Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1

that he was little of stature. Jesus passed through Jericho. Zacchaeus was very desirous to see him, but could not, for the press of the people; because he was little of stature. To supply this defect of his, he gets him up into a tree, and seeth Jesus. Jesus for it spake graciously unto him: Zacchaeus, make hast, and come down, for today I must abide at thy house. You see, Jesus respected Zacchaeus for all his little stature.

He was of little stature] Statura brevis, & magnus in opere; S. Austin saith it, Enarr: in Psal. 129. Zacchaeus was in deed little of stature, but was great in good works. Great in his love toward Jesus, whom he was so desirous to see; and great in charity towards men, to whom he was ready to make a fourfold restitution, if he had done wrong to any.

Zacchaeus, little of stature! Chrysologus Serm. 54. thus meditates upon it: Satis hic animo magnus erat, qui pusillus videbatur in corpore. Nam mente tangebat coelos, qui corpore homines non aequabat. Zacchaeus was great enough in mind, albeit he was but little in body: in body he was no match for men, and yet his mind reached up to Heaven. Whereupon he frames this exhortation: Nemo de brevitate corporis, cui addere nil potest, curet; sed vt fide emineat, hoc procuret: Let not any man be grieved, because he is little of stature, whereto he cannot add one cubit, but let every man's care be, to be eminent above others in faith.

You have hitherto heard of the variety of men's statures: you have heard of the Amorites, that their height was like the height of the Cedars: Of King Saul, that he was higher then any of his people, from the shoulders and upward; of Eliab, that he was high of stature; of Zacchaeus, that he was low of stature: This variety of men's statures is by every days experience confirmed unto you. And why is there such variety of men's statures?

One reason may be to stir us up to this consideration; that God is the most provident author of every man's stature. It is not in man, to add anything to his stature: not one cubit, saith our Savior, Mat. 6 27. He saith it again, Luke, 12.25. Which of you with taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature? No man. No man can do it. Nay, it is not in man, to amend the imperfections, wherewith he is borne into the world. The man that was borne blind confesseth it, John. 9.32. Since the world began was it not heard, that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind. We cannot supply any defect wherewith we are borne into this world; much less can we add anything unto our stature? It may thus far serve for our instruction, Vt ex illo capite neminem contemnamus, vel exagitemus, saith Franzius Disp. 2. in Deuter. Thes. 92. that we despise not any man, nor speak ill of him for his stature, be it great or little, or for any defect he hath in nature from his nativity.

A second reason, why there is such variety of statures in the world, may be to let us understand, that a man's stature of it self is not to be reckoned as a part of his felicity or glory. For if a great and a goodly stature be as common, nay, more common to the wicked, then to the godly, as S. Austin seems to prove, De Civit. Dei. lib. 15. cap. 9. why should a godly man boast himself of his great and goodly stature? Especially, since for the most part, men that are conspicuous for their elegant and well featured bodies, are defective for understanding, wisdom, and piety.

Baruch observes it, Chap. 3. ver. 26.27.28 There were (saith he) Giants, famous from the beginning, that were of so great stature, and so expert in war. Those did not the Lord choose, neither gave he the way of knowledge unto them. But they were destroyed, because they had no wisdom, and perished thorough their own foolishness. His observation is: there were giants, men of great stature, yet were they without knowledge, without wisdom. Great men, and yet fools. Whereas pumiliones, dwarfs, little men, men of very little stature, sometime scarce a cubit high, do excel in fortitude, understanding, and wisdom, as the but now cited Franzius hath noted.

Tydeus corpore, animo Hercules. Its an old proverb. Tydeus was a man of very little stature, but (as Menander the Historian saith) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he was Hercules for his mind. The proverb, appliable to such as being of little stature are of an undaunted courage, showeth, that many a little man is such.

Many a man of little stature is of the liuelier wit. So it pleaseth God, our most wise, and provident God, to temper the gifts of the body and mind in men of diverse statures. He doth not always give all to one; but for the most part he recompenseth the defects of the body with the endowments of the mind. Give me the endowments of the mind; what care I for the stature of my body. Aeque enim brevis, & longus viuit, saith Musculus Comment. in Matth. 6. As long lives the short man as the tall man. Nihil detrimenti habet brevis statura, nec plus aliquid habet longa: The short stature hath no loss, neither hath the long stature any advantage for Heavenly affairs. Be my stature what it will; let me be transformed by the renewing of my mind I am well; For so shall I prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of God, which is our sanctification. Blessed is that man, whatsoever his stature be, that shall be so transformed by the renewing of his mind, that he may prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of God: which is his sanctification.

I have stood long upon the second part of this verse, the description of the Amorites: the time requireth, that I go on with the third part. It is the explication, or the amplification, of the ruin of the Amorites. The words are,

The words are proverbial, they are figurative, they are metaphorical. I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. The meaning is, exterminavi eum totum, quantus, quantus erat: I have wholly cast him out, I have utterly destroyed him.

The like phrase we meet with, Job 18.16. Its there said of the wicked man: His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. The comparison stands between a wicked man, and a dry tree. A dry tree may seem to be firmly rooted, and may have fair and wide spreading bows, when its good for nothing, but to be cut down and cast into the fire. So it is with the wicked man. All his pomp, all his power, all his excellency, all his honor, all his glory (which are to him as the fruit and the roots are unto a tree ) shall more then suffer an Eclipse, they shall utterly vanish. His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branches be cut off.

I cannot give you an easier or plainer exposition of the Allegory, then Bildad the Shuhite doth in the same chapter of the book of Job, and the verse following: His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street. He shall have no name in the street! Whats that? Its this: His old friends and acquaintance shall not so much as speak of him but to vilify him; as to say, He was a wicked wretch, an adulterer, an usurer, a thief, a drunkard, a slanderer, a swearer, a blasphemer, a man, that neither feared God, nor loved his neighbor. Upon such a man, the wicked man, Solomon hath passed his censure, Prov. 2.22. He shall be cut off from the earth, he shall be rooted out of it. This also may serve for an exposition of the Allegory: His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.

The like Allegory you see is in my text: I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

Fruit and roots ] That is, saith Lyranus, patres & filios, fathers and their sons. Paulus de palatio by the fruit and the roots understandeth viros, mulieres, parvulos; men, women, and the little ones. The little ones are the fruit, men and women are the root. Albertus Magnus will have the fruit to be divitias, aedificia, culturam; their riches, their buildings, their husbandry; and the roots to be, tribus, familias, & successionem filiorum & nepotum; their tribes, families, kindreds, and the succession of their sons and nephews. Arias Montanus takes the fruit and the roots to signify omnem illius gentis familiam, posteritatem{que}, all the linage of that nation and their posterity.

I pass by other like interpretations: these few may give us the true meaning of the words we have in hand. The words are an explication or rather an amplification of the first part of this verse, concerning the destruction of the Amorites. There the Lord saith, I destroyed the Amorite before them: here he saith, I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. From hence we know, that it was not any gentle stripe which the Amorites received, not any light incisiō, not any small wound, but that it was their extermination, their contrition, their universal overthrow, their utter ruin. Fruit and root, Prince and subject, Parents and children, old and young, they were all destroyed. For thus saith the Lord, I destroyed their fruit from above, and their root from beneath.

But when did this great destruction befall the Amorites? It befell them in the days of Moses, when the Lord delivered over into the hands of Israel, Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bashan. Then did Israel smite both those Kings, Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bashan. Them they smote with the edge of the sword, them and all their people; and took their Cities, all their Cities, and utterly destroyed the men, the women, and the little ones of every City: they left none alive, They destroyed their fruit from above, and their roots from beneath. These famous victories, gotten by Israel over those two mighty Kings, are described Num. 21. and Deut. 2. & 3.

Is Israel now the conqueror? Is it the sword of Israel that smiteth Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bashan, them, and their people, their men, women, and little ones? How then is it, that the Lord in my text takes it to himself, and saith, I destroyed the Amorite, I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath?

The answer is easy. Israel indeed smote the Amorites; but it was by the power of the Lord, not by any power of their own. Moses confesseth it of Sihon, King of the Amorites, Deut. 2.33. The Lord our God delivered him unto us, and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. He confesseth it likewise of Og King of Bashan, Deut. 3.3. The Lord our God delivered into our hands Og the King of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining. Israel could not smite till God had delivered. God first delivered, then Israel smote. Israel smote the Amorites, not by any power of their own: they did it by the power of the Lord. And what is done by the power of the Lord, may well be said to be done by the Lord.

In regard hereof it is, that the Psalmist, Psal. 135.10. ascribeth the victory, whereof we now speak, immediately unto God: Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in Heaven and in Earth, in the Seas, and in all deep places. He smote great Nations, and slew mighty Kings; Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og King of Bashan: and all the kingdoms of Canaan. And gave their land for an heritage, even an heritage unto Israel his people.

The like he doth in the next Psalm: and in the like words, Psal. 136.17. O give thanks unto the Lord, To him, which smote great Kings, and slew famous Kings: Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bashan, and gave their land for an heritage, even for an heritage unto Israel his servant. In both Psalms you see the destruction of the Amorite ascribed to God himself, and his sole power.

So is it, Psal. 78.55. but more generally: The Lord! He cast out the heathen before Israel, he cast out the Amorites, and made the Tribes of Israel to dwell in their Tabernacles.

But nowhere so plainly is this great work of casting out the Amorites and other the heathen before Israel, attributed unto God, as Psal. 44. There the people of God groaning under their affliction in the midst of their enemies, do thus begin their confession, verse. 1. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou diddest in their days, in the times of old. What this work was they express verse. 2. Thou diddest drive out the Heathen with thine hand ] Thou with thy hand didst drive out the Amorites, and other the Heathen, and in their rooms didst plant our forefathers. This was a great work, and it was God's work. That it was God's work and his alone, they yet further acknowledge, verse. 3. Our forefathers, they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, O God, did stablish them.

God was all in all in the overthrow of the Amorites, and the rest of the Heathen. By his strength, by his might, by his power only were they overthrown. And therefore albeit Israel smote with the sword Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bashan, them and their people, their men, their women, and their little ones, since they did it only by the strength, might, and power of the Lord, the Lord in my text doth rightly challenge the whole glory of this overthrow unto himself; saying first, I destroyed the Amorite before them: and again, I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

From hence we may take a profitable lesson. Its this,

This truth is so evident, that it needs no further proof. Israel, the people of Israel, they were the means which God used for the performance of his counsels upon the Amorites, even to destroy them, and to root them out from being a people, but the accomplishment and the glory of that great work was the Lord's alone. The people of Israel, had they had much ado to overcome their enemies, the Amorites, they might happily have imputed somewhat to their own force. They might have said; Showed we not great power in the battle? Behaued we not our selves like men? Did not we fight valiantly?

But when their enemies were driven like chaff with the wind; when they, who erst were stour, and strong; were tall as the Cedars, and strong as the Okes; when they should extraordinarily be dismayed; should have no more heart then a silly sheep hath; but should be scattered at the first onset; should be so cowardly, as that their enemies might at their pleasure slay them, till they were weary of slaying them; what can be said of it? what can be thought of it? This is all. The Lord, who is Lord of battles, though he use means for the performance of his counsels, and for the achieving of his victories, yet will he have the accomplishment and the glory of all to be peculiar unto himself. Thus is my doctrine illustrated.

The reason hereof is, because all power is God's: and whatsoever power man hath to execute or perform what the counsel of the Lord hath appointed, its all derived from God.

The use is, to teach us, to yield God the honor of all the victories, that he giveth us against our enemies. The honor of all victories must be his. When I say, all victories, I meone not only the victories of Princes, when they make war, or win a battle in the field, but even our private victories too: as, when we have been assailed by some particular man, and are escaped from his hands; this is a victory, and the honor of it must be the Lord's.

If a neighbor, an unkind neighbor, hath done us any wrong, or hath put us to some trouble, & we are delivered from it, we must assure our selves, it is God that hath given us the upper hand, to the end, that we should always have our mouths open to give him thanks for it. This must we do; but this is not all. We must with the mouth give thanks to God for giving us the upper hand against those that have wrongfully molested and vexed us; and besides, we must endeavor by our whole life to show forth, how much we are bound to God for our deliverance. This is the scope, this is the end of our redemption and salvation, (according to old Zacharias' prophecy, Luk. 1.74.) that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

Thus far of the 9. verse.

THE XV. LECTURE.

IN this tenth verse are recounted two other benefits, which Almighty God was pleased to bestow upon his people, the people of Israel. One was, Their deliverance from Egypt. The other, Their protection and preservation in the wilderness.

Their deliverance from Egypt is set down, in the first clause; Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt.

Their protection and preservation in the wilderness, in the next: And led you forty years through the wilderness.

The end of both followeth in the end of the verse: To possess the land of the Amorite.

They were delivered from Egypt, and were for forty years protected in the wilderness, that at length, and in their appointed time, they might possess the land of the Amorites.

We are to begin with their deliverance from Egypt. Its in the first clause of the verse:

This deliverance of theirs out of Egypt was before the Amorites were destroyed, and yet the destruction of the Amorites is specified in the former verse. Why is the order of God's benefits so inverted? Why is the benefit, that was first collated upon Israel, spoken of in the second place?

Some think it was advisedly and of purpose done, to preoccupate and prevent an objection, which otherwise Israel might have made. In the former verse, ver. 9. it is said, that the Amorites were destroyed, root and fruit, utterly destroyed before Israel. Now that Israel should not boast of that overthrow, or ascribe it to the prowess and valor of their ancestors, their deliverance out of Egypt is nex set down, in this 10. verse, to put them in mind of the miserable estate and condition, wherein their forefathers lived in Egypt: to this sense: Think ye, O ye children of Israel, that the Amorites were destroyed by the prowess and valor of your forefathers? Think it not. Remember Egypt. Remember how there they groaned under the heavy yoke of oppression, and were not able to help themselves, and must of necessity have perished, had not the Lord with his stretched-forth arm delivered them.

Others are of opinion, that this deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, is in the second place, and after the destruction of the Amorites, set down, only by a custom of the Scripture.

Of this opinion I find S. Jerome to be. His rule is: The Scripture in setting forth the praises of God, doth not always observe the order of the History: but it often comes to pass, Ut quae prima facta sunt, extrema dicantur, & quae novissima, referantur ad prima: Things first done are last spoken of, and things last done are first recited. This he will have us to learn out of two Psalms, the 78. and 105. in which signorum potentia, non ordo describitur, the power of God's wonderful works, and not their order is described: and out of two other Psalms, the 3. and 52. Vbi, quae priùs facta sunt, narrantur extrema, & quae extrema, referuntur in principio: What is first done is last spoken of, and what is last done is first mentioned. The third Psalm was composed by David, when he fled from Absalom, his son: the 52. when Doeg the Edomite came unto Saul, and told him, that David was come to the house of Abimelech. That of Absalom is registered, 2. Sam. 15.14. This of Doeg, 1. Sam. 22.9. The relation of Doeg is first chronicled, and long after that, David's flight from Absalom: & yet David's flight frō Absalom is first mentioned in the Book of the Psalms, and long after that, the relation of Doeg unto Saul. The order of the History is not observed.

Nor is it observed in this our text. The order of the History is: first God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, Exod. 12.51. He made them to pass through the midst of the red Sea, as upon dry land, Exod. 14.22. And when they had finished their two and forty journeys, through diverse wildernesses, then gave he them victory over Sihon King of the Amorites, Num. 21.24. The Amorites were last of all destroyed, and yet are they here first mentioned. Non est obseruatus ordo, saith Mercer; the order of the History is not observed. Ribera also notes it. Mathurinus Quadratus here frames a rule, like to that of S ^t . Jerome, Scriptura in recensendis Dei beneficijs curious non seruat ordinem. The Scripture in rehearsing God's benefits doth not curiously keep the order, but oftentimes it falls out by a figure, which the Greeks do call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that what was first done, is last of all rehearsed; and what was last done is first of all recited. From hence we may deduce this conclusion:

You see the custom of Scripture is our warrant, to speak of that first, which was last done for us; and of that last, which we first received. But, first or last, we must remember all.

Hereto belongeth holy David's admonition, Psal. 103.2. which he there proposeth under the form of an exhortation. He exhorteth himself to bless the Lord: Bless the Lord, ô my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Forget not all his benefits! Nay: Forget not any of his benefits. So much the Hebrew phrase intendeth. Bless the Lord, ô my soul, and forget not any of his benefits. A necessary admonition. We forget nothing sooner then a benefit, whether we receive it from God or man. But iniuriarum tenacissima est memoria; our memory for injuries, is very tenacious; its a hold-fast. Let an injury be done us, we will not forget it. Yea let one of us bestow upon another any benefit, be it never so little, the knowledge whereof should not be imparted from the right hand to the left, as our Savior Christ speaketh in his Sermon upon the Mount, Matth. 6.3. how long, how long will we retain the memory of it? Our nature! its corrupt. Our disposition! its perverse. Who seeth not, what need there is, that we exercise our selves in retaining the memory of God's benefits? Wherefore let everyone of us stir up himself to so holy an exercise, as David did himself: Let us daily sing unto our souls: Bless the Lord, ô my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Forget not All! Nay; Forget not any of his benefits. Remember them all, either first, or last.

Now from the non-observance of the order of the History in this enumeration of God's benefits upon Israel, we are particularly to speak of the benefit mentioned in the second place. It is their deliverance out of Egypt. The words are,

I] Jehovah. It is his name, ver. 6. & 11. I] Jehovah, the only true, everlasting and Almighty God; I, a Trinity in Unity, and the Unity in Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I, who destroyed the Amorites before you and for your sakes; I also brought you up from the land of Egypt.

It well expresseth the original, which word for word is, ascendere vos feci, I made you to ascend. Nam ex Aegypto ascenditur Iudaeam versus, saith Drusius: from Egypt to Judea you must ascend: and it is a tradition of the Hebrews, Judea est altior Egypto: Judea stands higher then Egypt. Its affirmed, Deut. 10.22. Its there said, that Jacob with threescore and ten persons went down into Egypt. Jacob with his family went from Canaan, from Judea; and went d •• ne into Egypt. Canaan therefore and Judea stood higher then Egypt. I brought you up [or, I made you to ascend] from the land of Egypt.

Egypt is a most noble region, and famous, much spoken of by writers, sacred and profane.

Some would have it to be one of the parts of the world, a diverse part from Asia and Africa; and to be between them both.

Others supposing the river Nile, the great river of Egypt, to be the fittest bound to part Asia from Africa, do make Egypt to partake of both, Asia and Africa. One part of Egypt they place in Asia, the other in Africa.

The Jesuit Lorinus, Comment. in Act. Apost. cap. 2. 10. makes it a part of Asia Major. He saith it is a well known region of Asia the greater near unto Africa.

But Ptolemy, and the greatest part of Geographers, and other writers, holding the gulf of Arabia, or the Red Sea, to be the fittest bound to sever Asia from Africa, have placed Egypt in Africa. This is the most received opinion, and worthiest to be embraced. The land of Egypt is in Africa, and is by an Isthmos, or a narrow streit of ground, joined to the Holy land. It was of old a land very fruitful, as fruitful, as any almost in the world: though in these days it doth not answer to the fertility of former times.

From the land of Egypt] The Hebrew calls it the land of Mizraim. Its so called in my text, and else-where generally in the holy Scriptures: and hath its name from Mitzraim, one of the sons of Ham: of whom we read, Gen. 10.6. He first inhabited that part of Africa, which was afterward called Egypt.

When it first began to be called Egypt, its not easily defined. Some say, it was first called Egypt in Moses his time: when Ramesses surnamed Egyptus, son of Belus, and brother of Danaus, was King of the land. Ramesses, otherwise called Aegyptus, began his reign in the 29 year from the going of Israel out of Egypt. Of this opinion is Funccius in his Chronology.

S. Augustine lib. 18. de civ. Dei. cap. 11. following Eusebius in his Chronicle, saith, this happened in Joshua's time, more then eight hundred years after the flood.

According to the computation of Manethon an Egyptian Chronographer, cited by Josephus in his first book against Apion. It was three hundred ninety and three years after Moses leading Israel out of Egypt.

Whensoever it was first called Egypt, its not much material. Were it first so called in Moses his time, or after, in Joshua's time; or yet after 393. years from Israel's going up from thence, it was many a year so called before our Prophet Amos wrote this his Prophecy. And yet our Prophet here retaineth the old Hebrew name Mizraim. Also I brought you up 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from the land of Mizraim, it is in our Language, from the land of Egypt.

But what benefit was it for Israel to be brought up from the land of Egypt? Had they not there a sweet habitation? Were they not planted in the best of the land? in the land of Ramesses, in the land of Goshen?

It may not be denied, but that Egypt of it self was a very goodly, fruitful, and commodious country: yet was it very beneficial to the Israelites, that they were thence delivered: and that in two respects: one was, because the people of the land were superstitious. the other, because they were full of cruelty.

First, the Egyptians were a superstitious people. They had as the Greeks, and Romans had, their God's maiorum gentium, and their God's minorum gentium. God's of greater authority, and God's of less. They had for their God's many a beast. Athenagoras a Christian Philosopher, in his embassage or apology for the Christians to the Emperors Antoninus and Commodus, witnesseth, that they bestowed divine honors upon Cats, and Crocodils, and Serpents, and Asps, and Dogs.

Arnobius in his first Book against the Gentiles, saith; they built stately Temples felibus, scarabaeis, & buculis, to Cats, to Beetles, to Heyfers.

Cassiodore in his tripartite history lib. 9. cap. 27. tells of the Image of an Ape, which they adored: and cap. 28. he saith, that a nest of Rats was their God.

Many other beasts did they adore. Here their superstition rested not: it proceeded to the plants of the earth, to base plants; to leekes, and onions. Leekes and onions were to them for God's.

Porrum & caepe nefas violare—Juvenal. Sat. 15. could note it. O, it was a wicked and detestable act, to do any hurt to a leeke or onion. At such their ridiculous superstition he by and by scoffeth,

Surely, they are holy Nations, that have such God's growing in their gardens. Mad Egypt. So the Poet stiles it in the beginning of his Satire. And could it be less then mad, when it was besotted and bewitched with such foul and monstrous adoration?

Well might Minutius Felix in his Octavius call those God's of the Egyptians, non numina, sed portenta God's they were not, they were monsters. Well might Salisberiensis in his first Book de nugis cvrial. cap. 10. call Egypt, Matrem superstitionis, the mother of superstition. For, as S. Jerome in his Comment. upon Isaiah 45. witnesseth: Never was there any Nation so given to Idolatry, or worshipped such a number of monsters, as Egypt did.

This notorious superstition and Idolatry of the Egyptians, so much spoken of by Christian writers and others, is also in the sacred volumes of Holy writ censured and controlled. In Exod. 12.12. the meanacing of the Lord is against them: Against all the God's of Egypt I will execute judgment, I the Lord. The gods of Egypt, that is, the Images, and the Idols which the Egyptians adored and worshipped. Concerning which S. Jerome in an Epistle of his to Fabiola, reporteth out of the Hebrew writers, that in very same night the Children of Israel departed out of Egypt, all the Temples of Egypt were overthrown, sieve terrae motu, sieve iactu fulminum; either with earth quakes, or thunderbolts. These Hebrew writers say further, eâdem nocte lignea idola putrefacta fuisse, metallica resoluta & fusa, lapidea comminuta: that in the same night all the wooden Images were rotten, all the metal Images were dissolved and moulten, all the stone Images were broken. If so it were, it was doubtless a great work, a great judgment of God upon those Egyptian monsters.

In Isaiah 19.1. their confusion is again foretold. Behold, saith the Prophet, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt, and the Idols of Egypt shall move at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. Where the Idols of Egypt are the heart of Egypt. They are called the heart of Egypt; because the heart of the Egyptians did wholly depend upon them, for relief and succor. The Lord rideth upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt: and the Idols of Egypt shall move at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. The Idols of Egypt shall move and melt at the presence of the Lord.

In Ierem. 43.13. their desolation is likewise denounced. There the Lord threateneth to send Nebuchadnezzar, the K. of Babylon, his servant into Egypt. What shall he do there? He shall break the Images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the God's of the Egyptians shall be burnt with fire.

Thus you see it confirmed not only by Christian writers, and others, but also, by the sacred volumes of holy Scripture; that the Egyptians were a superstitious and an Idolatrous people.

Superstitious were they, and Idolatrous? Happy then wast thou, O Israel, that the Lord brought thee up from the land of Egypt. Live in Egypt thou couldst not with a good conscience, nor would the Egyptians willingly suffer thee to worship God, otherwise then themselves did. To have worshipped as they did, must needs have been a Hell unto thy soul: and to have done otherwise, must needs have brought certain danger to thine outward estate. Acknowledge it therefore for a great benefit and blessing of God upon thee, that he brought thee up from the land of Egypt.

God in reckoning up this favor of his, his bringing up Israel out of the land of Egypt, teacheth us, what an intolerable thing it is, to live among Idolaters; and what a special favor it is, to be delivered from amongst them. And this should stir us up to a thankful recognition of God's goodness towards us, who hath delivered the Church, wherein we live, from the Babylonish and Romish Idolatry; wherein our ancestors were nus-led and trained up, to worship and adore, not the true and living God, but Angels and Saints, damned ••• les it may be; silver and gold; stocks and stones; Images and Idols; and what not?

From such gross and palpable Idolatry we are by God's goodness delivered: and now do (as a long time we have done) enjoy the bright Sun-shine of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Being now delivered from the power of darkness, under Antichrist, and translated into the light of Christ's Gospel, Let it be our daily care (for it is our duty) to walk worthy the light, as children of light; to walk in truth, Ep. 3. John. ver. 3. to walk in love, Colos. 5.2. to walk in newness of life, Rom. 6.4. to walk, not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Rom. 8.1. If we walk after the flesh, we shall mind the things of the flesh; we shall be carnally minded, and our end shall be death; but if we walk after the spirit, we shall mind the things of the spirit, we shall be spiritually minded, and our end shall be life and peace.

The choice is not difficult. Life is better then death. If you choose life, you must abandon and forsake the works of the flesh, which cause death. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, usury, extortion, oppression, and such like, are works of the flesh, and do shut you out from life. Yet may life be yours, if you will be led by the spirit. Love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentl • nesse, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, are the fruit of the spirit. Let these dwell among you, and life shall be yours. The God of life shall give it you.

Hitherto you have the first respect, why it was beneficial & good for the people of Israel, that they were brought up from the land of Egypt. It was good for them because the people of the land were superstitious and idolatrous, and among such there is no good living.

The other respect now followeth. It was beneficial and good for the people of Israel, that they were brought up from the land of Egypt; because the people of the land were full of cruelty, and held Israel in subjection and servitude.

Egypt was long a harbor to the Israelites, but at length it proved a Jail unto them. The posterity of Jacob finds too late, what it was for their forefathers, to sell Jacob, a slave into Egypt. There arose up a new Pharaoh, a new king over Egypt: he knew not Joseph. Then, then were the Israelites contemned as drudges. Task masters must be set over them, to afflict them with their burdens. Why so? How had they offended? They prospered too fast. For thus saith Pharaoh to his people, Exod. 1.9. Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier then we. Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that when there falleth out any war, they join also v to our enemies, and fight against us. For this cause, because they prospered too fast, were task-masters set over them, to afflict them with their burdens.

But, the more they were afflicted, the more they multiplied and grew. This did not a little grieve the Egyptians. The Egyptians therefore made the children of Israel to serve with rigor, and held them in bondage without mercy: and made their lives bitter unto them in that cruel bondage, in clay, and brick, and all manner of work in the field. All their bondage wherein they served them, was full of tyranny.

The cruelty of the Egyptians here stayeth not. The hopes of succession for Israel must be prevented. Women, midwives must be suborned to be murderers, to kill every man-child that should be borne of an Hebrew woman. A prodigious cruelty, that a man should kill a man for his sexes sake! yet would Pharaoh have done it.

The fear of God taught the midwives to disobey the unjust command of Pharaoh. They disobeyed it; they well knew it was no excuse for so foul a fact, to say, we were bidden to do it. God said unto their hearts, Thou shalt not kill. This voice was louder, and more powerful, then Pharaohs.

What the midwives would not, that must Pharaohs people do; they must cast into the river and drown, all the sons that were then borne. They did it. The cruelty which did but smoke before, doth now flame up: its become so shameless, that now it dares proclaim tyranny. All the male children are cast into the river.

Nor could Pharaoh's fury here be appeased. He will have the task of the Children of Israel to be increased. They must make brick as before, as much as before; yet shall they not have any allowance of straw, as they were wont to have. While possible tasks were imposed, there was some comfort; their diligence might save their backs from stripes. But, to require tasks not possible to be done is tyrannical, and doth only pick a quarrel to punish. They could neither make straw nor find it, yet must they have it. O cruelty! O tyranny.

For such cruelty and tyranny, practiced against the children of Israel by the Egyptians, Egypt it self is in holy Scripture, styled, The house of servitude, or bondage. Exod. 13.3.14. Exod. 20.2. Deut. 5.6. And in sundry other places. It is styled likewise the iron furnace, Deut. 4.20. 1. Kin. 8.51. Ierem. 11.4.

Egypt (you see) was the house of bondage, it was the iron furnace, wherein the children of Israel were evil entreated, suffered affliction, and endured much misery. You will confess, that therefore it was beneficial and good for them that they were from thence delivered. And well may you. For the Lord himself reckons up this their deliverance for a benefit unto them, and by them to be remembered. From hence issueth this doctrine:

I will not now stand to amplify or enlarge this doctrine. In the beginning of this exercise, I exhorted you, that you would not forget any one of God's benefits bestowed upon you. Temporal benefits, and bodily favors, have been plentifully shewred down upon us by almighty God. It is He that hath made us, not we our selves: it is He that provideth for us, not we our selves. S. Austin in his 21. chap. of his Soliloquies, sweetly meditateth hereupon: From Heaven, from the Air, from the Earth, from the Sea, from light, from darkness, from heat, from shade, from dew, from rain, and winds, and showers, and birds, and fishes, and beasts, and trees, and from the diversity of herbs, and fruit of the earth, and from the service of all creatures, which serve for man's use, Thou, O Lord hast provided, to comfort man withal.

S ^t Augustine's Lord is our Lord, the Lord of all the world. He hath preserved us, our bodies, and all our limbs, to this very hour: he hath delivered us from many dangers, and distresses: He hath so blessed our going out, and coming in, when we have traveled from home, that we have returned home in good health, and disposition: whatsoever good we have had, we have had it from the Lord. Offer we therefore unto him, the sacrifice of praise.

Hitherto you have seen the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt. It was an exceeding great benefit unto them, that they were thence delivered: First, because the Egyptians were Idolaters, and to live among Idolaters is a very Hell. Secondly, because they were kept under by the Egyptians with extremity of servitude and bondage. The servant in the Poet could say,

Every man preferreth freedom before slavery. The Israelites could do no less: they could not but account it a great favor of God towards them, that they were by him freed from the slavery they endured in Egypt. God when he begins a good work, will perfect it. He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt: if he had then left them, he had left them a prey and spoil unto their enemies. It was against God's goodness so to do: and therefore he protected and preserved them in the wilderness, which is the next benefit in this verse mentioned to have been bestowed by the Lord upon his people, the people of Israel, in these words,

A wonderful benefit. Wonderful: whether we consider the multitude that were led; or the place, through which they were led; or the time, wherein they were led. Every circumstance is wonderful, and proclaimeth the great power of the Lord. The multitude, that was led, was very great; the place, through which they were led was very barren: and they were a long time in leading.

The first circumstance, is of the multitude, which were led. The number of this multitude is set down, Exod. 12.37. They were six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A most wonderful increase from seventy souls. Old Jacob's seventy souls which he brought down into Egypt, in spite of their bondage and blood-shed, go forth six hundred thousand men, besides children. Tyrannie is too weak, where God bids increase and multiply. The Church of God shall increase, mauger the malice of man, or Devil. In affliction, in oppression, in tyranny the good herb ouergrowes the weeds: the Church out-strips the world. Had the Israelites lived in case and delicacy, while they were in Egypt, would they have been so strong, so numerous? Who can say it? This I am sure of; never did any true Israelite loose by his affliction.

Six hundred thousand men, besides children, go up out of Egypt. All Israelites. But these were not all. For there went up also with them, a mixed multitude: and flocks and herds, even very much cattle; as you may read, Exod. 12.38.

This mixed multitude what it was, it is not certain. It is probable, that it consisted of Egyptians, and other Nations, soiourning in Egypt, who being moved and prepared with those mighty wonders and miracles which they saw in Egypt, might thereupon resolve to join themselves to Israel, to the people of God. Whatsoever they were, this mingling of diverse other Nations with the people of God, was a lively type and evident demonstration of the calling of the Gentiles.

Six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children; and a mixed multitude, a multitude of sundry sorts of people, went out from Egypt with Israel, and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. But which way went they? They went through the wilderness: It is the second circumstance I am now to point at.

Through the wilderness! A sandy and an vntracked wilderness! There they might err: there they might starve for want of food, and other provision.

But against all such accidents and casualties, they were secured. God himself went before them. How could they but cheerfully follow, when they saw, God led them? God led them by pillars: by a pillar of cloud, and by a pillar of fire. Pillars they were for firmness: they were of Cloud and fire, of visibility and use. The greater light obscureth the less; therefore in the day time he led them, not by fire, but by a Cloud. In the night nothing is seen without light; therefore in the night time he led them not by a cloud, but by fire. The cloud defended them from heat by day: the fire digested the rawnes of the night. God put himself into those forms of gracious respects, which might best fit their then necessities.

But where did God show himself so graciously present unto his people Israel in the cloud, and fire? or in what wilderness was it? It was in the wilderness of Etham, which was a great and a sandy desert, lying from the land of Goshen in Egypt, to the Red Sea and beyond it. This is plain by, Exod. 13.20. where we read, that the Children of Israel took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness And the Lord went afore them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

From Etham they removed, and encamped before Piha-hireth, between Migdol and the Red Sea, over against Baal-zephon: so we read, Exod. 14.2.

From hence, from Pi-hahiroth they removed again and passed through the midst of the Red Sea. Through the Red Sea, and not drowned? It was even so. The Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East wind, a whole night, and made the Sea dry land: And the Children of Israel went into the midst of the Sea upon dry ground, and the waters were a wall unto them, on their right hand, and on their left. Were the waters a wall unto them? O, the never too-much admired protection of the Almighty. That, the Sea, the Red Sea, which they feared would be their ruin, became their preservation. I now see, God can easily make the cruellest of his creatures to become our friends, and patrons.

The Israelites were safely passed through the Red Sea: they passed by faith. The Egyptians pursued after them to the midst of the Sea, and were drowned; for they had not faith. It was God's pleasure to get him honor upon them: upon Pharaoh, upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. The Sea was ready to work his will; she shut her mouth upon the Egyptians, she swallowed them up in her waves, and after she had made sport with them a while, she cast them up upon her sands for a spectacle of triumph to their adversaries.

Let our contemplations be lifted up to those walls of waters, which gave Israel safe passage, and overwhelmed the Egyptians: we shall see the condition of the children of God, and his enemies in this world. In this world the children of God are beset with walls of waters too: on the right hand with the waters of prosperity; on the left hand with the waters of adversity: and yet, through a true faith they walk through both, they are hurt by neither, they ariue on the other side at their wished-for harbor in safety: whereas the enemies of God, the sons of unbelief and impiety, are confounded in midst of the waters. The waters of prosperity make them forget God, the waters of adversity make them curse God. Both, the waters of prosperity, and the waters of adversity, do overwhelm them with confusion.

We are not yet out of the wilderness of Etham. For from the Red Sea, Israel went three days journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. The story is so, Num. 33.8. In the 15. of Exodus, verse. 22. it seemeth to be called the wilderness of Shur. For there you may thus read: Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days journey in the wilderness.

From hence many think this wilderness of Shur, to be the same with the wilderness of Etham. Some will have Etham to be the general name of the whole wilderness, and Shur only a part of it. Others will have Shur to be the general name of the whole wilderness, and Etham only a part of it. But neither can be so. The wilderness of Shur, and the wilderness of Etham are not the same: they are altogether diverse. The wilderness of Etham was a part of Egypt, as hath already been shown: the wilderness of Shur was not a part of Egypt: therefore the wilderness of Etham, and the wilderness of Shur were not the same.

That the wilderness Shur was no part of Egypt, I gather from the first of Samuel, Chap. 15. verse. 7. where I read, that Shur is over against Egypt. Its over against Egypt; therefore it is no part of Egypt. The like collection I make from the 25. of Genesis, ver. 18. there I find, that Shur is before Egypt, as a man goeth to Assyria. Its before Egypt; therefore not in Egypt, nor any part of Egypt: therefore Shur is not Etham.

Why then doth Moses in the places now alleged, seem to make Shur and Etham all one? I answer, if we rightly understand Moses, Moses doth not make them all one. The words of Moses I thus explicate: Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, that they might go forward into the wilderness of Shur: but before they came thither, they spent three days journey in the wilderness of Etham.

We have almost lost our selves in these two wildernesses, Etham, and Shur. We must make more hast through the rest. I will not much more then name them. The next wilderness they came unto was the wilderness of Sin, Exod, 16.1. After that they pitched in the wilderness of Sinai, Exod. 19.1. From Sinai they came to the wilderness of Paran, Num. 10.12. thence to the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh, Num. 20.1. and then to the wilderness of Moab, Num. 21.11. Here at Ieabarim they finished their 38. iouraey. They had four more to make. They soon made them; and last of all they pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan nere Jericho, Num. 33.48.

You have now heard of many wildernesses. They are all contained in the wilderness mentioned in my text: I led you through the wilderness. The wilderness. Not the wilderness of Etham only; but the wilderness of Shur too, and the wilderness of Sin, and all other the wildernesses, through which the Children of Israel travailed in their way to the land of promise. They were many wildernesses; yet my text speaketh as of one,

So speaketh the Psalmist, in that his remarkable exhortation, to give thanks to God for particular mercies. It is Psal. 136.16. O, give thanks unto the Lord, unto the God of God's, unto the Lord of Lord's, to him, who led his people through the wilderness. So also he speaketh, Psal. 78.52. The Lord! He guided his own people in the wilderness like a flock. In both places, you hear only the sound of a wilderness: and yet were they wildernesses, through which the Lord led and guided his people Israel.

Let it be our comfort. God never forsakes his people. When he hath led them through one wilderness, he will lead them through a second, through a third, through all: He will never leave them, till he see them safely arrived in the place, where they wish to be. No expense of time can make him to relent. If we shall need his protection for forty years together, for forty years together we shall be sure of it. Israel had it. My text avows it.

It is the third circumstance I noted in God's protection of his people in the wilderness; the circumstance of Time. Fortie years.

Fortie years were the people of Israel in the wilderness. From Egypt to the wilderness of Sinai, where their twelfth mansion was, they came in seven and forty days. There they continued almost a year. From thence, from the wilderness of Sinai, by many journeys they came to mount Hor, where was their four and thirtieth mansion, in the wilderness of Zin or Cades. In coming thither they spent nine and thirty years. There in mount Hor, died Aaron their priest. He died in the fortieth year after the Children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month. Now had they but few journeys to make: they had but eyght to make; all eyght with good success they made in the remainder of that fortieth year: and they pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, where was their two and fortieth, and their last mansion.

Well might that be their last mansion. For now they had gotten the possession of the land of the Amorite: which in my text is put for the end, why they were brought up out of the land of Egypt, and were led forty years through the wilderness: I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness,

HEre was the fulfilling of that promise, which was long before made to Abraham. The promise was first made to Abraham, when from Haran he was come into the land of Canaan, Gen. 12.7. Unto thy seed will I give this land. It was renewed unto him after his return from Egypt to the land of Canaan, Gen. 13.15. All the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. It was once more renewed, Gen. 15.18. Unto thy seed have I given this land from the river of Egypt, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. The Kenites, and the Kenizites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgasites, and the Jebusites. Ten sundry Nations are rehearsed, whose countries are promised to the seed of Abraham. Among them are the Amorites.

The Amorites country is by promise given to Abraham's seed, and Abraham's seed in the posterity of Jacob possessed it; but, some four hundred and seventy years after the promise. From the promise to their going forth out of Egypt, were four hundred and thirty years: to which if you will add, their forty years journey in the wilderness, you have the full number of four hundred and seventy years, the space between the promise, and the performance.

Abraham, he believed the promise so many years before it was to take effect. Great was his faith. He leaving his own country, his kindred, and his fathers house, comes unto a people who knew him not; (and he knew not them) takes possession for that seed which he had not, which in nature he was not like to have; of that land, whereof he should not have one foot, wherein his seed should not be settled for almost five hundred years after. O, the power of faith! It prevents time: it makes future things as present. If we be the true sons of Abraham, and have but one grain of his faith, we have already the possession of our land of promise the celestial Canaan: though we sojourn here on earth, as if we sought a country, yet have we it already: we have it by faith.

The seed of Abraham, the children of Israel, after their forty years travail in the wilderness, got possession of the land of the Amorite, which long before was promised unto them. It may teach us thus much.

In whatsoever God promiseth, he approveth himself most faithful, both in his ability, and performances. At the very time prefixed, and not before, he unchangeably performeth what he promised.

If so: then when we are in any distress, and have not speedy deliverance according to our desires, we must wait the Lord's leisure, and must expect with patience till the time come, which is appointed by him for our ease and relief. We must ever trust our God on his bare word: we must do it with hope, besides hope, above hope, against hope. For the small matters of this life we must wholly rely upon him. How shall we hope to trust in him for greater matters, for impossibilities, if we trust him not for smaller matters, for probabilities. How can I depend on God for raising my body from the grave, and for saving my soul from Hell, if I will distrust him for a morsel of bread towards my preservation.

The Lord, who brought Israel out of Egypt, and led them forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite, and all that while nourished and fed them; not with bread nor wine, nor strong drink, but miraculously with water out of the hard rock, with Quails, with Manna from Heaven; and so blessed the very clothes and the shoes they wore, that neither their clothes nor shoes all that while were waxen old; he is the same Lord still: still, as ready to be to his faithful ones a present help in all their troubles.

He hath brought us out of Egypt too. Attendamus ergo nos, fratres; so S. Austin bespake his Readers, Tract. 28. in Johan: and so let me conclude: Attendamus ergo nos fratres: Brethren, and the rest dearly beloved, let us diligently observe it, and make we it the matter of our daily meditation: Educti sumus de Aegypto, we are brought out of Egypt. There were we in bondage to the Devil, as to a Pharaoh; there Lutea opera in terrenis desiderijs agebamus, dirty works in the earthly desires of our flesh were the fruits of our labors. Let it suffice that we have been such, that we have been servants, Luteis operibus peccatorum, to the dirty works of sin, as to the tyranny of the Egyptians. Now are we passed through Baptism as through the Red Sea, therefore Red, because it is consecrated with the Blood of Christ. In this Sea, the Red Sea of Baptism, the Egyptians our enemies, even all our sins, are drowned. Now are we in the wilderness, in cremo huius vitae (saith the same Saint Augustine lib. 50. Homil. 20.) we are in the wilderness of this life. Here Christ is with us. He protecteth us, he preserveth us, he feedeth us with his Word and Sacraments. His word is a light unto our steps, to guide us that we err not. His Sacraments are two: that of Baptism assureth us, that the Blood of Christ, applied to our souls, cleanseth us from all our sins: the other, of his Supper, is a sign, a seal, a pledge unto us, of him, our Savior, Christ Jesus, given for us, and to us.

Thus passing through the wilderness of this world, we shall in the prefixed time, the due time appointed by the Lord, Patriam promissionis ingredi; We shall have the full fruition of the promised land, of the supernal Jerusalem, of the land of the living, of the Kingdom of Heaven. To which God bring us all.

THE XVI. LECTURE.

THe blessings and benefits which Amos in this Chapter remembereth to have been bestowed by Almighty God upon his people, the ten tribes of Israel, are partly Corporal, and partly Spiritual. Of their Corporal benefits I have heretofore in your hearing discoursed in my two former Sermons. They were the destruction of the Amorites before them, and for their sake, verse. 9. their deliverance out of Egypt, their protection and preservation in the wilderness for forty years, to the end that they might at length possess the land of the Amorite, ver. 10. These were notable benefits, though they were but Corporal. But the benefit, whereof I am now to speak, is Spiritual. It is the doctrine of the sincere worship of God, and of eternal salvation, together with the free use and passage thereof: or if you will, it is the ordinary ministry of the Word, thus expressed, verse. 11.

And I raised up of your sons for Prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites, &c.

In these words I commend unto you two general parts. One is, A description of the now mentioned Spiritual benefit: I raised up of your sons for Prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites.

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

In the description we may note:

• 1. Quis: Who was the bestower of this benefit, I, the Lord.
• 2. Quomodo: How it was bestowed; by a raising up. I raised up.
• 3. Quid: What was bestowed: Prophets and Nazarites.
• 4. Quibus auxilijs; what help was used; No stranger, no forrainer had here ought to do: they were their own sons, and their own young men, that were employed. I raised up of your sons, &c.

The testification followeth: you may also call it an asseveration. Its set down in the form of a question: where you may observe, who moves the question, to whom it is moved, and what the question is. The Lord is he, that moves the question; the children of Israel are they, to whom it is moved: the question is, Is it not even thus? Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord?

Such is the division of my text. I might handle each part precisely: but that happily would seem over-curious. I make choice therefore, to apply myself, after my old and wonted fashion, to fit an exposition to the words, as here they are conveyed unto us, by the ministry of Amos: and this with all brevity and plainness.

And I] I, the Lord. I, who destroyed the Amorite before you, and for your sake; I, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, I, who for forty years together led you through the wilderness, that you might possess the land of the Amorites; I, who thus blessed you with corporal benedictions, have not been wanting to you in Spiritual; I also raised up of your sons for Prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites.

I raised up] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 word for word: feci surgere, or feci vt surgerent, I made to arise, I made Prophets to rise out of your sons. I made them to rise; that is, feci vt existerent, I made them to be. In this sense I find the word used, Deut. 34.10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses. There arose not, that is, there was not. There was not a Prophet since like unto Moses. So Mat. 11.11. where the Greek is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Vulgar Latin hath, Non surrexit. Our now English renders it, There hath not risen. Among them that are borne of women, there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist. There hath not risen, that is, there hath not been. Among them that are borne of women, there hath not been a greater then John the Baptist. So here; I have raised up, that is, I have made to be. I have made your sons to be Prophets.

I have raised up of your sons] aliquot e filijs vestris, saith Mercer, some of your sons; such your sons as Joel speaketh of, Chap. 2.28. I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophecy. Or, of your sons] de hominibus vestri generis, saith Peter à Figuero, of men like yourselves; of your brethren; so they are called, Deut. 18.15. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me. Of your sons] or of thy brethren. The signification is one saith Drusius. Of your sons] not strangers, or foreigners, but such as were home bred, and of your own lineage, saith Brenz. Of your sons] that is (say some Hebrews, R. David, and R. Solomo) ex parvulis, of your little ones; such as were Samuel and Jeremiah. I raised up of your sons.

For Prophets] Such, as should, not only preach my will unto you, and instruct you in the way of righteousness, but also admonish you, and fore-tell you, what was to come to pass in future times.

Prophets] I read in the old Testament of two sorts of Prophets. Some were taught in Schools under the discipline of other Prophets; who were heretofore called Filij Prophetarum, sons of the Prophets. They are so called, 2. King. 4.1. & 6.1. Others had their calling immediately from God, and were by him extraordinarily inspired with gifts from above, and so were sent forth to the exercise of their holy function. Of both these Amos chap. 7.14. maketh mention. There he saith unto Amaziah: I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophets son, but I was an heardman, and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit. This he speaketh of himself, as he was before his calling. I was no Prophet, immediately called of God; nor was I the son of a Prophet; I was not trained up or taught in any of the Schools of the Prophets: but I was an heardman, and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit. He had no other calling, till the Lord was pleased to advance him to the dignity and office of a Prophet: and then was his calling extraordinary. Amos tells, how it was, verse. 15. The Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go prophecy unto my people Israel.

The Prophets mentioned in my text, may be of both sorts: such as had their institution in the Schools of the Prophets, and such as were called of God immediately and extraordinarily. God was the raiser up of both. Yet especially by Prophets here, I understand, such as had their calling of God immediate, and extraordinary. And these were fitted to their holy function sundry ways: as, by dreams, by visions, by inspiration of the holy Spirit, by express word, uttered by some Angel representing God; and by God himself, speaking to them face to face.

That they were fitted to their Prophetical function by dreams and visions. We know by, Num. 12.6. where the Lord thus speaketh unto Aaron, and to Miriam: Hear now my words. If there be a Prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. We know it likewise by Elihues words unto Job, chap. 33.14. God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbrings upon the bed: Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction. It may also be gathered out of the even-now cited place of Joel, chap. 2.28. I will pour of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. Dreams and visions, you see, were means by which Almighty God fitted his Prophets to the exercise of their holy function.

They were likewise fitted thereunto, by the inspiration of the holy Ghost. S. Peter saith it, Epist. 2. chap. 1. verse. 21. Holy men of God in old time spake, as they were moved by the holy Ghost. So were they, by the express word of some Angel representing God; as, Gen. 19.13. There shall you find two Angels instructing Lot concerning the overthrow of Sodom. And sometime they were enabled to their holy calling by God himself, speaking to them face to face. So was Moses. The Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. Exod. 33.11.

Now whether Prophets of old time, were enabled to the exercise of their sacred function by God himself, speaking unto them face to face, or by the apparition of Angels representing God, or by the inspiration of the holy Spirit, or by visions, or by dreams, it was out of doubt a great blessing unto Israel, to have Prophets sent unto them: and therefore saith the Lord unto them, I raised up of your sons for Prophets. It followeth,

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

Nazarites] Nazarai: They are so called by the author of the Vulgar Latin, and so almost by all the Ancient, and by many moderne interpreters, by Benedictus, Castalio, and Calvin, by Junius and Tremellius in their Bible printed by Wechell at Frankford A. C. 1579. But the same Junius and Tremellius in their later editions of the Bible, do call them Neziraeos, Nezirites, so doth Vatablus. Drusius calls them Naziraeos, Nezirites, so doth Pagnine in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nezirites or Nazarites. Well may they be so called for distinctions sake, even to distinguish them from Nazarites.

Christ is called a Nazarite, Matth. 2.23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is by many translated Nazaraeus, a Nazarite. He dwelt in a City called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets, He shall be called a Nazarite. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Nazarite. Our now English well translates it a Nazarene; for Jesus, Marc. 1.24. is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Nazarene. Nazaraeus and Nazarenus, ech name is derived from Nazareth the City, wherein Jesus had his habitation.

Wherefore they who interpret that, Matth. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he shall be called a Nazarite, & do think that S. Matthew had respect to the Nazarites of the Old Testament, as to the types of Christ, may well be deceived. Some, I grant, are of opinion, that S. Matthew doth allude to those voluntary and vowed Nazarites, of whom we read, Num. 6. and some, that S. Matthew hath reference to Samson, who was a Nazarite by God's singular ordination. But in these opinions I find no solidity: for they have no ground either in the name of Nazarite, or in the matter.

Not in the name. The name of Nazarites in the Old Testament is Nezirim, by the letter Zaijn, from the root Nazar, which signifieth to separate: but the name in S. Matthew according to the Syriac Paraphrast is Notzraia, by the letter Tsadi, from the root 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifieth to keep. There is therefore no ground in the name, why any should think, S. Matthew alludeth to the Nazarites of the old Testament.

Nor is their any ground in the matter. For Christ did, what was not lawful for Nazarites to do. It was not lawful for Nazarites to drink wine; Christ drank it. It was not lawful for the Nazarites to come near unto a dead body: Christ came near unto the dead, and touched them. It was not lawful for the Nazarites to suffer a rasour to come upon their heads; they were to let the locks of the hairs of their head grow: but its likely that Christ did not wear long hair; it may be gathered from 1. Cor. 11.14. and from the common custom of the Jews. There is therefore no ground in the matter, why any should think, that S. Matthew alludeth to the Nazarites of the old Testament.

The Nazarites of the Old Testament, I told you, were for distinction sake called by Junius, Tremellius and Vatablus, Nezirites, and by Drusius and Pagnine, Nazarites. It is according to the Hebrew points. The Hebrew is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The right of this appellation is approved by the Septuagint, Judge. 13.5. where the Angel of the Lord tells Manoah's wife, that she shall conceive and bear a son, on whose head no rasour shall come, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for the child shall be called a Nazarite unto God. Some in that place for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , do read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Nazir or a Nazarite of God; and this reading is approved by Eusebius. Likewise Judge. 16.18. Samson tells Delilah all his heart, and saith unto her, There hath not come a rasour upon my head, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for I am a Nazarite of God. In that place for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , some read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Eusebius witnesseth in his 7. book of Evangelical Demonstration, chap. 5. A Nazirite. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith he, is according to the Septuagint 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , holy; according to Aquila, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a separation; according to Symmachus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , untouched: from hence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Nazirite, signifieth either one that is holy, or one that is separate, or one that is untouched, integrious and unspotted.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Nazarite is one, that is holy, according to the Septuagint. Whence they have a threefold reading of my text: I raised up of your young men; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for a sanctification: or, I raised up of your young men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for men sanctified; or I raised up of your young men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for Nazarites.

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

One is, Whosoever shall separate himself to vow the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself unto the Lord, he shall not drink wine or strong drink, or anything that shall make him drunken: he shall not eat grapes moist or dried, he shall not eat anything that is made of the Vine tree from the kernels to the husk. This branch you have verse. 3. & 4.

The second branch of the Law is: Whosoever shall separate himself to vow the vow of a Nazarite, there shall no rasour come upon his head, the locks of the hair of his head shall be suffered to grow. It is in the 5. verse.

The third branch is: He shall not defile himself with the dead: that is, He shall not come into the house where a dead man is, neither shall he follow a dead corps to the grave. This you have verse. 6, 7, 8.

The fourth branch is: If he that hath vowed the vow of a Nazarite, shall very suddenly and unawares come near unto a dead body, he shall renew his Nazariteship; thus: first he shall shave his head: secondly, he shall offer up sacrifices. These sacrifices were two Turtles or two young Pigeons, and a Lamb of the first year. One of Turtles or Pigeons was to be offered for a sin-offering, the other for a burnt offering; and the Lamb for a trespass offering. This you have verse. 9, 10, 11, 12.

The fifth branch is: When a Nazarite shall have fulfilled the vow of his Nazariteship, four things are to be performed; three of them by the Nazirite, the fourth by the Priest: First, the Nazirite shall offer up certain sacrifices, verse. 14, 15, 16, 17. Secondly, he shall shave his head, verse. 18. Thirdly, he shall burn the hair of his head in the fire which is under one of the sacrifices, verse. 18. Fourthly, the Priest shall take certain parts of the sacrifice, and shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord, verse. 19, 20. I have given you the law of the Nazarite in five branches. It is the law, to the observance whereof the Nazarites in my text were obliged. I raised up of your young men for Nazarites.

Nazarites] You now see what they are. They were young men consecrated to the study of the word of God, and trained up thereunto, even from their childhood, under a severe discipline, and an austere course of life, that at length they might be able to go before the people, as well by soundness of doctrine, as by the example of a good life.

I raised up of your sons for Prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites.] Prophets, and Nazarites. Some have put this difference between them: that the Prophets indeed taught the people the law of God, and withal foretold things to come: whereas the Nazarites did only teach the law. Be it so or otherwise; the meaning of my text is this. God would have the ministry of his word to be ordinary, and perpetual, among the Israelites, and for that end, he gave them Prophets of their sons, men of riper years; and Nazarites of their young men, who were to be trained up in Schools among them, there to be fitted for the holy ministry. Such is the blessing (and it is a very great one) which is here mentioned to have been bestowed by the Lord upon Israel. It is (as I said in the beginning of this exercise) it is the doctrine of the sincere worship of God, and of eternal salvation, together with the free use and passage thereof: or, if you will, it is the ordinary ministry of the word. The doctrine which hence I would commend unto you, I deliver in this position;

I need not be long in the proof of this truth; you already give your assent unto it. The word of God, its a Jewel, then which nothing is more precious, unto which anything else compared is but dross; by which anything else tried is found lighter then vanity: its a trumpet, whereby we are called from the slippery paths of sin into the way of Godliness. Its a lamp unto our feet, its a light unto our paths, Psal. 119.105. Its the food of our souls; by it our souls do live, Deut. 8.3. Its 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 1. Pet. 1.23. incorruptible seed. Seed committed to the earth, taketh root, groweth up, blossometh, and beareth fruit. So is it with the word of God. If it be sown in your hearts, and there take root, it will grow up, blossom, and bear fruit unto eternal life. In which respect S. James, chap. 1.21. calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an engrafted word, engrafted in your hearts, able to save your souls.

Since the word of God is such, doth it not follow of necessity, that the ministry of it, freely exercised in any Nation, will be to that Nation a blessing of an inestimable value? Can it be denied? The Prophet Isaiah, chap. 52.7. with admiration avoucheth it: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him, that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth? S. Paul is so resolved upon the certainty of this truth, that Rom. 10.15. he resumeth the words of the Prophet. How beautiful are the feet of them, that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things?

Confer we these two places, one with the other, that of Isaiah, with this of Paul, and we shall behold a heap of blessings showring down upon them, to whom God sendeth the ministers of his Gospel; for they bring with them the word of salvation, the doctrine of peace, the doctrine of good things, and the doctrine of the kingdom. Such is the Gospel of Christ.

First, it is the word of salvation. The Gospel of Christ is called the word of salvation, first, because it is the power of God unto salvation, as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 1.16. It is the power of God unto salvation, that is, it is the instrument of the power of God; or it is the powerful instrument of God, which he useth to bring men unto salvation. And secondly, because it teacheth us concerning the author of our Salvation, even Christ Jesus.

An Angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, and saith unto him: Joseph, the son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins, Matth. 1.21. He shall save his people, that is, he shall be their Savior.

Jesus, he is the Savior of his people, merito, & efficacia, by merit and by efficacy. By merit; because he hath by his death purchased for his people, for all the elect, the remission of their sins, and the donation of the holy Spirit, and life eternal. And by efficacy; because by the Holy Spirit, and by the preaching of the Gospel, he worketh in the elect true faith, by which they do not only lay hold on the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospel, but also they study to serve God according to his holy commandments.

An Angel of the Lord relating the nativity of Christ unto the Shepherds, Luk 2.10, 11. saith unto them. Fear not, For I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is borne this day, in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Unto you is borne a Savior: where you have, what you are to believe of the Natiuitie of Christ. He is borne a Savior unto you. Unto you: not only to those shepherds, to whom this Angel of the Lord speaks the words; but unto you. Unto you: not only to Peter and Paul and some other of Christ's Apostles and Disciples of old, but unto you, unto you: unto everyone of you in particular, and unto me. When I hear the Angels words, Christ is borne a Savior unto you, I apply them unto myself, and say, Christ is borne a Savior unto me. In this persuasion and confidence I rest, and say with S. Paul, Gal. 2.20. I live, yet not I now, but Christ liveth in me, and that life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Christ is borne a Savior unto me.

Peter filled with the Holy Ghost seals this truth, Act. 4.12. There is no Salvation in any other, then in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. There is no other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, then the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Again Act. 15.11. he professeth it: We believe, that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved. It must be our belief too, if we will be saved. We, we in particular must believe, that through the grace of the Lord Jesus, we shall be saved. We shall be saved! Whats that? It is in S. Paul's phrase, we shall be made alive, 1. Cor. 15.22. As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.

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

Thus have I proved unto you, that the Gospel of Christ is the word of Salvation, as well because it is the power of God unto Salvation, as also because it teacheth us of the author of our Salvation.

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

• God and man.
• Man and man.
• Man and himself.

First, they preach Peace between God and man: that Peace, which Christ hath procured us by the blood of his Cross, Coloss. 1.20. In which respect he is called our Peace, Ephes. 2.14. For in him hath God reconciled us unto himself, 2. Cor. 5.18.

Secondly, they preach Peace between man and man. They exhort you with the Apostle, Rom. 12.18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, have peace with all men, and 2. Cor. 13.11. Be of one mind, live in Peace. Live in Peace, and the God of Peace shall be with you.

Thirdly, they preach peace between man and himself: between man and his own conscience. It is that Peace, whereof we read, Psal. 119.165. Great Peace have they which love thy Law, O Lord, and nothing shall offend them; they shall have no stumbling block laid in their ways: though outwardly they be assaulted by adversity, crosses and troubles, yet within they are quiet: they have the Peace of conscience; they are at Peace with themselves.

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

Thirdly, it is the doctrine of good things. The Gospel of Christ is called the doctrine of good things. Of good things! The name of Gospel in the Greek tongue imports as much. The Greeks call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the word signifieth a good message, that is, a happy, and a joyful message of good things.

What else I pray you is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that, which you call the Gospel, but a celestial doctrine, which God first revealed in Paradise, afterward published by the Patriarchs and Prophets, shadowed out in sacrifices and ceremonies, and last of all accomplished by his only begotten Son? God who is only good, yea, is goodness it self, is the author of the Gospel, and therefore the Gospel must needs bring with it a message of good things. The message it bringeth is this; that mankind is redeemed by the death of Christ, the only begotten Son of God, our Messias and Savior, in whom is promised and preached to all that truly believe in him, perfect deliverance from sin, death, and the everlasting curse. Could there be anymore happy or welcome tidings to mankind, then this was? Out of doubt the Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of good things.

Fourthly, it is the doctrine of the Kingdom. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of the Kingdom. Its so called, Luk. 4.43. where Christ saith of himself, I must preach the kingdom of God to other Cities also. So is it, Mark 1.14. there the Evangelist saith of Christ, that he preached the kingdom of God in Galilee. This Kingdom is twofold; of Grace, and of Glory: of Grace here on earth, and of glory hereafter in Heaven. Of grace here: here Christ reigneth in the souls of the faithful by his word and holy Spirit. Of glory hereafter, when Christ shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father, as Saint Paul speaketh, 1. Cor. 15.24.

If so it be: if the Gospel of Christ be the word of Salvation: if it be the doctrine of Peace, of Peace between God and man, between man and man, between man and himself: if it be the doctrine of good things, of our deliverance from sin, from death, and from the curse of the Law: if it be the doctrine of the Kingdom; the Kingdom of grace, and the Kingdom of glory. then must it be granted, that the Ministers of the Gospel do bring with them blessings of an inestimable value. And such is my doctrine;

The use hereof concerneth the Ministers of the Gospel, and their auditors. First, the Ministers of the Gospel. They may here be put in mind of their duty, which is willingly and cheerfully to preach the Gospel. This their duty may be called a debt. S. Paul calls it so, Rom. 1.14, 15. I am debtor both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians, both to the wise men, and to the unwise. Therefore as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you also that are at Rome. S. Paul (you see) acknowledgeth a debt, and makes a conscience of discharging it. The obligation or bond whereby he was made a debtor was his Apostolical calling: his debt was, to preach the Gospel: the persons to whom he was indebted, were Greeks and Barbarians, the wise and the unwise. His good conscience to discharge his debt, appeareth in his readiness to do it: I am ready, as much as in me is, to preach the Gospel.

S. Paul may be unto us a pattern of imitation. We also must acknowledge a debt, and must make a conscience of discharging it. The obligation or bond whereby we are made debtors is our ministerial calling. Our debt is, to preach the Gospel. The persons to whom we are indebted, are our own flock, our own people, the people over whom the Lord hath made us over-seers. Our good conscience to discharge our debt will appear in our readiness to do it. I, and every other minister of the Gospel must say, as S. Paul doth, I am ready, as much as in me is, to preach the Gospel to you. So far forth as God shall permit and make way for discharge, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you. Nothing hath hitherto, or shall hereafter with hold me from paying you this debt, but only the impediments which the Lord objecteth.

Secondly, the use of my doctrine concerneth you, who are the hearers of the word. You also may here be put in mind of your duty, which is patiently and attentively to hear the word preached. Of your readiness in this behalf I should not doubt, if you would but remember what an invaluable treasure it is, which we bring unto you. Is it not the word of Salvation, the Salvation of your souls? Is it not your peace inward, and outward, your peace with God, your peace with man, your peace with your own consciences? Is it not the doctrine of good things, your deliverance from sin, from death, and from the curse of the Law? Is it not the publication of the Kingdom of God, his kingdom of gra • e, wherein you now may live, tha hereafter you may live in the Kingdom of glory? Is it not even thus? Can it be denied?

Beloved in the Lord, the Lord who raised up unto the ten Tribes of Israel of their sons for Prophets, and of their young men for Nazarites, he raiseth up unto you of your sons Ministers, Prophets, and Teachers; and of your young men, such as may be trained up and fitted in the Schools of the Prophets, in our Naioths, in our Universities for a present supply, when God shall be pleased to remove from you, those which have labored among you, and are over you in the Lord.

Its an admirable and a gracious dispensation from God, to speak unto man, not in his own person, and by the voice of his thunderings and lightnings, or with the noise of a trumpet, as he did upon Mount Sinai, when he gave the Law (for then should we run away, and cry unto Moses, or some other servant of God, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die ) but by Doctors, Pastors, and other Ministers, men of our own nature, flesh of our flesh, & bones of our bones, men subject to the same passions, whereto we are. Admirable and gracious is this dispensation.

God thus borrowing, and using the tongues of men to speak unto men, doth it quasi imperans, non quasi mendicans, (as Bernard speaketh Serm. 5. upon the Canticles ) he doth it not begging, but commanding: and in that he doth it, indulgentia est, non indigentia; it is not from any want in himself, but it is from his indulgence and favor unto us: and in doing it non efficaciam quaerit, sed congruentiam, he seeks not any strength to his own words, but congruence and proportion to our infirmities? Its even so. For we were not able to bear the glory of that Majesty, if it did not in some sort hide and temper it self under these earthly instruments.

Now therefore when we take the counsels of God from the lips of our sons, and of our young men, from the lips of our Brethren, from the lips of the Ministers of the word of God, we may say of them, as the men of Listra once said of Paul and Barnabas, but renouncing the idolatry of the speech, Act. 14.11. God is come down to us in the likeness of men. God is he that speaketh from above, that blesseth and curseth, that bindeth and looseth, that exhorteth and dehorteth by the mouth of his Ministers.

For this respect and relations sake between God and his Ministers, whom it hath pleased him to dignify and honor in some sort with the representation of his own person upon earth, they have ever heretofore been holden in very reverend estimation. Such was the estimation holden of S. Paul by the Galatians. S. Paul himself confesseth it, Gal. 4.14, 15. where he bears them record, that albeit through infirmity of the flesh, he preached the Gospel unto them at the first, yet they despised him not, or rejected him, but received him as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus: yea, that if it had been possible (Nature and the Law forbidding it) they would have plucked out their own eyes, and given them to him.

But why speak I of the reverend regard given to Saint Paul, or to any other the Ministers of the word of God in the primitive times of the Church? Look ye but to the days of late, to the days of your Fathers; and you will see them in very high esteem. Then, though your Priests, were but Lignei sacerdotes, wooden priests, priests of Babylon, that were your leaders and your guides, you highly honored them. You bestowed upon them your eareings, and your frontlets, your lands and revenues to maintain them in their Couents, and Cloisters. To every Friar that drew you aside to confess you, you submitted yourselves, with Pater meus es tu, you are my Father, my ghostly Father. So far were you from despising or rejecting them, that ye received them as Angels of God, yea as Christ Jesus himself. Such honor had the Priests in your forefathers days.

No marvel, will some say. For then Religion had eaten up Policy, the Church had devoured the Common-wealth, Cloisters were richer in treasure, then Kings houses, all the wealth & fatness of the Land was swallowed down into the bellies of Frieryes and N • neryes. No marvel if then Priests were held in high esteem. But now the times are changed, and we with them.

True, I grant: the times are changed indeed. For as a worthy Prelat yet living ( Lect. 34. in Ionam ) speaketh: Now Policy hath eaten up Religion, the Common-wealth the Church, and men rob God, as God expostulateth, Malac. 3.8. Men rob God against all equity and conscience. But wherein do they rob him? In tithes and offerings. His tithes and offerings are translated to strangers: they eat the material bread of the Prophets, who never give them spiritual food: and they that serve not at the Altar, do live by it: whereas many a Minister, that serveth at the Altar, hath not whereon to live. Hence is the Ministry grown into contempt; and they who should be honored for their calling sake, are for their wants sake very basely thought of.

I speak not this to tax you of this place: you rob not God, but do duly pay your tithes and offerings; the Church here hath its right; and ever may it have to your comfort. But I do it to move you to lift up your hearts to the throne of grace, and to bless the Lord, for as much as when the tithes and offerings of some of your neighbor Villages are made appropriate, yours are by God's goodness exempted from the spoil, and reserved to their proper use: whereby you may in all ages be provided, though not of Prophets and Nazarites, such as God raised up unto Israel, but of Pastors and Teachers, such as may be able to break unto you the bread of life, and to preach unto you the Gospel of Christ, which is the Gospel of Salvation, the Gospel of Peace, the Gospel of good things, and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Hitherto you have heard, that God bestowed a benefit of inestimable value upon the ten tribes of Israel, in raising up unto them of their sons for Prophets, and of their young men for Nazarites.

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

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

Neither the time, nor your patience will give way to the several handling of these particulars: nor is there any need of enlargement, the words are so plain and without obscurity. The question is vehement, it urgeth the Israelites, it calls their consciences to witness.

Say, O ye children of Israel; have I not done so and so for you? Have I not bestowed such and such benefits upon you? Can any of you deny it? Vti{que} nemo, saith Rupertus: there's none of you can be so impudent as to deny it. I, the Lord, who destroyed the Amorite before you and for your sake; I, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorites; I, even I, also raised up of your sons for Prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? I, the Lord, ask you the question, Is it not thus?

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

1. God will have the blessings and benefits which he bestoweth upon us, ever to be had in remembrance.

2. We must acknowledge, that whatsoever good we have, we have it from the Lord.

3. The blessings which God bestoweth upon us, are nothing inferior to those he bestowed upon the Israelites.

I make this plain by a brief collation of the blessings bestowed by the Lord upon them and us.

The Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, the house of bondage, with a mighty hand, and he overthrew Pharaoh in the red sea: the same Lord hath delivered us from as great a bondage, hath freed us from the house of Hell, and hath spoiled that infernal Pharaoh, the Devil.

The Lord gave unto the Israelites the land of the Amorites for their possession, when he had driven out the Amorites from before their face: the same Lord hath given us a good land for our possession, and hath from out our Churches expulsed the spiritual Amorite, Antichrist, Balaam of Rome.

The Lord raised up unto Israel of their sons for Prophets: the same Lord hath raised up unto us of our sons for Prophets; he gives us orthodoxal and sound interpreters of his holy word, and Pastors, to declare unto us, what his sacred will is.

The Lord raised up unto Israel of their young men for Nazarites: the same Lord hath given us Schools and Nurseries of good literature for the training up of our young men, as Nazarites, in knowledge and in piety; yea, he hath given us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one most holy Nazirite, even Christ Jesus; in whom he maketh us all 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, Nazarites, that is, Christians, sanctifying us by his Holy Spirit in Baptism, wherein we promised to forsake the Devil, and all his works, and to give up our selves wholly to the obedience and service of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Haec frequenter & serio cogitemus fratres. Dearely beloved, let us frequently & seriously think of these things. So shall we the more esteem God's benefits bestowed upon us, and shall the less abuse them, and shall the longer enjoy them. Which God of his infinite mercy grant unto us through Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE XVII. LECTURE.

IN this prophetical Sermon written by Amos concerning the Israelites, I have heretofore in my eight Lecture upon this Chapter, observed four principal parts;

• A Reprehension.
• An Enumeration.
• An Exprobation, and
• A Commination.

The first is, a reproof of Israel for sin, verse. 6.7.8.

The second, a recital of the benefits which God hath bestowed upon Israel, verse. 9.10.11.

The third, a twyting of Israel with their unthankfulness, verse. 12.

The fourth, a threatening of punishment to befall them, from the 13. verse, to the end of the Chapter.

Of the two former, the Reprehension and the Enumeration, you have at sundry times already heard. Now are we to proceed to the Exprobation, contained in the words at this time read unto you.

For our easier understanding whereof, we are to cast back an eye upon those benefits which in the precedent verses are mentioned to have been bestowed by the Lord upon his people Israel. They were either Corporal or Spiritual. Corporal, as the destruction of the Amorites before the Israelites, and for their sakes, verse. 9. their deliverance out of Egypt, their protection and preservation in the wilderness for forty years together, that at length they might possess the land of the Amorite, verse. 10. And Spiritual, as the doctrine of the sincere worship of God, and of eternal salvation, together with the free use and passage thereof, expressed, verse. 11. by the raising up of their sons for Prophets; and of their young men for Nazarites.

These were very great benefits, and worthy all thankful acknowledgement. But the people of Israel, were so far from giving thanks for them, that they vilely esteemed them, and too too contemptuously rejected them. This appeareth in this 12. verse, which I therefore call an Exprobration, an upbraiding, or twyting of Israel, with the foulness of their ingratitude. Two things here are said unto their charge: one is, Their soliciting the Nazarites to break their vow. The other is their hindering the Prophets in the execution of their function. The first in these words, ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink. The second in these, ye commanded the Prophets, saying Prophecy not. Of these in their order.

The first is, their soliciting the Nazarites to break their vow: Ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink.

Of the name of Nazarites, and of their institution, I spake in my last exercise out of this place. I will not now spend time upon the repetition of that, I then delivered. It shall suffice, if I add but a word or two for the further illustration thereof.

The Nazarites had their name of Nazar, which signifieth to separate. They were young men, separate from the ordinary course of men, and bound to a certain peculiar course and profession of life. They were Ecclesiae ornamenta, saith Calvin, ornaments of the Church, and God would in them, as in a glass make his honor and glory in some sort to appear. They were, quasi pretiosae gemmae, to shine as rich Jewels among the people of God. They were, tanquam signiferi, ante signani, & duces, as standard-bearers, ring-leaders, and chiefetaines to show the way of divine worship unto others.

Singular was the honor and dignity of this order and calling of Nazarites. Jeremiah in his Lamentations chap. 4.7. thus sets them forth. Her Nazarites were purer then snow, they were whiter then milk, they were more ruddy in body then Rubies, they were like polished Sapphires.

The author of this order and calling is God. This appeareth by the verse next before my text. There the Lord hath said, I have raised up of your young men for Nazarites.

The first branch of the Law, that concerneth this order and calling is accurately described, Num, 6.3, 4. Whosoever shall vow the vow of a Nazirite, he shall abstain from wine and strong drink, he shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall be drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes nor dried. All the days of his Nazariteship shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree from the kernels even to the husk.

These Nazarites for the time of their Nazariteship were to apply themselves wholly to the study of the law of God, and therefore was abstinence from wine and strong drink enjoined them. God would have them refrain all things that might trouble the brain, stir up lust, and make them unfitly disposed for so holy a study: of which sort are wine and strong drink.

Solomon so accounts of them, Prov. 20.1. For there he saith, Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Solomon's Mother doth likewise so account of them, Prov. 31.4. There her counsel to her son is: It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine, nor for Princes to drink strong drink: left they being drunken, forget the Law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. For this cause also were the Priests forbidden wine, when they were to go into the tabernacle of the Congregation, and that upon pain of death. The prohibition is, Levite. 10.9. There thus saith the Lord to Aaron; Do not drink wine, nor strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, lest ye die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. Hitherto I refer that, Exech. 44.21. No priest shall drink wine, when he entereth into the inner court.

From the places now alleged ariseth this position:

The reasons are:

First, it is not for Ministers to speak foolishly, or to do anything vndecently. Yet can they not but offend both in the one and the other, if they suffer themselves to be overcome with swilling of wine or strong drink.

Secondly, it is for Ministers, to be vigilant in their vocations; to be diligent in their ministerial employments, in reading, in study, in meditation to be devout in their prayers unto God for themselves & the people, over whom God hath made them overseers; to handle the word of life reverently, and to dispense it in due season to every weary soul. Yet must they needs fail in the performance of these duties, if they give themselves to the drinking of wine and strong drink.

Here may all that serve at the Altar be admonished, evermore to be mindful of their calling, and of the hatred which God hath of excess in men deuouted to his service, above all others; as also of the fearful judgment, that will in the end without all fail ensue. For if of all it be true, that the drunkard shall never enter into the kingdom of God (which you know to be true, and the holy Spirit hath passed it for a truth, 1. Cor. 6 10.) then must it needs be sealed up in the conscience of any Minister, that a Minister through his excess in drinking causing the holy things of God to be despised, shall never, never come within the gates, of that eternal joy, but instead thereof shall reap the reward of his sin in everlasting torments, both of body and soul. But this by the way.

The thing wherewith the Israelites in my text stand charged, is, their giving the Nazarites wine to drink. The Israelites knew full well, that it was the peremptory mandate and express commandment of the Lord, that the Nazarites should abstain from wine, and strong drink: yet did they contrary thereunto give unto the Nazarites wine to drink.

Gaue they the Nazarites wine to drink? was this such an offense, that God should take displeasure at it? To what end then serves the precept of giving wine to him, that is ready to perish through the anxiety and bitterness of his mind, that thereby he may be cheered and comforted? The precept is, Prov. 31.6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. In vain were this precept, were the drinking of wine an offense, whereat God should take displeasure. And S. Paul doth amiss, 1. Tim. 5.23. to wish him to drink no longer water, but to use a little wine for his stomachs sake, and his often infirmities; if the drinking of wine be an offense. If the drinking of wine be an offense, why doth the same Apostle tell the Romans, chap. 14.17. that the kingdom of God consisteth not in meat and drink, thereby giving them liberty, not only to eat, but also to drink what they would, even to drink wine?

To this I say: It is not of it self any offense to drink wine, or to give others wine to drink; but herein consisteth the offense of the Israelites, that they gave the Nazarites wine to drink contrary to the Law of God, and his holy commandment. Tolle verbum Domini, et liberum est vinum bibere: add verbum Domini, & vinum exhibere aut bibere, tam grande est nefas, quàm adulterium aut latrocinium. So Brenz. Let there be no law, no commandment of God against the drinking of wine, and you may at your pleasure drink wine: But if God's law and commandment be against it, then for a man to drink wine himself, or to give others wine to drink, its as great a sin, as adultery, or robbery.

Adam in Paradise had a law given him, that he should not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The law is expressed, Gen. 2.17. Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. To eat an Apple was of it self but a small matter; but the Law of God, whereby the eating of the Apple was forbidden, was a matter of great weight. The very eating of the Apple God did not much care for: it was the observance of his commandment, and the obedience thereunto, that he required.

Saul had a commandment given him, that he should go down to Gilgal, and tarry there seven days, till Samuel should come, and direct him what to do. The commandment is expressed, 1. Sam. 10.8. Thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and show thee what thou shalt do. According to this commandment, Saul went to Gilgal, and tarried there seven days according to the set time that Samuel had appointed. The seventh day a little before Samuel came, Saul offered a burnt ofring. As soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Samuel came. Saul understanding thereof went out to meet him, that he might salute him. Samuel seeing what was done, tells Saul, that he had done foolishly in not keeping the commandment of the Lord his God, which he commanded him: and withal foretells him of a heavy judgment to befall him, Thy kingdom shall not continue. The offering of the Holocauste or burnt offering to the Lord, was it not of it self a good work? Yet because Saul offered it out of due time, namely before Samuel was come, it was sin unto him, and the loss of his kingdom. Did the Lord care for the preoccupation, or prevention of so little time, as if it were a matter of it self to be regarded? No: it was the observance of his commandment, and the obedience thereunto, that he required.

So for my text I say: The giving the Nazarites wine to drink, was not of it self a matter that the Lord much regarded: but it was the observance of his commandment, and the obedience thereunto, that he required. The commandment I even now repeated unto you out of Num. 6. The sum of it is, The Nazarite shall abstain from wine and strong drink. Contrary to this commandment, did the Israelites here give unto the Nazarites wine to drink: which is the thing, wherewith they are here twyted, to this sense: Ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink: in so doing you made proof of your contempt of my Law, and your disobedience thereunto. I looked you should have been thankful unto me, for bestowing so great a benefit upon you, as is the order and calling of the Nazarites, for the training up of your young men in piety and religion: but you, unthankful you, have repaid me with contempt, and disobedience, you have solicited the Nazarites to break their vow and contrary to my Law, ye gave them wine to drink. The doctrine we are to gather from hence, is,

As by the knowledge of light we may know what darkness is, and by the knowledge of good what evil is, so by the knowledge of obedience towards God, we may know what disobedience against him is. Of obedience towards God I entreated in my fifth Lecture upon this Chapter. I then handled this conclusion. Obedience to the commandments of the Lord, is a duty, which the Lord requireth to be performed by every child of his. Whence by the Law of contraries followeth my now-conclusion;

For the illustration of this conclusion we are to note in man a twofold disobedience; one in the state of corruption, the other in the state of regeneration. Disobedience in man in the state of corruption, is an evil quality inbred in him by nature, whereby he is made of himself altogether unable and unwilling to live in subjection unto God, to hear his voice to obey his will, or to do what he commandeth. By this disobedience man is not able to do anything, but hate God, his word, his will, and whatsoever is pleasing to him. He ever rebels against God, he ever resisteth the will of God, he ever despiseth the commandments of God, and embraceth with all his might what God forbiddeth.

How great this disobedience is, the holy Scripture doth evidently demonstrate, when it describeth the nature of man, his thoughts, his counsels, his affections, his desires, his actions in the state of corruption, and before his regeneration. So it calls us rebels, Ezech. 2.3. impudent children, and stiff-hearted, verse. 4. God's adversaries and his enemies, Isaiah 1.24. Children of diffidence and incredulity, Ephes. 2.2. Children of wrath, ver. 3. Children of darkness, Ephes. 5.8. Children of the Devil, 1. John, 3.10. It saith of us, Gen. 6.5. that every imagination of the thoughts of our hearts is only evil continually. It saith of us, Job 15.25. that we stretch out our hands against God, and strengthen our selves against the Almighty. It saith of us, Ephes. 4 17. that we walk in the varitie of our minds; that having our understanding darkened, we are alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in us, b cause of the blindness of our hearts, that as men past feeling, we have given our selves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness, even with greediness.

Such is the disobedience that is in man, while he is in the state of corruption before he is regenerate. There is another kind of disobedience in man, when he is in the state of Regeneration.

This disobedience is common to every child of God, while he liveth in this world, albeit in some it be greater, in some l • sse, as regeneration is perfecter in some, then in others. This I thus describe: disobedience in man in the state of regeneration, is an evil quality inbred in him by nature, whereby he is made unable to yield due subjection unto God wholly on every part, with all his heart, and all his might, or, so to obey his holy will simply in all things, and always without tergiuersation, as never to decline from the rule of true obedience.

By this disobedience we are all made guilty of the wrath of God, of damnation, and of eternal death. The consideration hereof made David Psal. 130.3. to cry out unto the Lord: If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities: O Lord, who shall stand? It drew from him that humble supplication, Psal. 143.2. O Lord, Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. It wrested from him that same confession, Psal. 32.6. namely, that the very godly, have need to pray for the remission of their sins. There speaking of the remission of sins he saith; For this shall everyone that is godly pray unto thee. For this, for the remission of sins, shall everyone that is godly pray unto thee, O Lord. From hence is it, that our blessed Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ taught his Apostles, the most perfect Christians that ever were, and therefore the most godly, to pray for remission of their sins.

This disobedience, which as yet resideth in us, in the best of us, S. Paul elegantly describeth, Rom. 7.14. where thus he speaketh in his own person as a man regenerate: we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law, that it is good. Now then, it is no more I, that do it, but sin, that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present with me: but how to perform that which is good, I find not. For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil that I would not; that I do, &c.

I am not ignorant, that the Pelagians of old, and diverse of late, as Erasmus, Ochinus, Castellio, Faustus, Socinus the Samosatenian, Jacobus Arminius, and their adherents do affirm, that S. Paul speaketh these words, not of himself, as a man regenerate, but doth in them describe a man that is a profane, incontinent, sensual, unregenerate, or doth describe the nature of man after his fall, what and how much he is able to do without the grace of God.

This their opinion is erroneous. The truth is, that S. Paul in the place alleged, speaketh not of any other but of himself, not as he was in Pharisaism, under the law; but as he was now, when he wrote this Epistle, in the state of grace, a man regenerate. This great combat in S. Paul, now regenerate; between the law of his mind, and the law of his members, between the law of God and the law of sin, between the inward man and the outward, between the flesh and spirit, doth clearly show, that the holiest man living hath a tincture of disobedience against the Lord his God. This is the second kind of disobedience, which I noted to be in man, as he is in the state of regeneration: and serveth for the illustration of my propounded doctrine, which was,

Disobedience, not only that, which is in every man that is yet in the state of corruption, but that other too, which is incident to the truly regenerate, is a sin carefully to be eschewed by every child of God. Every child of God should be unwilling to displease God: and what can more displease him then disobedience?

Disobedience! God's curse is upon it. The curse is, Psal. 119 21. Maledicti, qui declinant a mandatis tuis; cursed are they that do err from thy commandments. Maledicti, a Deo scilicet, Cursed of God are all they, of what estate or condition soever they are, that do err, in their life and conversation, from his commandments, which he hath prescribed as footsteps and paths for men to tread in. Cursed are they that do err, he saith not, they that have erred; for they that have erred, may have repented; but cursed are they that do err from thy commandments.

And here by erring we understand, not, every offense indifferently, but an unbridled license to offend; we understand, not every slip, but a falling away from God. We understand, not every disobedience, of ignorance, or infirmity, but the disobedience of pride and presumption. Maledicti, Cursed are they, that do err from thy commandments.

The like Curse is, Deut. 27.26. Maledictus, qui non permanet in sermonibus legis huius, nec eos opere perficit. Cursed be he that continueth not in the words of this law to do them. It is cited by S. Paul, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is everyone, that continueth not in all things, which are written in the Book of the law to do them. In both places the end of the Law is pointed at. It is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not so much contemplation, as action, for the Law was given, not only to be known, but also to be performed: and therefore, Rom. 2.13. it is avouched, that not the hearers of the Law are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified. The covenant of the Law requireth from us absolute obedience. In this obedience these things must concur according to the tenor of the Law.

1. It must be performed by our selves; for the law reveals not the Mediator.

2. It must be inward, as well as outward.

3. It must be perfect in parts and degrees.

4. It must be constant and continual from the first moment of our conception, without the least interruption through the whole course of our lives.

The least thought dissonant to the law inuolues us in disobedience, and lays us open to the Curse. Maledictus, Cursed be he, that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law, to do them.

Vae vobis is no better then a Curse, and that shall you find denounced to the disobedient, Ecclus. 41.8. Vae vobis impij Viri qui dereliquistis legem Altissimi; scilicet per inobedientiam, saith Antoninus Sum. part. 2. Tit. 4. cap. 2. Woe be unto you, ungodly men, which have forsaken the law of the most high God, through your disobedience: Vae vobis, woe be unto you. And why so? The reason is added: For if you increase, it shall be to your destruction: And if you be borne you shall be borne to a curse: and if you die, a curse shall be your portion, Uae vobis, woe be unto you, ye ungodly men, which have forsaken the law of the most high God, through your disobedience.

Is disobedience thus cursed? Then must it be punished. For as Dicere Dei is facere, so Maledicere Dei is malum poenae facere. If God saith a thing, he doth it: and if he curseth he punisheth. He curseth disobedience, and therefore he punisheth disobedience.

He punisheth it, saith Antoninus, three manner of ways.

First, per afflictionem corporis, by afflicting man in his body.

Secondly, per impugnationem orbis, by setting the whole world against man. and

Thirdly, per privationem numinis, by depriving him of the vision of God.

First, God punisheth disobedience, by laying affliction upon man in his body. For the disobedience of Adam, he saith unto Adam, Gen. 3.17. Maledicta terra in opere tuo. Cursed be the earth for thy work, for the work of thy transgression, for thy sin, for thy sake. Cursed be the earth of thy body, for thy body is but earth: cursed shall it be, and many ways afflicted. Thorns and Thistles, diverse passions and infirmities, shall it bring forth unto thee. All the evils of punishment, whereto these weak bodies of ours are subject, hunger, and thirst, and heat and cold, and travail, and trouble, and misery, and calamity, and weakness, and diseases, yea, and death too: together with that never-ceasing rebellion of the flesh against the Spirit, called in Scripture, the Concupiscence of the flesh, wh • ch cleaveth fast unto us all our life long, and is the fountain and root of all our evil deeds, all these are upon us for disobedience.

Secondly, God punisheth disobedience