The Point is true tho not universal and to it I say one way or other first or last most certain soon or late God stands up for his Service and Worshippers the Point is liable to Objection but not Contradiction the Exceptions are to be weighed the thing is 1. To be proved true in general 2. To be explained how in particular 3. Why God is so and the Use of all For the general proof I observe God having took knowledge of Jacob at Bethel in flight from Esau Gen. 28. does after at the same Place make a more than ordinary show of his care to defend a devot Bethelite in his way to perform his Vow not only by that double Host or Apparition of Angels at Mahanaim Gen. 32.1.2 but by the terrour that God put on the People all about him that they pursued him not Gen. 35.5.7 For as they had too just a Provocation at Shechem before so he and his little Family being some Females few and also some weak and dying v. 8. lay all exposed to fury at least to such Upbraidings as what doth this King-killing Race with us These Boutfews of the Age that by Promise hope to possess others Property in Canaan that by Worship are Dissenters from all the Gods and establisht Service of the Land that are Vagrants low and poor all true yet Gods terrour on them defended him so that no pursuit is made after his Sons Exod. 34.23 A Precept in the Law is given for all Males if they could but go up to Zion in their Fathers hand say the Jews thrice a year to appear before the Lord and not empty Quia Pater cupit filios videre as one says the Father loves to see his Sons about him to perform duty this was at the Pasche at Pentecost and at In-gathering If the last it was pritty hard to leave Harvest and not to leave a Male of 12 or 7 years at home to defend the Borders and to go 7 or 8 days Journy the Promise prevents fear A Stranger shall not destroy does it say Nay not desire thy Land * Dr. Willet citing Tostat Animae damna plusquam corporis vitanda sunt Soul-perils are most to be shunned And for the Land God preoccupates the doubt saying He should not desire or covet it God would restrain the Enemies very appetite to secure our Attendance from Distraction One says this Peace never was had but that is to call Truth it self in doubt yes he did so many years together and yet the Moral of it extends to our latter days for if legal Rites and Festivities were grac't by such Promises then Gospel Worship obtains far greater and better Promises and though they often had ill and envious Neighbours yet I doubt not one way or other God secured the Worshippers and at least defended it and all the means of it from violence or shortly plagued the violation of it But a fuller proof yet is in Isai 29.7 v. 1. predicts a Wo a distress threatned to Ariel and yet v. 7. is a Promise to it 1st distress by an Enemy Viz. the Assyrian that besieged the City and Mount of God as the Hebrew word is by some Or the Lion so Arr properly notes of God Oh but how is the Deliverance of Ariel The distress Vatablus says by the Assyrian or rather the Babylonian is predicted to be doleful Plurima cadavera circum Altare jacent Ar. Mon. Vat. note The City all full of Carcases and Quarters as the Altar in time of Offering both Altar and City share alike one part flaming the other all in gore full of parts mutilated as Psal 74.7.79.2 all so low and base as they should petition the Assyrian 2 King 18.14.26 Yet after all v. 6. a sudden Visit is promised upon the Assyrian for the City amplified by a Simile he threatens the Foes that a sudden storm should scatter them and God would fight for Mount Zion and become a Munition to defend them and his Altar Other Proofs occur in the sequel One more I cite Act. 18.9.10 Paul by Vision is incouraged by promised success in his duty 1. His Fears are allayed next is a promise of restraint that none should set on him to hurt him 3. The Presence of God is exprest a sweet advantage and a terrour to his Foes 4. God pleads title to his People not yet called the Gentiles Though he is thrust out of the publick Synagogue he gets Justus's private House Worships there and teaches and gathers a People to God So that by this it is clear God left that Church as National to a malicious persecuting of the Gospel and Paul does so too to enjoy Gods Presence for a defence in Gods Work and by the whole 't is manifest God is a Munition to his own Worship 2. To explain it more particularly both when how or by what means he doth it and why Now the Lord that best sees his own times methods and mediums by which to make good his promise protects his servants either First Before by way of Prevention or Secondly In the Act by powerful Protection Or. Thirdly After by punishing the Opposition on the Adversary and so restoring the Worship The subsequent Instances to be remarkt are reducible to one of these Besides he has sometimes ordinary ways to do it in common Providence and they not obtaining often he has superordinary or miraculous ways to effect it Yet once God may preserve the pure Worshippers in person as in Elijah's time in Caves when the Altars are all furiously dug up And so may he preserve his House Tent and Altar and yet expose the Ark and Priesthood as in Eli's sons day to Captivity Or may stop one Zachary's mouth not all or cast Altar and all off a while But usually he measures Altar Worship and Worshippers Rev. 11.1 2. for preservation and repair Now the first Defence is by Prevention of Evil intended God sits in Council among the Gods foresees detects and diverts them sometimes restrains the men or reproves them for his Prophets sakes So Gen. 20. he did Abimelech for Abrahams sake a righteous man and a Prophet as he 's called and Gods Friend So they that bordered Israel of old were kept from desiring their Land in times of solemn Worship or Feasts of the Lord. So Saul is diverted by a timous Providence Tydings comes of an Invasion of the Philistines 1 Sam. 23.26 27. else had he been caught But God gave a Selah or Rock of Diremption So Julian by the Parthian War And Charles the Fifth by the Turks Inrode to Hungary Mr. Fox tells that one Justice Gilford going up stairs force Mrs. Roberts to Mass was then took by a fit of the Gout and so tortured he swore he would trouble her no more The Prophet is sent for by two Captains and their fifties but yet they miss their morsel Elisha at Dothan to be seized by a Band of Horsemen as 2 King 6.18 but is by Angels saved
once so I leave them now One Psalm more Psal 137.1 I cite a Prophesy of that Litteral and our Mistical Babilon Edom joyning in too See the Marginal Note to v. 1. Tho the Place was pleasant it could not stop tears Pareus Adv. p. 396. calls it Risus Sardinius Impius i.e. of an Herb that bit on kills one laughing Or as Aurum Tholossanum or wain from the true Service of God and tho in Exile mocks at their Songs were hard to bear that mirth was at Religion that is but Sardonian Laughter as one calls it and tho it be part of our Cross it will not lie on long The Sardi used to smile on him in quem malum intendebant that they envied so God's smiles serve the Wicked that make Jokes of Saints Losses To rob God's House as the Gold of Tholous one will not long be rich or merry by it One Complaint more to wave the Lamentation see in the Prophet Isaiah Isa 63.18 and 64.10.11 that almost 200 years afore laments by a Spirit of Prophesy the Miseries of that People when the Sanctuary lies desolate they have trodden down the Lords Sanctuary laid Zion and the Temple waste where the Fathers praised him Now tho these Complains were verified on the Temple by the Chaldeans and once more by the Romans and Pompey trod in the Holy Place not without sore terrour to him yet it extends to any times of After-violences on the Gospel-Worshippers and in the next Chapter v. 1. it had an Answer But on the whole to summe up this Argument what signifies Complaint if wholly fruitless or why made to God if he forget them or never means to afford Relief to them Why is he stiled Elshaddai El-elohim Jehovah Nissi Jehovah Jireh and the like but to signifie his Power to help and Will to hear are any empty Titles attributed to him as airy ones are oft unto men Job says Job 21.4 Is my Complaint to man If it was it had been lawfull but fruitless No q. d. 't is directed to God of good use and brings relief at present and after release as no greater yoak than that on the Conscience so no surer defence than is by him that is Lord thereof and over Worship I conclude with that of Daniel one that sensed the Ruines of Gods Matters deeply Dan. 9.17 and who doth more speaking of the Roman Force on that House He shall plant the Tabernacle of his Pallace between the Seas in the Mountain of Delights Oh sad where his Peoples delights were and God did delight once to dwell One concludes thus on 't Ch. 11.45 Huit in Loc. applies it to Turks p. 343. And it reaches to all Mahometans the Turk now the terrour of the World tho many run to him for a Refuge shall with all his Janisaries and Troops be but broken Reeds while he bears Arms against the People of God for he shall find one to encounter him to his smart for all his Rage who will make Jerusalem a Cup of trembling Zac. 12.3 and a burthensome Stone to all that come against her And this I add what he says of him is alike proper to all the Mounsiers hunting for the like Rapine The Crys and Tears of the Oppressed Jam. 5.4 ascends in the Ears of the Lord of Tsaboath and will in a while obtain a Michael Dan. 12.1 to defend them A fifth ground of Gods Defence rises out of the respect he shows to true Worshippers 'T is a singular favour when we seek God often to find him once but in him a far greater Condiscention to seek for us Joh. 4.24 And the Father seeks such to worship him saith Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. summo studio querere mirifice cupere He asks for desires cares to keep and highly esteems such nay challanges them Who will bring me such see if I keep them not What respect had God to Abel and his Gift too How tender was he of Enoch a Prophet So of Noah putting him in and filling the Ark with all Necessaries not for Food only but Sacrifice of which he offered when he came out a sweet Savour to God and God preserved him above a year to that end Thus Abraham is called out of Vrr where they worshipt Fire as God and after that first Call re-invites him to Moria to offer his Isaac and found his heart what he sought and made him faithfull calling him after his Friend Thus Jacob is called in a voluntary Exile to Bethel the Place of his first Affliction and Bethel was then Gen. 28. without doors I doubt is so still too much to it more than once was he as Seeker and Oh when will his now Race be called sought out God enquires after such in all Ages all Nations and finds them nay makes them Mal. 3.17 his Segulah Jewels or the peculiar Treasure communes Gen. 18. ult with them as with Intimates seeks out for Moses in Pharaoh's Court and Joseph in the Dungeon Psal 78.70 David in the Sheep-Penns accepts a Suckling of Samuel the heart being sincere yet rejects thousands of Sheep and Rams of Saul because reserv'd in a Rebellion to God Spies Joh. 1.47.48 Nathaniel perhaps praying under the Fig-Tree and commends his Integrity All he did in bounding Israels Lot for Habitation is said Deut. 32.8 that they might seek the Lord Act. 17.26 27. the whole Use and Service of the glorious Gospel is but Gods seeking out a People for his Name as James spake Act. 15.14 i.e. for invocating of it and Service to it I haste to summe up what more I might add God's Name i.e. his Worship is so dear to him that it is the first petition prescribed in the Lord's Prayer Hallowed be thy Name Mat. 6.9 i.e. says Bishop Vsher His Body p. 357. That his Word and Worship be duly Reverenc't and Sanctified And that he will be by or on all Liv. 10.3 that come nigh to him and it follows that thy Throne may be set up for pure Worship helps up Christs Kingdom and by it his Name is born up as Servants hold their Masters Train or Badges Now doth God seek for Glory in and reward all them that fear and adore his reverend Name and will he call them to his Worship and not defend them in and for it It would much degrade him below the Mighty Ones on Earth that scorn to set a man to do and not defend him in their Service or at least revenge the Prophanation of it It was an Insolency in Beltshazzar that became a Prophaner of Holy Vessels to carouse his Healths in Gods Sacred Cups Dan. 5.23 but it ended in an ill terrible Huzza A MENE TEKEL being then writ afore him on his Wall O sad that when men nay Kings have most need to prepare for their Exit and God is reading them an unseen doom on their unfortunate Walls then they should be inebriated and emasculated most in all Voluptuousness like a Drunken Knight to
Warfare See O you Females and follow the Patern of your Mother Sarah 1 Pet. 3.6 14. that was not afraid of any Amazement So after Fear not their Fear nor be afraid What Hurries are some of that Sex in now and how dishonourable to our Duty our God Gospel Hope and Christianity yea before the Adversary will it not reproach us The Coward had better stay away 4. Ministers are peculiarly forbid to fear for they work the Work of the Lord and Paul gives it in charge to Corinth 1 Cor. 16.10 as they being first concern'd that Timothy be with them without fear since without danger and opposition he could not be It means either 1. That he must be as in them lay secur'd by a prudent Care to prevent his Peril if that were possible yet that 's the least that is in it 2. That none ought among them to put him in fear by provoking the Lord to departure Or 3. and chiefly that his Faith and Courage was to rise as his Opposition did being at God's Work no Opposition was to dash him out of face The same Vigor was to be in him that Christ put in Paul Acts 18.9 by a Vision at the first planting of the Gospel there and having Christ's presence with him he was to admit no Argument Sign or Degree of sinful Fear since it was God's Work he had in hand Nil terribile nisi ipse timor Now here arises the honest Jealousy of my Soul as fearing our Policy outvies our Piety and Zeal for God and Truth And tho I grudg no Mans Escape from Treachery yet I commend the most noble and bold Witness in any tho I attain not to it my self O that I could Not to escape my self if the Master be in Jeopardy is to me pleasing Life and Livelihood are sweet and the Flesh is soon sensible of what gratifies it with ease but I cannot attain that not to accept a Deliverance Heb. 11.35 Had I but the clear view of Mr. Abr. Chear's better Resurrection then what Joy would a Prison or Death be for the Word and Soul's sake Says he p. 4. If Deliverance may not be had but on Terms dishonourable to the Lord now 't is a Snare to accept it is a Sin and a Blemish to Faith And after in a Letter for assembling in time of hazard he says p. 250. Where is the Lord God of Elijah I was refresh'd with Burroughs urging that of Luther I desire to be faithful If I cannot be a prudent Minister standing in the Gap is more dangerous than being behind the Hedg one may be more secure under the Wind But it 's best to be where God looks to find us and there may we hope to see him 5. Eye some Persons more set by Christ in the Front of this Battel than others While some of greatest note are laid in a Corner by Infirmities of Body Age or Spirit or some seeming Steps of Decay in wonted Zeal or ' cause their Parts might cloud his Glory or else the Brunt of the Battel or the Heat of the Sun has beat hardest as on Jonah's Head and caused them to flie to some empty withering Gourd for a Shelter Or whatever 't is these at present retire In the mean while Christ prudently culls out it may be some mean little-notic'd poor and young David some from the Flocks or so to confound the wise learned Doctors and mighty And these weak Worms lie at the Root of the old Oak of Bashan and gnaw out its Life as once the Mice raised the Persian Siege by cating of their Bow-strings And all to teach us that are of note and were in Christ before Rom. 16.7 to stir up our Gift and Grace that it die not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.6 as the Priests did the holy Fire that was on God's Altar O ye Fathers and Brethren how should you cry as Aphraates for the scatter'd Flock that bleat in the Desert for Solitude while you silence your Gifts and offend Christ's little Ones by your turnings to an Harlot's House and consulting Flesh and Self in your Latitudes 6. To cure Fear in our Duty see the Example of the Lord's People here at Mizpeh Had the Prophet been like us he had neither pray'd for them nor atoned by the Sucking-Lamb but left them to a Flight or Captivity to the rude Army of the Philistines but now doing his Duty God honours it him and them with both a Defence and Defeat of the Enemy The like is in Ezra Ezra 3.3 They set up the Altar for Fear was on them for the People of those Countries that is lest they should surprize them ere they had done their Duty to God first So Jackson in loc And it was without doors the House not yet founded only they had the old Basis to set it on Sight of Danger edg'd their Sense of Duty As Caius Fabius that brake through an Host to offer an Yearly Sacrifice satis sperans propitios fore Deos quorum cultum c. hoping the Gods would be propitious whose Worship the Fear of even Death could not prohibit or intermit And shall a Heathens Zeal exceed the Christians to a true God and his pure Worship 7. Consider of what or whom are you afraid What a Prison That 's not so bad as the Fear is And why The Comforts preponderate the Cross David and you should join to one Petition Psal 142.7 i.e. Bring my Soul out of Prison That 's a far worse Prison To be under fear to a Worm that 's sad I knew a good Woman in fear of Spiders that shut her Eyes Years together Art afraid of a venemous Spider set the Foot of Faith on it and crush it Who art thou said God to fear a Man that shall die Isa 51.12 Who indeed Sure not a Saint what shall I call thee My Righteous are as bold as a Lion Prov. 28. 1. Dost ' call me a God Is not Man a Worm and shortly to die and then where is he And for thee to fear him how unreasonable is it Alas he 's but a smoaking Brand Isa 7.2 4. Are there two of them what of that Both shortly shall be extinct tho confederate together See how God allays the needless Fear of his in a like time The Atheist says Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor Fear first made Gods in the Earth But the true God was before them and thy Fear makes more Gods and so adorest them of thy own creating Let me predicate In a little while none shall cause Terror the terrible one comes to nought the Scorner ceases and God will cause his Terror on them Ezek. 32. ult Isa 16.4 Then no Feller Isa 14.8 nor Treader nor Milker as the Hebrew stiles Oppressors shall be on Earth no Name or Place Son or Nephew left Psal 37.8 I Confess some Men make themselves sore Terrors to others yet see the Case as 't is and put it at worst Why should Christians fear
nor crushes them under foot Psal 69.33 Lam. 3.34 2 King 25.27 Psal 105.20 Eccl. 4.14 loves to lift up their heads above others to Glory as Joseph Jehojachin c. after many years So Solomon says out of Prison that poor wise Child comes to reign him he prefers to an old foolish King past Admonition This a Dr. coments on Dr. Jermin in locum p. 120. One foolish deserves nor Honour nor Authority he is the Devils Vassal this he calls The height of Folly the shame of Honour the poor wise child is afore such And he cites a Queen of Italy that joyned her Brother to her in Council so writes to the Senate of Rome Omnia cum concilio nos diligimus ordinare We love to do all with Council nothing worthy of Reproof A Caution for inadvertent Kings But there he notes that as Joseph was some may be set on the Throne they Thrown from their wicked Command the lowest part of the Wheel may soon rowl it self upmost 6. Mourners are under the Wing of God's defence and blessed for Comfort follows Mat. 6.4 Especially mixt with Prayer This moist Seed-time foretells a blessed Harvest and promotes it Psal 126.5.6 O ye Mourners see three Scriptures and lay them up and hear for time to come He will restore Comfort to him and his Mourners Isai 57.18 The second in Job They that mourn shall be exalted to Safety Job 5.11.16 The third that of the Prophet the best sort of mourning i.e. for the Solemn Assembly for its dispersion and reproach Zeph. 3.18 To them is a Promise of gathering again and so as none shall be lacking any more Jer. 23.4 and none to make them afraid Ezek. 34.28 all the evil Beasts gone It was a strange passage after Prayer of one Saba in Julian's closing Tyranny who surprised with a sudden joy was ask't the Cause of it and answered Euseb p. 169. Suem aggrestem vastatorem vineae domini paenas exoluisse erga dominum injuriarum nunc jacere mortuum nec amplius ob ejus Insidiis metuendum esse c. 24. That Wild Boar the Waster of God's Vineyard now withered and lay dead and none of all his Crafts were now to be feared Upon which they were glad and sung a Song of Thanksgiving and so it fell out by the message of his death told after that very hour the old Man prayed he dyed though his Host was a great distance thence so glad Julian's Fall made the Christians 7th God's Defence is peculiar to Witnesses that stand in defence for him and his Gospel or any sacred Matters relating to Worship If they dye in their duty as Zachariah did Vengeance defends in a post facto way both their Witness and wrong but usually their Safety is the work of Divine Wisdom and Power Moses is hid not when Infant only but grown 40 years together in Madian yet at last God calls him out to litigate with Pharaoh and lead Israel out Acts 7.23 24 25. So Jeremiah and Baruch the Lord hid them Jer. 26.36 A dear Mother from her death bed sent me many years ago this Legacy out of Jeremiah ch 1.18.19 c. 15.20 21. prized above the Gold of Ophir and not only for the truth of it made good in many perils since but for the nature of it being a Scripture Prophesy and in the sense of a Promise pertinent to all true Gospel-Levites in the same Faith and Faithfulness with those two last named I cite this to support all the truly separated Gospel Levites as being by Prophesy Isai 66.21 took from among the Gentiles not so much for Office as for use and do here bequeath a Donative sweeter and richer than a Diadem to them and preferrable to that of Peter to Rodolphus Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodolpho What Moses gave to Levi of old that I wish to all the Lords sincere Witnesses DEUT. 33.11 Bless Lord his Substance Poor and Low His handy work accept and prize Smite through their Loyns that hate him so As they no more may ' gainst him rise Such are the Subjects of Gods Defence 2dly The Springs whence cool Refreshings flow out are various the deeper you search and dig for them the sweeter are they Now all that God is says and does are for us especially his Properties and Titles his Promises and Word his Providential Works 1. His Properties glorious Titles are attributed to him none of all which are empty all subserve the good and safety of his Zion As a Preface to this in one Psalm Psal 48.12.13 Zion is called to joy and all are bid to rejoyce marking her Bullwarks her Towers and her Pallaces three terms illustrating her Dignity and Defence The 1st is Pallaces the Receptacles for great Princes Courts and their Reteiners The 2d Towers made to give annoyance to any that assault or besiege 3dly Bulwarks to receive all the Shot and violent Batteries that her Fort is stormed with by them without All invite us to walk the rounds view her Strength and Defence to tell it to all future Ages that though Zion mount topically considered is dismantled left and delete yet tropically and typically view'd 't is found again Heb. 12.22 And we come to it and on it Christ will ere long stand in head of a Palm-bearing number Rev. 14.1 ch 7.9 He and they both invincible i.e. Victorious for crescit sub pondere palma For as his Fort is there so his Pallaces are too and in them he dwells and will for ever Now all the devout Worshippers and Visiters of this Court may know their strength lies in her Defence and that others may see the Folly of all Assaults and so forbear let it be a little surveyed in her Impregnable Fortifications As now it is said The Name of the Lord i.e. The Lord himself is a strong Tower the Righteous fly or run to it and are safe or set on high Prov. 18.10 His Wisdom Goodness Power Providence are all for our defence in all our perils for God as one notes on that place His Wisdom contrives ways defensive Jer. Dyke in Locum p. 2. 3. or offensive Goodness moves him to take on Relation and be concerned in our Hazard his Power steps betwixt us and the Danger to oppose the Injury designed against us and Providence is a quick Executor of the whole and oft a retorter of the Mischiefs on our Foes 1. Wisdom contrives ways and apt means applyes them in the fittest time lyes ambush against his Enemies foresees the design as Haman's Plot let 's all run to a day and then surprizes them with some Frustration 2. Power is all sufficient to corroborate the Mind to arm Faith with Courage and takes hold of Shield Spear and Buckler Psal 35.2 3. and stops in the full Cariere or causes the Ass to dash the Masters foot to the Wall as Balaam that madds the Rider more Now in rushing times when the Waves are swelling yet the Lord is more mighty than