He did not glory to haue in his owne breast an oracle to answer all doubts nor challenge any power of freedome from errour as the man of sinne in the pride of his owne heart boasteth of himselfe The third part is the resolution and determination of God deciding the question and making some lawes extending to them and their posterity first if any were vncleane they had respit giuen them vnto the second moneth they haue not liberty vntil the next yeare but to the next moneth they are dispensed withal Secondly the man that is cleane and refuseth to come he shall be cut off that is excommunicated from the people Thirdly if a stranger desire to be partaker of the Passeouer he must embrace the true religion be circumcised Exod. 12.49 and then he may come Touching the question and the occasion thereof it appeareth that those good men which were shut out from this part of Gods seruice by reason they were defiled by touching a dead body were much greeued at heart and troubled in mind that they were barred and as it were banished from the Passeouer hauing as great a desire as others to come vnto it Hence it is that they make earnest moane and complaint to Moses for their separation and therefore desire to be eased and releeued by him The doctrine Doctrinâ— from hence is that it is a great cause of sorrow and griefe to Gods deare children Gods chiâ—dren are greeued 〈◊〉 they are 〈◊〉 from his â—â—â—uice when they are by any iust occasion or by the hand of God vpon them withheld and kept back from the parts and exercises of his worship We see this in Hezekiah in his sicknesse Esay 38.1 his chiefe lamentation and complaint was that he should not see the face of the Lord in his Temple Dauid often complaineth and lamenteth that he was driuen by his enemies from his worship He maketh the condition of the sparrow swallow better then his Psal 84.3 42.1 and 5. and 137 which might come neerer to the altar then he his soule panted and thirsted after God The Church wept by the riuers of Babylon when they remembred Sion and the songs they had sung in the Temple and in another place the Church being by captiuiâ—y depriued of the Temple of their Synagogues of their sacrifices of their Sacraments and of the exercises of their religion maketh bitter complaint to God O Lord and 74.7 they haue cast thy Sanctuary into the fire they haue defiled thy dwelling place The incestuous Corinthian being by excommunication put from the fellowship of the Saints and the vse of the Ministery became comfortlesse and was almost swallowed vp with sorrow 2 Cor. 2.7 And can it be otherwise The godly find Reason 1 such sweetnesse such comfort such spirituall ioy in the presence of God where the exercises of his worship and religion are performed as nothing in this life is more pleasant and delightfull vnto them The Prophet cryeth out as if he were rauished with an holy contemplation of the excellency of this Psaâ— 8â— 1 1â— 10 anâ— 8. and 14 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hostes my soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord c. The word is sweeter to them then the hony and the hony combe and more to be desired then much fine gold They feed vpon the bread in the SacrameÌ„ts as vpon the fatnes of his house drink of the cup as of the riuers of his pleasures they offer vp praiers as sweet incense and lift vp their hands as the euening sacrifice How then can it be but that the losse want of al these brought vpon theÌ„ should strike them to the heart and minister matter of much greefe and mourning vnto them Secondly the great loue and mercy of God toward his people doth appeare in the exercises of religion and the place of his worship to them that are not altogether blind and deafe and past all sense and feeling of good things then in all other things throughout the whole world besides Prou. 9.1.2 And indeed a man or woman that hath once tasted the comfort of his adoption and saluation in Christ taught in the word and confirmed in the Sacraments will think it one of his greatest losses to lose and leaue these exercises and the greatest plague to be depriued of them and by them of the pledges of his goodnesse and fauor Thirdly when these are gone they know and consider the greatest stayes and helpes of their standing in the grace of God are vtterly taken away from them therefore they haue cause to lament as Psal 74.9 We see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among vs any that knoweth how long When he taketh away his word he lifteth vp his standard and goeth away And can there be greater cause to mourne then when God departeth from his people Vse 1 This reprooueth such as can lament bitterly and mourne heauily for the least earthly losses and troubles but neuer trouble themselues for losse of spirituall things It was not so with the wife of Phinehas she had many causes of mourning met together by heauy tidings that were told vnto her her father in law had broken his necke her husband was killed the hoste of God discomfited and the Arke of God was taken howbeit among all these none went neerer none so neere vnto her as the taking of the Arke and therefore she doubleth this which she could not put out of her mind and did after a sort put out all the rest â—â—m 4.22 The glory is departed from Israel for the Arke of God is taken But there are many in our daies that account it no losse at all to lose Sermon after Sermon Sacrament after Sacrament and one meeting in the house of God after another they can do this easily and neuer mourne for it Nay they are vexed and tormented as if they were vpon the rack that they are constrained to come so often to the word to the Sacraments and to the house of prayer See herein the great diffrence between the godly and vngodly It is the voyce of the faithfull When will the Sabboth come but the vnfaithfull say When will the Sabboth day be done Amos 8.5 It is the voyce of the faithfull Blessed are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84.4 but the vnfaithfull hold it a misery and bondage to be tyed so strictly and straitly to the publike exercises of religion It is the voyce of the faithfull 〈◊〉 42.2 and 7. 120.5 When shall I come and appeare before God but the vnfaithfull say When shall we depart out of Syon it is time we be gone It is the faithful mans voyce complayning Woe is me that I soiourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar but the vnfaithfull think theÌ„selues vnhappy that they must soiourne in the Tabernacle of God and dwel in his house If
thy selfe in the dust Mich. 1 9 10. He enioyneth theÌ„ silence lest the same thereof spread it selfe to their enemies to encrease their reproch and to multiply their sorrow For what doth more vexe vs double our misery then to see men so farre from pittying vs that they triumph ouer vs and laugh at vs This condemneth many that liue among vs in these daies of dissention that tender not the peace of the Church which ought to bee as deare vnto vs as our owne liues but publish the shame reproch one of another as with the blast of a Trumpet albeit our enemies and the enemies of our religion liue among vs. Abraham tooke vp the controuersie betweene him and Lot saying Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene me and thee Gen. 13 7 8. neither betweene my heard-men thy heardmen because the Canaanites dwelled at that time in the Land If we did aright consider this point that our enemies are among vs that are as whips on our sides and thornes in our eyes that seek the subuersion of the Common-wealth not the conuersion of the Church there would not be so many bad bitter inuectiues written as it were with gall and wormewood setting on fire the hearts of one against another as if we were enemies not friends strangers not brethren infidels not beleeuers These contentions are a stumbling blocke vnto the weake an hardning and heartning of the aduersary and an vtter estranging of vs one from another Let vs therefore follow those things that belong to peace and vnite our forces together as one man that we may seeke the building vp of the Church among vs and double our strokes vpon the backe of the enemy Vse 3 Thirdly let vs vse patience vnder the crosse lying as vnder Gods hand and in the midst of all our afflictions say with the Prophet I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 39 9. This we reade to haue bin worthily practised of Iob when the cup of affliction began to ouerflow chap. 2 10. Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill In all this did not Iob sinne with his lips This also we find expresly required Heb. 10 32 33 34 35 36. Where we see in the example of these afflicted Hebrewes that when our enemies insult ouer the Church we must not murmure tepine but be still and silent vnder the crosse and according to the counsell and commandement of Christ Luke 21 19 By patience possesse our soules and without this we shall neuer haue comfort and contentment in such afflictions as we are called to endure Vse 4 Lastly seeing God at sundry times and in diuers manners giueth those that are his into the hands of their enemies surely in the ende he will not spare the wicked he deferreth his punishments but he striketh at the last As he is longer in drawing his Bowe and making ready his Quiuer so his Arrowes when they come pierce the deeper and wound the sorer The higher his hand is lifted vp before it falleth the greater the blow is when it lighteth He hath a leaden foote and hasteth slowly but howsoeuer hee tarry till the appointed time yet surely he will come and will not stay but recompence the slownesse of his coming with the greeuousnesse of his punishing When hee will crush them with a Scepter of iron Psalm 2 3. and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell This Moses teacheth in his song concerning Gods benefits toward his people and their vnthankfulnesse toward him If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance toward mine enemies and will reward them that hate me and I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood Deut. 32 41 42. Let them not therfore triumph ouer the Church people of God and let vs waite a while and see the end of all her enemies how God hath set them in a slippery place We see in this History that albeit these Canaanites were as the rod of God to chastise his seruants for their security yet God in the end threw them in the fire and gaue them as a prey to his people as appeareth afterward The like the Prophet Dauid declareth Psal 137 3 7 8 9 that howsoeuer the Edomites and Babylonians flouted at the Church in affliction and they that led theÌ„ captiues required of them in mockage songs and mirth saying Sing vs one of the songs of Sion yet they escaped not the iust hand of a reuenging God according to the prayer of his people Remember the childreÌ„ of Edom O Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said raze it raze it to the foundation thereof O daughter of Babel worthy to be destroied blessed shall hee bee that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones And the Prophet Dauid being greeuoufly persecuted vnder Saul and hunted froÌ„ place to place as a Partridge in the Mountaines Psalm 141 â— assureth himselfe that flying to God in his afflictions and possessing his soule by patience he shall in the end behold God taking such vengeance on all his enemies rewarding them seuen fold into their bosome that he shall in pitty and compassion pray vnto God for them in their miseries True it is hee doth not alwaies recompence them presently so soone as they haue sinned because he is the God of patience waiting for their repentance bearing with the vessels of wrath and making them without excuse yet at the length hee will reproue them and set their sins in order before them Psal 50 21. Verse 2. So Israel vowed a vow Before the Israelites trusted in themselues now being ouerthrowne by the enemies they turne to God and learne obedience by the things which they suffered So then the present ouerrhrow giuen vnto them maketh them consider their owne weaknesse and driueth them to God in their distresse The doctrine froÌ„ hence is this that affliction is profitable to the Church â—ne â—on is â—ellent â—turne God it bringeth driueth vs vnto God The Church of God in generall and the seruants of God in particular which cannot profitably vse prosperity and beare themselues thankfully in the daies of peace do learne in aduersity to turne to God and are thereby brought vnto him Heereunto cometh the example of the Israelites Iudg. 3 8 9 10. When the wrath of God was kindled against Israel doing wickedly forgetting God and seruing their idols that turned to their ruine then they cried vnto the Lord and he stirred vp a Sauiour vnto them Hereunto also coÌ„meth the threatnings of Moses Deut. 4 27 28 29 30. 2 Chron. 15 3. To this purpose the prophet speaketh Psal 107 6 13 19 28. WheÌ„ they wandred in the Desert and found no City to dwell in when they were bound in misery and iron because they rebelled against the words of the Lord when they
sinners he maketh them eyther in their sleepe to dreame of it or in frenzy to raue vpon it or in sickenesse to confesse it or vnawares to disclose it or in anguish of the minde to voyde it and vomit it vp verifying the words of the Prophet Esay chap. 66 24. Their worme shall not dye but alwayes gnaw vpon them with continuall torment As also Marke 9 44. Thus is Gods iudgement vpon them that they should feare all things who will not feare him that made all things If a man had all the pleasures treasures that heart could desire or delight in yet can they giue him no true comfort and contentment when the conscience is guilty of horrible sinnes These terrors are those Furies which the Poets faine Cicer. pro. Ros Amori Orat. in Pisonem which neuer suffer offenders to be at rest as we haue seene in the examples of Cain Belteshazzer Saul Absolon Iudas and others The noyse of the Thunder-claps Psal 29 3 4 5 7. which is the voyce of God hath so danted the vildest Atheists that they haue couered their heads hidden them selues vnder their beddes and beene ready to creepe into euery hole Thus wee see how the vngodly are punished in this life how they are arraigned as Malefactors at the barre how they lye confounded in themselues and how the testimony of euery mans conscience proclaymeth and cryeth out Psalme 58 11. Verily there is fruite for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth So that they shall sooner pull their hearts out of their breasts then God out of their minds And albeit the conscience of carnal men that neuer truly repented of their sinnes seemeth to be at rest yet it is as a wilde and sauage beast which lyeth asleepe seemeth tame and gentle but beeing raysed and rouzed vp flyeth in a mans face and snarleth at him Iosephs bretheren were not much troubled for their vice and villany in selling their brother at the present time but long afterward when they were afflicted with extreme famine and distressed in Egypt they remember the iniquity which they had committed and the cruelty which they had shewed and not truely repented of Genesis chap. 42. verse 21. Let vs therfore striue by all meanes alwaies endeauor to keepe a good conscience toward God and man and take heede how wee breake out into open sinnes prouoking God vnto anger wounding our owne soules offending our brethren diminishing the graces of God lessening our assurance of his fauour and greeuing the Spirit of God by whom we are sealed vnto the day of our redemption Verse 4. Therefore Moab said vnto the Elders of Midian Now shall this multitude lick vp all round about vs as an Oxe licketh vp the grasse of the field c. Hitherto of the occasion of the proceedings of the Moabites now wee are come to the plottings and conspiracies of the enemies of the Church the Moabites ioyning and combining themselues with the Midianites men as wicked as themselues See heere how the aduersaries of Israel associate themselues to destroy the Church though differing in Nation in Religion in Tongues in gods and Idolles among themselues not because Israel had offended but beecause they thirst after blood 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 â—â—rch â—â—â—ga 〈◊〉 themâ—â—â—â—â—yne â—her a◠〈…〉 Heereby wee learne this Doctrine that the enemies of the true Church howsoeuer they differ in iudgement and affection yet they are ready to ioyne and iumpe together against the children of God Notwithstanding the differences and diuisions amongst the enemies of God and his trueth they can ioyne hand in hand together to oppresse the Church This is noted in diuerse and sundry practises of the wicked in all ages of the Church The wicked Midianites Amalekites with those of the East not inhabiting in the land of Canaan but both Nations dwelling beyond the Riuer differing much in theyr courses and conuersations and seruing vaine gods and Idolles assaulted Israel came into their land to destroy it as is witnessed in the booke of Iudges chapt 6 3. So against Iehoshaphat a godly King that sought the Lord God of his father and walked in his Commandements Came the children of Moab and the children of Ammon and the inhabitants of Mount Seir to battell 2 Chron. 20.1 2 23. This likewise the Prophet Dauid teacheth declareth Psal 83 5 6 7 8. They haue consulted together in heart and haue made a league against thee the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelits Moab and the Agarims Gebal and Ammon c. Where hee noteth out the multitudes of the enemies which the Church had albeit at iarres among themselues and fighting sundry battels one against another yet notwithstanding consent conspire together to destroy Gods chosen This also is plentifully taught by many examples in the New Testament As Mat. 22 15 16. when the Pharisies had taken counsell against Christ how they might entangle him in his talke they sent vnto him their disciples with the Herodians So Herod and Pilate Luk. 23 12. agreeing like Cats and Dogges were made friends together and pleasure one another which had beene enemies one to the other to the end they might make a mocke of Christ Thus the hatred of godlinesse ioyneth the wicked together This is it which the Apostles confessed in theyr prayer Actes 4 25 26. 6 9 10 Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things The kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ for doubtlesse against thine holy sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilat with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together Moreouer when the Apostle disputed against the idolatry of the Athenians Act. 17 18. then certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and of the Stoicks banded themselues together against him albeit they were two contrary sects that neuer agreed and consented one strict in opinion the other loose in conuersation one placed their happinesse in vertue the other in pleasure making a mock of all Religion We see this true by common continuall experience Looke vpon the enemies of the truth there is no loue or liking among them one of another they dare not trust or beleeue one another yet they strike hands ioyne together against the faithfull like to Sampsons Foxes Iudg. 15 4. who albeit they looke seueral wayes with their heads yet they ioyne tayle to tayle to burne vp the haruest vineyard of the Lord. The Reasons are euident For albeit they be Reason 1 separated one from another and often spoile each other yet they vnite theÌ„selues in league together because they feare the faithfull and the decay of their owne kingdome They perswade themselues that the rising vppe and flourishing of the Church will be the pressing downe and frustrating of all their hope expectation This appeareth in the booke of Ester when Mordecai was honored of the king for his faithfull
of we must prepare strength and courage we must get vs faith and patience that we may be able to hold out vnto the end Secondly this is a singular comfort to all Vse 2 the children of God and able to season and sweeten the bitternesse of the Crosse make vs to vndergo it with ioy and gladnesse WheÌ„soeuer therefore we shall be hated for the Gospels sake and suffer persecution at the hands of our enemies let vs comfort our selues with these meditations First afflictions shall not separate vs from God howsoeuer for the present they seeme not ioyous but greeuous yet afterward they bring the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Heb. 12 11. This the Apostle teacheth That neither tribulation nor anguish neither persecution nor famine neither perill nor sword shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 8 35. Secondly the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall be reuealed vnto vs Rom. 8 1â— which neither the eye hath seene nor the eare heard nor the hart of man conceiued True it is our afflictions are oftentimes great but the reward is greater our troubles are of great continuance of long durance but the glory to come is with out end when we shall be crowned and cloathed with immortality 2 Cor. 4 17 18. Our persecutions are many but the ioyes laide vp for the faithfull are infinite not to be numbred Thirdly all our crosses which wee beare and sustaine shall haue an happy euent and a glorious end for such as hold out to the ende shall be saued Mat. 10 22 32 39. Whosoeuer shall confesse Christ before men him he will acknowledge before his Father which is in heauen and whosoeuer shall lose his life for his sake and the Gospels shall be sure to finde it inasmuch as he hath committed it to a faith full keeper who is able to keepe that which hee hath committed vnto him against that day 2 Tim. 1 12. Fourthly we must consider that the same calamities nay farre greater haue happened to Christ himselfe and his Apostles to the Prophets and holy men of God remembred vnto vs in the Scriptures Now the seruant must not looke for a better condition then the Master Mat. 10 24 25 nor the disciple then his Lord nor the houshold then the Housholder nay we must nor dreame of a better estate theÌ„ our fellow-seruants haue had before vs. Fiftly the enemies in their greatest rage snarling like Dogs hurting like Serpents byting like Cockatrices deuouring like Lyons bloody like Wolues subtle as Foxes raging as wilde Boares as vnreasonable as Beasts yet can proceed no farther then to kill the body they cannot destroy the soule Math 10 28. nay they can exercise no power ouer the body except it be giuen them from aboue seeing the prouidence of God so ouerswayeth all things that not an hayre falleth from our head nor a sparrow to the ground without the will of our heaueÌ„ly Father These are great comforts that arise vnto vs in our troubles wherewith we should be wholly possessed that we murmure not against God On the other side this doctrine serueth to set downe the wofull condition of the persecuters and enemies of the Church they may prosper and preuaile for a time but in the end they shall not escape Math. 10 33 38 39. for the church and the members of the Church must haue the vpper hand when all their aduersaries shall be shamefully confounded This we see notably set before vs in the booke of Daniel he had many and mighty aduersaries that plotted his death and sought his ruine incensed the King against him and caused him to be cast into the Lyons denne But what was the yssue of these things Surely he was deliuered they were destroyed For by the commandement of the King these men which had accused Daniel were brought and cast to the Lyons they their children their wiues and the Lyons had the mastery of them and brake all their bones apeeces or euer they came at the ground of the den Dan. 6 24. This is it which Salomon teacheth Prou. 11 5 8. Looke vpon the examples of Pharaoh of Sancherib of Haman of Herod and sundry others in al which we see that the wicked shall bee a ransome for the iust and the transgressour for the righteous Prou. 21 18. This serueth to terrifie all vngodly meÌ„ to teach them not to set themselues against the godly that are more righteous then themselues Thirdly heere is matter giuen vnto vs of Vse 3 praise and glory to be giuen vnto God for the safety and deliuerance of his people It is the worke of his right hand and therefore the glory also must be his Our helpe cannot come by our owne strength nor we ouercome by our owne pollicy when we haue searched and examined all that is in vs we shall finde it to come short of working our deliuerance It is God onely that hath done it and therefore we must yeeld him the honour of all the victories that he giueth vs against our enemies When a man hath done vs any wrong or put vs to some trouble and we be deliuered from it we must assure our selues that it is God that hath giuen vs the vpper hand to the end our mouths should alwayes be opened to giue him thanks and we by our whole life shold acknowledge how much wee are bound and indebted vnto him This is it which Moses pointeth vs vnto â—eut 32 43 when he willeth the Iewes and Genetiles to praise Gods Name For he will auenge the blood of his seruants and yeeld vengeance to his aduersaries but he will bee fauourable to his Land and bee mercifull vnto his owne people Lastly as Balaam heere declareth that the Vse 4 Church hath sure and certaine hope of victory and shall rise vp as a Lyon in defiance of all their enemies so th s shall especially appeare in respect of spirituall enemies which fight against our soules This victory shal be finished and fully accomplished in Christ who as the victorious Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah with his foote of brasse shall stampe downe and trample vnder his feete by little and little the enemies of our peace and saluation This is it which the Apostle assureth the Saints of God Rom. chap. 16 verse 20. The God of peace shall tread Satan vnder your feete shortly This is a sweete and singular promise which should be as the Anchor of our soules both sure stedfast wheâ—ein it is vnpossible that God should lye that we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is heere set before our eyes True it is the diuell doth alwayes renew the battaile against the seruants of God he doth sift and winnow them as Wheat and as it were bruise their heele but his head is broken Gen. chap. 3 vers 15 he hath receiued his deadly wound and
it were brought downe to reside and remaine among vs. So long as the word which is the scepter of his kingdome is with vs we shall not need to feare he will goe from vs neither shall be constrained to make long iourneyes to seeke him out When once his word is departed and the Gospel gone his standard is remoued and he is quite turned from vs. It is in vaine to dreame to find him when we cannot find him in his word Hence it is that Abijam telleth Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne that God was gone from them seeing he had driuen away the Priests of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron and on the other side he ioyneth together the presence of the Lord and the preaching of his word saying Behold this God is with vs as a Captaine 2. Chron. 13.12 and his Priests with the sounding trumpets to cry an alarme against you This then is a speciall token of Gods speciall presence when he sendeth his word as a gracious raine vpon his inheritance and thereby watereth the dry furrowes of the barraine hearts of his people Thirdly we haue the promise of his presence and the seales thereof in his Sacraments whereby we are at one with him and he with vs. Whensoeuer we meditate of our baptisme the Sonne of God doth witnesse vnto our spirits that we are cloathed with his righteousnesse as with a garment Gal. 3.27 for all such as are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ Whensoeuer we receiue the Supper of the Lord hee sheweth vs that he is our food and that the bread which we eate at our tables and in our houses doth not nourish vs better then we be nourished by his substance at his heauenly table insomuch that we liue in him by him and through him according to the testimony of Iohn Ch. 6. Ioh. 6.54.55 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed Thus we are spiritually one with him and mystically he is one with vs so that we haue a communion with him as the members haue with the head so that we must receiue it as most true which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10. 1 Cor. 10.16 The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the body of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ for we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Fourthly when we come together in the Church to call vpon his Name he is neere vnto vs and most familiar with vs. For our LORD Iesus Christ assureth vs that he is there among vs whensoeuer we are assembled in his Name and by lifting vp our eyes and holding vp our hands toward heauen wee shew that our coming thither is to present our selues in the sight presence of our God To this purpose our Sauiour saith Math. 18 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the middest of them so that we must consider that we are heere not onely before the Angels of heauen but also that the Sonne of God both seeth and heareth vs. True prayer doeth ascend vp to Heauen as Incense and lifteth vs vp to talke familiarly with God and bringeth downe his blessings vpon vs except we vse this heauenly exercise whereby we speake to him he is a stranger to vs and we are strangers to him Lastly he dwelleth among vs whensoeuer he preserueth vs from euill and deliuereth vs from our enemies If the fauour of GOD were not a shield buckler about vs to preserue and protect vs from our enemies wee should lie open to ten thousand dangers and deaths If our Lord had not a continuall care ouer vs and stood not mightily for our defence we should bee a prey to the iaw of the Lyon and should perish euery minute of an houre We are of our selues ouer-weake and haue no meanes to deliuer our selues this is our comfort that God is on our side dwelleth among vs. Let vs also take heed we walk in feare before him and doe not prouoke him to wrath and indignation against vs by committing euill in his fight who can abide nothing that is prophane or polluted as Deut. 6 15. The Lord that is in the middest of thee is iealous beware therefore that his wrath kindle not lest thou be rooted out of the Land which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 6 16 17 Yee are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I will dwell among them and walke there and I will be their GOD and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch none vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty This sheweth that we ought to walke alwaies as in Gods presence and to consider euermore that his eye is vpon vs. Our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost for him to dwell in If then we shall defile them and make them as swine-styes we greeue the holy Spirit whereby our adoption and redemption are sealed and driue him from vs and chase him away out of our hearts Vse 2 Secondly albeit the placing of the Tabernacle in the middest of the host be gone and past long agoe and were verified among the Iewes vnder the shaddowes of the Law yet it serueth to teach vs to what end God hath instituted ciuill States and Common-wealths in this world to wit to be staies and proppes to the Church to vphold and strengthen the same that the people of God may assemble together in peace and quietnesse and be free from all dangers of malicious enemies that labour to do euill to the Sanctuary To this purpose the Prophet teacheth Psal 102 2â— 22. and 122 3 4. that The Name of the Lord shall be declared in Sion his praise in Ierusalem when the people shall be gathered together and the Kingdomes to serue the Lord. And Psal 122. Ierusalem is builded as a City that is compact together in it selfe whereunto the Tribes euen the Tribes of the Lord goe vp according to the Testimony to Israel to praise the name of the Lord. Heereby we are put in minde of three notable duties First of all let all persons Princes and people high and low do good to the Church of God and imploy their best endeuours to promote the glory of God and the safety of the Church For wherefore was the Tabernacle taken and pitched in the middest of all the host not placed in a corner nor set in the skirts of that mighty army but was inuironed round about with the strength of Israel but to
If they were demaunded what they thinke of the word and of God the author of the word they would acknowledge the Scriptures to be most true both the promises that are made and the threatnings that are contained in it they would confesse that God is a most iust God euen visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation yet it skilleth not what they speak with their tongues so long as we may euen openly reade the secrets of their thoughts and the imaginations of their hearts in their outward practises For touching the word of God it is most true and it cannot be denyed we reade oftentimes that God is also mercifull Rom 2.4 Ephe. 2. we reade of the riches of his grace and bountifulnesse of his abounding in compassions and reseruing mercy for thousands What then or what is all this to them shall we continue therefore in sinne that grace may abound ought not rather the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long suffering leade vs vnto repentance Shal we after our hardnes and hearts that cannot repent heape vp vnto our selues as a treasure wrath against the day of wrath and the iust declaration of the iudgement of God who shall giue to euery man according to his workes It is a good lesson which the Prophet teacheth vs that there is mercy with God not that we should presume of his mercy and runne into all excesse of ryot but to the end he may be feared Psal 130.4 Hence it is that Moses Deut. 29.20 strippeth all such as flatter themselues with hope of pardon and conceit of mercy and opinion of escaping from that foolish imagination He that blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie vpon â—im the Lord shall blot out his name froÌ„ vnder heauen These persons may call for mercy but he will not answere them in mercy they may seeke him early but they shall not finde him because they hated to be reformed and did not chuse the feare of the Lord Prou. 1.28 29. He is very gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse Psal 103.17 18. Howbeit it is to the penitent only not to the obstinate The Prophet saith The mercy of the Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting and his righteousnesse vnto childrens children to such as keepe his couenant and to those that remember his commandements to doe them Where we see the Scripture maketh a difference and diuision betweene man and man and giueth to euery one his portion so that albeit he be mercifull yet it is to those onely that keepe his commandements For although all be sinners and therby seeke to creepe away closely that way as it were in the darke that they might not bee espyed yet we must know this that some are repentant sinners for whom there is mercy in store some are obstinate sinners the Scripture hath no mercy for them but terrors threatnings and iudgements and punishments because vpon such wicked he will raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup for the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the vpright Psal 11.6 7. Now such as continue in the course of their sins are ready to beleeue that God is merciful but they beleeue not the Scripture that he is mercifull onely vnto such as repent they perswade themselues falsely that they may run on in euill wayes and yet find mercy at the latter end which is directly contrary to the whole doctrine of the Scriptures And yet these men aske shall we not beleeue the Scripture to be true Whereas they beleeue one part of the Scripture but they call into question another part they lay holde on his promises but they stop their eares against his iudgements nay they doe not so much as beleeue the promises aright neither will learn to whom they are deliuered in whom they shall be verified which sauoureth altogether of infidelity and vnbeliefe Besides as they derogate from the verity of the Scriptures so they deny God after a sort and turne him into a lie make him an idoll to stand stil and doe nothing For to imagine in our heart a GOD wholly compact of mercy that seeth sinne but will not punish it that knoweth who sinneth but will let him alone is to deny the true God who as he is merciful so he is also iust This the Prophet Nahum testifieth in the beginning of his Prophesie The Lord is iealous â—â—m 1 2 3 and the Lord reuengeth the Lord reuengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries and reserueth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slowe to anger great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked c. And heereunto accordeth the description of him Exod. 34 6 7. The Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiuing sinne and that will by no meanes cleere the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children and vpon the childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation Such then as thinke they may proceede and goe forward in their transgressions without controlement or punishment because God is a mercifull God do vtterly deceiue themselues make a snare to entrap their owne soules The wise man saith that to iustifie the wicked and to condemne the innocent are both of them an abhomination vnto the Lord Prou. 17 15. If then he hate it in all the sonnes of men how shall we imagine that the Lord will do or can do either of theÌ„ Let vs therefore so conceiue of God as hee hath taught vs in his holy word let vs not make a counterfeit god nor set vp an Idoll in our heart for he will be serued no therwise then he hath appointed To conclude we must know that whosoeuer denieth 〈◊〉 of the threatnings denounced in the word denyeth a part of the Scripture and as much as lyeth in him maketh God a lyar who will as well execute his judgements as performe his promises forasmuch as hee is faithfull in both And whosoeuer imagineth that God is onely mercifull consequently denieth his iustice hath not the true God for his God but committeth horrible idolatry in coÌ„ceiuing wrongfully of his Maiesty Vse 4 Fourthly seeing such damages and iniuries as are offered to our brethren doe reach to God are condemned as sinnes against him it should teach vs to looke to our own waies to practise iustice and equity toward them to take heed of all fraud forgery falsehood oppression whatsoeuer forasmuch as hee will take an account of vs and bring vs vnto a
weaknesse in iudgment Thus also was Ieremy troubled ch 12 1 2. and no lesse the Prophet Habbakkuk ch 1 13. Wherefore lookest thou vpon theÌ„ that deale treacherously holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then he This which we esteeme to be a confusion is indeed no confusion and that is in order which we suppose to be out of order For God is a God of patience and long suffering who will take vengeance on his aduersaries and he reserueth wrath for his enemies Naum 1 2. and therefore is the Prophet much perplexed in spirit willed to waite by faith the issue that God will make for the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lie 〈◊〉 37. though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Hab. 2 3. Then the Caldeans thogh vsed of God as his rod to afflict his people shall be destroied Thus God hath set them in slippery places Ps 73 18. so as they passe away are â—ot they are sought but cannot bee found Ps 37 3â— The transgressours shall be destroyed together the end of the wicked is to be cut off ver 38. Lastly from hence euery man must learne Vse 5 to do the duties of his own calling God haâ—h set euery man in a certaine calling as it were in a certaine field to till wherein he is to labour We are apt indeed to break out into the callings of other men as if we weâ—e pinned vp in too narrow a roome This made Salomon to say I haue seene seruants on horses Eccl. 10 7. Prou. 2â— 27. and 19 10. and Princes walking as seruants vpon the earth And as God hath set euery man in a calling so must euery man waite and attend vpon that calling whether it be in the Church or in the family or in the Commonwealth In the Church there is order to be obserued in reading in preaching in prayer in the Sacraments that such as be at them may say in their hearts Surely God is in this place and repoâ—t that God is in them of a truth To this purpose doth Paul deliuer sundry instructions 1 Cor. 14. If any man speake in an vnknowne tongue let it bee by two or at the most by three and that by course and let one interprete 1 Cor. 14 27. Let the Prophets speake two or three let the others iudge v. 29 If any thing be reuealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace v. 30. All Churches of the Saints haue this order v. 33. Let your women keepe silence in the Churches for it is not permitted vnto theÌ„ to speak but they are commanded to be vnder obedience as also saith the Law if they will learne any thing let them aske their husbands at home for it is a shame for women to speake in the Church And if it be not permitted vnto them to preach neither is it permitted them to baptize which is an appendance vnto the Ministery Their duty is to be in subiection but to baptize is a part of power iurisdiction So also ought euery one to learne and practise the duties of his calling in the priuate family An house diuided against it selfe cannot stand Math. 12 verse 25. but quickly falleth Luke 11 ver 17. Happy is that house when such as are Gouernours know how to rule and such as are inferiours know how to obey But if one encroch vpon the place of another there followeth much confusion And in the Commonwealth euery soule must learne to bee subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue vnto themselues damnation Rom. 13 1 2. Without this the whole order of nature will be peruerted A kingdome diuided against it selfe is brought to desolation When he sendeth Magistrates and Princes he meaneth to preserue mankinde by them he striketh a feare of them not only into men but also into beasts Dan. 2 38. Such then as rise against them and labour to set all in a broile 1 Pet. 2 14. and to bring al things to confusion are worse then the brute beasts that are without vnderstanding We cannot honour God except we honour the Magistrate And it is very apparent that they are possessed with the giddy and frantike spirit of vprore and sedition which will not be vnder the rule of such as God hath ordained We cannot honour God except we honour such as he hath set in his place He hath printed his owne image in them and in their persons we obey him And when superiours are no longer reuerenced all will be set in a tumult and turmoile and must needs goe to spoile and hauocke Now if we would speake of the practise of the Church of Rome The Church of Rome is wholy out of order there is no good order obserued among them but the whole ordinance of God is vtterly ouerturned the preaching of the word is little esteemed the word and praiers are in a strange tongue praiers also are made to Saints the vse of the Sacraments is horribly prophaned they permit baptisme vnto women and the Supper they haue quite abolished Christ and Antichrist are not more contrary then the Romish church to the true Churches of Iesus Christ They haue pulled vp the foundation of Christian religion and vtterly denied the faith The Scriptures they make vnsufficient and to containe a maimed and vnperfect doctrine They subiect them to the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome and to the authority of the Church They banish the people from them as if they were very dangerous vnto them They contemne Magistrates claime power to dispose of their kingdomes if they be supposed to be heretikes Ver. 29 30 c. And Moses said vnto Hobab the sonne of Roguel the Midianite Moses father in law We are iournying c. The next point is the conference betweene Moses and this Hobab Conference between Moses and Iethro For inasmuch as the passage thorough so many Mountaines and Deserts was exceeding both difficult and dangerous Moses leaueth nothing vnforethought which might serue for the aduantage of his enterprize and therefore instantly intreated his father in law to accompany them in their way toward Canaan Such as yeeld their helpe to further the Church shal neuer lose their labour promising to him such part and profit of the promised Land as GOD should bestow vpon them True it is Moses had liued long in those parts of Arabia thorough which he was now to trauaile yet the better to assure his passage and to saue so many thousand soules as he had brought out of Egypt which could not be so few as a million it was needfull for him to vse many guides and conducters and therefore he is so
day What shall become of swearers blasphemers prophaners of the Sabbath whoremongers drunkards oppressers vnmercifull men and other like The Lord indeed will try the righteous in his furnace but the wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire and brimstone 〈◊〉 5 5. and stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup. Indeed he lifteth vp his haÌ„d to strike the faithfull that are his friends 〈◊〉 â— â—4 but he will crush his aduersaries with a scepter of yron and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Indeed he will iudge the iust man for his sinnes in this life 〈◊〉 â— 23 but he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy pate of him that walketh in his sinnes Indeed the Lord will chastice his Church with the rods of men yet his louing kindnesse will he neuer take from them but he will correct his enemies with scourges of wyre and his little finger shall bee heauier on the reprobate then his loynes on his owne people Tremble at this all ye vngodly and know that assured iudgement is reserued for you at the great day of the Lords generall Assizes when ye must plead guilty or not guilty at his barre when the register booke of all your actions shal be brought forth and when you shal wish the mountaines to fall vpon you and couer you from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne Turne therefore vnto him returne I say betimes lest the Lord ouerturne you If his wrath be kindled yea but a little Psal 2.12 blessed are all they that trust in him This is the difference betweene a wise man and a foole Prou. 27.12 and 17 10. A wise man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but a foole runneth on and is punished A reproofe entreth more into him that hath vnderstanding then an hundred stripes into a foole 14 Then Moses sent messengers from Kadesh vnto the king of Edom saying Thus saith thy brother Israel Thou knowest all the trouble that hath hapned vnto vs. 15 How our fathers went downe into Egypt a long time where the Egyptians handled vs euill and our fathers 16 But when we cryed vnto the Lord he heard our voyce and sent an Angel and hath brought vs out of Egypt and behold we are in Kadesh a city in thine vtmost border 17 I pray thee let vs passe through thy countrey wee will not goe through the fields nor the vineyards neither will we drinke the water of the wels we will goe by the kings way we wil walke we wil not turne either to the right hand or to the left vntill we haue passed thy border 18 And Edom answered him Thou shalt not passe by me lest I come out with the sword against thee 19 Then the children of Israel said vnto him We will go vpon the high way and if we shall drinke thy water I and my cattell I will then pay for it I will onely without any harme goe through on my feete 20 He answered againe Thou shalt not passe through then Edom came out against him with much people and with a mighty power 21 Thus Edom refused to giue Israel passage through his border wherefore Israel turned away from him Hitherto of the murmuring of the people pretended against Moses but indeed intended and practised against God Now followeth the second part of the Chapter touching Israels purpose to passe toward the land of Canaan by the countrey of the Edomites wherein consider two things First the solemne ambassage of Moses to the king of Edom. Secondly the shamefull and inhumane denyall of the Edomites Touching the first hauing walked vp and downe thirty eight yeeres and wandred in the wildernes from place to place forward and backeward from nation to nation from one kingdome to another people being now come neere to the land they request passage and safe conduct through the countrey of Edom vnder honest and equall conditions of abstaining from all iniuries and keeping the kings high way craue their friendship and fauour in respect of their neere kindred and aliance vnto them both of them descending of Isaac whose sonnes were Iacob called also Israel and Esau called also Edom. Besides they shew what trauels and troubles they had sustained what euils they had suffered what oppression they had endured of the cruell Egyptians appealing to their owne consciences touching the truth of these things whereof they could in no sort bee ignorant saying Thou knowest all the trouble that hath happened vnto vs. But because such as are themselues in prosperity sildome respect the miseries and distresses of others and the afflicted are for the most part destitute of all helpes and forsaken of all friends they put them in mind of the mercies of God assisting them in troubles hearing their prayers 1 Cor. 10 9. and sending his Angel that is Iesus Christ as it is expounded by the Apostle for their deliuerance out of Egypt And lest they should seeme to request and require much of others but promise nothing for themselues as those that lay heauy burthens and greeuous to bee borne vpon others but wil not touch them with their litle finger they couenant and condition with them on their parts to deale vprightly and iustly being as ready to abstaine from working iniury as to craue the duties of humanity So then to effect their purpose of passing thorough Edom and to perswade them to graunt their request they alleadge foure reasons First in respect of the person of the Edomites Secondly in respect of the person of the Israelites Thirdly in respect of the person of God Fourthly in respect of the manner of their passage perambulation through them Touching the Edomites they claime the kinred of consanguinity Touching themselues they pleade their own misery Touching God they publish and proclaime his mercy Touching their iourney and the maner of it they promise equity and honest dealing Thus they omit nothing that might serue to perswade the Edomites to pitty and to procure their owne safty Reason 1 The first reason drawne from the right of brotherhood is included in these words Thus saith thy brother Israel The Israelites came of Iacob who was also called Israel because hee had power with God Gen 25.25 Gen. 32.28 The Edomites came of Esau who was also named Edom both of the rednesse wherewith hee was borne and of the red pottage which he desired and preferred before the birthright These two therefore were naturall brethren begotten of the same father borne of the same mother lying at the same time in the same womb as if the Israelites should say May it please you to consider that wee are not aliants and strangers one to another we descend of two brethren Iacob and Esau you of one we of the other as two branches displaying themselues from one stocke we had one common father and mother Isaac and Rebeccha we are of one family and
Secondly we are taught heereby to stand in feare of God Mat. 8 26 27. to tremble vnder this mighty Commander of sea and land and to beware we do not teaze with him or prouoke him to anger indignation against vs seeing he hath so many royall Camps of armed souldiers in readinesse to be reuenged of vs to destroy vs when and how and where it pleaseth him He is able to cut vs downe as grasse to blow vs away as dust to sweepe vs away as dung to tread vpon vs as wormes of the earth he needeth no weapon for the matter hee can scatter vs as chaffe before the winde he can make the least dust to be our death and the smallest vermin to be our destruction If he arme the silly simple flye it is able to work out our confusion and is farre aboue our power to encounter and buckle withall These are the men of war that God chuseth to wage battell for him and to pull downe the hautinesse of our hearts Let vs profite to humility and stoope downe vnder his hand He can as easily send strange plagues strange diseases mortality among vs as hee in former times hath done This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth chap. 5 21 22 24. Heare now this O foolish people and without vnderstanding which haue eyes and see not which haue eares and heare not feare ye not me saith the Lord Or will ye not bee afraid at my presence which haue placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it though the waues thereof rage and rore they cannot preuaile or passe ouer it Lastly this teacheth that none can escape Vse 3 iudgement and though hand ioyne in hand the vngodly shall neuer go vnpunished For as it ministreth comfort to the faithfull in all daÌ„gers to put their trust affiance in God who hath so many souldiers and seruants to protect and defend them so on the other side it assureth tribulation and anguish death and destruction to euery soule that doth euill Looke how many creatures he hath so many meanes he hath to destroy vs and we cannot escape if we be at warre and defiance with him If God be on our side who shall be against vs Rom. 8 31. But if he bee against vs what creature shall stand with vs Nay what creature is not armed against vs If God bee our enemy nothing in heaueÌ„ or earth can shew vs any good or be in league and friendship with vs but is ready to bid vs battell and to proclaime open warre against vs. Therefore the Prophet saith God is iealous and the Lord reuengeth Nah 1 2 5 â— he will take vengeance on his aduersaries and heere serueth wrath for his enemies the Lord is slowe to anger but he is great in power and will not surely cleere the wicked the Mountaines tremble and the Hils melt before him the earth is burnt at his fight yea the world all that dwell therein Who can stand before his wrath his wrath is powred out like fire and the Rockes are broken by him If a man were compassed about with thousands of his enemies and hemmed in on euery side with a mighty hoast ready to draw their swords and discharge their Ordinance at him would hee not despaire of deliuerance and put his soule in his hand as the Prophet speakes This is the estate of all naturall and wicked men All creatures aboue their head and vnder their feete on the right hand on the left hand and round about them before them and behind them are set against them haue made a generall conspiracy against them It were a vaine hope and foolish presumption for such a prisoner to dreame of freedome deliuerance The murther of Abel lying heauy vpon the heart and conscience of Caine Gen. 4 1â— made him stand in feare of euery creature that came to meete him or ouertooke him If then we would be at peace with the creatures and finde peace in our own selues which passeth all vnderstanding labour first of all to be at peace with God Let him haue no quarrell or controuersie against vs. Let vs send out an Embassage of peace â—14 32. and hang out of our hearts a flag of truce that he may call backe his army from pursuing of vs. If he once blow the retreate all his souldiers retire they are all able to doe vs no hurt the stones of the streete shal be in league with vs all creatures shall serue them that serue the Lord. Seeing therfore the least of Gods creatures are made by him too strong for a kingdome who shall bee able to resist his power Seeing in his wrath he can arme all the creatures in heauen and earth against vs the meanest whereof is aboue our strength what vain hearts haue we in our brests and what wicked tongues in our prophane mouthes to thinke and speake it that we will shift well enough with his iudgements Let vs shake at his infinite power betimes lest the fire of his iealousie burne against vs and it cannot bee quenched Let vs tremble at our security and presumption that haue taken hold vpon vs lest the guiltinesse thereof shake and shiuer vs in peeces for euermore seeing he bringeth out his armies by number calleth them by their names Esay 40 26. Verse 7. Then the people came to Moses said We haue sinned for wee haue spoken against the Lord and against thee Marke heere how the Israelites seeke helpe and succour of Moses A man would haue thought that this rout of Rebels of all other would not haue gone to Moses nor haue stooped downe to him whom before they had contemptuously scorned contumeliously abused and despitefully spoken against yet in their misery they making a vertue of necessity come with one accord to Moses to be helped succoured to be releeued and praied for they can finde no comfort nor remedy but in him We learne from hence â—trine â—ked are â— driuen â—eke helpe â—e â—godly â— they â— despised this doctrine Such as are disobedient wicked are oftentimes driuen to seek comfort and helpe of the godly whom they haue scorned and derided reuiled and spoken against I say vngodly men and such as blaspheme God and are enemies to God and to his seruants are many times inforced and constrained to sue to them whom they haue despised and to seeke to them in their necessity and extremity when they are in affliction and the hand of GOD is any wayes heauy vpon them This appeareth in many places of the word of God Abimelech hauing taken the wife of Abraham and wronged him in the most precious part of his possession â— 20 7 17. standeth in need of his praier that he might liue bee healed of the diseases that God had laide vpon him and his people In like manner Isaac was hated of the Philistims they enuied his riches they stopped his wels
as his Lord if they haue called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold Vse 1 Now let vs see what vses may be gathered from hence First we may assure our selues that it is a lamentable and wofull condition to liue and dwell among such mallitious mischieuous enemies They grin and grinde their teeth at vs like Dogs they gape at vs with their mouthes like the ramping and roaring Lyon they push at vs with their heads like the fat Bulles of Bashan they run at vs with their hornes like the Vnicorne they whet their tuskes at vs like the wilde Boare out of the wood they seeke to eate vs vp like the sauage beasts of the Field and Forrest Would we not take it to bee a fearefull condition to be carried into a great and terrible Wildernesse and to be compassed about with Dragons Tygers Beares and other deuouring beasts ready to eate vs in peeces while there is none to helpe But man vnto man is many times al these especially the vnfaithful man to the faithfull â—or what fellowship is there between the seed of the woman â— Cor 6 14. and the seed of the serpent Whâ—t communion betweene light and darknesse and what concord betweene Christ and Belial This the Prophet acknowledged felt by experience in his owne person 〈◊〉 20 5 6 7. Wo is me that I remained in Meshech dwel in the tents of Kedar my soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace I seeke peace and when I speak therof they are bent to warre For as the societie of the faithfull is good and comely like the precious oyntment vpon the head of Aaron and as the dew falling vpon the mountaines of Hermon and Sion because they take sweet counsell together and go vnto the house of God as companions so the accompanying conuersing with euill persons is irkesome and tedious vnto the godly as if they liued with Wolues and wilde beasts in the Wildernesse True it is the people of God hate and abhor the sinnes of the vngodly but yet loue their persons as the Physitian hateth the disease but loueth the person of his Patient But the vngodly hate not onely the infirmities of the faithfull but their persons euen to the death as the dung of the earth and the off-scouring of all things and therefore we must needes account it a wofull condition full of greefe anguish and vexation of Spirit to liue among them This life is as a continuall death Secondly seeing this is the entertainment that we must looke for and shall finde in the Vse 2 world to bee hated and harrowed by the vngodly it standeth vs vpon to liue in vnity and to loue one another as the children of the Father and the disciples of Christ When enemies dayly increase and ioyne their forces together in a common band an vnited league it standeth all those vpon that are of the communion of Saints that are come vnto Mount Sion to the City of the liuing God Heb. 12 â—â— 23 and to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen to vnite combine themselues together as one man The aduersaries of the Church are many their power is mighty their malice is vnsatiable against the little flock of Christ it is time therfore for vs to ioyn our selues against the common aduersary Who can be ignorant how the popish crew associate themselues together seeking to subuert the state and to ouerthrow religion established among vs being resolued by murdrous Masse-Priests and set on fire of hel Wee haue also many hollow-hearted hypocrites damnable Atheists filthy Libertines sundry loose liuers that can abide none to make any sincere profession of godlinesse The poor sheepe and innocent Lambes of Christ amidst so many subtle Foxes and cruell Wolues had neede loue one another beeing hated of the world and seeke the good one of another being maligned of the wicked Heereunto Christ exhorteth in sundry places as Ioh. 13. A new commandement I giue vnto you that ye loue one another Iohn 13 3â— 35 16 12 1â— 13. 1 Iohn 3 1â— as I haue loued you that ye also loue one another By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to another And in the 16. Chapter hee mooueth the Disciples to loue one another seeing they are hated of the world as their Mayster was This therefore is the comfort of a true Christian that albeit he be hated of the vngodly yet there is a true communion among the beleeuers of all gifts and graces granted vnto them being ready to teach the ignorant to gather home them that go astray to binde vp the broken-hearted to comfort the weake to conuince the deceiued to admonish the vnruly to stirre vp them that are dull to encourage all in well-doing And touching the bodies of our brethren those that haue this worlds good must shew themselues willing to help the poore to feed the hungry to cloathe the naked to raise vp the distressed to visite the sicke and to do good to all but especially to them that are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6 10. Lastly seeing hatred lodgeth in the heart Vse 3 of a wicked man toward the faithfull it is our duty to pray to God to be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men Seeing all haue not faith â—ess 3 2 3 and that liuing among them wee may be established and kept blamelesse and pure from euill and may shine as lights in the midst of a crooked naughty Nation â— 2 15. holding foorth the word of life This the Prophet Dauid declareth Psalm 35 12 13 15 16.17 Thus doth God weane vs from the loue and liking of this world that we should looke and long after his kingdom where is fulnes of ioy for euermore Verses 25 26. And Israel tooke all those Citties therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon and in all the Villages thereof These Cities taken by the Israelites did sometimes belong to the Moabites as appeareth Iudg. 11. But Sihon had taken them from Veheb the former King of the Moabites So theÌ„ in these words we haue the preuenting of an Obiection 〈◊〉 Num. â— 21. as Lyra well obserueth vpon this place where it is saide that Israel dwelt in Heshbon in the Villages thereof which properly belonged to the Land of Moab as part and parcell thereof being now rent and torne in peeces as a body that had lost many limbes and members Some man therefore might aske the question how came the Israelites to possesse that Land seeing they were expresly restrained and forbidden of God to fight against the Moabites they were tolde that they should haue no part nor portion of their Land giuen vnto them Deut. 2 9. Thou shalt not vexe Moab neither prouoke them to battell for I will not giue thee of their Land for a
God that it may not be laide to their charge Notwithstanding the Lord assisted me strengthened me that by me the preaching might be fully beleeued 2 Tim. 4 16 17. This appeareth in that worthy prayes of Asa which he made going to battaile against his enemies 2. Chron 14 11. Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe with many or with no power helpe vs O Lord our God for wee rest on thee and in thy name are wee come against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man preuaile against thee Let vs not therefore be discouraged and discomfited when we see many against vs and few to stand for the cause of God but consider that he whose cause it is is able to defend it whose power and glory is most of all seene in the weakenesse of those that are stirred vp to maintaine it Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty not to fret at euill men when they are exalted and lifted vp on high but consider the end that the Lord will make Nah 1 2. Who will take vengeance on his aduersaries and reserueth wrath for his enemies Though they practise against the iust and gnash their teeth against him though they watch the righteous and seeke to slay him though they abound and prosper and set their mouth against heauen yet this is a comfort to the godly Psal 37 7 8 9 10. That yet a litle while and the wicked shall not appeare thou shalt looke after his place hee shall not be found Waite patiently vpon the Lord and hope in him fret not thy selfe for him which prospereth in his way nor for the man that bringeth his enterprises to passe for euill doers shal be cut off they that waite vpon the Lord shall inherite the land The destruction which God hath conâ—luded against them is sure he wants no meanes to ouerturne them he can make things that are not of greater power then they that are There is no safety to the enemies of God and his truth there is no way for them to escape for the Lord is the God of vengeance This the Prophet Esay declareth at large chap. 30. 14.10 shewing that their destruction should be both certaine and suddaine This is that which the Prophet assureth Hezekiah of that God would put his hooke in his nostrils and his bridle in the lippes of Rabshekah that rayled vpon the holy one of Israel 2 King 16 6 7. Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard I will send a blast vpon him he shall heare a noise and returne to his owne hand and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his owne land Let vs therefore remember alwayes the exhortation of the Prophet Psal 37 1 2. Fret not thy selfe because of the wicked men neither be enuious for the euill doer for they shall soone be cut downe like grasse and shall wither as the greene herbes trust thou in the Lord and doe good dwell in the Lord and thou shalt be fed assuredly Verse 9. Blessed is he that blesseth thee cursed is he that curseth thee This is the conclusion of this prophecy wherein is shewed that God will powre out his blessings vpon his people in such a gracious manner and measure that it shall runne ouer and fall vpon those that are the friends and fauourers of the Church on the contrary side such as hurt or persecute them shall vndergoe the heauy curse of God as God long before shewed vnto Abraham Doctrine God will be mercifull to such as be mercifull to the Church From hence ariseth this doctrine that God will be mercifull to all those that shew mercy to his Church and such as are without pitty and compassion shall finde iudgement without mercy at the hands of God God will blesse those that doe good to his people they shal not lose their labour that fauour the Church but such as are enemies vnto them shall finde God an enemy vnto them We see how God blessed the house of Laban for Iacobs sake so doth Laban confesse Gen. 30.27 I haue perceiued that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake Thus God blessed the house of Potiphar for Iosephs sake that was sold vnto him for God was with him and his master saw that the Lord made all that he had to prosper in his hand Gen. 39 3 Thus haue worldly men beene blessed for the godlies sake This is it which Isaac vttered in blessing his sonne Gen. 27.29 Cursed be he that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee Hereunto commeth a worthy example recorded by the Prophet Ieremy chap. 38 9. chap. 39.16 17. when Ieremy was cast into the dungeon where he stacke fast in the myre through the false suggestion of his enemies Ebed-Melech the blacke Moore spake to the King for him drew him out with cords and tooke him out of the dungeon and therefore the Prophet is sent vnto him with message Thus saith the Lord of hoasts the God of Israel Behold I will bring my words vpon this city for euill and not for good they shal be accoÌ„plished in that day before thee but I will deliuer thee in that day sayth the Lord and thou shalt not be giuen into the hand of the men whom thou fearest for I will surely deliuer thee thou shalt not fall by the sword but thy life shall be for a prey vnto thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. Thus did God recompence his zeale and reward his fauour which he shewed to the Prophet in the miseries and troubles which hee sustayned Rahab the harlot receiuing the spyes sending them out another way and preferring their life before her owne life was her selfe saued from the common destruction and had her fathers houshold and all that she had giuen her as a prey because shee had hid the messengers which Ioshua sent to spy out Iericho Iosh 6 25. Iam. 2 25. Heb. 11 31. The widow of Sarepta giuing hospitality to Eliah and offering him part of that poore pittance which was left her and her sonne in those dayes of dearth and drought was with all her family miraculously sustained in the famine continuing three yeeres and sixe monthes 1. King 17 10. The Shunamite receiuing the Prophet Elisha making him a chamber prouiding al necessaries for him setting him there a table a stoole and a candle-sticke that he might turne in thither to lodge when he trauailed that way and eate bread at her house receiued both the blessing of a sonne her husband being old 2 Kings 4 8. and the raising of him from death to life to her great comfort She shewed some mercy but receiued more mercy she ministred comfort to the Prophet but her self receiued more comfort This also our Sauiour testifieth shewing that wee shall lose nothing that we bestow on any of the faithful we serue a bountifull Lord and a liberall pay-master Math. 10 41 42. He that receiueth a Prophet in
Christ the reproch redounds in part to the head Fourthly it behoueth vs from hence to Vse 4 learne to auoyde all allurements and enticements that may draw vs into this sinne For to auoyd sinne is to auoyd the occasions of sinne Whosoeuer doth nourish the occasions cannot be long free from sinne And whosoeuer maketh no conscience to follow the prouocations of lust and the meanes that may bring it vpon vs will shortly make no conscience of whoredome it selfe Therefore our Sauior correcting the false glozes of the Scribes and Pharisies and expounding the true meaning of the seuenth Commandement saith If thy right eie cause thee to offend plucke it out and cast it from thee for better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole body should be cast into hell Math. chap. 5 29. Whereby our Sauiour meaneth that the Law of God not onely forbiddeth the sinne expressed but restraineth all occasions and allurements though they were as deare vnto vs as our right eye or as necessary vnto vs as our hand A notable example hereeof wee haue in Ioseph when he was tempted by his wanton mistresse to commit folly hee was so farre from consenting to adultery that he absented him selfe from her company Gen. 39 10. Many are the allurements that leade the way vnto this sinne wanton apparrell filthy communication vncleane songs wanton lookes beastly drunkennesse vnlawfull embracings excessiue dyet hurtfull idlenesse and too familiar company with those that may entice vs and tempt vs to lust The following after these the delighting in them is the path that guideth vs to the practise of all vncleannesse and therefore we must abhorre them if we would hate whoredome it selfe Such then as say they cannot abide whoredome and they doe detest it from their harts and yet do not shun these allurements do not consider their owne weaknes but offer themselues leade themselues into tentation yea as much as in them lyeth they make God a lyar and there is no truth in them Lastly let vs according to our duty with Vse 5 all speede forsake this filthy kinde of life and renounce our former vncleannes so the hearty repeÌ„tance may follow after wher this sin hath bin coÌ„mitted before For there remaines mercy to such if they repent and turne with all their hearts and with all their soules The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kindnesse If the wicked man forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations if he returne vnto the Lord and craue mercy at his hands hee will not alway chide neither keepe his anger for euer Esay 55 7. He will not deale with vs after our sinnes neither reward vs according to our iniquities Psal 103 10. Dauid through the lust of his eye fell into this sinne and committed folly in Israel but when he confessed his fault and forsooke his sinne he was receiued to mercy For when Dauid saide vnto Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord Nathan saide vnto Dauid The Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die 2. Sam. 12 verse 13. The Lord seeketh no more but that the sinner turn vnto him When once we are reconciled vnto him he hath no more controuersie against vs. This we see in Rahab the harlot she led a filthy and vncleane life among her people but when she heard of the great workes that the Lord had done for the children of Israel in deliuering them out of Egypt in drying vp the red sea in feeding theÌ„ from heauen and in preseruing them from all their enemies she ioyned in heart with the Church forsooke her euill life and in token of her true repentance Heb. 11 31. Iam. 2.25 she receiued the messengers sent vnto her with the danger of her life and sent them out another way This the Apostle speaketh of the Saints at Corinth for hauing denounced a fearful iudgment against fornicators adulterers wanton persons that they shall not inherit the kingdome of God he addeth 1 Cor. 6 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God Seeing therefore God is ready to forgiue our sins why should not we be ready to forsake our sinnes This vncleannesse maketh vs guilty of temporall and eternal punishments yet God offereth to discharge vs of both and to receiue vs vnto his fauour if we will turne from our sinnes to him bring forth fruite worthy amendment of life Let vs therefore confesse with Dauid that wee haue sinned let vs call for mercy at the hands of God saying Haue mercy vpon me O Lord according to thy louing kindnes acording to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities wash me throughly from mine iniquity and clense me from my sinne Psalme 51 the first second verses Verse 4. And the Lord said vnto Moses Take all the heads of this people and hang them vp to the Lord before this Sunne In the words before the punishment that fell vpon the people of Israel was set downe in generall now hee setteth downe vpon whom it fell in particular to wit both Princes people for the wrath of God was so kindled against them that they were cut off as rotten members all through the counsell of Balaam For when he saw that God opened not his mouth to curse the Israelites but rather when he was resolued to vtter curses hee was inforced to pronounce blessings hee gaue diuellish counsell as his last shift to the Moabites that their beautifull women should allure the Iewes into their coÌ„pany and by their company vnto adultery by adultery vnto idolatry wherby they shold prouoke Gods indignation and so bring vpon themselues vtter confusion Now we must obserue in this place that God in punishing these sinnes beginneth first with the heads of the people Doctrine Superiors lye open to iudgmenâ—s as well as others From hence we learne that Superiors and men of high places lye open to greeuous iudgements as wel as others All sorts of men high and low rich and poore noble and vnnoble shall taste of the punishments of God for sinne This the Prophet pointeth vnto when he faith God powreth contempt vpon Princes and causeth them to erre in desert places out of the way Psal 107 40. In the first chapter of Esay verses 10 23 24 this truth receiueth plentifull confirmation Heare the word of God O Princes of Sodome hearken vnto the Law of our God O people of Gomorrha thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeues euery one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards they iudge not the fatherlesse neither doth the widdowes cause come before them therefore saith the Lord God of hostes the mighty one of Israel Ah I will ease me of mine aduersaries auenge me of mine enemies And in the Chapter following the same Prophet saith The high lookes
them to the sight to mooue pitty in the seer Seeing therefore iudgements be the wages of sinne make vs fall before the enemy and bring vpon vs many calamities let al such as lye vnder any chastisement alway search ouer their wayes and descend into their owne consciences to see how they haue moued him to wrath and prouoked him to be their enemy This we see in the example of Ioshua wheÌ„ he saw the men of Ai preuaile ouer them and the people of God to turne their backs when he saw they were destitute of Gods defence who would no longer go out with theyr Armies he sought to finde out the true cause he humbled himselfe before God and neuer ceased vntill the sinner were apprehended examined condemned and executed Ioshua 7 7. The like practise doth the Prophet prescribe Lam. 3 39. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands vnto God in the heauens saying Wee haue sinned and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared This is the right way to stop the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his iudgements Manie haue fought out other wayes to weaken the force of the enemy aad to preuent the iudgements of God as in time of warre by arming themselues by hiring of soldiers by drawing confederates in time of dearth by robbing stealing lying defrauding shifting such like in time of pestilence by seeking to Witches and Wizards by taking themselues to flight and such other wayes But the Prophets and holy seruants of God in such times when wee lye open to wrath haue called vs to Repentance stirred vs vp to prayer mooued vs to humiliation and acknowledgement of our sinnes which haue deserued such chastisements Let vs all practise this counsell and wisely consider with our selues what the lord hath against vs and wherefore hee is angrie with vs that so wee may bee reconciled vnto him and brought into his gracious fauour againe Vse 3 Lastly this serueth as a notable aduaÌ„tage for the seruants of God when they haue any dealings against wicked men we haue comfort and encouragement from hence that wee shall assuredly preuaile against them because we haue to do with weak and naked men that are out of Gods protection If two goe into the field to fight and one of them be vnarmed and haue no weapon to defend himselfe he lieth open to the lust of his enemie to be wouÌ„ded and spoyled of his life who taketh comfort to see his aduersary come out against him without his armor So is it a blessed and comfortable thing to the children of God when they are constrained to meddle with euil men which are the enemies of God and of his trueth they haue comfort in God both in that themselues are vnder the couerture of his Armour and protection and in that theyr enemies are naked men and lye open vnto euerie iudgement This is it which is afterward remembred vnto vs in this booke where Ioshua and Caleb comforted the people agaynst the Canaanites saying If the Lord loue vs hee will bring vs into this land and giue it vs which is a land flowing with milke and hony but rebel not ye against the Lord neither feare ye the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not Numb 14 9. Abijha the king of Iudah made this his great comfort going against a mighty army and spake to this effect vnto their enemies 2 Chro. 13 10 12. Where wee see that such as turne vnto God with all their hearts and worship him aright haue God their Captaine and Protector he is their buckler and defence but such as are enemies to God and his people Numb 14 1â— 43. are those that receiue many blowes and take many knocks on their heads and yet want a shield to safegard themselues but lye open to euery danger and cannot looke for victory they haue no armour of proofe to defend themselues This is a wofull and wretched condition yet so is it with all the vngodly who haue banished the Lord far from them For as he is farre from them in the practise of their life so hee will not bee neere them in the time of their distresse Let vs then make much of this comfort and lay it as precious balme vnto our hearts let vs be assured when wee haue to deale with the world or to wrastle with Gods iudgements if we haue the testimony of a good conscience that God is our defence and deliuerance wee shall not need to be dismayed nor feare what man can do vnto vs. For there cannot be a more notable encouragement in danger or in death theÌ„ to haue assurance of the prouidence and protection of God The Prophet Dauid greatly comforted himselfe in the sweete meditation of this presence of his hand Psal 23 1 4. and 27 5. 31 20. Let vs therefore be bold and of good courage in the causes of the Lord for where he is there is safety from danger peace from distresse and assurance neuer to be ouercome There dyed foure and twenty thousand The falling into idolatry and whoredom brought a great plague vpon the people not onely to the destruction of many of the Princes among them but to the ruine of many thousands of the people See here the greatnes of the plague and what hauock was made when wrath was kindled God did not spare them but executed his fierce indignation vpon them How great a iudgement was this and how were they weakned by it Hereby we learne That the wrath of God against sinners is vnspeakable Doctrine Gods wrath â—eing moued â—n full of rage greeuous and terrible His wrath beeing moued is full of rage and worketh great desolations and destructions in the world This is it which Moses setteth downe in his song Deut. 31 22. Fire is kindled in my wrath shal burne vnto the bottome of hell and shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines c. This hath the Lord euer shewed in the examples of his iustice When the old world multiplyed their sinnes and abused the patience of God that abode in the dayes of Noah his wrath consumed men women children beasts fowles creeping things and all that had the breath of life vpon the face of the earth Gen. 7 21. So when the â—odomites exceeded in lust of the flesh in pride of life and in security of heart The Lord rained vpon them Brimstone and fire out of heaueÌ„ and ouerthrew the Cities of the plain and all the inhabitants of the Cities and that which grew vpon the earth Gen 19 24. The history of the manifold murmurings and rebellions of the people of Israel in the wildernesse is a plentifull witnes of this truth When they lusted for flesh and loathed
of Promise Moses continued in feruent prayer Exo. 17 13 when hee held vp his hands Israel preuailed when he let his hands fall downe the Amalekites preuailed Thus were the Amalekites discomfited more by the prayer of Moses then by the sword of Ioshua If this exercise were carefully vsed and taken vp our warres would prosper better then commonly they do and many mischeefs that we fall into wold be preuented If we did duly consider the calamities and vncertaine end of war we would be more carefull to craue assistance of God to be with vs when we go to warre Many of our poore brethren haue seene with their eyes the burning of their villages the beating downe of their holdes the battering of their Castles the sacking of their Cities the besiedging of their townes the desolation of their houses Temples They haue heard ouer al their country and coasts the sorrowfull sighes and sobs of such as lamented the pittifull howling and shriking of vnhappy mothers bewailing their children the dolefull complaint of the heauie wiues mourning for their husbands and the greeuous cries of all men on all sides If this miserable face of all confusion that war bringeth with it were set before our eies it wold make vs cast downe our selues vnder the most mighty hand of God and call vpon his name to be with vs when we go out to battell Vse 3 Thirdly it followeth that the stratagems of warre are not vnlawfull It is lawfull to vse subtilty and policy to lay snares and baites to intrap and circumuent the enemy In all actions of war or of peace wee must deale wisely and warily When wee liue in peace quietnes it is required of vs to walke not onely in a lawfull but in a wise course but much more in war wher the enemy is watchful the snares are subtle and the danger is great This appeareth euidently both because God commandeth it and the godly practise it When God sent Ioshua to destroy Ai and to take the spoile thereof for a prey he willed him to lye in waite against the City on the backside thereof Iosh 8 2. Abraham intending to recouer Lot out of the hands of those that had taken him captiue did not fight with them in a pitched field and display his banners in the open day but diuided his company smote them by night Genes 14 15. When the Israelites went out against the children of Beniamin they set men to lye in waite round about Gibeah which drew them from the City destroyed them by this policy Iudg. 20 ver 29. When Dauid asked counsel of the Lord whether he should go against the Philistines hee answered Thou shalt not go vp but turne about behinde them and come vpon them ouer the Mulberry trees and when thou hearest the noise of one going in the toppes of the mulberry trees 1 Sam. 5 23. then remoue for then shall the Lord go out before thee to smite the hoast of the Philistines We may therefore hide our purposes from our enemies we may assault them at vnawares wee may bring them to be carelesse and make shew of one thing but do another True it is wee are to keepe promises to all euen to our enemies we must not lye vnto them but keepe the couenants and conditions which wee haue made with them We must not promise to saue thē and then destroy them we must not agree to receiue them into protection and afterwards worke their confusion Notwithstanding we are not bound to make knowne to them what soeuer we speake or doe but are to conceale our intents to the end the victory may be obtained Christ himselfe doeth hide many things from the vngodly which he reuealeth to his children Math. 13 11. Thus he teacheth Mat. 7 6. That holy things are not to be giuen to dogs nor pearles to be cast vnto Swine In like manner it is not vnlawful for vs to hide our meanings from our aduersaries All things are not to be made knowne to all men The Captaine doth not by and by acquaint his soldiers whom he leadeth into the field with all his purposer much lesse should he open his drifts and deuices to his enemies Fourthly seeing war is a lawful ordinance Vse 4 of God it teacheth vs to vse it lawfully to behaue our selues purely when we go vnto it So soone as war is proclaimed and the Trumpet sounded all Lawes for the most part keep silence and equity is buried there is no mean or measure obserued euery man thinketh hee may do what he list Hence it is that the Lord giueth these precepts to his people Deut 23 9 10 11. When thou goest out with an hoast against thine enemies then keepe thy selfe from euery wicked thing If any among you be vncleane by that which commeth vnto him by night he shall go out of the hoast and not come into the hoast again but at euening hee shall wash himselfe with water and when the Sun is gone downe he shall come into the hoast againe c. The Lord thy God walketh in the middest of the Campe to deliuer thee and to giue thee thine enemies before thee therefore let thine hoast bee holy that hee see no filthy thing in thee and turne away from thee Where Moses teacheth that we must not beare our selues in warre as if all things were lawfull nor giue our selues a lawlesse liberty to be caried head-long into all wickednesse When we are come into the field and there stand against the enemy we must not think we haue a pardon purchased to fall into all outrage and villany For whose are the battels that we fight Who is it that goeth in and out with our armies who is it that giueth the victory If wee looke for any blessing from God we must haue the more care to serue him faithfully and to depend vpon him religiously VVe must fight vnder his banner we must take him for our Captaine If he be the Leader and Commander to rule the whole hoast he will not haue lewde ruffians and dissolute persons to bee of his band Prophane and vngodly men shall not be ranged in his Army The Lord will be the greatest enemy vnto such and they haue far more cause to stand in feare of him then of all their enemies besides So long as there was one wicked wretch in the hoast of Israel vnreformed and vnpunished they could not obtaine any victory but were vanquished by the enemy Iosh chapt 7. verse 11 how much lesse hope haue wee to preuaile when as the whole Campe shal be nothing else but a band of rebelles and an hoast of Conspirators against God and all godlinesse When Ioshua and the people of Israel should passe ouer Iordan into the land of Promise and were to fight with the inhabitants thereof Iosh 3 5. they are commaunded to sanctifie themselues for to morrow the Lord would do wonders among them Thus doth Samuel exhort the house of Israel to put away their
to iudge the quick and dead 1 Peter 44 5. It is noted concerning Christ by the Euangelist that before hee entred vpon the worke of his high calling to preach the Gospel and shewed himselfe a Redeemer to Israel hee increased in wisdome and stature and grew in fauour with God and man Luke 2 52 but when once hee left his priuate life in the priuate houfe of Ioseph where hee was brought vp and set vpon the office whereunto he was appointed albeit hee continued in the fauour of God as his onely begotten Sonne in whom he is well pleased Matthew 3 17 yet he grew out of fauour with men who were not contented with him Paul before his conuersion was in great estimation with the Pharisees and obtayned letters of them to put in prison all them that called vpon the Name of Christ but when hee beganne to preach faith in Christ which before hee persecuted and sought to destroy hee lost theyr fauour and friendship as appeareth in that they plotted his death and sought his life to take it away more vehemently and violently then hee had practised against the disciples Let vs not therefore thinke it strange that we meete with many enemies cunning subtill cruell and malicious but seeke to be at peace with God and reconciled vnto him and then if God be with vs who shall be against vs Rom. 8 31. Vse 5 Fiftly the enemies of Israel albeit they were ouerthrowne and defeated yet were not all discomfited and consumed at once but by little and little sometimes one and then afterward another as they did not arise and appeare all together so it is euermore with his Church to the end of the world We shall neuer be without some enemies God will euer try the faith and patience of his children When Dauid sate at home and went not to warre against his enemies he was surprized by a subtill enemy whom he neuer suspected and fell into two grieuous sinnes adultery and murther 2 Sam. 11 1 4 1 Chron. 20 1. The water by standing still gathereth filth mud and corruption The iron by lying still gathereth râ—st The Church free from enemies oftentimes groweth secure and the godly are ready to say in their prosperity they shall neuer be remoued Psal 30 6. Let all the wicked therefore know that their peace and prosperity cannot giue them assurance though they endure long of the fauour and loue of God but hee will bring downe his iudgements vpon them when they haue filled vp the measure of their sins And albeit for a time they escape yet they are appointed to wrath and destruction forasmuch as the Lord is iealous and the Lord auengeth hee will take vengeance on his aduersaries and he reserueth wrath for his enemies Nah. 1 2. Yea thus it shall be with the spirituall enemies of our soules and of our saluation albeit they haue receiued their deathes wound and are crushed in the head that they can neuer fully recouer their streÌ„gth but shall finally be subdued yet they are alwayes hissing and stinging they are trying tempting the members of Christ So long as we are Christs wee must looke for the diuell and his Angels to set themselues against vs. They will take no denyall or repulse but being beaten and vanquished will gather their forces and vnite their power together to build vp the kingdome of darknes When he tempted Christ in the wildernesse and receiued a notable foyle and glorious ouerthrow in all those seuerall combats and had ended his tentations that he had prepared hee departed from him but a little season Luke 4 13. As he dealt with the head in the wildernesse so he dealeth with the members in this world wee must neuer looke to bee wholly ridde of this importunate enemy Whensoeuer he leaueth vs it is not as a confession that hee is vtterly conuicted and confounded for it fareth with him as with one that wrastled Plutarch in vit who how soeuer hee spedde would alwayes perswade the standers by that he gaue him the fall and foile that buckled and clasped with him and so it is when we wrastle with these principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses in high places they will neuer yeeld the victory but rather gather their broken and disbanded companies leuy new forces prouide and procure stronger weapons and make better prouision and preparation against vs. If then he depart from vs and breake vp his siege it is not to free vs from danger and to take a truce with vs but to muster a fresh army and to take vs at an aduantage if hee see vs to grow secure and therefore let vs neuer promise rest vnto our selues from his assaults so long as we continue heere and carry about vs this earthly Tabernacle but alwayes stand vpon our gard and in our watch-tower to be ready for his comming and returning that so resisting him being strong in faith he may flye from vs Iam. 4 7. 1 Pet. 5 8 9. Yea let this serue as a great comfort and consolation to those that haue experience of his manifold assaults and inuasions that they neuer distrust or despaire though their troubles be many though their tentations be great continuall seeing this was the lot and portion of Iesus Christ the Sonne of GOD Who shall treade downe Satan vnder their feete shortly Rom. 16 20. Lastly the people of Israel after the enduring Vse 6 of all their troubles and afflictions after the experience of many sorrowes and miseries that came vpon them had rest giuen vnto them and victory ouer all their enemies round about them so that they were safely brought into the land of promise where they inherited and possessed cities that they builded not Deut. 6 10 11 houses full of all maner goods which they filled not welles which they digged not vineyards and oliues which they planted not and saw all the good things performed which the Lord had promised vnto them This serueth to comfort the children of God though for a time they sustaine many iniuries beare many disgraces receiue many losses feele many pinches instraightments yea many fierce and fiery tryals it is but while they wander in the wildernesse they are not yet come into Canaan the place of rest howbeit the blessednes of the issue and end of all will fully recompence the hardnesse of the way and make amends and satisfaction for all their sorrowes being fully assured that the afflictions of this present world are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs hereafter for then God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes Rom. 8 19. Reuel 7 16 17. Thus God giueth comfort to his seruants after they haue beene humbled in this vale of misery They shall hunger no more they shall thirst no more they shall want no more Then this corruptible shall put on incorruption this mortall shall put on immortality and death shall be swallowed vp in victory 1 Cor. 15 53 54. This made