath? of Nibhaz and Tartack, the God of the Auins? of Adrammelech, and Anammelech, the God of Sepharvaim? Their names indeed remain upon record, 2 King. 17.30, 31. but themselves are vanished, they are come to naught. Hezekiah King of Judah, he who brake in pieces the brazen Serpent which Moses made, because his people offered incense to it, he put down those Idol God's; he took away their high places, he brake their images, he cut down their groves, 2 King. 18.4.

What is become of Ashtoreth, the Idol of the Zidonians? of Chemosh, the Idol of the Moabites? of Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon? Their names indeed remain upon record, 2 King. 23.13. but themselves are vanished, they are come to naught. Josiah King of Judah, that good King, he put down those Idol God's, he brake their images in pieces, he cut down their groves, and filled their places with the bones of men, 2 King. 23.14.

I could here repeat unto you many other Idols and Idol God's, whose names are particularly recorded in the register of God's holy Word, which also are vanished and come to naught. But the time will not suffer me. Let it suffice what is spoken in a generality of the Kings of Assyria, 2 King. 19.18. that they did set on fire the God's of the Nations.

God's? And yet set on fire? True. But they were but Idol God's; and therefore could not help themselves. Not help themselves? Why not? The reason is given in the same place: For they were no God's, (an Idol God is no God) they were no God's, but the work of man's hands, even wood and stone: therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them. The very same reason is delivered in the very same words by the Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 37.19. They were no God's, but the work of men's hands, even wood and stone, therefore the Kings of Assyria destroyed them.

The holy Prophets are very zealous in God's cause against those Idols. Isaiah Chap. 41.29. saith, They are all vanity, their work is of nothing, they are wind, they are confusion. Ier. Chap. 10.15. saith, They are vanity, they are the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. I should weary myself, and your attention, would I produce whatsoever the Prophets of the Lord have spoken to the vilifying & debasing of Idols. This which I have already delivered out of Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and from out the second book of Kings, doth make good the former part of my propounded Doctrine, namely, that neither Melchom of the Ammonites, nor any other Idol of any other people can save themselves in the day of captivity.

Can they not save themselves in the day of captivity? Much less can they save the people that do trust in them and worship them; which was the second part of my Doctrine.

And it is pregnantly confirmed out of the 46. Chapter of the Prophecy of Isaiah, verse. 7. where the Prophet, out of his zeal for the Lord of Hosts against Idols and Images, assureth all people, that though they cry unto Idols and Images, yet can they not answer them, nor deliver them out of their tribulations. Jeremiah likewise, Chap. 11.12. lets the Cities of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to understand, that though they cry unto their Idols and Images, yet they shall not be able to help them in time of their trouble.

Add hereto what S. Augustine saith in his soliloquies, or heavenly meditations, Chap. 5. An Idol (or an Image) its nothing; it hath ears, and heareth not; a nose, and smelleth not; eyes, and seeth not; a mouth, and speaketh not; hands, and feeleth not; feet, and walketh not; and all the proportion of members, and yet liveth not; and what help can be expected from such an Idol? such a Nothing? My Doctrine stands firm,

Now let us see what use we may make hereof for our further instruction and benefit.

First, this doctrine serveth to reprove all Papists, for their blind superstition in worshipping their Idols and Images. For what do they make of their Images but mere Idols, while they fall down before them, and do them reverence with capping, with kneeling, with knocking, with creeping, with crossing, with kissing, with lighting of candles, and with other like beggarly trash and trumpery, as is yet this day in use in the Church of Rome with great observation?

The time was, when this Church of England subjected it self to that of Rome, and was drunken with the wine of her fornication. Then were the people of this land defiled with Idols. No Parish Church but was polluted with Images. Then was God's providence and due honor neglected. For the cure of diseases, not God, but Saints, were invocated and sought unto. For the plague, S. Sebastian; for the Pox, S. Roch; for the falling evil, S. Cornelius; for sore eyes, S. Raphael; for the toothach, S. Apolonia; for other crosses and afflictions, S. Hippolitus, S. Christopher, S. Catherine. Every artificer and profession had a special Saint as a peculiar God. Scholars had S. Nicholas, yea and S. Gregory; Painters, S. Luke; Shipmen, S. Mary; Soldiers wanted not their Mars, nor Lovers their Venus, even among us Christians. Yea our beasts and cattle had their God's too. S. Loy was the horseleech, and S. Anthony the swineheard. If sometimes we remembered God, yet as if we doubted of his ability and will to help, we used to join to him another helper. The young Scholar was wont to begin his learning with, God and S. Nicholas be my speed. For such as neezed, the prayer was, God help, and S. John. And for the stumbling horse, God, and S. Loy save thee.

May not now a godly man justly for zealous indignation cry out: O heaven, O earth, O seas; what madness and wickedness against God were our forefathers fallen into? They took delight in the service of stocks and stones, the works of their own hands, they worshipped and served the creature above the Creator, which is blessed forever.

But what profit had they of such their worship? Found they any help in the day of visitation? No: Those Images themselves could not help themselves; and how then could they help their worshippers? Themselves were broken down and removed from out our Churches; and their worshippers are removed with them. In their stead the light of the glorious Gospel of God now shineth in our Churches; now is superstition exiled, and the true service of God is come in place: and Christ for his mercies sake touch us, and give us feeling, and make us thankful for this so great a blessing. Thus have you the first use. A second followeth.

It serveth for a reproof to us also. For though we have cast off the yoke of Romish superstition, and have kept our selves unspotted of the adoration and worship of Images, yet are we not free from Idolatry; but are many ways stained therewith. Whatsoever this world hath, visible or invisible, outward or inward, if it displace God of his right, by carrying our heart and hope after it, it is our Idol.

Thus is gold, silver, or our money an Idol; if we make it our hope, or say to the wedge, thou art my confidence, Job 31.24. In this sense S. Paul. Coloss. 3.5. calleth covetousness, Idolatry, and Eph. 5.5. he calleth the covetous person an Idolater.

Thus is our substance an Idol: if as Job speaketh, Chap. 31.25. We rejoice, because it is great, or because our hand hath gotten much. Like those Habak. 1.16. Who did sacrifice to their nets, and burn Incense to their flues: where all they are taxed for Idolaters, who because their portion is increased, and their meal plenteous by such instruments and helps, as they use in their trades of life, do forget the right author of their wealth, and arrogate all to themselves and their serviceable means.

Thus is our wit and understanding an Idol, when we ascribe unto them our getting of riches, of gold, and silver into our treasures, like the Prince of Tyrus, Ezech. 28.2. who with this conceit exalted in heart, brake out into that most blasphemous challenge: I am a God, and I sit in the seat of God in the midst of the Sea. Such is the Idol of the Politicians (shall I call them? or Atheists) of this age: who take themselves to be wiser than Daniel, as the Prince of Tyrus did: and are persuaded that Moses and the Prophets are not so able to instruct them, as they themselves.

Thus is our strength an Idol, if we boast of it, as Sennacherib did, Isaiah 37.24. who bragged what great matters he had done by the multitude of his chariots; but touching the true Lord of Hosts, as if he were less than nothing, he vaunteth to Hezekiah King of Judah, verse. 10. Let not thy God deceive thee.

Thus is our belly our God, when walking after the lusts of our flesh, we serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but our own bellies: as S. Paul speaketh, Rom. 16.18. Of such speaketh the same Apostle, Phil. 3.19. Many do walk as enemies to the cross of Christ, whose end is damnation, whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things. Whose God is their belly.

Thus (beloved) you see what Idols are yet remaining among us, and how we are defiled with them. What remaineth, but that we suffer our selves to be exhorted in the words of Barnabas and Paul, to the men of Lystra, Act. 14.15. that we would turn 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from those vain Idols, to serve the living God.

Thus far of my second Doctrine, which was,

Which doctrine I grounded upon the second reading of my Text: Melchom shall go into captivity, he, and his Princes together.

Now followeth the third general part of this prophecy against the children of Amm • n 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Saith the Lord.

This is the conclusion of this Prophecy; and it redoubleth its authority and credit. Authority and credit sufficient it hath from its very front, and preface, verse. 13. Thus saith the Lord. It is here redoubled: Saith the Lord.

Hath the Lord said it, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it, and shall he not accomplish it? The Lord, Jehovah, the strength of Israel is not as man, that he should lie; nor as the son of man, that he should repent. All his words, yea all the tittles of all his words, are Yea and Amen. Heaven and earth shall pass, before one jot, or one tittle of God's Word shall scape unfulfilled. Jehovah, the Lord saith, whatsoever our Prophet Amos hath here denounced against the Ammonites. It is the Lord that saith it: Amos is but the Lord's Minister; the Words are the Lord's. Whence we may take this Doctrine;

This truth may likewise be grounded upon the Preface to the ensuing Prophecy: And therefore (since my hour is almost spent, and your attention well nigh tired) I put off the handling of this doctrine, till God give me opportunity to speak again unto you. Mean time, let this which hath been delivered unto you, Non meis viribus, sed Christi misericordiâ, not by any strength of mine, but by the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, serve for the exposition of this first Chapter.

A COMMENTARIE UPON THE SECOND Chapter of AMOS, delivered in XXI. Lectures. THE FIRST LECTURE.

HOw grievous a burden sin is, you may well perceive, by the heavy punishments, which God layeth upon the committers of sin. Good store of examples the first chapter of this prophecy hath yielded unto you. The Syrians, the Philistines, the Tyrians, the Edomites, and the Ammonites have for their sins been severally repaid with vengeance from Heaven; the fire of the wrath of God hath seized upon them, and devoured them; their Cities are become desolate; their memory is perished from off the earth. As it is befallen them, so it befalleth the Moabites also: against whom Amos in the beginning of this second chapter directeth his prophecy: and to the same purpose, whereto the prophecies of the former Chapter were directed.

The reasons why Amos, sent of purpose with a message to the Israelites, doth first prophecy against the Syrians, the Philistines, the Tyrians, the Edomites, the Ammonites, and the Moabites, all foreign nations, are three.

1. That he might be the more patiently heard of his countrymen, the Israelites. The Israelites seeing their Prophet Amos so sharp against the Syrians, and other their enemies, could not but with more quiet hear him, when he should prophecy against them also. Consolatio quaedam est afflictio inimici: Some comfort it is to a distressed natural man, to see his enemy in distress likewise.

2. That they might have no cause to wonder, if God should at any time come against them in vengeance, seeing that he would not spare the Syrians, and other their neighbor countries, though they were destitute of the light of God's word, and ignorant of his will.

3. That they might the more tremble at the words of this prophecy, when they should see the Syrians and other Nations affl • cted, and tormented according to the heinousnes of their iniq • ities.

Here might the Israelites thus have argued: Will not God spare the Syrians, the Philistines, the Tyrians, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites? Then out of doubt he will not spare us. They silly people never knew the holy will of God, and yet shall they be so severely punished? How then shall we escape; who knowing God's holy will, have contemned it?

You see now, why Amos sent with a message to the Ten Tribes of Israel, doth first prophecy against foreine Nations. In the last place are the Moabites. This prophecy against the Moabites, Tremellius and Junius in their translation of the Bible, do add to the first Chapter, as a part of it. But since the Hebrew text so divides it not, I will not follow them: but will expound it, as belonging to the second Chapter.

The words then which I have read unto you, are the burden of Moab; a heavy prophecy against Moab. And do contain three general parts.

• 1. A preface, verse. the 1. Thus saith the Lord.
• 2. A prophecy, verse. the 1. For three transgressions of Moab &c.
• 3. A conclusion, verse. the 5. Saith the Lord.

The preface, and conclusion, do give authority to the prophecy; whereby we learn that the words here spoken by Amos, are not the words of Amos, but the words of the everliving GOD.

The prophecy consisteth of four parts.

• 1. The general accusation of Moab. For three transgressions of Moab, and for four.
• 2. The Lord's protestation against them: I will not turn to it.
• 3. The declaration of that grievous sin, whereby they so highly offended God: Because they burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime. verse. 1.
• 4. A commination, or denunciation of such punishment, as should be laid upon them for their sins. verse. 2. & 3.

This punishment is set down,

• 1. In a generality: Therefore will I send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth.
• 2. More especially: Where I observe,
  • 1. The manner of the punishment, as that it should come upon them with fear, trouble, and astonishment: And Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet.
  • 2. The extent of it. None might escape it: neither Prince, nor King. For thus saith the Lord, verse. the 3. I will cut off the Judge, (the King) out of the midst thereof, and will slay all the Princes thereof with him.

Thus have you the Analysis, resolution, or division of my Text. Return we now to the Preface: Thus saith the Lord; whose name in my Text is Jehovah.

Sundry are the Names of God in holy Scripture; by which albeit the substance of God cannot aptly, and clearly be defined, yet they serve us thus far; to bring us to some further knowledge of God, then otherwise we should have. These Names of God are observed by ancient Divines to be of two sorts, Negative, and Affirmative.

The negative Names of God, are Vncreated, Incorporeall, Invisible, Incorruptible, Infinite, and such like: and these describe not, what God is; but what he is not; and do evidently declare unto us, that he is bonum quoddam excellentissimum, some most excellent Good, free from all imperfection of any creature.

The affirmative Names of God, are ascribed unto him either essentially, or by way of relation, or by a Metaphor. The Names of God ascribed unto him essentially, are either proper to him alone, or common to others also. Among the essential Names of God, proper to him alone, is Jehovah, the Name of God in my Text. His other essential Names communicable unto others, as to men, do yet belong unto God, either modo excellentiae, by an excellency: or modo causa independentis; as he is the primary cause of all things. By an excellency, God is said to be Good, Just, Wise, Mighty, Holy, Merciful: and as he is the primary cause of all things, so is he called a Creator, a Redeemer, and hath other like appellations.

Now the affirmative Names of God, ascribed unto him by way of relation, are the Names of the Trinity, in which there is no 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , no cōmeation, no union; each person hath his proper name. Father, Son, & Holy Ghost. The other affirmative Names of God ascribed unto him by a metaphor, are affirmed of him either per 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that every man may understand what they mean: as when God is said to be Angry; or per 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by analogy or similitude, as when God is called a Lyon, a Stone, a River.

Of these many Names of God, now repeated unto you, his most proper Name is his Name in my Text: his Name Jehovah, a Name that cannot be attributed to any creature in the world, no not by an analogy, or similitude. It is the honorablest Name belonging to the great God of Heaven. I might spend much time about it, would I apply myself to the curiosity of the Cabalists, and Rabbins.

They say it is nomen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a name not to be pronounced, not to be taken within polluted lips: they call it nomen tetragrammaton, a name of four letters 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by an excellency: for as much as the Name of God in all tongues, and languages generally consisteth of four letters: and they observe these four letters in Hebrew to be letters of rest, to signify unto us, that the rest, repose, and tranquility of all the Creatures in the world, is in God alone: they teach, that it is a powerful name for the working of miracles, and that by it Christ, and Moses have done great wonders. But these their brain-sick, superstitious, and blasphemous inventions, my tongue shall not enlarge. Yet thus much I say of this Name, that there is a secret in it. It is plain Exod. 6.3. There thus saith the Lord unto Moses: I appeared unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of a strong, omnipotent, and all-sufficient God, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. This secret I have heretofore unfolded unto you after this manner.

This great name of God, this name Jehovah; first it importeth the eternity of God's essence in himself, that he is yesterday, and today, and the same forever; which was, which is, and which is to come.

Secondly, it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God, as from whom all creatures in the world have their life, motion, and being. God is the being of all his creatures; not that they are the same, that he is, but because of him, and in him, and by him are all things.

Thirdly, it is the Memoriall of God unto all ages, as himself calls it. Exod. 3.15. The Memoriall of his faithfulness, his truth, and his constancy in the performance of his promises. And therefore whensoever in any of the Prophets God promiseth, or threateneth, any great matter, to assure us of the most certain event of such his promise, or threatening, he adds unto it his name Jehovah: as here in my text: Thus saith Jehovah.

Jehovah.] The strength of Israel: who is not as man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man that he should repent. Wicked Balaam is driven to confess as much, Num. 23.19. and there proceedeth by way of question: Hath the Lord said, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it? Samuel with boldness tells Saul, 1. Sam. 15.29. that the Lord, who is the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; and he gives this reason of it: For he is not a man that he should repent. All his words, yea all the titles of all his words are Yea, and Amen, so firmly ratified, that they cannot be altered; so standing immutable, that they cannot be changed. Our Savior Christ gives record hereunto. Matth. 24.35. Coelum & terra praeteribunt. Heaven and Earth shall pass away; but God's words, they shall not pass away. The grass withereth, saith the Prophet Isaiah cap. 40.8. The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever.

Thus are we by this name Jehovah led to the consideration of the truth of God. God's truth is his essential propriety, whereby he is most free from all show or shadow of falsehood. This his truth is eminent in himself, in his works, and in his words. In himself, two manner of ways. 1. In respect of his essence, whereby he truly is. 2. Forasmuch as he is the Idea, type, and pattern of all the truth that is in any creature.

Now concerning the works of God, they all are Truth? whether they be Internal, or External. His Internal works are either personal, or essential: and both nothing but truth. For his personal works: the Father doth truly beget the Son, the Son is truly begotten of the Father: and the holy Ghost doth truly proceed from the Father and the Son: the like must we say of his essential works; Whatsoever God hath decreed, he hath truly decreed it, and doth truly execute it.

Besides these Internal works of God, some works of his are called in the Schools External. Such are the creation of the world, the conservation of the same, the government of the Church, the covenant with the faithful, and the like, in all which, most constant is the truth of God.

As the truth of God is eminent in himself, and in his works, so also is it eminent in his words. This hath but now, been proved unto you by the confession of Balaam, by the asseveration of Samuel, by the record of the Prophet Isaiah, and of our Savior Jesus Christ. I shut up this doctrine of the truth of God, with the words of the blessed Apostle S. Paul, Rom. 3.3. Let God be true, and every man a liar.

Now let us see what uses may be made of this doctrine.

Is it true?

Is God truth in himself, in his works and in his words?

Hereby may every child of God among us be well assured, that our faith in God the Father, in Christ his Son, and in the holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father, and the Son, is most true and most certain: and cannot by any means be deceived it self, or deceive us? For it is grounded, and supported, upon, and by the words of him, who only is the true God, yea truth it self: who hath truly said concerning us, and all other, who believe in Christ, that he hath loved us before the foundation of the world, hath chosen us to eternal life; for our better attaining whereof, he hath sent into the world his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh; made of a woman, and made under the Law, that by his blood we might be cleansed from all sin, and justified in the sight of God: that by his holy spirit we might be regenerated, governed, defended from our enemies; and at that great day, the day of the resurrection of all flesh, we may both body and soul be brought into the full possession of eternal life.

Which being so, what remaineth on our parts, but that we abide constantly in our holy faith, and persevere therein, even unto the end? Without perseverance our faith will not avail us. For not everyone, but such only as are marked in their foreheads with the letter Tau, with the note of perfection, and perseverance, shall enter the inheritance of the blessed. Ezech. 9 4. And not everyone, but he only, that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matth. 10.22. And not everyone, but he only which is faithful unto death, shall receive the crown of life. Revel. 2.10.

Let the dog return to his vomit, and the washed sow to her wallowing in the mire, as the Proverbs are. 2. Pet. 2.22. But let us hold fast our holy faith, till it shall please God to call us to make our final account, how we have spent the days of our Pilgrimage in this present world. So shall he, that is holy, and true; who hath the key of David, which openeth and no man shutteth; which shutteth, and no man openeth; open unto us the gates of Jerusalem, which is above, and give us full fruition of everlasting happiness.

Thus have you the first use of my first doctrine, touching the truth of God. My doctrine was:

The first use concerneth our faith in Christ, and our perseverance therein. A second followeth.

It appertaineth to thanksgiving. For if our salvation, and eternal life do depend upon the knowledge of the heavenly truth; and God brings none to the knowledge of this truth but his elect, and chosen people; how great thanks ought we to give unto God, not only for choosing us, but also for making it known unto us by the revelation of his truth, that we are his chosen people. For he hath not only imprinted in the us image of that truth, which is eternal in himself; but also daily bringeth us to such a measure of knowledge of that his heavenly truth wherein consisteth our salvation, that we may be saved.

What greater benefit can there be unto us, then this? What more ample testimony of his eternal good will to us? For this benefit, that is, for the knowledge of God's heavenly truth, the blessed Apostle S ^t Paul never ceased to give thanks unto God. I thank God (saith he 1. Tim. 1.12.) I thank him, who hath made me strong, that is, Christ Jesus our Lord: for he counted me faithful, and put me in his service; When before I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an oppressor, but I was received to mercy. From this his thankful heart proceeded those his words, Phil. 3.8. Doubtless, I think all things but loss, for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have counted all things loss, and do judge them to be but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , even dung, that I might win Christ.

S ^t Paul's charity was not confined within the Temple of his own body; others had a taste thereof. As the Corinthians; to whom in his first Epistle, cap. 1. ver. 4. he thus manifesteth his affection: I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you in Jesus Christ, that in all things ye are made rich in him, in all kind of speech. And in all knowledge. I thank my God always on your behalf, not for your riches, for your honors, for your large possessions, for your flourishing city, but for the grace of God, which is given you in Jesus Christ for your free vocation, for your faith, for your reconciliation, for your justification, for your regeneration, for your hope of eternal salvation, for the preaching of the word of God among you, and for your knowledge of the truth thereof.

The knowledge of this truth of God, far surpasseth all the treasures of this corruptible world. Shall not we then pour out our souls in thankfulness before almighty God, for bestowing upon us so gracious a blessing, as is this knowledge of the truth of God? Let us with the spirit of blessed Paul, account all things which have been, or are gainful to us in this present world, to be but loss and dung in respect of this knowledge of God's holy truth, forasmuch as hereby we may win Christ. Thus have you the second use of my doctrine. My doctrine was:

The second use concerneth our thanksgiving for the knowledge of God's truth. The third tendeth to our imitation.

Is it true? Is God truth in himself, in his works, and in his words? Why strive we not with all the faculties, and powers of our souls to represent our God in truth? He in the beginning, in the first man, in our forefather Adam, created and made us in his own image, after his own likeness. Gen. 1.26. Then was man invested with glorious robes, with immortality, with understanding, with freedom of will; then was he perfectly good, and chaste, and pure, and just, and true: Whatsoever might appertain to happiness, or holiness, he then had it. For God created him so like unto himself in perfect happiness, and holiness; that he might in some sort bear about with him the image of the great and glorious God of Heaven.

But alas, our first Parent continued not long in that his first estate, of purity, innocence, and integrity; by his fall he lost us, that his precious Jewel, which, (had he stood fast) would have been unto us a chain of gold about our necks; yea, as it is called Psal. 8.5. A crown of honor, and glory. But by his fall we are become miserable, and unholy, and wicked, and unclean, and false; as unlike to God, as darkness is to light, and Hell is to Heaven.

In this estate of sin, and death, we all lay wallowing, till God of his own unspeakable mercy, and goodness raised us up by his grace to a better state; a state of regeneration, and salvation; wherein all we whose names are written in the Register of the elect, and chosen children of God, must spend the remainder and residue of the days of our pilgrimage in this world. In this state we must not stand at one stay, but must always be growing upward. We must day by day endeavor to increase our spiritual strength, and change our Christian infancy with a ripe and constant age; and add grace to grace, till we become perfect men in Christ.

To us, now in the state of regeneration belongeth the exhortation of God unto the children of Israel. Levite. 11.44. Be ye holy, for I am holy: And that of Christ to his auditors upon the Mount. Matth. 5.48. Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect: or as it is in S ^t Luke. Chap. 6.36. Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful. By which places we are not exhorted to a perfection of supererogation, as Monks would have it, nor to a perfect and absolute fulfilling of the Law; for that is impossible, so long as we carry about us these vessels of corruption: witness S ^t Paul Rom. 8.3. But all that we are exhorted to, is, that we would do our best endeavours to resemble our God, and to be like unto him, in holiness, in perfection, in mercifulness. Be holy, as God is holy: be perfect, as God is perfect; be merciful, as God is merciful; non absoluta aequalitate, sed similitudine: not absolutely, and equally, holy, perfect, and merciful, as God is, but by a similitude. God is our Father: and will not we his children, like good children, strive to be accomodated and fitted to our Fathers virtues?

Beloved, let us apply our selves to this imitation of our heavenly Father, to be holy, as he is holy; to be perfect, as he is perfect; to be merciful, as he is merciful; and for my present purpose, to be true, as he is true.

To this last we may thus be led. God is our Creator; and he is the God of truth. Psal. 31.5. Christ is our Redeemer, and he is Truth. John. 14.6. We are renewed by the holy Ghost, and he is the spirit of Truth. John. 16.13. We live in the bosom of the Church; and she is the pillar and ground of Truth 1. Tim. 3.15. Thus living, we are taught by the word of truth. Colos. 1.5. And are brought to the knowledge of the Truth. 1. Tim. 2.4. And are sanctified by Truth. John. 17.17. Add hereto, that we are commanded everyone to speak the Truth, Ephes. 4.25. And shall we do our best to resemble God in Truth? To be true as he is true? Dearely beloved, since we are the children of Truth (for God is Truth, and his children we are) let us walk, as it becometh the children of Truth: let Truth be in our thoughts, in our words, in our works: in all our ways.

What shall I more say to this point, but exhort you in S ^t Paul's words, Ephes. 4.25. That ye would cast off lying, and speak every man the truth to his neighbor. For as much as the Lord will destroy all such as speak lies. This you know by the fifth Psalm, ver. the 6. But how will he destroy them? It is answered. Revel. 21.8. All liars shall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone. Thus have you the third use of my doctrine. My doctrine was:

The third use is, our holy imitation of God in truth.

There is yet a fourth use of this doctrine of the truth of God. It serves for a redargution, or reproof of such as deny God, and his truth. Deny God, and his truth? Can there be any, endued with a reasonable soul, so void of understanding? Yes. There is a generation of men monstrously misshapen in the powers of the soul, who spare not to break the cords of Religion asunder, and to cast her yoke from them. They dare avouch with those in Tully, Totam de Dijs immortalibus opinionem fictam esse ab hominibus sapientibus reipub. causâ, vt quos ratio non posset, eos ad officium religio duceret: judging the service of God to be a mere devise of man, for the better government of the Common-wealth; wherein inferiors, since they will not be ruled by reason, must be ordered by religion.

Tell such of the Scriptures, you may as well urge them with Lucians narrations: tell them of repentance, they cast it behind them: tell them of faith, they regard it not. Speak to them of baptism, they hold it of no greater price, then the washing of their hands. Let them hear of the Resurrection, this feeds them with many a merry conceit. They think pleasantly with themselves, what manner of bodies they shall have at that day, of what proportion and stature their bodies shall be; whether their nails, and hair shall rise again. Impious wretches, thus they make a scoff at God and religion: whom, were they used according to their deserts, the Preachers should pronounce, and the Prince proclaim the foulest leapers, that ever yet sore ran upon; very worthy to be excluded the host, and to have their habitation alone: yea to be exiled the land, and to be expelled from nature it self, which so unnaturally they strive to bring to naught. I say no more against them; but leave them to the God of truth, whom they have denied, that he in due time may repay them home with vengeance.

Thus far am I guided by my first doctrine, grounded upon this essential name of God, his name Jehovah: