A Memorial of the Deliverance of Essex

*Habakkuk Chap. 3. vers. 1, 2, 3 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.*1. A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet upon Sigionoth.2. O Lord, I have heard your speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive your worke in the midst of the yeers, in the midst of the yeers make known; in wrath remember mercy.3. God came from Teman, and the holy One from mount Paran, Selab. His glory covered the Heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.4. And his brightnesse was as the light: he had horns comming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power.5. Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.6. He stood and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations, & the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetuall hills did bow: his wayes are everlasting.7. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.8. Was the Lord displeased against the Rivers? was your anger against the Rivers? was your wrath against the Sea, that you did ride upon your horses, and your charets of salvation?9. Your bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even your word. Selah. You did cleave the earth with Rivers.

Of this Chapter, there are foure parts.

- 1. The Title and Preface of it, v: 1. - 2. The Prophets maine Request in it: v: 2. - 3. Arguments to sustaine his Faith in that request from v: 3. to the 17th. - 4. A Resignation of himselfe, and the whole issue of his desires to God: from there to the end. Wee shall treate of them in Order.

The Prophet having had visions from God, and prediscoveries of many approaching judgements, in the first and second Chapters, in this, by faithfull Prayer, sets himselfe to obtaine a sure footing, and quiet abode in those Nation-destroying stormes. A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet, that is the Title of it. And an excellent Prayer it is, full of Arguments to strengthen faith, acknowledgement of God's sovereignty, power, and righteous judgements, with resolutions to a contented, joyfull rolling him upon him under all dispensations.

Prayer, is the believer's constant sure retreate in an evill time, in a time of trouble. It is the righteous man's wings, to the Name of the Lord, which is his strong tower. A Christian soldier's sure reserve in the day of battle: if all other forces be overthrowne, here he will abide by it: no power under Heaven can prevaile upon him, to give one step backwards. Hence that title of Psalme 102. A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed. 'Tis the overwhelmed man's refuge, and imployment: when he swooneth with anguish (as in the originall) this fetches him to life againe. So for it (Psalm 61:2, 3). In our greatest distresses, let neither unbeliefe, nor selfe contrivances, just[illegible]e us out of this way to the Rock of our salvation.

Prophets' discoveries of fearfull judgements, must be attended with fervent Prayers. That messenger has done but halfe his businesse, who delivers his errand, but returnes not an Answer. He that brings God's message of threats to his people, must returne his people's message of intreaties, to him. Some thinke they have fairly discharged their duty, when they have revealed the Will of God to man: without labouring to reveale the condition and desires of men to God. He that is more frequent in the Pulpit to his people, then he is in his closet for his people, is but a sorry watchman. Moses did not so (Exodus 32:31), neither did Samuel so (1 Samuel 12:23), neither was it the guize of Jeremiah in his days (Cap. 14:17). If the beginning of the prophecie be, (as it is) The burden of Habakkuk, the close will be (as it is) The Prayer of Habakkuk. Where there is a burden upon the People, there must be Prayer for the people. Wo to them who have denounced desolations, and not powred out supplications: such men delight in the evill, which the Prophet puts far from him (Jeremiah 17:16): I have not desired the wofull day, (O Lord) you know.

Now this Prayer, is upon Sigionoth: that is, 1. it is tuned to a Song: 2. such a Song. For the first, that it is a Song, penned in meeter, and how done so, (1) to take the deeper impression, (2) to be the better reteined in memory, (3) to worke the more upon affections, (4) to receive the ingredients of poeticall loftinesse for adorning the Majesty of God, with (5) the use of Songs in the old Church, (6) and for the present, (7) their times and seasons, as among the people of God, so all Nations of old; of all, or any of these, being besides my present purpose, I shall not treat. Of the second, that it is upon Sigionoth, a little may be spoken.

The Word is once in another place (and no more) used in the title of a Song: and that is Psalme 7 Siggaion of David: and it is variously rendred. It seemes to be taken from the word, [in non-Latin alphabet] erravit, to erre, or wander variously. Prov. 5:20. the word is used for delight, to stray with delight. In her love [in non-Latin alphabet] you shall erre with delight, we have translated it, be ravished, noting affections out of order. The word then holds out a delightfull wandring, and variety: and this litterally, because those two Songs (Psalm 7. and Habakkuk 3.) are not tyed to any one certain kind of meeter, but have various verses for the more delight: which, though it be not proper to them alone, yet in them the Holy Ghost, would have it especially noted.

But now surely the kernell of this shell, is sweeter then so. Is not this written also for their instruction, who have no skill in Hebrew Songs? The true reason of their meeter, is lost to the most learned. Are not then God's variable dispensations towards his, held out under these variable Tunes, not all fitted to one string: not all alike pleasant and easy? Are not the severall tunes, of mercy and judgement in these songs? Is not here Affliction and deliverance, desertion and recovery, darkenesse and light, in this variously? Doubtlesse it is so.

God often calls his people to Songs upon Sigionoth: he keeps them under various dispensations, that so drawing out all their affections, their hearts may make the sweeter melody to him. They shall not have all honey, nor all gall: all judgment, lest they be broken, nor all mercy lest they be proud. You answered them O Lord our God, you were a God that forgave them, though you took vengeance of their inventions (Psalm 99:8). Here is a Song upon Sigionoth. They are heard in their prayers and forgiven, there is the sweetest of mercies: vengeance is taken of their inventions, there's a tune of judgment. By terrible things in righteousness will you answer us O God of our salvation (Psalm 65:5) is a Song of the same tune. To be answered in righteousness, what sweeter mercy in the world? Nothing more refreshes the panting soul, than an answer of its desires: but to have this answer by terrible things! That string strikes a humbling, a mournful note. Israel hears of deliverance by Moses, and at the same time have their bondage doubled by Pharaoh. There's a Song upon Sigionoth. Is it not so in our days? Precious mercies, and dreadful judgments, jointly poured out upon the land! We are clothed by our Father, like Joseph by his, in a party-colored coat: here a piece of unexpected deliverance, and there a piece of deserved correction: at the same hour, we may rejoice at the conquest of our enemies, and mourn at the loss of our harvest. Victories for his own name's sake, and showers for our sins' sake, both from the same hand, at the same time. The cry of every soul, is like the cry of the multitude of old and young at the laying the foundation of the second Temple: Many shouted aloud for joy, and many wept with a loud voice, so that it was a mixed noise and the several noises could not be distinguished (Ezra 3:12, 13). A mixed cry is in our spirits, and we know not which is loudest in the day of our visitation. I could instance in sundry particulars, but that every one's observation, will save me that easy labor. And this the Lord does.

First, to fill all our sails towards himself at once: to exercise all our affections. I have heard that a full wind behind the ship drives her not so fast forward, as a side wind, that seems almost as much against her as with her: and the reason they say is, because a full wind, fills but some of her sails, which keep it from the rest, that they are empty: when a side wind fills all her sails, and sets her speedily forward. Which way ever we go in this world, our affections are our sails: and according as they are spread and filled, so we pass on, swifter or slower, whither we are steering. Now if the Lord should give us a full wind, and continual gale of mercies, it would fill but some of our sails, some of our affections, joy, delight and the like: but when he comes with a side wind, a dispensation that seems almost as much against us, as for us, then he fills all our sails, takes up all our affections, making his works, wide, and broad enough, to entertain them every one, then are we carried freely and fully, towards the haven where we would be. A Song upon Sigionoth, leaves not one string of our affections unturned. It is a Song that reaches every line of our hearts, to be framed by the grace and spirit of God. Therein, hope, fear, reverence with humility and repentance have a share, as well as joy, delight, and love, with thankfulness. Interchangeable dispensations, take up all our affections, with all our graces: for they are gracious affections, exercised and seasoned with grace, of which we speak. The stirring of natural affections as merely such, is but the moving of a dunghill to draw out a stinking steam, a thing the Lord neither aims at, nor delights in: their joys, are his provocation, and he laughs in the day of their calamity, when their fear comes (Proverbs 1:26, 27).

Secondly, to keep them in continual dependence on himself. He has promised his own daily bread, not goods laid up for many years. Many children have been undone by their parents giving them too large a stock to trade for themselves: it has made them spendthrifts, careless, and wanton. Should the Lord entrust his people with a continued stock of mercy, perhaps they would be full and deny him, and say who is the Lord (Proverbs 30:9)? Jeshurun did so (Deuteronomy 32:14, 15). Ephraim was filled according to her pasture and forgot the Lord (Hosea 13:6).

Neither on the other side will he be always chiding: his anger shall not burn for ever very sore. It is our infirmity (at the least) if we say, God has forgotten to be gracious, and shut up his tender mercies in displeasure (Psalm 77:9). But laying one thing against another, he keeps the heart of his, in an even balance, in a continual dependence upon himself: that they may neither be wanton through mercy, nor discouraged by too much oppression. Our tender Father is therefore, neither always feeding, nor always correcting. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear nor dark: but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord: not day nor night, but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light: says the Prophet (Zechariah 14:6, 7), seeking out God's dispensations towards his, ending in joy and light in the evening.

Labor to have your hearts right tuned for songs on Sigionoth sweetly to answer all God's dispensations in their choice variety. That instrument will make no music, that has but some strings in tune. If when God strikes with mercy upon the string of joy and gladness, we answer pleasantly, but when he touches upon that of sorrow and humiliation, we suit it not, we are broken instruments that make no melody to God. We must know how to receive good and evil at his hand. He has made every thing beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11), every thing in that whole variety which his wisdom has produced. A well tuned heart must have all its strings, all its affections, ready to answer every touch of God's finger: to improve judgments and mercies both at the same time. Sweet harmony arises out of some discords. When a soul is in a frame to rejoice with thankful obedience for mercy received, and to be humbled with soul-searching amending repentance, for judgments inflicted at the same time, then it sings a song on Sigionoth, then it is fit for the days wherein we live. Indeed both mercies and judgments aim at the same end, and should be received with the same equal temper of mind. A flint is broken between a hammer and a pillow: an offender is humbled between a prison and a pardon: a hard heart may be mollified, and a proud spirit humbled between those two. In such a season the several rivulets of our affections flow naturally in the same stream. When has a gracious soul the soundest joys, but when it has the deepest sorrows! habent & gaudia vulnus. When has it the humblest meltings but when it has the most ravishing joys! Our afflictions, which are naturally at the widest distance, may all swim in the same spiritual channel — rivulets rising from several heads, are carried in one stream to the ocean. As a mixture of several colours make a beautiful complexion for the body, so a mixture of divers affections under God's various dispensations, gives a comely frame to the soul. Labor then to answer every call, every speaking providence of God, in its right kind, according to the intention thereof: and the Lord reveal his mind to us that so we may do. Having passed the title, let us look a little on those parts of the prayer itself that follow.

The beginning of it in verse 2. has two parts:

First, the frame of the Prophet's spirit in his address to God: O Jehovah I have heard your speech and was afraid.

Secondly, his request in this his condition, O Lord revive your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known, in wrath remember mercy.

In the first you have (1) particularly his frame, he was afraid or trembled; which he wonderfully sets out ver. 16. when I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself.

Secondly, the cause of this fear and trembling: he heard the speech of God. If you will ask what speech or report this was, that made the Prophet himself so exceedingly quake and tremble, I answer it is particularly that which you have Chap. 1. ver. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. containing a dreadful denunciation of the judgments of God against the people of Israel, to be executed by the proud cruel insulting Chaldeans. This voice, this report of God makes the Prophet tremble.

An appearance of God in anger and threats against a people, should make his choicest secret ones among them to fear, to quake, and tremble. Trembling of man's heart, must answer the shaking of God's hand. At the delivery of the Law with all its attending threats, so terrible was the sight, that Moses himself, (though a mediator then) did exceedingly fear and quake (Hebrews 12:21). God will be acknowledged in all his goings. If men will not bow before him, he will break them. They who fear not his threatenings, shall feel his inflictings. If his word be esteemed light, his hand will be found heavy. For

1. In point of deserving, who can say I have purged my heart, I am clean from sin! None ought to be fearless, unless they be senseless. God's people are so far from being always clear of procuring national judgments, that sometimes judgments have come upon nations for the sins of some of God's people among them: as the plague in the days of David.

2. In point of suffering who knows but they may have a deep share! The Prophet's book is written within, as well as without, with lamentation, mourning and woe (Ezekiel 2. ult.). If the Lion roars, who can but fear (Amos 3:8)? Fear to the rooting out of security, not the shaking of faith. Fear to the pulling down of carnal presidence, not Christian confidence. Fear to draw out our souls in prayer, not to swallow them up in despair. Fear, to break the arm of flesh, but not to weaken the staff of the promise. Fear, that we may draw nigh to God, with reverence, not to run from him with diffidence: in a word, to overthrow faithless presumption, and to increase gracious submission.

Secondly, here is the Prophet's request: and in this there are these two things,

- 1. The thing he desires: the reviving God's work, the remembering mercy. - 2. The season he desires it in, in the midst of the years.

For the first, that which in the beginning of the verse, he calls God's work, in the close of it, he terms mercy: and the reviving of his work, is interpreted to be a remembering mercy. These two expressions then are parallel. The reviving of God's work towards his people, is a re-acting of mercy: a bringing forth the fruits thereof, and that in the midst of the execution of wrath, as a man in the midst of another, remembering a business of more importance, instantly turns away, and applies himself thereunto.

Acts of mercy are God's proper work towards his people, which he will certainly awake, and keep alive in the saddest times. Mercy you see is his work, his proper work, as he calls judgment his strange act (Isaiah 28:21). He retains not his anger for ever, because he delights in mercy (Micah 7:18). This is his proper work; though it seem to sleep, he will awake it, though it seem to die, he will revive it. Can a woman forget her child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea they may forget, yet will I not forget you: behold, I have graven you upon the palms of my hands, your walls are continually before me (Isaiah 49:16, 17).

Secondly, for the season of this work, he prays that it may be accomplished, in the midst of the years: upon which you may see what weight he lays by his repetition of it in the same verse. It is something doubtful what may be the peculiar sense of these words: whether the midst of the years, do not denote the whole time of the people's bondage under the Chaldeans, from where Junius renders the words, interea temporis, (noting this manner of expression (the midst of the years) for a Hebraism) during which space he intercedes for mercy for them. Or whether the midst of the years, do not denote some certain point of times, as the season of their return from Captivity, about the midst of the years between their first King, and the coming of the Messiah, putting a period to their Church and State. Whether of these is more probable, is not needful to insist upon; this is certain, that a certain time is pointed at: which will yield us,

The Churches' mercies and deliverance, have their appointed season: in the midst of the years it shall be accomplished. As there is a decree bringing forth the wicked's destruction (Zephaniah 2:2), so there is a decree goes forth in its appointed season for the Churches' deliverance, which cannot be gainsaid (Daniel 9:23). Every vision is for its appointed season and time (Habakkuk 2:3), then it will surely come, it will not tarry. There is a determination upon the weeks and days of the Churches' sufferings and expectations (Daniel 9:24), seventy weeks are determined upon your people. As there is a three transgressions and a four of rebels for which God will not turn away their punishment (Amos 1:3), so a three afflictions and a four of the people of God, after which he will not shut out their supplications.

Hence that confidence of the Prophet (Psalm 102:13, 14), You shall arise, and have mercy upon Sion: for (says he) the time to favor her, yea the set time is come. There is a time, yes a set time for favor to be shown to Sion. As a time to break down, so a time to build up: an acceptable time, a day of salvation. It came to pass, at the end of 430 years, even the self same day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out of Egypt (Exodus 12:41). As a woman with child goes not beyond her appointed months, but is pained to be delivered, no more can the fruitful decree cease from bringing forth the Churches' deliverance in the season thereof.

Because there is an appointed period of the Churches' humiliation, and bearing of her iniquities. Israel shall bear their iniquities in the wilderness, but this is exactly limited to the space of 40 years. When their iniquity is pardoned, their warfare is accomplished (Isaiah 40:2). They say some men will give poison that shall work insensibly and kill at seven years' end. The great Physician of his Church, knows how to give his sin-sick people potions, that shall work by degrees, and at such an appointed season take away all their iniquity. Then they can no longer be detained in trouble. God will not continue his course of physic, to them one day beyond health recovered. This is all the fruit of their afflictions; to take away their iniquities (Isaiah 27:9), and when that is done, who shall keep bound what God will loose? When sin is taken away from within, trouble must depart from without.

Because the Churches' sorrows are commensurate to, and do contemporize with, the joys and prosperity of God's enemies, and hers. Now wicked men's prosperity has assured bounds. The wickedness of the wicked shall come to an end. There is a time when the iniquity of the Amorites comes to the full (Genesis 15:16), it comes up to the brim in the appointed day of slaughter. When their wickedness has filled the Ephah, a Talent of Lead is laid upon the mouth thereof, and it is carried away on wings (Zechariah 5:6, 7, 8), swiftly, certainly, irrevocably. If then the Churches' troubles, contemporize, rise and fall, with their prosperity, and her deliverance, with their destruction! if the fall of Babylon be the rise of Sion; if they be the buckets, which must go down, when the Church comes up; if they be the rod of the Churches' chastisement, their ruin being set and appointed, so also must be the Churches' mercies.

In every distress, learn to wait with patience for this appointed time, he that believes will not make haste. Though it tarry, wait for it, it will surely come. He that is infinitely good has appointed the time, and therefore it is the best. He that is infinitely wise, has determined the season, and therefore it is most suitable. He who is infinitely powerful, has set it down, and therefore it shall be accomplished. Wait for it believing, wait for it praying, wait for it contending. Waiting is not a lazy hope, a sluggish expectation. When Daniel knew the time was come, he prayed the more earnestly (Daniel 9:2, 3). You will say perhaps, what need he pray for it when he knew the time was accomplished! I answer; the more need. Prayer helps the promise bring forth. Because a woman's time is come, therefore shall she have no midwife? No, therefore give her one. He that appointed their return, appointed that it should be a fruit of prayer. Wait contending also, in all ways wherein you shall be called out. And be not discouraged, that you know not the direct season of deliverance. In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening, withhold not your hand, for you know not which shall prosper, this or that, or whether they shall be both alike good (Ecclesiastes 11:6). But proceed we with the Prophet's prayer.

From verse 3 to the 17, he lays down several arguments taken from the majesty, power, providence, and former works of God, for the supporting of his faith, to the obtaining of those good things, and works of mercy, which he was now praying for. We shall look on them, as they lie in our way.

God came from Teman, the holy one from mount [illegible]: Selah: his glory covered the heavens, the earth was full of his praise.

Teman was a city of the Edomites, whose land the people of Israel compassed in the wilderness, when they were stung with fiery serpents, and healed by looking on a brazen serpent, set up to be a type of Christ. Teman is put for the whole land of Edom: and the Prophet makes mention of it, for the great deliverance and mercy granted there to the people, when they were almost consumed. That's God's coming from Teman. See Numbers 21:5, 6, 7, 8, 9. When they were destroyed by fiery serpents, he heals them by a type of Christ, giving them corporeal, and raising them to a faith of spiritual salvation.

Paran the next place mentioned, was a mountain in the Land of Ismael, near which Moses repeated the Law, and from there God carried the people immediately to Canaan: another eminent act of mercy.

To these he addeth the word Selah: as it is a song a note of Elevation in singing: as it respects the matter, not the form, a note of Admiration and special Observation: Selah, consider them well for they were great works indeed.

FINIS.

Special mercies, must have special Observation.

Now by reason of these Actions, the Prophet affirms that the glory of God covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. Lofty expressions of the advancement of God's glory, and the fullness of his praise among his people of the earth, which attended that merciful deliverance, and gracious assistance. Nothing is higher or greater than that which covers heaven, and fills earth.

God's glory is exceedingly exalted, and his praise increased every where, by acts of favor and kindness to his people.

That which I shall choose from among many others that present themselves a little to insist upon, is that

Former mercies with their times and places are to be had in thankful remembrance to them who wait for future blessings. Faith is to this end separated by them. Awake, awake, put on strength O arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient days, as in the generations of old: art not you it that has cut Rahab, and wounded the Dragon? Art not you it that dried the sea, the waters of the great deep, that has made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? (Isaiah 51:9, 10) The breaking of Rahab, that is Egypt, so called here, and (Psalm 87:4; Psalm 89:11) for her great strength which the word signifies, and the wounding of the dragon, that great and crooked Afflictour Pharaoh is remembered, and urged for a motive to a new needed deliverance. So (Psalm 74:13, 14) You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and gave him to be meat to the people in the wilderness. Leviathan, the same Dragon, oppressing, persecuting Pharaoh; you broke his heads, his counsels, armies, power, and gave him for meat, that the people for forty years together might be fed, sustained and nourished, with that wonderful mercy. Out of the eater came forth meat, out of the strong came forth sweetness.

In this Reciprocation God walks with his people. Of free grace he bestows mercies and blessings on them: by grace works the returns of remembrance and thankfulness to himself for them: then showers that down again in new mercies. The countries which send up no vapors, receive down no showers. Remembrance with thankfulness of former mercies, is the matter as it were, which by God's goodness, is condensed into following blessings.

Mercies have their proper end when thankfully remembered. What more powerful motive to the obtaining of new, than to hold out, that the old were not abused. We are encouraged to cast seed again into that ground, whose last crop witnesses that it was not altogether barren: that sad spot of good Hezekiah, that he rendered not again according to the benefit done to him, is set down as the opening a door of wrath against himself, Judah and Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 32:25). On the other side suitable returns, are a door of hope for further mercies.

The remembrance of them strengthens faith, and keeps our hands from hanging down in the time of waiting for blessings. When faith is supported the promise is engaged, and a mercy at any time more than half obtained, faith is the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). God (says the Apostle) has delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver, now what conclusion makes he of this experience? In whom we trust, that he will yet deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10). It was a particular mercy, with its circumstances, as you may see verse 9. which he made the bottom of his dependance. In the favors of men, we cannot do so: they may be weary of helping, or be drawn dry, and grow helpless. Ponds may be exhausted, but the Ocean never. The infinite fountains of the Deity, cannot be sunk one hair's breadth by everlastingly-flowing blessings. Now circumstances of Actions, Time, Place, and the like, oft-times take deep impressions: mercies should be remembered with them. So does the Apostle again (2 Timothy 4:17, 18): He did deliver me from the mouth of the Lion (Nero that Lion-like tyrant) and what then? He will deliver me from every evil work. David esteemed it very good logic, to argue from the victory God gave him over the Lion, and the Bear, to a confidence of victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17:37).

The use of this, we are led to (Isaiah 43:16, 17, 18): Thus says the Lord which makes a way in the Sea, and a Path in the mighty waters: which brings forth the chariot and the horse, the army and the power, they shall lie down together, they shall not rise, they are extinct, they are quenched as tow: Remember you not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Let former mercies be an Anchor of hope in time of present distresses. Where is the God of Marston-Moor, and the God of Naseby, is an acceptable expostulation in a gloomy day. O what a catalogue of mercies, has this Nation to plead by in a time of trouble? God came from Naseby, and the Holy One from the West: Selah: his glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. He went forth in the North, and in the East he did not withhold his hand. I hope the poor town wherein I live, is more enriched with a store mercy of a few months, than with a full trade of many years. The snares of death compassed us, and the floods of ungodly men made us afraid (Psalm 18:4) but the Lord thundered from heaven, the highest gave his voice, hailstones and coals of fire: yea he sent out his arrows and scattered them, and he shot out lightning and discomfited them: he sent from above, he took us, he drew us out of many waters, he delivered us from our strong enemy, and from them which hated us, for they were too strong for us (verses 13, 14, 16, 17). How may we say with the same Psalmist in any other distress, O my God my soul is cast down within me, therefore will I remember you from the Land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites from the Hill Mizar (Psalm 42:6). Where is the God of Elijah, divides anew the waters of Jordan (2 Kings 2:14).

The following verses set forth the glory and power of God, in the accomplishment of that great work of bringing his people into the promised land: with those mighty things he performed in the wilderness. Verse 4, if I mistake not, sets out his glorious appearance on Mount Sinai: of which the Prophet affirms two things:

1. That his brightness was the light. 2. That he had horns coming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power.

For the first: is it not that brightness which appeared, when the mountain burnt with fire to the midst of Heaven (Deuteronomy 4:11)? A glorious fire in the midst of clouds and thick darkness. The like description you have of God's presence (Psalms 18:11, 12): he made darkness his secret place, and brightness was before him. As the light, the sun, the fountain and cause of it: called light (Job 31:26). Now this glorious appearance holds out the kingly power and majesty of God in governing the world, which appears but to few. The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice, clouds and darkness are round about him, a fire goes before him, his lightnings enlightened the world (Psalms 97:1, 2, 3).

Secondly, he had horns coming out of his hand. So the words most properly, though by some otherwise rendered. That horns in Scripture are taken for strength and power needs no proving. The mighty power of God which he made appear to his people, in that glorious representation of his majesty on Mount Sinai, is by this phrase expressed. There his chariots were seen to be twenty thousands, even many thousands of Angels, and the Lord among them in that holy place (Psalms 68:19). There they perceived that he had horns in his hand: an almighty power to do what he pleased. From where it is added, And there was the hiding of his power. Though the appearance of it was very great and glorious, yet it was but small to the everlastingly hidden depths of his omnipotency.

(The most glorious appearance of God comes infinitely short of his own eternal majesty as he is in himself: it is but a discovery, that there is the hiding of infinite perfection.) Or, there his power appeared to us, which was hidden from the rest of world.

When God is doing great things, he gives glorious manifestations of his excellencies to his secret ones. The appearance on Sinai, goes before his passage into Canaan. Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secrets to his servants the Prophets (Amos 3:7). When he is to send Moses for the deliverance of his people, he appears to him in a burning unconsumed bush (Exodus 3:2), a sign manifesting the presence of his power, to preserve his Church unconsumed in the midst of burning fiery afflictions. To this very end, were all the visions, that are recorded in the Scripture; all of them accommodated to the things which God was presently doing. And this he does:

That they may thereby be prepared to follow him, and serve him in the great works he has for them to do. Great works are to be done without great encouragements. If God appears not in light, who can expect he should appear in operation? He that is called to serve providence in high things, without some especial discovery of God, works in the dark, and knows not where he goes, nor what he does. Such a one travels in the wilderness, without a directing cloud. Clear shining from God, must be at the bottom of deep labouring with God. What is the reason, that so many in our days, set their hands to the plow, and look back again? Begin to serve providence in great things, but cannot finish? Give over in the heat of the day! They never had any such revelation of the mind of God upon their spirits, such a discovery of his excellencies, as might serve for a bottom of such undertakings. Men must know that if God has not appeared to them in brightness, and showed them the horns in his hand, hid from others, though they think highly of themselves, they'll deny God twice and three times, before the close of the work of this age. If you have no great discoveries, you will wax vain in great undertakings. Now workings on old bottoms, are like new wine in old bottles, both are spoiled and lost. The day is the time of work, and that because of the light thereof: those who have not light may be spared to go to bed.

That they may be the better enabled to give him glory, when they shall see the sweet harmony that is between his manifestations and his operations. When they can say with the Psalmist, as we have heard, so have we seen (Psalms 48:8): as he reveals himself, so he works. When his power and mercy answer his appearance in the bush, it is a foundation to a prayer, The good will of him that dwelt in the bush, bless you. When a soul shall find God calling him forth to employments, perhaps great and high, yet every way suiting that light and gracious discovery which he has given of himself, one thing answering another, it sets him in a frame of honoring God aright.

This might be of rich consideration could we attend it: for hence

1. As I said before, is apostasy from God's work. He appears not to me, how can they go upon his employment? Men that have no vision of God, are in the dark, and know not what to do. I speak not of visions beyond the word, answers of prayers, gracious applications of providences, with wise considerations of times and seasons. Some drop off every day, some hang by the eyelids, and know not what to do; the light of God is not sent forth to lead and guide them (Psalms 43:3). Wonder not at the strange backslidings of our days, many acted upon by-engagements, and for want of light, know not to the last what they were a-doing.

2. Hence also is the suiting of great light, and great work, in our days. Let new light be derided while men please, he will never serve the will of God in this generation, who sees not beyond the line of foregoing ages.

3. And this thirdly, may put all those, whom God is pleased to employ in his service, upon a diligent inquiry into his mind. Can a servant do his master's work, without knowing his pleasure? We live for the most part from hand to mouth, and do what comes next: few are acquainted with the designs of God.

The going forth of the Lord with his people towards their rest, with reference to his harbingers is described v. 5. Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.

Before him, at his face. The pestilence, this is often reckoned among the weapons wherewith God fighteth with any people to consume them: and as speeding an instrument of destruction it is, as any the Lord ever used towards the children of men.

At his feet went forth a burning coal. A redoubling say some of the same stroke: burning coals, for burning diseases. When one blow will not do the work appointed, God redoubles the stroke of his hand (Leviticus 26:22, 23, 24, 25).

Or burning coals, dreadful judgments, mortal weapons, as fire and flames are often taken in other descriptions of God's dealing with his enemies (Psalms 11:6, 18:8): prevailing fire is the most dreadful means of destruction (Hebrews 12:29, Isaiah 33:14).

Exodus 23:28, God threatens to send the hornet upon the Canaanites, before the children of Israel: some stinging judgments, either on their consciences, or bodies, or both. Something of the same kind is doubtless here held out: he sent plagues and diseases among them to weaken and consume them, before his people's entrance. His presence was with Israel, and the pestilence consuming the Canaanites before their entrance is said to be [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] at his faces, or appearances, before him, before the entrance of the presence of his holiness. And the following judgments that quite devoured them, were the coals going out at his feet, which he sent abroad, when he entered their land, with his own inheritance, into theirs, to cast out those malae fidei possessores.

1. Sicknesses, diseases and all sorts of judgments are wholly at God's disposal. Affliction comes not forth of the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground, yet man is born to trouble, as the sons of the burning coal lift up in flying (Job 5:6, 7).

2. When God intends the total destruction of a people, he commonly weakens them by some previous judgments. Let the truth of this, be found upon them that hate us, and the interpretation thereof, be to the enemies, of this nation: but the Lord knows, all our hearts may well tremble, at what will be the issue of the visitations of the last years.

God never wants instruments, to execute his anger, and ruin his enemies. His treasury of judgments, can never be exhausted. If Israel be too weak for the Amorites, he will call in the pestilence and burning diseases to their assistance. What creature has not this mighty God used against his enemies? An angel destroys Sennacherib's host (Isaiah 37:36), and smites Herod with worms (Acts 12:23). Heaven above sends down a hell of fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24). The stars in their courses fought against Sisera (Judges 5:20). Devils do his will herein, he sent evil angels among the Egyptians (Psalms 78:49). Fire consumes persecuting Ahaziah's companies (2 Kings 1:10, 11). The water drowns Pharaoh and his chariots (Exodus 14:28). Earth swallows up Korah, with his fellow rebels (Numbers 16:32). Bears rend the children that mocked Elisha (2 Kings 2:24). Lions destroy the strange nations in Samaria (2 Kings 17:25). Frogs, lice, boils, hail, rain, thunder, lightning, destroy the land of Egypt (Exodus 8, 9, 10). Locusts are his mighty army to punish Israel (Joel 2:25). Hailstones destroy the Canaanites (Joshua 10:11). Stones of the wall slay the Syrians (1 Kings 20:30). Pestilence and burning diseases are his ordinary messengers. In a word, all creatures, serve his providence, and await his commands, for the execution of his righteous judgments. Neither the beasts of the field, nor the stones of the earth, will be any longer quiet than he causes them to hold a league with the sons of men.

To teach us all to tremble before this mighty God. Who can stand before him, qui tot imperat legionibus? If he will strike he wants no weapons: if he will fight he wants no armies. All things serve his will. He says, to one come, and it comes, to another go, and it goes, to a third, do this, and it does it. He can make use of ourselves, our friends, our enemies, heaven, earth, fire, water, &c. any thing, for what end he pleases. There is no standing before his armies; for they are all things, and himself to make them effectual. There is no flying from his armies, for they are every where, and himself with them. Who would not fear this King of Nations? He that contends with him, shall find it, as if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned upon a wall, and a serpent bit him (Amos 5:18, 19). No flying, no hiding, no contending. Worms kill Herod; a fly choked Adrian, &c.

To be a bottom of confidence and dependence in an evil day. He that has God on his side, has also all things, that are seen and that are not seen. The mountain is full of fiery chariots for Elisha's defence, when outwardly there was no appearance (2 Kings 6:17). All things wait their Master's beck, to do him service, as for the destruction of enemies, so for the deliverance of his. What though we had no army in the time of war? God has millions, many thousands of angels (Psalms 68:17), one whereof can destroy so many thousands of men in a night (Isaiah 37:36). He can choose (when few others will appear with him against the mighty, as in our late troubles) foolish things to confound the wise, and weak things, to confound the strong. Sennacherib's angel is yet alive, and the destroyer of Sodom is not dead. And all those things are at our command, if their help may be for our good: Judah rules with God (Hosea 11:12), has a rule by faithful supplications over all those mighty hosts. Make God our friend, and we are not only of the best, but also the strongest side. You that would be on the safest side, be sure to choose that which God is on. Had not this mighty all-commanding God been with us, where had we been in the late tumults? So many thousands in Kent, so many in Wales, so many in the North, so many in Essex, shall they not speed? Shall they not divide the prey? Is not the day of those factious Independents come? Was the language of our very neighbors: The snare is broken, and we are delivered.

The Lord having sent messengers before him into Canaan, stands himself as it were upon the borders and takes a view of the land.

He stood and measured the earth, he beheld and drove asunder the nations, and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.

Two things are here considerable.

1. The Lords exact fore-view of the promised land: he stood and measured the earth, and beheld the Nations. 2. His operation at that time, he drave asunder the Nations, and the, &c.

1. He stood and measured. The Prophet here representeth the Lord on the frontire of Canaan, as one taking view of a piece of Land, and exactly measuring it out, as intending it for his own, weighing and considering the bounds and limits of it, to see if it will answer the end for which he purposeth it. Gods exact notice and knowledge of his peoples possession is in those words held out. He views where the lines of every tribe shall run.

Nothing happens or is made out to any of Gods people, without his own careful providential predisposition.

He views the circuit of the whole, where, and how, divided, and separated from the dwellings of the unclean, and habitations of the uncircumcised.

Fixed bounds, measured limits of habitation is a necessary ingredient, to the making up of a national Church.

2. What he did: which is two ways expressed, 1. in reference to the inhabitants, 2. to the Land itself:

1. For the inhabitants, he drove them asunder: [in non-Latin alphabet] and he made to leape out of their old channels. Those Nations knit and linked together among themselves, by leagues and civil society, he separated, disturbed, divided in counsels and arms, (as in the case of the Gibeonites,) persecuted by the sword, that they suddenly leaped out of their habitations, the residue wandering as no people.

Gods justly Nation-disturbing purposes, are the bottom of their deserved ruin.

2. For the Land, The everlasting Mountains, &c. Those strong firm lasting Mountains of Canaan, not like the Mountains of sand in the desert where the people were, but to continue firm to the worlds end, as both the words here used [in non-Latin alphabet] and [in non-Latin alphabet], perpetuity, and everlasting, do in the Scripture frequently signify. Now these are said to be scattered and to bow, because of the destruction of the Inhabitants of those lasting hills, being many of them high and mighty ones like perpetual Mountains: they being given in possession to the sons of Israel, even the chief things of the ancient Mountains, and the precious things of the lasting hills (Deuteronomy 33:15).

God takes an exact foreview of his peoples portion and inheritance. Like a careful father, he knows before hand, what he intends to bestow upon them. He views it, measures it, prepares it to the utmost bounds. They shall not have a hair's breadth which he has not allotted them: nor want the least jot of their designed portion.

Learn to be contented with your lot. He is wise also, who took a view of it, and measured it, and found it just commensurate to your good: had he known that a foot's breadth more had been needful, you should have had it. Had he seen it good; you had had no thorns in your Lands, no afflictions in your lives. O how careful, how solicitous are many of Gods people! How full of desires! Oh that it were with me thus or thus! Possess your souls in patience: as you cannot add to, no more shall any take from your proportion. He took the measure of your wants, and his own supplies long since. That which he has measured out, he will cut off for you. He knows how to suit all his children.

It is dangerous encroaching for any of the sons of men upon Gods peoples portion, lot, privileges or inheritance. God has measured it out for them, and he will look that they enjoy it. Shall men remove his bounds, and landmarks, and be free? Will it be safe trespassing upon the Lands of the Almighty? Will it be easy and cheap? Will he not plead his action with power? Especially seeing he has given them their portion. If he has given Seir to Edom, what does he vexing and wasting Jacob? Shall they not possess what the Lord their God gives them to possess (Judges 11:24)? He has cautioned all the world; Kings and others in this kind: Touch not mine anointed, do my prophets no harm (Psalm 105:14, 15). Touch them not, nor any thing that is theirs: harm them not in any thing I bestow on them. They have nothing but what their Father gives them, and Christ has bought for them. Will a tender Father, think you, contentedly look on, and see a slave snatch away his children's bread? If a man has engaged himself to give a jewel to a dear friend, will he take it patiently to have an enemy come and snatch it away before his face? God is engaged to his people for all their enjoyments, and will he quietly suffer himself to be robbed and his people spoiled? Shall others dwell quietly in the Land which he has measured for his own?

See from where the great destructions of people and Nations in these latter ages have come. Is it not for touching these forbidden things? The holy vessels of the Temple at Jerusalem ruined Babylon. Is not the wasting of the Western Nations, at this day from hence, that they have served the whore to deck herself, with the spoils of the spouse? Helped to trim her with the portion of Gods people: taking away their liberties, ordinances, privileges, lives, to lay at her feet. Doubtless God is pleading with all these kingdoms for their encroaching. They who will not let him be at peace with his, shall have little quiet with their own. The Eagle that stole a coal from the Altar, fired her nest. I know how this has been abused to countenance the holding of Babylonish wedges. God will preserve to his people his own allowance, not Rome's supplement. This Nation has yet itching fingers, and a hankering mind after the inheritance of Gods people: let them take heed, he has knocked off their hands an hundred times, and sent them away with bloody fingers. O that we were wise, that we be not quite consumed. Of you I hope better things, and such as accompany salvation, yet give me leave to caution you a little.

1. As to privileges and liberties of this life. Their liberties and estates, are not as other mens: but more exactly measured for their good, and sanctified to them in the blood of Christ. If in these things God has called you to the defence and protection of his, he will expect a real account. You had better give away a kingdom that belongs to others, than the least of that which God has made for his Saints. Think not any thing small, which God accounts worthy to bestow on his. If he has meted out liberty for them, and you give them slavery, you will have a sad reckoning.

In point of ordinances, and Christ purchased privileges: here 'tis dangerous encroaching indeed. God exactly measured Canaan because it was to be the seat of a national church. If you love your lives, if you love your souls, be tender in this point. Here if you meddle with that which belong not to you, were you Kings, all your glory would be laid in the dust (2 Chronicles 26:18). Woe to them who cut short the saints of God in the least jot, of what he has allotted to them in spirituals. Is it for any of you, O you sons of men, to measure out God's children's portion, long since bequeathed them by Christ? Let them alone with what is given them. If God call Israel out of Egypt to serve him, shall Pharaoh assign who, and how they shall go, first men only, then all without their cattle? No, says Moses, we will go as God calls (Exodus 10:26).

Was not one main end of the late tumults, to rob God's people of their privileges, to bring them again under the yoke of superstition? What God broke in war, do not think he will prosper in peace? If you desire to thrive, do not the same, nor any thing like it. Take they any thing of yours, that belongs to Caesar, the civil magistrate, restrain them, keep them within bounds. But if they take only what Christ has given them, O touch them not, harm them not. The heap is provided for them, let them take for themselves. Think it not strange, that every one should gather his own Manna. The Lord forbid that I should oversee the magistrates of England, taking away liberties, privileges, ordinances or ways of worship, from them to whom the Almighty has made a free grant of them.

If in taking what God has measured out for them, they should not all comply with you, in the manner and measure of what they take, do them no harm, impoverish not their families, banish them not, slay them not. Alas, your judgements, were you Kings and Emperors, is not a rule to them. They must be tried by their own faith. Are their souls, think you, more precious to you than themselves? You say they take amiss: they say no: and appeal to the word. Should you now smite them? Speak blood, is that the way of Jesus Christ? Should it be as you affirm, you would be puzzled for your warrant. To run when you are not sent, surely in this case is not safe. But what if it should prove in the close, that they have followed divine directions? Do you not then fight against God, wound Jesus Christ, and prosecute him as an evil doer? I know the usual colors, the common pleas, that are used for the instigation of authority to the contrary. They are the very same and no other, that have slain the saints of God, this 1200 years. Arguments for persecution are dyed in the blood of Christians, for a long season, ever since the Dragon gave his power to the false Prophet, they have all died as heretics and schismatics. Suppose you saw in one view all the blood of the witnesses of Christ, which has been let out of their veins, by vain pretences, that you heard in one noise the doleful cry of all pastorless churches, dying martyrs, harborless children of parents inheriting the promise, wilderness-wandering saints, dungeoned believers, wrested out by pretended zeal to peace and truth, and perhaps it may make your spirits tender as to this point.

See the warrantableness of our contests for God's people's rights. It was Jephthah's only argument against the encroaching Ammonites (Judges 11). By God's assistance they would possess what the Lord their God should give them. If a grant from heaven will not make a firm title, I know not what will. Being called by lawful authority, certainly, there is not a more glorious employment, than to serve the Lord, in helping to uphold the portion he has given his people. If your hearts be upright, and it is the liberties, the privileges of God's saints, conveyed from the Father, purchased by Christ, you contend for, go on and prosper, the Lord is with you.

2. From what God did.

The works and labors of God's people are transacted for them in heaven, before they once undertake them. The Israelites were now going to Canaan, God does their work for them before hand. They did but go up and take possession; Joshua and Caleb tell the people not only that their enemies' defence was departed from them, but that they were but bread for them (Numbers 14:9). Not corn that might be prepared, but bread, ground, made up, ready baked, ready to eat. Their work was done in heaven. Known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world (Acts 15:18). All that is done here below, is but the writing of a visible copy for the sons of men to read, out of the eternal lines of his own purpose.

Up and be doing, you that are about the work of the Lord. Your enemies are bread ready to be eaten, and yield you refreshment. Do you think if our armies had not walked in a trodden path they could have made such journeys as they have done of late? Had not God marched before them, and traced out their way from Kent to Essex, from Wales to the North, their carcasses had long ere this, been cast into the field. Their work was done in heaven before they begun it. God was gone over the Mulberry trees; the work might have been done by children, though he was pleased to employ such worthy instruments. They see I doubt not their own nothingness, in his all-sufficiency. Go on then, but with this caution, search by all ways and means to find the footsteps of the mighty God, going before you.

The trembling condition of the opposing nations round about when God appeared so gloriously for his people, is held out verse 7.

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: the curtains of the Land of Midian did tremble.

You have here three things considerable.

- 1. The mention of two nations enemies of the Church, Cushan and Midian. - 2. The state and condition of those nations, the tents of the one in affliction, and the curtains of the other in trembling. - 3. The view the Prophet had of this, I saw it says he, I saw, &c.

For the first, these two nations, Cushan and Midian, were the neighboring people to the Israelites, being in the wilderness when God did such great things for them. First Cushan, that is the tent-dwelling Arabians on the south side towards Ethiopia, being as the Ethiopians of the posterity of Cush (from there called Cushan) the eldest son of scoffing Ham (Genesis 10:6), enemies and opposers of the Church (doubtless) all the way down from their profane ancestors. These now beheld the Israelites, going to root out their allies, and kindred the Amorites of Canaan, the posterity of Canaan, the younger brother of their progenitor Cush (Genesis 10:6).

Midian were a people inhabiting on the east side Jordan, on the borders of Moab: so called from their forefather, Midian the son of Abraham by Keturah (Genesis 25:3, 4). These obtained a temporal blessing for a season, from the love borne to their faithful progenitor. In the days of Jacob, they were great merchants (Genesis 37:28). At this time in less than 400 years, they were so multiplied, that they had five kings of their nation (Numbers 31:1). Some knowledge of the true God, was retained as it should seem until now among some of them, being received by tradition from their fathers. Moses' father in law, was a priest of this country (Exodus 2:15, 16), not altogether unacquainted with Jehovah (Exodus 18), and was himself, or his son persuaded to take up his portion in Canaan (Numbers 10:29, 30). But for the generality of the nation, being not heirs of the promise, they were fallen off to superstition and idolatry. Exceeding enemies they were to the people in the wilderness, vexing them with their wiles, and provoking them to abominations, that the Lord might consume them (Numbers 25:17).

None so vile enemies to the Church as superstitious apostates.

These two nations then set out all manner of opposers, gross idolators as Cushan, and superstitious envious apostates as Midian.

2. Their state and condition severally: 1 The tents of Cushan were in affliction: the tents, the Arabian Ethiopians of Cush, dwelling in tents: the habitation for the inhabitant, by an hypallage. They were in affliction, under vanity, under iniquity, the place of vanity, so variously are the words rendered: [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] under affliction, vanity, or iniquity. Sin, and the punishment of it, are frequently in the Scripture of the same name: so near is the relation. Aven is properly and most usually iniquity, but that it is here taken for the consequent of it, a consuming, perplexed, vexed condition can be no doubt. The Cushamites then were in affliction, full of anguish, fear, dread, vexation to see what would be the issue of those great and mighty things which God was doing in their borders for his people. Afflicted with Israel's happiness and their own fears, as is the condition of all wicked oppressors.

2. The curtains of the land of Midian, for the Midianites dwelling in curtained tabernacles, by the same figure as before. They trembled, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], moved themselves, were moved, that is shaken with fear and trembling, as though they were ready to run from the appearance of the mighty God with his people. The story of it, you have in the book of Numbers: as it was prophetically fore-told by Moses concerning other nations (Exodus 15:14, 15, 16), "The people shall hear and be afraid, sorrow shall take hold of the inhabitants of Palestina: Then the Dukes of Edom shall be amazed, the mighty men of Moab, &c." God filled those nations with anguish, sorrow and amazement, at the protection he granted his people.

3. The prophet's view of all this: I saw it, or I see it: though it were 870 years before, supposing him to prophesy about the end of Josiah, or beginning of Jehojakim, yet taking it under the consideration of faith he makes it present to his view.

Faith looks backwards and forwards, to what God has done, and to what he has promised to do: Abraham saw the day of Christ, so many ages after, because he found it by faith in the promise. Habakkuk saw the terrors of Cushan and Midian so many ages before, because faith found it recorded among the works of God to support itself in seeking the like mercies to be renewed. So that this is the sum of this verse.

O Lord, faith makes it evident, and presents it before my view, how in former days, when you were doing great things for your people, you filled all your, and their enemies, with fear, vexation, trembling and astonishment.

1. Faith gives a present subsistence, to forepast works as recorded, and future mercies as promised, to support the soul in an evil day. I saw. I have made the doctrine by analogy look both ways, though the words of the text look but one.

2. God's dealing with his enemies, in the time of his Church's deliverance is of especial consideration: I saw, &c.

3. The measuring out of God's people's portion fills Cushan with affliction and Midian with trembling. Their terrors follow God's measuring, v. 6.

4. The season of the Church's deliverance being come, Cushan and Midian, opposing enemies, and superstitious revolters shall surely wax vain and perish.

For the first, that faith gives a present, &c. the Apostle tells us, that faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

1. Of things hoped for: it looks forward to the promises, and so gives the substance of them in present possession, so confirming our minds and hearts, that they may have a subsistence as it were within us, though not actually made out to us. 2. It is the evidence of things not seen: it extends itself not only to things promised, but taking for its object the whole Word of God, it makes evident, and present, things that are past also. The faith commended v. 3. is of things long since done, even the making of the things that are seen of the things that do not appear. Abraham saw my day says our Savior (John 8:56). He saw it as Habakkuk the tents of Cushan in affliction. Faith made it present to him: all the ages between him and his promised seed were as nothing to his keen-sighted faith. Hence the Apostle puts the mercies of the promise, all in one form and rank as already wrought, though some of them were enjoyed and some of them in this life cannot be (Romans 8:30): "whom he has justified, them he has glorified:" He has done it for them already, because he has made them believe it, and that gives it a present subsistence in their spirits. And for forepast works, they are still mentioned by the saints, as if they had been done in their days, before their eyes. Elisha calls up to remembrance a former miracle, to the effecting the like (2 Kings 2:14).

There be three things, in past, or future mercies, which faith makes present to the soul, giving in the subsistence of them, 1. their love, 2. their consolation, 3. their use and benefit.

1. The love of them: the love, that was in former works, and the love that is in promised mercies, that faith draws out, and really makes ours. The love of every recorded deliverance, is given to us by faith. It looks into the good-will, the free grace, the loving-kindness of God, in every work that ever he did for his, and cries, yet this is mine: this is the kernel of that blessing, and this is mine: for the same good-will, the same kindness he has towards me also. Were the same outward actings needful, I should have them also. The free love of every mercy is faith's proper object. It makes all Joshua's great victories, present to every one of us. The promise that had the love and grace in it which run through them all, is given him (Joshua 1:5): I will be with you, I will not fail you nor forsake you. Now the Apostle tells us, that the truth and love of this promise is ours (Hebrews 13:5). Faith may, does assure itself, that what good-will soever, was in all the great mercies which Joshua received upon that promise, is all ours. All the good-will and choice love of, I will never leave you nor forsake you, is mine and yours, if we are believers. He that has this present, has all Joshua's victories present. The very glory of the Saints in Heaven is ours in the love of it. We enjoy that love, which gave them glory, and will crown us also in due time.

2. In their comforts and refreshments. You gave Leviathan to be meat to the people in the Wilderness (Psalm 74). They fed their souls full of the sweetness of that mercy, the destruction of their oppressing tyrant: we chew the cud upon the blessings of former ages. Who has not with joy, delight, and raised affections, gone over the old preservations of the Church in former years? How does David run them over with admiration, closing every stop with, His mercy endures for ever (Psalm 136)? And for things to come, as yet in the promise only, whether general to the whole Church, as the calling of the Jews, the coming in of the fullness of the Gentiles, the breaking out of light, beauty and glory upon the Churches and Saints, the confusion of nations, not subjecting themselves to the standard of the Gospel, etc. or in particular, further assurance of love than presently enjoyed, nearer communion with Father and Son, being with Christ, freed from misery and corruption, dwelling with God for ever, how does faith act over these and the like things in the heart, leaving a savor and relish of their sweetness continually upon the soul? O how sweet also are the things of the world to come to poor believers! Christ leads the soul by faith, not only into the chambers of presently-enjoyed loves, but also into the fore-prepared everlasting mansions in his Father's house. Thus it gives poor mortal creatures, a sweet relish of eternal joys: brings Heaven into a dungeon, glory into a prison, a crown into a cottage, Christ into a slaughter-house.

From the nature of faith: though it do not make the thing believed to be, (the act cannot create its own object,) yet applying it, it makes it the believer's. It is the bond of union between the soul and the thing promised. He that believes in Christ, by that believing receives Christ (John 1:12); he becomes his. It is a grace uniting its subject and object, the person believing, and the thing believed. There needs no ascending into Heaven or descending, the word of faith makes all things nigh, even within us. Some glasses will present things of a great distance very near: faith looking through the glass of the Gospel, makes the most remote mercies to be not only in a close distance, but in union. It is the subsistence of things hoped for, that which they have not in themselves, it gives them in the full assured minds of believers.

From the intendment of all mercies: they are for every believer. All things are theirs, world, life, death, things present, things to come (1 Corinthians 2:22). All promises being made to every believer, and all mercies being the fruit of these promises, they must all belong to every believer. Now if all these should be kept from us at that distance wherein they fall in their accomplishment in respect of time, what would they avail us? God therefore has appointed that they shall have a real, though not a natural presence and subsistence at all times, to all believers.

See hence what use you may make of past mercies, deliverances, blessings, with promised incomings: carry them about you, by faith, that you may use them at need: Where is the God of Elijah: Awake, awake oh arm of the Lord, etc. I saw the tents of Cushan: take store of mercies along with you in every trial. Use them, or they'll grow rusty, and not pass in heaven. Learn to eat Leviathan many years after his death. Forget not your pearls, scatter not away your treasure, be rich in a heap of mercies; faith will make you so. The love, the comfort, the benefit of all former and future blessings are yours, if you know how to use them. Oh how have we lost our mercies in every hedge and ditch! Have none of us skill to lay up the last eminent deliverance against a rainy day?

2. Learn how to make the poorest and most afflicted condition, comfortable and full of joy. Store your cottage, your sick bed, by faith, with all sorts of mercies. They are the richest furniture in the world. Gather up what is already cast out, and fetch the rest from heaven. Bring the first fruits of glory into your bosom. See the Jews called, the residue of opposers subdued, the Gospel exalted, Christ enthroned, all your sins pardoned, corruption conquered, glory enjoyed. Roll yourself in those golden streams every day. Let faith fetch in new and old: ancient mercies, for your supportment, everlasting mercies, for your consolation. He that has faith, has all things.

2. God's dealing with his enemies, in the season of his Church's deliverance is of especial consideration; I saw the tents, etc. so did the Israelites, beholding the Egyptians dead on the shore (Exodus 14:30, 31).

The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved, he uttered his voice, the earth melted, The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, selah: Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he has made on the earth (Psalm 46:6, 7, 8). The enemies' undertaking, ver. 6. God's protection to his people, ver. 7. A view of the adversaries' desolation, ver. 8. are all orderly held out.

The Lord tells Moses, that he will harden the heart of Pharaoh, that he might shew his power, to this very end, that it might be considered, and told to one another (Exodus 10:2, 3).

How many Psalmes have we that are taken up in setting forth God's breaking, yoking, befooling, terrifying his adversaries at such a season?

The remembrance of the slaughter of the first borne of Egypt, was an ingredient in the chiefest ordinance the ancient church enjoyed (Exodus 14).

Much of the greatness and intenseness of his love to his own, is seen in his enemies' ruin. "I gave Egypt for your ransome, Ethiopia and Seba for you, since you were precious in my sight, you have been honourable, and I loved you, therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life" (Isaiah 43:3, 4). When God gives such mighty kingdoms for a small handfull, it appears they are precious to him. "Whoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake" (Isaiah 54:15). When God will maintaine a quarrell with all the world, sweare that he will never have peace with Ameleck, untill he be consumed, breake nations, kings and kingdoms, stretch out his hand in judgement round about, and all to save, preserve, prosper, protect, a small handfull, surely he has endeared affections for them. In the dayes wherein we live, can we look, and see, wise men befooled, mighty warriours vanquished, men of might become as children, their persons slaine, and trodden downe in the field, can we but cry? Lord, what are we, and what is our house that you should doe such things for us? A serious view of what God has done in this nation of late, what armies he has destroyed, what strong holds demolished, what proud haughty spirits defeated, what consultations made vaine, is enough to make us admire the riches of his love all our dayes. We may know what esteeme a man sets upon a jewell by the price he gives for it. Surely God values them, for whom he has given, the honours, the parts, the polities, the lives, of so many tall cedars, as of late he has done. The loving kindness of God to his church is seen, as in a glasse, in the bloud of their persecutors.

The manifestation of God's sovereignty, power, and sovereign justice, is as deare to him as the manifestation of his mercy. The properties he layes out in destruction, are equally glorious, with those he laies out in preservation. In the proclamation of his glorious name he omits them not (Exodus 34:6, 7). In these he triumpheth gloriously when he has overthrowne the horse and his rider in the sea (Exodus 15).

Let not our eyes in the late deliverance bee alwayes on the light side of the worke, our owne mercies: the darke side of terror and judgement is not without its glory. The folly that was in their counsells, the amazement that was in their armies, the trembling that accompanied all their undertakings, the tympanous products of all their indeavours, doe all cry out Digitus Dei est hic. Had not God shewed infinite wisedome, they had not beene so abundantly foolish. Had not he been infinite in power, the many thousands of enemies had not been so weake.

In the late engagement in this country, when God stirred us up, with some others in these parts, to make some opposition to the enemy gathering at Chelmsford, what were thinke you the workings of God's providences against them? How came it to passe that we were not swallowed up by them?

1. They were desirous to ruine us: if we may judge their desires to answer their interest, or their expressions, with the language of their friends round about us to answer their desires.

2. They were able to doe it. They had from the beginning and so all along, neere as many thousands, as we had hundreds, of them very many old experienced souldiers, with us not three men, that had ever seene any fighting.

3. They were resolved to doe it. Witness their owne confessions, and frequent declarations of their purposes, while the businesse was in agitation.

4. They were provoked to it. The first and onely considerable opposition being made to them in this place, and thereby first their assistance from Colchester hindred, which how much they valued, witness the senselesse letter they would have forced the committee to subscribe, to perswade us not to disturbe their levies there. Secondly, suppressed and discouraged all those affected to them and their designes in these parts of the county, restraining some, disarming others, awing all. Thirdly, hastning the coming of the army, lest their friends should suffer. Fourthly, incouraging their coming, by declaring that they had friends here, by which and the like they were abundantly provoked.

5. That they were also invited to it, though by persons somewhat inconsiderable, with promises of a full party of friends to assist them, which they might have had, and a rich booty from their enemies to support them, which they might have found, is too apparent.

Now being thus advantaged, thus incouraged, thus provoked, and resolved, why did they not attempt it, why did they not accomplish their desires? Is it not worth the while to consider how they were restrained? Was not much of God's wisedom seen in mixing a spirit of giddinesse and errror in the middest of them, that they knew not well how to determine, nor at all to execute their determinations? Was not his power seen in causing experienced souldiers as they were, with their multitudes, to be afraid of a poore handfull of unskillfull men, running together because they were afraid to abide in their houses? Was not his justice exalted, in keeping them onely for the pit which they had digged for others? Doubtlesse the hand of God was lifted up. O that we could all learne righteousnesse, peculiarly among ourselves of this place: is there nothing of God to be discerned, in the vexations, birthlesse consultations, and devices of our observers? Nothing of power in their restraint? Nothing of wisdome in the selfe-punishment of their anxious thoughts? Nothing of goodnesse that after so long waiting for advantage, they begin themselves to think, that neither divination nor inchantment will prevaile?

3. The measuring out of God's peoples portion fills Cushan with affliction, and Midian with trembling. Their eye is evill, because God is good. Israel's increase is Pharaoh's trouble (Exodus 1:10). When Nehemiah comes to build the walls of Jerusalem, it grieved the enemy exceedingly, that one was come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel (Nehemiah 4:10). This is the season of that dispensation which you have mentioned (Isaiah 65:13, 14, 15).

Thus says the Lord, behold my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry, behold my servants shall drink but you shall be thirsty, behold my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed: Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit. And you shall &c.

The reasons of this are taken, 1 from their envy, 2 from their carnal fear, the two principles whereby they are acted in reference to the Saints of God.

1. Their envy: They have a devouring envy at them, which at length shall shame them and consume them (Isaiah 26:11). They are of their Father the Devil, and he (through envy) was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44). The portion God measures out to his people is in distinguishing mercies, differencing blessings: in such things as the world has not, gives not. Now this is that, which envy takes for its proper object. That others should have enjoyments above them, beyond them, this envious men cannot bear. God accepts Abel, not Cain; presently Cain is wroth and his countenance falls (Genesis 4:8). Jacob gets the blessing, and this fills the heart of Esau, with murderous revenge (Genesis 27:41). Upon all God's appearances with the Apostles, how were the Jews cut to the heart, vexed, perplexed? God gives distinguishing mercies to his people, such protections, such deliverances, this Cushan and Midian cannot bear.

2. Their carnal fear: They have all of them that conclusion in their breasts, which Haman's wisemen and wife made to him (Esther 6:13). If they begin to fall before the seed of the Jews, utter ruin will follow. When God begins to own his people as they in the Acts (chapter 5, verse 24), they doubt whether this will grow. Their hearts tell them secretly they are usurpers of all they have, and when God owns any, they instantly fear lest for their sakes they should be called to account. When a distinction begins to be made, in ordinances, privileges, deliverances, protections, evidently given to some peculiar ones, they tremble within that they are set apart for no good. This picking and choosing of men by the Lord (Psalm 4:3), they cannot bear with. Such mighty works attend the Israelites, what thinks Midian will be the end of this? It is true their pride calls on them to act openly more of their malice than their fear: but yet this lies at the bottom: like a boasting atheist's nightly thoughts. The chief Priests and Pharisees, having gotten the Apostles before them, what big words they use to countenance the business? Who gave you this power (Acts 4:7)? But when they are by themselves they cry, what shall we do? And whereunto will this grow? This lies at the bottom with many at this day, though they boast and lift up their mouths to Heaven, their hearts do tremble as an aspen leaf.

Learn not to be troubled, at the great tumultuing, which is among many against the ways of God at this day. God is measuring out his children's portion, giving them their bread in season, viewing for them the lot of their inheritance. Men of the world, profane Cushanites, superstitious apostatical Midianites, will not, cannot be quiet. Vexed they are, envious and afraid, and will act according to those principles. Cushanites see religion owned, Midianites theirs disclaimed, and both are alike provoked. The Lord convert them, or rebuke them, or the one will have the armies, the other their wiles. Only judge not their hearts by the outward appearance always: they seem gallant to you, indeed they are frighted, galled, vexed. I have seen a galled horse under dressing, leap and curvet, as though it had been out of mettle and spirit, when indeed it was pain and smart that made him do it. They pretend to despise us when they envy us. They look like contemners, but are tremblers: be not troubled at their outward appearance, they have inward anguish; they bite others, but are lashed themselves.

4. The season of the Church's deliverance being come, Cushan and Midian must wax vain and perish. That there is such a season I told you before. When 430 years are expired, Egypt must be destroyed, the Amorites rooted out, and all the nations round made to tremble. When 70 years of captivity expire, Babylon must be ruined, and the Chaldean Monarchy quite wasted, that the Jews may return. The Church being to be delivered, Haman must be hanged. This you have fully set out (Revelation 6:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17). It is the fall of heathenish tyranny, by the prevailing of the Gospel, which you have there described. Rome and Constantinople, Pope and Turk, are preserved, for a day and an hour, wherein they shall fall and be no more. If the season of enjoying ordinances and privileges, be come to this nation, that the Tabernacle of God, will be here among men, woe be to Cushanites, woe be to Midianites, open opposers and secret apostates. They shall not be able to be quiet, nor to prevail. God will not let them rest, nor obtain their purposes: the story of Haman must be acted over again; their hearts shall be stirred up to their own ruin. This (Revelation 20:8) is the frame of perishing Babylonians, in the day of Zion's restoration.

The reasons are, 1. because at the deliverance of his people God will plead with their enemies for their oppressions. It is the day of the Lord's vengeance, the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion (Isaiah 34:8). It is the vengeance of the Lord and his Temple that lights upon them, in that day (Jeremiah 50:28). The violence done to me and my flesh, be upon Babylon shall the inhabitant of Zion say, and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea shall Jerusalem say (Jeremiah 51:35). In this day great Babylon must come into remembrance (Revelation 16:19, 20).

2. The discerning trial, that shall, and does come along with the Church's vindication, will cut off all superfluous false professors, so that they also shall perish (Malachi 3:2, 3). Christ comes with a fan to send away the chaff in the wings of the wind. Have we not seen this end of many zealots?

3. The Amorites live in Canaan, and must be removed. Oppressors, and hypocrites, enjoy many rights of the Church, which must be taken from them: Rome and her adherents, shall not have so much left, as the name or title, appearance or show of a Church. The outward court they have trodden down and defiled, shall be quite left out, in the measuring of the Temple (Revelation 11).

Bring this observation home to the first from this verse, and it will give you the use of it: proceed we to the next verse.

Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? Was your anger against the rivers? Was your wrath against the sea, that you did ride upon your horses and your chariots of salvation?

Was the Lord displeased [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] kindled, did he burne? That is in wrath: heat is a great ingredient in the commotion of anger, in us, here alluded to, or because the effects of anger are so often compared to fire. Against the rivers or floods? Again was your anger? [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] your nose or face, or your anger, [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] signifies both: the face is the seat of anger's appearance: fury comes up into the face. Was your anger? Your troubling anger (so the word) against the sea? The red Sea, through which your people passed. That you did ride upon your horses, your chariots of salvation, or your chariots were salvation, currus salutares, your safety-bringing chariots.

The words are an admiring expostulation, about the mighty works of the Lord, for his people, upon the sea, rivers and inanimate creatures.

1. The rivers: Jordan and its driving back is doubtless especially intended. The Lord showed his power, in disturbing that ancient river in his course, and making his streams run backward. The story of it you have (Joshua 3:15, 16). The people being to enter into Canaan, the Lord divides the waters of that river, making them beneath to sink away, and those above to stand on a heap. This the Prophet magnifies (Psalm 114:5): What ails you O Jordan that you were driven back? What marvelous, powerful disturbing thing is happened to you, that contrary to your ancient natural course, your streams should be frighted, and run back to the springs from where they came?

2. The sea: that is the Red Sea, which in like manner was divided (Exodus 14:21), which the Prophet also admires in the forecited Psalm: the sea saw it and fled: what ailed you, O you sea that you fled? What strong mighty impression of power was on you, that the multitudes of your waters should be parted, and your channel discovered dry to the bottom?

That you did ride upon your horses and your chariots of salvation. This you have again (v. 15): you did walk through the sea with your horses. These were those clouds and winds which the Lord sent before the Israelites, to the sea and Jordan, to drive them back. He makes the clouds his chariots, and walks upon the wings of the wind (Psalm 104:3); so (Psalm 18:11) he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

After the manner of men, God is represented as a mighty conqueror, riding before his armies and making way for them. The power and majesty of God was with, and upon those clouds and winds, which went before his people, to part those mighty waters, that they might pass dry: and therefore they are called his saving chariots, because by them his people were delivered.

Or by horses and chariots here, you may understand the Angels, who are the host of God (Psalm 68:17): the chariots of God are twenty thousands, even thousands of Angels. They have appeared as horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:17). And their ministry no doubt the Lord used in these mighty works of drying rivers, and dividing seas. Either way, the glorious power and majesty of God, in his delivering instruments, is set forth.

Thus the words severally, now jointly.

This admiring interrogation includes a negation. Was the Lord kindled against the rivers, was your face against the rivers, &c.? Was it that the deep had offended the most high, that by your Angels, winds and clouds, you did so disturb the floods in their ancient course, and made naked their hidden channels, until the hoary deep cried out for fear, and lifted up his aged hands to the Almighty as it were for pity (v. 10)? No surely, no such thing; all those keep the order by you to them appointed; it was all for the salvation and deliverance of your people. God was not angry with Jordan when he drove it back, nor with the sea when he divided it, but all was effected for Israel's deliverance.

The very senseless creatures are as it were sensible of the wrath and power of the Almighty. Effects of anger being in and upon the deep, he utters his voice and lifts up his hands on high (v. 10).

God often in the Scripture sets forth his power and majesty, by the trembling of heaven, and the shaking of the earth, the vanishing of mountains, and the bowing of perpetual hills, the professed humble subjection of the most eminent parts of the creation. The sea shall fly as afraid, the rocks as weak rend and crumble, the heavens be darkened, the mountains skip like rams, and the little hills like young sheep (Psalm 114:4). [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] *Aeschilus. Justin. in apol.*

The heavens shook, the earth dropped at the presence of God (Psalm 68:8). The Almighty Creator holds the whole frame of the building in his own hand, and makes what portion he pleases, and when he pleases, to tremble, consume and vanish before him. Though many things are not capable of sense and reason, yet he will make them do such things as sense and reason should prompt the whole subjected creation to, to teach that part their duty who were endued therewith. A servant is beat, to make a child learn his duty.

See hence the stoutness of sinful hearts. More stubborn than the mountains, more flinty than the rocks, more senseless than the great deep. Friend, are you stronger than Horeb, yet that trembled at the presence of this mighty God, whom it never had provoked? Are your lusts like the streams of Jordan, yet they run back from his chariots of salvation? Are your corruptions more firmly seated on your soul than the mountains on their bases, yet they leaped like frighted sheep, before that God against whom they had not sinned: and will you, a small handful of sinful dust, that has ten thousand times provoked the eyes of his glory, not tremble before him, coming on his horses and chariots of salvation, his mighty works and powerful Word? Shall a lion tremble and you not be afraid, who are ready to tremble with a thought of that poor creature? Shall the heavens bow, the deep beg for mercy, and you be senseless? Shall all creatures quake for the sin of man, and sinful man be secure? Know you not that the time is coming wherein such men will desire the trembling rocks to be a covert to their more affrighted souls?

No creatures, seas nor floods, greater or lesser waters, shall be able to obstruct or hinder God's people's deliverance, when he has undertaken it. Is the sea against them? It shall be parted. Is Jordan in the way? It shall be driven back. Both sea and Jordan shall tremble before him: Euphrates shall be dried up to give the kings of the east a passage (Revelation 16:12).

Waters in the Scriptures are sometimes afflictions, sometimes people and Nations. Be they Seas, Kinges and Princes, or be they Rivers, inferior persons, they shall not be able to oppose. God has decked his House and made it glorious with the spoyles of all opposers. There you have the spoyles of Pharaoh, gathered up on the shore of the Red-Sea, and dedicated in the House of God (Exodus 15). There you have all the armor of Senacheribs mighty host with the rest of their spoyles, hung up to shew (2 Chronicles 32:21). There you have the glory and throne and dominion of Nebuchadnezzar himselfe being turned into a Beast (Daniel 4:33). There you shall have the carcasses of Gog and Magog with all their mighty hosts for comming to encampe against the City of God (Ezekiel 39). There you have the Imperiall Robes of Dioclesian and his companion abdicating themselves from the Empire for very madnesse that they could not prevaile against the Church. Kings of armies shall fly apace and shee that taries at home shall divide the spoyle (Psalm 68:12). All opposers though Nations and Kingdomes shall perish and be utterly destroyed (Isaiah 60:12; Revelation 19:18).

God will not exalt any creature to a pitch of opposition to himselfe, or to stand in the way of his workings. The very end of all things in their severall stations, is to be serviceable to his purposes towards his Own. Obedience in senslesse creatures, is naturall, even against the course of nature in the season of deliverance. Sun stand you still upon Gibeon, and you Moone in the valley of Ajalon (Joshua 10:12). Who are you, O great Mountaine? Before Zerubbabel, you shall become a plaine (Zechariah 4:7). The most Mountainous opposers shall be levelled, when the Spirit of God sets in for that purpose. There is a strength in every promise and ingagement of God to his people, that is able to carry the whole frame of Heaven and Earth before it. If they can believe, all things are possible to them that believe. When the Decree is to bring forth, the fruit of the promise, it will overturne Empires, destroy Nations, divide Seas, ruine Armies, open Prisons, break Chaines and Fetters, and beare down all before it. As the winde shut up in the Earth, will shake the pillars as it were of its mighty body, but it will find or make a passage. The least promise of deliverance, if the season thereof be come, though it were shut up under strong and mighty powers, crafty counsells, dungeons and prisons, like the doores and lasting barres of the Earth, the truth and power of God shall make them all to tremble, and give birth to his peoples deliverance.

Have we seene nothing of this in our days? No Seas divided? no Jordans driven back? no Mountaines revelled? no Hills made to tremble? From where then was the late confusion of Armies? casting down of mighty ones, reviving of Dead bones, opening of prison-doores, bringing out the captive appointed to be slaine? Is it not from hence, that nothing can stand against the breakingout of a promise, in its appointed season? Was the Lord displeased with the Rivers? was his Anger against the Walls and Houses, that he rode upon his Horses and Chariots of Salvation?

Let Faith be strengthened in an evill time. Poore distressed soule all the difficulty of your deliverance lies in your own bosome. If the streames of your unbeliefe within, be not stronger then all Seas of opposition without, all will be easy. O learne to stand still with quietnesse, between an Host of Aegyptians, and a raging Sea, to see the salvation of God. Be quiet in prison, between your friends Bullets, and your enemies Swords, God can, God will make a way. If it were not more hard with us to believe wonders, then it is to the promise to effect wonders for us, they would be no wonders, so dayly, so continually would they be wrought.

God can make use of any of his creatures to be chariots of Salvation. This is the other side of that doctrine which we gathered from v. 5. Winds and Clouds shall obey him. Ravens shall feed Elijah that will not feed their own young. The Sea shall open for Israel, and returne upon the Egyptians. And this both in an ordinary way as Hosea 2:21, 22. and in an extraordinary way as before. So many creatures as God has made so many instruments of good has he for his people: this is further confirmed, v. 9.

Your Bow was made quite naked, according to the Oathes of the tribes, your word: Sela: you diddest cleave the earth with Rivers.

With nakednesse your Bow was made naked. The rest is Elepticall and well supplyed in the Translation.

The Verse has two parts

- 1. A generall proposition, Your Bow was made, &c. - 2. A particular confirmation of that proposition by instance, You diddest cleave the earth with Rivers.

The proposition holds out two things:

- 1. What God did, he made his Bow quite naked. - 2. The Rule he proceeded by herein, according to the oaths of the Tribes, even his word.

The assertion of this Verse, is not of some particular act, or work, as the former, but a generall head or fountaine of those particular works, which are ennumerated in the following Verses.

1. A Bow is a weapon of War, an instrument of death, and being ascribed to God after the manner of men, holds out, his strength, power, might, and efficacy to do what ever he pleaseth. And this is said to be quite naked: when a man goes about to use his Bow, he pulls it out of his Quiver, and so makes it naked. The exercising of Gods Power, is the making naked of his Bow. This he did in all those wonders, wherein he stretched out his hand, in bringing his people into the promised Land, here pointed at. And it is said that with nakednesse it was made naked, because of those very high dispensations and manifestations of his Almighty Power. This is the making naked of his Bow.

2. For the Rule of this, it is the oaths of the Tribes, or as afterward his word. The oaths of the Tribes, that is the oaths made to them: the word he stood engaged to them in. The promise God made by oath to Abraham, that he would give him the Land of Canaan, for an inheritance, even to him, and his posterity (Genesis 12:7, 13, 14, 15), is here intimated. This promise was often renewed to him and the following patriarchs. Hence it is called oaths, though but the same promise often renewed: and it had the nature of an oath, because it was made a covenant. Now it was all for the benefit of the several Tribes, in respect of actual possession, and was lastly renewed to them (Exodus 3:17). Hence called the oaths of the Tribes: not which they swore to the Lord, but which the Lord swore to them. So afterwards it is called his word. Your word. This then is the purport of this general proposition.

O Lord according as you promised, and engaged yourself by covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with their posterity, that you would give them the Land of Canaan to be theirs for an inheritance, so by the dispensation of your mighty power, you have fully accomplished it: and this he lays down for the support of faith in a time of trouble.

The words would afford many observations, I shall insist only on one.

The Lord will certainly make good all his promises, and engagements, to his people, though it cost him the making of his bow quite naked, the manifestation of his power in the utmost dispensations thereof. God's workings are squared to his engagements. This is still the close of all gracious issues of providence, God has done all according as he promised (Joshua 22:4; 2 Samuel 7:21). He brought out his people of old, with a mighty hand, with temptations, signs and wonders, and a stretched out arm, and all, because he would keep the oath which he had sworn, and the engagement which he had made to their fathers (Deuteronomy 7:8). Whatever obstacles may lie in the way he has done it, he will do it. Take one instance, particular places are too many to be insisted on. It was the purpose of his heart, to bring his elect home to himself, from their forlorn lost condition. This he engages himself to do (Genesis 3:15), assuring Adam of a recovery from the misery he was involved in by Satan's prevalency. This surely is no easy work. If the Lord will have it done, he must lay out all his attributes in the demonstration of them to the uttermost. His wisdom and power must bow their shoulders (as it were) in Christ to it: he was the power of God and the wisdom of God. His engaged love must be carried along through so many secret mysterious marvels, as the angels themselves desire to look into, and shall for ever adore. Though the effecting of it, required that which man could not do, and God could not suffer, yet his wisdom will find out a way, that he shall both do it, and suffer it, who is both God and Man. To make good his engagement to his elect, he spared not his only Son: and in him were hid, and by him laid out, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Now this is a precedent, of God's proceeding in all other engagements whatever. Whatever it cost him, he will spare nothing to make them good to the uttermost. He is our Rock and his work is perfect. A good man, if he want not power, will go through with his serious promises though he be engaged to his own hurt (Psalm 15:4). The power of the mighty God is serviceable to his will to the utmost. He cannot will what he cannot do. His will and power are essentially the same. And his power shall not be wanting to execute what his goodness has moved him to engage to, for his own glory.

Deuteronomy 32:4: He is the rock and his work is perfect, all his ways are judgment, a God of truth, and without iniquity. Here are many attributes of God to make good this one thing, that his work is perfect. His [〈in non-Latin alphabet〉], self-sufficiency, perfection, righteousness. I will pitch on one: he is a God of truth. So he is again called (Psalm 31:5), and in other places. The truth of God in his promises and engagements, requires an accomplishment of them whatever it cost, whatever power is required thereunto. This the saints make their bottom to seek it. Remember your loving kindness, which you swore in your truth (Psalm 89:4). It is impossible but that should come to pass which you have sworn in your truth. No stronger plea, than, Remember the word wherein you have caused your servants to put their trust. Jacob says he is less than all the mercy and all the truth of God (Genesis 32:10). He sees God's truth in all his mercy, by causing all things to come to pass, which he had promised him. It is true, some particular promises have their conditions, whose truth consists not in the relation between the word, and the thing, unless the condition intercede. But the great condition under the Gospel, being only the good of them, to whom any engagement is made, we may positively lay down, that God's truth requires the accomplishment of every engagement for his people's good. It is neither mountain nor hill, king, kingdom nor nation, Hell nor mortality, nor all combined, that can stand in the way to hinder it.

His people stand in need of all, that God has engaged himself to them for. God's promises are the just measure of his people's wants. Whatever he has promised, that his people do absolutely want. And whatever they want, that he has promised. Our wants, and his promises are every way commensurate. If you know not, what you stand in need of, search the promises and see. Whatever God has said he will do for you, that you have absolute need should be done. Or if you are not so well acquainted with the promises, search your own wants, what you stand absolutely in need of for your good, that assuredly God has promised. If then this be the case of engagements, they shall all be made good. Think you, will God let his people want that which they have absolute necessity of? By absolute necessity I mean such as is indispensable, as to their present estate and occasions. That may be of necessity in one generation, which is not in another: according to the several employments we are called to. Does God call forth his saints, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people, to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them the judgment written, as (Psalms 149:7, 8, 9)? Does he bring them forth to burn the whore, to fight with the beast and overcome him, and his followers? It is of indispensable necessity, that he give them glorious assistance in their undertakings. They shall be assisted, protected, carried on, though it cost him the making of his bow quite naked. According to the several conditions he calls them to, the several issues of providence, which he will have them serve in, so want they his appearance, in them, with them, for them, and it shall be present. Let them be assured they are in his way, and then though some prove false and treacherous, some base and cowardly, though many combine and associate themselves against them, in many places, in all places, though whole kingdoms and mighty armies appear for their ruin, be they reviled and clamoured, by all round about them, all is one, help they need, and help they shall have, or God will make his bow quite naked.

This day is this doctrine fulfilled before us. God's bow made quite naked according to his word. We are less than all the truth he has showed to us. Though great working and mighty power has been required, such as he has not shown in our days, nor in the days of our fathers, yet the Lord has not stood at it, for his word's sake, wherein he has made us put our trust. I speak of the general mercies we have received. The surrender of Colchester the particular celebrated this day, though marching in the rear for time, is for the weight in the van. A mercy of the first magnitude. Essex has seen more power, in a three months' recovery, than in the protection of six years.

That the mouths of men are stopped, and their faces filled with shame, who made it their trade to revile and threaten the saints of God, that the adverse strength, which has lain hid these seven years, should be drawn forth united and broken to pieces; that the people of God, divided, and mutually exasperated through their abuse of peace, should by the sword of a common enemy, and the help of a common friend, have their wrath abated, their counsels united, and their persons set in a hopeful way, of closing or forbearance; that God by their own counsels should shut up men collected from sundry parts to ruin others, in a city with gates and walls for their own ruin; that they should deny peace tendered upon such conditions, because of the exigencies of the time, as might have left them power, as well as will for a further mischief; that such salvation should go forth in other parts, as that the proceedings here, should not be interrupted; that the bitter service which men here underwent, should ever and anon be sweetened with refreshing tidings from other places, to keep up their spirits in wet, watching, cold and loss of blood; all these I say, and sundry others, such like things as these, are the Lord's doing, and marvelous in our eyes. Especially let us remember how in three things the Lord made his bow quite naked in this late deliverance.

- 1. In leavening the counsels of the enemy with their own folly. - 2. In ordering all events to his own praise. - 3. By controlling with his mighty power the issue of all undertakings.

1. In leavening their counsels with their own folly. God's power and the efficacy of his providence, is not more clearly manifested in any thing than in his effectual working in the debates, advises, consultations and reasonings of his enemies: compassing his ends by their inventions. When God is in none of the thoughts of men by his fear, he is in them all by his providence. The sun is operative with his heat, where he reaches not with his light, and has an influence on precious minerals, in the depths and dark bottoms of rocks and mountains. The all-piercing providence of God, dives into the deep counsels of the hearts of the sons of men, and brings out precious gold from there, where the gracious light of his countenance, shines not at all. Men freely advise, debate, use and improve their own reasons, wisdom, interests, not once casting an eye to the Almighty, and yet all this while do his work, more than their own. All the counselings, plottings, of Joseph's brethren, all the transactions of the Jews, Herod, and Pilate about the death of Christ, with other the like instances abundantly prove it. Take a few instances, wherein God made his bow quite naked in the counsels of his and our enemies.

In general they consult to take arms, wherein God had fully appeared against them, when in all probability their work would have been done without. Had they not fought, by this time they had been conquerors. One half year's peace more, which we desired on any terms, and they would on no terms bear, in all likelihood had set them where they would be. Their work went on, as if they had hired the kingdom, to serve them in catching weather. What with some men's folly, others' treachery, all our divisions, had not their own counsels set them on fighting, I think we should suddenly have chosen them, and theirs, to be umpires of our quarrels. God saw when it was time to deal with them. In their undertaking in our own county, I could give sundry instances, how God mixed a perverse spirit of folly and error in all their counsels. A part of the magistracy of the county is seized on: therein their intentions towards the residue clearly discovered, yet not any attempt made to secure them, which they might easily have accomplished, although they could not but suppose, that there were some gentlemen of public and active spirits left, that would be industrious in opposition to them. Was not the Lord in their counsels also, when they suffered a small inconsiderable party in a little village within a few miles of them, to grow into such a body as at length they durst not attempt, when they might have broken their whole endeavor with half a hundred of men? Doubtless of innumerable such things as these, we may say with the Prophet, The Princes of Zoan are become fools, the Princes of Noph are deceived, they have seduced the people, even they that are the stay of their Tribes, the Lord has mingled a perverse spirit in the midst of them, they have caused the people to err in every work, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit (Isaiah 19:13, 14). Doubtless the wrath of man shall praise the Lord, and the remainder of it will he restrain.

2. In ordering all events to his own praise. The timing of the enemies' eruptions in several places, is that which fills all hearts with wonder and all mouths with discourse in these days. From the first to the last, they had their season. Had they come together, to the eyes of flesh, the whole nation had been swallowed up in that deluge. In particular, let Essex take notice of the goodness of God; the high thoughts and threats of men, which made us for divers weeks fear a massacre, were not suffered to break out into open hostility, until the very next day after their strength was broken, in the neighbor country of Kent. As if the Lord should have said, I have had you in a chain all this while: though you have showed your teeth, you have not devoured: now go out of my chain, I have a net ready for you. For the army's coming to our assistance, I cannot see how we needed them many days sooner, or could have wanted them one day longer. Further these homebred eruptions were timely seasoned, to rouse the discontented soldiery, and divided nation, to be ready to resist the Scottish invasion. God also being magnified in this, that in this sweet disposal of events, to his glory, the counsels of many of those, in whom we thought we might confide, run totally cross to the appearance of God in his providence.

What shall we say to these things, If the Lord be for us, who shall be against us? All these things come forth from the Lord of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in operation (Isaiah 28:29). Whoever is wise will ponder them, and they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord.

3. In controlling mighty actions. I mean giving success to his people in all their undertakings. The commander in chief of all the forces in this kingdom since his sitting down before Colchester, was proffered a pass to go beyond the seas for his security. From where is it, that he has now the necks of his enemies, and has given any of them their lives at their entreaty? Greater armies than this, have been buried under lesser walls; did not the number of the besieged at first, exceed the number of the besiegers? Were not their advantages great? Their skill in war among men of their own persuasion, famous and renowned, so that the sitting down before it, was judged an action, meet only for them, who could believe they should see the bow of God, made quite naked. It had been possible doubtless to reason's eye, that many of those fictions, wherewith a faction in the great city fed themselves of the many routings, slaughters, and destructions of the army, might have been true. Some of them I say, for some were as childish as hellish. In brief, they associated themselves and were broken in pieces, they associated themselves and were broken in pieces. High walls, towering imaginations, lofty threats all brought down. So let all your enemies perish O Lord, but let them that love him, be as the sun when he goes forth in his might, and let the land have rest for many years (Judges 5:31).

This will discover to us the bottom and rise of all God's appearances for his people: even the engaging of his own free grace. He does not make his bow quite naked, according to their deservings, but his own word. Not because they of themselves are better than others, but because he loves them more than others. Were God's assistances, suited to our walkings, they would be very uneven: but his good-will is constant so are our deliverances.

Be exhorted to thankfulness, not verbal but real: not the exultation of carnal affections, but the savory obedience of a sound mind. There are many ingredients in thanksgiving: suitable and seasonable obedience to answer the will of God in his mercies, is doubtless the crown of all. Look then under the enjoyment of blessings, in general, to close walking with God in the duties of the Covenant, and in particular, to the especial work of this your generation, and you are in the way to be thankful.

Be sedulously careful to prevent that, which God has mightily decried by our late mercies: namely, mutual animosities, strife, contention, and violence, against one another, I mean of those that fear his Name. God has interposed in our quarrels from Heaven. The language of our late deliverance is, be quiet lest a worse thing happen to you. Our poor brethren of Scotland, would not see the hatefulness of their animosities towards their friends, until God suffered that very thing, to be the means to deliver them up to the power of their enemies. The weapons they had formed, were used against themselves. Let us learn betimes to agree about our pasture lest the wolves of the wilderness devour us. Persecution and idolatry have ruined all the states of the Christian world.

Of the assertion we have spoken hitherto. Come we now to the particular confirmation of it by instance.

You did cleave the earth with rivers. Cleave the earth, or make channels in the earth, for waters to flow in.

Another most eminent work of almighty power is here set forth. Eminent in itself, and eminent in its typical signification. And the same thing being twice done, has a plural expression; rivers.

The bringing of streams of waters, from the Rock, for the thirsty people in the wilderness, is that which is here celebrated. Now this the Lord did twice.

1 (Exodus 17:6), when the people were in Rephidim, in the first year after their coming from Egypt, they fainted in their journeys for want of water, and (according to the wonted custom of that rebellious people) complained, with murmuring. So they extorted all their mercies, and therefore they were attended with such sore judgments. While the meat was in their mouths, the plague was on their bones.

Mercies extorted by murmurings, unseasoned with loving kindness, though they may be quails in the mouth will be plagues in the belly. Let us take heed lest we repine the Almighty into a full harvest, and lean souls. Get and keep mercies in God's way, or there is death in the pot.

Forty years after this, when the first whole evil generation was consumed, the children who were risen up in their fathers' stead, fall a murmuring for water in the wilderness of Zin: and with a profligacy of rebellion wish they had been consumed with others in the former plagues (Numbers 20:4). Here also the Lord gives them water and that in abundance, v. 11. Now of this observe.

1. The places from where this water marvellously issued: they were rocks, that in all probability, never had spring from the creation of the world. Further they are observed to be rocks of flint (Psalm 114:8), which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters. So (Deuteronomy 8:15), a rock into a pool, and a flint into a stream, is much beyond Samson's riddle, of sweetness from the eater.

2. The abundance of waters that gushed out; waters to satisfy that whole congregation, with all their cattle, consisting of some millions. Yes, and not only they, but all the beasts of that wilderness were refreshed thereby also (Isaiah 43:20): "The beast of the field shall honor me, the dragon and the owl, because I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen."

(The very worst of the sons of men, dragons and owls fare the better for God's protecting providence towards his own.)

And all this in such abundance, that it was as plentiful as a sea. He clave the rock in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great deep, he brought streams also out of the rocks, and caused waters to run down like rivers (Psalm 78:15, 16); so also it is celebrated (Isaiah 41:18; chapter 48:21; Hosea 13:5), and in many other places.

Great deliverances call for frequent remembrances.

Thus were rivers brought out of the rocks: and with, or for these rivers, God did cleave the earth, that is, either he provided channels for those streams to run in, that they might not be wasted on the surface of that sandy wilderness, but preserved for the use of his people; or else the streams were so great and strong, that they pierced the earth, and parted channels for themselves.

Great rivers of water, brought out of flinty rocks, running into prepared channels, to refresh a sinful thirsty people, in a barren wilderness, I think is a remarkable mercy.

2. As it was eminent in itself, so likewise is it exalted in its typical concernment. Is there nothing but flints in this rock? Nothing but water in these streams? Nothing but the rod of Moses in the blows given to it? Did the people receive no other refreshment, but only in respect of their bodily thirst? Yes says the Apostle, they drank of that spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). Was not this rock, a sign of that Rock of Ages on which the Church is built (Matthew 16:18)? Did not Moses smiting, hold out his being smitten with the rod of God (Isaiah 53:4, 5)? Was not the pouring out of these plentiful streams, as the pouring out of his precious blood, in a sea of mercy, abundantly sufficient to refresh the whole fainting Church in the wilderness? Latet Christus in petra, here is Christ in this rock. Had Rome had wisdom to build on this rock, though she had not had an infallibility, as she vainly now pretends, she might have had an infallibility (if I may so speak), yes, she had never quite failed. Give me leave to take a few observations from hence: as

1. Sinners must be brought to great extremities, to make them desire the blood of Jesus. Weary and thirsty, before rock-water come. Thirst is a continually galling pressure. When a soul gasps like a parched land, and is as far from self-refreshment, as a man from drawing waters out of a flint, then shall the side of Christ be opened to him. You that are full of your lusts, drunk with the world, here is not a drop for you. If you never come into the wilderness, you shall never have rock-water.

2. Mercy to a convinced sinner seems oftentimes as remote, as rivers from a rock of flint. The truth is, he never came near mercy, who thought not himself far from it. When the Israelites cried, we are ready to die for thirst, then stood they on the ground, where rivers were to run.

Thirsty souls shall want no water, though it be fetched for them out of a Rock. Panters after the blood of Jesus, shall assuredly have refreshment and pardon, through the most unconquerable difficulties. Though grace and mercy seem to be locked up from them, like water in a flint, from where fire is more natural than water, yet God will not strike the rock of his justice and their flinty hearts together, to make hellfire sparkle about their ears, but with a rod of mercy on Christ, that abundance of water may be drawn out for their refreshment.

The most eminent temporal blessings, and suitable refreshment, (water from a Rock for them that are ready to perish) is but an obscure representation of that love of God, and refreshment of souls, which is in the blood of Jesus. Carnal things are exceeding short of spiritual, temporal things of eternal.

The blood of Christ is abundantly sufficient for his whole Church, to refresh themselves; streams, rivers, a whole Sea.

These and the like observations flowing from the typical relation of the blessing intimated, shall not further be insisted on, one only I shall take from the Historical Truth.

God sometimes brings plentiful deliverances and mercies for his people from beyond the ken of sense and reason, yes from above the ordinary reach of much precious faith. I mean not what it ought to reach, which is all the Omnipotency of God; but what ordinarily it does, as in this very business it was with Moses.

I say plentiful deliverances, mercies like the waters that gushed out in abundant streams, until the earth was cloven with Rivers: that the people should not only have a taste and away, but drink abundantly, and leave for the beasts of the field.

From beyond the ken of sense and reason, by events which a rationally wise man, is no more able to look into, than an eye of flesh is able to see water in a flint: or a man probably suppose that divers millions of creatures should be refreshed with waters out of a Rock, where there was never any spring from the foundation of the world.

Now concerning this observe,

- 1. That God has done it. - 2. That he has promised he will yet do it. - 3. Why he will so do?

First he has done it. I might here tire you with presidents. I could lead you from that Mother deliverance, the womb of all others, the redemption that is in the blood of Jesus, down through many dispensations of old, and of late, holding out this proposition to the full. One shall suffice me, and if some of you cannot help yourselves with another, you are very senseless.

Look upon Peter's deliverance (Acts 12). The night before he was to be slain, he was kept safe in a prison. A prison he had neither will, nor power to break. He was bound with two chains, beyond his skill to unloose, or force asunder; kept he was by 16 soldiers, doubtless men of blood and vigilancy; having this to keep them waking, that if Peter escaped with his head, they were to lose theirs. Now that his deliverance was above sense and reason, himself intimates (v. 11): he has delivered me from the expectation of the Jews. The wise subtle Jews, concluded the matter so secure, that without any doubts or fears, they were in expectation of his execution the next day. That it was also beyond the ready reach of much precious faith, you have an example in those believers, who were gathered together in the house of Mary (v. 12), calling her mad, who first affirmed it (v. 15), and being astonished when their eyes beheld it (v. 16). The whole seeming so impossible to carnal Herod, after its accomplishment, that he slays the keepers as false in their hellish trust. A just recompense for trusty villains.

The time would fail me to speak of Isaac and Joseph, Gideon, Noah, Daniel, and Job, all presidents worthy your consideration. View them at your leisure, and you will have leisure, if you intend to live by faith.

He has said it. It is a truth abounding in promises and performances. I shall hold out one or two, it will be worth your while to search for others yourselves. He that digs for a mine, finds many a piece of gold by the way.

(Isaiah 41:14, 15) Fear not you worm Jacob, and you few men of Israel, behold I will make you, a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth, you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills as chaff, you shall fan them, &c.

To make a worm a threshing instrument with teeth, to cause that instrument to beat mountains and hills into chaff, that chaff to be blown away with the wind, that, that worm may rejoice in God, to advance a small handful of despised ones, to the ruin of mountainous Empires, and Kingdoms, until they be broken and scattered to nothing, is a mercy that comes from beyond the ken of any ordinary eye.

(Ezekiel 37:3) The Prophet professes that the deliverance promised was beyond his apprehension. Son of man can these bones live and I answered O Lord God you know. The Lord intimates in the following verses, that he will provide a means, for his Church's recovery, when it seemeth as remote therefrom, as dry bones scattered upon the face of the Earth are from a mighty living Army. This he calls opening their graves (v. 12, 13).

Because he would have his people wholly wrapt up in his Allsufficiency. Not to straighten themselves, with what their faith can ken in a promise: much less to what their reason can perceive in appearance. In the application of promises to particular trials and extremities, Faith oftentimes is exceedingly disturbed, either in respect of persons, or things, or seasons. But when it will wholly swallow up itself in All-sufficiency, the fountain of all promises, there is no place for fear or disputing. Have your souls in spiritual trials never been driven from all your outworks, to this main fort? Has not all hold of promises in time of trial given place to temptations, until you have fallen down in All-sufficiency, and there found peace? God accounts a flight to the strong Tower of his Name, to be the most excellent valor. This is faith's first, proper, and most immediate object: to particular promises it is drawn out, on particular occasions: here is or should be its constant abode (Genesis 17:1). And indeed the soul will never be prepared to all the will of God, until its whole complacency be taken up in this sufficiency of the Almighty. Here God delights to have the soul give up itself to a contented losing of all its reasonings, even in the infinite unsearchableness of his goodness and power. Therefore will he sometimes send forth such streams of blessings, as can flow from no other fountain, that his may know where to lie down in peace. Here he would have us secure our shallow bottoms in this quiet sea, this infinite ocean, where neither wind, nor storm, do once approach. Those blustering temptations which rage at the shore, when we were half at land, and half at sea, half upon the bottom of our own reason, and half upon the ocean of providence, reach not at all to this deep. Oh if we could in all trials, lay ourselves down in these arms of the Almighty, his All-sufficiency in power and goodness, oh how much of the haven should we have in our voyage, how much of home, in our pilgrimage, how much of heaven in this wretched earth! Friends throw away your staves, break the arm of flesh, lie down here quietly in every dispensation, and you shall see the salvation of God. I could lose myself in setting out of this, wherein I could desire you would lose yourselves in every time of trouble.

Have you not known? Have you not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He gives power to the faint and to them who have no might, he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:28, 29, 30, 31).

To convince the unbelieving world itself of his power, providence, and love to them that put their trust in him: that they may be found to cry, verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily he is a God who rules in the earth. When the Egyptian magicians see real miracles, beyond all their juggling pretences, they cry out this is the finger of God (Exodus 8:19). Profane Nebuchadnezzar beholding the deliverance of those three worthies, from the fiery furnace, he owns them for the servants of the most high God (Daniel 3:26). Daniel being preserved in the lions' den, Darius acknowledges the power and kingdom of the living God (Daniel 6:26). Glorious appearances of God for his people beyond the reach of reason, wrest from the world amazement, or acknowledgement, and in both God is exalted. He will appear in such distresses as that he will be seen of his very enemies: they shall not be able with the Philistines to question whether it be his hand, or a chance happened to them, but conclude with the Egyptians, that fly they must for God fights for his people (Exodus 14:25). If God should never give blessings but in such a way, as reason might discover their dependance on secondary causes, men would not see his goings, nor acknowledge his operations. But when he mightily makes bare his arm, in events beyond their imaginations, they must veil before him.

Consider whether the mercy celebrated this day, ought not to be placed in this series of deliverances, brought from beyond the ken of sense and reason, from above the reach of much precious faith. For the latter I leave it to your own experience, to the former let me for the present desire your consideration of these five things.

1. By whom you were surprised and put under restraint. Now these were of two sorts: 1. The heads and leaders, 2. The tumultuous multitude.

For the first, some of them being dead, and some under durance, I shall not say any thing: nullum cum victis certamen et aethere cassis. I leave the stream from the flint to your own thoughts.

2. For the multitude, an enraged, headless, lawless, godless multitude, gathered out of inns, taverns, alehouses, stables, highways, and the like nurseries of piety and pity. Such as these having gotten their superiors under their power, their governors under their disposal, their restrainers under their restraint, their oppressors, as they thought, under their fury, what was it that kept in their fury and their revenge, which upon the like occasions and advantages, has almost always been executed? Search your stories, you will not find many that speak of such a deliverance. For a few governors prevailed on, to durance, by a godless rout, in an insurrection, and yet to come off in peace and safety, is surely a work of more than ordinary providence.

2. Consider the season of your surprisal, when all the kingdom was in an uproar, and the arm of flesh almost quite withered as to supply. The north invaded, the south full of insurrections, Wales unsubdued, the great city, at least suffering men to lift up their hands against us. So that to the eye of reason the issue of the whole, was if not lost, yet exceedingly hazardous: and so to the eye of reason your captivity endless. Had they gone on as was probable they would, whether you had this day been brought out to execution, or thrust into a dungeon, or carried up and down as a pageant, I know not, but much better condition, I am sure rationally you could not expect.

3. The end of your surprizal. Among others, this was apparently one, to be a reserve for their safety, who went on, in all ways of ruin. You were kept to preserve them in those ways, wherein they perished. Whether could reason reach this or no; that you being in their power, kept on purpose for their rescue, if brought to any great strait, with the price of your heads, to redeem their own, that they should be brought to greater distress, than ever any before in this kingdom, and you be delivered, without the least help to them in their need, it was beyond your friends' reason, who could not hope it, it was beyond your enemies' reason who never feared it, if you believed it, you have the comfort of it.

4. The refusal of granting an exchange, for such persons, as they accounted more considerable than yourselves, and whose enlargement might have advantaged the cause they professed to maintain, exceedingly more than your restraint, what does it but proclaim your intended ruin? This was the way of deliverance, which for a long season, reason chiefly rested on, the main pillar of all its building, which when it was cut in two, what could in it be seen but desolation.

5. The straits you were at length reduced to, between your enemies' swords and your friends' bullets, which intended for your deliverance, without the safeguard of providence, might have been your ruin, piercing more than once, the house wherein you were. Surely it was then an eminent work of faith to stand still, and see the salvation of God.

The many passages of providence evidently working for your preservation, which I have received from some of yourselves, I willingly pass over. What I have already said is sufficient to declare that to reason's eye you were as dead bones upon the earth. For our parts who were endangered spectators, at the best, we were but in the prophet's frame, and to any question about your enlargement could answer only, the Lord alone he knows. And now behold the Lord has chosen you out, to be examples of his loving kindness, in fetching mercy for you, from beyond the ken of reason, yes, from above the reach of much precious faith. He has brought water for you out of the flint. Reckon your deliverance under this head of operations, and I hope you will not be unthankful.

You that have received so great mercy, we that have seen it, and all who have heard the doctrine confirmed, let us learn to live by faith. Live above all things that are seen. Subject them to the cross of Christ. Measure your condition, by your interest in God's all-sufficiency. Do not in distress calculate what such and such things can effect, but what God has promised. Reckon upon that, for it shall come to pass. If you could get but this one thing, by all your sufferings and dangers, to trust the Lord, to the utmost extent of his promises, it would prove a blessed captivity. All carnal fears would then be conquered, all sinful compliances with wicked men removed, &c.

Be exhorted to great thankfulness, you that have been made partakers of great deliverances. In great distresses, very nature prompts the sons of men to great promises. You have heard the ridiculous story of him, who in a storm at sea, promised to dedicate a wax candle to the blessed Virgin, as big as the mast of his ship, which he was resolved when he came on shore to pay with one of 12 in the pound. Let not the moral of that fable be found in any of you. Come not short of any of your engagements, no greater discovery of a hypocritical frame, than to flatter the Lord in trouble, and to decline upon deliverance in cold blood. The Lord of Heaven give you strength to make good all your resolutions: as private persons, in all godliness and honesty, following hard after God in every known way of his; as magistrates, in justice, equity, and faithful serving the kingdom of Christ. Especially let them never beg in vain for help at your hands, who did not beg help in vain, for you at the hands of God.

Consider, if there be so much sweetness in a temporal deliverance, oh what excellency is there in that eternal redemption, which we have in the blood of Jesus? If we rejoice for being delivered from them, who could have killed the body, what unspeakable rejoicing is there in that mercy whereby we are freed from the wrath to come. Let this possess your thoughts, let this fill your souls, let this be your haven from all former storms, and here strike I sail, in this, to abide with you, and all the saints of God for ever.