Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1

delivered. And with that Eccles. 9.11. There is no race to the swift, or, In running it helpeth not to be swift: that is, as Jonathan expounds the place; Though men be as swift as Eagles, yet shall they not by running help themselves, or deliver themselves from death in the day of battle.

The many evidences of holy Writ, which are usually brought to prove, that God is everywhere present, and in all places at once, may serve for a further ratification of my propounded doctrine. For if God be everywhere present, if he be at once in all places, then certainly there is no refuge for man against him, no evasion, no escaping by flight. Nor the caves of the earth, nor the secrets of walls, nor the darkness of the night, nor the distance of place by land or by sea, can hide us from his presence.

Can they not? How then may that be excused which we read of Adam and his wife, Gen. 3.8. that they HID themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden? How that which we read of Cain, Gen. 4.16. that he went out from the presence of the Lord? How that which we read of Jonah, chap. 1.3. that he, when he was sent to Ni • iveh, rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

These scruples I am now to remove: The first concerneth Adam and his wife, their hiding themselves among the trees of Paradise. Some say; Adam hid himself through fear, not as if he could flee from God, but because he thought himself unworthy to come into God's sight. So Irenaeus lib. 3 adversus heresies cap. 37. He seems to take in good part this flight of Adam, and his endeavor to hide himself, as if it proceeded from a pious and profitable fear and dread of an humble and repentant soul.

Other say, that Adam exceedingly troubled in mind, much ashamed and afraid, that he had transgressed the commandment of God, like unto a mad man, that knows not which way to turn himself, went about to hide himself. So S. Augustine lib. 11. de Genesi ad literam cap. 33.

A third opinion there is, that taxeth Adam and Eve of infidelity and impenitence, for hiding of themselves: as if guilty of transgression, they had thought simply to hide themselves from the presence of God. Of this opinion I find Rupertus, who Comment. in Genesin lib. 3. cap. 12. thus expresseth himself. Abscondendo se, vter{que} de Deo male sensit, & sibi insipienter providit, tanquam impaenitens, tanquam infidelis. Adam and his wife in hiding themselves thought amiss concerning God, and provided foolishly for themselves, as if they had been impenitent and unbelieving.

It is no ill or idle opinion, to say that, Perhaps Adam and his wife, for want of experience (for they had never fallen before) might think, that by running among the trees of Paradise they might hide themselves. But when God had once found them out (and quickly he found them out) they could not any longer so think. Then they could not but be resolved upon this; that there is no fleeing away, no hiding of our selves from the presence of God.

Thus is the first scruple removed. Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of a garden. They hid themselves, that is, they would have hid themselves, they would but could not.

The second scruple, concerneth Cain his going out from the presence of the Lord. If Cain could go out from the presence of the Lord, how is the Lord everywhere present?

For answer hereunto we are to note, that the presence of God doth sometime in holy Scripture betoken the place of his presence; the place where God was first worshipped by sacrifice, and shown visible signs of his presence: And that it doth sometime signify the grace of God, his favor, his care, his providence, and protection. In both these respects may Cain be said to have gone out from the presence of the Lord. For first he was expelled from the land of his nativity, from that land where God was wont to show his face, and under the visible form of human nature, to talk with man familiarly: and secondly he was excluded from God's grace and favor.

Thus much doth Cain himself confess, verse. 14. Lord, saith he, Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth. Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth, that is, Thou expellest me from my native soil, which to me is most dear & sweet, wherein I was borne, have been bred up, and have lived with my parents and kins-folk even unto this day: thou driuest me out from a most fruitful and pleasant land, a land, that is next to the Paradise of the earth; a land, which thou hast consecrated to thyself, to be the land of thy sacrifices oblations, and holy worship; a land wherein thou art wont to manifest thyself unto men, and to instruct them by thy sacred oracles, and answers. From this land, the land of my nativity, thou driuest me out.

And from thy face shall I be hid] I shall forever and everywhere, find thee displeased with me, angry at me, and mine enemy, to the intolerable horror and amazement of my mind: thou wilt not deign to look upon me with the eyes of thy mercy, but wilt forever hide thy face from me, and so deprive me of thy singular benevolence, care, tutele and protection. So was Cain hid from the face of the Lord, and so went he out from his presence. Otherwise he could not be hid, he would not go out from the presence of the Lord.

The third scruple concerneth Jonah his fleeing to Tarshish. from the presence of the Lord. If Jonah could flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, how is the Lord everywhere present?

Of this fleeing of Jonah from the presence of the Lord, there is a twofold understanding. Some thus understand it; that he left the whole border and ground of Israel, where the presence of the Lord, though it were not more then in other places, was yet more evident by the manifestations of his favors and graces towards them. There was the ark of the covenant, and the sanctuary, there the Lord gave them answer by dreams, and oracles: there were other more special favors of the Lord's abode there.

Others by this fleeing of Jonah from the presence of the Lord, do understand his turning his back upon the Lord, his shaking off the yoke of the Lord, his willful renouncing the Commandment of the Lord; his departing from his duty and from the execution of his office, enjoined him by the Lord.

In the language of the Scripture, they are said to be in the Lord's presence, or to stand before the Lord, who do carefully attend his pleasure, and are ready to receive and execute whatsoever he imposeth. In the 10. of Deut. verse. 8. The Tribe of Levi is separated by the Lord, to stand before the Lord. To stand before the Lord, that is, as it is there expounded, to minister unto the Lord, and to bless in his name.

So is the phrase used by Elias, 1. King. 17.1. Where thus saith he, unto Ahab: As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. The Lord God, before whom I stand; that is, the Lord God, whom faithfully I do serve. And so is it by Elisha in those his words to Naaman the Syrian. 2. King. 5.16. As the Lord liveth before whom I stand, I will receive no blessing of thee. As the Lord liveth before whom I stand, a witness to my actions, the searcher of my heart, whose honor and service I tender more then mine own gain, I will receive no blessing, no reward of thee.

Now if they, who duly serve the Lord, are said to stand before the Lord, and to be in his presence, then may they who cast off the yoke of the service due unto him, well be said to hide themselves from the face of the Lord, and to flee from his presence.

We see now what this phrase of fleeing from the presence of the Lord doth mean. It gives us to understand, that Jonah, as a fugitive and refractary servant ran from the Lord, breaking his bonds of duty, and making no conscience or care to do him service.

Thus are the scruples done away and my doctrine stands good,

There is no refuge, no evasion, no escaping, no hiding, no fleeing from the face of the Lord, from his presence, from his judgments, no not for the swift of foot.

Well. What if the footman for all his swiftness cannot save himself; fares it not better with the horseman? Cannot he deliver himself? No. He cannot. He is disabled in the next words,

This rider of the Horse is in the Septuagint 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the horseman. Cyril calls him so. So doth Castalio, and Taverner, in his English translation. In the Vulgar Latin he is Ascensor equi. So is he in S. Jerome. The appellation pleaseth Luther, and Calvin, and Osiander. Nor doth Gwalther dislike it. For he hath, Qui ascendit super equum. Ascensor equi, or qui ascendit super equum, he that mounts on horseback. He is with Tremellius, and Junius, insidens equo; so is he with Vatablus, with M • rcer, and with Piscator: Insidens equo, he that sits on horseback. With Drusius he is Vector equi, with Brenz Vectus equo. Vector equi, or Vectus equo, he that is carried on horseback. With Oecolampadius, he is equitans Equum, he that rideth the horse. This last reading is that which the learned trans • ators of our now English Bible have made choice of. He that rideth the horse. This rider of the horse, this horseman, mounting, sitting, or, carried on horseback shall not deliver himself.

Shall not deliver himself. In the Hebrew it is, he shall not deliver his soul. So is it in the Chaldee. The reading is retained by Brenz, Calvin, Drusius, Vatablus, and Mercer. In the Septuagint it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he shall not save his soul. It is the very reading of S. Jerome, and S. Cyril, and the author of the Vulgar Latin: and is followed by Luther and by Munster.

He shall not deliver, he shall not save his soul. His soul, that is his life. Whence some do read: He shall not save his life; so Castalio, so Osiander, and so our countryman Taverner in his old English translation. Let the reading be Soul, or Life, man himself is meant: and therefore some have read, He shall not deliver himself. So Tremellius and Junius, and Piscator: and so we read in our newest English Bible, He shall not deliver himself.

Thus have you the Grammatical sense and understanding of these words, He that rideth the horse shall not deliver himself: This rider of the horse, this horseman mounting, sitting, or carried on horseback, shall not deliver, shall not save his soul, his life, himself. The lesson we are to learn from hence, is,

Be thine horse every way answerable to that Horse (of which thou mayest read in the Book of Job chap. 39.) whose neck is clothed with thunder, the glory of whose nostrils is terror; that paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength, and goeth on to meet the armed men; that mocketh at fear and is not affrighted, and turns not back from the sword: no, though the quiver rattle against him, though the spear and shield do glister, yet swalloweth he the ground with fierceness and rage. The sound of the trumpet terrifieth him not, but rather rejoiceth him: for he smelleth the battle a far off, the thunder of the Captains, and the shouting. Be thine horse every way answererable to this horse, yet repose not any confidence in him for thy safety: for he will fail thee.

He will do so. What else is it that thou readest, Psal. 33.17. An horse is a vain thing to save a man, neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Let S. Augustine instruct thee, Mentitur tibi equus, quando promittit salutem: if thy horse promise thee safety, he lieth unto thee. The promise of a horse! Nunquid equus alicui loquitur, & promittit salutem? Doth a horse speak to man? doth he promise him safety? It cannot be. Yet when thou considerest the comely feature and proportion of thy horse, his stout courage, his admired swiftness, ista omnia, velut promittunt tibi de illo salutem, all these things do, as it were promise thee safety by him. Sed fallunt, si Deus non tuetur, but without the especial blessing of God all these things will fail thee. For, Mendax equus ad salutem, an horse is a lying thing for safety, a vain thing to save a man, and shall not deliver any man by his great strength.

This is it, which you may read in the Book of Proverbs chap. 21.31. The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. Let the horse be made ready, let him be thoroughly furnished for the war, yet rely not upon him for thy safety. For safety, all safety is of the Lord, and of him alone. Let the Lord rebuke, yea, let him but speak the word, both the chariot and horse shall be cast into a dead sleep. So we read, Psal. 76.6. The meaning is: By the only word of the Lord it often comes to pass, that they who trust in their Chariots and Horses, do vanish & come to naught, like a dream, yea, like the shadow of a dream.

Pharaoh, proud and cruel Pharaoh, sory that he had let the children of Israel go, would needs go fetch them back again. He assured himself before hand of success, either to spoil them, or to reduce them to bondage. In the strength of this conceit, furnishing himself with horses and chariots of war, six hundred chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, accompanied with his nobles, captains, and soldiers he marched furiously and pursued the Israelites, even to the midst of the Red Sea: To the midst of that Sea they came, & no one wave rose up against them, to wet so much as the hoofs of their horses. When they were come so far (too far to return) they were suddenly stricken with their last terror. Their chariots and horses, in which they trusted, failed them, as having done them service enough, to carry them into perdition. For the Sea shut her mouth upon them, and swallowed them up in her waves: you know it to be so, Exod. 14.26. Where is now the safety, which they promised themselves by their Horses and Chariots? I must again say, Mendax equus ad salutem, A horse is a lying thing for safety, a vain thing to save a man. Thus is my doctrine confirmed;

Now let us make some use of this doctrine. It may first serve for reproof of such, as for the time of war do glory in the multitude and strength of their horses, and presume that they shall prevail and get the victory by the valor of their horsemen. The holy Scripture would have them to be of another mind, and to be persuaded, that victory is ever from the Lord, and from him alone, and that without him the horse and the rider can do nothing. But they will not change their mind, they will not be thus persuaded. To these therefore thus saith the Lord God, the holy one of Israel, Esa. 30.15. In returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and confidence, shall be your strength; and ye would not. But ye said; No, for we will flee upon horses, and will ride upon the swift. Will you flee upon horses? therefore shall ye flee. Will ye ride upon the swift? therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. A thousand of you shall flee at the rebuke of one: or at the most at the rebuke of five shall ye flee till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.

Against these there is a curse gone forth, Esa. 31.1. Woe be unto them that go down to Egypt for help, and trust in horses, and comfort themselves with chariots, because they are many; and with horsemen, because they are lusty and strong: but look not unto the holy one of Israel, nor seek the Lord.

Concerning these I now say no more. I go on with a second use: and that is, to admonish our selves, that we put no trust, no confidence in horse, chariot, horsemen, or like external mean for safety. Since it is evident, that these cannot deliver us, from any the least judgment, that God in his displeasure shall lay upon us. Let us forever trust in the Lord alone, and his power. It is a sweet strain which the faithful have in their song, Psal. 20.7. Hi, curruum, & illi equorum; nos vero nominis Iehovae Dei nostri recordamur. Let it be the matter of our meditation in the day of trouble and distress. Say we in faith and a sure hope; Some trust in Chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. We will remember him, to put our trust in him, and to settle our hope on him alone. So shall a blessing attend us. It is promised, Ierem. 17.7. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. Blessed is he! What is that to say? It followeth: He shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out her roots by the river, whom the heat, when it cometh, cannot hurt, whose leaves are always green, that is not careful in the year of drought, and never ceaseth from yielding fruit.

In this comparison between a faithful man, that trusteth in the Lord, and a tree planted by the waters side, we may note the steadfastness and stability wherewith the faithful people of God are supported, so, that they can never fall away from faith, and from the grace of God: whereby is condemned the doctrine of doubting, that Popish doctrine, very pernicious, yea, deadly to every soul, that shall drink it in. But I will not here make any excursion. Let that which hath already been delivered suffice for the explication of the 15. verse. The sixteenth followeth.

HE that is courageous among the mighty] This courageous man is in the Hebrew thus described, the stout of heart among the mighty. In the Vulgar Latin thus: Robustus cord inter fortes, the strong of heart among the stout. This reading is embraced by Brensius, and Osiander, and Luther, and Calvin, and Gwalther. Some vary the phrase; as thus; fortis animo inter robustes, the stout of courage among the strong; so Drusius. Some thus, fortis animo inter potentissim • s, the stout of courage among the mighty; so Tremellius, Junius, and Piscator. Some thus, qui roborat cor suum inter robustos, he that strengtheneth his heart among the strong, so Vatablus Munster thus translates it, qui inter fortes virili est cord, he that is of a manly heart among the stout. In Tauerners translation thus I read; He that is as manly of stomach as a Giant. In our late Church-Bible thus; He that is of mighty courage among the strong men.

The reading of the Septuagint is far different. They thus: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . It is so in the Franckford Edition. S. Jerome thus renders it; Inventum cor eius inter potentes, his heart is found among the mighty; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , some have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so it must be, inventum cor eius in potentatibus, his heart is found in potentates or dominions. Its obscure enough. S. Cyril unfolds it: he finds his heart mightily oppressed with terrors, and without resistance gives the victory to the spoyler.

The former readings, Latin and English, are more natural, and do better express the original. Ours is good; He that is courageous among the mighty 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bagibborim in potentibus, or inter potentes, among the mighty. The Hebrews by the particle ב In or Inter, do use to signify the highest degree, the superlative. Ia • l the wise of Heber the Kenite, Judge. 5.24. is styled, benedicta inter mulieres, bless • d among women. The phrase is used by the Angel in his Ave Maria, Luc. 1.28. Benedicta tu in mulieribus. Elizabeth repeats it, verse. 42. Benedicta tu inter mulieres. Benedicta in mulieribus or inter mulieres, Blessed in, or among women, that is, Benedictarum benedictissim • , of women, that are blessed, the most blessed; blessed above all.

Such is the exposition that Petrus Lusitanus gives of these words, robustu • cord inter sortes, the strong of heart among the stout, that is, saith he, robustorum cord robustissimus, & fortium fortissimus, of the strong of heart the strongest and of stout men the stoutest: or as Castalio hath it, militum anim • sissimus, of soulders the most courageous & hardiest. With us, he is the courageous among the mighty.

Of this courageous man, courageous among the mighty, notwithstanding his strength, his mighty, his manhood, his valor, his stoutness, his hardiness, his couragiousnes, it is said, that he shall fly away.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ianus, he shall flee away. Shall he flee away? How is it possible? Is not the contrary already confirmed by all the passages of the two precedent verses, the 14. and the 15? Yes it hath. I therefore understand by this flying away, not simply a flying away, but only a desire, or an endeavor to fly away. He shall fly away, that is, he shall desire to fly away, or, he shall endeavor to fly away; yet to his little or no advantage, though his desire or endeavor be to fly away naked.

He shall flee away 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hharom naked. A man is sometimes said to be naked, when he wanteth necessaries for the supply of present occasions. It is said of Saul, 1. Sam. 19.24. that he stripped off his clothes, and prophesied, and was all that day and all that night naked. I cannot imagine, that Saul was indeed altogether naked, but he is said to be so, because he had laid aside his princely robes; as R. Chimchi thinketh; or because he had put off his military apparel, and was now as another common person, as Junius supposeth; or because he was sine pallio prophetico, because he had not on a Prophets cloak, as Drusius affirmeth obseruat. lib. 14. c. 14. So is Isaiah said to have gone naked, chap. 20.2. because he was nudatus vest suâ propheticâ, because he had loosed the sackcloth from off his loins, and had put off his prophetical attire.

In the second of Samuel, chap. 6.20. Michal telleth David, that he had uncovered himself, or made himself naked. And why? but because he had put of his princely apparel, and danced in a linen Ephod.

Naked also may they, be said to be, that have no good apparel, no good clothing on. So are the Apostles said to be naked, 1. Cor. 4.11. Even to this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place. We are naked, that is, saith Drusius, non ita been vestiti, we are not very well clothed. No more were that brother and sister, of whom S. James speaketh, chap. 2.15. They were naked: Naked, that is, male vestiti, or necessario vestitu destituti; they were ill clothed, or wanted necessary apparel.

By the places now alleged you see, that he may be said to be naked, that is not simply and altogether so. So of the courageous man in my text it is said, that he shall flee away naked. Naked, that is, unarmed, without armor: having cast away his weapons, and all other instruments of military discipline; content to escape with life, if he may be so happy; but shall not: for there is no escaping, as you well know by that you have already heard.

But when shall this courageous man be in such a straight, as that he shall be fain to flee away naked? It shall be, saith my text 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Baijom habu, in that day. In that day, the day of God's judgment: in that day, when God will exercise his judgment against the rebellious, and refractary.

This day may be called the day of the Lord, whereof we read, Isaiah. 13.6. Howle ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand: it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. It is so called, Joel 1.15. Alas for the day: for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

This day, the day of the Lord, for the horror thereof, is by our Prophet Amos called darkness, chap. 5.18. Woe unto you, that desire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness and not light. A day, and yet darkness! a day and no light in it! Its even so: and is repeated by an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , verse. 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness and not light? even very dark and no brightness in it. I cannot better set forth unto you the state of this day, then the Prophet Zephaniah doth, chap. 1.15. Read him, and you shall find this day, the day of the Lord, to be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wastnesse and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominesse, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm. No marvel then if our courageous man, the courageous among the mighty, shall endeauou or desire to flee away naked in that day.

But shall he endeavor, or shall he desire to do it? Yes. He must be fame to do it. For it followeth by way of confirmation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Neum Jehovah, saith the Lord.

Saith the Lord.

THis is the conclusion and confirmation of all. The Lord, the God of truth, who lieth not nor deceiveth, whose words are yea and amen, whoever doth according to that he saith, and accomplisheth what he speaketh, he it is, that here threateneth the courageous among the mighty, that they shall flee away naked in the day of their visitation. And so out of doubt it came to pass.

It came to pass in the days of Peka K. of Israel, at what time Tiglath Pilesar K. of Assyria came up against the Israelites, took diverse of their Cities, the whole Region that was beyond Jordan, the possession of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, yea all the land of Naphtali: and carried some of their inhabitants captive into Assyria. 2. King. 15.29.

After that in the days of Hosea son of Elah, the last of the Kings of Israel, this prediction was fulfilled, at what time Shalmaneser King of Assyria invaded Israel, the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, took Samaria, and carried much people away into Assyria. Of this we read 2. King. 17.6.

In that day, that day when Tiglath Pilesar prevailed against Israel, and that day wherein Shalmaneser was conqueror, he that was courageous among the mighty, was fain no doubt to run away, and that naked, according to this prediction, He that is courageous among the mighty, shall flee away naked in that day. My observation from hence is this:

Believe it, it is not. For in that day, the stoutest, the most valiant and bold, shall be stricken with astonishment of heart, and shall grope at noon days, as the blind man doth in darkness. It shall then be with him, as it was with Belshazzar the King, Daniel 5.6. His countenance shall be changed, his thoughts shall trouble him, the joins of his loins shall be loosed, and his knees shall smite one against the other. Yea then (for then will the Lord arise to shake terribly the earth ) then shall he go into the holes and clefts of the ragged rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty. So saith Isaiah elegantly, chap. 2.19, 21. And say you now, what can a stout courage, a valiant heart, a bold spirit steed a man in that day, in the day of God's vengeance? You must needs confess, it can steed him nothing.

Nothing! Let us then for our good make some profitable use hereof. We shall the better make it if we will sum up together those natural abilities, which our Prophet Amos hath here disabled, from yielding any help unto us in the day of God his revengement: If neither he that is of an expedite and agile body, nor the strong man, nor the mighty man, nor the bow-man, nor the swift of foot, nor the horseman, shall in that day be able to deliver or help himself: if he that is courageous among the mighty, shall be fain to run away naked in that day, whence then shall we in that day look for safety? It must not be from any aid of man.

Now the Use we are to make hereof is, that we trust not in man, or in anything that is in or about man. To this duty we are advised by the Prophet Isaiah, chap. 2.22. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? If you will be safe and without danger in the day of trouble, Cease from man; See that ye have no confidence, no affiance in him, as though against God or without God he were able to help you. His breath is in his nostrils; his soul, his vital spirit, his life is but a blast, and is gone with a puff. Then where is his help? Weak, frail, and brittle man, wherein is he to be accounted of? Is he to be accounted of for anything that is in him? for his activity, for his dexterity, for his valor, for his wisdom, or the like? No: for if he be gone, all these are likewise vanished.

But may he not be accounted of for somewhat that is about him? for his riches, for his munition, and weapons of defense, for his honor, and the reputation he holdeth in the state wherein thou livest? No, no. For what cares the Almighty for these? The Psalmist was not ill advised, Psal. 146.3. Where he thus adviseth us: Put not your trust in Princes, nor in any son of man, in whom there is no help, his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish. See man here pictured and drawn forth in lively colors: Put not your trust in Princes] not in Princes? Why? Is not their authority and pre-eminence here exceeding great? Yes. But they are sons of men] Well. Be it so. The sons of men are creatures not far inferior to the Angels. True. But there is no help in them] no help in them? Why so? Their breath goeth forth] They die. What if they die? Is there no place for them in Heaven among the stars? No, they return to their earth] there to participate with rottenness and corruption. What if corruption be in their flesh, may not their intendments and devises be canonized and kept for eternity? No, they may not. For in that very day their thoughts perish] their thoughts are as transitory as their bodies, and come to naught. And therefore put not your trust in them; not in Princes, nor in any son of man.

Wherein then shall we put our trust? Even in the Lord our God. To this trust in the Lord, we are invited, Psal. 118.8, 9. It is botter to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord, then to put confidence in Princes. Is one better then the other? Why, then both may be good, and it may be good to put confidence in man. Not so. You may not take the word better in this place to be so spoken. For if you put any confidence in man, you rob God of his glory; which to do can never be good. I therefore thus expound the words: It is better] by infinite degrees, absolutely and simply better, to trust in the Lord] to trust steadfastly in him alone, then to put any confidence] any manner of trust or confidence, in man] of what estate or dignity soever he be, though he be of the rank of Princes, who have all the power and authority in the world. Its every way better to trust in the Lord, then to trust in such, ever good to trust in the Lord, but never good to trust in man. Trust we in the Lord, and blessed shall we be: but cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm; the Lord himself hath said it, Ierem. 17.5.

Now therefore, O Lord, since thou hast from hence taught us, that from the aid of man there is no safety to be expected, neither from him, that is of an expedite, and agile body, nor from the strong man, nor from the mighty man, nor from the bow-man, nor from the swift of foot, nor from the horseman, nor from the courageous among the mighty, nor from anything else that is in man, or about him, give us grace we beseech thee, that in thee alone we may place all our hope and confidence. In thee alone our God and Father of mercies do we trust: and do thou according to the multitude of thy compassions look upon us. Hear the supplications of us thy poor servants, living far, as banished men in a savage Country. Protect, we beseech thee, and keep our souls among the many dangers of this mortal life, and bring us by the conduct of thy gracious favor into that thy sacred habitation, and seat of eternal glory. Grant this unto us, most dear Father, for thy best beloved Son Jesus Christ his sake.

A Table of such particulars as are contained in this Commentary.

A
• Abraham, his mild speech to Lot. 29
• Access to God. 347
• No accident in God. 114
• Adam, 287. 360
• Adultery, 148
• Adulterers. 148
• Natural Affection. 28
• Affliction. 254
• Alexander the sixth. 157
• An Altar, of earth. 169
  • of stone. of Holocausts. ibid.
• There was but one Altar. 169
• The Altar a tipe of Christ. 170
• Popish Altars. 171
  • none such in the Primitive Church ibid.
• Our Altar now, not material. 172
  • It is our heart. 177
• The Ammonites, enemies to the people of God. 18
  • Excluded from that Church. 18
• The Amorite 214
  • Destroied. ibid.
• Amorites, they were tale and strong. 226
  • They were destroyed. 236
• Amos. 307
• Amos, why he first prophesied against Forreine nations. 2. 47
• Antaeus. 226
• Antiochus. 149
• Antonius Caracalla. ibid.
• Arias. 344
• Asaphel. 343
• Aspasia. 149
• Assurance of our faith. 7.
• Atalanta. 343
• Atheists, denying God and his truth. 12

B
• Men of Base estate comforted. 45
• Beast worshipped for God's. 247
• Beauty. 229
• Behold. 322
• Benefits, the order of God's Benefits
  • Not observed. 242
  • We must remember God's Benefits. 252
• The Bible the greatest treasure. 54
• The Bible must be had. ibid.
• The Bible to be read. ibid.
• Men Blaspheme God. 152
• God's name Blasphemed. 150
• Our Bodies a sacrifice. 174
• The goods of our Bodies, must be offered. ibid.
• The Bond of blood. 28
  • of christianity. ibid
• The greatest Bond between men. ibid
• A Broken spirit. 176
• D. Bucknham. 89
• The Burial of the dead. 27

C
• Cain. 360. 361
• Camilla. 343
• A Calumniator. 138
• A Calumnie. ibid.
• Carioth. 33
• Cedars. 223
  • They grow high. ibid.
• Cerijoth. 33
• We have been Chastised of God. 42
• Christ, our altar. 170
  • His benefits towards us. ibid
  • His death and passion. ibid
• A Christian in name. 106
• A Christian who. ibid
• The Church of God. 253
• A City not safe against God by munition &c. 35
• Consanguinitie. 27
• Contempt. 64
• Contempt of the law of the Lord. 67
• Contempt may be a sin and not. 65
• Covetousness. 133
• The causes of our Crosses is sin. 60
• Crueltie. 23. 133
• Crueltie against the dead. 25
• Crueltie displeaseth God. 23. 37

D
• Darius. 98. 149
• The natural man in Darkness. 86
• David chosen king. 230
• David George. 89
• The Day of the Lord. 134. 371
• Crueltie towards the Dead. 25
• Burial of the Dead. 27
• Death of 4. sorts. 36
• Death terrible. 37
• Death considered in a double respect. 38
• Death to be feared, of whom. 39
• Death welcome to the penitent. 38. 40
• Of three things no Definition. 112
• The Denying of a contrary is sometime an affirmation. 70
• All must once Die. 36. 37
• Disobedience. 74. 77. 289. 292
• Dispensations Popish. 155
• Doggs thankful. 207
• Draw nigh to God. 347
• A Drunkard. 182. 286
  • described. 182
• Drunkenness: the effects of it. ibid &c.
• Our Dwelling houses a blessing unto us. 35

E
• Eagle: swifter then Eagles. 224
• The Edomites descended from Abraham. 22
• Egypt, 345. 250
  • Where situate. 245.
• The Egyptians superstitious. 246
  • Their God's. ibid.
  • Their cruelty. 251
• The Israelites brought up from the land of Egypt. 244. 245
• Eliab: Jesse his eldest son. 228
  • liked by Samuel. 229. 230
  • fair of countenance and of goodly stature. 229
  • refused. 230
• No Escaping from God. 342
• Etham. 255
• No Euasion from God. 342
• The cause of Evil is sin. 60
• Extortion. 133
• God wholly an Eye. 105
• The Eyes of the Lord, behold all things. 104

F
• Faith: the power of it. 260
• Assurance of our Faith 7
• Perseverance in our Faith. 8
• Faithful: their steadfastness and stability. 368
• Our first parents Fall. 10
• The Famine of Jerusalem. 100
• Fathers. 83
• Our Fathers not simply to be followed in matters of religion. 92
• The Papists follow their Fathers in religion. 93
• Fire. 34. 97
• No Fleeing from God. 342. 360
• Flee to God. 346
• The father of a Fool rejoiceth not. 70
• Fornication. 149 152
  • abstain from fornication. 152
  • name not Fornication. ibid.
• Fornication unlawful by the law of nature. 153.
• Fornicators. 149
• Freedom. 253
• Fridericke the fourth. 94
• Fruit. 237

G
• Gentiles their calling. 254
• Their God's. 247
• Giants. 234
• Glory only in the Lord. 231
• God: his counsels. 238
  • all power is his. 239
  • the honor of victories is his. 239
  • is present everywhere 344
  • seeth all things. 104. 345
  • is all in all in the overthrow of his enemies. 218
  • and in the upholding his children. 218. 219
  • faithful in his promises. 260
  • a present help. 261
• What God is. 113
• No accident in God. 114.
• God's attributes, negative. 113
  • Affirmative 114
• God is impartial. 103
• Goods external we must offer up in sacrifice. 173
• Goods of the body must be offered. 174
• Goods of the mind to be offered. 176
• Goods unlawfully gotten, not fit to be employed in God's service. 200
  • nor in the service of Idols. ibid.
• The Gospel of Christ. 272
  • its the word of salvation. ibid
  • the doctrine of peace. ibid
  • the doctrine of good things. 275
• Great personages punished by God. 44
• Grubenheimer. 88

H
• Hail. 295
• Hanani. 308
• Hearers of the word, must be attentive. 16, 50
• A faithful Heart. 178
• Our Hearts must not be set on the outward things of this world. 45
• Heaven. 139
• Hell. 210
• Hercules: the print of his foot. 227
• A Horse a vain thing. 366
• A Horse described. 365
• The Horseman 364
• Hyperbole. 224. 225

I
• K. James. 94
• Idols. 80
• Idolaters: Its a blessing to be freed from them. 249
• Jehovah. 5. 49. 112
• Jeremiah. 307
• Jews: their captivity. 98
  • their return from captivity, ibid
• The Jews a stiffnecked people. 83
• The destruction of the Jews foretold. 97
• Jerusalem. ibid. 107
  • had fair appellations. 99. 107
  • Afflicted with famine. 100
• The destruction of Jerusalem. 101. 102
  • the desolation foretold. 100
• Impiety taken for Impiety by God wheresoever he findeth it, 104
• Like Impieties like punishment 105
• Incest. 148
• Incestuous persons. ibid,
• Incestuous marriages. 149. 155
• Incestuous marriages among the heathen, 149
• Incontinen 153
• John of Leyden, 88
• John the thirteenth. 156
• John the three and twentieth. 157
• Johannes de Casa. ibid.
• Jonah. 360. 362
• Iphictus. 343
• Israel. 150
  • their sins. 161
  • their perogatives. 150
• Israel's unthankfulness, 207. 209
• The people of Israel: their number when they went out of Egypt. 254
• Judah. 55, 80. 111
• The kingdom of Judah. 55. 97
• Judas. 2 ••
• Judges admonished. 19 •
• Judgment beginneth with God children. 108
• The Judgment of God exercised upon great ones. 44
• The last Judgment. 296
• Julia. 149
• God's Justice goeth on slowly. 62
• Justices admonished. 195

K
• Kerioth. 33
• Kinred. 29, 148

L
• The Law of the Lord. 66
• The Law of the Lord not to be contemned. 67
• It surpasseth all other Laws. 66
• A Lie in words. 81
  • in manners. ibid
  • in things. ibid
• Lies. 81
  • in the worship of God, ibid
  • of two sorts, ibid
  • in commerce with men of three sorts. ibid
• An exhortation to Love. 30
• The praises of Christian Love. ibid
• Lying down at meat. 162
• Lions thankful. 208
  • stronger then Lions. 234
• Carnal Lusts. 159
• Fleshly Lusts. ibid

M
• Magistrates. 195
  • their duty. ibid
• Man should be courteous. 24
• Men of two sorts. 39
• Martirdome. 174
  • in peace. ibid.
• Martin of Polonia. 171
• Means used by God. 238
• Ministers of the Gospel 272
  • Their duty. 276. 286
• The Ministry of the word. 271
• Micaiah. 308
  • Mirraim, 246
• Moab. 18. 32. 36
• The Moabites: 22
  • there inhumanity. 19
  • their pride, ibid,
  • their cruelty. 22
• A cruel Mother. 101
• Munition. 35

N
• Naked. 370
• The Names of God. 4. 114
  • how profaned. 146
  • how sanctified. 147
• Nazarene. 268
• Nazarites. ibid,
  • their law. 270, 284
• Nazarites. 268
• Nazarites. 268

O
• Obedience. 76
• Obedience better then sacrifice. 73. 74
• Obedience to the commandments of the Lord. 73
• Og K. of Bashan. 226. 236
  • height and strength. 226
  • his bedsteed. 227
• Oke, strong as the Okes, 225
• Oppression, 133, 187. 188
  • unlawful. ibid,
• Oppressions of this age. 187, 188
• Oppressors hated, 194
• Oppressors of the poor God seeth, 197
• One poor man may not oppress another. ibid
• The Order of God's benefits inverted. 242
• Orion. 343

P
• Paine the companion of a fault. 105
• A Painter of Prussia. 88
• The Paradise of Heaven. 139
• The Patience of God. 21, 42, 45, 61
• Paulus the third. 157
• Taking of Pannes. 165
• We enjoy Peace. 45
• Perseverance in faith, 8
• Persons. 103
• Persons not respected by God, ibid
• Pharaoh, 366
• Pius the third. 157
• Pledges. 165
• A Poor man's Pledge not to be taken, 166
• Poor: God pleadeth their cause. 130. 135
  • do good to them, 138
  • they will carry thee to heaven, 139
• For the Poor oppressed consolation, 135
• The Poor not to be turned out of his way. 138
• The Poor that are wicked, 136
• Popes wicked. 156
  • incestuous, ibid
• Popes dispensations, 155
• Powder treason. 219
• Promises of God. 260
• Preachers, must deliver the word of God, 15, 50
• God Present everywhere.
• Prophets, 265, 303
  • how instructed. 266
• True Prophets two sorts, 306
• False Prophets two sorts, 305
• Lying Prophets. 303
• Punishment followeth wickedness. 103

R
• To Raise up. 264
• Rechabites, 76
• Rehoboam. 56
• Repent. 46
• Repentance. 46, 78, 202
• Restitution. 201
• The Rider. 364
• Roote. 235

S
• Sacrifices under the law. 172
  • of two sorts. 172
• Propiciatorie, Expiatorie, or Satisfactory. 172
• Eucharisticall or gratulatorie. 172
  • Eucharisticall of three sorts. 173
  • Evangelical. 177
• The Sacrifices of God. 176
• God's Sacrifice must be the fattest. 175
• Shalmaneser. 372
• Saul. 288
• Saul: a good man of person. 228
  • rejected by the Lord. ibid.
• God the author of Holy Scriptures. 14 50
  • Speaketh in the Scriptures 13
• The holy Scriptures of no private motion. 13
• The Scriptures vilified by Papists. 14 51. magnified. 54. 55
  • Easie. 90
  • had free passage in old time. ibid
  • diversely resembled. 91
• In the Scriptures Christians generally had knowledge. 94
• The red Sea. 255
• Sheep in England cruel. 193
• A Shouting. 40
• Shur, 255
• Sihon K. of the Amorites. 236
• Sin a grievous burden. 1
  • punished by God in the Angels. 21
  • The cause of our crosses. 60
  • to be punished. 104
  • resembled. 106
  • the effects of it. 124
• Grieuous Sins, have grievous punishments. 62
• Elee from Sin, 106
• God will punish Sin, in his dearest children. 107
  • s a part of God's justice, to punish It sin. 108
• The filthiness of Sin. 150
• An exhortation against Sin. 60
• Our Sins press into God's presence. 42
• God punisheth for one Sin. 62
• Every Sin is to be punished. ibid
• Our state of Sin and death. 10
• Sins procure God's wrath. 20
• Sins hated of God. 20. 59
• Sixtus the fourth. 157
• Sobriety. 286
• Sons. 265
• The eldest Sons prerogative. 14 13
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 28
• The Spanish invasion. 298
• Stand before the Lord. 363
• Stature. 233
• Our States of regeneration and election. 11
• Stratonice. 149
• Stwes in Rome. 157
  • patronised. ibid
  • confuted. 158
• Swift of foot. 359

T
• Testament.
  • the Old. 53
  • the New. ibid.
• Thankfulness in dogs. 207
  • in Lions 208
• An exhortation to Thankefulnes. 211
• Three and four Transgressions. 57. 116
• Thunder. 295
• Tiglath Pileser. 372
• The Translations of the Scriptures into vulgar tongues, withstood by Papists. 88
  • their exceptions. ibid.
• Treasures of wickedness, profit not. 71
• God is True, 6
• We must strive to be True, as God is True. 11
• Trust not in wealth nor in any worldly help. 220
• Trust not in external helps. 367
• Trust in the Lord. 368. 374
• Trust not in man. 373
• Trumpets used in war. 40. 41
• God is Truth in himself, in his words and in his works. 6
• We must be thankful to God for our knowledge of the Truth. 8
• We must strive to represent God in Truth. 10. 12
• A Tumult. 40
• An exhortation to Turn to the Lord 46
• Tydeus. 234
• Tyrannie. 253

V
• The execution of Vengeance proper to the Lord. 33.
• Victories. 239
• Vilages depopulated. 193
• Vnthankefulnesse. 205. 211
  • Odious before God. 205. 211
  • forbidden. 206
  • reprehended. ibid,
  • punished. 209
• Usury. 133

W
• To walk. 84
  • how we are to walk. 249
• The Water, 296
• War the executioner of God's vengeance, 41
• A Way taken properly & figuratively 137
• Wealth: trust not in it. 220
• The wicked man, 235
• Wilderness of Etham. 254
  • of Shur. 256
• The Wind. 297
• Wine allowed, 181
  • to be avoided, 184
  • forbidden to the Nazarites, 285
  • to Priests, 286
  • to Kings. 285
• Wine given to the condemned, 186
  • of the condemned, ibid
• The abuse of Wine. 181
• A Woman of Munster. 88
• An english Woman. 89
• The Word of God praised, 16, 272
  • magnified, 54, 55
  • not to be declined from, 85
  • to be embraced with diligence, 87
  • compared to a lamp or, light, 86
• We must be thankful for having the Word of God. 87
• The Church of Rome with-holds the Word of God. ibid,
• The Works of God internal and external. 7

Z
• Zacchaeus, 201, 232
• Zedekiah K. of Judah. 97.

A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL THINGS contained in the Exposition of the third Chapter of the Prophecy of AMOS.

A
• ABimelech. 184
• Absalom. 309
• Actions of God. 297
• Adouai. 146
• Affliction, of the Lord. 142. 281
• Alexander the Great. 212
• All. 30
• Ashdod. 180
• Azotus. 181

B
• BEnefits temporal remember. 17
• Benefits upon Israel. 24
• Bethel. 289. 292
• Bethschemites. 240
• Builders,
  • Of houses. 307
  • Of Babel. 307. 308
• Building stately. 306

C
• CAlamities from God. 281
• Cham. 182
• Children. 4
• Choise of God. 22
• Christ patient. 286
• City. 140
• Cloisters. 214
• Cockatrice. 98
• Comminations. 61
• Conversion. 213

D
• DAuid, patient. 286
• Decree of God. 76
• Devil: a fowler. 78
• Discord. 76. •• . 97
• Divinity. 131

E
• EGypt. 182
• Election of God. 22
• Enemies: their reproaches. 183
• Evil: two ways. 134
  • Two kinds. 135

F
• FAith. 265, 266
• Fool: the Atheist. 312
• The rich man. 309, 310, 311
• A Fox. 98
• The Fowler. 73

G
• GEdeon. 240
• Gilgal. 292
• The Grace of God. 76
• God: A Fowler. 79
  • A Lion. 59. 61
• God: he is good. 133
  • His Name. 130
  • Seeth all. 214
• God of Hosts. 258, 259, 260
  • Of Sabaoth. 258, &c.
• God: the principal Agent. 298. 300
• The goodness of God: general. 133
  • Special. 133

H
• HEare the word of God. 8
• Hearers of the word. 265. 270
  • Of diverse sorts. 13
• Hearing twofold. 265
• Heart: to be kept. 101
• Our Hearts our houses. 312
• Hosts: God of Hosts. 258. &c.
• Houses spiritual. 312
  • Stately. 306

I
• IDolatrie.
• Jehovah. 130, 131
• Jehovah. 147
• Ignorance of God. 199
• Instruments: how regarded. 299, 300, &c.
• Job. 299
  • His patience. 286
• Israel: Prerogatiues. 23

K
• To KNow. 21, 2 •
• Knowledge of God. 19. 21 199
• Knowen of God. 2 •

L
• LEauen. 9 •
• Lions roaring. 5 •
• Their names. 16 •
• Comparisons from them. 59 60. 16

M
• MAgistrates. 213
• Man. 77
  • A Fowler. 79
  • A Lion. 60
• Ministers: their calling. 240
• Mitzraijm. 18 •

N
• NAmes of God. 130
• Numbers changed. 290

P
• PAlaestina. 180
• Patience in trouble. 285
  • Whence? 286
• Places of Idols. 291. 292
• Poor: rich men's barns. 309
• Powder Traitors. 214
• Power: all of God. 283
• Prophets. 42
• Providence of God. 75. 80
  • Of two sorts. 81
  • General. 81
  • Special. 84
  • Particular. 86
  • Ouer his Church. 85
• Punishment: all of God. 31
  • The Author of it. 136
  • Evil of punishment. 135. 139
  • God punisheth all sin. 34
  • His own servants. 33

R
• REligion; true. 294, 295
• Rich man; his barns. 309

S
• SAbaoth: God of Sabaoth. 258, &c.
• Samaria. 191
• Saul. 184
• Scripture praised. 130
• Self-killing, a sin. 185
• Serpent. 98
• Shimei. 299
• Similitudes. 75
• Sin:
  • Evil of sin. 135
• Sinners. 76
• Smite: God smiteth. 16
• Snare. 74. 76
• Snares,
  • Of Punishment. 78
  • Of Sin. ibid.
• Sodom. 281, 282
• Sons. 6

T
• THreatnings of God not in vain. 61
  • Accomplished. 63
  • Absolute. 65
  • Conditional. 66
• Tongue, to be tamed. 99
• Troubles from God. 281
  • Endured with patience. 285, 286, &c.
• Trumpeters. 42
• Trumpets. 117

V
• VAriance. 76. 94. 97
• Visit. 29
  • Our Visitations of God. 281
  • God visiteth for evil. 278, 279
  • For good. 278, 279
  • In judgment. 278, 279
• Uzzah. 240

W
• WAlke with God. 47
• Watchmen. 43. 117
• Water of bitterness. 98
• Will of God: is one. 69
• Word of God: a Jewel. 25. 45
  • To be heard. 8
  • Appropriate to the Jews. 27
  • A two-edged sword. 106
  • Effectual. 94. 102. 105

Y
• YOungling of Babylon. 99
• Yuorie houses. 303. 304

Z
• ZEchariah. 4
• Zerubhabel. 4

THE First Lecture.

HAuing heretofore, by the gracious assistance of the Almighty, finished my Exposition upon the first and second Chapters of this Prophesy of Amos, I do now adventure upon the third, in a sure hope and confidence, of the continuance of the same assistance unto me, not doubting, but that the Lord will enable me to go forward in this course, if he shall see it to be to his glory, and to the good of his Church.

This third Chapter is Amos his second Sermon against the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, the Kingdom of Israel. It was made, as it seemeth, when their then King, Jeroboam son of Joash, the thirteenth King of Israel, though wicked for his life, yet happy in war, had vanquished and subdued many of the Syrians, and had recovered the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath, unto the Sea of the plain; and had taken Damascus and Hamath. Then the people of Israel, grown insolent with victories, and rich with spoils, became lasciuient and wanton, and spurned at the preaching of the Word of God. It was now high time for Amos to bestir himself, and to remember them of the fickle estate wherein now they were. He was their Prophet, peculiarly sent to them from God; and it lay upon him, to call upon them. He doth it in this his second Sermon.

The parts are three:

• 1 An Exordium, or an entrance into the Sermon, verse. 1.
• 2 A Proposition, containing the sum of that whereof he admonisheth them, verse. 2.
• 3 An Enarration, a Declaration, an Exposition, or an Expolition of the matter in hand, from the third verse. to the end of the Chapter.

We are to begin with the Exordium or entrance to the Sermon. It is an invitation to attention: and containeth certain arguments of persuasion. Three they are; all of weight, and in themselves available.

The first is taken from the authority of the Word, to the hearing whereof they are invited. It is Verbum Iehouae, the Word of Iohouah, the only true and everliving God. Hear this Word, non meum somnium, not any dream of mine, not my word, nor the word of any mortal wight, but the Word of the Lord, Hear this Word, that the Lord hath spoken.

The second is taken from the quality of the parties invited. They are Flij Israel, the children of Israel. By this compellation they are put in mind of their stock and linage that they were sprung from, and came out of the loins of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel; whereby they may well be admonished, either to insist in the steps of that holy Patriarch, or like disobedient and degenerate children to expect punishment from the Lord: Hear this Word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel.

The third is taken from the memory of their greatest deliverance, their deliverance out of Egypt. By this benefit, had there been nothing else, were the Israelites deeply obliged to give ear to the Word of the Lord their Redeemer and deliverer. Hear this Word, that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying.

In the handling of these words, I purpose to hold this course: first, to expound the words; and then to observe out of them such instructions as they naturally offer unto us, and may be for our good.

Hear this Word that the Lord speaketh against you.

Hear, Listen unto it, not only with the outward sense of your ears, but yield unto it also willing assent in your minds. Hear it interiori auditu: so Albertus Magnus expounds it, Hear with your inward hearing. In the phrase of the Gospel, it is Audit & intelligite, Matth. 15.10. Hear and understand.

Hear this Word] This word is with Castalio, dictum, a saying; with Albertus it is, something signified by voice, which remaineth in the heart of the hearer, after the voice is gone. It may be the decree of God and his ordinance, touching that he will do unto Israel; and so Jonathan in his Chaldee paraphrase seems to take it; Hear this Word, that the Lord hath decreed. In the Uulgar Latin I read, Audit verbum, quod locutus est Dominus; Hear the Word that the Lord hath spoken. Our now English is right: Hear this Word that the Lord hath spoken.

Hath spoken! To, or against whom? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hhal • e • m, To you, or against you: so Drusius. The original is, Super vos, over you or upon you: Drusius well renders it, to you, or against you; and Petrus Lusitanus not amiss, contra vos, vel de vobis, against you, or concerning you.

You children of Israel. The Hebrew is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Benei Iischrael, sons of Israel. Children of Israel, or sons of Israel, the Israelites are meant. Each phrase may be paralleled in the Greek tongue. First, the children of Israel, for the Israelites: So speak the Greeks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the children of the Ethiopians, for Ethiopians themselves. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the children of Philosophers, for Philosophers themselves. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the children of Physicians, for Physicians themselves. Again, the sons of Israel, for the Israelites. And so speak the Greeks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the sons of the Grecians, for the Grecians themselves. Its very frequent in Homer. I meet with one place in the Greek Bible, wherewith I will for the present content myself. It is Joel 3 6. The words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the sons of Judah, and the sons of Jerusalem, ye sold to the sons of the Grecians; where the sons of Judah are put for the people of Judah, and the sons of Jerusalem for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the sons of the Grecians for the Grecians themselves: just, as it is here, the sons of Israel for the Israelites themselves.

Sons of Israel] It is an Hebrew Proverb; Filij filiorum cece sunt vt filij; Sons sons, behold they are as sons. You may understand thus: The sons of sons are accounted of as sons; or, they are truly sons; sons not in name only, but in very deed.

In the name of son, sometime the Nephew is to be understood. So it is, Haggai 1.1. Zerubbabel is there called the son of Shealtiel; whose son he was not, but Nephew, for he was son of Pedaiah, and Pedaiah son of Schealtiel. And so is it Ezra 5.1. Zechariah the Prophet is there called the son of Iddo, whose son he was not, but Nephew; for he was the son of Barachiah, and Barachiah the son of Iddo. Now as a son is sometimes put for a Nephew, so are sons for a posterity; So in my Text, the sons of Israel are put for the posterity of Israel. The sons of Israel, Secundum carnem, non secundū spiritum, as Petrus à Figuciro speaketh; the sons of Israel after the flesh, not after the spirit. Sons of Israel, such as were lineally descended from the loins of Jacob, who was surnamed Israel. These sons or children of Israel are here further described to be that whole family which the Lord brought up from the land of Egypt. Hear this Word, that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family, which I brought up from the land of Egypt.

Against the whole family] The Hebrew word here is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mischpachah, and signifieth a family. So its translated by Brenz, and Calvin, and Drusius, and Gwalther, and Junius, and Piscator: and so is it in our newest English; against the whole family. A family, to speak properly, is of them that are contained in one and the same house: it is a household consisting of persons of diverse sexes, ages, statures, strengths, and abilities. But this narrow signification of a family will not serve for this place. For it was not only a household that the Lord brought out of Egypt, it was more than so.

The Author of the Vulgar Latin gives here a larger scope. Familia contents him not; Cognatio is his word. Not a family, but a kindred must serve his turn. His reading is Super omnem cognationem. It pleaseth Luther, and Mercer, and Vatablus. Against all the kindred. A kindred we know may contain many families: and many were the families which the Lord brought up from the Land of Egypt; yet is not this word kindred of extent sufficient to comprehend the great multitude that was brought up from the land of Egypt.

Nation is a fitter word with Castalio: Hear this word, that the Lord pronounceth to you, to the whole Nation, which I brought up from the land of Egypt. It was indeed a Nation that the Lord brought up. A Nation, and therefore many kindreds, and more families. Yet need we not refuse either the word kindred or family as unfit for this place; for each of them may well be used to signify a Nation. The reason whereof Kimhi giveth, quia ab initio gentes singulae ab vno aliquo viro defluxerunt; because at first Nations had their beginning from someone man that was head of a family or kindred.

A Family for a Nation you have, Mic. 2.3. Behold, saith the Lord; behold, against this family do I devise an evil. Against this family, that is, against this Nation of the Israelites. So have you, Ierem. 8.3. Death shall be chosen rather than life, by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family. This evil family is the nation of the Jews. I read of the family of Egypt, Zach. 14.18. and there the family of Egypt, is the nation of the Egyptians. Such is the signification of the word family in my Text; against the whole family, that is, against the whole nation of the Israelites.

By this whole family of the children of Israel, some do understand all the people which the Lord brought up from Egypt, which afterward was rent into two Kingdoms, the Kingdom of Judah, and the Kingdom of Israel. So Saint Jerome, and Remigius, and Hugo, and Lyra, and Dionysius. Some by the children of Israel do understand the Kingdom of Israel, the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, and in the whole family brought up from the land of Egypt, they will have included the Kingdom of Judah, the other two Tribes; the Tribes of Benjamin and Judah. So Theodoret, and Albertus, and Montanus, & Quadratus, and Christophorus à Castro.

Petrus à Figueiro takes this whole family to be here used Appositorie, by Apposition, to express what is meant by the children of Israel. The children of Israel, that is, the whole family, kindred, or nation of the Israelites which the Lord brought up from the land of Egypt. The like doth Tauerner in his English Bible; his Translation runs thus: Hear what the Lord speaketh unto you, O ye children of Israel, namely unto all the Tribes whom I brought out of Egypt.

I take them to be in the right, who by the children of Israel, do understand the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, and by the whole family brought up from Egypt, the other two Tribes: the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin: to this sense, Hear this word, this sentence, that the Lord pronounceth against you, O children of Israel, and not against you alone, but even against all those whom I brought up from the land of Egypt. All that are in the same fault do well deserve the same punishment. If Judah sin as well as Israel, Judah shall be punished as well as Israel. Hear therefore this word, not only you of Israel, but you of Judah too, all you whom I brought up from the land of Egypt.

All, which I brought up from the land of Egypt] How can this be? Of those which the Lord brought up out of Egypt, all that were of twenty years old and upward, all save two, Caleb the son of Iephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun, died in the Wilderness. They died there, and therefore they came not into the Holy Land.

Again, the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was about seven hundred years before the time that this Prophesy came by the ministry of Amos unto Israel.

What? Seven hundred years before this time! Its then to be presumed, that all, which so long before were brought up from Egypt, were long ere this time dead. And so out of doubt they were. How then is it, that here so long after it is said to the children of Israel from the Lord, Eduxi, I brought you, your whole family, up from the Land of Egypt? The Israelites, to whom this speech is, had for the place of their nativity and habitation the land of Judea. Never had they been in the land of Egypt, and yet may there be a good construction of what is here said unto them; Eduxi, I brought you, your whole family, up from the land of Egypt. Albertus makes the construction; I brought you up, vos in patribus, you in your Fathers. So doth Petrus Lusitanus; I brought you up, vos vti{que} in parentibus, you in your parents. And so Piscator, I brought you up, vos in maioribus, you in your Ancestors. You, in your Fathers, in your Parents, in your Ancestors, I brought you up from the land of Egypt.

I brought up from the land of Egypt] The words we met with before, Chap. 2.10. There they were by me expounded; and haply you will not think it fit, I should say the same again unto you. Wherefore for a full exposition of these words, and the profit to be taken by them, I refer you to my fifteenth Lecture upon the second Chapter of this Prophesy of Amos.

Hitherto have I dwelt upon the opening of the words of my present Text. I gather up all in brief. Hear] not only with the outward ear, but also with the assent of mind; hear and understand, — this word] this thing, this sentence, this decree, — that the Lord] Jehovah, the only true everlasting and Almighty God — hath spoken] hath pronounced — over you] upon you, to you, against you; against you O children of Israel] ye the sons, the posterity of Jacob, and not against you only, but also — against the whole family] the whole Nation of you, them of Judah too, against you all, whose Fathers, Parents, and Ancestors — I brought up] and delivered with a mighty hand and out-stretched arm— from the land of Egypt] that land, wherein they lived in great slavery and bondage, — saying] after this manner as it followeth, verse. 2. You only have I known, &c.

The words you see are expounded. It remaineth now, that we gather from hence such observations as are here naturally offered unto us, and may be for our instruction.

Of the three perswasory arguments here used by Amos to move the Israelites to attention, the first is taken from the authority of the Word to the hearing whereof they are invited, it is verbum Iehouae; Hear this word, non meum somnium, not any dream of mine, not my word, nor the word of any mortal wight, but verbum Iehouae, the Word of Jehovah, the only true and everliving God. Hear this word that the Lord speaketh against you. My observation is:

Were it not so, never would the holy Prophets have been so frequent in that their invitation; Audit verbum Iehouae, Hear ye the Word of the Lord. That same general Proclamation, Mat. 11.15. Whosoever hath ears to hear, let him hear; repeated in sundry others places of the New Testament, what else implieth it, but that all are bound to hear? The voice that spake out of the cloud at the time of Christ his transfiguration, Matth. 17.5. it said no more but this, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him. Hear him, saith that voice, as if in hearing were comprised all the duties of man. Christ Jesus in the tenth of Luke, the nine and thirtieth verse, speaking of one thing that is necessary, speaks of nothing but of hearing the word. Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and troubled about many things: But one thing is necessary, and Mary hath chosen that good part. One thing necessary, and Mary hath chosen it! what is that? She sitting at Jesus feet did hear his Word. See now, to hear the Word of God is so necessary a thing, that all other necessities should give place unto it.

It makes much for this necessity of hearing, that the Word of God is called meat, Heb. 5.12. and the want of this word, a famine, Amos 8.11. What can from hence be collected, but, that it is as necessary for us to hear the word of God, as it is to eat?

Much more might be spoken to show the necessity of this duty of hearing the word of God; but I have said enough for the confirmation of my doctrine:

One reason to enforce this duty, I take from the person of him, from whom this duty is enjoined us. He is in my Text called Jehovah, the Lord: Hear this word that Jehovah the Lord speaketh. Jehovah, he is our Creator, we are his creatures; he is our Shepherd, we are his Sheep; he is our Master, we are his Servants; he is our Father, we are his children; he is our King, we are his Subjects. Say now, is not the creature bound to obey his Creator, the sheep his Shepherd, the servant his Master, the child his Father, the subject his King? The Scripture showeth it: yea nature teacheth it. If then the Lord speak unto us, we are to hear him.

A second reason to enforce this duty, I take from the great value and high price of obedient hearing. Obedience in this kind is better worth than any sacrifice, yea than all the sacrifices that can be offered. Samuel avoucheth it, 1 Sam. 15.22, 23. where he that reproveth Saul to his face: Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice: and to hearken, than the fat of Rammes. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. See here how elegantly Samuel deciphereth two contraries, Obedience and disobedience? He maketh the one to be better than sacrifice; the other to be as witchcraft and idolatry. Obedience is better than sacrifice: for he that offereth a Sacrifice, offereth the flesh of some beast: but he that obeyeth offereth his own will, as a quick and reasonable sacrifice, which the Lord well accepteth. Disobedience is as witchcraft and Idolatry. If, when the Lord imposeth some du • y upon us, we then confer with our own hearts, as Saul consulted with the woman of Endor, or as Ahaziah with Beelzebub, whether we shall hearken unto the voice of the Lord, or not; this is disobedience, and disobedience in a high degree; as prodigious as witchcraft and idolatry. Now this second reason I thus frame. God liketh of obedience, and preferreth it before sacrifice; he hateth disobedience as he doth witchcraft and idolatry; therefore it is our duty, refusing this, to embrace that: and when the Lord shall speak unto us, to hearken unto him, and obey his Word.

A third reason to enforce this duty of hearing the Word of God, I take from the consideration of the punishment that shall betide the disobedient. The disobedient shall be sure to be punished. Our warrant for this we have, Deut. 28.15. If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his Commandments and his Statutes which he commandeth thee; then shall all these curses come upon thee, and ou • rtake thee. Cursed shalt thou be in the City, and cursed in the field: Cursed in thy basket, and cursed in thy store: Cursed in the fruit of thy body, in the fruit of thy land, in the increase of thy kine, and in the stocks of thy sheep: Cursed when thou comest in, and cursed when thou goest out. With these and the like curses, how sly soever thou be, thou shalt always be environed, it will not boot thee to seek starting holes. If thou go into thine house, and shut the door, and double bar it, yet shall the serpent come in and sting thee there. If thou go into the field, and seek means to escape, thou shalt meet with a Lion upon the way: if thou slip aside from the Lion, a Bear shall meet thee. Be thou assured, God hath his storehouse full of rods, nor of three or four sorts only, but of infinite to pay thee home, if thou wilt not hearken unto his voice.

But if thou wilt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his Commandments which he commandeth thee, then shall blessings come as thick upon thee. Blessed shalt thou be in the City, and blessed in the field: blessed in thy b • sket, and blessed in thy store: blessed in the fruit of thy body, in the fruit of thy ground, in the fruit of thy Cattle, in the increase of thy kine, and in the flocks of thy sheep: blessed when thou comest in, and blessed when thou goest out. With these and other like blessings shalt thou be compassed about, if thou give ear unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

Now this third reason I frame thus: If the obedient shall be blessed and rewarded for hearing, and the disobedient cursed and punished for not hearing the voice of the Lord our God, then it behooveth us with all diligence to give ear unto his holy Word.

From the reasons enforcing the duty of hearing the Word of God, I come now to make some use of the doctrine delivered.

It may serve first for reproof. For the reproof of such as refuse to •• are the Word of God. Such, as if they had no soul to save, yea, as if they believed, that there is neither God nor Devil, neither Heaven nor Hell, do stop their ears, that they may not hear. Very desperate is their disease. The Queen of the South shall rise up in judgment and condemn them. She thought it worthy her labor, to make a long journey to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and yet, behold, more than Solomon is here. Here, not far hence, in this place, and present with you is Christ our Lord. Solomon, a man. Christ is God. Solomon a mortal King, of the Kingdom of Christ there is no end. Solomon a King by human succession, Christ by divine eternity. Solomon a sinner inwrapped in the allurements of lasciviousness, Christ without sin, without guile, harmless and undefiled. Solomon gave his Parables only in Jerusalem; Christ gives his voice throughout the Christian world, he gives it us in our streets, in our Temples, in this his house wherein now I stand.

Inexcusable therefore art thou O man, O woman, O child of understanding, whosoever thou art that refusest to hear the word of Christ, thy Lord and God. For such your refusal you shall be sure to give an account at the great day of God's vengeance. Against such refusal the voice of wisdom crieth out, Prov. 1.24. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded, I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh.

Parallel to this is that, Esa. 65.12. There thus saith the Lord; Because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not, therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter.

Hereunto may that be added, Ierem. 7.13. Because I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not, and I called you, but ye answered not, therefore will I do unto you thus, and thus: I will cast you out of my fight: I will pour out mine anger and my fury upon the place of your habitation, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground: I will cause to cease from your streets the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride. Thus and thus shall it befall them, that refuse to hear, when the Lord speaketh; the famine shall pinch them, the sword shall slay them, the pestilence shall waste them, dogs shall tear them, wild beasts shall destroy them, and the Fowls of Heaven shall devour them. You have the first use.

The second use may be for reproof too; for the reproof of such as come to hear, but hear not as they should. I have read of a generation of such hearers.

Some, saith my Author, hearken after news; If the Preacher say anything of beyond Sea matters, or of court affairs at home, that is his lure.

Some hearken whether anything be said, that may be wrested to be spoken against persons in high place, that they may accuse the Preacher.

Some smack of eloquence, and gape for a phrase, that when they come abroad in company, they may have a fine word to grace their talk.

Some sit, as Male-contents, till the Preacher come to gird some, whom they spite: then prick they up their ears to listen, and it shall go hard, if they remember not something of what is spoken.

Some come to gaze about the Church: their eyes are evil eyes, they are wanton eyes, they are evermore looking upon that, from which holy Job turned his eyes away.

Some sit musing all the Sermon time, some of their Law-suits, some of their bargains, some of their journeys, some of some other employments. The Sermon is ended before these men think where they are.

Some that come to hear, so soon as the Prayer is done, or soon after, fall fast asleep; as though they had been brought into the Church for corpses, and the Preacher should preach at their funerals.

You see now a generation of hearers: seven sorts of them; not one of them heareth as he should. If they come to the Church, and do remain there for the Sermon time, they think their duty well and sufficiently discharged. But much more than so is required at their hands. Outward service without inward obedience is but Hypocrisy. The naked hearing of the Word of God, is but an halting with God. If thou keep from him thy heart, he cares not for thy presence, nor for thy tongue, nor for thy ear.

Cares he not for our presence, nor for our tongue, nor for our ear, unless he have our heart too? Then may that Caveat, which Christ giveth his Disciples, Luk. 8.18. when he had expounded unto them the parable of the Sower, be a seasonable caveat for us. The Caveat is, Take heed how ye hear. This same take heed, ever goeth before some danger. Some danger there is in hearing: for you may easily hear amiss. You may easily hear amiss, and therefore take heed. Take heed how you hear. When you sow your seed in the field, you will take • h • ed how you sow, lest your seed should be lost. Your care herein is commendable. Let not your care be less to further the growth of God's seed. God's seed! it is immortal seed, even his holy Word; O take heed how you hear, that none of this seed be lost. No seed groweth so fast as this, if it be received in good ground, in an honest and good heart: for so it groweth in a moment as high as Heaven. Take heed therefore how ye hear.

Would ye now know how ye should hear? The Prophet Ierem. shall teach you, Chap. 13.15. Hear and give care. So shall Es •• , Chap. 28.23. Give ye ear and hear, hearken and hear. He • re, give ear and hearken! Why is this multiplying of words, but to teach you, that you are to hear and mere th • n hear? More than hear! What is that to say? It is to hear interiori auditu, with the inward hearing, as before I noted out of Albertus. It is audire & intelligere, to hear and understand, as in the phrase of the Gospel already alleged. It is to hear for the after time, as Isaiah speaketh, Chap. 42.23. It is to mark, and understand, and remember, and believe, and follow that which you hear.

This duty of hearing as we should, we shall the better perform, if as Moses at the commandment of the Lord did put off his sho • es, the shoes from off his feet, because the place wherein be stood was h lie ground, Exod. 3.5. so shall we, as oft as we come to this or the like holy place, the House of God, to hear his Word read and preached unto us, put off our shoes too; not our shoes from off our feet; but our much fouler shoes, our lusts, our thoughts, our cares, our fancies, our businesses, even all that corruption and sin wherewith in this life we are clogged: which, as the dust to the shoe, and the sh oe to the foot, cleaves fast to us.

If thus prepared we come to hear the Word of God, we shall be sure of a blessing. When the woman said to Christ, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked, Christ replied, Luk. 11.28. Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it. By this his reply, he showeth that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him, than his Mother for bearing him. Yet hereby he denieth not his Mother to have been blessed even for bearing him: but insinuates only that she was more blessed in being his child, than in being his Mother. Saint Augustine, De Sancta Virginitate, cap. 3. well expresseth it; Beatior percipiende fidem Christi, quàm concipiendo carnem Christi; The blessed Virgin, the Mother of Christ, was more blessed by receiving the faith of Christ, then by conceiving the flesh of Christ.

Christ said unto his Disciples, Matth. 13.16. Blessed are your ears for you hear; showing, that they were more blessed than all the world besides, because they had this one blessing to hear the truth. This is the blessing which you come hither for. God in the abundance of his goodness brings it home unto you. And well may you call it a blessing. For the word which we bring unto you is verbum regni, Mat. 13.19. The word of a Kingdom; it brings a Kingdom with it: It is verbum vitae, John. 6.68. the word of life: it brings life with it. It is not only a word of authority, to command and bind the conscience, nor only a word of wisdom to direct you, nor only a word of power to convert you, nor only a word of grace to comfort and uphold you, but the word of a neuerfading Kingdom, and of eternal life to make you perfectly and forever blessed.

Thus far hath my first Doctrine carried me. The Doctrine was delivered in these words:

It was grounded upon the first branch of my Text, wherein is contained the first perswasory argument of attention drawn from the authority of the word to be hearkened unto. Hear this word that the Lord speaketh against you.

The next argument of persuasion to enforce attention in the hearer, is drawn from the persons of them who are here invited to give ear. They are Filty Israel, the children, the sons, the posterity of Israel; a people descended from the holy Patriarke Jacob, chosen above all other nations to be God's peculiar people, with whom God had made a covenant, and had on his part most absolutely performed it, preserving them from their enemies, and multiplying upon them all his benefits. So graciously did God deal with these sons of Israel, not only whilst they loved him, kept their conjugal faith with him, and served him according to his word, but even then too, when they had despised him, and forsaken him, had violated their faith with him, and committed spiritual whoredom with false gods. Yet, when those their impieties, disobediences, and rebellions were grown to the height, God was resolved to come against them in judgment, and to punish them. This his resolution appeareth in the many menaces and threats, which from time to time the Lord sent unto them by his holy Prophets. One of which is in my Text, Hear this word that the Lord speaketh against you, O children of Israel; Against you, to punish you, O children of Israel, even you. My observation here is:

God will not spare to smite his dearest children, when they sin against him.

One reason hereof may be, that the Lord may declare himself an adversary to sin in all men without partiality.

A second is, that the Lord may reduce his children from running on headlong to perdition with the wicked.

And the uses may be two: One to teach us, to magnify the righteousness of God, as generally in all his works, so particularly in the afflictions of his people.

The other to admonish us, that we look not for any certain earthly peace, though we are by faith the children of Israel, but that we prepare our selves for a continual succession of crosses and calamities.

The third argument of persuasion to move attention in these children of Israel, is taken from the commemoration of their greatest deliverance, their deliverance out of Egypt; Hear this w rd that the Lord speaketh against you, O children of Israel; against the whole family, which I brought up from the land of Egypt. My observation is:

This very doctrine for the substance of it, I have heretofore in your hearing propounded and proved, in my fifteenth Lecture upon the second chapter of this book, occasioned thereunto by the tenth verse, wherein this great deliverance out of Egypt is mentioned. I will not therefore at this time stand to enlarge it. Only let me now tell you, that this delivery of the Israelites out of Egypt, is not appropriate only unto them, but that in some sort it appertaineth to the Church of God in all ages: for as much as it was a type of a more surpassing delivery from that fearful Kingdom of sin and darkness. It appertaineth even unto us, whom God of his infinite goodness and mercy, through the precious blood of his Son, and our Savior, Christ Jesus, hath delivered from this spiritual Egypt, the Kingdom of sin and darkness, and will in his good time give us safe passage from hence, to that heavenly Canaan, the true Country and Inheritance of all Saints. Whither, most gracious God, vouchsafe to bring us all. Amen.

THE Second Lecture.

THis second verse is the second part of Amos his second Sermon concerning the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, the Kingdom of Israel. It is the proposition, and containeth the very substance of the whole Sermon: which is to let the Israelites understand, that, for as much as the Lord hath been good unto them above all the Nations of the earth, and they have returned unto him nothing but unthankfulness, the Lord will surely punish them for all their iniquities.

The parts are two:

• 1 A Commemoration.
• 2 A Commination.

The Commemoration is of benefits, the Commination is of punishments. The Commemoration is for words short, yet for matter very copious. It hath reference to the many singular and exceeding great benefits, which the Lord hath bestowed upon his people, Israel. You only have I known of all the families of the earth.

The Commination is sharp, but very just. It may serve thus far to instruct the Israelites, that if the Lord should at any time with his strong hand oppose himself against them, and make their welfare to pass away as a cloud, and lay terrors upon them, yet they should not calumniate, and charge God with folly, but should lay the whole blame thereof upon themselves and their own deservings. Therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities. Of both in their order.

First, of the Commemoration.

You only have I known of all the families of the earth.

You only! Only you! How can this be so? Did not the knowledge of God extend it self to other Nations, as well as to the Israelites? It may not be denied. It extends it self, not to men only, but to whatsoever else is in the world.

You may consider it two manner of ways: either in it self, or as it hath reference to things known. If it be considered in it self, it is most certain, and is ever the same: as necessary and immutable, as is the very divine Essence; from which it differeth not indeed, but only consideration. For that axiom of the Schools is true, Quicquid est in Deo, est ipsa Dei Essentia; Whatsoever is in God, is God's own Essence. And therefore the knowledge of God is his divine Essence, and God is his own knowledge. Whence it followeth, that wheresoever God is and his holy Essence, there is his knowledge. Now God is everywhere, his Essence is everywhere: his knowledge therefore must be everywhere. Its impossible that anything should be concealed from it.

Again, the knowledge of God may be considered, as it hath reference to things known: and so also nothing can be hid from it. For it knoweth it self, and everything else. Things universal and singular; things past, present, and to come; things which neither are, nor have been, nor ever shall be; things necessary and contingent, natural and voluntary, good and evil, achieved and thought upon, finite and infinite, all, are known unto him. So saith the Apostle, Heb. 4.13. There is no creature that is not manifest in the sight of God. No creature! Nay, unto his eyes all things are naked and open. All things! How then is it, that here he saith to the Israelites, You only have I known of all the families of the earth?

For the clearing of this doubt, we are to note, that knowledge attributed unto God in holy Scripture, doth not ever betoken a bare and naked knowledge, but sometimes his love, his favor, his care, his providence, his choice, his approbation, his allowance, his acceptance, or the like. As Psal. 1.6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. He knoweth, that is, he loveth, he approveth, he accepteth, he is well pleased with, and graciously directeth, the way of the righteous. And so are we to expound that of the 37. Psal. Vers. 18. The Lord knoweth the days of the upright. He knoweth, that is, He doth not only foresee, but also he alloweth, he careth and provideth for the life of the upright. So I understand that branch of David, prayer which he made in the cave, Psal. 142.3. When my spirit was over-whelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. Thou knewest, that is, thou didst approve and allow of the order of my life, and innocent conversation.

In the book of Exodus, Chap. 33.17. the Lord said unto Moses, Thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. I know thee by name, that is, I have respect unto thee, I approve thee, I care and provide for thee. In the first Chapter of the Prophesy of Nahum, verse. 7. it is said of the Lord, that he knoweth them that trust in him. And there to know, is to love, to defend, to approve, to regard. Them that trust in him he knoweth, he suffers them not to perish. In the second Epistle to Timothy, Chap. 2.19. we read of a foundation, a foundation of God, a sure foundation, the seal whereof is, Nouit Dominus, q •• sunt ejus: The Lord knoweth those that are his. The Lord knoweth; understand not only a knowledge in general but a special knowledge; such a knowledge as is joined cum applicatione cordis ac voluntatis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as a learned Divine well speaketh, such a knowledge as is associated with the applying of the heart, and will, and good pleasure of the Lord. The Lord knoweth who are his: He so knows them, as that they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand.

Other like places I could produce yet further, to show this idiotisme of the holy tongue, that verba notitiae, words of knowledge, do not ever betoken a bare and naked knowledge, but sometime such a knowledge, as is joined with some decree of him that knoweth, with some action of his will, with his approbation. But I shall not need to do it. From the Texts of Scripture before alleged, ariseth a distinction of the Schoolmen: their distinction of the knowledge of God. The knowledge of God, say they, is twofold: the one is the knowledge of his apprehension; the other, the knowledge of his approbation. That they call his absolute and speculative knowledge; this his special, and practical: and this, not that, is the knowledge to be understood in the places even now by me expounded. And this, not that, is the knowledge intended in my Text.

Thus is the doubt resolved. The doubt was; How it is here said, that the Lord only knew the Israelites above all the Nations of the Earth? The answer is: He knew them, not only as he knew other Nations, by his absolute and speculative knowledge, but also by his special and practical; not only by the knowledge of his apprehension, but also by the knowledge of his approbation.

Some there are, that by knowledge here, do understand a possession. To know, say they, is to possess, to have in our power, to enjoy as our own. For proof whereof they bring that, Psal. 50.11. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine. The words are the words of God unto his people Israel. Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel. I am God even thy God. I know all the fowls of the Mountains. I know them, I so know them, that I can count them, and call them when I list; they are in my power, I enjoy them as mine own, they are mine own possession.

And so they expound my Text: You only have I known of all the families of the earth. I have known you only. Vos tantummodo mihi in viros cultores assumpsi, aut possedi, saith Illyricus. You only have I taken to be the men for my worship: you alone have I possessed.

For I have known you, the Chaldee Paraphrast hath, I have chosen you. I have chosen you. Not amiss: if by this choice, you understand not, that special election and choice of God, by which he hath ordained to life eternal those, whom of his free good will and pleasure he hath decreed to endow with a celestial inheritance. For its not to be denied, but that among the people of Israel, there were many, that had no part in this eternal election and choice of God. Many of them had no part in it, and therefore this election and choice is not here to be understood.

But there is another election and choice of God, an election and choice more general; an election, a choice, whereby God preferreth someone Nation above others, graciously to manifest himself, and to reveal his saving word unto them. And thus may God be said only to have elected and chosen the people of Israel. You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth.

That the people of Israel were alone thus elected and chosen of God, Moses confesseth, Deut. 4.7, 8. What nation, saith he, is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things, that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous, as all this Law is, which is set before us this day? It is as if he had thus said: Let us be compared with the rest of the Nations of the world, and we shall find that God is good and gracious unto us above them all. As soon as we pray unto our God, and resort unto him, we feel him near us by and by. It is not so with other Nations. Again, we have his Laws and Statutes, and righteous Ordinances: other Nations have not so.

This doth the same Moses more plainly deliver, in sundry places of the same book of Deuteronomy, Chap. 7.6. Chap. 10.15. Chap. 14.2. Chap. 26.18. In all which places his purpose is to fasten it in the memories of the people of Israel, that they were an holy people unto the Lord their God: that the Lord their God had chosen them to be a peculiar people unto himself above all people that were upon the face of the earth. In the three first places is expressly said, that the Lord did choose Israel to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the earth: in the fourth, that the Lord avouched them to be his peculiar people. He chose them, he avouched them to be his peculiar people; and all for his promise sake.

The promise is, Exod. 19.5. Ye shall be a peculiar or chief treasure unto me above all people, though all the earth be mine. A peculiar, or a chief treasure! The Hebrew word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Segullah, which signifieth ones own proper good, which he loveth and keepeth in store for himself, and for special use.

You shall be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Segullah, a peculiar, a chief treasure unto me above all people. The meaning of this promise is, that, although the whole earth be the Lord's by the right of creation, yet this people, the people of Israel, should above all other have a special interest in him. Or the meaning is, that the Lord would commit unto this people, his people Israel, as a chief and principal treasure, his Laws and Statutes, which he would not do to any other people in the world besides. So much is acknowledged, Psal. 147.19, 20. He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and ordinances unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any Nation. Certainly hereby the Lord showeth how dear and how precious the people of Israel were in his eyes; and what perogatives they were to have above other people.

A chief prerogative of theirs, is, that the Oracles of God were committed unto them. Saint Paul affirms it, Rom. 3.1, 2. What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God.

Many other, and very excellent perogatives had they. They are heaped up together, Rom. 9.4. They were Israelites; to them pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises: Theirs were the Fathers, and of them as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever.

So many preeminences, are so many evidences and demonstrations, that of all the nations of the Earth, the Israelites were known of God, were chosen by him, and were his possession. They were known of him by the knowledge of his approbation: they were chosen by him, and were separated from among all the people of the earth to be his inheritance. So Solomon confesseth, 1 King. 8.53. and the Lord himself here in my Text avoucheth: You only have I known of all the families of the earth.

You will now confess with me, that these words are, as in the beginning I said they were, a Commemoration of God's benefits upon Israel. Every prerogative of theirs was a benefit, a blessing of God upon them. It was God's blessing upon them, that to them were committed the Oracles of God. It was God's blessing upon them that they were Israelites, that to them pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the Couenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises. It was God's blessing upon them, that theirs were the Fathers, and that of them, concerning the flesh, Christ came.

These great benefits, these blessings of God upon the Israelites, Albertus Magnus in his Enarration upon the words of my Text, reduceth to the number of five. Thus: You only have I known of all the families of the Earth, per beneplacitum. Only you of all the families of the Earth have I known by my good pleasure: Quia me vobis reuelaui, lege • vobis posui, promissiones adhibui, pramiis remuneraui, prophetiis illuminaui. I have revealed myself unto you, I have given you the Law, I have made to you the promises, I have recompensed you with rewards, I have illuminated you with Prophesies. Then adds he that of the Psalm, Non taliter fecit omni nationi: He hath not dealt so with every Nation. With every Nation! Nay he hath not so with any Nation.

Upon this first part of my Text; this Commemoration of God's benefits bestowed upon Israel, I grounded my first observation. It is this:

The excellency of this privilege appeareth in this, that the Lord here calls Israel to the remembrance of it, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth. This excellent privilege, the true service of the living God thorough the free use of his holy Word and Sacraments wheresoever it is found among any people, is a sure pledge that the Lord knoweth that people with the knowledge of his approbation, that he hath chosen them to be his peculiar people, that they are in his love and favor, and that he careth and provideth for them.

How much then (Beloved) how much are we indebted to the Majesty and bounty of Almighty God, who hath graced us with so excellent a blessing as is the Ministry of his holy Word? His holy Word! It is a Jewel, than which nothing is more precious; to which anything compared is but dross; by which whatsoever is tried, will be found lighter than vanity.

The true estimate of this Jewel may be had out of the 19. Psalm. At the 7. verse. it is Perfect, nothing may be added to it, without marring of it: it converteth the soul, and turneth it from evil to good. It is sure; you may build upon the truth of it, as well for the promises of mercy, as for the threatenings of judgment. It giveth wisdom, the wisdom of the spirit, even unto the simple, to the humble and lowly of mind. At the eighth verse, It is right, without any injustice or corruption. It rejoiceth the heart, with true and sound joy. It is pure, pure in all points, and giveth light to the eyes, the eyes of the mind, that we may securely trace the way to Heaven: At the ninth verse, It is clean, without spot or show of evil, and endureth forever without alteration or change. It is truth without falsehood, and is righteous all together, there is no error in it.

Is your desire for profit, or for pleasure? This Jewel yields you both. At the tenth verse; for profit, it is compared to Gold, for pleasure to Honey. For profit it is more to be desired than gold, yea than much fine gold: for pleasure, it is sweeter than honey or the honey comb.

Moreover, at the tenth verse. It will make you circumspect; it will show you the danger of sin, and will teach you how to avoid it, and may encourage you to obedience, for as much as in the keeping of it, there is great reward. Great reward; yet through God's mercy, and not of your merit.

Now dearly beloved, is the holy Word of God a Jewel so precious? of such an estimate? Then give ear to the exhortation of wisdom, Prov. 23.23. Buy it, and sell it not. Buy it, what ere it cost you, seek by all means to obtain it; and when you have gotten it, sell it not at any hand: depart not from it for any price, for any cause. But let it (according to the exhortation, that Saint Paul made to the Colossians, Chap. 3.16. Let it dwell in you plenteously in all wisdom. It is, as one wittily speaketh, God's best friend, and the Kings best friend, and the Courts best friend, and the Cities best friend, and the Countries best friend, and every man's best friend. Give it therefore entertainment, not as to a foreigner or stranger, but as to your familiar, as to your best friend, let it dwell in you. And since it comes not empty, but brings with it, as well pleasure, as profit, as you have already heard, Let it dwell in you plenteously. Plenteously; Yet in all wisdom. Let us hear it in all wisdom, read it in all wisdom, meditate upon it in all wisdom, speak of it in all wisdom, and preach it in all wisdom; not only in wisdom, but in all wisdom, that the words of our mouths, and the meditations of our hearts may ever be acceptable in the sight of the Lord our strength and our Redeemer.

Thus far of my first observation, grounded upon the Commemoration of God's blessings upon Israel; You only have I known of all the families of the earth.

You only! My second observation is: that, this great bl • ssing of the true service of God, and the free use of his holy Word, was in the days before Christ appropriate to the people of the Jews.

This appeareth by some of those places before alleged, Deut. 4.7, 8. and Psal. 147.19, 20. for the further illustration of the point, that of the 76. Psalm, verse. 1, 2. may well serve: In Judah is God known, his name is great in Israel, in Salem is his tabernacle, and his dwelling in Zion. In which words, the Psalmist giveth unto the land of Judah and Israel this prerogative above the rest of the Nations of the whole earth, that there God was known, and his name was great, but especially in Salem, that is, in Jerusalem, and in Mount Zion, the place which he desired for his habitation. There was God known; his name was great there. Elsewhere it was not so. It was not so among the Nations. For (as Barnabas and Paul told the men of Lystra, Acts 14.16.) in times past God suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways. The way of God they then knew not.

The then state of the Nations Saint Paul, Ephes. 2.12. elegantly decyphereth in five circumstances. He bids them remember what they were in time past: as that first, they were without Christ; secondly, they were aliens from the common we • lth of Israel; thirdly, they were strangers from the covenants of promise; fourthly, they were without hope; fifthly, they were without God in the world. Enough is said for the confirmation of my second observation, which was, that in time of old, in time past, in the days before Christ his coming in the flesh, the true service of God, and the exercise of his holy word, was appropriate to the people of the Jews, to the children of Israel.

Now the reasons of this appropriation, are two. One is, God's undeserved and special love; the other is, the truth of his promise. Both are expressed, Deut. 7. At the seventh verse the false cause is removed; at the eighth the true is put. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people: for ye were the fewest of all people. There the false cause is removed. The true cause is put in the words following: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath, which he swore unto your fathers, therefore hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt: and hath given you the rich treasure of his true service and holy Word. To you only hath he been so gracious, not for any dignity or worth of yours, but for his own loves sake, and for his promise sake.

One use of this observation may be to show, that heretofore Grace was not so universal, as Papists now would have it to be. The knowledge of the means of salvation was denied to the Nations.

A second use may be, to admonish us, that we hold it for a singular blessing, that the Lord hath reserved us for these last days, wherein the word of God of old time limited to the coasts of Judea and Palaestina, is now published unto us of the Gentiles. Now in Christ Jesus, we who were sometimes far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Now therefore we are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-heirs with the Saints, and of the household of God. O that we would therefore praise the Lord for this his goodness, and declare this wonder that he hath done for us.

It is time, that from the Commemoration, we descend to the Commination. The Commination is in these words:

Therefore! Why? Because the Lord hath known Israel above all the families of the earth, will he therefore punish them for all their iniquities? Is not the sequel absurd, You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities? Were it not better thus; You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will spare you, I will pardon you, I will not punish you for all your iniquities.

For removing of this scruple, we must have recourse to that Covenant which the Lord made with Israel in Horeb. The form of the Covenant is extant, Exod. 19.5. If you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my Covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people. This Covenant is more at large described in Deut. 7. and 28. The sum of it is: If thou wilt hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his Commandments which he commandeth thee, then blessed shalt thou be; but if thou wilt not, accursed shalt thou be.

The Covenant you see is upon a condition. If the condition be broken on Israel's part, God is no longer on his part tied to any performance. This sequel then may be good: I have chosen you by Covenant above all the nations of the earth, that ye should keep my Law; but you have failed in the condition; you have not kept my Law. Therefore I will punish you; and will punish you for all your iniquities.

Therefore] because you having been graciously received by me into favor, do run headlong into all iniquity, I will punish you: therefore I will punish you. In the Hebrew it is Uisitabo super vos, or contra vos, I will visit upon you, or against you. The Vulgar Latin hath Visitabo super vos, I will visit upon you all your iniquities.

I will visit.] To visit, is sometimes in the holy Scripture taken in the evil part, for to visit in anger or dispeasure, whence by a Synecdoche of the Genus for the Species, it betokeneth to punish. So is God said to visit, when with some sudden, and unlooked for scourge or calamity, he taketh vengeance upon men for those sins, which for a long time he seemed to take no notice of.

In that part of David's Prayer, Psal. 59.5. O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake thou to visit the heathen, to visit is to visit in anger, it is to corroct, it is to punish. In the 89. Psal. verse. 32. to such as depart from the Law of the Lord, and from that rule of righteousness which it prescribeth them to walk in, the Lord threateneth, that he will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. And there to visit, must needs be to visit in anger, for as much as it brings a rod and stripes with it. It is to correct, it is to punish. In the thirteetnh of Isaiah, verse. 11. the Lord saith, I will visit the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity. And there also to visit, is to visit in anger: it is to correct, it is to punish.

Now as to visit signifieth in the now alleged places, so doth it in my Text, I will visit you, I will visit you in mine anger: it is to correct, it is to punish.

Now as to visit signifieth in the now alleged places, so doth it in my Text, I will visit you, I will visit you in mine anger, I will correct you, I will punish you. But for what? It followeth,

For all, either universal, or indefinitely. For all universally; so the gloss takes it, so Albertus the Bishop of Ratisbone; so Rupertus the Abbot of Tuitium. I will punish you for all, Vt sit nihil impunitum, that nothing be unpunished. I will punish you for all, Instante judicio, remot â misericordiâ, summâ cum seueritate; with instant judgment, without mercy, with greatest severity. I will punish you for all. For it is a just thing even with men, that he that makes a Law, should punish according to the Law.

Or, All, may here be taken indefinitely, for some of all. It is Drusius his observation; Omnes dixit, pro omne genus, vel plerasque. All, he hath said for all sorts, or for the most part. I will punish you for all your iniquities; that is, for the sorts of your iniquities, or for the most part of them. For the Lord of his clemency and mercy remitteth unto his some of their iniquities.

Or these two expositions for this place I prefer the former. So shall this second branch of my Text bear with it this understanding; Therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities. Therefore] because you, having been respected by me, and received into my favor above all the Nations of the earth, have notwithstanding forsaken my Laws, and corrupted my service, I will visit upon you all your iniquities. I will punish you for all; for all, universally; for all your iniquities; not one of them shall escape unpunished. I will punish you for all your iniquities. I] there is the Agent. Will punish] there is the Action. You] there is the Patient. For all your iniquities] there is the Cause. I will punish you for all your iniquities.

From the Agent and his Action, ariseth this observation;

The Lord! He is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he is efficiens primarum, he is the primary and principal actor in all punishments. He is a sure revenger of all impiety, as he is the maintainer of his holy Law.

This office of punishing, the Lord assumeth to himself, Isaiah. 45.7. I am the Lord, and there is none else: I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. I create evil. In this place, by Evil, we are not to understand malum culpae, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not robbery, not covetousness, nor any like wickedness; but malum poene, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Saint Chrysostom speaketh, Homily 23. upon Matthew, the stripes or wounds that we receive from above. Gasper Sanchius doth here reckon up, whatsoever disturbeth our tranquility or quiet, whatsoever external or domestical vexation we have, whatsoever taketh from us the faculty and opportunity of those things that are necessary for our life; as war, and exile, and depredation, and servitude, and want, and the like. Of all these it may be truly affirmed, that the Lord createth them; the Lord doth them all.

Of such evils is that also to be understood, which our Prophet Amos hath in the sixth verse of this Chapter: Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? The interrogation is used, the more to urge the point. Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? There shall be none. No evil of punishment, no calamity, no misery, no cross, no affliction shall be in any City, or in any other place of the world, but the Lord is the actor of it: he doth it.

Hereof was holy Job well advised. The check he gives his Wife shows it. She seeing him all smitten over with sore biles from the sole of his foot unto the crown of his head, falls a tempting him: Doest thou yet retain thine integrity? Curse God and die. Job's reply unto her is, Chap. 2.10. Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh: What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive Evil? Shall we not receive Evil? By Evil he meaneth the Evil not of sin, but of punishment: as calamities, miseries, crosses, afflictions, and the like: which he calleth evil, not because they are so indeed, but because many think them so to be. For things may be termed Evil in a twofold understanding. Some are indeed Evil; such are our sins, and of them God is not the cause. Some are not indeed Evil, but only in regard of us, in regard of our sense, of our feeling, of our apprehension, of our estimation. Such are the punishments, the calamities, the miseries, the afflictions, whereto we are in this life subject: and of these God is the cause. This is it which Job acknowledgeth in the reproof of his wives folly; Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive Evil? and it fitly serveth for the establishment of my doctrine.

The reason hereof is: because the Lord is the principal doer of all things. He is the primary agent, the chiefest actor in all things, and therefore in all the punishments which do befall us in this life.

The uses of this observation are two:

One is to reprove some Philosophers of old, and some ignorant people nowadays, for a vain opinion of theirs, whereby they attribute to accident, chance, and fortune, all those their afflictions, from the least to the greatest, whereof they fee not any apparent cause.

The other is, to admonish us, that when any affliction is upon us, we take it patiently as coming from the Lord; and repine not at the instruments, by whom we are afflicted. They without him could do nothing against us. Whatsoever they do, they do it by his permission. The hand of his particular providence is with them to appoint the beginning, and end, and measure, and continuance of all our afflictions. Wherefore in all our afflictions let our practice be, as holy David's was, Psal. 39.9. even to hold our peace, and say nothing, because the Lord hath done it.

From the Agent and his Action, I pass to the Patient: You. I will punish You. You, mine own possession; You, my peculiar treasure; You, my chosen people above all the Nations of the earth, I will punish you. My observation from hence is:

This truth I further prove out of Saint Peter, Epist. 1. Chap. 4. Vers. 17. He there saith, The time is come, that judgment must begin at the house of God. At the house of God it must begin. His servants therefore must have the first taste of it: and the time is come for them to have it. Is the time now come? Was it not before? Yes; it was ever. Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron's sons, they offer strange fire before the Lord: and a fire comes out from the Lord, and devours. This is it, that the Lord spake saying, In propinquis meis sanctificabor, Levite. 10.3. I will be sanctified in them, that come nigh me. If they that come nigh unto me transgress my laws I will not spare them; they, even they shall feel the heaviness of my hand.

So saith the Lord, Ierem. 25.29. Loe, I begin to bring evil on the City, in which my name is called upon. And there you see: It is not the service of God, not the calling upon his holy Name, that can exempt a place from punishment if it be polluted with iniquity.

Begin at my Sanctuary. It is the Lord's direction for the punishment of Jerusalem, Ezech. 9.6. Go thorough the City, and smite, Let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young: yea, maids and little children, and women. But come not near any man upon whom is the mark; the rest slay utterly old and young, Spare not, Pity not, and begin at my Sanctuary.

Now lay we all this together: Begin with them, that are nigh unto me: begin at my City, at my house, at my Sanctuary, spare none; pity none, smite all. You see my observation made good:

I say in this life.

One reason hereof may be; because the Lord, out of his love to his servants, will not suffer them to go on in sin.

A second may be; eternal punishments are prepared for the wicked hereafter, and therefore here in this life are they the less punished.

And the uses may be two:

One, to lessen us, that in the multitude and the greatness of our afflictions, we acknowledge God's great mercy, and endeavor to bear them all with patience and contentment. Whensoever God's hand shall be upon us, in judgment for our sins; let that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11.32. be our comfort, When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

A second use may be, to show unto us, how fearful their case is, who pass all their time here in this world without any touch of affliction. Affliction! it is the badge of every son of God. Whosoever hath no part herein, he is a bastard, he is no son. So saith the Apostle, Heb. 12.8.

I have done with the Patient; with the parties punished. Now a word or two of the cause of their punishment, which is the last circumstance, in these words; For all your iniquites. I will punish you for all your iniquities; for all your sins; for all, not only original, but also actual: and for all actual, not only of commission, but also of omission; not only of knowledge, but also of ignorance; not only of presumption, but also of infirmity: I will punish you for all your sins. For all. The observation is:

Sin! It is causa 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is the impulsive cause of punishment. It plucks down vengeance from the Majesty of Heaven. Its true of every sin, even of the least sin: Cognatum, immo innatum omni sceleri, scelaris supplicium. The wages of sin is death. As the work is ready, so the pay is present. Nec aufertur, nec differtur. If impiety, no impunity. Its impossible, any sin should be without punishment.