verse Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of trembling c. I thus armed thus resolved will now shew my glory at this great undertaking come and see a famous spectacle your God engaging for Ierusalem when the Lord once engageth eminently for Ierusalem to defend and deliver it Note he summons all to be spectatour and observers of it Before he shewed his power what he could doe here he declares his will what he is resolved to doe Behold I will make c. a solemne summons This is worth noting God looks to be observed and admired in his great workings for a distressed people he cals for it aloud Revel 6. When the Lamb opened the first seale John saith he heard a noise as of thunder one of the foure beasts saying Come and see and when he had opened the second seale I heard the second beast say Come and see And when he had opened the third seale I heard the voyce of the third beast say Come and see And when he had opened the fourth seale I heard the fourth beast Come and see Alloquitur Ioannem sustinentem personam fidelis populi qui similiter per vocem ministrorum excitarentur ad observandos hos mirabiles eventus Exod. 14.13 Moses told trembling Israel Feare not stand still and see the salvation of God which he will shew you this day The Lord shall fight for you and yee shall hold your peace yea that 's a glorious sight to see indeed to see God taking a Pharaoh in hand of whom wee said For this cause have I raised thee up to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth This is one main end why the Lord fats and heightens an adversary that he may try misteries with him and spend his arrows on him and all this to be observed and admired the more Psal 111 2. The works of the Lord are great sought out of all that have pleasure therein his work is honourable and glorious he hath made his wonderfull works to be remembred that 's their end the Lord would never appear upon the stage if he had not some strange act to present he would never call inspectatours if he would not provide somwhat worth seeing This hath made the Saints in all ages curious in observing Gods works Abraham rejoyced in seeing Christs day Iacob waited for Gods salvation Moses said I beseech thee shew me thy glory he had seen much of God before all that did but whet his appetite he was still greedy after more Daniel was a man of desires in this sense as you heard it glossed but now and had a large prospect yet would fain have crowded to see more Right honourable You set us to display God in his grandour this day you stand upon advantageous ground and you see farre and quick into Gods works for you have declared your sense of this and former mercies yet you will yeeld you have not seen all and that its worth reading and turning over and over this marvellous discovery and dispensation of God Say then with Moses when the bush burned and was not consumed when the Church was in a flame and yet flourished in the fire I will now turn about and see what this great sight meaneth Exod. 3.3 The Lord wonders and is very angry at the senlesnesse and blindenesse of men that will not see his hand lifted up men that are quick witted and sharp sighted in other things they can discern the face of the skyes but will not know the signes of the times when they are visible but let the wicked doe wickedly for none of them shall understand but the wise shall understand the scripture makes tother a matter of folly and brutishnesse but these providentiall acts upon wicked men in their ruffe and when they flourish and are presumptuous then to pull them down this is too deep for wicked men yet are wee solemnly called to observe it See Dan. 12.10 Hos 14. ult Psal 92 5 6 7. Psal 107.40 41 42 43. Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of trembling to all the people round about when they shall be in the siege both against Iudah and Ierusalem Note Ierusalem may be besieged by her enemies the place and people of God may be encompassed and distressed by their Adversaries a truth so clear both of litterall and mysticall Ierusalem that it is but time waste to prove it It s observable that our three grand enemies are encompassing enemies and grow dangerous For an enemy to encompasse argues a fourfold danger First It argues neernesse Secondly Superiority in power else he neither could or durst advance so close Thirdly Superiority in numbers else he could not surround and encompasse for he that is without hath the largest Line Fourthly A distresse and straitning from escape all this is implyed in a siege 1. The Devill Iob 1.7 Iob 2.2 He compasseth the earth 1 Pet. 5.8 He is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk about and to devour There 's not a soul of a righteous man but he layes siege making assaults and battery to that soule as for the hearts of wicked men he is possessed of them already and they are fortified by him against God his Word and judgements 2. Sin is an encreasing evill it s called sin that doth easily beset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 12. Psal 49.5 David speaks of the iniquity of his heels compassing him about 3. The world none will doubt but that 's an encompassing enemy Therefore the poor Church is not only called a lilly among thorns a speckled Bird amongst the Birds Lambs among Wolves but expresly a besieged City the Daughter of Sion is left as a Cottage in a Vineyard as a Lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers as a besieged City Isaiah 1.8 Solitary and surrounded and not only invested at large but closely streightned and distressed so as with Jehosaphat they know not what to do only their eyes are upward towards God restat iter coelo tantum The ground of this from God is partly to give check restraint to the extravagancies of his people and we know sometimes it is but need the best and most retired soul hath his wanton flings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it s very hard to keep it from leering and hankering after some vanity to cure this the Lord will hedge us in with thornes Chrysost Hos 2. that we shall not find our lovers We are apt to turn our liberty into licenciousnes and the grace of God into wantonnes and to surfit upon mercy to growe fat and ranck to begin to gone and kick and break fence the Lord sees good to pinch us for this to reduce us to our measure and compasse by driving us into corners Sic deus cohibet fraenat suos ne diffluant Calvin thus the Lord will hamper his own he will banck and bound them into their right Channels least they overflow their bancks but
doe great things and shalt still prevaile or as was upon Balaam when hired to curse Israel he blessed them and said they were invincible and should still doe valiantly or as was upon Hamans wife Zeresh who said If Mordecai was of the seed of the Iewes those that began to fall before him should fall irrecoverably This mercy to them is a owning by heaven of your paesent power your late changes and transactions which the world so much disowned and were startled at This mercy doth eclipse and drown fore-going mercies whereby the Lord doth not only keep on his course of mercy to his people but in a higher and more signall way keeping the best wine till last the most excellent Arts and Sciences till the conclusion When the Trumpets sounded louder and louder then God came down Exod. 19.19 When Joshua compassed Jerico 7. daies the Rams hornes sounding the last found had a shoot with it and then Jericho walls fell down Me thinks the Lord speaking louder every day his stroakes being still greater his discoveries being more glorious continually then before what can it bode but Babylons walls falling the Lord coming down neerer unto us even among us See how the enemy yea the earth trembles at his presence Shout therefore brethren his praises aloud many a poor soul prayed and cryed aloud for this deliverance and is heard by this return Let our praises sound as high you know who got the victory by praysing God aloud at which time the Lord set ambushes for his enemies 2 Chro. 20.21 22. and who knoweth what he is doing for us at this instant Add hereunto the nearnes of this mercy many will look on this mercy as a thing afar off because done in another Land but do we not know that our safety and interest was even bound up in theirs Is it not our out-works which taken will soone straighten us It s the making up of a great banck which broken will let in the enemy like a floud upon us Have we not felt inundations from thence already He turned the Sea into dry land they went through the stoud on foot there did we rejoyce in him Psal 66.6 VVas not that deliverance far from David both in time and place yet he saith there did we rejoyce Much more let us rejoyce now as more nearly interessed and related Were not our hearts tuned to the notes of this Harp in the dolefull tunes of it Let it be so now in the joyfull tydings that it brings us Again learn to trust thy God O Jerusalem he will defend thee in a siege and streight against all the world Never distrust a Lord of Hosts more upon any seeming dis-advantages whatsoever they are but lures and snares to catch a presumptuous dareing enemy Rev. 20.9.10 take an example yet to come after the thousand years Satan shall be loosed and shall go out to deceive all the Nations of the four Quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel whose number is as the sand of the Sea and they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City never was there such a league before Jerusalem never did it sustain such a siege but mark the end fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them and then the Devil is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone never look for war or sieges more after that time therefore trust God for ever and know if you will believe you shall see the glory of God yet daily but I may not inlarge Again learn we hence to wait on God notwithstanding some delayes though he tarry wait for him the adversary must have his houre of the power of darknes the waves must beat the ship and fill it too while Jesus sleepes yet know he doth but seem to sleep his providence ever waketh he that watcheth and keepeth Israel doth not slumber what if Jerusalem be besieged yet is it not therefore taken and destroyed How hard were the Inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead put to it by Naash 1. Sam. 11. almost to the putting out of their right eyes and losse of liberty yet they waited a little and were delivered how greatly was Samaria distressed even to a great famine so that the King said why shall I wait any longer yet had they speedy deliverance and plenty 2 King 6. ult and cap. 7.1 2 King chap. 18.19 How formidable was Zenacheribs numerous Host before Jerusalem of well nigh two hundred thousand that had conquerred and wasted all Countries round about and by the blasphemies of that great Rhodomont Rabshakeh all successours seemed hopeles yet Hezekiah waited and Jerusalem was delivered and Zenacheribs Army destroyed wait you on the Lord wait I say on the Lord. There is another consectary which the Text holds out to us in the 5. verse that the Inhabitants of Jerusalem under God are the strength of the Governours of Judah the people of God in any place are the strongest Bul-wark to that place why because the Lord of Hosts is their God O ye Governours of Judah think on this how great have been your contests about the Militia of this Nation now you have it there is as great a care to mannage it with safety and to its proper ends but know this Worthies you have a better Militia then the former even Gods own people among you this is your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say you in your hearts the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God marke the Interest they have in God is the Magazine and cittadel of their strength and safety Israel was called a Camp of Host as they came up from Aegypt and aske but Balaam what he thought of them when with an evil eye he took a prospect of them How godly are thy truths O Jacob the Lord is among them he hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn the people shall rise up as a great Lyon and stir as a young Lyon he shall not lye down till he eat of the Prey and drink the blood of the slain Numb 23.21 22 23. marke that the Lord is among them that 's their strength they are among you there 's your strength these are your artillery 2 King 13.14 Rev. 11.5 6 your great Ordinance these are your Chariots and your Horsemen as he said of the Prophet If any shall hurt these fire goes out of their mouth and consumes their enemies as was said of the witnesses those have power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their Prophesie and have power over waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all Plagues as often as they will it was said of the Romans nemo impune lacessivit populum Romanum it s more truly applyed to Gods people none goes unpunished that sets himself against them Know therefore where your strength lies in
of their Chiefes had learned that Maxime of the Florentine Atheist That as it was necessary for a Governour so enough to seem religious outwardly though inwardly hee were not so I would not give credit to him upon this ground because it is impossible that those visible and signall discoveries of God to us in all the wayes of his dispensations should suffer us to impose upon his omniscience Besides me-thinks you often signifie that religion is a tender Virgin that must be as watchfully kept as warily approached The first of these will mind you that men be not suffered to run wild in the things of God The other that conscience be not imposed on by one or t'other hand The first is a Gallionisme the other is Antichristianisme I know none shall ever have just cause to fasten either of these upon your counsels or actions for the one who durst presume but that the name of God shall be as tender to you as your own for the other that of Tertullian is observable Hoc ad irreligiositatis elogium concurrit adimere libertatem religionis interdicere opinionem divinitatis ut non liceat mihi colere quem velim sed cogar colere quem nolim In a word therefore endevour by steering aright betwixt these two rocks to preserve our vessell from ship-wrack and let peace between brethren be so endevoured y you which doth as it were pitch the ship within and without that no leaks or chinks shal sink it Great Constantine did think it his duty and interest to perswade and urge this by his personal presence authority O you Fathers of your Country consider your children some are stronger some younger some more heavy and sullen others more sprightly and wanton there are not onely diversities but divisions among them Put forth your authority with wisdom and tendernesse effectually that we may not alwayes bite and devoure one another I shall adde this Let interest of State sway nothing to the calculation of religion to any point Notable is that example of Scipio Ammiratus upon Tacitus Sith there is no proportion between temporall things and spirituall when thou seest Religion to oppose thy reason of State presently betake thy selfe to religion and accommodate thy reason of State to that and not the contrary for if you think to lay a yoak upon the consciences of men and thereby as a strong man endevour to keep the House in peace they will answer you with that stout Pretor O ye Romans we reverence you and if you will have more we feare you too yet know we beare a greater reverence and feare to the immortall Gods Look therefore to this The other Pillar of your name and of your safety is Righteousnesse Read over those innumerable Petitions written and unwritten of a long time and yet daily presented lay your eares to the sighes and teares of the oppressed that have no comforter take heed that none justly appeale to the day of judgement from you or against you remember that your duty is by a Geometrical proportion to give to every one his right according to his capacity and merit and to doe as you would be done by sometime to part with your plenty by contribution and to abate of your height by condescention according to exigence Salvian perswading to this very thing brings in the Fabii Fabricii and Cincinnati who refused the advantage of growing rich Lib. 1. de Pro. that if it were possible by their impoverishment they might raise the ruines of a shattered Common-wealth But that of Philo is notable who saith Jupiter had two Twins to one of them he gave immortality the other he made mortall the brother that was immortall considering his own life to be endlesse and that his brother should die and so his griefe for his brothers death would consequently be eternal devised this marvellous exchange he communicated immortality with his mortall brother by which both had a mixture of both This he calls the fountain and ground of all Justice Some will be ready to apply this against the immortallity of your present Session me thinks it clearly tells all whom God hath for a turn lifted up above their brethren that they declare a communicablenesse with their brethren My aim Worthies was but this that by the flourishing of Religion and Righteousnesse among you and us I may congratulate my Countrey with this acclamation The Lord blesse thee O habitation of justice and mountain of holinesse Jer. 31.23 This mean Sermon here again presented together with the occasion serves for a comfortable encouragement in the premises by shewing the self-destroying enterprizes of your enemies how fatall Jerusalem is to her assailants how faithfull the Lord is in his engagements for his people That emergency which gave occasion to our solemnity and this discourse beares testimony to so weighty a truth Now that our hearts may come up to it in our respective places and duties is the prayer of Your Honours daily Orator at the Throne of Grace William Cooper A Sermon Preached before the House of PARLIAMENT Zach. 12.2 3 4 5. Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of poyson unto all the people round about also with Iudah will he be in the siege against Ierusalem And in that day will I make Ierusalem an heavy stone for all people all that lift it up shall be torn though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it In that day saith the Lord I will smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with madnesse and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Iudah and will smite every horse of the people with blindenesse And the Princes of Iudah shall say in their hearts The inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God Right honourable and beloved TO day is this word fulfilled to us this prophesie is but a narrative or representative of mercy if our hearts doe but answer unto both and if our thankfulnes come but up to these words and to these works of God it will be a pleasing harmony in Gods ears Which that it may bee I am now here by your Call to contribute a little out of my penury to what you had but now so largely and so lively set before your eyes God hath this day turned our Fast into a Feast and this as solemne for praise and mirth as that was solemne for prayer and mourning thus he alone can change the seasons and the occasions and calls to us answerably to change the key of our devotions there is a time to weep and a time to laugh we have had both and the first preparing for and changed into the latter through the precious mercyes of our God who is yet good to our Israel and hath not left himself without witnes to us as at this day That I might further hold out God in his glory to you and hold up your hearts to take a full survey of it I
have endeavoured to seek out a seasonble and sutable word for we may know as there 's nothing new under the Sun so the providence of God which hath wrought hitherto worketh yet still for his Church and so will doe yet more gloriously that yee all may marvell Observe then the parts and parralel together You have here first a very formall and formidable laying a siege secondly We have a signall raising of that siege thirdly we have the causes and consequents of both In the first two things are considerable First The besieged secondly the besiegers The Besieged is a City no mean City but a Mother in Israel Jerusalem the metropolis of Judea the glory of the earth the City of God is invested and beleagured the beloved City is surrounded and straightned by her adversaryes 2. The Besiegers a numerous Host all the people round about sundry Nations bad neighbours such as bear evill will to Sion all these come up against Juda and against Jerusalem this is clearly implyed v. 2. Nay its presupposed that all the people of the earth may designe a siege and sacking to Jerusalem v 3. Besides they shall come up well provided with Horse and Foot and all warlike equipage and they shall advance so far as to attach it they shall be lifting at it presuming to carry it v. 2 3 4. compared together Thus much of the siege of Jerusalem 2. The signall raising of the siege Wherein observe we first the Causes secondly the consequents The Causes are twofold Principall and instrumentall the principall cause of this work of Deliverance and Victory for its both is the Lord Jehovah who appears chief in this action in every verse to the eighth and he is described by his power and by his will which are put forth to relieve and succour Jerusalem Particularly the Lord comes forth armed with his Almighty creating power described in there eminent effects of it stretching out the heavens laying the foundation of the earth and forming the spirit of man within him This is to tell you how far the Lord Jehovah will engage for the rescuing of Jerusalem in distress his wonder-working and world creating power 2. The Instrumentall cause of Jerusalems reliefe for the Lord makes use of Instruments in it and that is Jerusalem it self shall be instrumentall in its own deliverance and the Lord thus working for Jerusalem by Jerusalem puts forth severall acts in the manner of his working here elegantly expressed and happily taking effect upon the enemy 1. Infatuating of him he would needs drink a cup and he was intoxicated with it v. 2. 2. Worsting or breaking them he would be lifting and heaving at Jerusalem and this stone fell upon him and brake him v. 3. 3. By astonishing the Horse and his ryder their most active powers their Cavalry and flower 4. After this follows the enemies utter consumption all of them shall be cut in pieces and consumed as straw with fire v. 3 6. Thus we have the Causes Hence 3. Follow the effects and consequents 1. Jerusalem is delivered and secured 2. Hereupon follows the doxology high and low governours and inhabitants of Ierusalem speak hearty praise to the Lord of Hosts acknowledging wherein their strength lyes in the Lord and his people and withall we have an act of faith in the governours resolving to make choice of the Lord of Hosts for their protector cleaving to him and being assured of him upon this score and interest that they have the inhabitants of Ierusalem with them and for them i. e. Gods people who have alwayes Gods presence and power by which they are invincible v. 5. Thus you have the Lords doing and our duty These are our parts and the parallel is clear between Ierusalem case and this occasion it needs not further repetition or application for as the words seem litterally meant of Ierusalem assaulted and distressed by Antiochus defended and relieved by the Maccabees so is it mystically meant of the Christian Church or any part of it persecuted by Antichrist and his powers of whom Antiochus was no obscure type or fore-runner * The interest of Gods people in Dublin and the enemies rage against it together with the righteous in it may well intitle such another City Jerusalem Now oh that the other part of the Prophesie v. 8. were fulfilled upon us this day as it was upon them that in that day i. e. when God puts forth his power in and for his people then the inhabitants of Ierusalem and he that is feeble among them shall be as David and the house of David as God and as the Angel of God before him they have been in power and valour Oh let us be as Davids and as Angels in praise and thanksgiving Had we but Davids heart and harp we might sing upon those parts of the text a Psalm of Degrees I must crave leave to passe through the Porch and Entry to my Text the first verse of the Chapter is but a preparatory preface to that I pitch upon for our meditations yet hath it some influence and relation to that which follows The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel Thus saith the Lord that stretched forth the heavens that laid the foundations of the earth that formeth the spirit of man within him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Song or comfortable prophesie begins with the burden first a burden that doth not pinch or presse Gods people at all t is for Israel for their sakes for their safety for their comfort but a burden indeed faln heavy upon Ierusalems enemies Ierusalems besiegers this burden is theirs It s a common metaphor among the Prophets importing some judgement or propheticall threatning of judgement upon a people such a contrariety is there between Ierusalem and her enemyes that as the two scales of a balance put weight in one it presseth down and lifts the other up the rise of Sion is the fall of Babylon the death of the witnesses makes the inhabitants of the earth merry Revel 11.10 When Ieremy and his people lamented in tears their enemyes laughed mocking at their Sabbaths Againe the Saints have their turn at last they shall laugh last Isa 65.13 14. Behold my servants shall rejoyce but yee shall be ashamed my servants shall sing for joy of heart but yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of Spirit Revel Now this is a speciall act of divine justice to give every one his turn and not onely so but by the law of retaliation to make his people shift their burdens upon their oppressours shoulders The burdens that oppressors lay on the back of the righteous shall fall heavy upon themselves breaking their bones and pressing them down into the Pit This they get by laying load on the Saints of God but of that afterward from the 3. v. The burden of the word of the Lord. The word fals heavy upon sinners though they make light of it this expression
courage to the feeble and fearful but this cup of spiritual drunkennes takes away courage and adds fear and trembling it is a hornet from God that doth chase and affright the enemies of God I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling the Lord doth often punish drunkards in their kind the enemies of the Church who commonly are bacchanalian and debauched Epicures the Lord makes their very sin and delight their snare and punishment When the plundering Amalekites after some successes 1 Sam. 30.16.17 and out-rages upon Ziglag and other places they were drinking and dancing in the nick David comes upon them and mingles their blood with the blood of the grape and destroyed them so that they were faine to vomit up all the spoyles and preys they had taken pertinent also is that of Benadad who with a mighty host besieged Samaria 1 King 20.11.16 c even as he was drinking himself drunk in his pavilion with the rest of his Commanders set his men in array against the City But the Israelites came out and slue his Army with a very great slaughter Right Honorable was it not thus in our case with the enemy He was carousing and playing in his Tent when he had sent his party against Dublin he was so confident and insolent that he had already won the Citie in his presumption for he fell a disposing of prisoners before hand drinking healths to their owne successes and your confusion Are not these the Acts of men drunk not with Wine onely but with wrath Yes they had then tasted the top of the cup which was the sweeter yet intoxicating and must now take of the bottome too Mark it in the effects and issue a bloody issue to them they staggtred in their Counsels they roared and raved in their purposes they trembled in their undertakings they stumbled in their approaches they fell down to the ground in their shamefull discomfiture and lastly they vomited up the greater part of the spoyle they had before swallowed and fed themselves with Hence it is said Isaiah 28.7 that Drunkards are said to be swallowed up of wine they are swallowed up of what they swallow It 's true in the letter and mystically so too v. 16. their own morsell poysons them How doth the Lord assure that Behold saith he I lay a stone in Sion v. 3. this leads me to open to you the other Metaphor in the Text in these words In that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth bee gathered together against it The 70. read it A stone of treading down so also the Syriac or a stone of subjection and casting down thus the Arabick and the Chaldee come neere our Translation A stone of offence or stumbling The ground of this Metaphor is taken from a custome in all the Cities and Villages of Palestine which held in use till Jeromes time Hieronymus that for the exercise of their youth they appointed great round stones These they were to lift some to their knees they that were stronger could lift them to the navell or higher even to their shoulders and the crown of their heads c. yet it came to passe that many in lifting of these massive stones by over-reaching and over-straining or by sinking under their weight were so strained bruised and sometimes their bones broken that they became maimed by this meanes They were snared and broken by the work of their hands thus saith the holy Ghost Many a one boasting and presuming of his strength shall be lifting and heaving at Jerusalem they shal endevour to doe feats upon it and take it into their hands but it should prove too heavy and too tough a piece for them they shall be over-reacht in it and shall break their heads their necks their hearts in the enterprize I do not wonder now the Prophet begins with The burden of the word of the Lord Thus the Lord who is a Sanctuary unto his people is therein a stone of stumbling Isa 8.14.15 and a rock of offence unto his enemies he is a gin and snare unto them and they shall stumble and fall and be broken and snared and taken How this comes to passe will presently appear in these two ensuing conclusions both which comprise the generall mind of this Text and hold forth a great truth unto us very worthy our meditations very sutable to this day and so as comfortable to the people of God as terrible to their adversaries all sorts of men 1. Observe It is ever fatall to assault the Jerusalem of God In their engaging against Jerusalem they doe but march the nearest out to their owne graves It 's an evident token the Lord intends to blast a Person Family or Nation if he permits them to advance and act hostility against his people Jerusalem is a cup of poyson a burdensome stone unto her enemies 2. As the Lord is often exactly just in his recompence and retaliation of punishment upon malefactors so he doth frequently observe and execute it upon his Churches enemies both these are frequently taught in this Scripture I will not handle them singly but wrap them up together as neere as I can as belonging both to one Prov. 20.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 1.12 The wise man saith it is a snare for a man to devoure that which is holy or a holy man for the word beares either and some read it in this latter The word to swallow or to devoure with open jawes is attributed to persecuting men let us swallow them up alive as the grave and vvhole as those that go down into the pit it s meant of ravenous beasts birds or fishes that cruelly and greedily swallow their prey wicked men in doing so do but swallovv their ovvn banes their ovvn poyson the vvord here for snare signifies the snare of a Hunter or Fowler persecuting Nimrods that hunt the poor sheep of Christ vvith blood-hounds that lay snares and make pits for them that lye in vvait for innocent blood and to catch men vvretched Hunters their own evils shall hunt them out the game they chase and lie in vvait for shall turn against them their own dogs shall eat these Acteons they shall be taken in their own nets as vvhen the VVhale had swallowed Ionah it was too hard a gobbet for him to digest or hold it in his paunch he must give him up again vvhen Chedorlaomer and his party had plundered the Cities of the plain and carryed avvay righteous Lot among the rest this one holy thing or holy man vvas a snare to Chedorlaomar he vvas his ruine For his sake onely did Abraham ingage pursue and recover all again to the utter overthrow of 4. Kings that vvere Conquerors over five That of the Psalmist is very full when he would expres the abortive designes of wicked men against the