and no sooner hath it but is weary of it and cries as fast Away with it away with it or like the giddy Jewes shouting Hosanna Hosanna and with the same breath Crucifie him Crucifie him or like the fretfull Patient who drinks downe the Potion but when he feeles it worke doth up with it againe or as the hand that laies on the plaister because it smarts a little the same hand teares it off againe and would the unnaturall Parliament and Kingdome-deserters speak out their reason would be the enmity and the rancour of their spirits against Christ and his work of Reformation the prophane selfish people would have had mans carnall yoake taken off from their shoulders but not Christs spirituall yoake laid on longed to have the wals and houses of Jerusalem built but not the Temple the affaires of the State setled but not of the Church this Kingdoms peace and plenty they greedily desired but not the glory of Christs Kingdome and though often they patter over their Pater-Noster yet they never say in faith and truth thy Kingdome come and the cause in a word why these are so little for the Parliament is because the Parliament is so much for God for Christ his cause and people Lastly Build upon this rock for all good personall and Nationall for all evill to the enemies they shall fall Deut 32.35 build upon it to God belongeth vengeance and recompence their feet shall slide in due time for the day of their calamity is at hand and the things that come upon them make hast live by faith that is a building grace lie low in humiliation selfe-judging sin-abhorring that is to build also if thou sayest I cannot beleeve cannot get into the rock yet then intreat the rock to lead thy soule unto and to set it upon the rock so David Psal 61.2 from the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher then I. If againe thou object and say I cannot mourne for my owne sinnes much lesse for the abominations of the times Job 29.6 alluded to Jer. 23.29 yet still goe to that God who makes the rock to powre out rivers of oyle to that God whose word is a fire to melt thy heart a hammer to break that rock in peeces Again Psal 18.2 3. Matth. 7.24 build in prayer So David The Lord is my rock I will trust in him I will call upon the Lord. Yet further be single hearted in obedience that is building also yea it concerns those that have power in their hands to give out an act of obedience to God in execution of judgement upon his enemies 1 Sam. 15.22 there is a time when obedience is better then sacrifice yea obedience in putting of Agags to the sword according to Gods command * Thanksgiving for the victory obtained by the Lord Fairfax at Selby in Yorkshire Psal 106.30 yester dayes feasting was good and this dayes fasting good and let none think it bloudy divinity if I say execution of judgement is good also Phineas stood up executed judgement and so the Plague was staied Joshuah prayeth and prayeth till the eventide rents his cloaths puts dust upon his head c. But what saith the Lord to Joshuah Joshua 7.10 11 Get thee up wherefore liest thou upon thy face Israel hath sinned and they also have transgressed my Covenant which I commanded them c. Whereby God tutored Joshuah to this that the readiest way to conquer Ai was to stone Achan I know many sad thoughts concerning this lie in the spirits of beleevers and therefore wonder not though I become your remembrancer herein this day Let me beseech you the Worthies of the Nation in the bowels of Christ to goe on resolutely in the Cause of Christ true your oppositions have beene and probably will be great and many yet may you for the present set up a Marble Monument of praises and name it Eben-Ezer 1 Sam. 7.12 the stone of help and say with Samuel Hitherto hath the Lord helped us Me thinks I see you like Jonathan and his Armour-bearer 1 Sam. 14. climbing and clambring up the rocks upon your hands and upon your feet yet know your successe shall be glorious the Philistins slaine and vanquished it was a good saying that the Event of that warre cannot be dubions where the Lord of Hoasts is Generall Eraz. Mar. Deo dace non potest esse dubius belli eventus Rev. 10.5 6. c. God hath sworne the fall of Antichrist and his adherents and that with such solemnity to strengthen Faith and quicken Prayer that scarce the like in all the Scriptures The Angell that sweares is Christ his swearing gesture or posture was he stands upon the Sea and upon the Earth and lift up his hand to Heaven and whom sweares he by by Him that lives for ever and ever who created Heaven and the things that therein are and the Earth c. his Oath is by the Eternall Creator and what sweares he Par. in loc that there should be time no longer to wit that Antichrist should be ruined his adherents scattered Let my closing counsell be in the words of Jehosophat to Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem 2 Chron. 20.20 Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall yee be established beleeve his Prophets so shall yee prosper And in his words also 2 Chron. 19.11 to the Priests and Levits Deale couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good the good God with a good cause and a good people and when things are at the lowest let our faith be then at the highest triumphing over dangers and feares because their rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Judges FINIS
safety not onely on a rock for then possibly they might be beaten off by winds and weather but in a rock yea in a strong Tower within a rock The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runne into it and are safe Againe this discovers the folly of insulting enemies they see weak Israel but not the strong rock of Israel were their eyes opened to see the thousands of fiery Chariots upon the Mountaines they would say there were more for Israel then against it the Arke is with Israel and where the Arke goes â— Sam cap. 5. there goes victory and if the Philistins doe by a permissive providence take the Arke and runne away with it the curse of God followes them they set it in the house of Dagon and then down fals Dagon they carry it from Ashdod to Gath from Gath to Ekron but still the plague of Emrods vexeth them and a very great destructioin fals upon the place where the Arke comes and the Philistins are never at quiet till they have returned the Arke back again to Israel Psal 137 7. Obad. ver 3.4 Edom cries against Jerusalem Rase it rase it even to the foundations thereof but what saith the rock of Israel against Edom The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is high that saist in thy heart Who shall bring me downe to the ground though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle and though thou set thy nest among the Stars thence will I bring thee downe saith the Lord. Lastly this shewes whence it is that Israel flies or fals at any time before their enemies Ferus Declam in Deut. Deus vendâ—dâ—t binc quod pauâ—i saepe multos supereat imo etiam quod Turcae supâ—rarunt Christiani Deut. 32.30 that a few men of Ai rout the thousands of Israel yea that the very Turks over-run Christians it is because the rock of Israel forsakes Israel How should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight except their rock had sold them and the Lord had shut them up the sinne of Israel makes the God of Israel * Junius Alicnis Doâ—inis subjecit to sell off Israel to part as it were with his property in Israel and to put them into the hands of enemies to be seeming owners of them and Lords over them Yea the Lord is forced to sell his people for a thing of nought Psal 44.12 as the Church complaines God is as it were weary of his people and puts them off upon any tearmes God is said not to shut up wheÌ„ not deliver his into the hands of enemies Psal 31.8 c. the enemy never makes a purchase of Israel till God sels off Israel the enemy may catch and catch at Israel but in vaine till God gives up Israel into their hands the enemy never captives Israel till the Lord shuts up and imprisons Israel in the power of the enemies but why doth the rock forsake Israel because Israel forsakes his rock It is but the dizzinesse of our braines to think that the rock leaves us when indeed we leave that Israel beleeves not that God will carry on his work notwithstanding all the signes and wonders wrought for Israel Israel stoopes to a base compliance with Ashur Israel murmures for peace as of old Numb 14. against Caleb and Joshua when they saw that the sword must decide the controversie between them and the Canaanites We have a generation that are mad upon peace any peace rather then faile the bloudy peace of Ireland and that upon any termes though they part with the Gospel of peace and the God of peace to make the purchase Beloved should such a degenerous spirit prevaile among those that are intrusted with the great affaires of Church and State which the Lord forbid then would the generation of the faithfull say with sad hearts and weeping eyes come let us pack up and be gone and farewell England and this should be my prophesie Isa 17.9 10. There shall be great desolation because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation and hast not beene mindfull of the rock of thy strength Oh! it is a sad thing to see the rebellion of a child constraine a loving father to give up the child into the bloudy hands of an enemy inraged against child and father Vse 2 In the second place this may be for triall whether or no the rock of Israel be our rock And this will be a ground of rejoycing for property and interest is the ground of comfort First this rock without us if ours breaks the rock within us that naturall hardnesse of heart and rebellion of spirit against God this rock turnes thy rock into a standing water to wit thy hard heart Psal 114.8 alluded to into constant meltings and mournings for sinne it turnes thy flint into a fountaine of waters but if all the counsels of the word fall upon thy heart as the seed upon the rock Luke 8.13 Jer. 5.3 if God smite thee with a rod and thou be not grieved yea consume thee and yet thou refusest to receive correction yea makest thy face harder then a rock and refusest to return if neither Gods speaking to thy rocky heart in a word of instruction nor his smiting of thy rocky heart with a rod of correction doth make thee break and yeeld before him then hast thou for the present cause enough to question thy comfortable right unto or thy saving interest in this rock of Israel Againe if Israels rock be thy rock then hast thou a high prizing of a fast cleaving to this rock of Israel a prizing of it as the Merchants Pearle yea as a rock of Pearle a cleaving to it as a drowning man hangs upon a rock sticks to it and if he dies dies there with his armes grasping and hands clinging as it it were pulling and haling the rock unto him a beleever looks upon God in Christ as his richest treasure which he most prizes as his safest resuge Exod. 17. to which he cleaveth That rock in the Wildernesse which the Heathen lookt upon as a bare hard stone of no worth or value that very rock by Israel was eyed as a fountaine of life to them and was of great esteeme among them and that Christ who being in this world as in a Wildernesse was lookt upon by the men of the world Isa 53.2 as without form or comlinesse as if there were no beauty in him why he should be desired that very Christ is lookt upon by beleevers as the chiefe corner-stone 1 Pet. 2.6 elect and precious All mankind having suffered shipwrack in Adam Christ appeares as a planck to carry us to shoare nay as a rock to secure our selves in the Gospel is as a finger pointing us unto or as a hand leading and carrying us unto and setting us upon the rock Christ and then O what
fixed trusting in the Lord. Trust not in * Such they used to fight to of old Charets cald by the Greeks a Weem Chr. Syn. Psal 33.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they held two nor yet in horses though strong and swift they are vaine things to save a man neither shall they deliver any by their great strength but remember the name of the Lord your God trust in that God who once helpt the poore distressed Romans against Rhadagaisus King of the Goths when in oneday above an hundred thousand Goths were slaine Austin de civ Dei l. 5. c. 23. Ne uno quidem non extincto sed nec vulnerato Romanorum Isa 42.8 the King and his sonnes taken prisoners yet not one of the Romans slaine no nor wounded trust in that God who hath ingaged his very God-head his I AM for Israels good I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another neither my praise to graven Images Againe let me beseech you for the Lords sake to study singlenesse of heart and abhorre private-selfe respects in managing the publike cause of God startle at the very thoughts of hedging in your owne ends or personall advantages in point of honor Rem magnam p. aestas Zoile si boeus es Austin Qui contemnit judicia laudatium contemnit suspicantium temeritatem gaine or command either for you or yours to be squint-eyed and selfe-aimed in transacting the great affaires of God and his Church stands not with a love of Truth and Peace move upon pious principles goe on with plaine honest hearts neglect the judgement of those that praise you and contemne the rashnesse of those that censure you who would not be faithfull in the cause of God and in the quarrell of his people when they see others to be faithfull slaves and vassals to the Pope and Devill M. Reguli fidetuas inimâ—câ—â— faceret nos fideles Deo hominibus Who would not be faithfull by the light of grace to God and the Godly his friends when Mar. Regulus a Heathen by the light of nature was faithfull to his very enemies Honoured Patriots I will hold you no longer in the gate or Preface but humbly intreat you to hoise up your sailes of pious resolutions or if up already doe not narrow them much lesse take them quite downe for all the prayers in the world that are worth the having are yours and make up a full gale to carry you on amaine you shall ride over all the waves and billowes of contradictions and oppositions whatsoever Wherefore be clothed with Christian fortitude and magnanimity of spirit as with armour of proofe Watch yee stand fast 1 Cor. 16.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quit your selves like men be strong you have to deale with adversaries which are slie and subtile therefore watch which are unwearied which never have done therefore hold out stand fast which are stout and hardy therefore quit your selves like men be strong to break through difficulties and dangers though many 1 Cor. 15.58 mighty Be stedfast immovable alwaies abounding in this work of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord be stedfast by faith founded upon Christ as a house built upon a Rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence be immovable unshaken by winds or weather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by feares or flatteries be abounding and alwayes abounding in this work of the Lord know you can never doe enough for that God who hath done so much for you and will doe yet more also let your hearts be alwayes flaming with love and zeale for God his cause and glory let your heads and hands be alwayes working and know for your comfort and incouragement God will abundantly reward you What though you spend your time your strength your estates God will recompence it even seven-fold into the bosome of you and yours your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. Consider the goodly man-child of Reformation is come nigh unto the birth it will be your comfort and honour unto eternity upon pious principles to midwife it unto a safe delivery let the feare of God put you upon the work Exod 1.21 alluded to and then he shall make you houses shall multiply your children inlarge your estates make your names and families great from generation to generation God is for us who can be against us the condition of England and Scotland is as of old the case of Israel and Iudah we were opprest together and all that took us captives held us fast Jer. 50 33 34. they refused to let us goe but our Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his Name he shall throughly plead our cause that he may give rest to our Land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon so prayes so hopes Yours to serve you because you are Christs and the Publickes EDMUND STAUNTON Die Mercurii 24. April 1644. IT is this day Ordered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament That Sir Robert Harley and Sir Robert Pye doe from this House give thanks unto Doctor Staunton and Master Green for the great paines they took in the Sermons they preached this day at Saint Margarets Westminster at the intreaty of this House it being the day of publike Humiliation and they are desired to Print their Sermons And it is Ordered that none shall presume to Print their or either of their Sermons but by the authority of their hands writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I authorise Christopher Meredith to Print my Sermon EDMUND STAUNTON A SERMON Preached at the LATE FAST Before the Honorable House of COMMONS DEUT. 32.31 For their rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Iudges THe words are a sweet straine in a Song of Moses full of faith and triumph and suite well enough with a day of mournings for the a Lev. 25.9 Jubile trumpet sounded in the day of Atonement and our lowest humiliations are the inlets of our highest exaltations Wee may looke upon the text as a b Tostat in Loc. Caution laid in to prevent the insulting and blaspheming language of a sometimes prevailing enemy who might vaunt and say Our Arme hath broken Israel and our gods are victorious No. saith Moses ver 30. How should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight except their Rock had sold them and the Lord had shut them up to wit c According to the promise made to Israel Lev. 26.7.8 See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in loc lun in loc one Israelite could not but chase a thousand enemies and two could not but put ten thousand to flight except their rock had sold them and the Lord had shut them up Or thus there is an impossibility that one of the enemies should chase a thousand Israelites or two put ten thousand to flight except
hold a Feast Exod. 5.1.3 and to offer Sacrifice to the Lord our God that is the quarrell of Religion they groaned under the heavie iron yoake of bondage longed to have that taken off that is the quarrell of Liberties Our Religion and Liberties are setled by the lawes of the Land not so Israels in Egypt and therefore the Antichristian party in their attempts to wrest them from us are more unjust and cruell then of old was Egypt Had Moses and Aaron quitted their Religion and Liberties all the quarrell between Israel and Egypt had been ended and would our Lords and Commons now at length after serious consultation and mature deliberation resolve for themselves and all the Kingdome to imbrace any Religion and submit to any way of Civill Government which a Malignant Jesuited Councell too nigh the Throne would tender or impose would the Protestant party in City and Countries conclude upon it to make all their wils and to leave no other Legacies to their children and posterity but Popery and Slavery upon these termes we might have peace presently even our bellies full Fifthly the way of Egypts oppressing Israel was by secret subtilties and open hostilities Come on say they let us deale wisely with them a Exod. 1.10 there is subtilty they fell upon them but with all their strength even all the Chariots of Egypt b Exod. 14.7 there 's hostility and surely the Egyptian spirits amongst us are wise in their generations and have as many charets as possible they can get for love or money want no counsell or strength with which men or devills Rome or Hell knowes how to furnish them Sixthly Egypts greatest plague of all was unseen unselt unlamented to wit hardnesse of heart and impenitency though Moses and Aaron held out a cleer light for conviction though signs and wonders were wrought before them and plagues from heaven heapt upon them yet hardned they their hearts against God and his people and would not let Israel goe Our Presses and Pulpits have held out a light satisfactory to all but such as shut their eies and will not see but such as the God of this world hath blinded our Parliamentary Worthies have declared and declared yea God himself hath declared against Egypt and for Israel by his discovery of plots by the rising of well affected spirits in this and the neighbour Nation and that according to promise Behold Numb 23.24 the people shall rise up as a great Lyon and lift up himself as a young Lyon he shall not lye down untill he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slaine by wonderfull deliverances and victories in the days of battel yet who among all the Malignant Pack repents him of his evill ways saying What have I done Some indeed repent of their facts who of their faults some turne up and down from side to side upon carnall felfish principles as a doore upon the hinges but who goes out and weeps bitterly Rev. 16.10 11. When the fifth Angell powred out his viall upon the seat of the beast and his kingdome was full of darknesse they gnawed their tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds and it argues that the troublers of Israel are animated and acted by the spirit of the Beast because though they fret and fume rage and rave yet they also repent not of their deeds Among many of them scarce appears the honesty of Achan of Judas confessing and giving glory to God Lastly The fatall stroak upon Egypt was the drowning of them in the Red sea Exod. 1. last their design was to have drowned the male children in the rever yea all Israel by forcing them into the sea but by a miracle of mercy Israel was delivered and by the c In quo peccarunt in eodem plectuntur wisdome of divine Justice the Egyptians were overwhelmed and then e Exod. 15.1 2. Moses and all Israel sing a song unto the Lord Even so f Rev. 14.8 Babylon shall fall and that as a great g Rev. 18.21 milstone cast into the sea and then all h Rev. 15.2 3. Israel of God shall stand upon the sea of glasse to wit d Exod. 14. trample Antichristian powers which though many as a sea of waters yet are frayle and brittle as the glasse under their feet having the Harpes of God in their hands and and the song of Moses and of the Lamb in their mouthes saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints c. Thus as in a paire of Indentures cut answers cut and as in the water face answers face so Rome answers Egypt our enemies Israels Obser 2 The second observation propounded was that Israels enemies have a Rock their Rock yet it is but a creature-rock an imaginary rock i Prov. 18.11 The rich mans wealth is his strong city and as a high wall in his conceipt Their creature-rocks are various for methods sake let me thus rank them First the enemy hath creature-rocks of Gods making but their Idolizing men and horses they trust in men because they are many witty mighty the deluded multitudes of men and women in the world Rev. 17.15 make up the many waters whereon the Whore sits to wit people and multitudes and nations and tongues yea all that are ingaged by Antichrist against Christ again because they are witty the wise Statist the deep braind Achitophel and the spirit in the wheeles is the subtile Jesuite yet farther because they are mighty mighty Gentry mighty Nobles and the mighty shadow of the empty name of abused Soveraignty Adde hereunto allies confederates at home or abroad as Ephraim of old went to the Assyrian Hosea 5.13 and sent to King Jareb take in the Papist even to the Frier and the Nun who now sleep not in their cells and cloysters the Prelate the Delinquent the prophane the formalist yea the Welch and Irish and they all drive on the same Catholick design though upon severall grounds some perhaps I hope I speak low enough but some and perhaps of our broken Nobles and decayed Gentry having drunk or diced or drabd away their ancient demeanes hope to raise their Houses again by spoyle and plunder The Papist is carried by a blind zeale and the bloody principles of his Religion the Prelate by his pride and avarice the guilty Delinquent by the feares of Justice the prophane and formalist by their impatience of bearing Christs spirituall yoak in government and worship the poor Welch it may be carryed away by hopes of pay and booties and the Cannibal-Irish by delights in their trade of blood thus are they confederate against thee O Israel the k Ps 83.5.6.7 Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalck the Philistmes with the inhabitants of
that appeared in Eighty eight and against the Powder-treason and of late at Keinton Brainford Glocester Newbery c. that providence which hath brought us out of Egypt will bring us into Canaan if our unbeleeving murmuring ingratefull or selfe-seeking hearts make not our carcasses to fall in the wildernesse Psal 22.1 let us take up Davids arguing Our fathers trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them and the reasoning of Mancahs wife Judges 13.23 If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things c. Observ 4 The fourth observation which lies clearly and expressely in the Text is that There is no comparison between the enemies rock and the rock of Israel their rock is not as our rock First compare the Idols of the enemies with the God of Israel and you will find First Henr. Wolâ—hâ— in v. 4. Rupes non arte aut industria hominum sâ—d suaptâ— natura coâ—sistit Qui colit ille facit Idem ibidem Deum nâ—c hominum astutia superare potest nec potentia srangere idque à seipso Ferus declam in Deut. Deus noster iniquitatem odit deserentas se de serit Tostat in locum Our enemies Judges that is judicii divini executores Corn. à Lapide Inulta sinunt suorum cultorum peccata Piscat in loc non vindicant fui contemptum quippe nec possunt that our rock hath his being from himselfe his name is I AM Idols are made by the Art and industry of men the hewer cuts downe a tree and of one peece of wood makes a fire and of another makes a god the Carver and the Painter and the worshipper makes the Idoll Secondly our rock is solid immutable in himselfe in his Decrees his power breaks all powers his wisdome goes beyond all policies whereas Idol-gods you may breake them in peeces grind them to powder and make Idolaters to eate and drinke downe those gods they have worshipped Thirdly our rock hates iniquity and doth punish it in any the enemies see it for often God makes them to be Judges over Israel to wit the executioners of divine judgements and some thinke this is the truth also which the Text points at And in this sense the Assyrians Chaldeans Romans were as enemies unto so Judges over Israel * But Idol-gods neither hate sin nor punish sin in any and the reason is given Cornel. è Lapid Impâ—tentes sunt ut alicui benefaciant aut malefaciant Rabanus Maurus lib. 4. in Deut. Idola fâ—lsa inutilia from the ignorance and impotency of Idols Fourthly our rock is a God of truth and goodnesse the Idoll rocks are rocks of lies and vanities no way beneficiall to their deluded worshippers Secondly compare all the enemies creature-rocks whatsoever with Israels Creator-rock their imaginary rock with Israels reall rock you will see the transcendent excellency of this rock of Israel First our rock is a foundation-rock to build upon Mart. 7.24 25. the wise man the beleever builds his hopes and happinesse upon this rock and when the raine descends the floud comes and the winds blow and beat upon his house yet it fals not because it is founded upon a rock but the foole the unbeleever the formalist though he seeme to raise a goodly frame a faire pile of building yet when the storme comes the house fals and great is the fall of it Verse 26 27. Job 39.27 28. alluded to and all because it was not built on the rock but on the sand The Eagle-like Christian gets upon the wing by beleeving and sores aloft in heavenly meditations and affections and makes his nest on high he dwels and abides on the rock upon the cragge of therock and the strong place Secondly our rock is a sheltering rock securing us from any from all our enemies Psal 94.22 David hides himselfe in a rock from Saul and he cries the Lord is my defence Psal 104.18 and my God is the rock of my refuge the rocks naturall are a refuge for the Conies if the Dog or danger appeare they pop into their holes and so are safe Prov. 18.10 Hen. Wolphi tutum est omnibus qui in eam confugiunt praesidium quò nec miles ascendere nec belli tormina trahi pussunt Leigh Crit. sac in vet Test Isa 33.16 and this spirituall rock is a refuge for beleevers when dangers and feares come they earth and burrough themselves in Christ and the name of the Lord is their strong Tower they runne into it and are safe God is a strong rock indeed no breaking through it an high rock no climbing up or scaling it no drawing up of Cannon or warlike engins against it he is a sure rock and some fancie it that our English word sure is borrowed from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rock thus Israel dwels on high and his place of defence is the munitions of the rocks c. Thirdly our rock is a shadowing rock from the scorching heate of divine indignation and from the dazling glory of Gods essentiall Majesty so in the prophesie * Isa 32.2 Exod. 33.18.20 alluded to A man to wit Christ shall be as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land Moses saith to God Shew me thy glory God answereth thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live but behold saith God I will put thee in the clefts of the rock and cover thee with my hand and thou shalt see my back-parts c. God puts beleevers into Christ as into the clefts of the rock in him they see the Godhead vailed they behold the back-parts of God and live Fourthly our rock is a watering rock to coole the fired to quench the thirsty to cleanse the defiled to revive the fainting soule that comes unto him Exod. 17. Numb 20. We read of Israel wrangling with Moses for water twice and of Moses smiting the rock twice first in Cadesh in the second moneth after Israels going out of Egypt and the other in Rephidim in the seventh moneth the waters that flowed upon the first smiting gave present refreshing and then vanished but the waters which gushed out of the rock in Rephidim continued and followed the Camp of Israel in all their march and Israel where ever they pitcht their Tents made pits to receive and hold those waters Numb 21.18 Petrae aquatilem sequelam as Tertullian lib. de Patient 1 Cor. 10.4 yea the Princes digged the Well the Nobles of the people digged it and Israel dranke of the rock that followed them And this rock was spiritually a type of Christ so the Apostle he was the rock smitten in his death and passion from him the waters of life flowed and flow after all the Camps of Israel in all places in all ages we must make pits and digge Wels also get
prizing of Christ what cleaving to Christ the voyce of David is the voyce of every beleeving soule Psal 122.2 3. The Lord is my rock in him will I trust c. Lastly he that hath a property in this rock builds upon it by acts of faith and by renewed obedience he that heares and doeth Matt. 7.24 c. he builds wisely laies Christ the rock for a foundation and so builds roome after roome story upon story grace upon grace justification as it were the first story Sanctification the second glorification the highest even as high as Heaven and all this upon and from the rock the Lord Jesus Christ Vse 3 In the next place what hath beene delivered speakes comfort to beleevers who are in this rock I may say to each of them if there be any comforts in God in Christ in promises in providence it s all thy portion if thou wantest whereon to build all thy hopes God in Christ is a rock of foundations if enemies annoy thee men or Devils he is a rock of defence and shelter if the sense of thy sinne and Gods wrath lies burning and scorching upon thy spirit he is a rock of shade to coole and refresh thee if thou hunger and thirst after righteousnesse assurance of Gods love peace of conscience increase of grace c. he is a watering rock a feeding rock to thy soule onely speak to the rock by prayer and smite the rock by acts of saith and the living waters of consolation will flow abundantly upon thy soule yea suck this rock lay thy mouth close unto it thou shalt suck honey out of it even the sweetest graces and consolations that thy soule can wish for if thou fearest thou shalt fall off from the rock fall quite away then know thou art in that rock that is a rock of Ages thy safety lies not in thy holding the rock but in the rocks holding thee this rock of Ages will preserve thy soule to all eternity Israel murmured rebelled the rock onely is smitten mankind sinned Christ onely suffered and that God which gave waters out of a rock to rebels for a corporall temporall salvation gives waters of life out of Christ more freely and abundantly to beleevers for their salvation spirituall and eternall God put Moses into the rock and laid his hand upon the hole of the rock kept in Moses and he was safe God puts beleevers into Christ by election from eternity and by a hand of love of power and providence holds them in Christ safe to eternity Solace thy selfe against the guilt of sinne the horror of conscience the curses of the Law the malice of Satan and all the powers of Hell O thou trembling and yet beleeving soule Cant. 2.14 thou art as the Dove in the clefts of the rock safe from all these fowles of prey that would devoure you the portion of every beleeving soule is what Balaam laies out as the portion of the Kenites Numb 24.21 Ainsw thinks there is 〈◊〉 to the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a nest Strong is thy dwelling place and thou puttest thy nest in a rock the Kenite thought himselfe secure because he dwelt by Israel O how great is the safety of a beleever who dwels in the God of Israel Vse 4 The same truth which sparkles out comfort to the friends sends forth flames of terror upon the enemies of God his Christ his Cause his People they beat as waves against this rock but dash themselves in peeces the same Hebrew word that signifies a rock signifies also an edge a sharp knife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Exod. 4.25 Zipporah took a sharp knife or stone or stone so that al opposers of God in his Cause people do but run upon the knives point upon the edge of Gods sword which he wil sheath and fat in the bowels will bath and make drunk in the bloud of his enemies The privative misery of the ungodly or enemies is that this rock will not save them the positive misery that this rock will break them the murmuring Israelites drank of the rock in Rephidim as well as the beleeving but of the spirituall rock Christ and of the waters of life flowing from Christ none drink but beleevers only Gideon slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb and God will slay and sacrifice idolaters upon their Idols Judges 7.25 that rock which is a rock of defence to Israel proves a stone of stumbling 1 Pet. 2.8 a rock of offence to the enemy who stumble at the word being disobedient and that by the designe of God the Father Rom. 9. last who hath laid in Sion this stumbling stone this rock of offence Heare and tremble at that terrible Proclamation of vengeance Matth. 21.44 Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever this stone shall fall it shall grind him to powder whosoever be he Prince or Potentate shall fall upon this stone shall justle or brush against this corner stone Christ shall be scandalized at him shall oppose and persecute him in his members in his ordinances in his work of Reformation shall be broken it may be in his judgement be crased in his intellectuals filled with errours broken in his morals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza observes out of Arist that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were such things as being broken fell into small peeces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza ad verbum ventilabit i. ita comminuet ut paltae sordes minutissimae ventilabr◠excussae given up to vile affections broken in his name and his state with dishonour and penury There is a dreadfull Emphasis in the originall against him he shall be broken all in peeces into small shivers and fitters as glasse ice or earthen vessels irreparably with a barre of iron but on whomsoever this stone shall fall it shall grind him to powder this word also hath a dreadfull emphasis in it and implies the grinding of him so small that he may be cast as dust into the aire and the wind scatter him The poore man is in a sad case when a great man his enemy fals upon him with all his power it beggers him and his makes him to flie his countrey and become a vagabond the troublers of our Israel look upon it as a thing full of terrour to have Parliamentary justice fall upon them and therefore stand it out to the death and chuse rather to be cut off by the sword of warre then that of justice as deeming it a lesser staine to their bloud and families to fall by the bullet or the sword then to die under the axe or halter oh then how dreadfull and bitter a thing must it needs be for any to live and die in their naturals upon whom Christ this great rock will fall in the day of judgement with the fulnesse of his fury they who now are not hid in the rock shall not then be hid from the rock but