4. 7. The most Mountainous opposers shall be levelled when the Spirit of God sets in for that purpose There is a strength in every promise and ingagement of God unto his people that is able to carry the whole frame of Heaven and Earth before it If they can believe all things are possible to them that believe When the Decree is to bring forth the fruit of the promise it will overturne Empires destroy Nations divide Seas ruine Armies open Prisons break Chaines and Fetters and beare down all before it As the winde shut up in the Earth will shake the pillars as it were of its mighty body but it will find or make a passage The least promise of deliverance if the season thereof be come though it were shut up under strong and mighty powers crafty counsells dungeons and prisons like the doores and lasting barres of the Earth the truth and power of God shall make them all to tremble and give birth to his peoples deliverance Have we seene nothing of this in our days No Seas divided no Jordans driven back no Mountaines revelled no Hills made to tremble whence then was the late confusion of Armies casting down of mighty ones reviving of Dead bones opening of prison-doores bringing out the captive appointed to be slaine Is it not from hence that nothing can stand against the breakingout of a promise in its appointed season was the Lord displeased with the Rivers was his Anger against the Walls and Houses that he rode upon his Horses and Chariots of Salvation Let Faith be strengthened in an evill time Poore distressed soule all the difficulty of thy deliverance lies in thine own bosome If the streames of thy unbeliefe within be not stronger then all Seas of opposition without all will be easy O learne to stand still with quietnesse between an Host of Aegyptians and a raging Sea to see the salvation of God Be quiet in prison between your friends Bullets and your enemies Swords God can God will make a way If it were not more hard with us to believe wonders then it is to the promise to effect wonders for us they would be no wonders so dayly so continually would they be wrought God can make use of any of his creatures to be chariots of Salvation This is the other side of that Doctrine which we gathered from v. 5. Winds and Clouds shall obey him z Ravens shall feed Elijah that will not feed their own young The Sea shall open for Israel and returne upon the Egyptians And this both in an Ordinary way as Hos. 2. 21 22. and in an extraordinary way as before So many creatures as God hath made so many instruments of good hath he for his people this is further confirmed v. 9. Thy Bow was made quite naked according to the Oathes of the tribes thy word Sela thou diddest cleave the earth with Rivers With nakednesse thy Bow was made naked The rest is Elepticall and well supplyed in the Translation The Verse hath two parts 1. A generall proposition Thy Bow was made c. 2. A particular confirmation of that proposition by instance Thou diddest cleave the earth with Rivers The proposition holds out two things 1. What God did he made his Bow quite naked 2. The Rule he proceeded by herein according to the oaths of the Tribes even his word The assertion of this Verse is not of some particular act or work as the former but a generall head or fountaine of those particular works which are ennumerated in the following Verses 1. A Bow is a weapon of War an instrument of death and being ascribed to God after the manner of men holds out his strength power might and efficacy to do what ever he pleaseth And this is said to be quite naked when a man goes about to use his Bow he pulls it out of his Quiver and so makes it naked The exercising of Gods Power is the making naked of his Bow This he did in all those wonders wherein he stretched out his hand in bringing his people into the promised Land here pointed at And it is said that with nakednesse it was made naked because of those very high dispensations and manifestations of his Almighty Power This is the making naked of his Bow 2. For the Rule of this it is the Oathes of the Tribes or as afterward his word The Oathes of the Tribes that is the Oaths made to them the Word he stood ingaged to them in The promise God made by Oath unto Abraham that he would give him the Land of Canaan for an inheritance even to him and his posterity Gen. 12. 7 13 14 15. is here intimated This promise was often renewed to him and the following Patriarches Hence it is called Oathes though but the same promise often renewed And it had the nature of an Oath because it was made a Covenant Now it was all for the benefit of the severall Tribes in respect of actuall possession and was lastly renewed to them Exod. 3. 17. Hence called the Oaths of the Tribes not which they sware to the Lord but which the Lord sware to them So afterwards it is called his word Thy word This then is the purport of this generall proposition O Lord according as thou promisedst and ingagedst thy selfe by Covenant to Abraham Isaac and Jacob with their posterity that thou wouldest give them the Land of Canaan to be theirs for an inheritance so by the dispensation of thy mighty power thou hast fully accomplished it and this he layeth down for the supportment of faith in a time of trouble The words would afford many observations I shall insist only on one The Lord will certainely make good all his promises and ingagements to his people though it cost him the making of his Bow quite naked the manifestation of his power in the utmost dispensations thereof Gods workings are squared to his ingagements This is still the close of all gratious issues of providence God hath done all according as be promised Josh. 22. 4. 2 Sam. 7. 21. He brought out his people of old with a mighty hand with temptations signes and wonders and a stretched out arme and all because he would keepe the Oath which he had sworne and the ingagement which he had made to their Fathers Deut. 7. 8. What obstacles soever may lie in the way he hath done it he will do it Take one instance particular places are too many to be insisted on It was the purpose of his heart to bring his Elect home to himselfe from their forlorne lost condition This he engageth himselfe to do Gen. 3. 15. assuring Adam of a recovery from the misery he was involved in by Satans prevalency This surely is no easy work If the Lord will have it done he must lay out all his Attributes in the demonstration of them to the uttermost His wisdome and power must bow their shoulders as it were in Christ unto it he was the
knowest not which shall prosper this or that or whether they shall be both alike good Eccles. 11. 6. But proceed we with the Prophets prayer From verse the 3. to the 17. He layeth down severall Arguments taken from the Majesty power providence and former works of God for the supporting of his faith to the obtaining of those good things and works of mercy which he was now praying for We shall look on them as they ly in our way God came from Teman the holy one from mount â—aran Selah his glory covered the heavens the earth was full of his praise Teman was a City of the Edomites whose land the people of Israel compassed in the wildernesse when they were stung with fiery Serpents and healed by looking on a brazen Serpent set up to be a type of Christ Teman is put for the whole land of Edom and the Prophet makes mention of it for the great deliverance mercy granted there to the people when they were almost consumed That 's Gods coming from Teman See Num. 21. v. 5 6 7 8 9. When they were destroyed by fiery Serpents he heals them by a type of Christ giving them corporeall and raising them to a faith of spirituall salvation Paran the next place mentioned was a mountain in the Land of Ismael near which Moses repeated the Law and from thence God carried the people immediately to Canaan another eminent act of mercy Unto these he addeth the word Selah as it is a song a note of Elevation in singing as it respects the matter not the form a note of Admiration and speciall Observation Selah consider them well for they were great works indeed Speciall mercies must have speciall Observation Now by reason of these Actions the Prophet affirms that the glory of God covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise Lofty expressions of the advancement of Gods glory and the fullnesse of his praise amongst his people of the earth which attended that mercifull deliverance and gracious assistance Nothing is higher or greater then that which covers heaven and fills earth Gods l glory is exceedingly exalted and his praise increased every where by Acts of favour and kindnesse to his people That which I shall chuse from amongst many others that present themselves a little to insist upon is that Former mercies with their times and places are to be had in thankfull remembrance unto them who wait for future blessings Faith is to this end separated by them Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes as in the generations of old art not thou it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Art not thou it that dried the sea the waters of the great deep that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to passe over Isa. 51. 9 10 The breaking of Rahab that is Egypt so called here and Psal. 87. 4. Psal. 89. 11. for her great strength which the word signifies and the wounding of the dragon that great and crooked Afflictour Pharaoh is remembred and urged for a motive to a new needed deliverance so Psal. 74. 13 14. Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces and gavest him to be meat to the people in the wildernesse Leviathan the same Dragon oppressing persecuting Pharaoh thou brakest his Heads his Counsells Armies Power and gavest him for meat that the people for forty yeares together might be fed sustained and nourished with that wonderfull mercy Out of the eater came forth meat out of the strong came forth sweetnesse In this Reciprocation God walketh with his people Of free grace he bestoweth mercies and blessings on them by grace works the returns of Remembrance and Thankfullnesse unto himself for them then showres that down again in new Mercies The Countries which send up no vapours receive down no showers Remembrance with thankfullnesse of former mercies is the matter as it were which by Gods goodnesse is condensed into following blessings For Mercies have their proper end when thankfully remembred What more powerfull motive to the obteining of new then to hold out that the old were not abused We are incouraged to cast seed again into that ground whose last crop witnesseth that it was not altogether barren that sad spot of good Hezekiah that He rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him is set down as the opening a doore of wrath against himself Judah and Jerusalem 2. Chron. 32. 25. On the other side suitable returns are a doore of hope for further mercies The remembrance of them strengthens faith and keeps our hands from hanging down in the time of waiting for blessings When faith is supported the promise is engaged and a mercy at any time more then half obteined faith is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. God saith the Apostle hath delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver now what conclusion makes he of this experience in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us 2 Cor. 1. 10. It was a particular mercy with it's circumstances as you may see ver. 9. which he made the bottome of his dependance In the favours of men we cannot do so they may be weary of helping or be drawne dry and grow helpelesse Pond's may be exhausted but the Ocean never The infinite fountaines of the Deity cannot be sunk one haires bredth by everlastingly-flowing blessings Now circumstances of Actions Time Place and the like oft-times take deepe impressions Mercies should be remembred with them So doth the Apostle againe 2 Tim. 4. 17 18. He did deliver me from the mouth of the Lyon Nero that Lion-like tyrant and what then he will deliver mee from every evill worke David esteemed it very good Logick to argue from the victory God gave him over the Lyon and the Beare to a confidence of victory over Goliah 1 Sam. 17. 37. The use of this we are lead unto Isaiah 43. 16 17 18. Thus saith the Lord which maketh a way in the Sea and a Path in the mighty waters which bringeth forth the chariot and the horse the army and the power they shall lie downe together they shall not rise they are extinct they are quenched as tow Remember yee not the former things nor consider the things of old Let former mercies be an Anchor of hope in time of present distresses Where is the God of Marstone-Moore and the God of Naseby is an acceptable expostulation in a gloomy day O what a catalogue of mercies hath this Nation to plead by in a time of trouble God came from Naseby and the holy one from the West Selah his glory covered the Heavens and the earth was full of his prayse He went forth in the North and in the East he did not withhold his hand I hope the poore Towne wherein n I live is more inriched with a store mercy of a few moneths then with a full trade of
measured the earth he beheld and drove asunder the Nations and the everlasting mountaines were scattered the perpetuall hills did bow his wayes are everlasting Two things are here considerable 1. The Lords exact fore-view of the promised land he stood and measured the earth and beheld the Nations 2. His operation at that time he drave asunder the Nations and the c. 1. Hee stood and measured The Prophet here representeth the Lord on the frontire of Canaan as one taking view of a piece of Land and exactly measuring it out as intending it for his own weighing and considering the bounds and limits of it to see if it will answer the end for which he purposeth it Gods exact notice and knowledge of his peoples possession is in those words held out He views where the lines of every tribe shall run Nothing happens or is made out to any of Gods people without his own carefull providentiall predisposition He views the circuit of the whole where and how divided and separated from the dwellings of the unclean and habitations of the uncircumcised Fixed bounds measured limits of habitation is a necessary ingredient to the making up of a natâ—â—all Church 2. What he did which is two wayes expressed 1. in reference to the inhabitants 2. to the Land it selfe 1. For the inhabitants he drove them asunder {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and he made to leape out of their old chanels Those Nations knit and linked together amongst themselves by leagues and civill society he separated disturbed divided in counsels and armes as in the case of the Gibeonites persecuted by the sword that they suddenly leaped out of their habitations the residue wandering as no people Gods justly Nation-disturbing purposes are the bottome of their deserved ruine 2. For the Land The everlasting Mountaines c. Those strong firme lasting Mountaines of Canaan not like the Mountaines of sand in the desart where the people were but to continue firme to the worlds end as both the words here used {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} perpetuity and everlasting do in the Scripture frequently signify Now these are said to be scattered and to bow because of the destruction of the Inhabitants of those lasting hills being many of them high and mighty ones like perpetuall Mountaines they being given in possession to the sons of Israel even the cheife things of the antient Mountaines and the pretious things of the lasting hills Deut. 33. 15. God takes an exact foreview of his peoples portion and inheritance Like a carefull father he knows before hand what he intends to bestow upon them Hee views it measures it prepares it to the utmost bounds They shall not have a hayrs bredth which hee hath not alotted them nor want the least jot of their designed portion Learne to be contented with your Lot He is wise also who took a view of it and measured it and found it just commensurate to your good had he known that a footes bredth more had bin needfull you should have had it Had he seen it good you had had no thornes in your Lands no Afflictions in your lives O how carefull how solicitous are many of Gods people how full of desires Oh that it were with me thus or thus possesse your soules in patience As you cannot adde too no more shall any take from your proportion He took the measure of your wants and his own supplies long since That which he hath measured out he will cut off for you He knows how to suit all his children It is dangerous incroaching for any of the sons of men upon Gods peoples portion lot priviledges or inheritance God hath measured it out for them and he will looke that they injoy it g Shall men remove his bounds and land-markes and be free will it be safe trespassing upon the Lands of the Almighty will it be easy and cheape will he not plead his Action with power especially seeing he hath given them their portion If he hath given Seir to Edom what doth he vexing and wasting Jacob Shall they not possesse what the Lord their God gives them to possesse Jud. 11. 24. He hath cautioned all the world Kings and others in this kind Touch not mine annointed do my prophets no harme Psal. 105. 14 15. Touch them not nor any thing that is theirs harme them not in any thing I bestow on them They have nothing but what their Father gives them and Christ hath bought for them Will a tender Father thinke you contentedly looke on and see a slave snatch away his childrens bread If a man hath ingaged himselfe to give a Jewell to a deare friend will he take it patiently to have an enemy come and snatch it away before his face God is ingaged to his people for all their injoyments and will he quietly suffer himselfe to be robbed and his people spoyled Shall others dwell quietly in the Land which he hath measured for his own See whence the great destructions of People and Nations in these latter ages have come Is it not for touching these forbidden things The holy Vessels of the Temple at Hierusalem ruined Babylon Is not the wasting of the Westerne Nations at this day from hence that they have served the whore to deck her selfe with the spoyles of the spouse helped to trim her with the portion of Gods people taking away their Liberties Ordinances Priviledges Lives to lay at her feet Doubtlesse God is pleading with all these Kingdomes for their incroaching They who will not let him be at peace with his shall have little quiet with their own The Eagle that stole a coale from the Altar fired her nest I know how this hath been abused to countenance the holding of Babylonish wedges God will preserve to his people his own allowance not Romes supplyment This Nation hath yet itching singers and a hankering minde after the inheritance of Gods people Let them take heed he hath knocked off their hands an hundred times and sent them away with bloudy fingers O that we were wise that we be not quite consumed Of you I hope better things and such as accompany salvation yet give me leave to cautionate you a little 1. As to priviledges and liberties of this life Their liberties and estates are not as other mens but more exactly measured for their good and sanctifyed to them in the bloud of Christ If in these things God hath called you to the defence and protection of his he will expect a reall account You had better give away a Kingdome that belongs to others then the least of that which God hath made for his Saints Think not any thing small which God accounts worthy to bestow on his If he hath meted out liberty for them and you give them slavery you will have a sad reckoning 2. In point of Ordinances and Christ purchased priviledges r Here