1 Sam. 12. 16 17 18 19. They have set up kings but not by me they have made princes and I knew it not Hosea 8. 3 4. And thy judges of whom thou saidst Give me a king and princes I gave thee a king in mine anger and took him away in my wrath Hosea 13. 10 11. See the kings of Israel c. Chap. 44. CHAP. XXV Of an Oath for Testimony Confirmation and ending of Controversies and other occasions ABraham said unto the king of Sodom I have lift my hand unto the Lord the most high God that I would not take c. any thing lest thou shouldst say c. Gen. 14. 22 23. Abimelech c. spake unto Abraham saying God is with thee c. Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsly with me nor with my son c. And Abram said I will swear c. They swore both of them Gen. 21. 22 23 24 31. Abram said unto his servant Put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh and I will make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and the God of the earth that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites c. and the servant did swear Gen. 24. 3 4 9. Abimelech and Isaac swear each to other not to hurt one the other Gen. 26. 28 29. 31. Jacob and Laban made a covenant and swore to it Jacob did swear by the fear of his father Isaac Gen. 31. 44 50 51 52 53. Israel called Joseph his son to him and desired him to swear unto him that he would bury him not in Egypt but in his fathers burying-place Joseph did swear unto him Gen. 47. 29 30 31. Joseph had straitly sworn the children of Israel saying c. ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you Exod. 13. 19. Gen. 50. 25. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour Exod. 20. 16. If a man deliver to his neighbour an ass c and it die or is hurt c. no man seeing it then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbours goods and the owner of it shall accept thereof Exod. 22. 10 11. If a soul sin and hear a voice of swearing and is a witness whether he hath seen or known it if he do not utter it then he shall bear his iniquity Levit. 5. 1. And ye shall not swear by my name falsly neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God Levit. 19. 12. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God c. and shalt swear by his name Deut. 6. 13. ch 10. 20. At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he who is worthy of death be put to death at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death The hands of the witness shall be first upon him Deut. 17. 6 7. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity or for any sin At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established If a false witness rise up c. the judges shall make diligent enquiry and if the witness be a false witness c. then shall he do unto him c. Deut. 19. 15 16 17 18 19. Joshua made peace with the Gibeonites c. and the princes of the congregation sware unto them c. The princes said We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel therefore we may not touch them Joshua 9. 15 19. ch 2. 12 14 ch 6. 22. The men of Israel had sworn c. saying There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife c. How shall we do c. seeing we have sworn by the Lord c Judges 21. 1 7 18. Jonathan said unto David Go in peace forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord saying The Lord be between me and thee and between my seed and thy seed for ever 1 Sam. 20. 13 17 42. Saul said unto David Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord that thou wilt not cut off my seed c. and David sware unto Saul 1 Sam. 24. 21 22. The king sware to Shimei that he shoul not die 2 Sam. 19. 23. God brought a famine upon Israel for the sin of Saul in slaying the Gibeonites with whom Israel had made a covenant to which the princes swore 2 Sam. 21. 1 2 3. David had sworn unto Bathsheba his Queen by the Lord his God that Solomon his son should reign after him c. And the king sware and said As the Lord liveth c. even as I swear unto thee by the Lord c. even so will I do 1 Kings 1. 17 29 30. Jehojadah sent c. the rulers and captains c. and made a covenant with them and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord and shewed them the kings son c. 2 Kings 11. 4 5 6 c. Asa with Judah made a solemn covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart c. That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death c. And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice c. And all Israel rejoyced at the oath for they had sworn with all their hearts 2 Chron. 15. 8 9 12 13 14 15. Ezra made a covenant c. he made the chief priests the Levites and all Israel to swear that they should do according to this word and they sware Ezra 10. 3 5. Nehemiah called the priests and took an oath of them that they should do according to this promise Neh. 5. 11 12. The king shall rejoyce in God every one who sweareth by him shall glory Psal. 63. 11. A false witness shall not be unpunished c. Prov. 19. 5 9. He who sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth Isa. 65. 16. Jer. 12. 16. And thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in truth in judgment and in righteousness Jer. 4. 2. How shall I pardon thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them who are no gods Jer. 5. 7. The king sware secretly unto Jeremiah saying As the Lord liveth who made us this soul I will not put thee to death Jer. 38. 16. God threatned the Jews king for breaking his covenant and despising his oath he made to and with the king of Babylon and saith Surely mine oath which he hath despised and my covenant which he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his own head c. I will bring him to Babylon Ezek. 17. 15 16 18 19 20. I heard the man cloathed in linnen c. when he lift up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven and sware by him who liveth for ever that it shall be for a time c. Dan. 12. 7. God threatens to cut off them
And they appointed two c. and they prayed and said Lord who knowest the hearts of all men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen c. And they gave forth their lots and the lot fell upon Matthias and he was numbred with the eleven Acts 1. 15 21 22 23 24 25 26. Then the Twelve called the multitude c. and said c. Brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report c. whom we may appoint over this business c. and the saying pleased the multitude and they chose Stephen c. Acts 6. 2 3 5 6. And when they had ordained them Elders by suffrage in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord Acts 14. 22 23. For this cause left I thee in Crete c. and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed Titus 1. 5. Of laying on of hands upon the several occasions and to the several ends in Scripture mentioned Bring forth him who hath cursed c. let all who heard him lay their hands on his head Levit. 24. 14. Thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites Numb 8. 9 10. Moses set Joshua before the congregation and he laid his hands upon him and c. Numb 17. 18 19 22 23. Joshua c. was full of the spirit of wisdom for Moses had laid his hands upon him Deut. 34. 9. They chose Stephen c. whom they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands upon them Acts 6. 5 6. Peter and John prayed and laid their hands on disciples and they received the holy Ghost Acts 8. 17. The Prophets and teachers at Antioch by the command of the holy Ghost to separate Paul and Barnabas c. did pray and fast and lay their hands upon them Acts 13. 1 2 3. Paul finding disciples c. and when Paul had laid his hands on them the holy Ghost c. Acts 19. 1 6. Paul prayed and laid hands on Publius his father and healed him being sick Acts 28. 8. Neglect not the gift c. given thee c. with laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4. 14. Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5. 22. Stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 2 Tim. 1. 6. Not laying again the foundation of repentance c. of laying on of hands Heb. 6. 1 2. Of the several Ordinances of Christ to be observed in and by the Churches of Christ and elswhere The earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the laws changed the ordinances c. Isa. 24. 5. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers c. and they continuing daily with one accord in the temple Acts 2. 41 42 46. And now I praise you brethren that you c. keep the Ordinances as they were delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 2. First Prayers These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women c. Acts 1. 14. And they continued c. and in prayers Acts 2. 42. See Praising at large Chap. 16. Secondly Reading teaching and preaching of the word of God Prophesying Thou shalt set a King over thee c. he shall write him a copy of this law in a book c. he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord Deut. 17. 15 18 19 20. 2 Kings 22. 11. When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this law and their children who have not known may hear and learn to fear the Lord c. Deut. 31. 11 12 13. Joshua read all the words of the law the blessings and curses according unto all which is written in the book of the law there was not a word of all which Moses commanded which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were conversant among them Joshua 8. 34 35. Jehoshaphat sent to his Princes to Benhail c. to teach in the cities of Judah and with them Elishama c. Priests and they taught in Judah and had the book of the law of the Lord with them and went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people 2 Chron. 17. 7 8 9. And Ezra the Priest brought the law before the Congregation c. and he read therein c. from the morning until the mid-day c. Allo Joshua and Bani c. and the Levites caused the people to understand the law and the people stood in their place so they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading Nehem. 8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. ch 13. 1. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children c. that they might set their hope in God c. Psal. 78. 5 6 7. Blessed is the man who heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors for whoso findeth me findeth life Prov. 8. 34 35. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who bringeth good tydings who publisheth peace c. and publisheth salvation c Isa. 52. 7. Nahum 1. 15. The Prophet who hath a dream let him tell a dream and he who hath my word let him speak my word faithfully what is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23. 28 29. They shall wander from sea to sea c. to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it Amos 8. 12. Go ye therefore and teach all nations c. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28. 19 20. Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you when ye depart thence shake off the dust from under your feet for a testimony against them Mark 6. 11. Luke 10. 16. Jesus c. as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day and stood up to read and there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaias and when he had opened the book he found the place where it was written The spirit of the Lord is upon me c. and he closed the book and gave it again to the minister and sate down c. and he began to say unto them This day is this
4. 14. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Rev. 3. 19. Blessed are the dead who dye in the Lord or for the Lords sake Rev. 14. 13. 3dly That God well knows the design and ways of Satan and all the adversaries of believers and that they can do no more or proceed further against the Saints than what God permits he turns about their purposes Laban pursued Jacob c. and God came unto Laban the Syrian in a dream in the night and said unto him Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob from good to bad or either good or bad c. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt but the God of your father spake unto me yester-night saying Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob Gen. 31. 8 23 24 29. When Esau was coming against Jacob with four hundred men and Jacob was afraid yet God changed Esau his heart so that when he met Jacob he embraced him c. which made Jacob say to Esau I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me Gen. 32. 6 7 8. ch 33. 3 4 10. And the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob Gen. 35. 5. Josephs brethren when they saw him c. conspired against him to slay him And they said one to another behold this dreamer cometh Come now therefore and let us slay him c. and we shall see what will become of his dreams c. All which God prevented and purposed better things Gen. 37. 18 19 20 c. ch 39. ch 50. 19 20. The King of Egypt designed the weakening of Israel and preventing their increase But the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied Exod. 1. 9 10 11 12 20. And the Lord said I have surely seen the afflictions of my people c. for I know their sorrows Exod. 3. 7. Act. 7. 34. Pharaohs design in pursuing Israel God knew atd prevented Pharaoh and overthrew him Exod. 14. The enemy said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword mine hand shall destroy or re possess them Thou didst blow with thy wind the sea did cover them they sank as lead c. who is like unto thee O Lord Exod. 15. 9 10 11. Balak his design was to have Balaam to curse Israel yet God over-ruled him so that he could not but bless Israel Numb 22. ch 24. 10 11 12 13. ch 23. Saul designed to kill David made many attempts and pursued him yet could never effect it God prevented him 1 Sam. 18. ch 19. ch 23. ch 24. ch 26. Ahitophel gave counsel against David but God brought it to nought and suffered not his enemies to bring their design to pass 2 Sam. 17. The king of Assyria came against Samaria and said The gods do so unto me and more also if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me But God prevented him 1 Kings 20. 1 2 to the 21. The enemies of Israel set themselves to hinder the building of the Temple asked who commanded them to do it wrote to the king against it but God prevented their purpose and brought forth the contrary effect Ezra 5. ch 6. When Israel were building the adversaries conspired together to come to fight against Jerusalem to hinder it c. And when our enemies heard that it was made known unto us and God had brought their counsel to nought we returned c. Neb. 4. 7 8 9 11 15. Hamans great design was to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews and it went on far but God then turned it quite about Esther 5. chap. 6. chap. 7. chap. 8. Job could not be touched by Satan any farther or otherwise than so far as God gave him leave Job 1. 9 10 11 12. ch 2. 4 5 6. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterpise He taketh the wise in their own craftiness c. They meet with darkness in the day and grope in the noon Job 5. 12 13 14. Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord c yet have I set my king upon my holy hill c. Psal. 2. 1 2 4 6. He hath ordained his arrows against the persecutors Behold he travelleth with iniquity hath conceived mischief and brought forth falshood he made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch he made his mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing come down upon his own pate Psal. 7. 13 14 15 16. Psal. 9. 16. They intended evil against thee they imagined a mischievous device which they are not able to perform Psal. 21. 11. Thou preparest a table for me in the fight of mine enemies Psal. 23. 5. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought he maketh the devices of the people of none effect The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations Psal. 33. 10 11. By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Psal. 41. 11. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain Psal. 76. 10. When Israel were but few in number c. when they went from one nation to another c. he suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved kings for their sake c. Psal. 105. 12 13 14 15. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick Psal. 124. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. There are many devices in the heart of man nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand Prov. 19. 21. There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord Prov. 21. 30. Be quiet fear not c. because Syria c. have taken evil counsel against thee saying Let us go up against Judah and vex it c. Thus saith the Lord God It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass Isa. 7. 4 5 6 7. Micah 4. 11 12 13. Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces c. Gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces c. take counsel together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Isa. 8. 9 10. O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. I will send him against an hypocritical nation c. howbeit he meaneth not so c. It is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few c. wherefore it shall come to pass when the Lord hath performed his work c. I will punish the
valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me thou preparest a table for me in the sight of mine enemies c. Psal. 23. 4 5. In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me upon a rock c. when my father and my mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up c. Wait on the Lord c. he shall strengthen thine heart Psal. 27. 5 10 14. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them who fear him c. to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine Psal. 33. 18 19. The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him the Lord will not leave him in his hand c. the Lord he is their strength in time of trouble and the Lord shall help them and deliver them c. Psal. 37. 32 33 39 40. Therefore will we not fear though the earth be moved c. There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God c. God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God shall help her right early Psal. 46. 1 2 3 4 5. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be removed Psal. 55. 22. Bless our God c. who holdeth our soul in life and suffereth not our feet to be moved for thou O Lord hast proved us thou hast tryed us as silver is tryed thou broughtest us into the net thou laidst afflictions upon our loins thou hast caused men to ride over our heads c. Psal. 66. 8 9 10 11 12. But he full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath for he remembred they were but flesh a wind which passeth away and cometh not again Psal. 78. 38 39. He preserveth the soul of his Saints he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked Psal. 97. 10. Like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them who fear him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth we are but dust Psal. 103. 13 14. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side now may Israel say c. when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick c. then the waters had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul then the proud waters had gone over our soul Psal. 114. 1 2 3 4 5 8. Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies Psal. 138. 7. The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish Prov. 10. 3. Thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible one is as a storm against the wall Isa. 25. 4. He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind Isa. 27. 8. A king shall reign c. and a man shall be a hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land Isa. 32. 1 2. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them I will open rivers in high places c. I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water Isa. 41. 17 18 19. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and thorow the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned neither shall the flame kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God Isa. 43. 2 3. The Lord hath comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted Isa. 49. 13. Thus saith the high and lofty one c. I dwell c. with him also who is of a contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones for I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wrath for the spirit should fail before me and the Souls I have made Isa. 57. 15 16. When the enemy shall come in like a flood the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him Isa. 59. 19. Your brethren who hate you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appear unto your joy c. Isa. 66. 5. Although I have cast them off among the heathen c. yet will I be unto them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come Ezek. 11. 16. God preserved his in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the Lyons den Dan. 3. 25. Dan. 6. 22. How shall I give thee up Ephraim c mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger for I am God and not man c. Hosea 11. 8 9. Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light to me Micah 7. 8. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them c. Nahum 1. 7. When they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak Matth. 10. 19. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptations also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10. 13. Blessed be God c. the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulations c. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolations also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 3 4 5. We are troubled on every side c. persecuted but not forsaken c. always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our body c. the inward man is renewed c. 2 Cor. 4. 8 9 10 16. We had trouble on every side c. Nevertheless God who comforteth them who are cast down comforted us c. 2 Cor. 7. 5 6. I besought the Lord thrice c. and he said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness 2 Cor. 12. 8 9 10. At my first answer no man stood with me c. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me c. And the Lord shall deliver me c. 2 Tim. 4. 16 17 18.