church with their best learned in points wherein the Jesuits at this day accuse us of Heresie Therefore one observed well that the Religion of Rome was like Nebuchadnezzars image the height of it was 60 cubits and the breadth was but 6 that is without any proportion for never could they make the parts of it symmetricall Therefore first we are comforted against all the enemies of our Religion their strength may be great and their malice greater but they cannot unite themselves with the bond of true Peace and the God of peace is not their tutelary God In the damnable conspiracy of the Powder-traytors God by one of themselves diverted the Treason I deny not but Turks have had many great prevailings against Christians Papists against Protestants and their confederates have held fast with them So had Moab and Ammon Geball the Assirians Philistines the Chaldeans against Israel But God found a time to consume these Nations by their own strength and their own confederates were the ruine of them We have heard that war is one of the sore judgements wherwith God scourgeth offendors At this time a great part of the Protestant Church is hostilly attempted with war we have many of our countrymen noble generous and valiant voluntiers engaged in that cause I hope we shall do a charitable Christian duty to God and them to pray God to cover their heads in the day of battaile to beseech him whom Job cals the preserver of men to save them from all evill Thou Lord preservest man beast do thou save them let their eye have its desire upon their enemies And for our selves we say O Lord be gratious unto us we have waited for thee be thou their arme every morning Isa 33.2 our Salvation also in the time of trouble God is called Lord of Hoasts and so he can master his enemies the stars in their courses by their influences the Elements fire as in Sodom ayre as in the Pestilence in Davids time water as in the deluge earth as in Corahs transgression to smite sinners He can punish man by Frogges by Flyes by Lice by Grasse-hoppers and such like armies of his Yet he chose to destroy the army of the Midianites by themselves rather then by any other means The Lord set every mans sword against his fellow throughout all the hoast Jud. 7.22 He could have employed other executioners to have done vengeance upon blaspheming Senacherib King of Assyria but he would shew that no bonds of society or nature can hold them together whom God hath not joyned Therefore it came to passe as he was worshipping in the house of Nisâ—ock his God Isa 37.38 that Adrameleck and Sharezer his sons smote him with a sword 2. We are therefore taught to unite our selves in the Lord by the bonds of â—ue love for all other bonds will be like the new cords wherewith Sampson was tied break in sunder and we shall cast them from us The great friendship that is made by bribes cannot be sincere for 1. The receiver of them knowes that his love is a dear penny worth to his friend it is not a gift but a perquisite and therfore he cannot call it sure 2. The giver knoweth his mony not his love made the friend and if this friendship bear him out of the hands of justice his conscience will still tell him that his money not his innocency acquitted him if this friendship prefer him his conscience within him will say that his money not his worthinesse hath advanced him Therefore the frienship thus made is not sincere But they whom Religion and the fear of God doth unite are of one heart and of one soule here is no lack of any thing Acts 4.32 if any of them may supply it the wounded man shall have both the oyle and wine of the Samaritane out of his vessels and the help of his hand and of his beast and of his word and of his purse Our Saviour Christ saith Go thou and do the like How can we say we are neighbours when we are so far from healing our brethrens wounds that we rather set them into a fresh bleeding and open them wider we rather make more in the whole and sound flesh we rather take away their oile and wine and beast and money wherewith they should help themselves and instead of putting them into an house we take their houses over their heads and expose them to stormes The God of peace sanctifie us throughout that his peace may knit us together in him Doctr. 4 Those who trust in men have no understanding Here on earth we do much value the wisdome and judgment of man by his choyce of adherence and dependance and we judge them unwise that addresse themselves to such as cannot either support them as they are or put them on farther But the word of the Lord saith there is no understanding in Edom to trust in man and the Psalmist Non relinquat hominem he adviseth Trust not in Princes nor in any son of man for there is no help in him God goeth farther in my text there is treason in him subducet auxilium super inducet exitium He will bring thee to thy uttermost borders and there he will leave thee Jun. reads Cujus vulneris non erit intelligentia as pointing out so great a plague upon Edom ut ipsam nequeat mens humana comprehendere nedum curare arte intelligentia Joannes Draconites readeth the text thus Ante proderis hostibus quà m animadvertas But the sense is easie God censureth them for fools that put their trust in man For God himself saith they commit two great evils They forsake God the Fountain of living waters Jer. 2.13 and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water The Philistims trusted in their great Champion Goliah 1 Sam. 17.10 and they desied the hoâ—st of Israel and despised David the Aramites sent Israel word that the dust of their land should not be enough to give every one of their Army an handfull 1 Reg. 20.10 The reason of this folly is the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that beleeve not 2 Cor. 4.4 for Satan worketh strongly in the children of disobedience he hath strong illusions for them to make them beleeve lies They that trust in lying vanity saith Jonah do forsake their own mercy It is a lying vanity to trust the false gods of the Heathen Deut. 32.38 God upbraideth the Apostate Jewes so Let them rise up and help you let them be a refuge It is a lying vanity to trust in any confederacie against God It is Gods woe Woe to the rebellious children that take counsell but not of me that cover with a covering but not of my spirit Isa 33.1 that they may adde sin unto sin That walk to go downe into Egypt and have not asked at my mouth to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh and
The sword of the Lord is filled with blood Isa 34.6 it is made fat with fatnesse c. for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the land of Idumaea Rejoyce and be glad O daughter of Edom Lament 4. that dwellest in the land of Vz the cup also shall passe thorow unto thee thou shalt be drunken and shalt make thy self naked As to the young man Rejoyce O young man Iron q. d. Make thee merry whilest thou mayest for thou art like to have sorrow and care enough Amos also foretold as much Thus saith the Lord. Amos. 1.11 For three transgressions and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pity and did tear perpetually and kept his wrath for ever Which causes are after in this prophecie alleaged But I will send fire upon Teman which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah Thus saith the Lord God Ezech. Cap. 25.12 because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance and hath revenged himself upon them I v. 13. will also stretch out my hand upon Edom and I will cut off man and beast from it and I will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury and they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord. Son of man set thy face against mount Seir Cap. 35.2 and prophesie against it And say unto it Thus saith the Lord God Behold O mount Seir I am against thee and I will stretch out my hand against thee and I will make thee most desolate c. I may say now as the messengers sent to bring Michaias to King Ahab said but in a Contrary 1 Reg. 22.13 Behold the words of the Prophets declare evil unto Edom with one mouth And now you see what reason this Prophet hath to say We have heard for God hath revealed this threatened judgement to his servants the Prophets and with one mouth they declare it From whence we are taught Doctr. 1. That the decrees of Gods judgement upon the wicked are constant and unchangeable Reason 1 1. For God is without variablenesse and shadow of alteration Hos 13.14 The word is gone out of my mouth it shall not return empty but it shall finish the thing for which it is sons repentance is hid from mine eyes God is not as man that he should repent he hath sworn in his wrath they shall not enter into his rest and The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Rea. 2 2. From the nature of the wicked against whom he threateneth judgement for they have hearts that cannot repent and therefore they heap up wrath against the day of wrath Gods hatred doth deprive them of all the means of grace and none can be effectuall in them or to them and he hath said I have hated Esau Sin is folly sinners are fools bray a fool in a mortar yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him therefore they are under the rods and scorpions of wrath and cannot avoid the same 3. From the faithfulnesse of his Prophets for the Prophets of the Lord that threaten these judgements from his mouth shall not be found liars seeing their Prophecies are no self-given notions but inspirations of his spirit which is the Spirit of truth You know how Jonah was troubled to be a messenger of judgement to Nineveh when he was perswaded that God would shew them mercy and so his Prophecie fall to the ground he could rather have looked on to see the utter destruction of Nineveh then that his Prophecie should be found unperformed therefore he went another way at first would not come to Nineveh when he had prophesied he went out of the city there expected the event of his Prophecie was angry that it succeeded not Quer. We finde that in that example God changed and repented him of the evil which he had threatened against Nineveh how then do we say that the judgements of God against the wicked be unreversable And God saw their works Ionâ—h 3.10 that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them and he did it not Sol. To this we answer That Gods repentance was no change of his minde or any alteration of his counsell or decree but a deferring of the execution of his judgement The change was in Nineveh and the repentance was in them they humbled themselves before God and they both did the works of mortification and they also beleeved God Cap. 3.5 this was not a justifying faith which is Credere in Deum to beleeve in God but an historicall which is Credere Deo to beleeve God And God would have his Church see that if Ahab humble himself and go in sackcloth if Nineveh give over evil works and repent them of their sins he will turn from the fiercenesse of his wrath all to encourage repentance But Jonah was a true Prophet of Gods judgement their repentance was not poenitentia non poenitenda a repentance not to be repented of for they resumed their evil wayes and Nahum doth renew the threatenings of Jonah and declareth the Lords judgements against Nineveh For the repentance of the wicked is but for a season and as it is temporary so it removeth judgement for a time but they returning to their sins he returneth also to the execution of his intended punishment So Ahab was forborn for a time upon his humiliation but he escaped not the hand of judgement for God cannot lie His Prophets speak sure words as the Apostle saith We have a more sure word of Prophecie 2 Pet. 1.19 to which you do well if you take heed as to a light c. Que. When Abraham had heard the decree of God against the transgressing cities did not he know that Gods decrees of judgement were immutable how then did he solicite God for the reversing of the same did he well in so doing Sol. Abrahams plea doth clear this point for upon the first notice from God of his intended judgement he pleadeth for Sodom not to turn away the wrath from the ungodly there but he saith Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked c. Gen. 18.13 The care of Abraham was for the place and for the persons of the righteous he doth not solicite God for the wicked there Again to pray for the ungodly and wicked to divert judgement from them when God hath revealed his displeasure against them is not unlawfull 1. Because Christian charity hopeth all things beleeveth all things 2. Because many of Gods judgements are temporall and his anger against the sons of men continueth not long so that we may
scourge Edom. This rumour of warre is terror Domini the terror of the Lord And it stirreth up and awaketh those that are in danger to look to themselves which doth shew that this judgment threatned against Edom shall not surprise them suddenly they have warning to stand upon their guard and to arme themselves against invasion This is therefore declared as I conceive to shew the carelesse security of Edom that would take no warning for that is exprest in the prophecy of Isaiah in the burthen of Dumah contempt and scorne of their warning for he calleth unto me out of Seir Watchman what was in the night Watchman what was in the night As deriding the Prophet who had foretold their night of calamity which should put out their candle and leave them darkling For if the voyce of the Prophets will not move them how will they take it when they shall hear the nations sending Embassadours one to another to confederate against them But the wicked are despisers they will take no warning The old world made a scorne of Noahs preaching and building and thereby vexing his righteous soule even to the day that the floud came and swept them all away They of Sodom even the sons in law of Lot when he warned them of the wrath to come did despise the warning Yet God to make their judgment more heavie when it cometh and to make their scorne more inexcusable threatneth them with the rumour first before be smiteth them The pride and vanity of these times the drunkennesse and prophanesse the contentions and all the clamorous and loud voyced sinnes which over-grow into excesse they do all arise from the contempt of the word of God and from a negligence in observing the course of Gods justice in the punishing of these sinnes and from a scornfull undervaluing of those Embassadors whom God doth send into the world to reconcile the world to himself The Apostle saith We as Embassadours from God do beseech you But the Ministers of Gods word have very harsh welcome in the World for the prophane despise them all and will not hear their message the precise will hear but some of them they despise others they that be for Paul will not hear Apollo and they that be for Peter will hear neither Paul nor Apollo nor Jesus Christ himself But consider Embassadours are not sent but upon serious occasions this is such to awake and stir us up against our common enemies the Flesh the World and the Devil and to tell us of our great danger For we shall not fight against Flesh and Blood onely but against Powers and Principalities if we despise the noise of this rumour these enemies may take us at advantage Edom would take no warning no more will they whom God hath delivered over to the guidance of their own lusts 2. The effect of the message and rumour being the judgement it self 1 Judicium 2. effectum Judicij Numb 24.18 Arise ye and let us arise against her in battell When I compare these words with those of Balaams prophecie Edom shall be a possession Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies and Israel shall do valiantly Out of Jacob shall he come that shall have dominion and shall destroy him that remaineth of that city I finde here from whence the Embassadour cometh even from the house of Jacob And Israel shall stir up the Heathen against Edom and Israel shall have dominion over them This appeareth in Ezekiels prophecie And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom Eze. 25 14 by the hand of my people Israel and they shall do in Edom according to my anger according to my fury they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord God So the people of God shall stir up the Heathen Nations against Edom. From whence we do learn these lessons 1. That all wars are ordered by God 2. That God punisheth one evil man by the hand of another and so one evil Nation 3. That war is one of Gods punishments by which he chasteneth men for sin 4. That the people of God may lawfully make war 1. Doctrine All wars are ordered by God It is the word of the Lord that these Nations shall come together in War against Edom. The horse is prepared for the day of battell Pt. 21.31 but the victory is of the Lord. He teacheth my hands to fight Psa 144.1 and my fingers to battell Melchisedech saith to Abraham after his victory in the rescue of Lot Blessed be the most high God Gen. 14.20 which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand When Israel prevailed against Benjamin for abusing the Levites concubine Judg. 20.35 Jud. 7.20 it is said The Lord smote Benjamin before Israel Gedeons cry was The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon The reason hereof is in sight Reason 1 1. By the generall providence of God who ruleth all things and all persons psa 113.6 for he abaseth himself to behold things in heaven and in earth Reason 2 2. By the particular interest that God hath in wars for he is called Dominus exercituum the Lord of Hosts The uses follow Use 1 1. In all wars to have respect unto the cause not to put our selves into an unjust quarrell let the cause be Gods and we may promise our selves to have God on our side The wise man saith pro. 20.18 pro. 24.6 By counsell wars must be enterprised By wise counsell thou shalt make thy war prosperous If Jehoshaphat joyn with Ahab against Ramoth in Gelead he shall speed accordingly The sword of the Lord first then of Gideon Use 2 2. The cause being good and warrantable we must not trust to our strength neither must we neglect the means presuming on the defence of God 1. Not trust our own strength for some trust in Charets and some in horses as Benhadah did in the multitude of his men so great that the land against which he fought was not enough to give every one of theâ— an handfull Put David saith A king is not saved by the multitude of an host psa 33.17 neither is the mighty man delivered by much strength an horse is a vain help 2. It is another extream to cast all upon God and not to use the means first the sword of the Lord and then with it the sword of Gedeon Use 3 3. This serveth to take off all fear from our hearts when we fight the Lords battells it was a cheerfull speech of Joah encouraging the people when he had divided his army part against the Syrians and part against Ammon Be of good courage and let us play the men for our people 2 Sam. 10.12 and for the cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good It was Davids resolution I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Arise O Lord save me my God Psal 3.6 for thou smitest all mine enemies
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
Sam. 8.15 and all they of Edom became Davids servants There God made them small Again Amaziah king of Judah prevailed against them he slew of Edom in the valley of Salt ten thousand 2 Reg. 14.7 and took Selah by war This made them small They suffered many changes yet this is noted of them that 1. They were growen often very great yet still God made them small 2. That they were great before Iacob and continued so after Iacobs posterity were gone into dispersion 3. That now their memory is so extinguished on earth that their posterity is not known Let no man measure the favours of God by the accesse of his possession by the territories of his dominion by the multitude of his men by the force of his strength God gave all these things to Esau whom he hated Rather let men fortunate and prosperous in their wayes who have the desires of their hearts satisfied and whose paths be annoynted with butter suspect that God hath set them in slippery places Vivunt inter laquies Let them know that their fulnesse doth come of Gods open hand aperit implet and let them know that The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away and therefore let them take out both Saint Pauls lessons I have learned how to abound and how to want We are not to seek in our own times of examples of smalnes turned into greatnesse and of greatnesse again made small It is a judgment that David complained of Thou hast lifted me up and cast me downe how much more peace have they in their bosomes that were ever small then they who having risen above others are stooped beneath themselves and laid so low that the foot of pride treadeth on them down stout heart there is no perpetuity in things temporall Great Edom is made small rough and boysterous Edom that carries all by strong hand is made meek and tame 2. Made small amongst the Heathen These were numbred among the Heathen and amongst them they were great they separated from the Church of God like the sons of sober and religious parents that turne gallants and roarers and amongst these they shine awhile amongst these Edom was made small Abraham had an Ishmael that was cast out among the Heathen Isaac had an Esau that put himself in amongst them all the sons of Iacob were Patriarches great Fathers of the Church Esau where he rose to glory and greatnesse there he sunk into smalnesse the eyes that saw him in his shining saw him eclipsed 3. God hath done this there be few that look so high when they are down but they do rather complain of evill fortune or of some great wrong done to them here below failing of means disertion of friends or injustice in superiours The Heathen look to second causes and to naturall agents they consider not that it is God who lifteth up and casteth down But God taketh it upon himself and would have Edom know that this is Dextra Iehovae the right hand of the Lord. Others look high at first and upon every degree of downfall do charge God with hard measure and murmure at his uneven hand as if he had not done them right which as Job saith is to charge God foolishly But let men take it how they will God is the Author of the rising and falling of the sons of men of their growth and withering can God hate and his hatred sit idle and look on as his love is operative so is his hatred such is his love that all things work together for the best to them whom he hath called Saint Augustine addeth etiam peccata even their sins another etiam adversa their adversary and such is his hatred that all things work contrary to the ruine of them whom he hateth etiam prosperitas even their prosperity for the prosperity of fools doth destroy them 2. This judgment is aggravated by two circumstances from God and man 1. Thou art despised 2. Greatly despised 1. Despised The children of Edom had two great temptations to swell them that is riches and power these they insolently abused to oppression of their neighbours God who powreth contempt upon Princes covered them with contempt This is the severest vengeance that pride feareth Edom that was highest and bore rule over the Nations and lived by the sword is now made small after this fall followeth contempt God hath said it They that despise me shall be despised 2. Despised greatly Pride will have a fall it never falleth lower here on earth then when it falleth into great contempt 1. Of God that he turneth away from them or setteth his face against them 2. Of man and that 1. When the Prophets of the Lord do set their faces against them as in this case Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir Ezek. 35.2 prophecie against it it is no small matter to have the Messengers of God against us which do carry his sure word of prophecie for they speak from the mouth of the Lord and where they denounce the judgment of God against impenitent sinners whosoevers sinnes they retaine they are retained 2. When the Lord hath expressed his hatred and pronounced his judgment the Church of God despiseth their power and derideth their malice saying Thou O God seest it for thou beholdest ungodlinesse and wrong to take the matter into thy hand 3. This maketh it a great and full contempt when they that served them shall be Lords over them and their sword can no longer help them so is Edom despised among the Heathen this is great contempt to have the contempt of God and man You see their punishment These points of Doctrine do follow by just consequence 1. That Gods enemies though for a time they prosper and thrive in the world yet they shall by little be at last consumed The whole course of holy story runneth very clear this way Cain a runnagate and many learned do think after killed by Lamech Ishmael every mans sword against him Exod. 14.28 2 Reg. 20.37 Pharaoh drowned in the red sea Senacherio slain by his own sons Haman hanged on his own gallows Hâ—st 4 9. which the Poet calls Arte perire suà Nebuchadnezar turn'd beast Dan. 4 30. The Jewes have Christs bloud on them and their children Herod eaten with worms Act. 12.23 Judas went to his own place But in the execution of judgment God doth not all at once alwayes Moses telleth Israel Deut. 7.21 God will root out these Nations before thee by little and little Thou must not consume them at once As Amos prophecieth Amos 4.9 1. Blasting and mildew then the Palmer-worme then the Pestilence then the sword and at last as Sodom and Gomorrah So he destroyed Egypt with ten plagues one succeeding another he doth not empty his quiver all at once so here are two points considerable 1. He doth destroy them 2. Not all at once but by little and little 1. 2 Thes 6 7
in the last day do rejoyce against the world in the execution of Gods just judgement upon them for they are then entred into their masters joy and all teares are wiped from their eyes Thus then it is lawfull when God hath executed his judgement upon his enemies for all the friends of God to insult over them and to lift up their voice and hand against them for this is part of the punishment of Gods enemies they that despise me shall be despised This is the last perpetuall shame that shall evermore continue upon them the just reward of their bold presumption who durst advance themselves against God 2. We must consider the wicked as our enemies and this way we must be tender how we insult over them in this life because we do not know whether their destruction here be their full punishment or no. 1. Because God sometimes chasteneth with temporall judgements that he may forbeare eternall and sometimes he punisheth rather ad dignam emendationem then ad amandationem and by that temporall punishment doth as by some sharpe Physick restore them to health It is the voice of Gods Church Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy Micha 7 8 when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkenesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him 2 Because this opening of the mouth and insulting over the adversities of men is one of the practises of the ungodly they use as David saith to say Where is now their God So insolently did proud Senacherib insult over the Cities that he had subdued Where is the King of Hamath Isa 37.13 and of Arphad and the King of the City of Sepharvaim Heva and Iuah With them is the Chaire of the scornefull Rather should we commit our cause to God and comfort our selves in his justice and say no more when we suffer then the son of Jeboida sayd when Joash for getting his fathers love to him put him to death The Lord looke upon it and requite it 2 Chr. 24.22 And when we see that God hath executed his judgement on out behalfe let us give God the honour due unto his equall justice with joy therein Yet I love the example of Israel when in the cause of wrong done in Benjamin to the Levite in his Concubine they by Gods appointment destroyed the most of that Tribe when they had so done The people came to the House of God and ahode there till even befâ—re God and lift up their voices and wept sore Jud. 21.2 4. They are charged with cruelty of hands 1. Invasion of their Citie Ver. 13. Thou shouldest not have entred into the Gate of my people in the day of their calamity This Edom did to behold the calamity of Iacob not to helpe but as it after followeth to rob him for the Idumeans joyned with the Caldeans in the Invasion of the City and were as they and entred in by the gate with them It was a double calamity to Israel to behold their brother Edom Confederates with their enemies and Auxiliaries to them in their wars This bringeth Edom into the former charge of cruelty of combination and maketh them equally culpable with the Caldeans with whom they joyned in society of warre against Israel 2. Of direption of their goods Ver. 13. Neither shouldest thou have layed hand on their substance in the day of their calamity This chargeth them with Theft against that Commandement Thou shalt not steale For not only secret stealth is therein forbidden but all depraedation by violent and unjust war As a Pirat told Alexander I am accounted a Pirate because I robbe in a small Ship but thou because thou robbest in great Fleets art esteemed a great Captaine Thom. Aquinas Prohibentur nocumenta quae inferuntur factor and it extendeth saith Borhanus ad quam libet alienae rei usurpationem And therefore when a company of pilling and pirting offenders were carrying a Theise to the Gallowes Demosthenes said Parvum furem a majoribus duci the lesser Thiefe to be led by the greater This sin is so neer bordering upon the sinne of Murther as sometimes and even in this case in my Text it is both Theft and Murther too for to take away life is Murther and to take away the necessaries by which life is sustained is theft and murther too and therefore the Apocryphall Author of the Booke called Ecclesiasticus avoucheth a Canonicall truth saying He that taketh away his neighbours living slayeth him and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire is a blood shedder Eccl. 34.22 He gave the reason in the former Verse The bread of the needy is their life Ver. 2. he that defraudeth them thereof is a man of blood When Abraham heard that his brother Lot was taken Captive Gen. 14. and that the foure Kings bad taken all the goods of Sodome and Gomorrah and all their victuals He armed them of his owne houshold and set upon the enemie by night and brought back all the goods he reskued Lot and his women and people Melchizedech blessed him therefore and said Blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand Here God punished theft and prey yet he that readeth the story shall finde that the quarrell of the assailant was for rebellion against him Ver. 4. Twelve yeares they served Chedarlaomer but in the thirteenth they rebelled This fact of Abraham thus blessed by Melchisedech thus prospered by God himselfe doth declare the subjection of these Kingdomes to Chedarlaomer to have been oppression and their Rebellion a just prosecution of their liberty and therefore the war of Abraham a just war And God gave the robbed their goods againe The Law of God which saith Non Furaberis Thou shalt not steal doth declare that there is meum tuum mine and thine in the things of this world and that God hath not left an Anabaptisticall community of all those things on earth and a parity of interest in all men to all things for then there would be no theft seeing whatsoever any man did sease on was his own This was no new Heresie but a reviving of the old of them that called themselves Apostolici mentioned by Saint Augustin Haeres 40. who in imitation of the Apostles would have all things common True that in those beginnings of Christs Church when the number of Christians were yet but small it was a voluntary not a compulsary communication of goods that was then and for a small time used as a fortifying of themselves against the common adversary But there was no Law but of their own piety and charity that did impose this as a duty upon them so that Ananias and Saphira were not punished with sudden death for detaining a part of the price of the field which they sold for they might have with-held all but they were punished for lying to the Holy
Ghost bringing but a part and affirming that they brought all For Peter saith to Ananias After it was sold Acts 5.4 was it not in thine own power Yet in that communication it was not lawfull for every man to take what he would Acts 5 35. but the Apostles distributed to every one according to their need Surely if Edom and the Chaldeans had had as good right to the City of Jerusalem and to the goods therein as Israel had God had not laid this for an evidence against Edom that he laid hand on their substance God is Lord of all and he hath given the earth to the sons of men yet not in common nor in equall distribution Here the rich and poor meet together Pro. 22. â— and the Lord is maker of them both The Apostle learnt how to abound and how to want and God giveth to the rich things necessary in possession as to owners thereof during his pleasure he giveth them things superfluous that their cup may run over to the relief of others as to his stewards put in trust to see that their brethren want not And there be two vertues commended in holy Scripture which make men Proprietaries in the things of this world that is Justitia qua suum cuique tribuis Justice whereby thou givest to every one his own Misericordia qua tuum and mercie whereby thou givest of thine own The Use of this point is Let every one know his own and not lay hand on the substance of his brother Eph 4 28. and let him that stole steale no more but let him labour not all for himself but that he may give to him that needeth that the poore may grow up with him as he did with Job and that none perish for want of meat and cloathing Godlinesse must be joyned with contentment the law doth not only bind the hand non furaberis thou shalt not steal but it bindeth the heart too non concupisces thou shalt not cover not his house not his ground not his wife not his servant not any thing of his There be many wayes of theft I am limited to that of violent taking away of our neighburs substance for that only is here named and judged and that is either directly by invasion or secretly practised by oppression Oppression like other sins putteth on the habit of vertue and passeth for good husbandry but all stopping of the Wels wherof Isacc and his cattel should drink is oppression and theft and whatsoever is saved from the poor by it is the treasure of wickednesse and the wise man telleth us Prov. 10.2 The treasures of wickednes profit nothing we shall see it clearer when we come to Gods revenge upon Edom for laying hand upon his brothers substance 3 They are charged with insidiation for life Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crosse-way to cut off those that did escape Verse 14. Edom divided himself against Israel some entring the City to rob and spoyle their goods and to destroy them that abode there others attended without the City to cut off them who to save their lives did escape out of the City The Chaldeans that came from farre to invade Jerusalem were not so well acquainted with the wayes and passages for escape neere to the City as the Edomites their brethren and neighbours were therefore that cruell office they take upon them to declare their full malice to Iacob and to make up a complete destruction The history of those times doth make this plaine And the City was broken up 2 Reg. 25. v. 4. and all the men of warre fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls which is by the Kings garden now the Chaldees were against the City round about and the King went the way toward the plain At that time the Edomite knowing the secret wayes mingled himself with the Chaldees to cut off such as escaped In this passage note Note 1 1. The miserable calamity of warre how it maketh desolations and filleth all places with blood no safety from invasion in the City and none from insidiation without the City 1. When you hear of these things thank God for the peace of the Common wealth in which you live reckon it amongst the great blessings of God that you are borne in a time of peace and live in peace every one under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree every one enjoying the comforts of life without the noyse of invasion no leading into captivity and no complaining in our streets 2. Let us also think of the wofull calamity of that part of the Church wherein we have so great a part so much of the best blood of this Land and Crown in danger of this cruelty and if either our persons or purses or our prayers to God may relieve them let us not spare to comfort their distresses as we would desire in like extremity to be comforted our selves 3. Let us learne to abhor the bloody religion of the scarlet Strumpet of Rome that maintaineth and abetteth these quarrels and kindleth those coales in Christendome which threaten conflagration 4. Let us observe all them that make contention and move the hearts of their brethren to schisme to alienate their affections from the peace of the Church lest this sire which beginneth but amongst thorns and brambles enflame the Cedars of our Libanus Note 2 2. See the afflictions of Iudah and Ierusalem and search the cause thereof Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah 2 Reg. 24.3 4. to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh according to all that he did And also for the innocent blood that he shed for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood which the Lord would not pardon Have not we provoked the God of mercies to awake his justice against our Land Did ever pride put on more formes of costly vanity and shamelesse disguise then our eyes behold Did drunkennesse ever waste and consume more of the necessaries of life which many poor Christians want then now Were the Prophets and Ministers of the Word rebuking the vices of the times lesse hearkned to then in our dayes Was there ever a more curious search into mens estates and lands or more advantage taken or more new inventions to get wealth then we have heard of Was the Church at any time more rent with Schismes and maymed by defections and separations and the faithfull Ministers more opposed with contradictions and depraved by unjust calumniations by those that usurp the appearance of great professors then now Did knowledge ever swel and puffe men up more then now The times are foul and the crimes thereof are clamorous why then should not we expect Iudahs punishment that live in Iudahs sins O sin no more lest some worse evill fall on thee 1. Let us break off these sins by repentance and seek the Lord whilst he may be found and seeing the light
if it be not white and ready for the fickle observe thine own wayes and works and see if they do not tell that the day of the Lord cannot be farre off There be that put this day far off from them that is by flattering themselves in their sins they make themselves beleeve that they shall not yet come to punishment Repentance only lengtheneth this day and suffereth it not to approach to us Such an one feareth not in die malo in the evil day 3. The extent of this judgement over all the Heathen Meaning heâ—e all those that have joyned together in warre against the Jewes See Jer. 25. Here is a Quaerie Did not God stirre them up against Jerusalem In this Prophecy he declareth how Jerusalem was chastened by the Heathen and doth not the Holy story say Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Iudah 2 King 24.3 Iudah well deserved this punishment and God justly inflicted it and the heathen were the rod of God wherewith he chastened Iudah yet this execution done upon Iudah by the heathen was impious in them for they made warre against Gods Church and sought the ruine of Religion it was covetous they robbed Ierusalem it was cruel they delighted in the blood of the Lords people it was proud they insulted over them It is true that these heathen do not go without God to invade Iudah true that he sent them to punish the transgressions of his people true that they are the rod and sword of God for so David confest that God bade Shimei to curse him The Lord hath sayed unto him curse David 2 Sam. 16.10 As in the Creation God separated the waters from the face of the earth and called the gathering together of the waters Seas yet David sayes God hath set them their bounds which they cannot passe nor return to cover the earth Yet they would cover the earth Surely the wicked are resembled to the Sea in every consideration the Church may be compared to the dry land God holdeth the wicked in that they cannot droune this dry land yet this they would do for there is a naturall antipathy in the heathen to the Church of God When the Church sinneth God openeth a gap and letteth his Sea break in he suffereth the wicked to scourge the Church when it defaulteth for both their sakes that he may execute his judgement upon both and as Augustine saith Vtitur Deus malis bâ—â—â— In the story of the Iudges we read how the Concubine of Micah the Levite was abused to death in Gibeah which being complained of to the rest of the Tribes by the Levite they sent unto Benjamin to deliver up to them those men of Belial that had done the villany Jud. 20.13 that they might put away the evil from Israel But Benjamin would not heare their Brethren but prepared to put themselves in Armes and to go out to battail against the children of Israel The children of Israel arose and went to the house of God ver 18. and asked counsel of God and said which of us shall go up first to the battaile against the children of Benjamin And the Lord said Iudah shall go up first They went and Benjamin destroyed that day two and twenty thousand men The children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord untill even and asked counsell of the Lord saying ver 23. Shall I go up in battaile against the children of Benjamin my brother And the Lord said go up against him They did so the second day and the children of Benjamin destroyed of Israel eighteen thousand men Here was nothing done without consulting of God God bade them go and yet they prospered not yea they lost in all forty thousand men There is no cleere expression in this story to declare why God punished Israel with this great effusion of blood Plain it is that Gods purpose was to punish Israel and first the Tribe of Iudah but the Text sheweth 1. That the cause of this warre was a just provocation there was villany done in Israel 2. That the end of this war was godly for it was to remove evil from Israel 3. That they did nothing herein without Gods expresse warrant for they began to take counsell of the Lord. Yet before God would revenge the fault of the Benjamites upon them by Benjamin he punished the Tribe of Iudah first and then the rest of the Tribes with losse of so many men and effusion of so much blood And I must tell you that I find not the reason thereof exprest It may be that the Holy Ghost hath suppressed it that we might rest in the feare of God and not search further it is enough for us to know what God doth and not why for as Augustine saith Iudicia Dei occulta esse possunt injusta non possunt esse Gods judgements may be secret but never unjust And we must be very tender how we call God to accompt for what he doth for God is whatsoever his will is of which we must not seek to know more then is revealed for that is prying into the Arke and costeth death God is accomptable to none for what he doth The third day he gave Israel a full victory against Benjamin by Benjamin He first scourged Israel and by Israel he after destroyed Benjamin and left of them but six hundred men So may we say of this example in my Text God useth the heathen to scourge his Church and after destroyeth the heathen in his just but secret judgement Yet let me tell you what some learned judgements have conceived of that great example of justice in that story of Israel and Benjamin Rabbi Levi saith that Israel might provoke God at first because they came to God to aske who should go first against Benjamin and did trust to their own strength and did not beseech God to give them victory Rabbi Kimchi saith it was because that Israel had suffered Idolatry in Dan and had never taken the cause of God to heart to aske counsell of God against them iâ—â— but now in a private injury done to a Levite they were provoked and sought revenge 3. Others conceive that this was the cause They came too slightly to God at first for they did only bluntly enquire who should go first against Benjamin Not whether they should go or not Not enquiring by what way he meant to punish their brother But the second time they went up to the Lord they wept till even and then they asked counsell Shall I go up again in battaile against my brother Yet even then being commanded to go they lost eighteen thousand men True but they came not the second time with that preparation which became them that would sight the Lords battails to remove evil out of Israel for the third day they mended all Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto the house of God and wept ver 26. and
them contrition and sorrow for their sinne and a broken and contrite spirit God cannot refuse he will not discourage the contrite and sorrowfull but will have them to know that their groanings and sighes come up even into his eares He putteth all their teares in his bottle 2. Afflictions do turne the children of God into prayers and supplications and he will not neglect them that pray to him that they may see the power and vertue of prayer that upon all occasions they may prostrate their hearts before God in prayer God hath said of the just man He shall call upon me in trouble Psa 91.15 Hos 5.15 and I will heare him yes I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and glorifie him in their afflictions they will seek me diligently In the house of bondage he heard Israel Exo. 3.7 Then the Lord said I have surely seen the trouble of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry St Iames saith If any man among you be afflicted let him pray If that were not our comfort when all remedies faile us we were most unhappy for we can never be shut up so but we may send our prayers from us to heaven to plead our cause in the name of Iesus Christ 3 Sharp afflictions may be a strong temptation to make the children of God doubt of the love of God It was not lawfull for them in the judiciall Law to be immoderate in correction A trespasser might have forty stripes given him but not more lest if he should exceed and beat him above these with many stripes Deu. 25.3 then thy brother should seem vile unto thee God will not overdoe in his chastenings of his Church to prevent this danger lest his servant should think himselfe lost in the favour of God We see how David was put to it in this kind When his soar ran and ceased not his soule refused comfort yea once he complained My God my God why hast thou forsaken me yea he thought upon God and was troubled Therefore God doth carry a favourable hand in his afflictions to prevent the despaire of his children for he knoweth whereof we be made 4. Sharp afflictions may be an occasion to harden the heart of man and make himful away from God to sinne and that reason is given by the holy Psalmist For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous Psa 125.2 lest the righteous put forth their bands to iniquity Indeed some that have been well taught and do understand well and have lived in some measure of good life and walked conscionably when God hath tryed them with wants have fallen into snares and embraced temptations Magnum pauperies opprobrium jubes quidvis facere pati vircutisquâ— viâ—m deserit arduae Shifts fraudes secret stealths borrowings without meanes or hope of repayment c. The wise son of Iakeh prayed to God Give me not poverty lest I be poor and steale Pro. 30.9 and take the name of my God in vaine Extremity of paine in sicknesse and soarenesse is a great temptation two great lights in the Church of God were ecclipsed by it Iob the example of patience fell into bitter cursings of the do of his birth so did holy Jeremy the Lords Prophet To these respects God is tender and suffereth not his chosen to be tempâ—â—d above their strength but doth give issue to their temptations Yet sometimes he suffereth his Elect to see their owne weaknesse by some fall that when he putteth to his helping hand they may be more wary to keep a better watch upon their hearts Reason 3 3. God doth not suffer his Church to be forsaken in afflictions lest the enemies thereof should too much insult over them It is Davids suite to God Let them not say we have prevailed When Saul and Ionathan were dead David lamented them with great lamentation The beauty of Israel is slaine upon the high places how are the mighty fâ—llon 2 Sam. 1.19 20. Tâ—ll is not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce lest the daughters of the uncirâ—â—â—tised triumph For this addeth to the ungodlinesse of the wicked they grow proud upon it Let not their wicked imagination prosper lesâ— they grow too proud Reason 4 4. The afflictions of the Church when they do grow sharpe and smarting cause the ungodly of the earth to blaspheme the name of God It is not for nothing that David doth pray so earnestly Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Ps 143.11 for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soule out of trouble The ungodly Iewes and Romanes standing by the Crosse of Christ did speake contemptibly of God and took his name in vaine in derision of his son It is the manner of the ungodly to blaspheme if once they prevaile against the Church then the God they serve is thought unable to protect them and the Religion that they professe is scandalized for untruth These be great reasons why God doth not forsake his Church in affliction but giveth them a heavenly issue out of them This point teacheth its own use for it serveth both to 1. Informe 2 Convince 3 Exhort 4 Rebuke 1 Information This is a sure and infallible rule That whom God once loveth he ever loveth as he saith I will never leave thee nor forsake thee for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance his love is himselfe and he cannot deny himselfe he hath given us to his son Rom. 8 35 and of them that thou hast given me saith he I have lost none and no man can take them out of my hand What shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus he nameth the greatest miseries of life Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in all these things we are more then conquerors Cant. 2.4 through him that loved us The love of God to his Church is a banner over it 2 Conviction This Doctrine convinceth the Heathen who deny that there is a any Providence because the best men drinke deepest of the cup of affliction which maketh the profane say It is in vaine to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3.14 True that they who make conscience of their wayes are despised their soule is filled with the scorne of the proud True Ver. 25. that they that worke wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are delivered but the Elect say for thy sake we are killed all the day long Yet the comfort that the just have in their affliction doth assure that verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth And though for a time the wicked insult over the just the day will come
and after the vowes to enquire 3. It is a great favour of God to his Church to reveal to them his will concerning both their own short punishment and the long affliction of their enemies For themselves they shall see in this revelation that God wil not give then over utterly and affliction doth never shew intolerable when we can look beyond it and see faire weather after it This had need be preached to the Church of God to keep them from fainting in their patience from falling into sin David confest Ps 27.13 I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnes of the Lord in the Land of the living The Prophet having given us his own example doth also give us his good counsell Wait on the Lord the of good courage Ver. 14. and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. You see the use of this doctrine is to put mettle into us that we be not cast down with the present sense of Gods judgement but that we couragiously do beare them and patiently expect our deliverance from them Of this before 2. It is a comfort and joy to the Church to know that God will execute their judgements upon their enemies and passe the cup of his wrath from them to those that hate them 1. Because it stoppeth the way to an high and grievous sinne which is murmuring against God let every man suspect himself for this for Gods own Israel did often fall this way But when God revealeth to us his purpose we cannot find fault though we feel where judgment beginneth we know where it shall end 2. It allayeth all thoughts of revenge on them that trouble and persecute us for to what purpose should we fret our selves at the instruments of Gods vengeance when we know the end of these men how God hath set them in slippery places and that he will take the matter into his own hand to revenge it And this is a necessary Doctrine for us because the pursuit of private revenge is one of the crying sins of the time We have poore men that to molest a neighbour will swear the peace against them to put them in bonds when it is to be feared that it is rather revenge then feare that makes them sweare and this upon a little cooling of blood appears cleerly Just Laws are made to do men right against wrongs we must go to Judges as children to their Father to seeke Justice in charity not in the spirit of revenge God hath declared himselfe to be Deus ultionum a God of revenge and hath promised to judge our cause let us commit the matter to him and give our souls rest possessing them with patience Israel shall see their cup that they have but tasted drunk up and swallowed down of their enemies the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Mine eye shall see my desire upon mine enemies Ps 92.11 David maketh this use of this point By this I know that thou favourest me Ps 41.12 because mine enemy doth not triumph over me For it is a good signe of Gods love to his Church that he suffereth not the ungodly to insult over them And for the enemies of the Church they may have victory they cannot have a triumph for the cup of wrath is no sooner taken from the Church but it is presently given to her enemies to pledge them as the Prophet saith When thou hast done spoyling thou shalt be spoyled the drinke shall not pall in the cup. You see that David made that use of the fall and punishment of his enemy only to rejoyce in the Lord and his favour and not to insult over his enemy for the wise man adviseth Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth Prov. 24.17 18. and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth Lest the Lord see it and it displease him and he turne away his wrath from him Thy patience doth heap coales of fire on the head of thine enemy and thy favourable forbearance of him in triumphing over him holdeth the cup still to his mouth We cannot do our enemy a greater pleasure then to be glad at his afflictions for God seeth it and abateth his displeasure against him but we may rejoyce safely and boldly in the love and favour of God to us VERSE 17. But upon Mount Sion shall be deliverance and there shall be holines and the house of Jacob shall possesse their possessions The second part of the Prophecy containing the comfort of the Church against all her enemies ad finem Capitis to the end of the chapter 1. A promise of restitution of them to their own ver 17. 2. Of victory against their enemies ver 18 19 20. 3. The means ordained for this ver 21. 1. Of their restitution of their own Mount Sion literally doth signifie the seed of Jacob the whole Nation of the Jewes taking name from the most eminent part of their Kingdome as Mount Sion denoteth Esau and his issue this shall be delivered from the captivity of Babilon that is the deliverance here promised And the holines here mentioned is the renewing of the people by repentance and new obedience to the pure worship of God and then the house of Jacob shall recover the possessions which the army of the Chaldeans took from them Allegorically and typically this Prophecy doth foretell the deliverance of the Church from all the enemies thereof in the end of the world which shall be performed by the spirit of sanctification fitting them to the same That the Church shall not alway be under the rod of correction we have formerly declared 1. The point now considerable is what our God requireth of us even holinesse 2. That God performeth his mercy of deliverance first that after he may sanctifie us to himself 1. That God requireth holinesse of us He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Mic. 6.8 surely to do justice and to love mercie and to humble thy selfe to walk with thy God this is holinesse This is no earthly wisdome which is carnall sensuall and devilish it is the wisdome which is from above and therefore He hath shewed thee O man Holinesse is not learned in the Schoole of nature nor to be seen by the light of reason it is the inward light of the spirit of God that enlightneth our darknesse which openeth to man the way of good life not morall and civill only but religious and spiritual which teacheth justice mingled with mercie both built upon a good foundation of humility and these not as before men but as in a walk with God himself For such as these God keepeth a book of remembrance as the Prophet saith Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mal. 3.16 and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name And they shall
for the graces of God already bestowed prayer for the continuance and encrease of them this is the worship which is immediately directed by Christ to himselfe and for himselfe onely that is for his glory And in this the Holy Ghost helpeth our infirmities for being the greatest duty of Christian worship we cannot without great help performe it and great help we have the whole Trinity joyning with us The Holy Ghost in conceiving and uttering our prayers and putting life into them The Son in carrying them up to the Father And the Father in receiving of them Pray continually in all things give thanks 2. God performeth this mercy of deliverance to his Church first and then there shall be holinesse God is ever before hand and he would have us know that our holinesse is rather a fruit and effect of his deliverance then a cause of it procuring or meriting it And so the Lords deliverance of us is a free as well as a full favour it is no wages for our work as the Church of Rome doth not only erroniously but blasphemously teach So doth Zachary confesse ut liberati a manibus inimicorum festiamus ei that being delivered from the hands of our enemies c. not us servientes liberemur not that sâ—rving we should be delivered ut liberandi serviamus but he doth all his favours for us to winne us to his service The Church of God was punished for not serving of him as it should and now it is restored to her owne possessions that it may serve him hereafter in holinesse It is an excellent use that we make of the good favours of God when they make us the more holy and the more carefull to serve him But now being made free from sin Rom. 6.22 and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life 1 Delivered and made free from sin 2 Then our fruit unto holinesse 3 And then everlasting life 1 This deliverance a motive to holinesse 2 This holinesse a fruit of our deliverance 3 This Everlasting life a reward of our holinesse It is a great signe that God is not with us when his favours do corrupt us as when our knowledge doth beget in us spirituall pride and our riches and temporall preferments bring forth carnall pride when the many affaires of the world doe make us neglect the Church service or break Gods Sabbath which ought to be religiously consecrated to Gods worship and when any temporall happinesse doth worke in us any relaxation of the service of God for the true sanctification of all these doth consist in this that we do make them motives and provocations to holinesse This doth make holinesse our chiefest study and care because God in the promise of restoring Israel to his possessions doth not say then shall be outward peace and prosperity and wealth and ease but then there shall be holinesse as the proper fruit of Gods favours for peace and health and plenty may be lost againe but holinesse cannot be lost because that is a worke of the Holy Ghost in us which cannot perish for that spirit shall abide in the Church for ever This doth also shew whereby we may settle our possessions to us namely by embracing of holinesse for the enemy hath no power against as so long as we be holy and when Israel shall see that their unholinesse was their sinne God restoring them they shall make conscience of sinning any more least some worse judgement overtake them For God doth promise to restore Religion and his holyworship which is the only safety of his people which whilest they formerly corrupted they brought upon themselues deportation ruine upon their City and fire upon the Sanctuary of God You see all the earnestnesse of holy Scripture to perswade us to holinesse doth aime at our owne safety and God for our owne good perswadeth it for what good will our holinesse do him or what do we hurt him if we be unrighteousse our well-doing extendeth not to him to adde any thing to him our il-doing is no prejudice to him the benefit of our holinesse redoundeth to our selves and thy word that teacheth it is given to profit us withall God give us all grace to make a right and profitable use therof to his glory Amen VERSE 18. And the House of Jacob shall be a fire and the house of Ioseph a flame and the house of Esau for stubâ—lâ— and they shall kindle in them and devoure them and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau for the Lord hath spoken it 19. And they of the South shall possesse the Mount of Esau and they of the plaine The Philistines and they shall possesse the fuldes of Ephraim and the fulds of Samaria and Benjamin shall pâ—ssesse Gilead 20. And the Captivity of this Host of the Children of Israel shall possesse that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephah and the Captivity of Ierusalem which is in Sepharad shall possesse the Cities of the South 2. Their victories These are exprest two wayes 1 In the conquest of their enemies 2 In the dilatation of their kingdome by taking in their possessions The Kingdome of Israel in Ieroboams time was divided into two Kingdomes Iudah and Israel and the Kingdome of Iudah is here called the house of Iacob the kingdome of Israel is called the house of Ioseph and these two are promised this victory There were also two Captivities The Israelites were carried away captives by Salmanazar Iudah by Nebuchadnezar God promiseth that fire shall go out from those to consume Esau utterly till there be none of them remaining He promiseth them also victory over the Philistines their ancient enemies so that Ephraines portion shall come againe to them and Samaria wherein the King of Assyria having removed the Inhabitants thereof and led them Captives into his land and setled Assyrians in the possessions of their land that shall be recovered from them And Benjamin confining upon enemies should have quiet possession of Gilead This victory with the extent of their Kingdome here promised doth shew that the people after their returne shall have more room more glory and power then they had before their deportation From whence these comfortable Doctrines do arise 1 That the afflictions of the Church do turne to their greater good 2 That God punisheth the enemies of his Church even by those against whom they have prevailed 3 That the Church hath good warrant to settle their faith in this assurance for the Lord hath spoken it 1. The afflictions of the Church turne to their greater good And here a double benefit is exprest 1 Spirituall good he will endue them with holinesse 1 Of restitution 2 Of Dilatation 2 A Temporall 1 Of the spirituall good So David said It is good for me that I was afflicted for now I learne thy Statutes afflictions have their good uses for though afflictions for the time seeme grievous in the bearing thereof yet they
cast off the yoak of Rome and God caused a light to shine in darknesse and ever-since a face of the Church hath appeared gathering more and more fresh beauty and now we may say truly of our times the light never shone more clear in this Land then now it doth never more learning and never more communicated then now But beloved this will not serve our turne God must have as well a rule of our hearts as of our eares of our hands as of our heads Let us look to our example in my Text when God had restored this people to their land they established his Kingdome With publick Assemblies with fasting and humbling of themselves before God with confession of sinnes with weeping and mourning with solemne Vowes to performe all the Commandements of God They spent their time not all in hearing but in worshipping also of God They vowed not to make any marriages with such as were no profest subjects of the Kingdome of God such as was the marriage of Solomon with King Pharaohs daughter They vowed to keep the Sabbath holily to the service of God to deale charitably with their poor brethren To honour God with their riches setting apart a portion to maintaine the worship and publick service of God And all this must we do if we will advance the Kingdome of God amongst us not only in outward profession but in inward subjection You may know a true subject of Gods Kingdom by his walk and by his pace for he walketh 1. Circumspectly fearing danger before him to meet him behind him to follow him above him to presse him downe under him to blow him up temptations on his right hand provocations on the left hand therefore he loseth no time but redeemeth it to the service of God 2 He walketh in holines as in the sight of God who searcheth the hearts and reines and cannot be deceived with false semblances and emptie shadows and seemings of false and hypocriticall shewes but requireth truth in the inward parts He walketh in righteousnesse that is in the obedience of the Second Table of the Law living in the practise and exercise of his knowledge to the uttermost of that measure of grace that is given to him as it becometh the Saints For these know that they were therefore delivered from the hands of their enemies that they might more freely attend the service of God and the saving of their own soules Amongst such as these God reigneth and hath put on his glorious apparrel and is acknowledged God as their King Idolatry and false worship doth unking and dethrone God and trespasseth the majesty of our King swearing and blasphemy maketh the name of God which is the safety of his subjects for our help is in the name of the Lord like to a broken hedge Breach of the Sabbath which is Gods holy day is a trespasse against his moderate prerogative claiming some part of our time for his publique service and the exercise of Religion Contempt of the word is a trespasse against the Lawes of this kingdome Injury in any kind to our brethren is breach of peace amongst the subject of this kingdome Gluttony drunkennesse pride be wastfull sins and consume the outward treasures thereof and they also seem to quench the Spirit of God and to kill all good motions in our selves and others Let us remember our prayer adveniat Regnum tuum Let thy kingdome come And seeing God hath graciously establisht a Church amongst us in peace which he hath watered with early rain in the first coming thereof in this Land and with a later raine in the Government of two incomparable Princes truly called defenders of the Faith against Heresie and Schisme Let the kingdome be the Lords let our obedience to his Law bear witnesse of our Faith and let our peace amongst our selves give testimony of our charity and let us walk all one way like the horses of Pharoahs chariot let us all fight as one man against sin and Sathan against the Devil and the Pope tanquam acces ordinata For if the Lord be our King we shall have cause to be glad thereof For Blessed are the people that are in such a case blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God 2. Let us look as farre as we can by Saint Pauls prospective there will be a time when Christ our grand Captaine shall overcome all his enemies even death which is the last enemy and then shall he deliver up the kingdome to God even his Father then Israel shall have judged Esau the Church the world Then Christ resigneth his office of a Mediator and then God is all in all For then all his enemies shall be in prison in the chains of darknesse all his Elect shall be fastened together and united with Christ their head in glory God shall then have none to contest with him for sway and domination his glory shall then be great in the Salvation of his Church and in the Victory of his enemies Thus have I in a few months gone through this short but full and pithy Prophecy of Obadiah I know with what great comfort light and delight in mine own meditations I hope not unprofitably for you If you desire many houres work in a few minutes of time this is the Analysis of it It was divided into two parts 1. Titulus the Title 2. Vaticinum the prophecie 1. The Title shewed 1. Whose Obadiah 2. What. 1. Whose Obadiah Doctr. God stirreth up his servants the Prophets to give warning of the Anger to come 2. What a Vision Doctr. The faithfull Minister must see before he say and take instructions from God before he undertake to teach others 2. The Prophecie this hath two parts 1. Against Edom ad finem ver 16. 2. For the Church ver 17. ad finem In the first observe three things 1. The subject of this Prophecie Edom. 2. The suggestiorus of it The Lord. 3. The Prophecy it selfe 1. Of the subject Edom. Doctr. Riches strength honour Victory are not so pretious things as many do value them oftentimes they go away with them all a long time whom God hateth he saith I have hated Esau yet he had all these 2. Of the suggestour of the Prophecy The Lord saith thus Doctr. Gods Ministers must deale faithfully with the Church saying no more or lesse and in the same manner as God speaketh to them 3. The Prophecy that hath foure parts 1. The judgement intended against Edom v. 1 2. 2. The despaire of all Edoms hopes ver 3 ad 9. 3. The cause provoking God ver 10 ad 14. 4. Gods revenge ver 15 16. 1. The judgement intended contains 1. The discovery 2. The rumour it selfe 3. The effect 1. The discovery by a rumour from the Lord an Embassador sent among the heathen Doct. 1. The decrees of Gods judgement upon the wicked be constant and unchangeable Doct. 2. The consent of Embassadours all declaring the same judgement sheweth that the