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
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
linger in Babylon even at or upon her Fall approaching Lot's hovering in Sodom Gen. 19.12 15 16 17. was a Type of this Two Angels bid him and his go out tell him the Place was to be destroy'd call on him to hasten and at last must pull him out by the hand and bid him flee for 's Life and all but enough to save him We have had two Angels so calling us The first Episcopal Bishop Hall's No Peace with Rome p. 631. § 22. I know not says he how the House can ever be repaired it must be quite pull'd down The second Angel took up the Cry where they left off and by the ablest Pens and Pulpits made it loud and audible in which I could cite many of the most learned and pious Yet instead of obeying lo the Cry is Let us make us a Captain to return to Egypt Numb 14.4 And how far this may obtain God knows and the seeing Eye may affect the Heart And some say plainly As only the Oil of Scorpions cures the Scorpion's Bite so Popery must cure our Catholick Eyes that will not see 't till it comes H. Burton of the two last Trumpets cites Mr. Throckmorton's Prophecy p. 84. 2. My second Note is That God's Call is very cogent out of Babel-Rome yea he will have us out or he 'll pull till the Arm and Shoulders crack for 't and if yet we will stay see the Evils it will tend to In Two Motives A Participation 1. In her Sin A Participation 2. In her Plagues 1. To evite her Sin we are all call'd and warn'd out to avoid her Guilt Some Sins she has in common with others some are peculiar to her above others as Idolatry Superstition Heresy and Persecution for Religion and Conscience These are bred with her and fed up among all her Daughters who learn of the old Harlot to be and do like her Ezek 23.13 Now all that retain or return in to her are Partakers in those Sins and that does God forbid especially to Ministers 1 Tim. 5.23 and next to all others Are we not bid to come out and depart 2 Cor. 6.17 and have we not Sins personal sufficient to sink us or to act all the Repentance we can attain but we must contract Guilt by participation with others O how will you answer your Judg at the last Day to pull on your own Souls the Guilt of all the Blood of holy Martyrs spilt by the Papal Hierarchy in the Marian Days and their Successors in the same Spirit When alas it rather calls on you and us all to set Days apart to atone it which yet never was done Wherefore it makes me fear a Relapse to Popery that all may be discounted at once for And any that consult Jo. Squire of Shoreditch on 2 Thess 2. p. 626. or Dr. T. Taylor 's Christ's Victory over the Dragon p. 741 cum sequent may see cause to increase that Jealousy The first in these Words as Augustine to Africa so he to England Multis vapulet we know his Will and do it not and shall be beat with many Stripes and the Pope shall gather the Rod. It may verify Campian's Exprobration The English love Preaching not the Preachers Or that of Pererius to England Veniet tandem iniquitatis complementum that is England's Sin at last comes to a fulness The latter grave Doctor has this fatal Simily As the Moon suffers no Eclipse but at Full when farthest distant from the Sun so the Church in the Fulness of Prosperity has now the greatest Eclipse being farthest off the Sun O Church of England see to 't now in thy fulness of Establishment thy Distance from Christ cause not thy Eclipse by Popery Now Ministers make way for Antichrist as being opibus potentiâ major virtutibus verò pietate minor Tho you be greater in Wealth and Power yet less in Piety and Vertue Jerome in Vita Mal. p. 740. 2. All that dare share in her Sin look assuredly to partake of her Plagues Death is in the Pot taste not the Broth or the Flesh Mourning follows that Knox refused to take a Bishoprick ' cause it had aliquid commune cum Antichristo somewhat of Antichrist Can a severer Threat be read If any do worship the Beast or his Image or take his Mark in the Forehead or Right-hand he shall be tormented with Fire and Sulphur before the Lord and the Lamb. Rev. 14.10 That Fire they gave us shall return hotter No Papist can go beyond a Reprobate says Perkins This Text adds one Word sharper without mixture i.e. of Lenity or Mercy yet it 's fully mix'd with all that Guilt or Wrath can inflict I conclude this Dissuasive from a slavish deserting pure Worship for Antichristian Apostacy as Edw. Bagshaw does his Book with part of that pious learned Bishop Vsher's Catechism p. 441. where Antichrist is so defin'd as one that under a colour of being for Christ as his Vicegerent opposes himself to Christ in all his Offices and bearing Authority in Church and Commonwealth a Mother of Fornications to Kings and People one that causes many to sin by Laws that are advisedly made that allows incestuous Marriages and to break Faith and Leagues c. and for use of it says All that partake of Rome's Sin are under her Curse and so all ought to hate her So infers that no Reconcillation can be had with Rome nor can we communicate with them unless we share in their Destruction for Popery destroys the Vitals of Religion So he concludes ibid. p. 442. those that are off it should free themselves of the Remnants of Popery lest God in Judgment bring the whole on them again So is the third Caution Now one more I will add Fourthly and lastly Beware of provoking your Shield of Defence to call off his glorious Covert and leave you as Aaron made the People Exod. 32.25 naked and open to every Lash of the Tongue or Pen or to all the Feet of Beasts to tear and tread and to every Storm of God's Fury and Vengeance that may fall for if you provoke your Defence where will you flie to hide Ahab did so and in Battel tho well arm'd an Arrow drawn at a venture pierc'd him betwixt the Joints of the Harness 1 Kings 22.34 and so verifies through his Wilfulness the Prophet's Word he hated he justly died in War that hated Micaiah a Son of Peace If the Lord be provoked to grub up the Hedge of Providence and Restraint and dig down the Wall of Protection about his Vineyard Isa 5.6 the Entrance of the Boar and Fox is easy And then the Lord being gone he and the Enemy answer both roughly The one says God has forsaken him Psal 71.11 persecute and take him or them now and if we cry to God he says Go to your Gods I 'll deliver you no more Judg. 10.13 What provokes to such a Withdraw I answer briefly 1. Unfruitfulness does it The Lord served that first
Vineyard so that instead of Grapes that he looked for it yielded wild and sowre ones that he looked not for and so it was trod down and eaten up Isa 5.5 7. Ezek. 15.2 7. And when the Master came lo he 's served so and worse they kill'd him Mat. 21.41 43. and that Gospel Tenure was let out to us And if the Kingdom of God be again took from us the same Case that was theirs may be also ours 2. Formality does it A luke warm Profession is next to none and as ungrateful and nauseous as the Water that is tepid to God's Stomach and to be cast up in any Corner out of Sight and if it be set aside afterward is coldest Rev. 3.1 2 15 16. A Name to live is hateful to Christ Life being absent the Carcase without the Soul of Religion is good for nothing save for the Roman Eagles and Vultures to pick. They say Ravens have a Charter about London not to be shot at that so all the Carcases may be spent I wish some Roman Crows had not God's Commission and Mens Protection allow'd because our Formality is infectious to the Air of God's Worship and smells so ill with God 3. Hatred to the Power of Godliness and intestine Enmity to the Professors thereof Many a Pulpit is fill'd with this Drivel Luther's Prayer had need be said by us A Pastore glorioso c. From a vain-glorious contentious scornful scurrilous jerking envious Ministry Libera nos Domine You would have Dissenters conform and too many do but what Welcom give you them that come Griping Satyrs Jerks and Jeers bitter Reflections as Salt to rub their Eyes with Some come you say to save their Souls others to save their Bacon or Estates Is it civil to invite to a Feast and cut or pierce with the Spit Which one of yours so describes in a few Verses thus Mr. L. Gr. We 're burthen'd with our old Sir Johns That feed us not with Bread but Stones That cant an Homily or two That Daws and Parrots learnt may do That only prove themselves devout By this that Cromwel turn'd them out This tender Conscience disapproves That Ravens should return with Doves And croak in Pulpits yet to bring More Wrath both on our Church and King So he and to avoid this let that be the Prayer of any that love Sacred Fire as was of a witty Lad in Cambridge upon a Fire in the Colledge by a Snuff From Snuffs in the Quire Vnhallowed Fire From Candle-Ends and seeming Friends Libera nos Domine Other Cautions might be urged and Causes of God's wrath indigitate to clear this last but things multiply in the breaking In a word if the Lord depart upon the provocation of profest Sons and Daughters Deut. 32.19 it may afflict some of the best first and cause them to lament after the Lord but they being hid in the day of the Lords wrath as his promise is Zeph. 2.3 you that feared it least shall at last feel it most when you would gladly call for a Prayer as Pharaoh of Moses Exod. 9.28 Or as Jeroboam the King of Israel did of the Man of God from Judah 1 King 13.6 Or as Simon Magus of Peter Act. 8.24 c. to avert that Wo threatned on him and all in vain for 't is hard to avert wrath threatned far harder to aleviate it inflicted but to bear it when settled impossible And no one thing more affects the Lord than the purity of his Worship or more afflicts him on the contrary than to see it profaned or persecuted Some advice positive may conclude this Now for affirmative Advice in two or three words 1. If God defends his own Service and Servants how should we pray for rest on and bless his Name for it Of these each a little 1. Pray for it God will be sought unto even for that he is resolved to give Ezek. 39. v. 37. Promises are so far from releasing Prayer that they rather oblige and incourage to it though the matter be sure and time set yet it is good to gain assurance that is by Prayer the first four Commands respect God's Worship for Object Mediums Manner and Time and the first Petition our Lord calls us to make Mat. 6. looks directly at Worship what we ought to pray for we are also to endeavour in the Act God wills his Sons Kingdom surely and up it shall that his Will may be done on Earth as 't is by Angels in Heaven yet are we to pray that Kingdom may come Now here rises a Question God is a defence to us are we to rest in Prayer or is ought incumbent on us to defend for and with God respecting Worship I confess 't is a close and critical point and to answer right is to split an hair the Dilemma is cornuted if God defends what need we do it or if we do it how is it ascribed to the Lord of Hosts For answer then 't is a case oft useful seldom toucht and perillous to ventilate dangers lye on both hands I must sail betwixt Scylla and Charybdis to do it well I only dare to essay 1st In general The end and means concur the first Agent and the under Instrument the first doth not seclude or preoccupate the latter though God doth save us yet he bids us save our selves from an outward Generation Acts 2.40 He delivers Zion yet bids Deliver thy self O Zion that dwells with the Daughter of Babylon Zach. 2.7 The Lord had might sufficient to conquer Jabin by one Angel yet curses Meroz that helpt him not against the Mighty Judg. 5.23 2dly I say Time and Judgment belong to each Work as Solomon says Eccl. 8.6 and because of that so few knowing the Time and God's Way but Judging by Successes in a post facto way which is an unsure Rule the Misery of Man is great on the Earth 3dly An Offensive War duly stated is not our Question but about the Defensive and the Qualifications for it our Writers give A good Cause right Call and lawful Authority are to concenter in it Extraordinary Calls lye not in our Case or Reach to Judge of and on the defensive part God was now the Philistims were the Aggressors first though I grant Israel had also sinned 4. To the thing I only say it is good to be on God's part he is defensive on his Israel's account are they to stand as sottish stocks and neither use hand nor reason to secure Religion and Peace Perkins on Heb. 11.32.33 notes that a lawful War is very consistent with the Faith of the Gospel and if so who will deny Princes a power of self defence it is innately planted in the very order and form of nature the frame of Civil Government and all humane Constitutions and Bodies Politick the Title given to our Monarchs of Defender of the Faith when it answers the thing who dares question Tho one would grudge it should derive from or terminate in a Romish Faith