Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	heaven_n	nation_n	shake_v	3,818	5	10.4067	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

God himself testifieth of such Prophets that He had not sâ—â—t them yet they ran nor spoken to them yet they prophefied p It is good that good men should search into all Truths it is their duty and compare Providences with Scâ—ipture to finde out all truths but good men for so I judge of many of them though seduced by a false spirit to be too confident in things altogether doubtful is unwarrantable boldnesse they should consider that there are many lying spirits gone out into the world therefore Saint Iohn exhorts that we beleeve not every spirit q And we are foretold that in these latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrins of devils r And we know that Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light Å¿ Christ himself hath foretold us that there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect t but he commands that we beleeve them not u and gives a memorandum with an Ecce Behold I have told you before And we know that these are the times wherein the devil is let loose to deceive the Nationsâ—â— because we see the Nations are deceived and he hath great wrath becâ—â—se he knoweth that he hath but a short time w The Apostle Peter writing to beleevers saith there were false Prophets among the people and tels them there shall be False Teachers among them who shall privily bring in damnable heresies and shall bring upon themselves swift damnation x These are those times foretold but we will not see it we will not know them we presume to tell of times that shall be but will not take notice of the times that be This is the time of great triall and yet in these times men will be most confident and secure and take not notice that Satan hath deceived them to be the fulfillers of the Prophecies of Christ and of his Apostles in their heresies and seducements c. There is a time to every purpose but because men knowing it not but misseth their time their misery is great They are snared with an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon ihem as fishes that are taken in an evil net and as birds that are caught in a snare y These times the times of this generation are not only trying times but they are shaking times God is now shaking the Nations and Kingdomes of the world according to that Prophecy of Haggai It is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the Sea and the dry-land and I will shake all Nations i God may be said to shake the Nations several waies He shakes by his voice k in thunder and lightning as when the Law was given on Mount Sinai And he shakes by his fearful and terrible judgements upon his enemies casting down and overturning Monarchs and Kingdoms And he shaketh by the power of the Gospel as at Christs Birth a new Star appeared and led to him and at his death the earth shock the graves opened the Sun was darkened And at the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles Men Nations and Kingdoms were shaken turned and changed upside down God hath of late shaken this Nation as many other by the sword He is still shaking Nations yea all Nations by the sword of his indignation rending tearing scattering and overturning this or that Nation this or that power These are doubtlesse Gods refining times Preparations for accomplishment of the glorious things to be done for his Church which are promised The downfal of Antichrist Gog and Magog and making the Enemies of Christ to become his fooâ—stool The calling of the scattered Jews and bringing in the fulnesse of the Gentiles when it shall be said who are that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves to their windows l And the gathering together of his people that there shall be one Shepherd and one flock m and that Satan shall be â—â—oden under our feet n all which in the times appointed shall be assuredly made good Not by the shaking of the Nations by the sword though God may use the Nations as instrumentally to break one another in peeces as a preparative thereunto so far as pleaseth him But the accomplishment thereof must be by the shaking of the Nations by the Word of God which I conceive is meant by the Apostle where he saith yet once more will I shake not the earth only but also heaven o signifying a spirituall shaking by the powerful preaching of the Gospel and work of Gods Spirit to bring gathering the Church into one subduing our lusts and carnality mortifying sin and making us a reformed people conformable to Christ and that the Kingdom of Christ may be set up in our hearts for which we are taught to pray He that sate upon a white horse p and made warre and on his head had many Crowns and clothed in a vesture dipt in bloud His Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. the Armies that followed him were in heaven therefore spirituall and the sword with which he smiteth the Nations goeth out of his mouth This is no materiall sword but it is the word of God the Sword of the Spirit When he threatned the Church of Pergamus for suffering false doctrines among them he tels them he will come and fight against them by the word of his mouâ—h q That word of the Gospel which the wicked would have slieghâ—ed and called foolishnesse shall with wondrous power shake the Nations destâ—oy and conquer the world of the wicked as is expressed in other Scriptures r which agrees with that of the Prophet Not by might nor by power â—ut by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Å¿ but I will not go further in this point because I would not too much digresse from the Inference to which I am speaking I only hint at these things by the way to the end that men may be stirred to search dilgently after truth as they would search for silver t and bring every mans judgement to the touchstone as they do gold that they may not be deceived by dreams or specious shews and so depart from the truth and lose their future happinesse This is a time of shakings God is now shaking the Nations Gods judgements are abroad in the earth that the Inhabitants of the world may learn righteousnesse u The shakings of this Nation have been great not only in temporals but in spirituals Thrones Dignities and Governments have been shaken and shaken cast down overturned and changed again and again Religion adulterated annihilated and made a matter of policy the very foundation of that pillar and ground of truth hath been stricken at undermined and sorely assaulted and is at this day but we have a sure promise that the gates of hell shall never prevail

people but Providence ordered him to use those those words That as he was High-Priest that year he prophefied that Christ should die for the Nation p So the Wiseman tels us Many seek the favour of the Ruler but every mans judgement is from the Lord As we know men usually seek the favour of a Judge before whom they have a matter to come but they consider not that the verdict shall be as providence shall order it Yea Providence extendeth to the least and smallest of things as well as to the greatest for God worketh all things after the counsell of his own will even those things that men corruptly call Chance or Fortune The very hairs of a mans head they are numbred q a Sparrow is one of the meanest of birds yet a Sparrow falleth not to the ground but by Providence r The grasse the corn the Trees the Plants and the Flowers of the Field grow and flourish by providence Å¿ yea the lot that is cast or drawn as we say by chance is ordered and disposed by providence Providence ordereth all and every thing And as God by Providence governs and orders all creatures and their Actions so all creatures readily obey his command they are all at his call at his beck they come and at his beck they go whatsoever he commandeth that they do Every creature in their kinde own him for their Creator and Preserver The eyes of all saith the Psalmist wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season t God is the great master of the whole Universe the great Family of the world he sets every one in their station appoints every one their work and pays them all their wages Thy judgements saith the Prophet are a great deep thou preservest man and beast u The young Lions seek their meat of God w and God prepareth for the young Ravens their food x The Creatures are the Hosts and Armies of God at what time soever he is pleased to muster them together The contemptible grashoppers if God please to whistle them shall be a destroying Army y Poor despised Flies shall come in swarms to plague a whole Nation if God command them yea at Gods command Frogs and Lice shall be irresistible Armies And who can stand before them The Hail the Ice the Snow the Fire the Water the Windes all and every thing are at his command All things in heaven on the earth in the Seas and in hell are at his beck Angels Men Beasts Birds Fishes yea devils themselves are commanded by God and are his Instruments to punish overturn lay desolate and destroy the mightiest Monarchs Kingdoms or people as pleaseth him Yet further That order that nature hath set in the creatures or things when God pleaseth to command shall be altred and changed in extraordinary manner The Red Sea must part in sunder and stand as a wall on this side and on that side The proud streams of the River Jordan shall be altred and turned back even in the time of her highest pride and overflowings z The Sun which as the Bridegroom cometh out of his chamber and as a Giant rejoyceth to run his race a must at Gods command for execution of his Decree stand still upon Mount Gibeon b Again when God pleaseth it shall neither stand still nor go forward but it must go backward ten degrees c Let Jouah be cast into the Sea if God command the waters shall not drown d if Daniel must be cast into the Den of cruell hungring ravening Lions they shall not be able one of them against Gods command to open a mouth to hurt him e If the three Children must be cast into a double-heated fiery Furnace the fire shall not burn nor so much as scorch one hair of their head f When God will have Israel come out of Egypt in quiet not so much as a dog in all Egypt shall move his tongue at man or beast g And when God commands the very dogs of Jezabels own house shall tear and devour Jezabel h all things act or forbear to act as God pleaseth to command them they readily execute all his pleasure Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world i that is nothing is new unto God in all the works of providence he knows all and every thing from all eternity what shall be for ever There is no contingency in the Decrees of God they are certain and unchangeable nothing shall fail of all that he hath purposed but providence shall surely effect and accomplish every work in its appointed time and season and by the means appointed according to the pleasure of God but unto men the works and Decrees of God are unknown they are contingent both in respect of Actions and Events And hence it cometh to passe that great works and strange events that providence bringeth to passe in the world are wondred at because they are strange to us we never see such a thing such a change such an overturn c. nor looked not for any such thing As the Prophet speaks When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for when thou camest down the mountains flowed down me thy presence k that is when God appeareth in the world in acting any new and great work which we have not seen nor looked for whether it be in the delivering of the Church out of some great affliction or bringing calamities upon his Church for their sins Or whether it be in visiting the Nations Inhabitants of the earth for their long-born with iniquities their abominable murthers cruelties and oppression their contempt of God and persecution of his servants the Ministers c. When God I say shall come and unexpected by us unlooked for overturn overturn throw down the mighty lay waste and make desolate strong Cities fortified Nations and the greatest Monarchies Then the mountains shall melt or flow down as water at Gods presence all obstructions shall be cast out of the way the great men and most crafty counsellors that stood like mountains a little before seeming impossible to be removed these shall vanish and come to nothing Who art thou O great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain l God will throw off Kings and corrupt irreligious oppressing Parliaments let them make their mountains never so strong they shall be cast down This is the absolute Soveraignty of God the exercise of his Kingly power his everlasting dominion Who is as the Apostle expresseth the blessed God and only Potentate m He who hath on his vesture and on his thigh a Name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS Rev. 19. 16. He changeth times and seasons removeth Kings and setteth up Kings c. He is a just and righteous God and hath no respect of persons keepeth Covenant and promises to his people will not fail nor can be hindred He is

infinite in power and he is unchangeable in all his waies and works He is the King of Saints n He goes forth conquering and to conquer o all Kings and Nations that are his enemies and shall break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell p for he is also King of Nations q And for the seed of Jacobs sake he will break in peeces the Shepherd and his flock the Captain and the Rulers r Out of his mouth goeth a sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations Å¿ And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron for the Lord is high above Nations and his glory above the Heavens t To him the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and the small dust of the ballance All Nations are before him as nothing and are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity u He hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and measured the Heavens with a span comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scaics and the hils in ballances * Such is the greatnesse of Gods power The daies of men the years of families and the ages of Kingdoms are all by him numbred and determined the time of their beginning the time that they shall continue the times and means of their encrease and of their diminution and the instruments to accomplish all Gods will in every particular All is known and appointed by God * till which time they shall stand and longer they cannot stand their period is certain determinated by God who is unchangeable But unto men they are altogether unknown therefore uncertain Secret things belong unto God yet these secrets God will reveal to his Saints in the time appointed when the time of the accomplishment is come and not before as we shall shew afterward in the proper place You know that Gideon was a good man and God stirred him up to be a deliverer of his people from the bondage of the Midianites the people would have made him their King and his posterâ—ty to rule after him which he refused Yet Gideon that he might leave a memorial of his acts and name asked of the people their earrings and their chains of gold which they had taken as their prey from the conquered enemy One thousand seven hundred shekels of gold besides other ornaments c. which they willingly gave him of which he made an Ephod and put it in his City And all Israel went a whoring after it that is they superstitiously worshiped it which thing became a snare to Gideon and to his house y This was the means to bring a period to Gideons Family for as soon as Gideon was dead Abimelech the Son of Gideon which he had by his Concubine a Shechemite together with the men of Shechem conspired against the Sons of Gideon which were threescore and ten and slew them all save Jotham who escaped Thus God made Abimelech the instrument to punish the sin of Gideon and Abimelech was made King and reigned 3. years Here was ambition treachery and murther in Abimelech and in the men of Shechem this puts a period to the life of Abimelech to the people of Shechem and to Abimelechs Kingdom for the Text saith God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem z So that Abimelech is the instrument to destroy the men of Schechem that joyned with him in his conspiracy and murther of his Brethren and set him up over them And when he had done that providence makes a silly woman the Instrument to destroy Abimelech a So you know Ahab sinned he sold himself to do wickedly and God by the Prophet foretelleth the destruction of him of his Family and of his Kingdom b Providence brings Jehu to be the Instrument to accomplish this work Iehu did it to the full and with great zeal seeming to the Lord of Hosts but Iehu's heart was not upright before God c Therefore the Prophet Hosea from the mouth of God denounceth judgement against the House of Iehu for the bloud of Ahabs house d Iehu did all that God had threatned against Ahabs house and he did but what was the will of God should be done yet Iehu must be no lesse punished then he had punished Ahab Calvin gives a good reason of this It was not saith he for any act done ro Iezabel or upon the children of Ahab for in all that the Lord himself testifieth he did well e but because Iehu's heart was not upright to God in that that he did and because Iehu did not depart from the sins of Ahab f Iehu sinning like Ahab must be punished like Ahab and it was made good accordingly at the time appointed g The Apostle tels us that these things are written for our adusonition h c. This is an admonition to them of our time whom God hath made Instruments to punish the sins and oppressions of others that they take heed that they be not guilty of the sinnes and oppression that they have punished in others It were a happinesse to this Nation if some were not as faulty as those that they have punished It is good that sin be punished but it will prove very ill to the punishers that walk in the practise of the same sinnes It was well done of Henry the eight in putting down the Popes Supremacy and demolishing Monasteries Nunneries Priories c. Let his end be what it will or what it was or the cause of doing it but it was very ill in Henry the 8. that he continued in the practise of the same superstition and persecution of Gods people It was a good act to cut off Tyranny but it is extream evil that the same hands should act high oppression God will stir up other hands to cut off them and their Families he hath already shewed his anger and will perfect it to their ruine if their repentance prevent it not for God is unchangeable in all his judgements and his dealings with men wherein a man sinneth therein he shall be punished as it was with Adonibezek if men notwithstanding all warnings admonitions and examples will go on in sin it is a sign that their period is nigh Thus it was with the Sons of Ely they were wicked and they were oppressive they caused the Sacrifices of God to be abhorred i and they were admonished by good old Ely but they would not hearken to his voice to be reformed and why because saith the Text The Lord would slay them k and providence ordereth the Philistins to be instrumental to accomplish it This was also the occasion of casting off Flies Family for ever By this we see how providence orders things Actions and Instruments to overturn and cut off Men and Families yea whole Kingdoms as we see in the mighty of Chaldea at the period of time

governments and things From whence I inferre First That all mercies are from God and are given in to a Nation or people of Gods free love not of any desert merit or by any procurement of men Secondly That all judgements and afflictions are from God only and are the just recompence for sin procured by our selves men or things afflicting being but secondary causes instruments in Gods hand That the evil designs of men their wicked counsels aims and ends are all ordered by providence and turned to their own ruine Fourthly That God in his secret counsel hath set a time when he will give in mercies to a Nation and when he will inflict judgements and hath also appointed the means and upon whom it shall be what it shall be and how much it shall be and that those times altogether unknown to men Fifthly Although God have set the time for the one and for the other which shall certainly be accomplished in its time according to Gods good pleasure yet men are to be diligent in the use of all lawful means for the obtaining of the one and for the avoiding of the other Sixthly That when God hath effected and done his will in any thing visibly made known to us by the work of his providence We are not to murmure nor repine though it be in any thing contrary to our expectation or desire or though it be to our great affliction but to submit to it willingly only by praier to seek unto God and patiently wait his time and means for deliverance For the first That all mercies are from God and are given in to a people or nation of Gods free love not of any desert merit or by any procurement of men This inference is very clear and warranted by sacred Scriptures whether spiritual mercies or temporal mercies First All spiritual mercies are of Gods free love we neither deserve nor can by any means of our own procure the least spirituall mercy We are all by Adams fall alienated from God and are become his enemies n We are born heirs of wrath w and there is nothing in us that can reconcile us to God nor any way appease his wrath against us therefore whatever the mercy be that we enjoy it is of Gods free-love Any punishment lesse then hell fire is a mercy from God which we cannot deserve God indeed made man righteous and upright but men have sought out many inventions x Men can pervert their own waies and make themselves miserable but no way help themselves out of misery But God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. Joh. 3. 19. So loved that is he loved beyond what can be expressed He gave his only begotten Son it was a free gift free love in the full dimensions unconceivable and incomprehensible He sent his Son made of a woman and made under the Law to redeem us that we might receive the Adoption of Sons y yea Christ gave himself to redeem us from our iniquity z We are not redeemed by corruptible things but with the precious bloud of Christ a if all the Angels in heaven should give themselves to die for the sin of one man it could not redeem him All Angels and Men joyned together cannot procure the expiation of one sin therefore all is of Gods free love but that God should give his Son Jesus Christ into the world to take our nature our flesh and for us to undergo reproach and shame and sorrow of soul and at the last lay down his life for us that we by his death might have life This is a love not to be expressed Secondly All temporal mercies are of Gods free-love No man hath by right nor desert the least claim to any good thing but as it is the free-gift of God every mercy to a Nation to a Family or to a particular man is the free-gift of God It is Gods free love and mercy that the heavens are not made Iron and the Earth brasse and that our fruitful Land is not turned into a barren wildernesse that the fruits of the earth are not parched away by droughts nor destroied by Inundations nor an Enemy let in upon us to devour and consume all our labours It is Gods free mercy to man to give wine to chear the heart and bread to strengthen him And that he giveth us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse a mercy that we of Gods free mercy enjoy at this day beyond imagination And it is free mercy that God doth not suddenly smite us for our unthankfulnesse under such enjoyments and for the murmurings of men for such a blessing It was Gods free-love to his Church to put into the heart of Henry the 8. to cast off the Popes Supremacy let the cause or end be what it will It was from God the earnest of future deliverance from the bondage of spirituall Babylon It was Gods free-love to preserve Q. Elizabeth from the rage and bloudy plots of an Antichristian brood that she might be instrumental to a Gospel-Reformation carried on by her with much piety although not perfected It was Gods free-love to this Nation to scatter the Spanish Armado in 88. And to defeat the Papists bloudy design in their hellish plot of the Powder-Treason in 1604. And it was free mercy from God to withhold the destroying plague of pestilence from this City of London amidst the many great distractions wherewith he had afflicted us this sinfull City which deserves nothing from God but wrath and judgements yet God hath long spared it when the plague hath been sore in other countreys and in divers places of this Nation It was doubtlesse free-mercy from God that God gave us a Parliament in 1640. and the fault was in men that it was not for happinesse to posterity It was free mercy from God that we were victorious over the power of a late Royall Army and that we were not given as a prey into their hands and it was no lesse free mercy to England that we had victory over he insulting people of the Netherlands as also to order things by his wise providence to compose things so as new to settle a peace between the two Common-wealths which I pray may be lasting to Gods glory It was the Lord that was on our side when men rose up against us else they would have swallowed us up quick The snare is broken and we are escaped And truly whatsoever some men think it was a great and free mercy from God that our everlasting Parliament was dissolved who had a price put in their hand but they neglected it though they sate full twelve years Self-seeking covetousnesse and private interest blasted the good fruit we expected at the first we made them demy-gods but God hath shewed us they were but men They indeed took off an oppressor but they gave life to oppression and brought a free people into

for them who shall be heirs of salvation And the b Psalmist exhorting us to the praise of God saith Who is like the Lord our God that hath his dwelling on high and yet abaseth himself to behold the things in the heaven and in the earth Psa. 113. 5 6. He so beholdeth all things as to order all things and all actions not only Men and Angels but the unreasonable creatures yea inanimate things by a providence As the Israelites were led through the wildernesse by a pillar of a cloud by day and by a pillar of fire by night So all creatures are guided by providence You know that when the cloud was taken up from the Tabernacle the Israelites journeyed and went forward so long as the pillar went before them but when the â—pillar staid they staid in that place where the cloud abode there they pitched their tents as is said Num. 9. 17. Again when the cloud was taken up whether by day or by night they journeyed and so long as it rested they remained in their Tents whether it was for a day or for daies for moneths or for years c God is the same to us that he was to Israel his providence is the same though altered in the dispensations c. God is eternal and he is unchangeable in all his waies he made himself known in times past by his wondrous works and special Revelations but now he maketh himself known by his word as well as by his works The visible things created which are but part of the works of God do set forth to the whole world his power and wisedom Psa. 19. and as the Psalmist saith The Lord is known by the judgements which he executeth Psa. 9. 16. But especially by his word he hath made himself known to his people his word is contained in the sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testament there he hath revealed himself in his Attributes Names Titles eternal essence and being and by his word we come to know what his works are they are revealed in Scripture to be Decree Creation and Providence Decree was the purpose of God before all time what should be in time and till time shall be no more Creation was the making of the worlds and all things in them of nothing and that was in the beginning of time Providence is the governing and disposing of all things by which God the Creator doth exercise his Kingly power for ever according to the decree and secret counsel of God effecting every purpose in the time place and by the means pre-ordained by God Now that there is such a ruling providence that ordereth all things and every thing in the world is necessary to be known and beleeved by all Therefore I shall endeavour to prove it by Scripture and experience and that nothing comes to passe by chance or meerly by nature nor can be effected and done by any devisings contrivings wisedom or power of men without the disposing of providence For if there be a God that made all things it must needs be that the same God governs all things and their Actions according to his will But God made all things that 's confessed why did God make the creature not for themselves nor to leave them to act and do as they list But God made all for himself for his own gloâ—y d yea he made the wicked for the day of wrath It was indeed a glorious work to make the worlds and all creatures but it is a more glorious work to govern the worlds and every creature by his most wise providence This providence he calleth the eyes of his glory e by it his glory is manifested in every thing and this glory he will not give unto any other f Providence is the absolute Soveraign power of God over the creatures exercising his eternal Decrees and secret counsell ordering things and actions according to his good pleasure after the counsell of his own will g Thus saith the Lord speaking of things done from the beginning of the world and things to be done my Counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure h Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord saith the Prophet and reade not one of these things shall fail nor ssiall misse one of another i All things shall come to passe and be so ordered and fitted unto another as the sword to the Scabbard or knife to the sheath I will speak the word and the word that I speak shall be done k The Lord of Hosts purposeth and who shall disanull it l he spake and it was done saith the Psalmist he commanded and it stood fast m There was a sore Famine in Samaria and the Prophet telleth them that the next day there should be great plenty but this seemed a thing impossible and was not beleeved the Assyrians being then with a mighty Army besieging Samaria n Now the Lord made the host of the Assyrians to hear a noyse of horses aad chariots and of a mighty host and for fear they all fled from their Tents and left their Tents and Camp even as it was with all provisions and fled for their lives o Now there were four lepers that were in distresse and ventured themselves to go to the Camp of the Assyrians where they found abundance of food and treasure and all the host was fled these bring tidings to Samaria And as the Lord had said by his Prophet so it came to passe p Here was no contrivance nor wisedom nor power of men in all this but the work of providence So you shall see that when two men go into the field to hew wood the head of the Axe sticth from the helve at unawares and killeth one of these men q This is the work of providence and in such a case God himself saith I have delivered such a man to the slayers hand r If God take care of a Sparrow he much more taketh care of a man But a Sparrow falleth not to the ground without the providence of God and a mani of more value then many Sparrows Å¿ Two men travell on the way the one is robbed of his purse the other is never assaulted this is providence in the one and in the other You know Ahab would needs go up to Ramoth-Gilead he was very confident of victory he takes much advice and counsell about it strengthens himself by the assistance of King Jehosaphaâ— and is encouraged by no lesse then four hundred false Prophets all say to him Go and prosper t Only Micâ—iah the Prophet of the Lord tels him from the mouth of God that he should not return in peace Ahab scorns the Prophets words and imprisons him and goes on with confidence of his design Now what crossed him in his design contrivements and power c. the Text tels you a certain man drew a bow at a venture â—nd shot an arrow He knew not Ahab nor

warrantable in Scripture 2. That we must not be solicitous in the use of any means for things for which we have not a promise To use unlawful means for the obtaining of lawful things or to seek unlawfull things by any means are both equally evil As for instance Sarah did well to endeavour and expect the blessing to Jacob because she had a promise but Sarah did ill in using unlawfull means for a lawful thing Jeroboam had no promise of the Kingdom but he had a leading providence which was equivalent therefore he did not ill in using means to obtain it But it was his great sin in using unlawful means to establish himself in his Kingdom so Saul in the time of his distresse it was lawfull for him and duty to use means and endeavour to avoid the danger threatned but it was his sinne to use unlawful means to go to the Witch of Eudor * conâ—rary to this you see when good Hezechiah was in distresse he useth such means as is warrantable first he enâ—eavoureth to preserve himself and kingdom against a potent Enemy by agreement and pacification l what they could not do it though warrantable as appears of the saying of Christ m Then he flies to the rock of strength he opens the whole truth of his case unto God and trusts in him and was thereby delivered n We know David had an absolute promise of the Kingdom from God and found great oppâ—sition Saul persecuted him to the death yet David would not use â—nâ—awful means to obtain the promise nor to preserve himself he only useth such waâ—rantable means as providence offered to him and trusts in God! It is true he eat of the Shew-bread which was belonging only to the Priests but this is justified by the Lord Christ in case of necessity o Mercy is to be preferred before Sacrifice so he fled to Achas king of Gath and he changed his bâ—haviaur and feigned himself mad p this in case of necessity to save life is not unlawfull he did not distemble with his tongue to say he was mad it may be lawful for a man to dissemble in his behaviour or discretion when it is unlawful to do it in words Nor did he do it as distrusting in God as is apparent Psa. 34. 6. he trusted in God and was delivered at that time when he changed his behaviour as is evident by the Title of that Psalm It is granted that in matters of Religion to change behaviour is sin as to bow to an Idol or to be hypocritical in shews of Religion aâ— it is to be feared very many are at this day and have been for honour or profit as Simon Magus did Nor did he dissemble his behaviour to the end he might murther as Cain did and as Joah did but David intended damage to none only his own safety We have a kinde of resemblance to this in the Lord Christ to try his Disciples Luk. 24. 28. The Text saith He made as if he would have gone farther And whereas it may be objected he lyed â—o Achâ—sh when he said that he had been against the South of Judah and against the South of the Kenites q c. He did not lie unto him he spake doubtfully to the Question asked so as Achaz might take it in a double sense either that he had been against the people of the South of Judah and of the Kenites or against the people of the Philistims that dwelt in the adjacent Villages of the South of Judah and so indeed it was So that David lyed not nor used any unlawful means to obtain the promised Kingdom nay when opportunity was in his hand he would not hurt Saul though he then hunted after Davids life as after a Partridge on the mountains declaring his trust in God and innocency toward Saul When he had him at all advantage in the Cave and at another in his Trenches David would do no act to crosse Gods providence though animated to it by his chief Friends Contrary to Davids practice is the practice of men at this day who without any warrant from Gods Word contrary to humanity plot and contrive means to betray and subvert men and governments that are not suâ—able to their own desires and contrary to clear providence and that by abominable evil means And also in a sollicitous use of good means for the obtaining of things not promised nor any leading providence or probabilities to the things endeavoured for but will and fancy or the instigations of false deceiving spirits what else are the many and frequent fastings one contrary to another and appeals to God in things which tend to strife and debate and to set up the Kingdom of Christ by bloud who saith his Kingdom is not of this world or if it were he needs not the material sword to exalt him for all power is given unto him both in heaven and in earth r He is King for ever in a spâ—râ—tual sense but They that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword Å¿ He can presently have more then ten thousand Angels to cut down all his enemies at once if he please and when he please t And he no where in all the Scripture commandeth nor exciteth any of the Saints to carry on his cause in bloud nor to use endeavours by the sword to set up a fifth Monarchy neither to make war against Nations to destroy Kings as Kings the sword of Christ is the sword that goeth out of his mouth Rev. 19. 15. with this sword he will smite the Nations and by this sword were the remâ—ant slain Rev. 19. 21. God refused to accept of Davids desire to build the materialâ— Temple for Gods worship because he had been a man of war and had shâ—d much bloud u And again 1 King 22. 8. Thou shalt not build a house to my Name because thoâ— hast shed much bloud upon the earth in my sight The Temple was a Figure of Christ and was for external worship If that which was but a Figure and materiall might not be built with bloudy hands then doubtlesse the thing typified which was the glory of Christ the spiritual Temple and spiritual worship of the New and Heavenly Jerusalem shall not be built by the sword of the Saints on earth a strange and unwarrantable opinion and a worse practice The holy Ghost is pleased to intimate to us that while the Temple was in building there was not heard neither Axe nor Hammer nor any tooâ— of Iron all the time of the building w From whence I infer The holy and spirituall worship of Christ shall not be set up by any Instruments of war but as in the building of the Temple the stones were hewed and the materials made ready before they were brought to the building and were hewed by the men of Tyre and other Nations who did not belong to the services of that Temple So God will use the sword of

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