and Water too One illustrates it by that in Zach. 2. 5. called a Wall of Fire and I add ch 9. 8. wher 's it is stiled a Camp about God's House of which in the Use In Deut. 33. 12. note of Benjamin this was his Blessing The Beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him i. e. Judah and Benjamin shall divide the Glory and Temple by a Righ-line betwixt them as some note Weemes H. Ainsworth and others the Line divided the Temple Sanctum Sanctorum and the very two Cherubs where the Shechina or Divine Majesty and Oracle sate and spake and he shall dwell betwixt his Shoulders col hajom all the day Now all I urge hence is to prove that God is the Safety of Assemblies in worship of his Name and though Objections may be made and answered in the Sequel yet if God be as good as his word as oft he is better and if yet any remain of Zions Daughters he is the same defence yesterday to day and for ever as Heb. 13. 8. Modern Instances will yet further occur from History to prove ex abundanti the truth of it And so far is the 2d head in the Act of Duty how Gods defends his Worship 3dly Now let 's explain how God defends his Worshippers afterwards Tho it may be the Lot of the best to be exposed and God in his Wisdom for good and holy ends suffers the worst of Men to prevail over the best and to trample on the most sacred things and Persons most for his own times and ways he must take to perform his Word not ours yet after men have prospered a long time and Saints suffered with and for the Sanctuary a little while he comes a tergo unawares after the one with Vengeance and unto the Godly rides fast for their help and deliverance There is none like the God of Jeshurun said Moses Deut. 33. 26. that is of Upright Ones that rides on the Heavens for thy help and in his Excellency on the Skies Note 1. God is titled by the stile of a General his Excellency for he excells in Might in Wisdom in Command ore all in chief 2. Though he delays and is long and far behind our hasty desires yet 't is but as a Captain that steps to the Rere to bring them safe off and he is not dismounted he rides still and on swift Steeds the Skies the Heavens which Spheres do naturally move wondrous quick so that he can soon overtake the foot of his Host and also the Horse of his Enenemies 'T is a Note of * Burr Lord of Hosts one that the old Wars of Israel were on their part still on foot though Pharaoh pursued with Chariots and Horses yet I am sure God rides with celerity has a running Army and all for onr help To be a little more particular in this third head How God defends his Worshipers after tho in the act of duty he may delay a little space of time to try both their courage and patience and perseverance in well doing and herein he helps them also not a little and that is also a token of their Salvation But now as the after-clap Thunder is loudest and that which brings the Bolt of Execution on the highest things So Does Gods fulminating Stroaks On Basbans highest sturdy Oaks And lofty Hills as Psal 81. 7. feriunt summos fulmina montes That Psalm says of Israels Deliverance out of Pharaoh's Slavery He answered in the secret place of Thunder i. e. by sore and heavy Judgments on Aegypt Exod. 9. 23. And this not the least for as the Thunder terrified them and the Hail and Fire mikt smote Grass Herbs and Trees so that v. 28. the King melts and thaws a while and at Moses's Prayer it was removed again but the Heart freezes as hard as before to inslave God's Children till the Red-Sea soakt it once for all Nor are extraordinary Examples of this wanting here when no ordinary obtain sometimes God's Cannons go off and the Report and Execution is done at some distance and heard of afterwards sometimes it is immediately and so here on that day v. 10. he discomfited them possibly sentence is not speedily as Eccl. 8. 11. It may be at Night as in the Siege of Jerusalem prophesied Isai 17. 14. performed ch 37. 36. and that Night too as to the Host and v. 38. as to the King verified and even in the act of his own Worship it seems in the House of his false God his Sons perhaps in a Jealousie of being prevented in the Succession slew him and so he that did invade and besiege Gods City and Sanctuary is cut off in his own to read us his Crime in his own condemnation Polibius said of Antiochus he came to that ill end for attempting to spoil Apollo's Temple it was indeed for this assaulting of Gods For v. 34. is a Promise to defend that City as a Shield so the Word notes Herodotus says of this defeat * Tho misapplied to Setho Priest of Vulcan and death soon after that on his Tomb was found that Epitaph Look on me and beware By this it is plain God is in some Cases severe in expediting vengeance tho he is slow to anger yet if once angry he rides swiftly and though he forbears some other Sinners long as that Question implies 1 Kings 14. 14. I will rise against the House of Jeroboam but what even now That notes either not yet or in a very few years and it was now in hand to be done by Baasha and partly begun in the death of Abijah his Son and fulfilled thereafter in two years or little more as Mayer observes But revenges for wrongs and ruines of the Lords Altar and Service may be observed to overtake some times Persons in particular and sometimes Cities and People in bulk For the former the Judgments of God have oft surprised none of the meanest men and that for the cause of Zion that is Liberty and Purity of Worship and its lovers see what followed Cain for guilt of Abel's blood that bloody Cut-throat as that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes 1 John 3. 12. not brooking a preciser Devotion Crit. Sacr. proprie est ferro fratrem jugulo adacto occidere than his butchers a poor Brother for Conscience but God setts a mark of visible terrour and secret horrour on him that followed him as a Blood-hound to the end the first quarrel was as one says circa media sacrificii A Curse followed it Gen. 4. 11. and still does all that go in Cain's way of Persecution Judg. v. 11. and Balaam's the way of cursing 2 Peter 2. 15. Like John Diazius that having killed his own Brother fled to Rome as Cain to Nod and there is cannonized but so dogged in his Soul that for want of a Gibbet he hanged himself at the neck of his Mule As Tacitus Sin it self is turned to a Plague flagitia tandem
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 they prevented Some way like to it also was Athanasius relieved and the cruel Cut-throats put by Prevention of Mischief is pure Mercy Augustine escaped in the way where he was going to Preach the Lyers in wait lost their End he loosing his way Thus the Officers sent to take Christ John 7. 26 32. being convict in hearing Christ civilly dropt off and brought him not v. 44 46. One Hen. Zutphen a Preacher at Breme the Catholicks sent oft to entrap him and as well they prospered for the most of them were convinced or converted openly owning his word to be the Truth of God undeniable and what they heard not before perswading them that sent them so to believe and be saved Thus the Catchers were caught Popish Envy prevented Soules Converted and Truth prevailed A second way of Defence about Worshippers is when in the very act of duty God does either help them to go on or else hides them from the present danger The first lyes open from the Text v. 12. That Ebenezer Stone was the Memorial of this Saints of old set up Monuments for future Memorandums to them and Posterity after some signal help obtained of God and baptized the Places as oft were the Persons that shared in the Mercy of help witness Jehovah Jireh Gen. 22. ad finem where God helpt to provide a Ram to save Isaac and Bethel is El-bethel so called for the good presence God allowed Jacob ch 28. So Moses his Jehovah-Nissi that is Gods Banner of Protection against Amalek Exod. 17. ult Samson's Well Einhakoreh Judge 15. 17. 19. and Ramath-lehi the Jawbone-cast where he was helpt and got Victory and Drink too by Prayer So David's Sela-hammah-lecoth when saved by sad News of an Invasion from Saul's furious pursuit 1 Sam. 23. 28. All which shows both that the Service was most acceptable and the Worshippers helpt much that Psalm 20. 1 2 3 4. are as affecting apt Prayers to our Design as may be he prays for 1. Audience 2. Defence 3. When in Trouble 4. What way by sitting on high above Danger 5. Whence Why from the Sanctuary out of Zion 6. Whereby v. 5. 6. By Banners set up and the saving strength of his Right Hand 7. What follows A Victory a sweet word they fall we stand how not halting bowing complying but upright Observe what help does from the Sanctuary when Gods Worshippers are exposed So Paul hunted by so many Lions persecuted by the Jews hated and deserted by false Brethren contradicted by fellow Apostles and left to the Lords Work alone once by Jo. Mark his Partner how kept he the plow a foot Why himself says Acts 26. 22. By obtain'd help from God so he continued to that day that is enough for any Ministers succour Says Luther Quo magis furunt eo amplius procedo They rage I still go on Hic unus homo totius Orbis vim sustinuit He bore the whole Worlds Opposition Oh how blessed were Germany had he intailed that litigating Spirit for Purity on the Protestants of his Name but alas and wo that Name is born without the thing yet were not God our Defence in the truth a race of late profligate titular Protestants had after 100 years growth wrapped us again in the old Swaddlings of Jewisb Rites and Romish-Pagan-Papagan Superstitions but blessed be him that hath yet helped us as once it is said of the Levites in consecrating themselves They were more upright than Priests 2 Chron. 29. 34. in helping on Reformation So had not God raised a little help for us among the more Upright tho less able we soon should lose 100 years Reformation I shall only add Deut. 33. 7. It is the blessing of Judah and a great one beg'd by Moses for him That God would help him against the Enemy all the day And so he did in Hezekiah's Time against Senacharib though in a more than ordinary way To conclude this with a Note on Dan. 11. 34. In the Maccabees Time Antiochus run the Altar and Worship of God down at a rate more wofully than any of the Persecutors before for many hundred years in which most agree he was Antichrists Type exactly for he was furious implacable and very false vicious in Life and Atheistical in Profession says one Erat omni numinis reverentiâ— vacuus reverenc'd no Deity set himself against the Lord and his Worship and Covenant will have all of one * Or as Dr. Willet all to be uniform v. 36 37. Religion prohibits Sabboths and the Rites of Gods Law did his own Will till the Rise of the Assidians and Asmonians who repaired and restored Gods Altar which is called Gods Help yet but a little v. 34. yet being prophesied of here and in Zach. 9. 13. was accordingly God 's help to a People faithful to Gods holy Law That did exploits v. 32. tho very small and few that by weak means Gods greater Strength might be seen says Trapp But after all those Sufferings Heb. 11. 35. and the false flatteries of Alcymus High Priest and other Apostates that yielded to fear * Dr. A. Willet pag. 424. God who minds his Church in Affliction sent breathing and help in some measure After three years and some few Months when in Ceslew the Temple was cleansed c. like as the two Witnesses against Antichrist shall do after the like time expires So that God gives help to his Witnesses for pure Worship in time and if he lets them fall by flame c. yet is his help in that great and glorious Pareus Adv. Loquitur de Maccabaeorum ope quod fuit parvum auxilium vix manipulus hominum cum hostibus collatics nec omnes erant sinceri To pass this God by his Spirit so boldens the face that scarce the approach of Armed men or Devils daunts the face of Steven Act. 6. 10. 7. 55. Nor could they seize on Bazil so bright did his face shine when Valens sent to take him at Prayer So are Gods Servants kept in duty 2. No less care has God in hiding both his Worshippers and the Worship too often when his Enemies are hot in hunting this Game as Saul was Acts 9. 1. Breathing as a Wolf and
cast their Carcases on the Carcases of their Idols As in Kett ' s Conspiracy a Cartful of Trumpery in the dirt and they too Lev. 26. 30. both being but Cadavera fit to be put out of sight and cause them to underly Statutes that were not good and by which they could not live Ezek. 20. 24. Brought it not ever a Spirit of Jealousy with it and the bitter Waters of a Curse devouring the Face of the Land the whole Earth Isai 24. 5 6. Observe other Places and Cities do we take no warning by their harms See what Judgments ever followed and can we escape They chose new Gods then is War in the Gate Judg. 5. 8. That brought twenty years Oppression and otherwhile forty This Sin cost for the Calf 3000 Exod. 32. 28. For Peor 23000 1 Cor. 10. 8. and Millions more at other times Who can compute how dear bought the Calf of Rome has been to Europe What Seas of Blood by Wars Murders Inquisitions Massacres and Persecutions it hath cost all Nations and what is behind God knows but by the Course is run in Europe the ballance of Justice and Peace being broke so dead a weight of Wickedness in the one Scale and Wrath is put in the other that it is more than a Miracle if the Turk see his Opportunity and follow that Course is begun he may soon be a Flagellum Dei an Attilas by an Incursion of barbarous Mahometan Infidels to plague our Christian Barbarites to each other and fulfill that old Prophesy in Mayer Obruit Italiam Mars impius Mayer's Preface on Proph. 4 vol. Totum operit Mundum terror ira Dei. A third is Inclitus exurgit factis Haeros And 4. Europa tremit Asiam urget metus And yet one Generalis Terrae-motus All which five and five more I leave are affixt to their distinct Anno Domini's but Times are God's Then as I English it Mars Italy with cruel Wars will tear Gods Wrath and Terrour all the World shall bear In Deeds a famous Hero shall appear And Europe trembling Asia's struck with fear An universal Earthquake shall be there But to end this how Lev. 17. 7 1 Cor. 10. 20. Rev. 9. 20. subtilly Satan doth insinuate behind the Curtain under fair and specious Forms among 1. Jews and 2. Gentiles but few consider fewer evite his Crafts under the Calf of old and Jeroboams too and the Dragon his Deputy Apoc. 13. 2. Oh how deploredly doth the Devil go away with the Adoration leaving the Table Altar and Bread to the People to partake with him by Hence we read of his Synagogue Apoc. 2. 19. his Throne v. 13. his Vicegerent his Servants 2 Cor. 11. 15. Ministers Table and Cup 1 Cor. 11. 21. as well as his Will Wyles Crafts and Lusts As many do the Devils Work Rev. 2. 10. imprisoning the Gospel and Men for its sake so many the more is the pity do the Devil Worship though ignorantly by his Insinuation and Man's Imposition 'T is a Passage of a late Reverend Pen not impertinent The Soveraignty of God is contemned Charnoke 757. when our Obedience to humane Law is prest and preferred to that of Gods when fear of pain compels Service it is like that of Aegypt adoring a Crocodile when we are devout to a Tradition of Man's or a Roman Rite more than to Gods Oracle c. it is to adore a Glow-worm and laugh at the Sun And a little after says pag. 758. Thus God is deposed and Man inthroned so he referrs our late Addresses for Maintenance of Religion settled by Laws of Man not minding the Law of God so that the Church and State is the Rule of Religion which therefore must vary with Opinion and Interest 'T is sad to see yet I fear too true there is more Diabolick than Divine Worship in the World and that in Christendom too Now if God defends his Worship he is far and so should we be from pleading for Baal Judg. 6. 31. Be ye then assured God is resolved tâ—â—terly to abolish and famish all the Idols Isai 2. 18. and Men shall worship him each from his Place Zeph. 3. 11. and reserves a Cup unmixt for the Worshippers of the Beasts Image Apoâ— 14. 10. 2. Let all Persecutors consider with whom they have to do will you oppose what or whom God undertakes is obliged by Promise and Interest and resolved to defend You may ruffle and rage damm and hector a while your hands and tongues fires and fury may exceed Job's Antagonists as far as the Element of Fire doth ours but ye should say Why Persecute we him since the Root of the Matter is in him Job 19. 28. Let me a little glance at the Text. Jobs design is to abate the Passion and galling censures of his three Opponents by a fair defence of his Innocency so battered and blotted by a charge of Hypocrisy and waving the various Lections it is in some q. d. would you put on your first end in visiting me Ye should say one to other Why persecute we him as a Game pursued by Dogs We have small ground in our selves less in him none at all from God so to do his Case may be ours and it is not so bad but on search we may espy the root of Sincerity under all these Waters or a secret Root of Grace or a deep of Gods Wisdom at bottom to abate all our heat Whence one notes * 6th part â—f Mr. Caryl in locum page 416. One that has Grace and holds Root-truths should not be persecuted no not in hard words the lowest kind of it far less in blows and even to exile and death for 1. They are owned by Christ and so are all that own what Job confest Viz. the root-Root-truths of the Gospel and those Christ receives we ought 2. They have the same Spirit of Truth also 3. They shall be Saved and come to the same end and shall one Glory receive them not one Earth Why should different Forms of Worship and Order cause a Persecution then So far he One note I crave to add That good men are incident to Persecution sometime by their Brethren that retain Root-Truths though for such Persecntion there is no cause Here the definition of it lyes it is not so denominate unless it be for Righteousness and Truths sake and the Cause not the Suffering makes the Martyr Two things let me touch here 1. the Rise 2. the unreasonableness of it For the Rise of Persecution it must be trac't back to the Original it is a Birth succeeding the Fall all Persecution comes by Succession Serpentine Draconical and Papal each in kind the worst you Persecutors see your Antiquity you derive from and before the Fall which is said was on the sixth the Angelick Apostacy was before say the first or fourth day Gen. 1. 14. 19. But â—ure early Sataâ— suborns the Serpent and by a lye to the Woman to gull and tripp man and all the
to come in Luk. 14. 23. our Lord means not that the Will is forc't by Grace but changed by holy Allurements not tha◠Faith is promoted by Man's Sword but God's Word nor is that a Call to the Sacramental Feast but to Christ and so to the Blessings that in him are offered Follow your own Rule O ye Priests that says Pastores estis non Persecutores nova est inaudita Predicatio quae verberibus fidem exigit The Cannon-Law plus agit Serenitas quam severitas plus cohortatio quam comminatio charitas quam potestas alias tendit ad noxam In English at large thus Ye are Pastors not Smiters 't is a new sort of Preaching to inforce Faith by strokes Pride may effect one thing good Discipline another Serenity doth more than Severity Advice more than Threats Love than Law Hence it is easie to see who seek their own things more than Christs and Domination not Councel them Honour pleases Pride puffs up and what is designed to concord tends to hurt And so I conclude the Answer to the fourth Objection 5. It is urged against us the cause of our Nonconformity is more in Will and Humour than Wit more in Fancy than Faith more Rebellious than Reasonable since we make of Moats Mountains and scruple Rites legitimate by the Sanction of Rulers in Church and State Answ The Champion of the Camp the Goliah stands here a few of David's smooth stones pickt out of the Brook of Scripture and put in the Shepherd of Israel's bag may suffice to send him going let two or three suffice to touch and then judge if it be humour or Conscience that sways 1. We are too standfast in that Liberty that Christ hath at so dear a Price called us to Gal. 5. 1. his Purchase is to be valued far above Naboths Vineyard which was above his Life but this is above that and Christs Blood yet more 1 Pet. 1. 18 What then is a Tradition that makes the very Conversation vain and the Worship vainer loose hold but in a latchet a loop c. you give away the Price of Christ's Blood and hazard your own Liberty no Man nor Apostle has Dominion over it or us 2 Cor. 1. ult 2. Would not any be exact that eyes the Purity of the Law-giver the strictness of the Law and the severity of the Penalties both exprest and executed all that the jealous God bids us do must be done no adding no detracting to be with him to look is to lust the thought is sin to hate is to kill and Racha Hell appearance of evil is to be hated 1 Thes 5. 23. Daniel purposes not only to avoid the Idol and Worship but even the Bread and Wine of the King Dan. 1. 8. A Mordecai bows not to an exalted Haman Esth 3. 5. No little spot is to be admitted on that Vest that all do eye Jud. 13. We are to be far from an ill Matter not touch or taste or be nigh the Door of the strange Woman The German Princes left the Emperour at the door going to Mass and the Samosetan Boys burnt the Ball that toucht the Arian Bishop's Cloven-foot Eusebius Men may call it stiffness and humour now but he that knows a Josiah's tender Conscience and has felt the peril of making bold with God and Guilt will fear a Spira's Lash and Rack more than a Bishops Cole-house or Curse 3. This Plea is a Chip of the old Block and as grand a Policy of Satan and Prop to declining Popery as can be and a Mantle to the Plot to save it from the Laws Justice as the wit of men can invent for by Divisions blown Animosities raised and rigour exerted among Christians the Plotters game is played well and thus the two Parties strive each with other for vain Traditions and divers futilous Rites and Roman Rags that are neither of the Esse nor bene esse of Religion for the Spouse of Christ was more beautiful the first two or three hundred years without them and Shadows being contended for so severely the Substantials of Religion are neglected and the Councels of Romish Jesuites followed the first of which was Adam Compzen Politic. lib. 2. c. 18. to suspend all Lecturers that will not constantly practice all Romish Ceremonies a very devilish Policy and closely followed A 2d is to foment those Quarrels among Protestants and help that Party that are nearest to Rome for says he Quis enim Puritanos in Angl. non redigat si Episcop approbationem ab iis extorqueat se now what a Jesuit said Who will not bring English Puritans Ubi supra S. 9. to order if he can but extort of them an approbation of Bishops A 3d. All private Conventicles and publick too are to be interdicted And is it not so A 4th Compell the Obstinate by severe Laws These four are a taste of many more Now it is a sure Rule of one Quanto magis rituum cumulo accedit tanto magis detrahitur â Christianâ Libertate Fide Christi So much as is given the heap of Rites so much is took from Christian-liberty Faith of Christ Sure it is eafie to see by a Debate of Cardinal Sadolet with Bishop Andrews That to yield one Rite by the Churches Power at home brings all the Fardel in by the Churches Power at Rome Amee fresh suit Smectemunus Mr. Gilespy and others may be consulted One Objection more is in my way that is sixthly and lastly God leaves you now your Defence is departed the Lord has drawn off the Wing you lye open and now you are fallen you will rise no more Psal 41. 8. To this I only say two words Viz. 1. To the taunting part of an insulting Adversary 2. To the truth of this departure of God For the taunt it is possible I wish it were incredible ye say our God is departed and has drawn off the Cloud of our Defence and now your Song is Where is your God Psal 42. 10. We ask again Is he come to you These Taunts are sharper than all your Sphears and Swords and cuts us far deeper But if you have got him and we lost him our Sin was the Offence of our Defence let our loss be your gain much good may it do you with his Presence Oh prize it better than we did some of us grieved him that he is turned Enemy and fought against us Isai 63. 10. Do not you so yet some can say as the Psalmist as Psal 44. 17 -19 They have not forgot God nor dealt falsely as you in his Covenants Though sore broke in the Place of Dragons We loved priz'd his Presence but little Now he is gone to his Place it well behoves us to plead guilty though he hath torn us he will heal after two days Hos 5. ult and 6. 1 2. Take heed how you entertain God in your Prosperity rejoyce not in our misery it is below humanity to insult over an Enemy