good and counted it an action worthie to be laid vpon their greatest enemies whom they termed Puritans Yea God opens their owne mouthes against themselues Winter professeth before hand that if it should not take effect the scandall would be so great which the Catholike Religion should susteine by it as not onely our enemies but our friends also saith he would with good reason condemne vs. Thus we see the truth of God and his iustice for hee hath said Woe to thee that spoylest shalt thou not be spoyled Ye see how iustly he that takes the sword perish thâ—â—by by the sword Here is iust Agags case Thy sword made many childlesse and Gods sword shall make thy mother childlâ—sse See also what little cause we haue to trust Papists who daâ—e attempt such deuices for the reliefe of the Catholike cause as all of them confessed this was Must youâ— Religion be thus relieued It hath euer so been and so neuer was from the Lord. Obiect Why doe you impute this to our Religion being the error of a few infortunate Gentlemen Answ. If it were onely the error of their nature to vse the Kings Maiesties distinction it were the more tolerable but it is the error of their Religion And most truly hath his Maiestie shewed that no other Sect of Heretickes not excepting Turkes Iewes Pagans or they of Calicute did euer by the grounds of Religion maintaine that it is lawfull or meritorious to murther Princes or people for the quarrell of Religion but onely Romish Catholikes This doctrine they would as impudently deny as they doe other The light makes them ashamed and so they denie their owne doctrines They will denie that the Pope properly pardoneth sinnes or that they teach it They will as impudently denie that euer Pope had a bastard that euer a woman was Pope and an hundreth such which their owne chiefe writers aâ—ow But let vs know that religion which is set vpon lyes and held vp by lyes by conceiuing mischiefe and bringing foorth lyes to be fitter for Antichrist than for Iesus Christ or Christians professing his name And now seeing the wicked are fallen into the pit they made and the powder they laid for vs hath blowne vp themselues let vs conclude with the next words of this Psalme We will praise the Lord according to his righteousnesse and sing praise to the name of the Lord most high We will set foorth his righteousnesse and faithfulnesse in keeping his promises and in sauing the liues of thousands of his Saints destinated to death as sheepe to the slaughter The end of the fourth Sermon THE ENGLISH GRATVLATION Psalm 126.3 The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof wee reioyce THis Verse is the marrow of the whole Psal. occasioned by the returne of Gods people out of Babels Captiuity into their owne Country who neuer receiued lesse fauours than this without thanksgiuing Vnto which duty of praise the better to prouoke themselues they amplifie the benefit verse 1. and make it great in their eyes and hearts as it was in it selfe so great and incredible as when God brought it to passe they were as men in a dreame thinking it rather a dreame and a vaine imaginatioÌ„ than a reall truth or action 1. Because it was so great a deliuerance from so great and lasting a bondage it seemed too good to be true 2. It was sudden and inexpected when they little thought or hoped for it Thus the sudden and inexpected newes of Iosephs life made Iacobs heart fayle him that he could not beleeue the relation of his sonnes to be true 3. All things semed desperate nothing more vnlikely or impossible rather for indeed the godly themselues sticking so much to sense cannot so well weigh the great workes of God in the scoâ—les or with the weights of God as they should 4. The manner was so admirable without the counsell helpe or strength of man nay it was beyond and against all humane meanes that they doubt whether these things be not somnia vigilantium the dreames of men that are awake For so we read in Act. 12. that Peter being in prison the next day to be brought forth to death slept betweene two souldiers and the Keepers before the doore but was led out by an Angell and with him passed sundry gates and streetes verse 9. yet Peter knew not that it was true which was done but thought it had beene a dreame and that he had seene a vision It was so incredible so inexpected so suddaine so immediate a deliuerance that he could not beleeue it But as Peter being come to himselfe said Now I know for a truth that the Lord hath deliuered me vers 11. so this people of God knew it was more than a dreame euen a reall deliuerance and could not but expresse their ioy as men doe when they laugh But as the cause was abundant so they say they were filled with laughter verse 2. Nay the Gentiles themselues obserued the benefit and preached it euen the enemies could obserue a speciall worke of Gods power and fauour for them verse 3. And should they be behinde the Heathen and not with full heart and mouth celebrate the benefit Should God lose his glory by his owne people whom the benefit concerned and finde it among the Heathen who were but lookers on No and therefore they proclaime it in these words The Lord hath donâ— great things for vs c. Wherein we may consider these foure particulars 1. The Author or Agent the Lord. 2. The Worke or Act hath done great things 3. The Persons for whom for vs his Church 4. The Effect whereof wee reioyce Of these in their order I. The Agent is the Lord verse 1. the Lord brought back the captiuity of Syon It was a diuine worke passing not humane power onely but humane apprehension for it was not very easie to conceiue much lesse to effect Obseru All deliuerances of the Church are the works of God What meanes so euer he vseth himselfe is the principall Agent and of it it must be said Digitus Dei est hic This is the finger of God For 1. the helpe of man is vaine 2. God onely hath promised deliuerance and will be depended on 3. the glory of deliuerance belongs to no other Psalm 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalâ— glorifie me II. The worke great things The Lord is a great God and great things beseeme him Psalm 135.5 I know the Lord is great and he doth great things 1. To manifest the greatnesse of his power aboue all creatures 2. That there may neuer want some great occasions of praising and glorifying his Name 3. That our eyes may be lifted vp aboue humane counsels and not fixed on inferiour things when we see euents which could be welded by nothing but an Omnipotent and Diuine hand III. The Persons for whom these great workes are done for vs
it to be finished and performed Ezra 6.1 Euen so what King Henry had begun young Daâ—ius Edward the 6. as another Iosiah finished to good purpose For as Darius made a decree for the house of God in Ierusalem both for the building of it and for the rendring of the vessels of the house of God of gold and siluer which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the house of God vers 3.5 So this Edward of blessed memorie imitating Darius in the first yeere of his raigne proclaimed the aduancement and building vp of the worship of the true God in a true manner and brought in the vessels of gold and siluer which Romish Nebuchadnezzar had taken away He set the lights in the Temple againe in many shining candlestickes The Sweet-bread was set againe on the Table of the Lord and the Cup of Christ his precious blood which had been stollen away by those theeues was now found and comfortably restored to the owners The booke of the Law was found and restored againe into a knowne tongue as in Iosiahs time by Hilkiah the Priest The sweete siluer sounding Trumpets sound continually in our eares in daily preaching the blessed word of God The holy Arke a signe of Gods presence dwels againe among vs and Dagon is fallen before it the house of Baal and his vestrie destroyed his groues cut downe and grubbed vp Are not these great workes which the Lord hath done for vs wherein wee must reioyce 3. After this for the vnthankfulnesse of this land as the building of the Temple was hindred for a while by Sanballat and Tobiah so in the daies of Queene Mary this great work of God was interrupted in which time what the Babylonians could not conquer by Scripture they could subdue by torture and now fire and sword was the Catholike and inuincible argument that the new Romanists might not degenerate from the old bloody Romans their fore-fathers whose measure they filled to the full For in lesse than fiue yeeres three hundred of the faithfull seruants of Christ without respect of Nobilitie degree learning grauitie sexe age or naturall humanitie were in our Countrey burned to ashes But God had no delight in that bloody Religion It is as great a worke of mercie as any of the former that he made it as short as bloody For if violent things and times should continue the world could not And behold a greater worke which the Lord hath done for vs whereof wee reioyce in raising vs vp our ancient Deborah of England neuer-dying Elizabeth the wonder of the world and mirrour of nations who quickly quenched those hot and furious fires and her selfe being brought from a prisoner to a mightie Prince opened the prison-doores and deliuered them that were appoynted to death Now were the castles of their superstitions and hopes cast downe again and made euen with the ground What great workes God did for her and vs in her time were too long to recite how she out-stood the curses and Bulls of the Romish Nebuchadnezzar and saw in her time seuen of themselues tumbled out of their pretended chaire of S. Peter how wonderfull her many deliuerances were from many hellish treasons deuised by the armie of Priests sent from the King of pride and attempted by the Romish Captaines of that great Nebuchadnezzar How the Lord went out before our Armies and as in the daies of Israels Deborah so of Englands Deborah hee mâ—de the sea and windes fight for vs and by his owne right hand got vs the victorie that memorable yeere and ouerthrow of 88 shall be a perpetuall witnesse so long as the world standeth how God himselfe fights against that Religion which so furiously fights against him How she iudged and ruled in peace honour and happinesse fiue and fortie yeeres to the honour of God and his Gospell and terror of all enemies and in the same peace and happinesse exchanged her earthlie with an heauenly and euerlasting crowne of glory 4. A great worke of God it was for vs to reioyce in when at her decease the enemies who had long looked for a day found it the day of their greatest disappoyntment whilest the Lord setting himselfe for our good in our gracious King and the fruitfull plants renewed all our prosperitie gaue vs a new tenure of the Gospell and a new hold of our peace and liberties of whom we may say as was said of Dauid He is the light of Israel and of Iosiah the breath of our nostrils who by his power and pen hath shewed himselfe a Defender of the true Faith 5. To come to the great workes of this day That these Babylonians might keepe their hands in vre what foule and desperate designes haue they attempted against the life of the Kings Maiestie our gracious Soueraigne For while this light of Israel remaineth impossible they thinke it is for their kingdome of darknesse to preuaile Among other deuises that shame of Popish Religion that hideous gunpowder-treason shall neuer be put out from vnder heauen In which were many great workes of God for vs Englishmen whether wee consider the greatnesse of the danger or the greatnesse of the deliuerance First consider the greatnesse of the plot the greatest mischiefe that euer was wanting a fit name to expresse it vnlesse you will call it a Catholike villanie a plot of greatest and vniuersall danger to vs of greatest triumph to the Aduersarie Here the head and taile branch and root one and other Prince and people Nobles and Gentrie old and young Papists and Protestants should haue been destroyed together For as Duke Medina said his sword knew no difference betweene Catholikes and Heretikes no more should this hellish or hell-fire which it was a sparke of Besides the secret carriage and contriuing of it made it most dangerous more dangerous than the Babylonish captiuitie for the Babylonians dealt aperto marte there was some hope of safetie either by prayer or power or truce or preparing against them there a man knew his aduersarie but here is a crueltie digged out of the depth of darknesse all of them sworne to secrecie yea the Sacrament was a seale of their wickednesse sworne brethren in euill at league among themselues but no more league for vs to be expected than from hell it selfe Here we might say as Hanniball sometime said of two Romane Captaines one working by power the other by policie Magis se a non pugnante Fabio quà m à pugnante Marcello sibi metuere Wee are more afraid of slie and quiet Papists than of boysterous armed Turkes How these plotters would haue triumphed in the fact as the Babylonians ouer Israel Sing vs now one of the songs of Syon we may well perceiue by their glorying in the hopes of it God and man saith the Letter haue concurred to punish the iniquity of the time and The danger is past so soone as you haue burnt the letter and They shall receiue a terrible blow this Parliament
times hotter than euer before yea seuenty times seuen times hotter than euer Nabuchadnezzars was For that was prepared onely for three persons but this for the sudden burning and blowing vp of three Kingdomes England Scotland and Ireland That by heathens sanguinary and bloody men without the knowledge of God but this by men howsoeuer more bloody yet professing such a religion as out-boasteth all other for sanctity of life and workes of mercy That openly as in a course of iustice where prayer or strength or change of mind in the parties might haue preuented the extremity but this in the depth of blacke darknesse against all iustice in the fountaine against the liuing Law his Maiesty himselfe against the honourable Iudges which are speaking Lawes against all the Records and instruments of iustice which are silent Lawes and against the whole Parliament the makers of these Lawes and all this in such secret and vndermining manner as any league might assoone be made with hell it selfe as with these pioners who digged to the bottome of hell for mischiefe But marke when all things were thus prepared and these three flourishing countries after a sort a casting into that hellish flame the selfe same euent wickednesse returning vpon the heads of wicked doers wicked counsels the worst to the counsellors sowers of wickednesse reapers of destruction The Agents and instruments of this Romish Tyrant so intent vpon the straite commandement of their Master as forgetting their owne danger were some of them licked into the flame others eaten vp by the gallowes others deuoured by the mouth of the sword all of them made spectacles of confusion which they most intended while those whom they had designed as fewell for their flames had not an haire of their head no nor of their garments touched For which vnspeakable mercy the name of our God bee euermore praised Now to the seuerall parts Therefore because the commandement of the King was straite that the furnace should be exceeding hote c. Hence we note first what spirit it is that raigneth amongst idolaters euen the same which is heere discouered in Nabuchadnezzar namely the spirit of malice rage and cruelty which when things succeed not to their mind doth breathe out nothing but threatning slaughter and blood against the Saints of God Pharaoh a notable idolater who professed that he knew not the Lord nor would heare his voyce nor let the people goe how began he his raigne but by consulting to keepe vnder the people of God by heauie burthens and hard taske-ma-masters But when that succeded not but the more they were vexed the more they encreased hee added to the former cruelty a charge that the Midwiues should kill all the males of the Hebrewes in the byrth But neither did this prodigious cruelty prooue so successefull as hee desired for the Midwiues feared God and did not as the King commanded them but preserued aliue the men children And therefore transported by rage as one that had lost humanity it selfe he makes a more publike general law charging all his people that euery man-child that was borne they should cast into the riuer and drowne it With what furie and violence after he had made them weary of their liues by sundry oppressions did follow them into the bottome of the sea thinking belike that God had diuided the sea for no other purpose than for him to pitch his field in against his people It is plaine that had not God taken him off he would neuer haue taken his rod from off the Israelites Of Haman that idolatrous Tyrant the text saith being full of wrath against Mordecai for not bowing vnto him he thought it too little to lay hands onely on Mordecai but sought to destroy all the Iewes that were throughout the whole Kingdome of Ahashuâ—rosh euen the people of Mordecai and to this purpose procured letters from the King which he sent by Postes into all the Prouinces to root out to kill and to destroy all the Iewes both young and old children and women in one day Manasses was a wretched idolater who did euill in the sight of the Lord after the abomination of the Heathen he built the hie places which his good father Hezekiah had destroyed hee erected altars for Baal and made a groue he worshipped all the hoast of heauen and serued them he built altars for all the host of heauen and that in the Court of the house of the Lord hee caused his sonnes to passe through the fier hee gaue himselfe to witchcraft and sorcery and vsed them that had familiar spirits and were southsayers Now if to all this you would adde an inseparable note to know a wilfull idolater by you haue it in the 16. verse Moreover Manasses shead innocent blood exceeding much till hee replenished Ierusalem from corner to corner Antiochus Epiphanes that monster of men both for his horrible idolatry and sauage cruelty against the Iewes called Epimanes forced the Iewes to lay aside the institution of God in circumcising their children as also in hatred of God to offer swines flesh vpon the altar and eate swines flesh in their houses in stead of Gods worship hee set vp the worship of Iupiter Olympius and this within the Temple of Ierusalem The bookes of Moses and the Prophets hee burnt c. All which horrible rage against God himselfe was attended with such barbarous and despightfull wasting and oppressing of the Church of God such murther and slaughter of the people of God as neuer was since there began to be a nation till that time as witnesseth Daniel chap. 12.1 Insomuch as stories report that Ierusalem was left desolate and void of all good men In both which high wickednesses by the consent of all writers he was an expresse type of that great Antichrist which was to come after him and is now in the world consuming the Saints of the most High and working no lesse misery to the Church of God than he did as we shal in part anon declare What shall I speake of the tyranny and cruelty of those Heathen Romane Emperours within the first 300. yeeres after Christ of whom not only the Apostles themselues suffered violent death but whosoeuer made any profession of their doctrine were most ignominiously tormented no respect had of sexe nor reuerence of age in so much as the dead bodies of men and women and children old and young together were cast out and lay naked in the streets like the pauement thereof And if we may beleeue history in the dayes of one of those ten Persecutors were ten thousand Christians crucified in one mount crowned with crownes of thornes and thrust into the sides with sharpe darts in imitation or derision rather of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. And in the last of those ten in the space of one moneth were slaine vnder the name of Martyrs seuenteene thousand persons beside a
be put out from vnder heauen But neuer let the fact of this Amalek nor this day of Purim be put out of the Kalender to the perpetuall infamy of the Popish generation so long as the Sunne courseth about the earth Looke we often in this glasse which God holdeth this day before our eyes O come and behold the workes of the Lord the great workes that he hath wrought for this English nation a people whom God hath now redeemed from a second hell which was indeed to bee a lake of fier and brimstone a very sparke out of hell brought by furies and diuels rather than men Consider wee seriously how our soules â—are deliuered from the nether most hell As in the first and great redemption from the lowest hell God of his mercy redeemed vs by the blood of his owne only Sonne so of his mercy hath he extinguished the flames of this inteÌ„ded hell by no other meanes than by the blood of those sonnes of Beliall And as for that greater redemption wee must magnifie the grace of God being redeemed from the hands of our enemies to serue him in righteousnesse and holynesse all the dayes of our life so in this lesser redemption we must stirre vp our selues to the cherefull praise of God not in word and tongue but in heart and life Let vs call vpon our selues euery one apart as Dauid Psal. 9.1.2.3 I will praise the Lord with all my heart c. for that mine enemies are turned back and Psal. 116.12 what shall I render to the Lord for all his louing kindnesse towards me and let vs call vpon one another as he doth Psal. 34.3 Praise the Lord with me and let vs magnifie the Lord together He hath filled our hearts with gladnesse our mouthes with laughter our tongues with matter of triumph when we were as a bird in the net of these fowlers he brake the net and we are escaped Verse 8. Our helpe standeth in the Name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth THese words are the conclusion of the whole Psalm wherein the whole benefit of all the deliuerance of the Church both for time past and future is ascribed to the Lord of heauen and earth He had sayd before the snare is broken but had not told vs by whome now hee expresseth him Our helpe is in the Name c. Quest. why saith he not in the Lord but in the Name of the Lord Answ. By the Name of God is meant that by which he reuealeth himselfe to his Church as a man is knowne by his name And in this argument the Name of God signifieth the ayd the power the strength and the goodnesse of God so it is vsed Psalme 44.5 in thy Name wee shall tread downe our enemies that is in thy strength and power Our helpe consists in that power and strength which the Lord putteth forth for vs. Who hath made heauen and earth Qust Why is this added Answ. 1. To aduance the Lord in his Attribute of Omnipotency 2. To strengthen our faith when meanes fayle vs for this power is not tied to meanes Therefore these are set the first words of the Creed I beleeue in God the Father Almighty maker of heauen and earth 3. To shew vs to what end the world the heauens and the earth were made namely that it might be a Theater and glasse of the diuine power and glory of God 4. To intimate how easie it is for God in most desperate cases to helpe his children much mor easie than to make heauen and earth 5. To shew that he can dispose all things both in heauen and earth for their safetie I. Note hence the nature and worke of faith in euery beleeuer which is to eleuate the minde to God in perils and dangers which is the time wherein faith most bestirres it selfe and to apply Gods promise of ayd his presence and deliuerance in all our troubles not only beleeuing his Omnipotency and goodnesse but that he is so vnto vs and all his chosen For this is a speech of faith which looketh beyond all external meanes and fixeth the eye of the soule only vpon God in whose hand help is And farther the nature of faith is to search into all the Atributes of God whereby it may fortifie it selfe and become inexpugnable It looketh to the Name of the Lord. It considereth him as Iehoua one that is willing to accomplish all his promises to his Church else he could not bee Iehoua by which Name he would be knowne to his people It beholdeth his power and omnipotency at the same time and then what shall hinder the Churches safety if God be both able and willing It seeth also all his power exercised for hir safety It beholds at once both the pillers of the Temple Boaz with him is strength but what are wee the better if we apply it not and Iachin that is the Lord will establish Let vs liue by faith at all times especiall in dangers stil looking beyond the means and giue glory to God with Abraham Rom. 4.20 who was strong in faith and fully perswaded that he who promised was able also and willing to performe Obiect What then must we reiect meanes Answ. No for God giueth meanes for our good But 1. No meanes can helpe vs without God as God can without meanes 2. Meanes must be vsed but not trusted in Psalm 20.7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God Heere he condemnes not the vse of chariots and horses but trust and confidence in them 3. Neuer let vs stand in the meanes as our helpers but in the Name of God who affords both them and successe in them Hence it is that God sometimes yea for the most part worketh his greatest workes by weakest meanes that the meanes might be as a glasse through which we might behold the brightnesse of his own Maiesty and grace Dan. 11.34 They that vnderstand and instruct many shall fall and when they shall fall they shal be holpen with a little helpe Why a little Because through weake meanes wee may see Gods greater strength So in the yeare 88. there was a little helpe for England but the victory was Gods So in the Gunpowder treason a little helpe and meanes by his Maiesties singular care but this was that through it we might easier see that Omnipotent helpe of him who made heauen and earth II. Note that the Churches helpe is not in it self and the dangers of it and harmes threatning it are farre greater than it is able without better help than it own to withstand So was it with the Church at the red sea so with the three children of God in the fire what help had they of themselues being bound So it was in Hamans deuice and so in Perâ—ies Reason 1. That the members of the Church may herein acknowledge the sleights of Satan and wicked men
Great are the workes of God seene in the Creation and Gouernment of the world But the greatest workes of all hee doth for his Church 1. Hee hath chosen them to be his people and selected them from all nations of the earth to be a peculiar inheritance and his owne possession of all the earth 2. He hath made his residence and aboade with her as hee hath with no other society of men in the world 3. He hath made vnto her all his gracious promises and giuen the custody of his word to her and to no other people of the earth He hath not dealt so with euery nation neither haue they knowne his lawes Psal. 147.20 4. Hee hath taken vpon him the defence of his Church as of no other people to be as a shield or as a louing and carefull Husband of his deare and faithfull Spouse 5. He hath giuen her such experience of his prouidence and protection in many meruailous deliuerances both for soule and body as no people euer had the like to the perpetuall ouerthrow of all her aduersaries These and the like great workes in generall the Lord hath done for his Church Looke now vpon Israel who vtters the words of our Text what great things God hath done for them both in generall and in this speciall For the generall 1 Israel was Gods elect his sonne Exod. 4.22 his fiâ—st borne more loued more priuiledged than any his treasure his portion Deut. 32.8.9 To him belonged the adoption Rom. 9.4 and hee was not numbred among the nations Hee is select and chosen out of all the world Hee must haue the promises Of him are the Fathers and of him is Christ God blessed for euer 2. God dwelt in Israel Of Beniamin it is said that the Lord dwelt betweene his shoulders Deut. 33.12 With him was the Arke and the glory Rom. 9.4 and when that was taken the glory departed from Israel He dwelt at Salem and his Tabernacle was at Syon Psalm 76.2 God is present euery where but dwels onely in his Church Of Syon it was said There will I dwell 3. Their Lawes ordinances were meerely from God theirs was the Couenant Rom. 9.4 The Tables of the Couenant written with Gods owne hand and deliuered to them And the giuing of the Law that is their Statute-lawes Iudicials were not enacted by men but came from heauen In which respect no nation was so honoured Deut. 4.7.12 Was there euer any nation to whom God came so neere and spake out of the fire c. 4. Their preseruation and protection was a great worke of God as we shall see in some instances 1. Great was his care to send them into Egypt by reason of the famine that they might encrease in a fat land but he sent a man before euen Ioseph to prouide for them the fattest of the land Psalm 105.17 2. Great was his worke of preseruation in Egypt vnder that extreame tyrannie of Pharaoh and the Taske-maisters who could not worke wisely enough to keepe them vnder but the more they oppressed them to diminish them the more they encreased so as of seauenty soules in 220. yeares the encrease was 600000. men besides women and children Psal. 105.24 Hee encreased his people greatly and made them stronger than their enemies 3. Great was his worke in drawing them out of Egypt to which purpose hee sent Moses his seruant miraculously drawne out of the water and Aaron whom he had chosen vers 26. By whom he wrought those mighty signes and wonders vers 27. of darknesse blood frogges lyce haile caterpillers the death of their first borne c. Insomuch as the enemies loaded them with rich iewels and eare-rings and hastned them out of the Country God would not haue his seruants goe without their wages for so hard labour which the Egyptians had not considered Besides hee will haue them to haue somewhat away to bestow and conferre for the vse of the Temple And when Pharaoh pursued them so as they saw no way to escape him God gaue them a great deliuerance through the sea and him a great and miraculous ouerthrow Such a worke God neuer wrought for any people 4. Great was his prouidence and protection of them in the wildernesse where hee led them forty yeares first guiding them by a strange pillar of a cloud by day and of fire by night in all their iourneyes secondly feeding them with Mannah from heauen in which were a number of miracles and refreshing them with water out of a rocke thirdly couering their bodies with the same cloathes forty yeares together which did not teare by wearing not so much as their shooes fourthly fighting their battels for them suffering no man to do them harme but rebuking euen Kings for their sakes fiftly when hee had his people alone hee prescribes his whole worship concerning holy things holy persons places and times reareth vp a stately Tabernacle for his owne presence in it placeth a glorious Arke whence he immediately gaue answeres and directions by Vrim and Thummim and accepted sacrifices by fire immediately from heauen all testimonies of his immediate presence 5. As great was his care and prouidence in bringing them into the land of Canaan casting out all their enemies before them raising vp Ioshua to leade them in and aâ—ter him Iudges and Kings Sampson Deborah Dauid Salomon and their successors euen till their Captiuity in Bâ—bilon He gaue them a goodly land and fat flowing with milke and hony In it were vineyards which they planted not and houses which they builded not Hee gaue them a city which was on earth as the sunne in heauen the eye of the world an earthly paradise the seat of their Princes and Metropolitan of Iudea containing an hundred fifty thousand men the inhabitants In it was a Temple the bewtye of the whole world and the glory of the earth Thither the tribes went vp twice in a yere to worship the Lord Psal. 122.4 In it were the Colleges of Priests at whose mouth they were to require the Law Mal. 2.7 In it the thrones of iustice were erected Psalme 122.5 In a word Great and glorious things are to bee spoken of this Citie of God Psal. 87.3 Thus the Church in Israell might well say The Lord hath done great things for vs. But she need not cast hir eyes so farre back Here is one great worke in steed of many great things as which indeed hath many great things in it on which while she fixeth her eyes she countâ— shâ— hath matter enough of reioycing IV. For God hauing now reuenged the impiety of the Priests and Princes who had not only profaned his Land Temple and worship with Idols but had filled all the corners of the land with innocent blood by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel called the scourge of God for the space of seuenty yeares It pleaseth him now to returne in mercy to his miserable people