Kin. 1. 5. Those two Sons were David's Darlings whom he had honoured above the Lord as Eli had done his two wicked Sons 1 Sam. 2. 29. and therefore they proved sad Cordoliums and singular crosses to him Such as love over-much shall be sure to grieve over-much strong affections bring strong afflictions The Devil manages the first part of his fore-game by Absalom and the latter part of it by Adonijah both of them goodly men of a comely countenance both personable and of a Princely presence 2 Sam. 14. 25. 1 Kin. 1.6 upon whom Nature had spent all her strength in beautifying their bodies saith one but she had left their Souls altogether unbeautified they had both of them foul fouls in fair bodies so were both the fitter Tools for Satan to work with to prevent Solomon from the Throne and thereby the glory of the Church David had always cockered them when he should have corrected them and because they were both personable and Prince-like as the Children of a King Judg. 8. 18. therefore were they made to think better of themselves and their ever too-fond Father to think too well of them their Father had not displeased them at any time in their Childhood and therefore they displeased their Father in his Old Age and made no bones of breaking his heart when now decay'd and even Bed-ridden as in the last by their Disloyalty and Usurpation yet all was that it might be fulfilled what was fore-threatned 2 Sam. 12. 11. 1st Arrogant Absalom was hammering and hatching his part of the Plot two full years 2 Sam. 14. 28. with 15. 1. after David had kissed him being perswaded by Joab that he was a true Penitent when he should rather have kicked him and not have harden'd him for further Villany by his fond credulity 1. He gains a guard that he might be put into the Port of a Prince being the Kings Eldest Son that so the people might look upon him as Heir of the Kingdom and by counterfeit courtesie wherein he slander'd David he soon stole away their hearts from his Father the Right Owner slily and secretly 2. He makes Religion a Cloak for his Rebellion as is usual in the Papaey Ch. 15. 6 7 8. Let me go and pay my Vows c. well knowing that his Pious Father would promote rather than prevent any act of Piety in his Son and Hebron was the sittest place for his purpose because antient and famous the place of his Fathers first Crowning of his own Birth and where he had many Friends to assist him 3. He calls Achitophel to be his Counsellour that old Fox laid close till the Plot was ripe yet probably he paved the way from the first by his perswading to take two hundred Principal Citizens along with him the better to conceal the Plot and that other Cities might make Jerusalem their pattern to follow Absalom those are said to follow Absalom in their simplicity to wit to his Gratulatory Oblation knowing nothing of his villanous and rebellious intention Even so it may be said of our Forefathers they followed Antichrist in their simplicity for they being kept by him in gross ignorance had this happiness not to know the depths of Satan in the most principal and most pernicious points of Popery Gods Providence so over-ruling the matter that the people of Christ might not perish under the Priests of Antichrist 4. The Conspiracy was strong by a mighty confluence of the common people who were but over-ready to worship this Rising Sun and to be weary of David the Setting Sun whose Credit the Conspirators had blacked and blasted to them Neutrum modò mas modò Vulgus The many-headed multitude cry even to Christ himself of whom David was both Father and Figure Hosanna one day and Crucisie the next day This put holy David to such a fright that he was forced to take his slight to save himself from slaying according to Achitophels counsel 2 Sam. 17. 3. and his chief City from sacking Now was the Devil undoubtedly most highly pleased not doubting here but having got the Ball upon his foot he should carry it cut and dry'd and prevent Solomon from the Crown and the Church from her Glory But behold God over-matches the Devil here David pours out his Prayer made in Psal 3. on the top of Mount Olivet where he prays himself into a particular Faith of his own deliverance and of his Enemies destruction And when Davids case seem'd so desperate as if Salvation it self could not save him v. 2. yet even then did God arise at his pray'r v. 7. and gives David a Prophetick prospect not only of the death but also of the manner of the death of his two grand Adversaries Achitophel and Absalom Thou hast smitten them upon the Cheek-bones as if he had seen Achitophel knock'd with the Knot of the Rope and Absalom with the Bough of the Oak wherein they were hanged by the heavy Hand of God 'T is very observable that no sooner had David prayed Lord turn the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness 2 Sam. 15. 31. but presently God sends him in Hushai as a return of his prayer a Man who could match Achitophel in any of his deepest reaches and who did defeat his counsel which might very probably have destroyed David by starching an Oration every way accommodated to Absaloms ambitious humour Ch. 17. 7. to 15. and when Davids deliverance depends all upon the faithfulness of a Wench v. 17. God delights to work by weak means to confound the Mighty 1 Cor. 1. 27. and to help his servants with a little help Dan. 11. 34. Though the Devil at that time had a Lad he never wants tools to work mischief by in such cases v. 18. yet the issue of this first part of Satans fore-game was this the Grand Counsellor of the Conspiracy Achitophel seeing his counsel basled sadled his Ass when he should have bridl'd his anger got him home to his house and as Josephus saith told his houshold that Absalom would be undone and himself should be hanged wherefore he thought it better to save Davids Hangman the labour and to prevent him with dying manfully by his own hands He set his house but not his heart in order he took care of his Family after his death but no care of his Soul for Eternity he hanged himself as Judas did after him for the like Crime so strangl'd he those very Chaps wherewith he had given wicked counsel against David as Judas did against Christ both despairing of mercy 2 Sam. 17. 23. Mat. 27. 3 4. The like fatal end to the like froward Counsellors the good Lord send in our day saith Dr. Willet In all this Achitophel did but answer the signification of his own name for Achi Hebr. signifies Brother or Cousin-German and Tophel Hebr. a Fool. Thus this Arch-Artist in Hellish Policy c. whose counsel was as the Oracle of God the Event usually answering his Advice with suitable
was that Terrible Earth-quake Amos 1. 1. Zech. 14. 5. even while his Wrath was hot against the Holy Priests who withstood him Gods Wrath waxed Hot against him and takeing their part as he did their Office he makes a Leprosie immediately to rise up in his Forehead and so by presuming to go into the Temple farther than he should did lose that liberty which before he had This Arrogant Act did not onely cast him out of the House of God but also out the Holy City for Lepers by the Law were to live by themselves Levit. 13. 46. Yea and at last cast him out of the World who was then Buryed in some By-corner of the Kings Burying-place for they said He was a Leper 2 Chro. 26. 20 to 23. leaving his Son Iotham to Succeed him as the 11th King who did learn to beware from his Fathers Harm He entered not into the Temple to Usurp the Priests Office 2 Chron. 27. 2. though Son of the Priests Seed of the Daughter of Zadok 2 Kin. 15. 33. Then did Davids Lamp God promis'd him burn brighter than before notwithstanding all the Devils blasts against it for Jotham was a good Prince and did that which was right in the sight of the Lord v. 34. both for Matter Manner Motive and End yet had this very Lamp one filthy Snuff in it to darken its splendour and glory to wit The High-Places were not Removed v. 35. And the People did yet Corruptly 2 Chro. 27. 2. had Jotham removed those High-places he had prevented the peoples corruption ☞ Oh how hardly comes off a thorough Reformation It was with the good Kings in respect of those High-places as it was with Jonathans Signal Arrows Two whereof fell short and but one beyond the Mark 1 Sam. 20. 36. so where one of them shot home to the Mark of the Divine Institution as Hezekiah and Josiah did many fell short as 1 Kin. 14. 14. and 2 Kin. 12. 3. and 15. 4 5. and Here whereas they should have removed not onely those for Idol-Worship as they did but also those for Gods Worship too according to Gods Institution Deut. 12. 5 6 11. Those High-places unremoved was as the Nest-Egg to make the Hen of Will-Worship and Idolatry to return again when his Son Ahaz the 12 King succeeded who brought in all the Idolatry of the Kings of Israel 2 Chron. 28. 2. and went beyond the worst of them all in Wickedness for 1. he burnt his Children in the Fire v. 3. in Honour of Moloch which was the Devil Psa 106. 37. Some he caused to pass onely through the fire to purge them from evil as the Papists send their Friends to their supposed Fire of Purgatory which they conceit their Masses make them pass thorough to Heaven 2. He set up the Altar of Damascus in the place of Gods Altar which he thrust into a by-corner out of the way by the help of Vrijah that Temporizing Parasitical Priest a fit Helve for such an Hatchet and Ahaz approached his New Altar and burnt his Offering upon it c. Vrijah suffering him so to do whereas Azariah a far better Priest would not permit his Grand-Father Vzziah a far better King to do so 2 Chron. 26. 18. 2 Kin. 16. 10 to 16. 3. He did wickedly as he could with both Hands earnestly Mic. 7. 3. as if afraid to be out-done by others and as if he had been delivered to Work all Abomination Jer. 7. 10. He took long strides toward Hell which did gape for him and was but a little before him Vzziah his Grand-Father was smitten with bodily Leprosie for the like Sin of Invading the Priests Office but Ahaz was smitten with a worse Judgement to wit with such an hardness of Heart that he became so stubborn and stiff-necked even in the time of his distress as he would rather Break than Bend 2 Chron. 28.22 Adding Rebellion to his Sin Job 34.37 and Jer. 48. 4. Hereupon the Lord set a black Brand upon him as upon Cain Gen. 4. 15. upon Dathan Numb 26. 9. and here upon him This is that King Ahaz and all for his Stubborness this is that stigmatiz'd Beast and stinking Belialist with his Mark of Ignominy 2 Chron. 28. v. 22 to 25. provoking the Lord to Anger c. and as he provoked the Lord so his own Subjects to Anger insomuch as they vouchsafed not his Dead Body a Royal Sepulchre v. 27. Notwithstanding all this The Devil cannot Run down the Church in Iudah by such a Dangerous Instrument still for God raises up Hezekiah the 13th King to Undoe all that his Father Ahaz had done by the Help of his godly Mother Abiah whose Piety could not prevail upon her Husbands Pertinacy yet had her good Instructions a most Blessed Influence upon her Tender Son 2 Kin. 18. 2. and 2 Chro. 29. 1 2. Here the Rule Partus sequitur ventrem The Birth follows the Belly holds good as Ahaz had stood like a Pricking Thistle betwixt Two Fragrant Roses his good Father Jotham and his godly Son Hezekiah so Hezekiah stands up like a Fresh Spring after a sharp Winter and by the good Hand of God upon him brought the Ship of the Church in Iudah from a Troublesome stormy and Tempestuous Sea into a Safe and Quiet Harbour according to the signification of his Name Hezekiah The Lord was his strength insomuch that he obtained sundry Famous Remarques better than the Brand by a black Coal on Ahaz upon him as 1. his neglecting no time in his Generation-Work but falls upon Reforming Religion in the first place in the first Year in the First Month in the first Day of the Month and on the First Day of his Reign even immediately upon his Corronation-Day 2 Chron. 29. 3 4 5 17. This he doth effect by Convocating an Assembly or Synod or Council of godly Priests and Levites whom his Idolatrous Father had forced from their Temple-Service to which Convocation this pious Prince made a prudent pithy and pious Oration hereby he removes those High-places that Nest-Egg of Idolatry which the best of his Predecessors could never remove and the brazen Serpent which Moses had made not for an object of Worship but for means of a Cure he brake in pieces when Abused to Idolatry calling it when so broken Nehushtan a little poor paltry piece of Brass for the shameing of such as had so doted upon it 2 Kin. 18. 4 5. His Confidence in God was the Cause of his Courage in so doing who could not but expect Opposition at such an Antient Reliques Deposition it being now about 730 Y. old Fiat justitia etsi Coelum Ruat Duty must be done whatever be its Consequences 2. his Rising early the next Morning after his Godly Speech to his Synod of Divines to call a Parliament the Representatives of the Kingdom with whom after seeking Reconciliation with God by his Attonement-Offering for the late Apostacy he Consults 2 Chro. 30. 2. the better to effect his
purity of Religion to his Posterity becomes himself Effeminate and Emasculates himself so far as to be intangled by them into great evils 1. In tolerating at least their Idolatrous practices 2. In allowing places for their Idols 3. In his complying with them and conforming to them in their worshipping of Venus Bacchus Saturn c. and all this as it were under Gods very eye so nigh the Temple the place of Gods residence for this the Lord was angry and says he will rend the Kingdome v. 9 10 11. and does it as well as says it afterwards The Devil is as much pleased as God is angry hopes to win the Game and to damn Solomon yet that wicked one could not touch him to wit with his deadly touch of final Apostacy for the Seed of God was in him 1 Joh. 3. 9. and 5. 18. the Root of Grace remain'd wrought in him and brought him to repentance his Book of Ecclesiastes is his Penitential Palinody so ought he not to be pictur'd by Papists half in Heaven and half in Hell 'T is remarkable that David and Solomon are conjoyn'd in one Commendatory Sentence 2 Chron. 11. 17. to shew that Holy David is as much in Hell as Solomon and Solomon as much in Heaven as Holy David And 't is not possible that the beginning of Rehoboams Reign could be like Davids as that Clause affirms if Solomon had left his Kingdome in so corrupt a condition as his Apostacy caused and not have reform'd it after his return to the Lord. The Devil having lost this first after-game for eclipsing the glory of the Church which gain'd that blessed Book of Ecclesiastes by Solomons fall upon Solomons self he trys conclusions upon Solomons Son as his second after-game and no better Tool could he have to work withal than Childish Rehoboam 'T is a wonder that so wise a Father as Solomon should have only such a foolish Son as Rehoboam and that of seven hundred Wives and three hundred Concubines Many a Fool hath had a wiser Son than this wisest Father assuredly Solomon did prognosticate his Sons future folly in his saying Who knows whether he that comes after me will be a wise man or a fool c. Eccles 2. 18. yea the holy Scripture calls him a Child at forty years old 2 Chron. 13. 7. All this he did prove himself in the Parliament held at Shechem 1 Kin. 12. 1. where an humble Address is made to him that he would lighten their grievous Yoaks and lessen their great Taxes which his Father had laid on them for the maintenance of his vast Retinue of strange Women especially and say they we will be thy servants for ever which promise annexed anticipates a tacit Objection for it might be said if the King had once submitted himself to the request of his Subjects they would prove Lords over him but here they shew the contrary and promise to accept of him and to be subject to him he being less wise than his Father who advised him by a soft Answer to pacifie wrath Prov. 15. 1. but more wilful rejects the advice of his Fathers old experienc'd Counsellors with whom was wisdom Job 12. 12. and whom he consulted only for fashion sake and follow'd the device of his own green-headed Companions and Courtiers who parasitically perswade him to stand upon his Pantoffles and not at all to stoop to his people for that would make him a King without a Kingdome and a Subject to his Subjects Thus they humour him into a conceit of Absoluteness Hereupon he threatens Tyranny to the people who hear of nothing from him but Scourges and Scorpions v. 13. Oh foolish and childish King whose very words have Stings was this the way to gain a discontented people No but rather to disoblige even a willing people who could not but think how cruel will this mans hands be who thus draws blood with his Tongue Thus he fondly loses ten Tribes from his Crown with his churlish words and rough answers which he would and might not have recover'd with the blood of a great Army v. 21 22 23. Then saw he when too late that strife is easier stirred than stinted and that the people is a most Heady Water when once out of their Banks which now were broken down by his indefinite profession of rigour and severity upon their purses and persons ☞ Sad consequences ever accompany those Princes that would be Absolute in Power will be Resolute in Will and dare be Dissolute in Life The wicked one had a double advantage for promoting this Plot not only Rehoboam to work on who was green-headed at forty though the Son of Solomon who was grey-headed at twenty year old 2 Chro. 13. 7. and 1 Kin. 3. 3. 7. with 2. 6. and 1 Chro. 14. 21. but also Jeroboam to work by who was as wily as wicked plotting a revolt from former affronts forming a Religion accommodated to his Rebellion and designedly marring the Israel of God for the better making them his own Subjects By both those two helps of childishness in the one and craftiness in the other Satan that Schismatical Spirit who made the first Schisme or Rent in the City of God at the first being of the World now made 1. The largest Schisme or Rent 2. The longest that ever had been made in the Church of God under any Government 1. It was the largest for here the Devil got more than nine parts even the ten Tribes leaving God only his tythe his tenth his one Tribe to wit the Tribe of Judah only so 't is expressed 1 Kin. 11. 13. with 12. 20. and it 2. was the longest also for it was a Rent that could never be stitch'd together again neither by force of arms nor by the most forward Reformers but lasted till the Captivity However 't is a work of wonder a Miracle of Mercy and a matter of great admiration that the Devil made not the ten Tribes to swallow up the one Tribe ten to one is great odds the Kingdome of Israel to devour the Kingdome of Judah so called though Benjamin was included in Judah No God had promis'd that his mercy should not depart away from Solomon as he took it from Saul 2 Sam. 7. 15. that is I will not quite cast him out of my favour or wholly deprive him of his Kingdome as I did Saul This spoil'd the Devils design of destroying the Church for Solomons Seed was not rejected of God as Sauls was to give way to Davids succession yea and that which spoil'd Satans project yet more was when God was angry with Solomon his Jedidiah his Darling for his sin and threatned to rend the Kingdome which is as a glorious Mantle upon the Kings shoulder 1 Sam. 15. 28. 1 Kin. â—1 29 30. from him yet the severity of that Sentence God was pleased to sweeten with some mitigation and mixture of mercy as 1. I will not do it in thy days c. 2. I will not rend away
got his design in debauching Israel when he had got a Divine Service set up 1. In another place 1 Kin. 12.29 2. At another time v. 3â— 3. After another manner v. 28. 4. And by other Priests v. 31. than God had appointed Proud Lucifer the Devil was well pleased with this Devil-worship This sin not only brought a black Brand upon its abominable Author to all succeeding Generations that the phrase frequently rings in our reading the Scripture Jeroboam the Son of Nebat that made Israel to sin but also had such an Indelible Character in it as could never be removed neither from his own Family nor from any of his Successors though of other Families when his was rooted out all the Kings of Israel after him by his example grew worse and worse and Israel with them until they were all carried away Captive out of their own Land in the days of Hosea their last King 2 Kin. 17. 1. to 6. Here the Devil plaid like a cunning Gamester with notable seeming success yet God is not an idle Spectator all this time and permits Satan to carry it on without any Counterbuffs but now and then he is a swift witness against and a severe rebuker of this Plot 1. Both at the beginning 2. Afterwards and 3. At the end â— At the beginning Jeroboam must not manage his new Rebellion without a Testimony from Heaven against his new Religion And 1st The Lord stirred up a select number both of Priests and people that abhorred Jeroboams Idolatry and fled from all the Coasts of Israel though Jeroboam way-laid them Hos 5. 1. to cleave close unto the true God in his worship at Jerusalem 2 Chron. 11. 13 14 16. The godly Priests gave a good example to the godly people of every Tribe in their self-denial and leaving their Livings rather than violate their Consciences Their voluntary Exilement after their Ejection ab officio beneficio drew much good people after them v. 16. whereby not only Rehoboam was much strengthened v. â—7 but also the Church was preserved in despight of Jeroboam and his Segnirim or Hairy Devils v. 15. insomuch that God had his seven thousand in wicked Ahabs day that bowed not the knee to Baal nor those to the Golden Calves and God preserved them in their slight to the holy City though wicked Watchers laid Traps to catch them upon Mizpeh and Tabor in their passage thither as the Papists in the Marian days watch'd all those that be took themselves to Basil Geneva c. yet the Lord marvellously preserv'd them for his Church in a better day as he did those in a better place 2. Gods Testimony was not for his servants Innocency only but against Jeroboams Idolatry when he stood at his new Altar at Bethel with a Scepter in one hand and with a Censer in the other invading the High-Priesthood as well as usurping the Kingdome 1 King 12. 33. and 13. 1. God sends a Prophet out of Judah possibly one of his banish'd servants to Jeroboam in the midst of his great Assembly and Solemnity at Bethel to cry against the Altar v. 2. that one Josiah should be raised up to destroy it and its Priests And because 't was long too more than two hundred year he gives them a present Sign of the certainty of his Prophecy to wit the rending of the Altar at present to shew its downfall afterwards which accordingly was accomplished v. 3 5. At this Jeroboam rageth crys Lay hold of him and himself would have been the first man in doing it had not God by another Miracle manacled him by withering his hand which though restor'd again by a third Miracle at the Prophets prayer yet hands not its owner into repentance and while the Altar of Stone rends yet his Heart being harder than any stone in the Altar remains still without any rending or relenting This God foresaw and therefore the Man of God was directed to direct his speech to the Altar and not to Jeroboam seeing the former would receive impression sooner than the latter who had forgot how Israel had startled at an Altar of the Reubenites which was only for a Monument and Memorial Josh 22. when they were newly come out of affliction now an Altar for Idolatry startles neither him nor them being setled upon the Lees of a long abused peace in Solomons day and this same Bethel where one of his Calves stood and the rent Altar being now become a Beth-Aven the House of God an house of wickedness as the two Hebr. names signifie was recovered again out of Jeroboams hands 2 Chron. 13. 19. His Golden Calfish God could not protect its own Seat and City from its Enemy This Divine Testimony from Heaven against Jeroboam was manifold 1. Against his Altar 2. Against his Arm which he stretched out to apprehend the Lords Prophet who had born witness against his Idolatry contrary to Gods Special Command Touch not mine Anointed ones and do my Prophets no harm Psa 105. 15. 'T is safer to anger a Witch than provoke a Prophet for if any man will hurt such fire proceedeth out of their mouth to devour them Revel 11. 5. To touch these is to touch the Apple of Gods Eye Zech. 2. 8. Therefore doth God say to Kings not of Kings Touch not those that have the Vnction of the Father which when King Jeroboam offered to do God shrank his sinews and makes him stand like an Antick Statue pointing out the way to Travellers with an hand stretched out but cannot pull it in 1 Kin. 3. 4. So facile a thing it is with God to cool the courage and restrain the rage of the proudest Prince or Persecutor Psa 76. 10. This very Arm that had been burning Incense to his Idol in his playing the Priest himself to give some Grace to his sordid Priests made of the Dregs of the Vulgar God dried up as the arm of an Idol-Shepherd Zech. 11. 17. and because his Eye was darkned too according to that threatning so that he would see nothing of Gods Hand in withering his hand Therefore Gods third Testimony was against his Heir and as Gods Wrath was upon his first Son so on his best Son who was also his Right Hand indeed for he was his Heir and hopeful for good 1 Kin. 14. 13. Now God strikes at the Father for his sin upon the Back of the Child in his sickness Jeroboam seeks to Ahijah the Lords Prophet what would be the issue not what was the cause of his good Sons sickness which none of his wooden Priests could tell him v. 3. He receives heavy tidings and that by the hands of his own Wife that this only gracious Son must die but all his other graceless Sons must live he must die to afflict them they must live to afflict them because Jeroboam was bad therefore was he unworthy of so good a Son and because the Son was good therefore was he worthy to be removed from so bad a
Calves but also Judah Built them high places and Images and Groves on every High Hill and under every Green-Tree 1 Kin. 14. 22 23. Yea and Tolerated Sodomy in the Land v. 24. This sad Face of the Church and that continuing two Kings Reigns must needs sadden the Hearts of those Faithful Ones who among the 12 Tribes were Gods Remnant and Instantly served him Day and Night Act. 26. 7. There was no Visible Church in the whole World but in this little part of it And how was the Church here most Deplorably Depraved God sometimes suffers his Church as he doth the Moon to Wane out of sight and to be Ecclipsed yet such Gloomy times shall not last always God causeth Light to Spring up by Asa the 3d. King after the Revolt who Revives the Church and Refreshes the Children of God by a Right Reformation of Religion 1 Kin. 15. 11. both in the Privative and in the Positive part 1. The Privative He finding Sodom in Jerusalem Roots out the Sodomites v. 12. Demolishes the Idols those Dirty Dung-hill Deities call'd Deos stercoreos because of the Stench wherewith they offend Almighty God yea removes Maachah from being Queen-Regent for setting up a most filthy Idol in honour of Venus supposed the Picture of Pan or Priapus v. 13. 2ly The Positive part He doth not onely put down Idolatry c. but he sets up and Restores the Splendour of Temple-Worship 'T was his Grand-Father Rehoboam that turn'd Solomons Gold into Brass now Asa turns Rehoboams Brass into Gold 1 Kin. 15. 15. 'T is said of Augustus Coesar Romam Invenit lateritiam Reliquit Marmoream He sound Rome all of Brick he left it all of Marble So it may be said as Rehoboam had turn'd Jerusalems Marble into Brick so Asa turns it back from Brick to Marble as Solomon had left it 'T is a Wonder that both Sodomy and the Worst sort of Idolatry to wit Priapism should be found amongst Mankind being so contrary to the Light of Nature Rom. 1. 19 to 28. but much more amongst the onely professors of Religion that were then upon Earth Here the Devils Design had notable Success yet behold as great a Wonder in the Churches Remedy as was in her Malady the Lord raises up a good Son Asa from the Seed of an evil Father Abijam and from the Soil of an Idolatrous Mother Maachah and makes him to be such an Impartial Reformer as he would not grant a Dispensation to his own Mother or Grand-Mother 1 Kin. 15. 13. and 2 Chron. 15. 16. He finds her Unreclaimable from her Idols in her self and very Influential upon the People Hereupon the Law of God in Command 1. 2. Preponderates the Law of Nature Command 5th Down goes her Idols from their Station and her self from her Regency because his Heart was perfect with the Lord 1 Kin. 15. 14. And as a Reward of his Covenant-Reformation God gave him a glorious Victory over the greatest Army that ever we read of in any History to wit a Thousand Thousand Aethiopians who likely were call'd in by the Ten Tribes at the Devils Instigation in Revenge of their Five Hundred Thousand which Abijam had overthrown 2 Chron. 14. 9 to 12. God at good Asa's Prayer Smote his Enemies and as the Word signifies Tumbl'd them down Headlong Asa Reign'd long to do great and good things for the Church Therefore the Devil who did owe him an ill turn and had been hitherto under a Divine Restriction which to him is a grievous Vexation at last gets leave to Touch him with his Churlish Touches as Job 1. 11 12. to wit in causing him 1 to Connive at the Will-Worship in the High-places mis-devoted for the Worship of God who had Confined it to the Temple though he Demolished those set up in honour of Idols 1 Kin. 15. 13 14. this God graciously overlooks beholding Truth in his Heart God tenderly covers Asa's Frailty with the Mantle of Sincerity which he would not do for Unfound Jehu though Excellent things were done by him 2 Kin. 10.31 and inasmuch as the Indulgency of Asa's God did draw a Cross-line over all Asa's Weaknesses Satan lost his Design in Tempting him to this Sin and to the following also 2 To a Relyance on the King of Syria more than upon the Lord 2 Chron. 16. 7 8 9. Considence on Man an Arm of Flesh draws off his Confidence on God who gave him Victory over the Million of Aethiopians Isa 31. 1 2. He trusteth not God at all who trusteth not God above and over all Asa Hires Benhadad with Sacrilegious Treasure unfaithfully to break his League with Baasha and brings a Wicked Enemy into Gods Inheritance 3 To that which was worse even to the Imprisoning of Hanani the Prophet for reprooving him for his sin v. 10. Asa instead of comming to Repentance and calling for Mercy in a great rage against his Faithful reproover commands Revenge 4 To be as Harsh to the People as he was to the Prophet Tyrannically trampling upon those that protested against his Tyranny to the Lords Prophet for this God did not onely send upon his Kingdom continual War v. 11. but upon himself the sharp Dolorous Gout v. 12. whereby God clapp'd him up a closer Prisoner by the Heels in his Bed and with more Torturing Fetters than he had done Gods Prophet in Prison Then 5 to seek to the Physitians for Cure of his Gout and not to God v. 12. Thus falls he into his former sin of Creature-Confidence He that in his outward straits sought to Benhadad and not to God now in his Inward Sore seeks not to God but to Physitians not depending upon the Lord for his Blessing upon Men and Means No Wonder therefore that his Disease struck upward to his Head and Heart and that his Hot Feet carried him to his Cold Grave v. 13. Notwithstanding all those Failings the Devil lost his Design for 't is more than probable that Asa repented before he Dyed Seeing 1 God gave him this commendable Character That his Heart was Perfect with the Lord all his Days 1 Kin. 15. 14. 2 Chron. 15. 17. and 20. 32. and 2 his People gave him a most Honourable Funeral 2 Chron. 16. 14. which was Denyed to Wicked Jehoram Ch. 21. 19. and which they would not have done in that costly Solemnity for Asa had he not Repented and Reformed to be thus Honoured at his Burial Yea and God blest him with a long Reign of 41 Y. v. 13. wherein he saw many Successions and Changes upon the Throne of the Ten Tribes who were all speedily rooted out by their Idolatry whereas good Asa was long Establish'd upon his Throne by his True Piety in Despight of the Devil leaving his godly Son Jehosophat the 4th King to succeed him who prooved one of the best of the Princes of Judah whom God Stirred up for a Farther Reformation of Religion and for a fuller Preservation of his Church c. 2 Chro. 17 c.
The Father was good but the Son was better inasmuch as he Repented when he was Reprooved which his Father did not but Raged Ch. 19. 2 4. where the Son Jehu succeeded better than his Father Hanani Ch. 16. 7. Now for this his great Goodness the Devil envyed him sinding him more forward and forth-putting in religion and reformation than his Father Hereupon Satan sets upon his over good Nature and over-facile Disposition seduces him into an Assinity with Wicked Ahah 1 Kin. 22. 44. to a Match 'twixt Jehoram his Son and Athaliah Ahab's wicked Daughter 2 Kin. 8. 18. and to a Courtly Complyance in Ahabs Warring against Syria which had like to have cost him his life 1 Kin. 22. 2 4 31. Here the Devil had Entangled good Jehosaphat into most desperate Danger but God Disappoints the Devils Design Jehosaphat Cryed out that is to the Lord 1 Kin. 22. 32. and the Lord Helped him 2 Chron. 18. 31. So he returned to his House in Peace Ch. 19. 1. which his Ally Ahab did not as Micaiah fore-told him 1 Kin. 22. 28. finding it True but too late that a whole Council of false Prophets especially may Err in telling him the contrary Jehosaphat now is a Brand pluck'd out of the Fire so dare not do as he had done 2 Chron. 19. 4. and 1 Kin. 22. 49. he now stays at Jerusalem making no more any courtly goings on Progress to Samaria 2 Chron. 19. 4. This good Man made Peace with bad Ahab the Father 2 Chron. 19. 3. and with bad Ahaziah the Son Ch. 20. 35. but better he had not done so for God was deeply Displeased with it therefore was Wrath upon him 2 Chron. 10. 2. A Man had better be at Variance with all the World than with God and his own Conscience He that parts with his inward peace to purchase the outward pays too dear a rate for it one may buy Gold too dear as Jehosaphat did for his Desired and Designed Gold While his Conversation was Godly God blest him with a most Signal Victory over Moah Ammon and Mount-Seir 2 Chro. 19. 20. then God was highly pleased with him but when his Confederacy was once wicked then God was highly Displeased with him and broke his Ships even in the very Harbour before setting out with a Tempest 2 Chron. 20. 36. as the Lords Prophet foretold him v. 37. and upon this fore-warning though Ahaziah did sollicit him to a 2d Attempt as looking upon the miscarriage of the 1st to be onely a Casualty not Eying the Hand of God against it yet Jehosaphat would not for upon the Prophets Reproof he Repented and Refused 1 Kin. 22. 49. he dare not Venture upon a 2d Expedition when God had Blasted the first and though Wicked Ahaziah would not behold the Hand of God in his Judgements yet good Jehosophat heard the Voice of the Rod Mic. 6. 9. and knew that this Breaking Blast came from God who holdeth the Winds in his Fists Prov. 30. 4. and that it came from Gods Faithfulness Psal 119.75 who will not prosper the evil Enterprizes of his own Children Thus the Devil lost his Design against Jehosaphat as Jehosaphat lost his about Gold and though he Contrived New Plots against the Church by the following Kings of Judah finding them fitter Instruments for him than their fore-Fathers yet did the Lord Laugh them to Nothing in those better Kings whom God Rais'd up to destroy the Devils Designs 'T is true Jehoram the 5th King of a pious Father was an impious Son than whom a worse could hardly be found who being an Idolater like all such laid the Foundation of his Kingdom in the Blood of his Brethren because as Rabbins say they Walked in the good ways of Jehosaphat and would not yield to his Idolatries Athaliah his Wife who was now the Jezabel of Jerusalem stirred him up to all Villany 2 Chron. 21. 4 5 6 13. yet all this moved not God to gratifie the Devil in casting off his people Oh the yerning of Divine Bowels in that Howbeit the Lord would not do it but preserv'd a Lamp or Light for the Church v. 7. out of which there came at length that Sun of Righteousness the Lord Jesus that light of the World and the Devil in Jehoram shall not carry it without a Controul from Heaven both 1 by that Letter brought to him from one that was then in Heaven v. 12. to Convince him of and to Confound him for his Abominable Impiety which Writing some say an Angel handed to him out of Paradise to his greater Confusion not unlike the hand-writing upon the Wall in Belshazzar's Palace Dan. 5. and 2 by the stroke wherewith the Lord from Heaven smote him in his Bowels v. 18. which incurable Disease and torturing Malady lasted Two full Years v. 19. a long time to lye under intollerable Torment and yet all this was but a typical Hell and a fore-tast of Eternal Misery prepared for him who was all that while an incorrigible Wretch he lived wickedly and dyed wishedly There was no Healing for his Body and as little for his Soul he dyed under the Displeasure both of God and Men for he Departed without being Desired v. 20. his Subjects had no Bowels for him who had no Bowels for them much less for his own Brethren whom he flew and who dyed loath somely of a Disease in his Bowels therefore they afford him neither Subjects Tears nor a Royal Tomb Be Wise now therefore Oh ye Kings c. Psal 2. 11 12. Fugite ergò Reges ejusmodi exitum fugienâ—o hujusmodi flagitium saith Ambrose Overthrow not your selves and your Houses by lifting up your Horns on high against God Neither did Ahaziah Azariah Jehoahaz that Man of Three names the 6th King of Judah fare better because he prooved so bad though by a marvellous Providence he was preserved as a Lamp promised to David from the Rigid Murders of the Ragged Arabians 2 Chron. 21. 17. with Ch. 22. 1 6. he was made King by the chief City of the Kingdom the Inhabitants of Jerusalem while Jehoram lay miserably under the Gripes and not minding the matters of Succession Notwithstanding the Kindness both of God in his Preservation and of Men in his Preferment he also walked in Wicked ways wicked Athaliah his Mother and other wicked ones being his Counsellers to do wickedly to his own Destruction 2 Chron. 22. 3 4 5. He confederates with his wicked Cozen Jehoram of Israel in the War against the Syrians wherein his Cozen being wounded went to be Cured of his wounds This cursed Sprig of Athaliah goes to Complement him and to Condole with him which cost him his life by the hands of furious Jehu whom God raised up to Ruine and Root out Ahabs cursed Family 2 Kin. 9. 14 15 16 27. and 2 Chron. 22. 7 8 9. Thus as he had joyn'd with Jehoram in Sin he was joyned with him in Slaughter and that by the Appointment of God even at
and quickly made mad Work turning all upside down he Deformed all his good Father had Reformed yet as Romanists do under the notion of the Old Religion and therefore by all means must be done Notwithstanding Affliction tamed this Wild Ass this Monster of Men stop'd him in his Career yea brought him Home to God v. 11 12. c. and he that had out-faced Heaven in his Sin comes to hide himself among the Thorns as 1 Sam. 13. 6. in this lurking Hole his Sin finds him out and God for his Sin Numb 32. 23. because he would not find his own sin out there he was taken and put into Fetters and brought to Babylon now beholding his Golden Chain of a King Changed into an Iron-Chain of a Captive he bethinks himself and besought the Lord v. 12. those Sanctify'd Fetters broke the Devils sinful Fetters when the Rod spake he heard it Mic. 6. 9. who would not hear the Word v. 10. though powerfully Preach'd to him by Isaiah Micah Joel Habbakuk c. the Darkness of his Dungeon helps him to the Light of Gods Love though he had cast off his God yet his God had not cast him off Satan would have Coached him to Hell in Prosperity but his God Lashes him to Heaven by Adversity As he had sinned greatly so he Humbled greatly that there might be a proportion 'twixt his Sinning and his Sorrowing as he is Humbled for Sin so is he Quicken'd to Pray'r wherein he comes with Fetters on his Feet to his God as distressed Benhadad did with a Rope about his Neck to the merciful King of Israel 1 Kin. 20. 31 32. no sooner did he find through Grace a Praying Heart but his God finds also a Pittying Heart v. 13. his God heard both his Pray'r for himself and Solomons Pray'r for him 1 Kin. 8.46 to 51. Now is this Design of the Devil Disappointed Manasseh is Returned and Restored to his Realm and his Reformation the Blessed Evidence of his True Repentance was as large as his Deformation had been and he most Remarkably Reduced his Subjects whom he had formally Seduced out of the Right Religion into it again v. 15 16. as Luk. 22. 32. When he had Reform'd effectually he dyes Religiously and leaves Amon an Irreligious Son to succeed him the 15th King of Judah at 22 Y. of Age he was old enough to take warning by his Fathers Example yet would not be Warned but was rather Hardened in his Wickedness thereby as thinking to take a long swing in sin as Mannasseh had done and to Repent afterward as his Father did but Gods Thoughts were otherwise who neither gave him the space nor the Grace of Repentance This Man that Trespassed more and more after such loud Praemonitions 2 Chro. 33. 23. was a sit Engine for the Devil to restore the Worship of those Images his Father had onely laid aside and not Burned as he should have done Deut. 7. 5. Instead of which the Rabbins say this Amon Burned the Law of God adding Rebellion to his Sin He Imitates his Father in his Race and Rage of Sin but not in his Repentance for Sin God therefore soon cut him off as judging it high time after a Year or Two Tryal by the hands of his own Servants 2 Kin. 21. 19 23. which was a wicked Act in them yet a just Judgement from God as he had Conspir'd with Satan to Destroy the Church so God suffers his Servants to Conspire his Destruction This Spoil'd the Devils Plot and yet it was worse spoil'd by Josiah his Son whom God Rais'd up the 16th King to be his Salvation as his Name which was given him about 340 Y. before he was Born 1 Kin. 13. 2. doth signifie and to be as a fresh Spring after a sharp Winter as Hezekiah after Ahaz to the Distressed Church God had much Work for him to do in a little time therefore God soon removes his Wicked Father out of the way and sets this godly Son upon the Throne betime at Eight Y. old God Advances him thither and there shows him as on a Stage to the World as the Wonder of the World Josiah zealously lays out his Life until he was 39 Y. old in Reforming Religion removing all he knew to be Evil and restoring all he understood to be good even all he could possibly do to Divert the Desolation of the Kingdom foretold by the Prophets but then the Decree was even ready to bring forth Zeph. 2. 2. God turned not away from his Wrath 2 Kin. 23. 26 27. he is Unchangeably resolv'd on their Utter Ruine because the Peoples Reformation was but seigned Jer. 3. 10. and 4. 3. God is Absolute in Threatning because Resolute in Punishing Now the Devil being notoriously Enraged at Josiahs Glorious reformation Tempts him to a Fool-Hardy Rashness in Affronting Pharaoh-Necho without any provocation and without Consulting the Lord by Jeremiah Zephaniah c. So he rushes upon his own ruine v. 29. and 2 Chron. 35. 20 22 23. No doubt but the Devil had an Hand in the Death of this peerless Prince wherein Dyed also the Felicity of that Kingdom for whom all Judah and Jerusalem as they had good cause made great lamentation v. 24 25. yea and 't is no less to be doubted that God had an Holy Hand as the Devil had a wicked in Josiah's Death for now he who stood in the way of Gods Judgements was removed and now the way lay open for the Divine Decree to bring forth and all Gods Direful Threatnings to rush in upon that sinful Nation Yea and God made good Josiah to Dye in Peace according to his Word 2 Kin. 2â— 20. though through the Devils Temptation he Dyed in War for 1. he Dyed before that General Deluge of Desolation came on the Land as the next Word explains it 2. He Dyed in Gods favour though by the Hand of an Enemy 3. The Tenderness of his Soul had made War to become Peace to him his Humiliation had Altered the very Nature of Trouble 4. He went then to Everlasting peace The Four last Kings were all Wicked as Jehoahaz the 17th King Josiahs younger Son and best beloved of his Subjects who therefore settl'd him on the Throne 2 Kin. 23. 30. but for his ill-Reigning at Eight Months end Pharaoh-Necho Deposes him and Disposes of his Crown to his Elder Brother Eliakim whom he named Jehoiakim v. 34. who was a great Exacter and got from his Subjects a greater summ of Curses than of Coin v. 35. he was the 18 King a Degenerate Plant from Josiah who Trembled at the Reading of the Law Ch. 19. 34. but this Son cut it in pieces Jer. 36. 23. and Burnt it he flew Vrijah the Prophet Jer. 26. 23. and would have slain Jeremy and Barach but that the Lord hid them Jer. 36. 26. For his Wickedness he was taken Captive by Nebuchadnezzar against whom he had rebelled and was slain in the way where he had the Burial of an Ass
with God in Knowledge and Wisdom Thus the Devil abused the very name of the Tree of Knowledge to her making it far better than indeed it was as if it would make them as Omniscient as God Thus he mused as he used and would have made God as envious as himself who envyed that either God should be honoured or obeyed by Man or that Man should be Gifted and Graced by God Hereupon he tells her Your Eyes shall be Opened pretending to Divine Contemplation but intending to Horrible Confusion as it proved afterwards when ashamed of their Nakedness So that in v. 5. this Lyar from the beginning was not so much Mendax a Lyar as Fallax a Deceiver according to that Antient saying Et si semel videatur Verax Millies Mendax semper Fallax Though he sometimes seem to speak truly yet will he lye a thousand times for it and be always Fallacious and Deceitful 8thly He promises to her Ye shall be as Gods which was more likely to make them Devils like himself or at least Beasts that Perisheth Psal 49. 12 â—0 What God said Ironically and by a sad Sarcasm Gen 3. 22. The Man is become as one of us The Beasts might say most truly and without any figure The Man is become as one of us Thus while Satan makes her Free from Fear it was only designed by him to make her Free to Sin hereupon She took of the Fruit and gave it also to her Husband v. 6. to whom she Related all Satans Promises concerning the force of the Fruit c. whereby she seduced him v. 17. in hearkening to her Voice hoping that according to her suggestion from Satan he might become a God and his Wife a Goddess Thus the plurality of Gods was first taught by the Devil whose Grammer Deum pluraliter declinare Docuit first learnt to Decline God in the Plural Number and thus he transforms his own sin upon them Ero sicut Altissimus I shall be like the most High Isai 14. 12. saith he of himself and Eritis sicut Dij Ye shall be as Gods saith he of them The 9th and last part of his Plot is the Timeing of his Temptation herein this subtile Serpent hath a singular sagacity no sooner was he cast out of Heaven but he Resolves to be Reveng'd of his Maker for this expulsion and because he could not come at his Creator God with his Revenge he Falls immediately upon his Creature Man the Master-piece of the Creation upon the same Day wherein he was Created he loses no time but about high-Noon the same Day which was Dinner or Eating-time he Attempts his Ruine by tempting him to Eat Forbidden-Fruit and so flatters them out of the True Paradise into a Fools Paradise of their own Dreams and Dotage Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the cogging of a Dye Eph. 4. 14. like a cheating Gamester he gives them an Apple for Happiness and Sin Misery for a state of Innocency not suffering them to Rest so much as one Night upon the Bed of Honour and Happiness This the Psalmist according to some Interpreters doth Insinuate Psal 49. 12. Adam being in Honour Bal Jalin non pernoctavit abode not or lodged not one Night in Paradise 'T is the saying of a Greek-Father That Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was made and marr'd all in one Day Thus he who thought to become a God became a Beast that perisheth Yea Carrion saith Junius Here the prime Plot of the principal Plotter the Prince of Darkness hath a shrewd seeming success yet the Lord laughs at it and Ridendo irritum Reddidit he Defeats the Devils Design and that with Disgrace for there was a Covenant transacted betwixt God the Father and God the Son ab Aeterno from all Eternity 1 Pet. 1. 20. Joh. 17. 6. Tit. 1. 2. and 2 Tim 1. 9. This Covenant the Devil knew nothing of and it was this that spoiled all his Plot Indeed our first Parents were under this dedolent and disconsolate Condition from Noon to Night or at least to the cool of the Day having now most woful Experimental Knowledge both of the Good which they had lost and of the Evil wherein they lay Then commeth Jehovah to Judge them V. 8. Satan assuredly expected that the Greatly Offended Creator God would have met his Greatly Offending Creature Man in as much Fury as he did afterwards Moses in the Inn when he had much ado as it were to forbear Killing him Exod. 4. 24. Or that he would have come to Adam as the Angel came to Balaam with a drawn Sword in his hand wherewith to destroy him Numb 22. 32. or that he would have rushed upon this Rebel as David ran upon Goliah and cut off his head 1 Sam. 17. 51. No such Fury is in God against faln Man Isai 27. 4. The Devil is disappointed for God comes to Man indeed but not so much a Judge as a Father and as a Physitian 1st As a Father saying as it were Though Man be faln by the Devils malevolence yet he shall be raised up again by my Benevolence by my Good will to Man Luk. 2. 14. 2dly As a Physitian God hath prepared a Soveraign Plaister to Apply to the wound that Man had receiv'd from the Devil God promiseth Christ to be a Redeemer to Man and withal to be a Destroyer of the Devil Hebr. 2. 14. and of all his Works 1 Joh. 3. 8. This Plaister was prepared by the good pleasuro of God the Father Covenanting with God the Son long before Man was in being much more before he was wounded No such Plaister was provided to Cure the Fall of Angels for they sinned upon their own accord and without a Tempter Therefore Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did out-shine his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His love to Men was greater than his love to Angels for in coming to Judge Man such was his Graciousness towards him that in Wrath he Remembred Mercy Habb 3. 2. And giving the Promise of Christ in the Seed of the Woman Adam takes hold of the Promise and in Faith therein he calls his Wife Eve which signifies Life He instead of Dying the same Day of his Eating Forbidden-Fruit Lives 930 Y. after and she became the Mother of all Living and though they brought in Death by their Disobedience yet God Taught them the Ordinance of Sacrificing so the first thing that Dyed in the World was a Sacrifice or Christ in a Figure the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. And who opens a passage into a better Paradise than that which they had Forfeited Luk. â—3 43. 2 Cor. 12. 4. Rev. 2. 7. And if that Rabbinical Notion no way dissentaneous to Truth be Received to wit That the Tree of Knowledge stood upon Mount Calvary Paradise being placed in Canaan the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20. 6. where Christ was after Crucified on a Tree then it follows that in the same place and by
against the Superstructure thereof He wants not his Cham even in the Ark a Type of the Church a fit Instrument for him to Work with 'T is thought this Cham had concealed his wickedness from Men which he could not from God and soon after Degenerated However this bad Son had a Temporal Favour for the sake of his good Father which he badly Requited afterwards This Cursed Cham or Ham the Devil makes Use of 1st In his Person 2dly In his Posterity against the Church of God 1st In his Person The Occasion was this As Satan had made Adam Transgress in Eating so he made Noah to Transgress in Drinking Gen. 9. 21. He that had Escaped the Drowning of the World by Water because Just and Vpright was now perhaps not knowing the strength of the Grape himself Drown'd in Wine and was Shamefully Vncovered Though this Act was but once he was Ebrius not Ebriosus Drunk not a Drunkard Denominatio non sit a particulari yet this wicked Cham saw it both with Delight to himself and with Derision to his Father and therefore Noah for whose sake he had been Saved in the Ark did Doom him accursed and his other Two Sons he Blessed 2dly In his Posterity The Aegyptians from whom the Church suffered hard things in their House of Bondage are frequently call'd the Children of Ham and Aegypt the Land of Ham Psal 78. 51. and 105. 23 27. and 106. 22. 'T is True there be some Hundreds of Years betwixt those Two Actions of Hams Person and of his Posterity against the Church which some may judge over-large a Leap as if the Devil had been Idle all that Interspace of Time No doubt but it may be safely said There is some time wherein God Chains up the Devil as Rev. 20. 2. And wherein the Church hath her lucid Intervals as Act. 9. 31. Yea and this may be said also That all those Games the Devil play'd and all the Plots he Plotted betwixt these Two were the lower Games the lesser Plots of a Daring Devil compared with this of the Church and of Israels being in Aegypts Bondage No doubt but the Devil was gratifi'd in the Building of the Tower of Babel whereby the Holy Tongue was lost to all the World save to One Family and so the Doctrine of Salvation which was Preached in that Tongue onely This began Satans Kingdom in Heathenism through the Confusion of Tongues at Babel which was Blessedly Recover'd by the Gift of Tongues at Sion Act. 2. 4. 13. The Devil was also well-pleased to have Lots Righteous Soul vexed with the Wicked Sodomites To have Isaac that Heir of the Promise Scoffed at by Ishmael Yea Persecuted also by him Gal. 4. 29. To have likewise Prophane Esau so Bloodily bent against plain Jacob To have Godly Joseph Abused both by his own Brethren and by his Wanton Mistris Psal 105. 18. Oh how would Satan have Rejoyced to see Lot and his Family Burn'd in Sodom Isaac Sacrific'd by his own Father Abraham Jacob Murdered by his own Brother Esau as Abel had been by Cain at his Instigation Yea and Joseph Perished in the Pit his Brethren cast him into or in the Prison where his wicked Mistris Lodged him Yet God baffled the Devil who will Play at small Games rather than sit Idle in all these Plots But now when the 70 Souls that went down into Aegypt that Land of Ham were Increased to a great People so as to fill the Countrey of Goshen Exod. 1. 7. this Enraged him so that he puts out his utmost Power and Policy to Suppress them In the first Age before the Flood the Church of God was Shut up some time in One Person as in Adam Abel Seth Enoch c. And though Adam Falls Abel is Slain Seth Dyes and Enoch is Translated c. Yea and the Devil doth his worst to Extirpate it out of the World as above yet the Great God hath so Secur'd his Church both by Promise and Providence that his Mount Sion can never be Removed Insomuch that in the 2d Age after the Flood the Devil Loses and the Church Wins Ground and Spreads her self from the Narrow Compass of Persons to Families as in Noahs Abrahams Lots and the Patriarchs Families and yet more when the Time of the Promise drew nigh Act. 7. 17. Through the Special Blessing of God the Church Spreads forth her Tents as she is bidden Isa 54. 2 3. from the Narrow Compass of Families and became a Nation Great Mighty and Populous Deut. 26. 5. and all this out of One as Good as Dead Hebr. 11. 12. Satan meddles not with his Match when he Meddles with God who of very Stones can Raise up Children unto Abraham Matth. 3. 9. To behold the Church Increase as Stars in the Heaven and as Sands on the Sea-shore This makes the Devil more mad then ever So he falls upon his 4th grand Plot to Cutt her short by the Children of Ham the Father of Mitzraim which is the Hebrew Word for Aegypt Gen. 10. 6. The 1st part of his Plot was to make God their Enemy by their Sinning fowly against him In Order hereunto he Tempts them to Commit Idolatry a God-provoking Sin Josh 24. 14. Ezek. 20. 8. and 23. 3 8. 2. To forego Circumcision the Covenant of their God which was the Reproach of Aegypt Josh 5. 9. 3. To joyn in Marriage with the Egyptians Levit. 24. 20. and Exod. 12. 38. Hereby the Sun of Religion goes down upon them as God told Abraham Gen. 15. 12. Then God was Angry and he Turn'd the Hearts of the Children of Ham to hate his own God-provoking People Psal 105. 25. as after the Death of Methusalem which in Hebrew signifies He Dyeth and the Dart commeth The Deluge came so after the death of the Godly Patriarks their Bondage began They were cast into a Furnace of Iron Deut. 4. 20. to see them there must needs be the Devils Delight whose Design Undoubtedly was to Burn up the Church as Dross therein but Gods Design which is always to countermine his Mines and to counterplot his Plots was when he had Tryed them to bring them out as Gold Job 23. 10. as he did his Servant Job from Satans Furnace of Affliction The 2d part of his Plot was To stir up a new King that knew not Joseph Exod. 1. 8. Well knowing that such Kings as know not Joseph or Jesus our Brother are his sittest Tools for Oppressing the Church This King the 8th from Ham and Supposed to be Busiris a Savage Tyrant in Heathen History was the first that Oppressed Israel whom his Predecessors had Entertained as Guests and Enjoyed as Friends and Benefactors He I say deals both Craftily and Cruelly with them and both to Prevent their further Increase which he saw v. 7. Exod. 1. 10 11. Ach. 7. 19. Psa 105. 25. and all this was to prove God a Lyar in his Promise to Jacob Gen. 46. 3. 4. Yet his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept.
overturn both the Many and the Mighty of them and Rescue his Little Ones out of all their Hands Zech. 13. 7. Isa 25. 11. none shall Pluck them out of Christs and His Fathers Hands Joh. 10. 28. 29. The Thirteenth Plot against the CHURCH in Canaan Defeated by GOD. CHAP. XIII THe Church's Restless Wretched Adversary Satan seeing he cannot still Hinder the Being of God's Church Trys again his 13th Experiment against the Well-Being of it and that once more before Israels Aristocracy was chang'd into Monarchy to wit in the time of Eli and Samuel the Two last Judges of Israel yet such was the Over-ruling Providence of God above the Devil that whatever Ground he Won upon the Church in Old Eli's Male-Administration he Lost it All again in Young Samuel's Godly Reformation So that here again Divine Dispensations towards the Church concerning Sorrows and Joys were most beautifully Chequered with Interchangeable Colours Magistracy is what the Pole is to the Hop or the Tree to the Ivy or the Wall to the Vine the former gives Support to the latter which cannot stand alone without something to Sustain them The Church's Word to the State is Te Stante Virebo While thou Stands I Flourish This Blessed Nail as Eliakim that Godly Magistrate Keeps all the Vessels of the Lord stedfastly and Holds them from falling to the Ground Isa 22. 24. This the Devil knew well and therefore play'd his Pranks against the Church in that Interval of Magistracy betwixt Joshuah and the Judges in which Interspace Satan wrought and brought down Israel to that gross Idolatry Impiety and Apostacy mentioned in the Five last Chapters of the Book of Judges The Stories whereof there Related that the History of the following Judges might be continued without any Interruption as before did all Befall Israel soon after Joshuah and some 100's of Y. before Sampson whom this Eli immediately succeeded unless we make Phinehas mentioned in Iudg. 20. 28. to live far beyond Moses term Psal 90. 10. even above 300 Y. who was at Mans estate at his Killing Zimri and Cozbi in the Wilderness and therefore could not out-live Samson 'T is said expresly in those Five last Chapters no less than Three times to wit Iudg. 17. 6. and 18. 1. and 21. 25. In those Days there was no King in Israel that is not a King in its proper Sense for so Israel never had a King in any of those Days until Saul's time but no Judge or supream Magistrate to keep Israel in Awe and Order This time of Israels Anarchy before their Aristocracy the Devil Improv'd as his Golden Opportunity wherein to propose and promote his Hellish Projects and to bring All to an Horrible Confusion when there was no publick Power to controul or restrain their Extravagancies Yea this Daring Devil though over-Witted and over-Powered by the onely Wise and Almighty God even upon that Advantage-Ground Durst Attempt the Church when under the Protection of Her Godly Governours as under Sampson of whom 't is said He shall onely Begin to Deliver Israel Iudg. 13. 5. He made some essays to save them from the Oppressing Philistines yet that Oppression lasted 40 Y. v. 1. to wit During the Days of Samson and of Eli his next Successor though Samson was Destroying them all his life and Destroyed more at his Death Iudg. 16. 20. wherein he was a Type of Christ who by his Death overcame Death and him who had the power of Death the Devil Hebr. 2. 14. yet did he onely Begin and kept Doing at the Church's Deliverance both all his Life and at his Death the Perfecting whereof was Reserved for David the Father and Figure of Christ who is both the Founder and Finisher of Faith and Salvation Hebr. 2. 10. and 12. 2. So under Eli who undoubtedly was a Godly Man as is Apparent 1 by his Godly Prayers whereby he made her Amends for his Uncharitable Censure for Disconsolate Hannah The God of Israel Grant thee thy Petition 1 Sam. 1. 17. He having a particular Faith that God would grant her Request if she compos'd her self and cast her Burden or Petition upon the Lord Psal 55. 22. promises his own Prayers for that purpose and hids her Go in Peace which she did taking the High-Priest's Answer for an Oracle being Comforted with this Comfort and having Pray'd down her Discomfort as David oft did 2 by his Humble and Hearty Submission to the Will of God when Declared to him 1. by the Mouth of the Man of God 1 Sam. 2. 27. and 2ly by the Mouth of his Young Minister Samuel Chap. 3. 11. 17. Eli said upon the Hearing thereof v. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good id est His Holy Will be done I and my House have Deserved All God hath Just cause to punish but not I to murmur I must patiently bear what God pleases to Inflict He is too kind to do me harm too just to do me wrong he will turn Temporal evil to my Everlasting good 3 by his Trembling for the Ark of God Chap. 4. 13. out of his Zeal for God's Glory and the Church's Good lest Israel should lose and Philistines get the Sign of God's Presence He loved his Spirituals better then his Temporals he could hear with patience of the loss of some Thousands and of the loss of his Two Sons but when he heard of the loss of the Ark this goes like a Dagger to his Heart and 't is a Question whether his Neck or his Heart were first Broken v. 18. Like a godly Man he cannot live without the Ark of God no Sword of the Uncircumcised could have given him a more Mortal Blow than the Report of this Loss that struck him down into a deadly swound Yet was he not Driven away in his Wickedness as is a Wicked Man but he had Hope in his Death as a Righteous One Prov. 14. 32. He that could not Live without the Ark of God how could he Dye without the God of the Ark The Sins of his Sons Displeas'd his godly Soul and he Reproov'd them for it yet more Mildly than was meet hence God Writ his Sin upon his Punishment He that minded not in time to Break the stiff Neck of his stubborn Sons while Young Prov. 19. 18. had now his own Neck broken And though he was not a good Father to his Sons yet was he Himself a good Son to God and his Memory is Blessed among all the other Godly Judges saith Wisdom or Eedus Chap. 46. 11. in the Apocrypha Although Eli was a Godly Man and both Judge over Civil and High-Priest over Ecclesiastick Affairs and so had a most Precious Price put into his Hands for promoting the Church's Weal yet the Devil made a Fool of him so that he hath no Heart to it Prov. 17. 10. and this Satan did Accomplish 1. by Prompting him to too much Indulgency towards his Dissolute Sons 2ly by Tempting him to a too much Neglect of
his own Duty towards them and that in his Threefold Capacity 1. As a Father 2. As the High-Priest 3. As the Chief Magistrate or Judge 1st As a Father So the Devil made use of his Candid Constitution and his sweet Natural Disposition even to a Cockering of his Sons and to a too much Tenderness towards them as he did David's afterwards towards His 1 Kin. 1. 6. c. both in their Younger and Elder years over-much Mercy marrs many a Child Pro. 13. 24. and 23. 13 14. 'T is likely Eli had always been a Fond Father to his Sons and brought them up in his Doting Indulgency till he brings down his House by their Diabolical Impiety 2ly As High-Priest which added more Authority to him over his Wicked Sons yet doth he so gently Reproove them for their Sins so exceeding sinful even to Black Sins under a White Ephod as if he had been Afraid to Hurt them 1 Sam. 2. 22 23. A Gentle Reproof can never be a Salve broad and sharp enough for such a Sore as is Notorious and Abominable Wickedous He did it as Hierom saith Lenitate patris non Authoritate pontisicis by the Gentle Lenity of a Father not by the grave and Severe Authority of an High-Priest who should have expell'd them out of their Sacred Function for their sinful Practices and Excommunicated them out of the Church of God 3. As the Judge or Chief Magistrate which gave him power most of all to punish those prosligate Varlets yet he onely Shaves the Head which Deserved Cutting off he should have punish'd them for their Adultery they having Wives of their own 1 Sam. 4. 19. according to the Law yet comes off onely with Why do ye such things and Nay my Sons c. whereas he should have Instanc'd and Aggravated their evil Doings for their Shame and Horror and Executed Justice upon them as Degenerate Sons of Belial rather than of Eli 1 Sam. 2.23 24. 25 c. Hereupon he is blamed for Gratifying his Sons more then Glorifying God v. 29 chusing rather to please them than him and not punishing those prophane Priests either by Ecclesiastick Censures or by Civil Penalties Fearing possibly least by this means the High-Priesthood should go from his Family of Ithamar as it had from Eleazar's for the like Misdemeanour which also did befall him afterwards 1 Kin. 1. 26. 1 Chron. 29. 22. Thus Eli by seeking to prevent that Evil in an evil manner and by evil means did the sooner procure it For God became highly Displeased and the Devil took this Advantage and powr'd in three Grand Mischiefs and Maladies upon the Church of God all which had most Blessed Remedies in Samuel Successor to Eli to wit 1. The Abhorring of the Lord's Sacrifice 2. The Failure of all Prophetick Visions 3. The Captivity of the Ark by the Philistines 1st Of the 1st Those Prosligate Priests made the People to abhorr the Offerings of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 17. and to Transgress v. 24. where the Prophane Clergy so called laid a Stumbling-Block before the Sober Laity not onely in their sinning so presumptuously and scaping Scot-free in so Doing against God himself and Dishonouring the Lord in prophaning his Worship and Abusing his Ordinances but also in giving such an evil Example to God's People by their wicked Practices whom they should have Instructed in the good ways of God according to their Office so as to make them withdraw from God's Worship when they saw it so much prophaned by their Impieties This God Complains of as a Spiritual loss to his Peoples Souls more than of the Honour of his own Name dishonoured thereby Hence 't is said the People Transgressed in Neglecting to come to God's Worship in Shilo The Men would not come while those prophane Priests Theevishly and Sacrilegiously Abused God's Sacrifice 1 Sam. 2. 13 to 16. And the Women durst not come for Fear of a Rape v. 22. for those lewd losels though they had Wives of their own were sick of a Plurisie for knowing more Women And like the Devil their Master lov'd to Sow their Seed upon other Mens Ground Matth. 13. 25. The 2d Malady was The Failure of Prophecy in those licentious times of Eli 1 Sam. 3. 2. The Word of the Lord was Precious in those Days though there was some secret Vision as to Manoah and his Wife Judg. 13. yet there was no open Vision the Spirit of Prophecy was Rare and Scarce and therefore Pretious Rara Praeclara in those Days of Detestable Debauchery and both Neglect and Contempt of God's Worship for which God Inflicted this fore Judgement upon them that they should have a Famine of the Word Amos 8. 12. and that there should not be a Prophet among them nor any that could tell them how long Psal 74. 9. 'T is very sad with the Church when there is a Sealing up of Prophecy Dan. 12. 4. and she is plainly benighted in this way-less Wilderness This Darkness upon Israel who were Children of light and of the Day 1 Thess 5. 5. could not but please the Prince of Darkness and give him both light and fight of the Success of his Plot to make them both stumble and fall Joh. 3. 20. 1 Joh. 2. 11. The 3d. Malady is the Captivity of the Ark which was first Touched for which Vzzah perished 2 Sam. 6 6. 7. and also taken by the Hands of the Uncircumcised 1 Sam. 4. 11. which made the Wife of Phinehas to cry out Ichabod that Glory was departed from Israel the greatness of her Grief made her Repeat it Twice v. 21 22. seeing the Sign of God's presence and Protection which was therefore call'd their Glory Psal 78. 61. the Face of God Psal 105. 4. Yea God himself Psal 122. 5. was carried Captive as if the Devil had been too strong for God and as if God could keep the Ark no longer but was Constrained to let it go out of Canaan into the Countrey of the Philistines who verily Thought they had taken the God of Israel Prisoner v. 8. Indeed Israel ascrib'd that Honour to the Ark of God which was Due onely to God himself for upon their Defeat knowing no other Cause though there was enough Psa 78. 58 61 62 63. but the want of the Ark. They send for it to Shilo that it might save them v. 3 4. 1 without Consulting with God 2 they brought it into the Camp without due Reverence 3 and that by the Hands of Two prossligate Priests All which was more likely to bring a Curse upon them and not a Blessing When this Ark of Wood was made an Idol by the Israelites they fare worse and not better v. 2 10. Notwithstanding its presence external priviledges rested and Trusted in are more Destructive than Saving Rom. 2. 9. and God justly suffers it to be taken from them by the Philistines Now the Devil having got the Ark of God into his own Temple to wit the Temple of Dagon which they had
base and bloody Wretch and his Master thought of nothing but Revenge and satiating both their barbarous and brutish yea Devilish Blood-thirstiness they are Unwittingly made the Executioners of Gods Determined Counsel and justly declared sentence of God against Eli's Family Chap. 3. 31 to 37. 2dly As they served Gods Glory so they sent David Comfort Abiathar God marvelously hid from their bloody hands he escapes them according to Gods promise of preserving some of Eli's House Chap. 2. 33. and comes to David with the Ephod in his hand Chap. 22. 20. and 23. 6. This Ephod had the Breast plate with the Urim and Thummim in it Exod 28. 30. The comming of this must needs be very comfortable to Distressed David Now he hath an High-Priest Abiathar with him as well as the Prophet Gad Chap. 22. 5. in his Army by whom he might consult with God in all his Dangers and difficulties Chap. 23. 2 4. and often Saul strengthened David more by sending this Ephod than if he had sent him as one saith many thousand men And as he strengthened David so he weakened himself as he complains God answered him not by Vrim and Thummim 1 Sam. 28. 6. He had bereaved himself of it by putting Abiathar to the Run who brings it to David which was a plain Evidence of Sauls Falling and Davids Rising Saul had neither Priest nor Prophet to consult with when David had both Hereupon he consults with a Witch Flectere Cum Nequeat Superos Acheronta Movebit If God will not answer him the Devil shall Satan comes up in Samuels Resemblance Preaches Sauls Funeral-Sermon he flies in Battel falls upon his own Sword so like the Candle in the Socket goes out in a Stink and notwithstanding all his Plots he leaves himself to the Uncircumcised yea his Body to a cold Grave and his Soul to an hot Hell as an Hypocrite Matt. 24. 51. and leaves his Kingdom to David The 2d Branch of this 14th Plot was in the Reign of David whose entrance to the Kingdom was strongly opposed not onely all the time Saul lived being Hunted like a Patridge upon the Mountains to be taken and destroyed but also after his Death by Abner under the Hereditary Title of Ishbosheth a man of Shame as his Name signifies a weak and Unworthy man passing by Mephibosheth the Right Heir because Young and Lame as hoping to Rule all under his Empty Title Hereupon 't is said 2 Sam. 3. 6. that Abner not Ishbosheth made himself strong for the house of Saul to bring about his own Design and to fix himself fast in the Saddle Yet God did Laugh this Project to Nothing The Issue was though there was long War betwixt them as there is 'twixt Christ and Antichrist The House of Saul waxed weaker and weaker and the House of David Stronger and stronger 2 Sam. 3. 1. So the Stone Dan. 2. Weakens the Beasts Kingdom gradually 'T is Wonderful to consider How the Lord Baffled the Devil here in sending an Evil Spirit 'twixt Abner and Ish-bosheth as he had done 'twixt Abimelech and Shechem Judg. 9. 23 24 25. which Evil Spirit was the Devil that sower of Sedition that great Coal-kindler and Make-bate of the World 2 Sam. 3.8 10. God Over-rules the Devil so as to make him destroy his own Designs by his Working upon those Mens Corruptions whom God had justly given over to a Reprobate mind and filling them with Envy Murther Debate Deceit Malignity c. Rom. 1. 28 29. Here Abner the Devil makes first an Athiest in acting all along contrary to his Conscience v. 9 18. He knew that God had designed David to be King over Israel whom Samuel Anointed to be Saul's Successor yet against the Light of his own knowledge as well as against Gods express command he endeavours to set up Ishbosheth 2dly The Devil makes him an Ambitionist not onely in advancing this weak Prince of small parts and of no Martial Spirit he not fighting in that fatal Battel wherein his Father did fall that he might be the Dominus fac totum Lord Paramount of doing All but also in aspiring to the Crown and Kingdom it self by his Lying with Saul's Concubine who had two Sons which might give some Colour to his Claim When Ishbosheth was taken out of the way whom he had hitherto used only as a Stalking-Horse Upon this occasion the Devil divides the two Grand Plotters against David Chap. 3.7 8. and so Defeats his own Design Vnlawful Leagues never last long when Thieves fall out True men come to their own Abner will now be Godly who never had been so in helping the Lord to fulfill his Promise to David which he had hitherto hindred He pretends all he now acts was in Obedience to God and for the Good of his Church but intends both Revenge to Ishbosheth and Respect to himself that he might thereby secure his present Power and Dignity of Generalship But because he would have done David right with an Evil mind it all turns to his own ruin and God will Right David by a fairer way than by Abners Persidiousness So vain a thing it is to strive against God Psal 2. 1 2. David in despite of the Devil doth come to his Kingdom though by Steps and gradually Ish-bosheth is removed out of the way as well as Abner He dies in his Sloth as he had lived Slothfully all his days Chap. 4. 5. Qualis Vita Finis Itá As a man lives so he dyes All Israel then owns and Crowns David Cha. 5. Who as soon as settled on the Throne express'd his first care for the Church and Religion Chap. 6. So brings the Ark as they had brought him from Hebron to Jerusalem from Kiriath Jearim where in Saul's days it had been slighted to Obed-Edoms and thence to Sion a more publick place than those private Houses wherein it had been before verse 17. This was a joyful day to David and Israel v. 14 16 19. And not being satisfied that himself should dwell in an house of Cedar while the Ark of God's presence dwelt in a Tabernacle he both designs and vows to Build it a Temple Chap. 7. 2. Psal 132. 2. Nathan hinders this purpose and promise yet left he vast Provisions for his Son to perform it his Psalms for the Church and the Church in a flourishing Condition notwithstanding all disturbances which Solomon brings to Her Greatest Glory and after Advanced to Her Hight The 3d. Branch of this 14th Plot was in the Reign of solomon before which Satan had his fore-Games to Oppose as his after-Games to Depose the Church's Glory The 1st His fore-Games were in causing Absolom and Adonijah to Exalt themselves both saying I will be King that Solomon might be put by and never have an opportunity to raise the Church into a more Glorious State then it had ever been in which Satan Designed to Ruine by insolent and arrogant Absalom 2 Sam. 15. 10. and by haughty ambitious Adonijah 1
Father This Son alone shall have both Tears and a Tomb for his goodness his other Sons shall have no sorrow but for their lives and at their deaths no Graves but the Belleys of Dogs and Fowls v. 6. 11 12 13. Israel had cause to mourn when they had lost such an hopeful Heir of the Kingdom The fourth Divine Testimony against Jeroboams Idolatry was as 1. Against his Altar 2. Against his Arm. 3. Against his Heir so 4. Against his Army Jeroboam in the eighteenth year of his Reign raises a vast Army no less than eight hundred thousand to vanquish Abijah while young and newly steâ—t into his Father Rehoboams Throne which was then empty by his Fathers death young Abijah raises an Army to resist him which was but half as big as Jeroboams yet was it an huge Army too considering that fifty thousand is now counted a Royal Army whereas his was four hundred thousand which is eight times as many as is fifty Those two great Armies the 800000 of Jeroboams for Idolatry and the 400000 of Abijahs against Idolatry faces each other in the Field Abijah by his Heralds sounds a Parley stands upon Mount Zemeraim as Jotham likewise had done upon Mount Gerizim Judg. 9. 6. makes a pious pithy elegant and artificial Oration not unlike Solomons Grand-child to the Heads of Jeroboams Army wherein he shews them the honour God had from Judah and the dishonour he had from Israel and many mighty Motives he presses upon them to desist their irrational and irreligious enterprize whereof they could never render any good reason nor ever hope for any good success While Abijah was thus Haranguing in his Religious as well as Rhetorical Disswasives by a fair and friendly Treaty Jeroboam basely useth most foul and filthy treachery in causing an Ambushment behind him while his main Battalia was before him to surprize him at unawares 2 Chron. 13. 3 4 5 13. Judah espying his treachery and their own danger cryed unto the Lord v. 14. having strong fervency in praying to God for succour in that dangerous case prayers were their Souldiers surest great Ordinance and together with their holy prayers they joyn an honest policy the whole Army together gave one great unanimous shout v. 15. This loud Acclamation They run they run affrights Israel especially God striking them at the same time with a panick fear and with frightful Furies in their own Consciences they all fly and fall in a monstrous and matchless slaughter v. 16. 17. to wit five hundred thousand men of Israel were slain by the men of Judah who were but four hundred thousand so that they slew more than every one his man and this Slaughter is well called a Great Slaughter it being the greatest slaughter of men in any one Battel in all the World that we read of either in Sacred or Civil History And had those two Armies been united as Brethren against a Common Enemy they had made up the greatest Host that ever we heard or read of assembled together in the Field yet Judah the lesser number prevails against Israel twice as many because they relied upon the Lord. v. 18. Deo Confisi nunquam Confusi Judah confided in God therefore were they not confounded by Israel True trusting in God can never miscarry God is faithful and never fails the Faith of his people He that believes in him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2. 6. The fifth and last Divine Testimony was against Jeroboam himself God had let him blood as it were in the Arm to cure him of his Idolatry and struck the Vital Spirit out of it when 't was dry'd up but now God comes to strike the Soul out of his Body when neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy could mollisie and heal his impenitent heart neither the Wind nor the Sun to wit neither the blasts of Divine Judgments nor the Beams of Divine Mercy could make him cast his cumbersome Coat of Idolatrous worship but he will not though his hand was both withered and healed c. see Gods Hand against him but will live and die in his Idolatry Therefore the Lord smote Jeroboam v. 15. and the Lord struck him v. 20. that he died God gave him two deadly blows upon his Cheek-bone as Psal 3. 7. with his heavy hand so that he died not an ordinary but a sudden and violent death and that by a special hand of God The Lord smote him as with a Thunder-bolt as he smote Nabal that he died 1 Sam. 25. 38. Deadly Diseases are Divine stroaks as the Pestilence is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morbus Sacer or the Divine Disease though it is not expressed in Scripture of what Disease neither Nabal nor Jeroboam died and had his Idolatry died with him it had been better for Israel This Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 2 Kin. 10. 31. c. which is oft added as Jeroboams infamous stile 1 Kin. 12. 30. and 13. 34. and 14. 16. c. so oft it sounds in our ears made all the Kings of Israel sin his sin of Idolatry after him there being not one good Successor in his Throne of Apostacy until the Captivity though God raised up sundry famous Prophets as Elijah Elisha c. to reclaim them and though God did witness from Heaven against them in his most severe Judgments yet the perdition of one was not any availing caution to another for 2. Nadab took no warning at Gods Judgments upon his Father Jeroboam and he was rooted out and all his house 1 Kin. 15. 27. by Baasha 3. And the same Judgments in the same words are threatned against Baasha which had been against Jeroboam because he persisted in the same sin 1 Kin. 16. 3 4. And 4. Ela Baasha's Son was a Sot in his drunkenness and was slain in his sin by his servant Zimri v. 9. who 5. succeeded him but God soon cast that Rod into the fire wherewith he had chastised the house of Baasha v. 10 11 12. for Omri the 6. forced him to burn himself with his Palace v. 18 19. This Omri made wicked Statutes Mich. 6. 16. and made undoubtedly as wicked an end Qualis vita Finis ita he lived wickedly v. 25. seeking to out-sin all his predecessors so died wretchedly though not that we read of by any violent death His Son Ahab the seventh that None-such sinner succeeded whom being an uxorious man Jezabel his Wife stirred up even to unparallel'd wickedness v. 31 32 33. God sets this black brand upon this Virago Jezabel 1 Kin. 21. 25 26. who held her Husband in such slavery by a mischievous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Woman wearing the Britches that for a quiet life with her he did not dare to deny her any thing that she would have done Hereby he proves worse than his Ancestors extorts Naboths Vineyard and life from him where the Dogs licked his blood afterwards yea and the Dogs did eat up Jezabel also 1
Kin. 21. 19 22 23. with Ch. 22. 38. and 2 Kin. 9. 35 36 37. So they who sold themselves to work evil and might have been sure they should in time rue the bargain at length as they had made a Match with mischief so God gave them both their Belly-fulls of it and fill'd them with the evil of their own ways Prov. 14. 14. Gods Arrow found out wicked Ahab under his disguise which he did to evade Micaiah's Prophecy of him a certain man drew a Bow at a venture and smote Ahab 'twixt the joynts of his Harness 1 Kin. 22. 30 34. This casual and contingent shot was guided by God to hit the mark to an hairs-breadth whereas the cast of Sauls Javelin was three times guided by the same hand of God to miss the mark of holy Davids body Micaiah was imprisoned for foretelling this fate v. 26 28. Who would not rather be a Micaiah in the Goal than an Ahab in the Chariot God preserved the one in the former but wounded to death the other in the latter Then was God even with him for all his Idolatry and impieties in persecuting the Prophets murdering of Naboth who doubtless had hope in his death as righteous and so in a far better condition now than Ahab was who had no hope but was driven away in his wickedness Prov. 14. 32. Wicked men may have some advantage of the way but godly men have their advance at the end as Ahab had sold himself to sin so God sold him to destruction and Ahaziah the eighth succeeds him who was a soft-pated Prince and low-spirited in losing no mean part of his Kingdome in the beginning of his Reign by the Rebellion of Moab 2 Kin. 1. 1. with Ch. 3. 4 5. and 2 Chro. 20. 1. but above all he was a wicked King like Bird like Egg he had as black a Soul as his Father Ahab to live in his white Ivory Palace that Ahab had built 1 Kin. 22. 39 52. His sin finds him out Num. 32. 23. as he was walking upon the Leads of this stately Palace he falls through a Grate and catches his death which Baalzebub of Ekron could not prevent or rather the Devil of Acheron as Hell is call'd by the Poet Virgil as above Flectere si nequeo superos Acheronta Movebo This Beelzebub or Baalzebub is call'd the God of Flies or Jupiter Stercorarius a Dunghill Deity for out of the Dunghill have the Flies their Natural Generation This Devil could not take off that sickness which the God of Israel had laid on him and whereby he was disinabled to attempt any thing against rebelling Moab This pusillanimous Prince Jehoram the ninth succeeded who was more active than his Brother Ahaziah and not all out so bad as his Parents Ahab and Jezabel for he destroyed Baal out of Samaria yet not very much better than they for he continued Jeroboams Calves 2 Kin. 3. 2 3. God likes not that men should make a straight furrow here and a balk there partial Reformation discovers Hypocrisie wherefore Gods Arrow finds him at Ramoth-Gilead as it had done Ahab his Father at the same place and coming to be healed of his wounds at Jezreel is there slain by furious Jehu the tenth whom God raised up extraordinarily to destroy Ahabs Posterity 2 Kin. 9. 1 to 30. 37. and 10 to 15. He had a zeal indeed for the Lord as Jehoram had against Baal v. 16 to 28. yet proves he but an half Reformer putting down Baal yet keeping up the Calves v. 29. lest it should cost him his Kingdome by Israels repairing to Temple-worship notwithstanding this his Dispensatory Conscience because he had done well for the matter God gives him the favour of his fourth Generation v. 30. which was not granted to any other King of Israel after the Revolt to wit Jehoaaz the eleventh who doth wickedly and Joash the twelfth who rides in the same rode 2 Kin. 13. 2 6 11. and Jeroboam the thirteenth who did Patrizare also and walkt in his forefathers steps Ch. 14. 24. for which cause Amos prophecied against him and was banished from Bethel for it Amos 7. 10 11 12. fore-telling a dreadful Earthquake Amos 1. 1. and Jeroboams death by the Sword Ch. 7. 9. him succeeded Zecharias the fourteenth and the fourth from Jehu to whom God would not be indebted for his good actings but gave him this reward yet this his last Branch being wicked he was slain for his wickedness by Shallum the fifteenth Ch. 15. 9 10. who was paid home in his own Coyn by Menahem the sixteenth whose cruelty ending with himself Pekaiah the seventeenth comes on the Throne but he not degenerating from his evil Ancestors was soon put off by Pekah the eighteenth who being no better than the rest was trayterously slain by Hoshea the nineteenth who being wicked also was carried Captive by Salmanezer of Assyria 2 Kin. Ch. 15. and 16. and 17. Thus Israel provoked the Lord to anger as if they had done all this for that very purpose of causing God to cast them off and to write Lo-Ammi upon them by the forementioned Earthquake the Lord did plainly foreshew that God would shake terribly the Heaven of that Church and the Earth of that State And as God forewarned them by his works both ordinary and extraordinary so all along by his Word in the mouths of all his both the greater and lesser Prophets saying to them that if they would not live by Gods good Laws they should not live in Gods good Land c. Hos 9. 3. This Hosed who forewarns Israel that their Land would spue them out as God had threatned Levit. 18. 26 28. was the first of the Race of those Prophets before Isaiah in the days of Jeroboam Hos 1. 1 2. And thus as under an Hosea Israel was possessed of Canaan Numb 13. 16. and under an Hosea they were dispossessed of it 2 Kin. 17. 1 6. so the Lord sent an Hosea to blame their unthankfulness for the former and to declare the dreadfulness of the latter No doubt but the Devil was much delighted with this sad Catastrophe of Israels Ejection out of Canaan he always makes mirth and merriment out of Israels mourning he makes Comedies of their Tragedies he had indeed so rooted and riveted Idolatry in Israel that it could not be rooted out but by rooting up the corrupted Stock yet all along the Reign of those twenty Kings of Israel for so many Tibni Corrival to Omri 1 Kin. 16. 21 22. doth exactly make and often several Stocks yet all agreeing in Jeroboams sin God raised up a Race of Prophets to give warning even from the Man of God that cryed against Jeroboams Altar 1 Kin. 13. and from Elijah and Elisha down to the last-of those Kings very few whereof died a dry or natural death 2 Kin. 17. 13 23. God wanted not his Witnesses though in Sackcloth all that time His Eye to Israel even under great provocations was good while
care of his Church and of his Promise to Abraham even when he seems to have Utterly Abandon'd them The same Graciousness that had sent Prophets to them all along their Revolt and a Promise of the Messiah at the same time their Rejection was foretold Isa 7. 8. within 65 Y. of its comming to pass That the Lord would not quite cast off the House of David till a Virgin have born a Son and he to be God in our Nature v. 14. and this Son to be Born in Bethelem One that should tread down all the Churches Enemies and be her Peace c. Micah 5. 1 2 3 4 5. yet would be War to the Assyrians in sending Lyons among them as before all which doth show That this Antient People of the Ten Tribes are not altogether Abandon'd and Abolish'd but God reserves this Honour for them to Vouchsafe them a Call to the Participation of Christ but more of that in New-Testament-times Ezek. 37. 16 19. Jer. 3. 12 13. c. Isa 11. 12 13. Obad. 20. Rom. 11. 15 26. The Seventeenth Plot against the CHURCH in Judah Defeated by GOD. CHAP. XVII WHen the Devil saw how successful he had been in Debauching and Destroying the Ten Tribes of Israel He falls upon his 17th Plot against the Kingdom of Judah which yet Ruled with God and was Faithful with the Saints Hos 11. 12. God was sincerely served amongst them and they Held fast their first integrity the True Religion was Publickly Professed and the True Worship of God was Purely Preserved in the Temple at Jerusalem This made Abijah the next to Rehoboam though none of the best to boast so boldly and therefore prevailed 2 Chro. 13. 10 17. Israels Apostacy was not onely Aggravated but also Vanquished by Judahs Integrity yea and Judah was Kind Courteous and Communicative to those good Souls that left the Ten Tribes and came thither to Injoy the Pure and Publick Worship of God This the Envious One espying and Envying Endeavours to Corrupt Jerusalem as he had done Samaria that so Aholah and Aholibah might be both Alike nay the latter to be worse than the former as afterwards Ezek. 16. 2 45 48. and 23. 4 11. Yea that Prince of the Ayr the Devil never gave over his stormy Blasts with his stinking Breath until he had Blown out that Lamp which God had promis'd to give David in Jerusalem 1 Kin. 15. 4. at the last which did fall out about the 3420 Y. of the World in the 11th Y. of Zedekiah when Ezekiels 390 Y. mentioned Ezek. 4. 5. were exactly accomplish'd in that fatal Fall of Jerusalem for which Jeremy Writt his Book of Lamentations to Condole the sad Condition of the Church because the Crown was faln from her Head Lam. 5. 15 16. and her Light or Lamp was Extinct by the Devils Extinguisher then was she brought into darkness and not into light Lam. 3. 2. and removed into dark places as they that be dead v. 6. so put into the Dark Graves of Babylon until the Time of their Opening came Ezek. 37. 12. c. Now to Reduce the Church to this faln and Extinct Estate The Devil Designs against her many Maladies and 't is remarkable God sent her as many Remedies in Raising up a good King for a bad a good King for a bad almost all-along whereas those of Israel were all bad Universally until they had sinned themselves beyond the Reach of all Remedies Prov. 22. 1. 2 Chro. 36. 16. Oh Dreadful and Direful Divine Sentence Satans first Blast against the Lamp of the Church in this 17th Plot was in Rehoboam who at 41 Y. old was Childish and Simple 2 Chro. 12. 13. with 13. 7. but of an Haughty and Hard-oppressing Spirit so prooved himself a very Fool Eccles 2. 19. though he were the Son of so Wise a Father a very fit Tool for the Devil and though for 3 Y. he did Well 2 Chron. 11. 17. yet after he did Evil and Judah with him which brought up Shishak K. of Aegypt to Plunder Jerusalem 1 Kin. 14. 22 23 24. Upon this the Devil got the Golden Shields of Solomon changed into Brazen ones v. 27. as he had made the faithful City now to become an Harlot No Wonder therefore that her Silver was become Dross and her Gold turned into Brass Isa 1. 21 22. Shishak prompted to this Enterprize by Jeroboam who had lived in the Court of Aegypt and as some say Married a Wife of the Blood-Royal easily prevaileth through the Pusillanimity and Effeminacy of Rehoboam but especially because Judah had Transgressed against the Lord 2 Chron. 12. 2. His Prevalency could not have happened without the Church's Prevarication Notwithstanding at the Preaching of the Prophet Shemaiah which was a great Divine favour both Princes and People Humbled themselves v. 5 6. which was a greater Divine favour but the greatest of all was that God did not then pour out his whole Wrath but granted them some Deliverance v. 7 8. So that things went well in Judah v. 12. The Devils 2d Blast against Davids promised Lamp was in the Reign of Rehoboams Son call'd Abijah 2 Chron. 12. 16. so his Father named him signifying The Lord is my Father with Respect to that Promise made to David 2 Sam. 7. 14. but because he Walked not in the ways of David therefore is Abijah called Abijam 1 Kin. 15. 1. which signifies My Father is a Sea Indeed his Father was as Inconstant in good as the Fluctuating Sea because he Prepared not his Heart to seek the Lord 2 Chro. 12. 24. he had only some slashy and fleeting Resolutions in his aforesaid Humblings but he did not draw them out into Execution because they Sprang not from his Heart that right Spring of all True goodness so they were soon off again and he wavering like a wave of the Sea Jam. 1.6 was driven by the Wind of Temptation to do Evil and so Dyes leaving a Diminish'd and Impoverish'd Kingdom to his Son Abijah or Abijam who did Evil like his Father Though the Book of Chronicles layeth no Wickedness to his Charge so joyns Jah the Name of God to his name Abijah yet the Book of Kings Chargeth him with the Wickedness of his Fathers ways and therefore calls him Abijam as above 1 Kin. 15. 3. Though at first when he went out to War against Jeroboams vast Army he seemed to be good pretending to and pleading hard for Religion 2 Chron. 13. 5 10 12. and praying to God in his Distress v. 14. and believing in God v. 18. but being puffed up with this great Victory he falls away and shew'd himself in his Colours treading in the same Dirty steps of his Idolatrous Father who when he Recover'd Bethel from Jeroboam 2 Chron. 13. 19. did not Destroy the Calf and Idolatry there for which cause 't is probable God shorten'd both his Reign and his Life Oh what a sad Aspect had the Church in that Day when not onely Israel Worship'd Jeroboams
a time of great Joy and Jollity for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilcad Wicked Men are taken in an evil Net at the worst and when they never dream of Destruction Sâ—c Deus quos Destruit Dementat So God Infatuates them before their fatal Foil and Fall come upon them and 't is Remarkable no place must serve wherein Ahaziah shall be slain but Gur by Iblaim where 't is supposed his Father Jehoram had slain his Brethren as Ahab had done Naboth at Jezreel thither did he slye and there Divine Vengeance which pursued overtakes him yet receiveth he Courtesie from Jehosaphats Dust Holiness hath its Honour even in Vnholy Hearts he for his good Grand-Fathers fake had a Royal Sepulchre and Funeral Upon which his Wicked Mother Athaliah in the 7th place Usurps the Kingdom by whom the Devils first Design was to Root out that Race whereof Christ was to be Born 2 Chron. 22. 10. but the Great God did Counterwork him who had his Compassionate and Pious Princess Jehosheba the godly Priests Wife ☞ even in this bad Age such were insomuch and so good estimation as Kings Marryed their Daughters to them 2 Kin. 11. 2. As the Devil had his Jezabels and Athaliahs to cut off all Competitors that stood in their way That Old promise Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart foom Judah c. and the late promise of Preserving David a Lamp c. 1 Kin. 11. 36. Spoil'd all Satans Engines and Endeavours by Vertue hereof Jehosheba Sacredly as well as Secretly stole young Joash out of the Royal Nursery nourish'd him up in the Temple Six Years so long lay he hid not onely in the House but also in the Hand of the Lord from Athaliahs bloody Hands All this time that wicked Woman being Devoted to Destruction as one of Ahabs Family not onely escapes Jehu's Hand but was spared Seven Y. long to Revel in more mischief for the punishment of the peoples sin but by the pious and prudent Contrivance of good Jehohiada in Subordination to Gods ' providence she was brought to condign Punishment and the right Heir Joash at Seven Y. old Inthron'd to be the 8th King ☞ Behold how low Davids promised Lamp was Reduced even to one Suckling Child yet the promise is made good in Despight of the Devil and this Devilsh Woman who sought his life also as Herod did the Holy Child Jesus's ☞ so foolish it is to Fight against God and his Promise This 8th King Joash Jehoiada had no sooner brought to the Crown but he brought his people into the Covenant 2 Kin. 11. 12 17. Joash repairs the Temple his Sauctuary for Six Y. as well as Gods and Rules well under the Tutorage of his good Unckle and reforms all that were deformed no sooner was Jehoiada Dead but his cringing Courtiers Debauch him 2 Chron. 24. 17. he forgets God forsakes his Temple and falls into open Idolatry v. 18. yea and out of monstrous Ingratitude falls foul upon Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada to whom he did owe both his life and his Kingdom and stones him to Death for no other fault but for his Dealing faithfully with him v. 20 21 22. In his Reign Observe God was at the beginning the Devil in the middle and God again at the end thus the Devil is hedg'd in both before and behind by the Almighty God so that he cannot carry it as he would for though he play'd his pranks after Jehoiada's Death in the latter end of Joash Reign yet God will bring up the Rear looks upon him and requites him according to Dying Zachary's Prayer for 1. the Syrians are the Executioners of Gods Vengeance and Destroyed all his flattering Sycophants that had Seduced him v. 17 23 24. though the Syrian Army was but a small Company 2. God plagued him with fore Diseases contracted possibly by the wounds he had received 3. God gave him up to be Treacherously slain by his Servants because he had Conspir'd the Death of his faithful Servant Zechariah v. 25. Thus though the Beginning should be Satans as in Iob's Case yet the End will be the Lords Iam. 5. 11. Neither did it fall out better with his Son Amaziah the 9th King who though in his beginning did works that were materially good yet prooved not so formally and eventually no sooner departed he from God but his Subjects hearts departed from him 2 Chron. 25. 14 16. God gave him up to Worship those very Idols of Edom which could not deliver them out of his hands v. 15. as a just Punishment of his Pride and Hypocrisie and prooving Unreclaimable at the reproof of Gods Prophet he was told by him I know that God hath Determined to Destroy thee v. 16. ☞ An Uncounsellable person hath Gods Brand for Destruction put upon Him No sooner had he abused his Victory God gave him over Edom to gross Idolatry with their Idols but God rais'd him up a Scourge even the Cedar of Israel to Tread down this proud Thistle of Iudah v. 18. 22. and to plunder Ierusalem After this he spent his time sordidly serving false Gods without remorse Hereupon he falls under the Universal Hatred of his People whom he had subjected to so much misery by his fond Challenging of Ioash they Unanimously Conspire against him v. 27. forces him to slee from Ierusalem to Luchish for his safety they pursue him and slay him Thus ended the Devils Instrument for Corrupting the Church who had indeed a fair Beginning but in his latter end did notoriously Apostatize Neither did Vzziah or Azariah his Son whom all the People of Iudah made the 10th King in his stead 2 Chron. 26. 1. make a better End 'T is no good Commendation that is given him That he did according to all that his Father Amaziah had done 2 Kin. 15. 3. they both began fairly but ended foully This Desinit in piscem or bad Ending marrs many a Mans better Beginning ☞ Oh how many Young seeming Saints become no better than Old Incarnate Devils at the last Thus Vzziah at the first was wholly taken up in Consulting with God while Zachariah the Prophet was his Houshold-Chaplain and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to Prosper 2 Chron. 26. 4 5 6. God Helped him against all his Enemies v. 7. God usually deals with Men as they deal with him those that Honour him he doth Honour them 1 Sam. 2. 30. and God strengthened him exeeedingly v. 8 15. This swell'd him up into Arrogancy and Impudency v. 16. his Victories and magnificence made him proud then was he become a sit Instrument for the Devil to Debauch Gods Worship in the Church out of Curiosity and Insolency he invades the Priests Office embolden'd hereunto because he had Marryed Ierusha the Daughter of Zadok the High-Priest 2 Kin. 15. 33. Therefore the Lord spat in his Face that he might be ashamed and others warned God smote him with Leprosie 2 Chron. 26. 18 19. and at that time saith Iosephus
'T was a marvellous Providence that God should preserve the High-Priest-hood all the Captivity to this time as Neh. 12. 11. but more to have this Pledge of Gods Grace in Jaddus time The 4th Allay was though Antiochus who sprung out of Alexanders Successors became a fierce Fiend to the Iews yet God told them by Daniel that his standing up against the Prince of Princes to wit God Almighty in Destroying the Dayly Sacrifice and in setting up Idolatry in the Temple would quickly bring Gods Vengeance upon him He shall be broken without Hand Dan. 8. 25. and though for a few Y. as above he shall do according to his wicked Will in the Holy Land Dan. 11. 36. not Regarding any God v. 37. yet shall he come to his end v. 45. a loathsome and lamentable end a Visible Hand of God laid upon him a loathsome Disease and wrapt him up in the Sheet of Shame 1 Macc. 6. 8. and 2 Macc. 9. 5. not so much because he would have spoiled the Temple of Diana but because he did Spoil the Temple at Jerusalem The 5th Allay was that Spirit of God and of Glory which Rested upon the Godly Jews both for Doing Gods Work and for Suffering Gods Will 1. In Doing Oh what a Blessed Zeal did blow up Matthias the Father and Judas Maccabeus his Son who with the Help of his Brethren and other Iews drove the Enemy out of the Countrey and cleansed the Land of all the Uncleanness which had been brought into it Yea and with a very small Handful of Men did mighty Exploits against this Vile Antiochus's great Armies so that the Church was in those Worst of Times most Graciously Holpen with a little Help Dan. 11. 34. in which Weaker Means God Manifested to them his Greater Strength In whose name and by whose Conduct the People that knew their God were strong to do Exploits and to out-doe those Exploits of Antiochus Dan. 11. 28 32. The Apostle seemeth to speak of these Maccabees who wrought Righteousness both Civil and Military Obtained Promises of Glorious Victories and Escaped the edge of the Sword of their Cursed Enemies which sometimes Conquerours do not but purchase their Conquests with the loss of their own Lives as it happened to those brave Brethren at last Hebr. 11. 32 33. and 2ly in Suffering and no less Glorious Spirit did Act the Godly Jews in their Undergoing Cruel Mockings and most exquisite Torments they were Tempted and they were Tortured too yet being got above both the Allurements and Affrightments of the World they would not Accept of Deliverance upon Sordid and sinful terms but as willing to Dye as to Dine they commit themselves to their God in their Martyrdom That they might obtain a better Resurrection Hebr. 11. 35 37. Where that time seems to be Related to God had even then an Holy Remnant whereof the World was not Worthy They were fitter to shine as Stars in Heaven than to be torn in pieces by those Dogs and Hogs on Earth as Josephus the Book of Maccabees and of Martyrs tell us The 6th Sweet Allay the Church had in this Doleful Day was that miracle of the Pool of Bethesda graciously granted by God to corroborate Her in the True Worship of God under the sad persecutions of Antiochus and other Tyrants until the days of John Baptist and of the Lord Christ Joh. 5. 2 3 4. This held up the fainting Spirits of the good people in those bad Times when Prophecy failed and Prosperity too Yea and in the general all true Piety Prophaneness comming in its stead as Malachi their last Prophet declares at large The Rabbins indeed tell us of a Bath-Kol or Eccho that was heard in the Temple which serv'd them for an Oracle c. but waving Jewish Fancies and Fables the Scripture of Truth tells us how an Angel went at certain times to give Healing Vertue to that Water wherein their Sacrifices were washed Here many Impotent Folk lay Languishing at Hopes Hospital and looking after all other means had been ineffectual for God to say to them In the House of Mercy as the Word Bethesda signifies I am thy God that Healeth thee Exod. 15. 26. Jehova Ropheka a Gyant-like Healer Omnipotenti Medico nullus Insanabilis Occurit Morbus No Disease is but God can Cure it This Beneficial Pool was supplyed with Water from the Fountain of Siloam which Represented the Kingdom of Christ Isa 8. 6. The 7th and last Allay was the Promise of the Messiah that Mercy of Mercies who was to be a more Soveraign Bath than this of Bethesda or House of Bounty Christ is the Royal Fountain or Kings Bath Zech. 13. 1. ever-flowing and over-flowing such as Wash herein Believingly shall be both Clean and Whole not Healing at the times of the Iewish Feasts onely as that Pool did but all times of the Year and not one at once as if one only had Suck'd up all the Healing Vertue from all others there but here 3000 persons were Healed together at one Sermon Act. 2. 41. when the Angel of the Covenant Descended to move the Waters that were drawn out of the Wells of Salvation Isa 12. 3. for no other moving but that of an Angel who are Ministring Spirits to heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1. 14. could Dispence to the Diseased any such powerful and immediate Cure the Waters were at all times of a cleansing Property as to their Sacrifices but onely at that time had they a Cureing Power as to themselves When this Beneficial Vertue began in this Pool is uncertain 't is supposed to begin when Eliashib Joshua's Grand-Child with the godly Priests Built the Sheep-gate and Beautify'd it then Consecrated it with their godly Prayr Neh. 3. 1. Hereupon as Tremellius saith probably followed that Miracle of an Angels Descending into the Pool there at their several Solemn Feasts and Healing all Diseases how old great or Desperate soever and that immediately and in a moment 't is as Uncertain likewise when this Miracle of Healing Ceased 't is supposed not till the Destruction of Ierusalem which did fall out about Forty Y. after Christs Healing this Cripple at Bethesda it being so many Y. 'twixt this Passeover Ioh. 5. and that Passeover when Titus Vespasian laid Siege to the City yet this is more than probable that this Miraculous Gift of Healing was given to this Pool before the Comming of Christ as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or famous fore-Runner of him who was to be the Opened Fountain Zech. 13. 1. for Healing all Diseases and Cureing all Sins Matth. 1. 21. even Jesus the Greek Word comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sano to Heal as the Hebr. Word of Jashang to Save and this is most certain that the time when this Famous Fountain was opened is well known though concerning the Pool aforesaid the Beginning of its Miracle be unknown to wit to be about the four Thousand Y. of the World according to the Latitude of Time and latest
Easie Matth. 11. 30. However this honest Occupation might consist well enough with his state of Humiliation wherein he made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2. 7. Reduceing himself comparatively to Nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he emptied himself of his own Majesty and he who became a Sinner both by Imputation and Reputation for us why might he not become much more a Carpenter while his Glory lay long obscured that he might not give an Example either of Idleness or of Vain Curiosity according hereto was the tart Answer the Godly School-master made to Scoffing Julian the Apostate Asking him What was the Carpenters Son now a Doing He smartly Replyed That he was making a Coffin for such a Cursed Apostate who getting his mortal Wound in that very Expedition was constrain'd to confess Vicisti me O Galilae Oh! thou Galilean Carpenter Thou hast Conquer'd me 'T is very remarkable that all those many Years of Christs Private Life the Devil never once meddles with him since his Defeat at his Birth in his Blood-thirsty Herod who Butchered as some say 14000 Babes in his Bethlehem-Massacre yet missed that Holy Babe of Bethlehem who onely was Born without Original Sin and whom the Lord Hid from his Bloody Hands as he did Jeremy and Baruch Jer. 36. 26. Oh what an opportunity had the Devil for Cutting off and Killing Christ when Joseph and his Mother had lost him at the Feast in Ierusalem Luk. 2. 43. 'T is a Wonder they should be so careless of such a Peerless Pearl they might easily Imagine though Herod who sought the Childs Life was Dead yet were there Herodians enow alive who would be Glad enough of Dispatching any that were but Reputed King of the Jews and they might well fear If he had lost his way many Evils might befall him as usually befall Children in the like Case and as Iacob feared had befaln his Dear Ioseph Gen. 37. 33. when they found him not in the Company Luk. 2. 43. yet even then his Godhead secur'd his Manhood and that in the midst of the Doctors who knew not the Messiah so Clouded under such an obscure Education although the Lord of the Temple was come at that time into His Temple and Taught therein with his own lively Voice as Malachy had foretold them should suddenly be Ch. 3. 1. 'T is a Wonder how the Devil did to hold his Hands for almost Thirty Y. together when he could not but take Notice of this his Disputing with the Doctors yea and as 't is probably supposed of his Domestick Deeds of Wonder wherewith had not his Mother been Acquainted at Home she could not rationally have expected one abroad in her telling Christ that Wine was wanting at the Marriage in Cana Ioh. 2. 3. But 't was not Christs Private Life that was so Destructive to the Devils Kingdom as soon as ever he began upon his Publick Ministration and but barely Ordain'd to it by Imposition of Hands from Heaven together with a Coelestial Suffrage then this Dragon the Devil who had Slept quiet in his Den for many Years before now Rowseth Roareth and Rageth against Christ If Christ begin to Gird himself with the Girdle of Mans Salvation then he begins to Gird himself with the Girdle of Christs Destruction Oh how gladly would the Devil have broke Christs Neck by casting him down from the Pinacle of the Temple whereon he had placed him had he but the same Power to Cast him off as he had to Set him on but this he had not 2ly the Place where In the Wilderness either of Sinai where Moses and Elias had Fasted there Christ must Fast too to Feast us with the Fatted Calf Luk. 15. 23. and those Three famous Fasters met together upon Mount-Tabor Matth. 17. 3 5. and where Israel were Afflicted or of Judea where David was so persecuted by Saul as Israel had been by Pharaoh both which were resemblances of Satans Tempting Christ Here whatever Wilderness this was 't was Satans own Ground he is the God of this World or Wilderness Cor. 4. 4. Christ must fight the Devil upon his own Dunghill The 2d Adam must Conquer him in the Desart who had Conquer'd the 1st Adam in Paradise In this Desart or Dry places where the Devil Wanders Matth. 12. 43. and walks about secking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. he meets Christ and would have Devour'd him as a Lyon the Lamb of God and as a Dragon the Man-child Revel 12. 4. Hither Christ was led by the Spirit that Dove which Descended upon him Matth. 3. 16. and thus behold a Wonder a Dove leads a Lamb to fight with a Lyon The Spirit led the Lamb of God as his brave Champion to grapple with the Devil that roaring Lyon as Sampson and David his Two Types had done the like before him Judg. 14. 5 6. and 1 Sam. 17. 34 35. Here the Seed of the Woman Combats the Serpent in the Desart who had foil'd her in the Garden of Eden Here Christ must be Alone upon the Devils Advantage-Ground where Christ had none to Help him and the Tempter none to Hinder him that Christ might Tread the Wine-press alone Isa 63. 3. This Single Duel must be fought in the Open Field and have none but God and Angels to be Spectators of it yet Christ was not so alone but his Father was with him here as Joh. 8. 16. and 16. 32. and his Spirit that led him Hither look'd on to behold his Champions Behaviour Yea the Scripture saith He had a Tripple Neighborhood 1. Satan his Antagonist 2. wild Beasts Mark 1. 12. which Hurt him not but shew'd their Subjection to this 2d Adam as they had done to the first Adam in his state of Innocency 3. The Angels which came and Ministred both Food and Comfort to him the former for his Body the latter for his Soul Matth. 4. 12. None lose any thing in their Suffering for God 3ly The Agent or Inslicter 't is one with three Names which some do call Ominous 1st 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tempter 2. Satan the Adversary 3. the Devil or Calumniator and so he Calumniates God the Father to Christ the Son saying Dost thou think if thou were the Son of God that thy Father would suffer thee his Son to Starve for want of Bread in this Wilderness Thus he Calumniated God to Eve Gen. 3. 5. and Job to God Job 1. 9 10. This Adversary or Piercer as the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signisies comes Accoutred with Three sharp Weapons wherewith to Pierce the Churches Redeemer Luk. 4 2. tells us that Christ was Tempted all the Forty Days Space to wit Invisibly the Devil strove to Inject sinful suggestions into him as he doth into other Men all the time of his Watching Fasting and Solitude but finding nothing in him to Work upon as Joh. 14. 30. therefore at Forty Days End he taketh other Measures and Appeareth to him Visibly with those three worst Weapons
Fumigabunt Touch the Mountains and they will smoak Psal 104. 32. Touch a great Man upon the Sore as the Baptist here did Herod and he fumes casts the Toucher into Prison without Bail or Mainprize and there he lies for half a Year without ever coming to a fair Tryal or Hearing John Baptist knew well Gods Truth must be told however it be taken and not to be Betrayed as too oft it is by a Cowardly and Sinful Silence Here John lies in Fetters while the Fear of Man more than of God Restraineth Herod from Murdering him Mark 6. 17 20. Matth. 14. 4 5. he feared Johns Innocency which shone in his Face and he feared the People who Hated him already for his many Crimes and Cruelty least they should move a Mutiny at the Death of so Innocent and so much Honoured a Person Hereupon the Plot was layd 'twixt Herod and his Harlot Herodias to cut him off when their convenient Day Herods Birth-day did come Mark 6. 21. that day had been appointed long before for craftily Acting this cruel Tragedy a great Feast must then be made the Nobles Invited the Damosel-Daughter must Dance the King must Swear and must gratifie the Queen with the Baptists Head All this was done as if God had not been concern'd at all but God did so far concern himself that Herod was struck with Horror upon it with Terrour and Torment Luk. 9. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he stuck fast in the Mud and could find no way out yet God made him find a way out of his Kingdom the half whereof he had promis'd to the Damosel for Tripping Wantonly upon the Toe as Josephus Relateth and probably out of Gods Kingdom too So Father and Son be both alike in their Sin and Punishment The 2d By-Blow the Devil gave Christ was to cut off his Followers the Disciples as he had done his Forerunner John Baptist And this he endeavoured to effect when he had got the Disciples to Sea apart from Christ Matth. 14. 23 c. Mark 6. 45 c. Joh. 6. 16. Very loth were the Disciples to Lanch out to Sea alone and to leave his Sweet and Safe Company but Christ constrains them to do so 1 that he might the sooner dismiss the Multitude 2 he dismisseth his Disciples to Sea least they also should strike in with that Rash-many-Headed Multitude who would have made him King 3 Though they were loth to leave their best Friend behind them so neer Night in a Desart and all alone too yet this was Christs Choice that He might have an Opportunity of Solitary Prayer for their Safety and of his Miraculous Walking upon the waves to their Relief by the Want of Christ for a few Hours of Danger onely they learnt the Worth of Christ no sooner had the Devil caught the Disciples at Distance from Christ but to Work he falls then down comes the Storm and up goes the Sea another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mighty Storm which is a Wind saith Aristotle that Rouls in a Circle with such Violence insomuch as it swallows up whole Towns in Italy c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Tempest a very Sea-Quake of the same Nature with an Earth-Quake which hath the Formidable force of removing Mountains and of casting down Strong Castles that stand upon them Descends from the Stinking Breath of the Prince of the Ayr the Devil upon now the poor and Christless Apostles with a malicious Intention to Drown them all that they might never trouble his Kingdom any more as with an Horrible Wind Satan had Brain'd all Jobs Children so by the like means he would have Drown'd all Christs Disciples Christ being absent in this latter as Job himself was in the former Instance Behold with me a little 1. The Churches Calamity 2. Her Comfort in the 1st See the sad Circumstances of this History of the Church * as 1 in this little Ship was embarqued all the Hopes of a Church that now God had in the whole World as in Noahs Ark couped up in a little compass 2 The Winds were contrary Matth. 14. 24. as Act. 27. 4. So 't is mostly with the Church that is so often blown back from the Cape of Good Hope and from the Haven of Heaven in her Militant-State she is ever and anon as in the Straits of Magellan wherein which way soever a Man Bends his Course he is sure to have the Wind sit cross to him 3 Those Contrary Winds were not so much Ordinary as Extraordinary so that those Apostles who were Fishermen and thereby experienced in ordinary Sea-Storms cryed out We Perish for 4 they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 6. 48 49. which signifies not onely that they were Tossed with the Tempest but also Tormented with it so the Word is used Luk. 16. 23. The Rich Glutton was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Torments Thus the Afflicted Church was here not onely tossed with Tempests and not Comforted as Isa 54. 11. but also Tormented as those miserable Men are by the Tormentors in the Spanish Inquisition tossing them too and fro up and down till they be Ready to loose one Limb from another So this Wind was far unlike the sweet Gales of the Spirit of God which always blows Good to the Church out of every Quarter North and South Cant. 4. 16. but more like that Ruach Gedolah strong and mighty Wind 1 Kin. 19. 11. which had not the Lord in it for his Voice is a Voice of Mercy and Clemency and Natural to him Micah 7. 18. and his Voice of Justice against Jezebel which was not to be yet is called his strange Act Isai 28. 21. yea more then so for this Tempestuous Wind had the Devil in it and therefore it tossed the Church up and down hither and thither so it Toiled and Tormented them as if it had been Extorting as upon a Rack a Denyal of Christ and of all Christianity from them 5 They were in the Deep the Ship was now in the midst of the Sea Matth. 14.24 Mark 6.47 the Syriack Adds They were many Furlongs from each Shore agreeable to Joh. 6. 19. where 't is said they Rowed about Thirty Furlongs so deep was the Sea here that they could not Fathom or Feel the Bottom and here the Devil Hoped to carry it by carrying them down into this Deep and not onely so but to carry them also down still lower into his own Deep even to the Deep and Bottomless Pit of Hell 6 It was very Dark as well as very Deep Joh. 6. 17. which is a time very Terrible to Marriners to whom the Water affords them mostly a little Light now Darkness of it self was their Danger not knowing how to Steer their Course safely from Rocks and Quick-Sands Sailing was then Dangerous as Act. 27.9 when no Stars appeared v. 20. but this was more Dangerous in it self it being a Darkness from the Prince of Darkness the Devil who Hoped to Drown them
lastly Christ was not gone from them much less had deliver'd them up unto Satan but still Walked in the midst of His Golden Candlesticks Revel 1. 13. and standing at the Door Knocking both by Outward Means and Inward Motions by the Hammer of his Word and by the Hand of his Spirit Revel 3. 20. with those Seven Epistles together with His own Return and Personal Preaching to them after the Death of Domition he marvelously Repaired Refreshed and Established those Seven Churches well-nigh laid waste by the Cruelty and Tyranny of that Persecuting Emperour In that Isle also whither he was Banish'd from all Humane Society Christ came to him and gave him to Write not onely that Excellent Gospel so useful for Defence of Christs Divinity against the Blasphemies of Cerinthus c. And those Blessed Epistles of His the 1st 2d and 3d. but also the Revelation of things to come Rev. 1. 19. and 4. 1. Even all the Wretched Maladies that should befall the Church and all the Blessed Remedies for Her Deliverance to the End of the World Thus in all this also God over-Shoots Satan in his own Bow and left not himself without Witness Act. 14. 17. This Bloody Wretch Domitian was Murder'd by his own Men and the stiff-necked Jews which had all along oppos'd Christ and his Gospel with the utmost Outrage were pay'd Home at last with Matchless Miseries as before both under Vespasian the Father and Titus his Son that were Predecessors to Domitian and this John onely of all the Apostles lived to see in Despight of the Devil and all his Cruel Cut-Throats the Wrath of God come down upon those Christ-Killers to the utmost as Christ had foretold The Twenty-Seventh Plot against the Church-Primitive by the Ten first Persecutions Defeated by God CHAP. XXVII SAtans 27th Plot against the Primitive-Church was manag'd by Rome-Heathen when now Grown Great under her Coesars and became the Lady of Kingdoms and the Imperious Domineering Mistris of the World The Provocation was this 1. The Churches of Asia were Recover'd from their aforesaid Apostacy which it seems began in Pauls time 2 Tim. 1. 15 16. All they which are in Asia are turned from me c. being ashamed of his Bonds by Johns Ministry 2. The Gospel was spread all the World over by the scatter'd Apostles at the Destruction of Ierusalem until which at least some of them had their Residence there as by Andrew into Scythia Phillip into Pâ—rygia by Bartholomew into Judea by Thomas into Parthia and Persia by Matthew into Aethiopia by Simon Zelotes into Mauritania and Affrica by Judas Brother of James into Edessa by Matthias into Macedonia c. but that which provok'd the Devil and his Imps most of all was 3. that the Gospel should so Prevail and Prosper even in Rome it self where Satans Principal Throne was and that by Paul who was there a Prisoner at large for Two Years Act. 28. 16. Preaching the Kingdom of God v. 23 24 30 31. whereby the Roman-Gentiles were brought into the Obedience of Faith and a Famous Church was Constituted there of those called to be Saints whose Fame was spread for its Faith all the World over by that Resort which was to Rome the Queen of Cities now from all parts of the Earth Rom. 1. 5 to 8. and 16. 19. And still that which was of Greatest Provocation is that not onely the Beloved of God therefore Hated of the Devil were found in Rome it self Rom. 1. 7. but even in Nero's very Family Phil. 4. 22. This Cursed Leaven of Christianity as they call'd it had not onely Leavened Rome the best and chiefest City in the world but also Caesars own Royal Pallace which was the best and chiefest Building in that best and chiefest City All Nero's Court Rang of Paul the Prisoner and the Preacher Hereby the Lord ordered the Futherance of the Gospel Phil. 1. 12. 13. even where Satans Seat or Throne was what could the Court of such a Cursed Caitiff and Cast-away as Nero was be but a Barathrum and Brothel-House abounding with all Abominations quite contrary to the Prince of Anhalts which was call'd Academia Ecclesia Curia a Court a Church and an University And what was this but to Depose the Devil from his Dignity and Dominion and to set up Christ in his Throne No Wonder if this provok'd him to do as John had foretold in his Seal-Prophecy that after the White Horse with Christ upon him to wit the Gospel had spread it self like a Sun-beam Conquering every where and also Crowned for its Conquests by those Primitive Preachers Hâc non Successit aliâ Aggrediendum est Viâ The Devil would then come forth Riding upon his Red Horse together with his Black and with his Pale Horse to bring War Famine of the Word especially yea Death and Hell too in those 1st Ten Bloody Persecutions Revel 6. 2 3 5 7. This is the 1st Branch of the 2d part of that Book which Iohn divides into Two parts 1st an History of things then present 2d a Prophecy of things to come Ch. 1. 19. Now this Rage of this Mad Rider was the first of those things that should be hereafter the whole of the Prophecy being as a Comedy Represented on a Theatre in a Dramatick Dress as in Three Acts the 1. is the Tragical Misery of the Church 2. Her Deliverance 3. Her Doxology or Magnifying her Deliverer So that though the Beginning be the Devils yet always the End is the Lords Jam. 5. 11. and that a Good End for his own Glory and the Churches Comfort As Daniel Assured the Church how it should be preserved to Christs first Comming so John assures no less Preservation to Her from his time to Christs 2d Comming Indeed all the Ten Primitive Persecutors were as Red Horses whom the Devil Rode upon so Bloody that for every Day in the Y. excepting one 5000 were Murder'd as Jerom Writes and the 1. was Bloody Nero that Monster of Mankind notwithstanding his Vtinam Nescirem literas I wish I could not Write my Name to the Execution of any during his Plausible Quinquennium or Five Y. Reign whom the Devil spurr'd up to burn Rome his own Imperial City Singing upon his Harp all the Nine Days it was Burning the Song of Homer about the Burning of Troy and then charg'd it upon the Christians to avoid the Odium of it from himself who had Hired several Villains to Fire it in several places openly casting Fire-Brands if not Fire-Balls amongst the Oyl-Shops and Drugsters yea some of his own Bed-Chamber were seen to carry Flax Toe Torches c. to promote it and his Pretorian Souldiers or Life-Guard Men did not onely further it but even Threaten'd those that Attempted to Quench it crying They knew what they did they had one to bear them out * Now the Christians many of which Paul Salutes in Rom. 16. goes to the Pot Yea Paul himself as he had foretold 2 Tim. 4. 6. to
better half in short for Gods protecting her for her protecting the Netherlands for procureing a Settlement to Henry the 4th of France in his Kingdom until he turn'd Romanist and then was soon turn'd out of his Life by the Romanists for quelling the Irish Rebells for Conquering this supposed Vnconquerable Armado c. She was highly Honoured both by Turk and Pope the proud Turk Desired her Amity by his Embassadors and the proud Pope Sixtus the 5th whom Bellarmin sagely Censures thus at his Death Quantum Sapio quantum Capio Dominus noster Papa Descendit in Infernum Oh strange how can Holiness of his Holiness go to Hell Yet this same Pope as bad as he was could Commend Q. Elizabeth for an Excellent Governess yea she became Renowned throughout the World as the Glory of her Sex and the Lustre of her Land and a Poet stiles her on Earth the first Virgin or Chief as she was a Queen and in Heaven the second next to the Virgin Mary yea at Venice she was tearmed St. Elizabeth whereupon the Lord Carleton English-Embassador there said Although he were a Papist he would never pray to any other Saint but to that St. Elizabeth Assuredly her Zeal for the Reformed Religion Sainted and Renown'd Her most of all No sooner was K. James come to the Crown but the Roman-Conclave Consult against him Pope Clement the 8th out of his Clemency had success against Henry the 4th of France and Hopes for the same against King James by Interdicting him from the Crown without his License but it proved not to be at the Popes Disposal his Gowty Golls or Toes which Arch-Duke Maximilian could not Cure by Kissing them serv'd to carry him off the Stage after Watson and Clark Two Priests the former Design'd to be Lord Chancelour c. just as our present Plotters had Distributed Honours and Offices with others some of good Rank seduced by them had Complotted against this King knowing his Ability to Maintain the Truth of the Gospel against Popery but this 1st Plot being Blasted by the Execution of the Two Priests and their Complices The Conclave Projects that most prodigious Plot of the Gun-Powder Villany Pope Paul the 5th Employ'd Garnet the Jesuit Catesby Piercy Faux and many other Cronies to Blow up the King and whole State in the Parliament but this 2d Plot was Blown up it self by a blind Letter which marvelously brought all to light and though afterwards this same Pope by his Breves forbad that Allegiance which the King justly requir'd of his Subjects yet his own Learned Pen did so Vindicate his own Vndoubted Right that his Holiness soon Declin'd the Encounter yea and God made Use of this Kings Pen and Power to Baffle those Two lesser Games of Socinus and Arminius How God hath likewise Confounded hitherto all the Popish Plots both in the Reign of Charles the 1st and of the 2d as yet may be better Remembred it being yet fresh in the Minds and Memories of many still Living than can be fully Related In the Reign of King Charles the 1st the Conclave of Rampant Jesuits those Cup-bearers of Romes Wine of Fornication and Froggs going out to the Kings of the Earth Revel 16. 12. had their Consult to bring Brittany to Babylon or those Three Kingdoms into Confusion as they had done the Palatinate Bohemia and Germany c. Hereupon Card. Barbarino dispatches Cunaeus the Popes Legat to London and joyns with him an Assistant one not onely bred up in the Romish Church but preferr'd in it and promis'd greater preferment upon his Diligence in the Design to Reduce those Three Realms to Rome In Order hereto It was Resolv'd that the King and Arch-Bishop should both be Cut off for Standing then in the way of that Work This Cunaeus showing to His Assistant an Indian Nut stuffed full of the strongest Poyson and Boasting they would with that Dispatch the King as they had done his Father The Horrible Nature of this Bloody Plot God set so Home upon this Assistants Conscience that he had no Rest from his Remorse until he had reveal'd this Damnable Design to the Q. of Bohemia's Physitian Andreas ab Habernfield that he might Disclose it to the English-Embassador at the Hague Sir William Boswel who Informs the Arch-Bishop of it and He the King this was a most Admirable Act of Divine Providence that this Assistant sent from Rome to be a Principal Promoter of this Hellish Plot should be Over-ruled by Almighty God through his own Remorse to become the Prime Discoverer not onely of the Plot it self but also of the Persons Places Time Method and Manner thereof as Dr. Habernfield's Latine Letter doth fully Demonstrate Jacula praevisa minùs feriunt Darts foreseen if warily shun'd are Dintless 'T is true Prevision here not Rightly Improved was not Prevention neither of the Kingdoms Misery in those late Civil Uncivil Wars nor of the Kings Death at which a Grand Jesuit Triumph'd saying Now is the Enemy of God and of his Church faln yet the Lord preserv'd his Church in Despight of the Devil Now in the Reign of K. Charles the 2d that the like Damnable Design hath been Hatched by the same Heads Hearts and Hands 't is supersluous to Declare seeing there be about Ten several Narratives hereof even by such as should have been Actors in it and this so confirmed by the Kings many Proclamations by the Testimony of Two several Parliaments by the Sentence of so many Judges and by the Execution of so many Plotters c. The like Miracle of Mercy that made Remorse to Discover the former hath done no less in this latter and to Disappoint hitherto the Popes Design though He hath Depos'd the King as an Heretick sent Card. Howard to possess for him his Consiscate Kingdoms c. yet still the Church is Marvelously preserved yea Undoubtedly shall be so though this Discovery through Male-Administration may cause the Church to have many Sharp Throws in her Travel as in the former before She can bring forth the Man-Child of Reformation Alas the Child is come to the Birth and there is not Strength to bring forth 2 Kin. 19. 3. Heavens Hand will Help at a Dead Lift Where Man ends there God begins Psal 21. 13. Much more might be Added were there not a Noli m◠Tangere in the Case Controversal Truth seldom goes without a Scratch'd Face I shall Conclude the Historical part with some Memorable Remarks 1 The Pope who is the Devils By-blow was Worthily Thrust out of England as he was also out of France and Arragon it being said of him That He was like a Mouse in the Sachel or like a Snake in the Bosom Speed pag. 622. England had been long his Asse Otto the Popes Mouse-catcher so Drained this Land of Money that he left not so much behind him as he carry'd hence to Rome with him or sent thither before him but at length this Asse cast her Rider and would no