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A29348 The mighty Christ the saints help, or, A cleer discovery of the mightinesse and excellency of Christ in all things of and concerning him from the first promise of him, to his last appearing and kingdome : with application thereof to the severall states and conditions of men : being the substance of severall sermons preached at Northwalsham in Norfolk, upon Psal. 89, 19, I have laid help on one that is mighty / by Richard Breviter. Breviter, Richard. 1662 (1662) Wing B4424A; ESTC R25944 132,959 309

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low and helplesse estate calling upon one another to this very thing Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord. Thirdly They should humbly acknowledge and really forsake those evils wherewith they have provoked Christ to with-hold his help from them in time of need The Faithful do not onely complain of their misery and troubles but they confesse and forsake their iniquities when Nehemiah considered the afflicted condition of the People he doth not onely put them upon fasting and confession but upon reformation also Neh 13. This is that which the Lord so frequently calls for at the hands of his people Turn turn your selves from all your transgressions And they also call upon God for this Lam 5.21 Turn thou us unto thee O Lord. Fourthly They should earnestly cry to the Lord for help This hath been the course of the servants of God of old whereby they have prevailed with God to lift up his hand to their help in time of trouble The Church lifted up her voice in affliction saying Awake why sleepest thou O Lord Arise cast us not off for ever Psal 44.23 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and oppression For our soul is bowed down to the dust our belly cleaveth to the earth arise for our help and redeem us for thy mercy sake This is a tryed means saith David This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him ou●●f all his troubles Psal 34.6 When the men of Gibeon were in great distresse and danger by reason of five Kings coming against them and needed help they sent to Joshua saying Slack not thy hand from thy servants come up to us quickly and save us and help us Joshua 10.6 So should all the servants of the Lord cry to their Joshua the Lord Christ whom God hath made so strong for them to come and help and save them out of all their troubles When the Disciples were in danger on the Sea and wanted help they cryed to Christ to save them they awaked him and said unto him Master carest thou not that we perish and he arose and rebuked the wind Mark 4.38 39. O ye Saints cry to Christ and the more he seems to neglect you cry so much the more earnestly and constantly and give him no rest till he hear and help and redeem you from all evils Fifthly They should patiently wait upon Christ for help Though Christ do not help presently yet wait upon him for he will help in due time Do as Beggars that have but one doore to go to for bread if none hear nor help them presently they lay them down at the door saying within themselves we will wait here may be their compassions will move them as they passe by to help us God forbid that any of Christs Servants should say either with heart or mouth as that person 2 Kings 6.33 What should I wait for the Lord any longer but rather to follow the counsel of the man after Gods own heart mentioned Psal 37.7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for him and for his help though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry and in the mean time know It is a good thing that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD Lament 3.26 Such only shall say and sing in the day that the Lord arise for the help of his people Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the LORD we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Isa 25.9 Quest When may Gods people groundedly expect that Christ will help them Answ First When they are afflicted greatly when their burthens are so heavy that they know not how to bear them then the Lord hath been wont to help them The Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor so that they sighed and groaned by reason of their bondage and the LORD saw the affliction of his people and delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians Exod. 1.13 2.23 3. 7 8. And at another time when God saw the affliction of the children of Israel that it was bitter he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam 2 Kings 14.26 27. This David experienced and acknowledgeth to the praise of God Psal 116.6 10. 16. saying I was brought low and he helped me I was greatly afflicted O LORD thou hast loosed my bonds And he professeth faith in God for the same towards others Psal 18.27 Psal 140.12 Thou wilt save the afflicted soul I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor The Church in her complaint and prayer to God for help spreads the greatnesse of her affliction before him Lament per totum throughout the Book and concludes saying Remember O Lord what is come upon us consider and behold our reproach Lament 5.1 Secondly When they are forsaken utterly when all creature help failes and ceases The LORD will judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up nor left Deut 32.36 And according to this word did the Lord do for Israel for when there was not any shut up nor any left nor any helper for Israel he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash 2 Kings 14.26 27. And the efore God is said to be the helper of the Fatherlesse Psal 10.14 And to regard the prayer of the destitute Psal 102.17 Jehoshaphat seeking help of God urgeth him with their weak and destitute condition 2 Chron 20.12 saying O our God wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee And to raise Gods Servants expectation of help from Christ in their lowest estate it is prophesied of him Psal 72.4.12 13. That he shall judge the poor of the people he shall save the children of the needy he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth the poor also and him that hath no helper Thirdly When they cry mightily to the LORD for help When Israel was oppressed time after time they cryed to the Lord and he delivered them when the Lord hath a purpose to help his servants he usually poures forth a Spirit of Prayer upon them When the Decree of release from Babylon was ready to issue forth God put a mighty Spirit of Prayer upon Daniel Chap 9. And immediately before God will work deliverance and salvation for Jerusalem he will spirit his servants to cry mightily unto him to do it for them Isa 62.6 7. I have set Watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and g●ve him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise
in the earth so that when a M●ghty Spirit of Prayer goes forth to engage Christ to help he is not far from the help of his People Fourthly When they beleeve on him strongly when Gods servants have reacht out an hand of faith towards him he hath lifted up his hand to help them Abraham beleeved strongly and the Lord did help him greatly Jehoshaphat Asa David and others relyed on the Lord and were holpen in the time of their troubles the three servants of God mentioned Dan 3. were of great faith and Christ helped them so that the fire burnt them not neither could the flame kindle up●n them yea as many as ever came to Christ for help either for body or soul especially all such as were of great faith received it and surely when the People of God stagger not at the Promise of help but are strong in faith notwithstanding many difficulties and natural impossibilities before them the Performance thereof is at hand Rom. 4.20 Fifthly When they walk before him fa●thfully nor doing their own nor others but his will When the Servants of God of old did walk in their integrity serving their Generations according to the will of God he helped them and made their wayes prosperous but when they did put forth their hands unto iniquity the LORD was not with them There is none can expect that God should meet them in a way of mercy and help but such as work righteousnesse and all such may Isa 64.5 they can confidently pray for help in time of need as David did Psal 119.173 Let thine hand help me for I have chosen thy precepts Christ promised and gave forth his help to his servants when they were working his work in the simplicity and sincerity of their souls see his promise Math. 28.19 20. Go ye teach all Nations bapt●zing them in or unto the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world So also Luke 21.12 13 14 15. See likewise his performance of his good word to them in their Preaching Disputing Writing Gal 2.8 Acts 6.10 Acts 11.21 2 Cor. 10.10 And certainly as many as shall be faithfull to him in the work whereunto he calls them shall receive a sufficiency of help to carry them through it Sixthly When they use appointed means dil gently doing neither more nor lesse nor any other thing than what God requireth of them When the Lord of old had a urpose to help and save his People in an eminent way he was wont to set them about doing something and sometimes that which was very unlikely as to outward appearance to further his intended work yet when they were diligent in it they were wonderfully helped as might be shewn at large so when Christ is in the way of the help and salvation of his people he requireth something that might seem a weak foolish thing for them to do which may seem in their eyes to be rather to their hurt than help yet they ought to be found using of it and therein may expect Assistance from him When there was want of wine at the Marriage in Cana of Galilee the Mother of Jesus said unto the servants Whatsoever he saith unto you do it which then they did they were helped by him John 2. When the Disciples despairing of success having toiled all the night and taken nothing had given over fishing for that time and were washing their Nets he said to Simon Lanch out into the deep and let down your Nets for a draught at his word they did so and when they had this done they inclosed a great multitude of fishes Luke 5.4 5. Seventhly When enemies speak proudly act highly and seem to bear down all before them being most secure and confident in their wayes then Christ is not far from the help of his People The Lord hath said by the mouth of his Prophet Isa 59.19 When the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a Standard against him It was so of old when Pharaoh was most proud and confident and said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw the sword my hand shall destroy them then the Lord appeared for the help of his People against Pharaoh and all his Host Exod. 15.8 as he did in Jehoshaphats time when multitudes came against them 2 Chron 20. as also in Nehemiah's dayes when the Adversaries said They shall not know neither see till we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease Neh 4.11 12 15. And as it was heretofore so it shall be hereafter For when Babylon saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no widdow and shall see no sorrow Then shall Christ the King of Sion throw her down with violence like a great Milstone into the Sea never to rise again destroying her in a day Rev 18.7 8.21 and so free his Servants from all their oppressions when men and Devils are raging Christ will be helping Thus I have answered the Question by these seaven Particulars which I desire may be considered joyntly for when these things concurre when both the case and carriage of Gods People as also of their Enemies is or shall be as hath been mentioned help is at hand they may then look up and Lift up their heads for their Redemption draweth nigh as Luke 21.28 Quest. What VSE should we make of this Answ I. It is for Our INSTRVCTION in Four Things First It shews the Original and first cause of Gods Servants help namely the LORD For as their affliction so their help cometh not forth out of the dust but from above from the most High God And as it is the choice priviledge of Gods People to find help in time of need so it is their duty and great advantage to know and consider from whence it cometh And this Doctrine is an help to them therein this did David Psal 121.1 2. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord which made Heaven and Earth whosoever be the Instruments whatsoever be the means help is from God alone all Saviours and Salvations are from him To this agreeth part of the Levites confession of Gods goodnesse to Israel Nehem 9.27 According to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them Saviours who saved them out of the hand of their Enemies Secondly It shews a sufficient ground and reason of the faith and hope that is in the Saints for help from Christ in time of need He is mighty to help but that is not all it is the will and ordination of God that he should help He was both anointed and appointed thereunto Isa 42.1 6 7. 61.1 2 3. Not onely anointed and enabled but appointed also
to spoil his goods Luke 11.21 22. therefore COMMIT ALL TO HIM I. Commit your SOULS to him They are your most precious Treasure therefore it doth greatly concern you to look well to them especially in perilous times that they may be safe commit therefore the keeping of your souls to this Mighty One 1 Pet. 4.19 who alone is able to keep you from falling by the hand of any temptation persecution corruption or whatsoever may annoy or indanger you in the way to his Heavenly Kingdome he is the Great Shepherd and Bishop of souls who can preserve feed and nourish them unto eternal life 1 Pet. 2.25 Luther was wont to say Let him that dyed for my soul see to the salvation of it II. Commit your BODIES to him for he is mighty to help and save them also he is ABLE TO HELP AND SAVE THEM First In case of service When the Lord Christ calls his People to his work they oft neglect it with this pretence their bodies are so weak that they cannot do what is required this is sometimes the Ministers Plea for his negligence he is so weak that he cannot Preach much nor oft the Peoples Plea for not hearing we cannot go so far or we cannot sit so long we canno● visit the sick at a distance our bodyes wil● not away with journeying This hath been many a Believers Plea for not being baptized their bodies cannot bear it surely say they God doth not call us thus to afflict and endanger our bodyes he will hav● mercy and not sacrifice But let such know that the Lord Jesus Christ who hath bough● the Body as well as the Spirit doth requir● to be glorified in with and by the bodyes o● his People and seeing he is mighty to help in this respect namely to fit and strengthen the weak bodyes of his Servants in his work as they have oft found by experience it should greatly encourage and engage them to giv● them up to watching fasting labouring sacrifice or whatever service the Lord shall call them to do Rom 12.1 Secondly In case of sickness and diseases This the Lord commandeth by his Servant James and encourageth to by a gracious promise of help in that respect James 5.14 15. Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with oyl the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up And this was the Primitive Practice both Saints and People committed their bodyes to him and were holpen he healed them all yea many were healed and many signs and wonders were done by the Name of Gods holy Child Jesus in the Apostles dayes Acts 4.30 Acts 8.5 7. 3.6 and therefore let us commit our bodies to this Mighty One let us make him our Physitian he is able to help and heal Thirdly In case of sufferings When you be called to suffer in your bodies whether stripes buffetings imprisonments hunger thirst cold nakednesse or death for the sake of Christ be not fearful nor careful but commit your bodyes and every part thereof to him who is mighty to help in this respect also both to prepare fit and strengthen the body for the enduring these and the like afflictions and also to keep it that it shall not be lost nor perish in any of its sufferings no not a hair or bone thereof Phil 3.21 Luke 21.18 Psal 34.20 but though it dye it shall live again he will raise it in power and glory 1 Cor. 15.43 and therefore men are said only to kill the body not utterly to destroy it Mat. 10.28 III. Commit your Estates to him He is able and he will either keep your estates for you as some of his Servants who have been willing to part with them have experienced whilest others distrusting and not committing them into his hands but seeking to save them have lost them or if you part with them for his sake he will help you to live of a little yea to live more comfortably of a little than you did of a great deal he will make your little that you have in a way of righteousness better than great Revenues without right Pro 16.8 And this Gods People have often experienced and found that saying of Christ verified Luke 12.15 viz That a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth and at last he will restore them with encrease no less than an hundred fold according to those incouraging words of his to his self-denying Disciples Math. 19.29 Mark 10.29 30. Neither shall they onely have more but better things than they lose for Brass they shall have Gold and for Iron they shall have Silver and for Wood Brasse and for Stones Iron for carnall things they shall have spiritual and for temporal things they shall have eternal 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Thus will Christ blesse the latter end of his faithfull followers more than their beginning IV. Commit your NAMES to him he is mighty to help his Servants in that respect also And either he will keep up your Names and Reputations among men that your very enemies shall be forced to speak well of you and to acknowledge that you are more righteous than they Or if your Names be covered and buried under reproach and disgrace yet he will raise them up again He will bring forth your righteousnesse as the light and your Judgement as the noon-day Psal 37.2 Yea the time is a coming when he will take away the reproach and rebuke of his people from off all the earth and make them a name and a praise among all people Isa 25.8 Zeph 3.20 V. Commit his CAUSE to him His Cause is the best cause in all the world it is no other thing than truth and righteousnesse it self and it becometh his Servants to do what they can to help it forward but yet not to be so solicitous and careful for it as if the promoting of it depended onely upon them but when they have done what they can to leave it to him who is able to plead and maintain his own Cause against all the enemies thereof What though Truth and Righteousnesse be fallen in the streets and seem to lye dead and buried and almost forgotten by many yea what though instead of Truth there be Errour instead of holinesse there be prophanesse instead of judgement there be oppression and instead of righteousnesse a cry yet he is able to raise up his own Cause and will do it For he shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgement yea till he have established Truth and Righteousnesse in the Earth Isa 42.4 Therefore let none of the followers of Christ be discouraged if at any time the Cause of their Lord do not prosper in their hands according to the desires of their hearts but commit it to him to mannage who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isa
constraint but willingly for as the Apostle Phil. 2. observes he made himselfe so yea when worldly honour was offered him for the people would have made him a King Joh. 6.15 he refused it this was great self-denial to lay aside a crowne when he had it and to refuse it when it was offered speakes him one Mighty in this Grace Fourthly His patience he had greatest patience in greatest sufferings others were not so patient in lesser sufferings as he was in greatest The Prophet Isaiah sets him forth in his great sufferings and withall declares his incomparable patience Isaiah 53. which he ushers in with a yet yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he openeth not his mouth when he was reviled reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not patience was perfect in him he was strengthened with all might unto All patience and long suffering with joyfulness yea the patience of Christ in his most grievous sufferings was so absolute that in all that his enemies tongues and hands could say or do this Servant of God did not sin so much as in word but offered the sacrifice of prayer and supplications with the sacrifice of himselfe for his persecutors he was Mighty in this Grace Fifthly His zeale he was earnest and fervent in Spirit against all evil and for that which was good he did cry aloud he spared not but lifted up his voice like a Trumpet and shewed the people their transgression he was full of zeale against the sins of the Scribes and Pharisees freely denouncing woes against them Math. 23. He was full of zeale against the prophanation and prophaners of the Temple he overthrew the money-changers and the seats of them that sold doves and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessell thorow the Temple Mark 11.15 16. Yea be made a scourge of small coards and he drove them all out of the Temple and said to them that sold doves take these things hence make not my fathers house an house of Merchandize And his Disciples remembred that it was written The zeale of thine house hath e●ten me up Sixthly His wisdome and understanding he was of quick and great understanding when he was but twelve yeares old all that heard him questioning and answering the Doctors were astonished at his understanding and Answers Luk. 2.47 He was wiser than all his Enemies they could never entangle him in his talke when he answered to any thing it was with such wisdome as they durst not ask him any more Questions and no man was able to answer him he was of so great understanding that he knew all m●n and needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man Joh. 2.24 25. Yea he knew their very thoughts Math. 12.25 Luke 6.8 He had as the School-men speak both Cognitionem matutinam verspertinam both a morning and evening knowledge he knew things in their Causes as well as in their natures and effects Seventhly His faithfulness was great without the least leaven of hypocrisie there was no guile found in his mouth neither was there any in his Spirit he was faithfull to his father he did his work and glorified his Name on Earth was faithfull to his Disciples he made knowne unto them all things that he had heard of his father Joh. 15.15 He acquainted them with sufferings as well as the Glory that should follow he reproved them for their evils as well as comforted them in their troubles he was faithfull to all doing good unto all men as he had opportunity Nineteenthly A mighty one in his works he was mighty in deed excellent in working his works as himselfe said did beare witness of him that he was some mighty one sent from God he hath declared his strength among the people His works were of two sorts First Spirituall and heavenly relating to the souls and spirits of men Secondly More externall and visible relating to the bodies of men and others and he was mighty in hoth sorts His works relating to the soules of men were chiefly First His preaching and teaching in which he was mighty even in his first Sermon on the Mount The people were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one having Authority and not as the Scribes Math. 7.28 29. Being in Galilee he taught in their Synagogues being Glorified of all He came to Nazareth and taught and all bare him witness and wondered at the Gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth he came downe to Capernaum and taught and they were astonished at his doctrine for his word was with power see Luke 4.14 15 16 22 31 32. To these may be added the Officers answer to the chiefe Priests and Pharisees when they said unto them Why have you not brought him Never man spake like this man Joh. 7.45 46. Neither did the word of Christ returne unto him void but did exceedingly prosper in the thing whereto it was sent many beleeved on him Joh. 4.41 Joh. 7.31 8.30 10.42 12.42 Secondly His Praying having received the spirit of Grace and Supplication without measure he must needs be mighty in prayer and so he was In the dayes of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears Heb 5.7 Sometimes he prayed long Luke 6.12 He continued all night in prayer to God sometimes he prayed more earnestly Luke 22.44 and alwayes successefully For as a Mighty Prince he had power with God and ever prevailed God made him a King then bid him ask Ps 2.6 7 8. and indeed he prayed like a King like a mighty One as one in joynt Commission with his Father as one hath well observed John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am Thirdly His Baptizing John and Christs Disciples could but Baptize with water in his name he the master only was and is mighty to baptize with the holy Spirit This was that great and wonderfull thing which was made known to John that Christ should do which he was to observe as that wherein Christ excelleth all others as is manifest in the record of John John 1.32 33. John bear record saying I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a Dove and it abode upon him and I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit and upon this account John preferred him before himselfe Mat. 3. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire He plainly declared him to be a mighty one in this respect This was that which he promised and
of any other which he is to examine and try and follow and refuse as it agreeth or disagreeth with this Besides there are no blots defects nor imperfections but contrariwise a wonderfull exactness plainness beauty and glory in the Example of Christ whereby it is of singular use and advantage to his followers their way being thereby made plaine before them Neither is it a scant but a full and large Example both of obedience For He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walke even as he walked 1 John 2.6 and the several parts thereof he hath given us an example of faith love patience self-denyall meekness diligence c. And of suffering also that he might help in that needfull time To encourage us to it he hath given us an example of readiness and willingness to suffer he willingly laid downe his life for his sheepe Joh. 10.15.18 and to guide us in it he hath given us an example of meekness and patie●ce for he was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before the shearer so opened he not his mouth Acts 8.32 And when he was reviled reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 And thus Christ is an Help by the excellency of his example Thirdly By the powerfulness of his Spirit The Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of life and power which he giveth forth into the hearts of his servants for their help in their various services and conditions and therefore the Spirit is said to help their Infirmities Rom 8.26 Yea Christ doth so usually help by his Spirit that most acts of help are frequently attributed in Scripture to the Spirit as to Quicken uphold strengthen comfort teach lead beare witness bring to remembrance give utterance cause to do John 6.63 Rom. 8.11 Psal 51.12 Eph. 3.16 John 14.16 John 14.26 Gal. 5.18 Rom. 8.16 Acts 2.4 Ezek. 36.27 By this did Christ eminently help his servants in the work whereunto he called them in the primitive times By this he enabled them to be his witnesses not onely in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria but unto the uttermost part of the earth Acts 1.8 By this they evercame the mightiest Adversaries of Truth For they were not able to resist the wisdome and spirit by which they spake Luke 21.15 Acts 6.10 And by this he helped them to do many wonderful things to the great advantage and furtherance of the Gospel Act. 11 19-21 By the same Spirit he hath helped others also in later Generations to testifie for him against Antichrist and his Adherents and by their Testimony exceedingly to prevaile as Wickliffe Hus Luther and others And this is that which Luther in an Epistle to some amongst whom his doctrine was successfull would have them to observe Consider saith he with what sword I have conquered sin and overcome Errours and subdued policy I have never touched you with a finger but with the Spirit of Christs mouth viz. the Sword of his Gospel And severall of the Martyrs ●hough meane and unlearned yet by the help of the Spirit of Christ have put to silence their learned Adversaries Among the rest History tells us of one Alice Driver that shee non-plust the Doctors that Examined her and then said God be honoured you be not able to resist the Spirit of God in a poore woman And as it was then even so it is now for Christ by the same Spirit helpeth his servants both to will and to do and to suffer of his good pleasure Phil 1.29 Phil. 2.13 Fourthly By the Admirableness of his RVLE and Administration For he so ordereth and disposeth of all things that they work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 so that those things which men contrive and designe to be most hurtfull through his power and wisdome become helpfull to his servants yea he sometimes makes his Enemies intended Destruction his peoples glorious salvation And indeed the Rule and Reigne of Christ doth much consist in his helping and relieving his oppressed servants in his pleading their cause and executing judgement for them in his breaking the bands of their yoke and delivering them out of the hand of those that serve themselves of them that they may be no more a prey to the Heathen yea the maine designe of Christ next to his own Glory is the salvation and safety of his flock Jer. 23.5 6. Ezek. 37. And he doth many admirable things in order to this end as he maketh the weak to conquer and the mighty to be overthrowne he maketh the Counsel of the simple to stand and the devices of the crafty to be disappointed he doth that marvellous work and a wonder spoken of Isa 29.14 He causeth the wisdome of wise men to perish and the understanding of the prudent to be hid And he judgeth the poore of the people and saveth the children of the needy and breaketh in pieces the Oppressor Psal 72.4 Sometimes he sets enemies one against another The Mighty against the Mighty Ruler against Ruler Jer 46.12 Jer. 51.46 so that they fight Brother against Brother Neighbour against Neighbour City against City Kingdome against Kingdome and so help to destroy one another Isa 19.2 2 Chron 20.23 Sometimes he wonderfully restraines the rage of Enemies so that they do not hurt nor destroy in his holy Mountaine but the Wolfe dwelleth with the Lamb and the Leopard lies downe with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them according to that famous prophesie of his Kingdome Isa 11.6 7 8 9. Sometimes he causeth them to favour his people Psal 106.46 and sometimes he maketh them helpfull and serviceable to them according to that precious promise of God to his Church Isa 60.10 The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee Thus God turned the heart of the King of Persia that was now over Assyria unto his people to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God of the God of Israel Ezra 6.22 And put it also into the heart of Artaxerxes to help Ezra to beautifie the house of the Lord which was at Jerusalem Ezra 7.27 And thus Christ helpeth by the Admirableness of his RVLE and Administration Fifthly By the prevalency of his Intercession by this he helpeth them much who beleeve through grace Christ perfecteth by his Intercession that good worke of the salvation of his people which he begun by his Passion for though Christ help exceedingly by the vertue and efficacy of his death as hath been shewne yet there is need of his Intercession also and therefore he is entred into heaven to appeare in the presence of God for us Heb 9.24 And this is of such great benefit and advantage to the Saints that the Apostle layes the weight of their salvation upon it Rom 5.10 If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by