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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

the ministerie and preaching of the Gospell that the subiects of the King of glory may come in multitudes of their brethren the Iewes to flock euery day to the Lords Assemblies All this by an Apostrophe or turning of the speech to those doore-keepers the Lords Remembrancers Thirdly are mustered their heauenly and spirituall graces fiue in number 1. Righteousnes both imputed and renewed 2. Faith which is the hand or instrument whereby they apprehend this righteousnesse of God in Christ and make themselues true owners and possessors of it Wherein the better to expresse the measure of their faith he calleth it faiths in the plurall as Peter hath godlinesses 2 Pet. 3. 11. The same perhaps which Paul in another case expresseth by the name of all faith 1 Cor. 13. 2. 3. Constancie and perseuerance in this grace wrestling for the faith as Iude speaketh vers 3. And holding of it fast which was the Apostles reioycing 2 Tim. 4. 7. I haue kept the faith 4. The ground of all this a new birth To a frame saith he a heauenly frame one framed and fashioned from aboue that of a wilde Asse colt is made a man by spirituall regeneration as Tsophar speaketh in the booke of Iob. Iob 11. 12. Thou doest reserue c. 5. Trust and confidence with all ones heart soule and thoughts resting and relying vpon the power of God in Christ vpon his strengthning and corroborating Spirit into whose hands God hath committed all things that it is impossible any should perish that betake themselues to him For all our endeauours are able to do nothing It is God alone by whom we are garded walled in and fensed vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1. 5. The fourth remarkable thing in this part is the happinesse and felicitie which God bestoweth vpon his people thus furnished and fitted of heauenly graces peace peace all manner of good things so farre as is for their good Which first shall be most plentifull and aboundant then constant and perpetuall not reserued onely and laid vp in store but kept and preserued firme for euermore by him that is the surest and most faithfull keeper But this peace especially comprehendeth peace of conscience that passeth vnderstanding and is a continuall feast to those that haue it So doth the Prophet expresse in this place that which the Apostle writeth to the Romanes Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God is righteousnes and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost Obseruations 1. In that day The time of Gods mercies ought to be the time of our thanksgiuings We are not to take day for it Song Herevnto we must stirre vp our selues by all good meanes to quicken our dulnes and to set an edge vpon our praises thanksgiuings vsing Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Songs For the voyce and melodious tune is fit to stir vp the affections of the heart and to beget much spirituall and inward joy So shall we vse holily and aright the things that God hath giuen for the comfort and solace of our life In the land Publicke benefits are publikely and of all to be acknowledged Herewith is God well pleased when a whole Nation lifteth vp their voyce topraise God for mercy in common appertaining to them all Of Iehuda The Church onely is capable of this dutie Prophane men and worldlings like swine receiue many blessings but neuer looke vp to the hand that gaue them Of the 10 Lepers that were healed onely one returned to giue glory vnto God Luk. 17. 2. A strong The Church of God is of invincible strength and power Hell gates cannot preuaile against it To vs This is for the comfort of all the faithfull For the promises made to it extend to all the members citizens of the same And thus must we learne to apply to our owne good whatsoeuer we finde written of the Church or of those that dwell therein God hath set But this strength neither Church nor any member haue of themselues or by their owne in herent vertue All commeth from Gods grace and power onely We are weake and sillie wormes to encounter with so great and mightie foes as fight against vs on euery side It is he that doth set his fense about vs and guards our walls and bulwarks Psal 60. 14. Through God we shall doe valiantly and he treads downe our foes Saluations We neede not feare in anything For it it is not slight and small succours we haue from him Saluations all manner of health and safetie he doth minister If one helpe will not do it he is ready with an other Sathan can not haue so many meanes to foylevs as He hath meanes to keepe and hold vs vp 2. Open The preaching of the Gospell is the gate to let in Gods people into the Church and to make them Citizens of the beauenly Tsion Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing This gate must be vnlocked and kept wide open by the Ministers to whom God hath committed the keyes of the house of Dauid to open and to shut For they are set as vpon a watch-towre to keep out enemies that the true Citizens may come in Wherefore a continuall diligence and attendance is to be looked for of such that night and day they stand vpon their watch As that faithfull watch-man professeth of himselfe he did Esay 21. 8. How much are they to blame that neglect so holy a dutie imposed of God vpon them May enter in But as they are thus carefully to attend so it is the peoples part to lye at this doore as the multitude did at the poole of Bethesda Ioh. 5. ready to goe in with the first entrance that they finde Dauid Psal 110. 3. writing of these very times when Gods people shall be wonne to Christ sheweth what ardencie and zeale shall be in them to enter in at these gates Thy people shall flocke most willingly in the day of thy troopes in the comely places of holinesse euen from the wombe from the morning to thee shall flocke the dew of thy youth Righteous The badge and liuerie of Gods people is righteousnesse and holinesse whereby as by a coguisance men may know the Maister whom they serue for this praise belongeth to them alone And here is a true definition of the Church of God and of their liuely members Whatsoeuer faire vertues are to be seene among the worldlings it is but a glosse that quickly fadeth an outside onely that neuer taketh roote Faith For lacking faith that onely purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. it is impossible that they should haue any sound or solide vertue The righteousnes of faith is the onely true righteousnesse In vaine doe men seeke for righteousnes where it can not be had as Pharisees and Iustitiaries doe in their owne perfections For which cause the Apostle rejecteth the Iewes in his time from being the Church of God Rom. 10. 3. Seeking to set vp their owne righteousnes they haue not beene subiect to the righteousnesse of God But when God

Children of Israel and they looke to other Gods and loue flaggons of wine 2. So I bought her me for fifteene shekels of siluer and for an homer and a halfe of Barley 3. And I said vnto her many dayes shalt thou abide for mee play not the harlot nor bee another mans likewise will I for thee 4. For many dayes shall the children of Israel abide without a King and without a Prince and without sacrifice and without a statue and without an Ephod and without Images 5. Afterwards shall the children of Israel returne and seeke Iehouah their God and Dauid their King and fearefully shall come to Iehouah and his goodnesse in the last dayes 1. The second Type not much vnlike former together with the declaration of the Type are both in this Chapter For the Type hee taketh a woman espoused and to bee married but long put off for her adulteries As God hath loued and betrothed the Israelites but for their idolatries a great while neglected them whom yet in the end hee will be pleased to ioyne to himselfe in spirituall marriage It riseth in these degrees First God in bidding the Prophet to loue a woman that had plaid the Adultresse intimateth his loue and purpose to call them home euen when they went a whoring after strange Gods forsaking the true worship seruice of God in Christ That is meant after the manner of those times by looking to other Gods and louing bottles of wine for in those Sacrifices to Idols the manner was to drinke wine aboundantly Secondly the Prophet bought her which I interprete to bee the setting apart of a remnant whom hee would afterwards call with a holy calling and marry vnto himselfe 3. The price he paid 15. pieces of siluer and an homer and a halfe of Barley vnder that the Law requireth for a bond slaue Exod. 21. 32. and slaues onely were saleable noteth her vilde and base condition at the time worse then any slaue whether you consider her spirituall thraldome or miserable dispersion among the nations for of all people in the world they are now the basest most contemptible 3. Fourthly the long continuance of this their slauery hauing beene in that estate almost 1600. yeares since the destruction of their Temple and Citie by Uespasian Fiftly the vtter desolation which shall bee among them all that while by allusion to the law Deut. 21. 13. Sixtly Gods promise to call them home by faith and true repentance at the last in that hee is pleased to stay for them till the time that they also shall be ioyned in spirituall wedlocke 4. Thus farre of the Type The signification of the Type expresseth cleerely First their long desolation and miserable state of things all that while in that they shall haue no forme nor face of Church or Common wealth no not of a corrupt or depraued Church 5. Secondly the promise of their conuersion that in the last dayes or last yeare as Ezechiel hath it Ezech. 38 8. they shall embrace Christ their King who is called heere Iehouah and Dauid kisse the Sonne and with feare and trembling submit themselues vnto his Kingdome for all the while they reiected him they were without God in the world Ephe. 2. 12. CHAP. 4. 1. Heare the word of Iehouah yee children of Israel for Iehouah hath a controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no faithfulnesse nor kindnesse nor knowledge of God in the Land 2. By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they doe breake out that murders touch one another 3. Therefore the Land shall mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall become feeble both the beasts of the field and the foule of the heauen yea also the fishes of the Sea shall bee taken away 4. Yet let not a man contend neither let a man rebuke for thy people are as they that contend with the Priest 5. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day and the Prophet shall also fall with thee in the night and I will cut off thy Mother 6. My people shall be cut off for lack of knowledge because thou hast reiected knowledge I will also reiect thee from being a Priest to me and seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children 7. As they were encreased so they sinned against mee I will changs their glory into shame 8. They eate vp the sinne of my people Therefore vpon their iniquitie doe they set their heart 9. Wherefore there shall bee like people like Priests when I shall visite his wayes vpon him and render vnto him his doings 10. For though they eate yet shall they not haue enough though they commit fornication yet shall they not breake forth in multitude for they haue left of to obserue Iehouah 11. Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart 12. My people aske counsell at their stock that their staffe may tell them for the spirit of fornication causeth them to erre that they goe a whoring turning from their God 13. They sacrifice vpon the toppes of the mountaines and burne incense vpon the hilles vnder the Oake and Poplar and Elme because the shadow thereof is good therefore your daughters play the harlots and your spouses commit adulterie 14. Should I not visite your daughters because they play the harlots and your spouses because they commit adultery Because these with harlots doe separate things which they may sacrifice with whores yes verily the people that doth not vnderstand shall bee ruined 1. Hitherto of the typicall part of this Prophesie That which is declaratiue of the Type standeth vpon two parts as the Type it selfe doth First the sinnes of the people and Gods iudgements vppon them for the same Secondly the promise of grace peace and reconciliation to a little remnant The former of the two hee comprehendeth in three Sermons Whereof the first in this fourth Chapter hath a notable reproofe of the Israelites sinnes three in number vnfaithfulnesse inhumanitie ignorance of God and an enterlaced threatning of Iudgements for the same Both first propounded and afterwards amplified and enlarged 2. Their vnfaithfulnesse and perfidious treachery breaking all the duties of the second Table in most outragious manner like a current or a streame that cannot bee kept within any bounds insomuch that euen bloudshed and murder were growne so common that dead carcases lay by heapes one vpon another 3. But the punishment should bee a wofull calamitie and generall plague vpon the whole Land all the commodities of it 4. Their barbarous inhumanity noted to bee so great that they can abide no reprehension so as it were but lost labour to goe about to admonish them They are so fierce that there is no dealing with them but they doe all manner of wickednesse obstinately and with an high hand and therefore are in as great fault as those that hearken not to the Priest 5. But

vers 19. Which is not meant so much of a temporall subduing as of a spirituall ioyning with them in seeking of the Lord yet so as the chiefe soueraigntie and stroke of keeping men within the lists of their subiection and obedience vnto Christ shall remaine among the Iewes And so Iames teacheth vs to expound those phrases Act. 15. 17. Where that which Amos saith that they the Israelites may possesse the remnant of Edom Iames rendreth that the residue of men may seeke after the Lord. The enemy whom indeed they shall conquer roote out and destroy after they haue groaned long vnder his hard yoke and bondage is not alwaies represented by one and the same name But sometimes more obscurely by one or other of the capitall enemies of Gods people Moab Edom Rabba that is to say the Ammonites Asshur Iauan whether because the holy Ghost would thereby note the cancred malice of that tyrant to the Church or that those which inhabit the seat of these people shall ioyn hands and fall in the same destruction Sometimes his qualities and conditions paint him out Leuiathan a Serpent a Dragon Esay 27. 1. Somtimes you haue him more plainely decyphered either by the countrey from whence he deriueth his pedegree Gog of the land of Magog Ezech. 38. 2. or else by his territorie and dominion the King of the North. Dan. 11. 40. the Dragon which is in the sea Esa 27. 1. But by all these names one and the same enemy is vnderstood which marueylously cleereth the place in Ezechiel chap. 38. 17. where the Lord by his Prophet speaketh to Gog in this wise Art thou hee of whom I haue spoken in ancient time by my seruants the Prophets of Israel which prophecied in those dayes and yeares Hee can not moane himselfe nor Daniel which was but one of his age much lesse Zacharie that came after but hee meaneth the ancient Prophets long before who spake of the same person though not by the same name These things premised we come now to the particulars wherein my meaning is not to open euery hard word or darke and obscure phrase much lesse to endeauour in euery place a full exposition of the text That must bee had from other the godly and learned interpreters But only to point at the heads of those Scriptures and that but so farre as they concerne the thing wee deale with to lead vs by the hand in the discouery of this heigh and heauenly secret for that name the Apostle giueth it Rom. 11. 25. The reader that would profit thereby I desire to haue the text before him as hee goeth The comparing whereof will bring great light to things that otherwise may seeme obscure and that he be not deceiued in the chapters and verses I follow not where any difference is the Hebrew but number them as they are in the English translation Balaams Prophesie Numb 24. 14. to the last verse of the Chapter THE Spirit of God that sate in the mouth of this wicked man mastring and ouer-ruling his tongue to speake things tending heighly to Gods praise and the comfort of his people doth heere vtter a Prophecie of the kingdome of Christ to be set vp among the Iewes in the latter end of the world It is for the maine matter one entire prophecie but broken off by seuerall proems The summe of all is that the Iewes shall destroy their enemies But themselues must before that endure a long and tedious thraldome Notwithstanding which God in the end will set them free giue them a great and glorious victory that the tyrant who keepeth them in subiection shall vtterly be destroyed 1. Wherein obserue the time vers 17. I see it that which I am to say but not now I behold it but not neere How is that He spake it plainer vers 14. I will tell thee what this people shall doe to thy people in the last dayes By which notation of time these things that were to come so long after are wont ordinarily to be expressed Ezech. 38. 16. 8. Esay 24. 22. This being the last and vttermost period of whatsoeuer the Scriptures doe foretell for hitherto and no further reach the holy Oracles of the Prophets Reu. 10. 7. and 16. 17. So this Prophecie can not bee drawen to Dauids temporall kingdome 2 Vnder the conquest of Moab and Edom he pointeth at that conuersion which shall bee of the Gentiles when the Iewes returning to seeke Christ shall subdue and bring vnder his yoke all nations that doe oppose as Esay 11. 14. Ioel 3. 19. Obadia vers 18. Zack 10. 11. To wit Moab Edom Amalek Midian noted by the Kenites and by Kaine the first father of that kindred 3. Those that shall thus preuaile and deale valiantly are Israel and of Iacob or the people of the Iewes that very people out of whom the starre Christ should spring according to the flesh This Prophecie then being of the Iewes of the destruction of their foes and that in the last dayes note in the fourth place he speaketh of bearing rule of a Scepter or a kingdome before which the enemies shall all fall as it is said Dan. 2. 44. It shall destroy and consume all other kingdomes but it selfe shall stand for euer And againe Dan. 7. 9. I saw till the thrones were taken away Which euidently pointeth at the glory and greatnes of the Church that shall be among them 5. Is enterlaced their owne sore bondage which shall be in the meane time for the second part of the 22. verse I read interrogatiuely by an admiration and apostrophe or turning of his speach vnto the Israelites How long shall Ashur hold thee ô Eber of whom he speaketh immediatly in the verses following and whose troupes and squadrons were then before his eyes captiue Notwithstanding all the glory and happines that I now foretell vnder the name of Ashur then in Balaams time the soueraigne Monarch and the first who in truth deuoured Israel comprehending the whole succession of Tyrants euen to this day who consume his very bones as Ieremie speaketh Ier. 50. 17. Wherupon sixtly hee breaketh forth into a lamentation and yet triumphing in the end Alas who shall liue when the mighty God shall order this that shippes from the coast of Cittim shall euen afflict Ashur who afflicted Eber and also he shall for euer perish Hee that shall thus perish is not Eber or the Iew as some Interpreters of great note would haue it for that crosseth the whole scope of Balaams Prophecie but it is the people that afflicted Eber and consequently this is a prohecie of the kingdome of the Iewes who shall maister and ouercome that people which is enough for our purpose But yet in so difficult a piece of Scripture wherein euery man is to haue his iudgement free giue me leaue to doe my best to bring some further light vnto it first I hold it for

and as it were be held in prison by the hand and power of God that they shall not be able to hurt his Church which shall be about the yeare of our Lord 1650. The other expressed by the name of visiting both here and Ezechiel 38. 7. which for cleerenesse sake we translate punishing noteth their vtter ruine and ouerthrow following some 45. yeares after the other as Daniel also doth distinguish them Dan. 12. 11. 12. See Reu. 9. 15. Obseruations 21. In that day 46. The calamities of Gods people are not perpetuall Hee chideth not euerlastingly nor reserueth wrath for euer Psal 103. 9. When their case is most desperate and all humane help faileth then is Gods help ready at hand for them As in the deliuerance at the red Sea and in many other stories is euident to be seene When God hath done afflicting of his children by the hand of the wicked and vngodly he will cast the rod in the fire and render affliction to those that afflict vs 2. Thes 1. 6. Esay 10. 5. c. Woe to Ashur the staffe of my wrath c But when the Lord hath accomplished all this worke in Mount Tsion and in Ierusalem I will visit the fruit of the greatnesse of the heart of the King of Babell and vpon the glory and haughtinesse of his eyes There is an end and period that God hath set to the tyrannle of the wicked Psalm 125. 3. The rodde of the wicked shall not rest vpon the lot of the righteous least c. The day and certaine time is determined how long it shall be giuen them to preuaile against the Saints and then to haue an end He that set the bounds to the raging Sea saying Hether shalt thou come and no farther and here shall the shore set it selfe against the pride of thy waues Iob 38. 11. hath also set the bounds of their preuailing Visit the hoast 50. There is no strength no power against the Lord how loftily soeuer the wicked looke and how deepely soeuer they be rooted Gods hand will fetch them downe and plucke them vp as rotten and vnprofitable branches In the lofty place 51 Yea in their very loftinesse he will be as lofty as they as good Iethro said of the Aegyptians in that very thing wherein they were proud he Iehoua was aboue them as if he should say too good for them Exod. 18. 11. The King 52. They that will take part and haue their hands in the sinnes of the wicked must be content to haue a part in their plague punishment And here we see the truth of that which Salomon hath in the Prouerbs Let hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not be vnpunished Prou. 11. 21. In this very land 53 God to abate the pride of the wicked and that men may bee warned from walking in their steps when they see how much God detesteth the loftiness of the haughty punisheth them by such base meanes as they most of all do scorne What a thing is it the Turke his gallant Princes his Begs Bashawes to fall in the land of Iudaea a land so base and contemptible in their eyes 22. They shall be gathered as a prisoner into a pit c. 54 Oh the patience of God in bearing with the wicked he goeth euen towards them with a leaden heele to punishment that two manner of waies in the measure and in the time For the measure first hee curbeth and bindeth their hands from hurting his Church and people fettreth their strength and power and holdeth them vnder bonds then when that will not profit he taketh all strength away He first giueth a taste of his power to shew what he is able to doe making them to totter and decline But when they goe on still in mischiefe against his Church hee sweepeth them cleane from the face of the earth After many daies shall be punished 55. For the time hee spareth them long many daies The Amorites he bare with 400. yeares after their iniquity was grown to a great head because it was not as then fully accomplished Gen. 15. 16. Which must make vs not despaire nor cast off our faith in Gods promises for the subuersion of the wicked though they be long a comming Abac. 2. 3. If he stay waite for him Contrary to that the vnbeleeuers say in Ezechiel The daies are lengthened and all vision perisheth Ezech. 12. 22. For we runne by nature headlong in our owne desires and are impatient if God come not when wee would haue him This therefore serueth to exercise our faith that wee faint not in our prayers as we are prone to doe The fault which our Sauior noteth Luk. 18. 8. when God commeth in the performance of his promises and to the succour of his children shall he finde faith vpon earth 23. And the Moone her selfe shall blush and the Sunne it selfe bee ashamed when Iehouah of hoasts shall raigne in mount Tsion and in Ierusalem and before his elders gloriously EXPOSITION AFter the Turke once destroyed commeth the kingdome of Christ to be set vp among the Iewes as it is also certaine by Ezechiel Daniel and the booke of the Reuelation which is the second degree of their restoring This Kingdome the holy Ghost doth here describe by the person of the King the Scepter which he weldeth the place where his throne shall be the forme of administration and the glory of the kingdome The King is Iesus Christ the Lord of Hosts Soueraigne commander of heauen and of earth and of the armies and powers of them both that nothing can be lacking to those that haue such a King The Scepter is his word the word of the Gospell wherby he ruleth and raigneth in the middest of his people for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. 16. The spirituall armor powerfull and mighty from God to cast downe strong holds and euery high thing exalted against the knowledge of God as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 10. 4. Psal 110. 2. The rodde of thy power will Iehouah send out of Tsion saying Rule thou in the middest of thine enemies The place where his throne shall be is Tsion and Ierusalem whether the Iewes shall once againe repaire not to set vp the legall ceremonies but to institute the true spirituall worship and seruice of God Ezech. 36. 24. and 37. 12. 14. 25. Esay 61. 8. The forme of the Church pollicy and gouernment you haue pointed at vnder the name of Elders Comprehending Pastors Teachers and other gouernours of the Church The glory of the Kingdom shall be so great that in comparison of it the Sunne and Moone shall cast no light of the glory thereof reade Esay 54. 11. c. and 60. 1. 2. 3. 13. c. Dan. 12. 3. What if by the Sunne and Moone hee meane heere the Churches of the Gentiles who shall blush to see their zeale and loue of

piety so eclipsed by a farre more excellent shining light Obseruation The Church of God how contemptible soeuer the world esteeme of her is most honourable and glorious in the sight of God and men The world indeed seeth not the honour that Gods Church hath because it is discerned by faith and not by sence Howbeit such many times is the maiesty of the Church rightly ordered that the very vnfaithfull are forced to say God is indeed among them 1. Cor. 14. 25. This is the Churches glory that Christ Iehoua is her King and Lord. That he raigneth and ruleth in her by the Scepter of his word and power of his spirit That she is the bodie of Christ her Elders and Worthies his members All honorable and noble persons For whether you consider the outward and true visible members or the Catholike and invisible Church of Christ how honourable and glorious things must needs be spoken of thee thou excellent Citie of God Psal 87. 3. In thee is seene a bodie politicke whereunto all other corporations in the world are but counterfaits Thy head hath a name written vpon his thigh Lord of Lords and King of Kings thy Commons are all Nobles and thy Nobles Kings and Priests in thee onely all vertue is to be found knowledge wisedome pietie iustice temperance honour magnanimitie Thou hast a soule as it were which other Corporations want that glueth and knitteth the parts togither one vnto another and all vnto the head And what is that soule The quickning Spirit of Christ which is God himselfe that doth vnite and make thee one with him Happy and blessed is he that hath his part and fellowship in this incorporation No money can buy such a freedome as Lysias bought the Romane Burgesship Act. 22. 28. No freinds nor fauour purchase it but the onely fauour of the highest Christ alone keepeth the keyes of the doores of this Citie Nay he himselfe is the way and the doore By him whosoeuer entreth and is once made free can neuer haue that dignitie taken from him but remaineth a Citizen and free Burges both here in heauen for euermore All these things which in their measure and degree are truly and aptly to be applied to Christs mysticall bodie wheresoeuer do more properly appertaine and in this place are spoken of the glorious Church of the Iewes when the old loue that was betweene Christ and them in the dayes of their youth Ier. 31. 2 3. shall a fresh be renued for which happy and blessed time it is our part and dutie continually to be sutors following the steps of their faith and zeale who without vs thought themselues vnperfect Cantic 8. 1. CHAP. 25. 1. O Iehovah thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy name for thou hast done wonderfull things The counsels long ago are faith truth 2. For thou hast brought a Citie vnto an heape a fensed Citie vnto ruine a place of strangers thou hast brought to be no more a Citie it shall neuer be reedified 3. Therefore shall the mighty people honour thee the Citie of the terrible nations shall feare thee 4. Because thou hast bin a fense to the poore a fense to the needie in his distresse a refuge from invndation a shadow against the heat when the blast of the terrible ones was like an invndation ready to beat downe a wall 5. As heat in a drought thou hast brought downe the stirre of the strangers heat I say with the shadow of a cloud which heat did answer a life to the branch of the terrible ones EXPOSITION THE worke of God in casting downe the proud tyrants of the world and thus magnifying the great name of his Sonne Christ Iesus is so great wonderfull that the Prophet as it were rapt beyond himselfe is faine to make a stop or breathing before he come to a further illustration of it interlacing both his owne priuate meditations and the hymne of the whole Church that so shall be collected His owne meditation in the 25th Chapter hath three parts The first concerneth the fall of these tyrants which the Prophet diuinely vttereth in the forme of a thanksgiuing Wherein rauished with the consideration of so marueilous things he doth first breake forth into praises the praises of God the author of this and all other good things Beginning with the ground of all Gods power And the couenant with his people Afterwards he layeth downe the particular things for the which Gods name is so highly to be exalted And they are 1. His power seene in so wonderfull a deliuerie 2. His truth whose counsels and decrees long ago foretold and vttered by his Prophets are most steadie and constant and take their due effect 3. His iustice in executing iudgement tumbling downe the enemies of Gods people notwithstanding all their might that they shall be vtterly without hope euer to be recouered Which the very wicked shall be driuen to acknowledge Such is the honour that hereby shall redound to his great and holy name wrung out of the mouth of sturdie and fierce enemies 4. His mercy in succouring his poore oppressed people Which is set forth by a double comparison In the first the enemies and oppressors of the Church are compared to raging waters that carry all afore them hurle downe walls and whatsoeuer else that standeth in their way God to a place of refuge to flie vnto In the other the insolencie of these strangers the enemies of Gods people the stir and ado they make is resembled to a heat and drought that doth parch and scorch the godly Gods protection of his to a thicke shadow Thou saith he bringest downe the noyse of the strangers as heate is slaked in a drie and parched ground as heate I say is slaked with the shadow of a thicke cloud which heate answered and was a life to the branches and spreading boughes of the violent That is serued well the turne and was most commodious for the wicked who thinke their branches spread and flourish when the godly are scorched with calamities Obseruations 1. I will Euery childe of God hath his part and interest in the Churches good Which holy and religious persons haue preferred and all ought to prefer before their priuate wealth and to be thankfull vnto God when it goeth well with it But especially this is the dutie of the Ministers of the word To whom as God reuealeth more of his will and workes then he doth to the common sort so it is fit they should herein go before others and be examples to the flocke Exalt thee Praises and consequently prayers and petitions are to be made to God alone Psal 50 15. Call vpon mee in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me We exalt God when we blesse him and giue vnto his name the praises due for the good things we doe enioy What a mercy it is of so great a Maiestie that he counteth