the Spear in all probabity Jacob with his whole Family had been destroy'd And before this Jacob experienc'd the comfort of God's cutting the Spear with respect to Laban who pursu'd him with many Followers and if God had not step'd in without doubt had done him a Mischief This cutting the Spear shews both God's Mercy and God's Majesty his Mercy in thereby procuring Peace and Comfort to his people that they might live at rest in their habitations His Majesty in giving a check to the proud and ambitious spirits of Men and making them see their vanity and madness in sacrificing Kingdoms to their Lusts God has special regard to that Prayer of the Church and often answers it Psal 68. v. 30. Rebuke the company of Spear-men the multitude of the Bulls with the Calves of the People till every one submit himself with pieces of Silver Scatter thou the People that deliâ—â—â— in War The company of 〈…〉 be great very great in respect of quality as well as number but they are not so great but God can and will rebuke them By Bulls and Calves are meant the Potentates of this World who are all at God's beck and he can deal with them as he pleases and though for a time they may delight in War God will give them enough of it that notwithstanding their Honours their Places of Profit and their living at so high a rate they shall be as sick of War as those that have been Tax'd Oppress'd and Groan'd under the Burden of it And this is an unspeakable comfort to the People of God that both Peace and War are in his hands and at his dispose When the sins of a Nation provoke him he can bring War with all the Calamities of it upon them and when his Will is accomplish'd he can restore Peace again unto them and that by cutting the Spear Thirdly We told you Spear signifies a Weapon destin'd to and kept for some eminent use now God cuts this Spear by inverting the use of it to a contrary thing The Spear is an Instrument of War but God can change its property and make it serviceable in the time of Peace Thuâ— God speaks of cutting off the Wine from the Drunkards Mouths Joel 1. v. 5. And give it to those that would make a better use of it refresh their Spirits without Intoxicating their Brains So in this case he will put Spears into the hands of such as will employ them in a better way then wounding and slaying their Fellow-creatures even to a Cultivating and Manuring the Earth These are the very words of the Promise Isa 2. v. 4. And he shall Judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many People and they shall beat their Swords into Plow-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more Oh what a great change is this when Spears instead of being run into the sides of Men shall be thrust into the Furrows of the Earth instead of taking away life shall become remote Instruments of prolonging it This is now in a great-part fulfill'd but shall be most perfectly Accomplish'd in the day of the final Cessation of War Thus God has cut the Spear he has so brought it about by his Providence that Spears are now good for nothing but to be Hammer'd out into more pleasing Tools Fourthly We told you Spear signifies a very sharp Weapon of War Now God cuts this Spear by blasting the glory of it and making it of little esteem so that the Warrior sets light by it as Hezekiah did by the Brazen Serpent when he call'd it Nebustan a piece of Brass Thus Christ was humbled in that he was said to be cut out of the Mountains Dan. 2. v. 45. That is Born of the Virgin Mary though 't is added without hands to shew that 't was effected by the Overshaddowing of the Holy Ghost without the Concurrence of Man Oh how will God humble the high Spirits of those Military Champions who glory'd in nothing more and perhaps had nothing else to glory in then the dextrous using the Spear so that they now see and are convinc'd 't is more praise-worthy to have a hand in Peace then all the Exploits they ever did in War As our Saviour has said Matth. 5. v. 9. Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Those on Prancing Steeds with Javelins in their hands breathing forth nothing but War and Desolation may be call'd the Sons of Mars but the procurers of Peace are term'd the Children of God Thus God cuts the Spear by making it little in the eye of the Manager Fifthly We told you Spear signifies a Weapon for Guard and Defence Now God cuts this Spear by making way through his gracious Providence for Men to dwell in safety without need of defence so that they shall have no occasion to gird their Swords on their Thighs or have any other Weapons to defend them from the assault of their Enemies Thus God has promis'd for the safety of his People Psal 101. v. 5. Whoso privily slandereth his Neighbour him will I cut off him that hath an high look and a proud heart will I not suffer High look by a Metalepsis signifies Men of a Proud Imperious Spirit and those God will cut off that is bring down for the quiet and safety of his People so that his People shall have no cause to fear them 'T is said Jerusalem shall be Inhabited without Walls that is there shall be no need of Walls to defend them from any Enemies coming against them for God will be a Wall of Fire round about them and the glory in the midst of them We find his word very full as to this Isa 26. v. 1. In that day shall this Song be Sung in the Land of Judah We have a strong City Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks That City is strong enough indeed and needs no other Defence when the Salvation of God encompasses it about and therefore there is great cause of Singing where no Defensive Weapons are wanting but people under the Divine Protection may live securely without them And that City may well be call'd a strong City or the City of Strength which God secures from Enemies and is himself a safety to it And so I pass from cutting the Spear in Sunder to the Burning of the Charriot in the Fire First Chariot signifies that which makes War dubious and uncertain or the strength of both sides so that 't is hard to judge which shall have the better and therefore the War like to hang on an even poise a great while So we are to understand that of David Psal 20. v. 7. Some trust in Chariots and some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God That is some have such great strength that they depend upon it and fear not to be overthrown though 't is very weak and sinful to
trust in any arm of Flesh how strong soever Christians have a better foundation for their trust even the Name and Power of God An Horse is a vain thing to confide in in the day of Battel but where there are many Horses and Chariots people are too apt to confide in them which makes the Issue of War many times uncertain This made the Spies afraid of the success of invading Canaan Numb 13. v. 38. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the Land and the Cities are walled and very great and moreover we saw the Children of Anak there Q. D. the Land indeed is a good Land and very fruitful and pleasant but we are like to have a long War if we attempt to win it by the Sword for the people are Strong and Valiant and have every thing fit for War and therefore 't will not be an easie thing to subdue them Thus Chariots make War doubtful Secondly Chariot signifies the ground of mens Stoutness and hardiness and unwillingness to yield and also of their likelihood in Humane probability to be Successful and Victorious And this is the reason the Holy Ghost gives why the Enemies for the present could not be overcome Judg. 1. v. 19. And the Lord was with Judah and he drave out the Inhabitants of the Mountain but could not drive out the Inhabitants of the Valley because they had Chariots of Iron That was it which the Inhabitants of the Valley relyed on they thought themselves safe and secure from any assault because they had Chariots of Iron This made proud Benhadad so confident of success that when he heard of the young Mens coming out of Samaria he vauntingly cryed out 1 Kings 20. v. 18 Whether they be come out for Peace take them alive or whether they be come out for War take them alive Q. D let them be what they will I do not fear them or in the least doubt prevailing over them for I have Men enough Horses enough and Chariots enough to deal with a far stronger company but the event shew'd the rediculousness of his confident boasting Men are willing and exceeding fond to Found their vain hopes upon the least Twigg of Creature-power and more especially upon so appearing and promising a Strength as the multitude of Chariots and they are apt fondly to think they can't be conquer'd when to a Carnal eye the strength of their defensive grandeur seems so great and this makes them Stout and vapouring and not ready to hearken to terms of accomodation Thirdly Chariot signifies the Renown and Glory of Warriors and so is not only the ground of their Security but of their Pride and Ambition Hence 't is said of Elam a Country in Persia he bare the Quiver with Chariots of Men and Horse-men and Kir uncover'd the Shield and the number of Chariots was his glory But hear what God says Isa 22. v. 18. He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a Ball into a large Country there shalt thou die and there the Chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy Lords house There is a Syllepsis in the words for by dying is meant the consummation of his glory in the consumption of his Chariots so that Chariots are the glory of an Army Thus Moses Speaks of Gods spoiling the glory of Egypt by one stroke Exod. 15. v. 4. Pharoahs Chariots and his Host hath he cast into the Sea his chosen Captains also are drowned in the Red Sea The Chariots of Pharoah were Pharoahs glory and here he and all his glory was overwhelmed in the Waters The Angels though Seraphick beings that so eminently display the glory of God are called Chariots The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousand of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai the holy place And Elisha call'd Elijah The Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof Because he was the glory of Israel I now come to the burning of the Chariot First We told you Chariot signifies the strength on both sides which makes War dubious and uncertain Now God burns this Chariot by enlightning men into the expediency of Peace and convincing them that Peace if it may be honourably had is far more eligible then War Thus God commanded the pure Oil-Olive beaten to be brought for the light to cause the Lamps to burn always Exod 27. v. 20. These Lamps were to give light in the Tabernacle of the Congregation Oh when God by his Wisdom enlightens mens understandings that before were given to Martial exploits and feats of Arms then they have lower thoughts of War and higher thoughts of Peace then corrupt Sense gives place and Reason sways in them Hence the Welfare and Prosperity of a Place is the result of true enlightning Isa 62. v. 1. For Zions sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest until the Righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth The Prophet could not rest till men were enlightned as by the bright light of a Lamp to see the Welfare and Peace of Jerusalem and that is by the ceasing from all Wars and putting an end to all broyls though I know the words will admit of a more Spiritual meaning Oh when Men come to see this to be the best and most comfortable thing they will then seek Peace and pursue it and will not be easily irritated and provok'd to blow up the coals of Contention Thus the great God burns the Chariot by making even Martial Men see the excellency of Peace Secondly We told you Chariot signifies the ground of mens stoutness and hardiness and obstinate presisting in War Now God burns this Chariot by convincing Men throughly of the vanity of their confidence in an Arm of Flesh or in any Humane Power When David and his Men came to Baal-perazim they burnt the Images the people had left there 2. Sam. 5. v. 21. This they did detesting them and to convince the Heathens of their folly in putting trust in them or paying any respect to them So God will convince Men of their extream madness in depending on any created strength how firm and secure soever it may be And then they will do what the word says shall be done Isa 2. v. 20. In that day a man shall cast his Idols of Silver and his Idols of Gold which they made each one for himself to Worship to the Moles and to the Bats Oh how many men Idolize their Strength and their Power but when God enlightens them they shall throw this Idol aside or according to the Anadiplosis in the Text with vehemency and earnestness cast it away and this they will do in revenge of their former-folly in being so much bewitched by it Oh what cause have we to bless God for any of this enlightning this day that he has enlightned so many Nations and Provinces to see the vanity of depending on Arms and Armies though never so
great and powerful which if they had still put confidence in we had been farther plung d into the miseries of War Thus God burns the Chariot Thirdly We told you Chariot signifies the Renown and Glory of Warriors Now God burns this Chariot by making Men see a contemptibleness in what was once their Glory and causing them to look down upon what they once so admir'd and were so much taken with Thus we find the Prophet breaking into Lamentation for the sad condition he foresaw Palestina would be in Jer. 9. v. 10. For the Mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing and for the Inhabitants of the Wilderness a Lamentation because they are burnt up so that none can pass through them neither can men hear the voice of the Cattel both the Fowl of the Heavens and the Beast are fled they are all gone That is the Land should be strip'd bare and naked of Cattel and Pasture which was once its Glory and then it should be contemptible in the eyes of all So when men come once to see their greatest glory to be in Peace not in War as it is said of Melchezideck he was King of Salem that is King of Peace Heb. 7. v. 2. And so an eminent Type of the Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace I say when Men come to see this they will then have very low thoughts of what was once their Pride and Glory The Nieghing of the Horses the clashing of the Armour the rattling peals of the Drum and the delightful sound of the Trumpets will then be disrelished and disregarded by them in comparison of the much better and more charming sound of Peace Peace in every corner of the Land and of the true lasting Honour every one shall be crowned with who had a hand in procuring it Thus you see how God burns the Chariot in the Fire But 't is time to make some Application of these things First Then stand off Sinners You have nothing to do with this Work nor no part or portion in the comfort of it The breaking the Bow the cutting the Spear in sunder and the burning the Chariot in the fire will rebound nothing to your advantage None of the Enemies of God as such as live in Sin are shall fare the better for any of these things And therefore I may say to you as Jehu said to the Messenger that Joram sent to enquire about Peace What hast thou to do with Peace 2 Kings 9. v. 18. Thou Swearer Drunkard Sabboth-breaker Ah what hast thou to do with Peace 'T will be small comfort for thee that there is Peace on Earth as long as the God of Heaven is denouncing War against thee God is angry with the Wicked every day Oh hear that and tremble And upon the Wicked he will rain Snares Fire Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion and that for ever of their Cup. Hear how plainly how positively the Prophet declares as from the Lord of Hosts Isa 57. v. 21. There is no Peace saith my God to the Wicked Mark that Chapter it begins with Peace and ends with no Peace Of the good Man it is said He shall enter into Peace they fall rest in their Beds each one walking in his uprightness But here in the close he avers there is no Peace to the Wicked The great God notwithstanding outward Peace will have ways enough to deal with and bring Judgments upon them and therefore they have small cause to rejoyce at this Peace Secondly Oh then 't is Saints only that have cause to rejoyce at this dispensation of peace 't is they and only they shall have the good of it 'T is for their sakes that God makes Wars to cease that he breaks the Bow cuts the Spear in sunder and burns the Chariot in the Fire Indeed Saints have cause to Rejoyce at any thing at every thing for all things shall work together for good to them that Love God 'T is said Psal 97. v. 8. Zion heard and was glad and the Daughters of judah rejoyced because of thy Judgments O Lord. Any news any tidings is matter of Joy to the Children of Zion for they are sure to reap Benefit and Comfort from all God's Dispensations whether of Mercy or Judgment Hence they are meditating day and night on the Works of God and continually enquiring about them So we are told Psal 111. v. 2 3 4. The Works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His work is honourable and glorious and his Righteousness endureth for ever He hath made his wonderful works to be remembred the Lord is gracious and full of Compassion When he makes War that is a glorious work to the Saints for they are expecting the Issue of it and when he makes Peace that 's a gracious work to the Saints for they are sure to reap Comfort by it and in War and Peace he will make his Works to be remembred by the Saints for in both he is full of Compassion to them Oh therefore they have ground to rejoyce because their Father is in all things at work for them and they may conclude that from his love to them he hath turn'd about the face of affairs putting an end to a long bloody and terrible War and made the Sun of Peace to shine forth with refreshing rays in the Horizon of Europe Thirdly Then we should cast back our eyes upon the effects of this War and see what lamentable havock has been made in the one and the other Nation How many goodly Towns have been laid in Ashes How many stately Ships of War have been destroy'd How many Thousand Lives have been lost And how many poor Families have been ruin'd and undone For the more we consider this the more we shall be affected with the Mercy of Peace And this we are call'd to do in the words before the Text Psal 46. v. 8. Come behold the works of the Lord that desolations he hath made in the earth And when we dwell awhile on the Melancholly thought of the sad Desolations that have been every where made by the raging War Oh how comfortable and refreshing will this News be to us That he hath now made Wars to cease to the end of our Land that he hath broken the Bow that he hath cut the Spear in sunder and that he hath burned the Chariot in the Fire How Mournfull was the Churches Complaint of the effect of the Babylonian War Lam. 2. v. 2. The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob and hath not pitied he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the Daughter of Judah he hath brought them down to the ground he hath polluted the Kingdom and the Princes thereof Such Oh such have been the cryes in several places of late years Oh therefore let us look back and 〈…〉 in And how doleful were the resounding Eccho's of want and misery and then we shall