Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	earth_n	lord_n	soul_n	10,053	5	4.7640	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00746	The calling of the Ievves A present to Iudah and the children of Israel that ioyned with him, and to Ioseph (the valiant tribe of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel that ioyned with him. The Lord giue them grace, that they may returne and seeke Iehovah their God, and Dauid their King, in these latter dayes. There is prefixed an epistle vnto them, written for their sake in the Hebrue tongue, and translated into English. Published by William Gouge, B. of D. and preacher of Gods word in Blackefryers. London.	Finch, Henry, Sir, d. 1625.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1621 (1621)	STC 10874; ESTC S102095	158,276	326

himselfe to be exalted by any thing that so poore sillie wormes of the earth are able to do And how should this whet our affections and set an edge vpon vs to performe so holy a dutie to him Thee In the manifold changes and confusions that fall out in the world we must haue our recourse to God They that haue no heart to praise God it is a token they haue neuer felt how sweet and gratious he is Iehovah thou art my God The foundation of all our prayers praises of God standeth vpon these two grounds and props his power and his will He is able to do vs all good For he is Iehovah Lord of heauen and of earth His will we can not doubt of For he is our God and Father through Christ Both these pillars we are taught to rest vpon in that holy heauenly and peerelesse prayer Our Father which art in heaven My God Here is the faith of a Christian when truly and from his heart in the sinceritie of his soule he can say with Thomas Ioh. 20. my God and my Lord appropriating to himselfe the promises of God in Christ So could not wicked Saul do who so oft saith vnto Samuel Iehovah thy God 1 Sam. 15. 21 30. as being himselfe none of his This maketh our faith differ from the faith of Diuels and from the faith of all carnall Gospellers For thou hast done The mightie and memorable acts of God deserue and are most worthy alwayes to be had in remembrance for he hath so wrought his wonderfull workes that he hath purchased a memoriall for them saith the Psalmist Psal 111. 4. They that are negligent and forgetfull make God as much as lyeth in them to loose this purchase which can neuer be Wherefore it is a thing too too intolerable though nothing be more common in the world for men to be so attentiue to their owne priuate affaires that they neuer heede the glorious acts of God which he euery day sheweth forth in the world for men to behold as in a glasse his glory in them Whereunto we are directed by our Prophet and a doore as it were and window here set open things pointed at which we must open our eyes to see For as the Apostle writeth to the Romanes Rom. 1. the invisible things of God are manifested in them His power truth wisedome iustice maiestie and mercy Wonderfull things When we see strange and marueilous things wonderfull in our eyes incredible to flesh and bloud there is the finger of God his power and his might Councels long ago When we finde the same long before many ages past prophecied and foretold as purposed from eternitie not sodainly and by chance rushed into what a prouidence and care is this ouer his Church and people what a depth of wisedome in so ordering and disposing of them Are faith trueth When his promises so long waited for and expected come in due time to be performed there is his faithfulnes and trueth To teach vs not to faint nor cast off our faith and confidence but though he linger yet to waite For comming he will come and will not defer Abacuc 2. 3. 2. For thou hast brought a Citie c. When we see mightie Nations strong and fensed Cities that lend the arme of their strength and power to the oppressing of Gods people to haue their hornes broken and to be laid euen with the ground that there remaineth not so much as a shard to fetch one cole of fire in a ruine neuer to be repaired behold a moment of his iustice 3. The mightie people the terrible nations What a God must we needs say is this of maiestie and glory that wringeth out of the mouth of the wicked and vngodly a confession of his praises and maketh the false-hearted tyrants that haue beene so awfull and terrible to his people to counterfeit a subiection and will they nill they to doe his Church seruice Esay 60. 14. 4. Thou hast beene a fense to the poore c. When the hearts of his poore distressed seruants in the middest of their heauinesse and sorrowes receiue aboundance of comfort are kept as it were in the Lyons denne and in the middest of the hot burning fornace that God is as a wall of brasse round about to gard and to defend them lo the riches of his mercie and goodnes And this maketh a high and mightie wall of difference betweene prophane worldlings and Gods children For euen they are amazed many times at the wonderfull things that God bringeth to passe in the gouernment of the world But none can indeed profit by the workes of God but such as haue their eyes opened to behold the things before remembred When the blast God is a helpe in affliction very ready to be found when all humane forces faile the diuine power is most at hand He suffereth his owne that are most deere vnto him to be iustled to the walls yea to be as an old and tottering wall readie to be ouer-turned with the blasts and violence of the wicked as the Church complaineth in the Psalmes Psal 66. 12. Thou hast made men to ride ouer our heads But in the meane time he hath the bridle and holdeth the reynes in his owne hands to curbe and keepe them in when they would go too farre passe the metes and bounds that he hath set them Then commeth his helpe as we say in the nike most sweet and comfortable as the shadow is to one that walketh and trauelleth in the heate of the day when the Sunne scorcheth most 5. Thou hast brought downe God is he that bringeth downe the rage and furie of the wicked and for all the stir and adoe they keepe stilleth and quieteth the waues of their haughtie and restles Spirits that they can doe his Church no hurt Many a time haue they afflicted me euen from my youth may Israel now say Many a time haue they afflicted me euen from my youth but could not praeuaile against me Psal 129. 1 2. Which did answer We must looke whilest we are in this world to be maliced of the wicked and vngodly They loue a life and it is meat and drinke vnto them to see Gods people buffeted and tormented as the Edomites did which the Prophet reprehendeth in them Obadia vers 12. the Church complaineth of in the Psalmes Psal 137. 7. So hath there alwaies bin in the world a perpetual trucelesse war between the seed of the woman the seed of the the serpent Kain that was of the wicked one and Abel the righteous the sonnes of God and the children of men figured in Rebecca a type of the Church in whose wombe two nations were diuided and the children rushed and dashed one against another That as within we haue a battell the spirit striuing and fighting against the flesh so without wee haue the world that rageth and maligneth vs. The reason is because our losses they take to be their owne gaine and thinke

it is said Rom. 11. 15. which the Apostle in that place calleth life from the dead from the death of sinne and infidelity And therefore is heere gloriously described vnder the form of the generall resurrection Whereunto the Scripture in this argument doth ordinarily allude Ezech. 37. Esay 26. 19. Dan. 12. 2. Hosh 13. 14. Rom. 11. 15. vers 11. 12 13. 14. Though this be not the common condition of all some will remaine obstinate whose end shall bee most iniferable As Dan. 12. 2. vers 15. The fourth and last steppe is the glory of the Christian Iewish Church dwelling in their owne homes when their enemies are once subdued vnder them in the 21. and 22. chapters The last 8. chapters of Ezechiel are of the same argument but as the dispensation of those times made it needfull vnder the shadowes of heauenly things heere more magnificently by heauenly things themselues It was shewed vnto Iohn in two visions first in a kinde of generalitie then more distinctly The former containeth 1. A new face of things in their happy and glorious renouation by the power of the Gospell which shall bring them quite out of loue with their former legall worship chap. 21. 1. as Esay 65. 17. for this passing away of the first heauen and the first earth and that the Sea was no more is that shaking of heauen and earth of the sea and of the dry land whereof Haggai prophesieth Hag 2. 7. 2 The sanctitie of this Citie for first it is altogether New if you compare it with the staynes and blemishes that the Churches of vs Gentiles are tainted with though wee also make a part of the heauenly Ierusalem Gal. 4. 26. Heb. 12. 22. Secondly it is of a diuine off-spring comming downe from God out of heauen Thirdly shee is clothed with the righteousnesse of the Saints as a bride trimmed for her husband verse 2. 3. Gods tabernacle his presence and dwelling there 1. part of vers 3. as Ezechiel calleth the name of the City Iehouah Shammah Iehouah there Ezech 48. 30. 4. His couenant being their God and taking them for his people 2. part of vers 3. 5. Heauinesse and sorrow shall bee taken from them vers 4. as Esay 25. 8. All which things are solemnely confirmed by the authority of him that cannot lye vers 5. 6. 7. Yet euen here also notwithstanding all the illustrious arguments of Gods glory shining so cleerely some will remaine fearefull to professe Christ vnbeleeuers c. as before chap. 20. 15. vers 8. Thus farre of that vision which was in a kinde of generalitie The other more distinct to the beholding whereof Iohn was carried in the Spirit vnto a great high mountaine vers 10. declareth 1. Her glory so great that she shall be the enlightener of the world as Esay 60. 1. 2. vers 11. 2. The elegancie of the City most royally set forth from vers 12. to vers 22. 3. The sincerity of Gods worship No Legall rites which God prescribed for a time much lesse humane ordinances or the inuentions of mans braine I saw saith Iohn no Temple there for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are the temple of it vers 22. 4. A wonderfull light of knowledge as if they were rather taught immediately of God then by booke-learning or the ministry of man They need neyther Sunne nor Moone Candle nor any light for the Lambe himselfe is their light vers 23. 5. As she giueth ver 11. so the Nations shall receiue light from her 1. part of vers 24. 6. The honour they shall doe vnto her bringing all their glory to adorne this City for which purpose the gates shall be open day and night for there is no cause to feare any thing 2. part of vers 24. 25. 26. 7. The purity of Church-discipline that no impure or vncleane thing shall enter thither vers 27. 8. Plenty of spirituall graces through the pure streams of liuing water flowing out of the throne of God chap. 22 vers 1. by the tree of life Christ Iesus most fruitfull in it selfe most medicinable vnto others the very leaues whereof are able to heale all the diseases and vlcers of the soule vers 2. Compare Zach. 14. 8. and Ezek. chap. 47. But where Zacharie speaketh of waters flowing out of Ierusalem Ezekiel out of the Temple Iohn expoundeth both to be meant of the throne of God and the Lamb that is from the grace and fauour of God in Christ 9. Sanctitie of life There shall be no cause of the heauie censure of Gods Curse against any 1 part of vers 3. 10. Constancie in Gods seruice 2. part of vers 3. 11. A sweet and ioyfull communion with God They shall see his face 1. part of vers 4. 12. Such a starre of excellency shining in them as maketh Gods glory most euident and conspicuous His name shall be written in their forehead 2. part of vers 4. 13. A wonderfull light of knowledge as before Reu. 21 23. 1 part of vers 5. 14. And lastly Perpetuity of their happinesse and of Gods glorious presence raigning for euer in and among them 2. part of vers 5. wherewith Ezechiel also doth conclude AN EXPOSITION Vpon the 24. 25. 26. and 27. Chapters of the Prophet ESAY Together with some few Obseruations thereupon 1. Behold IEHOVAH emptieth the land and layeth it waste and turueth it vpside-downe and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof 2. And it shall be as with the people so with the Priest as with the seruant so with his master as with the maid so with her mistresse as with the buyer so with the seller as with the lender so with the borrower as with the taker of vsury so with the giuer of vsury to him 3. The land shall be cleane emptied and vtterly spoyled for IEHOVAH hath spoken this word 4. The land shall mourne and fade away the inhabited world shall languish and fade away she haughty people of the land shall languish EXPOSITION THese foure Chapters containe one whole and entire Prophesie It hath two deuided members One of the reiection of the Iewes the other of their receiuing in the last daies into the flocke of Christ The reiection in the first 20. verses of the 24th chapter setteth forth the most wofull desolation that any storie can giue example of Which though it be of things to come many hundred of yeares after the Prophet as one that saw them in the Spirit as if they were then done vttereth not onely in the future but sometimes in the present sometimes in the time past by an Idiom proper to the Prophets to note how certaine they are to take effect This threatned desolation is garnished and set forth fiue manner of waies First needs must it be a matter of some rare and maruellous consequence that Behold the O-yes of the Holy Ghost is set

set forth by a heape and multitude of euils as it were with one breath instanced in six particulars 1. All manner of euill shall come Feare or a horrible fearfull and feared euill the feare whereof is worse then the thing we feare the pit sodaine and vnlooked for mischiefe the snare out of which there will be no getting out 2. One mischiefe shall come vpon the backe of another that tone or tother none shall scape 3. Heauen and earth shall fight against them and conspire to do them mischiefe 4. A terrible confusion shall be seene All turned topsie turvie Euery thing shall go to wracke 5. Transmigration and flitting vp and downe To be a renegate people The land that is the inhabitants of the land tossed and tumbled from one place vnto another as a lodge that is made but for a night and taken away againe 6. A desperate and vnrecoverable downefall Their transgression that is the punishment of their transgression as a heauy burden so pressing and weighing them downe that their end shall be vtter ruine a fall neuer to be repaired Alwaies vnderstanding this one exception vnlesse it be by the mightie hand and power of God visiting his people as sometimes he did their fore-fathers oppressed with the hand and intollerable bondage of the land of Aegypt Of which restitution our Prophet speaketh in the verses following Obseruations God hath multitudes of Iudgements at command his quiuer full of arrowes and varietie of shafts to dart at the wicked 17. Feare 39. The stoutest gallant must stoope and vayle his bonnet he whose heart is as the heart of a Lyon shall feare when he threatneth Pit 40. Miserable men that promise to themselues all happinesse prosperity shall tumble into the pit of Gods Iudgements ere they be aware for when they say peace and safety then shall come vpon then sodaine destruction as to a woman with childe and they shall not escape 1. Thes 5. 3. Snare 41 And when they are once caught and snared in his traps there is no meanes to rid them out his handstretched forth who can turne away Esay 14. 27. 18. He that 42 Let none think to escape the stroke of his arme one way or other the Iudgements of God will reach him He that findeth fauour profiteth not to seeke God by repentāce is but reserued to a further punishment as Amos saith Amos 5. 19. He that flieth for feare of the Lion shall light vpon a Beare and when hee commeth home and leaneth vpon the wall a serpent shall bite him Why then should any man walking in his sinnes flatter his owne soule and promise to himselfe peace and happinesse when the Iudgements he seeth before his eyes to light vpon other are warnings vnto him The windowes c. the foundations c. 43. How great a God haue we to deale withall that hath heauen and earth and the armes of them both at his command he set wide open the windowes of heauen brought a floud vpon the world of the vngodly 2. Pet. 2. 5. He opened the mouth of the earth to swallow vp Kore Dathan Abiram Num. 16. what is he not able to do to work effect his iudgements 19. 20. The land c. 44 Things so ordered disposed as in the iudgement of flesh and bloud must needs endure alwaies he can change and bring vnto confusion The City of Ierusalem how well was it knit and compact together whilest she was in her prime read Psal 122. the same how is it now brought vnto most miserable wast hauock Heauie 45 Obserue the wages of sinne the weight and intollerable burden of it There shall the workers of iniquity fall and neuer rise vp againe Psal 36. 12. 21. And it shall be in that same day Iehoua shall visit the hoast of that lofty one in the lofty place it selfe and the Kings of the earth in this very land 22. And they shall be gathered together as a prisoner into a pit and shall be shut vp in prison and after many daies shall be punished EXPOSITION THe 21th verse and so forward comprehendeth the second part which is the Iewes restoring in two degrees First is the ruine and ouerthrow of their proud enemies vnder whom they were held captiues wherein these circumstances may bee obserued first in how seasonable a time God will send them helpe In that very day the sorest time of their affliction when all strength is gone as Deut. 32. 36. 2. The enemies they shall subdue diuided into two the lofty one himselfe and the Kings his associates Who is this lofty one here spoken of Gog and Magog Reuel 20. 8. or as Ezechiel hath it Ezech. 38. 2. Gog comming out of the land of Magog whom there wee haue shewed to be the Turke Which are the Kings shall come vnto his helpe Daniel nameth beside Aegypt and other places his slaues vassals Lubim and Cushim that is the furthest parts of Lybia and Ethiopia In Ezekiel they are reckoned the Persians Aethiopians Putaeans or men of Cyrene Gomer and the house of Togarma Dan. 11. 43. Ezech. 38. 5. 6. Iohn in the Reuelation Reu. 16. 14. calleth them the Kings of the earth and of the whole world And againe Reu. 20. 8. The Nations that are in the foure Corners of the earth whose number is as the sand of the Sea Will you now take a muster of all this huge Armie the Generall Souldiers their preparation the whole Campe their on set and discomfit read Ezechiel 38. and 39. Thirdly The place where they shall so fall The Generall because he is a lofty one shall fall in as lofty a place as he Harmageddon the mount of delightfulnesse Reu. 16. 16. or Hartesby the mount of Comelinesse within the compasse of the holy land Dan. 11. 45. It may be hee shall haue the honour to fall at the mount it selfe in the valley of Iehosaphat before Ierusalem or mount Tsion Ioel 3. 2. 12. The Kings with him shall fall in the same very land the land of Iudaea which they so scorne But perhaps in some more petty and obscure places as it is most like about the Sea of Gennezareth otherwise called the lake of Tyberias Ezech. 39. 11. 4. The time is after many daies Ezechiel doth explane it Ezec. 38. 7. After many daies thou shalt be visited for in the latter end of the yeares thou shalt come c. This therefore after many daies is to be vnderstood the last age in a manner and period of the world wherein we liue vpon whom the ends of the world are fallen The certaine time is to bee learnt from other Scriptures Dan. 12. 11. 12. Reuel 9. 15. which it belongeth not to this place to discusse But yet two steppes or degrees seeme heere to be closely intimated one the declining of the Turkish power when that huge Empire shall begin to totter fall

themselues can neuer prosper shout out nor flourish so long as the godly hold vp their head Ezech. 26. 2 Because Tyrus saith of Ierusalem ha ha the City of populous gates is broken it is turned ouer to mee I shall bee filled now she is wasted Againe Ezech 36. 2. Because the enemy saith of you of the children of Israell ha ha and the euerlasting high places shall become an inheritance vnto me 6. And Iehoua of hoasts will make vnto all people in this mountaine a feast of fat things a feast of wine in the lees of fat things full of marrow of wine in the lees fined 7. And he will swallow vp in this mountaine the vaile of the face the vayle that is vpon all these people and the couering that is spread vpon all these nations 8. Hee will swallow vp death it selfe vnto victory and the Lord Iehoua will wipe away all teares from all faces and the rebuke of his people will hee take away out of all the land for Iehoua hath spoken it EXPOSITION THE second part of the meditation is the larges of Gods goodnesse to his people the Iewes professing Christ to whom hee will make a great and most sumptuous banquet a banquet magnified and royally set forth by the master of the feast the guests that shall be inuited his Court where he keepeth his boord the cheere and the seuerall dishes to be serued to the table The Master of the feast is Iehouah of Hoasts Such an Ordinary can none keepe but hee Nor is there power in any to giue vertue and foison to those dishes to feed and cheere vp our leane and hungry soules but in God alone The guests are all those people of the Iewes to wit Iudah and the Tribes of Israell that cleaue to him Ioseph where Ephraim had the pre-eminence and the Tribes of Israell that cleaue to him Ezech. 37. 16. c. The calling therefore of the Iewes shall be generall and vniuersall of the X. Tribes as well as of the other Hoshea 1. 11. Ier. 3. 12. 18. Rom. 11. 26. This standing table shall be kept in Mount Tsion the Mount he spake of before chap. 24. 22. really and spirituallie the true Church of Christ gathered of the Iewes returned into their owne country None that come not thither shall taste of those delights But what are the dainties and Iunketting dishes that shall be serued in Generally fat things and wine not of the ordinary and common sort but fat things marrowed as the Hebrew word is not onely full of marrow but picked as it were and culled out of the heart of marrow Wine first in the lees that keepeth the smell the taste and vigor as Ier. 48. 11. Next of the finest and the best by all which I vnderstand first and principally Christ himselfe the true food of our soules whose flesh is meat indeed his bloud drinke indeed the bread that came downe from heauen and giueth life vnto the world In the second place are meant the rich graces of the spirit that God doth bountifully bestow vpon the Saints by the preaching of the Gospell sweeter to the soule then marrow and wine is to the taste as Esay 55. 1. 2. and which then after a more speciall manner he shall endow his owne people with The seuerall seruices take them one by one and see how they doe excell 1. Is the taking away of the hardnesse of their hearts of the couer and mantell that now is spread ouer all these people and nations of the Iewes the blindnesse and ignorance that possesseth them which shall then be done away when their heart shall turne vnto the Lord. So doth Paul explicate this place 2. Cor. 3. 13. 14. 15. which maketh mee rather to apply the generall word all people to the Iewes only as it is taken Zach. 10. 11. then to the fulnesse of the Gentiles who vpon their Call shall submit themselues to Christ 2. The happinesse of this new people shall be as if they were risen againe life from the dead Rom. 11. 15. So cleere and euident demonstration shall there be in them of the last resurrection nay of the second death swallowed vp in victory and conquered for euer no more to domineere ouer those that Christ admitteth to his table 3. All inward heauinesse and outward calamities shall from thenceforth cease Turke nor other Tyrant shall not haue power to oppresse them or the holy truth of God which they professe They shall haue ioy and peace in the holy Ghost So the reuelation chap. 21. 4. applying it to these times doth teach vs to expound it All which things so wonderfull and incredible are shut vp with this to procure faith and credit that the Lord hath spoken it Obseruations 6. And c. The great and excellent things that Christ bestoweth vpon his are most sweet and comfortable compared to a feast a feast of most dainty and delicate things for there are not onely the Word and Sacraments whereby hee feedeth his outwardly but aboundance of inward graces of the Spirit more delightfull to the soule then any meate or drinke can bee vnto the body This is figured in the Law by the Table standing in the Tabernacle Christ maketh one and the same banquet vnto all Mat. 22. Howbeit as men entertaine more honourable guests with greater magnificence then others so this sumptuous banquet heere prepared is specially for the Iewes The same dishes and seruices haue all his children but heere more exquisite plenty and variety a greater riches of Spirituall and heauenly treasures Iehoua will make God is the author of our heauenly vocation hee maketh the feast inuiteth the guests c. Worthily he is called the Lord of Hoasts that doth it for it is a Diuine worke and vertue to draw men to this banquet Though the meat set before them be most sweete and delicate daintier then the sweetest spices fetch from India or Arabia yet men had rather like swine to deuoure swilles and huskes then to feed at the Lords table To all people There is none that Christ refuseth hee biddeth all to come vnto him Math. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden and I will refresh you No sexe no age no condition or sort of men doth hee reiect wherefore mens vnworthinesse ought not to keepe them backe Here the hungry is satisfied the poore and empty soule refreshed In this mountaine But this banquet is to bee had in the Church of God onely like to the table that stood in the Sanctuary Thither we must repaire if we desire to taste of such pleasures This is the priuiledge of Gods people The great ones of the world shall be hunger-starued when they are full fed 7. And he will swallow vp the vaile of the face The elegies and noble commendations of the doctrine of the Gospell 1. As the rising of the Sunne it scattereth the mists of error and darknesse

shall set me with bryar and thorne into battell I will march through it and fire them out of it at once 5. Or he shall take holde of my strength make peace with me peace shall he make with me EXPOSITION THe second step is the Preseruation or Gods prouidence and care of the Church thus planted to be seene three manner of waies First towards the Church it selfe he keepeth it and is as a wall of fire round about Zach. 2. 9. Moreouer he doth water it euery moment by the raine or dew of his Word and grace So he hath his part not onely in her planting but in her watering The second thing is in regard of the enemies of the Church prophane persons lest any such should visit that is to say rudely and vnmannerly rush vpon it he gardeth it night and day The third thing is toward Hypocrites that lurke in the bosome of the Church for all that are of Israel are not Israel Rom. 9. Neither because they are among vs are they therefore of vs. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue abidden with vs saith the Apostle 1. Ioh. 2. 19. But saith God howsoeuer there be in the Church secret enemies which prouoke my wrath by their offences yet will I not therefore suffer mine anger to rise against mine owne heritage I haue waies meanes enough to bring them downe and yet to preserue my people for if any with his briars and thornes that is by his malicious wickednesse doe offend and as it were sting and pricke mee I will eyther in Iustice punish him marching vp and downe in warre-like manner yet warely without touch or preiudice to the Church or force him by true repentance and acknowledgement of his fault to take mee by the arme and hold my hand from striking or sending forth the fire of my wrath that so he may taste my mercy Obseruations 3. I Iehova keepe it God not only planteth but gardeth and protecteth his Church This is her reioysing that she is kept of such a worthy keeper Water it Wee are of our selues as the dry heath as the barren and parched ground vnable to bring any fruit but by speciall watering and Gods blessing The Word of God is that whereby hee watereth his Church and maketh it fertile and fruitfull It is our duty therefore to wait for it with as great earnestnesse as the dry and stony ground doth for raine to fall from heauen Euery moment And this watering must be continually euery moment our hungry bodies haue not so much need of refreshing at their ordinary meales as our thirsty soules haue of this spirituall and heauenly moisture Least any assaile it The Church that is most amiable and worthie to be loued of all is not without deadly and sworne enemies that from their soule seeke her ruine and ouerthrow These enemies are restlesse day and night they watch to doe her mischiefe But our comfort is wee haue one more watchfull then they The watchman of Israell that neyther slumbreth nor sleepeth and who keepeth vs day and night 4. There is no rage There be alwaies hypocrites left in the Church to exercise the faith patience of the Saints God knoweth how to free the godly and to reserue the wicked vnto punishment 2. Pet. 2. Note here three forcible arguments to keepe men from sinne With bryar 1. Sinne is as brambles or bryars to pricke God and to gall him to the heart Set me into battell 2. It biddeth God battell and as a Herauld proclaimeth warre betweene him and vs. And to speake with the Apostle Shall wee prouoke God to wrath are we stronger then hee 1. Cor. 10. 22. Who euer hardened himselfe against God and prospered Iob 9. 4. Fire I will cut him out of her 3. It draweth iudgement vpon our selues yea the vtter ruine and destruction of our soules There be also three forcible arguments to be drawne from hence that should moue vs to repentance answering those former three 5. Lay hold on my strength 1 Where sin bideth battell to God who is too hard for vs. Repentance taketh him by the arme and holdeth his hand that it should not strike vs. And make 2. Where sinne galleth and fretteth God Repentance doth mediate peace with him He shall make 3. It not onely mediateth but procureth firme peace and Concord and so preuenteth his iudgements that would otherwise come vpon vs. 6. As touching those to come hee shall cause Iaakob to take root Israel shall blossome and bud and they shall fill the face of the inhabited world with increase 7. Hath hee smitten him as he smote his smiter or is hee slaine according to the slaughter of those that were slaine by him 8. In measure when thou sendest it forth dost thou debate with it him he taketh away with that his rough blast as in the day of the easterly winde 9. Wherefore by this shall the iniquity of Iaakob be purged and this is all the fruit that he may put away his sinne when he shall make all the stones of the Altar as chalke stones broken in pieces the Groaues and Sunne-images shall not stand vp 10. But his fensed City shall be desolate pleasant habitation dismissed and forsaken like a wildernesse There shall the calfe feede and there lye downe and consume the branches of it 11. When the bough thereof is drie the twigs shall be broken off women shall come and set it on fire for hee is not a people of any vnderstanding therefore he that made him will not haue mercy on him and he that formed him will not shew him grace EXPOSITION THe third step is the Adornation or blessing which hee will bestow vpon the Church planted kept and watered and they are three 1. Stabilitie being fast rooted and fixed that nothing can shake their faith And hereof the Lord himselfe is the Author whose right hand as it doth set and plant them water and manure them so it doth root and make them spread And who then dare offer to plucke them vp 2. Beauty in the goodly spreading and blossoming of their branches 3. Fruitfulnesse and fecundity dispersing farre and neere the fruits of their Faith These blessings are amplified by a dissimilitude of Gods dealing with those Tyrants of whom he spake before and towards his owne people First propounded vers 9. hath God smitten his owne people the Iewes as hee hath smitten the enemy that smote them or are his owne people slaughtered in that kinde as those are slaughtered whose hand God vseth to slaughter them Then is it specified in two instances First in the diuers manner of afflicting With his people God dealeth 1. Moderately and in measure 2. In gentle and louing manner for though he disperse and scatter them into hard and cruell bondage it is but as it were a sending of them forth abroad into the