the mighty ones It shall bee at last sung in a song of victory vers 27. At our feete they bowed and fell at our feete they bowed and fell Where they bovved there they fell dovvne dead All our enemies like Adam in his sinne shall flee away and thrust their head in a bush If we be Gods friends God shall be their enemie whether they fight in valleyes or hills let them hitch up as high as they can were it to set their nest among the Stars Obad. 4. thence shall he bring them down As mountaines could not save his enemies in the day of water neither shall the fountaines save them in the last day of fire GODS friends may well say Psal 66.12 vve vvent through fire and vvater but his foes are burnt in the one and drowned in the other they shall not be able to make any shift for a shelter Let us flee Exod. 14 25. said the Egyptians for the LORD fighteth for Israel This at last shall be the case of all our enemies though they were in number like the sand Judg. 7.12 if we by a reformed life studie to please him who is the GOD of armies for as Moses sang at the red Sea Exod. 15.3 The LORD is a man of Warre he triumphingly at the last sets his foot upon the necks of all his enemies But if wee provoke GOD by our sinnes Josh 7.20 as Achan did at Jericho If we grieve the Angels who clap their vvings for joy at our conversion Luk. 15.10 if wee make griefe to goe to these thresholds of joy if we make these ministring Spirits to blush at our wicked deeds Heb. 1.14 if we draw back Heb. 10.38 so that GODS soul have no pleasure in us if we rebell and vexe his holy Spirit Isa 66.10 and for to speake so morgage our salvation or by some bastard idle thoughts barter away the joyes of a good conscience for any triffles of pleasure profite or preferment like Esau who preferred pottage to his birthright Gen. 25.34 or like the Gergesites who desired Christ the Saviour to depart from their costs Mat. 8.34 that they might save their swine in a word if such wicked thoughts lodge within us vve shall in the day of Battell flee like sheepe scattered on the mountaines 2 Chron. 18.16 When the Israelites fled shamefully from before the men of Aï the Lord declared to Joshuah their great Generall the cause of their flight Israel hath sinned Josh 7.11 and have transgressed my Covenant c. vers 12. Therefore they could not stand before their enemies If Generalls of armies vvould not vvith Joshuah bee ashamed of the flight of their souldiers let them by all meanes endeavour that no wicked persons be tolerate in their armies For all such are but like Cuckoos which for a little space in Summer will sing a scurvy note to us but are sure to be gone before the winter blasts come Such profaine villaines vvill do no good in the day of danger when they must face a bloodie field and therefore a Generall must say of his armie as David said of his house I will walke within my house or in my armie Psal 101.2 with a perfect heart vers 3 c. I hate the worke of them that turne aside it shall not cleave to vers 4 mee A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know vers 5 a wicked person Who so privily slandereth his neighbour him shall I cut off Him that hath an high looke and a proud heart will not vers 6 I suffer Mine eyes shall be on the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me He that vvalketh in a perfect vvay vers 7 he shall serve we He that vvorketh deceit shall not dvvell vvithin my house Hee that telleth lies shall not tarrie in my sight I vers 8 vvill early destroy all the vviced of the land That I may cut off all vvicked doers from the Citie of the LORD The Generall of an armie should not onely honour GOD himselfe but also carefully see that he be honoured by others and should contemne all honour that is joyned with contempt of Christs Majestie It is storied of Gotherey of Boloigne a most excellent warriour that being in the very heate and hight of his honour he refused to bee crowned in Jerusalem with a Crovvn of gold and that because Christ his Lord had there beene crowned with a Crovvn of thornes O then what honour can come from these profaine who by wounds and passions and bloody oathes and other vilest vices Heb. 6.6 doe crucifie againe the King of glory Let these be the wordes of a generous Generall I hate the worke of them that turne aside it shall not cleave to mee a froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person c. These that delight in lies shall not tarry in my sight these who with Achan play punks for to fill their trunks with a golden wedge Josh 7.21 them will I cut off with all other vicious persons who like drunkards are couragious at the Barrell but cowards at the Battell Tumidi potando timidi pugnando all such that want grace shall have no place in my favour Let all Captaines make this a rule of their militarie Discipline wherewith as by a curb they may powerfullie pull in all these that give loose reines to themselves in all sortes of riot If this be carefully done they shall have their souldiers full of heart and health strength and courage 1 Sam. 17 13 to draw the strongest cities with ropes in a river they like Saul and Jonathan shall be swifter then Eagles 2 Sam. 1.23 and stronger then Lions The LORD shall teach their hands to warre so that a bow of steele shall bee broken by their armes Pal. 18.34 their enemies when they see them shall all agast with gastly lookes cry with the Egyptians at the red Sea Let us flee from the face of Israel Exod. 14.25 for the LORD fighteth for them against us Thus shall it be done to the armie of these that in holinesse fight the Battels of the LORD In whose royall hand is the royall gift of victorie in this life and after this life the victorious wreaths with palmes in hands Rev. 7.9 and crownes on heads in the Heaven of Heavens the place of our desired rest and the rest of all our desires To him bee glory for ever Amen A PRAYER FOR AN ARMIE IN THE DAY OF BATTELL O LORD the great GOD of Armies and commander of Battels in whose hand is the breath of all men who hast a full power to save or destroy there is none like unto thee Wee who stand in great need of thy help intreat thee for thy mercy this day Let not the sinnes of any like the sin of Achan deprive us of thy assistance and protection at this present
dry like a stick and blacker than a coale by pestilence we shall fall downe in heapes by war we shall be abolished like Jabin in Endor our bodies shall become doung on the Earth Psal 83.9 Our Land shall bee an Aceldama a field of blood a land of bloody pooles And therefore O Scotland if thou would henceforth be under a mighty Ministry a Goshen for God a land of life of light and libertie free of all the damned mists of the doctrines of Devils if thou would be free of a Service Booke Romes yoke and of all the Ceremoniall Clouts of that varnished Whoore if thou woulâ— have God as it is in my text tâ— treade downe all thine enemies for sake not the Covenant of thy Goâ— breake never thy league made wiâ— him have no fellowship with thâ— unfruitfull workes of darkness but walke as Children of light Abâ—horre all idolatrie Mic. 6.16 the statutâ— of Omri and returne to the ancâ—â—ent paths Jer. 18.15 let the Lord no morâ— have a controversie with the inhaâ—bitants of the land Hos 4.1 then shall yâ— see that the Lord shall worke great work in this land Habak 3.2 accordinâ— to Habakkuks prayer hee shaâ— revive the worke in the midst of tâ— yeeres Our nation shall finde that GODS mercie is not dead though our armies in the eyes oâ— our enemies 1 King 20 27 Judg. 7.5 Amo. 5.15 seeme but like littâ— flockes of Kiddes or weake likâ— Gideons lappers of waters if ouâ— wayes please the Lord the Lorâ— shall be gracious unto the remnanâ— of Joseph One of these shall come to passe Either which wee desire most God in a melting temper shall convert our enemies and make an incorporation of them unto us like the two sticks of Israel and Judah Eze. 37.17 who were joined one to another into one sticke being no more divided in profession which Oh that wee might register in the catologue of his favours Or if not so the LORD shall change the mindes of our enemies as he did to Esau Gen. 33.4 and shall make them that come against us to embrace us as brethren of one Isle though not in Religion Or if not so the Lord by some forraine enemy shall turne them away 1 Sam. 23 27. as he turned Saul from David by sending the Philistines against the land Or if not so he shall make them fight one against another as hee did to the Midianites whose bodies were all gore bloud by mutuall wounds Or if not so if hee permit ouâ— armies to joine which the Lorâ— avert after that by many fast and prayers we have laid dowâ— our bleeding hearts in his boâ—some and by ardent desires havâ— powred out our soules beforâ— him wee in the Name oâ— our God will set up our Banners The Lord being with us Psal 20.5 ouâ— Captaines shall be swifter the Eagles and stronger then Lions our souldiers shall not say 2 Sam. 1 23 I aâ— sicke Isa 33.24 the Lord himself shall bâ— Scotlands great Generall he shaâ— give us help from trouble he is that shall tread down our enâ—â—mies Gog and Magog papisâ— and Arminians brethren in evil the combined friends of man rotten righteouâ—nesse he alsâ— shall tread down their gods theiâ— Moloch and Chion their images Amos 5.25 Act. 7.43 the starre of their god Remphan their gods of stock and stone with all their gods baken in the Oven Hos 4.7 the LORD shall change their glory into shame the world shall hear it and shall wonder But as for us the children of his Covenant if we be not unstable as water Gen. 49.4 but stedfast in that Covenant if wee abide in the bonde of love like Scilurus arrowes in a sheafe the Lord shall blesse us our Gospel shall flourish our land shall bee fruitfull and blossome as the rose Isa 35.1 our church shall be most orient and glorious â—ike a hill of pearles a Cristall mountaine or a rock of Daimonds then shall our hearts be filled with joy and our mouths with laughter Moses and Miriam both men and women shall most sweetly sing these words of triumph Exod. 15.3 The LORD is a man of warre who hath set his triumphing foot upon the neck of aâ— his enemies as upon his vaâ—â—quished vassals 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible the onely wise GOD be honour and glory for ever and ever AMEN A SERMON FOR A BATTELL Isa 9.5 Every Battell of the warriour is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood Exod. 15.3 The LORD is a man of warre the LORD is his Name Psal 18.34 Hee teacheth my hand to warre so that a bow of steele is broken by mine armes By M. Zacharie Boyd Preacher of Gods word at Glasgow Printed at Glasgow by George Anderson 1643. POST FVNERA VIRTVS VIVET TAMEN ETSI MORS INDIES ACCELERAT A SERMON FOR A BATTELL Psal 17.13 Arise O Lord disappoint him cast him down deliver my soul from the wicked with thy Sword THE Prophet David made this Psalme in the dayes of his great troubles while he was hunted 1 Sam. 26 20. 1 Sam. 23 14. from place to place like a partridge or a flea his danger was great in Keilah from Keilah he fled unto the wildernesse of Ziph verse 14 where being discovered by the Ziphites he fled unto the wildernesse of Maon where he abode on a rock there also David made haste to get away for fear of Saul for Saul and his men there had compassed David and his men round about to take them behold how mans wrath runs like wilde-fire but even while Davids life was in his hand there came a messenger unto Saul saying haste thee and come for the Philistines have invaded the land wherefore Saul returned from pursueing after David for which cause that place was called Selah Hammahlekoth 1 Sam. 23 28 that is the rock of division because there the Lord did separate Saul from David these dangers were the occasion of the composing of this Psalme wherein David most earnestly seeketh Gods assistance against the price craft and crueltie of his enemies David in this psalme is like the Nightingale which singeth most sweetly though she have a thorne against her breast The division of the Psalme THe parts of the Psalme are three In the first part from the beginning untill the tenth verse the royall Prophet David in confidence of his integritie craveth defence of God against all his enemies In the second part from the tenth verse untill the thirtenth hee declareth their pride craft and crueltie comparing them to Lions greedy of their prey In the third part from the thirteenth verse untill the end he prayeth against them with great confidence in God The division of the text IN this text which is a prayer of David to God against his persecuters there be two parts In the first part we have him to whom the prayer iâ— directed it is
without him they can do nothing for these ends Christ would sleepe in the ship in time of tempest Mat. 8.25 when all was in greatest danger to perish The use The use If when we are in calamitie either private or pubâ—icke the Lord seeme to delay his help and to neglect us let us not despare of his mercy but let us cry the more earnestly help O Lord though he seeme to our weake judgement to be sleeping he is not like Baal of whom by way of scorn Elijah said to his Priests crying a loud to him in their prayers 1 King 18 27 Cry a loud for he is a God either he is talken or he is pursueing or hee is in a journey or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked our GOD sleepeth not he that keepeth Israel will not slumber Psal 121.3 hee never lieth down he is never wearied in waiting upon us for to doe us good there is no need of a drumme of five houre bell to waken him in the morning Againe whereas the servant of God here in his fear crieth to the Lord Arise I observâ— that there is weaknesse in thâ— best of Gods servants they often in their troubles have basâ— thoughts of God it is a very base thing to thinke that Goâ— is wearied or that he is lyeâ— down to rest him or that hâ— hath not will to arise untill wâ— rouse him up by our cries Seâ— we not these great bodies of thâ— heavens turned about both nighâ— and day with an unspeakablâ— swiftnesse it is Gods arme thaâ— turneth them all about the greaâ— bodie of the earth hath no other ground-stone but his Almighty power what I pray you hath still so constantly borne up that great masse these so many thousand yeares onely Gods arme and yet he is not wearied he seeketh not our help to turne about these heavenly wheeles or to ease him under the burden of the whole earth it is but a very base thought to think that the Lord is lyen downe to rest him that afterward he may arise The use The use Let us learn to have great thoughts of God concerning his power and good will What is unpossible to him who is able to make a Camel to passe thorow a needles eye Mark 10 25 what will he not doe for us who gave his own Sonne to the death for us when we pray we may be sure that he will hear To him we may well say LORD thou can if thou wilt nay Lord thou both can and wilt if it be for thy glory and our well if wee thinke otherwise we may well say this is our infirmitie The second Petition Disappoint him AFter that the Prophet hatâ— desired the Lord to arise which is the first degree of his deâ—liverance he requireth that thâ— Lord would disappoint King Saul and all the rest of his enemies Sauls Doegs and dogges whom hâ— includeth all under the word hiâ— and that because they were joine all together like one man in the malice against David the servanâ— of the Lord. The doctrine First whereas here he calletâ— all his enemies him as one man foâ— their banding together I observâ— the great policie of the Divel who by all meanes possible enâ—deavoures to keepe his servants iâ— unitie that they may all doe eviâ— together as it were with one shoulâ—der for he knoweth that if hiâ— Kingdome were divided it could not stand I read in Scripture oâ— Michael and his angels Rev. 12.7 fighting â—gainst the Divel and his angels but â— can not read in any part of one Divel fighting against another â—hey are all guided by one Spirit â—nd have all their mindes one way â—ent to doe evill though they may bee called legion for their â—udge great number for the way â—o Hell hath great store of passenâ—ers yet they all agree and goe â—s it were one Divel ready with â—oth hands to doe a mischief The use The use Let us by the practise of the wicked learne to abide together and to be all as it were â—ne man it is GODS will Judg. 20.8 it is Gods commandement that we love one another Joh. 15.17 Silurus a little before his death called all his children and offered unto them a sheafe of arrowes knit together desireing any of them to breake them which when they could not he divided the arrowes and gave unto them one after another to be broken which they brake easily After that hee said unto them So shall it be with you if yee abide together in unitie none shall be able to overcome you but if yee be divided yee shall easily be overthrowne Now let us consider what the Prophet here requires it is that God would disappoint his enemies Antevertere anticipare The Hebrew word is Kiddam which properly signifieth to prevent or disappoint for he that is prevented is also disappointed All Sauls designes were how to trap David for to kill him Davids prayer heere is that the Lord would disappoint him or according as it is in the Hebrew Kaddemah panau The doctrine that he would prevent his face Observe here that great men may intend great matters against Gods servants but there is a great God in heaven who can easily disappoint them whiles by wisedome and whiles by strength As for his wisedome Dan. 2.22 he understandeth all things Daniel saith that the light dwelleth with him he is infinitly wise to prevent or avert perill or to rid us out of danger When King Saul intended to kill David in his bed the Lord by his wisedome delivered him by directing Michal his wife to lay an image in his bed 1 Sam. 19 13 having a pillow of goates haire for his bolster so when Sauls servants came to take him they were disappointed they found nothing in the bed but a Teraphim an image with a pillow of goats haire As by wisedome so the LORD can by strength disappoint his enemies when the Philistines called for Samson to make them sport Jud. 16.25 the Lord put a new strength in that blinde man whereby he drew downe the house upon his enemies who got death for their sport and so were disappointed In this land at home we have proofes sufficient of God disappointing our enemies In the eightie eight year there was nothing in Spaine to be heard but a glorious victorie against Britaine Have they not sped Jud. 5.30 have they not divided the prey to every man a damosell or two said the Spanish Ladies with the mother of Sisera All our possessions were appointed for that barbarous and cruell nation but God disappointed them All their bragging was at last turned into bâ—gging the Lord made them beggars in our land After that deliverance the Papists intended with six and thirtie barrels of powder under the Parliament house to blow up all the Royall Blood with the flowre of all our Nobilitie and Counsellours and after that MISSA massa
the Lord Arise O Lord c. In the second part wee have the petitions of his prayer which are foure in number 1. Arise 2. Disappoint him 3. Cast him downe 4. Deliver my soul from the wicked which is thy Sword Let us now come to the glosse and interpretation of every part of the text I. PART To whom the Prophet here maketh his Prayer HEE to whom the Prophet heere maketh his prayer is the Lord Arise O Lord. Observe heere the wisedome of David when he is in distresse The doctrine he goeth to the right hand even directly to the Lord As for Abraham he knew him not and therefore he spake not a word to Abraham to Jsaac or Jacob Psal 73.25 in any of his troubles whom have I in heaven but thee was his saying unto God The 1. use The 1 use Let us learne here in whom to trust at all times it is in the LORD All other things whatsoever will faile but the Lord faileth never Some helpers faile in will though they may they will not and some faile in power though they will they may not but the Lord is sure on all sides there is nothing that may doe us good but God is able to doe it looke how able he is in power he is as willing for our well If we want any thing that we desire it is either because we aske it not Jam. 4.3 or because wee aske amisse that wee may consume it upon our lusts or because what we aske is not expedient for us wee often seeke from God and weepe for things which we would have as children weepe for knives which their parents will not give unto them because they would be hurtfull unto them Many of Gods children have crying desires for wheate Psal 4.6 wine and oyle this worlds wealth and ease but God knowes that many would be hurt thereby and therefore grants not unto them their desires The Lord forbid that God had suffered us to get our hearts desire at all times the best of us had been in hell ere now if God had given us all our will a yeares peace or plentie O what a change maketh it among a people O how hurtfull is it to the souls of many who crammed with hypocrisie can crake of pietie and soulder their gracelesse doings with great ostentation The 2. use The 2 use Let this serve for reproofe to Papists who all slabbered in the dirt of mans inventions most foolishly distrusting GODS good will Jon. 2.8 forsake their owne mercie in steede of crying to the LORD they court the Lâ—dy Mary which is their Queene of heaven Isa 44.7 they also run from God to the Saints as though they had a greater regard unto us or loved us better then God If we had done the thousand parts of the wrongs to them that wee have done unto God though they had beene our fathers and our mothers they had all cursed us Gen. 9.25 as Noah did to Cham Cham so farre as I can reade had but once scorned his father and for that once his father cursed him but wee have ten thousand times scorned God and yet he hath blessed us and blesseth us still His wayes are not our wayes Isa 55 8 and his thoughts are not our thoughts for as farre as the heavens are above the earth as farre are his wayes above our wayes and his thoughts above our thoughts so it is of his mercy and love Isa 49.15 though a mother forget her childe the Lord can not forget his children thus they who goe to others then to God are deceived as if men not content with the light of the Sun would goe to seeke light from the Moone who hath all her light from the Sunne Of all such God may well say as he said in the dayes of Jeremiah Jer. 2.27 they have turned the back and not the face Jonah marketh such with this black blot Jonah 2.8 These that observe lying vanities forsake their owne mercie It was not so great a wonder under the law to see men idolaters Cant. 2.9 bcause then Christ but looked out at a window and shewed himselfe through a lattesse darklie but O now in his Gospel he come out at doores clearâ— with Behold me Behold me â— for us let our refuge in all diâ—esses bee to God and Christ his Sonne Iohn 17.3 this is life eternall said Christ in his prayer only Christ is Mediator onely by him our prayers are heard many Pagans did excell in morall things but because they knew not Christ they could not finde the doore of heaven this made a father to say of that great Philosopher Aristotle August Vae tibi Aristoteles laudaris ubi non es damnaris ubi es Wo to thee O Aristotle who art commended where thou art not and condemned where thou art The second Part. The Prayer WE have heard unto whom the Prophet here maketh his prayer it is unto the Lord now let us consider the prayer iâ— selfe Arise disappoint him caâ— him down deliver my soul from the wicked which is thy sword Iâ— this prayer there be foure petitions 1. Arise 2 Disappoinâ— him 3. Cast him down 4. Deliver my soul from the wicked witâ— thy sword Angustiati animi suspiria one calleth well thesâ— foure petitions the groanes of soul in a great straite The first Petition Arise THe first thing that the Psalmist here requireth of the Lord is that he would Arise and make him ready for his help Arise O LORD When God for causes known to himselfe delayes his help he seemeth to his servants to be like a man lying or sleeping Hence are all these formes of speaches of the godly Arise Psal 3.7 O Lord save me Psal 10.1 why standest thou afarre off O Lord why hidest thou thy selfe in times of trouble Againe Arise O Lord Psal 10.12 O God lift up thine hand forget not the humble Againe Awake Psal 44.23 why sleepest thou O Lord Arise cast us not off for ever againe vers 26 Arise for our help for thy mercies sake the Scriptures are full of Arise and awake which distressed men cry unto God whilâ— he delayes to help them The doctrine Observe here first that Goâ— cometh not ever at the first unâ—to his servants in their afflictions he will have them to taste yeâ— whiles to drink of the bitter cup before he let it passe from them that afterward they may thâ— better taste and see how good 〈◊〉 the LORD Psal 34.8 when he hath delivered them Cum differt auxilium videtur Deus sedere otiosus Isa 26.16 God sometime will seeme to his servants very carelesse of their miserie as iâ— he were a man lyen down to sleep but all that is to stirre up the hearts of his servants to cry the more mightily unto him and also to let them see their owne weaknesse of faith and how that
the lame 1 Sam. 5.6 might keepe them against all forces of men yet when the Lord is away are nothing but a lye Psal 20.8 Some trust in Charets and some in Horses But we will remember the LORD our GOD from him is our deliverance And therefore in dayes of danger Let every man here learne what to say to God O LORD deliver my soul from the wicked with thy Svvord The thing he desires GOD to deliver here it is his soule that is his life for the soul is the cause of our life Also by the soul here may be understood the soul properly and that the LORD would deliver it from danger either in doing or suffering for when a man doth evill he endangereth his soul or when a man is persecuted his soul also is not without danger If he live except God save and sanctifie him his soul will fret impatiently or will be enflamed with revenge 1 Sam. 25 13 as David was against Nabal for his churlishnesse Or if at the running out of his last sand he die in battell the bloudy sword in the hand except the Lord deliver his soul he cannot be but in great danger The 3 use The third use Let us make good use of these words Deliver my soul they are good for dayes of trouble either for life or for death when it like a ster ne Serjant shall come to arrest our bodyes in the grave By this prayer our life is guarded against the rage of men and by this prayer the Soule is fenced from the danger of damnation In these wordes is advantage both in life and death these words should at all times be in all mens mouthes both at our rysing and at our lying downe in sicknesse and in health But above all let all men of warre in their greatest dangers arme themselves with this ejaculatory prayer LORD delâ—ver my Soul these aâ—e words which every Christian must take with him while he goeth to the battell But because God heareth not the prayers of sinners and this time of trouble is a time of prayer let us endeavour by all meanes with all haste to bee reconciled unto God Truely the best of us may say that we have a huge bottome of sinne to unravell by repentance which we have beene many yeares winding up by our great disobedience the worke is great the time is short wee know not but this warre may make an end of us all Let us therefore no more hazard our salvation upon a may bee we live unto another yeare I confesse that no man should dispaire of GODS mercie at any time but this is as true that no man should presume of it at any time One hath observed this well There was one theese at his lives end saved to take away desparation and but one so saved to take away presumption These from whom David heere prayeth to be delivered are called the wicked Such were the enemies that sought his life The doctrine Observe here that it is no new thing that GODS servants are troubled by the wicked This controversie began very earely For Cain the wicked killed the righteous Abel Gen. 4.8 He had no quarrell against him but because he was more sincere in Gods service then he A thief hateth the light as Ahab hated Micaiah 1 King 22 8 because by the torch of the word he shined upon his workes of darknesse The use The use As long as wicked men are in the world let Gods children look for dangers to their souls There is nothing that will content wicked men but the souls or lives of Gods servants King Ahab was sick ay untill Naboth was dead but as soone as the poor man was dead the wicked King arose up in health 1 King 21 16 and went down to the poor mans vineyard to take possession of it it is health for the wicked to destroy the children of God They are like the Divel it is their meat and their drink to do evill Let this teach us to pray continually that God would deliver our soule from the vvicked Againe whereas the wicked heere according to some interpretation is called Gods Sword Let us learne here when the wicked persecute us not to look so much to them who are the rod Sword or stafe as unto the hand of God in which the rod sword or staffe are it is but for beasts as dogges to bite the staffe when they are stricken but Gods children must fixe their eye upon the hand When wicked Shimei railed upon David and cast stones at him calling him a bloody murderer David would not suffer Abishai to touch him for hee had his eye upon GOD. The LORD 2 Sam. 16 10 said hee hath said unto him curse David who then shall say wherefore hast thou done so This is a great argument of patience for Gods children when they are afflicted or persecuted by the wicked for all the wicked while thâ—y afflict us are but a rod or staffe in the hand of GOD Isa 10.15 If we can get Gods favour we need no more be afraid for the wicked then for a Staffe or Svvord lying upon the ground they should once see this our Captaine with his Sword in his hand they should all fall down as dead-men at his feet when Captaine Gideon went out against the Midianites hee cryed Judg. 7.20 THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON After that not a man had either heart or hand to fight against Gods people The use The use Let us by all meanes endeavoure by a good life to please GOD that this great Captaine with his sword may be on our side in these dayes of warre the Papists idoll is nothing Hos 8.5 thy Calf O Samaria hath cast thee off But O the LORD will never cast us off If he bee with us wee need not fear who be against us Lappers of water Judg. 7.5 any bodie though both few and weak will prevail easily Luk. 12.32 if GODS Sword be in the Battell Feare not little flock said Christ stand still said Moses to his six hundreth thousand fighting men ye need not draw a Sword the Lord shall fight for you Exod. 14.13 Onely stand still and yee shall see what GOD can doe Yee shall see the Salvation of the LORD Psal 68.21 Who shall wound the head and breake the hairie scalp of all these that in their pride shall rise up against us We shall bee able to stand against all weathers and stormes whatsoever What ever our dangers be the LORD shall give us a riddance We shall be in Covenant with the Stones of the Earth and the Starres of Heaven who as in the day of Sisera shall fight in their courses against all our enemies Judg. 5.20 In the day of Battell the Lord shall breake the Horse hooves of our enemies Judg. 5.22 by the meanes of the pransings the pransings that is tramplings or plungings of