to 16. 2. For the Israel of God 17. to the end The title of the first part is my text Thus saith the Lord concerning Edom. Consider here 1. The subject of the prophecie Edom. 2. The authour of it Diciâ— Dominus Thus saith Lord. 1. Of the subject Edom. Isaac had two sons by Rebâ—â—â—a Esaw and Jacob. Esau was called Edom the reason of that name is thus given Jacob had made red pottage and when Esaw came from the field hungry and faint he said to his brother Jacob Feed me 〈◊〉 pray thee with that red with that red pottage Gen. 25.30 for I am faint Therefore was his name called Edom because he so affected that red colour being himself also red and very hairy This name doth maintain the memory of a quarrell for he bought that red pottage dear enough with the sale of his birth-right Esau and Jacob are a figure of the Church of God and the Synagogue of Sathan for they strove in the womb of their mother so that Rebeeca wondered at it saying v. 12. If it be so why aâ—â— I thus The blessing how soever usurped by â—sau be longeth to Jacob and when Jacob hath his right Esau is angry From this naturall Antipathy between these two brethren and the grudge that the elder should serve the younger From the sentence of this difference which was I have loved Jacob and I have hated Esau there was ever mutuall war and hatred between Israel and Edom in their succeeding posterities for the posterity of Esau did encrease both in number and wealth and grew both many and strong Thus doth the world gather riches and strength and armeth it self against the Church of God and therefore the Church is called Militant Concerning Edom is this part of the Prophecie declaring both Gods quarrell against them and his judgement threatened We may take notice here of one point by the way Edom is a mighty people a strong and rich nation able to molest the Lords Israel that God from heaven undertaketh the quarrell of his Church Do you not see that they whom God hates may have riches and honour and strength and may encrease and grow into multitudes how cometh it then to passe that so many in the world do measure the love and favour of God by these outward things as one flattered his Prince O nimium dilecte deo tibi militat aether What though their oxen be strong to labour what though their sheep bring forth thousands and though they have the fruits of the womb of the herb and purchase lands donec non siâ— locus till there be no room what though they have power and high places all this had Edom whom God hated and doth not our Saviour make it an hard thing for the rich to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Outward things are the gifts of God and he doth not value them at so high a rate as we do He doth not care if his enemies have them His own Son when he took upon him our flesh had none of them more then for necessity and his Apostle perswadeth us if we have food and raiment to be therewith content For there be snares in these outward things and if God give not a blessing with them they be the rods of God to scourge the sons of men and great impediments to godly life There is an Holy use may be made of them but they are not our happinesse seeing they whom God hateth may have them in a greater abundance then those whom God loveth best 2. The authour of the Prophecie Thus saith the Lord. This is the assurance of the truth of all that followeth in this Prophecie and it is the ground of our faith to beleeve what is here revealed it is no passionate motion in the heart and affections of the Prophet against Edom but it is the word of the Lord. These be the bounds that are set to the Prophets and Holy ministers of the Lord we may go no further then the word of the Lord. Christ himself saith often The word which thou gavest me I gave them And Balaam did his office and calling right when he told the king of Moab Lo I am come unto thee Num. 22. v. 38. have I any power to say any thing the word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord hath put in my mouth 23 12. All that the Lord speaketh that must I do v. 26. Cap. 24.12 And Balaam said unto Balak Spake I not to thy messengers saying If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine own minde but what the Lord saith that will I speak When God designed Jeremie to the office of a Prophet who did fear to undertake that great employment God said to him Say not I am a childe Jer. 17. for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee and whatsoever I command thee shalt thou speak When our Saviour sent forth his disciples he so limited them Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 20.20 And accordingly Saint Paul doth professe First of all I delivered unto you 1 Cor. 15.3 that which I also received Thus doth the Apostle again professe being accused of the Jews I obtained help of God and continue unto this day Act. 26.22 Witnessing unto to small and great saying no other things then those which the prophets and Moses did say should come 1. This limitation we finde in the titles of our office for we are the Lords workmen and we must do his work not our own the Lords builders he provideth the materials we work not by great but day-work We are the Lords Messengers and Embassadors we may not digresse from our instructions the messenger of the Lord must speak the Lords message 2. This is necessary in respect of those to whom we are sent for the seeling of their faith so the Apostle hath declared it And my speech and my preaching was not in the entising words of mans wisdom 1 Cor. 2.4 but in the demonstration of the Spirit and power That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery There is nothing that giveth faith firm footing but the word of God That is the Lords fan which purgeth away the chaff and trash from the good corn That is the bread of our fathers house words of mens brains be the husks that the prodigall gathered up in his famine That is the two edged sword that divideth between the bone and the marrow that is the medicine that searcheth the soars and diseases of the inward man Humane wisdom put into the best words is but as a woodden dagger it may dry beat it will never kill the body of sin it
serve 1. To take downe the heart and to humble men under the mighty hand of God for the afflicted man cannot but like the Mariners in the Ship with Jonah being in a storme search for whose sake the storme ariseth When Manasseth was carried Captive into Babel and there put in chaines he soone found where the fault was and he fell to confession and prayers humiliavit se valde 2 Chro. 33.12 The Church of God under the crosse said Let us search and try our wayes and turne to the Lord. Lam. 3.4 In health liberty plenty ease we find something else to doe we have no leasure to search our wayes therefore God layeth his rod upon us and when the smart of affliction doth make us weary of the world and putteth us out of the way of our delights then we can consider and try our hearts within us and our wayes without us As Peter when he beginnes to sinke can cry for helpe and the Disciples in a storme will awake their Master The heart must be first broken and our stout stomack taken downe before we can enjoy the sweet fruits of liberty Behold his soule which is lifted up is not upright in him Hab. 2.4 Proud persons have crooked soules they do not look up but like the woman that had the spirit of Infirmity they are bent to the earth to see how many they can overtake But sicknesse disgrace imprisonment will make our Buls of Bashan as tame as Lambs and then a poore mans tale may be heard We have seene examples of great fals in our time and in them that stand now and looke up where they did sit it is as easie a matter to behold as great a change of their hearts as of their fortunes Truly so do men rise or fall indeed as their heart riseth or falleth for an humble man keeps the same posture alwayes he knowes how to abound and how to want and no prosperity can soare him up higher no adversity can cast him lower then his pitch for his heart is not exalted 2. Afflictions do serve to breed in us a conscience and feare of sinne when we see what smart it bringeth as here it turned Israel out of house and home it fired their City and their holy Temple and carried them away Captives to a strange land and fed them with the bitter bread of Banishmentâ— it filled their soules with the despite of the wicked and the reproach of the proud This affliction saith unto them Sin no more lest some worse thing fall upon thee But who makes that use of sicknesse imprisonment disgrace to cast it upon the merit of his sin that maketh the hand of God so heavie upon us and that returneth judgement so often to us But here Israel is brought to holinesse by it and let us mistrust our selves that we stand not in a state of grace with God except our affliction do mend us and bring us to repentance of our sins and to holinesse of life 3. Afflictions do bring us to an awe and reverence of the worship of God for they do declare God to be just and not to be dallied with he is whetting his sword whilest we are in our sinnes he is bending his bow and preparing instruments of vengeance he is still turning over the Book of remembrance wherein all our sinnes are recorded and perusing the Inventory of his graces which we have received in vaine and of his gifts which we have abused of his Talents which we have misimployed teaching us to feare him and to seare all our wayes before him So David will be wiser hereafter Against thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight These three humility conscience of sinne and of the Majesty of God will bring us to holinesse of life which is the way of peace and it is good for Israel to be afflicted to come to his 2 The Church here was the better for this affliction that they sustained even in their temporall estate 1. In the restitution of their possessions for it is a rule of truth though it shew a very great imperfection in our judgement as great corrupion in our affections Carendo magis quam fruendo by waiting rather then by enjoying we come to know the true worth of Gods savours And that carendo by wanting not so much in an ante-want as in a post-want In an Ante-want when we rise from poverty to wealth from basenesse to honour from labour to ease commonly as our good so our bloud ariseth and it is a great grace of God if the rising of our fortunes be not the sinking and falling of our faith and obedience to God For many in low estate have been humble whose pride in high estate have been importable many in poverty have had tender hearts who in wealth have turned great oppressours of their brethren and many in labour have been content with a little who in ease have growne resty and idle But in a post-want when men fall from wealth to poverty from honour to the dust from ease to labour then they can look back and recompt the sweetnesse of these outward favours Holy Iob hath two whole Chapters In one he confesseth his former estate the fulnesse and the power and the ease and the glory thereof he beginnes it with an optative O that I were as in monthes past as in the dayes when God preserved me Job 29. When his candle shined upon my head when by his light I walked through darknes as I was in the dayes of my youth Few of us in health do feel the favour of God to us therein few in wealth do taste the sweetnesse of Gods open and giving hand few content with their portion But in sicknesse every little mittigation of our paine is sweet and we are ready to fall on our knees before God to thanke him for it In poverty every almes given to us thankfully received and then if we were as in monthes past how much better would we use wealth For Job in the next Chapter doth feel the change and findeth bitternesse in it Job 30. and he endeth that Chapter My harpe is turned into mourning and my Organs into the voice of them that weed Therefore when we once come to want that which we formerly have possest we whose ambitious desires gave us no rest either to be thankfull for that we had or content with it would desire no more then to be as in some monthes before that God would but light that candle againe and restore us to what we have lost As in the spirituall state of the soule David that neglected the day of his salvation which God gave him before his fall and sold it for a little carnall pleasure when he came againe to himselfe he only prayes Restore to me the joy of thy Salvation Hos 2.7 And the Church revolting from God remembreth her selfe and saith I will go and returne to my first husband for
judge the world The parts of the Textare three 1. A gracious promise to Mount Sion concerning it selfe Servatores Saviours 2. A further promise concerning their enemies Iudicabunt Montem Esau shall judge the Mount of Esau 3. The issue and effect of both regnum erit Jehova the Kingdome shall be the Lords 1 Saviours shall come upon Mount Sion Doct. 1 This gracious promise revealeth to us a comfortable and cheerfull doctrine that God howsoever he punisheth yet he still loveth his people Which is thus proved Reason 1 1. Because God doth not look downwards upon his people to see what they do deserve but he looketh upward to the decree of his owne Election and the councel of his will If God should look downwards toward men even to his Elect who could stand in his sight he looketh with pure eyes and he found imperfection in his Angels Moses hath cleared this point to this people of Israel For thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God Deut. 7.6.7 8. the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a speciall people to himselfe above all people that are upon the face of the earth The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chose you because you were more in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all the people but because the Lord loved you From this fountain of his love did flow all those streames that made glad the City of the great King as Albeit they were few in number yea very few and strangers in the Land and walked about from Nation to Nation Psa 105.12 from one Kingdome to another people Yet suffered he no man to do them harme but reproved even Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets nâ— hor me Therefore let all afflicted consciences which are overcharged with the burthen of their sins Look up to thâ—se hills from whence their helpe cometh Let them 〈◊〉 Christ biddeth Lift up their heads Let them chide themselves as David did Why are thou cast downe O my soule the remedy is hope in God Psa 43.5 he is the health of my countenance and my God Faith and Feare worke together Faith doth take up the decree of Election and the just is bold as a Lyon Feare looketh down upon the corruptions of nature and propension to sin and trembleth under the mighty hand of God and the more we feare the faster hold we lay and the surer we tread on the steps of that ladder by which we scale heaven Thereupon doth the Apostle give this precept Make your Calling and Election sure that is having a strong faith of these and then the many failings in your obedience your lapses and relapses into sin may breed your grief they cannot bring forth despaire Reason 2 2. The decree of God is a secret and peradventure Satan will suggest that thou art not within this decree Therefore God hath revealed his decree to his Church and sealed it with gracious promises for so Moses saith to Israel Because he would keep the word which he had sworne unto your Fathers Deut. 7.8 This Oath as we doe learne from old Zachary in his Bendictuâ— hath two branches One concerning God Another concerning his people The Oath which he swore to our father Abraham that he would give unto us Luk. 1 73 that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare c. 1. God bindeth himselfe by his Oath to deliver his Church from their enemies 2. The same Oath bindeth him to the procuration of his owne service for us for onely he must grant ut serviamus that we may serve by him we are liberati delivered for we cannot thinke a good thought without him In him we live and move and Christ saith Sine me nihil potestis facere without me you can do nothing This promise of God to his Church he hath sealed by giving to us the spirit of promise which spirit he hath dedosited in his Church to abide with it for ever and he hath given to all the Elect of God his Spirit the earnest of his Covenant this spirit serveth for a light in us to discerne our salvation afar off For a witnesse to testifie to our spirits that we are the sons of God And God is faithfull he will not suffer his truth to faile This also doth settle the faith of the Elect in all the tribulations of life I am the sonne or daughter of God I know it by the spirit which he hath given me which leadeth my understanding into the way of truth which converteth my affections and frameth them to his love which directeth my ways and ordereth them to his obedience this spirit doth teach me to lay hold on the promises of grace and to challenge my part in them these promises do lift me up as high as to the decree of my Election and therefore I will not feare David goeth farther I am thine O save me for the interest that we have in the love of God doth send us to him for salvation Doct. 2 2. Though God love his people and have all power in his hand to save them yet he doth use meanes and raiseth up out of themselves Saviours The providence of God worketh by meanes even from amongst our selves to effect our preservation 1. Because his immediate operations are full of terrour and therefore we cannot so well endure them therefore the people prayed Moses to speak to them and desired that God might speak no more to them The Angell that brought word to Mary that she should conceive a Sonne by the Holy Ghost began his Message with Feare not The Angel that proclaimed the birth of Christ to the Shepherds said to them Feare not We have so much cause to feare in respect of our own unworthinesse that if God did not abate somewhat of the splendour of his glorious Majesty by the employment of means familiar to us we could not abide it 2. God using weake meanes to effect his will doth magnifie his owne strength For his strength is made perfect through weaknesse Whereby we are taught 1. To content our selves with the meanes in the wisdome of God ordained for our preservation not expecting miraculous and extraordinary subventions The rich mans brethren shall not have a Preacher come to them from the dead Luk. 16.27 c. to give them warning that they come not to that place of torment where their brother is They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them God that sent his spirit on the Apostles could have done so upon the whole Church and when the Eunuch was reading Isaiah in his Chariot he could have opened his understanding to have known what he had read but he chose rather to use the Ministry of an Apostle and therefore he command Philip to joyn himselfe to that Chariot and by him he taught and baptized the Eunuch So was Cornelius directed to Peter
That as there is authoritas Scripturae the authority of Scripture which is the ground of faith so there must be testimoniuâ—â— Ecclesiae the witnesse of the Church as Vincent Lirinensis well adviseth Cap. 2. Quia Scripturam Sacram non uno eodumque sensu universi accepterunt And in this case not having Antiquitatem ministrantem universall consent and we are put to it to search out what the most learned most sincere Divines in all ages have taught concerning this point here there is a necessity of consulting and declaring the constant judgement of the Church for the Testimony to the Truth 2. In all points of doctrine it giveth a great assurance to our hearers of our faithfulnesse if we declare our selves to be such as feed our hearers with the same Bread of Life which our fathers before us did break to their children 3. Whereas it is surmised that these citations of fathers be but a pride of our feeding and a vain boast of our learning It were more charitable to think 1. That our humility is such that we are not ashamed to professe by whom we learn any thing 2. That we have so unworthy an opinion of our own judgements that we chuse rather to apply the learned judgements of those that have gone before us then our own And who can deny but that our Preaching out of them is with the warrant of our Text. Sic dicit Dominus Thus saith the Lord if the Lord spake by them to his Church For the use of Heathen writers I onely say with S. Aug. Omnis scientia in gâ—nere bonorum est In arundine sterili potest una pendere Truth is the language of God and if ignorant men wicked men Devils do speak truth we may quote and write them and we may say truly Sic dicit Dominus Thus saith the Lord. The prophecie of wicked Balaam and of Caiaphas was the word of the Lord and the confession of devils testifying of Christ is a good confession there is no wrong done to the word Qui non est contra me mecum est He that is not against me is with me 2. The hearers lesson You are all taught to receive this wholesome doctrine which the Minister preacheth from the mouth of the Lord. It is not you that speak saith Christ he that hath ears to hear must hear Quod Spiritus dicit what the spirit speaketh When we tell the house of Jacob of their sins this is the word of the Lord. When we say unto you going in an evil way as Lot to the Sodomites Do not so wickedly Do not say Duruâ— est hic sermo he rayled to day against swearing or against drunkennesse c. I will tell you how you shall receive both comfort and great profit by our Ministery and the word is given to profit withall Mich. 2.7 Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly recto judicio rectis moribus I will give you a fair example Israel said to Moses Go thou now neer Deu. 5 27.28 and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will hear it and do it God took it well and said to Moses I have heard the voice of this people they have well said all that they have spoken We must tell you that the Word of the Lord which he sendeth forth in our Ministery shall not return to him empty it shall finish the thing for which it was sent Therefore take you heed how you hear and consider what we say hide the Word that we Preach in your hearts that you sin not against God If we do our duty he that heareth us and receiveth us receiveth Jesus Christ that sent us and in these earthen vessels rich treasures are brought unto him He that refuseth us our Ministery refuseth him that sent us and the Word of the Lord which we bring to them will prove a rod correction to chastise them and although they feel not the pain presently it will be owing to them till affliction or Death assault them and then they will remember the Word of the Lord with much horrour Obadiah v. 1. We have heard a rumour from the Lord and an Embassadour is sent among the Heathen Arise ye and let us arise against her in battell We are now come to the Prophecie it self which holdeth to the end of the sixteenth verse The parts whereof are four 1. The judgement intended against Edom v. 1.2 2. All the hopes of Edom despaired v. 3.4.5.6.7.8.9 3. The cause provoking God to this severe processe against them v. 10.11.12.13.14 4. Gods revenge upon them v. 15.16 1. In the judgement intended observe 1. The discovery thereof 2. The effect of it 1. In the discovery observe 1. By whom it was discovered 2. How two wayes 1. By a rumour from the Lord. 2. By Embassadours 1. To whom this threatened judgement was discovered we have heard We that is the prophets of the Lord for although Obadiah writ this present Prophesie yet was not this judgement onely revealed to him but to many more of the Holy Prophets for so saith the Prophet Amos Surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secret to his servants the prophets not unto one onely but to more And so fully was this revealed to Jeremiah Amos 3.7 that he doth prophesie even in the same words against Edom but under the name of Bozrah which was the name of a Principall city in Edom as appeareth Gen 36.33 the words of the Prophecie are these I have sworn by my self saith the Lord that Bozrah shall become a desolation Jer. 49.13 a reproach a waste and a curse and all the cities thereof shall be perpetuall wastes I have heard a rumour from the Lord an Embassadour is sent to the Heathen saying Gather ye together and come against her c. The margents of the Bibles refer you to that place The Lord gave great charge to Israel concerning Edom Deut. 23.7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite for he is thy brother Yet because the Edomite was ever an enemy to Israel God revealed his judgement against them to many of his Prophets Balainâ— foretold their subjection to Israel And Edom shall be a possession Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies and Israel shall do valiantly Num 24.18.19 Out of Jacob shall be come that shall have Dominion and shall destroy him that remaineth of that city The Psalmist prayeth for their punishment Psa 137.7 Remember O Lord the children of Edom. It had not been lawfull for the Prophet to have provoked the justice of God against Edom unlesse God had revealed his purpose of judgement intended against them to him For Davids imprecations be all Prophecies The burden of Dumah that is of Idumaea Isa 21.11 He calleth unto me out of Seir Watchman what was in the night c.
If I have spoken evil Joh. 8.22.23 bear witnesse of the evil but if well why smitest thou me This then is spoken by our Saviour to forbid private revenge that no man should be the judge of his own wrong but should bear it with patience It is Saint Augustines answer Obedientia istanon in ostentatione corporis est sed in preparatione cordis And he saith Non maxillam tantum obtulit sed totum corpus dedit figendum cruci And he addeth Quanto melius et respondit vera placatus et ad perferenda graviora paratus est He could have withdrawn his cheek from the smiter Lam. 3 30 but he would fulfill the Prophecie He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him he is filled with reproaches Private revenge Christ forbiddeth us Christ did not take it against his adversary that smote him he reproved it in Peter he amended the maim that he made and healed his smiter But war is a publike revenge and the Magistrate beareth the sword to that purpose to execute revenge upon evil doers Vengeance is Gods and where he committeth the trust of execution thereof as he doth to the Magistrate there it is lawfull This cleareth many other like objections as that Qui gladio ferit Lam. 11. gladio peribit He that smiteth with the sword shall perish by the sword we must recompence to no man evil for evil For all this is meant of our revenge but the revenge of the Magistrate is the vengeance of God because he is Gods Minister Object 2 The prophet Isay foretold that in the time of the Gospel Isa 2.4 they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more Sol. These words bear three interpretations 1. That this was a signe of the coming of the Messias into the World he was born in a time of cessation from wars when the Romane Monarchy had leasure to leavie a taxation by the Poll so when David had rest then he thought of numbring his People 2. That this was fulfilled in the spirituall Peace and Unity of the Church collected now out of all nations of the World Iew and Gentile made one 3. That this is the proper effect of the Gospel where it was embraced faithfully to make Peace Under the name of Edom we may understand all the enemies of the Truth of God and Christian Religion such as are Schismaticks and Hereticks who understanding not the mystery of Godlinesse and Peace do set their wits against the Church to corrupt the Truth therein deposited and professed or to disturb the quiet professours thereof 1. Hereticks These are our brethren by outward profession 1. Heretiques calling themselves Christians but they see that we have gotten the birthright and the blessing from them and therefore they hate us and are comforted against us to destroy us The Church is Gods Israel the children of the Promise filij regni filij thalami filij lucis children of the kingdom of the Bridechamber and of the light The Embassadours that are sent to stir up to war against those be the Ministers of the Word of God for to this purpose we are sent forth to confirm the brethren against those to reconcile these to God And we are commanded to arise against these in battell The war and so the weapons with which we fight against these are not carnall but spirituall the clear light of the Gospel which is the power of God to salvation to them that beleeve and the Truth of God which is strong and prevaileth against them that beleeve not It is time for us to joyn together as one man in battell against these Especially the Papists whose Religion is ambition whose piety is worldly policy whose zeal is combustion whose faith is fury who hide the Word of Light in the darknesse of an unknown tongue to keep the people ignorant that they may not know Gods right hand from his left to emplunge them in the flames of their imagined Purgatory that they may be well paid to release them thence They mingle the sacrament of Baptisme with their own inventions which they make acquivalent in vertue to the power of Gods ordinance The mangle the sacrament of the Lords supper by robbing the people of one half thereof taking the cup from them They disable the sacrifice of Christs sufficient satisfaction for sin by addition of humane merits of erogation and super erogation They weaken the sole intercession of Christ by intrusion of more Mediatours Angels the Mother of our Lord and Saints They shorten the free and full grace of God which Christ himself from Heaven told Paul was sufficient by their lying doctrine of Free-will They flatter and abett some by their doctrine of indulgencies which attributeth to the Pope power of pardoning sins past and to come They dishonour the holy sufficient Word of God by acqui-ballancing with the same humane Traditions and false Legends They destroy true saving faith by their false doctrine of implicite faith teaching that is enough to beleeve as the Church beleeveth not declaring what the Church beleeveth and upon what ground their faith is built They maintain flat Idolatry by teaching the worshipping of Images and praying to Saints And for the power which they give to the Pope against God in dispensing with the breach of his Covenants in coining new Articles of faith in defining the interpretation of Scriptures in usurping authority over temporall Princes to enthrone and to dethrone at pleasure to arm their natural subjects against them to animate Incendiaries to abett treasons to blow up States All these things and many more call upon us take arms and joyn our strengths against this Edom this red and hairy and bloody enemy whose mercies are cruell The best weapon against this Kingdom of darknesse is the Light of Truth the more we carry this Light about us the more will the ignorant amongst them know how they are abused and mis-led For our war is spirituall not against their Persons but against their Heresies 2. Schismaticks These also call us brethren but they break the Unity and Uniformity of the Church All the children of Peace must arise against these in battel this also is a spirituall war and the sword of the spirit must be drawn and used against these to cut them off as Saint Paul wisheth I would they were cut off that trouble you Or if the Word of God cannot prevail with them to convert them to peace The discipline of the Church which Saint Paul calleth his rod must be used against them to cut them off from our congregations The Apostle calleth them Leaven and saith that a little leaven soureth the whole lump So do Schismaticks for a few of them do corrupt many and divert them from the congregations whereof they are members and distaste the established Ministery to them and set them in opposition to
words and thoughts and wayes and labour our sanctification and strive against sin we need not fear in the evil day holinesse is our dore mark and our forehead mark the destroying Angel shall passe over VERSE 9. And thy mighty men O Teman shall be dismayed to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter 5. Their last hope is in the strength of their own mighty men this is addressed to Teman Which word as it signifieth the coast to which the Idumaeans lay from Jerusalem i.e. the east so it is the name of one of the Nephews of Esau Gen. 36.11 whose posterity inhabited a part of Arabia called also by his name He was the eldest son of Eliphaz the eldest son of Esau and under his name here the whole Nation of the Idumaeans is threatned And as the hope the Idumaeans had in the wisdome of their wise men faileth them for they have trusted to false friends and all their providence for their safety miscarrieth So shall they fail in the hope that they have in their own strong men for they shall not be able to preserve them from a finall destruction even so great that every one of the mount of Esau shall be cut off by slaughter Excellently is their judgment set forth for their confederates shall turne perfidious to them abroad and their strong men at home shall be dismayed Two things make wars advantagable to a Common-wealth Consilium fortitudo counsel and strength in the former verse God befools their wisdome in this he enfeebles their strength The reason is he hath decreed that every one of the mount of Esau shall be destroyed And when God turneth enemy neither head nor hand neither wisdome nor force can resist him David and his sling shall discomfit Goliah and his armour his sword and spear and admired strength The two little flocks of Israel the great armies of the Aramites It is worth our noting that God working by means and directing our operations so even in this work of overthrow threatned to Edom doth destroy them by disabling to them all the meanes of their safety as before he turneth the hearts of their friends against them He destroyeth the wisdome of their wise men and now he takes away all heart and courage from their strong men To teach us that all the outward means of safety are not sufficient to keep us from ruine except the Lord be on our side Therefore we pray Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done And we acknowledge Thine is the Kingdome power and glory And this enforceth upon us the law of the first Table to have no other gods but one to give him outward worship to sanctifie his Sabbath not to abuse his name And this filleth us with faith saying Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem I beleeve in God c. For as David saith Domine quis similis tibi Lord who is like to thee There is no wisdome or strength not that which is in the god of this world the Prince that ruleth in the air but it is a beame of the heavenly light can God suffer any of his own gifts to be abused against him to turn edge and point against the author of them There is a time when God winketh at the outrage of the ungodly for the exercising of the patience of his servants but when he intendeth a cutting off by slaughter of his enemies in that day the Lord will be known to be God These things are written for our sakes for the enemies of our Church are here threatned to be cut off by slaughter even Antichrist the man of sin who sitteth in the place of God as God and is worshipped whom God shall scatter with the breath of his mouth that is by the power of his word preached and we have comfort against him that neither his wit nor his force shall prevaile against us We have two examples which I hope no time will ever forget to praise God for till the second coming of Jesus Christ The power of Antichrist was defeated in 88. when the Pope gave away the Kingdomes of England and Ireland to the King of Spaine who sent his Invincible Armado hither not as a Challenger but as a Conquerer to take possession of these Lands They had speciall revelations to assure their victory and the prayers of the Popish Church were all in armes against us But as it is in my text their mighty men were dismayed their strong Ships either sunk in the sea or well beaten or constrained to flie because God meant to cut them off by slaughter and the power of Spaine so weakned and the coffers of their treasure so emptied that nothing was more welcome to them then the newes of peace with England The wisdome of Rome had no better successe in the yeere 1605. for when some men of bloud the sons of Belial had layed a plot for the destruction of the whole Church and Common-wealth then in Parliament by powder We cannot deny but the Serpent put his best wits to the rack to stamp a devise with his own image and superscription never was there nequitia ingeniosior a more witty wickednesse then to bring so many precious lives to the mercie of one excutioner who had nothing to do but to put fire to the train Yet in the very act of preparation and the night before the intended execution God put fire to his own train layed for them and discovered things hidden in darknesse and cast them into the pit which he had digged for them and their wit and policie proved hanging and quartering to the conspirators and declared the Papist our secret enemies such whom we must carefully look to for if by strength or wit he can destroy the state of the Church and Common-wealth the mercies of his heart are so cruell that we can expect no favour That is now the cause why his Majesty intending a Parliament doth require so strict a survey of the land for the detection of all Popish Recusants as now is both by the Ecclesiasticall and Civill Magistrate urged For they have given us fair warning that if they can do any thing by wit or force they will abate nothing thereof to the prejudice of this Church But as the confounding of the wisdome of Edom and the disabling the strength of Edom did fore-run their fall so our faith is that Antichrist Gods enemy and ours hath now but a short time and every one of the mount of Esau of the City built upon the hills shall be cut off by slaughter The pride of their own hearts who think they have the keyes of heaven and of hell not only Peters keyes but Davids also who bear the world in hand that they can save or condemn shall deceive them The rock of their habitation shall prove to them like an undefenced City Their confederates and men of their peace that eat bread with them shall
in the last day do rejoyce against the world in the execution of Gods just judgement upon them for they are then entred into their masters joy and all teares are wiped from their eyes Thus then it is lawfull when God hath executed his judgement upon his enemies for all the friends of God to insult over them and to lift up their voice and hand against them for this is part of the punishment of Gods enemies they that despise me shall be despised This is the last perpetuall shame that shall evermore continue upon them the just reward of their bold presumption who durst advance themselves against God 2. We must consider the wicked as our enemies and this way we must be tender how we insult over them in this life because we do not know whether their destruction here be their full punishment or no. 1. Because God sometimes chasteneth with temporall judgements that he may forbeare eternall and sometimes he punisheth rather ad dignam emendationem then ad amandationem and by that temporall punishment doth as by some sharpe Physick restore them to health It is the voice of Gods Church Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy Micha 7 8 when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkenesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him 2 Because this opening of the mouth and insulting over the adversities of men is one of the practises of the ungodly they use as David saith to say Where is now their God So insolently did proud Senacherib insult over the Cities that he had subdued Where is the King of Hamath Isa 37.13 and of Arphad and the King of the City of Sepharvaim Heva and Iuah With them is the Chaire of the scornefull Rather should we commit our cause to God and comfort our selves in his justice and say no more when we suffer then the son of Jeboida sayd when Joash for getting his fathers love to him put him to death The Lord looke upon it and requite it 2 Chr. 24.22 And when we see that God hath executed his judgement on out behalfe let us give God the honour due unto his equall justice with joy therein Yet I love the example of Israel when in the cause of wrong done in Benjamin to the Levite in his Concubine they by Gods appointment destroyed the most of that Tribe when they had so done The people came to the House of God and ahode there till even befâ—re God and lift up their voices and wept sore Jud. 21.2 4. They are charged with cruelty of hands 1. Invasion of their Citie Ver. 13. Thou shouldest not have entred into the Gate of my people in the day of their calamity This Edom did to behold the calamity of Iacob not to helpe but as it after followeth to rob him for the Idumeans joyned with the Caldeans in the Invasion of the City and were as they and entred in by the gate with them It was a double calamity to Israel to behold their brother Edom Confederates with their enemies and Auxiliaries to them in their wars This bringeth Edom into the former charge of cruelty of combination and maketh them equally culpable with the Caldeans with whom they joyned in society of warre against Israel 2. Of direption of their goods Ver. 13. Neither shouldest thou have layed hand on their substance in the day of their calamity This chargeth them with Theft against that Commandement Thou shalt not steale For not only secret stealth is therein forbidden but all depraedation by violent and unjust war As a Pirat told Alexander I am accounted a Pirate because I robbe in a small Ship but thou because thou robbest in great Fleets art esteemed a great Captaine Thom. Aquinas Prohibentur nocumenta quae inferuntur factor and it extendeth saith Borhanus ad quam libet alienae rei usurpationem And therefore when a company of pilling and pirting offenders were carrying a Theise to the Gallowes Demosthenes said Parvum furem a majoribus duci the lesser Thiefe to be led by the greater This sin is so neer bordering upon the sinne of Murther as sometimes and even in this case in my Text it is both Theft and Murther too for to take away life is Murther and to take away the necessaries by which life is sustained is theft and murther too and therefore the Apocryphall Author of the Booke called Ecclesiasticus avoucheth a Canonicall truth saying He that taketh away his neighbours living slayeth him and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire is a blood shedder Eccl. 34.22 He gave the reason in the former Verse The bread of the needy is their life Ver. 2. he that defraudeth them thereof is a man of blood When Abraham heard that his brother Lot was taken Captive Gen. 14. and that the foure Kings bad taken all the goods of Sodome and Gomorrah and all their victuals He armed them of his owne houshold and set upon the enemie by night and brought back all the goods he reskued Lot and his women and people Melchizedech blessed him therefore and said Blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand Here God punished theft and prey yet he that readeth the story shall finde that the quarrell of the assailant was for rebellion against him Ver. 4. Twelve yeares they served Chedarlaomer but in the thirteenth they rebelled This fact of Abraham thus blessed by Melchisedech thus prospered by God himselfe doth declare the subjection of these Kingdomes to Chedarlaomer to have been oppression and their Rebellion a just prosecution of their liberty and therefore the war of Abraham a just war And God gave the robbed their goods againe The Law of God which saith Non Furaberis Thou shalt not steal doth declare that there is meum tuum mine and thine in the things of this world and that God hath not left an Anabaptisticall community of all those things on earth and a parity of interest in all men to all things for then there would be no theft seeing whatsoever any man did sease on was his own This was no new Heresie but a reviving of the old of them that called themselves Apostolici mentioned by Saint Augustin Haeres 40. who in imitation of the Apostles would have all things common True that in those beginnings of Christs Church when the number of Christians were yet but small it was a voluntary not a compulsary communication of goods that was then and for a small time used as a fortifying of themselves against the common adversary But there was no Law but of their own piety and charity that did impose this as a duty upon them so that Ananias and Saphira were not punished with sudden death for detaining a part of the price of the field which they sold for they might have with-held all but they were punished for lying to the Holy
of his countenance shineth on us let us walke worthy of this light 2. Let us serve the Lord in fear and pray to God that the thoughts of our heart which are only evill continually may be forgiven us 3. Let us receive with meeknesse the word of truth and suffer it to be graffed in us that we may bring forth no longer our owne sins with the fruits of evill works but the fruits of the word 4. Let us pray that God would passe by our offences and establish us with grace and pluck up sin within us that root of bitternesse which bringeth forth corrupt fruits of disobedience that God would continue upon us the light of his countenance 5. Let us not flatter our selves and say none of these things shall come upon us because we have so long enjoyed the favours of God for Iudah where God put his Sanctuary and Sion where he made himself a dwelling was not spared The righteous Judge of the world is not such a one as we though he hold his peace a while our provocations may make him whet his sword and prepare against us instruments of death Observe the cruelty of the Edomite he not only joyneth in open hostility but in secret insidiation to cut off all root and branch all in a day he is implacable Such is the hatred of the Romish Church to ours did we not see it in the attempt in 88 for Invasion and possession did we not see the heart of Antichrist in the Powder Treason plotted to a perfect and full destruction Surely David had cause to pray to God let me not fall into the hands of man This is further declared in the next circumstance Neither shouldest thou have delivered those of his that remained in the day of distresse 4 Depopulation For if any remained whom neither the Invasion had met with in the City nor the insidiation without those the Edomite found out and delivered into the hands of their enemies Of those some fell off to the enemy others were carried away captives others of the poorer sort were left in the Land to serve the enemy there to be Vine-dressers and Husbandmen This is called sweeping with a Besome and wiping as one wipeth a dish Two things do aggravate this cruelty of Edom 1. against thy brother Iacob For a Turke to oppresse a Christian an Infidell a Believer is but a trespasse against humanity for Hebrews to strive and one Christian to afflict another woundeth Religion also The Papist calleth himself a Christian and pretendeth great love to Christ he is our unnaturall brother and he casteth us out by excommunication he hateth us in our affliction yet he saith let the Lord be glorified But for us to wound and smite one another of us Protestant against Protestant this is seven spirits worse then the former Brethren by Nation brethren by Religion should live as brethren by nature live as brethren and our father will be angry if we do not and the God of peace will fight against us 2. Another circumstance of time is much urged and it maketh weight for when was Edom so bloudy you shall see that in the time and you will say with Solomon that the mercies of the wicked are cruell Verse 11. In the day that strangers carried away captive his forces and forreiners entred into his gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem Ver. 12. In the day that thy brother became a stranger in the day of their destruction in the day of distresse Verse 13. Thrice named in the day of their calamity Verse 14. In the day of distresse 1. Observe in this how their cruelty is aggravated by the time the wofullest time that ever Ierusalem had called therefore the day of Ierusalem when all things conspired to make their sorrow full then in the anguish and fit of their mortall disease then did Edom arme his eye his tongue his heart his hand and joyne all those with the enemy against his brother 2. Observe that God taketh notice not only what we do one against another but when for he will set these things in order before thee for the God of mercie cannot abide cruelty To strengthen the hand of affliction and to put more weight to the burthens of them that be over-charged this is bloody cruelty as To oppresse the poor is alwayes abominable to God but to oppresse him in his tender and orphane infancie or in his feeble and decrepid age doubleth the offence To hinder the willing labourer from his labour at all times it is a crying sin and they are men of bloud that do so but in times of dearth or in times of his greatest expense to deprive him of his labour or his pay this God considereth for he knoweth wherof we are al made and he observeth our carriage towards one another of us VERSE 15 16. For the day of the Lord is neere upon all the heathen as thou hast done it shall be done to thee thy reward shall return upon thine own head 16. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain so shall all the heathen drink continually yea they shall drinke and they shall swallow down and they shall be as though they had not been This is the fourth part of this Section containing Gods revenge upon Edom which is before threatned particularly against Edom. Ver. 2. Behold I have made thee small among the heathen thou art greatly despised And after further declared it despeiring all the hopes of Edom. 1. The pride of their heart 2. The strength of their confederacie 3. The strength of their situation 4. The hope of their wise men 5. They hope in their own strong men Yet further Ver. 10. He saith Shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever But now as Edom was not alone in that sin but joyned with others so are they all joyned together in the punishment The words are somewhat obscure For the day of the Lord he meaneth the day of vengeance to repay the violence done to his own people called the day of the Lord because God will shew himself who hath lyen concealed as it were all this while and been a looker on whilest his people did suffer punishment for their sins The time of Ierusalems chastisement was called the day of Ierusalem because their sins deserved that day to come upon them but the day of the heathen is here called the day of the Lord because now God doth awake as one out of sleepe and sheweth himselfe cleerly to his enemies This day the Prophet telleth them is now at hand and neere to them This is neere upon all the heathen Not only upon Edom but upon all those with whom Edom joyned himselfe against the people of God The Prophet Ieremie foretelling this day Jer. 25. nameth the heathen upon whom the wrath of the Lord was to come And the judgement is eye for eye tooth for tooth Lex talionis wherein he telleth her As thou hast done it
in summa pericula misit Venturi timor ipse mali fortissinâ—â—â— ille est Qui promptus metunda pati The feare of evil to come hath endangered many he is the most valiant that is ready to suffer what is feared 2. It tryeth our faith Christ said to Peter Cur times exiguâ fide praedites when he so felt himselfe sinking in the waters God promised I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Do we beleeve him Dare we trust him as Christ Do you beleeve in God beleeve also in me 2 My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Jam. 2. 3. Knowing this that the trying of your Faith worketh patience 4. But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing 1 Pet. 1 7. That the tryall of your Faith being much more precious then of gold which perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ c. 3. This setteth before our eyes the great appearance that our enemies shall make before us either in this world when our eye shall have our desire on them that hate us or in the last day when the Saints shall judge the world which serveth to admonish us with the Prophet To commit our wayes to the Lord and to trust in him for he shall bring it to passe Excellent is the story of Elisha whom the King of Syriâ— sent an Army to take and they beset Dothan where he lodged but Elisha prayed and God smote the whole Army with blindnesse and he whom they sought offered himselfe to them to be their guide and he brought them into Samaria and then God opened their eyes and they saw themselves in the hand and power of their enemies Thus doth God blind the eyes of the enemies of his Church and when ther malice is at the height they find themselves set at the Barre to be judged by his Saints then Iacob shall judge the Mount of Esau Methinkes I see the great appearance of the boisterous Tyrants of the earth whose eyes did sparkle fire in the faces of Gods servants whole tongue spake proud words whose foot trode upon Gods Saints whose hand spared them not whose countenance darted against them scorne and disdaine and whose swords were made drunke in the bloud of Gods Holy ones With what a feareful trembling and horrible dread they come to this judgement against their wils where they shall see the Saints all in long white robes like a flock of sheep that come from the washing in whose glorified faces they shall behold their owne shame and dishonour in whose place and joy they shall behold the bloudy persecution wherewith they have oppressed them in their life and in whose setled happinesse they shall read their doom of eternall woe And as Saint Peter saith How shall the wicked and ungodly appeare there needs no more evidence against them bring them to judgement and that sight shall convince them 3. The issue and effect of all And the Kingdome shall be the Lords This is the proper fruite of our deliverance from the hands of our enemies that the Kingdome of God may be established on earth in Gods Church 1. For so long as the enemies of God do tyrannize and fill all with their grosse actions the face of the Church is covered the Temples of God are defiled and demolished the worship of God seeketh private corners and sheweth not it selfe the Saints of God fly from the Sword of Persecution wandring here and there from one Nation to another people and it is hard to say where the Church of God is During the persecution under the cruell Emperours till Constantine aross and restored the Kingdome to God the Kingdome of God on earth was not abolished quite but it was in some sort invisible not that it was then hidden from all the faithfull as it was from the world therefore concerning the invisiblenesse of this Kingdome we do affirme 1. That though this Kingdome of God be so established on earth that the gaâ—â—â— of hell shall not prevails against it because God gave to his son that asked him the heâ—â—hen for his inheritance and the utmost part of the earth for his possession And Christ promised to give the Holy Ghost to his Church to abide with it for ever 〈◊〉 yeâ—at sometimes the faithfull may be so few in number and they so separated one from another in the pursuit of their owâ—â— sâ—â—â—ty that the world cannot easily discome the face of a Church This some of the Church of Rome have confessed affirming that about the time of Christs passion and the dispersion of his Disciples theâ—â— true faith remained onely in the blessed Virgin Mary But untruly◠〈◊〉 the Disciples though they fled from the persecution of that time they fled not froâ—â— the â—aith of Christ But was it not so in Eliahs time when he knew of no more but himselfe alone that served the true God yet God had knees that had never bowed to Baal even then 2. We affirme that Satans Kingdome may so farre dilate it selfe in power and spreading that the externall government of the Church may cease the succession of Bishops and Pastors may be interrupted the Discipline of the Church hindered and the outward exercise of Gods Worship suspended the sunne of righteousnes may suffer ecclipse and thus much the Rhemists do confesse in their notes upon 2 Thes 2.2 3. That which the common opinion doth embrace for the Kingdome of God may be Satans Kingdome whose doctrine is poison whose pastors are wolves in sheeps cloathing whose children are bastards of the Strumpet of Babylon This appeares in the Church story for when Româ— forsook her first Love and began to turne saith into faction and religion into carnall policy to establish a tâ—anscendent greatnesse on the face of the earth and to tyrannize over all that stood for the truth revealed in the word then was the candle of the Church put out so farre as they could prevaile and the word of God the light of our steps was taken away from the people Then did the faithfull subjects of Gods Kingdome hide themselves from the sword and the fire and the sundry persecutions which Rome devised to oppresse them then their heresy past for truth commonly their usurpers for lawfull Bishops their mercenaries for Pastors their legendes for Gospel and they boasted themselves the only true Church of God and Spouse of Iesus Christ And when by the ministry of Dr. Lurher the Church began to lift up the head againe and that one single man opposed the Pope and was a burning and shining Lampe to whose light many dayly resorted we see that ever since that time the Church hath come more and more in sight and growne both in number and strength Kings have been nursing Fathers and Queens have been Nurses and the Kingdom of God hath been gloriously advaanced on earth Then did England
storm it is gone saith David The wisdom of God in man is ever at the best in the greatest tempest of danger and sense of sin The Disciples when they are brought before Kings and Rulers are promised Dabo vobis sapientiam I will give you wisdom and further Dabitur illâ horâ it shall be given in that houre Steven at the houre of his death not distracted with the fury of them that stoned him dyed calling upon God calling on him for them that killed him God takes away wisdome from them that know not how to use it Such as are wise to do evil but to do good have no understanding Wisdom in an ungodly man is armata nequitia armed wickednesse and therefore David prayeth against it let not their wicked imagination prosper It was Davids wisdom Audiam quid loquaturin me Deus I will heare what the Lord will say For he will speak to our hearts peace and joy in the Holy Ghost He will uphold us with his counsell the feare of the Lord is the beginning of our wisdome 2. The Assurance Thus saith the Lord. For the trust in wisdome is so confident that the holy Prophet though he had called his prophecy his Vision and though he had begun his whole Prophecy with Thus saith the Lord yet the more to assure the events threatned he resumeth this authority 1. He bringeth in God himselfe despersing their first hope I have made thee small the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee 2. In their second hope which was in the strength of their habitation he bringeth in God speaking to Edom I will bring thee down saith the Lord. 3. Now again in this third hope of theirs in the wisdome of their wise men two things do meet in this verse to fortifie the assurance 1. The authority of him that saith and doth those things Thus saith the Lord. 2. His appeale to them for he doth not say I will destroy the wise men out of Edom but he appealeth to their own hearts saying Shall I not destroy them q. d. Do you think that I will be over-reached by your wise men No they shall not have wit enough to save themselves much lesse to save you For I will destroy them Which peremptory declaration of the will of him who is judge of all the world doth leave no place for evasion for the Psalmist saith of him that He doth whatsover he will in heaven and in earth and in all deep places By vertue of this certaine word of God we do gather this assurance against all the enemies of the Church in all ages thereof for he hath said it by the mouth of Iob How often is the Candle of the wicked put out Job 21.17 And how oft cometh their destruction upon them God distributeth sorrowes in his anger What though the execution of this wrath be deferred he addeth God layeth up his iniquity for his children that is the punishment of his iniquity ver 19. as there is a decree against them in the counsell of God and word against them declaring the decree of God so dies erit there shall be a time 3 The time in that day Our days and times be all in the hand of God and they be hid in his own power who in his secret wisdom hath appointed them when that day should come he hath not yet revealed to Edom in this Prophecie God is so patient and long-suffering that he doth not punish presently for vengeance is his he may take his time when he will and no man can resist him The point here considerable is That God in his secret wisdome hath designed a particular day for every execution of his will yea the Scripture goeth so far as to the houre even to a moment the least fraction of time This declareth that the wisdome of the world and of flesh hath but its time there is a period fixed wherein it must detertermine Ahitophels counsels went for Oracles till this day then God turned his wisdom into folly and destruction So God threatned Ierusalem with a day in which the Lord would take away from them the mighty men Isa 3.2 and the men of warre the judge and the Prophet the prudent and the ancient This he doth two wayes One by turning all their knowledge into ignorance and their wisdome into folly Another by destroying their persons either by his sore judgements or by leading into captivity here both are threatned for he will destroy both prudentes wise men and prudentiam their wisdome in that day This may remember us of that great day of which St. Paul preached to the Athenians Act. 17.31 that God had appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousnes by that man which he hath appointed For as the day of Ierusalem and the day of Edom and the time of Gods particular judgements is set and fixt so is the day of the last judgement in which every man shall give an accompt to God of himself and all our works shall come to judgement What manner of men then ought we to be expecting this day and providing for it This Doctrine of the set day of particular execution of Gods threatned wrath against sinners doth teach 1. Holy patience in waiting the Lords leasure and as the Apostle admonisheth Cast not away therefore your confidence For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may receive the promise Heb. 10 35 36 37. For a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry And blessed is he that endureth to the end This living under the rod of the ungodly and this beholding the prosperity of the wicked doth much disquiet even the Saints of God on earth as is the example of David we see Therefore we have need of patience to sweeten the sorrows of life to us and to clear our eyes that we may not mourn as men without hope 2. It teacheth faith for the same Author saith Ver. 38 Now the just shall live by faith for he that hath promised is faithfull and no word of his shall fall to the ground unfulfilled Faith cometh by hearing let us then use it as the best remedy against the oppressions of the ungodly to be swift to hear the word of God that we may get the shield of faith to bear off all the darts of Satan so David in that disquiet went to the house of God there he was taught the end of those oppressors 3. It teacheth holinesse for seeing the wrath of God from heaven is revealed against the enemies of the Church there is no safety but in the Church of God and that is the Congregation of Saints these are safe in that day he hideth such under his wings his faithfulnesse and truth is their shield and buckler There shall no evill happen to them neither shall any plague come nigh their dwelling So long as we make conscience of our