Church of Rome lent her help to this nefarious Treason for there was here 1 The seal of Catholique Confession 2 The bond of a Catholique Oath 3 The Vow by a Catholique Sacrament 4 The indiction of Catholique prayers to be used for the prosperous success of the Catholique cause in England But I may be short in the Catastrophe of this whole danger as God was sudden in his exceeding great mercies to us The nets were broken and we escaped as a whole neast of Birds from the hands of the fowler Never was there day wherein God did so great things for this Land as on that day never did the Sun shine in more perfect strength upon this Church then on that day which God crowned with our deliverance 1 It was and is a good use of this mercy to fil our mouthes with laughter and our tongues with joy but that must not be all 2 We must tell the people what things he hath done and once a year at least we must say this is the day that the Lord hath made exultemus laetemur and his praise must be in our mouthes we must give unto the Lord the glory due to his name and praise him according to his excellent greatnesse 3 But that is not all wee must being delivered from the hands of our enemies serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the days of our life and remember that if we do wickedly we shall perish we and our King 4 But that is not all we must pray also for the peace of our Jerusalem for we shall prosper if we love it for our brethren and companions sake in the common faith we must wish it now prosperity for the house of Gods sake we must seek to do it good 6 But this is not all we must cast out the bond-woman and her son that is the superstition of the blondy Church of Rome I may safely perswade thus far every one of us out of his own heart and thus farre we may go without our selves to let our light shine before men that in our light they may see light The Minister may go further for he hath the warrant of a lawfull calling to reprove the works of darknesse openly and to convince heresies and to warne men to take heed of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees The Magistrate may go further to execute the just laws of our land upon such and let him see to it that he bear not the sword of God in vain The sovereign Defender of the Faith amongst us beareth that high title which is proper to all godly Kings to this end accomptable to none but God for his vice-gerency herein Verse 8. Was the Lord displeased against the rivers was thine anger against the rivers was thy wrath against the sea that thou didst ride upon thy horses or thy chariot of Salvation NOvv he procedeth to commemorate the vvonderfull things that declared God a friend to his people in their safe conduct to the land of promise 1 The power of God shewed in the waters 1 he made a passage for his Israel through the red sea as on dry land to bring them out of Aegypt 2 He made a passage through Jordan the river turned back and gave them way to passe over into the land of promise The words of my text are easie Doth any man conceive that God did take any spleen at the river of Jordan that he drove it back or that he was angry with the sea that he made dry land to appear surely God was not moved thereto from any fury against the creatures which keep their course according to his appointments And he saith that God did ride upon his horses poetically and figuratively expressing God in state riding on as the Psalmist saith prosperously And he calleth the protection of God the charâ—oâ—s of salvation because God took them up to him to preserve them Verse 9. And this is well expounded in the next words in a new figure Verse 9 Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oaths of the tribes even thy word Selah Verse 9. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers For here by the bow of God is meant the armour wherewith with God is furnished for the defence of his Church This bow is therefore said to be made quite naked because then God declared that all the wonders which he did in the division of the waters of the red sea and of Jordan were wrought for the preservation of his Church This bow he always had that is this strength for his Church but then he made it so naked that the Aegyptians cryed let us fly from Israel and the tents of Cushan were afflicted and the curtains of Midian trembled to see this bow of the Lord. Abraham saw this bow but in the case for it was under promise the Patriarchs saw it somewhat neerer hand but yet not uncased in the deliverance from Aegypt it began to be drawn out in the possession of the land of Canaan it was made quite naked and this was done According to the oaths of the tribes even thy word that is All this was done that thou mightest make good thy word whereby thou hadst sworn to give this land to the tribes the oath of God was sworn to Abraham as Zechariah remembreth it To perform the mercy promised to our fathers Luke 1.72 73. and to remember his holy Covenant The oath which he sware to our father Abraham Selah is a rest for meditation for admiration it is a confession of the goodnesse of God Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers This was another of Gods water-works Tremelius and Junius read thus flumina diffidisti terrae and so it is no more but what before he said more plainly exprest that he clave the waters to make way for passage And to omit the various opinions of men concerning this wonderfull work of God I think it hath speciall reference to that story where the people of Israel upon the way almost perishing with thirst numb 20.11 and therefore murmuring Moses struck the rock which by the commandement he should onely have spoken to and the waters gushed out and cut themselves a channell which here is called cleaving of the earth with rivers Here was a double miracle one in giving the water out of the rock whence formerly none have issued another in the continuance of this full stream running along the way of their journey in the wilderness to supply them so the Psalmist saith He brought streames also out of the rock Psal 78.16 and caused waters to run down like rivers These words do contein three parts 1 The wonders which God shewed in the waters 2 The motive that induced him 3 The argument drawn from hence 1 The wonders here mentioned are three 1 He nameth the last as freshest in memorie the division of the waters of Jordan to give way to the passage of Israel into the promised land 2 He nameth
land Vâ—rse 14. Another of Elisha who took up the mantle of Eliah and stood by the River of Jordan and said Where is the Lord God of Eliah and smote the water and it parted hither and thither and Elisha past over 2 In the next place he remembreth the Sea meaning the Red Sea and Gods riding through it and conducting his Israel through the midst of it Exo. 14 16. the storie of it is recorded by Moses And there are many vvonders in it 1 The danger that Israel vvas in the Egyptians behind them vvith povver and fury to destroy them the Sea before them to svvallovv them God opened them a passage through the Sea to save them for the over-taking of their enemies and to lead them to the next shoar a wonderfull helpe in extremity of danger 2 Another vvonder Exo. 14.16 that God rather used Moses and his rod then his ovvn vvord in the parting of the waters of the Sea for using the Ministry and service of men in his great and extraordinary operations he doth honour to men therein as he said to Joshua This day will I begin to magnifie thee in the sight of all Israel Josh 3 7. that they may know that as I was with Moses so I will be with thee So the Psalmist saith Psa 77.20 Thou leadest thy people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron It is wel observed of Master Calvine Ministros simul commendat quibus tam honorificum munus deus injunxit So in the Gospel Christ hath honored his Ministers to whom he hath committed the office of the ministry of reconciliation teaching by them baptizing by them binding and loosning by them for though he do all these things himself as he saith Sine me nihil potestis facere without me you can do nothing yet he will do nothing ordinarily in these things without us because this is his Ordinance and the established constitution in his Church 3 As he used the ministry of Moses in this great work of dividing the sea Exâ— 14.21 so did he also use the service of an East-wind all the night to drive back the vvaters that dry land might appear This abated nothing of the honour of God that he used the service of his creatures neither can this separation of the waters be therefore ascribed to some naturall causes seeing this wind was miraculously sent of God to this purpose Some enemies of God have slandred this miracle and said that the passage of Israel was but an advantage taken of an extraordinary neap tide which turns the truth into a lye for it is here added that the vvaters vvere a vvall on both sides of them The work it self of dividing the sea that was the greatest what is the rod of Moses or the force of an east wind to part the waters in two and to cut out a lane of dry land in the midst of the sea for such an armie to passe through on foot to make the waters a fluent and liquid element to stand on both sides as a wall and fence to their passage Yet I must tell you that many learned have believed and written that the waters of the sea were divided in twelve places and twelve lanes cut out for the twelve tribes to passe over every of the tribes a part and by himself And this was the tradition of the Hebrews as St. Origen upon this place affirmeth Audivi à majoribus traditum quod in ista digressione maris Hom. 5 in Exod. singulis quibusque tribubus filiorum Isr singulae aquarum divisiones factae sunt propria unicuique tribui in mari aperta sit via And for proof Ps 136.13 he alledgeth the words of the Psalme He divided the red sea into parts it is rendered in divisions implying more than one division I say with St. Origen Haec à majoribus observata in Scripturis divinis religiosum credidi non tacere But though this do much advance the glory of Gods power yet because it is not recorded in this story of the passage we need not admit it and against it I finde that the place alledged will not carry it through For the same word which is used to expresse the division of the waters in this story is used by Moses in the story of Abraham Who by the comandement of God took a young heifer a shee-goat Gen. 15 9 1â— a ram a turtle dove and a young pigeon anâ— divided them in the midst and layed each piece one against another Here was a division made but into two parts onely yet it is said after that behold a smoaking furnace and a lamp of fire past between those pieces the word is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet the division was but into two no doubt that story would not have concealed so great an addition to the wonder so much serning to set forth the glory of God The Lord sufficiently shewed his Church that all things serve him and they had as good cause as those in the Gospel to have said Who is this that both winds and sea obey him 5 Another wonder was the hand of God drawing the Egyptians Pharoah and his hoast after Israel into the sea for God hath taken it upon himself that this was his own doing And I behold I will harden the hearts of the Aegyptians Ex 14.17 and they shall follow them and I will get me honour upon Pharoah and upon all his hoast upon his chariots and upon his horsâ—men And the Aegyptians shall know that I am the Lord. Verse 18. They no doubt had their own ends in this for as St. James saith Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust Jam 1.14 and entised They had their own motives to draw them into this mischief 1 Their desire to recover the Israel to their service whom they held so long vassals to them 2 They had also a desire to recover from them the wealth of Aegypt which they had improvidently parted with to the Israelites 3 Their desire of revenge to punish this flight and this robbery of the Aegyptians 4 Their error who thought they might passe as safely after Israel as Israel went before as Josephus speaks for them These motives grew within themselves and they were their own lusts But God gave them over to these lusts and desires of purpose to punish their cruelty to his people and to make his name glorious in the deliverance of his Church and in the conquest of the enemies thereof It is revenge enough in God upon man to leave him to his own ways for they lead him to destruction Some heathen writers have charged all this wonder of the escape of Israel and of the passage through the sea upon Moses who by art Magick they say did all this But could he by that art work upon the affections and wils of King Pharoah and all his people to force them after Israel
2 It serveth for the good of our Brethren Hâ—b 5.19 for it is the end of all strife I wil not enter into the lists with the Anabaptists to confute their weak arguments against the lawfulnesse of an oath you hear it warranted by reason and examples grow thick in the book of God to justifie it 2 Quaere Whether every oath be to be kept To that we answer in a word every lawfull oath is to be kept so is every lawfull promise If a man vow a vow unto the Lord nuâ— 30.3 or swear an Oath to bind his soul with a bond he shall not prophane his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Every oath and every promise engageth our faith that is our fidelity and so it is a bond upon our souls and though it it be to our hinderance we must not break Remember how the breach of the oath of the Lord made by Joshua and the elders of the people to the Gibeonites smarted in the house of Saul Zedekiah had engaged himself by oath to Nebuchadnezzar an heathen King and brake and rebelled against him indeed it was before the doctrine of Rome was afoot Fides non est servanda cum haereticis no faith to be kept with hereticks But here the Prophet Shall he escape that doth such things Or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered Eze. 17 15 And after saith God As I live surely mine oath that he hath despised Ver. 19. and my Covevenant that he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his own head For he said He despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant when lo Vâ—rse 18. he had given his hand A lawfull promise and oath hath three notes to justifie it Truth Righteousness Judgement Jer. 4.2 1 In truth the heart joyning with the Author 2 In righteousnesse seeking Deo proximo servire serve God and our neighbour 3 In judgement it is deliberation and advice 4 Doctr. God declareth his power sometimes openly to the comfort of his Church and the terrour of the enemies thereof gathered from these words Thy Bow was quite naked for as before there was abscontio roboris the hiding of his strength when God revealed himself to his Church onely upon Mount Sinai so there was now revelatio roboris a revealing of his strength when he had made his Bow quite naked 1 For the setling of his Church in obedience to him Reas 2 so saith the Psalmist after commemoration of the wonder All works of God done for Israel That they might keep his statutes Ps 1â—5 45 and observe his Laws 2 For the glory of his name Reas 2 that he might fill the mouthes of the faithfull with his praise and this effect it wrought with Israel a while for when God had done great things for them Then they sang his praise Ps 106.12 3 For the credit of his Word Reas 3 that they might settle their faith in his promises so it is there said Then they believed his Word 4 To convince the ingratitude of men Reas 4 if they notwithstanding the manifestation of his power to them do start aside and rebell against him so doth the Psalmist taxe them where repeating the manifest and naked bow of God revealed to them it is the burthen of his song Yet they sinned more against God by provoking the most High in the wildernesse he repeateth more of his great works Psa 78 17. and addeth For all this they sinned still and believed not for all his wondrous works he repeateth more and saith Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God and kept not his testimony c. 5 To instruct posterity that should succeed them Reas 5 That the generation to come might know them even the children which should be borne Psa 78 6. who should arise and declare them to their children That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his Commandements This is the way to keep the bow of God still naked that all the ends of the world may see the salvation of our God God layeth his Bow quite naked in the sight of the world that the Egyptians may see that God fighteth for Israel against them and may fly from them that the world may see that all their consultations against the Church shall faile of successe and it will turn to bitternesse in the latter end You may easily discerne how all this is directed to our instruction Vse To awake us to a consideration of the revealed power of God for if God shew it it is that we may see it it was the cause of Israels so many rebellions For whereas God did so great things for them Ps 78.7 That they might not forget his works They forgate his works and his wonders that he hath shewed them and that made them children of disobedience To direct to the right use of this mercy of God which is as you have heard 1 In respect of God to give him due praise that he may have the honour due to his name 2 In respect of our selves to confirme our hope and faith in his word and in the arm of his strength believing that bow and the whole quiver of arrows belonging to it is on our side and we need not fear what man or Devil can do against us 3 In respect of this life that we passe the time of our dwelling here in fear living in the obedience and service of this Almighty Maker and preserver of men by keeping his statutes c. 4 In respect of posterity that we leave them our good example and the light of our knowledge to instruct them in the wonderfull works of God that generation may praise him to generation and declare his power 5 In respect of our enemies that they may see and know whom we have trusted and may know that our help is in the name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth so that we shall not need to fear their bow nor their arrows upon the string ready to goe off against us there is a Bow on our side and an arme to weild it Verse 10. The mountains saw thee and they trembled the overflowing of the water passed by the deep uttered his voice and lift up his hands on high THese words have reference to the former wonders of Gods works in which the Holy Ghost Poetically and Rhethorically doth give life to things in-animate to expresse their yielding and giving vvay to Gods extraordinary operations some understanding that For such impression did the power of God make in the everlasting mountains as he calleth them before ver 6. and in the perpetuall hils that they gave way to his people as if they had seen God himself and that the feare of God had been upon them to make them tremble The like Poeticall streine we have in the Psalmist What ailed ye mountains that ye skipped like
the first the cutting of a passage through the red sea to bring Jsrael out of Aegypt 3 He nameth the miracle of giving his people vvater out of the rock and loading the stream along vvith the hoast 2 The motive that induced him 1 Affir 2 Neg. 1 There vvas internus motor the invvard motive 1 Affirm his love to Israel and his care to preserve them vvhich is exprest in his riding on the chariots of salvation 2 There vvas externum motivum the outvvard motive and that vvas the oaths of the Tribes even his vvord vvhich he had put to Abraham for that land 2 Non iratus I am not angry 3 The Argument dravvn from hence 2 Neg. God hath shewed himself marvelous to Israel in exitu in their going forth then he divided a sea for them in via in their way then he made rivers to run in dry places after them in introitu in their entrance then he divided Jordan for them Therefore vve may trust in him and commit our selves to his care he will never leave us nor forsake us 1 Of the wonders shewed in the waters and therein 1 Of the division of Jordan This was a great wonder the story of it is recorded so for the day before it was done Joshua said to the people Sanctifie your selves Josh 3 5. for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you yea God himself said to Joshua This day will I magnifie thee in the sight of all Israel that they may know that as I was with Moses so I will be with thee The wonder is set down thus No sooner did the feet of the Priests which bare the Ark dip in the brim of the water but the waters that came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the City Adam that is beside the Zaretan and those that came down from the Sea of the plain even the salt Sea failed and were cut off and the people passed over right against Jericho This was so great a wonder that we read When all the Kings of the Amorites which were on the side of Jordan westward Josh 5.1 and all the Kings of the Cananites which were by the Sea heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel untill we were passed over that their hearts melted neither was there spirit in them any more because of the children of Israel And the Psalmist doth celebrate the prayses of God for the same with poeticall streins of divine rapture he putteth both together as this our Psalmist doth both that of the Red Sea and this of Jordan The Sea saw that and fled i.e. it saw that when Israel came out of Egypt Psa 114 2 3. Judah was his Sanctuary and Israel his dominion Jordan was driven back What ailed thee O Sea that thou fleddest thou Iordan that thou wast turned back The things most remarkable in that wonderfull work of God were these 1 That the waters of so great a River as Iordan should recoil towards their head for water being a ponderous body doth naturally fall downward and seeketh still the lower place but God did make a wall of water to stop the decourse of the stream which was a work against nature for the other part of the stream ran on and left the land dry 2 The second wonder was the means that God used to accomplish this great work for the Priests that did bear the Arke must set the first foot into the River for God said Assoon as the soals of the feet of the Priests Josh 3 13. that bear the Arke of the Lord the Lord of all the Earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan the waters of Jordan shall be cut off c. Here was the Arke the Sacrament visible of Gods invisible presence and the Priests of the Lord bearing it they had the warrant of Gods Word to attempt this passage and they did not so much as wet their feet in that river no sooner did the soals of their feet touch the water but they fled from the Lord not from the Priests yet from the Priests as the Lords instruments not that any vertue or efficacie was in the feet of the Priests the vertue was in the Sacrament of Gods presence the Ark which they carried upon their shoulders neither was the vertue of that wonder in the Saerament efficiently and primarily but mediately and instrumentally It was the work of the Lord of all the Earth whose Sacrament was the Arke whose servants the Priests 3 A third wonder was the faith of the Priests that did bear the Arke who could believe a thing in nature so impossible in reason so improbable that they durst attempt it both in regard of their ovvn persons but especially of the Ark of God vvhich they did bear Moses vvanted faith in a lesse matter vvhen God bade him onely speak to the Rock he smote it tvvice once in vain to punish his unbelief once vvith successe to fulfill Gods promise Yet the Priests believed faithfully and obeyed vvvillingly and did not debate the matter anxiously or go on timerously 4 A fourth wonder was in the time Josh 3.15 for it was in the time of the harvest when Jordan overfloweth all the banks when there was a great deal more river then channel and the more water the more wonder 5 We may adde here to a fifth that when all the people were past over Josh 4.5 Joshua did command twelve men out of every Tribe a man to return back again into the midst of the Channel and they were not priests but lay-men and they were not to follow the Ark but to goe before it and from thence they must every man bring upon his shoulder a stone and those were set up in Gilgall for a monument of this passage for the memoriall thereof to their children 6 The last wonder was that when the twelve men returned from the midst of the channell of Jordan to the land which was for them to dwell in The Priests following them with the Arke of God the soals of their feet were no sooner lifted upon the dry land but The waters of Jordan returned to their place and flowed over all his banks as they did before Josh 4.18 But he names river in my Text so Further this mention of the Rivers is yet referred to a former story wherein God declared his power in the Rivers of the Egyptians and that not improperly because then the people were in the house of bondage and the first Plague which God put upon the Egyptians was this All the waters were turned into bloud Exod. 7 20. the fish died and the Waters stanke It may also renew the memory of tvvo more passages over Jordan 2 Kiâ— 2.8 one of Eliah who took his mantle and wrapped it together and smote the waters and they were divided hither and thither so that they two went over on dry
ramms Psa 114.6 and ye little hils like young sheep And the words of David do seem to guide my judgement to expound this place not of the mountains upon the dry land but with reference to the miracle of the passage of the children of Israel over Jordan in which God by his power did make the waters of the river rise up like mountains to stop their way and yet not to suffer them to drown the neighbouring Continent and this was effected with an extratraordinary motion of the waters leaping and skipping like Sheepe Therefore here is added the over-flowing of the water passed by that is it did not over-flow the way of the Isralites but bestowed it self in the raising up of the mountains of water The deep uttered his voice he meaneth the noise of the waters running and swelling in heaps And lift up his hands on high for this rising of the waters into such huge hils did give restimony of their yielding to the almighty power of God in his working though contrary to their nature This exposition of these words I imbrace as most consonant to the web of the Scripture yet I will not conceal from you that some refer this trembling of the mountains and this noise of the waters figuratively to the trembling of the Kings in Canaan and the noise of the people afraid and melting in their hearts at the strange passage of Israel through the red sea first and now at last through Jordan Whom I dare not follow holding it dangerous to admit more figures then need when some more literall sense may be proper Others to refer this to the trembling of mount Sinai when God appeared to the people in the way of which Moses saith And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak Exo. 9.18 because the Lord descended upon it in fire and the smoak thereof ascended as the smoak of a furnace and the whole mount quaked greatly But this connexion of the trembling of the mountains with the noise of the waters doth make it probable to me that it is one and the same miracle Magister Historiae felleth of a mountain in the land of Canaan neer to the river of Arnon which suffered a violent earthquake at the time of the entring of Israel into Canaan but that is an Apocryphall relation and the silence of the story doth make it questionable whether any such thing were done The figurative and poetical form of speech here used is in sight 1 The heaps of waters swelling to a very great height are called mountains 2 Here is attributed to them humane sense motions and affections as seeing trembling uttering of a voice and lifting up of hands These things are familiar and frequent all the Scripture through especially in the poeticall part thereof as I have shewed The senslesse and livelesse creatures are subject to the will of God Doct. and to serve him For that which the heathen do call nature in the creatures is in religion the constant order which God hath established in the universall machine and frame of the world and in every perticular member and part thereof serving Gods generall providence that which we call miraculous and extraordinary is the perticular will of God upon occasion declered out of his singular and speciall providence In both these all creatures whatsoever do so serve him as if they knew what they did The Centurion did not keep his servants in better awe and had them not so ready at his command as God hath his creatures their nature is subject to rule and that so as fire shal burne and not consume as in the bush waters shall stand in heaps as in the passage through the red Sea and here in my Text in the river of Jordan Water shall not put out sire the haile as watry substance shall mingle with fire in the same shoare and Eliah shall call for sire that shall lick up the water and dry the ditches filled to the brim The reason hereof is because there is nothing in the world that hath any being Reas but it had beginning from him who onely is of himself and therefore called Jehovah and he never gave being to any thing but for use he hath made nothing idle and unprofitable for in wisedome he made all things and that use is directed by the Creator and therefore as it is said of him that he had made the heaven and the earth by Moses so Melchizedeck calleth him the high possessor of heaven and earth as the Prophet David saith Fecit quicquid voluit in coelo in terra in omnibus abyssis The right of Creation without which nothing had any being the right of protection which keepeth all things in being doth put all things in subjection under his feet his will is their nature and it is all one to the inanimate creature to serve his true will in an ordinary and in a miraculous way for his will is the soul that animateth them and maketh them active and he could have as easily let the sea keep his course and let the river of Jordan run on and have brought his people over upon the face of the waters as Christ and Peter walkt as he made them a passage through This ready obsequence of the inanimate creature to the will of God doth upbraid man whom God made for himself and his special honour with much unworthinesse for things without life owe lesse to God for creation then things animate much lesse then man to whom God gave a living soul made in the image of God having but one law of restraint put upon him broke it and brought a pollution of himself which like the leprosie of Gehezi runneth in all his posterity It is our shame that all things else do serve him onely men and devils the corrupters of men stand out and rebell And this maketh God cry Hear O Heavens and hearken Isa 1.2 O Earth I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me Why doth God make his complaint to the Heavens and to the Earth or why doth he call them to witnesse against Israel his people but to signifie that creatures without life shall condemne the disobedience of men even of Israel the people that God hath chosen to himself And truly when we do look out of our selves upon these things as David saith When we consider the Heavens Psa 8.3 the worke of thy fingers the Sun and the Moon with c. What is man that thou art so mindfull of him There be two things that may move 1 What is man that such excellent creatures should be made for him 2 What is man that beholding the heavens which do serve him and living upon the earth that is obedient to him and doth his will that God should be mindfull of man who of all the works of his hands that enjoy his favours doth serve him worst of all Do not we thank God for it and take it for a
flesh them that they shall empty their nets and fish again amongst the nations and not cease to shed bloud Ezcchiah hath the name of a good King he prayed to God Let there be Peace or as the Kings Pible reads is it not not good that there be Peace and Truth in my days But careful Princes will look beyond their own days and fit their designes to the good of Posterity Present evils being in their growth threaten furture dangers and we say of them as our Saviour doth These are but the beginnings of sorrows and there is fear that there will be semper deterior posterior dies the latter times will be the worser The best remedy is to awake the tender love of God to his Church with an expostulation Shall they do this O Lord Thy will be done Shall they do it continually wilt thou suffer it when the time is come he will have mercy CHAP. II. Vers 1. I will stand upon the watch and set me upon the Tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me and what I shall answer when I an reproved IN this Chapter God answereth all the Prophets grievances and it containeth two parts 1. The Prophets attendance upon God for his answer vers 1. 2. The Lords answer in the rest of the chapter In the first The Prophet having disputed with God and as his name importeth having wrastled with him doth resolve I will stand upon the watch and set me upon the tower alluding to the military practice of souldiers who appoint some in some eminent place to observe the enemie and to give timely warning of their doings And seeing God hath declared himself an enemy to the Iews by all those evils which he hath threatned to bring upon them the Prophet watcheth him and attendeth to receive further advertisement from himself concerning his purpose toward them I will watch to see what he will say unto me for the secrets of the Lord are revealed unto them that fear him And God spake in the mouth of all the Prophets which have been since the world began Neither doth the Prophet attend God out of a curiosity scire ut sciat to know only as Bern. speaks but that he may know what to answer for God when he is reproved or as the Margent saith much better when he is argued with and others come to dispute with him upon those grievances as he hath done with God for you must understand that in all the former complaints this Prophet hath not argued as a particular man but as undertaking the cause of the Church and sustaining the Persons of all his afflicted brethren for whose sakes that he may satisfie them and for Gods sake whose Minister he is that he may know how to maintain to them the cause of Gods Wisedome and Iustice he doth now attend Gods answer By this standing upon the watch and upon the tower in this place is meant the Prophets attending upon a further Revelation of the Will of God concerning these grievances because in those times God did speak to his Prophets by visions and dreams and secret inspirations And holy men then had accesse to him immediatly whereby they knew the mind of God and yet did communicate to them his counsels Yet so as he put them to it to await his good leasure and to expect his answer So David in his own case I will heare what the Lord God will say unto me These words do wel expresse the whole duty of a faithful Prophet and Minister of the Word consisting of two parts 1. His information of himself implet cisternam he fils the Cistern 2. His instruction of others for then he will turn the Cock. In the first observe 1. His wisedome he will borrow all his light from the Sun What he will say unto me 2. His vigilancy I will stand upon the watch 3. His patient expectation I will set me upon the tower 4. His holy care to see what will be said to him 1. His Wisedome He will take his information from the mouth of God teaching us That the faithful Minister of God must speak only in the Lords message he must see before he say Doct. he must be first a Seer and then a Speaker and he must not go from the instructions which God shal give him to speak more or lesse This is our wisedome and understanding to take our light from the father of lights to gather our wisedome from him that is wisest Whose foolishnesse is wiser then man as the Apostle telleth us 1. Because of our nature which is corrupt Reas 2 so our reason and judgement subject to errours and mistakes as we see in Nathan who encouraged David in his purpose of building a Temple which in his humane reason seemed a good intention and David a fit person to undertake it But God directed him to repeal that Commission and to assigne that work to Salomon Davids sonne 2. Because we are Ambassadors from God Reas 2 and Ambassadours go not of themselves but are sent and they must remember whose Persons they beare and be careful to speak according to their instructions 1. This as it is a direction to us to limit our Ministry Vse that we may not do more or lesse then our erand 2. So it is a rule for you to whom we are sent to receive or refuse our Ministry accordingly as you shall justifie our Preachings by the Will of God revealed in the sacred Canon of Scripture searching the Scriptures as the men of Berea did whether those things which we teach be so or not And if any shall in the name of God broach or vent the doctrines of men you may say to him as Nehemiah did to Sanballat There are no such things as thou sayst but thou feinest them out of thine own heart Nehem. 6.8 But take heed you exceed not this example of Nehemiah for he did not charge Sanballat thus till he perceived that God had not sent him but that he pronounced this prophecy For many hearers are so seasoned with prejudice against their Teachers that if any thing sound not to the just tune of their own fancies they will suddenly quarrel it Yet as Gamaliel saith If the Counsel be of God it will stand whosoever oppose it 3. This reproveth those forward intruders into the Lords harvest who come unsent and bring not their Sickle with them they will work without tools and they will teach before they have learnt Like the foolish Virgins they would spend of the wise Virgins oyle they do sapere ex Commentario and take their Sermons upon trust hearkning what God hath said to others and not tarrying till God speak to them It is no wonder if these Merchants do break who set up without a stock they be but broken Cisterns though some water run through them they hold none The faithful Minister must not only observe quid dicit dominus what the Lord saith but quid dicit mihi what
The Author We must go to him from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed to seek faith Here I must admonish you that faith is given without seeking at first for it is a free gift and it is the glory of God I am found of them that sought me not Do not think that the gift of faith is acquired that is freely given but the encrease of our faith is acquired by means I prove it thus The spirit of God is given in the wombe it is given to infants therefore faith is also given for the spirit is never unfruitful and faith is one of the fruits of the spirit And the Apostles said unto the Lord encrease our faith The grace of God which moveth in the generation of them that fear the Lord is the seed of all vertues and first of faith the mother vertue which issueth all the rest that is given early And the gift of faith doth so lie hid in the Elect of God that themselves know not of it till God be pleased not to put his sonne into them but to reveal his Sonne in them This magnifieth the free grace of God and teacheth us to say It is so father because thy good pleasure is such And this excludeth all boasting on our part seeing we have it of meer and free gift And it ascribeth the glory of all to God 2. The means to get faith These as I have said do not lay the foundation of faith in us that is the free gift of God but these means do advance the building they do help to encrease our faith I will referre you to one place to declare to you the acquisition of more faith And a certain woman named Lydia Act. 16.14 a Seller of Purple of the city of Thyatyra which worshipped God heard us whose heart God opened that she attended unto the things that were spoken of Paul And when she was baptized and her houshold she besought us Vers 15. saying if ye have judged me faithful to the Lord c. Observe the whole passage 1. Here was a woman living in an honest and lawful vocation She was a seller of Purple 2. Here were some beginnings of faith in her For she worshipped God 3. The outward means to increase her faith She heard us 4. The inward means The Lord opened her heart after which followeth 1. More attention to Paul 2. Baptism 3. A Desire to be esteemed faithful 4. Hospitality she welcomed her teachers So that for the encreasing of faith she heard the word and the more she believed the more attentively she heard and for confirming of faith she was baptized Faith cometh by hearing for how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard Here let me admonish you 1. But when I say by the word with the Apostle I do understand and would be understood to speak of the Word not as it is the voice of a mortal man nor as it is a dead letter but as the spirit doth speak to us in the Word For this the Apostle biddeth us Be swift to hear it concerns us much but that you may see that faith is not begotten in us by hearing hearing doth us no good without faith and we must have a grain of faith to season our hearing or else our hearing will adde nothing to our faith The word preached did not profit them Hebr. 4.2 not being mixed with faith in them that heard it So do we see some at first poure water into a Pumpe to set it a work that it may yield water plenteously for faith poured into our hearing doth make our hearing bring forth more faith And so in Prayer Fulgentius saith of faith Incipit infundi ut incipiat posci A man cannot have faith without asking neither can he aske it without faith 2. When I name the word for a means to beget an increase of faith I mean the written word to exclude all unwritten traditions and all written legends which the tel-tale Church of Rome hath coyned to gull the swallowing credulity of the misled ignorants that is the books of Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament of which the Apostle saith They are able to make a man wise to salvation and perfect throughly perfect to every good work 3. When I name the word a means of faith I must mean the Word understood by us for the Eunuch learns nothing of Isaiah the Prophet by reading him without understanding And I wonder that ever the Church of Rome could so befool and infatuate the judgements of men to believe that either hearing a forme of service or praying in a strange tongue could carry any validity in them except they did conceive or do believe that such hearing and praying have power of incantation Therefore there is required A translation of the word into our natural language or some other that we understand if we understand not the original And herein I must stirre you up to a thankful consideration of their profitable labours who have taken pains to translate the Bible to English for the common benefit of you all that you may read the Scriptures and exercise your selves in the study of them and examine the doctrines that you hear by them Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers who put such a thing as this into the heart of our Kings Majesty to set this work afoot and to see it finished Herein also I must commend unto you the easinesse and perspicuity of Scripture for if God had not left the way of salvation open but had shut it up in such clouds of obscurity that we must needs have a guide to light us the way to the lanthorn why would David have called the Word it selfe A Lanthorne to our feet Therefore let no man be discouraged from his own private studying of Scriptures for feare of their hardnesse It is no better then idlenesse and shuffling to say the Scriptures are too deep for me I will not meddle with them Christ commandeth Search the Scriptures is he not Antichrist that saith do not thou shalt not search I say and believe that the Word only read over by us or to us without the help of any Comment or Sermon or Exposition of it is a Lanthorne and giveth light to the simple Much more the Word with good Commentaries and written Expositions Much more the Word preached by learned and judicious Preachers which know how to divide the same aright those be called fellow-labourers with God Angels of God the salt of the earth the light of the world and even Saviours of men and because of their labour in the Word and oversight of the People honour double honour is allowed to them by the Apostle Saint Paul This point is of great use 1. To us that are Ministers of the Word for it layeth a necessity upon us and wo be to us if we preach not the Gospel I am sure the Apostle putteth it home to Timothy I charge thee before
spake on the Crosse Sitio I thirst do not thou make thy self drunk with that which should quench his thirst lest thy last draught be like his vinegar mingled with gall 6. Remedy is a consideration that we are required to pray continually and in all things to give thanks which holy duty we cannot performe so long as we are in our cups these duties require a sound judgment a cleare understanding an heart established with grace as the Apostle saith Not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse but put ye on the Lord Jesus and have no care to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof We were created to glorifie God in our bodies and in our souls for they are God's and therefore whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God 7. Remedy consider that we are bidden guests to the Supper of the Lamb and the Spirit and the Bride saith come and let whosoever heareth say come Rev. 22.17 and take of the waters of life freely we cannot tell when this supper time is till Gods messenger death cometh and telleth us all things are prepared come now let not us over-charge our hearts with surfetting and drunkennesse least that day come upon us unawares they that are drunk already and full gorged with wine and strong drink Luc. 21 34. have left no roome for the waters of life vas plenum plus non recipit It is a work for our life on earth to travel and take paines and to exercise our souls to godlinesse and all to get us a stomach to this Supper of the Lamb here is meate enough the fatnesse of Gods house we shall be fed as it were with marrow here is the hidden Manna for bread here is Calix inebrians we shall be made to drink of the rivers of Gods pleasures for at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Here are good guests for many shall come from the East and West Mat. 8.11 and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven They that come there let them drink and spare not but let them keep their stomachs till then I conclude this point in the words of our Saviour If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them 2. They give their neighbour drink Joh. 13.17 and put their bottle to him adding heat to heat Drunkennesse as you have heard is a grievous sin but this is a degree of fuller unrighteousnesse to make others drunk Amongst all the sins that David did commit nothing sate so close to him nor left so foul a staine upon the honour of his memory as did his carriage toward the Hittite Vriah David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned from nothing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 Reg. 15.5 This excuse of David in all other things wherein through humane frailty he failed often doth shew how God passeth over the sins of the elect as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which through infirmity they do commit but this special notice taken of the matter of Vriah the Hittite declareth it to have been peccatum primae magnitudinis a sin of the first magnitude in a vessel of glory because so many sins met together in it to name the most eminent First adultery then the making of Vriah drunk then the murthering of Vriah Wherein you see that this foul sin doth make weight in the burthen of David The Holy Ghost to declare how foul and hideous a sin drunkennesse is hath not spared to leave the dishonour of Gods good servants upon record offending therein as of Noah who is much to be excused because having planted a Vine and out of the grapes having pressed the first liquor that we read made of grapes and not knowing the strength thereof being also old he was overtaken with it once and no more Surely it was the will of God so early to let the danger of wine appeare even at the first drinking thereof that all succeeding times might beware So the example of David who made Vriah drunk against whom the matter of Vriah is upon record for terrour that men should feare this great sin of making their neighbours drunk for that is part of the matter of Vriah the Hittite Will you hear the decision of the canon law in their cases of conscience concerning this sin Ille qui procurat ut quis inebrietur Summa Anglica ebrietaâ—e mortaliter peccat quia consentit in damnum notabile proximi This is now the crying sin of our Land Court City Country all defiled with it and I must confesse a truth which the Sunne seeth not all innocent of it who should by authority from God reprove it by the word and punish it by the sword it is a sin in fashion Yet at the great feast which Assuerus made to his Princes it is specially noted And the drinking was by an order Hest 1.8 none might compel for so the King had appointed to all the officers of his house that they should do according to every mans pleasure Lyran his note is Nolebat Rex ut in aula sua aliquis uteretur modo incomposito irrationabili more barbarorum qui nimis importune inducebant homines ad bibendum 1. It is our duty to stir up one another Reaf 1. and to provoke one another to all Christian duties of these to act sobriety in the moderate using of meat and drink and fasting in the abstinence from them for a season St. Paul whether ye eate or drink do all to the glory of God Christ quando jejunatis To omit this duty is a great sin to commit the contrary evill is most abominable This the Prophet sheweth In that day did the Lord God of Hosts call unto weeping and mourning Isa 22 12 Vers 13. c. And behold joy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking Cras moriemur And it was declared in the eares of the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye die How then shall they appeare before God who insteed of calling to fasting call to drinking and presse the drinking even to the making of their neighbour drunk 2. If we contrive against our neighbours life to take it from him Reas 2 we are murtherers if against his wife to defile her we are adulterers if against his goods to rob him of them we are theeves if against his good name we are false witnesses consider then what thou dost when thou attemptest thy neighbour to make him drunk for thou seekest to perish his understanding to rob him of the use of reason which should distinguish him from a brute beast to expose him a spectacle of shame and filthinesse to all beholders and to make him a transgressor of the law of God
And the Ministers of the Gospel do speak even as if Christ himself spake in us 2 Cor. 5.10 we speak in Christs stead But as in the time of the Law God sent his Prophets sometimes to such as would not give them the hearing so doth he now in the time of the Gospel but that must not discourage our Ministry at their peril be it Gods Word will ever be Gods wisdom though the prophane count it foolishness and it will be Gods truth though heresie and schisme pick quarrels Therefore if you would learn to pray and be prepared for that holy worship hear Gods speech first and that will teach you what to ask as you ou ought Hear the word from us as the Thessalonians did 1 Thes 2.13 When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe 2 Here is metus I was afraid the Seventy read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was in an extasie as St. John saith when he saw the vision of the Son of man Rev. 1.17 I fell at his feet as dead There were two things to strike the Prophet vvith astonishment 1 The Majestie of the Speaker 2 The matter of the speech And both these must both meet in our understandings and in our affections to enlighten and to move them that vve may know what vve have to do and vvith vvhom vvhen vve pray that vve may come before him vvith fear and holy reverence 1 The great glory and Majesty of God to vvhom vve resort in prayer is such as no creature can endure the sight thereof The Angels standing before him Isa 6.2 cover their faces with their wings 2 The matter of his speech conteined in his vvord to the Prophet is the summe of the Bible Justice punishing sin in his Church Vengeance destroying the enemies of his Church and Grace redeeming his Church from the povver of Satan by the glorious Kingdom of Jesus Christ Quae. Why should the Prophet be afraid at this here vvas matter of comfort the heaviness of the night is promised the joy of the morning The Church though it must suffer for a time for sin hath here a promise of tvvo main consolations 1 Their ovvn deliverance from dangers into a restitution of them into Gods favour 2 Their eye shall have their desire also upon their enemies they shall see the vvheel of vvrath go over them and the Lord shall let out of their throats the bloud of his people vvith vvhich they have made themselves drunk all this is matter of joy and vvhat needeth this fear Sol. Who can come without fear before him that can and will do all this for if he be angry yea but a little they are blessed that trust in him fear is a proper passion of a true believer and is inseparably joyned with saving faith For seeing the bond of our union with Christ by faith whereby he dwelleth in us is Partly the hold that he hath of us by his Spirit Partly the hold that we have of him by faith The first is firme Joh. 10.27 There shall not any one pluck them out of my hand he giveth a strong reason for it for my Father who gave them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand we are his gifts and his gifts and calling are without repentance But the flesh doth put the Spirit to it so hard some times even in the elect of God that the hold on our part is weak which breedeth fear and that fear makes us hold so much the faster From hence it comes that all the intelligence between God and man doth begin at fear in us This is not the fear of an evill conscience as it was in Adam when he hid himself from God but the fear of reverence of God and the good conscience of our unworthinesse being fallen from our originall righteousnesse The Shepheards that were keeping watch by night because of their flocks were sore afraid when they saw the light shining at that time of night that the Angel began with Nolite timere fear not yet were they in the lawfull businesse of their calling The blessed Virgin no doubt wel and holily employed Zecharie the Priest in the Church about the occasions of his office yet all afraid This is the seasoning and preparing of the heart for God to be cast down before him it is humbling our selves under the mighty hand of God and we cannot pray as we ought without it When the Apostle saith we cannot pray as we ought and that the spirit helpeth our infirmities he sheweth that such as he have infirmities and they feel them when they come to appear before God and where infirmities are there must needs be fear if they that have them be sensible of them Yea I dare say that they that come to prayer without fear come without faith and all their prayers are turned into sin Ob. We read of comming with boldnesse to God Because we have an high Priest which is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 16. in all points tempted like as wee are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that wee may obtein mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Sol. this is cleered by the same Authour in the same Epistle declaring how many considerations must concurre as ingrediences in this our spirituall boldness 1 Let us draw neer with a true heart Heb. 10.22 2 In full assurance of Faith 3 Having our hearts sprinkled from an evill Consciences 4 Our bodies washed with pure water 5 Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering 6 Let us consider one another to provoke to love and good works 7 Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together c. 8 Exhorting one another Let a man before he pray try his vvayes and examine his soul upon those interrogatories and I dare say the best of us if we sin not also in presumption vvill finde himself short in every one of these perticulars of that perfection that should accomplish boldnesse But having those things in some measure and more in desire and endeavour our boldness must needs be as much shaken with fear as these graces in us are shaken with infirmity And upon this fear our Church teacheth us to pray to God in these words Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid 12 Dom. post Trinit and giving unto us that which our prayers dare not presume to ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. And this some of our brethren have quarrelled as a contradiction in our prayers because we say we pray for tha we dare not pray for To whom I answer in these words of my Text O Lord I heard thy voice
mercies Psal 5.7 The Church knoweth that God is more glorious in his mercy 3 Reas then in all his other attributes for his mercy is above all his works the justice of God is against us because we are unrighteous the wisedom of God is against us because we have walked as fools and not as wise men The holiness of God is against us because we are unclean conceived in sin and born in iniquity The truth of God is against us for omnis homo mendax every man is a lyer The power of God is against us because we have forsaken him the fountain of living water c. The Patience of God is against us because he is a God that loveth not iniquity neither shall evill dwell vvith him he hateth all those that work wickedness Onely Mercy is our friend that maketh Christ our justice our wisedom our sanctification and redemption that maketh truth perform gratious promises and his power becometh our protection his patience our peace Divitiae misericordiae riches of mercy This seemeth to excellent use 1 To assure to us the favour of God 1 Vse because it is built upon the foundation of Gods mercies of which Dauid saith The mercy of God endureth for ever his mercy is euerlasting The knowledge of salvation given by the remission of our sins is Through the tender mercy of our God Luk. 1.77 78. whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us So that if God be angry with us for our sin yet his vvrath doth not burn like fire but as he sayd of Solomon I will chasten him with the rods of men but my mercy will I not take utterly from him 2 It seemeth to rebuke those that put their trust in humane merits or works of the Law they that come to God for wages forsake their own mercy nothing so contrary to Divine mercy as humane condignity 3 Because here is anger and mercy together 2 Cor. 1.3 Naâ—u 1 2. this killeth all presumption for he that is called The God of mercies is called a jealous God and a furious Avenger And the rods of men well laid on will smart and draw bloud 4 This inviteth to new life because The goodness and mercy of God leadeth to repentance and the Crown of it Rom. 2.6 5 Seing we have so much need of mercy our selvs let us shew mercy unto others Estote misericordes ut pater vester coelestis be ye mercifull as your heavenly father for there shall be judgement vvithout mercy to him that sheweth no mercy Christ abideth yet naked and sick and imprisoned and hungry and thirsty in our poor brethren as his mercy embraceth us so let our mercy embrace him that he may say esurivi pavistis I was hungry and ye fed me Ver. 3. God came from Teman and the holy one from mount Paran Selah His glorie covered the Heavens and the Earth was full of his praise 4 And his brightness was as the light he had horus coming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power 5 Before him went the pestilence and burning coals went forth at his feet THe second part of this Psalm doth contein a celebration of the prayses of God Vid. divis p. 23. which also doth declare upon what grounds the Church in affliction and captivity doth put trust in God The whole Section is a commemoration of the great power and glory and power and mercy of God shewed in behalf of his own people v. 3 4 5. ad finem v. 15. 1 In his coming to them from Paran and Teman 2 Of the same power and glory declared in giving of the possession of the land of Canaan to Israel 3 In the dismay of the Nations v. 7. 4 In the marvellous Water-works 8 9 10. 5 In their great victories within the Land I begin at the first God came from Teman and the holy one from Mount Paran The best exposition that I do finde amongst many of these words is that here is remembred the coming of God to Israel when he gave them the Law written in two Tables of stone with his own hand For God came then from Teman and Paran Paran was a great mountain neer to mount Sinai but Teman signified the South so God came from the South thence came God to give Israel his Law wherein he did express himself the King of this people by coming so neer to them by shewing himself so openly and by revealing his wil to them so plainly This was so great a favour done to them that he addeth Selah which word is onely used in Davids Psalmes and in this Psalme and the word in the judgments of the learned is sometime vox optantis the voice of one that wisheth aequivalent to Amen or vox admirantis the voice of one admiring shewing some speciall matter or vox affirmantis of one affirming avouching what is said or vox meditantis of one meditating requiring consideration of what is said But withall it is a rest in Musique Jerome saith it is commutatio metri or vicissitudo canendi his glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise And His Brightnesse was as the Light he meaneth the brightnesse of that glory wherein he appeared when he gave the Law set forth Exod. 19.16 For there were Thunders and Lightnings He had Horns comming out of his hands by Horns in Scripture strength is signified the horne of salvation is the strength of salvation the exalting of the horne is the advancing of power and these are said to be in his hands because the hands and arms are called the strong men in the body they are the instruments of power And there was the hiding of his power there in that apparition God did hide his power from the rest of the world and declared it perticularly to his Church as David saith He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgments Psal 147.20 they have not known them Before him went the Pestilence and burning coals went forth at his feet His meaning is that God then declared himself mighty in the punishment of his enemies and the enemies of his Church for under these tvvo kinds of punishments by pestilence and fire he shevveth that God hath the command of all the instruments of vvrath of vvhich these tvvo by plague and fire are the most licking and devouring putting no difference where they go And this hath reference to the many plagues wherevvith he punished the Aegyptians vvhen he brought his people from the land of Aegypt from the house of bondage The summe of all is this that God hath declared himself glorious 1 In his speciall favour to his people 2 In his just vengeance From vvhence these points of doctrine issue 1 That the consideration of Gods former mercies doth strengthen faith in present tribulations 2 That the Church of God hath a speciall interest in the povver and protection of God 3 That