upon the cheek bone Use 4 4. This teacheth us our duty before the War in the War and after the War 1. Before the War and in the War to joyn prayers with our prepatations and our attempts for God declared in the Wars of Israel with Amalck that Moses praying on the hill with Aaron and Hur and Joshua fighting belowe in the valley Exod 17. were both of them the forces of God And that prayers were the better fighting for when Moses ceased praying Amalek prevailed 2. After the War we are taught to whom to attribute the victory and good successe of the War that is to give the glory thereof to the Lord and so say with David The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe So the daughter of Jephta came out with timbrels to meet her father and confest to her father Judg. 11.36 The Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies even of the chldren of Ammon Yet may we not herein smother the well deserving prowesse and valour of valiant Commanders and souldiers but give them their due honour so even the women meet Saul returning from the slaughter of the Philistines and they answered one another in their song saying Saul hath killed his thousands and David his ten thousands 1 Sam. 18 7. Doctr. 2 2. Whereas Israel saith to the Heathen Arise ye and let us arise making use of the power and strength of the Heathen against Edom we are taught that God doth use one evil man and one evil Nation to punish another The Lord did smite the Moabites by the Ammonites and took from them some part of their land Chedorlaomer maketh war against other kings and taketh away their substance The Midianiâ—â— were their own Conquerours The Lord set every ones sword against his fellow there wont all the host The children of Israel did call the Heathen here to them Jud. 7.22 they joyned in one war against Edom as if at this day Princes of the Popish Religion should joyn themselves with a Protestant Prince to maintain him in his Kingdom against the Emperour the Popes eldest son Is not this setting Egytians against Egyptians and defending the Church by the enemies of the Church Reason 1 The reason why God doth this is not for want of other strength for he is Lord of hosts but to declare him to be King and Lord over all he doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth and in the sea and all deeps What doth more declare his absolute Soveraignty then his Power to whip and scourge the enemies of his Church by one another of them which is to make Sathan cast out Sathan This sheweth that Sathans kingdom is subordinate to the Kingdom of God there is but one Kingdom of which it may be truly said Et Imperijs ejus non est finis There is no end of his Kingdom Christ shall one day make this good when he shall have put down all his enemies for then he shall deliver up the Kingdom to God In the mean time the subjects of Sathans kingdom are the vassalls of God and Sathan himself shall be and is at his command to be the rod of God for execution of his wrath where he pleaseth Reason 2 2. God useth to punish the wicked to declare to the Church that there can be no true love but where there is love of the Truth onely true Religion doth unite the hearts of men and all that embrace not that want the bond of peace They may cry a confederacy and give one another the right hand of fellowship for a time but if God be not the knot of their union all other respects will come short of setling a constant concurrency We see this clearly in the vicissititudes of confederacies and wars amongst the enemies of true Religion temporall respects make their leagues temporall respects do again dissolve them The Uses of this point Use 1 This doth serve to reform our judgements and to settle our hearts in our great vexation for did not the foot of David almost slip when he saw the prosperity of the ungodly and compared it with the main and great troubles of the Church For seeing God doth make this use of them to be his sword marvell not that he keepeth his sword by his side that he keepeth it in a sheath that he keepeth it bright And David saith Deliver my soul from the wicked which in thy sword that is one cause why God rewardeth the wicked with some temporall favours Psa 17.13 because he maketh use of them to punish his enemies this is fully exprest For thus saith the Lord to the Prophet Son of man Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus Every head was made bald and every shoulder was peeled Ezech. 29 18.19 yet had he no mages nor the army for Tyrus that served against it therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I will give the land of Egypt into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and he shall take her multitudes and take her spoils and take her prey and it shall be the wages for his army This may satisfie us that we grieve not at the prosperous estate of the wicked for God hath use of them and he will not let them serve him for nothing The elect of God have fairer hopes let them stay their stomack and let them wait the Lords leisure Use 2 2. We may see in this example in my text and in many more that God maketh use of the wicked in the behalf of his Church and therefore we must not give the glory of Gods justice to the means but to God The wicked know not what they do when they fight the battells of the Lord yet God doth put such mettall into them that they do most valiantly perform his will A full example hereof is The word of the Lord to Zedekiah king of Judah by his prophet Jeremiah Jer. 37.8 The Chaldaeans shall come again and fight against this city and take it and burn it with fire Thus faith the Lord deceive not your selves saying The Chaldeans shall depart from us for they shall not depart For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men amongst them yet should they rise up every man in his tent and burn this city with fire This must needs be the hand of the Lord and therefore the glory must be given to God onely the means are weak but the Lord is strong he alone must be exalted and all the glory of victory must be ascribed to him The Church may use the help of the Heathen and of Idolaters in the Lords battells for they are the sword of the Lord as you have heard Use 3 3. We are taught that though Israel and the Heathen do come together though the godly do use the
Papists Waxe because they make Candles thereof which they do use in their false worship of God so Frankincense cloath c. this is made a breach of the second commandment Put this rule is too strict and unwarrantable for what providence can prevent abuse of all the commodities that any Land affordeth We sell wheat of which they may make their Wafer-gods we exchange gold with some of them they may gild their Images with it Some of them send us in Wine which is much abused to drunkennesse and silks of all sorts which is abused to pridc c. This is Nimia sapientia nimia justicia to be over-wise over-just Use 2 Seeing the godly and faithfull may lawfully make just wars we are taught to exercise Arms and to study Military Discipline and to value the worthy souldier as a necessary member of the Common-wealth and to give him all good encouragement That peace which rusteth the armour and despiseth the souldier and disuseth Arms is dangerous it weakeneth the hands and hearts of men of action it disableth the Common-wealth it provoketh the adversary to assault and putteth all into hazard As John biddeth the souldiers to be content with their pay so he alloweth them a pay and imposeth the charge of their mainnance upon the Common-wealth Let not daring and worthy spirits complaine as Themistocles did that they are like to the Platanes in a storme men fly under them for shelter in fair weather vellicant pluck off their leaves Use 3 3. We are taught when just occasions of war arise to gather courage as being helpers to our God in his battels When Hezekiah saw that Senacherib was come to fight against Ierusalem he said to his Commanders and souldiers Be strong and couragious feare not nor be afraid for the King of Ashur 2 Chron. 32 7. neither for all the multitude that is with him for there is more with us then with him with him is an arme of flesh but with us is the Lord our God for to help us and fight our battels So Nehemiah encouraged the people against Tobiah and Sanballat when they came to hinder the building of the walls of Ierusalem Be not afraid of them remember the great Lord and the fearfull and fight for your brethren your sons and your daughters your wives and your houses There be that have said that true Religion doth make men cowards and destroyeth fortitude and true valour It is not so 1. Because true Religion doth settle the conscience in the goodnesse of the cause which the Heathen did not respect 2. True Religion casteth us upon the protection of Almighty God which also the Heathen regarded not but trusted to them that were no gods Therefore let us say to our souldiers in the wars of God as we read it said by the Officers to the people by the commandment of Moses What man is there that is fearfull and fainthearted Deut. 20.8 let him go and return to his house lest his brethrens heart do faint as his heart fainteth For it was a base and unkingly answer that Ahab sent Benhadad who said Thy silver and thy gold is mine thy women and thy fair children are mine He answered Mylord king according to thy saying I am thine all that I have They that put their trust in the Lord do not fear what man can do unto them Use 4 Seeing wars are lawfull we conclude that it is lawfull also to use all witty means of circumvention to ensnare the enemy those are called stratagems of war So Ioshuah may lye in wait and come against Ai Josh 8.2 on the back side of the City So Abraham may divide his company Gen. 14.15 Jud. 20.29 and smight the enemy in the night when he attempteth the resâ—ue of Lot So the Israelites may use advice to draw the men of Gibea out of their City and so take advantage against them unawares Use 5 5. Seeing just wars may be undertaken by the servants of God let them prepare themselves as Gods servants to them When thou goest out with an host against thine enemy Deu 23.9 then keep thy self from every wicked thing The Lord thy God walkâ—th in the midst of the Camp to deliver thee and to give thee thine enemies before thee therefore let thine hoast be holy that he see no filthy thing in thee and turne away from thee Amongst the Heathen it was wont to be said that the Camp was the Schoole of vertue much more ought it to be so amongst Christians for there is a terrour of death and we know that immediatâ—y after death cometh judgment How ought men to sanctifie themselves and to repent them of their sins and to purge their hearts from all wickednesse that serve under Almighty God in his battels God hath threatned If you will not obey me nor do all these Commandments Levit. 26.14.17 I will set my face against you and ye shall fall before your enemies and they that hate you shall reigne over you and ye shall flye when none pursueth you Surely such are of he forlorne hope that come not to serve the living God therefore the strongest army is of them that are religious and make conscience of doing any wicked thing to displease God Use 6 Seeing it is lawfull to make just wars there must be a willing yeelding to the charge thereof moneys are the sinews of war and for this cause pay nâ— tribute Rom. 13. Give unto Caesar that that is Caesars God hath given our lawfull Princes an interest in our goods for the common good and the Apostle alleageth this cause of tribute and subsidy to our Princes For they are Gods Ministers appointed for this very thing that is to execute wrath upon them that do evil and to defend their own right Use 7 7. This reproveth those that sensually and securely play and sleep out their time without care of their own safety till the enemies come on them and make them a prey This was the ruine of Laish The children of Dan sent five men who came to Laish and behold the people that were therein dwelt carelesse Judg. 18.7 after the manner of the Zidonians quiet and secure This gave encouragement to the children of Dan to assault them Use 8 This Doctrine of the lawfulnesse of just wars doth seem to confute the Manichees and Marcionites of old times and the Anabaptists and those of the family of Love in later dayes who have maintained it unlawfull for Christians to make any either offensive or defensive war or so much as to wear a weapon Object 1 Christ saith Matth. 5.39 Resist not evil if one smile thee on one cheek turn the other if one sue thee for thy coat give him thy cloak Solu This must not be literally understood for Christ himself who gave this precept did not so he was smitten in the High Priests Hall and he turned not the other cheek but reproved him that smote him saying
storm it is gone saith David The wisdom of God in man is ever at the best in the greatest tempest of danger and sense of sin The Disciples when they are brought before Kings and Rulers are promised Dabo vobis sapientiam I will give you wisdom and further Dabitur illâ horâ it shall be given in that houre Steven at the houre of his death not distracted with the fury of them that stoned him dyed calling upon God calling on him for them that killed him God takes away wisdome from them that know not how to use it Such as are wise to do evil but to do good have no understanding Wisdom in an ungodly man is armata nequitia armed wickednesse and therefore David prayeth against it let not their wicked imagination prosper It was Davids wisdom Audiam quid loquaturin me Deus I will heare what the Lord will say For he will speak to our hearts peace and joy in the Holy Ghost He will uphold us with his counsell the feare of the Lord is the beginning of our wisdome 2. The Assurance Thus saith the Lord. For the trust in wisdome is so confident that the holy Prophet though he had called his prophecy his Vision and though he had begun his whole Prophecy with Thus saith the Lord yet the more to assure the events threatned he resumeth this authority 1. He bringeth in God himselfe despersing their first hope I have made thee small the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee 2. In their second hope which was in the strength of their habitation he bringeth in God speaking to Edom I will bring thee down saith the Lord. 3. Now again in this third hope of theirs in the wisdome of their wise men two things do meet in this verse to fortifie the assurance 1. The authority of him that saith and doth those things Thus saith the Lord. 2. His appeale to them for he doth not say I will destroy the wise men out of Edom but he appealeth to their own hearts saying Shall I not destroy them q. d. Do you think that I will be over-reached by your wise men No they shall not have wit enough to save themselves much lesse to save you For I will destroy them Which peremptory declaration of the will of him who is judge of all the world doth leave no place for evasion for the Psalmist saith of him that He doth whatsover he will in heaven and in earth and in all deep places By vertue of this certaine word of God we do gather this assurance against all the enemies of the Church in all ages thereof for he hath said it by the mouth of Iob How often is the Candle of the wicked put out Job 21.17 And how oft cometh their destruction upon them God distributeth sorrowes in his anger What though the execution of this wrath be deferred he addeth God layeth up his iniquity for his children that is the punishment of his iniquity ver 19. as there is a decree against them in the counsell of God and word against them declaring the decree of God so dies erit there shall be a time 3 The time in that day Our days and times be all in the hand of God and they be hid in his own power who in his secret wisdom hath appointed them when that day should come he hath not yet revealed to Edom in this Prophecie God is so patient and long-suffering that he doth not punish presently for vengeance is his he may take his time when he will and no man can resist him The point here considerable is That God in his secret wisdome hath designed a particular day for every execution of his will yea the Scripture goeth so far as to the houre even to a moment the least fraction of time This declareth that the wisdome of the world and of flesh hath but its time there is a period fixed wherein it must detertermine Ahitophels counsels went for Oracles till this day then God turned his wisdom into folly and destruction So God threatned Ierusalem with a day in which the Lord would take away from them the mighty men Isa 3.2 and the men of warre the judge and the Prophet the prudent and the ancient This he doth two wayes One by turning all their knowledge into ignorance and their wisdome into folly Another by destroying their persons either by his sore judgements or by leading into captivity here both are threatned for he will destroy both prudentes wise men and prudentiam their wisdome in that day This may remember us of that great day of which St. Paul preached to the Athenians Act. 17.31 that God had appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousnes by that man which he hath appointed For as the day of Ierusalem and the day of Edom and the time of Gods particular judgements is set and fixt so is the day of the last judgement in which every man shall give an accompt to God of himself and all our works shall come to judgement What manner of men then ought we to be expecting this day and providing for it This Doctrine of the set day of particular execution of Gods threatned wrath against sinners doth teach 1. Holy patience in waiting the Lords leasure and as the Apostle admonisheth Cast not away therefore your confidence For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may receive the promise Heb. 10 35 36 37. For a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry And blessed is he that endureth to the end This living under the rod of the ungodly and this beholding the prosperity of the wicked doth much disquiet even the Saints of God on earth as is the example of David we see Therefore we have need of patience to sweeten the sorrows of life to us and to clear our eyes that we may not mourn as men without hope 2. It teacheth faith for the same Author saith Ver. 38 Now the just shall live by faith for he that hath promised is faithfull and no word of his shall fall to the ground unfulfilled Faith cometh by hearing let us then use it as the best remedy against the oppressions of the ungodly to be swift to hear the word of God that we may get the shield of faith to bear off all the darts of Satan so David in that disquiet went to the house of God there he was taught the end of those oppressors 3. It teacheth holinesse for seeing the wrath of God from heaven is revealed against the enemies of the Church there is no safety but in the Church of God and that is the Congregation of Saints these are safe in that day he hideth such under his wings his faithfulnesse and truth is their shield and buckler There shall no evill happen to them neither shall any plague come nigh their dwelling So long as we make conscience of our
of blood and He that planted the eare shall he not heare It covered the old world with waters the earth is filled with cruelty it was vox sanguinis that cryed and the heavens heard the earth and the windowes of heaven opened to let fall judgement and vengeance upon it The joy that the Jewes had at the death of Christ what sorrow hath it cost them ever since they have gone like Cain with a mark upon them stigmatized and branded as murtherers and they are scattered upon the face of the earth 1600 yeers almost deportation have they endured and who cries now it is time for the Lord to have mercy upon Sion The author of the three conversions of England writes a congratulatory Epistle to the Catholiques in England rejoycing at the timely quiet death of Queen Elizabeth in a full age full of dayes and full of honour and telleth them that they have as much cause of joy as ever the Christians had in the Primitive times for the death of the bloody and cruell Emperours This candle of the wicked was soon put out for ere that Epistle could come to them our gracious King was Proclaimed the heyre of her Crownes and of her Faith 4. They are charged with the cruelty of the tongue verse 12. Neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of their distresse This is another kind of breach of the Law non occides thou shalt not kill to speak proudly or as the Originall doth expresse it to make the mouth great or wide against our brethren in their distresse For they animated the persecutors of their brethren in the day of Ierusalem Psa 137. and said raze raze it even to the foundations thereof They opened their mouth wide in cruelty or as Ezekiel speaketh for them Moab and Seir did say Behold the house of Iudah is like unto all the heathen Ezek. 25 8 i.e. God taketh no more care for them then for any other people It is one of the provocations wherewith God was provoked against Edom Because thou hast sayd these two Nations and these two Countries shall be mine Ez. 35.10 and we will possesse it though the Lord was there He accuseth them of Anger and Envy against those two Nations i.e. Israel and Judah so called because the Land was divided in Jeroboams time into two kingdomes Anger and envy are by our Saviour declared to be murther and the tongue is called by David a sharp sword the poyson of Aspes is under their lips it is the bow out of which they shoot for arrowes bitter words Thou hast loved all the words that may do hurt Verba be verbera Venite percutiamus eum lingua Jer. 18.18 Jam. 3.5 6. Come let us smite them with the tongue said the enemies of Jeremy and Saint Iames saith there is ignis in Lingua a fire in the Tongue Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the Tongue amongst the Members that it defileth the whole body and it setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell It is an unâ—uly evill full of deadly poyson There is that speaketh like the purcings of a Sword 1. In their anger they spake cruelly Pro. 12.18 instigating their enemies to destroy them 2. In their pride they spake insolently expressing their inward joy at their ruine by speeches of scorne and disdaine and of triumph over them The Iewes are a fearefull example of this in their processe against Christ for they cruelly said Crucifie him Crucifie him not him but Barabbas If thou let him goe thou art not Caesars friend And after tauntingly when he was upon the Crosse to him he saved others let him save himselfe to his Father Let him now save him if he will have him Which how deare it cost them let their owne tongues repeat their judgement Sanguis ejus super nos filios nostros his blood be upon us and upon our children it was so ever since and as God wrote the crueltie of Amaleck in a Book and vowed never to forget So even unto this day he remembreth what that Amalek did to Israel the desolation of their City and Temple the glory and pride and praise of the earth their miserable dispersion to this day is a certaine testimony of Gods unappeased displeasure to them Sarah saw Ishmael working he doth not say she heard him peradventure it was but a scornfull or proud looke that she observed but it is understood that he scoffed him with some words of disdaine that he should be the young-Master and heire of the house And this provoked Sarah to solicite his casting out of the house and the Apostle doth call it persecution and a kinde of murther Beloved do you know that cursing is murther do you know that bitter and scornful slandring which toucheth the good name of a brother is murther do you know that every word you speake to animate and encourage any against a brother is murther do you know that those reviling speeches which anger venteth in your common scoldings and reproachfull railings one upon anoâ—her and that secret and private whispers wherewith you deprave one another be murther Saint Iames teacheth you Jam. 4.11 That he that speaketh evill of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evill of the Law and judgeth the Law That is he declareth himselfe to be above the Law and takes upon him to judge for he that judgeth the Law and thinketh that the law of God doth not bind him to obedience he is not a doer of the law but a judge Christ saith he that saith to his brother satue thou foole is obnoxious to hell fire Let us all judge our selves by this Law and we shall finde that we had need to take heed to our wayes that we offend not with our tongue it is no easie worke to governe the tongue it asketh care and caution David himselfe must take heed That was the lesson Pambus found so hard that it was enough to take up his whole life And in our anger and fury we do little thinke upon it that By our words we shall he judged by our words we shall be condemned and if of every idle word we shall give an account to God how much rather of every angry word of every lying word of every spightfull and scornefull word every cruell and bloudy word of every prophane and blasphemous word This is commonly the revenge of the poore for when they have no other way to right themselves against injuries they fall to cursing and imprecations Saint Iames telleth you Jam. 1 26. If a man among you seems religious and bridleth not his tongue he deceiveth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine And againe Jam. 3.2 If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body It is a Master-peece â—o â—â—â—eene the tongue What
man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes Psa 24.12 13. that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evill But of all kind of evill speaking against our brother this sinne of Edom to sharpen an enemie against our brother in the day of his sorrow and distresse this opening of the mouth wide against him to insult over him in his calamity is most barbarous and unchristian Yet I denie not but that God giveth matter of joy to his Church when he destroyeth the enemies thereof and it may be sometimes lawfull to open our mouthes wide in the praise of God for the destruction of the ungodly as I finde joy in the Campe of Israel for the devouring of proud and cruell Pharaoh and his Armies in the Rea-Sea Then Moses taught them a Song Exo 15. not only of thanksgiving unto God but of insultation over those enemies wherein they said Pharaohs Chariots and his Hoast hath he cast into the Sea his chosen Captaines also are drowned in the Red-Sea The depths have covered them he sanke into the bottome as a stone The horse and his Rider hath he throwne into the Sea This was the first Song that we do read of in holy Scripture the ancientest Song that is extant in the world upon record And therefore it is a Type of the jubilation of the Saints in heaven for the destruction of the Beast and it said that they Sing the Song of Moses the servant of God Rev. 15.3 for there was more cause of joy in the whole Church for the fall of the Beast then Israel had for the fall of King Pharaoh for indeed that of Israel was but a type of this But Moses was warrant enough for the one and the same spirit which directed Moses shall authorize the other Yet here is a dangerous way and exceeding slippery and wonderfull circumspection must be used and Davids caution I said I will take heed that I offend not in my tongue for Christ hath put a duty upon us which in his Evangelicall law to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speake well and do well There is in the enemies with whom we have to doe a double opposition which maketh a double quarrel 1 They are opposite to God himselfe when they oppugne the Church of God or any member of that Church for Gods sake this is Gods quarrell 2 When they personally violate the servants of God in life goods or good name this is our quarrell whether in passion the case be ours or our brothers in compassion There is a double respect to be had to enemies 1 As they are men 2 As they are enemies This ground being layed these conclusions do result concerning this point 1 That no man ought to rejoyce at the ruine and destruction of a man as he is a man for this is a naturall tye that bindeth us one to another and Religion doth not unbind the bonds of nature rather it is religatio and tyeth them much faster The reason is for though the Image of God in which man was created were much defaced in the fall of man yet was it not wholly extinguished for the image of the Trinity is an indelible character it cannot be wholly lost not in the reprobate I may adde not in the damned for even they also are the workmanship of God Therefore as they are the creatures of God we do owe them love and pity in honour of the Image of God in them and ought not rejoyce to to see the blemishes of Gods Image So the Samaritane shewed kindnesse to the Jew that fell among Theeves although as the woman of Samaria said they converse not together And so Jacob cursed the cruel furie of his sonnes for destroying the Shechemites though Aliens from Israel and usurping their land And so God hating both the Moabite and the Edomite yet he avenged the cause of them against the King of Moab saying For three transgressions of Moab Amos 2.1 and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof because he burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime But I will send a fire upon Moab and it shall devoure the Palaces of Kerioth And to go lower when the rich man in hell-fire saw Abraham afar off and besought him for helpe he answered him by that loving compellation Son thou in thy life time c. hell would not take that from him but that he was Abrahams sonne according to the flesh And whilst we live here we ought much rather to doe all offices of humanity to our enemies because they are men and because only God knoweth who are his and they may be converted and come into the Vineyard at the last houre 2 As they are enemies 1 We consider them as Gods enemies so we hate them not their persons but their vices for that as Augustine defineth it is odium perfectum a perfect hatred and indeed it is the hatred that God beareth to his enemies For the wrath of God from heaven is revealed against the unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of men not against their persons they are his workmanship and carry his Image in some sort though much disfigured but against the unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of men by which their persons do stand obnoxious to his displeasure And thus I find the Saints of God have insulted over the wicked as Israel over Pharaoh and the Gileadites over the children of Ammon Rom. 1.18 not rejoycing in the destruction of Gods creatures but of Gods enemies and wishing with Deborah and Bareck So let all all thine enemies perish O Lord. This is no moâ—e but an applauding of the judgment of God and a celebration of his justice and of this we have examples both in the Militant and in the Triumphant Church 1 In the Militant Babylon where the Israel of God were captives and despightfully intreated and where they hung up their Harpes and were scornefully and sarcasmatically required to sing one of the songs of Sion is thus insulted over O daughter of Babylon who art to be wasted Rom. 1 18 happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Happy shall he be Psa 137.8 that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones Lift ye up a Banner upon the high mountains Isa 13 2. exalt the voice unto them shake the hand I have commanded my sanctified ones Jer. 50.2 I have also called my mighty ones for my anger Declare ye among the Nations and publish and set up a Standard publish and conceale not say Babylon is taken Bel is confounded Merodach is broken in peeces c. In the triumphant Church Rejoice over her thou heaven Rev. 18.20 And ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged yea on her Yet I will not conceale from you that many learned expositors of the Revelation do understand this Text of the Militant Church But no doubt the Saints judging the world
to trust in the shadow of Egypt Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion He declareth this folly in the next chapter Now the Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit when the Lord shall stretch out his hand Isa 31.3 he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they all shall fail together This sheweth want of faith when we trust in the vain help of friends It is true that we must use all good means to further Gods providence but we must not put any trust in these means there may be help by them there is no help in them David setteth these two in opposition and declareth the differing successe of them Some trust in chariots and some in horses Ps 20 7 8. but we will remember the name of our Lord. They are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright Is it not folly for man to run himself upon the curse of God God hath said it Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord. Jer. 17. The Poets the Prophets of the Heathen can tell us what ill successe the Gyants of the earth had which their confederacie against the gods Non est consilium contra Dominum The Use of this point is Let us all labour and pray for understanding 1. To know the impotencie of the creature that we may not trust to it 2. To know the omnipotencie of our Creator that we may not oppose it but seek our rest under that shadow This will change our vain confidence into a strong faith and faith is a shield in all our wars VERSE 8. Shall I not in that day saith the Lord even destroy the wisemen out of Edom and understanding out of the mount of Esau Their fourth hope despaired Doctr. They trusted to their wisdome God doth threaten to destroy both the wisdom and the wise men of Edom. In this paslage consider we 1. The judgment upon Edom Destruam sapientes I will destroy the wise men 2. The assurance Dicit Dominus saith the Lord. 3. The time in that day 1. Concerning the judgment we are taught that humane wisdome and counsels without God are no fense for a State Here is the mother disease of humane nature Eva heard that wisdome was to be gotten by eating the forbidden fruit and she aspired in the pride of her heart to be like God knowing good and evill ever since man hath much affected wisdome therefore God who hath revealed the true wisdome to his Church hath ever professed himself an enemy to the wisdome of this world it hath two titles inimicitiae apud Deum stultitiae enmity and folly The true and saving wisdome is Christ he is made unto us of God wisdome and his word is sufficient to make the man of God wise unto salvation Eccl 9 14 There was a little City and few men within it and there came a great King against it and besieged it and built a bulwark against it Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdome delivered the City This little City is the Church of God the few men in it be the little flock of Gods chosen the enemy that assaulteth it is Satan the Prince of darknesse the god of this world The poore wise man in it is Jesus Christ the Carpenter the son of poor Mary of whom the Scribes and Priests said Is not this the Carpenter he by his wisdome saved his Church This wisdome directeth to the whole Armour and teacheth how to fit it to us that we may be able to resist Sathan Ephes 6. But the wisdom that is of the world that studieth how to carry things on without God sometimes against God for God is not in all their wayes and this was ever a broken reed it doth both deceive and wound him that leaneth on it For The wisdom of the flesh cannot be Subject to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 yet it striveth in vaine For There is no wisdom nor understanding Prov 21.10 nor counsel against the Lord for it is written Job 5.13 He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse 1 Cor 3.19 1. The reason is given by the Prophet Yet he also is wise meaning there the wisdom of direction Jsa 31.2 and counsel for that belongs to him only the wisdome of obedience and sequence is that which we most seek Therefore God resisteth and destroyeth all those that usurpe his wisdome but take counsell and not of him Jsa 30.1 and cover with a covering but not of his spirit that is seek protection and coverture against evils but not consulting his spirit who alone claimeth right in that title to be custos hominum the preserver of men 2. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to destroy the wise the reason is given 1 Cor. 1. â—7 That no flesh should glory in his presence ver 19. God is the only subject of glory properly in himself we give it to him in our Lords Prayer Tuum est regnum potentia gloria Thine is Kingdome c. He is a jealous God he hath sworn that he will not give his glory â—oany creature wisdom is one of his glories 1 Cor. 1.25 For The foolishnes of God is wiser then men And for this cause God will destroy the wise men of Edom both their persons and their wisdom as he did Achitophel the Oracle of those times he defeated him for he turned his wisdom into folly and left him not wisdom enough to save himselfe from the halter Vse Therefore by Edoms example let us learn not to trust to humane wisdome flattering our selves that we can do any thing without God for even the wicked when they oppresse the Church and hurt the Saints do it not without the counsell and wisdom of God so he saith before thus saith the Lord an Embassadour is sent to the Nations Arise ye against him in battaile It is God that maketh their confederates forsake Edom and the men of their peace be the sword of God drawn out against Esau Reviling Rabshakeh the Generall of Senacheribs forces against Ierusalem Isa 36.10 could say and he said truly And am I now come up without the Lord against this Land The Lord said unto me go up against this Land For God stirred them up and animated them to fight his battails against Israel The wisdome of the world is not worth the seeking because it may be lost and taken from us the wisdome of God which is from above God giveth to his chosen and he cannot take it away from us because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance But the wise men of the world when they have most cause to use their wisdome then it faileth them like the Sea-mans cunning in a violent