thirdly may put all those whom God is pleased to imploy in his service upon a diligent Inquiry into his mind Can a servant do his masters work without knowing his pleasure we live for the most part from hand to mouth and do what comes next few are acquainted with the designes of God The going forth of the Lord with his people towards their rest with reference to his harbingers is described v. 5. Before him went the pestilence and burning coales went forth at his feete Before him at his face The Pestilence This is l often reckoned amongst the weapons wherewith God fighteth with any people to consume them and as speeding an instrument of destruction it is as any the Lord ever used towards the children of men At his feet went forth a burning coale A redoubling say some of the same stroke burning coals for burning diseases When one blow will not do the work appointed God redoubles the stroak of his hand Levit. 26. 22 23 24 25. Or burning coals dreadfull judgements mortall weapons as fire and flames are often taken in other descriptions of God's dealing with his enemies Psal. 11. 6. 18. 8. prevailing fire is the most dreadfull meanes of destruction Heb. 12. 29. Isa. 33. 14. Exod. 23. 28. God threatneth to send the Hornet upon the Canaanites before the children of Israel some stinging judgements either on their consciences or bodies or both Something of the same kind is doubtlesse here held out he sent plagues and diseases among them to weaken and consume them before his peoples entrance His presence was with Israel and the pestilence consuming the Canaanites before their entrance is said to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} at his faces or appearances before him before the entrance of the presence of his holinesse And the following Judgements that quite devoured them were the coals going out at his feet which he sent abroad when he entred their land with his own inheritance into theirs to cast out those malae fidei possessores 1. Sicknesses diseases and all sorts of judgements are wholly at Gods disposall Affliction commeth not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground yet man is borne to trouble as the sons of the burning coale lift up in flying Job 5. 6 7. 2. When God intends the totall destruction of a people he commonly weakens them by some previous judgements Let the truth of this be found upon them that hate us and the interpretation therof be to the enemies of this Nation but the Lord knows all our hearts may well tremble at what will be the issue of the visitations of the last years God never wants instruments to execute his Anger and ruine his enemies His treasury of judgements can never be exhausted If Israel be too weake for the Amorites he will call in the pestilence and burning diseases to their assistance What creature hath not this mighty God used against his enemies An Angell destroyes Senacheribs Host Isa. 37. 36. and smites Herod with Wormes Acts 12. 23. Heaven above sends downe a Hell of fire and brimstone on Sodome and Gomorah Gen. 19. 24. The Starres in their courses fought against Sisera Judg. 5. 20. Devils do his will herein He sent evill Angels among the Aegyptians Psal. 78. 49. Fire consumes persecuting Ahaziah's companies 2 Kings 1. 10 11. The Water drownes Pharaoh and his Chariots Exod. 14. 28. Earth swallows up Korah with his fellow rebels Numb. 16. 32. Beares rend the children that mocked Elisha 2 Kings 2. 24. Lyons destroy the strange Nations in Samaria 2 Kings 17. 25. Froggs Lice Boyles Hayle Rayne Thunder Lightning destroy the Land of Aegypt Exod. 8 9 10. Locusts are his mighty army to punish Israel Joel 2. 25. Hailstones destroy the Canaanites Josh. 10. 11. Stones of the wall slay the Syrians 1 Kings 20. 30. pestilence and burning diseases are his ordinary messengers In a word all creatures serve his providence and await his commands for the execution of his righteous Judgements Neither the beasts of the Field nor the stones of the Earth will bee any longer quiet then hee causeth them to hold a league with the sons of men To teach us all to tremble before this mighty God Who can stand before him qui tot imperat legionibus If hee will strike hee wants no weapons if he will fight he wants no Armies All things serve his Will He saith to one come and it commeth to another go and it goeth to a third do this and it doth it He can make use of our selves our friends our enemies Heaven Earth Fire Water c. any thing for what end he pleaseth There is no standing before his Armies for they are all things and himselfe to make them effectuall There is no flying from his Armies for they are every where and himselfe with them Who would not feare this King of Nations He that contends with him shall find it As if a man did flee from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned upon a wall and a Serpent bitte him Amos 5. 18 19. No flying no hiding no contending Wormes kill Herod A Flie choak'd Adrian c. To be a bottome of confidence and dependence in an evill day He that hath God on his side hath also all things that are seene and that are not seene The mountaine is full of fiery Chariots for Elisha's defence when outwardly there was no appearance 2 Kings 6. 17. All things waite their Masters beck to do him service as for the destruction of enemies so for the deliverance of his What though wee had no Army in the time of war God hath millions Many thousands of Angels Psal. 68. 17. one whereof can destroy so many thousands of men in a night Isa. 37. 36. Hee can choose when few others will appeare with him against the mighty as in our late troubles foolish things to confound the wise and weak things to confound the strong Senacheribs Angell is yet alive and the destroyer of Sodom is not dead And all those things are at our command if their help may be for our good Judah ruleth with God Hos. 11. 12. hath a rule by faithfull supplications over all those mighty hosts Make God our friend and wee are not onely of the best but also the strongest side You that would be on the safest side be sure to choose that which God is on Had not this mighty all-commanding God been with us where had we been in the late tumults so many thousands in Kent so many in Wales so many in the North so many in Essex shall they not speed shall they not divide the prey is not the day of those factious Independents come was the language of our very neighbours The snare is broken and we are delivered The Lord having sent messengrs before him into Canaan stands himself as it were upon the borders and takes a view of the Land He stood and
businesse who delivers his errand but returnes not an Answer He that brings Gods Message of threats unto his people must returne his peoples message of intreaties unto him Some thinke they have fairly discharged their duty when they have revealed the Will of God to man without labouring to reveale the condition and desires of men unto God He that is more frequent in the Pulpit to his people then he is in his closet for his people is but a sorry watchman Moses did not so Exod. 32. 31. neither did Samuel so 1 Sam. 12. 23. neither was it the guize of Jeremiah in his days Cap. 14 17. If the beginning of the prophecie be as it is The burden of Habakkuk the close will be as it is The Prayer of Habakkuk Where there is a burden upon the People there must be Prayer for the people Wo to them who have denounced desolations and not powred out supplications such men delight in the evill which the Prophet puts far from him Jerem. 17. 16. I have not desired the wofull day O Lord thou knowest Now this Prayer is upon Sigionoth that is 1. it is tuned to a Song 2. such a Song For the first that it is a Song penned in meeter and how done so 1 to take the deeper impression 2 to be the better reteined in memory 3 to worke the more upon Affections 4 to receive the ingredients of poeticall loftinesse for adorning the Majesty of God with 5 the use of Songs in the old Church 6 and for the present 7 their times and seasons as among the people of God so all Nations of old of all or any of these being besides my present purpose I shall not treat Of the second that it is upon Sigionoth a little may be spoken The Word is once in another place and no more used in the title of a Song and that is Psalme 7 Siggaion of David and it is variously rendred It seemes to be taken from the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} erravit to erre or wander variously Prov. 5. 20. the word is used for delight to stray with delight In her love {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} thou shalt erre with delight we have translated it be ravished noting Affections out of order The word then holds out a delightfull wandring and variety and this litterally because those two Songs Psal. 7. and Hab. 3. are not tyed to any one certain kind of meeter but have various verses for the more delight which though it be not proper to them alone yet in them the Holy Ghost would have it especially noted But now surely the kernell of this shell is sweeter then so Is not this written also for their instruction who have no skill in Hebrew Songs The true reason of their meeter is lost to the most learned Are not then Gods variable dispensations towards his held out under these variable Tunes not all fitted to one string not all alike pleasant and easy Are not the severall tunes of mercy and judgement in these songs is not here Affliction and deliverance desertion and recovery darkenesse and light in this variously doubtlesse it is so God often cals his people unto Songs upon Sigionoth c keepes them under various dispensations that so drawing out all their affections their hearts may make the sweeter melody unto him They shall not have all hony nor all gall all judgement lest they be broken nor all mercy lest they be proud Thou answeredst them O Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions Psal. 99 8. Here is a Song upon Sigionoth They are heard in their prayers and forgiven there is the sweetest of mercies vengeance is taken of their inventions there 's a Tune of judgement By terrible things in righteousnesse wilt thou answer us O God of our salvation Psal. 65. 5. is a Song of the same Tune To be answered in righteousnesse what sweeter mercy in the World nothing more refreshes the panting soule then an Answer of its desires but to have this answer by terrible things that string strikes a humbling a mournfull note Israel heares of deliverance by Moses d and at the same time have their bondage doubled by Pharaoh There 's a Song upon Sigionoth Is it not so in our days pretious mercies and dreadfull judgements joyntly powred out upon the Land We are cloathed by our Father like Ioseph by his in a party coloured coate here a piece of unexpected deliverance and there a piece of deserved correction at the same houre we may rejoyce at the conquest of our enemies and mourne at the losse of our harvest Victories for his own names sake and showres for our sins sake both from the same hand at the same time The cry of every soule is like the cry of the multitude of old and young at the laying the foundation of the second Temple Many shouted aloud for joy and many wept with a loud voyce so that it was a mixt noyse and the severall noyses could not be distinguished Ezra 3. 12 13. A mixed cry is in our spirits and we know not which is loudest in the day of our visitation I could instance in sundry particulars but that every ones observation will save me that easy labour And this the Lord doth 1. To fill e all our sayles towards himselfe at once to exercise all our Affections I have heard that a full winde behind the Ship drives her not so fast forward as aside wind that seemes almost as much against her as with her and the reason they say is because a full wind fills but some of her sayles which keepe it from the rest that they are empty when a side wind fills all her sayles and sets herspeedily forward Which way ever we go in this World our Affections are our sayles and according as they are spread and filled so we passe on swifter or slower whither we are steering Now if the Lord should give us a full wind and continuall gale of mercies it would fill but some of our sayles some of our Affections Joy Delight and the like but when he comes with a side wind a dispensation that seemes almost as much against us as for us then he fils all our sayles takes up all our Affections making his works wide and broad enough to entertaine them every one then are we carried freely and fully towards the haven where we would be A Song upon Sigionoth leaves not one string of our Affections unturned It is a Song that reacheth every line of our hearts to be framed by the grace and spirit of God Therein hope feare reverence with humility and repentance have a share as well as Joy Delight and Love with Thankfulnesse Enterchangeable dispensations take up all our Affections with all our graces for they are gracious Affections exercised and seasoned with grace of which we speak The stirring of naturall
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